Category Archives: Airstream

Some MA Birding

Penny and I took took a road trip yesterday down to Merrimac to see Jen and her gang – and to do a little birding. Things are several weeks ahead down here and being further south, we hear Tufted Titmice, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and Northern Mockingbirds that are less common up our way. I was just setting up the van – which takes no time at all – when I heard an unusual bird song and found a couple of Magnolia Warblers working the apple tree in the front yard.

This bouncing Magnolia Warbler reminded me how tough it is to photograph warblers.

This bouncing Magnolia Warbler reminded me how tough it is to photograph warblers.

This morning, we paused for a silly selfie before heading out for some birding along a trail I (and many other birders) like along Artichoke Reservoir.

Jen's Mini-Cooper is dwarfed by the Interstate RV

Jen’s Mini-Cooper is dwarfed by the Interstate RV

We heard and saw a lot of neat birds, the best being several Blue-winged Warblers, Northern Waterthrush, Warbling Vireos, Baltimore Orioles, and Rose-breased Grosbeaks. Everything was singing and it was a challenge to figure out the various calls since it’s the first time this year I’ve heard them. This Scarlet Tanager greeted us as we were leaving the trail.

 

Pretty lousy photo of a pretty bird singing its heart out.

Pretty lousy photo of a pretty bird singing its heart out.

This is not only big-time mosquito territory but also tick heaven. She has a treatment each month – I have to remember to wear long pants, load up with spray, and check afterward.  It is a favorite place of mine and favorite time of year to bird – oral and visual overload. A nice problem to have. Good birding

Florida Birds

I often tell folks that I don’t chase birds and generally that is correct. However, when I planned the 1500 mile trip to Florida to trade my truck in on an Airstream Interstate RV, I started to put a short target list together. I have never birded Florida so I wanted to grab a few of the common birds in the short time I would be there — I put a list of Limpkin, Wood Stork, and Florida Scrub Jay on a scrap of paper.

Well, the first early evening there, before the purchase was settled, I heard some sharp calling just outside the motel and got a new life bird of Nanday Parakeet. These are a lot like the Green Parakeets we see in Texas – the first time you see and hear them it is exciting, then it gets old pretty fast.

I had decided that if the transaction went ok, I’d stay in the area for a day or so. After a long Monday morning, I took possession of the new rig and drove about an hour over to Myakka River State Park and within an hour, was walking with the dog and finding two new life birds, Wood Storks and Limpkins.

 

Dozens of Limpkins and their young live in the park and are easy to spot as they forage.

Dozens of Limpkins and their young live in the park and are easy to spot as they forage.

There are many trails where in addition to birds, you might see opossum, alligators, raccoons, and plenty of squirrels. 

There are many trails where in addition to birds, you might see opossum, alligators, raccoons, and plenty of squirrels.

The next morning, we got up early and walked down to a fishing access area which was teeming with birds. Hundreds of Black Vultures (wait for a later post) were interesting to Penny but I found a new life bird foraging. I have seen many Common Gallinules but have never seen a Purple Gallinule. It was neat to see them on the same morning and note the very apparent difference.

Purple Gallinules are pretty striking looking birds.

Purple Gallinules are pretty striking looking birds.

 

This White Ibis was pretty showy in the early morning light.

This White Ibis was pretty showy in the early morning light.

So we packed up and headed out about 8 AM with four new life birds, in less than a day. Then, as the day’s fortune continued, I saw another life bird, a Swallow-tail Kite, right overhead as I drove up I-75. About a half hour later, I saw another one low over the road. They are tough to miss — lovely birds — and a nice bookend to a short Florida birding stop.

Selling The Airstream

One of the things that I did to think about non-hospital, non-cancer thoughts in the last four months was to consider options for future travel. I was thinking about Mary and I and the dog but those plans changed rather abruptly a few weeks ago.

I had been intrigued by my brother Barry and sister-in-law Mica who were having a love affair with an old Airstream van that they were taking out West. They continued to report about the flexibility and went so far as to write that they would probably never haul a trailer again. (They have had several vintage Airstreams and have travelled with them for a decade or more.)

