Review of the Airstream Rangeline

After nearly four months of ownership and a fair amount of radio silence on my part, I’m ready to share my review of the Airstream Rangeline Class B van.  As a Tin Can Pilgrim, I’m a big fan of Airstream and its shiny rounded trailers.  For nearly five years, I towed my very own “Tin Can,” first a 25 foot Flying Cloud, then a 19 foot Flying Cloud.

When my aging truck stopped being reliable, I considered my options.  Airstream’s launch of the new Rangeline campervan led me to consider a drivable RV still within the Airstream family.  Built on the RAM Promaster 3500 Extended chassis, the Rangeline is a new product line for Airstream. My 2023 Airstream Rangeline is the 111th off the production line. I purchased it in March at Blue Compass RV Orlando.

As I write my review, I’m comfortable sitting at my Rangeline’s generous table as I  listen to the rain beat irregular cadences on the roof. The Rangeline’s expandable table is more than my writing desk. It serves as extra counter space, dining area, and occasional art studio. Front and side windows surround the table.  The roof fan above pulls in fresh air. When it is not raining too hard, I open the sliding side door. A finely woven pleated screen keeps out the flying insects that would like to visit inside my Rangeline. With the many windows and sliding door open, I can hear the waves of Maine’s Sebago Lake in the background and smell the fresh pine scent from the forest that surrounds my site.

Like other early adapters, I’m a pioneer as we figure out what needs to be fixed or improved. For the most part unwittingly, early Airstream Rangeline purchasers are basically beta testers. Although there are many things I love about the Rangeline, there are some serious functional issues. The bottom line: the Rangeline would be amazing if it worked as designed; it doesn’t yet. I can’t recommend purchasing one until issues common to many of the early ones have been fixed. Hopefully, over the next year or so Airstream will solve its quality control issues and improve or replace its Firefly interface for managing all the electric components. And, I especially hope that all the fixes that need to be done will be done for my purchase before the warranty expires.

What I Like

Drivability

I love the way the Rangeline drives. The visibility is great, it accelerates well, turns more nimbly than I expected, and the seat is comfortable for me.

My Rangeline fits in a regular parking spot nearly always. I’ve even parallel parked in cities. The size and self sufficiency allow me to “mooch dock” with friends or boondock off grid, assuming my electrical system is working. More about that later!

Surprisingly, having to “break camp” by using my Rangeline as a daily driver simply isn’t an issue. I leave my chair and a sign noting this spot is occupied, and, if in a secure location, my water hose and electric cord. Even if I feel a need to coil and hang these items on the storage panels in the back of the Rangeline, it doesn’t take much time. I never have to rush “home” to my campsite to fix a meal because everything is with me. When I pick up groceries, I can load them in the appropriate spot in my van immediately instead of having to drive perishables back to the campsite. If the weather changes or I decide to hike after church, I have everything with me for a change of clothes.

Also, the Rangeline costs less to insure and to drive than the combined truck/trailer rig. My gas mileage is between 18-20 mpg, considerably better than the 10-12 mpg when towing my 19 ft trailer with a RAM 1500. There is one vehicle to maintain, not two. Yet, for the first few months of ownership, the additional distances I’ve had to drive for warranty repairs more than eliminate the cost savings of better gas mileage.

Power and Fuel

The Rangeline is all gasoline fueled so I don’t have to refill propane tanks or do propane maintenance. The Timberline heating and hot water system is very efficient and runs from either electricity or directly from the gasoline fuel tank, or both. If the fuel tank is less than a quarter full, the heating system and generator won’t work. That’s actually a good safety feature. It forces you to fill your tank when it starts getting low and prevents you from inadvertently running out of gas by using the heat and generator.

While boondocking, the integrated gasoline generator suspended underneath the Rangeline provides power. So far, this feature promises more than it delivers. Often it doesn’t power everything it should. Frequently, just the microwave will work via the inverter when the generator runs while boondocking. In theory, and per the manual, the Rangeline’s generator can charge the house battery and run the electric heat, air conditioning, microwave, and galley receptacles. While I understand this is not all at once, I’ve often experience limited success in getting it to run anything more than the microwave. This isn’t a matter of trying to run too many individual appliances, such as a hair dryer or coffee pot. The power just isn’t going to the outlets (or the air conditioner or electric heat) at times when it should.

