Long time lurker from Green Bay - taking the plunge

[kelly3512]

Hello everyone,
I've been lurking on the site for literally years (not stalking though). It's been great reading and learning from all the various expertises out there and seeing the awesome work. I've wanted to build a tear for quite some time and as everyone knows, something always comes up to take the available time.

I race mountain bike and love to try out different courses on the cheap and this means camping. I started out with a tent last year and moved to sleeping pads in the back of the Tahoe this year. I see the tear as the next and better evolution for what I love to do.

Well I've finally taken the plunge on a build. The idea is to use the Weedender plans and adjust for my personality. By this I mean I'm going to make this into a steel build and work to make it even lighter than the original plan. I know there will be questions on how I'm going to approach the build, I may be able to answer some and not others until I encounter the challenge.

Details will follow in a build journal coming.

Looking forward to the personalized tutilage coming in the future.
Kelly

[Wolfgang92025]

Kelly,

Welcome to the fun. Glad to see you take the plunge.
Remember, we want pictures when the sawdust starts flying.

Wolfgang

[BrwBier]

Welcome, I'm from Sheboygan so were not far apart. You will find out or you may already know there are lots of teardrops in Wisconsin. Some very near you. Hope to see you camping sometime.
Brwbier

[kelly3512]

Well not exactly.. yet anyway. I've already been making sparks and have the skeleton made up. When the wood time comes I'll be enlisting the help of a friend that is as good with wood as I am with metal.

Tears in WI,
Yes I've seen some and see it as a pretty exclusive club. The 20+ ft campers are still the 'desired' camper because of the comforts. Even though I have a Tahoe, my goal is to use this behind a small car to save on fuel.

[SandyD]

Welcome Kelly ~

There's a few gatherings coming up in September and always informal gatherings cropping up (one in August). If you haven't already, join the Tearjerkers side for more gathering information. Wisconsin is in the St. Croix Chapter with Minnesota and we're a fun group to camp with IMHO.

Hope to see you soon !!

[Zollinger]

Welcome from down south of you. I'm about 20 miles west of Brewbier. Tearhead aka Pat must be camping or sumthin, usually she head up the welcome wagon for Wisconsin people.

[tearhead]

Dawn's right, I do try to get right in and greet new Wisconsin forum members, but I was off camping all week. Went to the Smokies and on the way back attended a Hoosier gathering at Whitewater Memorial State Park which is east of Indianapolis. Got a kick out of that b/c we live in Whitewater, Wisconsin.

Anyway, thanks for coming out of the woodwork, and welcome! I'll betcha our paths will cross. Oh, and I think it depends who you ask, whether a huge RV is more desireable than our little rigs. I think ours make theirs look fat.

[kelly3512]

Well folks, I've finally gotten the build journal started with some pics.

[Oasis Maker]

Welcome to the playground. We're getting quite a crew of cyclist here. Very cool. Teardrops & Bikes... kinda catchy. Maybe at the next IRG well set up a dirt track course and have a real race.

Scott