Chill Travelling is a state of mind, lifestyle and philosophy. SeeLevel is a made up word that describes a chosen mode of transportation. They are mutually exclusive and inclusive
Bob & Wendy at Borrego Desert, CA January 2011
Bob Root and Wendy Steele are the Chill Travelers
Bob and Wendy are best friends, travelers and married to each other and their lifestyle. A chance meeting in 1993 in Santa Fe caused them to shed their corporate careers, move onto a boat in San Diego and begin a very interesting journey.
These were not lightweight corporate types. Wendy was a Vice President of Coca-Cola Enterprises and Bob a high tech CEO in Silicon Valley. Wendy on the east coast and Bob in San Jose California would have challenged anyone in maintaining a relationship, but for them it seemed effortless. So profound, they wrote a book titled Defining Moments; A Brand New Day about how they met and came together. The book is available on Amazon.com or on their web site. It is a fast read that gives you a sense of what they went through to be together, Wendy surviving Cancer and a decision to change their lives forever.
SeeLevel and what inspired this website.
"3 Million Miles"
Bob receive a call from an old friend who said, “well you finally did it didn’t you?” She said “I just saw the trailer for the new George Clooney movie “Up in the Air” and you sold your story didn’t you?” Bob had heard about the movie that focused around a very secret American Airlines Advantage program frequent flyer program that features a black card and an icon on it with the flyers rating in “Millions of Miles.” He laughed and said, no, but I wish. And yes, Bob has a card emblazoned with 3 Million Miles.
Happiness to us is simply looking forward to something.
So, it is Christmas day, edging 70 degrees and sunny in California’s Anza Borrego Desert. We are not much for the commercial aspects of the holiday. In fact, we mostly enjoy the peace and quiet that the day brings. There is not much in Borrego Springs to begin with and what normally is open here is not today.
2011 was interesting! We do not claim to have the answers and our perspective is time zero looking forward. Rarely do we gauge our progress by looking backwards. So looking forward, 2012 will be a very interesting year for us.
Scratch the surface a bit in Borrego Springs and you are likely to find a Nobel Prize winner, a former James Bond actor learning to paint landscapes, the sculpture of a serpent on the Avery (label company) ranch, a former New York advertising agency executive now doing off-road desert adventures and at least five or six authors. Borrego Springs is often called California’s Hidden Desert because it is literally circled by the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. It is also called the Hidden Desert because there is so much hidden here. Most of which are very talented artists, musicians, authors, scientist, actors and us.
We will be writing either a series of articles while in Borrego Spring or one very big article. It is so interesting here that we might even try to sell the article. Who knows.
One of the articles will be about Borrego Valley Inn. This is an adobe constructed series of building that reminded us of Santa Fe or Taos. You can take a quick look at their site at www.borregovalleyinn.com
Walking through the courtyard, there is an structure that houses a very happy flock of Australian Zebra finches. Their sound is captivating and when we turned around there was this wonderful bird house…or was it? No, it is their internet access point. The geeks that installed their new high speed internet told them it had to be in the center of the courtyard. Thinks, the owners decided to commission a bird house from a local artist. The detail is amazing. Even more amazing is that it hides the electronics for their internet access point.
Megan and Mason you are now 11 and it is time to think about your future.
Grab the Ball and Run, Run, Run!
Your birthday message? Grab the ball and run, run, run!
The best gift that we can give you is some advice that we can all learn from our “Voiceless Messenger” friends.
Life is about simple truths. One of them is that we have a lot to learn from our animal friends. Science says we evolved from apes and some of us believe we have not evolved very far. Others believe we have followed somewhat of a devolutionary path. In reality, we all have choices and choices are certainly better than none.
In all the experience we have had to offer you on your life’s path, it would be far too easy to tell you all the things you need to learn, things to avoid and what is the meaning of success. We think it is better to share with you something more profound.
Some great philosophers seem to concur that happiness is looking forward to something in life. We take it a set further-offering that happiness is an individual trait that we cannot gain from others. It is personal. Even as twins, your interests are different and your dreams are already forming. So looking forward to things is happiness as long as they are your own dreams.
Therefore, it is important to look forward to things with blinders on. Don’t let anyone distract you while also realizing that defining moments can set, altar or deflect your course. Resist them and you rob yourself of adventure.
So we thought and thought about how to learn to look forward to things and offer that following your bliss, recognizing your passion for things and never let anyone take away your dreams is our best guide to the future and happiness.
Turns out that it is probably a good lesson at any age, so consider this as a part of our annual birthday wishes for you both.
Now for the animal connection. Below is a video we published here before. It is about a chance encounter that Japser puppy had with a little black dog named Satchy on a desolate Oregon Beach. What transpired next is a lesson on finding your bliss wherever you are in life. Very appropriate today on your birthday.
I have come to believe that CNN is a terrorist conspiracy to depress America and send us into eternal negativity. Well, maybe FOX News as well. Okay, NBC, ABC and CBS as well. Not Dianne Sawyer though!
I have been studying youthfulness, chemicals, prescription drugs and anything I can reach to figure out why we age and why we look older. Aging is gradual or fast for some. Traveling as we do, I often see people that are younger than me looking very old. I, on occasion, see people that are older than me looking younger than me. Fortunately, these occurrences are fewer.
My studies will be revealed in my new book which does not yet have a title or even a subject. What I have found is that youth comes from exercising one particular area of our bodies. You guessed it, it is the endocrine systems. And you thought it was going to say sex.
Turns out that when you exercise your endocrine system, all these hormones and things rush into our bodies through the lymphatic system giving us energy, hope, excitement and yes sex. After all, it is only natural, right.
Yes, sex ranks right up there preserving our youth. My friend Mehmet Oz (aka Dr. Oz) says that for health, we should have sex 200 days a year. You know what is more powerful than sex 200 days a year? 300 days a year….sorry I lost track. What is actually more powerful than sex is laughter. A hard belly laugh that brings tears to your eyes is perhaps the most powerful fountain of youth drug we can take. Combine that with 300 days a year of sex and we are reversing the aging process…sorry I digress.
So, if laughter is such a cure, why do we watch CNN? Does CNN make you laugh? Not me and that is why I have been CNN-Free for ten years going on 11. No irony that it was the overload of 9.11.2011 that took me over the top.
Recently, since we spend a great part of our summer in the cool weather of Newport Oregon, I have attempted to be controversy-free . This year has been particularly difficult finding me searching for positive things to latch onto. Little Newport Oregon, like much of the country, is encased in politics and disputes. So, I have sought out the artist, music and entertainment community in search of youthful making endochrine rushes to help preserve my youthful feelings and appearance. Swimming every day, watching my diet and doing one thing different every day has really helped. I do really feel like I have ticked off a year or two in my “real age” this year.
So, what is all this weird bullsh*t whilst this tort like writing is wrapped around a funny looking book cover. The keyword is “funny!”
Where we are staying at Pacific Shores RV Resort in Newport is not without its own politics. Like many places, this place feels that it must control every aspect of its existence by focusing on the CNN moments that are locally grown.
So today is 9/11/2011. The ten year anniversary of the fateful day that changed the world. In business we call it a wildcard. “An event” that changes the course of history.
I woke this morning to an email from my best friends on earth, excluding my very very best friend Wendy… It was a emotional recounting of the day when my friend Teunis was visiting from the Netherlands…our second country. He started by remembering our experience on 9/11 when he had arrived in Washington DC the night before from Amsterdam. Driving to pick him up, I heard the first reports of the airlines hitting the twin towers. I picked him up and his eyes told the story that he already knew what was going on. Rather than driving to the office, we drove to our home, a Frank Llyod Wright style structure in the midst of the Annapolis Maryland wooded forest just twenty miles from the Pentagon. We walked through the front door and the news of the devastation was intense. My first thoughts were to alert Blanche, Teunis’s wife, that he was Okay. Many people do not know that most of the internet communications center on the east coast was the Twin Towers. They were out and I searched to find an internet connection. Being a geek and ex-DIA, I was able to find a link from a totally unsung hero of the day. Whatever their name, they were a Pacific Bell IT person that decided to drop their security and firewall to open the internet access that they were still affording in San Francisco. To most, the internet was gone with the towers. I was able to get an email through to the Netherlands via that PacBell portal. Satisfied, I returned to watch the terror that was occurring at about the time Flight 93 was headed toward DC. The rest of the afternoon was emotionally draining at best.
