Hal and Marilyn Thoms brought plenty of red, white, and blue to a vintage trailer rally in Pismo Beach. Their classic canned-ham trailer proudly displayed a 48-star American flag that once hung in a school classroom.
The 48-star flag became official on July 4, 1912, following the addition of New Mexico and Arizona to the Union. It remained the nation’s official flag for 47 years. That period was longer than any previous version. It flew through two World Wars and the country’s rise as a world power. Eight U.S. presidents served under its stars.
At the time of the rally, Hal and Marilyn had been vintage camping for only about a year, but they didn’t waste any time putting together a memorable combination.
A neighbor had been restoring a 1953 Aljo that caught Hal’s eye. Hal offered to purchase it, and the two soon reached a deal. Once Hal and Marilyn had their “new” vintage trailer, they decided it deserved an equally distinctive tow vehicle.
Just one week later, they attended a truck show and found the Studebaker—the perfect finishing touch for their classic camping setup.
Hal is also a professional photographer and a longtime contributor to Vintage Camper Trailers magazine. His photography has helped capture and preserve many of the trailers, tow vehicles and people that make the vintage camping hobby so special.
