Project Vintage Thunder

BLOG CLOSED -- LONG LIVE THE BLOG!

2005-10-21T14:30:00.000-05:00

This is the last post of the Project Vintage Thunder blog.

We found a lousy old Argosy and made it into something really great and fun. It was a huge learning experience, a lot of fun, and a lot of stress. I'm glad we did it.

Here's a final note to the entire episode. Vintage Thunder's new owner has published an article about his new old trailer. See
http://www.lufkindailynews.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/2005/10/23/20051023LDNborders.html

Now that the Argosy is sold, we're off on a new adventure. Come see us at our new site as we travel across America, with family, working and exploring!

The Tour of America
http://tour.airstreamlife.com

When in Elkhart ...

2005-10-14T20:42:00.000-05:00

Our philosophy is that you take advantage of what each local area offers. So today we headed off to meet our friends Henry and Danean for a tour of the RV industry -- past and present.

Elkhart is the center of the RV universe, and it's only about 15 miles down the Indiana tollway from South Bend. Our first stop was the factory that Henry works at, which makes RV parts. Riding around in a golf cart, we got a great tour from Henry of robotic welding machines and manufacturing processes. Even Emma was interested. And at the end of the tour, everyone got a company baseball cap!

Next stop was the RV/MH Heritage Museum in downtown Elkhart. This place is basically a collection of really special antique RVs from the 1920s through 1970s. You can walk right into most of the units, and they are mostly in superb condition. The only Airstream in the collection is a early 60s Bambi. My 1968 Caravel and 1963 Serro Scotty would have fit right in.

In the front hall is the Hall of Fame. Wally Byam is there, of course. If you've ever wondered what Theodore Bargman (manufacturer of the infamous Bargman locks and lights) looked like, or Art Costello (Airstream's president of the Los Angeles factory in the 1960s), you'll find them too.

Then we headed off to Henry and Danean's house. Henry has an interesting race car, which happens to be more or less street legal. It's a Buick with a 454 engine. So we took it out for a spin around the block. When I was putting the five-point seat belts on, I started to sense that this might be a mistake, but it was too late to back out. Sure enough, Henry demonstrated the car's ability to run the quarter-mile. Uh, 110 MPH in 12 seconds. A bit better than the Nissan Armada/Airstream combo I'm driving these days.

Emma got a chance to drive, too, but not the race car. She steered a golf cart while Danean worked the pedals and Eleanor hung on for her life. It made for an interesting ride around their front yard. The dog raced around in circles while Emma careened around, narrowly missing shrubs and ditches. She wants to tow the Airstream now, but I sense she's not quite ready.

The day started with a little spin in one of Dr. C's collector cars, a 1950s Mercedes 190. He took me for a top-down ride through the quiet cornfields and suburbs of West South Bend. A very pleasant touring car, that Mercedes, and as the doctor told me this morning, "It's great for picking up chicks."

That's Elkhart/South Bend for us. Tomorrow morning, we head over to the northern Chicago suburbs to meet more friends.

LAUNCHED!

2005-10-16T09:06:00.000-05:00

I think yesterday should count as our first official day of the Tour of America. We headed out from South Bend in the morning and (after a harrowing ride through Chicago on I-90), stopped in Rolling Meadows IL to visit with a few folks. Tom King and Joyce Cutsforth of Internet-in-Motion dropped in to see our trailer and catch up a bit. Tom has some great ideas for a mobile webcam that we may integrate into the upcoming Tour website.

Brad Cornelius also dropped in. He designed the great graphics you see on the exterior of the trailer. (Brad also painted the Fall 2005 cover of Airstream Life, which should be in the mail to you in about a week.)

While we were giving these tours, we happened to be parked at a Wal-Mart. People kept coming by and taking photos of the trailer, so we invited a few in. We met some nice guys from Holland who have a "mobile bakery" that they run out of an Airstream there. They were excited to see the Tour trailer and promised to email photos of theirs as soon as they get back home.

After that visit we hit a local IKEA to shop for some trailer accessories. Eleanor found a fine aluminum wine rack that we plan to mount on the wall. It looks like it belongs there. This is an accessory every Airstream should have, if only because it looks so right.

Our next stop was 90 minutes west, somewhere along I-80 in the plains of Illinois. We hit a Cracker Barrel for dinner (our friend Gary was right, you CAN eat every meal at Cracker Barrel if you stick to the highways), and then parked overnight. Our neighbors happen to be in an Airstream Classic with the WBCCI # 5883. We haven't seen them yet but perhaps we will before we go.

