Around-the-World Caravan Thank You Marco Polo

[PeeWee]

There is interest in the Around-the-World Caravan, here is the outer and inner jacket of the book, plus a map of the Caravan.

This was "the Caravan" of a lifetime.

I wish I had gone on the trip!

[henw]

Wow. What year(s) was this? I'll bet there are plenty of stories to be told.

Tom

[PeeWee]

Originally Posted by henw

Wow. What year(s) was this? I'll bet there are plenty of stories to be told.

Tom

Tom,

1963 to 1964.

Pee Wee

[Paul Mayeux]

Great book. I got a pristine copy five or six years ago, it even had McGregor Smith's business card inside the dust jacket.

[klewis]

I know this thread is fairly old, but would like to comment that my Great Aunt was on this caravan, as well as several others! I have a copy of the book signed by the author. There are several pictures of her Airstream in the book. In fact there is one of her truck/Airstream straddling two boats as it is being transported across a small body of water. i was surprised to find that anyone knew of this adventure.

[goransons]

Klewis, our 63 trailer is one of survivers of that caravan. I recently was connected with the daughter of its owners (Cecil and Mary Tolle). She scanned hundreds of her mom's slides and sent me (and the Vintage Airstream Club) a copy of them. Do you have any other stuff from your Great Aunt such as photos, newspaper clippings, or notes by chance? I posted most of the photos from them here:

Around the World Caravan Photos by the Tolles pictures by sgoranson - Photobucket

[klewis]

If anyone reads the previous post, I have a question. I am just getting Airstream fever and am thinking of buying one. Not having owned one myself I know very little about salvaging an old trailer. My Aunt's Airstream was not properly cared for after she gave it to a relative. At one point it was even in a flood. I think I still know where it is and might be able to purchase it. In the picture I mentioned, you can see a dent in her trailer from being hit by a water buffalo. I doubt that this was ever fixed, and might be used to help prove that this is one of the genuine Airstreams in the book. Would this old Airstream be collectible because it was on this caravan?

[soldiermedic]

Collectible indeed, but will need a great deal of work if it was in a flood in addition to poor upkeep. Worth it?...You bet it is.

Steve

[klewis]

Scott and Megan,

I am new to this type of forum and might not be answering in the correct fashion. As far as photos, I would have to ask my father. My aunt's name was Elizabeth Lewis, and she traveled with her best friend Rita White, both of whom are listed at the end of the book. Much of my aunt's personal belongings were left to Rita following my aunt's death in the 1980s. I will see if anyone knows about pictures.

[goransons]

Wow it would be very interesting to see what they might have. Your Aunt and her friend are also listed on copies of the roster I have. Can't quite make out the trailer's number on the roster (not the serial number but the club assigned number). It either is 686 or 606. If you search for that trailer, you may still see signs of that number over the front and back window.

To echo Steve's comment, it will be a lot of work if you find it. We expect the restoration to wrap up at the end of this year, working a couple weekends a month and some of the summer when we're off work. It's gone slower since we now have kids, so less time, and less money

[safari62]

Fran Hall - Hired by Airstream to photograph this caravan.

Died January 3th, 2011

Read obituary here: Fran Hall, 95 (UPDATED) on Northfield News

[66Overlander]

klewis,
Elizabeth (Betty) Lewis and Rita White are confirmed participants on the ATW caravan. Their WBCCI # was 606 and I am sure I have seen that trailer in photos from the caravan (didn't try to re-find them before this post). I have their trailer recorded as probably being a 1961-62 26' Overlander.

We absolutely would want to know about this trailers continued existence. There is excitement and value in what it did, but it may need extensive work to restore - possibly as much are rebuilding the frame, floor, and entire interior depending upon how bad the flood was and how long it is not been properly maintained. The more work that it needs the less value there is in its history. Then again it may need much less work than the worst case, but I'll wager it it will need significant work, probably requiring replacement of at least part of the floor and likely at least some frame repair, because they all eventually leak and if not taken care of that causes significant damage.

In any case, we'd all love to see photos and I'd like to learn more about it's whereabouts and current owners. I am tracking all known surviving trailers from the ATW caravan of which there are currently 4. Undoubtedly there are others waiting to be rediscovered.

Thanks for posting!

[bredlo]

Originally Posted by klewis

...I think I still know where it is and might be able to purchase it. In the picture I mentioned, you can see a dent in her trailer from being hit by a water buffalo. I doubt that this was ever fixed...

If you can find and purchase it, that water buffalo "love tap" would almost certainly be the lone dent - in the history of the forums - we'd all recommend you don't repair.

[klewis]

