“We need a camper.”

Those were the exact words I said to my husband, Tyler, when we woke up in a tent to below freezing October at the majestic Yellowstone National Park. We were halfway through a nine day honeymoon trip to the breathtaking national parks of Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton. My husband, who spent over twenty years living in Alaska, only nodded in agreement at my comment. We had been talking about the idea of a camper for a few months since renting an Aliner in May for a quick weekend getaway. I loved the cute and cozy style while my husband loved the functionality and convenience. Whatever our reasons were, we could finally agree that it was time for an upgrade.

Upon returning back to Texas from our trip, I began to peruse various websites for used Aliner campers and began an obsession over all things Aliner. From Youtube videos, to Instagram posts, to any literature I could find, I became an Aliner fan. My thoughts were consumed with daydreams of trips throughout the year and the joy of decorating a camper. In true Dawn fashion, I was overly enthusiastic and full of never ending optimism. I could not wait to own an Aliner and travel with our dog Hank. I was smitten with possibility. “We’re getting a camper!” I exclaimed to anyone who would listen. My husband, in true Tyler fashion, was less enthused and more practical. His research was methodical and reasonable. He spent time considering advantages and disadvantages. He had the perfect camper condition and price in mind, and he was sticking to his plan.

I knew the secret to sparking Tyler’s enthusiasm was out there somewhere. I just didn’t know what would ignite the flame. We spent the next eighteen months searching for campers and continuing to talk about how nice it would be once we finally had a camper. Finally in May of 2023, the breakthrough I needed appeared when Tyler went on a weekend fishing trip to Rockport, Texas. In a tent, along the bay, with the winds howling and no end in sight to the Texas heat, Tyler became determined to find a camper.

You could feel the excitement in the air! From May until December, we searched RV websites, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist for a camper. We lost a few great deals by not acting quickly enough and suddenly there she was: a 2019 Aliner Classic at PPL Motorhomes in Oklahoma. After having missed out on a deal a few weeks back, Tyler was eager to move quickly. We traveled to Oklahoma in December of 2023 and FINALLY bought ourselves a camper. I was in total disbelief. Did we really just buy a camper? Am I a camper person now? Me? The same woman whose idea of roughing it was a hotel without room service?

The ride home from Oklahoma was filled with talks about camping trips and the endless possibilities that were laid out before us. I bought camper accessories and clothes on Etsy, custom made with an A-frame camper of course, and we talked about the trips we wanted to take. We also decided on a name: Edie. We were inspired by Edie Fitzgerald in the movie, “We’re The Millers.” We loved her quirky ways and her one-liners. I loved to say, “Happy Birthday, America!” and “Ok-la-homa!” in her voice. Tyler would say, “Oh that is so you.” Edie seemed like the right choice for our quirky camper from Ok-la-homa.

Now here we are with our camper, our goofy dog Hank, and endless campsites to visit. Come along for the ride as we continue to live Happily Ever Aliner.

Happy Camping,

Dawn & Tyler