We crossed the finish line

[BajaBabe]

It's been a long journey but we finished the remodel on our 1997 34' Classic. Totally gutted and redone, nice, new and clean. Instant hot water is not working very consistently only have hot water for 2-3 minutes which makes for difficult showers and will be a major problem in ND during the winter. After the fact we were told about heat blankets which would have been very easy to install when the trailer was gutted, after the fact it is a royal pain in the south side. This will be a journey, winter in ND @ -30, 2 adults and 2 labs...gotta get the hot water fixed, ideas welcomed...

[Aage]

Wow, sure looking good there, Bajababe(s)! Lots of nice work done there. Thanks for the pdf show.

[Splitrock]

Nice!

[Aviator]

Fantastic! It gives me some great future ideas for ours.

Do you know your overall weight change?

[BajaBabe]

Thanks for all of your kind comments. I don't know how much weight the additional sofa and granite countertops added but I will ask my husband, that is more his area of expertise. We're located in the Badlands area near Medora, west central ND very close to MT. It is a lovely here, we have 17 acres surrounded by BLM land and not far from the Little Missouri, out of the flood plain, but close enough to take "the boys" for a swim in nice weather. Not looking forward to the extreme cold and windy weather, definitely need to get the instant hot water fixed so we have constant hot water!

[Schools Out]

Just beautiful!

[ND10CentCan]

I had to check the state initials on the post you first put up because I couldn't believe anyone else had an Airstream that they had gutted and then to see all of the work that was done on this one plus, it was in ND. Good job!

If you come through Bismarck with it sometime, let me know. We would love to see it in real life. I don't guess that you would be camping anytime soon unless you like the cold weather and a chance of snow.
Sandy

[clancy_boy]

Very nice work. Looks great.

[BajaBabe]

@ ND10centcan; no plans 2 camp it is currently fully skirted n a semi-permanent installation as we r occupying until we can build nxt yr...shud b an intrstng winter. If u r n the Medora area let me no, wud b nice 2 meet u & show u around. A bit nervous bout ND winter, we'll no much more by May...

[ND10CentCan]

Originally Posted by BajaBabe

@ ND10centcan; no plans 2 camp it is currently fully skirted n a semi-permanent installation as we r occupying until we can build nxt yr...shud b an intrstng winter. If u r n the Medora area let me no, wud b nice 2 meet u & show u around. A bit nervous bout ND winter, we'll no much more by May...

So this is your first ND winter? I can't quite imagine is how the AS is going to work out if we have a bad one but let me know. Your area is a beautiful place and we love to go out there when we have time. We are usually busy and don't get out a lot especially taking care of my 94 year old mother in law.

I would love to see your trailer sometime. I think Medora closes up for the winter so would probably be next summer before we would be up for travel. Did you do all the work on the renovation? I am curious about how you got your supplies as we are finding so many things in ND are hard to locate...like Airstream parts and people that know much about them.
Sandy

[BajaBabe]

Sandy--
Yes, this is our first winter in ND, we're currently 1/2 between Portland OR & Medora, my husband just left early this AM back to ND. Yes, with this La Nina year again, it makes us nervous, but as you know, housing in ND is very tight with the oil boom and all of the displaced families because of the flooding earlier in the year. Our immediate plan is to build a well-insulated pole barn over the top of or Streamer with living qtrs above and room to bring in all of our vehicles and have some room for our 2 labs "The Boys" so they aren't stuck in the trailer all winter long...honestly can't imagine the 4 of is inside if it is another bad winter like last year. I am in Portland until the house sells, so will probably be after the first of the year before I am there fulltime...just in time for the big chill!

Yes, Medora does close up during the winter, so Dickinson is our nearest viable source for anything. We bought our Streamer sight unseen from a guy in in AK but had it stored in Chico, CA. We had it surveyed and then towed up to Sutton RV in Eugene, OR and they did the heavy lifting. Working with them, we subcontracted out the major work like granite countertops, custom cabinetry for computer and charging workstation, custom drapes and bedding. Sutton did most of the gutting, checking out systems and either repairing or installing new systems, installed new vinyl flooring, wall coverings (ozite and interior aluminum panels), replumbed for new sinks, rewired for HDMI, etc.

We had new tires put on all the way around, new front window installed, new electric hitch and anti-sway bars, CLEANED endlessly inside and out (OMG), refinished the woodwork, hardware, installed new lighting, microwave convection, TV's, Blueray, WIFI, etc.

We spent every weekend for nearly 4 months going to Eugene from Portland to work on the project, so it was a major milestone when we pulled out of there to head back to Portland with "50/Fifty". We had a trucker haul it to ND as we didn't feel that our 1/2 ton 4x4 Chevy Avalanche was adequate for the job. Roger caravaned out with the trucker on the 2-day trip and that worked out really well and we're really glad that we went hired that out.

