Our latest book truck pop-up at Prima Vini Wine Merchants in Dublin, CA was anything but routine. Rather than navigate the mayhem of Saturday morning suburban traffic in our puny Haflinger, I rented a trailer from U-Haul.
Sounded simple enough. The Haflinger is only 4 x 11, so their 6 x 12 trailer would be plenty of room. We’d roll the Haflinger on, hitch up, and drive the 10 miles to Prima Vini.
Turned out, the trailer’s dimensions don’t apply where it matters most—the back gate. The bed of the trailer was 6′ wide, but the back gate was more like 4′ 4″. After several attempts to drive it on without scraping the sides, we just pushed it. Problem solved. That is, until we got to our destination. On the ride over, it shifted a wee bit making backing it out without scratches impossible. After a few failed attempts to reposition it by driving back and forth I was ready to give up and drive home. Fortunately 2 guys from the neighboring bike shop couldn’t resist and asked to help. The 3 of us lifted the back just enough to straighten it and rolled it off the trailer unscathed.
This event took place on October 4, 2025 at Prima Vini Wine Merchants in Dublin, CA. You can check them out at www.primavini.com.
So, next time the book truck rolls into a new spot, know that getting there is half the story—and sometimes, it’s the wildest part. Cheers to threading needles, squeezing camels, and bringing books and community to places worth the journey.