We headed for downtown Annapolis for dinner to a most quiet and somber tone. We needed to eat and we needed to gather up Teunis’s belongings from the B&B downtown. He had to stay with us and we knew that it would be a while because of the grounding of all flights. The restaurant we sat in was quiet and somber as well. Through most of the dinner there was silence and then the sound of laughter came from another table. Honestly, it seemed strange and very refreshing.
So today, 9.11.2011, ten years later, we awoke to the wonderfully honest message from Teunis. With a tear, I responded with equally as appreciative response. Teunis’s message was heartfelt and also a messenger of how we should spend our day.
Typically, we would head south to Nye Beach to our favorite coffee shop. This day we headed north because Wendy wanted to look for some warmer fleece tops at the outlet mall north of us. We stopped for breakfast and we were early for the stores opening. Wendy picked up a local beach tabloid and began to read it as we went toward the stores. To our surprise, there was an article about the general manager at the place we are staying. Turns out that Steve is not only a great hospitality manager, he is also an author. Better said, he is a comedian.
His book, The Unnatural Aging of Cheese, (his nickname) was available for sale and he is scheduled to do a reading at one of our favorite places, Cafe Mundo in Nye Beach, this Saturday coming form 4pm to 6pm. Just then, driving south from Lincoln City Oregon, Wendy said stop! Pull Over! There is Bob’s Books she excalimed. Now, I often have these experiences with Wendy, so I pulled over. Okay, besides it is my name, what is the deal? They sell Steve’s book she exclaimed. We went in an sure enough they had it. Coughing up $12 we were on our way. Safe to say, by the time we returned to Newport, Wendy had read most of the book to me. Literally belly laughing the entire way, we realized that we had spent the ten year anniversary of 9/11 the best way we could.
It is indeed a serious day. Let us not forget that part of rebuilding is looking forward to something. A new direction. Yes, it is a good day to remember the loss, but what are we to learn and what are we to do? The answer to us begins with laughter to clear the soul. Then it is to plan the new plans, scheme the schemes and look forward rather than backwards. To us, all the half-staff flags today said remember, but they also said to us, “What have you done for us lately?”
So, we laughed the day whilst still remembering the loss. Rather than going home, we stopped for lunch and remembered as well as lifting a toast to our friend Teunis and Blanche.
It was a good day thanks to Steve and his very funny book. I am glad to know him and I am sincerely looking forward to his book reading at Cafe Mundo in Nye Beach from 4p-6p on September 17, 2011.
It is good to laugh and exercise our endocrine system, so it may qualify under the new healthcare law.
Well, our dear friend Tina Carlson created a birthday image of Jasper in one of her art forms. Tina is a wonderfully sincere photographer whose attention to detail is amazing. Recently Tina has been selling various pet images in this highly illustrated form that finds her work hanging in homes around the world as a high design art form. Whether it is a print of a whale 6 feet long or here special 12″ X 12″ aluminum masterpieces, she has created a very unique form of art that is catching peoples eyes.
It began with Tina’s dog Miller. He is a bull terrier with an amazing personality. When we walked into Tina and Dennis’s home north of Los Angeles, there was this picture of Miller in this quad view that just intrigued us. Now Tina has created this image of Jasper for his first birthday.
Tina’s work has inspired us to grab as many pictures of Jasper growing up as we can. This image we shot playing ball with Jasper on the beach near where we stay in Newport Oregon. He loves playing ball, running full tilt after it and returning it for another go. This image is an ankle high grab shot that Bob shot while Jasper was returning the ball. The fog was rolling in and the depth of field was short. Inspired by Tina, we applied some oil painting software filters she recommend we buy to the image. What came out was the dramatic image of Jasper and his favorite ball.
When I was creating the video of Jasper and the Beach Soccer, within the editing process, I noticed some interesting things during the frame-by-frame transitions. It is funny and interesting to view a video in slow motion and often it inspires.
Jasper has a new neighbor friend here in Newport, named Satchmo. He is from Sedona , Arizona. They became friends on the beach in Newport Oregon. We can only assume that Satchy was named after the great American trumpet player.
Louis Armstrong nicknamed Satchmo , was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans,Louisiana.
Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an “inventive” cornet and trumpet player, Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the music’s focus from collective improvisation to solo performance.
With his instantly recognizable deep and distinctive gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes. He was also greatly skilled at scat singing, vocalizing using sounds and syllables instead of actual lyrics.
Renowned for his charismatic stage presence and voice almost as much as for his trumpet-playing, Armstrong’s influence extends well beyond jazz music, and by the end of his career in the 1960s, he was widely regarded as a profound influence on popular music in general.
So, when I was editing, I noticed a sort of dance that the two had. It was honestly inspiring.
I decided that I would take parts of the video and put them in slow motion to capture the dance and the style these two had. Magic Moments is a phrase that comes to mind.
Here is what I saw in the editing process, shortened to an interesting segment that seems to be a life story of sorts!
If you have not watched the video below, I would recommend looking at it first to put this ‘short’ in perspective.
Well, ever since the realization that Jasper is a true Texan, we decided to see how this horse chasing head strong critter would deal with the Pacific Ocean. In true fashion, the score is Jasper 1 and Pacific 0 :-)
We are in one of our favorite places at Pacific Shore RV Resort in Newport Oregon trying to mix a lot of work with some punctuated moments of reality. At this time of the year, the weather is clear and sunny with daytime temps in the high 60′s. When it is low tide at a reasonable time of day, we walk Jasper down to the beach from the location and walk three or four miles on the beach. Wendy thought that Jasper might carry his love for chasing balls to the beach, so we went down with video cameras in hand to get the results below.
What is especially fun is that during this process, we let Jasper off-leash to see if he would listen to us and come when we called him. Despite his Texas independence, he did well. Take a look.
Our accountant Jim reminds us to never never offer any positive comments about California because of the California State of Mind tax rules that make our income taxable if we even infer any kinship to California. So, with that in mind, one of our media friends from Sedona Arizona created a video using a technique called tilt-shift to create a toy-like overview of a day living in California. We will leave it up to you to interpret the meaning. Lord knows we never set foot in California ;-} Did you hear that Jerry Brown aka Gov Moonbeam!
From Pop! Happy First Birthday Jasper. One year not without unique diverse experiences.
When I used to travel on airplanes, it was a lot. Rather then telling people where I went, how long I was there or what I saw, I would often calculate the hours spent in the plane times how fast the plane flew divided by total number of hours I was away. What did that add up to? My average speed while away. My record was a week long trip hitting two countries a day where I averaged 135 MPH while sleeping :-) That lifestyle has changed in some ways, but traveling has not. After being in Newport Oregon for about a month now, even said, Jasper has averaged nearly 50 miles a day since being with us.
Jasper came to this family about 9 months ago after living his first three months of life being coddled by his mom Spicy and dad Little Bit. His aunt Marlene made sure he was warm, fed and his days full of play. As a little guy, he was distinguished from his sister with a blue dolup of nail polish at the base of his tail. He was an adventurous little guy climbing early, protecting his sisters from a scary camera and relishing his baths….well maybe not relishing. Little did he know how is life would change.
We picked him up about 9 months ago in Texas, popped him into the coach and off we went for a three day run to Malibu. 1500 miles later, he was looking at the Pacific Ocean, already house broken and full of adventure. Not too long ago we chronicled the events with this video titled, “Jasper’s First Four Weeks.” It is worth a gaze to make all of the above seem relevant.
We were in Newport Oregon a year ago when we heard the news that there was a boy in Spicy’s litter of three. Marlene promised us that if there was a boy that he would be ours and today a year ago we found out that there was one and his name would be Jasper.
