Trailer Gear: Foam mattress or camping pad?

Knowing I'd want to sometimes bring Kitai on trips with me I purposely designed the trailer to have enough room for each of us to have our own beds.

This is the configuration I've been planning on using.

I figured an ultralight, self-inflating, camping sleeping pad would suit my needs perfectly because they're light and partly because I could easily store it during the day leaving the floor open. I'd been considering a Thermarest sleeping pad because some are very highly rated for comfort.

But then I wandered into a Brookstone store and laid eyes (and body) upon a Biosense Memory Foam Mattress Topper. It was like floating on a cloud of comfort. It was CRAZY comfortable.

If I get the foam mattress we could sleep together but I'd have to cut it down and make it a bit more narrow. Google to the rescue. Turns out the best way to cut foam is with an electric kitchen knife. Who knew? I'd make it as wide as the floor space and Kitai and I could share it sleeping together.

Any thoughts? Have you ever used one or both? I'm still leaning more towards the camping sleeping pad for its convenience and versatility but I'm open to suggestions.

Trailer Update: She's done and her name is. . .

The tongue box is skinned and my trailer is done! This post contains the final batch of pictures my builder Fred sent me and a big reveal. Her name is a spin on Glamping, the practice of camping in a glamorous manner, combined with a nod to her petite size . . .

Meet my tiny travel trailer "The Glampette!"

Isn's she adorable? She only weighs 554 pounds, well within my car's 1000 lb tow limit.

This is what she looks like now. And, with the magic of Photoshop, this is what she'll look like painted. . .

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek! She's gonna be so cute!

My plan is to hire a professional auto painting company to lay the base coats and paint the large circle on the sides. The rest, I want to paint myself in a combination of by brush, stencil, and possibly air-brush. I'm an artist by nature with lots of painting experience so wielding a brush and paint isn't new to me. I'd have the pros lay on some clear coat after to protect the hand painted graphics and then she'd be done.

The things I had to consider when coming up with her graphics was the placement of the window, porch lights, wheel, and reflectors. Because The Flirty Blog is a lifestyle, food, and travel resource I wanted to convey those themes along with a fun retro vibe. This is what I've come up with:

You can never go wrong with cake.

And because it was my introduction to Sonoma Wine Country last year that really got the ball rolling on acquiring a travel trailer, I want to pay homage to the many wine growers, makers, and tasty wines I've met there.

Here are close ups of the details.

I opted for a mini canned ham shape so I'd be able to sit up inside with (relatively speaking) plenty of overhead space above the top of my head.

Instead of the hatchback that distinguishes teardrop trailers from all other styles, Fred suggested putting a swing out door on the rear so he could make my access in and out of the trailer easier.

He also added a rain gutter above the door and just beneath it the circular shape is an awning rail in case I want to set up some shade off the back end on sunny days.

The door swings open for easy access.

And just look at all of that empty space. All I see is a blank canvas. What to do, what to do. . .

Because people will see and read the rear while I'm parked at red lights, stop signs, in parking lots, and when I'm parked for the night, I decided to go all out with my branding. I think this little trailer will be the single best form of exposure my blog will ever have to pick up new, local readers.

Here's a close up.

My other option is to add in some advertising/sponsorship space to the trailer so it can earn its keep :) So far I've come up with a plan to turn clients ads into custom stickers (using a service like Zazzle of Cafepress). I can change the stickers for each sponsor on each trip the Glampette takes once she's painted and on the road. Something along these lines:

In this illustration I've added a smaller marquee beneath the larger one that says "The Glampette."

The stickers can range in size from a single standard bumper sticker to smaller 3"x3" or 3"x5" stickers like this:

What do you think? Would you want to advertise your company on The Glampette?

Rates could run per excursion one of two ways:

1. For a sticker on the trailer only
2. A sticker on the trailer and inclusion in the blog post like this: "AAA Widgets sponsored this Flirty Blog excursion."

