A Remedy for Moon Germs

Sunday we celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing by visiting the U.S.S. Hornet in Alameda, California.

The Hornet picked up the Astronauts after they landed safely in earth's oceanspace. Feared to be contaminated by "Moon Germs," they were quarantined for 21 days in a custom built Airstream.

More photos and details here....

Wednesday Wonder

"...it is the union of the ordinary and the miraculous that makes wonder."
Thomas Wolfe, Look Homeward, Angel

Look Homeward, Angel has held a permanent spot on my bookshelf since I read it almost ten years ago. Sunday I pulled it form the shelf, flipped through the pages, and fell into wonder all over again.

I thought of these flags, discovered during a morning walk (fittingly, in Flagstaff, Arizona!) I had left the boys back at the Motel, and embarked on a mini-adventure all my own.

Magical morning air, wide open skies, a satisfying sense of solitude, and the joyous offerings of an automotive repair lot... if you ask me, Thomas Wolfe got it exactly right.

Happy Wednesday dear friends, I hope you enjoy a wondrous day!

Ahhh... home.

Awake in Arizona...

Asleep in California.
(it's nice to be home.)

The Adventurers Journey Home

Yesterday morning we traveled onward from Farmington, New Mexico

and spotted a couple of beautiful sites on our way out of town.

Made a pitstop in Four Corners, so the Airstream could tell friends back home
that it was in four states at once

The afternoon was hot and dry, and aside from the growing number of tourists
the Four Corners desert felt desolate.

We ate traditional Indian veggie tacos for lunch,
which offered cool cool lettuce to quench our thirst

We traveled through Monument Valley
and believed we could be looking at scenes from another planet

The road ahead was a beautiful mix of clear sky and clouds
which eventually gave way to rain.

Flagstaff greeted us with a gentle lightning storm
followed by a perfect half-circle rainbow touching down at the East end of town

We found a Motel on Route 66, with a restaurant and laundry,
everything we had hoped for.
This span of the Route is an active artery into the city, with an authentic character.
You won't find many tourists with cameras or kitschy Route 66 souvenirs here.

We enjoyed a deliciously hearty meal at the Railroad Cafe, which had model trains traveling the perimeter overhead. The waitress was lovely and the place gave us a familiar feeling of home.

After the sun had set, we were inspired to walk around and photograph the restaurant,
and the slick, wet streets. The Airstream transformed into a
pink and blue reflection of Flagstaff's Route 66.

We roamed around the restaurant, and I took a photograph of Josh quietly absorbing the clean air and railroad charms. He thinks this photo is funny because it looks like he doesn't have any arms, but I love it anyway.

A colorful spot on our colorful journey

It's nice to know that you can leave something today,
and it will still be there for you tomorrow.

You can check out more new Airstream photos on Josh's blog, www.ableandbakerdesign.blogspot.com.

Airstream Love on Apartment Therapy

Good Morning Everyone! I'm excited to share the news that Apartment Therapy San Francisco has decided to feature our Airstream Project. Please check out their first write-up here.

Also, check out new Airstream photos and words about our jorney here.

New Mexico Skyline

Hello fellow Adventurers, we've had two days of intense Airstream time, and are making our way back to California. Monday morning we had a successful drive from Las Vegas, New Mexico to Santa Fe. We spent all of Monday and half of Tuesday working out some electrical kinks, and made sure the brakes and tires were road ready. (I say "we," but really I was mostly moral support and errand runner, which, I'm told, is a Very important role.)

It's been a long but satisfying couple of days, and we are relieved that the Airstream is performing so well -- you never know what you're going to get with something that has sat in a yard for years.

We managed to check out the Plaza in Santa Fe before leaving town today, and of course I'll have photographs to share. Since I'm sleepy tonight, I thought I'd share some easy-to-upload, point 'n shoot photos that I shot from the car. (I have the middle spot on our bench seat -- can't hang my camera out the window, so I'm shooting through the windshield!)

Today's drive from Santa Fe to Farmington, New Mexico was beautiful. We saw dense pine forests, red rock, white rock, lightning showers (we realized we've seen lightning every day of our trip!), billowy clouds, ominous clouds, blue sky, gray sky, golden sky, pink sky, and many shades in between.

We arrived in Farmington at almost 10:00 p.m. and were feeling a bit sleepy -- a little come down from so many days of excitement. Much to our surprise there is a National High School Rodeo Championship happening in Farmington tonight, and every hotel is booked. I mean every hotel in the town, and from what we were told, surrounding towns. Lucky for us, we are persistent, and found one hotel with one unoccupied room, ahhh.... thank goodness.

I promise to give you more photographs of Las Vegas and Santa Fe soon. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy today's sky photos...

Rain falling...

Survived the storm, sun beginning to set...

Dark clouds giving way to the blues and pinks of sunset...

ladies and gentlemen, the sun has set. ..

Don't forget to check out the latest Airstream photos on Josh's blog.

Stormy Skies and Savory Sunsets

I wanted to share a couple of photos this morning, before we begin our travels. We're headed to Santa Fe, Airstream in tow!

Las Vegas, New Mexico has a been a photographic paradise. The character of this town is something I have not encountered previously, and the skies and sunsets have been extraordinary. Really.

Each morning has been clear, sunny, and warm, not a cloud to be found. By mid afternoon storm clouds roll in, and wow, how the rain does fall... Yesterday the raindrops were so heavy, they seemed to penetrate our clothing, and tickle our skin. The storms have passed quickly, and left us with sunsets of brilliant reds over subtle blues and grays.

These photographs are from our first full day in Las Vegas. I hope they give you a sense of the simple beauty we've discovered here... Enjoy!

Custom Body Shop

Private Dumster

Harvey Girls Hangout during the Railroading heyday

Marilyn and the Mariachis
(With a lightning storm outside, we found refuge in an empty bar, located in the Harvey Girls building, pictured above. One drink, then back outside to admire the lightning.)

Sunset on Railroad Road

Thanks to all of you who are keeping an eye on our Adventure. It's been so much fun to share!
I hope your Monday is filled with beautiful skies, wherever you are...