WE GOT IT!

WE GOT IT!
Finally after roughly one year we got it!
Today I picked up the 1963 22 foot Airstream Safari that I will be using for the EMoViTO. It was love at first sight. No. I’m serious…… I had a very similar experience with the instant connection I made with Davis only minutes after his birth. Okay,  that might be a bit extreme but something instant for sure. I was so freaked out about my obligation to the project yet knowing the history of the trailer (see EMoViTO page) and wanting to keep her integrity. I know this sounds ludicrous but I didn’t get a negative vibe from the trailer, not at all. Quite the opposite. I spent some time alone with the trailer taking detail picture getting to know her. I couldn’t help thinking about what this trailer had been through. Remember Marian Copley, the original owner who took the trailer around the world was a school teacher. Perhaps it’s the Magellan negation (www.magellangps.com) lady who has been leading us to our every destination. But I heard – theoretically – a lady or spirit say “Save me – Change me” or something like that. Really, I got a real sense that it might be all right to use this trailer. I was thinking just how dignified it would be to use all her internal cabinetry in the new design. Clean it all up and reconfigure the oven, sink, and drawers into a desk, shelves, and a sitting area. The other option would be to offer it up to the Airstresamers  for what I have into it and a shell from another early safari, one that I wouldn’t have to gut. Either way this trailer it’s truly a dream……
This is how it went:
We got up at around 7:30 to meet Jeff and Angie, they were only 5 miles up the road from our hotel. Holiday Inn in fact.
“ Two houses down from the church with the big blue roof”,  Jeff told me.  They are both so much younger than I had thought. The nicest people though. They have been holding on to the trailer since Dec. It took awhile not only to get the trial but to hooked up too, since we are using the stabilizer bars. Almost Immediately there were two issues. The connection between the ball and the hitch were making horrible loud sound, a noise that sounded like it hurt. Whale-like sounds when turning and the electrical needed an extension  7 prong plug.  The wires from the trailer were a little short.  We took her first to the carwash and gave her a bath, I’m not sure it did much but it made her feel good. We took all the blue duct tape off the windows, Jeff had put it on just incase there were storms, and there have been. Smart, but I need it to look better for the photo opts. We ended up taking the trailer to Mike Dobie at Fowler & Hadding, LLC. The experience was enlightening, excuse the pun, but it’s true we were both working on the lights and I also learned a lot about how to test the electrical. Mike is a big race fan, his son races sprint cars and dreams of racing at sears point some day. So perhaps we’ll see Mike again in our neighborhood next time. I told him I stay the hell away from NASCAR when it’s in Sonoma, theres more cars there than trucks on the freeway.
As if we weren’t blessed enough by the good vibe of the trailer and meeting Mike but just on a fluke we stopped by Darby Surplus Building Materials. Their logo is a bee and I thought it would be a great photo opt to shoot a couple frames with the Airstream under the sign. By luck or fate Troy was emptying the garbage and was friendly about us taking a couple of snaps. We went in and talked a little about the trailer and the project and asked for a couple business cards. I left with a free tee and had met another solid Ohioian.
The trailer was riding a little high in the front so we had to reassemble the stabilizing device so when  we put it all back together I threw in a little grease that the Jiffy Lube dude gave me on a rag for free. See, the trailer vibe started off good and just got better.

Here are some shots of the day:

This isn't our trailer, just one that looks like ours we saw in a gas station.
It is however a 22 foot safari 1964.

This is it!
In front of Jeff and Angie's just before we pulled out tom leave.

This was Davis when he found out the trailer was going to be made into a "bee-mobile" and it wouldn't be having any video games installed.

WASHING HER UP:

This is Mike working his Ready Killowatt magic.

Troy from Darby Surplus Building Material.
Gotta love their tag line:
"Where the REAL worker bees swarm for bargains"

This is what caught my eye.

Comments

[Jen Heffner]

Hi Rob,
Thanks for nothing--I just used up about 2 hours reading your blog today!!! LOL! Thanks for taking the time to chronicle all of this--super fun to read!
And I think the the Airstream should officially be named, "Darby". It even looks like a Darby.
jen