Ride of the Week… The Fall... and Rise of Vintage Trailers

For Cars, Movies and Cool… it’s Fireball Tim!

Imagine 230 vintage, classic trailers from all over the country heading west and landing in SoCal.

Sounds like what they did in the 1880’s with wagon trains, right?

But, alas, this is a thing. It’s an event that takes place every year in Buellton, just north of Malibu. And as Malibu has a very unique trailer park, many of them head up for this event. But the big question is why? Why are people nowadays so into vintage trailers?

I grew up in the ’60s with big Lincolns, slab-sided Mercury Marquis station wagons and Chrysler Town & Countrys. These were the cars that you took across country, slept in the back of and complained the whole way.

But in the ’50s, travel trailers were new, in-style, colorful and exciting. Families were purchasing Shastas, Airstreams, WeeWinds, TravelBoats, Holiday Houses and many others to make their travel dreams come true.

Over the next few decades and into the ’80s and ’90s, travel trailers weened, many falling into disrepair, junk yards and unsavory homes. Think “Breaking Bad.” But in the last decade or two, travel trailers have made a massive comeback to where it’s the ultimate “glamping” experience.

And the Buellton Vintage Trailer Bash is one of the largest gatherings of these amazing, fully-restored and period correct trailers.

So, what was my job? Well, I’m glad you asked. As I’m in cahoots with David Neel at The Murphy Auto Museum in Oxnard, I was tasked with several things, all of them geared toward creating the best show possible. And that involved this breakdown for the Sept. 22 open house.

I Vlogged each day for our show, cruised in a scooter at 6 p.m. with Fireball Scooter Shots (Fireball Whisky), gave out awards for best trailers with my good friends and peppered the entire massive show with our new “Vintage Trailers Coloring Book.”

On Saturday as I stated, it was the open house for all to come see these fabulous trailers. Unfortunately, by the time this article comes out in print, it was last Saturday. Sorry about that, chief. You missed the Gilligan’s Island party, fashion show and multiple sundowner parties. Maybe next year.

The connection people have to their vehicles, whether it be cars or vintage trailers, harkens back to old memories.

What seemed like a simpler time, but was in fact just at its essence love on wheels. Traveling has always meant joy for me. Discovery, wonder, clean air and new things.

The Buellton show is one of the best, most positive places to go on the planet. A little place called Flying Flags in a town that most people have never heard of, but as love knows no bounds, the beauty of sharing and experiencing this show with your friends really encompasses the meaning of life.

Do what you love, and all good things will come. Even if it’s in a traveling, period-correct tin can.

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The post Ride of the Week… The FALL and RISE of VINTAGE TRAILERS appeared first on Fireball Malibu Vlog.

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