There's an axiom I was taught by the fellow who sold us our first Airstream: The propane always runs out in the middle of the night. For some reason I was up at 4:30 this morning when I heard the furnace cycle on and off a bit too quickly. Sure enough, we'd just run out of gas. That's why we have two bottles and an auto-switching regulator, but of course I forgot to open the second bottle, and so I had to get out there in my bare feet in the dark to flip the switch. At least it wasn't too cold...

Speaking of which, poor Emma is really down with a cold. She's a trouper about it but there's no question it has taken her down a peg. I expect she'll sleep late and so it will be hard to reach our next goal today. But that's the nice thing about traveling this way. She can stay in bed while we catch up on work and phone calls, have breakfast, etc. When she wakes up, we'll be all set to go.

Decals on!

2005-10-13T17:17:00.000-05:00

We've got the graphics on! Man, it looks great. This picture doesn't show the other side, but I'll get one of those up soon. Already as we drive around, I see people giving us long looks. I think that's a good thing.

Trailer's getting dressed!

2005-10-13T11:36:00.000-05:00

Two developments today:

1) Episode 3 of The VAP is available for download at www.thevap.com. If you have iTunes and you've previously subscribed to it, just launch it and choose "Update podcast". It features the second part of an interview with me.

2) We are heading off to get our cool new "Tour of America" decals put on today. I'll post a picture tonight of the result.

Fredonia, NY

2005-10-02T19:15:00.000-05:00

We decided to bail out early today, about 5:30, since I woke up this morning with a slight cold – something Emma brought home from playgroup a few days ago. It finally got me, just enough to make me want to have a short day towing.

I’m a big believer that you’ve got to respect how you are feeling, when you’re doing something like towing. In fact, we’re running an article about how accidents happen in the upcoming (Fall 2005) Airstream Life, and one of the points of the article is that you can’t pretend you’re superman. It’s an interesting piece, called “Chain of Errors.” So we quit about 5:30 before I started feeling fatigued, and did some walking, while Emma rode circles around us on her bike.

With the late start from Camping World and a couple of stops, we managed to cover about 350 miles anyway. We’ll easily make Lou & Larry’s house in Ohio tomorrow, probably mid-afternoon. We haven’t seen them since the last time Vintage Thunder headed to Jackson Center, last May.

Vagabonding

2005-10-12T20:43:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite blogs right now is "The Adventures of Tioga and George" at www.vagabonders-supreme.net . George is a hard-core RV traveler who, with his trusty class C (Ms. Tioga) and a "team" of other equipment, roams the western states. George's major claim is that he never stays in campgrounds (well, hardly ever). Instead, he makes camp at roadside parking lots, hidden turn-outs, industrial parks, repair shops, and virtually anywhere else that he thinks he can park overnight.

For all his quirkiness, George has captured the spirit of the way Airstreaming used to be, back in the 1950s. Airstream manuals from the 1960s to present day contain some variation on this statement:

"You'll learn the knack of finding wonderful out-of-the-way parking spots in fields, filling stations and just about anywhere that the ground is level and firm." Back in the 1950s, campgrounds were scarce and it was common practice to find a parking spot in any convenient spot, for overnight stays.

Today we live in a more crowded world and it is correspondingly more difficult to find quiet, safe spots to sleep. We are supposed to stay in commercial campgrounds. But a lot of us who are traveling through find the campground experience to be annoying, with lengthy and invasive check-in procedures ("names and ages of everyone in your party, please, also make and model of your car").

Besides, we have no interest in "camping" when are staying for one night -- we're just PARKING. I don't use the mini golf, the swimming pool, the fire ring, or even the water hookup when I'm just passing through. Little wonder Wal-Mart, Camping World, K-Mart, Flying J, and other businesses who welcome overnight RV parkers are finding such popularity.

In our more complex world, George still manages to find his free night camping spots and enjoy them, by staying below the radar of society. His blog tells it all. He calls it "vagabonding."

As we have matured in our traveling sophistication, we too have started to learn how to skirt the traditional and often irritating campground infrastructure. Our version of vagabonding is to courtesy-park wherever we can. Fortunately with an Airstream (and a certain amount of gregariousness), that's not so hard.

Basically, we are opportunistic. Our friend Dr. C made it known for some time that we were welcome to visit his driveway in South Bend. When we found a vinyl graphics shop (to put decals on the new trailer) in nearby Mishawaka, a trip was born. We'll stay for free here in the driveway until our mission is complete.

It just so happens that Brad Cornelius, who works on the magazine from time to time, and Comprehensive Communications (distributors of the Internet-in-Motion box I'm using to connect to the Internet right now) are both in the Chicago area. Chicago is only about 90 miles west from here, so guess where we are heading next? Brad can't offer us courtesy parking, but he has researched a Wal-Mart nearby that will welcome us. We'll spend a night or two and move on.

