The addiction ... Airstream... is rehab available?

[arcamedies]

A few years ago I went to help my brother recouperate from a double back surgury. I remembered a mechanic I worked with in 1972 that had an Airstream he was ecstatic about and we compared my Winnebago motorhome to his airstream, his was nice but small and had less cabinate room (rounded backs) what did I know. Soooo I figured try looking for an old one to work on and landed on an Argosy 22 at the dealer who sold me my 2004 Winnebago, talk about karma. I figured it would help him get outside and do things (motivation - toy to play with). Talked him into buying it (I'm a good salesman) and we restored it and I bought it from him, his wife didn't care for it but liked him working on it. I used it for a year and a half and wanted a bigger one so I listed it and 5 hours later a guy in Las Vegas 3000 miles away said I'll take it GAHHH. I looked for 2 years (bummed) and found the 93 Excella 30 I'm working on now 1200 miles away (something about this milage thing). Howwww did I get addicted to these things? By the way found brother a 1966 Thunderbird to play with, he's ecstatic, his wife still doesn't care.

Funny thing I'm still looking at them and get excited when I see one, IS REHAB AVAILABLE?

[THEPILL]

I understand..I had a 76 argosy...something special about her. This new one is getting that way to me as of late.....I get all excited when I see a airstream on the road,..I call everyone I know ad tell them I saw one...lol

Shane

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by arcamedies

Howwww did I get addicted to these things?

You got addicted to these things because they're naturally addictive. On the positive side, the addiction has no obvious adverse affects on your health--one study showed RVers had longer life expectancies than non-RVers.

(Although it may cause spousal issues. . . )

IS REHAB AVAILABLE?

Airstream addiction (a.k.a. aluminitis) is not curable, but it is manageable. Group therapy is widely available through these forums, Vintage Airstream Club, WBCCI units, etc. Although strangely this often seems to result in additional Airstream acquisitions. . .

But I think it was all summed up very nicely by a T-shirt I saw worn by a multiple-Airstream restorer, that said,

"If I had all the money I've spent on Airstreams. . .
I'd spend it on Airstreams."

[Minno]

Apparently, having only 1 Airstream is not an option. We spent a day looking at a '62 19ft Globetrotter AS in Fairbault last weekend, because of the size and age. I had always thought that owners with AS harems were nuts, but I'm beginning to understand the lure of more than 1. We walked away from it as we wouldn't be able to work on her for another 2 years and she would probably deteriorate too much for us in the outdoors in that time. But it sure was tempting! Just redoing 1 is going to put us in rehab! Or the poor house. Or both. Relationship is still solid - does that go after rehab #2 or is it #3?

Kay