The HomeAway Truckster is Touring America
August 15, 2010 Leave a comment
Preparing for The Academy!
-John
P.S. We’re pretty sure we’ve seen about 15 celebs so far…but that could easily be “zero” because neither Steph nor I have any sort of facial recognition skills.
August 13, 2010 Leave a comment
I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting much for the big two-three this year on the birthday calendar. Mostly because I hardly know what day it is anymore… thus the fact that it was ALREADY birthday time really caught me by surprise.
But alas, the day has now come and gone, and I – for one – am all the older and wiser because of it.
How does a Truckie celebrate while on the road? you ask.
Well, It started with a surprise ‘mission.’
“Get in the car” John requested ever-so-pleasantly.
And away we went, cruising down Santa Monica Boulevard.
Destination: Cupcakes.
We soon arrived in Beverly Hills at the world’s very first cupcakery, Sprinkles. There was a line out the door, but John strutted past the sweet-toothed hopefuls and reemerged only moments later with a package that had my name on it.
My surprise was from HomeAway headquarters who had ordered me California’s finest birthday treat – 12 gourmet cupcakes that spelled out “It’s Your BDay!”
YUM!
The rest of my ‘break day/birthday’ festivites included catching up with one of my favorite people who lives just south of LA, laying on the beach, watching the sunset behind the cliffs off the California coast line and hiking through one of the ‘local trails’ (the kind that’s not for tourists – word.) and finding a light house!
Wait, I think I found a light house...
...I did!
My day was all very memorable and fun. Thanks for all the texts, tweets, Facebook messages and wall posts, and silly phone calls wishing me a very “Happy Birthday!”
<3 (The now twenty-three-year-old) Steph
PS – We’re still enjoying the Hollywood scene these days. Check out the presents that arrived today from HomeAway headquarters in Austin!
All for me? You really shouldn't have.
Those boxes may or may not be cozies and beach balls and frisbees and more…you’ll just have to come to this evening’s Anaheim Angel’s tailgate or tomorrow’s 10th Annual Uptown Whittier Car Show to find out!!!
August 10, 2010 Leave a comment
My best travel companion
Saying goodbye to an old friend can be gut wrenching. However, I can’t say I didn’t see it coming. She had been through so much, yet remained by my side the whole time. It may have been the 43rd state, multiple continent shifts or the roughly 2,937,199 stairs she was battered against.
Countless beatings were incurred throughout the entire journey—but not so fast! They weren’t all from me…Frequent punches from hydraulic arms, endless jostling and bumping for hours and constantly moving in and out of cars and houses all contributed to the decaying of her exoskeleton. Or maybe it was that one time I pushed her down a flight of stairs, constructively.
The damage began with her right shoulder…what started as a tiny tear evolved into a full rip, with frayed bits of cloth as proof. Next thing you know, teeth were not lining up correctly and began falling out— almost daily. “Only a few more rides,” I told her, “just a few more.”
Soon our trip ended and, for the time being, she was laid to rest. A year later, after a phone call about a new trip, I knew I needed her more than ever. I opened up the closet and there she was, well-rested, yet still damaged. I looked straight at her— “Let’s ride.” She was game.
For the second time in 3 years we were out on the open road, just me and her, free as birds. We had a deal, she carried my things around for me and I brought her wherever I went. Like nachos and cheese, we were inseparable. Although we both thought this was a new beginning, we had really just picked up where we left off. Soon, time began to take its toll on our relationship. About a month ago I noticed some parts of her just…falling off. She’d roll into town in one form and leave in another, shedding bits and pieces along the way. Who did she think she was? I thought we had an agreement!
Then, the unthinkable happened. Last Friday, her skin sustained a blow it couldn’t recover from. I could still recognize her if I looked at her, but when I pulled the zipper around her, it was like zipping a ghost. “ZIP!” I cried, hugging her tightly, sitting on her just to keep her closed. “ZIIIIIIIIPPP SHUUUTTT!!!” I glanced down at her, none of her teeth were still attached, not even close. In fact, the “gums” holding her teeth in place had been demolished, only floss-like bits of string remained.
Keep yourself together!
