airstream life summer 2012

AIRSTREAM LIFE ONLINE EDITION | AIRSTREAMLIFE .COM 1

traveling well

VICE ’STREAMS • KEEPING COOL • ‘68 AMBASSADOR RE-DESIGNED

Online Edition Online Edition

Summer 2012

Interiors, Page 15

Tech Tips, Page 12

TABLE OF CONTENTS traveling well

The official Airstream lifestyle magazine

Airstream Vices, 22 AIRSTREAM LIFE ONLINE EDITION | AIRSTREAMLIFE .COM

Summer 2012

4 EDITOR’S PAGE

6 INBOX

12 Tips for Summertime Cooling TECH TIPS

15 New Details for a 1968 Ambassador INTERIORS

22 Airstream Vices FEATURE

EDITOR’S PAGE

Ever since my family bought our first Airstream, I’ve said that taking your Airstream off for a vacation is the adult version of running away with the circus. Even before you leave home, you can see how much fun is waiting for you on the road. So I try to make every issue of Airstream Life reflect that carefree attitude.

The entire editorial staff had particular fun with this issue, starting with Tom Bentley’s article about “Vice Airstreams.” We all knew that Airstreams were versatile, but could you ever have imagined them being used to dispense bacon jam? Another fun piece is our article on bluegrass festivals. After reading the article, I bet you’ll want to camp at one sometime, even if you don’t play an instrument.

Bert and Janie Gildart passed a milestone this year: over 100,000 miles in their Airstreams, covering scores (if not hundreds) of national parks. Over the past eight years Bert has faithfully documented the highlights of their travels in Airstream Life magazine, and in our regular print edition he has selected some of his favorite photos for a special photo essay.

Still, we have a (slightly) more serious side, so I’m pleased to introduce a new section of the magazine called Tech Tips. We created this new department in response to your requests, so let us know how you like it and what you’d like us to cover in the future.

Of course, in the print edition the towing series by Andy Thomson continues, and in the most recent installment he explains why selecting a tow vehicle with a four-wheel independent suspension might be your best choice. There’s quite a bit more in our full print magazine, including articles on Wally Byam’s relatively unknown (sea-going) yacht, and a great Buyers Guide, so if you want to get all the information and fun you can from Airstream Life, please consider subscribing for just $24 per year at airstreamlife.com

ABOUT OUR COVERArthur King and Kelsey Kramer chose a somewhat unusual caterer for their wedding in May 2011, namely Skillet Street Food of Seattle, WA. Operating out of a refurbished 1972 Airstream Over-lander, Skillet offered wedding guests burgers with bacon jam, caramelized vegetables, kale and dried cherry salad, poutine, and doughnuts. You can read more about the Skillet Airstream in our article about “Airstream Vice.”

The cover photo was taken by Kirk Mastin of Mastin Studio. See more of his inspiring wedding photos at http://mastinstudio.com/blog.

Who Will Get The Five Day Makeover?

Bert & Janie Gildart have covered over 100,000 miles in Airstreams while writing books, magazine articles, and collecting nature photography. They recently upgraded to a 2012 Classic Limited 30.

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4 AIRSTREAM LIFE ONLINE EDITION | AIRSTREAMLIFE .COM

Editor and Publisher: Rich Luhr [email protected]

Associate Editors: Tom Bentley Becky Blanton

Layout and Design: OneTree Marketing [email protected]

Advertising Sales: Brett Greiveldinger [email protected] (802) 877-2900 Ext. 2

Editorial Illustrator: Brad Cornelius

Culinary Consultant: Eleanor O’Dea

Customer Service: David Winter

Associate Contributors: Jody Brotherston J. Rick Cipot Fred Coldwell Renee Ettline Bert Gildart John Irwin Forrest McClure Charles Spiher

CONTACTAirstream Life411 Walnut St #4468Green Cove Springs, FL 32043Telephone: (802) 877-2900Fax: (802) 610-1013www.airstreamlife.com

AIRSTREAM LIFE ONLINE EDITION You can get Airstream Life online, for free! Each issue we select 15-20 pages of the upcoming magazine and make it available on the Internet to readers who sign up at www.airstreamlife.com/online. It’s a sneak peek, with no cost, no obligation!

CUSTOMER SERVICEAirstream Life’s world headquarters are the dinette table of a 2005 Airstream Safari 30 We’re always glad to hear from you, but if you have a simple question, please check our website for help first. There you can subscribe, renew your subscription, change your address, get advertising information, download writer’s and photographer’s guidelines, notify us of an address change,and get answers to frequently-asked questions. See www.airstreamlife.com or call (802) 877-2900.

Airstream Life (ISSN 1550-5979) is published quarterly by Church Street Publishing, Inc., 411 Walnut St #4468, Green Cove Springs FL 32043. Subscription price is $24 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Ferrisburg VT and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Airstream Life, 411 Walnut St #4468, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043

© Copyright 2012 by Church Street Publishing, Inc. AIRSTREAM® is the property of Airstream, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in CANADA.

traveling well

The official Airstream lifestyle magazineMeanwhile, I’ve got to tell you about something very cool that will be happening this summer at our new event, Alumafandango.

Alumafandango will be this August 21-26, in Denver. If you check out the ad this magazine, you’ll see something called “The Five Day Trailer Makeover.” This will be a major feature of the event, where the staff of Timeless Travel Trailers refit a late-model trailer to have an entirely new look, while you watch and learn. The makeover can include items such solid surface counters, wood veneer furnishings with solid wood cabinet doors, sinks and plumbing fixtures, drapery fabric, lighting, vinyl graphics, or even an additional window. Furniture can be changed out or modified, but the basic floorplan has to remain the same.

