A 1959 advertisement of the upcoming 1960 European Caravan.
The 1960s were a golden age of adventure for the club. With a bold spirit and a fleet of silver trailers, members of the club made history. From crossing continents to fostering global goodwill, the decade was marked by some of the most ambitious and iconic caravans ever undertaken.
The decade began with the conclusion of the African Caravan (Cape Town to Cairo), which finished its 12,000-mile journey in February.
“Because the impossible takes a little longer, we arrived a little late, but you can tell the world that the Wally Byam Caravan from Cape Town to Cairo is history,” Byam wrote in a telegram sent to Helen Byam Schwamborn, who was back in the United States, commemorating the caravan participants on a journey complete.
Not wanting the adventure to end, 20 Airstreams left Cairo for Italy to join the 1960 European Caravan.
A Year of Firsts
In 1960, the number of units (local clubs) exceeds 25 for the first time, and in February 1961, HQ organized the first National/Special Event Rally (Mardi Gras) open to all club members. The Gulf States Unit took over responsibility of running the rally in 1962.
The following year, the first International Rally to exceed 1,000 Airstreams was held in Auburn, Washington.
Taken at the 1960 International Rally. Wally, Stella, the Teen Queens and a birthday cake.
Growth of the Club and International Rallies
As the decade progressed, Airstream Club membership grew rapidly. New regional units formed across North America, bringing together like-minded travelers who shared a passion for exploration.
The 1960s also saw the rise of International Rallies, which brought thousands of Airstreamers together for fellowship, education, and celebration. These rallies helped define many of the rituals, traditions, and sense of community that still characterize the club today.
In 1962, the first units in Canada were established, as the Ontario and Quebec clubs were formed. The number of home clubs exceeds 50 for the first time as well. Later in the year, the first Intra-Club is established, the Wally Byam CB Club. Total club membership exceeds 5,000 for the first time.
The name of the club was officially changed to Wally Byam Caravan Club International (WBCCI) on Nov. 29, 1963. The name change reflected the emergence of the units located in Canada and members in other foreign countries.
Around the World Caravan (1963–1964)
Few road trips can claim the title “Around the World,” but the club made it a reality. In 1963, a group of Airstreamers set off on a transcontinental expedition through Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, eventually returning to North America.
Sadly, Wally would not get to see his dream through, as he passed away on July 22, 1962, at the age of 66.
But the caravan remained in good hands. Wally had Airstream Ohio Plant President Andy Charles make him a promise that he would see the caravan through.
Helen played an integral part in shaping the caravan, too. She wrote hundreds of letters to embassies and municipalities around the world and she traveled the country organizing visas for the caravanners.
The route included stops in Turkey, Iran, India, Thailand, and Japan. Trailers were shipped across oceans so the journey could continue — an extraordinary logistical feat at the time. The caravan fostered cross-cultural connections and goodwill, aligning with Wally Byam’s dream of “opening a window to the world.”
An Airstream at the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Continued Growth
Seven “regions” were organized in January 1964, each with their own officers. Also in 1964, club membership exceeds 10,000 families for the first time.
In June 1965, the first Blue Beret was published ahead of the eighth International Rally in Laramie, Wyoming (the first IR to exceed 2,000 Airstreams). At that rally, the Guadalajara Mexico Unit was formed, which has been the only unit ever to be based in Mexico.
In 1967, the 12 regions that we know today were established and club membership exceeded 15,000 families for the first time.
Club Headquarters moved into new offices located at the new Airstream factory at 15939 Piuma Avenue in Cerritos, California in October 1968. The same year, the number of clubs exceeded 100 for the first time.
Carrying Wally Byam’s Legacy
Even after Wally Byam’s passing, his ideals lived on. Throughout the 1960s, the club published travel logs, caravan guides, and Byam’s personal philosophies on travel. His “Caravanning Creed” and manuals for international caravanning were distributed widely, inspiring new generations of Airstreamers to see the world as their backyard.
A Decade That Defined a Movement
The 1960s weren’t just a time of travel—they were a time of transformation. The Wally Byam Caravan Club International proved that travel could be more than tourism. It could be an act of diplomacy, exploration, and community.
The club’s adventures during this decade helped shape its identity as more than just a group of trailer enthusiasts. It became a movement of dreamers, doers, and pioneers of the open road.
International Rallies held in the 1960s (plus attendance)
- 1960: Colorado Springs, Colo. (868)
- 1961: Hershey, Pennsylvania (960)
- 1962: Auburn, Washington (1,717)
- 1963: Bemidji, Minnesota (1,882)
- 1964: Princeton, New Jersey (1,969)
- 1965: Laramie, Wyoming (2,592)
- 1966: Cadilac, Michigan (2,828)
- 1967: Santa Rosa, California (2,156)
- 1968: Grand Island, Nebraska (2,211)
- 1969: Laramie, Wyoming (2,175)
