Category: Airstream Accessories

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Don’t Steal My Stuff: Adding a lock to our truck’s tailgate

Don't Steal My Stuff - Adding a lock to our truck's tailgate

While getting the truck ready for traveling, I added a locking Tonneau Truck Bed Cover, and I needed a way to lock the tailgate to create a safe place to store stuff. While tailgate and truck bed covers are not perfect protection, they certainly go a long way to making it really inconvenient to dig through the contents of our truck bed.

The bed of the truck is a perfect place to keep the things not generally welcome inside an Airstream: generators, tools, and emergency supplies, as well as some long-term storage items in plastic storage bins.

Our truck did not have a locking tailgate when we bought it, but I found two reasonably priced options: The Pop Lock, and the Bully Lock.

Both of these aftermarket tailgate locks have models that fit most trucks on the market. These I linked to fit my Dodge Ram 1500, so make sure you find the right one for your vehicle.

I went with the bully lock, as it looked like a better install, and was less than half the price. The installation was fast and easy, provided you have the right star screwdriver and socket. I paid around $19 for the bully lock, and I’m happy with the result. It carries an OEM look, locks securely, and gives me the security I was looking for. I’ve been using it for a few months now, and have no complaints.

I recorded the install, so have a look if you are considering installing one yourself.

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Airstream Accessories Fitness & Recipes Most Popular Posts

Using a Blendtec in an Airstream + My Favorite Smoothie Recipe

Using a Blendtec in an AirstreamI have a smoothie obsession. I love them. Green smoothies usually, but most of the time they end up puke brown and I still guzzle them. So do my kids. When the time came to pack the van for the trip out to Virginia (pre-Airstream) the Blendtec didn’t make the cut. There just wasn’t room for it, and I was okay with that. Our house swapping partner said she had a good blender and it was only for 6 months. I’d live. Right? Wrong.

I missed my Blendtec. There’s just something about the raw power that it harnesses to create such an amazing smooth blend of frozen fruit and veggies. All the other blenders I’ve tried don’t come close. After we bought the Airstream I knew I needed something to make my smoothies. I couldn’t very well take the blender from the house we were staying in, so we bought a Magic Bullet to try it out. Smaller, uses less wattage than the Blendtec, and there was a chance an inverter could run it when we weren’t plugged into shore power in the Airstream. The consensus? Weak sauce. The only pro was that the smaller blending cups were nice – I felt like I could make a single serving quite easily. After making 5 single servings, however, I was afraid I’d burnt out the motor. Smoothie just for me? It did okay. Smoothies for the whole family? Not a chance.

I became desperate. My parents were flying to Virginia from Utah to come visit for a week and I begged, pleaded, and bribed them to take a trip to my house, collect the blender (and a few other things we needed) and  fly it all out to us. They love me so much they did. Nestled in a suitcase among a soft bed of socks, the Blendtec made the cross country trip.

And now it sits in the cupboard above my sink ready for use. I make a smoothie for breakfast or a snack at least 4 times a week. I realize there a lot of other things the Blendtec is good for, but I have simple needs. Occasionally I’ll use my frozen strawberries to make syrup for breakfast and the kids (okay, me too) love it.

The Blendtec won’t run off the battery (so we have to be camped or parked somewhere we can plug the Airstream in for electrical power), but we don’t have a generator or solar panels yet so chances are we’ll need power anyway. Good excuse, right? We need to power to run the laptop. There are definitely other blenders you can try. One of our other Airstream friends loves her low wattage Cuisinart. I just can’t do it though, so until we outfit the Airstream to live without hookups, I’ll just enjoy my smoothies.

My Favorite Recipe

1 cup of water
1/2 cup of oats
1 cup of spinach (usually frozen)
1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
1 – 1.5 bananas (frozen or fresh)
6-9 frozen strawberries
A peeled clementine or 2 if I have them

Add in order and press the Smoothie button. Enjoy!