If you are interested in possibly participating in this, call Brett Hall of Timeless Travel Trailers at 303-432-3819 to discuss. This will be a very interesting opportunity—with serious bragging rights—for someone at Alumafandango this summer, and great fun for everyone else who attends.

Speaking of which, at this writing about 2/3 of the available trailer sites at Alumafandango are already reserved, and we are still have over two months to go. So if you are thinking about coming, check out our ad and reserve your space before it’s too late! Run away with the circus this summer, and we’ll see you there!

Rich LuhrEditor & Publisher


I live in a world

of low and wide

horizons...

INBOX Inspired In Jackson Center

Hello Rich,

I am an Airstream owner and an artist. At Alumapalooza 2011 I saw some nice illustrations by another artist, Michael Depraida. As a realist watercolor painter, I have long worked with travel landscapes and industrial imagery, but having the new trailer inspired me to do some work to celebrate it. I thought I’d send you the first couple of paintings.

As a lifelong prairie dweller, I live in a world of low and wide horizons, and much of my work has reflected that in wide and panoramic formats. Some of that work is on my website: donlakeart.com. The field full of Airstream trailers, and the factory tours at Jackson Center have opened some doors to new ideas about industrial images, and maybe some new thinking about very old trailers.

By the way, we enjoyed our time at Alumapalooza. Met many nice people, saw a lot of wonderful old and new Airstreams, and enjoyed your presentations each day. It is our joy in traveling and camping in our Airstream trailer that drove me to make the paintings.

Best Regards,

Don LakeChampaign, IL


The Smallest Airstream Ever?Some time ago we finished the years-long gut-and-rebuild of our ‘73 Safari. That left me in need of another Airstream project, yet not quite ready to tackle another full-scale rebuild. I’d been wanting to get back into model railroading, a hobby I’d greatly enjoyed as a teenager but hadn’t touched in many years: I hadn’t had the time, and, in our very small house, we still didn’t have the space.

Then I stumbled across the world of Z-scale model railroads. A lightbulb (an LED, of course) came on: at that scale (1:220) I might actually be able to make a model railroad into an Airstream project. After a few measurements in the Airstream, I found a commandeer-able space under a bed which, though just 19” x 29” x 5.5”, was big enough to accommodate a box for a small, portable layout.

Well, the box is built, and the first bit of rail is laid, but I got sidetracked when I realized that an Airstream-sized model railroad would obviously require a model railroad-sized Airstream. At Z-scale our 23’ Safari works out to about 1.25”, bumper to hitch. Here’s the scratch-built result, all settled in for a boondocked evening (yes, the lights go on) with a pink flamingo (and a dime) for company. Now back to that railroad: we look forward to someday “setting up camp” on the completed layout!

Rob SuperAmador City, CA

Joy In The JourneyA few years ago my wife and I, and two other couples caravanned together out west. My brother and his wife pulled a big fifth wheeler with a Chevy truck equipped with a big tricked up diesel engine, our friend and his wife pulled a heavy 30 foot “white box” with a Dodge truck also with a big diesel engine. My wife and I towed our 1971 27 foot Overlander Airstream with a Ford Excursion equipped with a standard 5.4L gas engine.

We were in Wyoming heading west on US 16 from Buffalo to Worland crossing the Big Horn Mountains. Since my brother had mapped out this section of our road trip we let him lead. For fear of holding the other two rigs back on a long uphill six percent grade, my wife and I became the “cows tail.” We did just fine keeping up most of the way, however, the higher we ascended the “behinder” we got.

Each rig was outfitted with an old fashioned CB radio. There was a lot of useless, but fun chit chat when suddenly my brother broke in with something like, “Hey Wally (our friend) I’m feeling a lot of wind, how you doin’?”

Wally responded with, “Man, I’m hanging on but I feel like we’re about to get blown off the road!” Being concerned about us, Wally radioed back, asking, “Bob, how’re y’all doing back there? This wind is blowing us all over the road.”

My response was a simple, “What wind?”

Wally muttered back, “I knew that’s what you’d say.” I wanted to ask, “How do you guys like your big ‘White Box’ now?” But, of course, I didn’t. I just let the wind speak for me.

Ah, yes, come wind, rain, sunshine or snow, with an Airstream there is joy in the journey!

Bob and Kay GrayWatkinsville, GA

With an

Airstream

there is joy in

the journey!

LEFT TO RIGHT: Lavon and Loren Gray, Janice and Wally Huckaby, and Kay and Bob Gray.


INBOX Finally Got The Full Set!We’ve read the magazine on and off over the many years when published during our years of being active Airstream owners (19). We moved every six months while I was serving active duty and of course deployed many years where we had to put the A/S in storage until we retired in 2008. This made it difficult to provide an address that would work with all magazines.

I really kicked myself for not attempting to obtain the collection of magazines as they kept the dream alive of Airstreaming, knowing sooner or later we would get back to using the Airstream.

We now are there, and thanks so much for making the complete collection available. I plan on reading and in some cases re-reading the magazines. Now I will reflect to days of the past, rather than dreaming of the future that the magazine provided for me, many years ago.

The magazine provides all of us in the RV community, especially Airstream owners great insight and a family feeling.

