And its turning out to be more than a bargained for 😂
I found a 1976 Fleetwood Prowler in decent shape on fb marketplace last month, and picked it up excitedly from outside Baton Rouge. My long term plan is to get the hell out of New Orleans every summer, and travel around a region where people do actually go for summer vacation. I'll go to art fairs, music festivals, farmers markets, fun bars and local businesses to pop up. Marcel will stay in the airconditioned camper while I'm working, and then on my days off, we'll go explore national parks, beaches, and swim in water without any gators! This will not only be a much better way to make money than in the miasma that is new orleans in the summer, but also make my living expenses tax deductible, and expose me to more and different people! This summer, I was thinking Colorado would be a great first region to spend a month or two! No particular reason other than I just want to go there :)
But my enthusiasm sometimes outstrips my planning, and perhaps this is one of those times... I got started working on the roof and doing research as I uncovered issues, and I realized that the leaks were more serious than I hoped, and the wooden framing under the aluminum skin has rot. Not a great situation on hundreds of miles of extreme inclines and rocky environments, ie Colorado. I was shown photos of vintage campers that disintegrated violently on the highway, and I had to change my plans. I need to remove the aluminum sheets over the rotten areas, replace the compromised wood framing and maybe some aluminum, then reinsulate and resurface the interior walls. So essentially a full rebuild. I expected to do a partial rebuild a year down the line, but this won't be safe until I do it right. I'm on the PROWL for a capable person to help me with this task, because while I know I could figure it out, the amount of time and attention needed to do so isn't worth the investment at this point. I have a couple leads on local vintage trailer rehabbers! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼
My summer plans have shifted, but I will still be traveling with my art! I now have loose plans to stick around the southeastern area, within a day or two drive of New Orleans, to places such as Asheville (shout out to Garden Party!), Nashville, Gulf Coast beach towns, maybe even Michigan! I'll pack my truck up, probably leave Marcel home, and spend a week or so going to an event, arranging a few pop-ups at local businesses, and making connections for wholesale or collaborations. I hope to go to a few places, on different smaller trips, and try a variety of environments - this summer will be a great information gathering experience to supply a longer regional trip in the Prowler next year. I am super open to suggestions right now, so if you've got em, share em. I just know I need to leave New Orleans for part of the summer, or both my bank account and my good nature will dissolve in the miasma.
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