Tag Archives: galley

Our Inks Lake Getaway

Teardrop Trail Log: August 4, 2017

We met the folks from Southwest Teardrops and Vintage Trailer group at Krause Springs in May of 2016 and attended one of their gatherings at Lake Bob Sandlin last September. I had signed us up for another gathering with the group at Inks Lake State Park beginning August 3. Sadly, we had broken a leaf spring on our trailer on our last trip so we were a day late arriving due to the search for replacements for a broken leaf spring.

Welcome to Inks Lake!

Inks Lake State Park is considered one of the gems of the Texas Hill Country, near Austin. About 8,000 years ago, prehistoric peoples lived and worked along the banks of the Colorado River. The Apache and Comanche later ranged through the Hill Country. After Texas became a state, German and other Anglo settlers farmed and raised livestock here. The area was used for cattle ranching since the mid-1800s and it remained a part of various ranches until the state acquired the land. Culverts and roads in the park were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps stationed at Longhorn Caverns in the 1930s.

Our Neighbors

The 1,201-acre State Park was created from privately owned and Lower Colorado River Authority land in 1940, and is located next to Inks Lake on the Colorado River in Burnet County. Inks Lake is named for Roy B. Inks, one of the original board members of the Lower Colorado River Authority. It is the 2nd lake in the seven Highland Lakes chain. The water level of Inks Lake is usually unaffected by drought and is maintained at a normal level most of the time. The park opened to the public in 1950.

The Gang at Devil’s Watering Hole

The entrance is off Park Road 4 and after checking in we saw Roger, one of the members of our group. Armed with the park map, we found our campsite on a lovely inlet and proceeded to establish camp. Members of our group were scattered about the campground. Our routine is to walk through the campground visiting with friends and stopping to check out other folks’ rigs, a great way of making new friends.

SWTVT Potluck

One of the unique aspects of the park is Devil’s Watering Hole, one of the favorite swimming holes in the Texas Hill Country. It is an inlet off of Ink’s Lake, bordered by rock outcroppings. We watched as members of our group paddled, swam and even jumped from the cliff. Later that evening, we joined the traditional pot luck dinner, where everyone tries to outdo each other in quantity and variety of food.

Another Fine Day

A Solar Upgrade for the Teardrop Trailer

Teardrop Trail: June 4, 2017

In the last few months, I’ve been working on a larger solar system to pump water at the ranch. We live out in the Texas Hill Country and occasionally experience power interruptions, and I wanted to use solar power to improve our emergency preparedness. The experience of designing and building that system led me to rethinking the teardrop solar system.

A New Battery

Cutting a hole for the data display

Two 100-watt solar panels provide enough power to meet our modest camping needs, but I felt the battery could be improved. We were using a marine battery, but it was a compromise between high starter current (which we would never use) and deep-cycle power for camping use. An Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) deep-cycle seemed a better match. I ordered an Optima D34M Blue Top that could supply up to 55 Amp/hours of power and fit into the modest available space.

And a way to measure it

The new data display

Of course, fully discharging any lead-acid battery will shorten its life and normally one leaves at least a 50% charge. How do you know when you’ve reached 50% remaining power? You can estimate from the battery voltage, but measuring power directly would be best. That led to the second upgrade; a digital energy meter. It shows voltage, current and power, as well as the total power in watt/hours consumed since the last reset. Using the Optima battery as an example, I could use up to 330 watt/hours of power ((55 amp/hours / 2) * 12 volts = 330 watt hours) before it was wise to recharge.

Electric Kettles for Camping?

Finally, we enjoy electric kettles for heating water, and they’re perfect for camping. In many campgrounds, shore power is available and we can heat water for tea, coffee and washing up with ease. Would it be possible to use an electric kettle on solar power?

With 1000 watt inverter installed

Researching electric kettles and hot pots I found one model that only used about 1000 watts. A lot of power, but within reach of a not-too-expensive 12-volt to 120-volt inverter. It looked like fun to see if I could make it work, and I ordered an inverter and the necessary wiring to hook it up. Besides; the same inverter could be used to power a Crockpot or Slow-cooker — something we’ve already shown is practical.