Our next destination is probably Denver. This is not a random choice, either. We have friends and relatives in the Denver area. That means plenty of options for courtesy parking, or at least local tour guides and meals out. It also means money saved for all those night we don't spend in campgrounds, more entertainment, and a better look at the local area. These are some of the things that make full-timing great.

So when we get to California, do you know who we'll look up? George and Ms. Tioga!

South Bend, IN

2005-10-12T07:38:00.000-05:00

We fled Jackson Center yesterday afternoon. We had a final bug on the new trailer (water heater shutting off), which was simply a matter of adjusting the air mixture, and then we spent the rest of the morning getting organized. We were finally ready to hit the road by 4 pm.

Normally I'd hang back and go the next morning, but let's face it, there's not much going on in Jackson Center. The factory closes up at 3:30 and I think they roll up the sidewalks at 9 pm. On Mondays "JC Pizza" (one of the three restaurants) is closed, and that leaves a pair of greasy spoons and the local movie theater. We went to see Wallace & Gromit in the old single-screen theater Monday night, so we'd pretty much blown through the local entertainment scene.

So it was with great eagerness that I hitched up the new 30-footer and hauled it outta there. Nice trailer, no problems. Tows as well as you'd expect an Airstream to tow. We had a pleasant four-hour tour through cornfields of Ohio and Indiana and then arrived at the home of our notorious cohort "Dr. C" in South Bend. We'll be here a couple of days.

Manic Monday

2005-10-10T20:39:00.000-05:00

Today things went nuts. I ran out at 7:30 a.m. to tell Service about a few bugs in the new trailer. They said they could get on it right away, despite the fact that Monday is their busy day. So I made a quick run over to Marketing to schedule the signing of paperwork relating to the loan of the new trailer, and then back to the trailer to tell Eleanor that Service was coming for the trailer RIGHT NOW. We had 10 minutes to grab everything we needed including a sleeping child, and stuff it all in Vintage Thunder.

It went downhill from there. I had to do a last-minute fix on the Argosy's water pump, then run over to Service to get more stuff out of our trailer, and when I got back Vintage Thunder's new owner was standing there waiting for me. Of course the Argosy was a mess -- littered with our junk, and not cleaned yet. I took the buyer and Emma for a walk around the campus so Eleanor could work on the Argosy in peace. Every 20 minutes we swung back by the trailer and Eleanor would tell me of yet another item she needed from the new trailer, so we made lots of trips back-and-forth between the Terraport and the Service department.

At noon we took a break to start some laundry at the local place, and have lunch at "Hobo's" restaurant. (Not the most promising name, but it's either that or JC Pizza and JC Pizza is closed on Monday.) Then the Service guys needed me (and the truck, to get the hitch adjusted) so Eleanor had to walk three blocks to the laundromat to put stuff in the dryer, and later make a second trip on foot to get all the laundry out.

At 3:30 the trailer finally came out of Service, the buyer had done the factory tour, and the laundry was done, so we all converged on the Argosy and tried to simultaneously (a) entertain Emma; (b) clean up the Argosy; (c) get the new owner hitched up to go. Of course, the hitch on the Argosy needed adjustment to fit his truck, and the tools required included two enormous wrenches which we didn't have. Amazingly, right then one of the Service guys walked up to bring us our power cord, and he volunteered his personal tools to get the job done!

We finally got a chance to walk the buyer through the Argosy about 4:30 pm. Then we had to take our Bill of Sale over to the corporate offices for notarizing and also sign some paperwork related to the new trailer. A SNAFU ensued regarding my insurance company's failure to fax a declaration page, and by 5:30 pm we gave up on that process and headed back to get Vintage Thunder on the road. The new owner was headed off to the KOA in Dayton by 6:30 pm, with a grin on his face, and then I had fifteen minutes to check voicemail & email, and then walk downtown once more to see "Wallace & Gromit's Curse of the Were-Rabbit" at 7 pm -- something we promised Emma we'd do tonight.

So here we are, sorting out the mess in the trailer we made today, having eaten only popcorn since Hobo's, and a bit stressed out all around. Thank goodness for Wallace & Gromit, otherwise Eleanor and I would have exploded.

I need to resolve the insurance paperwork tomorrow, find the Owner's Manuals that go with the new trailer, return Dan The Service Guy's tools, get the interior set up for traveling, and do a few hours of real work too. With all that I don't know if we will get out tomorrow, and at this point we are all thinking a day to catch up might be a good idea.

So we are re-thinking whether we will head to South Bend IN. We might just head southwest toward Denver instead. I need to settle in somewhere for at least two weeks to catch up on work. What a life! We all hope it gets easier after this.

Still tweaking, right down to the wire!