Although the Rangeline boasts 200 watts of solar, it is designed in a way that only minimally charges the house battery. It charges the chassis battery first. After the chassis battery is fully charged, then it switches to charge the house battery. With parasitic draws and the 12 volt/electric refrigerator running, on a sunny day this results in very little gain for the house battery if any. Until I do more boondocking for longer periods, I won’t be able to tell if this use of solar makes sense. It is the opposite of what the solar GoPower Controller manual recommends for wiring.

Design

Overall, I really love the Rangeline’s design for my solo travel, writing, and blogging. It is simple and streamlined. Things that can be manual, like window coverings and the awning, are. There’s no need to worry about accidental deployment of the awning! The adjustable desk/table is awesome with a swiveling lower portion that extends to almost double the space. There’s no need to take it down while I travel (but you can to make room to carry passengers in the bench seat).

A small space is easier to clean and keep neat, but prioritizes orderliness. Everything has a place. Airstream makes the most of the Rangeline’s size by multi-purposing space and using every opportunity to create storage.

As with Airstream trailers, this RV is beautiful. Touches of aluminum on the high ceiling, along the aisle, and outside the wet bath nod to its Airstream identity. Light colored wood, white surfaces, aluminum toned fixtures, and neutral leatherette seats harmonize to create a peaceful atmosphere.

Magnificent Multi-purposing

In fact, it is safe to say that most features have multiple uses in this 21 foot camper van, both intended and unintended. I use half my comfortable bench seat and space under the table for extra storage unless I have guests. The backs of my front seats are handy for hanging a jacket or pants dampened by the rain if I’m already using the hooks outside the wet bath for a towel or washcloth). An aluminum finished handrail curves along the galley counter, serving both as a firm assist to keep one’s balance while entering or departing the van’s side door and a place to hang a dish towel.

Beneath the handrail three very convenient niches in the side of the galley counter store footwear, flashlights, and a lantern. Just below these niches, the heating vent blows warm air on my hiking boots that I leave just inside the sliding door. The air flow also helps dry and warm any clothing I hang over the headrest of the passenger cockpit seat. Next to that seat, I mounted a small grey plastic hook for my lanyard that holds my keys. Since the lanyard literally hangs in front of the sliding door handle, it very effectively reminds me to grab the keys as I exit.

Wet Bath

Opposite the galley, there’s plenty of room in the wet bath. The wet bath itself is a marvel of engineering. It serves as a bathroom, a dressing room if the van’s windows are open, a temporary laundry storage area, and a hiding place for drying just washed delicates that can’t go in the laundromat dryer. I added a small collapsible curtain rod to hang such items in the alcove inside the wet bath.

Regarding intended uses, the wet bath’s water pressure is strong, the water temperature comes up fast, and the toilet works well. I find I don’t often use the mirror and pull down sink in the wet bath, but I imagine they are super convenient for men who want to shave in the shower. Instead, my galley sink serves double duty for kitchen purposes and washing my face and hands and brushing my teeth. Always keeping it clear of dishes and cleaning it between uses maintains hygiene.

After a few instances of leaving my van with unabsorbed bits of moisturizer decorating my face, I added small round adhesive mirrors outside the wet bath, opposite the galley sink. They look nice too, echoing the shape of the Rangeline’s round mounts for pull-down hooks on either side of the mirrors.

Galley

The galley is well designed. I find the electric induction cooktop that stores in a drawer when not in use makes much better use of space for me than a multiple burner stovetop. I don’t miss the oven from my trailer which I only used twice in several years; same for the television (prewiring for a television allows one to be added easily if you wish).

The microwave is ideally positioned above the refrigerator. The small shelf in front of the microwave conveniently holds my glasses and a cup of water at night. The Vitrifrigo refrigerator is fantastic. It has a freezer sufficient for small ice cube trays and a frozen meal or two, sturdy shelves with adjustable dividers inside the door, and plenty of space for my food. Best of all, it regulates its temperature so much better than the propane/electric Dometic refrigerator in my Airstream trailer. Much to my delight, the refrigerator light turns on automatically when the door opens. There’s even a small produce bin.

Past the galley at the back of the van is a full sized bed and storage area (“the garage”). The open slat bed is comfortable and easy to put up and down. I like a firm mattress but it is easy to add a soft topper if you don’t. I was skeptical about having to fold and unfold the bed but found I can keep a bottom sheet on the larger part of it making it easy to remake the bed each evening. Best of all, there are windows at the foot and head of the bed, providing excellent cross ventilation. However, the quality of construction of the bed is up in the air, literally. See the discussion below.

