The Acquisition
Well first we had to find her.
That actually was pretty simple. I just haunted the online Airstream lists like an ex-heroin addict in search of a methadone clinic.
Every morning I would wake up before anyone else- this was a mean feat since I was in California- and hit the online ads. I had been given guidelines- no longer than 20 feet since we had to tow with our existing Land Rovers and most like the Defender 110. We also had be able to store it on our very small lot in Palo Alto, California so it had to be fairly narrow.
Our friends had a Bambi and as cute as it was, it was too small for me, so I knew we were looking for something in the Caravelle-Globetrotter range depending on the year. I had decided not to be too picky, figuring that I had just remodeled a house I could probably do a trailer. Within two months I had a hit.
I realize now that I was quite lucky. However, I did not squander my luck and once I confirmed by phone that the 64 Globtrotter was as described and available in Sequim, Washington. I jumped on a planethat same morning, met my son (who was in college in Western Washington Univ.) and we drove to Sequim. Dot, as we named her, is a light and airy trailer with three windows on the streetside. She is a joy to sit inside and I fell in love on the spot.
The 1964 Globetrotter was a bit of an odd egg in that it is a 19ft. trailer with a full bath. Yes, that is what I said a full bath. Weird, huh? The interior was pretty much original, or at least I gather it was. I cannot imagine anyone…well..whatever.
So here are some pics. And, yes that’s my son Philip in there.
So, this is the view from the back of the trailer forward toward the tongue. That’s Philip snugged in there in the corner of the front couch or as they are called in Airstream circles Gauchos. Dot, our Globetrotter, has a two gaucho layout. We angsted ouve that for several, make that many, years before we finally figured out that we could very very very easily by using Ikea cabinets make a Banquette. *Smacks forhead repeatedly* what an idiot!!!, Oh well.
Anyway, each of the Gauchos pull out into double beds that are fairly comfortable. In Dot’s case, the gaucho that Philip is sitting on was in pretty bad shape and had to be completely rebuilt by me. Now, I am not the best carpenter, so that was a bit of a chore. However, I did it and we slept on that bed for many years.
One of the reasons, or at least one of my reasons for a larger trailer was the oven. Our friends smaller trailers have cute little cooktops. Nice for making pancakes and oatmeal. But my trailer has an oven.
Do you know what you can make in an OVEN?
Cookies…Cakes…..Sweet Rolls for breakfast that the entire campground can smel.
These things are very nice. Most particularily if you are campping with good friends who do not have an oven but do have wonderful senses of humor and fun. And most of all big appetites.
Finally, the oddest thing about our little Dot? the full bath. For me, this can only go under the category of What Were The Thinking? Because I certainly cannot tell you. In our last remodel, we ripped it out and spend a near fortune shipping a bathroom from a 1965 Globetrotter from Kentucky to California, then installing it in our Dot.
Like I said, nobody asked me…..
I did once take a bath in it. It was cramped.