In the beginning, God created...Airstreams!

Some people like to plant their roots deep in one spot, while others like to float around dropping seeds everywhere.  We're the latter.  No matter which you are, it's hard to deny that Airstreams are one of the coolest ways to go "glamping."

Definition: glamping
	Glamorous camping. Satisfying your craving for the outdoors and your penchant for a good meal, nice glass of wine, and a comfortable bed. No stinky sleeping bags on the hard ground and freeze dried food for me. If its not a Glamping trip, count me out.

Now, on to the show.  It's gonna be awhile before we can post on our travels.  Currently we're in the process of remodeling/restoring a 1972 29' Airstream Ambassador.  The exterior has a few bumps and bruises and the interior needed to be gutted and overhauled.  Here's Gypsy Star when we first bought her.

For 40 years worth of living, she's in pretty good shape.  She's been around the country too!  She has stickers on the back window of some different places she's been.  Our plan is to begin gutting her.  We will remove the furniture and sell what we can to the Airstream community via airforums.com.  Then, we'll remove the inner skin (aluminum wall panels).  After that, the insulation comes out :( anyone who knows fiberglass insulation knows that face.  Then, we'll take all of the wiring out and flooring.  

Flooring...this is where it'll get tricky.  If you're not familiar with how Airstreams are assembled, check this out Assembling an Airstream.  When they build them they put everything together as if it were one piece to give it strength.  The exterior skin is attached to a boney aluminum frame.  There is then a c-channel, often called a j-channel, that wraps around the "pill shape" of the interior.  The subfloor is actually shoved inside of the c-channel and then bolted to the frame.  Then the wall frame and exterior skin is riveted to the channel.  It's smart and ridiculous all at the same time.  Makes a repair, remodel, or restoration a you know what.  So, now we're down to the frame after cutting and prying the subfloor out.  You can then take the "belly pan" and "banana wraps" off...who came up with these names!  You can assume that a 40 year old stock Airstream will have quite a bit of rust and rot on the frame and subfloor.  We will then sand and grind away at the frame to remove the loose stuff.  After that, we'll coat it with Por-15 and install new sub flooring, which we'll coat in some sort of epoxy or paint to seal it top, bottom, & sides.  We should never have issues on our subfloor or frame ever again (in theory).

 Once we're at that stage it will seem a less daunting task because we'll have new, clean sub-flooring to work on and a re-strengthened frame under us.  We'll also be able to put it back together inside.  We will be attempting to use mostly items from IKEA because 1. we love the styles 2. it's lightweight and durable & 3. it's less expensive than most alternatives.  We'll, of course, have to customize it.

The wiring will have to be completely reworked, as well as plumbing.  Now we're getting into less familiar territory.  I personally want the challenge to have to learn it and know it.  We'll be using solar panels, propane gas, and hopefully a wind turbine combined with batteries to keep charged for "off-grid" situations and traveling.

In conclusion, we have a BIG task ahead but we're anxious to get it done.  We're so ready to travel and see more and do more.  There's a whole world out there, how can we stay in just one place forever!!??