How much space does one girl need?

[TIMEMACHINE]

You could also try California RV in Fontana, they are right off Interstate 10 just past Interstate 15. They have a large inventory and won't have any problem letting you hang out inside as 2air suggested earlier.

Please do yourself a favor and use the forum to determine how much to pay for an Airstream after you find the one you want. Never pay the list price for a new unit, there are always deals, do not let a salesperson move you faster than you want, new units are plentiful in California and there is a lot of competition between dealers.

Time

[mwinter]

Originally Posted by TIMEMACHINE

You could also try California RV in Fontana, they are right off Interstate 10 just past Interstate 15. They have a large inventory and won't have any problem letting you hang out inside as 2air suggested earlier.

Please do yourself a favor and use the forum to determine how much to pay for an Airstream after you find the one you want. Never pay the list price for a new unit, there are always deals, do not let a salesperson move you faster than you want, new units are plentiful in California and there is a lot of competition between dealers.

Time

Hi Time Machine,

I like the photo of your Safari. Very nice. I will take a look at California RV in Fontana. Thank you for the tip. And I won't rush into buying anything. I plan to spend several months researching all of this, so no worries.

Myra

[craftsman]

Hi Myra, The 25' Airstream is that size right in the middle, not to large like a 30-34" and not to small like a 16'-22'. I almost bought a 34' and now I'm really glad that I didn't. The 25' with the rear twins would be perfect for a single person full timing. You could take out one of the beds and turn that area into a nice desk for a computer, file cabinet below and extra storage.It's a size that with a little practice you could handle by yourself where as a 34' the traditional fulltime Airstream ,might be just a little intimidating. Something smaller may start feeling a little tight after awhile.Starting small and trading up means your have to have the larger trailer before you sell the smaller one to have someplace to move your stuff. Also if this is to be your home you don't want to be constantly working on a vintage or used trailer all the time. That will really take the fun out of fulltiming.I have a 2006 Ford F350 crew cab diesel and a 2007 25' Classic with some custom factory additions and my payments are still far less than your rent.

[overlander63]

If you are looking for "new", Airstream built a 22 foot CCD coach 2 or 3 years ago, with a computer station/office in the rear. It may be worth trying to find one that has been gently used.

[mwinter]

I like the new brand new Safari. What do I need to tow it with?

[85MH325]

Depends which model you're looking at... they range from 16' to 30'.

Airstream :: Safari

Roger

[safari57]

Originally Posted by mwinter

I like the new brand new Safari. What do I need to tow it with?

Ah yes, a person after my own heart. I'm also fond of the name Safari given my car is of the first generation of them, and I'd hunted for years for an Airstream Safari of '57 vintage to go with the car before grabbing the Flying Cloud.

There's some pretty reasonable deals on slightly used Airstreams. I don't know what the depreciation is like on them overall but they do hold their value far better than the SOB's I've seen. Start comparing prices on the various websites, this one included, and try RVtrader.com and others and I think you'll see that you can do pretty good.

As for a TV, being slightly over basic needs is a good thing. Getting something that just marginally meets the requirements can be costly and disappointing and you only want to have to do this once. There are a number of threads on here talking about TV sizing and once you determine a trailer that will suit your living requirements you can focus on the TV.

Barry

[safari57]

There's always eBay.

This one just happened to catch my eye tonight and it is in CA.

eBay Motors: AIRSTREAM TRAVEL TRAILER 25' SOVEREIGN ,EXCELLENT! (item 110120057997 end time May-06-07 18:15:00 PDT)

From the look of the pictures it would appear that it's had quality ownership -but you would have to check it out.

Barry

[str8strm]

Just another voice in the darkness. How about one of these? We love ours.

[dieterdog]

Myra,, i would say this appears to be a very nice trailer,, need to go and look for yourself,, have the owner run all the systems,, good luck,, donna

[mwinter]

Originally Posted by str8strm

Just another voice in the darkness. How about one of these? We love ours.

Oh, dear. That's a bit big for me.

M.W.

[SilverToy]

Myra -

That 345 is big, about the same as mine - a 34' TT. The 345 does have a significant advantage in that there is no TV to buy....!!!!

Heck, get a Moped.... or a bike.... or that pair if hiking boots you wanted.

There are lots of terrific ways to 'do this adventure' you are looking for. Just gotta decide on what suits YOU.

And bigger is better in my TT book - obviously! Just because you have the space, doesn't mean that you have to fill it. I simply LOVE my 34, and cannot ever see how I could get along in anything smaller - period. Now, that does by definition, exclude me from some SP's and NP's but then that is of no concern to me.

