Stansbury Island

We embarked on our maiden voyage this weekend with the T@belot.  This first adventure was wildly successful.  We took the T@b out to Stansbury Island about 58 miles west of Salt Lake City.  Stansbury is an island located in the southeast corner of the Great Salt Lake connected conveniently to the mainland by a dirt road.  The island is about 11 miles long and 4 miles wide. 

We camped on the west side of the island at a trailhead for a mountain bike ride we had done years ago. It was a perfect spot with the foothills behind us and a fabulous view of the Great Salt Lake out our front door. We managed to set up camp pretty quickly and even got the T@belot level on a couple of 2x6's. An iPhone RV app with a computer leveler made this a snap. We had the entire place to ourselves and enjoyed the evening sunset over pasta and a nice bottle of wine.

We slept pretty well, despite the wind coming down the foothills, and in the morning, after our Starbucks instant coffee, we took the dogs out for a great hike up the hill and along the ancient shorelines of the now extinct Bonneville Lake. 

Our minds were clear and bodies refreshed after just one night in the great outdoors.  We pondered some fun topics on the hike, like when and why man shed his hairy coat of the neanderthal, and how much faster the speed of light is to the speed of sound.  This last topic was spurred by some far off echoes of target shooting gun shots climbing along the foothills. 

After whipping up some fried egg sandwiches for lunch, we cleaned up camp and were back home in time to mow the lawn before another week of work.  Until next time, happy trails.

T@belot gets Cork Flooring Upgrade

The T@belot now has soft and insulating cork flooring.  I covered up the factory provided linoleum with EcoCork from USFloors in the Marmol standard color.  The product comes in 1'x3' planks that click together and do not require any gluing or nailing.  The floating floor is great for a traveling trailer that needs some flexibility to withstand the tension and torquing of towing.  I love the way the cork floor looks and feels.  We can't wait to get the T@belot out on the road.  You can check out the product at http://www.usfloorsllc.com/products-page/ecocork/marmol1/

T@b-MOD-ifications

I have spent the entire week redecorating the interior of the T@belot with some custom touches.   As I mentioned, I am going with the euro-modern look inspired by the european sisters of the T@b and the great offerings at IKEA.  Check out the euro-T@b's made in Germany at http://www.southdownsmotorcaravans.co.uk/tab/index.php. 

The T@belot is a work in progress, but here's what I have done so far.  I had covers made for all the cushions by a seamstress I found on Craigslist.  I think she did a great job.  I got the fabric at IKEA.  I am really excited about the covers and think they really transform the interior.  They will also make it really easy to remove the covers after each trip and throw them in the wash.  This option is essential since we plan to travel with dogs. 

I added some dish towel rods on the two front cabinets in the kitchen area to make clean up easier.  I also added rods above the sink and in the back sleeping area.  These rods come with extra hooks that will come in handy to hang water bottles, toiletry bags, pots and pans, and other miscellaneous necessities.  I added a nice little spice rack on the wall above the stove that will add some convenience when cooking.  Finally, I upgraded the speakers in the back with some nice Kenwood 140W speakers.  The sound system could still use some work, but this is an improvement over the originals.  Although I haven't done it yet, I plan to install a floating cork floor to soften the feel and add an eco-friendly feel to the interior.  Let me know what you think of the upgrades.  Feel free to share some of your own T@b-MOD-ifications or suggestions.

We Brought Her Home

We finally brought the T@belot home from the dealer.  It took us over 3 hours to drive home from Sunset to Salt Lake City since we didn't dare get on the freeway.  We had a nice leisurely drive through the back roads of Davis County, Utah.  We managed to get the T@belot in the driveway and have been happily working on some interior decorations and modifications.  We are going for the euro-modern look inside with brushed aluminum and orange accents.  Stay tuned!

Etymology of T@belot

T@belot’s name derivation is from the famous castle of Camelot associated with the legendary King Arthur. In Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, Camelot is defined as: \’kam-e-,lat\ n. 1: the site of King Arthur’s palace and court in Arthurian legend; and 2: a time, place, or atmosphere of idyllic happiness. Although most scholars regard Camelot as being purely fictional, there is some evidence, and at a minimum, extensive historical lore, regarding its existence. Other than vague references to “somewhere in Britain,” the precise location of Camelot is unknown. Camelot’s lack of precise location, uncertainty as to actual existence, and symbolism of idyllic happiness is a perfect and quintessential representation of my idea of the travel trailer. Thus, the name for our trailer and the experiences it renders shall be referred to as T@belot.  For more information on King Arthur and Camelot, check out the Camelot Project at the University of Rochester at http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/cphome.stm

We Bought a T@b

Although we haven't been camping in years, and perhaps decades, we decided it was time to get back to the simple pleasures of life and to learn some lessons that only a good roadtrip and the chill of the fresh outdoors can teach. What better way to hit the road than with a cool retro-ready camper like the T@b. After very little research, given my typical obsessive nature, and a somewhat impulsive purchase, we are now the proud owners of what we refer to as our little T@belot. In preparation for our travels, we have re-read Thoreau's great masterpiece and are in proper mental form to explore the world, or at least our small and inconsequential piece of it, and to meet the people it has to offer. Thus begins our greatest little grand adventure. Please feel free to join along.