2005-10-09T07:36:00.000-05:00

The weather certainly hasn't improved much here, but we are making terrific progress on "taking over" the Safari 30. About 80% of our stuff is in place, and the rest is mostly food. (Yes, we travel with a lot of food -- Eleanor is a serious cook.) She's packing it right now, and I expect that effort to take half the day.

Last night we capped off the evening with another thrilling trip to Wally Mart, for a final selection of bins plus some sheet sets. I got orange sheets for the master bedroom. Love 'em! They add some desperately needed color to the completely neutral interior of the Safari. Emma got sage green sheets, which also look very nice.

I also got a memory foam topper for the mattress. We needed it -- the standard mattress is pretty firm, like a lightly padded sheet of plywood. But this topper absolutely reeks! A little slip of paper in the box said, "New memory foam may have a slight odor ..." Yeah, like rotten eggs may have a slight odor. It was so horrible we left it out all night to air. Still stinks today. The same optimistic slip of paper tells us the "slight odor" may persist for "several days". I'm thinking that's code for "a month or two." If it doesn't smell better by tomorrow, it's going back to Wally -- or into an exterior storage compartment.

We'll spend the rest of this morning packing and then around 2 pm we need to head out to a party. This evening I guess we'll get back around 7 pm and start cleaning up inside Vintage Thunder. That's a lot less time than we had planned for, but it should clean up pretty easily with everything out.

I've got to do two last repairs on V.T. before I let it go to the new buyer tomorrow morning:

1) The floor plate that holds the dinette table leg, has cracked. They make those things out of cheap thin metal. I bought another one while were at Camping World in New York. It just screws into place, so it's an easy fix. But I've warned V.T.'s new owner about this issue and suggested that the dinette mounting may need to be re-engineered.

2) The water pump is still noisy. I think the back of it is touching a copper water pipe and transmitting noise. I'm going to re-mount it forward a half-inch and add some extra padding under the feet as well. This is easy too, except that all the work has to be done under the confines of the kitchen cabinet.

My guess is that all this work will be done early Monday morning. Let's hope I can be done before 10:30, when the new owner arrives. Otherwise, he is going to start his vintage ownership with a quick repair lesson!

Storing and sanitizing

2005-10-08T08:11:00.000-05:00

Last night was our last night ever in Vintage Thunder.

We took most of Friday off, heading down to Dayton to pick up Adam & Susan (who had flown in the night before), and we all went to the USAF Museum for a few hours -- which was great. After getting back to Jackson Center, we started moving into the Safari and by 10 pm we had probably half our stuff moved over & stowed.

As I mentioned, the tough part is finding where things should go. We'll be making another trip off to buy bins and storage solutions today. When packing a travel trailer, plastic bins are your friends! They are incredibly useful, in all sorts of sizes. We use everything from little "pencil boxes" (designed for a kid's art supplies but ideal for storing office items) to a large tub. Soft padded cases are great, too, for things like the laptops, binoculars, and cameras. The trick is to try to pack things and see if you can use an organizer or storage bin, and then get busy with the measuring tape and a notepad to record the perfect size and shape.

In addition to packing, I'll be sanitizing the fresh water system. This is really easy. I'm amazed how often I find people who would rather drink bottled water than use their own built-in fresh water system. Just fill the fresh tank and add 0.13 ounces of bleach per gallon of capacity. Run all the taps (including showerhead) until you can smell the bleach at each tap, then let it sit for 4 hours. Then dump all the water in the tank and flush the lines (it helps to be connected to a full-hookup site when you do this), re-fill with fresh water, and you're done. Optionally, a little white vinegar or a few Vitamin C tablets dropped in the tank helps remove any residual bleach taste. We do this procedure twice a year.

Prepping the Safari

2005-10-06T14:05:00.000-05:00

There's so much to do to get ready for the new trailer! None of the little storage solutions we have worked out for Vintage Thunder apply to the new trailer. Yes, it has more space, but it's all different. Bins don't fit, there's less hanging storage and more tub storage, the bumper compartment is not as tall, the kitchen has more pantry and less room for bulky items.

So it takes a lot of time to figure out where everything goes, and of course numerous trips to Wal-Mart, Staples, Bed & Bath stores, etc., to find all the right gizmos and holders to fit it all. Our problem is complicated by the fact that we have to get this all done, plus keep our five-year-old entertained, get some office work done, and clean up Vintage Thunder thoroughly -- all by Monday.

Right now the service guys have hauled off the Safari with a John Deere tractor. ServiceMaster is in there steam cleaning the upholstery, while Kevin installs the Internet In Motion box and antenna. Then we need a hitch installed on the Safari, and a few other misc parts installed, such as the propane tank cover and toothbrush holders. After that, they'll tow it back to the Terraport for us to start OUR work, which means installing a few other customizations (white board, extra hooks) and then the packing.

