Meet the newest member of our family -- unnamed vintage Shasta trailer! Hopefully she won't be unnamed for long, but we haven't had a chance to catch her vibe yet, and see what feels right. Her name was Scout when we bought her, and we both actually like that name, but we also might want to choose something ourselves. Send us your ideas!
Alex and I got the crazy idea to look for a trailer about a month ago as we were thinking about summer vacation plans and having something to use for longer trips. Also, we love traveling and hiking with Winston, but one problem we've run into over the years is not being able to visit national parks because of the dog restrictions on almost all trails within the parks (outside of roads and parking lots). When we drove through Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons on our move to Seattle, we were only able to stop and see a couple places because of not being able to leave him in the car. SO, our idea was to purchase a trailer that we could park at a campsite with power, and be able to leave him there while we explore the parks where he's not allowed. Usually, we're able to find great hiking trails that allow dogs, but sometimes you just can't avoid those spots.
In addition to having more freedom of camping with a dog in tow, we also like the idea of having something available that we can take for longer trips where good weather isn't guaranteed. Last summer, we took a 9 day trip through Washington, Oregon, and the very northern tip of California where we used our cartop tent each night and completely lucked out with perfect weather. Those tents are awesome for weekend trips with good weather, but they don't seem as practical for a week long trip in normal (potentially rainy) circumstances.
THE TRAILER'S QUIRKS
Apparently, I like my trailers like I like my houses: old and full of potential :) Even though a newer trailer would be in better condition and probably easier to maintain, I just felt like I wanted a trailer that had been places and seen things, and had little more character. A trailer that held memories of years past, and seen roads beyond where I will take it. Cheesy, I know, but it feels good to find something with character and potential and bring it back to its glory through a little love and TLC. This trailer seems like the perfect blend of solid construction with room to customize and upgrade to our specific needs.
Here are the things we like about it:
Vintage look and feel: it just feels cozy and homey from the minute we walked in the door
Windows: such good light in there, but also the option to close the curtains for privacy
Open layout: even though it's small, the layout is open and feels bigger than it is
Composting toilet: these are great for being off grid, and also tend to be lower maintenance and have less smell than a regular blackwater tank
Storage: so much store in this thing! Big closets and every nook has a way to store things in it which my efficient/organizational heart loves :)
While we don't have an exact plan or style yet, here are some of the things we will work on in the future (I won't say near future as this is a 'low-pressure' project that we want to keep that way!). Before purchasing the trailer, we had a mobile RV repair specialist do a full inspection on it so that we knew exactly what we were getting into and what would need to be done after purchasing it. `
Fix brakes: this one was the only fix out of the whole list that we weren't expecting to have to fix, but everything else below we knew about if that makes it any better :)
Fix propane stove: we're hoping this is salvageable since it's original to the camper and we would love to keep it, but we may have to replace it if we can't find the right parts for it.
Replace refrigerator: unfortunately, this one isn't salvageable because of safety issues, but we would like to find a fridge that's the same size so we can mount the front of the original to the new one to match the stove
Install battery and converter charger for a 12V/120v setup and run new electrical wires
Purchase a portable heater and AC to bring depending on weather
Seal roof to ensure no water leaks are present
Fix a couple lights and other small fixtures
Paint walls and cabinets, reupholster cushions, and new curtains for windows
Make it feel like home!
Just a small to-do list, right? I'm hoping that is sounds worse than it actually is. We have a plan for the new electrical setup, a couple of affordable fridge options (just hoping we can find one that matches the current size!), and then it's just a couple good summer weekends to work on it in the nice weather and get the interior painted and freshened up.
I have no idea what our timeline looks like for this project, and that is okay with me! We just want this to be a fun and interesting project that we can improve over the years and enjoy it for what it is. I have no plans to make it anything fancy or perfect, I just want it to be a cozy camping trailer that will take us on adventures for years to come, and that we can enjoy with friends and family in some of our favorite places.
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