For Wally, Helen and Airstream

[PeeWee]

I may go off base sometimes, forgive me. But everything I do for the Forum, the Sierra Nevada website, rallies, Airstream, Airstream Life, the VAC group, the WBCCI and others is to keep the dream alive and the promise that Wally Byam and Helen Byam Schwamborn created for all Airstream owners. To make sure that factual history is shared.

The documents, magazines, photographs, old Caravanners, old Blue Berets, Caravan documents and many other items were in my Mother's Estate. I ask no more than when posted or used that all credit be given to the Estate of Helen Byam Schwamborn..no more and no less.

I have just finished going through the website of the now defunct group planning to go to Africa next year. I found the following quotation of Wally's.

Wally Byam -- "Don't live in the past or future. Make history..."

"Don't live in the past or future. Make history. Get enjoyment out of the little things. Cultivate will power. Treat Mayme nice." (Mayme was Byam's high school sweetheart.)
— Wally Byam, visionary, successful business man, builder of community, creator of the Airstream travel trailer, founder of Airstream, Inc. and the WBCCI, and intrepid caravan leader for the 1959 Africa Caravan

Byam, Wally. (1916) "Affirmation." Wally Byam's journal entry for November 26, 1916 as pictured in Russ Banham's Wanderlust: Airstream at 75. (p. 33) Greenwich Publishing Group, Inc.: Old Saybrook, CT.

This was in Wanderlust, however the credit for the quote should be from the Estate of Helen Byam Schwamborn. It is so reference under the photo credits preceding the Table of Contents.

My Mother, Helen, did so much for the Club, Caravans, and Airstream that she needs to be acknowledged for her contributions. Her Estate is her legacy for me and to you.

I will be doing a project on the 1959 African Caravan to be posted on the Sierra Neveda Unit's website.

It will deal with the organization of the trip, the dreaming mind of Wally, and the organizational skills of Helen. There will be a PDF of the first bulliten to the prospective Caravanners.

Best to all.

Pee Wee

[jimmini]

We will be looking for them.
You always have good WBCCI history reading or hearing you tell it at a rally.

[flyfshr]

I so look forward to reading Helen's documentation of this amazing journey with all of the planning and preparation. I applaud you PeeWee, for sharing this legacy of your mother's for all to share and I think it only appropriate for her to be recognized when her documents, images, photographs and anything else from her estate is put into publication or made viewable on the internet.

Brad
FF

[GStephens]

Pee Wee,

We are so looking forward to your coming to Texas for our Texas Vintage Rally February 4th -8th in San Antonio and sharing with us your memories of Helen, Wally and early Airstream history. I've received feedback from several of our unit members who attended your seminars at International this year and they were unanimous in their compliments of your ability to provide such historical information in a most enjoyable format. We had 83 units last year and are expecting 110 units this year in spite of the fuel situation. We have 12 or more units coming over from Louisiana and several Texas units are scheduling this as one of their rallies in support of Vintage Airsteams and their owners everywhere. Last year we had Vintage trailers from 10 states and one Canadian provence and we are already getting questions from folks all over this great country as to when we will be able to take their reservations. This is the one Vintage rally where WBCCI, VAC, forums members, the general public and folks who aren't members of anything can all come together for one thing - the celebration of Vintage Airstreams.

Pee Wee, you are a credit to those of us who are intersted in the history of our Airstreams, of your mother's efforts to grow the WBCCI, of Wally's exploits around the globe, and the relationship Airstream used to have with its customers when Wally was in charge. We are fortunate to have you contribute to the Sierra Nevada website, to these forums and to our rallies such as the VAC in Colorado, the 4CU, the International and soon the Texas Vintage Rally.

GStephens

[cosmotini]

Pee Wee,

Have you considered writing a book about your mother or publishing the documents and pictures you have? I'm sure you'd have a "best seller" from the forum member sales alone.

[PeeWee]

Originally Posted by cosmotini

Pee Wee,

Have you considered writing a book about your mother or publishing the documents and pictures you have? I'm sure you'd have a "best seller" from the forum member sales alone.

I have been talking with someone on a collaboration on a book. Pictures, words, but not a typical book. A picture with a few words or several pages of patter. A series of pictures, or a lonely picture with a slight caption.

The book will deal with Wally, my Mother, Airstream, Caravans and be stories of the past, and some of the future, and present. Father Gander Tales.

This will be a fun project if it gets off the ground.

For archival purposes only I hope to do a series of interviews on DVD's. Only when and if I can learn how to do studio make-up.

Pee Wee

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Excellent idea. I love what you are doing... I would like to put in an order now for a book signed by you. Thank you for your service to the club.

[jimmini]

Good luck in getting the book launched.
Many of us will be looking forward to it being in our Airstream book collection.

[theknight]

The book is a wonderful idea. Iam sure it would be well received by Airstream lovers everywhere.
Count me in as a buyer.

tk

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by theknight

The book is a wonderful idea. Iam sure it would be well received by Airstream lovers everywhere.
Count me in as a buyer.

tk

I'm not going to hold my breath, I wanna be around ta read it.
Good Luck

Bob