Jasper got his name in Canada weeks before he was born. We were leaving Calgary AB Canada headed for Vancouver BC on the trans-Canada highway. As we headed west we wound through the mountains. Passing Bamff and lake Louise, we entered the eastern edge of Jasper National Park. Wendy said, “Jasper would be a cute name!” Like the other names we theorized before, we would start calling him Jasper until a better one came along. Well, Jasper came into this world sooner than a new name came along, so Jasper was it. While his sisters had names like “Green Girl” Jasper had his given name at birth and was called by his name as he grew up in his home just north of Dallas, Texas.
Jasper is not only a Texan, he is also a Leo by one day. Just ticking over the border of Cancerean, he is a true Leo. This is clear after the few months of being with us. I struggle to describe it, so here is something I found describing creatures born on this day of the astrology calendar.
Being born between the 24th of July on the 5th of August makes you Leo through and through. Your charisma and power are undeniable and from early age you have had a strong sense of your personal destiny. As a result don’t be surprised to find yourself assuming positions of authority and power and life. Some of you may even hold high office, become interested in politics or at this community work and will certainly become the best in your field.
Try to remember that your strong sense of self can be misinterpreted by others — understatement could sometimes be a more effective way for you to show your loyalty and express your generosity.Some people think you are a show-off, but this too is a mistake. Your dramatic flair is part and parcel of your zest for life, your love of people and your optimism. For you, life is a stage on which you can perform and express your talents.
You may not be a performer on the entertainment stage, but Mick Jagger, a Leo, is, and he is a very good example of the strutting, egotistical nature of Leo. Mick exudes charisma, creativity and a personal style all his own. Not only that, but he has embedded his brand name as No. 1 in the rock industry, decade after decade. On the stage of life, you too will want to be No. 1, and to present yourself as someone special, with unique talents.
Jasper has been a wonderful addition to our family. He plays with his sister Isabel many times a day roughhousing and wrestling. A few left jabs and a right cross from Isabel and it is over for a while. When we leave, both are angels sitting on their respective chairs and often as we close the door to the coach, all hell breaks loose inside with the two of them running back and forth sounding like a herd of Texas cattle on the open range. We often wonder what people think is going on when we are gone. Perhaps an episode of Animal Planet
After one year, I struggle to describe Jasper. ”His own dog,” “Too confident,” “In control,” and then a visit from our friends Tina and Dennis inspired me to finally have some icon that describes Jasper. Tina bought a new iPad2 and recorded a bunch of music from iTunes. Heading over to their coach for dinner we were greeted with a song from Outlaw Country radio. Then this morning walking Jasper around Newport at sunrise I was thinking about writing this article. Then it came to me what this little guy is all about. The picture to the right sort of captures it!
So, here is the video from the entertainer that wrote the song, Screw You, Were From Texas,” that now symbolizes the Jasper we lovingly know!
Jasper’s Birthday Sentiments? You guessed it, “Screw You, I’m from Texas!”
Just started reading Richard Branson’s new book “Reach For The Skies.” What impresses me so far is that he honors the heroes that succeeded in changing the world of flight with an equal emphasis on those that tried and failed. Reading the first few chapters, it dawned on me that I had captured some video at the Santa Paula Airport this past February. When I reviewed the clips, I realized that I had captured a small bit of evolution.
Walking around “First Sunday” with our friends Tina and Dennis makes the event all that more special. Miller their wonder dog captured almost as much attention as the “bird.” It was a fun day that inspired me to put together a short look of what we experienced.
For a guy, it warms the soul, rejuvenates the spirit and makes you feel young again to be around cool airplanes and cool cars. Better yet is to see these great machines walking around with a couple of hot babes. There are few places on earth where you can get up close and personal with these great designs of the past.On the first Sunday of the month, a visit to Santa Paula Airport (California) will find the hangers open and lots of great things to see.
Enjoy a brief bit or history and the work that these people have put forth to restore and are restoring these great machines of the past.
As a bit of technical background, the video was shot using my new SONY broadcast video camera with an ultra-wide lens developed for news teams to shoot in cramped spaces. The camera actually produces sharper more colorful images that are smaller in file size. I intentionally used a broadcast encoder file (F4V) for this video. So, it is about twice the size of most of my videos, but the increase really helps to show the details of this high definition film. Enjoy!
Our life is certainly eclectic and never boring. When people visit us on the coach, they see a bit of our lifestyle at SeeLevel. Jasper has been a wonderful new addition to our family filling a huge hole for all of us. He is his own dog for sure. He may look like Disney, but he is very different. He has become a great pal for Isabel kitty. They play together and even starting to sleep next to each other…on occasion ;]
This year has been the year of excursion trips for us. Business is consuming more time, but we said that, this year, we want to try and stop and visit friends more. It has been nice to take a few left turns here and there.
One of the funny things a lot of people say after spending time with us is that if there is reincarnation, that they want to come back as one of our pets! We cannot really understand why because as you watch this video, we cannot see why people believe they live such a charmed life.
We love to feature the work and art of our friends. Tina Carlson is one of our best friends and is quite the artist from many aspects. A wonderful provocative visionary photographer, Tina recently began exploring the creation of Vintage Jewelry.
We have been blown away by Tina’s work and think you will as well. Please Click Here to visit Tina’s online store
We were just finishing up our NorCal tour visiting Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay for dealer visits, demos and book tour.
You just never know what you will see or experience unless you take time to look around at the world. The Tsunami coverage is amazing and saddening. The effects in the US have obviously been overlooked and rightfully so. Below is a scene of a marina in Santa Cruz showing the power of a Tsunami started thousands of miles away. Pretty amazing.
We have a number of video cameras on board and always have our HD Sony Flip and Smartphone video at the ready. It is amazing what you see in life if you pay attention. Better yet, a video camera in hand. Just telling you about what we see in our travels pales in comparison to showing you.
We travel to the San Francisco Bay Area about two or three times a year for business. Finding a place to park the hulk Grizzly is challenging in this area because there are so many people and so little space. This trip we stayed, for a brief time, at the Alameda Fair Grounds. And yes, it is very close to Lawrence Livermore National Labs where Bob is affiliated. This time, it was a seven day a week five dealers a day visit punctuated with some industry meetings.
Walking is a experience that helps us keep sane in our busy lifestyle. If we arrive at a new location earlier in the day, we get hooked up and then set out for a couple of mile trek to unwind and see what we see. The trek from Santa Barbara to the bay area is short,so when we arrive at the Alameda Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, California, the setup was fast and the weather was just clearing after rain on the journey. When we arrived we walked around the emptiness of a closed fairground and stumbled on a few interesting pieces of history.
We originally shot this video using an Android Smartphone for our friend Dennis who collects some very fine vintage John Deere tractors. We tried to send it from our phones, but kept receiving a transmission error that the file was too big to transmit. So, when we returned to the Grizz, we found that it was indeed, quite big. We decided to turn it into a blog article because it is interesting and anyone can see these pieces of history.
I am constantly amazed when I look at the machines we use today that just a little over 170 years ago that people were just discovering California in their wagons. The machines in this video indeed helped to shape California and represent multiple generations of technology improvement.
Herein are our discoveries intended for Dennis and for you to also enjoy.
Being a car guy is somewhat difficult to explain given my tree hugger work life.
Growing up as a car guy in the 60′s was an extraordinary experience. My dad and I customized cars, built them, rebuilt them and drove them on the track as well as a few misguided moments as a street racer. The list of cars ranged from my first which was a 1951 Studebaker, to various 1950′s vintage Cadillac Ambulances as well as some very modified and very fast machines that probably should have killed me. A Thames panel truck, the size of a VW bug, with a supercharged 392 Chrysler Hemi to Bug-Eye Sprite with a 283 V8 Chevy were just a few of the hot-rods.
