Vintage Airstream Trailer upkeep is Challenging

 One of the windows over the twin bed in my Airstream 1966 Tradewind decided it was finished. I was giving her a bath, cleaning the windows inside and out when closing the window, the glass shattered like a bomb. Glass was everywhere but thank goodness no one was near not got cut.

It took quite a while to clean up all the little slivers of glass from the sidewalk and street and even longer to locate the glass. If you know anything about the Vintage Airstream trailers, you know that Corning manufactured a frameless curved glass window from 1966-1969 only. As you could imagine, locating a rare replacement window is a difficult task. Thanks to the Vintage Airstream Facebook page, Daniel Sanchez from Silver Bullet Supplies and Restorations LLC (info@silverbulletr.com) 404-944-0155 had a window in stock. Shipped from Bufford, GA to California with UPS, I am waiting for my glass. I have an installation scheduled with a local glass company.

Urban Rally/Carson City, NV

Sawyer Finn Yee and I are driving/towing Abella Airstream to Carson City for the first ever (in Carson) Urban Rally. Carson City is rolling out the carpet for some 25+ Airstreams to park right on Carson Street for the weekend. Activities planned are as follows: wine walk, ghost tour, air show, concert in the park, a tour of Victoria homes and much more. **Note the photo is not the Urban Rally in Carson but a rally from last year. I will take current photos but wanted you to see what I am talking about.

FRIDAY:  2:00 to 4:00-Arrival and staging to park.  I have assigned everyone a parking spot.  There will be 22 rigs on the street and 10 right next to it.  The next email will have times for you to arrive and addresses.

4:30- Hosted Happy Hour by the Lake Tahoe Airstream Club.  Bring your own glass and chair. There will be food, wine, beer, soft drinks and water.  Make sure that you do not carry alcohol off the parking lot.  The lot is private property but when you leave it you are on City property and we don’t have a license for that.

5:15 – Guitar and vocal CONCERT with Hallie Kirk.  Some good tunes while we enjoy and meet one another

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6:30 and onward – Dinner on your own or hang around the Happy Hour area.  There are some great restaurants nearby.

SATURDAY:  Breakfast on your own.  The Nugget Casino has the Allate Coffee Bar and Coffee shop.  Mom & Pops has a great breakfast.  The best is the L.A. Bakery. There will be maps in your welcome bag.

10:00 to noon – Open House at your trailer.  The community is looking forward to this.  I know we can count on you to show off your rig.

LUNCH on your own. 

1:00 to 5:00 WINE WALK.  This will be $10 per person with your own glass or $15 with theirs. We will tell you where to buy tickets.  You will be able to take advantage of 30 pouring places if you are still standing.  They have the license for this.

10:00 to 5:00 both Saturday and Sunday.  The Minden Roundup AIRSHOW will take place about 10 miles south of downtown.  This is going to be really cool as the Air Force Falcons (like the Blue Angels), will be performing along with acts from the Navy, Army and the Canadian Air Force.  There are two ways to view this.

CHOICE A.  Park about a mile away, pay $20 apiece, ride a shuttle from a remote parking lot and watch the show.

CHOICE B.  Car Pool or drive to LTAC members Jack and Kathy Hampel’s house and watch the show from their back yard for FREE.  You can also munch on the left overs from the previous night’s Happy Hour. 

DINNER: On your own.

5:30 to 7:00 Ghost Walk and Blue Line tour of the Victorian homes in Carson City.  I will need an email RSVP for this one.  It is FREE and an easy walk from where you are parked.

6:00 to 8:30 -V&T Melodrama Railroad Train (cost $75)

7:00 to 9:00 – Hosted Blue Grass CONCERT from the Carson City Visitor’s Bureau.   The “Little Big Band” will perform at the McFadden Square outdoor stage (20 feet from an ice cream parlor).

SUNDAY:  BREAKFAST on your own.  The local Elks Lodge will be serving breakfast & Bloody Mary’s from 8:00 to 11:00.  You don’t have to be a member to go.  Easy walk again.

9:00- Car Pool up King St. for a hike to the Carson City Water Fall.  It is less than a mile round trip.  I need an RSVP on this one also. 

NOON to 2:00 – Hook up and get on down the road. 

Southwest Gathering 2016 with Sisters on the Fly. We are traveling to Bryce Canyon

The Summer 2017 Adventure to Utah begins June 5.  Sawyer Finn and I will begin our adventure with the first night in lovely Barstow California. Stay tunes for our adventure.....

Abella Airstream is invited to participate in The Modernism Vintage Trailer Show 2015

Abella, our 1966 Airstream Tradewind

Vintage Travel Trailer Show at Modernism Week is collection of beautiful vintage trailers containing a wide array of models and decor. These trailers reflect the decor suited best for the trailer as it was in its decade. Some trailers are original and some have been modified with modern technology and appliances.

The trailers featured in the Modernism Vintage Trailer Show are hand picked and invited only after photos and descriptions of the trailers has been viewed and approved. It is very prestigious to be invited to this show.

This incredible collection of authentic and beautifully restored trailers were displayed in a festive, outdoor showplace located directly behind the Hilton Palm Springs.

The Brag Badge Trophies

What is Modernism Week?
The mission of Modernism Week is to celebrate and foster appreciation of mid-century architecture and design, as well as contemporary thinking in these fields, by encouraging education, preservation and sustainable modern living as represented in Palm Springs.