This morning, I carefully gripped her in my arms and swathed her in bungee cords for one last ride. On the way from Pismo Beach to Los Angeles we stopped at a mammoth, ritzy department store to pick up a newer, sleeker model.
“This is the one you want,” the saleswoman told me, “Very sturdy, even has a 10-year warranty and for a great price.” I wanted to look at her and say, “Can you put a price on tossing your friend down a flight of stairs? Can you give me a 10-year warranty on companionship? CAN YOU EVEN TELL ME IF THIS THING FITS IN AN OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT?!!?!” However, all that was summed up as, “I’ll take it.”
After a quick transition of items in the parking lot, I held my old pal’s arm one last time and we slowly walked to the Panda Express dumpster across the parking lot. I hoisted her up, never feeling her this light and weak before, and gently (to avoid having chow mein splash in my face) laid her to rest in the dumpster. I’ll never forget you my functional friend.
“Chap” and I have a lot of building to do. I still don’t understand some things about him, like why he has to have 4 wheels instead of the standard 2. He needed coaxing when I put all my belongings in him and didn’t even have an efficient way to handle my dirty clothes! It’s going to be a learning experience for both of us, but I know we can do it. Heck, we’re Hollywood’s newest powercouple!
Who's that new Hollywood couple?!
August 10, 2010 Leave a comment
*I must preclude the following story by noting that my description of the event below does not do justice to the surprising reality of what took place at the yesterday’s ballgame. I promise. It was weird in a memorable, “that was cool,” kind of way.
After a few hours of meeting the fun fans who were tailgating before the game, we made our way into the park. We waited and waited to see someone slide into home base, but the score remained 0 – 0 for a good portion of the game. Finally the Rangers scored two runs! I cheered loudly in the mostly Oakland fan filled crowd, in hopes that the boys from Texas would hold onto the lead until…
“Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and join us in the seventh inning, Oakland Athletics tradition of singing ‘Take me out to the ball game,’” Boomed the announcer’s voice.
Everyone promptly rose to their feet, music began to play, and before I knew it the crowd erupted in song. The stadium filled with the voices of spectators and players alike, in a harmonious display of unified sportsmanship and group effort.
The vocal styling of each participant increased in a crescendo with “one, two, three strikes you’re out…”
And the moment it was over, everyone returned to the seated position to calmly continue viewing the game.
Never in all my experiences of attending live events, sporting or otherwise, have I ever been more shocked to see such enthusiastic collaboration of attendees. It was incredible and unexpected involvement from the otherwise stoic – aside from the occasional outburst of cheering at a good play or the rare ruckus coming from a pair of battling vuvuzelas – audience.
John and I could not help but exchange bewildered glances and attempted concealment of our chuckles. I loved it. Besides watching the Texas Rangers lose the game to an incredible finish by the Oakland Athletics, this quick rendition of the American classic was by far the most memorable moment of the day’s event.
_____________
Today was also eventful as John, the Truckster, and I made an appearance at the Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto, California. We seemed to have created a buzz in the social networking building because by the time we’d finished eating breakfast with a new friend there, the Truckster was the talk of the office! I have to say, I feel a bit privileged. Today I saw the inner workings of a website that – at least in my world – dominates a little thing called the Internet. So cool.
The rest of the day was filled with beautiful scenery as the Truckster made it’s way down California’s Pacific Coast Highway. Here are a few shots we captured of the awe-inspiring views!
We’re in a Pismo Beach vacation rental for the night, and tomorrow we’ll continue the journey south to Los Angeles.
Night everybody, Steph
August 7, 2010 Leave a comment
Conquering Lombard Street
Today, Steph and I decided to take advantage of the blue skies here in Northern California and do some sightseeing with the Family Truckster. First, we had to sharpen our driving skills on the famous Lombard Street which houses America’s “crookedest” street. We were nervous at first, but when the Truckster held up beautifully, gliding down the hill became a breeze.
Pier 39
Next, we drove by Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf, which overlook the bay. These are some great spots to see when visiting the San Francisco because they offer some clear views of the bay and some of the area’s best cuisine! Also, I learned this was the place to come to if you want a career in street performing.
Alcatraz on the roof rack!
