Camping in my restored vintage Airstream is perfect for me, right now. It gives me the opportunity to spend time in my beloved woods, enjoying nature with a few comforts of home. But as my children continue to get older (for some reason, I can't seem to stop them from growing up) my goals in life are changing. Each year I am moving closer to the day when my children will leave me, my husband will retire, and I will have time to write and possibly make a career out of it. Imagine that! After all these years, I could earn a paycheck doing something I love!
The Dream Airstream will have to fit my changing needs to become a more permanent home as well as my traveling office. As much as I love the vintage camper, it is not capable of providing me with office space. Even though every aspect of my Dream Airstream will have an important purpose, the first thing that I feel is necessary in a custom Airstream is power. Lots of power.
I have decided, in a perfect future world where I have won the lottery and can afford a brand-new customized Airstream, I will purchase the Airstream Flying Cloud 27FB. The first item on my list of custom design changes will be electrical outlets. In the vintage camper, I am forced to use multi-outlet adapters to provide power to my many tech gadgets. As time goes on, I will need more.
Currently, I travel with a Mac laptop, an iPhone, an iPad, a coffee maker, a nightlight, a noise machine for sleeping, a TV, DVD player, and a rechargeable flashlight. If family or friends join me, add their cell phones to the list. I only have four outlets in the vintage Airstream, for 9 electronic devices, and that's when I travel alone! In the future, as I turn my Airstream into my traveling office, I will need a printer/scanner, an additional laptop, and a desk lamp. I'm not even counting the time I have to unplug other things to recharge the batteries for my two cameras and the video recorder.
I plan on my Dream Airstream having no less than 20 outlets, 10 of which will need to be dedicated to office use for all my writing gadgets. Obviously, surge protection is a must. I have searched the internet, but have not found what I have in mind. Hopefully, after I win the lottery, Airstream, Inc. will have sources for my plan.
Here's the idea: mounted to the wall, out of sight, will be a panel to connect all of my multi-media devices to an Apple Mac desktop computer. Also out of sight, but with easy access, will be a built-in multi-outlet with surge protection. I want to be able to easily recharge all my devices by plugging them into the appropriate power source right on the wall, with all cords hidden. Something similar to the TA-8930 Media Hub TL by Teleadapt, but with less depth so it can be built-in and flush with the wall.
The outlets for other electronic devices, such as the flashlight and coffee maker, can be installed in the normal way.
The big question is, how do I power all these devices, plus my appliances, in a place with no power source?
For me, camping is and always will be about spending time outdoors, observing the natural world and meeting other outdoor and adventure enthusiasts. Planning enough power for many technological devices sounds like I am missing the point of camping, but it really doesn't. Time spent outdoors provides the inspiration and material I need to write. The writing, or work, part of my day comes later. Sometimes, I will be camping in places that have no amenities such as power and water sources, because my main focus is still being in remote areas and seeing nature relatively untouched. At the end of the day, though, I am overflowing with thoughts and experiences, and will need an office in which to work.
I have researched some options, but currently there are few options for self-sufficient power in a travel camper. There in no engine or built-in generator that I'm aware of in a travel trailer. However, Canadian manufacturer Roadtrek has introduced a Class B Motorhome called the RS E-Trek which still includes a generator, but also includes a built in solar panel on the roof that needs only daylight, not direct sunshine, to recharge multiple batteries for power to the entire unit.
For a full description of the E-Trek's power features, visit http://www.roadtrek.com/news_details.aspx?x=nXbLMjl5%2Bns%3D
I like this idea. I do not want a generator. They are noisy, smelly, and still need some kind of power source to recharge. I love the idea of multiple batteries recharged by daylight. I will ask Airstream, Inc. to research this idea as soon as I win the lottery.
So first and foremost on the Dream List for the customized Dream Airstream is self-sufficient power, using nature as its source. Obviously, traditional power sources will be included as well, since many campgrounds have electric hook-ups and I like to stop in campgrounds with water and electricity, between my forays into the wilderness.
