Hello from the UK

[pieface]

Hi
I'm new & confused. I found TDs some time back via the outbackteardrop site and I thought that was the way to go, but I've been looking at all the photos & build descriptions on this forum. There are so many excellent TDs designs on here, how on earth do you decide which design to use?
I live in the UK near Stratford on Avon and I would like to build a UK version of the Generic Benroy but there are problems. Firstly I have to convince my long suffering wife that we really do need a TD to go with the 3 tents & Folding camper we already have, any good reasons/excuses that I can say to her and keep a straight face whilst saying it would by gratefully received .
Once I'm over that hurdle I shall have cracked it.
This forum seems so laid back, I presume its this teardrop time I keep reading about.
Watch out for my technical questions, I think there will be many.
Regards
Pieface

[john sheppard]

back gets to bad sleeping in tent and when putting up the camper hope it helps. welcome to the madness.john

[oklahomajewel]

Scene 1:
Park the car
Open trunk, pull out tent , set on ground.
Pull out ice chest and carry to the picnic table.
Go back to tent and walk around it about four times straightening it out.
Go to trunk for hammer and stakes, and bend over eight times hammering the stakes in.
Pull out poles. Bend over connecting poles. Walk around tent about eight times straightening out the poles.
Convince wife to help you put the poles up.
She puts down the grocery sack to help.
Wife carries campstove from trunk to picnic table.
Wife carries pots and pans from trunk to picnic table.
Wife carries dishes, paper plates, etc from trunk to picnic table.
You wipe sweat from your brow. Go to trunk and carry folding chairs from trunk to table area.
You carry sleeping bags from back seat of car to inside tent.
You wrestle the blow up air bed and spend 15 minutes getting it blown up with 12v plug in compressor.
You semi fold air bed to get it thru tent door.
You unzip 'windows' on tent to get some fresh air (tent is musty from last rain)

Whew! I'm tired just from typing all that!


Scene 2:
Pull up to camp spot, back in your little teardrop trailer and shut off car.
Open trailer door, pull out folding chairs and carry to table area.
Open galley hatch, prop .
Open ice chest, pull out a cold beer (or iced tea) and sit down.

ahhhhhhhhhhh


Which would you rather do?

[madjack]

Welcome PF, I think Julie has hit the nail on the head as directly as possible...the beauty of TD's is hook up and go, stop by the grocer's on the way out, minimal setup time once there and the reverse heading home...we'll answer your questions but take lottsa pics cause we will wanna see 'em...we do luv da pics 'round here
madjack

p.s. the no more sleeping on the cold hard ground inna musty smelling tent was one of the biggest attractions to me and my wife(aka the poor girl)

[Miriam C.]

PF,
It's 3am and you hear a scratching at the canvas wall. It's a bear! Now what??? Whata ya mean you don't have bears???

Try the security aspect. Locked doors, airconditioner, only one in the neighborhood. Yeah, that one might work.

Good luck.
Aunti M

[Chris C]

Welcome to the forum, Pieface. We are glad you found the T&TTT website. It’s a fun place to be. When you get comfortable with the group, you might post a personal picture as your avatar so everybody will “know” who they are talking with.

[Sonetpro]

Scene 1:
Park the car
Open trunk, pull out tent , set on ground.
Pull out ice chest and carry to the picnic table.
Go back to tent and walk around it about four times straightening it out.
Go to trunk for hammer and stakes, and bend over eight times hammering the stakes in.
Pull out poles. Bend over connecting poles. Walk around tent about eight times straightening out the poles.
Convince wife to help you put the poles up.
She puts down the grocery sack to help.
Wife carries campstove from trunk to picnic table.
Wife carries pots and pans from trunk to picnic table.
Wife carries dishes, paper plates, etc from trunk to picnic table.
You wipe sweat from your brow. Go to trunk and carry folding chairs from trunk to table area.
You carry sleeping bags from back seat of car to inside tent.
You wrestle the blow up air bed and spend 15 minutes getting it blown up with 12v plug in compressor.
You semi fold air bed to get it thru tent door.
You unzip 'windows' on tent to get some fresh air (tent is musty from last rain)

Whew! I'm tired just from typing all that!


Scene 2:
Pull up to camp spot, back in your little teardrop trailer and shut off car.
Open trailer door, pull out folding chairs and carry to table area.
Open galley hatch, prop .
Open ice chest, pull out a cold beer (or iced tea) and sit down.

ahhhhhhhhhhh


Which would you rather do?

Julie , You forgot about packing all that stuff in the car before you leave, and unpacking it when you get home.
Welcome Pie face. With a TD you do none of the above. It stays packed all the time. You just put clothes and food in and your ready to go. Have fun with your build.

[RKH]

...and no one mentioned my personal favorite: Once you set up that musty tent and are laying on the ground in a slowly deflating air mattress next to the zipper on the tent door that doesn't work quite as you think it should, it starts to rain.
Oh, look, it's leaking!

