A Gray Day in the Baraboo Hills

Devil’s Lake State Park:

While the calendar indicates that spring started a few days ago, temps struggled to get out of the 30’s today.  The southwest wind was brisk.  Fortunately, the Merrimac Ferry was open, saving me from driving around Lake Wisconsin on the way to Devil’s Lake State Park near Baraboo. When the Wisconsin River is iced over, the Ferry does not run. It opened early this year, closed due to ice conditions, and then reopened recently.

Winter is still hanging on tight by its fingernails. The leaves are brown.  There are snow remnants scattered in the corners of the park, and some ice remains on the south shore of the lake.

I hiked my usual route around the lake, starting with the east bluff trails. This route starts with the Balanced Rock Trail. This is basically a climb straight up the rocks to the top of the bluff–short and steep.

It’s actually not that bad.  There is a trail.  See if you can find it in the photo below.

About half-way up to the top, there are a couple of small signs alerting you to look off to the right for the “Balanced Rock.”

The Balanced Rock is quite impressive. I may have ventured off the trail a bit for the close-up.  Watch your footing.  It’s a long ways down.

After reaching the top of the East Bluff, I followed the trail along the top and then down to the north side of the lake.  Heading towards the beach, the trail passes along several Indian burial mounds.  On the other side of the beach, there is a steep ascent up stairs to the top of the West Buff Trail.  I followed that trail back to the south side of Devil’s Lake.  After coming down from the bluffs, the trail follows the edge of the lake, passing by fishing areas, the dog beach, and  the no dog beach.  The circle route took  about two hours. I didn’t have time for another long hike, but there was just enough time to visit a nearby favorite spot.

Pewits Nest:

This Wisconsin State Natural Area is a hidden gem that not many people know about. Just a few miles west of the Walmart in Baraboo, the Pewits Nest parking lot is on County Highway W.

 

During the summer, this is a terrific place to wade upstream and cool off.  Some foolish people (I won’t mention any names) climb down a bit from the bluffs and jump into that pool after the small waterfall.  I like to cool off, and I like to jump.  But I don’t jump into pools of water of varied and unknown depth.

I’m glad I took the opportunity to hit the trail today.  Tonight, the thunderstorms have started, and I’m tucked in near the wood stove.

The Alchemist and Daily Living

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelhois was recommended by a couple of vagabond travelers that I follow on YouTube (Finding Simon and Chris from Chris and G Travels). They both liked it; Chris described the book as life-changing. When I checked for copies at the local library, I discovered an audio version that my son and I could listen to together. We finished it today.

While I wouldn’t say that the book changed my life, we both enjoyed it.  For me, the book makes a strong argument that the most important part of daily living is to follow your dreams, and that everyone has a different dream. Importantly, failing is sometimes part of following one’s dream. Until we have failed and grow/learn from failing, we can’t take the next step.

Today, I rose early and took a few moments to admire the sunrise from my front yard. After getting Justin ready for school, taking him swimming, and sending him off to class, I headed down to Madison for my haircut. I’ve had a lot of barbers over the years, but my current one is my favorite.  There isn’t a lot of hair left for him to cut, but he does a good job with what there is to work with.  I enjoy hearing his stories; and he seems to enjoy hearing mine.

Because I arrived early, there was an opportunity to take a short hike.  I sprinted across four lanes of morning traffic, as only a man in his 50’s can do, and then sauntered over to a park along Lake Mendota.

Mid-March, yet no ice is on the lake.  On the other hand, no one was hanging out on the beach yet with temps in the 40’s.

Later, I went to my son’s spring music concert.  Justin is no longer able to walk or stand due to advancing muscular dystrophy.  His “normal” is very different from the “normal” for most people. Having said that, he does a lot with what he has.

This morning, he swam.  Tonight, he sang.

 We all have dreams to follow.  We may not all realize our dreams, but there is no hope unless we try.

