That’s us! I’m Kim and he’s Todd – an elementary school teacher and a computer software engineer from Portland, Oregon.
Four years ago we ventured into the Airstream world when we purchased a new 16 foot Airstream Bambi. We were total camping newbies and had never pulled a trailer before. We had no idea what fun and adventures we’d have. Our goal was to take the Bambi out at least once a month…and for the most part we made it! 75 trips later we traded it in for a 2015 25fb.
We have loved the Airstream lifestyle and have met some wonderful people along the way! Our Airstream adventure has been a catalyst to get us out of the house and explore the beauty of the Pacific Northwest (until we can retire and really get out and see the world!)
Enjoy :
Mt. Rainier National Park
The (not so) Small Small Trailer 
I loved reading this!! We are in Oregon, trying to decide between a Bambi 16 or the Bambi 19
Kids grew up and we are trying to decide what to do in our new chapter. Thanks for sharing your info 🙂
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Good luck to you, Lynn…it’s a fun decision 🙂 Lucky for us Oregonians we have two dealerships locally to check them out! I hope you’ll update me when you find one and send me a link if you post photos!
Kim
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Hi Kim, Love your blog. I just retired from teaching, and we are considering a 16 ft or 19 foot Airstream. Our closest dealer (we are in central WA) also owns a dealership in Portland. Have you ever wished you 16 footer were just a bit longer? 🙂
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Hi Linda, Congratulations on your retirement!! I have seven more years to go…I start back to school this Monday, but I still love it, even after all of these years. Always sad to see summer come to an end, but there’s something exciting about the starting of a new school year!
Now to answer your question about the 16′ vs 19′ and if we ever wished we had a larger one….the answer is yes, sometimes. That said, we love our little 16′ and we still feel like it was the right choice for us this time in our lives. The PNW is so dark and gray most of the year, that the wrap around windows at both ends was a must have for us. It’s also small enough to fit nicely on our driveway, and we can sneak it into just about any camp site! We really only use ours on the weekends though, usually just 2-3 nights at a time.
If you’re really planning on traveling, the larger ones offer some real benefits. We have only a combined gray/black tank and it’s rather small…the 19′ has separate tanks and they hold a lot more. Ours only has one battery (we’re adding a second), the 19′ has two. Ours does not have a heat pump, the 19′ does. Ours has a wet bath, the 19′ has a separate shower and vanity. The 19′ also has larger propane tanks…and of course, there is more storage. The 16′ actually has a longer bed which was also important to us because my husband is 6’3.
Hope that helps a little. It’s exciting shopping for one, and I remember what a big decision it was…a few sleepless nights around here 🙂
Best of luck to you, and I hope you drop me a note when you get one!
-Kim
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Hi Kim, Thanks for all that information! I did not realize all the differences between the 16′ and the 19′. I don’t think any of the models have both front and back wrap around windows anymore. We are both pretty short, so the length of the bed is not an issue, but the width is narrower than a full size mattress! I guess you have to make sacrifices somewhere if you want to stay with a shorter, lighter weight model. ~Jane
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Hi Kim and Todd, We just signed up for
http://www.alumafandango.com/?page_id=14
Are you guys going to go? I picked a quiet site, might be fun to have you near or next to us. Would love to hear from you.
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I just discovered your blog, as another Portland mother that loves a good road trip, I love it! Thanks for sharing your travels and beautiful photographs!
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Great blog! I love the Bambi!!
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thank you…we love it too 🙂
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This is a very well done and inspiring site. Hopefully I will get out and do some camping myself. There is so much to see and the only way to really see it is in person.
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Yeah, I’m a teacher as well. I want my kids to experience nature and am thinking of buying a small airstream. What type of vehicle do you use to tow your airstream? Is there a ratio of weight between the car and airstream?
