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After five years with our 2004 Aliner Classic, using various sleeping arrangements, we settled on a twin-bed configuration that suited us best, even though it meant making up one of the beds each night. In the fall of 2009, we unexpectedly found a used 2007 LXE with permanent twin beds, a model that's no longer made, and it was too good an opportunity to pass up. The grandsons were getting old enough for a tent, so we no longer needed the flexibility the Classic provided. We sold the beloved Classic, kept the memories, and began settling into the LXE. Use the menu at left to see the changes we are making in our newest Tea Haus. The pages are under construction, so come back often. |
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At the May 2008 Aliner Owners Club North American rally in Clermont, Florida, Lynn was smitten with the smallest Aliner product, the Alite. Weighing only 500 lbs, it struck her as the perfect getaway after her June retirement. She placed an order with Kerola's Camper Store in northwest Pennsylvania, and we picked up the camper in mid-July. As manufactured, the full 58" x 76" interior of the Alite can convert to a bed for two, essentially a "tent on wheels". However, Lynn had no intentions of sharing this space and immediately began personalizing her retreat. Click HERE to see the details. It was also time for a new vehicle, so we traded our 1996 Camry for a 2009 Corolla The wisdom of our choice was confirmed when her first towing trip, to Mt. Pleasant SC, yielded an amazing 37 mpg! |
Previous Campers
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The
1950's
Lynn grew up in a tent-camping family in upstate New York. In 1959, her dad rigged a canvas-covered utility trailer for a family trip to Newfoundland. Lynn and her sister slept in the "camper" while their parents tented. Forrest grew up on an Iowa farm. His family didn't camp, but they did travel. Their arrangements for a 1952 road trip to Idaho were economical, to say the least: 4 adults and 5 kids (ages 5-12) in a 2-door 1951 Ford!
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Sometimes it was dry camping ......
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1965
- The Apache
In preparation for a family trip to California, Lynn's parents splurged on a new Apache Golden Eagle tent pop-up trailer. It differed from this brochure in having a protective fiberglass shell that closed over the canvas. When opened, this shell made 2 very handy exterior storage shelves under the extended beds. In 1982, we adopted the Apache and used
it with our two children for trips to the southwest U.S. (1984) and Canada's
Maritimes (1986), as well as annual summer trips to the Eastern Shore at
Chincoteague, VA. As the kids grew up we used it less, so in 1995
we passed it on to another young family. It's still in service after
40 years - not bad!
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2004 -
Our First Aliner (the DL, or "Classic")
Anticipating retirement and wanting to camp with grandchildren, we purchased our 2004 Aliner from Oldtown Camper Sales (no longer in business) in Winston-Salem, NC. We were lucky to find one on the lot with most of the features on our "wish list". It was a DL model, now called the "Classic", with rear gaucho sofa (slide-out plywood) and front bed/dinette. It came equipped with the galley package (including 3-way fridge/freezer and I/O stove), sink, gas furnace, AC, pull-out step, battery, large rear bubble window, two front bubble windows and two opening roof vents. In November 2004, the dealer added a Fantastic Fan and electric brakes. It was quite a step up from our previous camping and we loved it. Use the links below for details about modifications we made on the Classic. |