Posts Tagged ‘Tin Can Tourists’

In last week’s blog, I showed you this photo.

It makes you want to smile, doesn’t it? Kind of makes you want to run away to somewhere peaceful.  Or, dance around the camper with a Margarita while singing Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. 

Wastin away again in Margaritaville
Searching for my lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there’s a woman to blame
But I know it’s my own damn fault.

Sorry, I couldn’t resist nudging your memory banks. 

I first heard about Bob & Rita Meredith while reading Nick Russell’s Gypsy Journal blog and instantly fell in love with what they’d done with this camper.

This particular camper is called Tin Can Tahiti. Let me tell you a bit about this talented couple while I insert photos of their work.

I asked Bob how long he’d been an artist.

I kind of zigzagged through life with several different careers, but held firm to my art throughout. I readily admit that my most interesting and fun job was as a designer and builder of sets for television in the Baltimore, Maryland area.

As you can see there’s a wealth of creativity and talent invested in this particular camper. However, Bob doesn’t take sole credit for it.  He knows the value of having a supportive wife.

Bob did the painting on the outside and trimmed all the windows in bamboo. 

Inside Rita was busy decorating, choosing the curtains, recovering the seats, and adding the touches that make this camper stand out from others.    They then laminated the floor and painted the walls.  I think the only things missing are the Pilot’s and my clothes, dishes and the dog to complete the ambiance.

Bob & Rita started working on an older motor home in 2006 by painting lighthouses on the sides and back. In 2007, they decided to upgrade and sold the painted unit to a woman who loved lighthouses.

Bob refers to his campers as “Art Campers” and, I believe that’s a pretty apt name.  I would have difficulty selling them after all the work that goes into them.  They are truly unique and one of a kind. 

That’s Bob in front of his “Cowboy Camper” that he recently sold at the Milford, Michigan meet for the Tin Can Tourists.   This camper makes my Texas heart beat faster!

This is where you hang your hat at the end of the day…

while you’re fixin some vittles in the kitchen and, where you put your saddle at night so that some rascally varmint won’t steal it.  Sorry, I got carried away with this western theme going on. 

At night, this is where you can play your guitar, think about someone special and gently nod off to sleep while watching the stars outside your window.

Bob & Rita currently home base in Western Maryland where they think about new ideas and work their magic on campers.  This also allows Bob time to work on his art.

I asked Bob where he got his ideas for the art campers. 

We lived on the west coast of Florida for 11 years and that is where I got the idea for the Tin Can Tahiti.  When we traveled out west one winter, it gave me the idea for the cowboy camper.  After I get an idea, then we have the fun of looking in flea markets and yard sales, etc. to accessorize the unit.  Once our friends see what we are doing, they have items or ideas to contribute as well.  We have daily visitors to see what we are doing next – we are a regular entertainment!

Bob and Rita aren’t fulltimimg yet but they do spend their winters in Florida with their son and his family, which includes their six grandchildren. 

There seems to be a marvelous resurgence of renovating older campers and making them your own.  I love seeing photos of vintage campers and Bob’s sure don’t disappoint. 

Personally, I’d love to be parked next to one.  Now, that would brighten my day to look out the window, see all that artwork and then, grab a couple of cups of coffee and go over and introduce myself!

If you want to contact Bob and Rita for more information or ideas, you can email them at bobrita@atlanticbb.net, or leave your comments here and I’ll see that they get them.

Stay strong and steady with the wind always blowing at your back
as you travel down the road to your next adventure.

Until next week…keep creating Sentimental Journeyz in your RV.