The Excella Files

[Mr & Mrs S]

Well after all our hard work on our Excella we are finally now on the road, so I thought Id start an on the road thread to post about our travels.

We towed from our hometown to Canton TX which is roughly about 220 miles. We had no problems and everything went very smoothly. Our new Dodge towed her perfectly and we averaged about 10.8 mpg. Keep in mind that this was all hill country up and down and lots of little towns with several red lights, so that caused lots of stop and gos. All and all Im not to upset with the mileage.

We got all set up in Canton in a grassy little spot that is in walking distance of all the shopping in camping. We are the only AS in the little park with SOB on both sides, one belonging to my in-laws.


This is our very first time to come to the Canton Trade Days and if you have never been then you should give it a try. If you like to shop through new and used items that you can bargin to get then this is the place to go. Its like a huge huge garage sale and carnival all in one. Lots of stuff and lots of food. I wouldnt recommend coming when its 95 + degrees but we are mannaging. The AS really struggles in the hottest part of the day with its 13.5 BTU A/C so Im looking into dual units now but that will be another thread.
We have bought lots of treasures and had lots of great food. We are so proud that we have finally got to stay in our AS and so far she has been good to us. She sleeps good, has running water with no leaks, our own bathroom, and a shower. Life is good so far.
I spotted some fellow AS while walking around, but not to many. I havent got to talk to any of the owners but I tried to conversate with a fellow with a Silver Streak but he wasnt up for much talk. Oh well!
Well we will pull out around lunch tomorrow, then I will be off to work on Sunday. I sure hate to leave for work but at least we finally got to use our AS for the very first time since all the mods.
Here are some of the pics of fellow AS I spotted just for you to enjoy.

[Mr & Mrs S]

Saturday morning we got up, I made breakfast, and the girls finished up there last minute shopping while the men tended to the campers and got ready to go.

While I was disconnecting the city water, I discovered a very sour smell. After a quick investigation I found that it seems that we have a leak on our black water tank. I could see liquid dripping from the corners of the pan on each side. Its not a huge leak but enough that I will have to pull the pan to have a look and see whats leaking. Seems I remember reading about people have trouble with the inlet on holding tanks leaking. Ill have a better look when I get back home, not much I can do now heading back to work now.
All in all it was a good trip. Ive got the tanks to check out, and two drawers that dont like to stay closed while traveling, and Im kicking around the idea of installing dual A/C's. But other than that the trip was a huge success in my book.

After the women folk got back, Mrs S. and myself departed at 1200 hrs.
While East bound on I-20 heading towards Tyler,TX a Class A motor home was entering the interstate and I have no idea what they were thinking but they almost colided with an eighteen wheeler, which I was right behind the big rig. The eightteen wheeler locked up all brakes and the smoke was rolling out all the tires and the Class A was swearving all over the road(and they had a tow vehicle behind them) in a panic and I had our poor ole Dodge locked up with full trailer brakes engauged. Dodge advertises the largest braking system in its class and Im hear to tell you I fully believe it is. The class A finally realized what they were about to do and got off the highway and the big rig finally got lined back out which enabled us to line back out too! It was a scarey 4 seconds of life I can tell ya! When we went around the Class A the poor lady just had a look of terror on her face.
I looked at Mrs. S and said "We really need to get some insurance on our AS" Protect our investment.

That was the only scare we had though the rest of the trip was free and clear and we arrived home around 1700 hours and put the AS to rest until next time I return.

This is or rig parked in the yard unloading all our goods we bought in Canton. Take notice to the dead grass in the yard due to the horrible drought here in Texas this year. We need rain so bad.

This time home was a huge success, we finally got to use our AS and we are so happy. She still needs some attention and shes not perfect, but we love her and we had a great time.
We are thinking Red River, NM when I get back. We are wanting to run from this summer heat, its already gotten to 103.
Got to go to work for now but Ill be back and hopefully we will be heading out again when I return. Happy trails!

[Mr & Mrs S]

Well guys we have been MIA for awhile on the forums due to we are camping in The Stream at Mill Creek Park located on the southern end of Lake Sam Rayburn. The Internet here doesn't work very good so I'm unable to post pictures. We initially planned on running up to NM or CO, but Mrs. S had clients to tend to and didn't want to leave them hanging. Plus we already have a 3000 mile trip planned for Sept. So far everything has been great with no problems. Two days ago I put a portable weather station in the AS and it recorded 113 degrees outside temp yesterday!!! The inside temp on the AS was 79 average but would quickly go up to 84 if we were in and out a lot. I have a small but powerful fan that we got at SAMs that REALLY makes a difference on helping cool the AS down. If we turn the fan off the trailer will start heating up. It really moves the air in the trailer. Might be something some of you might be interested in trying.
Anyhoo just wanted to give an update on our status, I'll load pics when possible.

[Lance M]

Hey Mr S,
Just found your travel thread! Like the name of it! Cool!
Sounds like you've been having fun. Hope it cools off for you. It was a little over a hundred here today. Maybe we'll get some rain soon too! We had a great time on our long trip. Here is a thread with all the pics. I'm still uploading them!
Happy trails!