Molded Fiberglass Camping Trailers

My first view of a molded fiberglass trailer was a Burro owned by my wife’s Grandpa Aubrey back in the 1980’s.  Burros were manufactured in Iowa from 1978 to 1986. This isn’t  Aubrey’s trailer but it looks a lot like that one.

Sometimes,molded fiberglass trailers are called eggs, due to their curved shape and white appearance. Over 50 different manufacturers have made molded fiberglass trailers over the years.

What do I like about fiberglass trailers?  The material is light and strong. Fiberglass trailers are made in molds with the two halves fitted together along the midsection or belly of the trailer.  Are fiberglass trailers leakproof?  No, because anywhere there’s an opening, such as an air conditioner, window, or vent, there’s the potential for a leak.  But that’s true for stick built trailers also.

What you don’t have are seams in the roof.  Now that I look at the photo though, it looks like Burros were made with the seam running right down the middle of the roof.   All of the ones that I’m considering are made with the belly seam.

One thing different about buying fiberglass trailers is that you are buying directly from the manufacturer.  Most of the companies are small family businesses that do not have a dealer network.  Advertising budgets are small.  It’s not uncommon for customers to meet the president of the company when picking up the trailer.

It’s time for the top three contenders.  I would be happy to own any of these three trailers,

The second runner-up is the Scamp, manufactured in Minnesota.

This is an older Scamp 16 that was posted for sale.  You can see the seam on the midsection that fits the two halves together. Scamp has different sizes in fiberglass trailers: 13′, 16′, and 19′.  The largest is a fifth wheel trailer.  We like the 16′ size because you can get a dedicated bed and a dedicated table. The deluxe model of the 16′ trailer starts at $20,000 and includes a great list of standard features, including all wood cabinets, shower/toilet, configuration for separate bed and table, and interior height of 6′ 3″.

Scamps have great resale value.  If we had a problem, the Scamp factory is a long day’s drive from our home.  Scamps are well insulated.  I’ve even seen them used for ice fishing houses.  Scamps are so popular that if you order one now, delivery won’t be made for about a year, given the high demand and back orders.

Why did the Scamp come in third?  The design for Scamp is time tested, but the features are dated compared to the two trailers coming in first and second.  Additionally, Scamp allows very little customization.  There is no solar power option at this date.  Reports of quality control are mixed, although most people love their Scamps.  Finally, rivets are used extensively in the Scamps. I’m not fond of rivets.  Having said all that, if a good deal locally came up on a used Scamp, I just might pull the trigger.

The first runner-up is the Little Snoozy,manufactured in South Carolina.

Again, the fiberglass seam runs along the midsection.  The Little Snoozy has the most modern design of the fiberglass trailers that we considered.  The rear entry door is a very nice feature, which allows long items to go inside without having to make it around a tight corner (compared to the side door of the Scamp).  The air conditioner is on the back, rather than the roof.  That make the height of the trailer more manageable to fit into garages.

The interior is amazing.

The bed is large.  The jackknife sofa in the living room is a nice alternative to the standard dinette table.  The windows and wood cabinetry are very attractive and functional.  I like this trailer a lot.  But there are a couple of “features” that are holding me back from pulling the trigger on ordering a new one.

First, the Little Snoozy does not have a black tank.  You can either get a portapotty or cassette toilet.  In either case, you are hauling the waste to a toilet rather than dumping the black tank at a dumping station.  This is personal preference, but I prefer the black tank.

Second the Little Snoozy is not designed to take advantage of propane.  The refrigerator is electric.  The stove is electric.  For camping off the grid, this is a huge disadvantage.  Little Snoozy does not offer installation of solar as an option although some customers have added it themselves. Some customers have even added propane later.  If I was only going to camp at campgrounds with electric hookups, this would be my first choice.  If I bought this trailer, I would add solar and maybe change out the refrigerator for one that was more efficient.  I would pack a propane stove. It’s too bad.  I really like this trailer.  Little Snoozy trailers start at $21,500.  (Author's Note:  Little Snoozy went out of business after this post came out).

