Saying Goodbye to Gina
Vintage trailers are more than just wood and aluminum. You put your heart and soul into fixing them up. You decorate them to suit your style (and their era). You pull them around to places you never dreamed you’d ever see. They become your home away from home. They follow you to the Anasazi ruins of Arizona. They barely screech around the tight curves of the Apache Trail. They keep you warm and dry during rain storms in the Sedona desert. You even take them home to visit your family. They bounce and roll their way into your heart and soul.
And then comes the time when you have to say goodbye to them; to something that has become a serious part of your life. That time came today for me and Embee. The rule is we can only have one trailer. There is only room for one trailer on our small city driveway (this is a mantra I have to keep repeating to keep me from a serious disease Embee has dubbed VTAS—Vintage Trailer Acquisition Syndrome).
So we placed ads for Gina on Craigslist and on Tincantourists.com. New owners found her the first day. And great new owners they are. Gina is their second vintage trailer and I knew they were perfect to take over the care of Gina when they showed us pictures of their last trailer still on their iPhone! (Not unlike wonderful grandparents, huh?) After a multitude of phone calls and a bit of negotiation they headed north to Great Falls and I could tell it was love at first sight. Following over an hour of visiting and a walk through, Curt and Linda drove away with Gina in tow. They live close enough (180 miles….which is close Montana style) that they offered visitation rights. I might just have to meet Linda and Gina for a few nights of camping to visit with a new friend—as well as an old one.
Gina and her new owners
It’s true that parting is such sweet sweet sorrow.
Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon your blog by accident saw our very good friends picture standing beside Gina. Curt and Linda are very excited about their new “baby” and will take excellent care of her. She’s a beauty!
By: Cyndy on October 26, 2011
at 11:03 am
Oh my gosh how funny! I miss Gina VERY much and know they will be good parents. If not, I want to adopt Gina back. I should have written in some sort of reclamation deed on the whole sale.
By: this montana life on October 26, 2011
at 9:25 pm
Oh my gosh!! We were so surprised to get an email from our friend, Cyndy, regarding this story about our new baby! I have been thinking and thinking of a name for her and didn’t realize she already had one (or maybe that name means something special for you and I can re-name her). That was a fantastic story you wrote and we are going to print it for ourselves. We did not get a chance to take her out camping this year, as we had to have a hitch put on my car and also Curt got the furnace fixed for only $9.00!! We plan to put her to bed for the winter with a warm tarp, making special care to cover her fins with foam rubber tomorrow. We need to keep in touch! I am so happy to have her and will take special care of her! Linda and Curt Hanson
By: Linda Hanson on October 29, 2011
at 4:34 pm
Linda! I have thought of your and wondered if you had gotten out with her. Gina got her name from a friend who likened her restoration to a worn out broad coming out of plastic surgery looking like Gina Lollobrigida. We must keep in touch and I would LOVE to meet you for a girls only camping trip when it warms up.
By: this montana life on November 4, 2011
at 12:45 pm
Diane-Thanks so much for replying to me. Yes, we must keep in touch and plan to definitely go camping somewhere in Montana next summer! Happy Turkey Day!
By: Linda Hanson on November 20, 2011
at 9:01 pm
What an adorable pair! This lovely couple happens to be my aunt and uncle. Linda is my dear mothers sister. It must run in the family, I just bought a ’59 Shasta from western Oregon that I will be restoring myself with my husband Heith.While researching other Shasta owners blogs we came across your site and found Curt and Linda standing in front of Gina! ! We will be visiting them in late August when we drop our son off at montana state university. Maybe we’ll have ours ready for a maiden voyage to Montana!
By: Angie on June 8, 2012
at 12:13 am
What a grand story. I think your Aunt Linda is a dear. Good luck with your restoration. It can be challenging…but oh so very satisfying.
By: this montana life on June 13, 2012
at 1:10 am
I would like to take you up on the offer to sew an awning for hire. I would like an awning that is 12′ long and stands out from the trailer 8′ with 3 poles which I can supply. I have a vintage 67 Airstream Safari. Once you receive the material, how long would it take to get it made and shipped to me in North Carolina. Also, how much would it cost? Thanks, Brett
By: Brett Murphree on September 6, 2012
at 8:35 pm
Brett,
Once I receive the fabric it takes 7-10 days to complete. Usually just 7 days but if I’m out camping I like to estimate for the 10 days. I will email you the cost.
By: this montana life on September 9, 2012
at 9:15 am