Pulling into a rest area on a trip, lunching with the family in SilverToy - each in a comfy seating area, talking over the sight's we'd seen on that stretch of road, discussing the night camping place & dinner there, etc.... Priceless. Really priceless!!!! My now 5 y/o still talks SO excitedly about the 4 carved heads (Mt. Rushmore) that he saw 2+ years ago. The older 2 still RAVE about the day on the boat OUT ON Lake Powell as well as taking the dam tour, Oh and rafting from the bottom of the dam to see the Petroglyphs before the 'world famous' "Horseshoe Curve" in the Colorado river.

Wow! I still get goosebumps when I think/ sit here and write about it. These memories and truely indelable, and they provide such a wonderfull context to all the other things that continue to spiral all around. Grounding!, is what the AS experience provides to me.


All the best Myra!

Axel
SilverToy

[craftsman]

Man ,that 25' on ebay looks like a super nice unit. I've never seen the rear wrap around windows on a 25'.

[Swanny]

Originally Posted by mwinter

Hi Everyone,

I'm Myra, and I'm new to the forum. A bit about me: I'm a 43-yr-old single woman with a small dog and a cat. I'm a writer and my work goes where I go. (Just need a high-speed connection). Last year, I worked real hard and made good money, but it nearly killed me. I had no life. What's more, the cost of living here in Los Angeles (where I live) is so outrageous that I had nothing left over. What a waste. I'll be dead in a few years if I keep it up.

Myra Winter

Myra welcome to the forums.

When reading your post it brought to mind how we americans have got it backwards sometimes. Many people place their career before everything else and before they know it their life is over.

Although I am not a writer I too have a similar plan. My company has a pension plan that I can draw on at age 55 (9 more years). I expect to continue working there until that time and then kick it into 2nd gear.

I plan to 3/4 time in our AS and teach under-grad students via the internet, now enters the University of Phoenix or some other institution.

So sometimes having a plan is what most of us miss out on. Enjoy everyday because we never know when its our last.

As for which rig...well I defer that to the experts that have already provided you with some great advice. One thing I'll caution you on is once you go with Aluminum you'll never to back to painted sheet metal.

Mitch

[commander31]

Hi Myra, and yes, most certainly, Welcome to the forum!!

I have sat here this morning with my fresh "cuppajoe' and read your entire thread with great interest.... To say the very least, I can sincerely relate to your desire to just "light out" and see the country and just take some quality time out to live a little, smell the roses, and regain your sanity.

I find my self here this morning a 46 yr old divorced guy with two younger kids (10 and 12) and basically a classic case of a dead end job, huge house payments (had to buy my childhood home here in a very UMC neighborhood twice!!---- once from my father almost 20 yrs ago, then secondly from my ex) Most certainly this is not where I envisioned myself being at this stage of my life......starting over at 46..... but no one sez life is always wrapped up in a neat little rosy red bow...right??

But all things considered, i think I am slowly regaining my sanity-- and serenity is just around the bend, i think I can see a bit of it peeking through the gray rain clouds now!!! haha!! But I can certainly relate to your itching desire to do something new and adventurous, and what better way to do it than in an Airstream.

My particular experiences with Airstreaming came many many years ago, as a very young boy, and I was fortunate enough to be given the awesome opportunity to travel extensively with my Grandparents every summer starting when I was 8 yrs old, And from the summer of 1969 to when Gramps had to sell the beloved 69 23 Safari in 1976 due to health reasons, we sure did put some serious miles on the rig, and to say the least, it gave me enough memories to last me my lifetime. There is a small fraternity of us here on the forum that have come to be known as the "Airstream Brats", and as young kids (many yrs ago!!) we were exposed to this wonderful free and nearly vagabond lifestyle.... I wear that title with a smile!! Looking back and reminiscing about those days with these guys is a hoot!!

With me, as in so many different instances, it is not so much a case of trying something completely new, as it is to revisit something that was so near and dear to my heart as a youngster.... They say that sometimes (especially with us guys) that we spend our adult lives just trying to get back all the cool stuff we had as children....I think I may be taking it to the next level too, and I desire to expose my own two children to some of the awesome life changing experiences that I was awarded by my own Grandparents.

So, all of that said, after many yrs of searching, and after the wife "hitting the highway" (figuratively, of course...) ... I was free to finally pursue my dream of owning my own little Airstream. I finally found the exact clone to my Grandparents trailer last year, down in South Florida....actually i thought for the first couple days after conferring with the owner , that it WAS my Grandparents trailer..... but we found original paperwork hidden away, and it was owned new by a couple from Northern Michigan.

But with the help of my kids, and this forum especially, I am making huge progress on putting this vintage twinkie back in tip top shape. The kids and i have spent several nights in the trailer, even in the cold winter, and we love it.... Last weekend we took it on our inaugural trip away from it's spot next to the garage, and though we only went 12 miles there and back, we really enjoyed the experience. I overhear my kids talking to people sometimes discussing our trailer, and how much they are looking forward to seeing "The Presidents Heads in the Mountains, in South Carolina!!!" And also they really want to see Yellowstone--- Old Faithful, and all the bears n mooses!! Though they are 10 and 12 respectively, I believe they will appreciate the travels we will embark on immensely....maybe not as much right today, in this time frame, as they will learn to appreciate it in later years.