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Hi Kim – My husband is 6’5″ – and according to the specs the 16′ airstream has head room of 6’4 1/2″…with air conditioner. We will be going to take a look at the dealer, but I was wondering if the kitchen area was taller/higher since the air conditioner appears to be in a different area? Since your husband is tall too, I thought you might know. Also, is the back bunk big enough for two tall people – I was thinking my husband might sleep in one bunk and me in another. Lastly, if you ever decide to sell your trailer, let me know! I love the two wrap around windows and I don’t think you can get that anymore. We live in Seattle and I really enjoyed reading your blog! –Bonnie
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Beautiful, beautiful pictures! Stumbled upon your blog while researching the 16’s, as we are looking to buy one soon. Love the way you’ve decorated your bambi – so adorable. When you were purchasing yours, did you look into buying used or only new?
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Amy, there weren’t any small ones when we were looking so we did get it new. If I were buying a larger one, I would probably look for a used one. There seem to be a lot more of them on the market!
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Hi guys
Was just sharing your closet organizing post with someone on Air Forums and thought I would revisit your great blog. Did you pack away the AS for the winter after August or does the start of school put camping on the back burner. I’m married to a retired teacher, so I know all about the start of the school year.
Best
Dana
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Life was just so busy this year that sadly we put travel on the back burner for awhile….ready to go find adventure again 🙂
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Greetings!,
I am the owner of http://www.easiercamping.com and I like your website.
I also have a website that offers great information on “camping”.
If you would like to exchange links, I would be happy to do so.
Please let me know if this is something you would be interested in.
The link information is:
URL: http://www.Easiercamping.com
Thanks and looking forward to your reply,
Sean
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Your Bambi is sweet! Your photos are beautiful. I’ll have to put some of those campgrounds on my wish list! I don’t see any recent posts from you guys though. What’s up, and when will you be out and about again?
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My poor blog has been ignored too long 🙂 We’re back on the road and ready for more adventures!
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Well that’s good to hear! Now that a couple of us have bugged you, maybe that’ll get you going again!
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How much fun! We’re thinking about doing this. Thanks for letting us travel along
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Do you still have your photos on smugmug? I can’t find them.
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I have just been referred to your blog from someone over at Airforums. My wife and I live in Portland and just took delivery of our 25ft Flying Cloud.
Your blog has been a excellent read the last couple of days, thank you for sharing! We are taking our first excursion in mid October and I am going to resurrect my blog for it 🙂
We look forward to seeing you out there, particularly in the off season 🙂
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Hey Kim & Todd!
Do you have an email address I can reach you at? I would love to give you some information about our new site – hipcamp.com
Cheers!
Nina
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Todd and Kim, it was quite a pleasure meeting you guys this weekend at Silver Falls. We’ll have to cross paths in the future. Safe travels,
Curtis, Tami, & the People
Justbreezinalong
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We enjoyed meeting you, too, Curtis and Tammy! I hope we meet again in the future to spend a bit more time around the campfire and talk about your adventures 🙂
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We love, love, love your blog! Thank you for your work! Being from the Northwest, we are always looking for new camping experiences to explore. We have a small 17′ Nash all weather trailer which is a size that allows us to camp in the smaller US Forest Service and County Campgrounds we love. We do camp in the State Parks off season and find them enjoyable as well. We have a goal to camp at least one weekend a month, with three longer trips. Loved using your blog to assist with campsite and hiking location selections. Thank you so much! I’ve been talking about visiting the gorge to see the wildflowers in the spring for years. Your blog made the planning easy and I’m so looking forward to this trip!
Also love the bright colored, creative accessories and storage solutions you have used and shared. One of your interior photos shows a small black rectangular table next to the couch of your new trailer. Can you tell me where you purchase it? Would be perfect size and shape for our trailer.
Thanks again for the very special blog. Look forward to your future posts!
Kim
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Why is the heat pump an advantage?
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We’re planning a trip this summer to Glacier/Banff/Jasper. Did you make reservations at campgrounds or just take your chances? Wouldn’t mind being flexible with our itinerary
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Kim & Todd, what a great blog. Enjoy the fact that you do a lot of 2-3 day trips. Can’t wait to start doing this ourselves in the next 12-24 months. We are seriously considering the 23FB, but after reading your blog, possibly start out with a Bambi 16. Todd is a big guy and it seems he handles the Bambi well for 2-3 day trips. I’m a cancer survivor and delighted you are doing so well. Our daughter was an IB graduate as well. Wonderful program. Keep up that wonderful photography. Your photos are beautiful and your blog isson well done.