I’m leaning toward a more modern RV, one based on the Sprinter frame with the Mercedes diesel which is so popular. Since there is only the dog and me, we can get by with less space. So, while it could seem too soon to make such decisions, I put the Airstream up for sale and a day later, may have sold it. We will know next week.

Our '99 Airstream, shown here in Mission, TX, has served us well

Our ’99 Airstream, shown here in Mission, TX, has served us well

Airstream Class B’s (Interstates) are very expensive new ($160,000) but there are older ones coming on the market.

An Airstream Interstate

An Airstream Interstate

I’m looking here and there but taking my time to consider other brands and other options. I have a brand new Ford F-150 which in retrospect, was a poor purchase, but who knew what we were facing?

I’m intrigued by the opportunity to get a rig where I can pull into the kids’ driveway, hook up a power cord, and visit with limited impact on their busy lives. In most cases, you can’t do that with a trailer behind you.

Stay tuned for how this turns out. I will miss the old Airstream – we have logged thousands of miles together and countless hours of polishing and renovation work. It will make someone a good economical camping rig.

All Inspected and Ready to Go

The state inspection on the Airstream ran out in August but I decided to wait until September in order to gain a couple of months on the sticker — and then got busy and it slid to October. I don’t know if police check trailer stickers but my mechanic friend says that he’s seen inspectors wander around gatherings of trailers at a county fair looking for outdated rigs — so even though I really only need it for a day next January when we head out of the state, I decided to schedule the inspection at a local RV dealer that I like, M’s RV in Berlin, VT. It’s a mom and pop operation but the owners are very knowledgeable and they’ve helped me with several problems: every time I go there I learn something.

The co-owner Marcel gives me heat for owning an Airstream – alluding to the “glamping” aspect of Airstream owners – knowing all along that our rig is modest and priced less than many of the trailers and fifth-wheelers he has for sale on the lot. Plus, I found out that he is quietly restoring an old Airstream Caravel in his work space.

Last week, I took the ten mile drive down through Montpelier, outdated sticker and all, and we got started on the  inspection. Lights good, tires etc fine, but when we tested the brake controller, I got a “disconnected” signal. We tried and tried but nada. I explained that I had changed the 7-pin plug a while ago after problems and during our last trip, had a couple of “trailer disconnected” signals after a tight turn or a sharp bump. Everything seemed to work fine all the way home and since then – but we talked about how tough it is to connect each thick wire to the screws in the plug and how prone to coming loose they seem to be. We decided to try a better setup.

It's not easy connecting 18 year-old wires to screws in a replacement plug.

It’s not easy connecting 18 year-old wires to screws in a replacement plug.

Joanne, spouse and co-owner, took me into their parts department and showed me the setup that Marcel could install to fix the problem. (I could do it but it seemed smart to let a pro handle it.) It involves using a new plug already molded into a long lead and a junction box to hold all the wires, getting away from the “rat’s nest” of wires in the plug. I left the rig and while they had a lot of winterization of trailers to do (It got down into the 20’s this weekend), they called the other day to say that it was ready to go.

The molded plug comes with a long cord whose wires are connected in a terminal box.

The molded plug comes with a long cord whose wires are connected in a terminal box.

I wish I could say that I did this wiring but after seeing the quality, am glad that I left it to Marcel.

I wish I could say that I did this wiring but after seeing the quality, am glad that I left it to Marcel.

So I don't mind if he slapped a sticker on the waterproof cover.

So I don’t mind if he slapped a sticker on the waterproof cover.

Yesterday everything checked out great, Joanne slapped on a new inspection sticker, I paid the bill and was on the way. But first, Marcel gave me a lesson in using the brake controller to change settings as we travelled.

Wouldn’t you know, I went by three police cars waiting beside the road in the first three miles back to Montpelier. While no one seemed interested, it was nice to know that the Airstream was legal. More importantly, it was nice to know that the trailer brake system is working as it should as we face an 8,000 mile trip with some challenging climbs and descents. (Mendon Mountain, you’ll be the first.)

New Battery System

As I noted last week, I have been looking at options to strengthen our electrical system for those times where we are not hooked up. I decided to install two AGM batteries and a new controller under our couch which would double our capacity and also give us room for further expansion.

