Camping! July 1, 2012

We went camping in the teardrop trailer! It was awesome! 

The day didn't start well. I've been having angioedema, something I used to get maybe 15 years ago. It starts with part of my face swelling and doesn't slow down for a while until I'm almost unrecognizable. Click here for a good pop-up picture of Friday's alterno-Rachael. I'm thinking it's all a byproduct of last month's surgery, but it's scary (since last week my throat swelled) and I want to figure it out. I've been on an anti-inflammation diet for about a week now (no gluten, no dairy, no sugar, no caffeine -- LE SIGH) and I'm feeling better physically although I still got the reaction (it seemed to come directly from stress -- awesome). 

Anyway. 

I talked my way out of the hospital four or five hours later (they never want to release me until the swelling is gone, but my swelling lasts up to three days -- NO CAN DO), and then we went camping. The day was not lost. 

I made a camping dress out of some thrift store fabric. Rachael-as-Picnic-Table!

Dude. With the trailer, camping is so awesome. Lala had worked hard on pulling together the stuff we needed while I was in the ER (really, I just went in to get out of camping prep), so when I got home, we threw stuff in the station wagon, hooked up the trailer and got out of town. Well. Kind of. 

It was a trial run, at Chabot Campground, which is literally less than 5 miles from our house as the crow flies, close enough to be comfortable for someone having an allergic reaction, but far off enough in the woods that it felt like we were far, far from home. 

And you know how when you're camping, you get to your site and then you have to scramble around for an hour, putting up the tent (hopefully without fighting with your significant other about whether or not tent pegs are important), blowing up the air mattress (after finding replacement batteries for the pump), and making the bed? Afterward you're sweaty and tired and sick of camping already.

Fire reflected in the bedroom window.

With a teardrop trailer? We pulled up, unhitched (a matter of about a minute), and we were done. The bed was already cozily made with flannel sheets and our down camping comforter. The kitchen was ready in the back of the camper. I lit the fire while Lala opened a beer and thought about steak. We played some music (the nearest campers were far enough away that the accordion didn't bother them, a small miracle in itself). Some friends actually happened to be camping there also, so they came over and we all laughed at my face and we drank wine into the late hours, until we crawled off to bed which was SO COMFORTABLE. 

In the morning, while I laughed at my six-year-old face, Lala made steak and eggs for breakfast. Oh, YUM. 

I admired the view: 

and spied on our closest neighbors (seen in the distance here): 

Clean-up was swift and easy -- we just threw our stuff in the camping boxes, and tossed them in the back of the car. We shut the doors on the trailer and hitched up and left. I can see us doing this a LOT this summer, and into the fall (when we have our best weather, in my opinion). Not a bad way to spend thirty bucks, I think. 

Comments

[toni in florida]

Poor swollen face! Love your hat, though. Did you make it?

I'm glad you had such a positive camping experience. And I can see how the camper would be a must for this non-tent-sleeping chica.

[Amy]

We so need one of those campers! How fun is that??

Sorry about your puffy face :( Have been and done that and hung out in the Dr office thrice wondering what the heck was going on. Never established. I feel your pain!

Keep antihistamines on hand.. (And for the dogs, not sure about there but here in BC it is bee stinging dog season and my dogs swell crazily..)

A friend/Neighbor recently raved about your books... How proud was I to say I have 'known' you for a very long time via your blog. How cool is that??!

You are loved in small city BC Canada :)

[Maryse]

Your poor face! I'm kind of been obsessing about a camper. Looks like fun.

[Kim]

Oh wow! Look at you rockin' the hat and scarf, while we in Atlanta enjoy triple digit temperatures all weekend! Now my northern CA homesickness is kicking me hard!

I miss camping. I think I'm gonna pack up Good Dog Ella, and leave Socially Awkward Dog (dog agression, strange people suspicion, constant barking) Cricket in the hands of a sitter, and take ourselves out to the woods when this heat breaks.

[Brandi]

I hope you have some relief from the swelling soon. what a great way to camp!

[Linda]

the camper is sooo cute. Question here. When you said the kitchen is in the back--is it inside of the camper? The picture looked like it was on the outside. Kind of dumb, but I haven't actually seen the inside of a camper like that. Inquiring minds and all that.

[Ivete]

Love the camper! I didn't even know that existed and now it's firmly on my "one day" list!

Hope your swelling goes away soon, I'm all too familiar with stress reactions so know what you're going through. Good luck!

[Jean Hallada]

Glad you have seen the light of camper camping. DH & I had a 1950's Airstream, gutted to within an inch of its life. We called it a hard shell tent. The OCD in me kept a spreadsheet of what to pack. This in addition to the box with the usual stuff (salt, pepper, aluminum foil, etc.). Made for easier get always.
And your face looks sweet. I had to go to a wedding once as the swelling spread across my face. They've never figured it out. But my throat didn't swell. Yikes!
Last-could you send some of that weather that requires a cute hat our way. Please!!!
Jean

[Natalie]

What a great way to go camping!! glad you had a great time!

