Update Finally We See Actual Progress

Got an email from Craig on Sunday night with a link to photos of our new 560 Ultra being moved into the shop and the actual build being started. Our build number is #460 so that others can gauge from this where their trailers are in the queue. Cary says "for sure" the first week of September, we are hoping for the last week in August. All of you that already have your beautiful new friend know how we are feeling. We started this process in December but didn't actually order it until March 1. Anyway, the overall "gestation" period for us works out to nine months. Pretty pricey to get the baby home but at least I won't have to send it off to college in 18 years with what little of our savings are left. Now that list of "To Do" items seems almost overwhelming.
Jim & Mary Anne

 

Congrats! And don't stress! It all comes together!
For local SOCal teardrops the big gathering is at Lake Perris in March - mark your calenders now! It is really fun -lots of vintage trailers and homebuilts!
http://teardroptime.weebly.com/index.html
Eileen

 

I have wanted to go to the rally at Lake Perris for some time but one thing or another always intruded. Now of course our focus is centered almost entirely upon our trailer and this coming March we will be there. Do the C-I's "bunch up"?
Thank you,
Jim

 

Eileen,
It says on the website you sent that this was the "1st Annual.."
I would have sworn there teardrop rallies/gatherings at Lake Perris for years.
Jim

 

We used to live for Sunday nights when the latest batch of pics would come down from Cary. Be aware that after the second or third batch things start to progress very quickly. If you haven't already started, stocking up is a lot of fun too, and while somewhat expensive well worth it. On some days both the UPS and FedX as well as the Post Office vans would drop off goodies. I am sure the neighbors thought we were running some sort of business out of the house. Are you picking it up or are you having it shipped?

 

Jim and MAry Anne,
The Lake Perris gathering has been going for 15 years. The Lockes ran it for 15 years and "retired" this year. Another couple have volunteered to take over this event -so it will be their first gathering under their new gathering name.
I have no idea idea how the change will in management will affect the gathering, but will shall go and see (its all of 15 miles for us).
In the past campsites have been first come-first serve, but if we know other Camp Inn's are coming, we could easily save spaces. We missed this year (meetings in Hawaii!), but camped next to the Eastmans (CI #33 I think) the year before -and had a great time!

And Lake Perris is great in March!!
Eileen

 

Isn't it exciting to get the pictures. It won't be long now.

 

Thanks to all, waiting is hard but there is a very long list of "To Do" items to fill in the time. Our truck came with the tow package but still need to get the electric brakes wired up to the connector as well as the "7th" contact to ensure the trailer battery charges when the truck is running. We were very well equipped for tent camping so already have much of the equipement needed to outfit the trailer. We will drive back to Necedah (the Mother Ship?) to pick it up and then take a month or so coming home to southern California. Pretty much the I-90 route west then up near Spokane to see the Grand Coulee Dam and then we will follow Evan's route on Hwy 20, which we have never driven, through northern Washington and finally back to the coast for a much needed seafood fix. Then mostly down Hwy 1 to home.
Jim

 

Progress is still being made in Necedah. Here is one of the pictures posted last night (Sunday, 8/7) of our new 560 Ultra in "the nest". Since it is the only 560 it is the one on the left and her name is Nepenthe. It is #460 so I would think the other three are #'s 457 through 459. Are these new owners members of the forum? Congratulations who ever you are, the waiting is almost over.
Jim

 

Good luck and congratulations,enjoy the anticipation.Steve

 

Ours is #454 so we're probably in the row ahead of yours. We are so excited!

Kathy

 

Jenn,
No, we have not received an "official" pickup date as of yet, Cary had told us late August/early September which works out perfectly for us.

Kathy says that her and Bob's 550 is #454. It looks to me like the four trailers I can see in the photo are all at the same stage of construction so there must be at least one more row.

Does anyone know how many trailers are in production at any one time and how staggered the start dates are?
Jim

 

Anywhere from 12-16 trailers are in production at a given time. After a trailer has moved from the wood shop & spray booth, it goes out onto the production floor. When there is a complete row of trailers, work begins on all in the row. When the work is complete in each row, all of trailers move up one row. Usually takes 1 1/2 or so weeks to complete the work in a row.

 

Its a smooth operation not a rush of activity but well planned and organised.

 

Thanks for the information Betsey, hope to meet you soon.

How anyone can go to Necedah to pick up their new trailer in anything less than a pickup truck is beyond me. There is a small mountain of equipment in our garage waiting to be loaded for the trip with more to come. Chairs, tables, galley equipment, sun shades, bedding, and the list goes on. Yes, you can pull a CI with a small car but you cannot travel cross country to pick it up and equip it with anything less than U-Haul.
Jim

 

Jim,
We completely missed this step as we purchased our brand new 560 from a person who was unable to pick it up after buying it. (Long story). But it came right off the show room floor, shipped to Texas and we got it in March. We had been wanting one for 2 long years and then all of a sudden BAM we were able to purchase this one. But I completely understand your long wait nevertheless. We have the build pictures on CD but to be honest have never watched them because we have the finished product. I think it's fantastic that CI provides this to all their new owners.

Since we live in an RV full time but travel with the CI we had a lot of stuff for it too, HOWEVER I found out that it's like owning a second home and I want duplicates of everything practically! The cost of outfitting the CI was not cheap but well worth it!

 

Jim,

Try not to get too overwhelmed...

Honestly, unless you are planning a long trip on your return home, you probably won't need much. Clothes, bedding, a cooler, some basic kitchen stuff & maybe chairs will do you until you get home. Also, it is helpful to use the teardrop for a few trips to figure out what you need & what will work. Sometimes, you may think something is exactly what you need/want only to realize after a few trips that it isn't going to work or is more of a pain to use. Eleven years of teardropping & I still am tweaking what we have...finally happy with the kitchen storage & that one has been an ongoing evolution for all eleven years.

 

Betsey, I'm so glad to hear you say that about tweeking the needs. Thought I was the only one...been tweeking my RV for over 3 yrs. and am now working on the CI.

 

Linda, Betsey,
The funny thing about outfitting out new trailer is that we have been tent camping for years and have enough equipment to outfit a small scout troop. We even had the 10X10 canopy since we camp in the desert a lot. So you would think that all we had to do was leave the tent and stove behind and take most everything else but it just doesn't seem to work that way. We are not rushing home, we have both wanted to see the sights along I-90 for years and will take our time to the west coast and then down to San Diego (actually we are in Carlsbad which is about 30 miles north of downtown). As is everyone at this stage, we are very excited. Thanks for sharing our excitement.
Jim

 

We were tent campers too and have given away lots of stuff. Our first trip we took too much and were moving things back and forth from our cabin to the van and then back again. This year we took just what was necessary and it was great. We are minimalists so our goal is to pack as little as possible and we still found we had too much for example I like flashlights and lanterns -- we found we only needed one flashlight for trips to the restrooms or walks at night -- the cabin lights and galley lights were all we used even in our northern breeze.