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GoNomad · 06-13-2006, 06:22 AM

Feel like Santa Claus "making a list checking it twice" as we prepare for our maiden voyage. We have taken our old camper out all the time but this is our first long distance outing. The first leg of the trip is to move our daughter to the St Petersburg, FL area. Right behind Alberto, makes you think about a trip on the coast during hurricane season

. Then we have planed to follow the Gulf of Mexico coast to New Orleans where I lived for a couple of months in the 80's. Has any one actually visited the area? The websites we have been checking show things are open and we want to show our support for the area. We have no set itinerary this year which is also new for us. We have set the two night rule, which means that if we stop at a campsite we will stay two nights. If we a in a "hurry" to get some where we will boondock somewhere for the night. Bringing the laptop so I will post first hand finding from the big easy and would love to hear input on places to visit. Happy travels

Killo1 · 06-13-2006, 10:38 AM

Sounds exciting. I would make sure you put pylons wherever you will be camping and anchor your airstream down.

All kidding aside, I look forward to hearing of your updates.

AirstreamGypsy · 06-13-2006, 01:52 PM

Sounds wonderful. Nothing better than having virtually no itinerary. Just things you want to do and see. If it is going to be such a long jaunt why not swing up to Oregon and visit the 49th International Rally!

Welcome and good luck!

GoNomad · 06-17-2006, 11:06 AM

Thanks all for the kind words. Made it to Clearwater FL in one long day. Trailer towed great and we loved the attention we got when we stop somewhere. Friday night we had a major down pour while we were out to eat with family and came home to a zip dee awning issue. The middle of the awning is not as rain proof as it once was and there was a big puddle of water that had collected into the middle of the awning. This morning when I went out to have my coffe, I noticed that part of the awning had pulled loose from the channel on the trailer. Spent a couple of hot sweaty hours trying to coax the fabric back into the slot. I think we have it all back in but the channel had been crimped down a couple of places. I am afraid that a new fabric is in our future. Any suggestions about rainproofing and on the road repairs to the awning would be great. Also this morning we woke up and the AC was blowing but not very cold. Turned it off while I worked on the awning and when I came back in and turned the AC on it started blowing cold again

. Do we go to a 1) Auto place for a freon check 2) an RV place to be serviced or 3) have someone come out to the unti at our next stop??

Airstream Gypsy if we had the gas money I know we would head to Oregon I hear that next year will be on the East coast so you can bet we will defintly put that on the itinerary for next year!!!!!!!!!

Sorry for the typos trying to keep up with this thread and my wife and her sister talking at the smae time. Thanks again

GoNomad · 06-24-2006, 02:28 PM

Well it has been several days since the last time we had Internet, so to recap our maiden voyage. We found paradise in CarrabelleFL the “forgotten coast” is beautiful and the seafood is good and reasonably priced. From there it was off to Pascagoula to see family. The AC was still giving us fits and we had called several RV places along the way but they want to sell you a new unit, not fix the one you have. We have not used the main awning since the big rainstorm so I can't say if it will hold up if we deploy it again. The panhandle of Florida is called the “emerald coast” because of the water. It is green and very crowded with allsorts of people!!! We were so glad we found Carrabelle instead. As we crossed into Mississippi we were on the look out for damage and issues since Katrina. We found that from the interstate things looked pretty normal. Unfortunately that can not be said for the RV Park we picked. We called ahead to make sure that they had space and were open; they assured us that they were ready. When we got there, we soon discovered that they were full with people displaced by Katrina, when we checked in the person told us we would be in "overflow 2" and that several spots were open and to try several since no two sites had the same hookups. Now let me preface my next comments with it was near 100 that day, the AC had quit in the middle of the night before, and we had just driven 200+ miles. Overflow 2 was a parking lot with no shade. We went in to talk about options when another person rolled in with out reservations. Too make a long story shorter, we let them have ours called our relatives apologized and got out of town. The gulf coast is recovering and the people seem to be in good spirits but it is not ready for RV Travelers, since many are living semi permanently in RV parks until their houses are rebuilt. We expected issues but did not count on an AC that worked when it felt like it, 97 degree plus weather, and the shootings in New Orleans were enough reason for us to decide to head to Hattiesburg instead. Found a great campsite and a very attractive town in Hattiesburg. We spent the day working on miscellaneous maintenance items to include a new thermostat that solved the AC problems. We talked to several locals and decided that we were not ready to visit the LA Gulf this year. We wanted to support the folks’ that are rebuilding and spend a little money to help the economy, but the only practical way to do that we have discovered is to stay with friends or a higher end Motel/Hotel. I guess we were overly optimistic about what to expect and what we would put up with. Since Hattiesburg we have headed to Tupelo on the Natchez Trace Parkway that we highly recommend and then to Memphis. If you see the birth place of Elvis you feel compelled to visit Memphis and Graceland. From here we are toying with the idea to go to the outer banks of NC, and then