After leaving Fisherman’s Wharf, we found a nearby location to get some close ups of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. Alcatraz is one of the nation’s most well-known prisons, and it used to house some of the most hardened criminals. Surrounded on all sides by water, it is nearly impossible to break out of. However, throughout its 29 years of housing inmates, there were 14 attempts, all of which are considered failures.
Truckster posing with Golden Gate Bridge
Nobody can mistake the Golden Gate, with its giant pillars shooting into the clouds. It’s quite an amazing bridge, but when it’s foggy out, you’re reminded of just how massive the deep red structure is! Something about not seeing the top of a building makes you believe it may not actually exist on this planet. While here, Steph and I felt like we were on an episode of “Full House.” We couldn’t shake the feeling so we decided to pack up and go see if we could find Danny Tanner, Uncle Jessie and the rest of the gang.
Painted ladies
We decided our best shot at visiting the Tanners was to go to the Painted Ladies by Alamo Park. These houses are in the sitcom’s intro so we felt they captured the show’s essence. Although Danny Tanner didn’t come out and say hi, I’m pretty sure I saw Uncle Joey cracking jokes in the park.
Driving up and down San Francisco’s hills made me nervous, but the Truckster persistently churned ahead and handled them with ease. It made me think tomorrow we should hook the Truckster up to cables and put it on a cable car path—that would be a real San Francisco treat.
-John
August 6, 2010 Leave a comment
This morning we woke up to the stream behind our modern day YURT trickling and hit the road bright and early. We had a full day’s drive ahead of us. Little did we know exactly what that drive had in store for us…
[Have you seen our YURT footage... a.w.e.s.o.m.e AND I slept like a rock.]
The first AMAZING views encountered were of the Redwoods trees. From the windows of the Truckster these things look gigantic, up-close… they’re UNBELIEVABLE. Though we only got to stop for a few mere minutes, I was running around the wooded area where we’d pulled-off the road with a permanent smile of my face.
Bucket List #16: Hug a Redwood tree in Northern California.
Check.
We pulled ourselves away from the ancient society of trees as Dave Matthew’s Band played a serenade through our speakers, tempting me to “…stay, stay, stay for a while.”
Away we drove. Yet, only minutes later, we HAD to pull over again.
It's our THIRD Paul Bunyan encounter! America must love this dude, and so do I!
Side note: What’s the deal with Dutch Bros. Coffee – these little coffee huts decorated with Dutch windmills made out of neon lights seem to be everywhere these days. I need some input. Worth making a stop during my next coffee craving??
We continued on our journey only to be honked at by an upset driver. After some confusion as to the nature of said honk and what might have instigated such a sound (that quite frankly insulted the Truckster’s feelings…) we figured out that our turn signal was no longer blinking. We made a quick pit stop at the next auto parts store we passed and the men got to work. JOHN fixed our blinker! Who knew there was a handy man on board?
Mr. Fix-it, himself!
THEN we encountered more big trees. We DROVE the Truckster through a Redwood!!!
finally…
Onward to the land of In-and-Out Burger, Full House, the Golden Gate Bridge, and CRAZY intracity hills (that I hope the Truckster can handle)…
It’s time for BAY CITY; San Fancisco… WE HAVE ARRIVED!
Tomorrow morning the Truckster wants to see the sites of San Fran so you might see us out-and-about, gathering photos! Then, it looks like we’ll be joining the Austin favorite’s movie theater that is on a road trip of it’s own, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas are showing classic movies at the places where they were originally filmed. So tomorrow, starting around 4:30 p.m., catch the Truckster at the Alamo Drafthouse screening of “Dirty Harry” at Washington Square Park.
On Sunday we’re going to the Texas Rangers vs. the Oakland A’s baseball game. We’ll be looking for all the best tailgates and handing out loads of goodies! If you make it out to the game, look for the metallic pea and Aunt Edna gathering the crowds! (We’ll also be posting our specific locations via Twitter @homeawaytrip!)
Enjoy the weekend and see you around SF!
-steph
August 3, 2010 Leave a comment
We woke up in another Seattle haze today, bright and early ready to go to Fox Studios for Jen Miner’s interview. She did a great job under the intense pressure of bright lights and prying questions. Steph and I sat in another room, watching her on the big screen, feeling like proud parents. Check out the interview here!
