Chick Ranger

Youtube Epiphany

“It is so cute,” I tell the owner of a teardrop trailer I am looking at yesterday. I drove two hours to Solvang to see it. It is all I wanted. A t@g trailer with solar and side tents. A little camp kitchen in back. Also it’s $16,000. Firm. I picture the road trips I would take in it some day. When Covid settles down. When it rains again on the west coast and douses the numerous gigantic wildfires.

One of the current fires, the Caldor, is raging towards Lake Tahoe as we speak. An area that was part of the district I worked for. If I was still working I would be in the thick of the smoke and challenges. I tell her after several minutes of looking at it, “I am in.” But I don’t have a trailer hitch installed yet, so I write her a deposit check to hold it. Shortly after I get home, I put on teardrop trailer youtube videos. My friend’s husband has given me all sorts of advice about how to drive pulling a trailer. How to test braking distance and handling, etc. He suggests these videos to get more tips. As I am perusing ones of Subaru Crosstrek drivers pulling teardrops, I catch some videos of people who have figured out how to turn their Crosstreks into tiny campers. Obviously way better than my previous attempt.

As I watch them, I start to have a panic attack. I am creative and resourceful. I can figure out how to make my car work for car camping. And I have many alternative uses for the trailer money. I call the seller. She is disappointed but says she will tear up the check. I put a stop payment on it, then write her a check for $100 and tuck it in a card, thanking her for her time. Then I research and purchase a Thule cargo carrier for the roof of my car. One step down on making it more comfortable for future road trips.