So I went down to my friends at Vintage Trailer Supply and talked to them about converters. Steve, the owner, thought that my existing converter would probably work ok but I opted to buy a new INTEL-POWER 9200 which “monitors the battery voltage then automatically adjusts the converter output voltage to provide the proper charging voltage for fast recharge and long-term maintenance.”

I felt that the expensive AGM batteries needed a state-of-the-art converter.

I felt that the expensive AGM batteries needed a state-of-the-art converter.

I had pretty much narrowed my battery choices down to 105 AH units from Fullriver or Lifeline which sell for over $300 per unit. I went with Lifeline because they are American-made and I got a good price from Powerstride Battery who got them here in four days with free shipping.

The installation of the converter was relatively smooth with just two leads to change – but of course it wasn’t that easy – the grounding wire was almost too short because it attaches on the far end of the unit. I got it going and soon was testing it on my existing battery, which it brought up to full charge over a day or so.

The major project while I awaited the new batteries was to move all the wires into the trailer. First, from inside the trailer, I labeled all the wires since some stay as is (the solar lines) and others (the wire for the tongue jack) have to be extended to come inside.

I reluctantly the terminal clamps off (the new units don’t use posts) and used my torch and solder to attach two new leads. Since I did it outside right near the tongue, I disconnected and moved the two propane tanks far away. I pulled all the lines inside, brought my old battery inside, and hooked it up to test the new setup. I got it done on a sunny day just before a front brought an all-day rainstorm.

Testing out the new wiring with my old battery. The container will be under the couch - it's there for spacing. We are sacrificing the middle storage unit for the batteries.

Testing out the new wiring with my old battery. The container will be under the couch – it’s there for spacing. We are sacrificing the middle storage unit for the batteries.

The Lifeline batteries came UPS yesterday afternoon and soon I was moving them into place. They have a 6mm terminal and a positive 8mm one. I knew that but it turned into a hassle as all my positive fittings had holes that were too small. I reamed and drilled out a couple, with some colorful language but I wired them up in parallel and while several leads are too long, the system seems to be in good shape. The converter started polishing off their charge right away.

The two Lifelines in parallel with a wiring setup that could use some cleanup - although no one will see it under the couch.

The two Lifelines in parallel with a wiring setup that could use some cleanup – although no one will see it under the couch.

I need to build a containment system around the batteries to keep them from moving. I have the materials and then it’s just moving the couch back, fastening it down, and cleaning it up. I think that this is going to be a good project to give us more flexibility in camping sites – and it is nice to have it done.

Electrical System Issues

We seldom spend much time “boondocking” with the Airstream and one reason is that we just have one battery. Over the years, we have taken some steps to improve our sustainability: we carry an 80w solar panel and have a small Honda generator, which we use mainly in the Northeast where trees and cloud cover often make solar problematic. Since the propane furnace is such an energy hog, I installed a catalytic heater which Penny certainly enjoys, since it is at her end of the trailer. I have also switched out most of our lights to LEDs and fixed a battery-draining function in our new refrigerator.

One of the reasons I have not moved ahead is that our battery area, on the tongue of the unit, only has room for a Type 27 battery. We’ve used Costco deep cell batteries which are reasonable but we only have room for one without major work to the frame and added tongue weight. So I have been looking at putting one or more batteries inside the Airstream so it requires pricey AGM units and a new controller — to replace the single-stage one that is now nearly old enough to vote.

So, the project began with exploration: removing the couch to get a better look at the electrical system.

It helps to have long arms when crawling under the couch to remove screws.

It helps to have long arms when crawling under the couch to remove screws.

These came out hard - it's time for stainless steel replacements.

These came out hard – it’s time for stainless steel replacements.

Once the couch was pulled out, the jumble of wires, insulation, and mouse droppings made cleanup task number one. Task two was to open it up more and try to figure out which wires were the ones I might need to move.

Lots of wires there - wonder where they all go?

Lots of wires there – wonder where they all go?

A closer look allowed me to identify the major wires to the battery.

A closer look allowed me to identify the major wires to the battery.

One of the issues to deal with if I’m planning to install new sealed (expensive) batteries is to upgrade the converter to a multi-stage unit which will charge but later on, float to keep from cooking the batteries.