We then coasted over to the factory of Bihn Bags and met Tom Bihn, the owner of the company. He gave us a very personalized tour of the factory and explained Bihn Bags, inside and out including his love for effective pocket positioning and sleek design. The most impressive part of the bags is his company’s value to keep everything “Made in America.” Not only are these bags American-made, but they’re extremely sturdy and great for traveling in style. He introduced us to some upcoming projects as well as his extremely popular Ristretto iPad bag. Check out how the patterns are traced…
Bihn Bags factory
One minute you’re strolling through Pike’s Place Market in downtown Seattle thinking things like, “My, what a nice seabreeze,” or, “I can’t believe that place makes their own cheese!” then WHAM! There it is…the roots of the roast, the genesis of java, the beginning of the bean—The first Starbucks!
The first Starbucks!
Our next day brought us to Portland, Oregon where we met with Travel Writer, Jessica Spiegel, for some lunch at Sellwood’s food carts. Portland has the most food carts of any city in the country and they actually congregate to form “pods” where you can sample numerous carts in one parking lot. These are extremely popular with authentic foods from around the world. We had some Mexican for lunch followed by creamy, yet icy, Italian Ice.
Sellwood food cart pod
We’re taking a break tomorrow followed by a journey into California!
-John
August 1, 2010 1 Comment
Yesterday morning John and I woke up to find the pristine, metallic pea, beloved wood paneling of the Wagon Queen Family Truckster had been vandalized!
I GASPED in dismay. John wailed “the HORROR!” We could not believe our eyes.
Honky Lips.
Upon further analysis of the evidence, we realized that no harm had been done. The writing was made of cardboard wrapped in black electrical tape, which had been precisely taped letter-by-letter to form the identical formation that had been spray painted on the back siding of the Truckster last time it hit the streets of St. Louis.
The meticulous detailing and obvious effort involved in the creation of the message told us that the attack had not been malicious – but a sign of appreciation for the authenticity of our EXACT replica.
After brushing up on your Truckster trivia, watch this short video I created to see just HOW authentic this one time 1986 old Ford Station Wagon now turned 1983 Wagon Queen Family Truckster truly is:
So John and I began to narrow the suspects. The attacker must be friend, not foe since the detailing had been so precise as to ensure no harm to the Truckster. Our prime suspects were Jen, the blogger who is staying with us for the weekend in Seattle, or Shelley, the homeowner at the Shirley Marvin (where we’re staying.)
SUSPECT PROFILES:
Jennifer Miner: Travel writer and blogger. She’s a co-creator, writer and editor at The Vacation Gals, a luxury travel columnist at Suite101, and she contributes regularly to other sites such as Hybrid Mom. Watch her live interview tomorrow morning on Seattle’s FOX affiliate KCPQ channel 13 at 8:45 and follow her on Twitter @JenniferMiner.
She supports team blackberry, enjoys mac-n-cheese-n-tuna surprise, and is a mother of two.
Shelley: Homeowner of HomeAway property 300257 and manager of the extended stay hotel, the Shirley Marvin. With a bottle of complimentary wine, fresh-cut flowers, and a welcome package of coupons for the locally owned businesses only a few minutes away by foot, she had been an especially welcoming host for the Truckies and Mrs. Miner. Perhaps too nice? She EVEN set up the free screening of National Lampoon’s Vacation that played yesterday and this morning at the Columbia City Cinema (just around the corner from the rental!)
We knew one thing was for sure, she knew her movie facts… suspicious, indeed.
But since we had to get to SeaFair for the FanFest festivities, there was no time to conduct our interrogations. We cleaned up the Truckster and carried on with our day.
Later, we received a frantic call from HomeAway headquarters. “Was the Truckster VANDALIZED!? WE SAW THE PHOTO ON TWITTER…HOW’S THE WOOD PANELLING???”
Though the day was full of lively distractions, we knew we MUST get to the bottom of this. So we confronted Jen.
“Was it you?” I said firmly, giving her the most hardcore stink-eye I could muster.
She acted innocent.
“Did you write those words on the Truckster? Honky lips?”
“What? No, what are you talking about?” She questioned in return.
