LOCALadk Magazine

42 Spring 2017 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk typically is 4 to 6 feet wide by 8 to 10 feet long and 4 to 5 feet in height. It's enough room to sleep two people, although in somewhat close quarters. At roughly 1,000 pounds, just about any vehicle can tow a teardrop. They are built out of plywood, with the outside either skinned in aluminum or finished as a classic 'woodie' (constructed of a high end wood frame with infill wood panels). Outside at the rear of the teardrop is a hatch that opens to reveal a basic stand-up kitchen galley that includes amenities such as a small fridge or cooler, sink, gas stove, and storage. These small trailers are easy to pack, hook up, and go with minimal effort. The focus of the teardrop is more about enjoying the outdoors than spending a lot of time and effort managing a large, fully-equipped rig. Although many people think anything teardrop shaped is a teardrop trailer, a classic teardrop is distinguished by the small, teardrop-shape cabin with a hatch and kitchen galley at the back. The teardrop was quite popular after World War II. The economy was booming and the great depression was just a distant memory. In future years their popularity subsided as the trend became "bigger is better" and gas was cheap. In the late 1990s plans for how to build your own teardrop started to circulate on the internet and the little trailers started to gain popularity again. By the early 2000s their popularity inspired several manufacturers to start building and selling teardrops. Today there are over 50 manufacturers of teardrops and many websites dedicated to the teardrop movement. Let's Get Other Teardrop Campers Together! In 2004, Kate and I met a few other couples online who also had teardrop trailers. We decided to meet up at Fish Creek to camp together a few times and the idea of a larger get together was born. In 2005, the first "TearUp the Adirondacks" was organized for early June, just before the campground got overrun with the summer crowds, and (hopefully) after black fly season. We thought it would just be a small handful of campers, but somehow interest in the event took off. Likely the boom in teardrop interest on the internet had something to do with it, but Fish Creek was also a great draw. In June 2005, 14 campsites were booked for the event and 27 campers joined in for the first ever TearUp the Adirondacks at Fish Creek. People from New York, Ontario, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New Hampshire attended that first year. Teardrop owners are avid outdoors people, so canoes, kayaks, and bikes usually accompany them on their camping trips. Over the next 11 years, the TearUp event has grown to as many as 54 trailers and 109 campers (in 2012)! Over the years campers have come from great distances including Oregon, Indiana, Tennessee, Texas, and even Hawaii! The event really isn't promoted, however word seems to get around from those who have attended, and the event is drawing in new people each year. A Casual Fun Event The TearUp event has always be very casual. You don't have to belong to a club and there are no dues or fees. If you have a love of camping waterside, enjoy the outdoors, and love to meet up with friends and make new ones – then this is the event for you. The TearUp was originally inspired by a small number of campers who owned teardrops, however it has never been a requirement to attend the event. About half the campers have a teardrop, either purchased or homebuilt. Others have a smaller trailer of some sort, including many vintage Scotties, Shastas, Bolers, Scamps, and Metzendorfs for example. Over the years, some people have upgraded to bigger rigs, such as larger trailers or fifth wheels, as their camping requirements changed. Regardless, they are still very much welcome to continue to join in - and most do! In the early years, we organized a pot luck as the main event on Saturday night. For good measure, some fun games and silly contests were added. Eventually, the number of campers increased to the point that a pot luck wasn't easy to manage, so it has since become a wine and cheese event on Saturday evening. This also allows campers more time to explore and enjoy all that Fish Creek and the area has to offer, rather than spend valuable time cooking for a pot luck. Besides the luxury of being able to paddle right from your site, there are many local attractions to visit such as The Wild Center, the Paul

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