Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Airstream has long been famous for its classic shiny camper trailers that can be parked along the smooth dirt driving paths of campsites that have hook-ups for electricity and plumbing. But now it has come out with its four-wheel-drive off-road camper van for those who want to get even further off the beaten path.
With the Interstate 24X, Airstream is venturing into territory that was, up to now, mostly occupied by start-ups that specialize in making campers for overlanding and boondocking. This means real wilderness camping, which has gained in popularity during the Covid pandemic.
With a starting price of about $214,000, the Interstate 24X has knobby off-road tires and all-wheel-drive, allowing it to crawl along muddy rutted trails with less chance of getting stuck. Its sheer size -- as the name implies, it's 24 feet long -- could prevent it from getting too deep into the woods, but it's designed to venture further into the forests or deserts than Airstream's other camper vans.
Airstream has recently started offering off-road capable trailers, like the Basecamp 20X and 16X, but those are designed to be towed behind other vehicles. There are other Airstream camper vans, like the Interstate 24GT and 24GL, but the Interstate 24X is Airstream's first to offer four-wheel-drive.
Like the other Airstream Interstate models, the 24X is based on a diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van. It has comfortable bed space for two adults -- four people could fit in a pinch -- and seats as many as six.
In designing the interior, a lot of attention was paid to storage, according to Airstream. A track-like storage system along the walls, ceiling and floor allows for hanging and securing gear with straps.
The on-board bathroom also "features amenities that surpass the minimalist setup you find in most adventure vans on the market," according to Airstream. For instance, it has heated floor, a clothesline, and vanity mirror. The van also has a small kitchen with a two-burner cooktop and a microwave oven.
For living off the grid, the van comes with lithium batteries to power accessories and has solar panels to charge them. There are also extra inputs for more solar panels on the outside, and the van comes with a gasoline-powered electrical generator.
For remote work, the van is equipped with a 5G-ready cellular antenna. There are four mounts for removable tables. One mount allows a table to be used as a standing desk outside.
For driving into unlit off-road areas, the van sports a 3.5-foot light bar above the windshield. There are also other lights around the outside of the van for use at the campsite.
Camping became more popular during the pandemic, resulting in an increase in RV sales which had previously been declining. Airstream's parent company, Thor Industries, which also owns Jayco, Keystone, Heartland and other RV companies, said it has a $14.3 billion backlog of orders. That's about a year's worth of production for Thor's companies, an Airstream spokesman said. Airstream said its first Interstate 24X van orders should be completed by this fall, though.
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly Knight, a Grade 4 student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.