back to GA and the house.

Have questions, want to flame me about the coast, We will have internet for another couple of days in Memphis then your guess is as good as mine. Still loving the AS and understand why some call them the Harley Davidson of RV (compelled to be on the road with a tool box in hand)

Bob Thompson · 06-24-2006, 08:15 PM

Sounds like you are having fun! About internet access, you can have it in just about any town you visit, just go to the local library and sign on theirs. Even little branch libraries usually have 2 or 3 computers available to access the internet. We do it all the time when we're out traveling. It's great for checking email, getting weather updates, and visiting your favorite sites like Airstream Forums. Most southern towns will even have signs guiding you to the library.

joewinfield · 06-24-2006, 08:43 PM

Hi Nick and Holly. Sounds like you're having a great trip with working out each little setback. We had a rough trip camping in New Orleans before Katrina. I will never try to rv there again. If I ever go back, it will be to stay in a first class hotel. Been there about 10 times (including honeymoon) but, probably have seen New Orleans for the last time. Good luck on your continued adventure. joe

GoNomad · 07-26-2006, 01:47 PM

Well it is always a bitter sweet moment when you get back home and finally have to unpack the trailer for the season

. We had a great time and the little bumps along the way are now the great stories we share with family and friends. Were sorry that we never got to Texas I guess the family there will have to wait another year to see if we blow in for a visit. As sit here thinking about the trip and the fun we had I would like to share a few thoughts.

The two night rule is crucial for sanity and relaxation. My wife and I agreed early on that we would stay in a campground a minimum of two nights before we moved on. You really get to enjoy a place when you take time to find the rhythm of the place.

Most repair places only swap parts, not repair anything. Our AC was a battle for the first half of our trip and we did worry if it would die during most of the trip. This is one of the reasons we did not get to Texas this year (to !@#$ HOT!!!). As we tried to get the AC looked at the reacquiring theme was we can replace that for you. Not, we can fix that for you. Luckily I am pretty handy so we managed to fix it ourselves this time.

Camping next to the Mississippi river is truly an honor. I forget that the Mississippi river is a working river. To see the barges go by and wonder what they are carrying, and how they can move at one time is truly amazing.

Even during international there are still Airstreams out on the road. While not every person we met in an AS was a excited to see another one of the aluminum crazy; it was cool to see them anyway. For those of you who are vintage, you know that being the oldest rig in a campground can be cool.

Detours make great stories. We didn't plan to go to Tupelo MS then follow Elvis trial to Memphis just to sit on the banks of the Mississippi but we couldn't have planed a better vacation if we tried.

Its back to reality now and there are some "improvements" that we are considering.. Satellite in place of our vintage TV antenna, an upgrade to aa electronic ignition on the water heater or maybe a tankless unit, taking care of some sun burn spots on the clear coat, deciding if we need a new awning or go with the old till they completely fall apart, LED lights, painting the stove top.... well I guess you get the picture.

All I can say is that it is a privilege to live in a great country and to have time off to visit with others who feel the same way. Thanks to all of you in uniform or who use to wear the uniform.

Happy trails till we meet again,