I'm not an RV guy.....

[Aluminaut]

hello, all....thanks so much for having such a welcoming and informative community here. I've learned so much in the short time I've been lurking here. I really hope I can return some of that back to the community, now that I'm an official member.

I have a feeling that my story is a lot different than most here.....see, I'm not an RV guy. never have been. the idea of vacationing in a rig, driving to whatever destination you wanted to, never had an appeal to me. while I'm a car guy and am basically fascinated by vehicles of all sorts, I always found RVs ugly. specifically the interiors. sure , I loved to glance at the features they had, mainly through youtube video.....I never understood why the interiors had to be so ugly. the interiors were always shades of brown, clad in leathers and wood, almost always in some sort of country or Italian villa residential design. no offense, but that was never my cup of tea.

one of the first things that spurred this search, was coming up on a youtube video of a Winnebago. it was a small, sporty unit that was bright red with some simple black graphics. it felt pretty modern to me so I was interested and continued to watch , eager to see what the interior looked like. of course, the interior was mystifyingly like every other RV I've seen for years. a stark contrast to the exterior....I don't know why. maybe some of you can explain that to me...why these interior designs never seem to progress beyond McMansion style. anyhoo, I digress. I think you all get the picture. so, if RVing and RVs were so unappealing to me....how did I end up here?

well, some of you my find this an amusing story, or at least my intentions and ideas silly. but, they are mine and the start of how I ended up here so, at the least, maybe this will be entertaining to some.

it all started with earthquake preparedness. I live in the northern part of Los Angeles county, in southern California. as a lot of you know, we're due for a large earthquake for some time now. some say in the plus 7 range or greater. growing up here most of my life , I knew all the basics of being prepared. I won't go into all of that as I'm sure you do, too. while I'm not the doomsday prepper type, I couldn't ignore some basic facts. I live in a community of 350k people...with one major freeway access which rides the San Andreas fault. we do have two small highways to the north and some dirt roads out of the valley.....the point is a major quake would take most of that access out. basically you need to be prepared to stay put and wait for help or be ready to evacuate. either way, you can be prepared for those two eventualities comfortably as possible, or you can wait in line for resources with the other 350k. as much as I tried to ignore it, this was the dark possibility that's been in the back of my head for years. so, a year ago I stated to do something about it.

I started with that typical list. tents, propane stove, food water etc...etc... that grew into planing to build a large shed that would hug the far corner of our back yard. that would be safe to store fuel and propane.eventually I came across a cool video of something called a patriot camper. it's a compact unit that rides on an axel that essentially has a stove and compartments built into it with a pop up tent on top. it's build quality and go anywhere nature really impressed me...and hey, why go shopping for all these thing if I can find one item that can encapsulate all of it in one spot, right?

so, I started seriously thinking about that. until...it occurred to me that it would be nice to have a proper bathroom ,too. so that lead me to start looking at travel trailers. small ones. I'm fortunate enough to have a property where ( after some minor renovations) I can store such a trailer. where I can have it safely away from the house. it can essentially be my shed of supplies on wheels. if the big one hit and the house could not be lived in, we could have somewhere to stay. if we had to leave...we could do so relatively quickly. just hitch up and go. I'm sure a lot of you may have a lot of concerns about this....but, remember ,was new to all this and was just putting these ideas together. try not to laugh at my innocence.

anyway, I was off looking at as many youtube videos on small travel trailers. doing as much research as I could.that's when I saw that red winnebago...and you all know how that went. I have to say, I was impressed with the T@B 400....if someone would've actually had an interest in showing me one, I may have went that direction. eventually I discovered the Airstream basecamp and fell in love!

there was that awesome modern design I was looking for....all that clean looking aluminum....and the panoramic windows!!! I was sold! so I was lucky enough to talk to Diane D. at Airstream Los Angeles, who patiently answered all my questions and invited me down for a look. embarrassingly enough I have to admit ...all I knew about an airstreams, were they looked like old planes with no wings and I saw them in some old cartoons and movies. I never thought they made them anymore. feel free to laugh now.

