Monday, November 1, 2010

Airstream

This is a first for us. We purchased a 1988, one-owner, 32' Airstream travel trailer. This trailer will be our home while we owner-build our permanent home. The enclosed shell of our new home will be built by the same contractor (Matt Kroll of Kroll Contracting) who built our pole barn.  We will do all the plumbing, wiring, and interior with the exception of finishing the drywall.

Doug spent a lot of time searching for a good used Airstream - one that we could afford and was, hopefully,  somewhere in the Grand Traverse region. He is very good about conducting these searches and found exactly what we were looking for. The first pic. below is the trailer, still on the lot, and only about 13 miles from our property. It was a one-owner and only used by the older couple when they summered in northern Michigan.

 

It is now in our pole barn for the winter.  We will move it outside when we arrive this coming spring.

Living room  couch - opens to form a double bed - is to the left. Kitchen is to the right.  Each end of the couch has a fold up table - you can see one of these attached to the wall under the window. 
Since Doug got stuck in MI for 4 additional days due to weather he set the trailer up and stayed in it.  The only thing he didn't hook up was the water. It would have taken tools and too much work to drain it for the winter. He had the time but no tools.  Instead, he hauled water from our well to cook and bathe.


A 3/4 bathroom:
Shower
Toilet and sink
Bathroom sink w/shower to the right.


The roll-top behind the stove is a spice cabinet.  Fold up table to left of stove for additional counter space.




Frig. across from sink.  Dinette in lower right corner.







Dining Room :D
Hall leads to bathroom and bedroom. Lots of closet and drawer space (I hope:).
Bedroom - back of trailer. Doug said the beds are a tad hard.  We'll buy a couple of foam mattress pads to help soften the beds a bit.




Another view of the hall. Microwave.
Pic. taken from the bedroom - bathroom to the left.

Taken from the hall looking toward the front of trailer.
Living room - front of trailer.
The meter is running :D


The trailer is fully carpeted including the kitchen and bathroom. This is not a good thing as we will be moving into it during mud season with two dogs and two cats. We will buy some of those plastic runners such as are used to protect floors from rolling chairs to help protect the carpet.  Doug says the curtains are in bad shape and the color is blah so I will spend some time making new curtains - colorful, cheery ones.  It has both AC and heat - the latter can be either electric or propane. There is a 41 gallon water tank and a propane hot water heater.  I have not as yet seen it but it looks as though it will be quite comfy for a few months. I calculate there is only 296 sq. ft. inside which should be motivation enough to get the house finished ASAP.