It was four years ago I saw my first vintage trailer in person. That's an important distinction as opposed to seeing a picture. Once you step inside it infects you or it doesn't. Some people are especially susceptible to Aluminitus, or it's other strain, Traileritus. Middle age Empty Nester Women have a particularly low immunity and Gearheads, having been bit by the Car Bug, also are predisposed. Some have it really bad forming a Tin Addiction collecting several trailers and they just can't say NO! Then there are those that have a Camper Rescue Disorder. They usually have attending neck problems from their heads spinning around every time they see a trailer in a field. The symptoms usually fade once you own a trailer but they never quite go away.
So, through our business, we met Debra. A lovely lady who one day at the reception window shared she was going to a Sisters On The Fly Trailer Roundup. I was intrigued. Like a proud Mama, she showed me a picture of her trailer. Well, to say it was ADORABLE would be an understatement!
Sensing my excitement, which I'm sure hung in the air, we were invited to her home on July 4th exactly four years ago today. We pulled up her drive in the woods to a truncated Mansion and there in front was a shiny aluminum cupcake of a trailer! It looked somewhat out of place in front of the grand backdrop but I have since seen this scenario repeated many times.
I was COMPLETELY charmed! My husband Dave said, "You had THE LOOK." Which he has come to recognize as trouble and it was usually expensive.....
Where had this notion come from? Maybe, the seed was planted somewhere in my childhood. I did grow up on the Oregon Coast so, I must have seen many trailers. Funny, I hadn't noticed vintage trailers as an adult either and yet this notion GRABBED ME AND HELD ON TIGHT!
It was a 1962 Shasta Compact in all its delicious petite glory. It even had the cutest little wings! I went inside and it was amazing in its vintage quality, the aged birch paneling, the Shabby Chic decor. I went all around it and crawled underneath. Like with my husband, it was love at first sight (true story)
Debra made a mistake. She told me she was thinking about selling it but wasn't sure. She eventually sold it many months later but not to me. (I would have bought it right then and there) It couldn't happen fast enough for me. Right home I went and BURNED UP the Internet looking for a trailer as is the custom for Newbies that I now know.
(Inserting advice here... be patient, they made a ton of trailers over the years. There was no one there at the time to remind me of this)
Trying to be reasonable, which was exceedingly difficult at the time, I found a Vintage Trailer Rally in Lodi California called Trailerfest. The thinking was, if I really wanted this trailer, maybe there would be one for sale at the rally or another style of trailer that I would like. After all, there were supposed to be over a hundred in attendance. Smart, I thought, talking myself off the ledge. Go and look. So, we did.
We flew into Sacramento and rented what we dubbed The Flying Banana....
We stayed at a wonderful B&B surrounded by vineyards and showed up early to the rally. I have to tell you, there is something magical about your first rally whether attending or participating. To have a sense of discovery in middle age is a wonderful thing. There was A LOT TO SEE....
The above picture is of a trailer once owned by this man's mother and passed down. It became a repository of all his Mom's things. Which all were pink. His wife had taken over the trailer and kept everything. He was so dear and delighted telling the stories that all the things represented saying, "Mom never bought anything that wasn't pink!" This is one of my favorite trailers and what I love about Vintage Trailer Rallies. ❤️
But, alas, as sure as you go looking for something you won't find it. No early 60's Shasta Compact was there for sale or to even see for that matter. Bummer. I did gain a great deal of knowledge regarding the brand and the years they produced the Canned Ham shape that I loved. Aptly described by an example of an Armour Canned Ham container set on its side. Apparently, I was looking for something very desirable and they were snapped up quickly and oddly enough, the smaller ones went for more money than the bigger ones because of the cute factor and towability......who knew? Well, I was about to.
We took a magical side trip to Yosemite National Park ala the movie The Long Long Trailer just without, you know, the trailer.....
We now plan on actually camping there in our vintage trailer one day, it's on the bucket list!
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