airstream tour — Wandering Airstream

home on wheels tour!

June 15th, 2011 4

Today a Home On Wheels Tour from Renee..(one of our blog readers)
See below for her tale about their super cute Airstream, it has a long history….
and a big thanks to Renee & her family for sharing their story and photos!

*love* a good Southern Airstream name.. moonpie roadhouse (;

Here is a brief version of “our story”:

In 1997 at age 35 my brother was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, a rare and terminal cancer. For Christmas the previous year the Neiman Marcus catalog featured a custom Airstream by Mackenzie Childs that intrigued my sister-in-law and she kept the catalog. When she was trying to think of something extra special to give my brother for Christmas she remembered the Airstream and got busy trying to locate one. She found a 1969 Safari and had it secretly pulled to Lubbock where they were spending Christmas with family. It was wrapped in a huge red bow and he was very, very surprised.

They got busy restoring the trailer, decorating it with the Neiman Marcus trailer as their inspiration. (if you google Neiman Marcus Airstream by Mackenzie Childs you can see photos of the original) Meanwhile, the nasty cancer made by brother more and more sick. By the time they finished the trailer the cancer had taken it’s toll and they were only able to go on a weekend trip once or twice before he died in 1999.

Sharon kept the trailer for awhile as she was trying to cope with losing her husband. I gently approached her in 2001 and told her I would love to buy the trailer if she was interested, she was and we made a deal. I pulled the trailer to my house and parked it for a couple of months. At that time I had personal problems and had to return the trailer to her as I did not have the money to buy it and had found myself single again. Sharon kept the trailer a little while longer and sometime along the way gave it to one of her sisters who had a husband and 2 boys that would enjoy camping as a family.

Absolutely unbelievably Sharon was then diagnosed with cancer herself. She had colon cancer and it took her life after a 3 year battle.

I had mentioned the Airstream many, many times to my husband over the years. Last year for Christmas he gifted me the beloved Airstream. He contacted my niece who knew exactly where the trailer was and they worked together to make it the most memorable Christmas gift ever! When we unwrapped gifts on Christmas morning I sort of wondered why I didn’t have a gift from my husband. He told me to put on my shoes so we could go outside. At that point I thought I was getting some live chickens because I had mentioned a time or two that I thought it would be fun to raise chickens. I was absolutely overcome with emotion when he lifted the garage door and I saw the Airstream. I knew instantly that it was my brother & sister-in-law’s trailer!

I’ve added a few of my own touches to the decor and it makes me happy knowing that I am able to carry on the dream that my brother and his wife were not able to complete. In one of the photos you will see framed pictures of them just inside the door, they go on every trip with us!