This converter which takes 110 v and changes it to 12 v has had a good run. Should be easy to replace.

This converter which takes 110 v and changes it to 12 v has had a good run. Should be easy to replace.

The next steps: first go down to Vintage Trailer Supply and talk to them about a new converter — and probably buy a 60 amp unit.  I also need to get some replacement battery connectors because I’ll remove the existing ones in order to snake the two battery lines into the Airstream. I’ll also pull in the lines for the solar controller and the tongue jack.

I plan to replace the converter and temporarily install my battery inside and test out the charging system through the new converter and then the solar setup.

Then I will finish my research on AGM batteries and take a deep breath and order a couple. They are costly but should be good for some time and also provide the staying power we need while camping away from hookups. Stay tuned.

A Mid-summer’s Trip

Our excursion with the Airstream to the Catskills to see some dear friends didn’t start well. Not only did I drain the truck battery by leaving the ignition on all day (a last-minute run to put up windows before a rain squall, and then forgetfulness) but then, after getting the battery going, I ran into problems again with the tongue jack. I had the Airstream about halfway up to slide over the hitch ball when the whole system died — and all the banging, twisting tricks I had used in the past did nothing.

I used a socket wrench to manually lift the rig — not a tough project but time-consuming and sweat-producing, and got the trailer elevated enough to install the weight-distribution bars, and then lowered things and we were ready to go in the morning. I put a trickle charger on the truck battery and did not look forward to a trip of manual jacking to unhitch and hitch.

I fired off an email to the manufacturer, running through the history I’ve had of intermittent operation and asking for advice, figuring hopefully I would hear back next week.

Friday morning was a beautiful day to travel. Vermont’s scenery was lush and green and the alto-cumulus clouds and unlimited visibility promised great weather ahead. We go down through Rutland, over to New York state and pick up the Northway south of Lake George. It was easy cruising until we came to a dead halt in a tough traffic jam at the intersection of NY 149 and Route 9 – where there is a dismal strip of high-end outlet stores. I had forgotten that it was a Friday in mid-summer and half the world would be there looking for “bargains.” We sat, crawled, stewed, and finally chilled with air-conditioning for a half-hour or more but finally we were on our way south to Albany.

Our friends live in a small community called Bovina Center. It is about 1.5 hours from Albany and three hours or so from New York city, so there are lots of “city people” buying up old homes and farms — but the area is still very agricultural and lovely. The roads are winding, many of them red dirt, and some of the hills are a test for the Ford F-150’s ecoboost engine.

Our friend Jim grew up in Bovina and has a brother, cousins, and a host of family and friends scattered throughout the town. He and his wife, Peg, moved back after retirement and they now have  most of their immediate family within a stone’s throw. Their daughter and family are next door, a son lives another door down, and their other son and his spouse live a short drive away.

The front porch of the house on the right is an informal community gathering spot.

The front porch of the house on the right is an informal community gathering spot. 

There’s a neat spot out behind their houses to park the Airstream. They run an electrical line out and it’s quiet, shady during the day, and a perfect place to stay.

We are close enough to be part of their activities and meals without being too intrusive. We first were here last year and loved it - and were invited (our invited ourselves) back.

We are close enough to be part of their activities and meals without being too intrusive. We first were here last year and loved it – and were invited (our invited ourselves) back.

BovinaSite1WI’m sitting in the shade out by a tributary of the Delaware River as I write this. I can see a Belted Kingfisher on a branch near me, shaking out his feathers after a dive, and here’s the view back toward the trailer.

Not a bad place to sit and write.

Not a bad place to sit and write.

Now, back the Airstream jack issues. When we stopped for lunch enroute, I saw an email back from Randy, the technician from the manufacturer. He told me that based on my description, he thought we had an electrical grounding or connectivity problem and outlined a number of things to do to try to correct things. When we got to Bovina, I decided to work on it before manually operating the jack. I tightened up the jack’s bolt connections, checked the fuse again, and then looked at the leads to the fuse. The connections had some green corrosion on them. I fished through Mary’s purse for an emory board and smoothed off both leads, replaced the fuse whose ends I also polished, and sure enough there was power to the lift. I used it to get set up, wrote a quick email of thanks to Randy, and went on to enjoying the weekend.

