Our shape just says "Breakfast"

[Gina D.]

Airstream Toasters

I work just a block down from this place. I see all kinds of wierd trailers pull in there (Mostly smashed and destroyed) Even saw a vintage airstream motorhome turn the corner the other day (Had to do a triple take! Imagine a classic airstream with 4 wheels and a person driving in the front window!)

Never saw THIS one tho! Wish I had.

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Gina,
I'd have a hard time, not visiting them regularly for inspiration and amusement
You work in an interesting location with all sorts of different businesses to explore. Thanks for sharing this one with us.
Kurt & Ann K.

[Gina D.]

Kurt, I have gone in there for parts before and they seem to be what I have now found out to be "typical" Airstream, er, .. sorry Rog.. snobs. They didn't even want to sell me trim lock. I went in and asked for some, I had along a sample of my old stuff, and was promptly asked "What trailer is this for" when I told them they said "We only work on Airstreams". I didn't ask them to WORK on the Burro, I only asked for the part.

When inquiring about a good paint shop for trailers.. they said the same thing, with upturned nose.

[Roger H]

<nose HIGH, haughty attitude on> No offense taken, Gina. You have a what? Burro you say? Most of us have trailers, not pack animals... <nose HIGH, haughty attitude off>

Yes... that sounds like Andy. He is (ahem...) well known in the Airstream world. Having owned several Airstreams almost continuously since 1987, I can tell you that just like here, all kinds of folks own them for lots of reasons. When I still belonged to the WBCCI, the Airstream club with the red numbers on the trailers, I attended the 2000 International Rally in Sioux Falls S.D. with my 1985 Airstream 325 motorhome.



I was appalled at the snooty-ness of just a few of the folks there. The vast majority were just a lot of fun, and the Vintage trailer group was who we hung out with most of the time. During the '80s and '90s you almost couldn't give an Airstream away. In 1998 I bought my 1961 Bambi 16 that I had for three years for a whopping $1100! I sold it in 2001 for $6300, and today that trailer in that condition would bring $12k and sell in a day.



Lots of us bought trailers when they weren't worth much. Actually, my current 1994 34' is still worth what I paid for it three years ago, and I only paid about 1/4 of the sticker price of a new one!



Roger

[Gina D.]

Most of us have trailers, not pack animals..

You have not seen how I load mine. It is aptly named!

I would LOVE to have a newer Bambi..(And the big truck to tow it with)

The motorhome I saw looked JUST like a trailer, all bubbly and roundy in front. I would have thought it was a trailer left in the street waiting to go into the lot, until the mirrors showed up.. and it turned on its own

[Pete Dumbleton]

Here's an odd Airstream with an odd owner:

5th Wheel Airstream

[Loren G. Hedahl]

What's the chance that it will get a new owner in about 15 days at that price?

[potteralice]

gina,
love the toaster!!! thanks for sharing it with us. i wonder who the chef is and if any of us will ever see the toaster on the highway, or camped next door at a park?

by the way, what is your job? it seems that you go to lots of great places and mention that it is for work. i seem to remember mexico being one and somewhere in oregon?

you must have an interesting job if your work location if it is near that airstream place. no highrise office would be near there . so you are not a big corporate muckety-muck.

once upon a time (before hack) you had a guitar avatar, right? do you play it when you go camping? doesn't it get crowded in there with the big dogs, guitar, aluminum chair,solar panels and you in a 13 foot burro- oh, don't forget the fake guy.

inquiring minds want to know!

[Lee Hillsgrove]

Here's an odd Airstream with an odd owner:

5th Wheel Airstream

Wow. Just, wow.

Looks like they spared no steel in the construction of that hitch. I wonder how much extra the trailer weighs now?

Heh. When I met my wife she lived in that town. I'll have to point this one out to her.

[Dave and Kathie]

Thanks for sharing Gina. We love the 'toaster guy'. He has a monthly column in Highways, the Good Sam Club magazine called Camp Cuisine. His name is Bob Blumer, he calls his trailer the Toastermobile. Great RV recipes (although the in the June recipe for flambeed shrimp I think we definately would catch the trailer on fire (he says 'if you have a beehive hairdo or Donald Trump comb over wear a hat' - must be an 'Airstream' recipe

[Gina D.]

Alice, I work for a guitar and amp manufacturer and nope, we have no high rises.. the mucky mucks are in our corporate headquarters in AZ. (Hot.. and I only ever seem to get sent THERE in July!) I travel to take care of problems at parts vendors and to assist our other manufacturing facilities. One is in Tacoma, the other in Mexico. Lots of vendors in Portland since we were once located there.

We are located in the sprawl known as So. Cal.. Inland Empire. There are LOTS of boat manufacturers there, which never made sense to me.. it's desert! There is one big mobile home/park model place there too. You think I could find anyone to work on glass there? No one would touch my trailer when I wanted it painted! Wierd!

The airstream place is hidden in an industrial park, I never would have known it was there accept you can see the tops of the trailers sometimes when they are parked by the high walls. The building has generic labeling, it just says "Inland RV" in uncontrasting letters.

Maybe they want to be secret! Toast is very contoversial!

Leslie, I will have to read my mags more closely. I don't recall seeing this!