I wish i was in a position like you where I could just sell it all, "the hell with these house payments".... all these high taxes.... putting up with this terrible economy here in Michigan, and I would love to tell my boss, as Johnny Paycheck did in the early eighties to "Take This Job and Shove It"..... and i would be in the Safari headed west before you could say "Catch me if you can"......
But for now, i hafta plug along for awhile longer....but you'd better believe I'll keep hopin n wishin, and playin the lottery too!!!! haha!!

In regards to a trailer that would suit you, I may be a bit biased about the vintage units---- Maybe the finances play a big part in that too, but from a strictly practical standpoint, my '69 23' Safari suits my (and my kids) needs to a "T". Some say the single axle configuration is a down side.... me, I disagree..... but I have the exact size bathroom in my 23 footer that the big monster 31 footer had.... I have the "booth seating" up front, and the fold down gaucho on the curbside aft of the door.... everything I need.... actually VERY roomy and comfy for the three of us, almost TOO much room for just me!!

I will concur with the pros here on the forum that one hasta be VERRRRRY careful about picking out a vintage trailer, esp. if one does not plan on doing the majority of the work ones self... I suppose it could hypothetically turn into a real "money pit" and possibly even a disaster in short order, one that may end up discouraging you in the long run from your dream.... This is not to say there are some real cream puff vintage trailers out there...lovingly maintained since new, and don't be afraid to pay for one if it comes along... Remember to keep a level head in this instance.... "If it looks just too good to be true.....it probably is" !!!!!! (I use this philosophy often in dating)... oooh...did i just say THAT??

Tow vehicle wise, that is almost a no brainer here these days.... you want dependability, simplicity and safety.... I pull with a vintage 1977 Lincoln Town Car....that has a bigger platform and larger engine than most large Pickups and SUVs built today...but vintage TV is most likely not in your sights, so i would suggest a Ford F 150, or a Chevy 1500 2wd loaded out n comfy... If you feel like splurging, go with a Suburban or the all new Extended length Ford Expedition.... but whoa buddy... $$$$$$$$$$$$

All in all, and in summation (whew, when is he gonna shut up??) I would say don't be in a huge rush, think it all through, keep an eye on your checkbook, consult the forum often--- "If we can't dazzle ya with our brilliance, then we'll baffle ya with our Bull***t"...

Please keep us in tune with all your developments as they occur!!!

have a great day..

Scott

[str8strm]

Originally Posted by mwinter

Oh, dear. That's a bit big for me.

M.W.

That one is 34.5 feet, but they start at 20. There are alot of options for you. Have fun and take that Mark Twain quote to heart.

[mwinter]

Originally Posted by commander31

Hi Myra, and yes, most certainly, Welcome to the forum!!

I have sat here this morning with my fresh "cuppajoe' and read your entire thread with great interest.... To say the very least, I can sincerely relate to your desire to just "light out" and see the country and just take some quality time out to live a little, smell the roses, and regain your sanity.

Please keep us in tune with all your developments as they occur!!!

have a great day..

Scott

Hi Scott,

What a lovely story. I know exactly what you mean about trying to get the childhood back. I can remember that my happiest time growing up were at my grandmother's house. All my life, I am looking for the things that remind me of her home, the quiet tree-lined street, the woods in the back, the earthy smelling basement where she did the washing and ironing. Our happy childhood moments leave an imprint on us.

After more reading and talking to people last night, I'd like to get a trailer that I can tow with a Ford 150. I've been looking at prices and gas mileage on the F250 and it starts getting expensive. On top of this, I'm sure gas is going to hit $4.00/gallon soon. This is when the lighter, smaller vintage models start to make sense. I'll keep looking!

[Silvertwinkie]

After many years of dating and only a few years of marriage, this one can be a loaded question...."how much space does one girl need?"

Not gonna go there!

[thecatsandi]

Myra,
The F-150 and the 250 get about the same gas milage. Check with several dealers. Since they are trucks thier milage numbers do not need to be published. The only problem with Diesel is the preimum you pay for the engine.

[Aria]

Myra, What a great adventure in store for you. WONDERFUL. All on airforums will give their experience and excellent advise.

I would search for a "slightly used" 19 ft CCD Bambi. All comforts. The smaller unites are more difficult to locate. When we started searching this was our choice. Not being able to locate we settled on a 20 ft Globetrotter.
We are happy. And if and when we are not satisfied...make a change.

Airstream is Airstream and retain value. You made the Airstream choice which is the way to go. Size is also your choice. Enjoy your journey in an Airstream.