nice to belong

[whistler]

it's nice to belong to a group of people who nod in appreciation as you go by towing an airstream. i own a harley and everytime i am out riding it and pass another motorcyclist they nod or wave to you as you go past. this is something that you never see happen if you pass someone with the same type car/truck as you. up until now it was only something that happened on my bike, but thats all changed. my wife and i just drove 1500 miles with our first A/S and on the drive we past 4 other people towing A/S trailers. everyone of them nodded/waved as they went past. this is something that has never happened when we towed any of our other brand trailers. so i just wanted to say it's nice to belong to a group of owners that still take the time to be friendly to perfect strangers that they may never talk to but are just passing in the night. also since we finally got it home i will have lots of restoration questions to ask.
whistler

[john hd]

welcome to the club!

john

[Tin Hut]

I was thinking the same thing recently. I sold my Road King a few years ago when weekends were taken with soccer games and baseball games and the bike sat in the garage. I used to live up close to you just south of the Wisc. border. Rode to Sturgis in '95 on my Heritage, down thru the rockies and back home. I was in pain for 3000 miles with the solid mounted engine and traded it in for the Road King as soon as I got back from the trip. The Air Stream comradarie reminds me alot of what it was like riding a HD.

[davidz71]

tinhut,
I never could afford a HD like you and johnhd so I bought Honda 750's. The signals were the same from all the bike riders I ran across even if they didn't think my 750 was equal to their larger bikes. You are right about the waves from other Airstream owners. I have seen more Airstreams in the last month on the interstate than I have seen in the last 2 years.

[whistler]

When I ride I don't care what type of bike the other rider is on, I give the wave and nod. Just the idea that you are out there supporting bike riding. It's not about the bike, it's about the comradeship and thats the same impression I got when towing my A/S. (although I do love my Harley)

whistler

[davidz71]

I've thought the same thing too. I was just glad to feel the freedom of the road while dodging cars who didn't seem to see me sometimes.

[MarkE]

Travelling with my Airstream is about 95% solo. So, I enjoy seeing others on the road and always like it when other Airstreamers nod, or wave. In the "old days" Airstreamers would flash the lights as a salutation but I believe that sort of died-out in the late 70's & the 80's as CB radios and other electronic communications became commonplace.
Personally, I still do this (especially on the interstates) and offer a wave.
I belong to the persuasion of modern-day classic cars and, although it is nice to get a wave, thumbs-up, etc. from those folks; I find the Airstream folks to be friendlier and more consistant in highway acknowledgments.
Welcome to the Airstream group Whistler!
MarkE

[Stefrobrts]

In my experience Corvette owners always wave - new or old, doesn't matter; Miata owners usually wave; and classic Mustang owners often wave; newer Mustang owners almost never wave; Bronco people make eye contact and nod in appreciation of your good sense to buy the same truck as them.

My most treasured acknowledgement on the road was when I was cruising top down in the Miata on a sunny day and a guy on a Harley shot me a peace sign. Too cool.

I guess if I EVER SEE another AS on the road I'll find out what they do. I'll try to remember to wave.

[bswaslien@aol.com]

Being an ex Corvette owner,current HD owner, A/s owner, and generally a car nut, I have experienced The Wave from all of the above. It gives one a good feeling about their fellow users of "That Special Vehicle" they are driving. The best I ever had came while driving my 1940 Ford 2dr sedan in Dallas Texas. A new F 40 Ferrari (then worth over 1,000,000) drove by my 40 and gave me the thumbs up. I about died. Corvetters used to have a saying all the yime SAVE THE WAVE,still sounds good to me. PJ

[Davydd]

Minnesotans wave at everything in their own reserved way. Anytime they make eye contact they wave by raising their fingers while still holding onto the steering wheel.

[Pahaska]

Originally posted by Davydd
Minnesotans wave at everything in their own reserved way. Anytime they make eye contact they wave by raising their fingers while still holding onto the steering wheel.

Same in many rural parts of Texas. The forefinger is raised briefly without taking the hand off the wheel. On many long west Texas stretches, you will get a one-finger wave from everyone who passes.

[Edie]

We always flash our lights and wave at any passing Airstream.

The motorcycle wave or nod blew me away. I was riding a 250cc motor scooter and the guys on the big bikes were waving and nodding. Now that's friendly!

One of the things I loved when we lived in TX was how friendly the drivers are. I spent a lot of time driving in rural TX and still use the one or two finger wave if I make eye contact with another driver.

Also in rural TX, if you are coming up on another vehicle on a mostly deserted highway, the other driver will pull onto the shoulder for you to pass.

[bredlo]

Originally posted by Edie G
I ...still use the one or two finger wave if I make eye contact with another driver.

Here in Chicago, a one-finger wave will likely get you followed into an alley and killed. Oh, you meant forefinger? Ahem, forget it.

[jcanavera]

On one of my first trips with the new Safari we got passed by a group of 10 Harley riders on an Interstate. As they came by me on the left as they reached my driver's side window they all in unison held out there right arms, bent elbow, fists in the sky as they passed. What a neat salute!.... I think Harley riders like Airstreams.

Jack