Tin Can Tourists (6/29/06)

Recreational vehicles have come a long way since Americans started using them to tour the country in the 1920s. "Tin Can Tourists" were blessed with curiosity and a sense of adventure, but didn't necessarily want to give up the amenities of home -- and thus was born the RV. After World War II, such companies as Airstream and Winnebago sprang up, dedicated to giving the motor tourist comfort in a surprisingly lightweight form. Even Hollywood got into the act, as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz attempted to drive across the U.S. in their movie, "The Long, Long Trailer" (a feat emulated by Albert Brooks and Julie Hagerty in "Lost in America"). And just what do these road warriors want to see? Well, they may start with the World's Largest Catsup Bottle, then the Big Duck, north to Hiawatha, "The World's Tallest and Largest Indian," then the World's Oldest Working Lightbulb, or any number of other unique destinations.