Aluminitus Runs Rampant In Wisconsin!

I can hear it now. "What did you do?!?"  or "What do you think you're going to do with that?!?"  or "You haven't even finished the first one yet!"

And, these comments would be justified...especially since the person - (name withheld for peaceful home life purposes) - has not read anyone else's blog.  If they had, they'd see this is an addiction.  Or at the very least, an affliction.  And the chances of relapse are great, indeed.  Plus, anyone who knows me knows I cannot let anything suffer. I'd rather drag it home and give it a better place to live.

So is the case with my newest "adoption."  A '70's something Safari. Unmolested but well used.  Worn but not worn out. In need of TLC but previously unmolested and in "original" condition. 

Gotta love fate. While riding a snowmobile trail I kept passing this old girl. I finally worked up the courage to stop in and speak to the property owner. He didn't own the trailer and directed me to the house down the street who did. No answer.

Home to the computer I went. I did a quick reverse look-up of the potential addresses and confirmed the resident names with the county tax record website.  After 3 calls I managed to get the owner...who had just returned home.

His answer:  "Why yes, I am looking to get rid of that piece of junk. We used to travel in it but now it's sat for several years. It was so heavy and unruly behind my Dodge Ram Pickup that I didn't like to tow it far. Now I don't have a big truck, so I can't use it.  Was going to tear it apart for scrap, but if you want it, take it."

Suffice to say I just have to wait for the snow to melt to tow it home...less than 3 miles. 

The history of this Safari is cloudy.  Supposedly, some guy driving through Wisconsin many years ago asked a farmer if he could leave this trailer on his property and pick it up on his way back through.  The guy never came back, believe it or not.  After some time, the farmer offered it to his neighbor, the current owner's uncle.  He applied for a replacement title and enjoyed camping in it for years.  About 10 years ago he sold it to his nephew, the current owner. 

And I didn't mention the best part.  After speaking with the owner he figured out that as teen-agers we worked together Lifeguarding in Milwaukee.  We've had some good talks reminiscing the last two days.  I find it funny that I've been driving past his house for the last 5 years, here in the middle of no-where Wisconsin, and never would have known it if I hadn't spotted an old airstream sitting in a field along a snowmobile trail, less than 3 miles from home. 

What a lucky find. 

Had I not been snowmobiling, for the first time since moving here, I would never have known it existed. And, if that snowmobile wasn't a Vintage (slow) '79 John Deere, I probably would have been moving too fast to notice!  In a few months this Safari may have been melted down in a 6-pack of Miller Lite.

Don't ask me where I'll go with it from here. Just know she's safe and will have a good home as long as I do.

Happy Spring! 

UPDATE: 3-25-2011:  Received 2" of ice, then 4"-6" of heavy wet snow on top on 23rd-24th. This has postponed my retrieval.  What you can't see in the photos is a huge snowbank at the end of the neighbors drive needed to access this property.  C'mon Sun!  Melt me a path.