The beam is in

These big single pane windows that DO NOT OPEN above will be removed. The smaller ones will be eliminated, so that the kitchen sink and countertop can go there... with same width but not as high dual pane awning style windows installed over the sink. Love that view!

These two single pane will be replaced with dual pane slider windows in the same size with window bench seats underneath installed. This room really gets the sun in the morning!

The new fridge will go in that corner.

There will eventually be an island here in the center of the room.

We had a 10" x 5.5" 10 foot long beam custom made at a sawmill over the hill nearby - cost $50.. not too bad I thought. Yesterday, we put it in, allowing our temporary support studs to be removed. Now you can get a better sense of how the room will come together. This room gets a ton of sun in the morning, and having coffee out there in the mornings will be very nice! You can also see that the new oak flooring is in the new room too. Sorry for the haze - I just brought my camera in from the car and it was only 7 degrees outside. It's supposed to be in the 50s this weekend, so this is when Sophia will move to the farm! CBR is only 27 days away!

A nice walk in the woods!

Yesterday afternoon, Braedon, Zoe', Criket and myself (the two older boys were at my parents) took a short walk in up the hill, over the meadow and through the woods. It was a nice and sunny day albeit a cold one. Here are a few pictures. The snow is melting and will hopefully be gone soon enough.

No Airstream Work

Well, we're all moved in, mostly.. just a few more miscellaneous items left at our old house. So, the demolition has started on the room that will become our new kitchen. We are removing a load bearing wall (framing it out with a 5X10 beam) to punch out into part of the porch to make a eat in sun room / breakfast nook. This will make the kitchen 23' wide at that part of the room x 22' the other way. We've removed the old wall (ribbon construction) and put in a temporary support system while we wait for the beam to arrive. The new sheetrock will go in next week, then the oak flooring will be finished off and then Zoe's appliance will go in. I'm waiting on 4 large double pane'd windows (2 - awning style and 2 sliders ) to replace the 4 picture windows in that room.. these were ordered 2 days ago and will take approximately 2 weeks to come in.... it's coming along! I've got to get Sophia up here so I can work on the heating and get her wheels over to my Powder coater!! Here are a few pictures of the progress.

Wednesday - 18 Feb 09 - RECOVERY

This past Wednesday morning, I was taking care of errands, when my cell phone rang - Zoe' called and said that the our friends Dick and Ethyl were having issues near Binghamton with their Airstream. I gave Dick a call, and he said when he pulled into the gas station they always stop at, he could smell something and the manager said he saw flames in the wheel well - a couple blasts to the wheel well with his fire extinguisher ( a must for future recovery efforts!) and when Dick jacked up his trailer, the wheel and hub fell off - on his single axle late 50s Globetrotter. Dick and Ethyl were lucky the tire hadn't fallen off while going down the road - another 20 feet and it would have for sure! How it did not, I'll never know. So, Dick asked - you know anyone with a flatbed... so I began the quest for a suitable flatbed that could fit an Airstream on it - my Uncle Don at ChevyAve@gmail.com has a nice long flatbed and so I went over, hooked on, and was on my way to recover Dick and Ethyl's trailer... and when I backed up, I seriously did not think it would fit - but fit it did - it took us about 1.5 hours to load it, taking our time to ensure we did not hurt the trailer. Here are some photos of our efforts - and now, the Perkin's trailer is safe at home!

Arriving with Flatbed for the Recovery

Will it fit? Dick and my dad checking things out.

Dick's trailer sitting out of commission.

Nut remains, but wheel and hub are free - a new axle is in Dicks trailer's future.

I'm glad I brought my boards to use as ramps and to get the rear of the trailer up with a less angle of approach while loading. I wish I had more!

Hoping my loading ramps hold!

Rear wheels are on! Whew!

Notice we doubled up the boards once she was loaded! Needed the clearance for the fenders of the trailer to clear the belly pan.

