The Off Road Airstreamer…..

Richard Charpentier Airstream Blogs, Arizona, Notes from Rich, Off Road Adventures, Photographing Arizona, Photography 6 Comments

4 Wheeling from Point Sublime....no Airstream in tow!

Over the course of the past year I keep seeing a funny set of search terms on my blog used together.  “Off Road Airstream.”

Google and the rest have been sending me more and more referrals based on that search criteria.  Folks are figuring out whether or not they can off road with an Airstream?  Seriously?

Airstreams are some of the coolest travel trailers out there.  I’m a fan.  I’d better be a fan, I’ve been full timing in an Airstream for 4 years now.  Never expected to full time that long, but here I am, still in the Airstream.  And you know, it’s a versatile rig.  But one thing it isn’t…..  Off Road capable.

The Vermillion Cliffs in the distance, and the Airstream on "pavement"

Now, I’ve teasingly asked Chris Marzonie about the possibility of an off road ready Airstream.  He gets this grin, chuckles a bit, and then says something like, “Come on now Rich…….”  I think he thinks I’m being serious.  And while I’m mostly kidding around, wouldn’t an off road Airstream be cool?  I mean, Chris works for Overland Journal, knows the guys at Adventure Trailer…..surely we could figure something out…….right?

I’m here to tell you, to date, no off roading with Airstreams folks.  I’m sure someone somewhere has rigged one up, and I’ll get a note about it.  That would be cool!

Fixed to the pavement, but close to so many off road possibilities!

For the time being though, I am an off roading Airstreamer.  The Airstream acts as base camp.  It’s parked somewhere happy and safe.  And then I head off road.  At the end of the day I return to it.  It’s home.  The portable photo lab.  The place to get a hot shower after tromping around the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  The place to stay warm on a cold August evening at 8800 ft above sea level.  But it does not follow me down wash board roads, insane double tracks, or through purposefully lit fires (drove through a burn last week that was unnerving).

So, off roading Airstream owners.  Yeah, we exist.  Off roading with the Airstream?  Yeah, not quite yet gang!  If you want to see it happen, contact Chris and tell him that we need to get some sponsors to create the ultimate adventure trailer!

Titan + Airstream = Adventure!

Comments 6

  1. I guess it all depends up on the definition of ‘offroad’. We have taken the Airstream on dirt roads but nothing where 4×4 was required. The worst was a forest service road at Obsidian Dome. There were some dicey times with bushes on the side and some rocks in the road. It was about 2 miles but took about 15 minutes. Just go slow and get out if you have to look things over.

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    RG….I’m very sad to say, but the Airstream hasn’t been washed since the start of 2007. Sad but true. Not allowed to wash RVs at the park I’m at. 🙁 HDR photography does wonders though, and the TV & AS look cleaner than they are! 🙂

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  4. Rich, you are too funny. I had opened this entry the other day but got pulled away before I could read it. Yea, an off-road Airstream would be cool. I’m sure the older little ones have been on some pretty rough tracks. A friend of mine has one and he takes it to Baja, Sonora, and all over the place. I want a Victorinox 🙂

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