SilverGate's Safari is Home at Last!

[SilverGate]

And then I found it… the Secret Trap Door… just to the right of the hole…

[SilverGate]

And there it was… down below… the 600-Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter…

Made by WFCO… World Friendship Company…

Which enables us to watch the LCD or recharge the 2-way radios while at a non-hook-up site…

[SilverGate]

Now, one more look under that slide-out section of the gaucho…

Which made me into a groucho…

Because the curb-side wood support arm, which the factory had only stapled on, was now separating away from the gaucho frame and no longer adequately supported the metal glide rail and slide-out section. The street-side arm was also stapled, but had not yet separated.

[SilverGate]

So we got out the tools and went to work...
(mostly Larry who has the shop skills)…

[SilverGate]

In retrospect, after completing several trips using the gaucho, we had noticed that the curbside corner (by the door) of the gaucho slide-out section appeared loose and lower than the street-side. On previous trips, we occasionally had been having some difficulty extending and retracting the gaucho. It felt as if something was catching when we pushed/pulled on the slide-out. While looking at the extra heavy-duty drawer glide bracket under the gaucho, we noted that the hardwood bar support under the glide hardware was separating from the cabinet frame. It had been secured only with staples at the factory. The wooden bar support fell off when touched! The front ¾" wood screw securing the glide hardware to the cabinet frame had become loose, stripped out of its hole, and had fallen onto the floor.

Larry replaced the missing wood screw at the front of the glide hardware with a 2 ½" flat head deck screw. The rear ¾" wood screw holding the other end of the glide fell out during the repair and was replaced with a 2" flat head, 10 gauge, machine screw. The machine screw penetrates the lounge frame and curbside exterior upholstery fabric, and is secured with a nut and washer. (Note: the flat head screw securing the glide bracket must set in flush with the metal to allow the segments of the glide to side over each other to properly allow extension and retraction of the hardware. The wooden bar supporting the glide hardware was pre-drilled and re-attached to the cabinet frame with 5 to 6, 1-5/8" wood deck screws.

[SilverGate]

The same was done to the street-side of the gaucho…

[SilverGate]

After a thorough vacuuming, it’s now time to replace the bedding…

Remember we like the gaucho in the open position most of the time.

We were tempted to put on a 4" memory foam mattress topper as we have done on the rear bed…

But the 38-lb. topper would have taken away the flexibility of the gaucho design and function.

So we start with the full mattress pad cut and hemmed in one corner to accommodate the L-Lounge shape…

[SilverGate]

Then on go the sheets: a full top sheet sewn onto a fitted bottom sheet… Thanks, Rich L. for the suggestion.

(Note the vintage and flattened goose down pillow, which will hide nicely under the bedding, and yet can be bolstered with other pillows nearby when in use).

[SilverGate]

Next comes the King faux down comforter…

A perfect size when folded in half…

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And now the black bed spread which hides the bedding…

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This is topped with an African animal motif jacquard spread.

This along with the pillows and cushions now make this appear as a lounge, rather then a bed.

[SilverGate]

We were happy with the outcome of the lounge fix…

And so was Diego Flamingo, who came up to inspect…

Thanks, FreshAir44, for asking your question, which led to the discovery of the lounge construction problem… and the fix.

SilverGate (no longer groucho)

[FOILED]

THANK YOU Silvergate - you guys are awesome. I so admire your care and attention to detail with the AS. My husband would thank you but he is too busy working to read the forum -- yes, retired folks do have more time! Your postings and especially the pictures are super helpful and we are so lucky to get your input on our exact model. Very cool!

Speaking from absolutely no construction experience, I would imagine that AS would say that we never built the L-shaped lounge to be used in the "out" position 100% of the time. But I can so see how it works for you. Selfishly, I am hoping that you will grow tired of this look and want to use the L-shaped lounge in the closed up position -- then my hope is that you will research, design and provide us with lots of information on how to extend the bed out those extra 6 inches when open because it drives me crazy it isn't a full rectangle when opened!

We are off to the Beverly Beach Bash this coming weekend (69 Airstreams in one spot!) so . . . I am bringing my laptop and hope my hubbie will find time to pursue the forum and read this wonderful posting on your Safari 23!!
FreshAir44

[TBRich]

SilverGate... My, my...you two have been busy-busy! Congrats on your recent grouchy gaucho fix-up...better to have discovered the flaw now and reinforced it before it gave out on you...that would have been even "grouchier" for you...especially if it happened while you were out somewhere.

I like the idea of leaving it down as a lounge most of the time. That makes sense if you eat outside most of the time. Our dinette at the front of the 19' Bambi can also be converted to a lounging area...by converting the dinette into the bed configuration (which, by the way, is quite roomy), flipping/reversing the 2 curved boldsters (that are normally behind the seat back cushions) to form a back for the lounge that fits the curve of the shell, and then using pillow shams from the bed to make a rather comfy lounging/relaxing area. The dogs love it set up that way! The only down side for us leaving it that way is that we usually need the dinette table surface to use if we are cooking or preparing meals inside since we have very limited counter space in the Bambi.

As always, however, you are an inspiration for the art of Airstream living!

Thanks!
TB & Greg

[SilverGate]

It’s October with mild temperatures and a wonderful time to go back to the Southern California mountains.

We took Highway 79 through the Cuyamaca Mountains and stopped at Desert View Park for a view of the valley below and desert beyond.

It’s a preview for us of our next tentative outing in the Anza-Borrego desert.

[SilverGate]

We arrived at our destination, a non-hook-up site in the Cuyamaca Mountains near Julian, CA.

Julian is known for its Apple Days Festival in the autumn: http://www.julianappledays.com/

And nestled in…

[SilverGate]

We showed our Airstream in honor of Show America – Use Your Airstream Weekend:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f161/show-america-use-your-airstream-weekend-35539-6.html

And with Veterans Day coming up, I like the idea of show your Flag and Airstream:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f161/veterans-fall-7798-9.html

[SilverGate]

So here we are near Julian where a forest fire just three weeks ago shut down the town, including its highways both in and out.

Besides the ever-looming fire danger, we also became aware of another danger out here when we saw the sign posted on the outhouse, warning of The Plague…
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/plague/story.html

[SilverGate]

(Click on pics for larger view)

Walking back from the outhouse, I noticed that the turkeys are larger now...

and appear more nervous as Thanksgiving approaches…

[SilverGate]

Every afternoon gaggles of them walked by…

Then one heard something, stopped and raised its head…