Why Tiny Trailers?

Why my wife and I bought a tiny camp trailer requires several answers:
  1. We wanted a trailer small enough to fit those campground sites that aren't linked to the sewer system, sites that fit into the natural landscape, rather than bulldozed, "tract home" sites.
  2. We wanted a trailer we could pull with the vehicle we owned. 
  3. We wanted a small trailer that I could tow and learn how to back more easily.
  4. We wanted a trailer that put us outside more often, where even with our "safe haven" tiny room, the outdoors campsite was still our main living space.
These articles explore with interviews and reflection, the motivation to buy and trailer camp small. Discover the joys . . . and joyful challenges . . . of tiny trailer campers.

Transitioning from a Tiny Trailer to a Little Trailer--My Airstream Basecamp Experience
The reasons my wife and my first trailer was a tiny "standy" I explained in the first post ever for this blog ("Why Such a Tiny Trailer?"), a little over three years ago. I'm glad to report that our move from "tiny" to "little" travel trailer by purchasing an Airstream Basecamp has not changed our overall camping experience much--some, but not much. <more>

The Airstream Basecamp Is a Little Camper--and We're Glad
"Look at all the room we have!" my wife exclaimed when we first stood inside an Airstream Basecamp, and I absolutely agreed with her. The interior of the Basecamp was huge compared to our RTTC Polar Bear 5 x 10 tiny trailer. I now own a new 2021 Airstream Basecamp 16-footer, and I'm still reveling in the larger space but also coming to realize that the Basecamp is a little travel trailer. <more>

RTTC's Koala Bear: Filling an Important Niche in the Tiny Trailer Industry
Sometimes a new trailer hits the camping market, and it takes a while to wrap your head around what makes the new unit unique. At least that's been my experience recently with Rustic Trail Teardrop Campers' new Koala Bear tiny trailer. <more>

While Camping, Finding a Silence as Sweet as Honey
Letting go can take a while. When I take off for an overnight or three-day bike tour--or even a long day ride--I find that I don't really let go until I'm ten miles down the road. I'm riding and thinking about all those things in my daily routine, things to do or that I want to do or that I should have done. Then there comes a moment when the attention settles on the riding, on the spinning of the pedals and the body's working, on the bird sounds and the wildflowers along the roadside. <more>

Tiny Trailer Camping, Social Distancing, and KOA's 2020 "North American Camping and the Effects of COVID-19" Special Report
Tiny camping trailers are safe, easy to tow, and owned by a hardy breed of campers who don't mind getting outside and enjoying a bit of weather. As a camping group, I think tiny trailer campers are a less intimidated by the idea of self-sufficient camping that includes social distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic. <more>


How Easy Is It to Cook Inside a "Standy" Tiny Trailer?
To own a tiny trailer is to most likely also own some form of awning or shelter to keep off the sun and rain. Why? Because practically all camp routines take place outside, the tiny trailer functioning mostly as a "bedroom on wheels." Owning a standy tiny trailer, though, opens the possibility of engaging in more activities inside--even if those activities are elbow-bumping, side-by-side versions of activities we routinely engage in at home. <more>

What Tiny Trailer Campers Can Learn from John Muir
What does it mean to camp with a tiny trailer, the classic model being a 4 x 8 foot teardrop? Mostly, it means that you're willing to do without, that you believe "less is more." Built-in toilet and bath? Nope. Built-in inside kitchen? Nope. Heating and air conditioning? Probably not in the smallest and most basic. You're beginning to get the idea as to why the most basic tiny trailers are sometimes endearingly called "a bed on wheels." <more>

4 Things to Consider Before Buying a Camper
Whether you're standing in the middle of an RV dealership sales lot, searching on the internet for campers for sale, or leafing through an RV Trader flyer, what quickly becomes apparent is that RV possibilities come in all sizes, shapes, and prices. Sorting through the possibilities and successfully arriving at an awareness of what you really will be happy owning begins with an analysis of not the market but rather your desires and dreams. <more>

