Our First Trip...Are We Crazy?

[crzycpa]

It's Wednesday and the restorer is working late to install the new axle onto a fully restored 1949 Airstream 18ft Trailwind. This eight month project will be complete when my wife and I pick up the trailer tomorrow afternoon. We'll spend a couple hours going over the in's and out's and get a short course in towing a trailer (neither of us have towed a travel trailer and we're in our mid 50s!). We'll bring the Trailwind home tomorrow, load it up and head out Friday morning for an airstream rally in Kernville, California.

I'm sure we'll bring a bunch of stuff we don't need and far to little of what we do need but one way or another we'll make do. I'll keep you posted on our little adventure...

[Skatiero]

Wow! What an amazing first trip!

[Nuvite-F]

There's a first time for everything, and you have to start somewhere. Good luck on your new adventure.

Now I want you to do something. . . When you are headed down the road, look back at the trailer in your rear view mirror, and see how happy it looks to be back on the road again. Your trailer thanks you for restoring it!
.

[TBRich]

That's a great rally..we have wanted to attend that one for some time, but haven't made it. The nice thing about making your maiden voyage to an Airstream rally is that you will be among friends, who will both admire and appreciate your trailer, and who will also help you out if you need it. Enjoy yourselves and have a great time!

[RichHog]

You are about to have a great adventure. Take it slow and enjoy the moment.

[Gene]

I don't know if you are crazy, but crazy people are allowed to have fun with their Airstreams too. Post photos of the restored trailer.

Gene

[barbara4rb]

I just had to reply to this! You are doing it just right!!

Our first trip with our 92 Sovereign was a 180 mile trip to Heron Lake in N New Mexico to a 4CU rally. I figured best first trip with the first Airstream (first RV too! :-) was to an Airstream rally.

It took us the night before and about 4 hours the next day to get ready and out of the driveway, only to be flagged down on the way to the freeway that our back storage door was open.

At Heron, we met some great people and we learned SO much! I'll never forget Howard pointing out, "Whoopsie, little problem with the plumbing" HAHA the dump valves had come apart from the pipes. Oh, yes, the previous owner had admitted to "banging the plumbing" but he fixed it. We discovered the roof vents leaked during a downpour. One night sleeping on the 17 year old mattress could kill you, but we got info on how to get it rebuilt.

Terry and Greg gave us an awning lesson, along with a long list of must-haves for the Airstream. Everyone was helpful. Best of all, we got hooked up with the 4Corners Unit, joined--and have attended several of the rallies.

Two+ years later, we make sure the back hatch is closed and locked correctly. We can pack and get out of town (start to finish) in under 4 hours now. Plumbing is good, fantastic vents in place, good mattress. :-)

Take your time, be patient, and ask lots of questions.

[Lisalynn]

How fun!! We are driving to kernville right now with our 53 flying cloud, and my dad behind us with his 64 globe trotter... I CANT WAIT to see you trailer! If you get this before you leave... What site are you in? We are in 207 and 208....
Lisa Chris puppy Nash and Don

[crzycpa]

Well it's 8pm and we just got our "baby" home. She rode quite smoothly on the new axle. Hard to believe that in a about 12 hours we will be loading up and heading out. It's going to be a late night... and an early morning.

Lisa we will be in 455 and look forward to meeting you and your gang and seeing your Flying Cloud and your dad's Globetrotter.

[Lily&Me]

Yep, just get out there and do it!

You will learn something new every day, and have a blast doing it.

Safe travels,


Maggie

[crzycpa]

Well we arrived back save and sound from our 400 mile round trip.
Thank you Skatiero, Nuvite-F, TBRich, RichHog, CrawfordGene, barbara4rb, Lisalynn and doug&maggie for your encouragement. An extra thanks to Lisalynn (Lisa and Chris) who we met at the rally and toured their 1953 Flying Cloud, Lisa's Dad's 1964 Globetrotter and met their puppy Nash.

The trailer pulled great, even with a heavier sub-floor, hardwood floors, an air-conditioner/heater, fridge and horseshoe couch it weighs in at only a little over 2,000 pounds. We were more prepared than we expected; our son (who has a 31 foot box trailer) took us to Camping World and helped us pick out necessities such as hard plastic levelers, pads, a circular level, hoses for clear and grey water and an electric converter cable. The biggest thing we were missing was a jack to hold up the rear of the trailer but we mostly kept it hooked up to our truck so we didn't have a problem.

Our main problem was the water pump didn't work but we managed bringing water from the hook-up as needed. Considering we only got the trailer back after restoration the night before we left it did very well for its maiden voyage.

The Airstream rally we went to in Kernville was hosted by the California Streamers but there was also a vintage trailer rally going on at the same time so our camp sight was between two canned hams. Two trailers down from us was a fabulously restored 22 foot 1955 Silver Streak Clipper (the last year with a tube frame) which had full wood paneling with inlaid designs and an art deco theme. It was fun going around and seeing the various vintage trailers, many from the 40s and even a home made aluminum from 1939. We enjoyed showing off our 1949 Trailwind and received many nice comments about the restoration. Probably the thing that most impressed people was the trailer had been in my family for over 40 years.

We went to a California Streamers Halloween potluck hosted by Tranquilo with Ken wearing a great ware-wolf costume. Several others dressed including a Nurse with devil horns, a witch, a jackalope (I think). The food was great and the company even better.

Well we could go on and on but suffice to say we had a great time, met some great people and saw some great trailers vintage and otherwise. We look forward to our next trip.

Tom and Patti

[Lisalynn]

Tom and Patti,

It was great to meet you guys, and your trailer is fantastic!! We had the perfect get away, and truly enjoyed the weekend! Here is a link to the pictures I took over the weekend....

Lisa

https://picasaweb.google.com/1156848...eat=directlink

[crzycpa]

Lisa,

Those are fantastic pictures showing outstanding features of so many trailers, especially that 1955 Silver Streak. Hopefully next year we can all be in the same area; although, it was cool looking at those other vintage trailers.

Tom

[crzycpa]

The answer to the question:

Were we crazy for going on a 400 mile RT our first time pulling a trailer which we got the night before? Maybe a little, but if we hadn't gone we would have missed out on a great adventure and we learned a lot.

When it comes to trailering we are absolute newbies but at least our next trip won't be our first.