My
parents are avid Airstreamers and belong to the Wally Byam Caravan
Club. Each year they have an annual international convention, in
2018 it was in Salem Oregon. That being 3000 miles closer to Tahiti,
I took the opportunity to go visit them. We had last been together
in 2016 at our Polynesian wedding in Mo'orea.
Mom
and I with our Tahitian flowers in our hair.
Dad
included this time. I am showing them how to take selfies.
There
were over 700 Airstreams here, all parked at the Oregon State
Fairgrounds. These are just the ones in the area where Mom and Dad
are parked.
Dad's,
new to him, Dodge Ram diesel, 4 door, One Ton dualy tow rig. Wow!
Their
30 foot Airstream in full camping mode.
Another
area of Airstreams parked together with all flags flying.
In
the convention hall everyone gathers for the opening ceremony. With
an average of 2 people per Airstream that is approximately 1400
people!
Each
regional group is represented with a flag.
Mom
and Dad are in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia Unit.
The
wife of the guy who was carrying their flag is playing keyboard in
the band. They are both friends from home.
A
local micro-brewery had some special ale brewed up for the occasion.
Airstream IPA!! Cool can!
It
was too cute to throw away, so we made it a flower vase.
Walley
Byam, the founder of the Caravan Club and original builder of
Airstream trailers.
We
joked that they would circle the wagons, like the old pioneers, and
by golly we were right! One of the first big rallys.
The
difference between a Rally and a Caravan is, the first one is where
you park as a group, and the second is where you travel as a group.
Wally and his wife Stella got together a group of Airstream owners,
starting in the late 1940s, and organized Caravans. This is
Airstream #1 which was their unit. The list shows all of the
Caravans that they took this camper on.
This
is the back side of the same camper, which has obviously been fully
restored! And note, it was not the famous silver aluminum, but
painted. The current owners have an electric bicycle on the back.
Inside
of Unit #1.
The
thing that interested me the most was the Around the World Caravan
which was done in the 1960s!!
The
logo for the trip.
A
map showing how they went. In California, they put their tow rigs
and camper units on a ship to Japan. Then again to China, and again
to the Malaysian peninsula. From there, they drove up through Burma
and into India, all through the middle East, Turkey and the Czech
Republic. From Italy to Moscow, up over through Finland and Sweden
and across to Holland, France, Spain and Portugal. From there, back
on a ship across the Atlantic to NYC!!! It boggles the mind how they
did this, and today could not be repeated. One man has made it his
mission to put together all of the old film that was taken on this
trip (which is now owned by the Airstream company) and put together a
movie with everyone's films into one. This was one of the seminars
we attended and I thoroughly enjoyed. It was an epic adventure!
This
trailer was actually on that trip and lists all the different
countries they went to.
I
believe this was also Wally and Stella's second camper.
The
fun part to me as a sailor, is that they are called “Land Yachts”
and this model is a “Trade Wind”. I had no idea they had
actually sailed these land yachts around the world!!
This
is one of the original Airstreams, before they changed to the silver
bullet look.
This
one even has a cozy boat feeling with its wood interior.
The
other end.
Mom
standing by the original vintage silver bullet.
Vinyl
booth seats which convert to the bed.
Antique
stove and oven too.
This
was the most unique looking vintage camper, The “Airstream
Clipper”,but it made me think of Spider Man's eyes with those
windows in the front.
Then
there were the Vintage tow rigs too! Here is a classy convertible,
complete with fuzzy dice hanging from the rear view mirror.
A
Nash convertible. I had never heard of this car, but Mike knew it
right away being the car guy.
How
about this baby, reminds me of Al Capone days! The Chrysler Airflow
is complete with suicide doors, big white wall tires and a fender
skirt.
She
has a trunk big enough to put a body in.
A
split windshield and big headlights that look like sad puppy dog
eyes. The license plate says she is from 1937!
Another
cool tow rig, diesel truck.
The
back of the truck with their antique goodies and a license plate that
tells us she is from 1936!
And
of course the classic Woodie!
After
checking out all the vintage rigs and campers, we went inside the
building to look at brand new ones. My favorite was the Mercedes van
Airstream camper.
It
has swivel around bucket seats up front and a GPS and rear video
camera screen on the dash.
Very
modern interior!
Back
at our own Airstream, Dad is making us sandwiches wearing his La Paz
Yachts strap to hold his name tag. Doesn't Mom look pretty with her
new haircut (I gave it to her!) and her shirt matches her Tahitian
flower!
One
day for breakfast, dad made us waffles! Hmmm, de ja vu??
Dad
cooking on his barbecue.
Their
modern Airstream has a center-line queen bunk, where I snuck this
photo of them napping.
Me
and my mommy!
With
Dad too.
Got
the neighbor to take this photo of all of us in front of their
camper.
Getting
packed up to head out. They will be departing for the WBCC caravan
to Alaska for a two month trip, that they have been dreaming of going
on for a long time! Congratulations on doing it!!
Their
WBCC member number is 3664. You may have noticed all the trailers
have numbers on them.
The
big truck! Rides like a Cadillac and has the new GPS system to guide
them, so Mom no longer has to study the map.
Dad
walked me through his departure check, for after it is hooked up and
ready to roll.
Have
a great trip to Alaska! It is almost like sailing to the South
Pacific! So proud of you both for making your dreams come true!!