Now to get the tongue onto the trailer - thank god I brought the come-a-long!

All loaded. Now to cinch her down. 40 miles to home! The owner makes some last minute checks! This put my 84 3/4 ton Suburban to the test - complete with sirens and lights. She did just fine!

By By Luna

Sorry for the long delay on posting to the blog... we've been JUST a little busy with my work, travel for it, and trying to get things in order to help purchase the farm. So, now we are closing on the farm tomorrow - yippee! By tomorrow at this time it'll be ours and we can begin the moving. We did some packing and some friends helped us move a few small items up into the barn. One friend, Frank Yensan and his daughter Ava, drove up from Baltimore, Maryland yesterday morning and arrived around 11am. They helped me load some things onto our little trailer, and then I gave them a tour.. unfortunately - I was a little under the weather with a stomach bug that put me out of comission in the afternoon... I'm slowly coming back around today... Frank's other pursuit for the weekend was to pick up his new Airstream named Luna - our 1954 front kitchen Safari that he's going to just love! Frank's Trailer Works will restore her to her former glory we hope - not for us - but for Frank and his lovely wife Beth... they just departed for Baltimore with Luna in tow! Here's a few pictures of Luna from a few weeks ago when my boy Stanton was helping dig her out. Good luck on the tow home Frank!!

KOA and Airstreams

I've heard of Airstream's and KOA doing an advertising bit... and today a friend of mine sent me this - one of the week's USA Today's photos.

With rooms at Las Vegas' Circus Circus Hotel and Casino going for $25 a night earlier this week, forking over an extra 20 bucks to bunk in a trailer at the Circus Circus parking lot might feel like a gamble.

Then again, this isn't just any trailer: Under a new promotion with Kampgrounds of America, hipsters and nostalgia buffs can stay in a new, 27-foot Airstream — the aluminum-sheathed, aircraft-inspired travel trailer that's been a king of the American road since the 1930s and a favorite of such Hollywood stars as Matthew McConaughey.

Ten of Airstream's Flying Cloud models, which sleep up to four and retail for an average $53,000, are available at KOA's Circus Circus campground. Five more at KOA's location in Sugarloaf Key, Fla. (near Key West) rent for $170-$220 a night, and the program will be expanded to Bar Harbor, Maine, in May.

A few other places feature vintage Airstream accommodations, including the Shady Dell in Bisbee, Ariz., and the Belrepayre trailer park south of Toulouse, France.

Additional WBCCI International Rally schedule

I've been asked for the actual schedule that covers the actual rally - as the previous schedule takes us up to the start of the rally. Here is the actual Rally Schedule.

Right now I'm working on closing the deal on the farm... the Pageant of Bands Rally will be up there on the farm somewhere! I'm finally back home from 2 weeks on the road, so now I can get things that need attention completed! It's -5 out right now - Brrr!

International Schedule update

Here is a link to the new International VAC Parade date and International Schedule. The parade IS on Saturday, the 27th of June at 10am.

Caravel for sale on Ebay

Here are some interior shots:

The puppy's growing

Here's a picture of the puppy - Cricket - boy is she growing.

Old barns and a pool!

Some more development on the farm... things are looking promising, only time will tell. Here are a few more pictures. There will be many a Airstream Rally here in the future - I hope! Zoe's Caravel is up on the auction block and we've sold our 54 Safari to FTW. Now, do we sell the Jeep? Maybe I'll keep the Jeep and sell my 3/4 ton Chevy..Hmm... I'll have so many projects restoring that old farm house that I don't need a ton other projects distracting me. Enjoy the photos - we are enjoying the excitment!



The Gazebo down by the pond.

The view from the Gazebo looking back up the barn.

The large in-ground pool. Looking north.

A sideways shot... whoops.. you can see our current house in the background (the tan house in the trees).

Above is the old 1916 1 room Plymouth school house with additions. This is the property (about 8 acres) between this farm and our current house.