Diane showed me that Basecamp, but next to it I saw the Sport '16. and I thought that could be more versatile. either way, there was no pressure at all and I left the dealer with a lot to think about.

for the next few months I did some more research. and the one thing that struck a huge cord in me was Airstream's reputation for reliability and long term value.i'm always impressed with companies and products that have an eye for durability....that value long term relationships with their customer base. my TV also reflects that. it's a Toyota Land Cruiser. and while not the least expensive choice I had...it's one I can count on with the money spent. now, having done far more research with the help of all you folks here...I know there's a lot more to that reputation. while I now know, it's not as simple as that....generally speaking, it's still a quality product with immense aesthetic appeal....at least to me.

moving forward a few months to the end of 2017, Diane did contact me again to let me know of some deals that could be had given the end of the year on either the basecamp or the '16.as I thought about it some more , I happened to see a 2017 19cb international signature on sale. it was a typical priced to move situation. I saw a few videos and now my heart was set on that. believe me, I know I was far from the "shed on wheels" direction I started at all those months ago....however, in my defense, I did keep with my original intention. the 19 was still small enough to be nimble, and it did have separate grey and black tanks with would work a lot better for us for an extended stay in the unit. hell, I also liked that it was a dry bath, too.

anyway, 1 pushed for a lower year end price on top of the already discounted price. they were expectedly resistant to that but eventually we reached a compromise. that price, plus some added equipment like a brake controller, back up camera , hitch package, starter kit and installation , 90 days of free storage and some points shaved off the interest rate... was a fair deal for such a nice
unit.

so here I am.....not an RV guy....or am I now?

knowing that I want to use this rig for the practical application of disaster relief know I'm going to have to practice a lot with it. especially if I'm going to be familiar with all it's systems. I already am planing to do as many single nights out over the coming weekends. driving to various full hook up camp grounds at first and eventual dry camping spots as I can this year. researching al these possible spots has got me admittedly excited about all this. i may start enjoying all of this beyond my original intention....go figure

anyway, time will tell....what I do know is that I plan to pass along what I can. give back to this community that has helped me quite a bit in 2017. again thanks to all of you that keep this forum going.

while renovations to my back yard recently finished....I had some more concrete poured to extend the surface are of my patio and replaced my gate with a single arm, heavy duty new gate....my 19 is still being stored on the lot. thanks to all of you, I now know that it's best to spend at least one night on the lot before I drive off with it. honestly, that never would have occurred to me to ask that...so, they agreed to it.

I'll leave you with a few random points based off what I learned here...

- I didn't go for any extended warranty
- the finance person didn't give me the best feeling on the coating they offered. I happen to know something on that subject...I may have went for it too if I recognized the brand name. so I passed.
- I'll try to upgrade my wheel and tire package.
- also add a TPM system
- while I did sign papers and paid my down, I haven't take delivery yet. I plan to go through the orientation , take notes, try everything three ways and to spend the night after that on the lot. trying out all the systems I can in a real world type situation. as a matter of fact, I'll have a few friend some over, cook some food, try out the audio/video systems etc. any problems I have , they're expected to fix the next day or take as long as needed to fix them properly. I told them I was in no rush. the bottom line is that the unit would not leave the lot until I was satisfied that all was sound.
- I will use a selfie stick to check out the roof and underneath of the rig.
- they've also offered to give me a quick lesson on towing.
- I'll be using the Trailer valet to dolly the rig into my backyard.

oookay...that was a long introductory post. thanks for obliging me...I hope I didn't bore all of you too much

[SSquared]

Welcome to Airforums. I hope you get a lot of fun out of your trailer, and never have to use it as an earthquake shelter. (or fire escape, or flood escape, or ...)

[dbj216]

Welcome to the Airstream community. California has all the natural disasters; fire, flood, quakes, etc. Colorado has wildfire chances too. We consider our old 86 Limited 34' trailer our emergency evacuation escape capsule. (Airstreams last longer than Toyotas.) Usually, a wildfire is discovered and it's growth pattern determined. Evacuation orders are issued a couple of days in advance of the coming flames. Get while the getting is good.

No more natural disasters this year please. My brother escaped hurricane Irma in Florida in their box trailer with a brown and leather interior. It was better than a shelter.

Actually, our Airstreams are made for travel adventures. I believe you will enjoy your new 19' trailer. Practice "escapes" from the city hubbub. These Airstream Forums have many folks that can help you with any questions you may have. Come to Colorado and enjoy majestic scenery and cool mountain temperatures. You might discover gold.