[Abigail]

You are making me want a tear drop trailer! So cute.

[Cindi]

What a great trailer. We have a huge 5th wheel and find it to be so relaxing. Love opening the door to find a new view in the morning.

Hope you're feeling better!

[cgReno]

Official invitation to PineCrest Lake,from Oakland 2 hours to Sonora, then 30 miles to a million BEAUTIFUL camping spots! Yay for the Teardrop!!!!!

[Evalyn]

Great paint job on the trailer. I've been debating between a Teardrop and converting the back of my truck. Having a kitchen would be a definate advantage. Happy Trails.

[Gwen]

Exactly the kind of camper I want! I don't want another 3 bedroom house, that's for sure. Also, flames!

[Jenny Pipes]

How on earth do you manage to look cute even with a puffy face? You wear it well!
I have a teardrop trailer dream for sure...now that my kids are nearly grown it could happen. Maybe by next summer. A girl has to have goals, right??? yours is awesome!!

[Melissa]

that trailer is so cool! So glad you were able to go camping even with all the other craziness.

[paulah]

I'm so sorry about your face, but glad it didn't stop you from the maiden voyage of the teardrop. We bought our RV about 10 years ago because so many hotels won't allow dogs & our pups travel with us. Dear Hubby said it's the most expensive dog house he's ever bought. Glad you had fun and wish you many more wonderful trips. It's a great way to see America.

[JJ]

Now I want a camper, even though I don't camp. Seriously. I think my dog would love it more than anything, and I live to serve (well, kitties come first in the heirarchy, then puppers, then boyfriend). What kind do you have?

[Carol]

OOH! I woke up with hives myself (cheap rice crackers made in Thailand-stay away from them!) and I agree, I had them for days afterwards. My skin is still 'not right'. Good for you, campin kids.

[Melanie]

Love love love! (The camper, not your allergic reaction.) I'm not a big fan of camping, but one of these might change my mind.

[Lyssa]

That trailer is so rad. We have a conversion van for camping, which isn't nearly as sexy, but does solve the same problems...setup and teardown of a tent seems fine to me if you're going to be there for a while, but such a pain for a quickie weekend getaway!

[Sharon]

Rachel- you camped with my dream camper. The hubby and I have been looking into teardrops for the past year or so, seeing that car camping with a tent can be unwieldy sometimes and the doxies like to travel with us but are not very tent friendly. Can I ask where you found yours? We have been looking on Ebay and there are some folks near us in PA that build them for a reasonable cost. The little kitchen looks very handy- I can see how that needs to go on my list of requirements. Hope the face feels better soon. Sharon from MD

[Big Alice]

I'm sorry about your angioedema adventures, but yay for getting to go camping!
Not to mention if it RAINS you are safe inside your teardrop instead of bailing out the bottom of the tent. Then again, I pretty much expect it to rain when I'm camping. Ah, Portland. P.S. I love the flames.

[NZ Robyn]

Looks like a bad case of Botox your poor thing. Love the wee camper haven't seen before, googled them, they sure are cool. We have an Oztent which goes up in less than 30seconds. No exaggeration saves all that set-up camp drama much like yours I imagine. A real relationship saver.Hope you are feeling much better. Cheers from New Zealand

[BerkeleyBecca]

That trailer is awesome. Where did you find it? We've been trying to figure out how to take the 3 chi's on road trips, and I've thought about one of those.

[Anne]

That is the ONLY way to go camping. No bugs. No rocks. The only problem I see is....where is the bathroom? Portapotties or even that lack freaks me out!

[Rhonda from Baddeck]

"Not a bad way to spend thirty bucks" - please tell me those were your camping fees, not what you paid for the camper! It is SUCH a cute little package, and I love the paint job. We've considered a teardrop, but I wonder what it would be like camping in it during wet weather (better than a tent!).

[Angie]

You two have a very cool camper and I love that knitwear was on! Heal up, Rachael.

[East Bay Jodi]

I love pretty much everything pictured and mentioned in this post. I hope your face is comfy-happy by now. I want your trailer. And also Hehu time. xo

[Robin]

The camper is just too cool! I LOVE to camp and haven't for quite some time. There's something about it --- just no comparison. I have a friend that goes camping with her spinning group every year. They spin and dye the whole long weekend away. Just finished your book, A Life in Stitches, and LOVE the Cypress Hollow books!!!

[Jeanne]

Did you ever post where you got the teardrop camper and its specs? If not, would you mind doing so when you get a chance? I would love to look into getting one. It's so dang cute!!