And the winner is….the Escape 17B from British Columbia, Canada.

There are so many things I love about this trailer that’s it’s hard to know where to start.  I know.  Let’s start with the negatives..  It’s made in western Canada–about a three-hour drive north of Seattle, Washington.  That’s a long ways to go to pick up the trailer. It’s also a long ways to go if I need the manufacturer to do any work on the trailer.  Finally, I have no idea what’s going to happen to the cost of importing a trailer under the current Trump administration.  I also have no idea what’s going to happen to the value of the American dollar vs the value of the Canadian dollar.  The price of the Escape is in Canadian dollars.

Now that all of the bad stuff has been disclosed, let’s move on to what I like about the Escape 17b.  I’ve been following fiberglass trailer user forums for about six months. Escape owners stand out because really love their trailers.  They love the quality. They believe in the owners of the company.  They get excited about Escape quality control.  Escape owners get really excited about the customization and options available during the manufacturing process.

In my opinion, Escape has more options and amenities available than any other fiberglass trailer maker.  Installation of solar panel with charge controller.  Check.  A no rivet system.  Check.  Stainless steel sink and faucet.  Check.   Will install two 6 volt batteries.  Check.  Added wall insulation and window installation. Check.  Power awning.  Check. Furnace, refrigerator, stovetop, all capable of running on propane..  Check.

These three photos are from the ad for a rare used escape for sale.  These trailers are seldom found on the used market.  About the only time an Escape owner sells a 17B is to move up to an Escape 19 or 21.

What about cost?  That’s a tricky question, and it’s hard to compare apples with apples.  The Escape 17B starts at $27, 900 Canadian, which currently converts to under $21,000.  However, we all know that currencies fluctuate.  It wasn’t that long ago that the U.S. and Canadian currency had equivalent value.  Add the Trump wild card to import taxes/tariffs, and I’m not sure where this will all end up for the summer of 2018, which is when I want to have my fiberglass trailer.

No Tear for Me

When I first saw a teardrop trailer on the highway, I did a double-take.  It was so small that I couldn’t imagine how an average-sized person from Wisconsin could even get through the door.  Once inside, how could anyone do anything other than lay down prone on the bed?

Later, while we were on vacation up north, a general store was giving one away in a contest.  That was my first opportunity to look inside a teardrop.  My impression didn’t improve when I couldn’t figure out how to close the clamshell to the kitchen.  Defeated, I went inside and asked the clerk to show me how.

That’s about the time I got online and started researching what else was available.  Surely, there were bigger ones with more amenities.  Soon, I found Little Guy Trailers, a seller of beefed up, bigger teardrops that would definitely be an improvement over a tent.  Interestingly, these teardrops  were built by Amish workers in Indiana by a company called nuCamp.  Recently, Little Guy and nuCamp went separate ways. I’m not quite sure what that means for the future.

The smaller ones are called T@gs and have the clamshell design.  Underneath the clamshell is the outdoor kitchen.

From the floor plan, you can see that almost the entire interior is taken up by an admittedly spacious bed.  Other than some storage, there isn’t much we could do with that space on a rainy day, except sleep.  And if it rains, cooking outside under the clamshell and optional tarp t doesn’t seem very appealing to us.  This is the perfect minimalist small camper trailer, but we aren’t that hardcore at this point.

Then we discovered the T@b.  The T@b takes teardrops to an entirely different level.

This is the T@b Outback S.  There is plenty of room to sit at the table and read a book. You can see from the diagram that it includes an indoor kitchen and a tiny bathroom with a shower.  A person 5′ 9″ or smaller can even stand up in this version. The Outback can be outfitted for going deep into the backcountry with pitched axles, off-road tires/wheels, roof rack and cargo basket, and diamond plate tongue box.

