Young full-timers just bought first Airstream! (Socal)

[emayfiel]

Hello friends,

My wife and I just bit the bullet and bought a 2007 Safari 28ft. I am a lamp designer by trade (former Disney animator) and my wife is a nurse at Providence. We wanted to start saving some real money and get on top of our student loans. After crunching the numbers, this was the most efficient way to do it. (After all, rent in LA was costing us 1625$ a month without utilities.) We just wanted to say hello to all of you, and that we look forward to scouring these forums for the much needed information I know we will be looking for. Just a few pictures to start out with. Please feel free to give us some advice since we are new to this.
Thanks,
-Evan and Elizabeth

P.S. We bought the trailer from a metal worker who designed a custom rear bumper with detachable flag poles. A few other neat mods as well. Looks pretty cool to us!






Us


One of our lamps

[LiLNomad]

Welcome from San Fernando Valley. Where are you going to park?
LilNomad

[BoldAdventure]

Welcome, really exciting to see more and more young couples getting into Airstreams.

[rodsterinfl]

Love the lamp- cool. Congratulations, it looks nice. Did you find a place to park it yet or are you able to be all round-about? The Safari is a wise choice.

[cwf]

Welcome aboard!!!!
I "see" a bright future!!!

I wager you could do some fine "art"/character pieces surrounding Aluminitis theory and "cure"

[emayfiel]

Thank you for the warm welcome friends. Lilnomad, right now the plan is to park in OC in the inlaws backyard until we get our bearings. Then, we will be looking for other options in and around LA. Any suggestions? CWF I am already thinking about designing a lamp specifically for our airstream. It'll be interesting to see how it turns out. Rodsterin thank you for the kind words! Boldadventure, we hope to inspire others our age to do the same. It's a good stepping stone to one day owning a house. Even then, I'm sure it will be very small as we like the idea of spending more time outside. Cheers

[moosetags]

Welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us. I also love your lamp. It is reminiscent of the radio room of a World War War II fighter base.

Brian

[Wayward]

Welcome and thanks for saying hello!

It is really great to see a young couple starting out and taking advantage of the American dream.

We are not doing our future generations any favors with higher education that mandates such debt. You are quite wise to get out from under the debt as soon as possible - and what a great way to do it!

Nurses run the show! My wife is a nurse. Travel nursing can also work with the Airstream life style.

(ps - kids LOVE Airstreams )

[LiLNomad]

come to the Kern/Rivernook event in October...should be on event calender but i believe its weekend of 25th..or pm me
LilNomad

[Piggy Bank]

Great idea. We've been married 27 years, and live in the Midwest. Nonetheless, an airstream will cost us close to what we paid for our first house.

For you, certainly reselling the airstream in 5 years will be more simple than selling a condo or starter house.

[switz]

Welcome to the forums. Lots of information here plus opinion galore. The challenge to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Our recent trips have shown us that the commercial camp sites we stayed in (New Mexico and Colorado and Arizona) like the magic $40 plus tax per night number. Some offer weekly rates (like 7th day free). We stayed in a state park in Colorado for $9 per night with a 14 day limit (lower price for being in the 65+ crowd). Note that the commercial parks include electricity, water and dumping facilities and sometimes non-secure WiFi.

Do not be surprised if the local zoning laws may provide some issues for the trailer to be in your in-laws back yard. While a garden hose and a #10 wire extension cord cover the water and light living issues, the "dumping" of the gray and black water tanks could be a gotcha.

There is a reference called Woodall's for camp sites and you would want the Far West version. It is updated annually.

Great to younger folks getting started. We wish you all the best in your Airstream adventure!

That is a neat lamp design!

[Airrogant]

I'm a bit of a commute from LA, but I'll let you stay here for that kick-azz lamp.

Breath deeply when it breaks, and have fun!

[emayfiel]

Haha, thanks Airragant! That is a bit of a drive
Switz, thank you so much for all the info.
Piggybank, out plan is to hold on to it forever. But we agree, it would be so my easier to resell.
Wayward, that's great that your wife is a nurse too! I'm glad to know it will work out ok.
Lilnomad, will do. We may be around that weekend. Would love to check it out! Thanks

[T1NCAN]

Very cool lamp man! My wife and I are 28 and love airstreaming! But, we aren't "full timers." Do you have an etsy page? Or website? I'd like to look at more of your stuff!

[emayfiel]

Originally Posted by T1NCAN

Very cool lamp man! My wife and I are 28 and love airstreaming! But, we aren't "full timers." Do you have an etsy page? Or website? I'd like to look at more of your stuff!

Sorry Tincan, I'll have to pm you directly. It is against the rules to post a link to your own website.
Thank you for the kind words, and ahoy to meet another couple our age!