Jim, June 23:
Following directions from the Starbuck’s app, we got off the Interstate and wound our way through rush-hour traffic following each voice command in search of the magic elixir. We were led to a truck stop, but didn’t see the familiar green Starbuck’s sign. After circling the building, we decided to go in — maybe it was one of those internal Starbuck’s stores. There was no joy. No Starbuck’s, No mocha today.
Marilyn, June 23:
The Promise of Starbucks —
As we left Eldorado and headed north, Jim was looking forward to stopping in San Angelo for a Starbucks Mocha. It was his custom every afternoon to find happiness with a decaf, no whip, non fat Mocha. After checking with The Girl on Google,
we realized that our destination was at least four hours away. We by-passed San Angelo heading north postponing the Mocha stop until we reached Lubbock. As we approached the exit, I clicked the Starbucks app and passed along the directions to Jim. We exited and followed the Starbucks app.
Jim, June 23:
Monday morning — time to hit the road. We had the kitchen supplies, bikes, camping furniture, water and other odds and ends loaded into the rig. It was finally time to leave. Stopping in Drip’ to top off the tank, we had the first of what would become routine encounters on the trip: Teardrop Fans. Neither one of us were prepared for the notoriety, but it was fun. This fellow was considering the purchase of a teardrop, and wanted to see inside and ask a few questions. There is something magnetic about teardrops, and many folks seem drawn to the romance of the open road in a small trailer. Guess we’re not alone!
Lunch in Menard, Texas
First stop was Menard, Texas. We were getting hungry, and the beautiful pecan-shaded park provided an excellent place for a light repast of sandwiches, chips and cookies. As we left town, we had a little trouble understanding The Girl’s directions, and made an inadvertent 20-minute detour. No matter. After retracing our steps, we were back on the right path.
Eldorado, the Schleicher county seat and Marilyn’s childhood home, was the next major stop. We drove by her father’s former medical practice, a plain cinderbock building that seemed disused.
Former Medical Practice in Eldorado, Texas
Next was the County Office and Memorial building — fine examples of Texas public buildings that are common around the state. A final stop for gas, and we were on our way. Next stop: San Angelo, and the promise of a Starbuck’s Mocha!
The Old Jail in Eldorado, Texas
Marilyn, June 14:
I love to cook! I was a chef at a dude ranch and have been responsible for cuisine on many long distance backpack trips. Now it was time to create a new version of a moving kitchen. I had seen a variety of galley configurations in teardrop trailers that ranged from the highly customized with many built in niches to house everything, to a rear hatch covering a simple space. Ours was the simple space so it was time to become very creative. I started rounding up suggestions from the blogs of dedicated RVers as well as full time teardroppers. One blogger’s words echoed in my mind – being in the middle of nowhere is not the time to forget the can opener or have wine and no corkscrew. Another blogger warned not to forget the practical things like rubber bands, duct tape and super glue. We found a Coleman camp stove, soft-sided sink, a folding rack to hold it all then tried it out in the living room.
Trailer kitchen in the living room.
Some of my backpacking equipment and skills came in handy since storage was at a premium. Finding the necessities – the smallest knives, nifty gadgets, cutting boards, measuring spoons and bowls – that could be used for several purposes. The ability to pack and unpack everything quickly was also a consideration. Then I began to think about menus. Shopping in the bulk section was great. Small plastic bags took the place of bulky bottles. I began with two plastic boxes with lids (you’ll discover why the lids are important later) and began organizing, nestling utensils, dishes and all our other accessories. We recycled two other plastic totes with fold-over lids for larger items. At last, we were ready for meals on wheels and it was time to hit the road.
Utensils and Supplies – a place for everything
Pots, Pans and Wine Glasses
Marilyn, June 2 – 20:
As Jim began to customize our Teardrop trailer, I began to conduct some online research to gather tips from seasoned teardrop and RV travelers. Getting ready involved creating the perfect plan for everything. How does that go? A place for everything and everything in its place – camp stove, bottle of bungees, Coleman fuel, locks… I even found a couple of printable check lists that came in handy. We began a show and tell tour to repurpose our camping gear that took us both down memory lane. I had worked for Eastern Mountain Sports and had quite a few items that would work. We hit Costco and Ikea acquiring a mattress topper, kitchen gear, chairs, a table and more. After reading several blogs about the perils and preparation for a successful trip, we made some adjustments. One story described the aftermath of slamming on the brakes. Two bottles of red wine and one of salsa went flying through the air, landing with unfortunate consequences. Ah, strapping everything down or discovering the beauty of plastic bins. This would prove to an important step later in the trip. Interesting issues popped up. Where do you put dirty shoes, when the entire floor becomes your bed each night?
A place for everything and everything in its place.
All Secured
Marilyn – June 1:
At last it was time to go to Ft. Worth to pick up our very own teardrop. We left Dripping Springs on Sunday, June 1. We headed north on I-35, the major north–south Interstate Highway running from the United States-Mexico border to the Red River border with Oklahoma and as far north as Minnesota. The Interstate had been undergoing an extensive renovation and expansion project for years and traffic on a Sunday had become legendary. Jim suggested that we stop for Kolaches to prepare for the experience, a long-standing tradition with I-35 travelers. Kolache fever is nothing new in Texas, which has been home to a considerable Czech community since the mid 1800’s. A Kolach (plural kolache /kɵˈlɑːtʃi/, also spelled kolace, kolach, or kolacky), comes from the Czech and Slovak. We pulled into the town of West, Texas and The Czech Stop And Little Czech Bakery.
Onward, fortified by puffy pastry pillows from supple dough. We took directions from the disembodied female voice of the GPS that we would soon refer to as “The Girl.” We wound our way through neighborhoods of small, one-story houses until we found the home of EZ-Toad Trailers.
The Czech Stop and Little Czech Bakery
So many Kolaches and so little time
Even the cookies are more colorful in Texas
Marilyn:
Irma Harding
Camping is fun, but the days of tent camping are probably over for us. Setting up, coupled with sleeping on hard ground and dealing with weather argue for something more substantial and convenient. An RV would be nice, but who wants to invest a small fortune? With the recent purchase of a fuel efficient crossover vehicle, a Mazda CX-5, a lightweight camping trailer seemed perfect.
A Teardrop Trailer
What to get though? Most camping trailers are large, heavy and expensive. A trip to the RV store revealed another option though — a teardrop trailer. A little research on the Internet (try: teardrop trailer) reveals a long tradition with the little trailers. They first started appearing after the First World War as folks began to have vehicles that could tow. The next several decades saw many clever do-it-yourself plans published in magazines like Popular Mechanics. Some of the early designs were very clever. They often used salvage auto parts and readily available building materials as a way of keeping the cost down.
Teardrop Trail starts with Jim and Marilyn’s first, excellent adventure!
Every production begins with a cast of characters.
Marilyn: I got degrees in painting and drawing as well as art history but have done quite a few things. I have lived in some amazing places – Vail, Northern New Mexico and Hershey, Pennsylvania before moving back to Texas. I can trace My roots to Steven F. Austin and as they say around these parts, I got back as soon as I could.
Jim: I grew up in the Midwest and have travelled extensively in the Western United States. I’ve called the Hill Country in Texas home for nearly two decades now, and enjoy the country life. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the States.
We both enjoy food, wine, gardening and the quirkier aspects of life including the Teardrop Trail.
Jim & Marilyn at the Bistro 412 in Park City, Utah