The second item on the Dream List is sufficient outlets for all my technology needs.
Do you have any suggestions, or know of sources for the layout I've described? How do you power your RV when camping? I'd love to hear about an idea I haven't heard or thought of!
The Dream Airstream will have to fit my changing needs to become a more permanent home as well as my traveling office. As much as I love the vintage camper, it is not capable of providing me with office space. Even though every aspect of my Dream Airstream will have an important purpose, the first thing that I feel is necessary in a custom Airstream is power. Lots of power.
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| Airstream.com |
Currently, I travel with a Mac laptop, an iPhone, an iPad, a coffee maker, a nightlight, a noise machine for sleeping, a TV, DVD player, and a rechargeable flashlight. If family or friends join me, add their cell phones to the list. I only have four outlets in the vintage Airstream, for 9 electronic devices, and that's when I travel alone! In the future, as I turn my Airstream into my traveling office, I will need a printer/scanner, an additional laptop, and a desk lamp. I'm not even counting the time I have to unplug other things to recharge the batteries for my two cameras and the video recorder.
I plan on my Dream Airstream having no less than 20 outlets, 10 of which will need to be dedicated to office use for all my writing gadgets. Obviously, surge protection is a must. I have searched the internet, but have not found what I have in mind. Hopefully, after I win the lottery, Airstream, Inc. will have sources for my plan.
Here's the idea: mounted to the wall, out of sight, will be a panel to connect all of my multi-media devices to an Apple Mac desktop computer. Also out of sight, but with easy access, will be a built-in multi-outlet with surge protection. I want to be able to easily recharge all my devices by plugging them into the appropriate power source right on the wall, with all cords hidden. Something similar to the TA-8930 Media Hub TL by Teleadapt, but with less depth so it can be built-in and flush with the wall.
 |
| www.teleadapt.com |
The outlets for other electronic devices, such as the flashlight and coffee maker, can be installed in the normal way.
The big question is, how do I power all these devices, plus my appliances, in a place with no power source?
For me, camping is and always will be about spending time outdoors, observing the natural world and meeting other outdoor and adventure enthusiasts. Planning enough power for many technological devices sounds like I am missing the point of camping, but it really doesn't. Time spent outdoors provides the inspiration and material I need to write. The writing, or work, part of my day comes later. Sometimes, I will be camping in places that have no amenities such as power and water sources, because my main focus is still being in remote areas and seeing nature relatively untouched. At the end of the day, though, I am overflowing with thoughts and experiences, and will need an office in which to work.
I have researched some options, but currently there are few options for self-sufficient power in a travel camper. There in no engine or built-in generator that I'm aware of in a travel trailer. However, Canadian manufacturer Roadtrek has introduced a Class B Motorhome called the RS E-Trek which still includes a generator, but also includes a built in solar panel on the roof that needs only daylight, not direct sunshine, to recharge multiple batteries for power to the entire unit.
 |
| www.roadtrek.com |
 |
| www.roadtrek.com |
For a full description of the E-Trek's power features, visit http://www.roadtrek.com/news_details.aspx?x=nXbLMjl5%2Bns%3D
I like this idea. I do not want a generator. They are noisy, smelly, and still need some kind of power source to recharge. I love the idea of multiple batteries recharged by daylight. I will ask Airstream, Inc. to research this idea as soon as I win the lottery.
So first and foremost on the Dream List for the customized Dream Airstream is self-sufficient power, using nature as its source. Obviously, traditional power sources will be included as well, since many campgrounds have electric hook-ups and I like to stop in campgrounds with water and electricity, between my forays into the wilderness.
The second item on the Dream List is sufficient outlets for all my technology needs.
Do you have any suggestions, or know of sources for the layout I've described? How do you power your RV when camping? I'd love to hear about an idea I haven't heard or thought of!
