OVERLAND JOURNAL FALL 2019106
T
ravel canbeconsidered a blessingno matter whatyour age
whentheopportunitystrikes,butwhenweareyoung,theben-
efitsshapewhowebecome,withthecapacitytoalterhowweperceive
theworldatlarge.Dale“Pee-Wee”Schwambornwasjust 13 yearsold
when he was giventhechancetoaccompanyAirstreamFounderWally
Byamonthetripofa lifetime:thecompany’sfirst
caravantoMexicoandCentralAmerica.
Officially dubbed the First Annual Inter-
AmericanTrailercoachCaravanTour, 165 people,
55 cars,and 51 trailerssetoutinDecember 1951
forfourmonths,describedbyWallyasbeing“just
like a circus moving into town”with each new
destinationalong theroute.Theoutfitwasself-
sustaining,withtheir“ownlight plant,cafeteria
car,loudspeakingsystemandtowtruck,”with“a
big fiestaand fandangoeverynight.”Each new
morning brought opportunity for adventure,an
appealingpropositionforPee-Wee.
Daleis Wally’sfirstcousinonceremoved.His
mother, Helen Byam Schwamborn, and Wally
reconnected and became great friendsafter the
SchwambornsmovedtoCaliforniain1931.After
takingDalefora briefendurancetestintheSi -
erraNevadaoneweekend,Wallydecidedthathe
wouldbea fittingandwelcomecompanion,and
offeredtohelpDaleseetheworld.
Almost 70 years later,Dale is a celebrityin
theAirstreamcircle.Heis thelastpersontobeabletoshareintimate
memoriesofWallyByamwithAirstreamconverts,newandold,and
waswithWallyonByam’sfirstandlastcaravans.Daleis intheprocess
ofturninghisimmensecatalogueofmemories,hislegacy,overtoAir-
stream,boxbybox;just recently, 112 additionalcartonswere moved
fromhishometotheirarchivesdepartment.Ascaretakerforvarious
remembrancesandbelongingsthatbelongedtoHelenandWally,Dale
jokesthathecouldhavemadea halfa milliondollarsoneBay(atleast)
witheverythinghewasentrustedwith,buttherewasnevera tempta-
tiontodoso—theseitemsneededtofindtheirwayhome.“I’mnotsure
if it is a blessingora curse,butI dothebestI cantosharethethings
thathavebeenputinmycare.”
Many personal artifacts reside inthe heritagemuseum inBaker
City,Oregon,wheretheByamclanis from,buttherestarefindingtheir
waybacktothecompany.Daletoldmehefeltfortunatetohavebeen
bornintotherightfamily,andthatthoughhenever ownedstockin
thecompany,“venuesanddoorsopened[forme]thatnooneelsehad.”
Sincehisretirementandthedeathofhismotherin2004,theAirstream
world has become Dale’s family, and it is one that he cherishes.