Spouse Susan, very comfy with our teardrop, in Pinnacles National Park campground.
- Our reproduction 58 Scotty teardrop in front of giant fifth-wheel in Yellowstone National Park.
I’ve been retired, now for almost a year and a half, my wife for eight months – we made a pact to do a lot of traveling in the US and Canada the next several years, emphasizing seeing the country and not spending a ton of money.
We also think that it makes sense to see the US first, Canada second, before flying off to see Europe, the Balkans, and other far-flung destinations. Not that we don’t want to do it – we’re currently thinking of an Italian two-week visit sometime next year – but we know we can see much of the US and much of Canada and spend a lot less money.
Our style of frugal travel includes a number of methods to save money. First, we don’t head out thinking “we’re cheap”; merely that we want good value for our money. Hence, we employ several tactics.
We started with our vehicle. We purchased a 2013 Ford Focus – on a trip to Southern California it will get 38 MPG on the road (that’s almost twice what we once got with our primary conveyance). On a long trip, that means half the gas, and savings of $350 on a recent trip up to Montana and Wyoming. And, the Focus is surprisingly comfortable and fun to drive!
If we are off on a several day trip, we search out efficient, inexpensive motels. As an example, we have found a very nice Super 8 motel in San Francisco, just 12 blocks from the Marina District, that goes for about $84/night (that’s about half what most folks would think they might have to pay in SF).
For meals, we will often rely on the continental breakfast at such a motel, and do a simple lunch along the way. For our main meal, we don’t “go cheap”, for we like nice restaurants and appreciate a quality meal. But, about 12 years ago (both of us feeling like we eat too much and desiring to lose a few pounds) we began sharing a salad and a main entry. We have never been hungry afterwards; we can add an inexpensive bottle of wine, and get out with a bill in the $60-$80 range. Perfect!
About seven years ago, having long-realized that California was filled with stunning destinations in every direction and blessed by great weather, we found, on Craig’s List, a kit-built teardrop travel trailer. These small trailers weigh little, sleep two comfortably, store easily in a garage and can be pulled by the smallest of vehicles (the seller was towing this one with a Mini-Cooper).
We currently own two small trailers, a three-year old 58 Serro Scotty teardrop reproduction, and an original 64 Scotty Sportsman, a bit larger though needing a fairly extensive rebuild. We can tow the teardrop with our Ford, and we get lots of comments in the campgrounds, parked among the “big boys” – giant fifth-wheels towed by huge diesel pickups. Guess who gets four-times better milage?
So, in all but the coldest months, we will usually attach our teardrop trailer. We can often find a national park or federal campground near our destination – and with our federal Senior pass, a $35 camping ground’s cost is cut in half. That same Senior Pass gets one into any national park free!
For additional travel destination inspiration, see my blog: http://blogs.eSanJoaquin.com/Valley travel; or contact me, tviall@msn.com. Coming on Friday, a feature on Sequoia’s sister park, Kings Canyon National Park; until then, happy travels in the west!