In 1964 when Carrol Shelby introduced the Ford AC Cobra, I went to the local dealership to see one. I remember it as if it was yesterday. I walked into the showroom and my heart stopped. It was a red with white stripes AC Cobra with a 289 Ford motor not much more than stock. Still, it was like strapping a rocket on your back and navigating the streets on roller skates with the rocket at full throttle.
Now many years later, at Orion, we met an ex-Olympic downhill racer turned race car driver. We were taking a team from
Pfizer to David’s Cobra Experience and we headed to Houston Texas to meet David and the cars. When we arrived, my passion was rekindled and Wendy immediately caught the bug.
So after just a short period, we were in Scottsdale at David’s garage building one of our own. Wendy said it had to be orange because she is a Tennessee Vol alumn and I wanted a bit more than a cut above a stock motor. By the time Wendy, David, Ryan, Disney and I finished, Ozzy was born. He was orange….very orange! The car was built more as a track car, although street legal. The motor was basically a Roush Nascar detuned Nextel Cup beast with racing sidepipes that let him breath. He had the looks and the chops to take on just about anything on the streets anywhere. 0 to 60 mph was around 3.2 seconds, over 1 G cornering force and a top speed that was in excess of 180 mph.
So Ozzy became a part of our family and we took him in his trailer, Harriot, many places. Ozzy traveled to the Florida Keys and events across the US. One even found him the center of controversy at a Cobra event with over 400 of them showing up. After all, everyone knows that Cobra’s are not supposed to be orange.
As Keys grew, we had less and less time for Ozzy. I would take him out on spring and fall weekends in Annapolis to clear his throat and wakeup the colonials. Still, I felt bad that he was sitting most of the time in his trailer. I thought about selling hime which truly would have broken my heart. After so many years since I saw the first Cobra to fleeting moments seeing an occasional one on the road to building and owning my own custom machine would have been terrible to lose.
While on a trip to New Mexico, we met our now dear friend Tina and Dennis. Dennis and Tina are as big car guys as Wendy and me. We talked with them about becoming foster parents and moving Ozzy to their home just north of Los Angeles. It was settled, Ozzy would move to California where he could cruise 365 days a year. So, we hired a transporter, packed Ozzy into Harriot and sent him to Tina and Dennis where he now lives.
Wendy and I spend a great deal of our time in the LA area because it is where most of our business comes from. So, when we arrived in LA/Malibu, it was a perfect time to bring Ozzy over for a couple of weeks of cruising and hanging out with a few of his closest friends. Ozzy’s story is much longer and worth much more than my words. We compiled this video during his stay with us and close encounters with a few close friends. ;-)
Many people say that we live an idyllic lifestyle. What we know for sure is that it is by design and has to be a work in process to maintain the freedom, liberty and adventure. Living 365 on the road in some fairly exotic places would seem like a plan for two retired people. The fact is that we are not retired and work seven days a week on Keys. Our seven day work habit is punctuated by many adventures as we have learned a long time ago the art of disengagement. The fact remains that these exotic locations all have wonderful internet connections or our onboard systems compensate for beautiful areas that are not so well connected. Our business revolves around our connectivity to our customers, sales team and the factory.
Our lead article is a spinoff of George Clooney’s movie “Up In The Air.” Our lives were full of adventure and unfortunately separate until we met. After a year of meeting around the world, sharing now the life in the air, we decided to chuck our corporate careers and move to San Diego. In our book, “Defining Moments,” we described our lifestyle living on a motor yacht in San Diego. Wendy’s mom told her friends that her daughter lived on an MGM movie set. In fact, we lived at the marina at one of San Diego’s most exclusive hotels on Harbor Island.
We have told our story to many. Almost all have said that they would have loved to have just seen the experience we described. Some did, but none saw it all or experienced what it was like for us.
As it was portrayed in our book, Wendy arrived in San Diego after quitting Coca Cola as I also had ‘jumped ship’ in Silicon Valley leaving the stress to the likes of Steve Jobs and Larry Ellison. They got the money and I got the girl. I won!
As we settled into our life on the “Dream Warrior,” it was by far even more idyllic than I could have ever imagined. Our alarm clock was the first American Airlines flight to San Jose that I took every Monday morning. The difference, I was no longer on that flight but in the arms of my sweetie. We were still working consulting and my Black Platinum status with American was still active as it ever was with Wendy quickly gaining Gold and on her way to Platinum Advantage. Traveling the world for business was both exotic and suited us very well. Wendy loves to tell the story of teasing Terry Bradshaw on a flight to San Diego from Dallas. Wendy acting like she did not know who her seatmate was unnerved him and delighted him as well. A few seats away, I just had to laugh. Things were wonderful.
When we left “Dream Warrior” for dry land and moved to Point Loma with a view from La Jolla to the Mexican Islands, it was both a sad and emotional experience for both of us. Especially me.
It is hard for me to live in the present. I am and have always been a dreamer looking toward the future. Yet, I struggled with the change from the boat to Ocean Beach and our Guizot street home that overlooked Sunset Cliffs. My systems nearly shut down as we decided to move east for our business. Something this Californian could never imagine. A move from the land of imagination to the land of retrograde was beyond belief. At every opportunity, I would return to San Diego visiting our marina, the street of our home together and checking out to make sure it was still 1969 in Ocean Beach. Wendy and I made several trips for business and always did the same thing returning to our old haunts, but realizing that things had changed and also realizing that we could never go back. It was after all, a fond dream of once was. Still, our San Diego lifestyle haunted me until I learned to let it go!
You see, it was not just San Diego, but this new life with this wonderful person that completed my life that was the real deal. Yes, it was living on the boat, living on Harbor Island and living the jet-a-way lifestyle that was so marvelous that it was, is and remains hard to describe. What remains impossible to describe was the extreme happiness that Wendy brought me. Just hearing her voice 3,000 miles away was electrifying. When we were able to be together it was life gone to an impossible place where every moment was bliss.
Wendy calls that time in everyone’s life when they find true love as a time that is “Shiny Bright.” Truly as we have grown in our business and our new lifestyle we have worked hard to retain that shinny bright feeling. Even in our business, our travel 365 days a year and being eccentric from “The Norm,” we work at maintaining that feeling. Still, I struggled until I realized that it was the combination of who we are, where we are and where we are going that is the “New Adventure,” that I was able to Let It Go!
When you find that right person, it is important to never tie it to a place, a time or things! Shiny Bright is not work or something to be held in memories, but moreover something that you maintain. My mistake was tying it to San Diego, the Dream Warrior and Sunset Cliffs. Until I let it go, I lived in a place in the past where thing were wonderful, but not any more wonderful than today. These places were just a stopping waypoint for two time travelers who aim to lighten the load as we move on.
So, what is the point?
Well, we were in Borrego Springs and Jasper pup needed a haircut. We convinced ourselves that a trek over the Laguna Mountains was worth it for him to get a proper haircut by Disney’s longtime groomer Sal at Satin Scissors in San Diego’s Ocean Beach. It would also be the opportunity for us to retrace our steps chronicling our lifestyle there, not in words, but on video.
So below is our video journal of what it was like for us in San Diego living on the Dream Warrior and on Sunset Cliffs. A few minutes of time to show the culmination of 40 years searching for each other and finding that person that made us whole.
The title of the song from one of our favorite Chill music groups, Tripswitch, is “Roll Your Own.” One of the recurring choruses is “Let It Go!” We highly recommend a lifestyle living by both the title and the chorus. Roll your own to us means taking charge for what happens in your life and let it go is something that we should all do with things, possessions and living in the past!
For me, I am now back in the future where I belong!
Enjoy our San Diego lives in just a few minutes! You will undoubtedly see, hear and feel why it was hard to let it go.
Even here in the Anza Borrego Desert the rain for the past few days has been huge. If you have been watching the weather out west, you certainly realize the huge storm we have been having. LA received almost its years worth of rain in just a few days. San Diego was under water and we actually had thunderstorm warnings yesterday that luckily did not materialize.
As we saw the end of the storm giving way to bits of sun last evening, the cloud formations out our fron window were amazing. This prompted me to setup the HD video camera to do a time-lapse of what we were seeing. This 20 second video is 45 minutes of original footage from the desert floor looking west.