We had an opportunity to tour the T@b Outback S at a local dealer in Madison.  I have to admit that I was very impressed by the modern design and amenities.  Properly equipped, the T@b Outback includes an innovative heating/hot water system, air conditioning, stereo system, propane burner stove, and refrigerator.
What were the cons?  First, the price.

With all of these amenities, the asking price was pushing 25k or higher.  Second, I’m just under six feet tall, and I can’t stand up straight inside the T@b.  In fact, I would probably have to sit on the toilet to take a shower. Third, the table and the bed are the same.  To set up the bed, the table has to come down.  To set up the table, one has to break down the bed.  Not necessarily a deal killer, but something to consider.  Finally, I had concerns about its aluminum construction (potential for leaks) and inside condensation.

The manufacturer is releasing a new model, the T@b 400, which addresses some of my concerns.  It will have a separate bed and table, along with increased interior height, European design, and additional amenities, including a solar power option.  However, these new features come with an increased cost and added weight, putting it in competition with the smaller Airstream models.  If I am going to pay in excess of $35,000 for an aluminum, heavier trailer, I would probably pick the Airstream Basecamp or Airstream Bambi 16.

Both models have a classic look that is appealing and lots of windows. Airstream has an excellent reputation for build quality. However, the cost, weight, and aluminum materials have us leaning in still another direction.

If not aluminum, then what?  What trailer is less expensive, lighter, and made of materials less likely to leak?  The short answer is a molded fiberglass trailer and the subject of the next post.

No Little Cabin in the Woods

Lots of “successful” people in Wisconsin want a second home or cabin “up north.” We’ve never been interested in a vacation home for several reasons.

•  a second mortgage payment.
• a second set of taxes to pay
•  maintenance costs and time
• being tied down to a fixed place for spending leisure time.

Travel is important to us, so we’ve spent a bit of time and money doing it over the years.  Fortunately, my wife’s profession allowed a lot of that cost to be paid by a large company that she enjoyed an association with for over a decade.  As a result, I’ve experienced a variety of motel/hotel rooms from my recent $11 discounted stay at a Motel 6 to the Intercontinental Hotel in NYC ($100 priceline.com) to rooms costing over $500 for meeting stays at small luxury hotels.

The conclusion that I’ve reached is that budget hotels aren’t very nice for the most part, and luxury hotels don’t give a good bang for the buck.   When paying five times the price, one rarely receives five times the experience  This is perhaps best illustrated by Internet service, an expected amenity in this day and age.  Expensive hotels either charge extra for this service or often offer sub par free wi-fi.  Paying hundreds of dollars for a hotel room is no guarantee that the guest next door to you or in the hallway won’t be loud and obnoxious or that the light bulbs will work or that the key is properly programmed, etc.

With that in mind, I often seek the wilderness when I travel and have been relatively happy with a tent or trail shelter as my roof.

I must confess that I never slept terribly well in a tent–even during my six month thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail when I was younger than I am now.  Let’s face it: the ground is hard, even with an air mattress.  I often woke in the middle of the night with my circulation cut off from a hand or arm laying underneath the weight of my body. I usually awoke stiff and sore.  Of course, all of that was worth it in order to be close to the beauty and relative silence of nature. By the time I finished breakfast, my body didn’t feel stiff or sore anymore.

I still enjoy tenting quite a bit.  It appeals to my frugal nature (free on dispersed national forest lands). However, as I near the empty nest stage of my life, I would like my wife to go with me.   Julia likes to camp, but she is not a hardcore backcountry hiker, nor is she entertained by being cooped up inside a tent during prolonged rainy stretches.

As a result, we returned to a discussion from two decades ago:  getting a small camping trailer for our retirement.  Neither of us have any interest in a big honking motor home or large fifth wheel. Traveling with the equivalent of a big, rolling single wide trailer with or without a motor does not fit our lifestyle.

