Childhood memories...

[Shrug53]

Has it occurred to anyone that building a teardrop is kind of like what we all used to do when we wre little? It is like building a fort or clubhouse or treehouse. I was looking through Joseph Ruckmans build photos and he has one of himself sitting inside the unfinished trailer and I thought "wow it is like a kid playing fort"
I wonder if that is not part of the appeal? Of course we can no longer put up our little signs saying 'no girls club' as our wives would probably object
Just general musings from a crochety old man.

[Mike B]

Living in the Mojave Desert as a kid, I built underground forts (no trees of note except joshua trees). Fun, but limiting.

Now I have a teardrop, and even though I bought it and didn't build it, I am having the same kind of fun modifying it and camping in it.

So I agree. We may no longer be hee-man women haters, but we are still having the same kind of fun.

Mike
Hayden Lake, ID
http://teardrop.blogicalthoughts.com/

[Guest]

Hey Shrug,
I've allways been a builder and when I was a kid, ball-bearing crates and forts were my forte. I would build a fort out of most anything. A guy would come along and mow a big field... I would build a fort out of grass. But tree forts were special, because they gave me a place to go that I could be by myself. Now as for the teardrop, well... for me, I would have to say the appeal has got to be a way of getting around sleeping on the ground and making camping easier.
Don't get me wrong, I will still be getting my share of sleeping on the ground with backpacking and canoe camping. Being a single dad and raising two kids, I try to take them camping as much as possible. I really blew it last summer, as I only took the kids camping one time. (I'm also a self employed contractor) I had a busy year last year and this year my business has almost doubled from then, but I've taken them camping four times so far. The teardrop will make camping "at the drop of a hat" more doable for me and when it comes time to break camp, I'm sure that's going to be a breeze also. The instant outdoor kitchen is what sold me on the teardrop and besides who wants to be confined to cooking in a small cramped kitchen inside? I used to do that when I would take a travel trailer to an out of town job and besides, grilling and barbequeing is what I do most when it comes to cooking. As far as building it goes, I don't know if it is a carry over from tree forts, but I like the idea of being able to create something that is unique. Why buy it when you can build it yourself?

[Shrug53]

Why buy it when you can build it yourself?

That is my philosophy. I would much rather build something. That is why I sneer at those guys who bought their hot rods when I see them at the car shows.
When I was little I used to build "command bunkers" out of cardbord and scrap lumber. It was a great place to play with my little green army men!
Wow that was a long time ago. Now I am coming up on 40!
I am looking forward to starting my own trailer as soon as my house is done!

[Guest]

Shrug,
Oh My! Your getting ready to turn 40? :!: :!: :!:
Hey, Forty isn't old.... if you're a tree!

Know what?... Life starts at forty.
(I'm 47 and my belly-button birthday is in February)

[Shrug53]

Well at least I feel old! With my luck I will be one of these people still creeping around at 100+
Boy do I miss the 80's! That was the best decade ever!

[Guest]

I've got many blurry memories from the Eighties.
I was using up the last of my dumb as I was just starting to reach my quota on drinking.
I finally got that second battleship to float with Jack Daniels, so on 3-20-1990 I stopped.

JD took me places that I otherwise wouldn't go without a machinegun.

[RC]

Living in the Mojave Desert as a kid, I built underground forts (no trees of note except joshua trees). Fun, but limiting.

Now I have a teardrop, and even though I bought it and didn't build it, I am having the same kind of fun modifying it and camping in it.

So I agree. We may no longer be hee-man women haters, but we are still having the same kind of fun.

Mike
Hayden Lake, ID
http://teardrop.blogicalthoughts.com/

Hey Mike,
Where did you live in the Mojave desert? I lived in Boron, CA for about 14 years, working at the Borax mines there in the Mojave desert between Mojave and Barstow.