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Show TENT OR TRAILER FOR THE TOURIST? j MOTOR TOLmfNG IX CWU-XJRT. By LEON A DICKINSON, Manager TourliiK and Transportation, Bureau, American Automobile Asiwxrlatlon. The Initial problem confronting every ev-ery prospective motor camper relates, to the matter of shelter while on tour. I'nlftss he Intondb to sleep In some' I building. In Which case ho can hardlyl be classed as a tamper at all, he mu-Jl ' I docilc at :he outt whether to rely on a tent or a trailer. Each has Its advantages and dls- advantages, and both are used extensively exten-sively by tourists, though It Is uml--' nlble that the number of tentu Is (,-' iter it-er In exeeuH of the number of trull -r.i at the present time. The underlying r ason for this pre rlomlnanco doubtless Is the amalltfr Initial cost of a tent outfit, many motorists mo-torists finding It advisable to sacrifice something in th way of convene nee for the purpose of economy. Of course this difference In cost Is very largely offset when the size of the part uCceftal tour, because tho larger tents naturally involve the heavier outlay than those meant to accomrno-dat( accomrno-dat( only two or three persons (IKSTIOXS OF MOBIT..ITY. A trailer outfit can be erected for ufe more quickly than even the most Ingenlouji auto-tonta, but Is appreciably appre-ciably loss mobllj on the road. It raav be safely stated that tralleri are inadvisable in mountainous country, coun-try, wht-re gradei an .tr c p and shai p turns frequent In fact, thtre are some regions where they are a potential po-tential source of danger, particular! where the driver is Inexperienced In mount. 1 1 n rivlng. Some motorist.' object to trailers be :ium- of tK-'ir tendency to render th' parts unduly ronsplcuous, thuugn this can hardly bfl H4iid tp eonstlt .t'. a lerloUfl dlsadv.intagi-. itrli t Justice compels the ndmlssmn that several makes of trailer are now on tiv mark el that are veritable marvels mar-vels pt Ingenuity as regards the fa- elllties provided for sloi plnj and cooking cook-ing while on the road. It cannot ho denied that there is a dlstnlct advantage advan-tage In having every single CamplDj necessity stowed awny In a iepaiatS vehicle, having the car itself enm i free from unnovlng Itirumbranoss TYPES OF TENTS. These wlin dfcido to use tents should make certain that the type sS' leeted provides plenty of headroom and las a sewed-in floor cloth to Iceep "it ants and Inpects. It should ha.e tt minimum of polex and guys consistent consist-ent with proper rlgld'ty, bo wall - Van -tilated. and hie'e 1U windows screened against mosquitoes. The Ideal material for tents of tills kind Is balloon silk, because it Is, light In weight, folds Into a very compact bundle und Is strong and waterproof t ' Some tents ni so designed as to provide cots or beds for from two to six persons, these beds bolng an lni.e-gnl lni.e-gnl aprt of the tent itself. Competition among manufacturers hus produced a great variety of Btylrs and shapes, some being made to attach at-tach from the top of the motor car and extend outward like the leantO n a building, whll" others are- attach d to the running board and ofld back to arr on It. rolled up. Still othori arc entirely neiarato from the rai these usually giving more freedom of action, though requiring a little more time tO' erect and take down. |