Camping & photo shoot with Alison and Marie Claire

Alison, Kristiana & Osa, aka the "van chicks"

I'm headed to Big Sur, California today with my Airstream Caravel in tow and Osa as co-pilot. It's a part camping, part photo shoot adventure.

My friend Alison was contacted by Marie Claire magazine, the French edition, about being included in an article on women who camp. Alison accepted and told them about me. So this is the week that we meet up in Big Sur for the shoot. Should be fun, and interesting since it's dry camping; makes for interesting uhh, "natural girl" photos. Good thing we're both pretty low maintenance, our doggies too.

Alison is one of my besties- she's my new old friend. It feels like I grew up with her, by the way we know each other, our quirks and personal tastes.
We have become compatible road trip sisters and now that she has her Eurovan and I have my van, "Holiday, we're the "Van Chicks".

Two summers ago Alison was road tripping east from California with Max, while I was headed on my return road trip west with Osa. We somehow coordinated to meet right on the fold of my road map, in South Dakota. Seeing a friend while you're miles and miles from home is a treat. It's a comfort and a way to process what you've seen and learned up to that point. It's sharing stories over weak coffee at a greasy spoon diner. It's learning about eachother's childhood stories and putting together the puzzle pieces. It recharges the batteries for the rest of the trip.

Thanks, Alison, for the endless inspiration, brainstorm sessions and fun friendship. I look forward to our adventure this week!

How about you? Do you have a friend you love to road trip with?

trailer genes

I always feel touched when friends say, "I saw this and thought of you".
Recently my Uncle Bill gave me this treasured photo that he found in an old family photo album. If you look closely at the photo (double click it), it appears to be a happy camper waving an arm out the window, as if starting an exciting journey. I know this feeling. It's the feeling of freedom and excitement for the road ahead. It's a love of the silver nest you see in your review mirror. It's one of my favorite feelings in the world. Now when someone asks me how I got into Airstreams, I'll tell them "It's in my genes".