Mike F
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Hi Kim – thank you so much for your entertaining and informational blog. I retired a year ago from managing west side recreation on Mt. Hood including McNeil, Camp Creek, Bagby, Olallie, etc! So it is nice to see you all enjoy it. We scored a 2014 Alto R1723 (http://www.safaricondo.com/en/caravanes_R1723) trailer that is 17/5 feet long. It is a tear drop with a roof that raises with lots of windows and amenities. We have been to Stub Stewart, Tillicum, Honeyman SP, and are headed (thanks to your pics!) to Blue Bay next week! My brother and sister in law just bought a 16 ft 2017 Bambi near Sun Valley, ID. So we look forward to camping with them. Your new trailer looks gorgeous. How did you all handle sleeping in the Bambi? I am not huge, but 48″ wide bed leaves me 24″ assuming by better half isn’t hogging (he usually does). I assume the new queen is a big improvement. The Alto has a king size which spoils me. Hope to see you all around one of these days! Thanks again for the feedback and camping tips!
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Hi Kim we came across your blog after searching for a Bambi 16 International. Love your story and images. We trying to find a used Bambi 16 anywhere on the west coast for sale but not having much luck. Airstream changed the Bambi 16 to a sport model which only has a single rear window now. Nowhere near as cool as your old 2012 model. If you or anyone else who knows of one for sale we would be very interested. Thanks.
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Hi Kim and Todd – My wife and I have owned a Bambi Sport 16 for 3 years. I’m looking at the 25 Twin for our next Airstream. Twin because like Todd I’m 6′ 3″. I too want to get an F150. Is your ecoboost the 3.5L or 2.7L? Thanks.
Love your photography and trailer decor.
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Hi. I think we stayed next to you at Memaloose a couple of weekends ago. What a beautiful Airstream!
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Hi Kim and Todd,
I came across your site while looking for camping photos on Mt. Hood. I work for Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory which is the Destination Marketing Organization for Clackamas County. I’d to talk to you about using one of your camping photos in some of our publications. Could you please email me at casey@mthoodterritory.com and we can chat? Thank you and I look forward to speaking with you soon!
Casey Knopik
Development Specialist
Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory
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Hi Kim and Todd,
We just received our 2017 Oregon State Parks Guide and see that your 16ft. Bambi is featured in the guide. Woo-hoo! I know a celebrity now! Gives me tingles! You do deserve credit (which isn’t given) for your fine photography skills. Your photos are very inspiring. In fact, after getting our guide, we looked up a place to go and are on our way to Honeyman St. Park this weekend to celebrate our 39th anniversary….yikes! are we that old?
Susan and Dave
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Hi Kim & Todd,
I’m planning on purchasing a 25FB and pick up truck in the next month. Does your F150 do the job on mountain roads? If there are any tips you can give me it would be greatly appreciated!
All the best,
Henry
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Hi there, Love all the photos and ventures you both have been on. I am so in love with airstream. I was wondering if I can use one of your photos? I was looking for a way of contacting you privately but I can’t find any contact info for you.
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Hi Kim and Todd,
I’m thrilled to find your inspiring blog. My partner and I lived in Portland for many years..now in Camas. We are looking to buy next year and start our weekend adventures. I’m looking forward to learning from ya’ll some cool spots! Thanks for sharing.
Patti B
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Hello! This is so funny, because I think I just met you at Stubb Stewart State Park a few days ago. 🙂 I have the 26′ that was a few sites down. I love your blog and I think I’ve commented on it before. I am also a teacher and my husband is a software engineer. Your awning and campsite decor are beautiful and spurred me to look for some ways improve mine. I Googled camping decor and was led to your blog. Anyway, it was nice meeting you both. Happy Airstreaming!