So for those of you on the east coast, it is headed your way and looks a lot like snow from the back side.
We travel North America on business 365 days a year. During parts of the year we like to find a place to rest and work at a little slower pace. The Springs at Borrego in Borrego Springs is just one of those places.
By far, this is one of the finest best maintain RV parks that we have seen. The amenities, care, attention and offerings are unsurpassed. The people here are wonderful, personable and caring.
This is an RV park for all sorts of vehicles. Superior to any Class A resort we have stayed in, “The Springs” offer its facilities to all types of RV’s.
There is a distinction which we appreciate. This is a park for adventuresome people wanting to enjoy the park, play golf and explore the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This is not a park for typical RVers, but one for people who happen to use their RV’s to explore the beauty and nature that the area offers. Isolated 60 miles from Palm Springs and 100 miles from San Diego, we appreciated the remoteness and the beauty.
A picture is indeed worth a 1000 words and this 3 minute video is around 180,000 words that all say wonderful in a different way.
Our time in Borrego Spring was a wonderful experience. We had the opportunity to meet some wonderful warm people. We always love to explore the areas we visit and this one particular area is new to Wendy. Bob used to off road race in the Ocotillo Wells area many years ago and returning was a great experience for for him.
The off-road activity in this area has been significantly restricted because of the ecology impact. So realizing that we wanted to see most of what was restricted almost everyone in this small desert town said, call Joe! So we did and arranged for a private Jeep tour prior to the Christmas holiday. Unfortunately as the video below shows, our weather turned rainy and Joe was headed back east for the holiday. So, we delayed our tour until the January warmth and sunshine.
The tour was significant and way too hard to describe in words. Below is a short video of our experience.
Borrego is a great place to visit and a quick trip from LA or San Diego. It is a great place to visit to spend time in the desert to see the wonder it has to offer. Joe and his California Overland Tours are a must see and do. Joe is very knowledgeable about the history, nature and knows all the wonderful things to see and do. Whether it is a group tour or a private Jeep excursion like ours, it was well worth the time as our video shows. The bonus, Joe is a wonderful person and is definitely a new part of the Chill Travelers family.
California Overland takes you deep amongst the cactus and canyons of the incredible Anza-Borrego desert in open-air jeeps and former military vehicles. Get ready for rugged adventure in an amazing terrain rich in beauty, history and natural wonder that’s a less than 90-mile scenic drive from downtown San Diego.
See what it’s like to strip away the confines of a typical car or SUV and experience the desert with all your senses aboard the most exciting California desert tours. And our unique rating system lets you choose your own level of adventure. So check us out and you may find this is the journey you’ve always wanted to take.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Bob & Wendy at Font's Point
At over 600,000 acres Anza-Borrego Desert State Park® is the largest desert state park in the nation. It is also one of the most diverse; 6,000’ peaks, labyrinthine badlands, palm oases, cascading pools of water in lush canyons, and awe-inspiring overlooks. Its boundaries contain areas rich in western lore, native-american history, paleontology, archaeology and geology. There’s over 200 flowering plants that occasionally put on incredible displays of seasonal colors. Wildlife abounds as well with roadrunners, jack rabbits, lizards such as the chuckwalla, kit foxes, bobcats, cougars, coyotes and, of course, the Peninsular Bighorn Sheep.
It is the Bighorn Sheep that gives Anza-Borrego half of its name. “Borrego” is Spanish for this endangered mammal that is often seen by visitors on the rocky slopes of the park’s canyons. “Anza” refers to the Spanish explorer who first traversed Coyote Canyon in 1774 in a successful quest for an overland route to the mission at San Francisco.
Joe, California Overland Tours
Spring wildflower season brings the most visitors, but the park’s magnificent features are truly impressive any time of year. Autumn is near perfect in weather; comfortable temps and usually rain-free skies. And summer in the desert is an experience that an avid outdoor adventurer may want to experience for themselves. Time of day, place and activity can be adapted to suit even the hottest days where the mercury can push into the 120s °F. Usually the presence of low humidity makes even a 120° day seem more comfortable than a 98° day in more temperate climates. Summer nights are generally pleasant. Safety though should always be emphasized, especially during summer months when water intake is critical
So, when you are in Borrego, make sure that you contact Joe at California Overland Tours at 760.767.1232 or visit him at You can also email: info@californiaoverland.com
Borrego Springs has been full of adventure for us and we plan more excursions into the desert and mountains. Bob used to off-road race in the are and made the trek over the mountains when he lived in SoCal.
Our trip here continues to be amazing. Last night was the Lunar Eclipse and it arrive late on the 20th and the full eclipse occurred in the early morning of the solstice. This is the first time both have occurred together since 1638.
What is particularly interesting to us is that this area is rich with Native American culture and ritual. What we were not able to capture was the sounds of the desert during this event. In the distance, packs of Coyote yipped and howled in unison. These sounds were punctuated by Native American flutes rolling across the valley from the mountains that surround us. At one point we heard Indian chanting that was transferred to us by the unique doppler effect that occurs in the desert. Perhaps miles away, we could hear voices clearly as we heard the flutes with the same distinction.
Another part of this location that is interesting is that Borrego Springs is one of only two certified International Dark Sky Communitees in the world (IDA http://www.darksky.org) The reality that all lights here are shielded from the sky provided us a wonderful experience despite the weather.
We consider ourselves lucky because it has been cloudy and raining for two days as the LA basin is flooding. Just before the beginning of the eclipse, the sky opened to give us a very dark sky view of the event. Below we captured a part on video before the clouds returned. Not bad for a little HD camcorder.
This is a timelapse video that took the better part of 45 minutes to play out.
If you have been following us, you know that the second half of 2010 has been hectic for us. So, when Wendy had the idea of spending the holidays and the end of 2010 in a place that would help us wind down, we jumped on the idea.
Last year on our way back to the factory we stopped in Borrego Springs, California. We were so impressed with the facilities and the community that it seemed a natural place for us to spend the holidays. For us, Borrego offers all the thing that we want most to experience during this season…solitude!
The adage that a picture is worth a thousand words was created when there was no such thing as video. Carrying the adage a step forward into this century, maybe it should now read that a video is worth 10,000 pictures. It would be so hard to describe what we experience in the desert everyday, so we shot some very raw footage and transformed it into our story of or desert experience here in Borrego Springs.
A couple of things about this video.
Our part elf musician friend, Arthur Hull, asks his students, “Is the music in the beat or the spaces between the beats?” To Arthur, it is both. We titled this video “Spaces” because we feel that it is not only about living life in the moment, but the spaces between the moments as well. We feel, it is both the spaces and the defining moments that bring both happiness and fulfillment.
The end of this year for us is a celebration. It has been a wonderful year with break throughs and a year where we lost our best friend and fellow time traveler, Disney. Moreover it has been a year where we are able to share his memory with his sister, Isabel (The Cat) and her new “brother” Japser. We truly are not mourning the loss of our voiceless teacher, but able to live the things he taught us watching the wonderment of living through Jasper’s young eyes and heart. You do not have to try too hard to see both Disney and Jasper in this video. Yet, Jasper is his own wonderful being up to the point where all hell breaks loose when he decides to puppy chase Isabel back and forth in the coach.
We hope that you are able to extract happiness, solace, joy, wisdom and inspiration from our “Spaces” video. As always, it is our intent to provoke, invoke and evoke!
Lastly, from the day we met near Santa Fe New Mexico there has been someone who has been with us all the way and whose music has inspired us, provokes us and continues to evoke emotions through his musical journey. It is fitting this holiday that Carlos Nakai was with us in music form at Pecos fifteen years ago and his new age experiment accompanies our video today. He too has grown from his emotional Native American flute, Canyon Trilogy, to this introspectiveness merging orchestration with his flute. It more than somehow fits to fulfill “Spaces.”
Happy Holidays and wishing you a 2011 full of wonderment, defining moments and “Spaces.”
