Sisters on the Fly: Caravans, Campfires, and Tales from the Road

by Irene Rawlings

Meet the 1,000+ members of Sisters on the Fly, a group of women who buy, restore, and decorate vintage trailers, then travel around the country fishing, playing cards, cooking good food outdoors, drinking wine, and telling tall tales around the campfire. Part decorating book, part travelogue, camping guide, cookbook, fly fishing manual, and part memoir, the book contains practical information about reclaiming trailers as well as wonderful lifestyle anecdotes about the Sisters’ road trips.

The Sisters on the Fly know they're having more fun than anyone! Now you're invited to join them on their cross-country road trips as author Irene Rawlings takes you inside the Sisters' decorated vintage trailers. Each trailer reflects its owner's personality, and the Sisters share their individual stories behind their loving restorations--and a few of the wilder outdoor adventures they've experienced along the way.

The Sisters also share tips for buying and restoring vintage trailers because they know that once you see all the fun they're having fly-fishing, riding horses, camping, eating, laughing, and loving, you just might want to join their cowgirl caravan when it heads out for the next adventure.

Sisters on the Fly will inspire readers with charming and witty anecdotes from the Sisters as they experience the open road and some of the most beautiful places in the country. It is organized around fishing, food, friendship, love, and loss. And, of course, around beautiful vintage trailers that have been lovingly transformed from "trashed to treasured."

The book features dozens of engaging stories about the incredible women who buy and restore these trailers, as well as sidebars loaded with both practical and whimsical information for anyone who is ready to find her own trailer and join the caravan. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel

176 pages, Paperback

First published May 18, 2010

About the author

Irene Rawlings has been an author, editor, curator and art reviewed. She hosts an award-winning radio show syndicated throughout the Rocky Mountain West, and is the author of two other books: Portable Houses and The Clothesline"

Reviews

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was going to be a picture book, sort of coffee table style. It was not at all! I gained so much inspiration and enjoyment out of reading this book. Makes me want to hit the trail!

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even if I never become one of the "Sisters on the Fly", I love knowing they are out there enjoying themselves and their sisterhood.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book, written by Irene Rawlings, introduces readers to the fabulous network of sisters who have bonded over vintage camping trailers, martinis, fishing and good ol’ sisterhood. The book includes fabulous photos, recipes, suggestions for renovating a trailer and more. Currently for sale at J.J.Jackson’s in downtown Nevada City, it’s a great gift idea for anyone who loves camping and wants to get inspired by this growing group of sisters. The best advice on decorating your trailer, “My sister, Maurrie, and I have a pretty simple rule,” says Becky. “Hook your trailer up and take it for a ride. Everything that ends up on the floor is too much.” If you’ve got a “Calamity Jane, Mustang Sally, Rhinestone Cowgirl, Whisky Rose” named trailer, you’ll feel right at home with your Sisters on the Fly.

[Leigh Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked this out at the library for some inspiration and ideas because I am on the hunt for a vintage trailer. By the end of the book I was bawling like a baby and saying "Where do I sign up?" I can't wait to join these amazing women on the road!

[Sherry Scheline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I have a certain degree of jealousy over Sisters on a the Fly. When I grow up… I want to be a Sister on The Fly. This book is packed full of dreams. Fishing 🎣 on the salmon river, horseback riding, cute fashion, Dutch oven cooking 🥘 and so much more.

[Neva · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little book for those who: love glamping, are new to travel trailering, love vintage, enjoy adventures. Plus some great recipes to boot!

[Somersghent · Rating 5 out of 5]

What wonderful photography of little campers and happy campers!

[Clara Dearmore Strom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to join them! Loved the trailers and loved the ladies.

[Dorothy Hann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed it immensely. Only took a short time to read the book. Sounds like they have a great time on the open road. Maybe someday I will join them!

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

2010 - Non-Fiction - Trade

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out with great promise, then became meh....way too "sisters do this, sisters do that" cute for my liking. Yes I am crazy about vintage travel trailers and want to read everything I can about them but no, I don't want to be part of an exclusive women's fishing club, or even a non-exclusive club with numbers and brownie points embroidered patches and conventions and lemon drop martinis and not a single vegetarian recipe. It becomes evident real quick that SOTF is not going to be my scene but maybe other women like that kind of belonging to a group thing. The pictures are interesting but again I didn't get enough specific information about litte vintage travel trailers: too many staged scenes. I want history of specific vintage campers, age, specifications, how they work, where they were made, how many were made and so on. I do not want to know how someone else decorated their vintage travel trailer. There is what could be a super useful couple of pages of websites at the end which could be the most useful thing about this publication, though I have not followed up on any.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Books on camping, travel trailers, and RVs have suddenly become of interest to me since we purchased our gently used RV this Spring. I appreciate the love of the open road that authors of this particular subject share with their readers. "Sisters on the Fly" takes several different components: fly fishing, restoration of vintage travel trailers, and female friendships and blends them together in one book. The pictures that accompany the details of restoration are so inspiring to look at. After closing the back cover of this book, I realized how much I would enjoy the companionship of other women that apparently ensues after you purchase a vintage travel trailer and become a part of this select sorority. But I love my family too much to pursue such lofty dreams. Camping with them is not half the fun....but ALL of the fun! This book would be an excellent resource for those who are thinking about taking the plunge into vintage travel trailer restoration.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read ths book Friday evening after work. This group of women have raised their children and are taking time for themselves. They all have 1950 & 1960 campers which the majority of them have refurbished themselves. Some of the women have more than one and each camper has a name; Honky Tonk Angel, Chantilly Lace, Bob. This is a strong sisterhood with women from all over the USA, they are close to sister # 2000. Some of them love fly fisihing and riding horses while some just like to sit and talk. They are independent, strong, brave and I love their spirit! Sounds like great fun. The photographs are beautiful, the stories heartwarming and humorous.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non-Fiction; Camping
3.5 stars

I loved reading about the strengths of these woman who travel together and seeing their awesome little trailers. How fun would it be to hook up with them!! ☺

I am impressed with how supportive they are to each other and how each contributes her own talent(s) to make the group better.

Fun little read.

[Fayette · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a new owner of a vintage camper, and as a lover of fly fishing, quilting, antiquing, cooking, storytelling...well pretty much everything these women love--these are my kind of ladies! Can't wait to decorate my trailer and get together with some gal pals around the campfire. Summer can't come fast enough!

[Cherrybomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great pictures. I enjoyed the book but would have liked to have more details on some of the trailers. It would have been especially nice to have some restoration stories since vintage trailer are a trademark of the group.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just started this book and it is so much fun. It makes me want to go out and get a vintage camper to join the club!I would like to retire, get in a vintage camper and go about the country fly fishing my way across, up and down and back home again!

[Trace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun little book to read about a huge movement of women who have taken to camping, fishing, restoring vintage trailers.... the sisterhood theme is prevalent throughout... Many of the women featured were women after my own heart!! This was a cute, fun-hearted little book!!

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sooo want one of these trailers to fix up!

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a new vintage camper owner, this was a super fun read! Inspiring!

[Tweller83 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. Not something I see myself doing but fun.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

[Wendy]

Article in Oprah magazine, June 2011

[Diana Vance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful inspiration and incentive to get out there and go camping!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great inspiring photography but the text was more talking about their specific group. I wanted more ideas and more how to.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish it had been more about what it's like living in those trailers and less about the organization, but interesting nonetheless. Excuse my while I go buy and fix up a vintage camper to live in. :P

[Glennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute look at vintage travel trailers. Lots of pictures. Sisters on the Fly sounds like a fun group to hang out with!