Different uses for your CI

Thought I'd post how we enjoy and use our Raindrop when we don't travel. If you have a story, please share it. Here's mine:

When we originally thought of purchasing a Raindrop, we lived in a large home and owned a large RV 5th wheel. We leased the house and moved into the RV for a year and a half. Purchased the Raindrop to travel with because the RV was too cumbersome.

Well now we're back in a house with a double car garage and the Raindrop is housed in the garage. One reason we wanted a smaller unit was just for this purpose - no storage fees! But mainly because we saw it as an additional bedroom.

We are fortunte to have a nice storage building in our backyard, so our garage is very clean and neat with just the Raindrop and minivan inside. But whenever we want to use it as a bedroom, we move the van outside the garage and close the door. We literaly put out the welcome mat, open the doors, turn on the lights and air conditioning. We have the cable TV wiring into the garage to plug the TV in and it's plugged into the electricity for lights. So when the grandkids come over, they pile in and watch TV and they're cool in the Texas heat. They feel like they have their own private little cave and they love it! The garage is empty so they can play out there and have a big play room. The garage is right off the foyer of our home so if they need to come in they can. But I also have a small apt. size refrigerator with drinks in the garage for them.

But I really enjoy using it as my "prayer closet". If I want to be alone with God I go to the Raindrop where it's cool and quiet and I can put on my CD's, read my Bible and pray.

If you need a man cave, this works great too! We plan on pulling it out and using the kitchen during block parties also! It'll also be one be "Show & Tell" for the neighborhood...some have seen it already and I think one neighbor may be interested in purchasing...we'll have to wait and see on that one! But this is how we utilize our purchase and get more bang for our buck even when we can't get away on the road.

 

I like the idea very much, but I am concerned that it isn't "safe" to sleep in a garage. Too much potential for carbon monoxide poisoning, no? We have a water heater in the garage. I am not sure I want to sleep too close to it.

Thoughts?

I do agree, 100%, with using the TD as an extra bedroom, however, though I plan to move it outside into the carport when I do it. Maybe I am just being too risk-averse.

-Al

 

Haha - Our water heater is in the house. I guess we should move into the garage where we will be safer.

This fall and winter we went without a tow vehicle for 6 months, but still managed to get about 6 nights in the teardrop. When my brother and his wife come to visit we give them the master, and we bunk in SnuggleBug. It is nice to have a guest bedroom in a 2 bedroom house.

 

Good point Evan on moving to the garage! Ours is in the attic, so maybe we should move to the attic! (Hope you can take a joke Al! )

Evan we'd do the same - sleep in Minimc and give the bedroom to family! Any excuse, right?

Personally I can't wait till the tailgate party to whip it out and show off, cook a little, watch a ball game while sitting on the couch with the doors open, dog and cat jumping in, all right in the middle of the cul de sac!

 

A tailgate sounds wonderful. Your CI would be the centerpiece for sure.

Jim and I have our baby set up as one heck of an emergency kit. This is our earthquake/mudslide/firestorm set. Fully stocked with water, food, clothing, first aid for seven days at least.

Good idea considering where we live.

Shake, rattle and roll.

Sue

 

I find it funny that the claustrophobic issue would come up - these tiny campers are tin cans on wheels and I would think if you were claustrophobic you'd feel so inside when closed up at night...just sayin'!

But our garage is finished out like I said and not junk filled. With the van in the drive last Christmas, I put the big rug out beside it, brought our picnic table minus umbrella inside with six chairs beside the Raindrop, had a couple of electric heaters running and with 25 people for Christmas dinner, people were in and out - in fact I left the door to the garage open in the foyer and it was just an extension of the party! The Raindrop was so cute sitting there with it's door open and TV going, kids in and out...can't wait till next Christmas - well, actually I can - I'm loving the summer!

 

Maybe it's a double liner type thing with the camper inside a garage. Like a world withing a world. But, not being claustrophobic, I wouldn't know.

Sue

 

Actually, you would be surprised at the number of people who are claustrophobic who have a teardrop & are very comfortable in it. Part of it depends on the degree of claustrophobia & part depends on the design of the teardrop.

I am mildly claustrophobic. When Craig showed me a picture of a teardrop & said he wanted to build one for us, I told him I didn't think I could even get in one, let alone stay in it. So, he asked what I needed to be comfortable in one. I told him it would need 2 doors, be larger & have LOTS of light/windows. The original teardrops were 4 ft wide, had one door & most had no windows. Even the door in many didn't have a window. And thus was born the first 5 ft wide, 2 large doors, trademark front windows & sun roof option Camp-Inn. He also made the height from bed to ceiling taller than most teardrops. I absolutely loved that camper (and was a little more than distraught when he sold it out from under me, literally, - albeit for a good reason - but that's a story for a later time.)

Now, they did, at one time build 4 ft wide Camp-Inns, too. Trying to offer a more "traditional" style. I remember the first demo. Along with being 4 ft wide, it had only 1 door, & I don't even remember that it had another window, but it might have.

Well, as the story goes, Cary's parents were having a big anniversary celebration at their place. People could camp out overnight in their yard. Nathan, Cary & Holly's youngest, was pretty new to the world. So, they took our 5 ft teardrop (the one we have now) to stay in & we took the 4 ft demo for our 2 kids & a tent for Craig & myself. During the evening, our kids were in the demo & wanted me to come play a game with them. I wasn't thrilled, but, hey, their my kids & it's only for a little while, no problem....