Tammy D.
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That was us 🙂 It’s a small world. It’s fun how many people we’ve met out and about from our blog. It was fun meeting you, too. After all these years I still get excited when I see other Airstreamers in the campground! Safe travels and hope we meet again!
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You have an amazing gift of photography…..just amazing. My wife and I are in our sixties and enjoying our second Airstream, a 2019 Globetrotter. We are taking our granddaughters on epic trips like Glacier National Park in 2019 and we just arrived home from Yellowstone with two granddaughters in tow. Your photography is an inspiration for me….so PLEASE keep it up. Warm regards, DanL from Bellevue, WA.
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Aren’t grandkids wonderful to bring along. That’s the reason we went with the bigger Airstream too 🙂 We never camped with our kids when they were growing up. Grateful to get the chance to have this time with our grand babies. We’ve done Glacier with the trailer but we haven’t done Yellowstone yet. It’s one of my favorite parks! Take care and be well!
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Hi Kim, I really enjoy your blog, beautiful photos and information about where you’ve been. My husband Dennis and I are in the process of planning a third trip to Oregon in our Airstream, we live in northern California. May even go to the Metolius River, it’ looks beautiful, wouldn’t have even explored the idea w/o your blog. We too, traded up from a 19FT Bambi, now have a 23FB, love the extra room. Anyway thanks for sharing. Hollie C. from California
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Oh I think you’ll love it! There are many campgrounds on the Metolius. Recently we’ve been staying in Gorge Campground. It’s the only place in the entire wilderness area that gets a bit of cell phone service (Verizon) if that’s something important to you. It’s a fun place to explore and Sisters, Oregon is just a short drive away. There’s lots to do in the area including a really spectacular short walk to a magnificent waterfall. Have a wonderful trip! We’re heading down the coast to Bandon in a week and I can’t wait!
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Hi Kim:
I’ve been following your posts since you owned the Bambi – I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed your photos and cheery interior shots. You have “the touch” and all 3 of your AS trailers are inspirational. I have a question: Can you tell me which model BMW you pulled the 16′ Bambi with? And did you guys think it had enough power on the uphill climbs? I am retiring next year and getting my ducks in order!
Katie
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Hi Kim and Todd – I have a question about your Ford F150 and towing the 25ft Airstream you used to own? Did you guys have to add any type of air bags or air springs to the rear of the truck to keep it from sagging? We will be renting one about three weeks from now and also are looking in the next year or so at purchasing one.
Thanks
Chris & Lorri Lewis
Bluffton, SC
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Hi Chris,
We’ve used our 150 with both our 25′ and now our 28′. Works great, you shouldn’t have any problems. You shouldn’t need to do anything special to the truck. We go over weight scales often and have never been over ratings. Enjoy your trip 🙂 Airstreaming is great fun!
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Hello Kim and Todd!
My name is Marji and I’m a graphic artist. I used one of your pictures while creating a Wix site for a friend of mine. She has now gone live and it occurred to me that using one of you images with out permission may be an issue. Please let me know if we should take it down. She is a small independent business who’s just went live yesterday 2/11/2021. The image is that of a red fern in a green forest. Thank you for your consideration.
_Marji
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Sorry so late to reply. Thanks for asking and she’s absolutely welcome to use the image!
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Hello– I’ve enjoyed reading your blog for a number of years now… it’s given us great ideas to explore the PNW in our small 19′ trailer with our foster adopt daughters. (Shout out for foster families and foster adoption– OR State Parks gives you free camping spots which is a fun way to make new memories and connections with your kiddos as they integrate into your family.)
Your pictures beautiful and travelogues inspiring — so much so that it looks like the Oregon State Parks are using one of your pictures in their brochure for Milo McIver State Park (see link below). Now that you’re retired from teaching, maybe you can get a contract to take ‘glamping’ photos at all of the OR State Parks in exchange for free camping spots??!!
Thanks again for sharing– look forward to learning about more places!
Kevin B
Click to access index.cfm
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