The picture tells the story. The new battery, inverter and hot pot were connected and did indeed heat 12 ounces of water to boiling. It used 164 watt/hours of energy as measured by the new digital meter — about half of the available battery storage. Not too practical, but a fun experiment!

: Boiling water with solar energy

: Boiled water energy consumption

Latching the Hatch

Teardrop Trail Log: April, 2017

We’ve been generally happy with our teardrop trailer, but have had one recurring problem. The galley hatch lid will not stay down. We encountered the problem on our very first trip to the Red Power Roundup in Huron, South Dakota in June of 2014.

The problem usually occurs when we hit a rough patch of road or rumble strips, and is more an annoyance than a real problem. I finally decided it was time to fix it, and found some chromed hood-latches on eBay that would do the trick. This video describes the installation process.

Solar Chili

Making good food with limited resources has always been appealing to me, and camping presents a perfect challenge. I still enjoy cooking over an open campfire, but solar power presents a new opportunity to make great food with simple tools.

Solar-powered system in the galley

With the addition of a slow-cooker to our galley and the upgrade of the teardrop’s solar power system, I began thinking about combining the two. Marilyn’s recipe for “Teardrop Pork Chops” proved we could have dinner ready when we got back to camp in the evening. I wondered if the solar system could effectively power the slow-cooker. Some quick measurements with the “Kill-a-watt” meter showed power usage for the 1 1/2 quart cooker to be well under 100 watts — even on the “high” setting. The “low” setting only consumed about 65 watts. With our 200-watts of solar panels and adequate sun, it should work fine. What to cook for an experiment?

Slow-cookers have always worked well with bean dishes, in fact, they were invented for cooking beans. The combination of low temperatures and long cooking times guarantee tender beans that retain their shape and texture. Chili is an iconic bean dish, and what could be better after a day of camping fun?

Solar Chili

Cooker: 1 1/2 quart oval, powered by a 300-watt Bestek Inverter plugged into a 12-volt, 200-watt solar system
Settings and Cook times: HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, then LOW for 8 to 9 hours

1/2 pound dried pinto beans, cleaned and soaked overnight and drained
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 pound of course-ground lean meat, beef, pork or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
3 ounces of tomato paste or puree
1 1/2 tablespoons of Dixon medium hot (or other high quality) chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

For serving:
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh tomatoes
Chopped green onions
Warm cornbread or saltine crackers

Starting the beans and garlic

Put the soaked and drained beans and whole garlic cloves in the slow cooker, adding enough water to cover. Cover and cook on HIGH until tender but not mushy, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Drain and discard the garlic.

All ingredients cooking

Meanwhile, brown the ground meat and onions in a large skillet and drain off the fat. Mix the meat, onions, partially-cooked beans, tomato paste, chili powder and cumin in the slow-cooker. Add enough water to cover and stir. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours, stirring occasionally. During the last hour, season with salt. Serve with toppings and warm cornbread.

A solar dining experience

How did we do? Using the measured slow-cooker wattage on high and low settings, a little quick math showed a total power consumption of about 750 watt-hours — within the production capacity of our 200-watt solar system on a sunny day. With the skillet-baked cornbread, all the fixins’ and a glass or two of wine — delicious.

The Teardrop Gets a Solar Power Upgrade

Teardrop Trail Log: September 20, 2016

MC4 solar branch connectors

After the unfortunate incident with the solar panel on our way to the Red Power Roundup, we were able to use shore power for the remainder of the trip. Disappointing, but not a show stopper. We had already determined that a single 100-watt panel was not enough for our needs, so I was planning an upgrade anyway. With a trip planned in late September, it was time to act. I ordered two new 100-watt panels, MC4 combiner connectors and additional MC4 crimp-on connectors. This would double our previous power capacity and allow for daytime use of a couple of small appliances including a crock-pot and solid-state cooler.