BIG problem! I sat in the tear, tried leaving the door open (mosquito issue), tried sitting in the doorway...no luck, still felt like I couldn't breathe (I have asthma, so this is never a pleasant feeling). No matter how much I tried to tell myself otherwise, I couldn't do it. Ended up dragging a camp chair to the door & sitting in it while still playing the game. Although the tear had won the battle, I won the war!

So, I guess I am to blame for the 5 ft wide, 2 doors, front windows & sunroof options. Sorry about that.

 

Thank God for Betsey's claustrophobia. I have slight claustrophobia as well and what always brought me back to Camp Inn was the huge doors and windows. I bought the 560 for the extra room and have been snug in it during rainstorms and at night.

 

Good reading! I remember when we were talking to Cary that he brought up several thing that Betsy and his wife Holly contributed to the design of the tear. One that I remember is when they put in the sink - it took away counter space and necessitated the table. Thanks Betsy and Holly for your contributions to our wonderful tears.

 

Yeah, thanks Betsey, it was those signature front windows that hooked me… the rest was just icing on the cake!

 

Have to admit, it was the windows that pushed us over the edge for a CI. We love lying all comfy and looking at the night sky through those windows.

Sue

 

Ok Betsey, it's official we BLAME you for this great design!

One of the things that really sticks in my mind when we saw our demo with folks and sat in and crawled around in for 3 hrs. was when you sit in the doorway it didn't cut into the backs of my legs like the Little Guy did. Just being able to sit comfortably in the doorway was huge for me. Also, the huge doors! Love'em!

Jenn: I love being in the outdoors too. Don't want to give anyone the impression that we got the CI to put in the garage. My point of this whole forum was to bring up the subject of other ways to use your CI when you can't travel. Our garage door stays open when we're in and out during the day and the CI is sitting there. We'll open the door, turn on the fan, watch TV and just enjoy the craftsmanship...more than one way to enjoy that little booger!

One other thing I remembered: The first time we had the cable installed in the garage and plugged the TV in, I sat in it with the fan going and watched TV till I got sleepy and I just slipped down onto the bed and took my afternoon nap! It was dark, cool and quiet and the garage door was open. So If you want a dark room for napping, this'll do it!

All that being said, we REALLY want to hit the road for the West this summer - but we're waiting on some land to sell (should close in June/July.) I'm DESPERATE to get on the road!

 

I can take a joke!!

and I agree that the CO risk is very low, at least from my water heater which is newly-installed.

But I'd still rather pull the TD out of the garage to sleep in it. The garage has lots of household chemicals in it, plus my somewhat stinky garbage can, plus the large somewhat stinky compost can. And the drain from the set-tub stinks. Plus, I am fairly certain it is the least likely room to be standing after we have an earthquake (which is very unfortunate, since the garage is where 90% of my earthquake supplies would be).

But I do love the idea of using it as a spare bedroom. If my houseguest balked, I would just give them my bed and I'd sleep in my driveway in my TD and be perfectly happy.

-Al

 

it's fun to hear where the design ideas came from

you should make note of these stories, because they will become even more interesting as time goes by

-Al

 

Smart move Jenn!

When we are at the beach we have started considering all of these things. It isn't a matter of if, with a Tsunami on the Oregon Coast, but when. They have been telling us that. So we really make sure we know our best routes out, we have things ready to run (because in some cases that is what we will have to do), and we also keep track of our highest points.

Here in the valley, we have threats of an earthquake and the volcanos that surround us are due to blow, according to scientists (although they have been very quiet, so we haven't been worrying too much...we have more warning with that, in most cases). All that being said, and not to scare folks off, Oregon is a great place to visit, and is as safe as anywhere else. We also have the trailer stocked in case we need it for anything. We just believe in preparing for the worst, and expecting the best!

 

Another plus for a fully stocked trailer is if you decide you can't take the city any longer, you can book it out immediately. No muss, no fuss, just hitch and drive.

I was going to suggest the CI could be used for a girl's slumber party, but remembering what a mess we used to make...maybe not.

Sue

 

It's always been my intention to stock our trailer as a "Get outta Dodge quick" bag. Living in the Houston area, we don't have earthquakes, we have hurricanes. So we have a little more time to watch them and see which direction to head. But you don't want to wait till ones headed your way to stock up - all shelves are empty.

I have really only one question - water storage. If you buy gallon jugs of water the jugs degrade so you can't keep them indefinately. What do ya'll do for that issue?

I really need to get on the stick and get ours outfitted - I just keep delaying...meds are another issue. I think I need to make a list of "last minute grab" items and have every food item I think we'll need in our storage bucket ready to throw in. Still need to get those solar panels - lack of moolah, but soon hopefully.

 

We've made a couple of escapes from hurricanes here in FL and I'll be much better prepared when we get the CI in Sept. Hope the storms wait til then! The last bad one (2004) had motels booked all the way to NC! We made it to our daughters in GA and darned if the thing didn't swing west to east and nailed us in Macon!
As Paul Harvey used to say, you can run but you can't hide.
With our CI, we won't need a motel room, just a motel parking lot.
We are also planning to use ours as an extra bedroom but with the FL heat we will have to use it in the driveway. Sure can't fire up the AC in the garage!
Mike

 

Handy little things these CIs. By the way, love the name you gave your hatchling: Crab Pot. Now that's cute.

And in case of storms, I'd suggest some pontoons and a sail, perhaps?

Yes, I can be flippant. Actually I hope to heaven you are all safe the season.

Camp On,

Sue