Gee... No, GPS!

Our truck SEEMORE has the subtlety of a sledgehammer. A mountain of gleaming non-aerodynamic metal, it's pretty much devoid of technological gadgetry. The 1980s-era LED dash display is illegible in all conditions except total darkness. One suspects that Ford engineers would’ve preferred installing an 8-track cassette deck, but reluctantly switched to a CD player after considerable pressure from marketing. These sins are forgivable because the gargantuan diesel engine is capable of towing the Statue of Liberty over Mount Everest without skipping an 11.8 MPG beat.



My love for technology and gadgets is well documented. I’m usually an early adopter when it comes to this stuff. Confessional case-in-point: in 1995, I made the unfortunate decision to install Microsoft Bob on my PC. We can't be absolutely certain, but I think I was the only person in North America to install Bob. I know I'm the only person who will admit doing so.

Still, I somehow refrained from taking the GPS plunge – until our Airstreaming honeymoon. After driving around North America for two months with a ratty old $10 map, I finally surrendered to my technological desires and bought a Garmin Nuvi 660 GPS system. Simply stated, it changed our lives along with our credit card statement. The resultant question was not, “Why the hell did we buy this thing?” but rather “Why the hell did we wait so long to buy this thing?”

Of course, in the comfort of your own hometown, you can probably (hopefully?) make it down to the grocery store and back without some fancy gadget leading you by the nose. But suppose you are 1000 miles away from familiar streets…it’s dark…you have a flat tire…and you’re looking for that international camping haven known as Wal-Mart. Just type “Wal-Mart” into the Garmin and you’ll find the nearest one. No phone calls, no guesswork, no hassle. A GPS is not only a timesaver, it’s potentially a lifesaver. You might make an occasional wrong turn, but you’ll never really be lost if you have one of these gadgets. This totally changes the tenor of the classic American road trip.

Our GPS has a zillion other features with varying degrees of usefulness. It broadcasts audio over our truck speakers via an FM transmitter. It has a very nice Bluetooth cellphone connection, so you can gab on your cellphone hands free. And it plays audiobooks seamlessly, even pausing the books when offering spoken directions. I haven't tried every GPS out there, but this Nuvi 660 model has been named one of CNET's editors’ best GPS navigation systems. So don't take my word for it; take CNET's.

Airstream Bachelorhood on the Rocks?

Probably the most famous Airstream enthusiast is Matthew McConaughey. For several years, he's lived in his trailer in a Malibu RV park. He's enjoyed the lifestyle so much, he's even had two additional trailers custom built to his celebrity specs. That's right: three Airstreams! He's been living the ideal bachelor's life, dating whatever random supermodel happened to be in the laundrymat. Judging from all available photos, the man doesn't even own a shirt.

We visited Mr. McConaughey’s Neighborhood in August, and found both the ocean views and the rampaging ants to be memorable.

But alas! It looks like Ol’ Washboard Abs is turning soft. He’s just purchased a $10 million house in Malibu, albeit one with a yard sufficient for Airstream storage. You can read about it here:
Airstream Bachelorhood on the Rocks?

Note that McConaughey's got a new girlfriend, a Brazilian neurologist -- check that, she's a model -- named Camila.

When I informed my wife of McConaughey’s decision, she sagely replied, “Wow -- his new girlfriend’s really talking him into a lot!”

Sorry girls, this time it must be love. I can't think of any other reason someone would trade an Airstream for a $10 million Malibu mansion.

High-End Folk Art

There's an interesting article in Fortune about the resurgence of Airstream. The article states that Airstream sales doubled between 2003 and 2006. It also claims that 28% of Airstream buyers never owned an RV before! Kristy and I are amongst that number.

You can read the article here:

The Airstream: one sleek mod pod

Why did we buy an Airstream? There are many substantive, practical reasons like longevity and quality. But in truth, I suppose the writer is on the right track. There's something timeless about that classic silver shape. It's both nostalgic and futuristic, like a cross between your great grandparents' old trailer and a UFO. When you see one, you smile.

Late Night with the Long, Long Honeymoon

Kristy and I appeared on a local TV show yesterday to discuss our honeymoon adventures. The show’s host, Cassie Moore, really makes her guests feel at home. I know that Cassie is destined for future achievements in TV land. Remember that you saw her here first. And her co-host Callie Swaid is great, too! Our interview was a lot of fun and offered the chance to reflect on our travels.

Naturally, we brought a video clip to the TV show. You might wonder why, of ALL the places in North America we visited, we chose to spotlight Myers Flat, California. Quite simply, Myers Flat is the sort of place you’d probably never “honeymoon” if you aren’t hauling around an RV. We had a great time in this tiny town -- despite our flat tire -- and brought home fond memories of a friendly stop along The Avenue of the Giants.

