Posted July 8, 2018 – Narrated by Carmen
Yesterday was our first day in Canada.
And, on July 18th we’ll celebrate two years on the road living in Beauty!
It’s been a wild ride …
Summer of 2016, we left San Diego and began driving north with the expectation of crossing into Canada …
But unexpected events, disasters, emergencies, storms, distractions and an eclipse put us on a completely different path …
But, that’s life, right? You can’t always pick and choose but somehow everything works out…
Airstream Club International Rally
Almost a year ago, Beauty was invited to attend her family reunion at The Wally Byam Airstream Club International Rally in Salem, Oregon where we were assigned a venue to tell our story.
The WBCCI rally, “Living The Dream” was perfectly suited to launch us back into the “dream” itinerary from which we diverted in 2016.
Oregon
After the rally, we visited friends in Portland …
… and continued north through Oregon …
Washington…
Idaho
then Idaho for our 43rd Anniversary dinner with new Airstream friends …
and now, the plan is to reunite with old friends in Calgary and experience Stampede.
But we don’t take future plans too seriously.
If these last two years have taught us anything, it’s that anything can happen …
But we made it to Salem!
Beauty, surrounded by her litter mates and close cousins from all over the world, glowed like a newly hatched Airstream chic in her Walbernized glory beneath the splendid Oregon sky.
Clearly, she is holding her age.
But, whoa! Navigating through a shiny maze of 650 pasturing Airstreams is like walking through a house of mirrors.
We finally learned what those big red numbers are about!
As we wandered the fairgrounds trying to find Beauty, we met friends both old and new – from LIB followers to Airstreamers we’ve met on social media and on the road.
And, we were surprised how many Airstreamers attended the LIB presentation and contributed valuable content to the full-timing conversation.
Many long-term travelers shared their unique perspectives, insights, and experiences, demonstrating how a widely diverse community is embracing “location independence” like never before.
Jim and I felt the love of the Airstream family and sensed a special bond with our personal heroes who have journeyed without a permanent address for a decade or more.
From all over the world they came – Tahiti, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, Canada – to attend seminars and events …
and to ogle glamorous young Airstreams …
and, pay homage to elegant vintage Airstreams…
and to bask the hospitality of Salem.
The Beast took a break as we toured the city on our bikes …
The perfect place for this rally!
Oregon’s legacy is exploration.
In fact, Airstream trailers were designed by Oregonian and world traveler, Wally Byam.
And, just recently, Byam’s personal 1955 Airstream was discovered in Oregon by Scott Goranson who restored #1 to its original appearance, inside and out.
Of course, the 63-year-old Airstream is still road-worthy.
That’s why we bought an Airstream.
We weren’t even Airstream enthusiasts at the time, but we knew we didn’t want a recreational vehicle with a short lifespan. Most luxury parks won’t accept trailers and motorhomes older than ten years unless it’s an Airstream.
Beauty had a lovely time at the WBCCI Rally 2018.
And, it’s comforting to imagine that our nearly new 2001 Airstream Excella may still be in commission thirty years from now, journeying to Canada, Europe, Mexico and other beautiful places …
… taking a couple of semi-retired millennials on their ride of a lifetime.
Passing the legacy along to the next generation is an essential aspect to Living the Dream American style.
And it’s good to know that Wally Byam has our back.
You can see our exact route on this map.
*photos in this post (unless otherwise noted) were taken and copyrighted by Living In Beauty.
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