SilverGate's Safari is Home at Last!

[SilverGate]

Larry improved the adjustable-height dog gate by adding Velcro strips on each side to keep the dogs inside when needed while we enjoy the door being completely open.

[SilverGate]

We’ve added an LED light to the bathroom door (touch to light).

This Sylvania light features 3 LEDs and is from Home Depot.

[SilverGate]

Here’s a great new item from L.L. Bean: Pathfinder Lighted Baseball Cap.

2 LEDs put out a bright spot of light when you need it.

The cap is more comfortable and handy to wear than the LED headlamps… Not bad for $19.95

[SilverGate]

Our refrigerator fan helps keep the refrigerator running more efficiently & cooler, and to help it out on hot days we use a clothespin to prop it open.

Larry discovered this when opening the refrigerator vent door on a hot day, and a rush of hot air came out (even though the fan was running). When not in use, the clothespin can be attached to one of the wires inside the door.

Note, also, the value of the street-side awning to also keep the refrigerator cooler.

These are some of the ways we help our trailer to be electrically efficient, which compliments the factory-installed solar charging system.

See notes detailing how our solar charging system brought our AGM batteries back to 100% by mid-to-late morning each day on this outing, post # 50 at:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/factory-installed-solar-charging-system-35476-4.html

[SilverGate]

Our Air Conditioner drains water via a tube with the outlet in the street-side wheel-well.

Larry attached a small piece of vinyl screen held in place by a clamp to keep out mud daubers.

[SilverGate]

So it’s Home Again… and Washed Again (inside & out) due to the salt deposits…

See my washing routine at:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f396/silvergates-safari-home-last-29471-14.html

And to help keep salt and mice out of the open rail ends that most of us have in the front of our trailers, Larry placed a stainless steel pot scrubber in each rail and then created a nylon fabric cover held in place by Velcro. See post # 36 & 37 at:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464/have-you-looked-under-your-tongue-35280-3.html

[SilverGate]

So, until our next trip up to the mountains in October…

Cheers!

SilverGate, Diego Flamingo, Larry, Pau Hoa and Corgi, Mac

[TBRich]

SilverGate...

As always, fun to read of your antics and to see how much you truly enjoy your Airstream on trips... And thanks for the tips you provide (both genreal and solar power related) as well...

Cheers back atcha!
TB

[mistral blue]

One of these days I've got to make a "Men of Airstream" calendar. (Now where the heck did I stash that one of Fred Coldwell....)

[trippy]

How did you hang the TV?

[SilverGate]

Jim (trippy) – Well, I didn’t hang the TV…

The LCD was mounted by the Airstream Factory during the build of the trailer on a peerless bracket attached to another bracket with accompanying Velcro straps and rubber bumpers. See:
http://www.peerlessindustries.com/dyn/Products/BrowseProduct.aspx/productId/149292/categoryID/195/u/T

Wires pass through the refrigerator wall and continue through the articulating arm.

(See my first post of this thread: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f396/silvergates-safari-home-last-29471.html, which lists more of the options that I selected when I placed my Factory Order. This LCD mounting is another good example of why, for some of us, it makes sense to order every option that you think you might want, use or need. Having the Airstream Factory install the options as an integral part of the trailer during the build is probably more economical in more ways than one. It will probably save you money, time and aggravation down the line… and it is covered in the two-year warranty.)

Placement of the bracket is important. Note that the bracket was placed just high enough to permit access to the recessed magazine storage rack, but not too high to cause neck strain when viewing LCD from Lounge.

[SilverGate]

The Airstream Factory also correctly mounted this bracket close enough to the corner edge of the wall to permit full 180 degree swivel so that the LCD can also be viewed from the bedroom.

[SilverGate]

The bracket has a slim profile and notice the tilt of the LCD for comfortable viewing.

I utilize the input ports on the side of the LCD for viewing the day’s photo shoot directly from my hp camera while it is in its recharging dock.

This bracket is sturdy and securely holds the LCD with Velcro straps.

Mr. September (...thanks mistral blue)

[FOILED]

Silvergate:

Thanks for all the great postings here - not sure what I enjoyed more -- the valuable Airstream information or the cooking/camping inspiration

I have a question for you and I will see if I can explain this without pictures -- when you open up the L-shaped sofa bed, does it create a full rectangle on all sides or . . . does the pull out piece fall short of lining up along the edge of the couch closest to the cabinet (that holds the table)? In other words, I wish my pull out would go out about 4-5 more inches so that I can get a full rectangle bed?

Does that make sense? Just wondering if yours was the same . . . If so, have you checked into getting that to come out farther?

THANKS!!

FreshAir44

[SilverGate]

Well, I hadn’t planned on posting until our October mountain adventure.

But sometimes viewers’ questions lead to items of our 23’ Safari that warrant further elaboration and illustration.

Such was the case with trippy’s "TV" inquiry and most recently, FreshAir44’s L-Lounge question...

Or as some would say the groucho… err, gaucho question.

So this got me thinking…

[SilverGate]

The front L-Lounge (which has a gaucho element: the part that converts from a sofa to a bed), along with the nearby table with drawers and stow-away rolling dinette table, were one of the wonderful space-utilization features that attracted us to this Safari.

[SilverGate]

The L-Lounge also makes for a pleasant area for indoor socializing. After completing several trips, however, we found that most of our socializing was done outside at the campfire or picnic table/folding table.

Repeatedly converting the lounge sofa, with its multiple cushions, into a bed and back into a sofa in such a tight space soon became a senseless bother and no fun!

The gaucho, in the opened position, with back cushions and extra pillows, beckons one to sit, relax, read, watch the LCD, or take in the view outside the door. While camped at South Carlsbad State beach, the door faced the ocean allowing a repeated, spectacular eye-level view from the gaucho of flocks of brown pelicans and other sea birds soaring by on the updrafts along the bluff. The opened gaucho is also a convenient area to secure small items while towing and is a great area to spread out materials/tools while working on a project (or flying kites).

[SilverGate]

So I was happy that FreshAir44 just bought a 2008 23’ Safari SE with L-Lounge (Congratulations!) and had a question that I could answer.

And in my usual style, I went out to the trailer to take some photos to illustrate the answer:

The slide-out gaucho section extends the bed area width to about 45", which is about 6" shorter then the stationary street-side section. I would not try to extend the slide-out section more than it is designed to function for several reasons. One is that this cantilever design is designed to carry a certain weight over a specified distance. Making the distance longer could stress the metal glide rails and wooden support arms. And if the pullout section were 6" longer it would go into the door entry space.

[SilverGate]

Since I had taken off the bedding to take the last photo, and I couldn’t resist doing some more inner-space exploring.

Removing the street-side cushions revealed the hole…

(pay no attention to those tools… that comes later!)

[SilverGate]

Through which the sounds of the sub-woofer, below, emanated…