Starling Travel

So many times I highlight gorgeous and glamorous campers that have been restored to a beautiful shine, but the other day, I saw a trailer that was just as impressive in its epic oldness.

There are lots more pictures after the break. (Continue Reading…)

Not long ago, I did a post on how to add a handle to a camping chair:

• Starling Travel – How To Add A Handle To A Camping Chair

That gave us the freedom to carry our camping chairs without the stupid bags. Then I thought, what could I do with the stupid bags…

I use little aluminum fold-up tables next to my chairs and I thought it would be cute if they were covered to match the chairs, so that’s exactly what I did. Here are the directions if you want to do the same thing. (Continue Reading…)

I found this advertisement in the April 1970 National Geographic.

It reads:

Discover Real Travel Adventure!

Want to visit exciting new places? Or maybe you’d prefer sunbathing in Florida or relaxing beside some inviting stream? Perhaps you know a road somewhere you’d like to follow to the end. It’s all the same with an Airstream Land Yacht… good beds, bathroom, hot and cold water, refrigeration, heat and light independent of outside sources wherever you go – for a night, a week, or a month, Airstream Land Yachting means real travel independence – no time-tables, tickets, packing. You just tow your Airstream lightly behind your car and follow your travel whims wherever they urge you to go. Yes, it’s the exciting, better way to travel anywhere in the world. For extra fun join a Wally Byam Caravan.

write for free new color catalog – Thrilling as a world cruise.

That is exactly what I love about camping in my tent trailer. I don’t have that bathroom or refrigeration, but I do have that freedom. There are so many campgrounds with hookups that I feel as if I can travel anywhere with my camper.

Before I read this ad fully, I had never heard of the Wally Byam Caravan Club, but apparently they are still around:

• WBCCI.org – Wally Byam Caravan Club – The Airstream Owners Association

They have many rallies where they get together. In my region alone, there are four rallies planned this summer. I’m seriously impressed that they are still around and getting together. Unfortunately, I would have to buy a $40K camper to join them, but I am encouraged that they are still around.

Several months ago, I found this pin from how to light a fire | Over The Big Moon

I thought it was a really good idea, so I had been saving up my garbage so I could make these cool fire starters. On my birthday, last week, we had a lovely fire in my backyard fire pit.

Unfortunately, those fire starters performed less than admirably. They LITERALLY repelled the fire. Click on the picture to see it full-sized:

You can see that the fire was raging. You can see that one of the logs was down to coals, but those fire starters refused to burn. They sat in the conflagration unscathed like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

From now on the dryer lint and toilet paper rolls are going in the garbage where they belong…

Nothing says road-tripping like an amazing antique store and Larry’s Antiques fits the bill! I visited there last weekend and it was a blast!

Check out all the cool stuff I saw and the zen moment I had after the break: (Continue Reading…)

When we stayed at Dead Horse Ranch State Park last weekend, I saw this awesome teardrop trailer. The owners were leaving when I walked past, but they were willing to take a few minutes to quickly show it to me.

I asked what the writing on the bumper meant. It looked strangely familiar and I felt like I lost a few geek cred points when she said, “It reads, ‘One Trailer to Rule Them All.'” Also, their license plate read, “Gamgee.” That’s the last name of Sam Gamgee, played by Sean Astin, one of the hobbits who took the ring to Rivendell.

The hatch opens up a galley in the back, like most teardrop trailers.

The bottom sides open up and reveal the cooler and the rest of the galley. Brilliant design!

It was such a good looking teardrop, I really wished I had seen them BEFORE they were trying to leave so we could have talked more.

I’m so grateful that she gave me a quick tour before they had to head out! Safe Travels, my precious!

For the first time, we stayed in Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Arizona. I love the Arizona State Parks. They are so organized. I love the emails I get about a week before the trip, reminding me of my visit.

We stayed in the Red-Tail Hawk Campground for the Popup Portal Rally.

Our site was number 51 and it faced perfectly so that the afternoon sun was shaded by our camper.

Here is a shot of site 57. The sunsets are beautiful here.

Each site has a fire pit and some of them have BBQs as well. The camp hosts sell firewood.

While we were there, the campground was very windy. We had to take down our awning and thank goodness for the Martha Stewart grommet and bungee cord trick or our tablecloth would have flown away.

There was a nice playground over by the lakes and my boy liked the swings a lot.

It was a great place to stay and it was so close to Cottonwood and Jerome, so we were able to look at the shops and you could even taste the wines at the wineries in the area. Thank you for such a lovely weekend, Arizona!

I’ve finally done it. I’m finally done with my camper. My 1993 Jayco Eagle 8 has been rechristened The Tangerine Turtle.

Here is a video tour:

You can see some photos after the break: (Continue Reading…)

When I was registering the Jayco Tent Trailer way back when, I saw this GMC motorhome in the parking lot at the DMV. Even though I had just gotten what would be the best camper I have ever owned, I still salivated over what I consider my dream motorhome.

This is very much like my childhood toy, the Barbie Star Traveler. I had many dreams of traveling in a motorhome that looked like this, but bright, bright yellow.

It is nearly four years later and I still adore this motorhome, even though I love my tent camper with just as much adoration.

In the end, I can’t own ALL the campers. I have to choose one and the tent camper works best for us. The GMC Barbie Star Traveler will have to stay a childhood fantasy.

Back in August 2012, we stayed for a few days at the Bear Lake KOA. It was such an idyllic visit that we still talk about that camping trip today. I can’t believe I never wrote about it here, so I am posting some of the photos we took on that trip.

Bear Lake is in Northern Utah and we had to go over the mountains with our Prius and the Duct Tape Palace for the first time. It handled it nicely, but we were anxious the entire trip. We were inexperienced towing anything bigger than the teardrop, so we were nervous the whole time. There was nothing to worry about, though, because we got to the campground easily and quickly.

Read on for more: (Continue Reading…)