New Airstreamer needs help.

[reece1107]

Hello all. I just bought my first travel trailer, a 1972 31 foot sovereign. It is a real fixer upper. I would like to take a few months off and work on it. Does anyone know of a rv resort that has an area or lets you work on your trailer? I would like to live in it while I am doing the work but need a place that has showers and laundry and such because the plumbing is one of the main things I need to do. I also need internet access. I am in bay area of California and need the place to be not to far away, maybe southern Cal.? I don't want to go to Arizona or any place that far away. Preferably a place without much rain as I need to do some exterior cleaning, caulking. I will also be posting many times in the work related area here. Thanks for your help!

[overlander63]

Welcome to the forums!
Now, for your question. You may have an issue with campgrounds out there, many will not allow a travel trailer or motor home that is more than 10 years old. If your coach looks good on the outside, ie: no dents, and it is shiny, etc., you may be able to get into a campground or RV park, as long as you keep the trailer looking good on the outside, and don't leave a bunch of stuff lying around.
I don't think it would be a good idea to tell them you are planning on restoring it while it and you are there, if anything is said after you move in, tell them that the water line, sewer, water heater, or whatever has failed, and you are repairing it. Sometimes, the less you tell them, the better off you are.
The above is a personal opinion, formed from many years dealing with HOA's, zoning and code enforcement, as well as landlords and park managers. Whether you choose to go this route is entirely up to you.

[ALANSD]

Unfortuantely many do pre-judge the age not the quality. I tried to stay at a place here in Ga that would only accept 10yr old or newer coaches

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by ALANSD

Unfortuantely many do pre-judge the age not the quality. I tried to stay at a place here in Ga that would only accept 10yr old or newer coaches

One reason I am buffing the exterior of my 63, even though it is not really ready for that chore yet. The shinier, the newer-looking.

[AYRSTRM2]

I will avoid any campground that has such a policy and I would do so if I had a bright shiny new 2006 SE Safari! That's not camping and I won't be a part of it.

John

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by AYRSTRM2

I will avoid any campground that has such a policy and I would do so if I had a bright shiny new 2006 SE Safari! That's not camping and I won't be a part of it.

John

John, this seems to be primarily on the Pacific coast, but it is moving East with alarming speed. Pretty soon we will have to enlist the aid of the ACLU, just to be able to camp in our coaches. I don't anticipate an overly friendly reception at a campground I had to sue to be able to camp at, either.

[AYRSTRM2]

Thank goodness some of the best and most scenic campgrounds in Michigan are State Parks and they don't care what you wheel in as long as it's not a school bus. (Sorry to school bus campers!)

[Jim & Susan]

Originally Posted by AYRSTRM2

I will avoid any campground that has such a policy and I would do so if I had a bright shiny new 2006 SE Safari! That's not camping and I won't be a part of it.

John

Indeed. That just about sums it all up.


"John, this seems to be primarily on the Pacific coast, but it is moving East with alarming speed. Pretty soon we will have to enlist the aid of the ACLU, just to be able to camp in our coaches. I don't anticipate an overly friendly reception at a campground I had to sue to be able to camp at, either." posted by Overlander63 (I can't figure out haow to do two quotes in one reply).

I really wouldn't expect that the ACLU would ever stand up for the rights of all us "wealthy" Airstreamers. Besides, like you suggest, life's too short to worry with it.

Just my opinion.

Jim

[markcycling]

So how do they know? Do you have to show your title or just tell them?

[juel]

Can anyone tell me why a campground would care how old your RV was as long as it was in working order with no sewer leaks, or gas leaks. What do they think, it will lower the real estate value in the neighborhood. I haven't run in to this kind of thing here in Oklahoma; however, I honestly haven't run in to anyone who knows what an Argosy is, let alone how long it's been since one was actually built.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by markcycling

So how do they know? Do you have to show your title or just tell them?

You have to enter the year of your trailer or motorhome in the guest register. If they don't believe you, they can ask for your registration to confirm it.
This is because, mainly, most SOB's tend to look like crap after 10 years of age or so. They can't say, no coaches over 10 years old, except Airstreams, they WOULD get into trouble with the lawyers then.
I use the "if they don't ask, don't tell them" philosophy, and have stayed with my 30- something year old Argosy in a couple of places that had ten-year rules posted. They never even twitched.
If they wanted to get snotty, even our tow vehicle is now 11 years old, now that the '06's are out.

[overlander64]

Greetings markcycling!

Originally Posted by markcycling

So how do they know? Do you have to show your title or just tell them?

Over the past ten years, I have run across several variants of the "10-Year Rule". Sometimes it is something that is posted in advertisements and in the registration area at the campground -- and in those cases, it appears that the only time anything is said is if the coach appears to be in less than optimum condition. In other cases, I have been asked at check-in about the age of my coach -- in those cases, I have volunteered its correct age (and in some cases was permitted to register and stay even though it was obviously older than the limit). I have only encountered one facility that insisted upon seeing the registration of the coach to verify its age prior to registration -- it was in a resort area and the explanation was that all coaches parked in their facility had to have full-self-containment including wash water. When traveling with either of my coaches, I only give information about the coach's age if asked -- I was parked at one facility for more than a week before the management discovered that my coach was more than 3X their posted age limit, but the owners were so impressed by the charm of the Overlander that they only asked that I not volunteer the information that my coach was in violation of the age rule.

Kevin

[overlander63]

Anyway, now that we have taken this thread about as far off-track as we can, does anybody know where the original poster can park his coach, and live in it while working on it?

[juel]

I've never been asked for anything except the overall length of my RV. Live and learn. With a 28 year old Argosy, I guess I won't be traveling out to the West coast any time soon. Hope they don't start asking the age of the driver of the tow vehicle, then I am in trouble.

[rolwil]

I know its been a year and this guys probably not on but Bobs' boondocking list of California had some options. But with the NorCal Rally w/vintage and younger but still over 10 yrs old didn't have problems. Weird

[CaddyGrn]

Originally Posted by reece1107

Hello all. I just bought my first travel trailer, a 1972 31 foot sovereign. It is a real fixer upper. I would like to take a few months off and work on it. Does anyone know of a rv resort that has an area or lets you work on your trailer? I would like to live in it while I am doing the work but need a place that has showers and laundry and such because the plumbing is one of the main things I need to do. I also need internet access. I am in bay area of California and need the place to be not to far away, maybe southern Cal.? I don't want to go to Arizona or any place that far away. Preferably a place without much rain as I need to do some exterior cleaning, caulking. I will also be posting many times in the work related area here. Thanks for your help!

There is a really interesting looking "park" somewhere between the bay area and the stockton area on one of those little roads going off the interstate... I think the name is "The Orchard". Actually it was mostly filled with older (70's models) from working folks. I don't know that they "allow" you to work on your trailer there, but I did see one trailer with a washing machine tied to the rear bumper and I am sure the folks did their laundry in it. You might be able to stay there... but it is cold and foggy in the winter and hotter than hades in the summer...

I would post a query on Craigslist saying you are looking for a place to repair your coach for a month or two. See if someone will rent you a space?? Sometimes old airports have empty hangers and you can rent one on a month to month basis. Airports usually have bathrooms, but not so sure about the laundry or internet...but I bet a wireless might work.

Let us know if you find a solution and how you came up with it. Others are often in the same "boat". Good luck.

Mrs. NorCal Bambi (traveling in S Tardis)