Welcome…
Hi, my name is Scott Hubble. I am the Director of Strategic Solutions at Little Guy’s headquarters and I’d like to thank you for taking a few moments to read the Teardrop Times. While it is something we’ve just started, we’ve received a lot of positive feedback and are looking for contributions from readers. We realize that the best ideas/stories/designs come straight from you. So whether it’s a recipe, a cool camping experience or an accessory you just can’t live without, send it to us (with or without pictures) and you may just wind up in the next issue!
Happy Trails…
Archive for July, 2009
General information from teardroptribune.com
Welcome from Scott
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009Featured Customer- Teri Brady
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009This issue’s featured customer is Teri Brady. Teri just got her 5×8 teardrop a few weeks ago and already embarked on a 10 day journey down the Atlantic coastline. Teri and her small dog were looking for something that would provide a decent sleeping area, a sitting work space, a microwave and A LOT of storage. A seemingly tall order, custom cabinetry was definitely in line.
In addition to the custom cabinetry work Teri had done, she also employs the use of a custom screen room tent, Air Conditioning unit (a must for summer camping), cup holders, window shades, a slide out tray and a teardrop lock for safety.
Dutch Oven: Recipes for the Campsite- Beef Stroganoff
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
1 lb. stew meat or round steak, cut into short, thin strips
1 package dry onion soup mix
2 10 oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms or two 4 oz. cans of drained mushrooms
1 cup red cooking wine
flour
oil
1 pint sour cream
Lightly flour the meat and then brown it in a bit of oil in your dutch oven. Add the onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, mushrooms and wine to the browned meat and mix the result thoroughly. Cook at 250 degrees for at least 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the coals and mix in the sour cream. Serve stroganoff over noodles or rice.
Temperature Note: for a 250 degree oven, use the following number of briquets:
10″ oven – 10 on top, 5 on bottom
12″ oven – 12 on top, 6 on bottom
14″ oven – 16 on top, 8 on bottom
Camping Stories: Stinky Camping
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009My first camping trip was with my grandparents when I was five years old. They were determined that I should have the “ultimate camping experience.” So, we went swimming in a lake, tried (unsuccessfully) to catch our dinner, and then tried (successfully – unfortunately) to catch a “pet.”
My Poppa propped a box up on a forked twig, tied a string to the twig and stuck a carrot underneath. Then we snuck back into the tent and waited for our rabbit to come. Finally we heard a noise! There was something in our box!
We pulled the string excitedly, proud that our plan had actually worked. And then we crept up on the box, gently raised the lid, and got sprayed by a skunk. After that moment, the only thing I remember is bathing in tomato juice and have my sisters tease me for smelling bad.
My grandparents were shocked that I begged them to go camping again, and even more shocked that my parents agreed after the fiasco on our first trip. But although it had a pretty stinky ending, my trip is definitely memorable.
Campfire Chatter
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009Featured Accessory- Side Mount Screen Room/Tent
Teardrops are really ideal and practical, but sometimes you need some “living quarters” or standing/changing space. The 10′x 10′ Screen room offers more than just extra living space, it can offer privacy as well. With awnings on all four sides and your choice of screened walls or solid private walls, the tent offers flexibility. It’s also perfect for when you have a couple of guests along for the journey. 4 sleeping bags or cots could easily be set up in the tent.
While it was designed for the Little Guy and Silver Shadow Trailer line, it is compatible with many teardrops with similar sized doors and dimensions from door to fender. If your door is 28″ wide and 35″ tall or less, the door cut out will be just perfect. The fender cut-out accommodates for simple aluminum semi-circle fenders or a full sized fiberglass fenders (California-style).
For more information, or to purchase, please visit the Teardrop Shop
Until July 31th, 2009, get FREE SHIPPING on any Custom Screen Room Tent purchase from the Teardrop Shop when you use the discount coupon code: ShipTent
Camping Stories: "It rained 10 inches…we slept like babies"
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009We have owned our teardrop since April of 2006. It is extremely well built and we absolutely love it. It is so light and easy to tow. One of our favorite pastimes is to watch the big RVs or pop-ups back in. Then we time them to see how long it takes before they are able to sit down and relax. Our setup involves getting out our chairs and our picnic lunch.
The first year we did a Passport Program with Missouri State Parks and traveled throughout the State of Missouri camping and visiting Historic Sites. We camped at Sam A. Baker State Park and it rained 10 inches in the area that night. We slept like babies. We opened our door in the morning to find the campground totally under water. I don’t think we would have been sleeping if we would have been tent camping!
We really love the outdoors and spend most of our time outside anyway. Our teardrop is perfect to fall into in the evening for a great night’s sleep, as well as secure. People are always interested in seeing it and are quite amazed. We call it our Bed & Breakfast.
If you see a Teardrop on the road or in the parks, honk and wave. It might just be us.
Ask Gus
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009Jim (Pennsylvania) – How about stopping? Doesn’t it “push you” a bit when stopping?
I’m thinking about one of these, but I’m afraid of the weight. I pull a cargo trailer but the weight never exceeded 250 lbs. with a 25 lb. tongue weight. If I got the Rascal in the cargo version but with one camper door and put in my own air mattress how much weight do you think that would cut out?
I figure on hauling almost all my gear on the bike and keeping the trailer for sleeping. Like you I want the hard sides for keeping out critters on the Alcan. How did your Rascal hold up on the Alcan with all the crappy road debris?
Hello, Jim…
If you are looking to lighten up the overall weight of the Rascal, you would save about 80 lbs by removing the cabinets and one of the side doors. The tongue weight would still be near 40 lbs and the overall camper weight exceeds 400 lbs. On the Alcan, the Rascal held up just fine. I am not sure if I was surprised or not, but the stone guard, aluminum fenders and fiberglass exterior offered a great deal of security for me and after the first 50 miles or so, I never gave it a second thought.