Monday, October 25, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
A New Generation
WBCC - "The Wally Byam Caravan Club". The owners of Airstream Travel Trailers, have the Divine opportunity to join the WBCC. Seems to me to be a huge support group. This group has rallies, caravans, gatherings, and have various knowledgeable people in their group that can help with any Vintage Airstream restoration problem. This group seems appealing to me, and will make the purchase of a Vintage Airstream not so intimidating. I love the idea of attending an event, that may help us with our restoration. It does seem, in some cases, the club needs to be more open and loving. Maybe they need to alter the "rules" slightly, and WELCOME new interests a little more freely. Win them over with kind gestures. Please don't be snotty...I really don't want to be a part of a group that shuns other trailer owners away. After all, their next travel trailer may be an Airstream. According to a blog i read last night, they have pretentious moments, that do not encourage others to join the club. A non-member, senior citizen, female, and fellow Airstream owner, wanted to join in a caravan. She just wanted to feel safer..."Safety in Numbers". According to the story, (if accurate) she was turned away due to the fact she was not a member. Please don't turn elderly travellers to the Highway, when all they wanted was companionship. Had they allowed her to join them, I would bet my bedonkidonk she would have eventually joined the club. I'm just sayin'. A new generation of Airstream owners...needs a new way of thinking.
check out the link below to the actual article
check out the link below to the actual article
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Al-13
Yup, I've gone 'n dun it! I have been bitten by another obsession.
The history behind this one: Just over a year ago, in late August, we (our family) went on a 10 day vacation, in Pembrooke, Ontario. We borrowed a cousin's tent trailer, and were on our way to Fiddle Park. It was a Fiddle Festival that my parents frequent every year. Yup, a Fiddle Festival. Although we are barley 40, we seem to be old beyond our years, and love to surround ourselves with old things. (as mentioned before) This includes the "old folks". ("We do love you all!") We had a great time, but the tiny '70's tent trailer (old but lacking character!) was not very accommodating for us. It was pushing September, and it happened that that week was really cold at night. No heater in the rig, and our alarm clock was the condensation dripping on our faces in the morning.
Neil had back surgery a couple of years ago, and his back had a hard time with the dampness that a tent trailer has under the bunks. Although we appreciated the loan of the tent trailer (Thanks Forrest & Linda :) ) we vowed we would never stay in one again. Surrounded by massive 5th wheels, motor homes, and silver bullet looking things, we felt so small. While on the premises of this fine Fiddling Festival, we had the honor to tour some of the other rigs out there. Yikes...The 3000 trailers accommodating the park that weekend, and the riggins pulling them, I can not imagine the total $$$ in that park! Some with numerous "pop-outs", a/c, and all of the fixin's of home! (Some trailers were more equipped than our home!) Why bother having a home? Just keep travelling south as the weather cools off for the winter! (That is my plan...do you think I should tell Neil?) Needless to say, including
our 1994 Chrysler Concorde, we were the
"trailer trash" that week. - No offence intended. -
There is Neil
A view just before the park filled up. We were truly packed like sardines. You couldn't even fart in the morning without the people 3 trailers over smelling your stench!
So, back to my obsession...
When we got home, I did as my son always says..."google it!"
Knowing that a new fancy trailer was probably not a logical plan for us, I decided to google used fixer-up'ers. Somehow in my googling, I came across the "Teardrop" trailer. A DIY project that any "handy" person could reasonably take on, quite inexpensively. Neil is handy, isn't he? Well, at least i am. The trailer is small and light, and has a queen bed with a real mattress in it. It has an outdoor kitchen off of the back, and is great for the true outdoors person. (Like us) It can be towed by a smaller vehicle too.
My logic is: Why do we need all of the amenities of home? We go camping to enjoy the out-of doors. The only reason we require a trailer is mostly because of my husbands back. Perfect, right? Nope, I was so excited to get started right away building our teardrop, that I totally neglected our 2 kids, and 2 dogs.
My husband had to point this out. I was convinced that the boys would love to be in a tent. They were 9 & 8 years old now, I am sure they would love a tent.....wouldn't they? Well, my husband did have to point out that it does get really cold some nights. After all, we do live in Northern Ontario, Canada. We could have a much longer season in a full size trailer. Man, I was so disappointed. I was crushed, and gave up for a while. Every once in a while I would see one, and admire the "cuteness" and simplicity of it. Just look how cute they can be:
(THE TEARDROP & THE KIDS!)
Oh well.... huhhhh, depression sets in. Our travelling dreams will have to wait until we can afford a reasonable travel trailer, with a reasonable vehicle to tow it.
My parents were kind of looking out for us...a friend of theirs was older, moved out of their house, and in the barn was a 1970's trailer. They inquired about it for us, but that fell through. I thought an older "Boler" trailer might be the answer. A small trailer, a good "starter trailer"
Then one day, just a couple of weeks ago, a co-worker told me he had just bought a Boler trailer. I said how cool that was, that I wanted one too. ......
.......Wait for it...........
................................
"Have I got a trailer for you!"
That was it. Our destiny.