Storage

Finally, the Rangeline’s storage is pretty amazing for such a compact vehicle. Most of my footwear fits in the cubbies right by the sliding door. Latches on drawers and storage lockers are very strong but easy to open and close. I haven’t had any drawers or cabinets pop open. The pantry is ample.

Although not having a closet was a bit of a challenge, I find that my pruned down number of dresses and coats survive rolling up without too many wrinkles. The retractable step up to the bed even contains a hidden storage compartment. Other hidden storage gems include the trash can concealed within two drawer fronts; the multiple glove compartments in the cockpit; and the deep side compartments on the cockpit doors. The overhead storage area spanning the cockpit, affectionally dubbed the pizza oven based on its shape, is perfect for storing the insulated blackout window covers when not in use. A spare jacket and hats live there as well.

Under the bed, the “garage space” storage holds a lot, including my folding electric bike and two large plastic bins for off season clothes and tools. With bungee cords and a cargo net, the track system securely holds these items as well as a beach umbrella, chairs, a carton of books I sell, and small tables. The MOLLE panels on the back door work well for hoses and some other items that I prefer to hang there for easy access from outside. Honestly, after traveling for a while, I think I could pare down my belongings even more to make better use of the two storage bins built into the same area where wiring and the lithium battery are hidden. I’d like to be able to walk straight out the back without having to climb over my stored items.

Despite all these positives, why am I not happy with my Rangeline? Put simply, it has yet to work as designed. As discussed below, the most serious flaw is that numerous electrical system issues plague my van (and those of other early owners).

What I Don’t Like

There’s a significant lack of quality control in the manufacturing process and an apparent lack of knowledge at Airstream about how Firefly integrates with the Rangeline’s electric system. With a 36,000/3 year Airstream warranty, whichever comes first, a van runs out of warranty a lot faster than a trailer especially if you use it as a daily driver. I’m genuinely concerned that the bugs won’t be fixed within the warranty period.

As an owner of an Airstream trailer for four and half years, I felt I understood the quality control process included working out some glitches in the first year or two of ownership. For the most part, Airstream’s factory production process remains consistent with their decades of good reputation.

Sadly, my Rangeline is not off to a good start and my experience is far from unique. I purchased mine in mid-March 2023 and have visited dealerships and the factory for warranty repairs six times so far. My seventh visit is scheduled for tomorrow, if parts arrive on time.

Owners as Beta Testers

When I asked Airstream’s customer service and sales team for comment about quality control, I was told that every Rangeline has to pass several quality control stations in production. “As we get feedback from the field…we often make these QC checks more robust to ensure they are working properly and are considering the detailed feedback we receive,” explained Justin Humphreys, Director of Sales, “As we discover problems that need to be fixed, they are communicated to dealers along with detailed repair instructions. Some of the feedback we receive in the field is further tested in our R and D shop to see if we can duplicate the problem.”

I personally did not pay the premium associated with the Airstream brand so I could be a field tester. Mistakenly, I assumed that field testing, not just following vendor instructions for components or bench testing the wiring, occurred as part of the original development process. How the system integrates and works in practice seems to have been left to post-sale experience. I expected robust quality control to be in place before the Rangeline launched, not to be implemented in response to problems reported by purchasers months later.

Nonetheless, my experience with individual dealers and the factory technicians has been good. In fact, I’ve gotten to know some very well from my repeated visits. For the most part, I’ve been able to get appointments and have repairs done in a timely manner. Often, the techs had to consult with Jackson Center – or the Rangeline engineers – to address my van’s failures.

Another source of information has been posts by other Rangeline owners detailing similar electrical system and other problems on two Facebook pages:  a public one and a private one.  There even are videos on You Tube now about how to fix certain common problems, as more is learned by owners and by Airstream.

Delivery and Initial Shakedown Trip

My purchase and service department experience at the Blue Compass RV Orlando Airstream dealership was excellent. Scott Lafferty, my salesperson, was professional and very helpful both before, during and after the sale. He went out of his way to obtain information I requested.

After a very thorough orientation at the dealership, I stayed in the area for several days. With the purchase of any RV, I expected to find some readily fixable issues upon delivery and during the initial shakedown trip. The portable JBL speaker was missing so an order was placed to receive one and several user manuals for appliances were not included in the owner’s packet. The dealership did not have them either, so they found links to them online except for one – the Firefly electrical management system – which did not have a manual for the Rangeline at that time.

