Last Leg Home

Pulled into Cannon Beach in a bad mood (long day, bad roads, crowded streets, crappy RV park) but after a short ride on the cargo bike to the beach, things didn’t seem so bad. #cannonbeach #oregoncoast #oregon #haystackrock #familytravel #travelwithkids #rvwithkids

This afternoon, this couple on the beach had a hired a professional photographer to take dramatic photos of them gazing deeply into one another’s eyes. We rolled our eyes at how super cheesy they were and then - like totally just to be ironic - set up the camera balanced on a sand bucket for a self timer pic. Ha, ha, soooooooo lame, riiiiiiight? I mean... Oh also, does anyone know where I can get an 11x17 semi-gloss canvas print with wrap around edges? #askingforafriend #wouldlookgoodhungoverthefurnaceinthetrailer #imarriedup

Broke up a drive day with a couple hours at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. Some pretty impressive displays including the actual “Spruce Goose” (which was YUUUGE!) and replicas of the Wright Brothers plane, plus a mind bottling 3D movie running through space exploration from its origins to its future (Wynne has plans to be the first human on Mars). Military planes everywhere including one that dropped paratroopers over Normandy, France which we could remind the girls was where they looked at the big guns dug into the hillside behind the beach and rolled down the grassy mounds about this time last year. #airstream #airplanes #evergreenaviationmuseum #roadschool #worldschool #homeschool

Found ourselves a campground with some backyard dunes. Just an overnighter before we slide on down the coast towards home.
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#headfirst #sisterhoodofthetravelingparents

We made it into California just in time for an “overlander” meetup with our friends @lostworldluis / @lostworldlacey and James and Lauren from @homeonthehighway. Luis and Lacey were a huge inspiration for us to head south on the PanAmerican Highway (BC, before children) and became friends later, and we’d met James and Lauren in San Francisco about a week before we left on our trip but have followed them ever since. While we stopped in Panama, both of these bad ass couples drove all the way to Tierra del Fuego!
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After a campfire and catching up last night, we all hiked through the beautiful Fern Canyon today and grabbed dinner in town. Airstreamers, overlanders, roadschoolers, family and friends. We’re incredibly lucky to have our diverse community.
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#ferncanyon #californiaherewecame #travelwithkids #familytravel #roadschool #homeschool

We were just one day from home as we pulled into Arcata, and after a full day with zero bars of cell service, our phones blew up with texts. Half of them were @backroadbennetts and @his.tinyasscamper debating the merits of various SUV’s with third row seats capable of towing 30’ Airstreams, but the rest were from friends in the Bay Area urging us not to come home. At first, that hurt a little after 10 weeks on the road, but then we realized they were trying to save us from horrible air quality caused by the tragic “Camp Fire” that has schools closed and outdoor events cancelled.
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Our plan had been to stop at home to drop the trailer and snuggle the chickens before heading to Truckee for the holidays with family. After consulting air quality maps, Truckee looked clear, and the third fastest Google Maps route there from Arcata perfectly looped wide around the worst of the air. We even suggested our friends come up and meet us in the mountains for a breather. Only problem was, the route would take 6:43 and we’d need somewhere to store the trailer when we got there.
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We were on the road by 8:24 am this morning with Google Maps projecting a 3:07 pm arrival. Through spotty reception, we managed a call to a storage place in Truckee that had one last indoor spot available (snow expected next week and no time to winterize), but they closed at 4:00 pm and weren’t open tomorrow. Despite steep, curvy roads through the Six Rivers National Forest and Shasta Trinity National Forests, some of which gave us a close look at the devastation caused by the Carr Fire last August, I managed to gain a couple minutes on the ETA. Gas stop, 5 minutes lost. Grabbing an armful of stuff for lunch, 5 minutes lost. Another gas stop, another 5 minutes lost. An incoming call from the storage place to check on our timing...
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But we made it! After the fan covers cleared the roll up door by under an inch, we emptied the fridge contents into grocery bags, grabbed the dirty laundry and a few clean options, shoved toothbrushes and the laptop into a backpack and locked her up for a couple weeks until we’re ready to head back down the hill to home.
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#airstream #captionovel #stayflexible

Looking across the 12 mile direction. The long way it’s 22 miles. #tahoeinacape

I mean, why not? Winter isn’t forecast to be here for another 45 minutes. #martisvalley #truckee #konabikes #konaheihei

It wintered. Snow on the ground and a housefull of family is a great way to spend Thanksgiving. Our little yearly cycle of travel, home, mountains, travel, home has typically left us ready for the next thing just about at the right times. 📷 @meghanz_yoga #luckyducks #familytravel #travelwithkids #halftimefamilies #keepyoureyeonthosetwo #snowballers

This date 9 years ago woulda been “just got a dog (two-eyed at the time), then got engaged, rode the White Rim Trail 2up on a motorcycle this past Summer, planning to drive to Tierra del Fuego (only made it to Panama), gonna ride a motorcycle around the Alps this Summer, getting married in the Fall, Ann initiating anti-aging time warp, me banking testosterone to grow a decent beard.” #flashbackcybermonday

Piece ‘o cake! So counter intuitive to turn left to swing the back out to clear the door frame. Everything changed when I finally learned that, particularly in slow speed situations, it’s what the back of the trailer is doing that makes all the difference. Has everyone seen videos on “The Scoop?” Google it. @longlonghoneymoon has a vid tho I’d even add one more left turn to their demo to flick the back of the trailer towards the spot and be ready for backing. Has made all the difference in marital harmony and impressing looky-loos campgrounds. #dontbethebickersons #airstream #airstreamprotip #airstreamwithplentyofroom

A little bath before being tucked into bed for the winter. Plus, I can’t resist adding to the #hotspouseswashingwheeledhouses tag. #airstream

Despite a last minute broken arm, we managed to cover about 3800 miles over 65 days; caravan at times with 122 feet of trailers, 10 adults, 11 kids and 6 dogs; and end up with tons of great memories.
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The Airstream will go back into semi-retirement for the winter while we enjoy some time with friends and family at home and (hopefully) lots of snow in the mountains.
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We’re not quite sure what happens after that, but we’ll keep ya posted and be eagerly following all y’all’s adventures.
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#statisticsporn #mapporn #roadtrip #familytravel #travelwithkids