Now that winter is here, I am looking forward to next summer's camping adventures. Before I pull out the campground guides and begin planning, here is a quick review of the little trailer's 2010 activity:
Due to travel for work, I didn't get any camping in until the
1st Intermountain Spindle Camp in May. It was a very wet joint campout of the Foothills Fiber Guild and the Carson Sierra Spinners and Weavers. A few pictures from the trip can be seen
here and
here. Despite the rain and cold, it was tons of fun. I was bummed to discover today that I have a conflict and won't be able to attend next year's Spindle Camp.
Independence Day weekend I took the little trailer up to
Sharon and Ian's Sage Creek Farm for a very relaxing short stay. As far as I can tell, I didn't take any pictures, but I promise you I had a lovely time.
The big trip this year occurred in August. My Dad came up to Reno and we traveled together over to Salt Lake City for my Nephew's wedding. Afterward we continued on to Yellowstone National Park and camped for 5 nights in Madison Campground. Not only did we travel all around the park seeing geysers, glaciers, bears and elk, we also spent a day visiting the Grand Tetons. Magnificent country! Blossom only sleeps one, so Dad brought his tent. The 1953 trailer fit perfectly in the nation's first National Park. (In fact, chances are she has been there before!)
Next it was back to Sage Creek Farm for the annual
Labor Day Gathering. Good food, great friends, lots of laughter, knitting, crystal hunting, giant Jenga, and the traditional visit to
Joe Winter's pottery studio. As always, the little trailer looked truly tiny parked next to the giant 5th wheel.
The very next weekend was the Spinning Guild's annual
Spinsters' Retreat at
Davis Creek Park. Several of us camped in the Group site, while others came for just the day. It is nice to have a great little pine-shaded campground so close to Reno.
The last trailer trip of 2010 was to Coloma, CA for the Tin Can Tourists Northern California Regional Gathering. This was my first time at a TCT vintage trailer rally and I wasn't sure what to expect. It was so very exciting to drive up and see all the little trailers lined up! Saturday was trailer open house and I spent hours investigating each of the trailers. I took
scads of pictures. Everyone was incredibly friendly and I didn't feel at all like a newbie. Blossom was one of the smallest trailers there, and folks were very nice about complimenting her refurbished interior, though most of these folks go to a lot of effort to restore their trailers to original fittings. I bought a very cool vintage bicycle from the folks in the trailer next door that I can take with me on future road trips. The campground was inside the
Marshall Gold Discovery Park and right on the bank of the South Fork of the American River. It was exceptionally hot for October, so it was great to be able to scuttle down the bank right there at my campsite and sit on a rock with my feet in the river. I stayed an extra day and was able to do some exploring in Placerville, as well as get in some photography in the
local historical cemetery.
That wraps up the trailer year. I've gotten pretty good at backing her, and can be ready to hit the road in no time at all. In 2012 I hope to get out earlier and am planning a first trip for April, weather permitting. Or even a weekend in March if we get unseasonably warm weather....
Friday I was happy to visit with Laura, who was in town for Thanksgiving with her family. Sadly our visit was way too short. Laura brought me a nice fibery present - Books on weaving and basketry, some Ashford bobbins, and a belt shuttle.
One of the books, Peter Collingwood's Techniques in Tablet Weaving, renewed my unfullfilled fascination with learning to card weave. I have done a few elementary peices, but I long to actually UNDERSTAND what I am doing. Perhaps I will make a study of it. The Collingwood book is a bit dense and intimidating, so I will start with Candace Crockett's Card Weaving, then work my way up. 
