By Lisa Parent

Tiny trailer becomes focus of vintage trailer rally in Medicine Hat

Aug 22, 2023 | 3:55 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Trailers of all shapes, sizes and colours were a spectacle at the Gas City Campground this weekend. However one vintage trailer became the focus, partially because of it’s unique size, but mostly because of the interesting couple that owns it.

Linda and Greg Gessner were a bit out of their element as they rolled into Gas City campground for the vintage trailer rally.

“So on Monday night was our very first night that we have ever camped in our life. So we have a vast experience of less than one week of camping under our belt,” says Linda Gessner.

The Gessner’s only heard about the trailer rally a week ago after running into a Hatter who encouraged them to go.

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“There was a cancellation. we got in. We had no idea what we were walking into or what to expect. We are as green as they come,” Linda explains.

The Gessner’s first purchased the Holly Van trailer a year ago.

Greg says his wife found the trailer at a garage sale, “I said, ‘what do we need a camper for? We don’t camp.'”

After some long debates and research into the trailers origins, they snagged it and restored it.

“We did find a lot of history on this little camper, it’s so neat. It came out of England in the 50’s and very rare, only 19 left in the world known today,” explains Greg.

After showing up in Medicine Hat on Friday, their tiny trailer became the talk of the town.

“All of a sudden we’re here, we drive in, and there’s this big hullabaloo over this tiny little camper that is just our little camper,” says Linda.

She adds, “last night when we got here, we walked around and admired everybody else’s campers, came around the corner and saw ours and we just laughed. We said, ‘oh my god, it’s so ridiculously small.’”

So small in fact, that the five-foot-wide trailer has hole in the side to stick your feet out of when sleeping. However, these little quirks were exactly what had people flocking to the campsite to check out the trailer. People were even checking out the trailer on the way to the rally.

“The looks on the highway, when we’re driving on the highway you get the two thumbs up. We just enjoy the expressions on the people that pass us,” says Greg.

Linda adds, “it’s been a ton of fun, everybody here is so wonderful, they’re so welcoming. It’s been great to just connect with other campers.”

The Gessner’s both say they plan on attending more vintage trailer rallies in the future.