Aluminum bar seals leading edge to teardrop

Analysis of the incident and the remaining parts of the old panel made it clear that wind entering the leading edge had repeatedly flexed the panel causing it to fatigue and ultimately fail. It seemed to me that sealing the leading edge to the teardrop roof with a rigid mount would prevent this type of failure in the future. A trip to Home Depot secured an aluminum strip, and by drilling holes that matched the existing screw mounts, I could seal the leading panel to the teardrop skin. The leading panel then overlapped the other panel so it was also sealed to the wind.

The new panels began working immediately

Once installed, the panels began producing power immediately. Although we currently only have about 80 Amp-hours of storage, the two panels can easily replace the day’s power use with 10 to 12 amp output in full sun. Also, by adding a 300-watt inverter, we are able to run a 1 1/2 quart crock pot during the day with power to spare. The next upgrade will be a larger battery.

The Ambassador was ready for a trip to Bob Sandlin State Park.

photo of solar panels on teardrop trailer

The panels overlap like shingles

Raccoon Caper #2 – The Nocturnal Invasion

Teardrop Trail Log: June 14, 2016

Camp Mark Twain State Park established and a scrumptious chicken dinner under our belts, we cleaned the dishes and put away the food. We’ve camped in numerous national and state parks in the last few years, and have developed a bedtime routine. Galley closed, kitchen boxes stacked and Igloo cooler closed. Time for bed. Marilyn is usually earlier into bed than me, but I was tired as well and we turned in. Soon we were both asleep.

Raccoon crime in Progress

I’m a light sleeper and usually up in the middle of the night, but this night I was awakened by a commotion outside. Crash! Bang! What on earth?! I sleep next to the door in our teardrop, and grabbing my iPhone (always ready for a photo!) I opened the door and leaned out. We had a raccoon in camp, and he was exploring our stuff. Pushing the door open and stepping out, I made some noise and the invader escaped. Even though it was dark, I could see we’d been raided. The cooler was open, and various wrappers were scattered around. Well, the damage was already done so I went back to bed. We could survey the crime scene in the morning.

The evidence

Marilyn was the first one up in the morning and cleaned up the mess. The raccoon had opened the Igloo cooler (we even have trouble opening that!) and scored a pound of bacon, a pound of butter, two pounds of lunch meat, several eggs and a yogurt.

Not easy to open

It was able to open the egg containers and that’s not easy. It was also able to get the meat and bacon out of zipper bags without destroying them. Apparently they can work the zipper pulls. Their scientific name is appropriate: Procyon lotor or extremely dexterous front paws.

Later, when Marilyn went to the camp office to buy more ice, she mentioned the raid, and the camp host wasn’t surprised. It seems the local raccoons have developed a taste for beer and are able to open pull-tab cans. Two nights of camping so far, and two incidents. I wonder if they prefer lagers or ales?

Tiny raccoon fingerprints

A Masked Marauder – Raccoon!

Teardrop Trail Log: June 13, 2016

Travel completed, we arrived at Lake Jacomo County Park near Kansas City and our cares dissipated. The place looks more like a city park than a camp ground with a well-manicured lawn and plantings, and a stylish restroom and bathhouse. Best of all, Marilyn had thoughtfully stashed a beer or two into the ice chest. I would have cold beer even though the solar fridge system had failed. We each began our setup and dinner tasks.

The weather was warm but not too bad, and I enjoyed setting up camp. Marilyn was already working on dinner — a chicken recipe that we both like. With the new stabilizers, I was done in no time, and sat down to enjoy a cold one while checking the day’s events. The prospect of a a leisurely dinner in the twilight beckoned.

As we sat down to dinner about 30 minutes later, we heard a crash by the camp picnic table. Investigating, Marilyn discovered the pasta pot had been knocked to the ground. This was new. There was no wind to speak of, and we weren’t near any other campsites. What was going on?

