It was a couple of weeks before work and weather cleared up enough for us to take the little red trailer for our first night out. We took most of Saturday to get ready – this was not to be a minimalist camping trip, but rather a mini pre-pre-pre-trial of what it would really be like. The pantry was stocked, the bedding on, and a random assortment of clothing (to represent what we might take for the long haul) packed into our prototype storage system.
We were late in hitting the road and, despite being early season, we’d heard that nearby campsites would be full. Luckily, we took a wrong turn on our way to a far-off point, ended up at Chatfield Reservoir, and got the second to last spot just as they were closing.
Our first dinner? Tofu korma. A defiantly non-camping meal. Turns out our hot water system didn’t quite work as expected, and we washed up just after dusk in tepid water. Is there anything in this world more stubborn than coconut fat in cool water? We used way more water than expected – a good lesson that the galley is not so much a basic kitchen as a glorified camp-cooking operation.
Our first dinner? Tofu Korma. A defiantly non-camping meal.
In the morning we put our logistical systems brains to use, figured out the valves were wrongly set, and lickity-presto had scalding hot water. A little more adjusting, and all was well.
On the way home, we stopped at Chatfield to let Katie have a run-around. She found her way to the remains of a drying lake and, heaven help us, rolled in it – repeatedly. I’ve never seen her so dirty. While other’s sweated their car upholstery, though, we were smug – we had come equipped with a shower for such an occasions. When we got back to Rocinante, we opened up the gallery, flipped the switch, and gave Katie a warm shower until the tank was drained.
Nomads in a Little Red Trailer 
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