Thursday, April 15, 2010

The Airstream Spirit is Strong in This One


A little history is in order to set the stage. I have long been waiting for an opportunity to change out the dark brown color of my TradeWind oven and cook top. I think it darkens up the interior and I have seen original Princess stoves in white, light yellow, pink, pale blue, one or two in turquiose but most of them have been the dark brown. Typically, these colors matched the color of the rounded refridgerators and the bathroom countertop and tub.

My FedEx guy, whom I’m really getting to know quite well, delivered a small wooden crate the other morning from Frank's Trailer Works. You see, Frank had a ‘59 TradeWind very similar to mine but was incomplete on the interior, had an wide opening on the curbside for serving food out of and was being sold to another vendor type person. I had inquired about the stove door and cooktop since his were white and I wanted to change mine out. Being the generous and thoughtful guy he is, he said he would send them to me and would not take anything in return. This is called the Airstream Spirit, when one helps out another simply to help out another. No keeping score and nothing in return. Frank embodies this spirit and this is one of the main reasons I love being involved with the vintage trailer community. Everyone is so helpful, generous and thoughtful.

Included in the shipment were the original stove grates along with the four burner knobs and the oven knob. All of these are different from the black ones I already have so I have options. In the next few days, I will post before and after pictures of the oven and cooktop and I think you’ll agree, lighter is better.

Thank you Frank for your Airstream Spirit and I know your not keeping score but I hope to return the favor one day just to show my appreciation for your spirit.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Airstream Photo Shoot









You just never know how owning a vintage Airstream is going to open different avenues of opportunity or just who you'll meet. I had the opportunity to have the TradeWind used as a backdrop in a desert photo shoot highlighting two highly photogenic young models. We went out in the desert southeast of Fountain Hills to a fairly remote location and took pictures until the sun set. I didn't take many pictures of the models since the actual professional photographer Kai, had that fully covered but I did take a few. I also took the opportunity, as I always do, to take a few of the Airstream in a different setting.

The weather was perfect and the desert was green from all of the previous rainfall. The sky was a perfect desert spring azure blue. It was a bit warm in the direct sun but nice and cool in the shade. Just perfect.

Thanks Kai for this wonderful adventure. I hope to see you again and do this all over. It was a pleasure. Thank you, thank you.