In the interview, Kristy mentions our time in Europe. We’ve done a fair amount of travel throughout Europe, but the episode she’s referencing was a three month stint in a small Czech town. If you think full-timing on an RV is a challenge, try full-timing in a place where no one speaks English. My Czech is pathetic, although I did quickly master the crucial phrase "jedno pivo, prosim!" -- which translates to "one beer, please!"

We like to joke about our living space aboard the Airstream being limited. Sure, it's limited compared to our current house. But the truth is that I found our RV to be better equipped and more comfortable than an apartment we once shared in Greenwich Village (and anyone who's ever lived in New York knows what I mean). Our Airstream is extremely liveable, a triumph of thoughtful design.

Because the typical Internet surfer (myself included) has the attention span of a ferret on amphetamines, we’re carving up our 10-minute TV interview into three easy-to-digest bite size segments. You know, just like when your mother used to cut up your dinner meat for you.

And so, many thanks to Cassie and Callie for their hospitality. Next up, Kristy and I are scheduled to appear on a radio show. Stay tuned!

Greenstreams

This article is interesting: Airstream Trailer Serves Eco-Nomads. It's a striking example of how vintage Airstream trailers are reborn on a daily basis.

A company (Eco Earth Yacht Outreach) is now retrofitting old Airstreams to be even more environmentally friendly than usual. They incorporate solar panels for power, and make extensive use of recycled materials in the interiors. Of course, even the Airstream itself is recycled, since it was probably built several decades ago. This all seems reasonable enough, with the possible exception of the "compositing toilet." I have no idea how that works, and I'm not sure I want to find out.

Something I've noticed when Airstreaming (especially when boondocking) is that our water and electricity usage is dramatically reduced. In fact, I've mastered the skill of taking a hot shower using no more than three tablespoons of water.

So, all of you Hollywood hipsters, you want to be green? Forget trendy, token displays like driving a hybrid. If you REALLY want to reduce your so-called "environmental footprint," relocate to a trailer park immediately! :)

Channel Ch-Ch-Changes

We've made a few tweaks to our YouTube video channel. You can view the channel by clicking here: The Long, Long Honeymoon Video Channel

We will also start using a new video player here on the blog:



Pretty slick, eh? :-)

The YouTube channel is a huge archive of ALL our blog videos. We have a lot of content here on our website, but it's not always easy to find. As of this writing, we have some 70 videos! There's a pretty good sampling of scenic camping locations throughout North America, and some insights into the RV lifestyle. Hopefully our blog will become a helpful stop for anyone interested in RV-ing, Airstreaming, and traveling.

We plan to add fresh blog videos on specific RV/Airstream/travel topics. If you have any topic you'd like to see discussed, drop me an email! I can be reached at seanmichael@aol.com.

Tomorrow evening Kristy and I are scheduled to appear on a local TV show to discuss our honeymoon. Stay tuned for updates!

Driveway Camping and Beautiful People

During our second week in the Sunshine State, we visited dear friends in Destin, Florida. Naturally, we camped in their driveway! Using an Airstream as a guest house may seem odd at first, but it’s actually a fun experience for everyone.

It’s simply easier for us to stay in our Airstream, where we have all of our travel essentials (like crunchy peanut butter). And for our hosts, this arrangement offers an extra measure of privacy. It works exactly like a brick-and-mortar guest house, except that you can park it wherever you please. Oh, and you need to plug into electricity. I’m told that Airstreams have become hip guest houses and pool cabanas amongst the hipster set in fancy places like the Hamptons.

Speaking of the hipster set, we certainly frolicked amongst the beautiful people in Florida. We attended a couple of special events held in two particularly scenic communities.

The first was the “Change the World” fundraiser, held at the stunning new development of Alys Beach. My video doesn’t really do justice to Alys Beach; in fact, we hope to return sometime in the future to do a more extensive shoot. But suffice to say that when this place is complete, it will be among the most beautiful communities in the United States. Its architecture is reminiscent of both Bermuda and Antigua, Guatemala. It is somehow both elegant and relaxing.

The evening’s goal was to raise funds to aid Ukrainian orphans. The long term plans are to provide these children with a nurturing, home-like environment (in a place called Sasha's Home) while they await adoption. The event was an overwhelming success, raising over $100,000 in a single night! Everyone involved should be proud. Having recently visited Moldova and Transdniestria (which borders the Ukraine), I understand what a tremendous impact this money will have over there. If you’d like to learn more about the charity behind the party, check out the Barnes Family Foundation.

Next, Kristy and I ventured over to Seaside, where we attended the 17th annual Seeing Red Wine Festival. As you might have guessed, wine was the order of the day. The autumn weather has turned idyllic these past few days. With outstanding live music, fine wine, and gourmet snacks, it’s hard to imagine a more pleasant afternoon than the one we spent in Seaside.