[peggyearlchris]

welcome pieface.My mom is from the uk,Swindon wiltshire. I also have visited your beautiful town there. The guys and girls are right about all the work packing and unpacking,by the time you get home your tired. Sleep in comfort and have fun. Build a tear! Peg

[mikeschn]

Hey Pieface,

Welcome to the forum.

Sound like you got some things figured out already. As for the rest, you will figure them out in time.

Just picture yourself camping in each teardrop that you see here. You'll quickly sort out what you'd like to have in a teardrop. Once you've done that, it's easy to convince the wife!

Good luck and have fun!

Mike...

[pieface]

Hi Everbody
Thanks for the many replies.
John: You are right about the back problems, swinging over the two 8 x 4 bed sections (no gas struts) of the folding camper gets me every time.
Julie: Your description of us camping (scene 1) was so accurate; you weren’t watching us camp at Cornwall in June by any chance? When you see it lay out in list form like that it does seem hard work. You’ve convinced me anyway.
The only thing wrong was the “Iced tea” Oh, no, no, no, we are English you know. Hot tea with milk and two sugars for me. What ever you’ve heard about the English and their Tea drinking it is absolutely true. I can’t be spoken to until I’ve had two cups of tea in the mornings
Madjack: I gather from other threads that you have a photo fetish . I shall try and start an album but don’t hold your breath waiting for the first teardrop photos. Like you say this is teardrop time
Aunti M: No Bears here anymore , but Warwickshire has one on its coat of arms. I think it was the Bear baiting centre of England in the dark ages and the local radio station is called “The Bear”.
I would like to say that the only “Wildlife” we encounter while camping is inside the tent, but I must admit that I’m getting older now and its all wishful thinking.
Chris C: Thanks for the welcome. You mean you don’t like the short video clip of me eating my lunch? What would my ma & pa smiley say?
Every photo I have of myself looks like a Serial killers mug shot.
Steve T: I hate the packing and unpacking, but it’s the things you forget to pack that are the problem. You know the things like tent, mallet, guy ropes, kids, sleeping bag etc
Keith: Don’t mention the Airbeds. I’ve slept (or not) on slowly deflating beds, quick deflating beds, woken up under the airbed and found myself floating on one when the campsite flooded.
Peg: I have to visit customers in Swindon. It famous for it’s multiple roundabouts/traffic islands. Nobody knows how they work so it’s a free for all which the bravest man wins during the rushhour . Glad you liked Stratford. Got to keep those dollars coming in to reduce my Tax bill
Mike: I must thank you for providing the generic benroy plans. They are an excellent source of information to the teardrop builders out there, me included. I await the next instalment.

I’m going to start operation “CUTE” I shall gather all the photos of Cute looking Teardrops and show my wife. She can’t resist Cute. When she says YES I can then carry on with my plan and build a Testosterone Fuelled Teardrop that looks like its on Steroids.
Pieface

[peggyearlchris]

oh those round a bouts blow my mind. no way for me. yes our tea has to be hot with milk even in 100 degrees no sugar for me. Hope you start your tear soon, would love to see the pictures. Start making the saw dust Peg

[Zyamfier]

Being you are from the UK I thought you might like to see this. I have some of your fine country men to thank for a wonderful tow vehicle.

[KA]

Welcome. I would suggest that you and your wife attend a teardrop event if you have one nearby. Your wife will be overcome with enthusiasm after one look at the wonderful trailers. Have fun and be sure to design a nice spot in your galley for that teapot.
Kris
p.s. There are no rocks on the floor of teardrops to get stuck in your back as you try to sleep.

[pieface]

Hi
Zyamfier
When the new Mini was introduced a lot of the old diehards considered it an insult to the old Mini design. Yes, the classic Mini was a super design but those of us of a certain age who had to drive them every day remembered that they were really rusty old nails, which always let you down on a wet night. One Mini I had broke down whilst rushing my pregnant wife to the hospital. It arrived running on 3 cylinders, the car that is, not the baby!
BMW took that original look and produced a far superior car that deserves to wear the Mini badge. Add the Cooper name, which has a respected British racing & rallying heritage and you have an excellent combination. Your Mini & Teardrop certainly compliment each other.

Kris
Unfortunately there doesn’t appear to be any teardrop meets in the UK as yet. There must be some tears in the UK they just need to get organized.
We’ve just returned from a weeks camping trip to Cornwall using our Folding camper where my wife spotted a T & B teardrop caravan on the campsite which she fell in love with, but the T & B is a lot bigger than the tear I want to build. Still, at least she likes the shape!!
The teardrop will be designed around the Teapot. I wonder if I can get a tear shaped one.
It’s those small pea sized pebbles you can never find that cause the uncomfortable nights.


Pie face