Tag Archives: kitchen

photo of Preparing dinner

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?

photo of the North American Raccoon

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?

Can you see the intruder?

Patience and persistence personified

photo showing Marilyn Cooking with the new galley table

New Countertop for the Galley

Jim, July 24:

Trailer kitchen in the living room.

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

photo of Initial mockup

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!

photo of Trial fit of support pattern

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.

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.

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!

photo of Jim with the new galley table

Ready for camping!

Photo of tree swing over the swimmin' hole

A Trip to Krause Springs

photo of Marilyn

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.

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.

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!

photo of Krause Springs Pool

Krause Springs Pool

photo of trailer front with box mounted

More Storage – A Trailer Tongue Box

Jim, May 17:

photo of the bare trailer tongue

Bare trailer tongue

During the Big Bend trip, I started to think about refining our trailer and realized that storing jacks and other trailer equipment in the galley complicated our setup. A second storage area would make the galley more convenient and allow Marilyn to start our evening meal while I was setting up camp. I had seen boxes that mount on a trailer tongue, and thought that might be the answer. They aren’t hard to find, and I soon had one on order. Made by Better Built, and 34-inches by 19-inches and 18-inches high, it looked like it would just fit on our teardrop’s small tongue.

The new trailer tongue box

The new trailer tongue box

In hand a few days later, it looked great and didn’t weigh much — welded aluminum construction with a locking latch and power-assisted top hatch. Our trailer has a single rail for the tongue however, and it looked like the box was better suited to trailers with a “y” front hitch. Mounting the soft aluminum box on a single rail seemed like a problem — the first time it was leaned upon, it would bend. I decided to get some help from my friends at Vintage Motor to make a stout steel mount. Jason and I quickly decided  to cradle the front and back bottom edges with 1 1/2-inch angle iron. These would be welded to other angle iron and attached to the 2 by 3-inch trailer tongue with bolts.

We set to work. After measuring the front and back box edge, Jason cut 16 and 34-inch pieces of 1 1/2-inch angle iron on a chop saw. By placing them under the front and back edge, we were able to mark the precise size and angle using a sharpie. Using these marks, he was able to trim the rails with a pneumatic cut-off tool, and round the rough edges with an angle grinder.

Next, we cut brackets and holes and drilled them to accept the tongue bolts. They were then welded to the rails. There was one bracket per rail, and they were placed so that the rails would be centered on the trailer tongue with a bracket on each side. Finally we drilled four holes on the long rail, and two holes on the short one to mount the box.

Rails and brackets complete, it was time for a test fit. Everything seemed to work, so I set about drilling bolt holes into the trailer tongue. This is very tough steel, and it took awhile — even with the help of my grandad’s 1/2-inch drill. Now we could bolt the rails on, and set the box into them. Last, we drilled holes from the bottom, through the rails, and into the box. It was secured with six bolts as well. We’d had to “fudge” the fit to straighten to box and allow for lid clearance with the trailer, so the front rail was a little off-center. A trip back to the shop to adjust it’s length, and we were ready for paint.

Now painted, it was time for the final installation. To protect the bottom from being dented, I’ll cut a piece of plywood to fit the inside. The box size seems proportional to the trailer — a lucky break. I was also pleased to see that the diamond plate on the trailer matches the box, both in pattern and rising to about the same height as the diamond plate on the trailer. Looks like a custom fit!

Preparing to hit the Teardrop Trail again!

Electric Travel Refirgerator

Electric Travel Refrigerator

Marilyn, March 19:

When we got the teardrop trailer, we started to look for ways to take some of our favorite foods along. Most people know the hassle traveling with an ice chest can be. Looking for ice in some remote areas can be extremely frustrating. On one of our shopping trips, we found this amazing little fridge. It plugs into the cigarette lighter in the back of the Mazda but does have an adaptor for a wall outlet. We carry many things that normally live in our home fridge. It’s a great way to prepare a lunch for the road. As we get ready for our Big Bend trip, we are getting the little fridge ready for to go.

Just one warning – unplug it from the cigarette lighter when you stop in the campground. It can plug into shore power. We found out the hard way that this little wonder can drain your battery when I failed to disconnect it. Makes for an unpleasant surprise in the morning. It is also not the optimum way to meet other folks in the campground.

 

Road Food Eats

 

camp stove with Balsamic Chicken

Balsamic Chicken serves 2

  • 2 boneless chicken thighs
  • half of a yellow onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup sliced Baby Bella mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup Balsamic vinegar or to cover chicken thighs
  • salt and pepper to taste

We enjoy taking some of our favorite entreés on the Teardrop Trail. Here are some tips:

  • Freeze the chicken thighs and add to your ice chest or travel refrigerator. This helps conserve ice.
  • Find small bottles of your favorite olive oil and Balsamic vinegar. Measure for the recipes you plan for your road trip and transfer to small plastic bottles with tightly fitting lids to conserve space. I like square plastic bottles because they are a better fit in our kitchen boxes and less likely to rattle. I save plastic bottles for a variety of uses on the road.
  • Buy only the quantity of herbs and spices you will need for each recipe or for your entire trip in the bulk department. Use the small plastic bags to save space.

Thaw the chicken thighs and pat dry with paper towels. Chop the onions and garlic. Place the olive oil in a skillet and simmer until the onions are clear. Add the chicken thighs and brown over medium heat. Add mushrooms to skillet. Cook until mushrooms are tender. Add the Balsamic vinegar, spoon over chicken and mushrooms. Simmer until the vinegar bubbles and thickens and chicken thighs are done. Salt and pepper to taste.

Place two thighs on each plate and cover with thickened Balsamic vinegar sauce. Garnish with parsley. Serve with rice or cooked pasta.

Serve with your favorite Cote de Rhone or other red wine and toast to the next adventure on the Teardrop Trail.

Kitchen to Go – Road Food

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.

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

Utensils and Supplies – a place for everything

Pots, Pans and Wine Glasses

Pots, Pans and Wine Glasses