LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Dec 21, 2011 12:23:19 GMT -5
My wife Diane and I have a website showing us building a unique off road Teardrop trailer and I use to be a webmaster on the side. Self taught off the Internet I may add. Teardrops became popular right after WWII but have always stayed small, 4’x8’ in size and were very simply built. Today they are popular with hot rod and vintage car people. I wanted to build a heavy duty one to be pulled by our Jeep and retire our uncomfortable tents. We became very active and were deacons within the Teardrop community. We were involved with all the annual Teardrop gatherings and basically had fun but met some very weird people too. We had stockers following us to gatherings. Strangers would knock at our front door at home, wanting to see our trailer. Then we became forum administrators, etc. People were constantly fighting and I almost had a full time job editing and deleting posts. I got blasted for making my website because I gave out too much information and during the late 90’s there was only a handful of sites on the net. The free information I gave on the original forums was edited out because the administrators were in business to sell parts and worthless plans. They wanted to control the market. For free I offered all that information by showing on my site how it can be done using my shade tree engineering techniques. Everyone told me that my idea couldn’t be done and to not hand out any information. Told them all politely to bite me. My site was #1 for Teardrops for many years, having over a million hits. Only thing I got in return was e-mails saying thank you. That was good enough for me plus I didn’t want people to experience all the crap I went through. We ended up throwing in the towel with that whole crowd and walked away. While at Quartzsite last year, we talked to this one vendor who told us we needed to take lessons at a club and you can’t learn anything off the Internet. He disagreed with every lapidary purchase we made up to that time. He was trying to sell us his Titan. Hope he’s there next month because I want to get his name. What a jerk. We’ve purchased about every book & magazine on the topic and just became more confused. As you all know, equipment manuals are poorly written. Everything we have learned is from each and every one of you and we are beyond grateful for all the kindness and sharing of information. And expecting nothing in return? Wow! We tried to read all the posts from the past and used the search feature daily and still do. What totally surprises me is that all you lapidary experts, mostly people who make a living in lapidary, offer free information to all the newcomers. I take my hat off to each and every one you for being so generous. All of you are so friendly. You are not required to answer any of these questions but you do so out of the kindness of your heart and the love of rocks. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you. You guys don't need to reply to my posts. I only post pics of rocks you helped me create. Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks! Larry, Diane and Goober Sorensen
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Post by jakesrocks on Dec 21, 2011 13:53:20 GMT -5
We're grateful for friends like you too. Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you, Diane and Goober, and to all of my RTH friends.
Don, Linda and Jake
PS, Jake says " Buy Goober a special Christmas treat ".
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Dec 21, 2011 14:28:44 GMT -5
Nice looking trailer!
I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to my fellow rockhounds on this site who have helped me with my progression from newbie tumbling, to slabbing, and cabbing.
Thank you and happy holidays to all!
Chuck
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,711
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Post by Fossilman on Dec 21, 2011 14:35:13 GMT -5
Merry Christmas to you too....................My buddy has one of those trailers too,he is tall so he bumps his head everytime in the kitcken area-LOL.............
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Post by texaswoodie on Dec 21, 2011 14:51:32 GMT -5
That is one cool trailer! My wife and I have a pop up and love it. Is your website still up?
We all owe a debt of gratitude to this site. Most of us are here to learn. Just wish I knew more so I too could share.
A very Merry Christmas to you as well Larry.
Curt
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Post by johnjsgems on Dec 21, 2011 15:09:58 GMT -5
Cool trailer! Don't think I could get my wife to downsize from the 40' though. She would ask where is the washer/dryer?
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Post by christopherl1234 on Dec 21, 2011 15:28:20 GMT -5
Merry Christmas Larry, Diane and Goober
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Post by catmandewe on Dec 21, 2011 16:01:10 GMT -5
Now that little trailer is cool!! Hope you come see us in Quartzsite this year, I won't try to sell you anything, just drop by to visit and say HI! We will have a BBQ sometime during the pow-wow, make sure to come if you are in the area.
