When life gives you lemons, go ride Lemonade!

Lees-ure Lite Trailer Info

Our Lees-ure Lite Trailer is a 2007 model we bought used last year.  It is made in Osoyoos in the Okanogan Valley in British Columbia, Canada.  They are available nationwide.  Their web page has a list of distributors.

Ours has several optional features.  The awning and the pod on the tongue are both factory options.  The screen room can be bought from the factory but we made our own for about 1/3 the cost, plus two days of both of us to measure, cut and sew.  The awning came with Velcro all around the edge.  We just put Velcro along the top of the screen panels and hung it inside.  There is a zipper at each corner and a door zipper in the front.

 

 

When we made the screen we had intended to do only that.  Kathy decided to make nylon panels to fit inside the screens to give more privacy and shelter.  We have used those panels for rain, wind and sun protection.  We even use the panels without the screen portion.  We just stick them to the Velcro on the awning and let them hang down as shown here.

In March of 2014 New Orleans was very cold and rainy and we used the panels a lot.

 

 

 

 

We also made a skirt to hide the underside from view.  It is a red waterproof material that we cut to fit.  It has Velcro on the top edge to match the Velcro the factory put on the bottom of the tent.  You can just see it between the pod and the screen room.  We then can store stuff out of sight under the trailer.

These are both available from the factory but we felt we could beat the price and have a usable product.  And we did.

 The tie-tapes are if we want to leave the screen room attached but to roll up one side.

The pod on the front holds our ice chest and some lightweight items.

 

The other factory option we have are a set of T-shaped steel jack stands that fit into the rear frame so that the trailer can be stored in the garage sitting on its rear end with the hitch up at the ceiling.  I looked at those two square ends of the frame members and bought a piece of square tube to fit inside it like the jack stands do.  I cut this tube to length and built the shelf out of steel perforated angle.  The kind with small holes all along the length.  After bolting it all together I cut plywood to fit inside the steel angle.  I had to drill a hole through the frame and the square tube about 3 inches in under the trailer to accept hitch pins.  These hitch pins are what holds it in place when traveling and make it easy to remove for set up.  I pull the pins, pull the shelf and set it underneath the rear of the trailer just before dropping the support stands.

When we are on the road we have a couple of more additions that are not factory available.

We have a standard car-top carrier bag tied to the top rails of the trailer.  This holds our camping chairs, table, patio mat, foot stools, screen room and our rain gear bags.

On the back is the shelf I designed and built.  It has some heavy items in it to help balance our tongue weight.  But mostly it has items we might need to use alongside the road.  It has tire changing tools for the trailer and a gallon of gasoline.  (We have given the gallon to other bikers more often than we have used it ourselves but we still carry one on long trips into unknown territories.)  This avoids having to open the trailer to get these tools.  The factory sells a spare tire tongue mount but I put mine on the frame right between the tires centered under the trailer bed.  It means lying down to reach it but it reduces the tongue weight.  The support stands mounted underneath can be used to jack the trailer up for tire changing.

When setting up, after the supports are lowered and adjusted, I lift the front of the lid and lower it behind.  

Then I go inside and start moving the boxes and inflating the bed while Kathy installs the awning and gets the poles out.  The awning just zips on along the edge of the roof.  It can go on either side.  With doors on both sides it is very versatile.  Then I come out and help by putting the guy lines and tent stakes in while she holds the poles.  Set up the chairs and its time to relax and have a beer.

The 4 inch PVC pipe behind the wheels is not a sewer connection.  (We do not have any indoor plumbing!)  It is to hold the poles for the awning.  The factory builds an aluminum box to go there but this was already on the trailer when we bought it so we have continued to use it.

We carry our camping stuff in these plastic boxes.  They are the same height as the air mattress.  They stack here when in camp and the air mattress is inflated.  On the road they lay on the deflated air mattress 2 by 2.  They are labeled with kitchen, stove, food, books/maps, mechanical and souvenirs.  The mechanical has the small heater, a fan, laundry stuff, plastic bags, seam sealer, bike wash, etc.  We have to leave room along the inside edge of the trailer for the tent support poles to fit when it is closed but otherwise it does very well.

If we do need into one of these boxes while on the road we can partially open the trailer and reach in through the doors to get into any box.

We are very happy with the trailer.  It is not as big inside as the TimeOut we used to have, but this one is very much easier and quicker to set up and take down.  And it can be done in the rain with everything inside staying dry.  We like that the lid becomes the floor and we are standing on a solid surface that is off the ground.  The bed in this model is a double size, not queen size like the TimeOut, but we manage just fine.  This trailer is about the same weight as the TimeOut the way we have it loaded but it tows easier.  It really fits our style of camping.

 

 

Lastly, Kathy found this sign in San Antonio and we had to have it.  It is getting a little travel worn but then it has been hanging outdoors on the front of the tent in every campsite for over three months.  It has been in sun, rain, wind and thunderstorms but still keeps getting smiles from other campers.

Here is another link to their web page.

Lees-ure Lite Trailers