[VAL] New to group - Intro from Alaska

[Kathy Houghton <maggie_panion@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello everyone,

Our  Airstream story... yes... it is true!

My husband and I (50-somethings) are new to this group. Actually... 
we are new to the whole "Airstream thing." Our interest is probably 
one that is quite different in nature than why most people would buy 
an Airstream for.

I am chronically ill with rather severe MCS (Multiple Chemical 
Sensitivity) and am mostly homebound due to this. I can not travel by 
airplane.  Living in Alaska is a double edge sword as yes, it is 
beautiful and the air is cleaner than most places up here though  we 
are far from family (Oregon, Florida and NJ) . I am not 
very  "portable" and would never survive a motor home or any other 
vehicle that was new and/or off-gassing VOC's, formaldehyde, smoke,  
Fabreeze, Glade Plugins, Bounce, fragrances etc. Soo....being soooo 
tired of the boundaries and confinements (physical and social) 
associated with MCS we have decided to look into an old Airstream and 
re-do as much of it as we can. There is a man named Tad Taylor (in 
Vermont I think) who restores old AS for people like me with non-toxic 
materials, but he is to my understanding no longer doing this. So we 
will look for the help of others who might be understanding of our 
difficult situation as well as have experience.

It gets better.... soooo... where do we start?
Well.. several years ago I remember riding through  a neighborhood up 
here and seeing an old AS in someones yard behind the garage. I do not 
think there are many up here so spotting a "Silver Twinkie" is 
something one would not forget too ealily. Anyway... the other day my 
husband decided to take a ride to the area where I told him I think I 
remember seeing it. And low and behold... there it was... same 
house... same place behind the 5 other vehicles parked in the big 
driveway/sideyard! What are the chances of finding it agian? Well... 
do we dare approach the owners (knock on their front door) and ask if 
they want to sell their Twinkie? You bet!!! This most delightful older 
retired couple who have had this 1967 (27 or 28 footer) for the past 
25 years (use once a year in state) said that they just loved their AS 
and that they also have another one in (hmmm... out of state 
somewhere... maybe Montana) anyway it did not sound like they would 
even consider giving up this baby. They were just as kind and 
delightful as could have been and the lady turned out to have a 
passion for quilting just as I do... well... we felt that if nothing 
else came of this we did have the opportunity to meet a delightful 
couple of retired "old time Alaskans". The lady who understood our 
delema (knows someone else like me with same health issues) in needing 
something old and (non-odorus) even said that she would keep her eyes 
open in their travels and call us immediately should she find somthing 
that might be suitable. 

WEll, We prayed all night and well (what's meant to be will be)... 
I will shorten the story by telling you all this couple called us 
yesterday and said... We've been thinking... WE never said that we 
would not sell the AS to you! We just need to find another camper to 
replace it (AS or not AS) and then they will sell the old AS to us ! 

Needless to say... we both cried. 

I will be able to visit my first grandchild (he is 3 months old.)  
This will be my first taste of freedom in years,  all because of the 
kindness of a stranger. 

Now... I guess we need crash courses in Airstream 101 !

At this point we do not even know what the price will be (or should 
be) , we know that it is 1967 mostly original, they have owned it for 
25 years and not taken it out of Alaska much if at all, they use it 
once in the summer,  and that it does not have any odors (chemical or 
otherwise) inside. The body is in "ok" shape, we need to further check 
it out and while yes, we realize that the restoration to my specific 
needs might be costly... we will be buying my freedom :-)
 Well.. now that's priceless.

:-)
Kathy and Garry (in Alaska)