On the Road Again
With the C11 Avion Ultra truck camper shell reassembled, we return to our road trip. This time, we head west. First stop: Oklahoma! Almost...
Tag North America
Read MoreOn the Road Again
Great American Eclipse
The moment of totality is profoundly transcendent. Amidst the stars and planets, hemmed in by a 360° sunset, is a vision of the sun, in profile. Trust me, I have seen many pictures and videos before. I'll post many myself of what has been dubbed the "Great American Eclipse." But neither a thousand words nor a picture can truly do justice to the emotional immersion into a world, like our own, but seen in a completely alien light.
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory hosts a breathtaking collection of plants and animals from around the world. In visiting, we were immediately drawn to the Ape enclosure where one of the largest Gorillas in captivity reclined with an understated authority. That being said, it seems like the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is a place to be seen, not described. So, here we go:
Hometown of Mark Twain
Before he adopted the pen name Mark Twain, Samuel Clemens grew up in Hannibal, Missouri—the template for Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Fin's hometown. Today, the quiet town perched by the Mississippi is filled with callouts to Mark Twain and his famous creations. You can tour his home and learn about his complex relationship with the morals of his environment and the values he adopted later in life. In every quote, we are treated to the wit and wisdom of one of America's greatest storytellers.
Hometown of Superman
On January 21, 1972, DC comics declared the fictional town of Metropolis to be the "Hometown of Superman." On June 9, 1972, the state of Illinois declared the very real town of Metropolis, Illinois to be the "Hometown of Superman." What followed was the inevitable scheduling of Superman themed events, attractions, and a very large statue in the town square.
Avion Ultra Truck Camper: The Return Trip (Day 3)
We wake the next morning at 4:30AM. The anxiety of our insecure camper situation made it hard to sleep as it is. The activity in the parking lot only made it more so. We just want to get the camper up to our work station as fast as possible so that we can get to work. We set everything in the camper on the floor so nothing will fall and move into the cab of the truck to drive away. Google predicts a 9 hour drive. We assume more.
Avion Ultra: The Return Trip (Day 2)
In Day 2 of our return trip from picking up our new (to us) 1970 Avion C11 has us stopping by Silver Springs State Park and wandering into Georgia.
Avion Ultra: The Return Trip (Day 1)
There is something so relieving in closing a question. Whatever the solution may be, to just take any options off the table and proceed down that single, prescripted path is liberating. We spent years considering camper options. A cheap new camper? A custom pop up? A rugged specialty off-road rig? There were so many options that we wasted hours upon hours discussing and stepping through what it would take for each to serve our needs. In the end, we wanted an adventure and, when the opportunity arose, we took it—partially out of a love for the design, and partially in a desperate need to stop looking and start doing.
Avion Ultra: Arrival
We walk around the outside of the camper. We prod about on the inside. We look at each other and nod. It needs work, but we expect that. It smells like what it is: a 47-year-old camper. But the aluminum exterior looks solid and the interior will do...for now.
Catfish, Frogs Legs, and the Billy Bass Adoption Center
Welcome to the Flying Fish in scenic, downtown Little Rock Arkansas. We came for the animatronic singing fish, we stayed for the frogs legs.