I had no choice but to laugh off the seriousness. The poor woman was probably telling the truth about her innocence, and I didn’t want to scare her while sporting the HomeAway attire. (Bad for the Truckie image.)
So, we concluded: Shelley. Our welcoming homeowner was actually a total prankster.
Or was she?
I had made up my mind. This morning, at the Columbia City Cinema I would confront her once and for all. But when the moment of truth was upon us, she told us it had been an honor to house the Truckster, hugged us goodbye, and wished us happy travels for the remainder of the trip… I blew it; I forgot to ask.
Moments later a couple approached us. They had just finished enjoying the free screening and came to get a few final glimpses of our movie star. The man started asking me why our replica didn’t have “Honky Lips” on the siding like the one in the movie.
“Well HomeAway.com is a family company, offering vacation rental properties to travelers. Rentals accommodations are perfect for traveling families especially because of the extra space…” I started to explain.
But he continued to question me about it.
“Have you driven through St. Louis?” he asked.
“No, our three-month road trip actually sticks to the perimeter of the country. Even though we don’t have any hubcaps… “ John started to explain.
All of a sudden it clicked. I looked at the couple, they were obviously big fans of the movie, but they were hiding something.
“Wait” I said slowly, looking the man in the eyes, “it was you, wasn’t it? You guys wrote it on our car the other night, didn’t you?”
And there before the judge (me,) he confessed.
Our mystery ghost-writers got away without punishment, gave me a CD copy of (sing these next two words…should take at least eight seconds…) “Holiday ROOOAAAADDD,” and I didn’t even get a chance to catch their names before they snuck away into the afternoon.
Watch-out Seattle, there are some true fans out on the loose, and you never know where they might strike next.
Case closed.
After a few errands around Seattle, we’ll be on the ROOOAAAADDD to Portland, OR tomorrow.
-Steph
August 1, 2010 Leave a comment
Seattle's Space Needle
During FanFest, we were accompanied by Jennifer Miner who is a luxury travel writer, mother and very entertaining person to have around! We showed her cool handshakes and the Truckster, she showed us great pizza!
Part of the FanFest included a lot of Truckster fans PLUS a flash mob! For those of you who don’t know what a flash mob is, it’s a large group of people who band together, usually through social networking, to perform a group task (dancing, shouting similar things, acting in character, etc.). To everyone’s surprise, the flash mob hit with little warning so you’ll find it placed at random points throughout the fan appreciation video posted below.
Tomorrow, there is a free “National Lampoon’s Vacation” screening at Columbia City Cinema and we will be there! It’s at 11 a.m. so come by if you’d like to see a real movie star.
-John
July 30, 2010 Leave a comment
Howdy Internet friends,
We rolled into Seattle this afternoon and just made a new friend, co-creator, writer and editor at The Vacation Gals, and luxury travel columnist at Suite101, who also contributes regularly to other sites such as Hybrid Mom…none-other-than, Mrs. Jennifer Miner. (Twitter: @JenniferMiner)
We’ve got a packed schedule this weekend and will be all over town. Keep your eyes peeled for the Truckster and watch my video of the rental to find out about additional sighting opportunities in & around Seattle…
I’ll be nice and recap:
Saturday – Truckster will be at SeaFair FanFest from 12-5 p.m. at the Seattle Center before the Torchlight Parade that evening. This will be a great opportunity to bring the family – and the camera – for your close-up with yours truly… and the Truckster!
Sunday – Come to the Columbia City Cinema for the 11 a.m. FREE showing of National Lampoon’s Vacation! See the Truckster, watch the movie – what could be better?! (If you can’t make the Sunday showing, the movie will also play – FREE – Saturday morning at 11 a.m. at the Columbia City Cinema… but the Truckster won’t be around until Sunday. Plan accordingly.)
After the showing, word has it, the Truckster might be making an appearance at Alki Beach in Seattle. I suggest you follow us on Twitter for more concrete, live updates on the Truckster’s whereabouts! (Twitter: @homeawaytrip) –cough, cough–
Monday – Tune-in to FOX KCPQ Channel 13 at 8:45 a.m. to wake-up with a live interview from our travel experts, Jennifer Miner and the Truckster!
See you at SeaFair tomorrow!
-Steph
