Hi from Minnesota

[mcspin50]

I guess the obsession started when I happened upon the Sisters on the Fly website and thought..."aren't those little trailers cute?! I'd love to find one and tart it up for camping!" So now I'm spending way too much time reading through build journals, albums, and "how to pee in the night" forums and on and on...

Always loved camping with my kids from tent to pop-up camper and back to tent (that Bethany camper weighed a ton!). Now my baby is 21 and I think I might have a build partner. He'd love to tackle a trailer project and take it to Moondance Jam. Found a small (16 ft?) unidentifiable trailer, but a second look scared me off. I took pics (will try to post them.. they're on my laptop). The thing has lots of rust, dings, leaks and mouse poop. They want $300 for it. It looks like a gut job to me.

Then there's always the possibility of building a teardrop. I've got some minimal carpentry skills (displays for my shop, minimalist furniture, desks and bookcases), and starting with new construction seems somehow easier to me. I can see each step forward. With the gut job, it'd be full of not-so-good surprises.

But first, I think I'll just wait and go tent camping next spring and summer (if I can figure out how to get some hours or days away from my shop). Hope to find a few get-togethers with teardrop and tiny trailer folk up here in the northwoods. Anyone out there planning something?

Well, back to perusing the Forum index and gleaning some of the great knowledge contained here.

Take care,
Lil in MN

[rebapuck]

Watch out! Just when you think you'll wait, the perfect camper will pop up.

Welcome to the forum.

[Ageless]

Avoid anything that rodents have occupied!! There the chance to diseases such as the Hunta virus. I bought a free trailer home that had an infestation and it will be completely demolished.

[mikeschn]

Hi Lil,

Welcome to the forum!

Mike...

[mcspin50]

Watch out! Just when you think you'll wait, the perfect camper will pop up.

Welcome to the forum.

I can only hope!! ;-)

[mcspin50]

Avoid anything that rodents have occupied!! There the chance to diseases such as the Hunta virus. I bought a free trailer home that had an infestation and it will be completely demolished.

Tell me about it! Our old Bethany pop-up camper first was infested with wasps nests that ate through the canvas roof over the bed. Then it sat out at our lake lot closed up for 4 years until we sold the lot, then we moved it to my shop where No. 3 Son (the baby) and I popped it up and found a whole LOTTA mouse poop. They even snuggled down in one of the matresses. Cleaned it out (a day-long project...yucch!); then an older guy came by and offered me $100 for it. I was glad to be rid of it...THEN. NOW I'm kicking myself as I would have had a wonderful resource of parts for a teardrop build - sink, power inverter, lights, water tank, stove, ice box, even a table. Oh well! I did get a nice little garden spot where the camper had killed the grass. Got some awesome grape tomatoes and peppers (hot and green), plus tons of green beans last summer. :-)

But thanks so much for the caution. I was working in an open, airy space cleaning out the camper. A closed-in trailer would be much more of a hazard.

Take care,
Lil

[mcspin50]

Hi Lil,

Welcome to the forum!

Mike...

Thanks, Mike! Gosh, I'm honored! And thanks for starting this great community and resource.

Stay warm! It's a balmy 8 degrees F here.

Lil

[Roly Nelson]

Hi Lil, welcome to the forum. If you have a 21 year old partner to help you build a teardrop trailer, I say, Go For It. Gals have built them before and if you have a helping hand, how great is that? Now, I won't try to convince you to build a Woody, since in your neck of the woods, wood-ain't-good. Best clad it with alum or FRP to combat the snow.

There are loads of plan info on this board, folks that want to help you and interested people, like me that want to see your progress build pictures. First thing, what size, next what shape and then, what material. I like to build a 1 inch to the foot, scale model out of cereal box cardboard. A little glue, some masking tape and sizzors is all it takes. It is much easier to change cardboard than plywood sides and roof. OK, now that I have talked you into getting started, go out and get that trailer frame, then you will be committed. Good for you, now,remember take pics and post em.
Roly (PS, you can see by my avatar, that I haven't read any books about "how to pee in the night", as you mentioned, hence, the cross-legged stance).

[hiker chick]

So now I'm spending way too much time reading through build journals, albums, and "how to pee in the night" forums and on and on...

Teardrops & TTT's are transformational.

Would be much nicer in the spring to be camping in an insulated teardrop.

You've got the skills and the vision. Go for it!

[bart]

Hi Lil

Welcome, We are just up the road in the FM area. We had never saw a teardrop except in pictures when we decided to build. This site is great and really helped us with our build. We relied on Mikes Generic Benroy plans, they were great.

Bart

[TPMcGinty]

Welcome from a fellow Minnesotan! Check out the Tearjerkers Web Site. Betsey is one of the St Croix Chapter Leaders and she is really good about posting updates on our gatherings as soon as we know when and where they will be. The first gathering is usually in Sheboygan, WI in April. The first one in MN is usually near Pine City at the end of May or beginning of June.

[mcspin50]

Hi Lil

Welcome, We are just up the road in the FM area. We had never saw a teardrop except in pictures when we decided to build. This site is great and really helped us with our build. We relied on Mikes Generic Benroy plans, they were great.

Bart

Wonderful! That's the plans I've been studying the most. Maybe sometime I could have a look at yours and ask some questions? I promise to limit them to 50 or less...the first day...


Stay warm,
Lil

[mcspin50]

I like to build a 1 inch to the foot, scale model out of cereal box cardboard. A little glue, some masking tape and sizzors is all it takes. It is much easier to change cardboard than plywood sides and roof.

Ooh, sounds like a great frigid winter day indoor project. Thanks for the idea!

[hotrod]

Hi Lil!
Neighbor to the west here from hitterdal.
Ive done alot of time in perham. We used to have a seasonal place on big pine. Still spend alot of time fishing around there. We love our teardrop and use it as often as we can! Keep in touch! Paul

[rainman0]

Welcome Lil,
As Tim said, we usually have a campout (Intellectual Northwoods Gathering 3) at our place late May or early June. Don't worry about not having a trailer yet, you are welcome to come. Also, don't let the name of the gathering scare you.