For smaller trailers, there are still a lot of choices. I have spent a ton of time researching those choices, and we’ve narrowed things down a bit without reaching a final decision.  In the next few posts, this blog will examine the pros and cons of different models and materials, beginning with our thoughts on teardrop trailers.

Return of Winter

Mother Nature dumped another four or five inches of snow on the Lodi Scenic Valley during the last 24 hours.  Some days I hike or snowshoe in the snow; this wasn’t one of those days.  I was up early plowing the driveway and off to an early orthodontist appointment for Justin, who ended a five year relationship with his braces.  Then I needed to plow again to get back up the driveway with the wheelchair van. It was a very pretty day; it’s just more difficult to see the beauty on a winter day in the middle of March when one has hopes of spring and warmer temperatures.

Justin and I are bachelors this week with my wife out in Arizona visiting her mother.  Julia’s mother had successful heart surgery this morning.  There was lots of texting back and forth to keep family apprised.  Tonight, dinner was baked salmon, carrots pan-fried in a bit of butter, and garlic toast.  Afterwards, I retired to the family room, leaving Justin to text with friends.

Dessert was a cool beer in front of a warm fire.

Ordinarily, I am not a fan of beer in cans. However, the local store was out of bottles.  With a nice glass, I can’t say that it tastes any different than the bottle.  The 60 minute IPA hits all of my check boxes:  good body, citrus notes without being too bitter, and a nice finish.

Gibraltar Rock: A favorite hike

For the past twenty years, a hike up to the top of Gibraltar Rock has stretched my legs and refreshed my soul. Gibraltar Rock is a flat-topped butte rising up 200 feet from the surrounding countryside.  Large flat rocks at the edge offer views of the Wisconsin River valley and Lake Wisconsin.    My adult daughter Allie was home this weekend so she accompanied me on today’s early morning foot journey.  Elvis the service dog begged to go along too, while his boy Justin slept in.

We accessed the trail via the Ice Age Trail parking lot on Hwy V about a mile west of Hwy 113 and a few miles south of the Merrimac Ferry.  There are two parking lots on Hwy V.  The eastern parking lot is located at the base of a crumbling blacktop road leading to the top.  In the old days, young lovers drove to the top of Gibraltar Rock to make out. More recently, a gate enforces the restriction against vehicle traffic. The western parking lot is a relatively new addition, completed after a recent state purchase of land and subsequent addition of an Ice Age Trail segment.

Allie and I hiked up the Ice Age Trail to the top, circled down the Ice Age Trail to the vicinity of the eastern parking lot, hiked back up via the crumbling asphalt road, and then returned to the western parking lot via the Ice Age Trail.  The hike is three to four miles and takes about 75-90 minutes depending on the number of scenery stops.

If the hike to the top doesn’t take your breath away, the views will.  Take someone special along to share the memory.

Long Distance, Short Journey, Part 2

For most tourists visiting Puerto Vallarta, it’s all about the beach.  From the southern beaches in the Romantica Zona, it’s possible to walk continuously north along the beach for miles. When one tires of walking on sand, the Malecon (a boardwalk) just along the beach offers respite.

After checking into my hotel at 3 pm., I sauntered the beach and the streets close to the beach until 6 or 7 pm.  Drinks and food are much more expensive along the beach.  Just a few blocks away, I was able to find carne asada (marinated steak) tacos for less than a buck and bottles of beer for a dollar or two.  Vendors were glad to take American dollars or pesos, but better prices were available with pesos after exchanging currency at a bank near my hotel (19 pesos/dollar).





After the sun went down, entertainment started up in the bars close to my hotel.  Options varied from American-style rock bands playing Sweet Home Alabama to traditional mariachi to drag shows.  I hung out for awhile listening to the southern rock while sipping Pacifica beers.   Later, I had to eat a couple of more delicious tacos from a street vendor.  Suffering a bit from lack of sleep and a slight buzz, I turned in early.  My hotel bed was very firm.  I woke up after midnight and could hear the music and nightlife hitting its stride.

