Camping Saturday

I saw this over at LL’s Place, Virtual Mirage, https://www.virtualmirage.org/

From Mike Rowe

Last week in Baltimore, Uber charged me $85 for a trip that usually costs $20. I looked into how their “surge pricing” model actually works and didn’t like what I learned. So today, after checking out of my hotel in Oklahoma, I called Lyft instead and was picked up by a guy named Mike. He was driving a red F-150, a work truck full of tools and lumber. I sat up front.
“How far to the airport,” I asked.
“Fifteen minutes,” he said. “You in a hurry?”
“Not really,” I said. “Are you?”
“Never.”
As we merged onto the highway and settled into the slow lane, I asked Mike if he was a carpenter in real life.
“Among other things,” he said.
“Jack of all trades?”
“Well, I don’t know about that,” he said. Back in the seventies, I was a plumber’s helper. Then I worked for a spell in the heating and air condition game.”
“How was that?,” I asked.
“Hot and cold,” he said.
I honestly couldn’t tell if he was making a joke or not. His voice had a classic midwestern drawl, and his face had no expression as he stared out the windshield.
“After that, I started carpentry. Trim, then framing. Then, I moved on to building custom cabinets in rich people’s houses. Figured out how to build spiral staircases and furniture. Did pretty good.”
“You retired now?
“No. I build campers these days.”
“What kind of campers?” I asked.
“I build them small ones you can tow pretty much anywhere. They call ‘em teardrop trailers. Got popular during the lockdowns. I build ‘em by hand, one at a time.”
“Yeah? How’s the quality,” I asked.
“Pretty good,” he said.
“Got a website,” I asked.
“Sure,” he said. “Gotta have a website these days.”
“What’s your website called,” I asked.
“Mike’s Pretty Good Campers.”
I still couldn’t tell if he was messing with me.
“Your company is called ‘Mike’s Pretty Good Campers?’”
“I like to manage expectations,” said Mike.
“Under promise and over deliver?”
“That’s the idea,” said Mike.
“Is that what you did before you picked me up just now? Building a pretty good camper?”
“Yup. But I was starting to get frustrated. And I don’t like to work when I’m frustrated. So, now and then, I gotta step away.”
“And drive a stranger to the airport?” I said.
“Never too frustrated to drive,” said Mike. “Driving relaxes me. Besides, we ain’t strangers no more, are we?”
“No,” I said. “I suppose we’re not.”
As we turned on Airport Road, I said, “So what’s the plan? Drop me off and wait for another call. Or head back to the shop and finish building that pretty good camper?”
“Ain’t decided yet. Guess I’ll see how I feel in a few minutes.”
“Good plan,” I said. By the way, if I like your website, would you mind if I shared it on Facebook?”
“Why would you want to do that?” he asked.
“I’ve got a few people who follow me on social media,” I said. “I’m not sure why they do, but they do. Maybe some of them are in the market for a pretty good camper, custom-made by a quasi-retired carpenter who drives for Lyft when he’s feeling frustrated?”
“Can’t hurt,” said Mike. “Once people see these things, they fall in love with ‘em. They have conventions all over the country for teardrop trailer owners. Thousands show up. You wouldn’t believe how people decorate ‘em and such.”
“I don’t know about that, Mike. I’ll believe pretty much anything these days.”
As we pulled up to the airport, Mike asked me what carrier I was on.
“American,” I said. “Right here is fine.”
“Pre-check?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“Well then, you don’t want to get out at American. Let me take you to the end. Otherwise, you got a walk across the whole dang the terminal.”
We pulled up to the curb at the end of Will Rogers Airport. I hopped out as Mike dragged my bags out of the bed of his work truck.
“You look familiar,” he said. “Have I driven you before?”
“I don’t think so,” I said. “I would have remembered. Thanks for the lift.”
“No problem,” he said. “Was the ride okay?”
“It was a pretty good lift,” I said. Somewhere behind his mustache, Mike might have smiled as I walked into the only airport in America named for a cowboy who never met a man he didn’t like. There, I boarded my plane and checked to see if there really was website called “Mike’s Pretty Good Campers.”
Son of a gun…

https://www.mikesprettygoodcampers.com

Camping Saturday

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What Bear Claw needs…

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Swiss Knife Ford.

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Phil’s dream, except with his Sprite…

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Airstream Bambi Sport, 16′

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Camping Saturday, New Restos and Resto Restos…

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2)This camper looks 60 years old, yet newer than your car, welcome to Resto trailers.

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The Shasta Airflyte Reissue:

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Original Shasta Airflyte marketing brochure:

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Winnebago Brave.

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White Water Resto.

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T@B Teardrop

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C&H New Restos.

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Happy Camper.

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Casita Scamp.

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Dub Box.

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Hide Out.

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1935 Bowlus Road Chief. Before resto.

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1935 Bowlus, twenty years after resto.

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1935 Bowlus Interior

Campers, Filthie’s camper, my camper…

This is the camper Filthie depicted on a recent post of his:https://dirtyearniessolitude.blogspot.com/ Notice, no head room, tee pee shaped, he thinks he is a high-tech Indian? Couldn’t stand a high wind gale or blizzard.

Now, my trailer, tall enough to stand in, has a bathroom and a bed and a sitting area, a true manly trailer, stout enough to even pull another trailer, even over the Rockies

Only thought I have about Canadians, they sure think differently… That is the nicest sentiment I can achieve.

Camping Saturday

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H/T to Pitsnipes Gripes

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Citroen Camper Conversion.

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Located in the Southern Appalachia area. These are quite common throughout the South and known as RV Docks. Some people live in them year round, some come down from the North for winter.

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1951 Mack A-20H, Motor Coach.

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Bustednuckle’s Jamboree…

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Camping Saturday

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Fur Trappers.

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Deathray’s abode…

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Windriver area, Wyoming

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Indian Pow wow, unknown tribe or location.

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Camping Saturday

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H/T Woodsterman.

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Airstream 5th Wheel.

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1979 Ford with Homebuilt.

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Vintage Airstream.

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Camping Saturday.

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Phil sent this, it is a Jag and unusual enough I tried researching it and came up with nothing. Maybe The Jannie might be able to enlighten us?

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2024 Renegade 45CBF, $665,659 msp. Better have gold faucets and toilet.

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The picture above and below are from Jeffery in Alabama camping in Foscue Campgrounds in Demopolis, Alabama. They do have some nice RV campgrounds in Alabama. I have stayed at this campground myself. Brings some memories.

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1937 Ford Housecar.

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1968 Dodge A-100 Tradesman.

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For Sandy, a Stardust Airstream interior.

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Don’t mind me and Bear Claw enjoying waking up from a nap… And a beer.

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