 

*Disclaimer: I am not affiliated in anyway with Blendtec. I wasn’t paid to write this post, but they did mention to me on Instagram they’d love to see a photo of the Blendtec through the Airstream window. Their request inspired me. I wouldn’t turn down a complimentary Twister Jar though. What do you think Blendtec? 🙂

 

 

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Airstream Accessories

Gear – Coiled Trailer Breakaway Cable

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Any trailer of significant size has brakes on the trailer tires. Nearly all of these trailers will also have a breakaway cable. This useful cable attaches separately from the hitch and chains, and will activate the trailer brakes if the cable is pulled. Many cables are straight wire, and have the tendency to drag on the ground. This is bad.

After arriving at my destination to find a frayed cable, I knew there had to be something better. Many methods of securing a brake cable would interfere with the operation of the cable, preventing it from doing it’s job. After looking around, I found the Fastway Breakaway Cable. This thing is coiled (keeping it off the ground) and it’s red, which helps me remember to check it when hooking up. The coil is just enough to hold it off the ground, but is not nearly enough force to pull the emergency brake, so there is no worry about the cable causing the pin to pull out while driving causing a trailer brake lockup on accident.

Note: The pin on this particular cable fit my emergency brake, but it might not fit yours. Pull out your current pin and compare to make sure you get a compatible cable. Also consider getting the 6 foot cable if needed for your setup. Look around, and buy the one that will work correctly.

Coiled Breakaway Cable for Trailer

Coiled Breakaway cable for trailer 2

 

 

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Airstream Accessories

Noncomittal Airstream modifications with Command Hooks

On our very first trip in the Airstream, we realized that we needed some hooks. Hooks for towels, keys, sunglasses, and clothes. As you can imagine, I wasn’t excited to drill holes all over the walls and furniture trying to decide where the hooks would work best. Spackle doesn’t look great on aluminum.

Enter 3M Command Hooks. I’ve been using these for years, but I’ve been cheap, and usually bought the plastic variety. 3M makes a line of metal command hooks, which are both stronger and better looking than their plastic cousins. The use the same awesome pull-to-release adhesive strip as the rest of the Command Strip line, but look and work great with the decor in our new silver home. The Metal 3M Command Hooks come in three sizes, and we have used both the Small and the Medium hooks.

When you decide you made a mistake with hook placement, you can remove the hook and use a replacement strip to remount the hook. Most hooks even come with two strips, so save the spare. Replacement strips are also available, and you can buy adhesive strips that work better in moisture heavy environments such as the shower, bathroom, or the east coast.

As you can see, we use quite a lot of them.

Using Command Hooks in an AirstreamUsing Command Hooks in an Airstream (2)

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Airstream Accessories

Laptop Pad

Today’s highlight shows how I was able to do some editing while in the car without totally hating life. Previous to this trip I bought the Logitech Portable Laptop Desk N315 and thought it was a good deal – even for editing on the couch while watching a movie with the hubby. You know, multi-tasking at its best. But it really shines when you are traveling.

You think I’m kidding, but this sucker has been a LIFE saver. And probably not for the reason you think. Yes, it keeps your lap cool (who here hasn’t put a laptop in their lap and singed their thighs a little??) but its the retractable mousepad that is my favorite feature. Trying to edit photos with a little touchpad on a laptop is a nightmare. I hate it. I won’t do it. You can’t really drag and drop, and using the patch tool to remove some unwanted blemishes? Total fail. I bought this one off Amazon on a whim and really, really, love it. So, if you are traveling (I’ve used it on a plane) and have a laptop that you might even possibly need to use while not seated a desk. Get this one. You can thank me later.

Oh – and to go along with it, you need a good USB Mouse. Ours is also a Logitech, but really, any good optical mouse will do. Although, what I really am thinking we should do is upgrade to wireless mouse. Then we could have one less cord to get tangled in the bag. Yup. Its going on the wishlist.

Happy Travels!