Carpe Camping! Girl Camping Moments, 2015

'Carpe camping!' In other words, camp whenever you can.

I love all chances to go somewhere with my own little home(s) on wheels, and seize them often. Here are some carpe-camping snapshots from spring and summer 2015.

March: First outing of the year for Iron Pony, 1972 Red Dale. A group of us got pre-season campsites at Hells Gate State Park on the Snake River, Lewiston, Idaho. It was great just to be out that early in the year, but also an unforgettable Girl Camping weekend for the exciting jet boat trip we took up the Snake River into Hells Canyon.

Hold on, everyone, big rapids coming up!

End of April: Girl Camping on the Salmon River for our Spring Rendezvous at Swiftwater RV Park, White Bird, Idaho. The Airstream, third trailer from left, is my aluminum abode; it spends the winter here, and goes home right after the Rendezvous weekend.

Like Iron Pony, the Airstream is a 1972 model. Name: Big Chief. ('Big' is right, because it's over 30 feet long and weighs 5,600 pounds, empty.)

Mid-May: Girl Camping weekend at a friend's country place for her birthday celebration. Maiden voyage with the 1965 Chief trailer I bought late in 2014. It earned an A+ for remaining dry during a steady downpour!

The Chief brand was manufactured in Seattle, and that's about all I know about it. This model has beautiful turquoise/aqua appliances, and I named it Crazy Horse.

Early June: Iron Pony gets all dolled up for the Farm Chicks campout in Riverside State Park in Spokane, coinciding with the annual Farm Chicks Antique Show.

This is always a fun gathering, with attendees from far and wide.

Mid-June: An impromptu overnight stay in Montana with several fellow members of Sisters on the Fly--the log-cabin trailer belongs to Miss Linda, who was traveling with Miss Patty. I was treated to a
bunkhouse stay, as I didn't have a trailer with me.

However, I was able to furnish the first round of Happy Hour drinks on the front porch of our hostess!

July 4th Weekend: A Girl Camping weekend at GIRL CAMP! The little mountain town of Elk River, Idaho, puts on a great fireworks show, and there's nothing quite like the parade of locals down Main Street. Since we do believe in 'Sum Boyz OK,' this is a co-ed camping weekend.

Obviously OK with Mark, hubby of Miss Mig, both of whom were in the parade!

There's been more in 2015, but I'd better end this post here just so I don't keep you forever. Thanks for coming along on the ride so far!

New Addition: 1965 Chief

I've been into the vintage-trailer hobby long enough to know a good buy when one comes along.

Which explains why I jumped on this 1965 Chief when it came up for sale. The rehab work was already done, and the price was more than reasonable. All I had to do was hook it up, bring it home, and move my own things into it.

The trailer came with a Western theme already started, including tooled-leather fabric on the cabinet doors and chamois-leather used as valances. Seeing as how my blood type is C, for Cowgirl, I knew I would have no trouble furnishing it to my liking.

The Chief's kitchen is in the front. True to the trends of 1965, the appliances are turquoise, and the cabinetry has blond veneer.

There's a nice nook of counter space to the left of the sink. It's just the right size for a small dorm fridge, should I choose to use one. At present, I'm using the space as a bar.

The rear of the trailer features an unusual layout, with a full-length gaucho-bed along the curb wall, and a shorter, kid-length gaucho-bed on the other. Both pull out from the wall. There's plenty of room for my favorite accessory, an electric mini-fireplace heater.

Another element of the unusual layout is the shelving nook in place of an enclosed cabinet. The previous owner trimmed it out with rope, for a nice Western touch.

What used to be a divided utensil drawer above the turquoise icebox has been converted--ingeniously--to a 3-bottle wine rack. The drawer front was removed for the holes to be cut, then trimmed with rope. It was then nailed back over the opening.

The original rear-ceiling light fixture was replaced with this homemade chandelier that uses vintage canning jars as the light globes. 'From something I saw on Pinterest,' I was told. The jars unscrew for safekeeping when the trailer is in transit.

Here's a closeup of the faux-tooled-leather treatment on the cabinet doors. The edges are trimmed with upholstery nails; the tooled-leather fabric is widely available (at Joanne's and WalMart, for instance).

A real chief's name seemed appropriate, so I settled on Crazy Horse.

It's a just-right new home for this crazily painted horse figurine, and my stash of turquoise-feather melamine dinnerware.