During my first overnight stay in my new Rangeline, I noticed gaps in the caulking around the pull-down sink in the wet bath and sloppy finishing of the caulking around the kitchen sink drain. One of my Velcro attached window shades did not fit properly. The dealer’s service department promptly corrected the caulking issues. Although the dealer facilitated having Airstream order the correct window shade part for me, I’m still waiting for it three months later.  None of these glitches, though, warranted as much concern as what I discovered next.

Failures while Boondocking

During my next trip several hours away from Blue Compass RV Orlando, I boondocked occasionally. I had difficulty with the generator shutting down only twenty minutes or so after running it. I also received G12 error messages on Firefly and the air conditioning did not work. Then, the bath vent and water pump stopped working. When I called Jackson Center for advice, Airstream customer service suggested a module had gone bad. I also realized the house battery was not charging while driving. It consistently drained, but I could charge it with the generator (if working) or electric hookup.

The service department at Blue Compass RV Orlando promptly scheduled another appointment. They found a connection was not connected in wiring in the wall panel next to the passenger seat; it turned out that the connection tended to separate as Airstream produced it with two male connectors, not one male and one female.  In addition, two wires in the G12 harness were not working and had to be replaced. Finally, the Firefly software needed updates. The dealership completed the repairs and updated the software. Unfortunately, the Firefly system does not have a way for an individual owner to implement a software update!

For a few days, the dealership’s work fixed the problems, but then the house battery again failed to charge while driving north. Airstream’s factory in Jackson Center, Ohio, fit me in for an appointment I detoured for en route to Maine from Florida.

Factory Visit

At the factory an excellent technician spent a day unsuccessfully seeking to diagnose the problem. He concluded he needed to consult with the engineers from production across the street the next morning. Another tech had free time to work on some non-urgent issues such as cracking in the caulk behind the sink counter where it met the wall and a gap in the material covering the passenger cockpit seat that I’d not noticed initially. They returned my vehicle to me to stay in overnight.

To my dismay I noticed that the fix for the caulking behind the sink was worse than the original problem. The tech added a screw to tighten the wall. That resulted in the wall pulling away from the overhead storage compartment exposing the screws connecting it to the wall. Surprisingly, the re-caulking had dark streaks, which I surmised were from smoothing the caulk with a dirty finger. The chair material was tucked back in behind a plastic piece, but since then has worked loose again. It is on the list for a factory appointment I made in October in anticipation of further warranty issues.

On day two of my factory visit, in response to my somewhat heated request, the first tech fixed the second tech’s attempt at repairing the caulking behind the sink and secured the storage compartment. Meanwhile, while waiting for guidance from Airstream’s engineers, the customer service representative and the first tech gingerly informed me that there was a recall on the Rangeline’s generator by Cummins, the manufacturer.

Generator Recall

Cummins advised that a clamp on the gasoline fuel intake line could work loose, potentially causing a gasoline leak under the van while running the generator. Airstream’s service representative gave me a copy of the letter Airstream was sending to Rangeline dealers to advise them to tell customers to stop using the generators.  Further, no more Rangelines could be delivered until completion of the generator recall.

That advance notice let me secure an early May appointment for the repair at Cummins in Maine, my next destination. Turned out my generator actually had the leak, so I’m thankful my use of it for several hours before then was without incident. I also was pretty cheerful about the news, figuring that at least this gave me the opportunity to help other owners who weren’t given such early notice. I posted the warning and a copy of the recall letter to the Rangeline owner and wannabes pages on Facebook and gave a heads-up to my dealership.

By the afternoon of the second day, Jackson Center found that the DC-DC converter was not set to charge, only supply. Also, the tech discovered two identical wires to the transfer switch had been reversed. He corrected both problems. I left the factory in high spirits, sure that I was set for Maine.

Roof Leak

By the time I got to Connecticut, however, I noticed water on the table during a rain storm. The overhead fan was dripping. I stopped in New Hampshire at an Airstream dealer after discussing the leak with Jackson Center service. Although the New Hampshire dealership normally worked only on Airstream trailers, they were willing to follow the advice from Jackson Center to re-caulk around the outside of the fan once this was approved as warranty service. The helpful dealership technician mentioned the original caulking was sloppy and that he cleaned up partial handprints from caulking material on the roof.

Happily, I drove away to Maine. The next time it rained hard, the leak recurred. During this downpour I realized there was water inside a light I didn’t know existed inside the pizza oven. The water caused the light to come on and stay on until it dried out. Last year, Airstream of Lebanon did good work on my Airstream trailer during the Airstream International Rally in Fryeburg ME. Since I was an existing customer, they agreed to work on the leak under the Rangeline warranty even though they do not carry Rangelines and generally are not servicing them. They told me it would take two full days so I arranged to stay with a new friend in Falmouth ME and rented a car.

