New owner of a 2011 27' Flying Cloud

[tdmaymac]

We're a little late posting to the New Member section, having lurked around the past few months. We bought our new Airstream in July but were too busy all summer to do anything but tow it home from the dealer until two weeks ago, when we finally took it out for its maiden voyage. We live in a small town 20 miles south of Boston and we took a 3-day trip out to the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts for the Columbus Day weekend, spending two nights at a small private RV park known as Prospect Lake Park in North Egremont.

This trip served a dual purpose: to spend a full day at the Paradise City Arts Festival in Northhampton and to confirm that Prospect Lake Park would work as a place to location my trailer as a summer residence in July and August each year, as my work takes me to the Berkshires for 8 weeks each summer. The trip was a success on both counts. The photo of our rig in my profile was taken on that trip. The weather was truly spectacular that weekend.

We're looking forward to learning all about the proper care and feeding of our beautiful "Cloud". There is clearly a wealth of deep knowledge (and strongly held opinions) on pretty much every Airstream subject imaginable. It's great to join such a passionate group of people with a common interest. The level of enthusiasm and willingness to help others is reminiscent of the Mac user community with which we've had a 25-year involvement. There's that same devotion to uniquely designed and beautifully crafted products that attracts those who are not satisfied with the cheapest options out there.

We've been bitten by the "aluminitis" bug and welcome the opportunity to become active members of this community.

Tom and Huguette May

Tow vehicle - 2011 Dodge RAM 1500 Longhorn

[moosetags]

Welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us.

Congrats on the new baby and the successful maiden voyage.

[bike_addict]

Congrats! We love our Cloud.

[Mojave]

Congrats and welcome! The cloud is beautiful. Happy travels with your new baby

Lisa & Paul

[Fly at Night]

You picked a good one....but new trailer announcements need pictures, please!

[TBRich]

Welcome to the Forums and congratulations on your new trailer... You're going to have many wonderful times with it... While it is a "home on wheels"...chances are, it will become much more for you... I know our Bambi has become to be far more than a travel trailer to us...it's our vessel to good times and fond memories and good friends...

[RichHog]

Congrats on your new trailer and welcome to the club. And like a Mac user for 25 years we love our products and get vocal when the mother company misses it on a particular feature or product whether it's quality features on a new trailer or on OS features lacking in Lion or Final Cut Pro. Hopefully these forums will keep our beloved products and their parent companies in the black for a long time.

[tdmaymac]

Thanks to all of you for your collective warm welcome. Responding to Fly by Night's request for pictures, I only have one at this point, which shows the full rig. I'm loving the Dodge RAM almost as much as the Airstream. I only hope that it turns out to be enough truck to tow the 27 footer over the long haul. I've seen a lot of people with heavy duty trucks in RV parks. If any of you have experience towing with RAM 1500 series or F150 series trucks, I'd appreciate hearing some encouraging words. I'm sure there are many different views on this, like every other topic.

Tom

[bike_addict]

Good looking rig. What's your hitch setup? May just be an optical illusion or camera angle but the trailer looks pretty unlevel.

[tdmaymac]

Originally Posted by bike_addict

Good looking rig. What's your hitch setup? May just be an optical illusion or camera angle but the trailer looks pretty unlevel.

It's a Reese sway control system installed and calibrated by the Airstream dealer when I picked up the trailer in July. The picture was taken after the second hookup (return trip from maiden voyage) in October. The positioning of the truck and trailer (45 degree angle) may be distorting the apparent level somewhat, but I had the same reaction as you when I looked at the picture. I'm not yet familiar enough with the hitch system to know how to correct this, if it was set wrong at the dealer. I assume it has to do with moving the hitch up on the truck mount, as the sway bars were at the prescribed position as far as chain links go. Any advice would be appreciated.

Tom

[bike_addict]

It could be the picture. Cameras can play tricks on you. You could level the trailer and measure from inside the coupler to the ground and compare that the distance from the top of the ball on the truck to the ground and see.

[Fly at Night]

Originally Posted by tdmaymac

Thanks to all of you for your collective warm welcome. Responding to Fly by Night's request for pictures, I only have one at this point, which shows the full rig. I'm loving the Dodge RAM almost as much as the Airstream. I only hope that it turns out to be enough truck to tow the 27 footer over the long haul. I've seen a lot of people with heavy duty trucks in RV parks. If any of you have experience towing with RAM 1500 series or F150 series trucks, I'd appreciate hearing some encouraging words. I'm sure there are many different views on this, like every other topic.

Tom

Thanks for the picture; would love to see some inside shots too. (I'm nosey!)

I tow the same trailer with a F150. Just came back from my shakedown cruise which involved some flat, then mountain driving. On the flat, I barely noticed the trailer behind me. Then I was faced with "Nine-mile hill" which is a long, steep mountain grade (has runaway lanes going down). My truck was straining; geared down and did not push it past 45 mph.

The RV park at my destination had many one-ton trucks too. I asked one guy with a one-ton GMC how he found "Nine-mile hill" pulling a 11,000 lb. toy hauler. He said his truck was really straining too.

Anyway, that's my two-cents worth about my 1/2 ton truck experience.
Oh.....also had heavy-duty transmission cooler installed in the truck. I know I will appreciate that in the summer.

I think babying the truck a bit going uphill makes a big difference.

Have fun~!

[Goal15]

I'll bet the Berkshires were just beautiful this time of year.

Welcome to the Forums and you are right, much like eary adopters of the Mac, folks around here are friendly, helpful and recognize that they are owners of something very special.

Dana

[Fly at Night]

Concur with Goal. This forum is a tremendous help. Airstreamers will bend over backwards to help. Hugs to you all~!

When I bought the Fly at Night I knew nothing about trailers. Absolutely nothing~!
It sat in the driveway for months because I was scared to use it, thinking I'd wreck something.

I finally relaxed and am enjoying it more and more. Sometimes the trailer looks after me instead of me looking after it~! I swear to gawd I've screwed something up, but it will then correct itself. I even had a dream that my trailer was talking to other trailers and told them "My owner is a real dufus....but she loves me. So, I try to make things easier for her." LOL!

[Tater]

We have an 2011 25' FC and pull it with an 05 Silverado 1500 5.3L with no problem. When I ordered the truck I ordered the 3.73 rear axle and I believe that makes a huge difference in towing. In Florida, I can tow in overdrive but in mountains I have to run in regular drive. While not a Ford or Dodge, it pulls the A/S with no problem. Gas mileage is normally around 11 MPG and in mountains it's 9-10. I drive at the speed limit while towing and my mileage increases considerable if I drive only at 55 MPH. Congratulations on the new A/S.

[monkeypants]

Congrats on the new astream! Use 'er in good health!

[Airslide]

What a beauty! Nice looking rig.. Welcome to the airforums and congrats on the new airstream..

Vinnie

[Scott J-24]

Welcome to the group. We have a 27' FB also and you will love the floor plan. Lots of room and storage. We tow our AS with a Tundra (5.7L) and it pulls it without any problems, I am sure your Ram won't have any problems.

Safe travels,