Author Topic: Caravaning Across America  (Read 12203 times)

Steve

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Caravaning Across America
« on: June 04, 2017, 03:28:17 PM »
Stu, we are joining you in traveling by caravan! Last week we ordered one of these:



 However, ours will only be for occasional use during our travels. We will still use motels for most of our nights. This is just for those times when we are deep in a national forest of national park and don't want to drive a couple hours back to a motel. Or for mild off-road outings with groups. It is only 5X8 feet, and just 44" inside height. It is low enough that we can put our kayaks on top, or use it as a utility trailer or moving van. I consider it a multi-use trailer. Deb just rolls her eyes...

And then, against 38,000:1 odds, a week later I won a free roof top tent for my 4Runner!



I think that's where I'll send Deb if she starts snoring in the trailer.  [bed] The trailer will be several months lead time, but I should receive the tent in the next couple of weeks. I look forward to trying both of them out on our travels!
Steve - Avon, Ohio, USA


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xairbusdriver

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Re: Caravaning Across America
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2017, 10:35:11 PM »
With my 74 yo back aching from some heavy lifting I shouldn't have done yesterday, I'll just say good camping and congratulations! [rolleyes2] cmu:-) Also hoping your wife doesn't read these forums... if she does, you may also need to carry a 'dog house'!
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Steve

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Re: Caravaning Across America
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2017, 12:06:56 AM »
The RTT comes with a 3" memory foam mattress, and the trailer fits a queen size. Most folks put a 4-6" queen memory foam in them, and say they are as comfortable as at home.
Steve - Avon, Ohio, USA


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elagache

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Got a soft spot for teardrops (Re: Caravaning Across America)
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2017, 12:19:44 AM »
Dear Steve, X-Air, and WeatherCat caravan fans,

Stu, we are joining you in traveling by caravan! Last week we ordered one of these:

Congratulations!  I have always had a soft spot for teardrop styled trailers.  My first introduction to vintage trailers was at a teardrop trailer rally.  For many years I subscribed to this newsletter:

http://www.teardrops.net/

What brand and model is your tiny trailer?

However, ours will only be for occasional use during our travels. We will still use motels for most of our nights.

These are very small trailers!  I don't think camping in these things is easy to take for very long.  Does it have an external galley?

And then, against 38,000:1 odds, a week later I won a free roof top tent for my 4Runner!

Congratulations2!!

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

xairbusdriver

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Re: Caravaning Across America
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2017, 12:30:42 AM »
I'm not sure, but I think it's made by either All-Clad or Cuisinart. I think you also need one of these...
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And the United States = The Banana system


Steve

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Re: Got a soft spot for teardrops (Re: Caravaning Across America)
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2017, 12:46:50 AM »
What brand and model is your tiny trailer?

These are very small trailers!  I don't think camping in these things is easy to take for very long.  Does it have an external galley?

It is made by Hiker Trailers and is the 5X8 Deluxe, with factories in Denver and just north of Indianapolis. So it will be a reasonably short drive to pick it up.

I've tent camped in a one-man backpack tent for several weeks on end, and one of these would have been a welcome luxury! Queen size bed, no rocks or roots, and no setup/takedown would be wonderful. There are folks on the Hiker Trailer site that travel for months at a time in them, sometimes two adults and a couple of dogs.

It does have a large rear door and shelving for a galley. I opted for a more basic model so that I can configure the shelving and space how I want rather than the full already built galley like some makes offer. They are vertical shelves, not the tiered shelving like a true teardrop.
Steve - Avon, Ohio, USA


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Blicj11

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Re: Caravaning Across America
« Reply #6 on: June 05, 2017, 04:01:01 PM »
Way to go Steve! Great adventures coming up, whether in the trailer or lying atop the 4-Runner. Ha ha ha. Enjoy.
Blick


elagache

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URLs for the curious (Re: Caravaning Across America)
« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2017, 11:35:04 PM »
Dear X-Air, Steve, Blick and WeatherCat fans of caravans, . . . .