There is no question that our normal is on the move. Jasper is learning to discover, explore and enjoy all the things that we experience.
Jasper went from a whirlwind first month traveling over 2000 miles to a month of staying put in one of our favorite places, Malibu California. This is Jasper’s second trip to Malibu. His first four weeks video captures that first adventure. This will give him much more time to get acquainted.
To describe Malibu is to stand at our campground and just look east to the Santa Monica Mountains. Quickly, you realize the solace and as quickly realize that there are millions of people in one of the liveliest cities on earth just over the hill. For us, it affords us close proximity to one of our most vibrant markets for Keys. At the same time we can kick back at the end of the day and enjoy the views, sounds of the ocean and the smell of fresh salt air. Yes, fresh and LA in the same sentence.
Just a quarter of a mile from our campsite is the entrance to a national reserve called Solstice Canyon. It affords a light five mile hike as well as more strenuous adventures. Just up the cost amidst all the filming locations is Zuma Beach and the our south is the Malibu Colony, the palatial home of Cher and Pepperdine University.
On this trip we were able to gather up Ozzy and bring him over for two weeks on the coast and cruising PCH. He even got to be part of a movie…well sort of. That is another video and another story.
It was a great time to see all of our friends in the industry and catch up. Coming off the Women’s Conference, we had a chance to spend some quality time with of friends.
So, you would not expect that Malibu would offer us a quiet life in the center of the entertainment capital of the world. Take a look at out Malibu through the eyes of little Jasper…who is actually getting quite big.
Jasper’s first four weeks with us was an adventure for even an adventurer. Can you imagine being a young puppy of just 11 weeks and being whisked away from you family, loaded onto an RV and driven 1500 miles in your first three days. Then a few days in Malibu, then to Long Beach and then onto Anaheim before heading to El Capitan State Beach north of Santa Barbara. Imagine if this was your first few days and weeks of a new family, a new life and where everything you encounter is new except for the two crazy parents and an adopted sister who is a cat. Can you imagine?
Think a bit before you watch the video about experiencing everything new, seeing things you have never scene before, new smells and many terrifying new noises. Jasper is the poster child for adaptability. Despite early on getting only a few hours of sleep, we started to see this little guy mature, lose some of his fears and double in size in just four weeks.
So, as you watch this video of about 11 minutes, realize that what you are seeing is a growing pup over about 4 weeks. Most of all this video is chronological with the exception of the closing shot from our campground near Disneyland.
Jasper is now growing like a weed, shedding his baby teeth and starting to discover all that this world has to offer him. We had been in Malibu for a short while and were invited to a gathering of Bichon’s that were bred by the wonderful lady that brought us Jasper. Marlene lives just north of Dallas Texas and is the president of the Los Angeles Bichon Club. Marlene lived in Santa Monica before moving to her new home. She remains the clubs president and travels occasionally for meetings
November 13th, 2010 was a very special meeting of the club hosted by a Bichon member family in Pacific Palisades. It was special because we would get to see Marlene, a hoard of Jasper’s relatives and a reunion with Jasper sister who now lives in Studio City.
It is impossible to describe what it is like to be around 30+ Bichon’s, so watch this short clip to get just a slight taste of what it was like to be in the middle of all the energy.
We have been in the process of creating a video depicting Jasper’s first month with us. We have planned all along to create a series of videos that capture his life and growth. Camera on the ready we have been shooting many wonderful sequences of Jasper’s exploits. As always, there are those moments that you capture that stand on their own.
We have been on a hard run since the day we picked up Jasper. His first three days saw a 1500 mile run from Texas to California. A week in Malibu, then a few days in Long Beach for the Women’s Conference and then onto Orange County for dealer calls and speeches.
With full intention of slowing down a bit, we headed to one of our favorite places just north of Santa Barbara. We pulled into our spot overlooking the Pacific and settled in. Wendy noticed that the trees had grown quite a bit and they were touching our slide windows. We opened the curtains to find…well for Isabel to find, a local native at the window. The rest was caught on video and the music just seems appropriate.
Introducing Jasper! Affectionately known as Jasper, Jibby, Buckwheat, Zydeco. Its a long story!
Okay, let’s try and capture this in an understandable way!
When we lost Disney, friends in the Bichon community rallied. Most specifically our friend Myrna. The sympathetic outpouring for Disney’s loss was world wide. Sincerely! Myrna wanted to make sure that our void was filled in some way and helped us by suggesting a 1 year old Bichon named Tom Tom. We never met him, he looked sweet and we came to the realization that our lifestyle needed to begin with a young puppy that would start their life in the strange world of travel that we live in. In other words, become accustomed to being on the road 365 days a year where their home was our motor coach and adventure was a walk in a new place every day.
It was hard turning down Tom Tom. We felt though that it was best for him. Myrna did not have a great prognosis for a puppy from a quality breeder for at least a couple more years. In fact, most people that we talked to said that it was taking them 3 years to get a new Bichon. Disney had introduced us to the Bichon community and he was the inspiration for our entire pet product line. Little did we know how much Disney’s story and the impact of our products would have on the Bichon community.
Just a few months ago, Myrna called and said that her breeder near Dallas was going to have puppies and if there was a boy, he was ours. We literally cried. Not knowing if there would be a boy, we were optimistic.
Our friend Sarah in Austin Texas gave us a book about dog energy titled, “Guardians of Being” shortly after Disney’s death. It was inspiring and we also realized much of why we were missing Disney so much.
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July 24, 2010 there were two girls and one boy born to Spicy and Little Bit in Van Alstyne Texas. Driving through Canada, passing Jasper National Park, he received his name. In Texas, Jasper means a “dandy.”
From that date, we amused ourselves by adding sub-names to him as a sort of way of passing the time until we would meet him and his family. For short for now he will just be Jasper.
Our schedule has been crazy as usual. And when Jasper was born, we were on a hectic schedule that found us ending our time on the Oregon Coast headed for Northern Cal and then on to Austin Texas with lots of stops in between. Bob was finishing his book and getting publishers moving. We have the Women’s Confernece in Long Beach at the end of October, so timing was with the gods and we were able to schedule a personal pickup to meet Jasper on October 13th in Texas. What happened from there was more than remakable.
We think we know what it is like for people to adopt. On the 12th, we had finished in Austin. The next day with a 5:30 am departure we booked north toward Dallas. We found a truck stop near Van Alstyne to park the coach and excitedly we made the truck stop a few minutes after noon. Around 225 miles was the first leg of the day.
We have been corresponding with Marlene, the breeder, who graciously provided us with pictures and commentary of Jasper’s development and now the day arrived to meet her, her husband Marvin and the brood that she calls family.
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When we pulled up to their wonderful home, Marvin was on the phone and welcomed us with a smile and sparkly eyes. He motioned us to enter and when we did, all hell broke loose. Bichon’s everywhere barking at us and welcoming. Marlene emerged with Spicy on a cart. She knew we were coming for her baby and she was not happy!
Things settled in quickly and we went into another room to meet Jasper and his remaining litter mate, sister Star. Miley pup had already been sent to her new family in California. Marlene said that Jasper was a thinker and not much of a kisser, but when Bob first held him, it was a love fest. A quick lunch, some details and we were off into the car headed back to the coach and the meeting of Jasper and his Cat companion Isabel.
We have captured much of the first 72 hours on video, but the synopsis is that when we brought Jasper into the coach, our world changed in a wonderful way.
We brought Jasper into the coach and set his carrier down. Isabel kitty jumped from her perch in the front window and went right to the mesh door of the carrier. Hmmm, she thought….looks like Disney, but not the same smell.
They were fast friends from the start!
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The transformation of Jasper has been remarkable and in the first 48 hours, he was now in New Mexico just west of Albuquerque and was nearly semi-potty trained. (In this picture, Jasper is not flushing out a pheasant, but peeing where he should…at a rest area!). He has a new funny looking “sister” that stayed up all night for two nights to make sure he was Okay while Jasper’s new humans sleep through the first night. Not a peep from Jasper, but Isabel wanted to make sure he was Okay.
