The trailer is not something we talked or planned for.
It came about like most of the old things that roll into our drive way. Scored in frenzy, from an add pulled off Craigslist and listed much cheaper than it's suspected worth. Early Saturday, a couple weekends ago we sat in the car waiting on the ping pong negotiations that accompany such transactions. In the end, we drove away. But by mid afternoon that same day that 19 foot hunk of metal was parked in our drive way. Questions I don't ask.
Now, by this point, I know not to let my heart jump at the sight of any such vehicles. For one, we never know how long they're going to last. And two, it's just one more thing we become newly committed to. Seeing that each new purchase involves some kind of major (sometimes minor) restoration that only sucks away any free time we simply do not have to spare in the first place. The airstream though, by all means, is hard not to fall in love with. Admittedly it took everything in our bones not to dive head first into a full on interior gutting once we tossed around the idea of keeping it, at least for awhile, and making some "small" moderations. Within a day we decided on a full on attack which means we will be getting rid of most all of it's existing framing to customize and open up the space the way we want it. Still not sure whether it's something that will be in our lives long term or not. But after Christmas, once our shop orders lighten and while the kids are on break, this is where our attention will land. I think both of us can't wait to dig in.
As for the mountain trip, our most recent get away camping with the Rowes in the same space we camped last year, and the year before and the year before that (Photos here on the blog showing us in our old orange volkswagen stung a little when I came across them recently. Because dammit I still miss that bus. And probably always will) was a good time for us all. No rain this trip, but colder weather than we've known all year which was a nice way to greet the tardy season. Though in all honesty the mountains are really not my thing. As pretty as it is up there I don't like the drive and the landscape always makes me feel a bit claustrophobic, in comparison to beach camping where I am most at ease. But it was nice to get a little dose of some real Fall weather finally. The boys ran wild in soaking socks and rain boots and scattered back and forth across the river, to fish, to build, to play and escape. The trailer proved the perfect mountain companion in spite of the baby flat out refusing to sleep in his cradle because of a cold he isn't use to.
Saturday night we joined the moose lodge across the way for a festive dose of their annual bingo / chili cook off. The whole place was decorated for Halloween and a few of us even won a couple rounds. To top it off, there was a black bear spotting - "tripod" they call him because of his exaggerated limp, digging around in the trashcans out front. We sat and watched him for a bit and he was even so kind as to for a photo for Kevin before we headed back to camp for sleep.
In the morning we sat down for pancakes, courtesy of the Rowes, stacked in piles on the picnic table and devoured Kate's delicious eggs with coffee followed by some miniature pumpkin painting crafts with the kids. Kevin brought out his hammock and strung it across the river for the boys which probably stands as the shining highlight of the whole trip. I mean, can you think of a better place for a hammock?
When it was time to leave there were tears and complaints. It's hard to convince a crew full of boys that there is good reason in having to leave behind mud, and bears, and fish and pancakes and waterfront hammocks and all that good stuff.
We promised them we'd be back soon. And when we do, this little trailer is going to look (and feel) whole lot different I can promise you that.
