Airstream sightings

[SARGE/AF]

Originally Posted by Skatiero

Sarge, w wet in the sane spot with our airstream and a friend with theirs twenty-four hours later. too cool! I got excited for a sec thinking you saw us, then noticed you said Saturday instead of Sunday!

Sorry about that I would have loved to be able to report your travel, I live in East Tennessee and had to run down and pick up my sisters vehicle in Marietta and bring it back here.

[Remax gal]

Originally Posted by FastEddieB

Probably an odd place to put this observation, but maybe not...



A month or so ago, Karen and I loaded up our Honda Element at our N GA home and headed first to Chalet Suzanne in Central FL, then to Naples, FL to look at an Airstream or two at Bates RV, then to Tampa for the RV show, then to Sebring for a Light Sport Expo, then to Malabar on the east coast to visit friends, then to Tallahassee to visit another friend, then back home. All in just about a week. Whew!



About 1,900 miles altogether.



Why am I telling you this?



We did not see a single Airstream on the road. Not one. And we were looking, curious as to what people were using as tow vehicles. The ones we did spot (maybe a handful) were mostly in pretty sorry shape parked in spots where it looked like they had not moved from in ages.



Was this unusual? Or are they really that rare a sighting?



Just curious.

I live in Central Florida - in fact immediately south of Sebring in a small town called Lake Placid. My husband and I have been interested in Airstreams for about a year and just like you, everywhere we go, we scan the highways looking for airstreams. NEVER saw one until around December or January and then saw 3 of them. All were on Highway 27 and all were traveling through Lake Placid. So to answer your question - yes I believe they are pretty rare - especially when you consider how many SOB's are out there. Laura

[FastEddieB]

Laura,

Coincidentally, when visiting the Light Sport Expo in Sebring we stayed with friends near Lake Placid. They have a Mooney and live on a grass landing strip called Kings Port just SW of the lake.

And when we stay with them, we stay in their trailer - not an Airstream, but it always gets us thinking about how nicely a trailer can be set up.

If we end up down that way again, maybe we can get together and compare notes!

[Remax gal]

Originally Posted by FastEddieB

Laura,



Coincidentally, when visiting the Light Sport Expo in Sebring we stayed with friends near Lake Placid. They have a Mooney and live on a grass landing strip called Kings Port just SW of the lake.



And when we stay with them, we stay in their trailer - not an Airstream, but it always gets us thinking about how nicely a trailer can be set up.



If we end up down that way again, maybe we can get together and compare notes!

I would absolutely love that Fast Eddie! We are picking up our 27FB Eddie Bauer in a few short weeks and absolutely can't wait! Hoping to meet you and many other Airstream owners VERY SOON!

[FastEddieB]

Deal!

Wonder where my post went? I was trying to add a screen shot of the area around Lake Placid and it just disappeared. Glad you quoted it.

Try again:

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[Remax gal]

How cool! I live right there on Lake June in Winter!

[Skater]

Originally Posted by FastEddieB

We did not see a single Airstream on the road. Not one. And we were looking, curious as to what people were using as tow vehicles. The ones we did spot (maybe a handful) were mostly in pretty sorry shape parked in spots where it looked like they had not moved from in ages.

Was this unusual? Or are they really that rare a sighting?

First, as someone else pointed out, you were doing this in winter, which isn't quite high time to use an RV for most of the country.

Second, it comes in waves. We'll go for relatively long trips and see maybe one, then a short 100-mile jaunt to Pennsylvania will have two or even three sometimes - the "Airstream sightings per mile" numbers vary widely.

Third, it depends on your timing. If most Airstreamers are working people, you'd expect to see more on Friday afternoon/evening than you would, say, Wednesday afternoon/evening. The remaining Airstreamers are retired folks who most likely roll during the day and are off the road before rush hour.

[Minno]

Saw 6 brand new Airstreams at the RV show in Minneapolis yesterday! Lots of people at the show - it's a sign of cabin fever this year.

Kay

[rodsterinfl]

Just looking through the thread - I have seen more this year in our area than last year on the streets. In addition we just got a dealer, North Trail RV, and the silver is clearly noticeable from Interstate-75. Since Thanksgiving (3months or so) I have seen about 6 or so late model ones and one was a Bambi. The others were older units perhaps 3-4 of them.

[DavidsonOverlander]

Saw an article in the Toronto Star this morning about this art installation at the Power Plant in Toronto.