Modernism Week’s signature Event is an annual celebration of mid-century modern design, architecture, art, fashion, and culture. This exciting “festival” takes place in February in the Palm Springs area of Southern California. It features more than 100 events including the Modernism Show, home tours, films, lectures, double decker bus tours, parties, walking and bike tours, a pre-fab showcase, vintage fashion, live music events, a vintage travel trailer exhibition, and more.

http://www.modernismweek.com

All that to say Abella was invited and won an award for the Best Original Custom Award at The Modernism Vintage Trailer Show, Palm Springs 2015. The show was exhausting but FUN!
Thanks Ramona Heath for all of your hard work.

Inside Abella Airstream

Galley

Bedroom/Bathroom

Best Original Custom Award at The Modernism Vintage Trailer Show, Palm Springs 2015

Proud Owners Wayne and Melissa Yee

Streaming to Fun in the Southwest Winter Caravan.

Sawyer and I are heading out today with the NorCal Airstream "Streaming to Fun in the Southwest" Winter Caravan. First stop is Bakersfield, onto Las Vegas where we will spend three days touring the early influences and history of Las Vegas. We will visit Valley of the Fire which is the oldest state park. We will be touring the Hoover Damn, viewing natural hot springs, hike in Arizona at the Lost Dutchman State Park, river rafting some calm waters, (I will be with some senior citizens) view Suspicion Mountain, see a musical show at Barleen's Arizona Opry and end up in Tuscan for an Airstream event called Alumafiesta. http://alumafiesta.com
There will be more than 100 shiny silver Airstreams there enjoying the activities planned for us. Heading home to California, Sawyer and I will stop over to visit friends in Simi Valley then drive up to Parkfield where I will enjoy a birthday bash with some of my Central Coast Sisters on the Fly. Photos of the trip will be posted.

International Balloon Fiesta 2014

First Airstream Caravan to Alburquerque International Balloon Fiesta

My young friend, Krysta and I set off with puppy Sawyer and others from the Airstream Club to destination New Mexico for the International Balloon Fiesta. 

The Departure Morning

Crossing into Arizona

Traveling with a young puppy that isn't completely vaccinated against the highly contagious Parvo virus can be a challenge but one I was willing to embark upon.  At each gas stop, the pump was started first followed by getting Sawyer out of his car seat. I unlocked Abella Airstream's door and placed Sawyer in on his Potty Patch for elimination. https://www.pottypatch.com

Passing the time

Sawyer and I at Jack Rabbit sign on Route 66

Sawyer in his car seat.

First stop to meet up with the other Airstreamers participating in the caravan was the Barstow KOA. A quick night's rest and we were off for three nights at the Grand Canyon Railroad RV Park.  http://www.thetrain.com 

Dinner in Williams, AZ

The Grand Canyon RV Park and all of the other facilities in Williams, Arizona are FABULOUS. Sawyer was able to go into the Cattery (kennel for cats) since he couldn't be with other dogs due to the Parvo scare. Krysta and I took the Grand Canyon Railway to view the Grand Canyon. We didn't have much time to spend at the Canyon but what we did see was gorgeous. 

The Hole

Selfie at the Grand Canyon

Krysta and I at the Canyon

Next stop, Albuquerque Enchanted Trails Historic RV Park. One night here with the next day's early departure from Camping World next door. Twenty Airstreams lined up along the frontage road for the first wave convoy to the Balloon Field. We had VIP Parking as close to the launch field as one can get. Excitement over seeing 200+ Airstreams in one place was a high. 

Small convoy ready to go to the Balloon Field

The Balloon Fiesta was breathtakingly beautiful to say the least. This event wasn't even on my radar as a "bucket list" entry but I highly recommend it for yours. I have never seen so many balloons with the shapes and colors I saw. Morning Dawn Patrol and Night Glows are gorgeous. 

First Morning

Night Glow

Last Morning (Hate to Leave)

Selfie at the Balloon Museum

Great friends Rick and Dena from Simi Valley

Morning Mischief

So many Balloons

On the Field

Sawyers Hangout

  All things must come to an end but we continued to have fun returning home to California. We caravanned with Rick and Dena leaving them in Williams as we continued on west to Needles, CA.

Sights along the way urged us to stop to stretch our legs and snap a few photos. Thanks Gary, Jim, Lynda and all the other Airstream Family members from CCC that helped to make this trip one I will cherish forever. 

Crossing into Arizona

Sawyer in two States at once

Sawyers Play Pen

Sawyer Finn the Adventure Pup

Happy Trails!

I have owned Abella almost one year now. It has been an adventure. I have camped all over Northern California after the "whirlwind" trip to Ohio to pick her up.

Abella has been in several Vintage Rallies where she is loved by most but a true Vintage lover won't give her the time of day. She is too modern and has all the features of a new trailer.

Abella has a new occupant these days. We just adopted Sawyer Finn, the Adventure Pup from a rescue in Utah. Sawyer is working on housebreaking and general rules of obedience. 

The next trip is to New Mexico for the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque. Sawyer is coming with us so we should find out if he is truly an adventure pup.

Stay tuned for more adventures with Abella Airstream and Sawyer Finn.