At least the weather has cooperated. It's another 80-degree day here, with fair skies and a nice breeze. But this is the end. According to the weathermen, fall weather hits tomorrow, with a high only in the 50s and a strong chance of rain. Despite our time pressure, we plan take the day off to visit the Air & Space Museum in Dayton (1 hour away). You've got to work a little fun into the schedule! The break will be good for everyone and we'll make up for it by hustling over the weekend.

A night at the Terraport

2005-10-05T17:29:00.000-05:00

We thought we'd be busy moving into the new trailer but there were a few issues that we needed to address first. The new Safari was used as a demonstrator and the visiting trade show crowd was apparently a bit rough on the upholstery. The crew here at Airstream are going to take it into the shop tomorrow and do some cleaning and minor repairs. So we've moved only a few non-essential items today.

It's not quiet at night at the Terraport. It's not bad, but one does hear the occasional siren in Jackson Center, and in the early morning the Service techs arrive with tractors to pull units into the service bays. We have to remember that Airstream is located in the center of town, and this is a working facility five days a week. The compensation is watching all the interesting units going by.

From here, I can see an interesting 28 CCD with a rear wrap window, a two-door Squarestream, the Airstream Class C, and numerous other models. The Base Camp prototype is sitting just a hundred feet away, parked on the grass. For someone with an eye for Airstreams, this is the place for "spotting."

The other activity here (besides working, which I have been doing most of the day), is riding bicycles. Lots of asphalt here! Emma is zipping around on her bike, followed by one or the other of us. Everyone always has a smile when they see her go by on her purple bike with basket, tassles, and training wheels.

We are already starting to miss Vintage Thunder. So much effort went into it, so many hours, so many memories. In just a few months, it has become part of our family. I look at it here in the Terraport and remember places we've been: Springfield MO, Ft Meyers FL, Trois-Rivieres Quebec, Bailey Island ME, Lapeer MI, The Thousand Islands (NY), Hunting Island SC ... all great trips.

Over the next few days, we need to make the new trailer "ours". Once we've got our stuff in it, our refrigerator magnets, etc., it should feel a lot more like home.

Arrived Jackson Center

2005-10-04T17:36:00.000-05:00

Vintage Thunder is home again. Back in Jackson Center, where it all began...

OK, technically Vintage Thunder was born in Versailles, OH, in a separate factory operated just for Argosies. But that factory doesn't exist anymore, so this is as close to a homecoming as any Argosy can get.

We're parked between the only Airstream Class C motorhome in existence, owned by our good friends the Maffeis (who are not here at the moment), and the 30-foot Safari that will soon be our home for the next six or seven months. We took a peek inside the 30-footer and checked the systems. All the crucial systems have been checked by Airstream already, but we sniffed around and made a list of things we want to do as we move in later this week. First thing is to do some cleaning -- this was a demonstrator unit and it shows a little wear. Then we'll migrate over, with completion hopefully by the end of the week.

Vintage Thunder's new owner is expected on Monday morning. We'll be ready for him. This morning before we left Lou & Larry's house, Larry helped me remove the vinyl graphics with a heat gun. That was pretty easy. The only graphics left now are the AIRSTREAM LIFE logo on the front and rear domes. Otherwise, it's just an "ordinary" blue-green Argosy ...

Gotta run. Our neighbors have gone out for pizza and they are back with two pies to share. If I don't hurry Emma will eat all the pepperoni.

Back in LaGrange, OH

2005-10-03T19:38:00.000-05:00

We're at Larry & Lou's house again! They still had the "Welcome Vintage Thunder" signs from our last visit, so once again we found them on the street and in their lawn, pointing the way to our courtesy parking spot next to the house. And once again, Larry volunteered his gear so we could wash the bugs and dirt off the trailer, which we did after a delicious chicken dinner courtesy of Lou.

And of course, despite my feeble complaints about being full, and being tired from the virus, they have managed to get me to eat TWO desserts and I doubt I'll be able to get to bed before it's quite late. I think we'll make a slow start tomorrow.

One thing we need to do is remove the decals from the sides of the trailer. I promised the buyer we'd get them off before delivery and I haven't gotten around to it. Tomorrow I'll borrow a heat gun from our hosts and see if I can do it without stripping the paint at the same time.

Near Buffalo NY

2005-10-02T14:54:00.000-05:00

Does I-90 ever end? We got on this morning (after a quick shopping spree at Camping World) and we've been on ever since. The GPS was programmed for Jackson Center OH. It said, "turn left in 410 miles". Yikes. We're still on it now, just resting at one of the handy tollway rest areas, spaced 30 miles apart all the way down.