The fan needed to be caulked inside and out, including around screws holding the fan in place. Airstream of Lebanon found gaps in the caulk where the solar panel was connected and caulked there as well as around the marker lights. They allowed the caulk to dry and water tested the roof. Despite several intense rainstorms, my Rangeline remains cozy and dry.

Ongoing Electrical Issues

By contrast, electrical issues continue to appear. A mysterious orange warning screen stating the automatic generator start is disabled appears randomly even when I’ve not used the generator or set the AGS. I’ve been told by Airstream customer service that this might be a loose wake wire. It is on the list for my next warranty visit.

More significant, when I try to boondock and use the generator for supplemental power (since the solar is pretty much useless for the house battery), invariably something else stops working. That might be the water pump or air conditioning or the entire G12 wiring harness. The inverter occasionally loses all its settings and stops working. The indicator for the fresh water tank level or the state of charge of the battery disappears.

After consultation with the factory service reps, my first line of defense is to check the breakers and fuses. If they are fine, I disconnect from shore power, turn off the battery connect for twenty minutes, and restart it. Sometimes this fixes whatever the issue is. However, this technique didn’t help the galley power tower or the outlet under the passenger bench seats when they stopped working in May.

Thankfully, another visit to the Lebanon dealership dealt with these two issues. The breaker for the galley power tower appeared to be in the on position but had slipped midway between on and off. The outlet under the seats was wired backwards.

Bed Breaks

The day before this appointment at Airstream of Lebanon, part of the Rangeline’s bed gave way. Supposedly the slatted folding bed holds 600 pounds. As I knelt on the mattress to get into the bed, the wooden slat under my knee popped out, shearing the plastic pins that lock the slat’s plastic end caps onto the bed’s metal frame. When I climb into the bed, I normally step with my right foot on the retractable step then kneel with my left knee on the bed. I’ve since taken to turning around and backing up into the bed so I distribute my weight across more space. Just one moderate sized person (me) uses the bed. I don’t jump on it or travel with it in the down position. Thankfully, Lebanon improvised a temporary fix with gorilla tape.

A few weeks later, Airstream sent me the wrong sized replacement parts, so the bed also is on my list for a visit to the factory in October. It looks like some of the slats were installed curving up and a few were flat or curved down. Do it yourself kits for that type of bed advise installing each slat with a curve toward the ceiling for more strength. The bed arrives in one assembled piece to Airstream from its supplier, so it may be that the one installed in my Rangeline happened to be flawed. Meanwhile, the gorilla tape seems to be holding. Again, this is a problem that might have been averted through inspecting the quality of a vendor supplied part before installing it.

Inverter Fails Again

A week after my second visit to Airstream of Lebanon the inverter/charger stopped working. Airstream technical service in Jackson Center tried to walk me through resetting the settings in Firefly, but the Dodge Rangeline button that should pull up the settings options menu did not work. They recommended that a dealer test the SeeLevel soul module as it might be preventing the inverter/charge from working. Some Rangelines have a 9 pin connector in that module although it is supposed to be 7 pins. This connection seems to be related to Firefly problems in communicating with the inverter/charger. Once again, I made an appointment at Airstream of Lebanon for a fix.

Meanwhile, I ran my generator for its two hour monthly workout. Mysteriously, the next day the inverter charger started working again and I was able to correct the settings based on Jackson Center’s advice. However, now every few days the Firefly screen displays the bright orange warning message that the generator temperature is high and the Automatic Generator Start (AGS) is disabled. Since I’m not using the generator, and have never used the AGS, this makes no sense. Airstream’s Jackson Center service representative suggested it might be a loose wake wire for the generator.

On my way to my appointment to have the SeeLevel soul module and warning screen checked, as soon as I disconnected from the electric hookup at my campsite and parked to boondock overnight, the inverter/charger settings disappeared. Once again, the inverter stopped working. Thankfully, the battery still charged while driving because it no longer charged when I reconnected to electric shore power. I could no longer reset the Firefly inverter/charger settings. I also noticed that the Firefly electrical display screen during previous inverter/charge failures showed arrows inside white lines going from the transfer switch to breaker box to inverter/charge. Previously, when the inverter/charger worked, the white line with arrows continued from inverter/charger to house battery. Now there were no white lines with arrows at all on the electric screen.

