I spent part of yesterday working on our teardrop trailer getting it ready for our upcoming road trip. Mostly I was taking care of things that we have learned will come loose when we hit a bump in the road. I like things to be tight and not scattered all over the place when I open the door to the cabin or lift the rear hatch to work in the galley. So I nailed and screwed and added hooks for bundgee cords to hold everything down. I have to admit that I’m starting to get excited about our journey from Mexico to Canada and back, living in the Pod, as Barbara has dubbed it, for a month.

Whenever we park in a rest stop or a campground, curious people stop us and ask about the trailer. The first question is always, “Did you build that yourself?” The answer is, “No, it was built by a guy in Logan, Utah, who hand makes each teardrop to order and takes great pride in his work.” Preston calls his company Teardrop72, and there’s a good story behind that name that I’ll let him tell you. You can find him on the web at teardrop72.com.

The second thing people ask is “Is there room enough for two to sleep inside?” That’s when the tour begins; it doesn’t take long so let me show you around.

We have found that the Pod is a a great compromise between tent camping and hauling a larger trailer or an RV. It offers the convenience of quick set up and take down but without the weight and bulk and parking hassles.

If you are interested in having your own teardrop, take a look at the Teardrop72 website for complete pricing and order information. Members of the US Route 89 Appreciation Society receive a 5% discount on the purchase of a custom trailer and Preston donates 5% to us in support of our project.

Teardrop Trailer Exterior View

The trailer is 4 feet wide by 8 feet long by 6.5 feet high. It weights 700 pounds and is a dream to tow. Unless I look in the rearview mirror, I sometimes forget that it is back there.

Teardrop Trailer Storage Box

The storage box on the front holds a 5-gallon water bottle, a charcoal grill, a couple of camp chairs and Mr. Heater, our small propane heater that keeps us warm at night when needed.

Teardrop Trailer Interior View

The cabin is about the size of a double bed. There is a 4 inch foam pad on the floor and plenty of pillows to sit against for reading in bed. A shelf holds plastic bins for storage and there are trays for holding flashlights, books and other personal items. The windows and a skylight open for ventilation on warm nights.

Teardrop Trailer with rear cover open

The back end of the trailer lifts up for access to the galley. (I like the nautical term; it sounds more romantic than kitchen.)

Teardrop Trailer Galley

The galley has a work surface for food preparation and my trusty old Coleman stove. Under the counter, I added three storage boxes for dry food, cooking and eating utensils and other camping supplies. The hatch provides some shelter from the weather.

The Cowlin's teardrop trailer at Bonita Campground, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Arizona

Putting it all together, here is Barbara enjoying a cup of coffee and her morning reading time at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.

The Pod got a face lift and now sports aluminum sides and a new hitch box. Take a look at it in this article.