Our First Road Trip with the Trailer // Where We’re Going, What’s Broken (already!), and What we named our Airstream!

Last week we set off on a 3-week road trip to Minnesota, our first with the new camp trailer! Having a little trailer for trips like this has been a dream of our’s forever. And we’re pinching ourselves both about the trailer and about having the time to take another long adventure. We’re still getting to know our new trailer, but unfortunately…well…we’ve run into a few issues. I wanted to share those today along with where we’re going and the trailer’s new name.

psst: we’d love your travel recommendations at the bottom of this post!

What’s broken on the trailer (yes, already!)

Someone on Instagram described our road trip as a “DIY holiday” after seeing our mishaps with the trailer. Our first stop on this trip was actually an auto supply store. Ha! And it’s been one thing after another since then. Nothing major, thankfully, but definitely things that need addressed.

First it was finding holes in the fender (Garrett patched those before we left) and then a leaky faucet, a broken toilet flusher, a non-sealing discharge coupler, a bathroom cabinet that doesn’t stay shut, a kitchen cabinet that doesn’t open, a missing jack, a table that doesn’t actually span the bench to convert into a bed (we’ve been using 1”x6”’s instead), no hose to hook up to water, and some sort of leak in the water tank or fill line (it leaked into the cabinet with the kids sleeping bags). All of this is fixable, but it came as a surprise since the previous owner lead us to believe we were buying a well-functioning trailer. Ugh.

Of course we probably shouldn’t be surprised that a 42-year-old trailer has issues. We, of all people, should know better. But even with the issues, we’re still thankful to have this little trailer. I can’t tell you how amazing it is to travel with your own bathroom, especially when you have 3 small children (and one is potty training!). The trailer and Garrett and I are just getting to know each other, much like you get to know a new house, and we’re crossing our fingers we don’t run into too many more issues!

Where we’re going + Your Travel Recommendations!

We’d love to hear your travel recommendations! We’re heading east on I-90 to Minnesota, to visit family in the northern lakes. Along the way we’ll be stopping at National Parks, road-side attractions, breweries, historical sites, and anything we can find. We’re hoping to spend lots of times around Badlands National Park/Mt. Rushmore/SW-corner of South Dakota on the way back, so would love to hear from anyone who’s been there. We made it to Devils Tower and Spearfish already but still have plans for Minneapolis and Bozeman if you happen to know of any good parks or kid-friendly eateries!

Our Trailer’s New Name

So what are we going to name our 1977 Airstream Argosy? If you remember, it came with a name that didn’t quite fit. A couple weeks ago, I asked you guys to help us decide on a new name (THANK YOU for all that weighed in!). The two finalists were ‘Landlady’ and ‘Orton Annie’. ‘Landlady’ in honor of the profession that allows us the time for traveling. And ‘Orton Annie’ in honor of my grandparents. Each comment from you guys got us thinking and Garrett and I went back and forth a dozen times. We really couldn’t decide until we asked the kids…

Two out of 3 voted for ‘Landlady’ and majority rules, so…we’re naming the trailer Landlady! It feels so very us and I think my grandparents, who were big travelers themselves, would love it!