Merry Christmas................Tony
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Post by rockmanken on Dec 21, 2011 17:45:58 GMT -5
Merry Christmas. Love the teardrop. Wish I could talk Donna into one. She don't like it because it don't have a toilet. I tell her the tent don't either. Ken
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Post by NatureNut on Dec 21, 2011 17:54:14 GMT -5
Love Teardrops. They got character!!! Glad you are here too! Jo
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Post by jakesrocks on Dec 21, 2011 17:55:54 GMT -5
Merry Christmas. Love the teardrop. Wish I could talk Donna into one. She don't like it because it don't have a toilet. I tell her the tent don't either. Ken Hey Ken, ain't that what they make coffee cans for ?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2011 18:19:04 GMT -5
Holy moly dude and dudette that is one hell of a sweet job on that trailer. You must have a ton of hours into it but it looks like it will last two lifetimes. Happy hollidays Jim
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Post by beefjello on Dec 21, 2011 18:47:46 GMT -5
That's one nice lookin' rig! Sure beats setting up a tent Merry Christmas!
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Dec 21, 2011 18:59:42 GMT -5
Link is here: www.outbackteardrop.comJohn, we use baby wipes & lots of cologne. Teardrop are not a down sized RV. They are a upgrade from a tent. You still cook outdoors. Plus this ones goes where ever the Jeep can go. Has rigid foam insulation, oak interior, FRP exterior (just like your motor home), home made 12v swamp cooler, 12v mattress warmer, water tank/sink, propane stove, off road tires & fully articulating hitch. Toilet? What do you think we originally used those rock buckets for? They make snap on toilet seats with lids and plastic bags. High tech. Before that, behind the bush. So if you guys say my rocks look like crap, hey, just might be one!!! Wish we could have designed it to carry lots of rocks! I'm 6'1" and still lots of room under the rear hatch. Goober thinks of this Teardrop as his giant dog house. He sleeps in the center of "his" double size bed and Diane and I get the edges. Just like the king size bed at home.
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Post by NatureNut on Dec 21, 2011 20:08:37 GMT -5
Where do the rocks go?
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Post by catmandewe on Dec 21, 2011 20:27:11 GMT -5
Can you make me one of those with dual 5000 lb axles and a spot underneath to put rocks in?
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Dec 21, 2011 20:46:06 GMT -5
Why sure. Already has 3500# axle with 2000# springs, gas shocks & electric brakes. Weighs 1300#. Bent the first 2000# axle going airborne too often.
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Post by tntmom on Dec 21, 2011 21:07:18 GMT -5
Everything we have learned is from each and every one of you and we are beyond grateful for all the kindness and sharing of information. And expecting nothing in return? Wow! We tried to read all the posts from the past and used the search feature daily and still do. What totally surprises me is that all you lapidary experts, mostly people who make a living in lapidary, offer free information to all the newcomers. I take my hat off to each and every one you for being so generous. All of you are so friendly. You are not required to answer any of these questions but you do so out of the kindness of your heart and the love of rocks. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you. You guys don't need to reply to my posts. I only post pics of rocks you helped me create. Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks! Larry, Diane and Goober Sorensen Merry Christmas Larry, Diane and Goober!!!! You are soooooo right! My addiction would have never become an addiction, and my successes would have never materialized had it not been for the best friends ever that I have met on RTH!!!! Good people here and your post made me reflect on what I've gained from this site... TOO MANY THANK YOUS TO COUNT!!!! Have a ROCK'n New Year!!!!!
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spicer m
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2008
Posts: 337
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Post by spicer m on Dec 21, 2011 22:10:04 GMT -5
Well Larry You are right about this site. I have found the best info on lapidary here also.
I don't know what year you built your teardrop? I do know it was before 2003 I think. Because I built one in 2004. I found the link to Your build trough Teardrops&tiny trailers. At the time Your teardrop was the only off road one around. (and in my opinion is still the best built one). I studied Your site long and hard before I built my tear. I never did thank You for the information You shared. So I will thank You now. THANK YOU Mike
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Dec 21, 2011 22:57:13 GMT -5
Hi Mike,
The year was 1998. I'm sure you can vouch for all the chaos going on in the forums. Everyone fighting, arguing. Greed for the all mighty dollar was behind many conversations. "You buy my plans, I'll be happy to help you more." It was going on in 2003. People would change their names and try to sign back in the forums after getting kicked off. Thing is, they didn't know webmasters can see which computer and city they're coming from. People would link images and graphics off our websites and sell it on Ebay? And then you were suppose to meet these Bozo's in person and camp with them? All the real bad guys are long gone now. All the city slicker old timers told me a off road Teardrop is a bad idea because all the junk yards are full of RV's trying to do that. Well, I guess you don't build it like a RV huh? Duh!!!! I'm still close with some of the old timers, like Grant. We're good buds. He spends the night in our house when he's in town.
Still the bottom line is how wonderful this board membership is.
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