Ready, Fire, Aim!

[Vroominum]

A couple of 60 somethings who've suffered loss in their lives find each other in 2012 and take a second bite at the relationship apple. I'd been retired, she wanted to be, so we pondered the Airstream lifestyle. What better (or worse) way to test the bounds of love than to cohabit full time in a 240 sq ft tin can?

AS Forums became the go to reference as we conducted due diligence over months that ran into a couple of years. Our focus evolved into Airstream Classifieds as we began to educate ourselves on the market place for a late model used package. In late 2018, about 6 months before I'd planned on serious shopping, what appeared to be the perfect rig popped up on Classifieds. It was located in the Pacific Northwest, some distance from our home in Minnesota, but we'd anticipated searching nationwide. I contacted the owner, we developed a rapport via email and phone calls which led to a visit in early 2019. We reached an agreement and I returned to MN with the tow vehicle. Coming east through the Rockies in January as a first timer stretched the bounds of my common sense. We went back in May to pick up the 30' Classic that he was kind enough to store.

Much to our neighbor's chagrin I'm sure, the Classic sat in our driveway for the summer. During that time, we expected to familiarize ourselves with every last detail of AS'ing prior to a Nov 1 departure for warmer climes. Life being what it is, most of that learning was sidetracked by other priorities until it was now October. That's when the plan changed to just loading up and getting out of town before winter set in. We made it out, just barely on Nov 8. The extent of our plan at that point was a few days with friends in Kansas City which was still within the perimeter of an unseasonable cold snap. We bunked in at their place but the AS was left to endure the cold. That provoked some angst with our limited experience to gauge it's cold worthiness. In the end, it was kept heated enough to avoid any significant consequences.

From KC we moved down to east Texas where a good friend has a vacation cabin on a small private lake. His neighbor has an extra lot where he installed a 50 amp service that his kid's hook up to when they visit in the summer. But no one's using it now. Which makes us one of the luckiest couples on earth. It is a sublime wooded lakeside setting where we will hang for a month while we get organized and develop our AS skills. We are among some familiar faces while also establishing new friendships. Between the 2 of us, we've 7 kids and 14 grandkids so life to this point has been mostly family. Being away for an extended period including the holidays is new for us, but the absence of snow and ice plus FaceTime, tempers that potential issue.

From here, we beeline west to Arizona to meet up with other snowbird friends, then perhaps Joshua Tree and Palm Springs. February calls for slowly doubling back through New Mexico and the Texas Hill Country before returning to our current location in the spring. When we get word that it's "ice out" on the lakes in MN and safe to return, it's migration north for the summer. And we won't wait until November to head south next fall!

By enlisting in the Airstream Army, we left a routine, domesticated lifestyle and jumped into areas with little experience or knowledge. It can breed a level of uncertainty at times, but honestly, we're not moving to a mud hut in the Amazon. We're towing our home as we look for America, and it's equipped with mobile wifi, internet, cell phone and a credit card. As I routinely remind Ms. V, "We'll figure it out."

Now it's on to other sub forums to work out a few kinks.

Thanks to AS Forums and it's membership for helping us get on the road!

[A W Warn]

Sounds like you are living the dream!
Have fun!

[dbdreams]

After losing a wife to cancer a while back I was fortunate to meet a wonderful lady who liked the outdoors, travel and music! Between us we have 8 children and 12 grandchildren. We spent our honeymoon (6 weeks) in or 23, you guys have a huge home in your 30! Holidays are a challenge with an immediate family of 40 or so spread all over the country but since we can take our cabin with us we make mini vacations out of most visits.
Joshua Tree is a great spot, spent a few days there last month, you will enjoy it. If you get close to Brenham in your travels give us a shout, might could meet up for coffee or lunch.

Enjoy your new family and the holidays!

[badkat]

Such great stories. Love the Ready, Fire, Aim. Sounds like what we did. I wrote on the forum seven years ago about our search for an Airstream. I had towed a ski boat but never a travel trailer. We had never stepped inside of an Airstream but knew that is what we wanted to full-time in. The forum wrote many a funny story about my post. Someone who read our post sent us a message and yes we bought the first trailer we looked at. It was and is everything we wanted. So here we are after almost 7 years in our Airstream. No it is not original. We have made it our own inside and out.

Jackson, my husband, has had some medical scares but we have been able to go to what we consider to be the best care (Duke) and live in our house. We are almost ready to roll again and are so ready.

Happy Trails, BadKat

[Lafitte]

[dbj216]

Hello and welcome from Colorado: Your common sense not to tow over the rockies in the winter demonstrates some good sense. Rockies weather changes faster than Minnesota weather.

You wrote a A+ introduction. I enjoyed reading it.

I think you both will enjoy your Airstream adventures in your retirement. Your plans sounds similar to what my wife's folks did in their retirement with their Airstream. Minnesota in the summer, Texas "base" in the winter and travel trips from California to Florida chasing the sun. Enjoy, you earned it.

Here is the wife's folk's Limited they purchased new in 86. The Classic was called a Limited back then. It is 34' long and we have the trailer now in our retirement. Here it is in Tuscon at one of those snowbird campgrounds. People sometimes stay here all winter. It was very nice, but we moved on to Palm Springs after a few nights. Airstream trailers last a very long time.

David

[Spartanguy]

Nice story, congrats and enjoy each other’s company! David, that 86 Limited/Classic is freaking gorgeous, what a nice inherit!!!