Bert Gildart: Writer and Photographer

©Bert Gildart: Several days ago I drove to Palm Springs to visit about the business of writing with friend and Editor Rich Luhr.  Rich, as some readers certainly know, is the publisher of Airstream Life, but as well he, with his business partner, Brett, is also a facilitator.

L TO R  (Click to see much larger image.):  Decoliner; Decoliner with creator Randy Grubb; Rich Luhr, one of the rally’s facilitators.

That’s the reason Rich had traveled from his home in Tucson and Brett from his home in Florida.  The two had been asked to put together a small rally that would enable specific Airstream owners to demonstrate their vision of “modernization.”

OFFBEAT UNITS

The rally which consisted of about 20 trailers did indeed provide some offbeat looking units. It also attracted Timeless Trailers, the restoration company in Colorado that takes perfection to the ultimate.  Last winter I talked at length with several representative about some Airstream problem, which they most likely could have helped resolve, had restoration been my objective.  The problem, as some may recall, concerned filiform corrosion, created by magnesium chloride, a substance which states in the northwest liberally apply to winter roads.  (Never ever drive such roads if you can help it.)

Certainly the most extreme example of modernization was exemplified by the unit created by Randy Grubb.  Over the past 20 months Randy had created his Decoliner, which incorporated the chassis from a 1973 GMC motorhome and a 455 Olds engine.  Randy had driven the unit from Oregon and says you can also steer  it from the “Flying Bridge,” which was part of his design.

“Need it, or something like it,” asks Randy?  “Just see me.”

L TO R:  So what’s a rally without a musician — who also creates and sells lotions.  Likewise, what’s an Airstream without flamingos.  “Modernized” Airstreams framed with Airstream awning.

 

Many other unique units were also present, and extracting from Rich Luhr’s blog, I see the proper names for other units that were also exhibited to include: a rare 1965 Dethleffs Bedouin, 1954 Hille Ranger Pop-Up, 1946 Curtis Wright, 1964 Traveleze, 1954 Silver Streak Clipper, and many others.

My problem, however, was time.

Essentially my purpose for leaving the security of Pegleg in Anza Borrego and then driving  through crowded places where people actually live was to review Airstream stories with Rich, and that took most of the afternoon.  Regretfully, my time at the rally was less than an hour, so what you see is but a fraction of the unique ideas presented.

But note the date of this posting and then next year you might want to attend.  If so, we may well see you there.  Think Modernization.

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AIRSTREAM TRAVEL THREE YEARS AGO:

*Return to the Anhinga Trail (Everglades)

 

 

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 at 1:04 pm and is filed under Photography, RV Travel, Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.