Got a note from my estwhile correspondent, Dr. C. It says, "Someday,in a galaxy far away, CW will have 24 hour stores, wi-fi, and 3 way hook-up parking lots. People will retire there, with benefits. Remember General Electric, 'Progress is our most important product'." He's a kook and I hope to look him up in Indiana when we go through. You might know Dr C from his occasional contributions to Airstream Life (see Summer 04 issue), or from his blog: http://goldencaravan.blogspot.com

Dunno where we'll be tonight, but I doubt it will be a campground. I'm not in the mood for paying $30 just to park overnight and hit the road again. Probably a Wal-Mart or a truckstop. I'm used to sleeping with vehicles roaring by all night by now.

Amsterdam NY (Camping World)

2005-10-01T20:27:00.000-05:00

Since we got a late start today (6 pm), we planned to drive only three hours, and stop near Albany NY. We're just off I-90 (I can hear it from our parking spot here at Camping World) and so it will be a quick overnight and back onto the highway tomorrow morning.

Except for one thing: I need a few items at Camping World, and they don't open until 10 a.m. on Sunday. Oh well, I guess it's an excuse for a leisurely breakfast before we depart.

The Voyage of 7 Months Begins!

2005-10-01T10:24:00.000-05:00

We're off! The trailer has been re-packed with a few things added and a few things removed, we've finalized things with the post office, the dentist, the state dept of education (homeschooling), the insurance companies, and a thousand other details. We've even sent in our $10 dues to be members of the WBCCI Full-Timers' Intraclub.

First stop is somewhere in the Adirondacks tonight. We won't be leaving our campground in Vermont until late this afternoon, so I expect to drive less than three hours. We hope to arrive in Ohio by Monday sometime, but I'll have to post later and update that because we really don't have a firm itinerary. We're just going to wing it, with the goal of being in Jackson Center by Tuesday or so.

Today, we just need to get things hitched up, pack a few last-minute items, and go to a final family luncheon at 2 pm. Everyone thinks that just because we are heading off (and don't plan to be back for at least six months, except for Christmas) that we're falling off the edge of the Earth. Really, we're as close as our mobile phones and email, and anytime we need to come back to Vermont we can hop a plane and be there in a few hours. But it's nice to have a send-off.

If you stay tuned into this blog you'll hear more about the final trip of Vintage Thunder, and I'll post some pictures of the new Tour of America trailer later next week. In about two weeks, this blog will come to an end, and I'll switch over to the new Tour of America blogsite (to be announced)!

Hints of the NEXT Tour!

2005-09-07T07:18:00.000-05:00

Many of you know that the travels of Project Vintage Thunder are nearly over, at least as documented in this blog. The new owner of our Argosy 24 will take delivery in October when we are in Jackson Center, but that doesn't mean the end of our travels.

Starting in October, we will be embarking on a new travel experience, this time in a 2006 Airstream Safari 30. We plan to be on the road for six months or more, crossing the United States from border to border. There will be blog entries and essays, and some other little surprises that will be revealed in October when the new website is up.

The experience will be quite a bit different. With Vintage Thunder we've mostly traveled rapidly from rally to rally, fixing and replacing things on the trailer in between trips. On the new tour, we'll have a factory-fresh trailer to play with, so our focus will be upgrading and personalizing the "stock" design to meet our needs. In this way, I hope you'll get ideas of what you might like to do with your trailer, whether modern or vintage.

We'll also travel differently. One of the goals of this trip will be to see America in a way that is only possible when you travel by Airstream. Instead of rally-hopping, we'll settle into local communities and spend 2-3 weeks in each location, exploring the area in a series of day trips. Then we'll report back to you on the best experiences.

We're not retirees, so we don't have unlimited time, and we do have plenty of obligations (work and family). So a second goal will be to document how people with real-world obligations can still enjoy the adventure of Airstreaming, even if you only have a short bit of time. We'll talk about the big and small pleasures of travel, as well as the problems we've faced and how we've overcome them.

And a third important goal is to show non-Airstreamers -- people who might now be traveling in a white box RV, or who are tired of airplanes & hotels, or who are "just dreaming" -- that they can do it too. There really is an aspect of traveling that is unique to Airstream owners.

Finally, there's a importance of adventure. All too often RV travel (as depicted by the RV industry) has all the excitement of a night at the Howard Johnson's: homogenized experiences provided by "destination RV parks" that are basically cookie-cutter motels without rooms. The result is that we end up traveling to "see something different" or to "get away from it all", but the swimming pool, the McDonald's, the campsite, and the gift shop are all the same.

To really experience America, one has to be prepared to take a few small risks. To meet someone unusual and new, you must take the risk of chatting with a bizarre local who offends you. To enjoy a strange new local food, you must occasionally risk tasting something bitter or slimy. To learn something about Native American culture, you might have to risk a rock-strewn hike down a canyon. To hear the animals at night, you might have to turn off your generator and sweat a little bit.

