- Airstreamers are a group of RVers who share a community spirit because of their mutual love of the brand. Wally Byam began leading groups of owners on treks to many parts of the world where the towed trailers were quite remarkable. Photos taken of the trailers in front of many famous tourist sites were common. This promoted a mystique which surrounded Airstream and continues to this day.
- The Wally Byam Caravan Club formed during the 1955 rally in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada. Later the word “International” was added to the club name, resulting in the acronym “WBCCI.” It's also commonly known as the “Wally Club.”
- In 1951, the first Airstream caravan left for Central America, traveling from Mexico to Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
- The Cape Town to Cairo caravan began in 1959. More than 100 caravanners visited the pyramids of Egypt and the camels of central African desert. They met Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and visited a Pygmy enclave.
- A caravan of 100 people in 45 Airstream trailers set out from Singapore in 1964, to trace portions of the route that explorer Marco Polo had traveled in the late 13th century. They covered 35,000 miles in 403 days – visiting almost every country in southern Asia and Europe, including the western Soviet Union.
- In 1974, a record 4,493 Airstreams attended the WBCCI International Rally in Lexington, Kentucky.
- The first caravan to China departed in 1985.
Airstreamers
Apr 07, 2014