[GREENovaters]

I love reading these sort of threads... it's what having an Airstream is all about!

[4RXLA]

Mr. S, did you get insurance for your Airstream?

[Mr & Mrs S]

Hey Top,
Glad you found the thread! I just found yours yesterday too! I was wondering if anyone would catch onto our thread name LOL. Its been really hot here too! So dry! The grass here just crunches under your feet. Ive been coming here to Rayburn since I was a kid and Ive NEVER seen the lake this low. We need rain SOOOO BAD! Give props to Mrs. Tops for the awesome pics on yalls last adventure. Glad yall had a great time.
We have a 3000 mile trip planned for Sept. Going to spend couple days in San Antonio, maybe we can get a chance to pop over and give Abby a visit. Dont think thats too terribly far from you right?


GREENovaters,
Glad you enjoyed the reading, it is what its all about fun and camping!


Dougsale,
We did get insurance on the AS after our Canton adventure on the interstate. We chose Foremost because I had them when I owned a SOB and had damage and they were soooo good to us with the repairs. No hassle what-so-over. I they let me control where when and how to fix the damgage and there rate was pretty good. They even let me set how much I wanted to insure our AS for and didnt give me any hassle at all over the amount...

Sorry for the delay in posting guys our internet is very hit and miss here.

[bwoodtx]

Glad everything went well on your trip. As an alternative to dual a/c's you might consider going to a 15K btu. that is what I am looking at doing. yes, the fan does help too. When you come this way in Sept. give a shout and if I'm home we'll knock back a cocktail or two.

[Mr & Mrs S]

Originally Posted by bwoodtx

Glad everything went well on your trip. As an alternative to dual a/c's you might consider going to a 15K btu. that is what I am looking at doing. yes, the fan does help too. When you come this way in Sept. give a shout and if I'm home we'll knock back a cocktail or two.

I to am considering the 15k a/c. I think we'd be fine with a bigger unit. We are making it ok with our current unit.
Sounds good for Sept. I'll be sure to give you a heads up shout before we head that way a take you up on that cocktail offer.

[Mr & Mrs S]

Guess its about time I updated the Excella files since we’ve returned home from our last adventure.
Not a lot to report really, we just spent 11 lazy days at Mill Creek Park on lake Sam Rayburn fishing, swimming, cooking, and meeting new people. The only downfall was the heat but we manage fairly well I think. Mill Creek Park is a good size park that is very quiet and cozy. It offers lots of waterfront camping sites with water and power hookups. There pads for parking are not the best in the world but they are ok. The park has lots of trees and the roots have grown under some of the pads leaving humps in them. But we really enjoyed the trip; gave me time to really learn a lot about camping in our AS. I think we are ready to venture out and make a long trip now. This short trip was really good for us. We now think we’ve got all the kinks worked out the AS and have all the small things in the camper that you would normally forget if you just took out on a trip.
We didn’t take many photos but here are some from our last trip:
This of course is the AS sitting on on a lake side view of Sam Rayburn.


Just a random photo from the view out our rear bedroom window



While Mrs.S was down at the swimming area, Me and the kiddos thought it was a great time to take a refreshing nap.



We enjoyed some great sunsets!


Zeus on stretched out enjoying himself!(He dont have a mean bone in his body)


Mrs. S made this vintage looking photo of the campsite.


Then finally the tow home, but first we had to make a stop in Jasper,TX at the smoke house for some great BBQ!


All in all it was a great trip. A little on the hot side but still a great trip.
I thought about asking if some fellow ASers would like to rally here during mid November. That is my favorite time to camp at Mill Creek because the nights are cool the days are nice and the park is EMPTY. All the deer hunters are gearing up for hunting season and Im enjoying a park all to myself. It would be a good time.
(If anyone would be intrested let me know and Ill start a thread to see if some others would take intrest. Has lots to offer for everyone.)
If you ever in the Jasper area its a great park to stay at.

Our next adventure is in the making, looks like were heading for the mountains early September, so stay tuned.

[Lance M]

Looks like a nice trip. I'd be interested in a mid November rally for sure. That is the best time to go camping in Texas IMHO. Looking forward to your next big adventure.

[Mr & Mrs S]

Well Mrs. S and I were supposed to be off on a grand adventure wondering around NM and CO on a trip we had planned for over a year now, but do to me coming home from overseas late and then having the flu and being in the bed for a week wondering if I was ever going to get better plans have changed and we we decided not to go. Guess it wasnt meant to be.
Im better now (except for a mild cough) and itching to do something with our AS. The East Texas weather has been really wonderful. So Mrs. S suggested we make a small jump to Galveston, TX just to get out of the house and enjoy this cooler weather. So I gladly agreed and will spend the morning getting the AS ready and make the haul today. It will be a short trip only till Monday. But Im still excited to hook up to The Stream and go somewhere.
We have stayed in Galveston many time as its one of Mrs. S and I favorite short trips to go. Eat some good food and walk the beach.(Even though we all know its not the greatest beach)
We have never RVed in Galveston so this will be a little different experiance for us. Of course we are taking the dogs since we found a dog friendly park, this will be there first trip to the beach.
The name of the park is Dellanera RV Park and its a full hookup RV park.
Kinda has mixed reviews but we will just have to ride down and see for ourselves. Sometimes its just what you can make of the scene or situation and Mrs. S is the best at that.
Being from the little village town we live in we do not have a set of weight scales around, but I found a set of CAT scales along the way. Im very curious to stop in and get a look at our numbers. If there not swamped with commercial vehicles I may just do it. Prolly would be a good thing.
Well the daylight is wasting away, better go get started.
Sorry we dont have exciting mountain stories in line for you that follow along, but we have an Airstream story any way you look at it.
To the open roads......