As we headed into Arizona on our way to LA, Jasper is now a fully engaged part of the family looking for the next adventure around the corner. He is a new and big part of the Grizzly family at SeeLevel.
Film at 11….or when we can add it to Jasper’s World!
October is quickly becoming a month of exploration for us. Early in each October is the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This was our second year and we park on the balloon fiesta field near the museum. Early mornings before dawn we trek to the field to watch 12-15 balloons go up before dawn. After that, the field fills with over 500 hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes. Then in waves, they launch skyward.
The famous “box winds” were perfect this year. As the waves of balloons launched, they headed south and climb in altitude until the wind direction changes to north. The sail over the field again and again until it is time to land.
Once again, Bob’s pictures were picked up by the NBC affiliate in Albuquerque for their unique perspective. Above is a picture from the passenger seat of the Grizzly with Isabel kitty. This is literally what she saw each morning,
The pair of balloons pictured were a five exposure handheld sequence using Bob’s HDR technique to grab an overhead shot. Then he added some brush strokes and a bit of software bias to create an illustrated looking poster.
Finally is a picture of the Balloon Museum populated with balloons from every direction. This will be Bob’s entry in this year’s photo contest being sponsored by Nikon and the Balloon Fiesta.
Spacehips?
As much as a annual event the balloon fiesta is becoming, so is our trek to the new Spaceport in New Mexico just north of Las Cruces. Last year we met a new friend. His name is Dr. Jerry Brown. The fact is that he is a real rocket scientist formely with NASA. Last year we visited the Spaceport on a private tour with Jerry.
We wrote an article last year about our experiences. We are so impressed with the team and scientists building the spaceport and the team building the first spaceship named VSS Enterprise. Sir Richard Branson and his team along with Burt Rutan have kept pace with the spaceport construction building Enterprise. Here is a video of the first test flights over the new spaceport in Engle New Mexico.
There will be more pictures and video after we have a chance to stay put for a while.
There are few places in the US that you can chase 70 degrees during the summer months. The far southwest coast of Oregon is one of them. It is our choice for the summer months because it is cool, mostly cloudy and provides us a central location in the Northwest.
Oregon Coast Near Us.
The picture above is a panorama from the beach just below where we are staying at the Pacific Shores RV Resort. This is the lighthouse just north of Newport and south or our location.
Beach Near Newport
Here is another shot from the same location looking at the ocean. These are panoramas in an attempt to show the breadth of the beaches in this area. Lots of rocks and miles and lies of walking beach at low tide. We take a break from work to walk about four miles on the beach each day chasing the low tide.
2009 Aground
There is always something going on here. Last year, we walked onto Nye Beach to see this image of a large fishing boat aground. We wrote about it is our blog last year titaled Big Boys Beach Toys. You can read about it by Clicking Here.
Well, we went for our walk the last day of July. We looked down the beach. Strange, we thought we saw a boat. It was a foggy morning and the sun was obscured. As we got closer and closer, it looked like a sailboat aground. Sure enough, as we got close enough it was a 50 foot or so sloop. As we got closer, it was intact and obviously home built. Very old, the mast are wood with fiberglass over wood construction.
2010 Aground
Obviously these sorts of beaching are not good for the coast or the boat. Interestingly as we got closer, we spotted an Oregon Beach Ranger truck and outside of it was the ranger protecting the boat for the family. To our surprise, it was an old friend from from last years beaching. Don Woody or “Woody” for short was happy to see us and shared some of the story.
Turns out that the boat was owned by a gentleman about 77 years old. He had called into the Coast Guard that he was taking on water. When they asked if he needed help, he said no! Surprising for someone that was obviously in trouble. The next morning, they found him on the beach suffering from hypothermia. He was taken to the hospital and his family in Salt Lake notified. Appearently he is almost deaf and seemed to be tiring of life. His family was actually happy because now they could take him home. The fate of the boat is not good. We will report in as we find more out.
Parting Shot!
So this is the parting shot of the old sailboat aground on the Oregon Coast. As we left, Woody yelled! See ya at the next ship wreck!
We have been in Newport since June 16th. The weather here has been perfect for us mostly sunny and in the 60′s. So, we are chasing 70′s still and plan to stay here until toward the end of September.
These are quiet months for our business from a customer visit perspective. Lots of vacations and our retailers go quiet from a promotional perspective until the kids go back to school around labor day.
Our time here has been anything but idle with many computer upgrades, new routers, new internet links etc. Also, Bob is finishing two books. Yes, two. One is titled “Chemical Warfare and is about all the chemicals used in products in the personal care and home. The other is a secret book that we hope to publish about the same time. Chemical Warfare is on deadline for launch at the California Women’s Conference in Long Beach in late October.
Make sure you click on the calendar link above for all the exact dates of where we will be. Time to schedule get togethers.
We head to Northern California in early September to work with our sales team there. Then we head to the Southwest toward Las Cruces for a special invitation to the Spaceport where test flights are scheduled to begin. Our friend Dr. Gerry Brown, former NASA scientist, has invited us.
After Las Cruces, we will be in Albuquerque for the Balloon Fiesta and then onto Dallas.
A short stay in Dallas will see us headed for Austin for business and to help our friend Chef Traci scope out different style restaurants in hopes of finding a model for her new Seattle restaurant. More on this later.
From there, it will be time to head west again for the California Women’s Conference where we will be speaking, exhibiting and once again be in the gift bags for the speakers. Bob is slated to speak as is Wendy. The booth is a huge 40′X50′ production called ECO Island. Inspire by us, it will house a number of safe cosmetics companies and will be the newest addition to the show. We will be in Malibu the week before and then staying at the convention center for the three day conference.
From there, we head to Anaheim for a few days at Disney Land. Mostly to see the famous Halloween extravaganza.
From there, we head to Ocean Mesa near Santa Barbara for about a week and then back to Malibu for nearly a month until December 7, 2010.
From there we will head to Borrego Springs California for the holiday leaving there around January 8, 2011.
On our trip south from Canada we stopped in Seattle to visit our dear friend Traci. We arrived on a weekend that was forecast as sunny and warm….we thought Seattle Washington…Sunny and Warm? It was.
Our friend Traci is an entrepreneur chef creating fine dining healthy meals that people can serve at home. Traci creates a weeks menu and cooks multiple course meals for the days of the week primarily for young executives that have fast paced Seattle lives. Healthy and delicious, Traci’s meals have become very popular among young urban males. We spent some time with Traci talking about how she can expand the business to make it even more popular. A clear winner we think!
So Traci introduced us to her Seattle. For us it included some marvelous restaurants and two days of exploring why Traci finds Seattle so fun and friendly.
Kitsilano Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Vancouver, BC. You can sit around and people watch, or you can join the rest of the adrenaline junkies for a game of beach volleyball. This beach is quite the happening place in the summer time and you will find the beach packed with tourists and locals alike.
This beach area has family fun and a pool for the kids to enjoy, as well as kids park and swing set. The beach itself is usually populated with the age range of 15 to 30 year olds, but you will see many seniors trekking on the path that crosses the beach area. Kitsilano is an active area, so you will find yoga classes going on in the morning, mommy stroller groups, and joggers on every beach path.
The view from Kitsilano beach, also known as ” Kits Beach”, is spectacular as your focus goes from the North Shore Mountains, to and onto the open bay. Kitsilano beach is located just on the north edge of the neighborhood of Kitsilano and faces into the Burrard Inlet. It has the longest salt-water swimming pool within Canada. Kitsilano was also voted #1 as a beach area and best neighborhood to live in.
We were very lucky the Saturday that we arrived that the sun was out and it was warm. We walked most of the area shooting some video in hopes of capturing the flavor. It is truly one of the nicest places in Vancouver with many nice people, Bald Eagles and breathtaking views. All right in the middle of a vibrant city. We hope you enjoy it.