Our Solitary, Tiny Trailer Camping Weekend
It's Friday afternoon at Lake Darling State Park in southeast Iowa, and my wife and I are the sole campers in the entire park. We are not alone, though, abut are visited by deer, geese, swans, squirrels, and a lone eagle. And, of course, we have each other, as we have arranged for this late fall weekend of camping for ourselves, a chance to be together, to walk together, and to even enjoy an experience more rare nowadays in this modern world--to be out of cellphone receptivity. <more>

On-the-Road Camping Regrets? Not So Much with Tiny Campers
A recent Kiplinger article, "13 Reasons You'll Regret an RV in Retirement," addresses trials and tribulations of RV living, and it does a pretty good job of removing the romantic patina of life on the road. After reading the article, I thought it would be interesting to take each of those thirteen points and consider them from the perspective of tiny trailer owners. <more>

Buying a Tiny Teardrop Trailer? Newbie Considerations and Needs
I'm heading down memory lane today as I write about a recent Facebook tiny trailer group posting: "I am so excited - I’m shopping for my first teardrop trailer. What are your best suggestions for a first time buyer (brand, size, places to look)? They can get so pricey, so I want to make sure I know my stuff.<more>

Traveling Solo: Being Alone Is Not the Same Thing As Being Lonely
"I just spent five nights alone, camping in my tiny trailer on a bicycle-riding focused excursion. I enjoyed the exploring (and getting lost), the cooking, and the time alone to rest, read, and write. My trip to Lake Red Rock in Iowa was a solo trip because my wife had to stay home to work and prepare for another trip we are leaving on in just one day." This article reflects on Henry David Thoreau, solitude, and tiny trailer camping. <more

A Second Season of Tiny Trailer Camping
Sunlight and campfire, dawn rippling the waters of the lake. Summer sun and the silent blue sky. Gray sky and river slicing through the red and umber of autumn maple leaves. Green Goddess greeting the glory of the world. <more>

The Green Goddess Is a "Standy" Tiny Trailer
I am surfing the net--actually Pinterest--and run across a photo of my RTTC Polar Bear model tiny trailer. The photo is a front image for an article on tiny trailers that are under 1,500 pounds in dry weight which a person can stand up in, and for the first time I run across the term "standy." Five different trailers are featured, and the Polar Bear is the lead feature. Go, Green Goddess! <more>

Why Choose a Teardrop or Tiny Trailer?
Why or how to camp in a teardrop or tiny trailer was a recurring writing theme for Green Goddess Glamping  in 2018. And that's not surprising because owners of small campers have a specific view of what constitutes an enjoyable camping experience, a view that is a balance of simplicity and comfort, ease and elegance. The more I write about minimalist camping, the more I realize my somewhat intuitive choice of Green Goddess Glamping for this blog's name was actually insightful and accurate. <more>

Why Such a Tiny Trailer? Teardrop Owners Speak Out
"Why did you buy such a tiny trailer?" For many owners of teardrop trailers, the answer is obvious. However, much of the fun and satisfaction comes with the 'splaining, so I asked owners of teardrops trailer by tapping into a Facebook group, the Rustic Trail Teardrops Camper Owners Group. As I read responses to my question, little aha! lightbulbs went off inside my head. "Oh, yeah, that's right. . . . That's true. . . . Well said!" <more>

Why Such a Tiny Little Trailer?
Before I answer why we bought such a little trailer, I should first let you know that it doesn't seem so tiny to me. Prior to buying the Green Goddess, I traveled and camped with my bicycle, so the change from fifty pounds of equipment packed on my bike to a 5 x 10 teardrop is an incredible change in terms of camping. I now have more space, more equipment, and more opportunities. <more>

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(Note: As the content for Green Goddess Glamping evolves, sometimes content focus will dictate that articles will be posted on some Facebook groups and not others. Articles on Dutch oven cooking, portable toilets, or bicycle day rides, for instance, could find posts in different groups. The best way to ensure that you are receiving all articles is to subscribe to follow this blog by email notifications.)

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