Visit our Popular Forums

StingrayL82 · 08-28-2006, 08:43 PM

So Brooke the kids and I have spent the summer in our tin can, down here in Southern Arizona. Full timing has taught us several important lessons:

1) Space is a wonderful thing, especially when you hear, "Mom, I'm bored!" twenty million times a day.

2) Sleep number beds are infinitely more comfortable than a sofa bed.

3) 31' might sound big, but nothing beats a three-story home.

As our trip comes to an end, we are left with the dilema: Do we sell, or do we hang on to this luxuriously restored silver twinkie?

Frederic & Brooke

**moosetags** · 08-28-2006, 08:49 PM

We love Lucy's bed, but we have a real house to return to, We are spending about 25 percent of our time inlucy. We have four boys; the youngest is 28. We don't hear any complaints.

StingrayL82 · 08-28-2006, 09:19 PM

Alice is a great rig, don't get me wrong. We have really learned to appreciate the value of a big fridge, which holds more than a six pack of beer and other "essentials". Renee and Mikey have been real little troopers, but they are really itching to get home too. Added to this, we just bought a horse trailer about 20 minutes ago on Ebay. Nothing fancy, but it's ours.

Now it's time to spend some time with our "neglected" horses. While we were here, our trainer up and left our mare without even so much as a phone call to us. What a mess.

Frederic & Brooke

AZstreamin · 08-28-2006, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StingrayL82

As our trip comes to an end, we are left with the dilema: Do we sell, or do we hang on to this luxuriously restored silver twinkie?

Dilemma? I'm confused..... Did you trash it? Was the summer filled with bad memories? Did the family hate the summer dream of traveling the countryside?

Where in AZ?

You've seen a lot of country... I can't wait to take 5 weeks to do the same...
We have an Alaska trip in the long term planning stages... Unless it sucks, I can't imagine wanting to sell my Tin Cabin after a long summer. Sure will make your primary residence seem like a mansion once you get home.

Think this thru this….she is not just a trailer anymore it's your second home.

Goin camping · 08-28-2006, 09:53 PM

Sell it? Won't there be a summer next year? Next spring after being cooped up all winter won't you want to run away for weekends?

SafeHarbor · 08-28-2006, 09:55 PM

Hi, Frederic,

That's your choice, of course. Might you not, after all the effort put into it, keep it around for the occasional jaunt? Or has this tired you of the entire scene? My friend, you've made it across the USA, haven't you?

Not nearly at the same speeds a certain cookbook was passed around and appreciated.

Home is a wonderful thing, and your time in the Airstream can only have made you all closer. Do what you feel is right.

Lamar

StingrayL82 · 08-28-2006, 10:03 PM

Lamar, you sure do have a way with words....touche.

No, we didn't trash the trailer, AZstreamin (we're in between Tombstone and Huachuca City)....it's still in wonderful shape, given two kids and two little dogs.

Goin camping, I think that you're right, that there will be a next summer....I think that I'm just feeling the excitement of the fact that my military schooling is almost over, I feel like I have cabin fever, and I really just want to get home as soon as possible....

I dunno.

Frederic

Goin camping · 08-28-2006, 10:12 PM

Of course you have Cabin fever. You've been cooped up in a trailer for five weeks with kids and pets!! Egad man I'm surprised you have'nt gone on a shooting spree. However this cabin fever will return after a winter in Maryland and then you will need the trailer to escape the house. As gratefull as you will be to get home now you will be as eager to leave home again about mid winter.

StingrayL82 · 08-28-2006, 10:16 PM

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! No effing way are we ever taking Alice out in the middle of winter ever again! We tried that in February and froze our a$$es off, as well as the rear end of the trailer. What a miserable experience! The sewer pipe froze (we have no grey tank, only direct connect or Little Boy Blue), the water froze.....cripes, that weekend sucked so bad, LOL. I can laugh about it now.

Frederic

AZstreamin · 08-28-2006, 10:35 PM

Frederic,
Your next post is the big 500....I have to assume by your participation, you love your AS, if only based upon your commitment in time to this forum.
Two things IMO.... do not sell you baby.. tow her home to your beautiful state of Maryland... it may be cold in the winter but there sure are a lot of great summer places to take her next year...In the meantime take the kids to Ramsey Canyon and Kartchner Caverns before leaving S. AZ both are very cool destinations for AZ visitors.....
Safe Travels my friend.

dscluchfc · 08-28-2006, 10:58 PM

I think I know what part of the cabin fever problem stems from......HEAT!
It is HOT in Southern AZ in the Summer.
There is NO WAY I do that trip in Summer.....I would kill somebody before it was done.
Give me North Rim Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Brian Head, Flagstaff, mountains....but no lower desert in the summer....that is what Winter is made for.....
I have been to Phoenix, Tuscon, Ajo, Why, Lukeville, etc in Winter....just wonderful...but no way in Summer.

**azflycaster** · 08-28-2006, 11:09 PM

Frederic,
Drive over to Bisbee and buy the Shady Dell. It was listed on ebay a few time, but never sold. Your trailer would be right at home with the rest of the restored beauties they have there! I think you could get it for around half a million

. http://www.theshadydell.com/index.html

Pick · 08-29-2006, 06:35 AM

Frederic, you are close to my brother! He is building a house in Benson, and is building houses for the Military where you were. Nice area!