The next morning, while taking Penny for a walk, I took some photos of downtown Bovina.

The Bovina Historical Society

The Bovina Historical Society

The old Bovina First Station with antique equipment inside.

The old Bovina First Station with antique equipment inside.

An old mill stream with the  photographer's shadow in the middle.

An old mill stream with the photographer’s shadow in the middle.

An old tractor with a rusted milk can and strainer.

An old tractor with a rusted milk can and strainer.

Penny enjoying the river

Penny enjoying the river

This is one of those trips that you want to do, but if you put off too long, the summer is over and schedules are crazy again. We’ve done some birding (not bad for mid-summer), some local sightseeing, attended a benefit concert, and gone to the local church (whose congregation and services we love.) This is a special time of year at a special place and a good Airstream trip to see good friends. I hope that your summer goes well.

Ricker Pond Camping

We do most of our camping in the winter but usually take a couple of local trips each summer to check out Airstream systems and enjoy some of Vermont’s state parks. This past mid-week, we reserved a spot at Ricker Pond State Park in the Groton State Forest and had a wonderful three days.

We headed out Wednesday morning ahead of some thunderstorms.

We headed out Wednesday morning ahead of some thunderstorms.

Ricker Pond SP is like essentially all Vermont parks — aimed more at tent and lean-to campers than RV’s. There are no hook-ups nor is there any internet — wifi or 4G. There are only about five sites where we can fit our twenty-five foot Airstream in.

One thing Vermont parks have going is great attention by the staff.

One thing Vermont parks have going is great attention by the staff.

The flags were at half-mast for the servicemen shot in Chattanooga.

The flags were at half-mast for the servicemen shot in Chattanooga.

We infrequently camp when school is out and when we do, we avoid the weekends. Even so, there were tons of kids around. It’s a pretty-safe park for them, with limited traffic and long smooth dirt roads for bike riding, but because of all the recent rains, the bacterial level at the swimming area was high and the beach was closed.  We enjoyed the squeals and yells of kids although a few carried on rather late. It was nice to see no electronic devices — we had Kindle books on our iPad but other than that, radio silence. It didn’t kill us.

Our site was #17 which is probably the best for a trailer. We even good decent solar inspite of all the trees.

Our site was #17 which is probably the best for a trailer. We even good decent solar inspite of all the trees.

Here are some shots that I took while out on birding/dog walks.

I love this big piece of granite. I tried to get Mary to put her head inside for a photo but she declined.

I love this big piece of granite. I tried to get Mary to put her head inside for a photo but she declined.

This young angler had a small bass on the other end of her pole.

This young angler had a small bass on the other end of her pole.

There were a number of first-year Mallards which have been tamed by feeding by the campers. Penny was quite interested in these two.

There were a number of first-year Mallards which have been tamed by feeding by the campers. Penny was quite interested in these two.

This park has 27 campsites, 23 lean-to shelters, 5 cabins and a couple of waterfront cottages. The lean-tos are very popular and people reserve the same one year after year.

Many of the lean-tos have great locations right near the water.

Many of the lean-tos have great locations right near the water.

I did a lot of birding and in spite of mid-summer and heavy foliage, heard and/or saw most of the usual suspects. Red-eyed vireos seemed to be holding a convention there. The highlight was the pair of Common Loons who have nested there and have a couple of chicks. I took some photos from the canoe but stayed well away from them. You can see one of the youngsters in the photo.LoonsWIt’s a pretty little body of water and it is easy to see why so many folks, many who have camped all over Vermont, come back. If you have a larger RV, there are several sites up at the next campground, Stillwater, which can handle large units. You’ll need a generator or solar system — it’s boondocking at about $20 a day. But look at this shot of Ricker Pond – it’s pure Vermont.

UplakeW

 

Replacing the Airstream’s gas range

Several years ago, a metal brace in the Airstream’s oven snapped, probably from the fatigue of a decade of travel over bumpy roads. I got it welded but then found that the collapse had also damaged parts of the propane dispenser — and ended up disabling the oven completely. It turned into a great storage space for pots and pans and the range continued to work fine. And since lighting the oven was always a scary proposition — nothing, nothing, then woosh — Mary certainly didn’t miss it.