I discussed the round the world trip with my Dad and my Great Uncle David (Dave) Lewis. Dave still has the Airstream in a field in Harmony, Pennsylvania; his son Robbie will inherit it. He stated that the 606 is still partially visible. He notes that the trailer (1962) is in rough shape, but he has never sold it because of sentimental reasons. He said that his sister Betty paid $10,000 for the trailer and $10,000 for the round the world trip. He said that the pull vehicles had to be either Ford (which Betty had) or International. He remembered that at least two of the trailers were loaded down with parts and tools for repairing broken down trailers. He said that my Aunt had been on a prior caravan with Wally Byam
(I believe this was of Europe), but that he had become ill and passed prior to the round the world trip. He also stated that the water buffalo had reared its head as my Aunt was passing and ripped open the front right quarter of her Airstream. It had to be repaired on site, and that smaller dent was what remained. As far as pictures, my Uncle said that Fran was hired by Airstream to document the trip with still photography and movie clips. My Aunt did not take many pictures (if any) because the participants were suppose to be able to get copies of these professional pictures, which she, and presumably others, were never able to obtain. My guess is that many of the participants may have elected not to take pictures either. He said that there was a write-up about Rita and Betty and their trip in the Pittsburgh Gazette. If he can locate it he said he would send me a copy. Another interesting fact about the trip was that my Aunt was the only female driver in the caravan. My Uncle said that there was another woman Airstream owner by the name of Sutcliffe(??) but that she had a hired driver. Futhermore there was a 90 year old doctor who made the trip! This particular fellow had also been on a caravan from South Africa to I believe Egypt. Well Joe, you have now accounted for 5! I have stressed the importance of this trailer to my Uncle, and will also try to do the same with Robbie so that this piece of history is never just scrapped. Perhaps someone will someday be able to restore it!

[soldiermedic]

Wow...great info with lots of history. To find out another ATW trailer is out there is AWESOME.

Steve

[goransons]

It sure would be great if someone (a member of your family, or the VAC, or someone) could photograph the trailer as is for the club's history books. It would also be great to get your great uncle in contact with Joe, the Vintage Airstream Club's historian to get things documented. Hopefully you might have some ability to help them get the trailer at least water tight in order to help preserve it until someone in your family can restore it to its former glory.

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by klewis

I discussed the round the world trip with my Dad and my Great Uncle David (Dave) Lewis. Dave still has the Airstream in a field in Harmony, Pennsylvania; his son Robbie will inherit it. He stated that the 606 is still partially visible. He notes that the trailer (1962) is in rough shape, but he has never sold it because of sentimental reasons. He said that his sister Betty paid $10,000 for the trailer and $10,000 for the round the world trip. He said that the pull vehicles had to be either Ford (which Betty had) or International. He remembered that at least two of the trailers were loaded down with parts and tools for repairing broken down trailers. He said that my Aunt had been on a prior caravan with Wally Byam
(I believe this was of Europe), but that he had become ill and passed prior to the round the world trip. He also stated that the water buffalo had reared its head as my Aunt was passing and ripped open the front right quarter of her Airstream. It had to be repaired on site, and that smaller dent was what remained. As far as pictures, my Uncle said that Fran was hired by Airstream to document the trip with still photography and movie clips. My Aunt did not take many pictures (if any) because the participants were suppose to be able to get copies of these professional pictures, which she, and presumably others, were never able to obtain. My guess is that many of the participants may have elected not to take pictures either. He said that there was a write-up about Rita and Betty and their trip in the Pittsburgh Gazette. If he can locate it he said he would send me a copy. Another interesting fact about the trip was that my Aunt was the only female driver in the caravan. My Uncle said that there was another woman Airstream owner by the name of Sutcliffe(??) but that she had a hired driver. Furthermore there was a 90 year old doctor who made the trip! This particular fellow had also been on a caravan from South Africa to I believe Egypt. Well Joe, you have now accounted for 5! I have stressed the importance of this trailer to my Uncle, and will also try to do the same with Robbie so that this piece of history is never just scrapped. Perhaps someone will someday be able to restore it!

Here is a little more info that mostly jives with what you have been told. Elizabeth Lewis is last listed in the 1979 WBCCI Membership Directory and she is only recorded as having participated on two Caravans, 1956 Europe and 1963-64 Around the World. Wally Byam indeed lead the 1956 European Caravan. He passed away in 1962.

As for trucks, there were some Chevy's on the trip, too, but Fords were the most common and there was at least one or two Internationals.

Val, Mary and David (son) Sutcliffe were on the ATW caravan, both according to club records and as recorded in the back of the book Thank You Marco Polo - The Story of the First Around-the-World Trailer Caravan. I cannot identify any other single women that traveled on the caravan other than Elizabeth Lewis and Rita White. I suppose it is possible that the Sutcliffe's hired a driver that was not listed on the ATW participant list (if it wasn't their son, who would have been in his mid-20's at the time), but at the current time I have no way of proving or disproving that possibility. Val is no longer listed in the 1966 Membership Directory (but Mary still is), so it is possible that he was in declining health and unable to drive on the ATW Caravan, but again this is nothing I can prove or disprove.

By the way, the Sutcliffe's were one of seven couples on the ATW caravan that were on the 1959-60 Cape Town to Cairo Caravan. Not sure which ATW participant was the 90 year old doctor who was also on the African caravan, but if I had to guess I might say #692 Virgil Golden.

I'd love to get a copy of that Gazette article if you ever scan a copy.

[flyfshr]

This is all fascinating stuff and for another ATW trailer to surface is fantastic.

Brad
FF

[klewis]

Thanks Joe for being able to confirm much of what my Uncle remembers. He is in his 90s, but still pretty sharp. If I can get to Harmony any time soon, I will see if I can get some pictures; I am about 3 1/2 hours away. One question I have after looking at some of the Tolle pictures. I noticed one or more of the club members wearing pith helmets. After my Grandad passed, I found three pith helmets in his garage. One was labeled Betty, one Rita, and one was unlabeled. Did this have any significance to the Club?

[soldiermedic]

Pith helmets were worn in many of the pictures I have seen of the African carivan in 1959. Seeing that the ATW trip went to many hot places, I am sure pith helmets were worn by many caravan attendees.

Steve