Short Cruising Boots

In the last couple of years there has been a lot of hoopla about rubber hunting boots such as the iconic Wellington. Although unpractical and clunky, Wellington boots typify the heritage movement that has captured the imaginations of fashionistas and bloggers the world over. Despite their symbolic heritage, I never felt like dropping 140 dollars on uncomfortable, knee-high boots to wear twice a year and avoided the silhouette altogether.

I stumbled across these short rubber boots at a sailing outfitters on the central Maine coast. I really like the Short Cruising Boots made by the nautical company Gill. Based in Nottingham England, Gill makes market leading technical sailing equipment based around the ethos, Respect the Elements. Although not as classic as the Viking by Harvik 10 inch , pictured bellow, the Short cruiser is a technical boot anchored in functionality and performance. It has removable soles and a quick dry polyester lining. They come in European sizes and are available here for $47.

Here is a photo of them in action on a warm February afternoon.

Sunset in Harpswell Maine

I took these photos around sunset in Harpswell Maine on Friday with my Canon and f2.8 17-55. The panorama above is a eight images stitched together using Hugin. I enjoyed the contrasting texture between the rough plastic and smooth fiberglass of a ship's hull on the photo below. The originals are avaliable on my Picasa page.

Rusticate, Verb

Rusticate- Verb: OED
1. intr. To go or retire into the country; to stay or sojourn in the country; to assume rural manners, to live a country life.
2. trans. a. To dismiss or ‘send down’ from a university for a specified time, as a punishment.
b. To remove or send (one) into, settle (one) in, the country. Also refl.

Example: Disenchanted with the grind of urban life, James rusticated, selling his belongings and moving to the backwoods of Maine.

Teardrop Trailers

Originally built with surplus aluminum (from WWII plane wings) and a 4' by 8' piece of plywood, the teardrop trailer is light, small and easy to tow. They gained popularity during the 1940's, as G.I.'s, returning from the war, wanted an easy and inexpensive way travel America. A teardrop trailer has a main sleeping quarters with either a full or a queen size bed and an external kitchen with a stove and a cooler (as pictured above). Their light and minimalist design allowed for a relatively inexperienced driver with a small car safely to tow a teardrop on single lane roads.

As cars' horsepower increased and the quality of roads improved, the teardrop trailer gave way to larger, heavier trailers like the Airstream, limiting their reign as king of the road to just two decades.

Today Teardrop Trailers are the prized possesions of forties and fifties car enthusiasts, who make the car show circuit in proper 1950's style. I saw my first Teardop over ten years ago at a car show in Portland Oregon. Their inherent minimalism and liberating ability captured my imagination.

Few things are more appealing than letting out to the territories with the hope of finding adventure and greener pasture. A "tent on wheels," as teardrop trailers are often called, would be awesome way to see the world and a great addition to any restless lifestyle.

These photos are of a Sundance Teardrop Trailer available through the Sundance Catalog for $24,000. They come complete with a Colemen stove and cooler, Formica counter tops, maple cabinets and efficient LED lighting.

If you are sufficiently inspired, here is a how to video for building a Teardrop Trailer.

Classic circa 1950's kitchen complete with Coleman camping gear. I imagine that plenty of babies were boomed in small living quarters of teardrops in the decade following WWII. Teardrop trailers democratized travel and enabled 20th century manifest destiny; they are American as Apple Pie.

Here are some more links,
AZteardrops.com Gallery
Teardrops.net Classifieds
TomSweson Teardrop Project