We've found some great mail order sources for specialty parts like heated hose, side mirrors, etc. I also discovered one source in CA that I will never use again and never recommend to anyone...Inland RV. I researched some parts that I needed for the installation of custom drapes I intended to get, had the catalog part #'s, everything. Ordered them, and then cancelled the order later that day when my contractor came up with a better and more cost effective solution. I called Inland RV and they told me it was too late as they had placed the order with Airstream. So I called Airstream and they told me the order had just been cancelled. I called Inland RV back, the owner refused to take my call, told me he legally has the right to keep my money for 30 days and then charged me a 20% restocking fee for making 2 phone calls with the info I provided. They do carry a lot of inventory but several of his employees told me that he does business like this all the time. So I will not be doing business with Inland RV ever again, there are other resources for everything.

Perhaps our paths will cross next spring and best of luck with your mother-in-law, that is tough, we went through that with my father several years ago.

Best regards,
Elizabeth

[ND10CentCan]

Originally Posted by BajaBabe

Sandy--
Yes, this is our first winter in ND, we're currently 1/2 between Portland OR & Medora, my husband just left early this AM back to ND. Yes, with this La Nina year again, it makes us nervous, but as you know, housing in ND is very tight with the oil boom and all of the displaced families because of the flooding earlier in the year. Our immediate plan is to build a well-insulated pole barn over the top of or Streamer with living qtrs above and room to bring in all of our vehicles and have some room for our 2 labs "The Boys" so they aren't stuck in the trailer all winter long...honestly can't imagine the 4 of is inside if it is another bad winter like last year. I am in Portland until the house sells, so will probably be after the first of the year before I am there fulltime...just in time for the big chill!

Yes, Medora does close up during the winter, so Dickinson is our nearest viable source for anything. We bought our Streamer sight unseen from a guy in in AK but had it stored in Chico, CA. We had it surveyed and then towed up to Sutton RV in Eugene, OR and they did the heavy lifting. Working with them, we subcontracted out the major work like granite countertops, custom cabinetry for computer and charging workstation, custom drapes and bedding. Sutton did most of the gutting, checking out systems and either repairing or installing new systems, installed new vinyl flooring, wall coverings (ozite and interior aluminum panels), replumbed for new sinks, rewired for HDMI, etc.

We had new tires put on all the way around, new front window installed, new electric hitch and anti-sway bars, CLEANED endlessly inside and out (OMG), refinished the woodwork, hardware, installed new lighting, microwave convection, TV's, Blueray, WIFI, etc.

We spent every weekend for nearly 4 months going to Eugene from Portland to work on the project, so it was a major milestone when we pulled out of there to head back to Portland with "50/Fifty". We had a trucker haul it to ND as we didn't feel that our 1/2 ton 4x4 Chevy Avalanche was adequate for the job. Roger caravaned out with the trucker on the 2-day trip and that worked out really well and we're really glad that we went hired that out.

We've found some great mail order sources for specialty parts like heated hose, side mirrors, etc. I also discovered one source in CA that I will never use again and never recommend to anyone...Inland RV. I researched some parts that I needed for the installation of custom drapes I intended to get, had the catalog part #'s, everything. Ordered them, and then cancelled the order later that day when my contractor came up with a better and more cost effective solution. I called Inland RV and they told me it was too late as they had placed the order with Airstream. So I called Airstream and they told me the order had just been cancelled. I called Inland RV back, the owner refused to take my call, told me he legally has the right to keep my money for 30 days and then charged me a 20% restocking fee for making 2 phone calls with the info I provided. They do carry a lot of inventory but several of his employees told me that he does business like this all the time. So I will not be doing business with Inland RV ever again, there are other resources for everything.

Perhaps our paths will cross next spring and best of luck with your mother-in-law, that is tough, we went through that with my father several years ago.

Best regards,
Elizabeth

Welcome to the tundra land or the land of eternal darkness like my number two daughter likes to call it. The winters here are well known and for good reason. They can take a life so quickly that it stuns you. Even people who have lived here all their lives can take it for granted and not survive because we think we know what winter is all about. We are
probably the worst because we have been here for a long time and think we know better.

My mother in law was originally from ND then to Colorado and then to
Washington. We spent many a summer trip to WA taking time to see her almost every summer. Now she has moved home to rest and see what ND has to offer in her winter years. It is hard to grow old and come to depend upon others. She has created another generation of children that value her to the highest degree; now she had two little great grandchildren who call her Grandma Great. She is most grateful as we are for the next generation that grows up on the great heartland.

I hope the winter treats you well and welcome to the land of prairie.
There is an old quote that goes something like this: Anyone can love a mountain, only a soul can love a prairie. I hope to see you in the spring and best of luck in this first winter on the land. Stay in touch.
Sandy