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.

Long Distance, Short Journey, Part 1

Most of the travel on this blog has been of the local variety; however, that changed late last week.

My wife Julia is leaving for Arizona this next  weekend to spend two weeks with her mother who is having surgery.  That means I will have three weeks as my son’s sole caregiver.  A teen in a power wheelchair  knows how to push a parent’s buttons, so Julia offered this past weekend to travel solo as I wish in compensation.  I usually go backpacking within a four hour drive when presented with such an opportunity.  But I started playing around on the last minute travel web sites, and found a super cheap non-stop flight from Chicago to Puerto Vallarta, leaving early Friday morning and returning Sunday night.  I grabbed the last  seats on the flights both ways, and I was off to the races in planning.

Now would be a good time to discuss my individual travel style.  There are many different ways to travel; there is no right way.  Different strokes for different folks.  Some people like to stay in expensive beach hotels. Here are a few, which were five blocks from my $40 hotel.

Other people like to relax, eat and drink on a cruise ship that only stops for a partial day at the ports of call.  Below is the Grand Princess of Princess Cruise Lines, docked at the marina during my stay in Puerto Vallarta.

Still other people only dabble their toes in foreign waters, preferring to keep the same amenities found back home.  Puerto Vallarta offers such amenities.

My own travel style is a frugal one. I spend as little money as possible on the mechanism of travel and lodgings.  My preference is to experience as much as the local culture as possible, especially when it comes to coffee, beer, and food. My favorite mode of travel is walking whenever possible.

Thursday night,  March 2, 2017

On Thursday night, I drove down to Chicago, close to the airport, where I had booked an $11 room at Motel 6.  This was made possible by my son’s affinity for T-mobile Tuesday deals, which happened to be a $30 Travelocity coupon. While fitting my frugal travel style, I may have pushed the envelope.  I slept only a little. The couple above my room screamed at each other until 3 a.m. I’m pretty sure the conversation involved money, drugs, and/or prostitution. Eventually, I just got up, showered and was ready to go before my alarm went off at 4 a.m. to catch my early morning flight.

Friday, March 3, 2017

Air travel to Puerto Vallarta went off without a hitch.  Although I was booked on a full plane, the aisle seat went unoccupied.  I slid over from my middle seat and had room to stretch and sleep.  Upon landing on time after a 4 1/2 hour flight, customs and luggage pickup went quickly and without incident.  After clearing customs, arriving passengers negotiate through two rooms full of timeshare salespeople/sharks who are there to “help” you.  Having been warned by prior accounts, I refused eye contact and briskly walked my way to the airport front door, where I found warm temperatures and an outdoor bar.

It was noon and time for a Modelo Negra, a Munich dunkel style lager brewed in Mexico.  My hotel check-in wasn’t until 3 pm., so I had some time to kill.  An airport taxi would have taken me to my hotel  for 600 pesos (about $34).  Alternatively,  trip reports on the internet advised that I could walk across the pedestrian bridge in front of the airport for about a 50% discount.

Of course, I was in no rush, so I asked my bartender for directions to the even cheaper city bus.  He told me to turn left in front of the airport and take any bus marked “Centro.”  I walked about 100 yards to the bus stop and asked the bus driver in Spanish if the bus route went by the old part of the city.  He nodded yes, so I  paid my 7.5 pesos (less than 50 cents), settling in for the hour ride past the beach and downtown.

During the ride, I followed along with the maps I had printed out. When we reached the old part of the city, I exited with my suitcase.  I had to stop and ask directions from a street vendor because many streets do not have street signs.  I was directed four blocks up and soon arrived at the Hotel Belmar–still two hours before my check-in.  The desk clerk spoke better English than my Spanish and promised to watch my suitcase until the room was ready. I would recommend this hotel to any budget traveler who is not afraid of stairs.  There is no elevator, and there were five flights of stairs to my room.  Here are some views from the hallway outside my interior room.

Suitcase secured, I headed off to walk along the beach.