North American Raccoon (theivous cuteus)

I then noticed some movement near the tree. iPhone at the ready, I snapped a picture, the flash went off, and we had the evidence. There was a raccoon relaxing by the tree and apparently pondering it’s next move. Attracted by the pasta cooking water, it was unconcerned and seemed to say: “I’ll just wait here for dinner.” As we finished our dinner rituals, I spotted it outside of camp again — eyes aglow from my flashlight. Hmmm. Very persistent and comfortable around humans. Did we have a new challenge for our trip?

Patience and persistence personified

There Be Dragons …

Teardrop Trail Log: June 13, 2016

I guess I should be grateful we didn’t have more problems. If you think about it, trailering is an unlikely pastime, wherein one drags a small metal box on wheels at high speed over sometimes nasty, bumpy roads and expects everything to arrive at the same time. Then there’s the summer heat, rain, and wind — all of which can be extreme. Top it off by camping in the woods with open campfires, animal encounters and rutted trails masquerading as roads, and it’s a wonder things go as smoothly as they do. It’s a testament to the essential hopefulness and naïveté of the average camper. Certainly it describes our view of staying in the woods.

Repairing the antenna tube

Looking back, I understand our first several trips were usually trouble-free. Perhaps it was payback time. After a day of construction, rain, and detours, I thought we might have taken our lumps. As it turned out, we were just getting started. Day 2 dawned cool and overcast, and wonder of wonders, there was a Starbucks nearby. We went in and ordered, and within minutes I was in possession of the magic elixir. A Mocha. On the way back to the rig, I noticed that the antenna storage tube was askew. One of the supports had broken. Better fix it.

I decided to run our solar beer cooler while we were on the road. The day promised to be sunny, and I would have cold beer while setting up camp. Off we went through Paris, Texas, on our way to Joplin. Easy travel.

Dropping voltage

Since I was curious how much power we were generating and using with the beer cooler, I checked the voltage monitor every time we stopped. The battery voltage was falling slowly, suggesting the solar panel wasn’t keeping up, but nothing to worry about. Then during one of our stops, I noticed that the battery voltage had dropped by two volts. Not normal behavior. Considering the problem while we drove the next leg of the trip, I realized that one cell in the battery had catastrophically failed. This battery was toast.

We would have to find another. Marilyn got to work with the maps. As she plotted routes and queried the web, I mused on the rotten luck. What were the odds? Batteries don’t normally fail like this. On the other hand, it was over a year old. Maybe the battery maintainer wasn’t very good. Then, she announced her result. There was a Costco in southeast Kansas City, and going there would only take us a few miles out of our way. The camping gods had smiled.

We stopped at Costco, bought a replacement battery, and installed it in the parking lot to recover the core charge. Even so, we arrived at the Jacomo Campground by 7. Plenty of light to set up while Marilyn cooked a delicious dinner. Maybe we had finally paid our karma debt and could sail unconcerned into the adventure!

A New Battery

New Countertop for the Galley

Jim, July 24:

Trailer kitchen in the living room.

The Problem

Over the last several trips, I realized we were spending a lot of time setting up and striking each campsite. The lack of storage was corrected with the tongue box, but the Timber Creek Camp Kitchen took too long to set up. We needed another surface for the stove. I began to think about a counter that would hang on the galley edge.

There were several criteria. It had to attach with little modification and compliment the style of the teardrop. It had to store easily and be strong enough to support a two-burner stove with pans and skillets. And of course, it had to set up quickly. The raised lip at the back end of the galley could be used as an attachment point, but without legs supporting the other end because of the trip hazard. The best solution was to cantilever the counter with support from the underside of the trailer. Time’s a wastin’!

The Build

Initial mockup

I cut a 21-inch by 26-inch piece of birch plywood. This was the largest surface that would mount in the hatch opening without interfering with the galley storage. It was long enough to support our camp stove with a propane bottle. Next, I cut 9-inch pieces of 3/4-inch steel strap and bent one end to form an “L”. These fit into the gap between the galley countertop and hatch lid while attaching to the plywood. Using a couple of clamps, I mocked up the proof of concept. Success!

