Thursday, March 11, 2010

Cowgirl Camping

So, one day my mom joined this Sisters on the Fly thing. And I thought it was just some cute, quirky old lady thing. She started personalizing her own 1950's camp trailer. She even took us kids up on a "test run" camping trip about a half hour outside of La Grande over Memorial weekend. Then we took it up to our Church's annual Mother/Daughter outing where the cute trailer was adored by all.

Then the unthinkable happened. Mom actually went camping by herself, in her vintage trailer, with a bunch of strangers! She had the best of times. I felt something akin to envy creeping up in my soul. Next thing I knew I was spending a September weekend in the Wallowas with my mom, aunt Steph, cousin Morgan and a handful of strange ladies strangers. We had such a good time! So much good food, lots of gut hurting laughter and the great outdoors! I was hooked. Steph and Mom started talking about how Morgan and I needed to get a trailer or two. I outwardly scoffed, but inwardly desired.

Then I started to look for old, decrepit trailers abandoned in fields. Mom and I even looked at an over-priced shasta over Valentine's Day weekend. I can't remember what spurred my action to get on Craigslist one day and check out the classifieds along I-15 and I-84 (the freeways that take me from Utah, home to Oregon) for old, cheap trailers. I happened to find an ad with no details.... just something about an old trailer being used for snow tire storage... for $175. I e-mailed the ad person and after a week of not hearing back, gave up. Unexpectedly, I found a message from him a week and a half later in my inbox.

Within three days the deal was done due to my mom's diligence and generosity the trailer will have a new home. She was mine for $100. What a deal, right?

It's going to take a lot of work to get 'er ready to habitate in, especially with her living in Oregon and me currently in Utah. But, my goal is to have her ready by August 27th for a Sisters on the Fly trip in Sisters, Oregon. It's being put together by one of those strange ladies I had so much fun with in September, Sherri and her StellarFly.

I made my reservation this morning and my mom and Steph are signed up to go, too, and I'm so excited! And maybe we'll be able to do a reunion trip to the Wallowas come fall. It's absolutely beautiful at the lake during September and October.


So, look forward to future postings as I ready my new old trailer. I've already got some basic inspiration. My mom, in her trailer has this painting that looks like the Carolina beaches. I love that painting! For me, it's so soothing and relaxing. That's what I want my trailer to embrace and epitomize, a day on a Carolina beach.
 

8 comments:

Spencer said...

I love reading your blog Lexy!

Can do mom said...

Oh my gosh, Lexy, that is SO cool and exciting! What a fun and gutsy thing to do. I love your Mom and I don't even know her. Good for her for giving you encouragement to widen your horizons and not live a fearful, closeted life.

This might not be true for your mom, but giving children wings (and not fear) to be self reliant is an issue that many mothers, myself included, struggle with. I grew up in a different era (I'm 44) when I could literally jump on my horse and roam the countryside and not be home until dinnertime and my mom was okay with that. There was such freedom in that and I loved it. No way could my children do that today. For one thing, I wouldn't let them and many of those fields aren't even there anymore.

I can't wait to hear about your camper experiences. Keep us posted, okay?

Can do mom said...

P.S. Thank you for challenging me (and you can thank your mother, too) in a good way, to thoughtfully consider my role as a mother and mentor in my childrens' lives.

Courtney said...

I am so glad that I found your blog! Now why aren't you in the newsroom?

Sherri Niemeyer said...

I thought I got the deal of the century on Craigs List when I picked up the 'Haul-A-Day Inn' (formerly StellarFly). What a fantastic purchase! Congrats. Looking forward to more gut-busting giggles and too much food.

Stephanie said...

Awesome Lexy!! Now I am jealous for Morgan. I need to start looking for one for her. Happy Camping...will you be around for mother-daughter this year? We can caravan at Catherine Creek for a test run.

gingersnap said...

Lexy---you win--the best buy ever--maybe Steph's was a good one,too. I am so glad I will get to see you, again, when we gather in Sisters. I think your first comment about "strange women" is right! We had a lot of fun and can now look forward to more. Aren't we lucky that we have this fun way to get acquainted with wonderful new people! Bless you! Ginger#1217(Martynowicz from Bend)

morgan said...

I am jealous for myself! I really want a camp trailer...but I have decided I don't want a little airstream. I want one of those "canned ham" trailers. Like a little Serro or maybe a Shasta :)