Saturday, March 4, 2017

After a good night’s sleep, I jumped out of bed at 6 a.m., took a shower, and headed out into the streets in search of a good cup of coffee.  Not much was open so I hiked up the beach to the fishing pier. (most of the images on this page are clickable for larger images with more detail)

Several locals were fishing with rigs consisting of a spool of line, hook and bait (no pole).  I didn’t see anyone catch anything except for this gentlemen with a net, and he may have been netting baitfish.

 
I was now ready for a good cup of coffee, and I didn’t have to walk far.

A Page in the Sun is a really nice coffeeshop just a block or two up from the beach .  The coffee was roasted a tad darker than my preference, but it was well prepared and flavorful.  (Address:  Lázaro Cárdenas #179 Col. Emiliano Zapata). I only tried the brewed coffee but all typical specialty coffee drinks were available.

Cup of goodness in hand, I headed north on my planned day-long hike.  My goal was to hike to the Marina, located in north Puerto Vallarta and is where the cruise ships dock.  At first, I strolled along the Malecon (a beach boardwalk) where there was abundant public art and people watching opportunities.

During these early morning hours, I watched hotel and restaurant staff getting ready for the day.  Young women were squeezing oranges for orange juice.  Young men climbed trees for fresh coconut.  If you look closely among the branches of the tree on the left, you will see the latter. That falling branch nearly clipped me.

After living on tacos and beer the previous day, I was getting hungry, so I stopped for breakfast.

This is machaca, shredded beef and eggs, served with potatoes, tortillas, salsa, and jalapeño peppers. The food was excellent, except the potatoes which had an odd off-flavor.  The coffee was horrible, which was not unexpected.  This was a local place (Spanish spoken only), and the best coffee beans are either exported or used at specialty coffeeshops like a Page in the Sun referenced above.

After breakfast, I continued walking another five miles to the Marina, where the Grand Princess was parked. Along the way, I passed mostly luxury hotels, but there were interesting, diverse scenes along the way.

 

After reaching the cruise ship, I stopped for lunch and a beer. 

The sun was growing hot, so I took my time on the return hike.  Upon reaching the hotel, I was ready for a quick nap and shower before heading back to the beach for my second and last night.

As I walked along the shore, I marveled at the blending of sea, sky, and land at dusk.

Next, I  heard a performer singing an Eagle’s song nearby (“Lying Eyes). I walked into the nearby hotel bar to hear the song, sat down, and order a mojito. The singer was just ending his musical set as my drink arrived.  As soon as he stepped down from the stage, probably a dozen people stopped him to take photographs and get hugs.

As I stared at the scene, one of his fans stopped by my table and asked if I knew who the singer was.  “No idea,” I replied.  “That’s one of the original guys from the 70’s band Steely Dan,”  he replied. Growing up listening to Steely Dan songs, “Deacon Blues,” “Josie”, and “Black Cow”, I was impressed.

Unfortunately, he didn’t sing any Steel Dan tunes, but the covers he did sing were pretty good.  An hour later, with my expensive mojito gone, I wandered  five or six blocks inland where I could again buy inexpensive steak tacos and beer.  My legs were tired from the earlier long hike and climbing up to my fifth floor hotel room several times during the day.  I slept like a baby on Saturday night.

Sunday, March 5, 2017

I needed to be in a taxi to the airport by 8:30 a.m. for the flight home.  Before I left Puerto Vallarta, I had time for one more cup of coffee  at a Page in the Sun.  I then stopped at a local diner for a breakfast of  chilaquiles verdes:  hot green peppers, eggs and fried tortillas, washed down with orange juice squeezed in front of me right after I ordered.

My Puerto Vallarta journey was short and very sweet.  The trip home was uneventful.