While contemporary Airstreams might not stand up to the riggers of founder Wally Byam’s 18,000-mile overland trek from ‘Cape Town to Cairo’ in 1959, the legendary semi-monocoque aluminum trailers are still known for their handcrafted quality construction.
“Airstream is top of the line,” says International Serenity owner Carl Tipton, a former U.S. Marine now living in southern Oregon. “They are made in America and have always set a high standard of craftsmanship.”
In fact, Airstream boasts that 60-percent of the aircraft-inspired travel trailers ever manufactured are still on the road, many handed down within families “from generation to generation.”
Today’s Airstream fleet of trailers range in length from the 16-foot microlight Basecamp starting at $35,900, to the high-end 33-foot Classic beginning at $146,600.
Tipton’s mid-range International Serenity is listed with a base price of $87,600 and measures 25 feet 11 inches from the center of the ball hitch to the back bumper.
It’s an ideal size for comfortable camping, yet small enough to fit easily into the older forest service campgrounds frequently found near Tipton’s favorite catch-and-release fly fishing streams in the Cascade Mountains.
Part 3 of this 4-part series talks about the International Serenity’s interior styling that features a minimalist, modern design.
Click here to read the previous installments of this series.
Photo: Airstream designed the International Serenity for those looking for “a quiet sanctuary where they can rest and reflect.” (Courtesy of Airstream)