It is made by Hiker Trailers and is the 5X8 Deluxe, with factories in Denver and just north of Indianapolis. So it will be a reasonably short drive to pick it up.

Here is the main website:

http://hikertrailer.net/

Here is the webpage with the model that Steve has purchased:

http://hikertrailer.net/our-models/5ft-x-8ft-trailers/5x8-deluxe/

So now we can all join in with a little drooling . . . . .

I've tent camped in a one-man backpack tent for several weeks on end, and one of these would have been a welcome luxury!

Point well taken!

It does have a large rear door and shelving for a galley. I opted for a more basic model so that I can configure the shelving and space how I want rather than the full already built galley like some makes offer. They are vertical shelves, not the tiered shelving like a true teardrop.

Okay I see the difference.  The teardrops are more elegant, but they don't provide nearly as much space.  This looks like an interesting variation on the design.  I wasn't aware of Hiker Trailer.  I've added it to my bookmarks - you can never have too many bookmarks related to caravans!  [biggrin]

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

Steve

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Re: Caravaning Across America
« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2017, 03:53:08 AM »
We picked up our Hiker Trailer today! Photos at: https://smorris.smugmug.com/The-Garage/Hiker

Steve - Avon, Ohio, USA


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Blicj11

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Re: Caravaning Across America
« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2017, 05:23:40 PM »
Congratulations Steve. Looks well built and designed. The photos are pretty cool. A lot packed into a little.
Blick


elagache

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Congratulations Steve! (Re: Caravaning Across America)
« Reply #10 on: September 15, 2017, 10:22:51 PM »
Dear Steve, Blick, and WeatherCat "caravan" fans,

We picked up our Hiker Trailer today!

 [wink] . . . . Yuck!  Why that thing would never look good behind a 1965 Buick Special wagon! . . . . . . . .   lol(1)

However, it looks absolutely splendid behind your SUV!  [tup]  Nice choice Steve!

Next step is outfitting it with all the goodies needed for a night in the wilderness!

Please so share pictures of how you setup your caravan!

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

Steve

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Re: Caravaning Across America
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2018, 09:15:29 PM »
Our first weekend in the Hiker!













Steve - Avon, Ohio, USA


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Weatheraardvark

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Re: Caravaning Across America
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2018, 11:04:54 PM »
Safe travels.  Be happy, be safe, just be.
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elagache

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Dear Steve, Weatheraardvark, and WeatherCat fans of road trips!

Our first weekend in the Hiker!

Congrats!  You have done a great job of configuring tents to give the two of you enough space!  [tup]  As long as the weather isn't too harsh, it should be a really lovely way to explore the country.

However, just in case you want to trade-up (and more likely for the rest of the WeatherCat curious,) I just came across yet another design for a compact travel trailer - Happier Camper:

https://happiercamper.com/

Here is a picture from their website (sorry a bit big for most browsers:)



There is a video on Vimeo showing this trailer:

https://vimeo.com/221023512

There is also one for sale on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Happier-Camper-HC1-Lightweight-Retro-styling-with-modern-technology/142786950429

I still can't be deflected from my dream of a vintage Airstream, but this trailer is really cute!

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

xairbusdriver

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Re: Caravaning Across America
« Reply #14 on: May 09, 2018, 11:31:42 PM »
You can actually adjust the size of an image with Preview, if you don't have access to a free image editor. I don't think you can crop it, but you can certainly avoid the infamous horizontal scrolling problem for those using a mobile device or not using less than a monitor size window. Another forum I visit actually presents only a reduced size 'preview' of any image, no matter how small it might be. Then, if the user wants to view it, they simply click the preview and the browser opens a full-size additional page, even if it is as big as you monitor, no scrolling of any kind! ThU5:-) This also avoids having the text in a post slide out of view when one scrolls to the right for a huge image. Plus, the page should load faster since it doesn't have to download the full-sized image. On the "downside" it requires an additional click...  [rolleyes2]
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system