[Lance M]

Mr. S,
Sorry to hear the big trip had to be scrapped. That is a bummer. Oh well, Texas has many great things to see! We went to Galveston last year. We had a great time. It was during spring break, so it was a tad cold. We stayed at a place down the coast from Galveston Island State Park. It was OK, but nothing spectacular. Have fun and we look forward to the trip report.

[polarlyse]

Hi Bruce, Is that a Great Pyrennes I see in your photo. Great looking dog. My wife's parents raised them here in NJ long time ago. They had one when we first met. Don't see many of them at all so it's a special occasion when we do.

Auf wiedersehen,

[Mr & Mrs S]

We returned from our Galveston trip late yesterday. We had a really great time.

On Saturday me and Mrs. S spent the morning packing and getting the AS ready for the trip. Around 1:00 PM me and Lola (our Boston Terrior) hit the road. Mrs. S and Zeus stayed behind and waited for my mother which had to work and didnt want to drive down alone. We invited her along cause she loves Galveston as well.
Here is a shot of my co-pilot navigating from the front seat.......
(Yes she is wearing shaded goggles, she loves to hang her head out the window when we slow down and go through towns)


We made good time traveling and even stopped and got a chance to get on the CAT scales and see how we looked weight wise. I had planned to get a couple diffrent weights but the lady helping me wasnt to thrilled and seemed to think I was taking up to much time so we just done it once.

Ive never been on a ferry with an RV, I was alittle nervous since is is such a tight fit, but with Lola cheering me on we made it and fit nicley. Got a lot of strange looks.


At about 5:45 or so we arrived at the Dellanera RV Park. Its in a great location (or I think it is) Its right off Seawall DR but its not right in the middle of all the action, its far enough down that its outside the main fuss but close enough you can be there in 2-3 minutes.


The staff was really friendly and checking in only took a few minutes.
There are several sites that are ocean view but they are mainly for rigs that are 25 ft or shorter. But there are a few ocean view that can handle big rigs. The sites are full hook ups and are laid out very nicely. When we first arrived we were hidden in a sea of Class A Rvers. Man there were some huge ones, but still they couldn't resist looking and coming over to ask about the AS.


We setup on a pull through site and when I stopped on the cement pad I noticed that the trailer was sitting very well. I checked the levels and wow the trailer was perfectly level. I was shocked. Thats never happened before.

After setting up we quickly went to check out the beach front which is only steps away from the camp site and I was really in for a shock when I seen how clean the beach was. Now granted it wasnt white sand beach with blue clear water, but it was amazingly clean. No trash or funny smells. I was actually really nice being Galveston.




Galveston has a lot to offer including the water park which was only 3 miles away and Mrs. S and Mom enjoyed that day. I chose to stay at the Rv Park and enjoy the Houston Texans season opener win against the Colts from the comfort of the AS.
There is some great food to eat and of course the shopping for the women.
I did stumble across a very intresting find which is called Bishops Palace, I strongly recommend you take the tour of this house while in Galveston. Its a 20,000 sq ft home that was built in the mid 1800 and has survived two hurricanes! It was simply amazing! Its 10 dollars for the tour and there are no photos allowed to be taken inside the home. It has some wonderful history behind it.


Well we had a great time and will for sure return to Dellanera RV Park and we think its great for anyone looking for a Galveston stay. Nothing like staying by the beach in the cool breeze and watching your AS shine in the sun.


It was another successful and evenful AS outing and we cant wait for the next one.

To the open roads.........

[HiHoAgRV]

I love trips like that! Thanks for sharing it with us...now that the heat is breaking, it's camping season...

[TouringDan]

I have really enjoyed reading all about your Excella travels. It is what having an Airstream is all about. Our son and his wife live in Ft. Worth. I am planning on going there in November to do some work on their home and do some camping with them and their two dogs. Sounds like November is just about perfect camping weather in Texas.

Dan

[Lance M]

Another great camping trip! I love to read about your travels and see some really cool pictures. Thanks for sharing!

[Mr & Mrs S]

I love when I can post on this thread, means Im using and enjoying all my work I put into our AS!

We are all packed up ready to head out at 0600hrs. Everythings ready to go, trailer and TV are all washed up, and all systems checked.

Headed back to Canton, TX to do some shopping for Xmas.

I added a final touch to the AS today!



Gotta let folks know we are a supporting member of this geat forum!

Stay tuned......Travels soon to follow!

[Bettye]

Loved reading about your travels.