The latter would be more expensive but if I could find sponsors to underwrite the cost of gas, maintenance for the trailer, and the cost of the rv space at a trailer park or campground I could give them more mention and appreciation in the blog post. Another possibility would be if a company (*hint, hint vineyards*) wanted to provide lodging by giving me permission to park on their property overnight. There are many possibilities.

Good idea? Bad idea? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below or by private message.

But back to The Glampette! Her tongue box is skinned. This will make it harder for battery thieves to steal my on board battery, a common problem for RV'ers.

The tongue, wiring for the trailer lights, and safety chains.

I'm still over the moon for my baby moon hubcaps.

And still thrilled we powder-coated the chassis, wheels, and fenders bright yellow.

Here's an undercarriage shot. 

And another.

She's ready and waiting for me. Soon I'll be hitting the road. Of course I'll be taking lots of pictures and blogging all about my trip! This will be my first time driving east of California so it's bound to be quite the adventure.

A minotaur mural in Mill Valley, CA

If you drive down Throckmorton Avenue (x street Madrona) in Mill Valley you may happen upon a bright and colorful reclining minotaur mural painted on the side of a building.

It is the creation of artist Zio Ziegler, a Mill Valley native. To learn who the artist was I Googled the "ZZ"  signature and "mural, Mill Valley" and found this article from 2011 about Zio in the Mill Valley Patch. There's a photo there that shows what the wall was before it became the minotaur.

To see his most recent work check out his blog at ArteSempre.Tumbler.com. Zio sells hand-silk screened t-shirts and hats on his website ArteSempre.com. Or if you're thinking something bigger and more permanent check out the Porsche he was commissioned to paint in this video:

I recently spotted another mural in downtown San Jose. I just have to figure out how to shoot it because it's not at street level which makes it more challenging.

Trailer Update: The interior shelves are installed

This is the underside of the front shelf above the tongue box door. Fred installed them and I'll paint them aqua when I get the trailer home.

It'll look like this!

The shelf has a lip to hold small baskets or bins in place while I'm on the road.

I'll probably paint the tongue box pink too. Or maybe I'll add a decorative design.

To the right of the tongue box door is my DC/USB power strip. It won't be a problem to recharge my camera batteries or cell phone while I'm sleeping at night.

Inside the freshly skinned tongue box.

My view out from inside.

What it will look like painted aqua.

Those are the porch light switches underneath the rear shelf.

The rear overhead shelf.

I'm so excited. It's so cute. Now I just have to find some little bins for them.

I'm very happy for Fred that his tulips are blooming. I could see them through the open trailer door :)

And I'm hoping the freak snow storms are over and done with in the Midwest since I don't want to be driving in snow on my way to or from Michigan.

My next update will be the finished exterior of my tiny travel trailer!

CA hiking: The thrill of victory and agony of defeat

Last week I visited one of my most favorite places in Northern California, Villa Montalvo at the Montalvo Arts Center.

My nephew Josh was visiting from out of town so I wanted to find fun things for us to do. I thought taking the public hiking trail behind The Villa to grab a view of Silicon Valley would be a great morning challenge. I tried to make this hike a year ago but failed.

The Poet's Walk is steeper than this looks.

We began at the Poet's Walk. Honestly? Just walking up the stone staircase to get to the trail was enough to leave me slightly winded. I really need to get out more often.

The Redwood Trail

This is the trail, a dirt foot path. Just over a year ago in March 2012 I tried to climb this trail with my friend Carl and his daughter on our Saratoga photo adventure for our blogs. I couldn't even make it to the Lookout Trail let alone the Lookout Point. Before long I was weak, sweating profusely, and so dizzy I had to sit down on the trail or I think I would have passed out. Carl seemed completely flabbergasted. He had no idea my health had become so compromised because I'd hidden it from everyone but hubby at that point in time.