"A 25' 1953 Airstream." That is what he said to me. I immediately said no, it was too big, and probably too expensive. I really didn't think the "1953" part of that sentence, was the year. I assumed it was the series or something. (I was an airstream virgin.) I did ask him a few simple questions, then dismissed the subject. He still gave me his phone #, and went on his merry way. Over the weekend, I decided it was worth the "google". 1953 Airstream....wow. hmmmmm. Intriguing, .....cool dome shape, .....hmmmmm.
This is not the actual trailer, I stole this picture from an unknown source.
Interesting history, kinda cool. I love old things...hmmmm...My co-worker was mistaken on the size, it is actually 21 feet long...not too big at all.
My slight interest, quickly turned into blog hopping, price comparisons, restoration supply research, and, eventually, my current obsession!
There you have it. I WANT ONE!
Al-13...Aluminum...who knew! Now all I have to do is convince my husband. Or, (shhhh) make him think it is HIS idea.
MTC, as soon as there is more to tell.
The history behind this one: Just over a year ago, in late August, we (our family) went on a 10 day vacation, in Pembrooke, Ontario. We borrowed a cousin's tent trailer, and were on our way to Fiddle Park. It was a Fiddle Festival that my parents frequent every year. Yup, a Fiddle Festival. Although we are barley 40, we seem to be old beyond our years, and love to surround ourselves with old things. (as mentioned before) This includes the "old folks". ("We do love you all!") We had a great time, but the tiny '70's tent trailer (old but lacking character!) was not very accommodating for us. It was pushing September, and it happened that that week was really cold at night. No heater in the rig, and our alarm clock was the condensation dripping on our faces in the morning.
our 1994 Chrysler Concorde, we were the
"trailer trash" that week. - No offence intended. -
So, back to my obsession...
When we got home, I did as my son always says..."google it!"
Knowing that a new fancy trailer was probably not a logical plan for us, I decided to google used fixer-up'ers. Somehow in my googling, I came across the "Teardrop" trailer. A DIY project that any "handy" person could reasonably take on, quite inexpensively. Neil is handy, isn't he? Well, at least i am. The trailer is small and light, and has a queen bed with a real mattress in it. It has an outdoor kitchen off of the back, and is great for the true outdoors person. (Like us) It can be towed by a smaller vehicle too.
 |
| Christmas 2009 |
(THE TEARDROP & THE KIDS!)
My parents were kind of looking out for us...a friend of theirs was older, moved out of their house, and in the barn was a 1970's trailer. They inquired about it for us, but that fell through. I thought an older "Boler" trailer might be the answer. A small trailer, a good "starter trailer"
Then one day, just a couple of weeks ago, a co-worker told me he had just bought a Boler trailer. I said how cool that was, that I wanted one too. ......
.......Wait for it...........
................................
"Have I got a trailer for you!"
That was it. Our destiny.
"A 25' 1953 Airstream." That is what he said to me. I immediately said no, it was too big, and probably too expensive. I really didn't think the "1953" part of that sentence, was the year. I assumed it was the series or something. (I was an airstream virgin.) I did ask him a few simple questions, then dismissed the subject. He still gave me his phone #, and went on his merry way. Over the weekend, I decided it was worth the "google". 1953 Airstream....wow. hmmmmm. Intriguing, .....cool dome shape, .....hmmmmm.
Interesting history, kinda cool. I love old things...hmmmm...My co-worker was mistaken on the size, it is actually 21 feet long...not too big at all.
My slight interest, quickly turned into blog hopping, price comparisons, restoration supply research, and, eventually, my current obsession!
There you have it. I WANT ONE!
Al-13...Aluminum...who knew! Now all I have to do is convince my husband. Or, (shhhh) make him think it is HIS idea.
MTC, as soon as there is more to tell.
Our Door is Always Open
The wood was real wood, the ceilings are tall, they have character. These are some of the things that always attracted us to old houses. After living in a 40 year old bungalow for 12 years, we finally bought that big old house with "character" that we always wanted.
Ugh. What were we thinking? Did we discuss this over a box of cheap wine? A bout of temporary insanity? The thing about an old house in the city, is the fact that the old houses are in old neighbourhoods. Old neighbourhoods, have old neighbours, and cheap houses. Cheap houses have slum-lords, and old neighbours don't like change, & new neighbours. All of this on top of the mere fact that old houses with "character", require updating & restoration. Hours & hours of free labour, (DIY) because the funds needed for such a project, would truly break any average person.
This is our side door, already half done. 100 years of layers cheap peeling paint and neglect. Neil wanted to change this door out, and I would not let him. It took me 1 week to convince him to keep it, and another week to strip, (in front of the next door neighbour) and refinish this baby.
The doorbell on the outside, & the inside. Was it worth restoring & would I do it again? You bet your bedonkidonk!
Ugh. What were we thinking? Did we discuss this over a box of cheap wine? A bout of temporary insanity? The thing about an old house in the city, is the fact that the old houses are in old neighbourhoods. Old neighbourhoods, have old neighbours, and cheap houses. Cheap houses have slum-lords, and old neighbours don't like change, & new neighbours. All of this on top of the mere fact that old houses with "character", require updating & restoration. Hours & hours of free labour, (DIY) because the funds needed for such a project, would truly break any average person.
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