Tim Strong

A Bubble With A StoryI have subscribed to your magazine for a year now and LOVE IT! I think I have also bought every book I can find on Airstreams too. I thoroughly enjoy all your articles on Vintage Trailers, maintenance, and the unusual artistic people who live / work in them.

This is our 1958 Airstream Bubble. I lived in her for a year around 1980—rented it from an artist, who as its second owner had just finished refurbishing her for the first time.

We parked it in front of an old 1911 schoolhouse that was used as our sculpture studio and custom furniture building shop. A year later the Bubble moved to Santa Fe, NM with its owner Otto Rigan, and it spent the next several decades traveling around the southwest. But that one year started the beginning

of my love affair with Airstreams. Then a year and a half ago,

the Bubble’s third owner, Gordy Ekas, decided to sell her. He had just completed a second major overhaul and beautiful restoration job on her. He and his wife Tony had given her the license plate name “LE GYP Z.” So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to have her back in my life.

We’ve really enjoyed taking her to Pismo Beach, Santa Cruz, and Monterey, CA. for great camp trips with friends. Now we can hardly wait until we retire in a few years, when we can more fully enjoy life with our Gypsy AS Bubble.

Cheryl Barnett and Pete EtchegarayMerced, CA

I have bought

every book I

can find on

Airstreams!

Cheryl Barnett and Pete Etchegaray at Pismo Sands RV Park with their 1958 Bubble.

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Spotted The Hairstream!Received the latest issue of Airstream Life today. We were delighted to see Hairstream featured on page 47. We encountered Hairstream in 2009 on one of our many trips to Washington state. What a wonderful shop. Joelle was very accommodating and let us wander around and ask questions as she was trying to do some styling for an upcoming wedding. I took tons of pictures but I really like this one. Whenever we are in the area we always drive by to see it. Still love getting your magazine, have them all.

Susan Measures,North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Where In Hampton Roads...I found Fred Coldwell’s article “Overseas Adventure” interesting. I have asked my friends at the Virginia Port Authority for their help in identifying specifically at which of three locations the Airstreams were actually shipped from in 1960. But, I also want to clarify the reference made in the article to our geography.

Hampton Roads is a historical name associated with our Metropolitan Statistical Area. Back in 1960, there were, as there are today, three possible points of embarkation – Norfolk, Portsmouth, or Newport News. What is the City of Virginia Beach today (it wasn’t a city back then) has never had ocean-going port facilities – unless one considers the US Navy facilities at what is now Joint Operations Base, Little Creek.

If I can come up with any information about which of the three port facilities might have been used for shipping the Airstreams in 1960, I’ll be glad to share that with you. And by the way, my wife and I love the magazine.

Jack HornbeckPresident and CEO

Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Norfolk, VA

The Story Of Devils TowerMy husband Larry took this photo of our Airstream at Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, September 2011.

The trip up to the tower was an easy one with the Airstream in tow, but we arrived to discover that our truck and trailer were not recommended for parking at the small area of the Visitors’ Center. The ranger at the gate advised us that there was a small parking lot located on the main entry road which was designated for buses, RVs, and where we could safely drop our trailer, then drive up to the Visitors’ Center.

We enjoyed the geological explanation of how Devils Tower came to be, but found the Native American Indian explanations of its formation to be particularly interesting. One legend tells about seven little girls being chased onto a low rock to escape attacking bears. Their prayers for help were answered and the rock carried them up to safety, as the claws of the leaping bears left furrows in the sides of the column of the tower. It grew so high that the girls reached the sky where they couldn’t get down, so they were transformed into the constellation known as the Pleiades.

Lou and Larry WoodruffLagrange, OH


Attaboy, Bert!I just finished the Spring 2012 issue. Love the new layout. I always look forward to Tin Hut and now I’m recognizing that Bert Gildart’s writing is possibly my favorite part of all. Please pass along as appropriate.

Vernon Lowery

You may not realize this, but Bert Gildart is the only person (beside the Editor) whose writing has been featured in every issue of Airstream Life magazine since publication began in 2004. Bert is a fine writer, a fantastic photographer, and a great friend, and we’re planning on keeping him in the magazine as long as he’ll keep writing!

Camped By The Ruins At ChacoThanks for updating, keeping current and honoring the past in our Airstream Life magazine. We really like the easy to read layout and great photos. Thanks for the spotlight on the Happy Camper and Orvis coaches, keep that up. People stories, and individual mods that make it “my Airstream” are always interesting. History of the Airstream is a must, great job. Keep us in the loop of updated Airstream factory info and options.

We visited Chaco last June, magnificent place, bit of a haul though eh! We were just a few feet from one of the ruins in our campsite.

Bob and Nanc UribePine Valley, CA.

INBOX

History of the

Airstream is a

must, great job!

We’d like to see your Airstreaming pictures and hear your stories. Email us at [email protected]. High-resolution (not reduced) photos in JPG format are best. You can also mail letters and photos to Airstream Life, 411 Walnut St #4468, Green Cove Springs FL 32043, but keep in mind that photos won’t be returned.


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Make Your Vent A Bit More Fan-tasticHave you ever wondered what would happen if, on a warm, sunny day, either the air conditioner failed or the campground’s power went out? Can you imagine what your pets would do, if they were in the trailer, with no way out? Here’s a quick and easy way to get some air moving over your pets if that happens. You can modify your Fan-tastic Vent with motorized lid to open automatically if it gets too hot in your Airstream.

Fan-tastic Vent now offers this feature as an option on some new models with a special “PETS/PEOPLE” switch, but you can modify the older vent you have to do the same thing. You need just three tools, none of them special in any way, plus a butt-splice connector, and a pair of spade terminals. The butt-splices you will need are usually blue in color.