Things to Do in Saratoga, March 2012

It was a wake up call to me because I'd been dealing with my ever worsening dizziness, exhaustion, and fatigue for about eight months by then. To that point I had unsuccessfully worked with my doctor who took blood tests and kept saying I was fine, even when my blood pressure was at 79/59 and I said I was too tired to sit up or get off the couch four days each week.

In desperation I went to a naturopath in May 2012 for a second opinion. Her more extensive blood tests revealed that my vegetarian diet was causing me to have severe malnourishment issues. Among them she found an odd iron deficiency problem that was causing me to become anemic. As I'd suspected for some time, my body was extremely oxygen deficient which explained my inability to make the climb that day.

The thrill of victory: Lookout Point

So last May 2012 I began taking fish oil supplements for two months. In June I transitioned to eating fish twice a week (preferably wild, line-caught, Alaskan Salmon) to increase my intake of omega fatty acids.

I tried increasing my intake of plant based iron rich foods but my body seemed to be unable to fully absorb and metabolize nonheme iron. After almost a year with only moderate improvement I began eating 8 ounces of Prather Ranch beef each week just two months ago. As much as I didn't want to eat meat again I have to admit within days I felt so much better. The exhaustion I'd been suffering from for almost two years had finally lifted.

Hiking to the end of the trail to the lookout was a major accomplishment. It's by no means a long or arduous trail but considering where I was just a year ago I was thrilled to make it to the top.

Once there we hung out a bit enjoying the view, taking photos, and goofing around. Josh took that last picture before we headed back to the car.

Descending the Lookout Trail

Josh took the next picture of his uncle and I. It offers two clues as to why what happened next may have happened. Note the improper hiking attire I was wearing and how inward my foot points.

I was so high on life that I'd made it to the top I may have become a bit distracted and/or my clumsy pigeon toed feet betrayed me. I was walking along the path with my camera in my left hand when suddenly I felt my right ankle twist and give out beneath me. As I pitched forward two thoughts crossed my mind:

1. Fall straight forward without twisting my ankle or body.
2. Protect the camera!

I didn't trip on the dress hemline but it may have made it harder for me to see where I was stepping, not that I was necessarily looking down at that moment. Honestly the whole thing is kind of a blur. I just remember walking, then falling.

The agony of defeat.

"That's going to leave a mark" was the first thing I thought after making solid contact with mother earth. Despite my epidermal injuries scrapes and large contusion bruise just below my left knee, I'm happy to report I successfully landed without spraining my ankle or breaking my camera. I just let my body take the fall. *Thud.*

As you may recall, I've had more than my share of falls over the years. There was that squirrel hole at the Baylands, and good old Frankenfoot a few years back when I twisted my ankle.

Along the way we saw quite a few different types of wildflowers including a single Crimson Columbine plant Josh spotted on our way up the trail.

There are lots of ferns. This one I especially liked because of its vibrant green color and the dainty spider walking along its lower right side.

Josh spotted this well camouflaged lizard.

And I spotted the first of around a dozen Yellow Spotted Millipedes. I'd implore you if you go hiking in redwood forests to look down as you walk along the path lest you step on and squish these gentle creatures. We saw several flattened and dead that looked as if they'd been trod upon.

They don't bite and if you stop and watch them their little legs are quite mesmerizing.

This purple, six petaled wildflower with blue stamens is Ithuriel's Spear.

And this is a Globe Lily.

It's also known as a Fairy Lantern.

We saw several flowers in pink including thistle in the upper left, Starflower in the lower left, and Hedge Nettle in the lower right.

There were only two areas with Oragne Bush Monkey in bloom. All in all I have to say I was surprised to see so many different types of flowers in such a small area.

If you want to find a space of peace and serenity the trail is a gorgeous respite from the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley. It's a hidden gem tucked away in our own backyard.

This is the route we took that day beginning at the Poet's Walk on the right and exiting in the south end of the parking lot. CLICK HERE To view the full map on the Montalvo Arts website.