The article describes the work as being built with Airstream trailers, but the trailers in the pictures don't look like Airstreams to me. I'd be interested in knowing what the closest one in the photo is, the one with the front that angles back from the centre. There are a couple of larger photos linked to the article and more photos here.

[Goal15]

Spotted two older AS within 10 miles of the house today. First, about noon was looked like a 30 foot 80s or 90s model being towed east on Interstate 30 just north of Mesquite, Tx by what was probably either a red Ford F-350 flatbed or a Chevy HD flatbed, with what looked like a welder's rig on the truck.

The second, about 4 p.m. was headed west at almost the exact same mile marker, a vintage that looked about 25-28 feet pulled by a white Suburban.

obviously a good day for AS sightings in my neighborhood.

[Silverflames]

You know I saw close too 100 AS at Top Sail state park just a few weeks ago..

[Ozark10]

Been meaning to post this for a while. Saw this in Mt. Ida, Arkansas while traveling to Hot Springs for Thanksgiving. Parked at an old motel on Hwy. 270 - The Mt. Ida Motel. It's an Argosy apparently. It's like a wagon trailer.http://www.airforums.com/forums/atta...1&d=1392176153

[mayco]

.

Saw this one parked on the west edge of Fort Collins, CO on sunday afternoon while visiting the kids.

[DavidsonOverlander]

Originally Posted by Ozark10

Been meaning to post this for a while. Saw this in Mt. Ida, Arkansas while traveling to Hot Springs for Thanksgiving. Parked at an old motel on Hwy. 270 - The Mt. Ida Motel. It's an Argosy apparently. It's like a wagon trailer.http://www.airforums.com/forums/atta...1&d=1392176153

I've been wondering what happened to that one! Or maybe there was more than one. I remember reading some years ago, probably around the late 90's when we bought our Overlander, that Airstream had built an Argosy with a wagon chassis to eliminate the problem of tongue weight. I guess it didn't work out, but interesting that it's still around. Looks like it's taken quite a beating, including a jackknifing while backing up. Anyone who grew up on a farm will know that backing up a wagon is different than a regular trailer. Not necessarily more difficult, but it reacts to steering changes opposite to a trailer with a fixed tongue.

Did any company ever produce a trailer with a wagon-style chassis? I wonder if sway was a problem. It's often a problem with farm wagons once you reach a certain speed, but I would think that problem could be solved with a bit of engineering. It seems to work with the trailers gravel trucks pull.

[Ozark10]

Originally Posted by DavidsonOverlander

I've been wondering what happened to that one! Or maybe there was more than one. I remember reading some years ago, probably around the late 90's when we bought our Overlander, that Airstream had built an Argosy with a wagon chassis to eliminate the problem of tongue weight. I guess it didn't work out, but interesting that it's still around. Looks like it's taken quite a beating, including a jackknifing while backing up. Anyone who grew up on a farm will know that backing up a wagon is different than a regular trailer. Not necessarily more difficult, but it reacts to steering changes opposite to a trailer with a fixed tongue.

Did any company ever produce a trailer with a wagon-style chassis? I wonder if sway was a problem. It's often a problem with farm wagons once you reach a certain speed, but I would think that problem could be solved with a bit of engineering. It seems to work with the trailers gravel trucks pull.

It's a strange contraption. Note the lack of windows except front and rear ends. Maybe it was a special purpose vehicle?
Patrick

[TinShack]

Originally Posted by DavidsonOverlander

Did any company ever produce a trailer with a wagon-style chassis? I wonder if sway was a problem. It's often a problem with farm wagons once you reach a certain speed, but I would think that problem could be solved with a bit of engineering. It seems to work with the trailers gravel trucks pull.

I would imagine it would be fun to try and level too, kind of like a moho. Regardless, it's a super interesting piece of history. Maybe someone will restore it before it gets in too bad of shape. Thanks for posting this Ozark!

[Cochese]

Saw this rig on the mean streets of Tulsa recently....

[DavidsonOverlander]

Originally Posted by Ozark10

It's a strange contraption. Note the lack of windows except front and rear ends. Maybe it was a special purpose vehicle?
Patrick

I suspect that was because it was a test vehicle. It probably didn't have an interior either.

[Cochese]

I think it was a rugby team or soccer team. I like the " test " vehicle theory, but not that interesting! Maybe it was a vehicle to measure the lack of climate change & show us hippies that it is indeed a farse!!! Our congressman here in OK said since it has been cold this winter it proves that global warming is not real!