The tools consist of a #2 Phillips screwdriver, a pair of wire cutters/crimpers, and wire strippers. If you don’t have the strippers, don’t fret, you can get by with just the cutters, applied judiciously to the insulation of the wires you are about to cut and connect.

First, make sure the 12-volt power is off to the vent, so your Airstream’s wiring doesn’t do its own imitation of Chernobyl in miniature. Next, take the Phillips screwdriver and unscrew the five screws that hold the inner controls to the main vent. Two of the screws will remove the lift motor itself, which you can leave hanging down. After the inner control panel is down out of the vent assembly, you will see two orange wires going to the control board, and two white wires going to the thermostat.

Unplug the two white wires, cut off the spade connectors that are on the ends, strip the insulation off the wires about 1/4” from the end, and connect them together with the butt splice connector, crimping it well so the wires stay where they belong.

After that, snip off the spade terminals on the orange wires, strip them like you did the white wires, and install the spade connectors you got before you started this job. When you’ve done that, and crimped the connectors to the wires, connect the orange wires to the spots on the thermostat where the white wires used to be connected.

Now, put the inner control panel back up into the vent, then the lift motor. Turn on the fan to any of the three running positions, depending on how fast you want the fan to run. Turn the thermostat into the blue area until the lift motor raises the lid, and the fan starts running, then return it to a warmer setting to make sure the lid closes and the fan shuts off.

Now, you’re ready for the next time you need to go somewhere on a hot day, but can’t take your pets. Simply turn the fan speed to anything but “0”, and set the thermostat to a point where you want it to come on if it gets too hot in your Airstream. Keep in mind that if you have a rain sensor built-in to your fan, it will still automatically shut the fan vent during rain, after this modification.

— Terry Halstead

Have you ever

wondered what would

happen if, on a warm,

sunny day, either the

air conditioner failed

or the campground’s

power went out?

Summertime CoolingTWO TIPS FOR

TECH TIPS


A Cool Inch or TwoDoes your refrigerator cool as poorly on propane operation as mine once did? After trying several fans with no great improvement, I suspected that the propane pressure was low. Low propane pressure can stem from a loss of tension in the regulator springs over time, or the regulator may simply have been poorly adjusted from the factory.

Propane pressure is measured with a manometer. You can buy dial manometers and water manometers on the Internet for $35 and up. A water manometer has the advantage of ruggedness; one can be knocked around for years and be perfectly accurate. You can easily construct your own water manometer for just a few dollars and instructions can be found on the Internet from a variety of sources.

There are pressure test ports on both the refrigerator and the water heater. Remove the small, threaded plugs with an Allen wrench and screw in the manometer in its place. On recent Dometic refrigerators, you must first remove a shield plate for access to the test port.

To properly test the regulator, you should be using about half the maximum propane load. You can either light several stove burners or the water heater, in addition to the refrigerator while testing. Set the refrigerator to gas operation and read the manometer.

Commercial manometers may be read directly. For a home-made manometer, the inches of water is the distance in inches between the high and low water levels on each side. The reading should be between 11 and 12 inches of water. With all other propane load off, the reading should not exceed 12 inches of water.

If the reading is out of bounds, remove the plastic shield from the propane regulator at the front of the trailer by the propane tanks. Unscrew the black plug from the side of the regulator with a wrench and remove the spring inside if present. The spring does not affect the pressure setting; it is intended to prevent regulator creep due to vibration.

You now can access an internal threaded plug. Use an Allen wrench to turn the internal plug clockwise to increase the pressure or counterclockwise to decrease the pressure. The threads are very fine; it will take multiple turns to make a difference. When the manometer reading is 11” to 12”, replace the spring, the outer black plug, and the plastic shield.

My refrigerator as it came from the factory would not hold temperature on hot days on propane. I found that my propane pressure was about 8 inches. With the pressure now properly set at 11 inches, I have good cooling at well over 100 degrees ambient temperature. — John Irwin

Summertime Cooling


At last the complete story of Mr. and Mrs. Tin Hut can be told! If you love the Huts, or haven’t read all of their memorable adventures, here’s your opportunity to get 22 stories in a single volume. From nightmare trailer park to traumatizing family reunion to disastrous Mr. Ed Convention, Mr. Hut somehow manages to find the silver lining in every episode. His lifelong love, Mrs. Hut, tells her story too, while standing by her man as best she can in the wake of enraged farmers, insulted performers, horrified fellow campers, bewildered contest judges, and pierced in-laws.

Long a favorite of Airstream Life magazine readers, this is the first collection of Tin Hut stories ever published. It might be the last, too, considering that in this collection he manages to get stuck in a horse costume, hung from a tree, nearly electrocuted in bed, diagnosed with Fainting Goat syndrome, and set on fire. Includes all the hilarious illustrations by Brad Cornelius!

The Collected Adventures of Tin Hut

Now Availablein Print!

VOLUME I

Order your copy now from www.airstreamlife.com/store, just $14.95

Also available as an ebook for Kindle and iPad.

