Stories have a way of growing as details build. Same is true for this story of our first Airstream.
I got up one day and while pouring some coffee, Karen says that she has it figured out. OK, may I have some coffee first? She goes on to say: "Since we live in Colorado and are so close to the mountains, we don't need a mountain cabin. And if we get a beach house on the Outer Banks, we would be "stuck" going there all the time."
OK, now I am listening.
She goes on to say how much she enjoyed our Coleman Mesa popup but hated all the work to get it ready to go. "Pick it up, raise it up, load it up, go and get there, raise it up, have fun, come home, raise it up, unload, close it up and back to storage. Yeah it was work but still a lot of fun." Then the big statement..... "I think we should do that again and go where ever we want when ever we want. And I know you have always liked Airstreams when we see them, so you should get one."
Stop, time out, pick me up! Did my wife just tell me to go buy my dream travel trailer?? Yep!
So now for the search. Internet is great but pictures are not like stepping inside yourself. I started taking notes of new, used, International, Globetrotter, Flying Cloud, Classic....oh so many choices. So one weekend we go up to Windish RV in Denver and check out their inventory, about 50! Well after an hour or two of going inside and comparing all the different sizes and styles, I go in to get a sales person to chat with. We go back out and go through all the Airstreams again but now with the knowledgeable source of all the details. I like the 23' and 25' units, Karen likes the 27 and 30 footers, our son is just along for the ride. Finally we get to one that had just been traded in and was not even ready to be shown. Well Karen walked in and it was just the style, colors, layout she really liked. A 2016 Flying Cloud 28' that looked brand new. So let the haggling begin! Done, happy, paid. There were a few minor things I wanted fixed, like a loose wardrobe door, shades that needed the retract reset and a leaking skylight, but Windish stepped up and corrected everything.
Graham (son) and I went up a week later to pick it up. Windish adjusted the Equilizer hitch, gave us the full tour of all the systems, verified everything was to my liking and back home our AS came!
I found a great place to store it and we have started getting everything stocked up and ready for our first trip. Hate that it is so cold now and the AS is winterized but Spring will be here soon. First trip will be to the Great Sand Dunes and then we are planning for Arizona, Wyoming, Idaho, weekend trips all over Colorado.
Events in my life have always come in 3s and the same here. First my truck hits 111000 the week I pick up the AS, second I get the AS and third, I will be retired as of noon on Friday.
We have named the AS, TINTIN. After the books by Herge - The Adventures of Tintin. Below are some pics.
And a big Thank you for this forum and the great advice I am picking up.
Pat
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