A convenient and inexpensive piece of equipment for a Ford car of any model is the Carefree Luggagett. It fits on either running board. There is no drilling. It is fastened with a strap hook. It affords [[37]]a closed tight space for carrying loose articles. It has a smooth retainer wall with no rivets or lugs to tear or wear holes in luggage. Since container space is closed, no strapping or tying is necessary. It allows the doors to open over it. It may be attached or detached in a minute. It is substantial and weighs only 7½ pounds. [[38]]
CHAPTER V
A HOME-MADE CAMPING OUTFIT
Standing the Test of an 8,000 Mile Trip—Good Water Supply Everywhere—Army Cots and Canvas the Basis of Outfit—Complete Directions—Mosquito Netting Sides Permit Adequate Ventilation.
One of the most interesting experiences in motor camping of which we have known is that of Mr. Frederick W. Huntington of Brooklyn, N. Y. His trip is of particular significance, not primarily in being adventurous, but because it illustrates what any one can accomplish through ingenuity at very moderate expense.
Mr. and Mrs. Huntington traveled from New York City to California, on an 8,000-mile route, in nine weeks’ time, driving every day, and camping every night without a mishap.
They encountered wind-storms and rain-storms, but their equipment stood all the blasts and proved waterproof all the time. In some places the mosquitoes sang in the vicinage by night, but were never admitted to the society of the campers. The travelers report excellent roads all of the way to the Mississippi, and passable highways all the way across the continent. They were never more than forty miles from a good water supply. They found [[39]]camp sites in nearly all the towns beyond the Appalachians, but seldom used them, preferring usually to camp in some secluded spot near the roadside. In fact, they discovered that unless one arrives fairly early in the afternoon, many of the camping parks will be found to be crowded already, with little room for the late-comer.
The striking feature of this trip is the tent equipment which Mr. Huntington designed. It is simple and effective. With a little aid from a local machine shop, or even a blacksmith shop, it can be made by any prospective camper. Accordingly, a description is given herewith showing just how Mr. Huntington constructed his outfit. The drawings which accompany this chapter will serve to clarify the text.