Everyone’s a winner! Unlimited free rides on Friday night Catered dinner on Saturday night Live entertainment on two nights (to be announced) Informative seminars every day Service appointments available (call Timeless to schedule)

Daily “Roving Happy Hours”—meet new friends Escorted tours of the Timeless Travel Trailers workshop Escorted tours of the Coors Brewery Historical tours of Lakeside Amusement Park Meet the staff of Timeless Travel Trailers Custom trailers on display Tons of door prizes Scavenger hunts & cookouts Swap meet and vendors

Step right up! Stay for 3 to 5 nights, your choice! 3 amp electric, water, and dump Generator section available Kids very welcome

$70 per adult; just $10 per kid under age 15;

$133 per campsite (3 nights) or $199 for all 5 nights

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Lakeside Amusement Park in Denver CO August 21-26, 2012

Just like the famous Alumapalooza event, but completely different! Held on the grounds of an historic amusement park filled with classic rides, neon lights, and great architecture.

Don’t miss the amazing Five Day Trailer Makeover! An Airstream will be completely re-done by Timeless Travel Trailers, while you watch!

Airstream Life and Timeless Travel Trailers present

Wally Byam’s beret would spin in circles around his head if he dropped down from the Great Airstream in the Sky and saw the inventive and eccentric uses for today’s trailers. But one might suspect that Byam, always a man for forward-thinking, inspiration, and the powers of imagination, would quickly straighten that beret and lift a toast to the owners who have employed his invention in quirky, distinctive ways. The most natural place to raise that toast would be the Redwood Kitchenette and Bar, where you can belly up to a full bar made from a 1970 Ambassador.

The 30’ Ambassador isn’t a one-time sidewalk gimmick—it’s a completely stocked bar with beer and wine on tap, room for three bottle jockeys to fill your orders, and it’s smack-dab in the Chelsea district of New York, where the seen-everything patrons aren’t going to settle for a run-of-the-mill restaurant. The restaurant is built around the Airstream, but the trailer is the shiny center of attention. “It offers the most important thing that other bars don’t offer: a ‘Coolness’ factor. There is nothing else like it in New York City,” says John Yuder, the owner and main mind behind the Redwood concept.

Bringing a 30-foot trailer into an existing building in New York isn’t a task to take lightly. The trailer’s interior was gutted to the frame and cut from the chassis. Then it was loaded onto a flatbed and maneuvered into the restaurant (at 4 a.m. to avoid traffic), then cut down the middle lengthwise. The cut sections were then

Airstream Vice:Less Naughty, More Nice

After decades of traveling, this 1970 Airstream Ambassador has found its retirement job, serving cocktails at the Redwood Kitchenette and Bar in New York City.

FEATURE

By Tom Bentley


FEATURE

buck-riveted back together around the bar frame, which extended the trailer’s length to 35 feet. You might suspect the workers were ready for a drink after that.

The Airstream fit both literally into the bar, and into the owner’s conception: “I chose the Airstream because it was a perfect fit to the type of restaurant/bar that I envisioned; classic American comfort food in a mid-century modern setting,” says Yuder. “Everyone wants a seat at the bar.”

After you’ve knocked back a few at the Redwood, you might seek something to lift you back on your feet. Shine Coffee is just the thing, and it might even come to you (as long as you’re in the Phoenix area). Shine doubles the cup count, with both a 1957 Flying Cloud and a 1963 Globetrotter in their fleet, and both Airstreams are fully outfitted mobile espresso bars.

Getting the trailers up and foaming wasn’t effortless: each had to have the chassis reinforced, electrical upgraded to 220 volts, new sinks, water and wastewater tanks, commercial grade equipment and even health-department code-regulation windows.

Equipment is one thing, but to make a memorable cup of coffee, whether an espresso, cappuccino or latté, you’ve got to work the beans. “What makes us special is our use of locally roasted, small-batch coffees: everything is roasted for our order. The flavor difference is substantial,” says Laryn Blok, Shine’s general manager.

According to all Shine customers, steaming caffeine is better served out of a shiny vintage trailer, but it’s not as simple as it sounds. “Water and power are the main challenges,” says Blok. “Sometimes we have an event where they want us for 12+ hours and it’s very hard to do in one shot. Espresso machines pull a lot of power. We use two 50-amp shore cords that connect to either two 50-amp outlets or our generators. We have very large water tanks, but had to add extra water capacity for our drip coffee—we go through 20-30 gallons during a busy day.”

The Shine team accelerates the heartbeats of attendees at various events, such as weddings and parties, bringing a custom touch that adds even more buzz. “We think that common products should not be sold in common ways. Coffee is about as common in America as air. Selling really delicious coffee from a vintage Airstream pleases all senses. My husband lived in an Airstream on a movie set

TOP: The Shine Coffee trailer gets customer wheels rolling by brewing up cups of the good—and strong—stuff. RIGHT: The wood-fired glow coming from Wanderlust Pizza’s ‘73 Safari means another gourmet pizza is on its way.


many years ago, and he’s been in love with them ever since. They’re American, they’re part of our manufacturing history, and they are functional sculptures that continue to evolve into new things—like espresso bars,” says Blok.

Booze bars and espresso bars are fine things for folks in search of a little stimulation. But when the appetite is stimulated, few things more immediately satisfy the urge than pizza. Wood-fired pizza pushes that product higher on the desire scale, but wood-fired pizza out of a vintage Airstream? Sublime. And it’s not like you’re going to have to settle for a simple cheese-and-done pie from Wanderlust Pizza—this is one flavorful trailer.

“As a chef, I consider the brick oven the best tool to cook a great pizza,” says Erik Jacobs, the founder of Wanderlust. “I did extensive research and development on my dough recipe, because in my opinion, awesome pizza starts with a great crust. After that, I draw on influences from my travels around the world. That’s where the ‘Wanderlust’ name and the Airstream iconography really work together to convey my brand.”