Draining the Battery to Reset

Back at Airstream of Lebanon, the tech doublechecked the breakers and fuses and reset the battery using the disconnect switch, as I had tried at the campsite. He called Airstream technical advice and went through the process of resetting the inverter and inputting the correct settings. Once again it worked, but it wasn’t clear why. The Airstream factory customer service rep recommended that the dealership drain the battery past its reset point of 11.5v. That endeavor was postponed after the tech asked specifically about the seven versus nine pin connector issue. Airstream then told him where to look and he found I had the nine pin connector. The seven pin is now on order.

Meanwhile, I called Jackson Center’s technical service seeking clarity on why it is a good idea to drain my battery down and what relationship that has to avoiding the same issue of having the inverter/charger stop working. The answer was that the “State of Charge” indicator needs to calibrate by sensing the bottom and top voltage, so it can then show the correct SOC on the Firefly screen. Discharging the battery to 11.5v will do this, I was told.   Recently, however, Airstream told me there is a software update for Firefly that will fix this problem.  I’m calling Jackson Center again to be sure I already have that update.

As soon as parts arrive, I’ll be headed back to Airstream of Lebanon for an appointment to replace the soul SeeLevel module 9 pin connector with a 7 pin connector and to replace the inverter. If these measures don’t work, the next step is to replace the G12 board and wiring harness. I’ve heard from another Rangeline owner with similar electrical system problems that nothing worked and now his dealer is replacing shunts that may have failed.

Frustration

It may seem like a small thing to have to have so many warranty repairs done on my new Airstream. Not so.

Repeated failures and repairs really interfere with my use of the van. When my Rangeline is being serviced, I wait for the work to be finished. If it cannot be completed within a day, I need to find alternate transportation (and housing) until it is. That’s a definite downside to a driveable as opposed to a truck and trailer. With a tow vehicle, at least I still have transportation if the trailer is in the shop. The warranty doesn’t compensate for my time and travel to a dealership or the factory, an alternate place to stay during my travels, or alternate transportation. So far, I can’t rely on the van working if I want to boondock.

Moreover, I’m beginning to wonder if there is a safety impact to how easily the electric system derails. Airstream assures me that they are continuing to make improvements in what they are building and to offer fixes to customers in the field. The harness connector issue and the DC-DC setting now are being fixed in production, according to Director of Sales Justin Humphrey. He states it is no longer necessary to drain the battery to sync it with Firefly because now there is a Firefly software update that automatically syncs it. I’ve passed this information on to the dealer working on my rig who was advised two weeks ago to drain the battery. Meanwhile, hopefully the next round of fixes will resolve the inverter failures.

Do I wish I never purchased the Rangeline? Not yet, but check back later. It has been a very frustrating experience so far. Thankfully, I’m camp hosting until October so except for occasional short excursions I have shore power.   Boondocking remains difficult.  If my Rangeline works as designed in the not-too-distant future, I’ll be pleased. Meanwhile, the process of repeatedly fixing electric system failures and the sense that Airstream has a big learning curve for solving them saps my joy in Airstreaming. I’d advise anyone considering a Rangeline to think about their tolerance level for being part of the process of working out the bugs versus waiting a year or two.

Trust in God

Ultimately, for me this whole adventure with Airstream RVs is one of trust in God’s plans. I never planned to travel in an RV at all. Embarking on my Airstream adventures was divinely inspired, as you know if you’ve read my memoir. In Journeys with a Tin Can Pilgrim (St. John’s Press 2021), I share my story about the spiritual and practical aspects of learning how to travel and live in an Airstream trailer.

As when I purchased my first Airstream in 2018, this spring I prayed and sought to discern whether the time was right to move to a drivable. I accepted the risk of being an early purchaser of a new model, but never anticipated the extent of Rangeline’s problems or that Airstream would not know how to fix them. The learning curve has been steep and at the expense of the time and convenience of owners.

So now, I’m striving to accept with cheerfulness that I don’t see the whole picture. Whatever happens God has it in hand, and I should be at peace with it. This is a work in progress and remains an ongoing challenge in light of how much time and energy I’m spending on my new home’s problems and repairs. It helps knowing that my experience could be useful to others and may have led to encounters with people I might not otherwise have met. Also, it is truly fortunate that I’m camp hosting with electricity on my site for the next months. My prayer is that I continue to grow in trust and to be secure in knowing that all works for the good. Hopefully, all will be working soon on my Rangeline, and I’ll see you down the road.