Adventure is not something you can generally get while following the safest, easiest, and most heavily-trodden path. That's why we won't be attending many rallies on this tour. Rallies are pleasant experiences in their own right, but also they're mostly the same. The ones we do attend will hopefully offer at least a bit of local flair.

On the next Tour, we'll seek out the little adventures and experiences that define each place we visit, and bring them all to you for your consideration. And just as importantly, we hope that you'll bring us ideas of great places to stop too. The new Tour website will have a place where you can write back, and even talk with other folks who are following the blog.

There will be further announcements here about the Tour and our plans shortly. In the meantime, if you have suggestions of any type, put a comment on this blog, or use the "Contact Us" form at www.airstreamlife.com

Exploring Bailey Island

2005-09-08T08:14:00.000-05:00

It's another beautiful day on Bailey Island.

Yesterday I wrote about how -- on the upcoming Tour -- we plan to stop in a single location for a couple of weeks, and explore the local area. We're actually already doing that. Our stop in Bailey Island has been extended to three weeks, so there's plenty of time to check out the local scene.

On Tuesday we walked a large chunk of the island. Long walks are an antidote to car travel. Only on a walk can you see a community in real up-close-and-personal detail, while working out the kinks of too much time spent sitting. We picked a shoreline street and checked out the architecture of fifty houses lined along the western waterfront.

Eventually, our walk took us to Cook's Lobster House, a local institution that was made famous by the 1998-99 series of VISA commercials. They were one of those places where "...you'd better bring your VISA card -- because they don't take American Express!" Even though the location of Cook's was not revealed in the TV commercials, people sought the place out.

Cook's does deserve its reputation. The seafood is delicious and abundant, and nearly every table in the place has a view of the water. But they aren't kidding when they say "Bring your VISA card," because it's hard to get out of there under $30 per person. If I hadn't brought my VISA card I think I would still be there washing the dishes.

From the north and east tables of Cook's one can see the cribstone bridge which links Bailey Island to Orr's Island. Made of 10,000 tons of granite blocks, it is the only cribstone bridge in the world. The cribbing allows the tides to flow easily through the bridge, which is nice for the tide but not so great for traffic. I'm guessing it was either too expensive or impractical to get longer pieces of granite, because the bridge is extremely narrow. If you are towing a trailer or driving a motorhome over this bridge and you encounter a truck coming in the opposite direction, you'll need to stop or at least slow down to a crawl to ensure you don't bump each other. In some places this would be regarded as a one-lane bridge.

Over the Labor Day weekend I took the opportunity to check out some of Bailey Island's undersea life. The waters of Maine are famously cold, so a wetsuit is a good idea. I pack a 3mm shorty, along with fins, snorkel, and mask, wherever I go. Right now the water is about at its warmest for the season, which means mid-60s. When it's wavy, the temperature drops into the upper 50s.

So snorkeling here is something you do only if you are highly motivated. Having grown up along the murky waters of Lake Champlain, where visibility rarely exceeds 10 feet, I personally love seeing undersea creatures in clear salt water -- even if that water is so cold I can't stay in for more than 15 minutes. Floating along the rocky ledges that form tide pools at low tide, I spotted blue starfish, dozens of multi-colored crabs, little brown striped fish, periwinkles, hermit crabs, and a multitude of gorgeous plants swaying in the waves like tiny palm trees.

Is this Airstreaming? Yes, it is ...

Fifth Avenue on Wheels

2005-09-26T20:19:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting in JFK airport as I type this ... awaiting yet another connection on a food-less, cramped, noisy, and illness-inducing commercial flight.

Traveling via air is not as much fun as it used to be, at least for me. Sitting in coach with a bag wedged between my feet, trying to find a moment of peace between endless interruptions "from the cockpit" and a well-meaning crew of flight attendants, well, it's not much fun. I have come to dread every step of the process: check-in lines, removing my shoes, struggling with the overhead bin, having the operation of a seat belt explained to me, baggage claim ...

Even though air is faster (usually), traveling by road is more enriching. Traveling by road, I get to spend time with my wife and daughter, which I like. I get to stop and see new things. And I travel like a king: with all the comforts of home beside me, or handily stashed in the rolling yacht behind me.

Saved on my computer I have a radio interview with Wally Byam from 1954. In it, Wally is asked why he would want to travel by trailer, and he replies, "Oh my goodness, it's the finest way in the world to travel. You see, with a trailer you have all your things with you. Why, there's my long distance radio, and there's my record player, and we have wonderful beds, and we have a good shower and toilet and bath. My wife has a wonderful little kitchen with a refrigerator, and gas heat, and gas cooking ... and we have everything with us. We call it traveling with 'Fifth Avenue on Wheels'."