Jacobs always sources his pizza makings to the freshest of produce and the most local of meats, so the pies he offers are seasonal. His year-round best-seller was the “Meat Meets Meat,” which mates crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, Italian salsiccia, Spanish chorizo and smoked prosciutto. One restricted

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Booze bars and

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stimulation...

FEATURE

to season (because he demands the asparagus be fresh) is the “Stinky Tinkle”—mascarpone cheese and shallot base, with fresh asparagus, black pepper, and prosciutto. Those seasonal offerings are sure to change, because he’s relocated his trailer from St. Louis to the San Francisco Bay area.

Obviously, a trailer with a wood-fired stove needed some retrofits: a five-foot smoke stack through the roof of his 1973 Safari was a necessity, as were new electrical wiring, insulation and custom welding to support the brick oven. The kitchen needed

new plumbing, sinks, sanitary walls and ceilings, and new lighting to pass inspection.The trailer-oven concept has worked so well that Jacobs envisions a fleet

of vintage Airstreams reflecting his desire to present authentic street food from around the world. He knows well that the Airstream adds something special to his work: “They are gorgeous pieces of functional contemporary art that reflect and represent an idea and period in American history. People love the curves, the polish of the aluminum and appreciate the hard work and creativity it took to transform it from a travel trailer to a mobile wood-fired pizza trailer. When they see the fire blazing in the oven, we get double- and triple-takes. Wanderlust serves pizza inspired by off-the-beaten-path travel, and the Airstream serves to reinforce that.”

Triple-takes are probably the norm for the 32’ 1968 International that often makes the rounds through the Colorado high country. It’s not that a beautifully polished vintage trailer is all that unusual—it’s more that the trailer is the mobile exam room for the Medical Marijuana Assistance Program of America (MMAPA). The organization’s mission is to make alternative treatment accessible and affordable to disabled veterans, hospice patients, and the indigent community. As part of fulfilling that mission, the mission of the onboard doctors of MDARX (the Mobile Doctors of America) is to make health care evaluations accessible and affordable to underserved urban and rural communities. MMAPA ensures qualified patients receive 40–60% off herbal treatments and low- to no-cost medical marijuana evaluations.

For the most part, the public’s response to the trailer has been positive. “MMAPA and Mobile Doctors have actually been quite embraced!” says Vincent Palazzotto, MMAPA’s executive director. “When it comes to negativity surrounding the cannabis industry, MMAPA’s staff and volunteers have ensured patients considering an alternative to pharmaceutical solutions are provided the facts in a professional manner. At the end of the day, most Americans—as well as the majority of voters throughout the sixteen states and the District of Colombia that have legalized medical marijuana—don’t see cannabis as a threat to our communities. Regulation not only removes cannabis from our back alleys, but offers a safer model for patients, with the end result being jobs and tax revenue added to the bottom line.”

Remember, this is an exam room, not a dispensary, so you won’t find any baggies of aromatic green in the Airstream. The organization did a full remodel,

Airstreams bring all kinds of services right to their customers. ABOVE: A mobile Airstream exam room provides low or no-cost medical evaluations in Colorado, while a real brick oven dispenses gourmet pizza from an Airstream in San Francisco. OPPOSITE PAGE: Skillet Street Food’s 1972 Overlander brings bacon jam and other delectables to you.

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which included the installation of granite countertops, bamboo flooring and tinted windows for privacy. Palazzotto says the greatest challenge has been Colorado’s weather, which includes high-country travel under alpine conditions. So far, it’s been smooth sailing (or snowing).

Besides providing examinations, the trailer is a mobile information center for medical marijuana events, such as the Kush Convention, recently held in Denver.

Patients have been pleased that a vintage Airstream has been host to their examinations. “They love the Airstream!,” says Palazzotto. “Our patients are delighted to see just how professionally the Mobile Doctor operation is run. For us, it’s a very distinguishable company mascot. Usually upon exiting, we can catch our patients snapping a shot or two in front of our silver bullet.”

One item that seems to be topping the charts with a bullet these days is bacon; you hear of bacon cocktails, bacon chocolate, even bacon gum. But there’s a topping that you can’t get just anywhere, only in an Airstream: bacon jam. It’s a spiced, simmered, puréed goo of holiness. The good folks at Skillet Street Food in Seattle say that people predominantly use the jam on burgers, but that it’s also fantastic on grilled cheese—and apparently a hundred other things, as the recipes on their website indicate. Since their 1972 Airstream Overlander sells the burgers right out of the trailer, you won’t have to put bacon jam on your hand to lick it off, though it sounds like some people do.

Bacon can get pretty heavy (especially with a burger wrapped around it), so the Skillet folks had to completely refab the trailer, by replacing the chassis with a heavy-duty motorhome chassis, adding a full commercial kitchen, a built-in generator and bigger propane tanks. Basically all that was left was the shell. According to Joshua Henderson, founder and Skillet partner, “I wouldn’t recommend building a kitchen in an Airstream as a general rule—they really aren’t meant to have that kind of weight or wear and tear on them. However, I wouldn’t change what we did for the world. I feel such a strong connection and

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emotional tie to the Airstreams that we have used. I still think they are so incredibly beautiful and ruggedly elegant.”

