This past weekend we took the trailer out to the Bonneville Salt Flats for the day to do some range testing with my Amateur Radio.  We were testing for an upcoming 100 mile run that I help support where crazy people find enough courage to run 100 miles across the salt covered landscape.  The other radio operators were on the other side of the sharp pointy mountain range or the right side of the picture above.  We were specifically testing a digital communication path which will enable us to send the equivalent of email over the radio during the event which makes the communication of runners locations and times much easier.

 

In the days leading up to the testing the other radio operators were questing my choice to bring the trailer due to the distance.  I thought for a minute that they might be right and I would just operate out of my vehicle, then it hit me… that is one of the reasons we started looking at and purchased the trailer to start with.  Having a place that is comfortable to spend time and out of the elements is a huge thing.  My alternative would have been a 10×10 pop-up tent covering the back of my Xterra.  So was it worth it to pull the trailer out there, you bet!  Ashley and one of our dogs, Livy, joined me (that would’t have happened without the trailer) and when we arrived we actually needed to kick the heater on.  Toasty warm and working inside is hard to beat.  When it came time for lunch Ash made a couple of sandwiches with chips and diet coke and all was well.  It surly beat the gas station hot dogs that one of the other guys grabbed on his way out.  All in all the test was very successful and I think we will be better prepared to support the actual event.