So…we haven’t been camping yet this year because our old 5-Man tent is getting old and to be honest, neither Beautiful Wife (BW) nor myself are up for sleeping on the ground anymore. Takes too long to get moving in the morning and both of us get darn cranky by the end of the weekend.

We’d been playing with the idea of a popup or a 5th Wheel, but I’ve been in a popup in really bad weather and we just can’t afford a 5th Wheel. It’s getting to be that time of year in our area where the winds are kicking up again and a squall could come down off the Rockies and totally take out anything nylon.

A few months ago BW saw a special on one of the cable networks, Discovery, History, Travel, one of those, on the history of the Teardrop Trailer and we’ve been looking around for an affordable version ever since. I’ve looked at the kits and the plans to build our own and ya know, if I was that handy, that might be kinda cool. But I’m better with electrons and circuit boards than I am with hammers and nails. I’m a whiz of a rough carpenter, but free cutting arcs and the like? Not so much. My wife’s the one who looks at a fully loaded Craftsman CTK and grunts like Tim the Toolman, not me.

Anyway, on Tuesday, we’ll be bringing this home:

Marine grade plywood with a fiberglass laminate, basically a boat cabin on wheels. Got the extra little platform for stuff. It comes with a queen sized “pad” but I’m thinking a futon would serve us well.

Now, we’re going to be messing with this thing like you wouldn’t believe. BW watches just about every DIY show that’s on and is already looking for curtains and other accessories. Kitchen gear will still be pure Coleman until we can get it transplanted and integrated into the rear galley. When we camp, we don’t “rough it” when it comes to food. We don’t bring dehydrated, we don’t live on power bars, we eat well. BW has her portable spice rack in her cookie kit.

Update: Okay, so we’re not bringin’ it home until Thursday or Friday. Apparently there’s a shortage of hitches for a 2005 Santa Fe.