Skillet supplies the original bacon jam, which was followed by black pepper and fennel bacon jam, and they’re working on a brown sugar and apple variety now. If you needed an extra pork lift, you could put the bacon jam on one of their other dishes, like pork belly and waffles. Skillet serves at events; one notable one included serving burgers and poutine to the clowns of a Cirque de Soleil troupe. Arthur and Kelsey (Kramer) King were so enthused by the Skillet trailer that they

used it to cater their wedding with mini-burgers and garlic fries. As Henderson says, “The Airstream catches their eye, but the food brings them back.”

We’ve already discussed an Airstream bar, but not one that’s mobile. Never fear: there’s a 1968 International Overlander based in Austin that tours the land, even going as far as Chicago for the Lollapalooza music festival. That non-teetotaling trailer would be toting Tito’s Vodka from Tito’s Austin distillery. The trailer is a fully outfitted bar, where cocktails based on Tito’s brew are served and enjoyed.

According to Susan Stockman, Tito’s brand manager, “Tito’s is made from 100% corn, so it is naturally gluten free, and is distilled six times in old fashioned pot stills. Tito removes the heads and tails every time, resulting in a very smooth, pure vodka. The other thing that makes it so special is that we don’t rely on computers or machines to tell us when our handcrafted vodka is ready. Tito is at the distillery every day himself, tasting and testing to be sure every batch meets his specifications before it goes into a bottle.”

The trailer has a bit of a handmade aspect itself: the entire interior has been redone in reclaimed materials. The flooring is reclaimed barnwood, the ceiling is made of reclaimed metal signs, and the bar stools were junkyard finds. They also added a real bar to it at one end. The trailer makes for an eye-catching draw as a VIP lounge at events like Lollapalooza and Austin’s ACL music festival.

Stockman recognizes that Airstreams send a special message. “The classic airstream is iconic to all things American, and with the recent rise of the food truck in Austin, it’s also become well-known locally. We wanted an asset to bring to events and festivals that really showed people a taste of life in Austin, as that aesthetic really tells a lot about our brand in general, so getting an Airstream was a natural choice.” So natural, in fact, that they are outfitting another for event use in the Midwest.

Even if Wally B. might have first wondered about all of these edgy Airstreams, it would probably only take him a moment or two before he’d ordered up some cocktails, pizza, burgers and coffee. And at the very least, we think he’d have enthusiastically waved at the medical marijuana trailer making its rounds.

FEATURE

ViceStreams in the CybersphereRedwood Kitchenette and Bar www.redwoodkb.com

Shine Coffee www.shinecoffee.com

Wanderlust Pizza www.wanderlustpizza.com

MMAPA mmapa.us

Skillet Street Food skilletstreetfood.com

Tito’s Vodka titosvodka.com

Wondering why there’s no one in the chairs? Because they’re all inside sampling Tito’s vodka.



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that with Progressive’s 24/7 Roadside Assistance you will never be stranded. In fact, Progressive will tow your

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progressive.com or call an independent agent.

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INTERIORS


OPPOSITE PAGE: This photo reveals many of the details of this exhaustive renovation, including custom maple cabinetry, surround-sound speakers, stainless steel countertops, and Franke sink. ABOVE: Paula and Ed Poll attend a rally with their 1968 Ambassador.

“My dear husband will never retire,” says Paula Poll, and therein was the first of several tough design challenges for Ed and Paula Poll’s re-construction of a 1968 Airstream Ambassador. The trailer needed to be new and completely functional for work on the road, as well as have a “wonderful galley so we can cook healthy meals, as well as be able to boondock for several days,” while retaining the vintage appeal of the 1968 shell.

In addition to the requirements above, the Polls wanted an eco-friendly entertaining space, a premium sound system, separate beds, enough space to store their bicycles inside, and dog friendly material finishes. Most of all, they wanted everything to function safely and comfortably while looking great.

The Polls brought this tough challenge to Uwe Salwender of Area 63 Productions in Orange, CA. The old 28-foot Airstream was completely gutted and disassembled, the shell was removed, and all rusted elements were either cleaned, replaced, or rebuilt.

The large capacity tanks needed for extended boondocking include 65 gallon fresh water capacity, 65 gallon grey water, and 35 gallon black water. One goal of Uwe’s was to retain the safe towing aspects of this Airstream by installing the tanks so that the center of gravity would be as close as possible to the wheels. Likewise, the Dometic air conditioner-heat pump was installed under one of the beds to maintain a clean roof line which improves aerodynamics, and translates to a lower cost of fuel while towing. Without an air conditioning unit on the roof, there was space to install a pair of 100 watt solar panels.

By Jody Brotherston, ASID

NEW DESIGN DETAILS FOR A

1968AIRSTREAM AMBASSADOR


INTERIORS

The frame and shell accommodated two new axles with hydraulic disc brakes, and a new floor was fitted with marine-grade plywood. An exterior latex paint was applied to the floor, avoiding aggressive epoxies in order to create a healthy green approach to the restoration. The green approach was used in the interior walls with double layers of foil/foam insulation. This material is water proof, does not attract rodents to make a home inside of it and does not emit gasses. The R-value is acceptable for an aluminum trailer, and it is a better choice than most other commonly used materials.

The trailer was completely rewired for AC and DC, and completely re-plumbed to accommodate the new septic and fresh water systems. The interior walls are 2024 T4 Alclad aluminum with custom made front and rear panel end caps. The old interior panels were repurposed as belly pan material wherever possible. Leftover sections were responsibly recycled at a local recycling center. Interior structural parts are made from light weight clear pine and the face frames and edge treatments are made from US maple hardwood. Interior walls and panels are made from maple plywood, providing a light color value and warm surface used also on the cabinetry.