Fast-forward to today, and Wally would be talking about his laptop, his mobile Internet connection, his CD changer, and undoubtedly other little bits of gadgetry that caught his fancy. (Wally was a gadget man, by all accounts.) But even with modern devices, he'd still extoll the comfort afforded by having "all your things with you."

Wally knew what he was talking about. Some things never change. Seeing America on your own terms, free to "move about the cabin", sharing the experience, the thrill of the unknown -- it all has an appeal and mystique that has been relentlessly pounded out of air travel. It's still the finest way in the world to travel, Wally. If I don't need to get there today, I'll take my Airstream.

Prepping for the Final Trip

2005-09-25T15:30:00.000-05:00

Uh, by the headline I don't mean "final trip" as in a trip across the River Styx, but just the last trip of the Project Vintage Thunder blog. Don't get worried.

We had some technical problems with the blog this week, which caused the blog to revert to our September 1 posting. I finally got a chance to get online and fix it today. Just another one of those Internet glitches. It had to do with our recent switchover to a new web host, which is part of the necessary preparation for the upcoming Tour of America.

I'm posting this from Florida, where I flew down to attend an unofficial rally being held by some friends. We revisited the Sunshine Skyway, where you might recall Vintage Thunder spent a night last March (see blog archives for pictures and details), and Fort Desoto -- a favorite camping spot.

We've got less than a week to prepare for the trip to Jackson Center. Many things to do, so I'll hit the ground running when I get home tomorrow. Vintage Thunder is nearly ready. On Wednesday I ran around town doing a few errands to complete our prep.

One thing still on the glitch list was the battery box lock. The metal tongue on the lock was a bit short, so occasionally the battery box door would fall open. I rigged up a temporary fix with a piece of a plastic knife and some blue tape, when we were on the road to Missouri, and it worked, but obviously wasn't too professional. A visit to the locksmith gave us a better fix, and while I was at it I had the lock re-keyed so now the battery box and the water fill can be opened with one key. Fewer keys on the keyring is always a good thing...

I'll post a few more entries in the next two weeks. I've got another minor fix to do on the front window gasket, which I plan to document this week. Then we'll post from the road.

Leaving Bailey Island

2005-09-20T10:04:00.000-05:00

It is with greatly mixed feelings that we packed up to leave Bailey Island. Three weeks in the cottage by the sea were too short, and we wish we could have more terrific weekends with our hosts Susan and Adam. The sun was shining brightly, the water is crystal clear (but much colder), and the island still seems full of little surprises we haven't yet had time to tease out. We will certainly be back next year!

But when you have an Airstream an adventure is around every corner, and we are gearing up for the biggest one of all. In just a couple of weeks we will be in Jackson Center picking up the new trailer and starting the Tour of America. Between now and then, we have just a few small tweaks to get Vintage Thunder ready for its new owner, and we'll be making stops in Vermont, New York, and Ohio, before our final stop at the Airstream factory.

So although the end of the Vintage Thunder blog is near, we'll have another seven months of adventure to recount in our new website. I'll be able to announce the URL in a couple of weeks.

The VAP Podcast

2005-09-16T12:16:00.000-05:00

I did an interview last Monday for a cool new audio program called "The VAP". This program is specifically for Vintage Airstream owners, and started last week. If you haven't checked it out, go to www.thevap.com. The first interview is a discussion with Colin Hyde of GSM Vehicles, and Rob Baker, a good friend.

Colin's shop painted Vintage Thunder, and he talks a bit about that experience in the 40-minute interview.

I'll be on the second program, which I expect will be released in a week or two. We had some problems with sound quality when recording it, but hopefully Tim Shephard, who produces The VAP, will be able to clear it up enough to broadcast.

The VAP looks like a great source of information for all Airstream enthusiasts, and I strongly recommend you subscribe to it, so you'll get each broadcast as it comes out. It's FREE, too.

Budgeting Fuel

2005-09-13T07:08:00.000-05:00

Over the next six months, during the "Tour of America" I'll be writing a lot about trip planning and budgeting. But for today, I just want to make mention of something particularly relevant to the recent rise in fuel cost.

AAA maintains a database of actual prices paid each day by their members at gas stations across the country. They do this by capturing the price paid per gallon from card swipes. The data is available to you at a couple of sites, so you can see the local gas prices.

The site is http://www.aaamidatlantic.com/fuel_finder.asp

But the cool feature of this site is that it will estimate your fuel cost for a trip based on this data. Click the "Fuel Cost for a Trip" button at the top of the page and try it out. I'll be using this for trip segments as we start roaming across the country.