Trial fit of support pattern

Now for the cantilever supports. I wanted a design that would fit our teardrop. I drew a shape on a scrap of masonite and cut it with a saber saw. A trial fit with the table mockup looked promising, but I would have to match the curving shape of the trailer exactly. Several rounds of cut and fit were needed. Houston, we have a pattern.

I used the pattern to cut two pieces of plywood. Time for an edge treatment. I routed a 1/2 by 3/8-inch rebate in a piece of birch 1 by 2. This would cover the plywood laminations on the edge of the table, flush with the top. A table saw and a 45º sled made quick work of cutting the birch edges to length. A quick glue-up and I was done for the night.

: Initial assembly

: Detail of edge treatment

: All glued up

Let’s Finish This

The interior of our teardrop is varnished, and the wood and polished aluminum go well together. I sanded all the table parts and coated them with boiled linseed oil. We were running short of time before our trip, and the oil would protect the wood. I’ll add a more durable finish later.

: Folded table will travel in the galley

: Linseed oil finish

: Level and plumb

Linseed oil dried, I mounted the supports to the table with piano hinges. Another trial fit, and all was well. Folded, the table fits flat on top of the galley storage for transport. Finally, I drilled holes through the steel straps into the galley edge and threaded them for thumb screws. This prevents the table from detaching while in use. Level and plumb, the galley was ready!

Ready for camping!

A Trip to Krause Springs

Marilyn

Jim, July 22:

Marilyn was eager to connect with teardrop trailer enthusiasts and looked for groups we might join. The Southwest Teardrop & Vintage Trailers had a scheduled meetup in May and we decided to go. The three-day event was more than our time allowed, so we drove up for the day on Saturday. That way, we could make some new friends and check out Krause Springs at the same time.

Krause Springs

Located in the Texas Hill Country off Highway 71 on the way to Llano, the privately-owned, 115 acre park has been in operation since 1955. It’s on the National Registry of Historic Sites and has been owned by the Krause family for over 50 years. We happen to be on the right side of Austin, so it’s very close to our home, Roy Creek Ranch, northwest of Dripping Springs. We were there in less than an hour. It’s a beautiful park with camping, hiking trails, a butterfly garden and or course, the springs! One of the best swimmin’ holes in Texas, the springs ultimately empties into Lake Travis. With both natural and man-made pools, it’s easy to cool off on a hot summer day.

A tour of Teardrops

Marilyn had already contacted the group, and they were expecting us. They quickly found us a spot in the impressive line of teardrop trailers, and we spent the next couple of hours visiting with our new friends. Most of the trailers are custom crafted, and The Ambassador fit right in. There were a wide range of sizes an looks, and it was clear that everyone took teardrop camping very seriously. Our solar-powered beer cooler was a hit, and I was glad we had a special feature to show off.

: Rodger’s Teardrop

: Diane’s Teardrop

: Shelley’s Teardrop

Hiking the Springs

The initial flurry of introductions and tours completed, we had bite of lunch and decided to look around the park. We spent the next couple of hours exploring.

: Down to the swimmin’ hole

: A knotty problem

: Dragonflies

: House and Butterfly Garden

: Hangin’ out

: A butterfly feast

An Evening Potluck

Hikes, swims, naps and other afternoon activities completed, it was time for cocktails and a potluck. Marilyn had prepared some potato salad, and the overachievers in the group insured no-one left hungry. It was amazing to see what was produced in the tiny teardrop galleys: chips and dips, casseroles, slow-cooked pulled pork and a variety of desserts and more. An amazing day — lots of unique trailers and new friends!

Krause Springs Pool

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A New Battery

And a way to measure it

Electric Kettles for Camping?

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Solar Chili

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Krause Springs

A tour of Teardrops

Hiking the Springs

An Evening Potluck

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