Just when I thought I’d been asked every question about Airstream you could imagine, a videographer from Kansas City asked something I’d never considered: what advice would you give a 23-year-old first-time Airstream owner?
I answered spontaneously, yet surprised myself with the depth of my response, which follows.
“As a 23-year-old, you have purchased the finest travel trailer available. It’s so much more than a product – it’s a door to our great nation.
“First, visit the farmlands and rural towns. See the soy fields in Ohio, rows of corn in Iowa, cattle raised in Nebraska. Understand what farmers and ranchers do to feed not just our own people, but people all over the world. Park your Airstream in the small farming communities and walk Main Street. Talk to the shop owners and the people walking the streets. You’ll find friendly folk, patriotic citizens, who are the fabric of our country.
“We have a beautiful country, full of natural wonders: lakes, deserts, oceans, and mountains preserved as National Parks. So visit the beauty that abounds in this wonderful land of ours.
“See the sunset across the Grand Tetons, then the rugged landscapes of Yellowstone. Visit the Grand Canyon, and stand close to the edge in awe. See Yosemite, with majestic chiseled granite landmarks and a glacier-carved valley.
“Experience the feeling of sinking below sea level in Death Valley, or your first encounter with an alligator in the Everglades. See nature’s cathedral, full of the mighty Sequoia, ancient trees which force you to bend your neck towards the sky.
“And walk the hallowed grounds of Gettysburg, where thousands died to reunite our nation. Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
“Then see the major cities, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas, and, of course, New York. Compared to the wide open spaces of rural life, see the buildings stacked on top of one another, street after street, block after block, row after row.
“Marvel at the concrete forest before you. The financial center of the economic machine, where anything that can be traded for profit can and will be. Central Park, so out of character on such a densely-populated island, yet desperately needed to break up the noise of Manhattan. And realize New York truly is a melting pot of religious and ethnic groups, and people from the affluent to the impoverished.
“As it is in all cities, the people are the workforce that create the products we use domestically and internationally. Urban life isn’t easy, but without their hard work, there is no economy.
“Your next stop: our nation’s capital, an open-air lesson in history and civics.
“See where the laws that govern our nation are passed. See the home of the President of America, then the monuments and statues and memorials. See the stoic Abraham Lincoln, sitting and watching over us, as if hopeful our nation will remain indivisible. The Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, and memorials to those lost in the Second World War and Korean War.
“Then, the polished black of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which will tighten your stomach and fill your tear ducts. You’ll see the names of over 50,000 military personnel who gave their lives. For too long, they haven’t received the respect they deserve; they died for our nation and we owe them peace and our respect.
“And one final journey. As we cross the Potomac to Arlington National Cemetery, you’ll have no misgivings as to why you’ve traveled there. You and your Airstream have seen landscapes rural and urban, full of natural wonder and historical significance. Now as you look at the hillsides covered with monuments for those who have protected our nation, please understand the deeper meaning that these thousands and thousands of lives represent, as it is their sacrifice that made it possible for you to make your journey, and to own your Airstream.
“Never forget that ultimate sacrifice: laying down your own life for others. Marine, sailor, soldier, others have done this for you and me.
“Pass the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and read, here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.
“Travel. Enjoy. And appreciate this nation we call home.”
Dale “Pee Wee” Schwamborn has silver in his blood. Each week, Pee Wee shares one of his many stories, including his experiences on the iconic Airstream Caravans, his time spent working in the Airstream factory, and the many Airstreamers he’s befriended, far and wide.