David

[Piggy Bank]

Welcome to the fun.

As it relates to camping without hookups, and camping in a smaller rig,I think you might enjoy this thread I wrote up about traveling and camping for a 10 day trip with our Bambi 22. In particular the information about food storage and coolers. Additionally the information on using a portable waste tote to extend your stay time.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f295...-a-153482.html

[PKI]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you are a Preper. A different kind of RV person. Or maybe it's just an off shoot of what we consider to be the primary use of RVs, camping/glamping. The prior owner of the boat we no longer have considered it his earthquake shelter, so others think similar to you.

Good luck with your next steps. Pat

[DaveMc]

Welcome! There’s a good list of things on a trailer to keep up on to ensure it’s ready for a trip anytime. I enjoy doing them according to my own sequence, and I suspect you will, too. Chance favors the prepared mind, I’ve heard a time or two. Sounds like you are as prepared as practical for delivery, too. I second the comment above about taking “practice” evac trips. You may find out you enjoy regular old camping along the way. No doubt you’ll enjoy spending time inside your Airstream, it sounds nice! Congrats!!!

Dave

[rmkrum]

I recognize the symptoms. You found a versatile, reliable shelter that is very portable. You have come down with an early case of aluminiumitis. Embrace it. It’s ok, and in the long run, when you get to camp out, or, if necessary, bug out, you will appreciate the Airstream even more. Our 23’ rig is also set up for camping, but carefully configured as an all-else-fails bug-out shelter as well.

As my Eagle Scout sons and I believe, it’s always a good idea to “Be Prepared”. They learned this from me when I was a Cub and Boy Scout Leader as they grew up, and the skills and knowledge they acquired have helped them make a good life.

[Aluminaut]

Originally Posted by SSquared

Welcome to Airforums. I hope you get a lot of fun out of your trailer, and never have to use it as an earthquake shelter. (or fire escape, or flood escape, or ...)

thank you! while that was definitely my original intention the longer I hang out here, the longer I think about practicing how to use this rig....it seems like having fun is inevitable!

Originally Posted by dbj216

.....No more natural disasters this year please. My brother escaped hurricane Irma in Florida in their box trailer with a brown and leather interior. It was better than a shelter.

....I'm glad your brother made it out of there. I hope he's doing ok. all joking aside that was a downright mess there...

Originally Posted by dbj216

....Actually, our Airstreams are made for travel adventures. I believe you will enjoy your new 19' trailer. Practice "escapes" from the city hubbub. These Airstream Forums have many folks that can help you with any questions you may have. Come to Colorado and enjoy majestic scenery and cool mountain temperatures. You might discover gold.

David

that's what I find so appealing about this forum. it seems to grow daily with new information and experiences. I'm sure I'll find answers here for whatever I'll run into. BTW, I'll be trying to fit in a lot of those practice escapes this year. I'm anxious to get to start feeling comfortable doing these sorts of things. right now it's all theory to me.

thanks for the welcome, David ...maybe one day I'll be good enough to make a trip up to Colorado.

[Aluminaut]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

Welcome to the fun.

As it relates to camping without hookups, and camping in a smaller rig,I think you might enjoy this thread I wrote up about traveling and camping for a 10 day trip with our Bambi 22. In particular the information about food storage and coolers. Additionally the information on using a portable waste tote to extend your stay time.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f295...-a-153482.html

wow...thanks for that link, Piggy Bank. that whole write up was very informative. from how you packed and kept your food cool efficiently to finding out what a 12 gallon blue boy was. I never considered how convenient that could be. a lot to think about there.

thanks for the welcome!

[Aluminaut]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

I recognize the symptoms. You found a versatile, reliable shelter that is very portable. You have come down with an early case of aluminiumitis. Embrace it. It’s ok, and in the long run, when you get to camp out, or, if necessary, bug out, you will appreciate the Airstream even more. Our 23’ rig is also set up for camping, but carefully configured as an all-else-fails bug-out shelter as well. ........

