English Channel (UL230-2)

 

This decal from the Vintage Airstream Club, along with much flotsam & jetsam of decades past, is about to be washed away by the English Channel. Behr Premium Plus Ultra interior satin enamel UL230-2, English Channel.

The story of our 1985 Airstream Sovereign land yacht is for another day.

Puppy Love

Can two geeky high school sophomores, city kids no less, keep a dream alive for more than forty years?  A dream hatched in a green canvas Morsan’s tent. The dream of RVing North America to their heart’s content?

Yes. Yes indeed they can.

It’s Friday! Music & Cocktails Day. Stir up your favorite summer beverage, and for your listening pleasure:

 Donald Fagen's "Nightfly" .

 

One of the most perfect albums ever recorded.

Feel free to substitute “mz” for maxine, “Houston, the City” for Mexico City, and “East Texas” for Manhattan.

“Some say that we're reckless, they say we're much too young.
Tell us to stop before we've begun. We've got to hold out till graduation, try to hang on maxine.
While the world is sleeping, we meet at lincoln mall.
Talk about life, the meaning of it all.
Try to make sense of the suburban sprawl, try to hang on maxine.
Mexico City is like another world.
Nice this year they say. You'll be my senorita, in jeans and pearls.
But first let's get off this highway.
We'll move up to Manhattan, and fill the place with friends.
Drive to the coast and drive right back again.
One day we'll wake up, make love but 'til then
Try to hang on maxine. “

Have a great weekend.

El Bufo

… enduring his base plate installation. He was very brave.

Why did we name our Honda CRV (Chasing the RV :) El Bufo? Just scroll down this post for Adult Only Content.

Beauregard Z. Phaeton

Do you scratch your noggin and wonder… why Beauregard?

He was conceived, gestated and born in Red Bay, Alabama at Tiffin HQ, then squirted a few hundred miles over to DeRidder, LA.

It was a pleasant drive over the Texas/Louisiana border to take a look-see at Kite Brothers RV. Love at first sight can really happen. He was pick of the litter.

On the second trip (to finalize the purchase) we noticed a road sign announcing entry into Beauregard Parish. Beautiful to look at? Lovely to gaze upon? What a great name for our mobile observation station.

Beau has a slightly older, sophisticated East Coast relative, with the same wonderful pedigree. She lives HERE, with these lovely people. If you click over to visit Phae and her Owners, pack a lunch, it is a vast territory to explore.

PhaetonWare

 

Dinged, rusty, bent, pitted, speckled, creaky and obsolete.

Yet fully functional.

Just like the Owners.

Helios Lives Here

 

The best known story involving Helios is that of his son Phaëton, who attempted to drive his father's chariot but lost control and set the earth on fire.

Gee, thanks kid.

Experimental Post

 

A five picture collage at 600 and 800.

 

Now if only I could get the Font to do what I want…

Mid Year Review

Back in January we were happy just getting Beauregard on and off our property without wrapping him around a pine tree… delighted Duke could ride in the rig without freaking out or throwing up. Much progress has been made since then.
We drove Beauregard and the CRV separately to Athens, TX for factory installation of the M&G Braking System and a Blue Ox Tow bar.

We returned home together in Beau, with El Bufo hanging on for dear life. So far it seems to be a terrific, elegant braking system. The Driver is pleased.
Next, we took Beauregard to Freightliner for his 6 month check-up, where it was determined a fan clutch needed replacement. It was all under warranty. There was a bit of confusion and delayed communication with Beaumont Freightliner the first couple of days, but in the end they did an excellent job and the rig is running flawlessly. We can recommend them.  There is some really excellent BBQ  in Beaumont. Try Willy Ray's.

Now that we were all checked out and towing gracefully, it was time to start adapting Duke to longer drives and overnight stays in strange places. For a little guy who had never spent a single night away from home in his entire life…. What a good traveling man he turns out to be!
The three of us enjoyed two weekend trips to Lake Livingston , one at  Northshore RV Resort.

The other at  Lakeside RV Resort.
Both are nice places, but Lakeside is prettier.

Then came  time for a longer trip, yet not too far away, so we set off for five days at…

Galveston Island State Park
This is a small, barebones park. No sewer hook-up, but it has a good dump  station and clean, reliable 50amp service.
Keeping in mind this is a very busy, congested island; the stretch of beach set off within the Park boundaries is uncrowded and quite pleasant. We had a great time and Duke got his wet and salty baptism. The trip was so enjoyable we made reservations for a longer stay in December.
Plans are in the works for a Fall Foliage tour of the Ouachitas in October, so stay tuned.