38 days and 9000+miles

[starflyte1]

We have returned from a wonderful 38 day, 9000+mile trip.

We are very happy with the quality of our Airstream. We have towed it over 12000 miles since buying it. We stopped at Jackson Center, where they adjusted our door and replaced the pump. Very minor problems. Our air conditioner burned out, which I have found was our fault for not knowing enough to turn it off if it "struggles", because of the volt meter reading below 108.

We give our 2007 23' Safari an A+.

We started June 8, went to the shuttle launch, then headed north to Jackson Center, then around the top of Lake Michigan, over to Seattle, down the Oregon coast a bit, then MO and home. We saw several friends along the way, one my husband has known for 70 years. Also, stopped at 5 air museums, 2 golf courses and other points of interest to us.

Thanks to the people on this forum. Even though we were over 4000 miles from home, we never felt alone. Always knew where to go for help. THANKS!

Pat

[Safari Tim]

Pat

That sounds like a great trip. Glad you trailer worked well for you.

I'd like to take the trip someday from the west coast out east. How much driving did you do on you driving days?

[vswingfield]

Sounds like a great trip. Sorry about the AC. That’s an expensive lesson. Glad you still had a great time.

Vaughan

[starflyte1]

Tim, we would try to do 400 miles a day on travel only days. We used to travel many more miles in RVs of the past, but we were younger then.

Pat

[moosetags]

Congrarulations on completion of your epic journey.

[safari57]

Impressive. Glad the trailer worked out fine for you. One always wonders although we shouldn't - they were made for travel. The newer trucks also make long distance travel so much easier and comfortable. I know we won't put more than 3,000 miles on this year and I'd like it to be triple that. Maybe next year. You really are living the dream most of us have.

Barry

[pmclemore]

Pat,

Congratulations on your trip - sounds like a great time in a great rig. I think you guys are wise to limit your daily miles to a reasonable number - bad things happen more often at the end of a too-long pull.

Pat (too)

[Charlie M]

Pat;

Congratulations on your great and safe trip! You answered a question I had about voltage drop and the A/C. You said the A/C struggled when the volts dropped below 108. Is that the magic number?

Last year at the International Rally at Salem, OR I paid for the 30 amp service. Ignorance is bliss, I guess. Some of the Airstreamers were complaining about the low voltage and were concerned about their A/C. I finally bought a volt meter to keep tabs. Sorry, that you learned a lesson the hard way. I was just lucky last year.

[Streamer1]

Originally Posted by starflyte1

Tim, we would try to do 400 miles a day on travel only days. We used to travel many more miles in RVs of the past, but we were younger then.

Pat

Is this one person doing ALL the driving or is this both of you sharing the driving duties?

[starflyte1]

My husband drives most of the time, but I will drive about 100 miles a day.

[Cracker]

Your 108 volt cutoff for the A/C surprised me a tad. I would have thought that the A/C could handle that without damage - although most surely there is a definite point, along with a corresponding time element, where we would likely experience a failure. Maybe someone else can chime in with a comment or two. That said, why doesn't the A/C have a fusible link, fuse, or circuit breaker, of some sort, to protect it against low voltage conditions? All too often we leave the trailer for a period of time with the A/C left on - and in spite of having a voltmeter in plain site - it won't help if the voltage drops while we're gone.