Aluminiumitis? lol...I know I already have that. as I've said before, I'm just in love with the Airstream aesthetic.i'm glad I can have such a practical tool in such a nice looking package. I have the floorpan with the front facing dinette...that can convert to a bed or a deep lounge. I can picture parking that rig somewhere nice and enjoying that view from there. one thing I've soon discovered was that my friends, family and neighbors are all excited about this ,too. there's going to be a small crowd gathered at my house when I bring her home. to hear some of the comments, it's like I'm bring a newborn home for the first time

thanks for the welcome!

[Aluminaut]

Originally Posted by PKI

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you are a Preper....

I never thought of myself that way, Pat...Prepers always sounded like an extreme subculture to me...but that is what I'm doing, isn't it? as you can see though, I'm kinda getting into embracing the whole experience....it's very hard not to with a community like this. I really appreciate the good spirits here. thanks for the welcome!

Originally Posted by DaveMc

Welcome! There’s a good list of things on a trailer to keep up on to ensure it’s ready for a trip anytime. I enjoy doing them according to my own sequence, and I suspect you will, too. .........

hey, thanks for the welcome, Dave!...any chance you can clue me into to your process? the sooner I can get an efficient process down the better the better I'll feel. any tips will help!

[Aluminaut]

I'll leave you all with a nice pic of my Airstream...thanks again, for the welcoming words!

[EZTOO]

Congrats with the new trailer!! Nothing wrong in admitting your a prepper as it's one of those skillets most of us hope to never implement. We hope that the QC on your trailer is better than some have reported on this forum. We rebuilt an older unit (1989) which allowed us to learn about it's internals as we went. Like "classic" cars, which we also enjoy, most RV s seem to have a personality. Hope you and yours get along, lol!! Good luck and safe travels... : ) J and G

[moosetags]

First off, welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us. Congratulations on your new baby.

We have been Airstreaming for twelve years now. We hope that you find as much enjoyment as we have in the Airstreaming thing. We live in the Florida Panhandle which has a propensity for hurricanes. Our Aistream is also our escape pod. When a storm is looming, we pack up the Airstream and get ready to evacuate. If we decide to ride out the storm at home, there are often power interruptions. We use our generator to power the Airstream, and are able to sleep in air conditioned comfort until power is restored.

We have also traveled extensively in our Airstreams and have greatly enjoyed our travels all over the country.

Brian

[Hittenstiehl]

Welcome, while your story is unique it's actually very common here so you will fit right in. Most of us would not consider ourselves RV people either. Most airstreamers refer to theirs as travel trailers.

Many folks here have used them to escape impending natural disasters as well as to escape their normal routine.

Your trailer looks beautiful, enjoy.

[lonewolf1977]

Doesn't matter how you got here, but you're family now! Welcome!

[ColoradoLady]

Welcome, Aluminaut! Yep, you got the BUG! And you are some form of a prepper also! I do understand your initial reasoning, and given where you live....I think it is very sound reasoning. Pack that baby up with a few buckets of Wise or Mountain House, t.p., cases of water, etc. and you are ready for evac! Don't forget first aid supplies!

Then, pack it up (on top of the prepper supplies), with comforts of home that also work for camping....and you are ready to camp, explore, and/or escape when ready.

One word of advice .... Try to resist the desire to buy all sorts of gifts for your new baby, as you will find out quickly.... You will buy stuff you really don't want or need.

Get out there and have fun! Don't wait for the disaster. That baby is made first and foremost for fun and travel! Enjoy!

[mimiandrews]

We used our Airstream as an escape refuge in our own driveway when the air conditioning in our house failed at the start of a Texas 4th of July weekend. It kept us cool and comfortable for the four days it took to get the service man out and for him to find the correct part.

[kendrick.l.j]

Hi guy, yours was the most entertaining intro I have read ever. I was smiling right from the start. Now that you know the name of your newly acquired disease I can tell you the only way to cure or even minimize the side effects is to use said escape pod regularly. Now remember this new tool is not a toy, we mean serious business here, you must and you will become proficient in all aspects of operating your new pod and to do this you must use often. Your logic makes all the sense in the world to all of us how are afflicted with the same illness. One major side effect that you may notice is lots of smiles and waves even from complete strangers, not to worry, you will get used to it in time and you may find yourself smiling for no particular reason while out on training runs.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by Aluminaut

I'll leave you all with a nice pic of my Airstream...thanks again, for the welcoming words!

NICE!
Welcome!