When you won't have flight benefits and want a new toy...
So, as I've mentioned elsewhere, I have left the airline industry and once summer hits, my severance flight benefits will have expired. I've been wanting to do more in Colorado anyway, so not the end of the world. But hold on! Hotels can still be expensive, and if you're trying to experience the great outdoors of Colorado, is that really the best way? So I figure camping could be a good option, but the amount of packing, unpacking, setup, takedown, repacking, and re-unpacking can be a pain in the butt. I remember seeing some show on the Travel Channel once (hey! I found it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4q3N-JCAPo) about these tiny little trailers. I always wanted one, and thought maybe, just maybe I could pull one of those off.
Well, if you watched that video, you may have heard them say that a new one costs about $5,000. Maybe when that video was made you could get a barebones one at that price, but realistically? Probably about triple that. No way could I justify that to the wife. But a used one? Generally you can find them for about $7000 in good shape used. They're available even cheaper for a homemade one, but who knows if that's really put together properly. I talked with the wife, and convinced her to let me buy one IF (and only if) I could get an irresistible deal on one - something that we could easily get our money back on when we decide we've had our fun with it.
Looking at our local craigslist, I saw one outside of nearby Colorado Springs. Asking price was pretty reasonable - not too high, not too low. But since winter is coming, I figured the owners may want it gone soon and may be having a hard time selling. So I asked if they would take a lower offer, with a promise that I wouldn't BS them like many craigslist people. Cashiers check in-hand, no renegotiation for petty issues, and flexibility in coming down to work with their schedule. I'm pretty sure I ended up in the perfect situation where their minimum selling price was my maximum buying price. A few days later, I took a look, fell in love as expected, and brought her home. Only 4 years old, still in excellent shape, and has some decent amenities (power, sink, stove). Maybe not as exciting as some of the ones in that TV show, but you know what? It will work just fine.
Of course, this post would be boring (well, more boring ;) ) without pictures, so here you go!
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet
Well, it's bedtime. Even if the trailer is in the garage, I figure it's a good way to make sure this thing is actually comfortable when laying on its mattress for a while. So far, so good. Good night!