The cork finish floor is a click-type glue-, carcinogen- and gas-free product. It incorporates a barrier layer of cork on the bottom, a stabilizing fiber layer in the center layer and a top layer of cork that does not outgas once it is cured. The warm

cork color in a light value repeats the wood tones making the space appear larger, and the reflective high polish aluminum contrasting walls add dramatic excitement.

Entering the Airstream and looking left into the galley, the stainless counter top is a star attraction. Both the galley and lavatory counter tops were commissioned from a California stainless craftsman. Although a stainless counter top weighs more than a plywood laminate or butcher block, it requires very little sub-structure, and can be a stressed load bearing component of the galley cabinetry. A Franke sink is fitted seamlessly into the galley counter top, with a pull out faucet from IKEA.

Appliances include a Princess two-burner safety cook top, and separate Princess wall oven. The refrigerator/freezer is a Norcold N641, and a Precision Twin Temp hydronic heating unit with an instant water heater function is a unique technical addition. The pull-out pantry was designed and made by Area 63 to hold all the food necessities. Wirelessly controlled Fantastic Vents are incorporated into the cabinetry.

The sleeping area beyond the galley is similar to a Pullman layout, composed of twin beds covered in a grey quilted fabric on each wall in the hall. Beyond the sleeping area, the well equipped lavatory is located at the end of the trailer, and has a Sealand Traveler Lite porcelain toilet in addition to a small round sink and IKEA faucet in the stainless counter top. A large


OPPOSITE PAGE: Ed’s computer desk includes thoughtful details and beautiful woodwork. ABOVE: Stainless steel counter tops and recessed sink again are a highlight, this time in the lavatory.

The trailer has

solar power from

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to 200 watts.

window provides great light in this area. Custom cabinetry throughout repeats the warm color scheme.

The seating area is composed of two large sofas covered in a warm red fabric made by Luna Textiles of California, a company committed to sustainable textiles. The warm color scheme is highlighted through Xenon recessed lighting throughout, controlled by pulse-modulated dimmers. These dimmers offer options of energy conservation and light output reduction. The reflection of color in the mirror-polished aluminum ceiling create an art form from any angle. A solar powered computer/desk area was designed and tucked into the social space for Ed, who does a lot of writing. Two patio lights and under carriage lamps supply exterior lighting for after-dark events.

Entertainment includes a 22 inch Toshiba HD Television with DVD and satellite DVR/receiver, and portable satellite dish. A surround-sound receiver with Bose and Infinity speakers provide great sound. A system designed by Uwe allows the use of a low power consumption automotive stereo receiver, automatically switching over from the surround receiver. The system incorporates a hard wired Sirius-XM satellite receiver also.

The exterior was polished to a mirror finish and light weight 16 inch alloy wheels were fitted to round out the look of this trailer. The 16 inch wheel option opens up choices for longer lasting and safer tires, in an effort to maximize reliability and minimize environmental impact.

The trailer has solar power from the rooftop panels that generate up to 200 watts through an MPPT charge control system, stored in two group 31 sized Odyssey AGM batteries. A power converter/charger by Iota Engineering, and pure sine inverter by Xantrex round out the electrical system.


The entire project took 18 months to complete. But the results were well worth it, according to the owners. “We took the Airstream on a working journey this past summer, traveling over 11,000 miles, visiting 21 states and lasting 3 months,” said Paula. “We loved our trailer as much when we returned home as when we left. It is so much fun to travel in the Airstream. We attract attention wherever we go and have met so many people. It was more fun than I ever dreamed it could be.”

Design is about choices, and many were made to ensure the sustainability, safety and technical aspects of this Airstream. The interior is a light bright space that is perfect for entertaining, spending time in the boondocks, or writing at the computer desk while also enjoying the views from surrounding windows. It manages to achieve all the goals set by the owners.

INTERIORS

RIGHT: A click-type cork floor provides comfortable flooring that meshes well with the color of the maple cabinetry, making the space appear larger. OPPOSITE PAGE: A slide-out pantry to the right of the refrigerator was custom-designed for this project.

...mixing the best of

new and old, and

retaining the appeal

of an Airstream


SUBSCRIBE TODAY to get the complete Summer 2012 print edition of Airstream Life! See what’s inside...

2 AIRSTREAM LIFE | SPRING 2012 | AIRSTREAMLIFE .COM

TABLE OF CONTENTS traveling well

The offi cial Airstream lifestyle magazine

Explore America with Lewis & Clark, Page 16

Wally’s plan for retirement, Page 26

The Gildarts Celebrate 100,000 miles, Page 442 AIRSTREAM LIFE | SUMMER 2012 | AIRSTREAMLIFE .COM

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4 EDITOR’S PAGE

6 INBOX

12 Bluegrass & Airstreams DESTINATIONS

16 Airstreaming with Lewis & Clark DESTINATIONS

20 Hidden Advantages of Independent Suspension TOWING

24 Real Tourism in 1957 FROM THE ARCHIVES

26 Wally Byam’s Last Caravan OLD ALUMINUM

31 Airstream Vices FEATURE

38 New Details for a 1968 Ambassador INTERIORS

44 Airstreams Forever NATIONAL PARKS

52 Sovereign of the Road BUYER’S GUIDE

56 Tips for Summertime Cooling TECH TIPS

64 Tin Hut Taken for a Ride LAST MILE

2_TOC_SU12.indd 2 4/19/12 11:09 AM


airstream life summer 2012

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