A special product review down memory lane featuring The Tiny Traveler Camper.
This is a tribute to my Dad on Memorial Day and to Tiny SMART House for both instilling in me the sense of adventure and living tiny.
In honor of Memorial Weekend, I dedicate this article to my Dad, (Charles E. Schwerin, 1936 – 2014) former volunteer fireman, who served in the Korean war and, if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here. This is for all the veterans and those active in service, as my heartfelt thank you, for all you have done, and all that you do to protect our freedom.
I’m a tiny traveler who got the chance to stay in The Tiny Traveler Camper, an original custom built over the truck camper, designed by Tiny SMART House, my tiny house builder. This camper has all the amenities one needs on a road trip. Not only was it the most comfortable, quiet sleep, it totally took me down memory lane. Back to the 70s.
Back when I was a kid, my Dad (A bonafide fisherman of bass and northern pike.) had a red Chevy truck with one of those 1970’s pop up campers. Every summer, my parents took me on a 2-week vacation road trip. And since, I was an only child, I got to take a best friend with us – what fun! We traveled all over the country starting the season when school was out with Memorial weekend.
Here I am just a teen in 1976 in my parent’s camper that was super cool and tiny but it fit four nicely.
Camper had a second level queen bed by popping up the roof. That bed was my favorite place to see the great outdoors or watch the night’s sky. It had a dinette fold down table into a first-floor bed, a mini frig, stovetop burner and sink but, no bathroom. I remember excruciatingly anxious moments while riding in the back of the camper (It wasn’t against the law back then.) of having to go pee and banging on the window trying to get my Dad's attention to pull over. The tiny traveler has a bathroom (smile).
Amenities are a plus - like a bathroom. We traveled up north to go fishing on Pleasant Lake in Hackensack, Minnesota and, I clearly remember having to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night with a flashlight or freezing in the early morning to use the outhouse. So, I guess in hindsight, I now know where the requirement for an indoor toilet of some sort came to be, even if it's a compost toilet, lol.
Here is Caleb Rice staining the exterior.
The Tiny Traveler Camper is made of Cedar Wood and Pine which, I much prefer over fiberglass. It feels like a tiny cabin on a truck, smells good and looks so natural.
The camper’s bed is a cozy warm relaxing cubby cave with a window and a skylight.
Features - It’s a nice layout with a cabover queen bed, dinette kitchen, bath, freshwater system and electrical. Windows on both sides, over the kitchen sink and dining area, as well as the door. The specifications list goes on so, check out its “SMART’ layout yourself.
Truck camper even has a porch with seating and storage under the seats.
Home of the Tiny Traveler, a Tiny SMART House Original Established 2012.
Tiny SMART House
34025 Texas St. SW, Albany, OR 97321
541-908-9066
tinysmarthouse@tinysmarthouse.com
If road tripping with your house on your back is your style, this is the set up for you. If you have a big truck, it’s a big plus. If Tiny B had a bigger truck, she would be ordering one right now to satellite off my tiny house for road trips and shows. Guaranteed, it would just be so cool, an ideal method of traveling.
My family crossed some 45 states in those days. Such memorable vacations and, I believe it is this experience that lead me to owning a tiny home on wheels. I’ve lived in large homes and been through some hardships to get here. I have no desire to live in a foundation home. The #justbtinylife is for me. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for instilling the wanderlust in me, for all that I have seen, and all the places I have been and continue to explore with this alternative lifestyle while, I still can.
As Tiny SMART House says, “Home is where the heart goes!”
As my Dad would say, “Brenda, are you ready to go?”
Just be ready to follow your heart…
Tiny B ♥
Trinity Mountains, Northern California
Disclaimer: Do I work for Tiny SMART House? Nope, Tiny B does not earn income to promote this company but she does support family owned businesses who are the foundation of our country.