We lived with that for the last couple of years, using a small toaster oven to “bake.” Of course, it only worked when we were plugged in to a power supply and even then, left a lot to be desired. (Sawing a frozen pizza into sizes that fit was fun as was cutting cornbread recipes in half and then still having them ooze all over the place.)

I considered a lot of options — replacing just the stove top and putting a microwave underneath (again, you need power to use it), continuing as we have been (it detracts from selling the rig), or replacing it. That’s the option we chose and I found a replacement unit which came by Fedex yesterday.

Even though it’s not a difficult job, there were challenges. Pulling the old stove out was easy – just a matter of unhooking the propane line and four wood screws. It’s not heavy, about 70 pounds, and so I got it out the door and up into the pickup without problems.

The opening was a bit too large for the new unit but shims solved that.

The opening was a bit too large for the new unit but shims solved that.

We are fortunate to have a metal recycling operation just a few miles away so since I was going to town yesterday, I swung up there early. I drove on to the truck scales for a “before” weight, tossed the oven in the big pile of light metal objects, and got weighed going out. The attendant said, as I walked into the office, “Well, maybe you can get a cup of coffee.” The payoff was $1.95 but he rounded it up to two dollars. Just about what I expected but the stove is on its way to reuse – perhaps I’ll be shaving with it next year.

The opening for the old stove was a bit too large for this one so last night, I cut some shims to tighten things up, slid it in, hooked up the propane and tested for a leak, and lit her off.  The burners worked fine – the oven, which should be easier to light than the old one, will get tested soon.

The new Atwood gas range ready to go.

The new Atwood gas range ready to go.

It will be nice, wherever we are, to have the capability of baking or even broiling — and we can still use the oven for storing our cookware. Off to new maintenance/repair ventures.

A Short-lived Spring Romance – with Class B’s

My brother and his spouse, who sort of got us into Airstreams through their tales of adventures in the South and Southwest, now have purchased an older model Class B (van) Airstream called the B190.  Here’s a shot of one, not theirs.

B190W

Photo credit: Helle Gowan

Barry and Mica love their rig for it’s compactness and how they, being free of towing their Airstream trailer, can get into smaller sites and navigate the roads of New England and Atlantic Canada more easily. They are considering leaving their towed rig home this winter and taking the 190 out West.

So, it got me thinking. I should note that virtually every spring, I start considering options: a newer trailer (cost doesn’t justify getting the same features we now have), longer rig, perhaps with a slide out (have trouble getting our 25-foot unit up our driveway and parked — and would likely need a new tow vehicle), or even an Airstream motorhome.

I have been intrigued with the Airstream Interstates, built on a Sprinter van body, with their diesel power and easy of maneuvering. Their price, now about $150K new, is outside our pay grade but there are some older units that are a little more reasonable. I knew they were tight on space, being a 23 to 24 foot unit, but decided to do some more research. For about three days I was psyched to sell our rig and truck and go for it.

airstream15a-2

Then I looked at bed lengths. We need twin beds, which are available but rather scarce. The beds appeared to be 74 inches long — and I’m 73 inches long. I then started looking at specs for Class B+ rigs, which add a bit of width to the Sprinter van and sort of quickly morph into Class C’s. Many of the major brands have these options but many are new and quite expensive. I also am not to keen on driving down the road with swirls and other graphics on the rig.

As I do when I get on a project, I joined several Facebook groups/pages and also some Class B forums. I saw discussions of what kind of car to tow (sort of defeats the “freeing up” of a Class B), how to hang tool boxes and bikes off the back, and many issues with some of the equipment, especially the macerator for waste water.

So for several days I was looking hard online for options – running the numbers and finding that we could do it financially but not easily and then one morning last week, I woke up and the flirtation was over — the old Airstream down by the pine trees looked mighty fine. The beds are long enough, there’s plenty of storage with the truck cap, we know where the “warts” are, and the rig and tow vehicle are paid for. Rather than fix things up so that I can sell it, I’ll fix things up so that we can enjoy it. And we won’t have to leave a hose and a “This site is occupied” sign every time we leave a campground to go birding.

Airstream1W