We have two horses and would miss them too. Sorry to hear about your mare. What kind of horse trailer did you buy?

StingrayL82 · 08-29-2006, 08:56 PM

Oh wow, I did hit 500, didn't I?....wasn't even keeping track. dscluchfc, actually the heat isn't bad at all here. It hasn't gotten over 92 once here, and it has rained pretty consistently the entire summer. The average, I'd say, was around 85, tops, a good 15 degrees cooler than Tucson or Phoenix. Brad, I took a look at that Shady Dell....very neat place indeed, but they don't take kids under 10

Pick, I bought Brooke a 4-horse straight load gooseneck, by Gore, out of NC. It's a 1980 with very slight surface rust in just a few small spots.

For the record, Brooke is trying to talk me out of selling the Sovereign. With her and you guys ganging up on me, I probably won't. Besides, I'd kick myself later on, if I did sell it.

AZstreamin, I would love to go to Kartchner Caverns.....I hear it's pretty cool, but I've never heard of Ramsey Canyon.....where is that?

Frederic & Brooke

AZstreamin · 08-29-2006, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StingrayL82

I've never heard of Ramsey Canyon.....where is that?

Frederic & Brooke

Ramsey Canyon: Nature Preserve.
If you are near Ft. Huachuca it is about 10 mins south.

We love the Huachuca Mountains... it is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the country and it has wonderful areas to explore and hike. The first canyon to the south of Ft. Huachuca is Ramsey Canyon follow the road to the end and you'll be at the Nature Conservancy's preserve they have over 14 different species of Hummingbirds which is about the only place in the US where you will find this many species.. BTW in Maryland you have ONE species the Ruby Throated..... Carr Canyon is the next canyon to the south take the road to the top its a fun little trip... we have done a lot of tent camping at the top...NO WAY don't even think of taking your AS to the top.. The road is passable in a car rough it can be done but the switchbacks are very tight so again DO NOT TAKE YOUR AIRSTREAM. Peak elevation is 7500 feet if I remember right. 20 degrees cooler than FT. Huachuca.
Link to Nature Conservancy Ramsey Canyon below
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/no...s/art1973.html

SE Arizona Birders Guide:
http://www.sabo.org/birding/huacspv.htm

Have fun get out do some hiking in the Huachuca’s before you hit the road east. Only word of Caution if you do extensive deep back country exploring along the border. Be mindful of your surroundings. (You’re an Army man so I don't need to tell you your business) I've never once had a problem but it’s wise to be mindful. The AZ/ Mexico border is porous. The illegal aliens are not the problem; they're just looking for a better life... it's the drug mules that can pose a greater danger. So enough with that... enjoy SE AZ it’s a wonderful place.

dscluchfc · 08-29-2006, 11:01 PM

Stingray, sounds like you lucked out on the monsoon weather and clouds keeping the heat down. That's great!

StingrayL82 · 08-30-2006, 07:07 PM

David,

I sure did! Who would have thought we came to Arizona to escape the Maryland heat! LOL!!!!!!

Frederic & Brooke

Waynon · 09-08-2006, 12:47 PM

I can well remember how MISERABLE one camping trip was with my children in southern Arizona. But they can't. They think it was the most delightful time. You can never tell what kids will remember and what they will think of an experience. It has no direct relation to cost or how much trouble you go to. Unless you really need the money, my advice (free and probably worth what you pay) is to WAIT. Just give yourself some time and see how you feel later. As an old man whose kids are now grown (one lost in the military), I will say that the times with the kids are the most important in my life. I've never met anyone who wishes he could go back and spend LESS time with the kids. In a blink they're gone.

(You just think! you'll be glad. smile)

Waynon

Minnie's Mate · 09-08-2006, 02:14 PM

I'm with Waynon. If you don't have to sell, don't. Keep it at least one more summer and try it for camping and not living in and see how you and the kids like it. At the end of next summer if you don't like it, place an ad here on the forums and sell her. If you sell her now and get the itch to go camping next April when you start to get spring fever you will wish you hadn't.

You can always sell it later but you can almost never buy it back.

StingrayL82 · 09-12-2006, 09:49 PM

Yes, it's true, we finally made it home, after driving almost straight through. We left Friday, at 12:30 and hauled butt East, stopping just past Midland. We stayed at a Holiday Inn Express, and I fell asleep literally when my head hit the pillow (It was 2 AM). Saturday we left at 10 AM and kept going all day and night and day again, arriving at 8 PM on Sunday. Alice is parked over where we keep our horses, and we are slowly unpacking her.
We averaged 14.5MPG the whole way home (yes, I did break my "tow at 55MPH" rule). Considering our speed, and the weight of the trailer (it was max'd out at 7500lbs), I'd say that was okay.
I'm sure that as the days go by, I'll probably change my mind and see everyone elses' point of view. For right now, I'm just happy to be home, in our Select Comfort bed.

Frederic