Video is becoming an interesting medium for us. So, we headed into Vancouver Canada for the weekend. Friends have told us that Grandville Island is a great place to visit, so we headed there with video camera and pseudo Stedicam in hand. This is getting to be a lot of fun and this time we have mixed stedicam, faux 3D and solow motion into one video….a lot of work!!! The final result is fun and another step forward for us. Enjoy a view of Granville Island BC.
We decided to head to Calgary on our way to Kelowna for our business meetings. A few days in Cochrane just west of Calgary was our jumping off point for the 300ish mile journey to the finger lakes region of Western Canada. We had heard it was tough going, but the Grizzly was up to the task. The 300+ miles took us a little over 8 hours and we shot some video of interesting things we saw on the way.
When we got to Kelowna, it was a very interesting place and we were tired. We had a lot of video and it seemed pretty disjointed. Staying put for a few hours, we used a special technique to grab all the video and use an automatic editing function in our video studio software. We decided to use a technique that we have heard about this new video technique this guy name Al Gore (Trey Ratcliff) invented which seemed strangely familiar to a piece of software we have been using for a couple of years. So, for our photographer friends, we call it TransCanada Chill’in developed using a new totally unheard of technique developed be the Chill Travelers called ChillMotion. ;-)
Enjoy the journey on Trans Canada 1 from Calgary to Kelowna! A journey in Chill 3D Sloooooow Motion.
Wendy has always wanted to see Yellowstone National Park and I have wanted to go back and spend time just exploring it rather than a quick auto tour. So we made that left turn on I-90 at Livingston Montana and headed for Yellowstone.
We spent the day exploring the things we wanted to see at the pace that we set.
Here is a video of our adventure as well as one that is set at a little faster pace….Our music video version.
I want to preface what you are about to see with the fact that Wendy shot all the video you are about to see. We are working on a longer more traditional version that has more scenes, more animal encounters and different music. But for now……
Yellowstone Lower Falls by Bob Root Click To Enlarge
To add an interesting note to this, I wanted to submit a picture for a spring photo contest. In our travels, we have never quite seen spring and today, May 15th, is the deadline for submissions. I had hoped to find an image that screamed spring and after a few hundred pictures, we were at the vantage point of Yellowstone “Lower Fall,” when Wendy started shooting video of the falls through a clearing in the trees. When I looked at the angle, most of the shot was obscured except for this small vertical slice. So I grabbed my widest angle lens and took the shot using a 9 image HDR bracket. When I got back to the Grizzly, it was late and I was a couple of hours away from deadline. So rather than going through all the processes I normally have to go through to produce an HDR image, I used the latest new version of Photoshop. The contest asked for “as natural an image as possible,” so this seemed to work for them and me. Twenty minutes before deadline, I uploaded this image. You can click on the image to see the larger version.
We continue to experiment with music and video effects. We took the same raw footage that we used above to create a slower paced version of our video edited to the music of or friend David Arkenstone from his album titled Quest Of The Dream Warrior. In fact, it was David’s album that inspired the name of our motoryacht that we lived on in San Diego…Dream Warrior. So click the read more to go to the next page for the video
We left Rapid City with hopes of punching through the rain and the snow with a weather forecast predicting the 70′s in Coeur d’Alene Idaho. A conversation while heading for Billings caused some left turns. As it turns out, Wendy has never been to Yellowstone National Park. Truth be told, I have only been there for business meetings flying a corporate jet in and out of Jackson Hole. It is the weekend and if we are going to be true to our goal of SeeLevel travel, then we must go.
A quick search of the Best Bets For Big Rigs campground guide and we found a wonderful place started by a very interesting couple about 35 miles north of Yellowstones North Gate.
We are heading to Canada for business. History and our plans should find 60′s to 70′s. We left Topeka being chased by Tornado’s and headed north and west through constant rain. When we arrived in Rapid City, our hope was to take off a day to go to Mt Rushmore. With the weather ceiling obscuring the faces, we headed to downtown Rapid City for a walk-about and coffee.
Later we got some work done on the Saturn and planned for a dinner at The Corn Exchange which is a French Bistro on Main Street in Rapid City. Wonderful food although a bit pricey, it was worth every penny. A two thumbs up from Wendy and me. Not what you would have expected in this quaint western town and a pleasant surprize. When in Rapid City, it is our top pick… The Corn Exchange Website BTW, avoid the Firehouse Brewery.
Then we awoke today to the Weather Channel claiming that we were inundated with snow. We figured it was typical Weather Channel sensationalism and when we pulled back the curtains on the Grizzly….well have a look!
We recently made a quick run back to the factory after visiting our newest sale team member in Texas. A quick stop in Knoxville to vist old friends and then onto the Baltimore Annapolis area. We spent about ten days back at Deep Forest, our house, and at the factory. We headed west again stopping at the birthplace of our coach to get some custom features added. Our plan to head north was quickly changed at the last moment.
What happened? Wendy noticed that every where we were planning to go was still freezing thus violating our determination to chase 70 degrees.
So literally as we were driving on I-90 through Chicago area, we decided to turn south. We planned to head due south, but reports of wild weather caused us to stop in Des Moines heading west instead of south. As it turned out the Tornado’s rolled through just south of us.
Wendy, determined to have better information, saw reports on the weather channel from an elite group of loosely banded Storm Chasers that were reporting live from their remote sites. Unlike the formal university trackers, these diehards track from their cars and SUVs moving quickly and generally facter that the big guys. The Weather Channel noted their spryness and so Wendy looked them up.
The Spotter Network website did the trick in convincing us that these guys were way ahead of everyone, so we joined them and are now in the process of going through their educational and certification process to be official Spotter Network members. Our goal will be to report, not Tornado’s or Hurricane’s, but where it is sunny and 70. It is certainly worth a look to see what they are offering. http://www.spotternetwork.org/
F4 Tornado with a 90 Mile Path
While in the process, we decided to head southwest to further skirt the storms and found ourselves with dead aim at Topeka Kansas. This happens to be where our patent and trademark attorney lives, so we decided to spend a few days there.
While at dinner with Kathleen and Harold, Harold scared the hell out of us talking about the big weather event headed our way. We had already scoped out the Tornado shelter at our campground and Harold caused us to go back to the coach after dinner and brace for what was coming. Sure enough, we turned on the Weather Channel ad saw red Tornado boxes headed our way. A site that reminded us when we were in Texas a couple of miles from where a Tornado touched down. Read the rest of this entry »
Seems appropriate for the place Lyndon B Johnson called home.
Johnson City Chrome Bull
On a hard run from Kerrville Texas, where we were staying, to Austin Texas for a Saturday meeting, we were just outside of Johnson Texas heading east when we spotted a chrome bull standing aside route 290. We swerved to get a shot and noticed a sign. It said Benini Gallery 5.2 miles…open Tuesday through Sunday 9 to 6. Late now, we decided to retrace our steps back later in the day to catch the rest of the exhibits.
After returning from store visits in Austin, we arrive in Johnson City around 4:30p and headed down Flat Creek road in search of the Benini Foundation. We were warmly greeted by Lorraine Benini, given a brief introduction and set out through the gallery. Asking if I could take some pictures, I explained to Lorraine my style of HDR photography and offered here the pictures now in my gallery titled simply Benini Gallery (click here to see the images).
Worth the trek and the experience. Checkout more at www.SculptureRanch.com and www.Benini.com
What can you say when you have lost your best friend of 16+ years. Disney ,our ball of energy Bichon who traveled throughout the country with us, died on Valentine’s Day 2010. He was active and happy until the day he was not able to survive a heart complication and fluid in the lungs. We were with him as he went peacefully and without pain.
I believe that when you mourn the loss of a dear friend, it is only proper to honor their life, reflect on their lessons as a messenger in the world and then change your life in such a way that celebrates how they touched you.
I have two best friends on earth and I just lost one of them. With less than 24 hours after his passing, I sat down to write his story.
Disney’s story is one that is long on life and adventure. It might be said that his life was more traveled and adventuresome than most people. I will attempt to share some of my friend’s life with you as we celebrate Disney’s life.
Wendy and I are deeply appreciative to hear from those of you that knew Disney. How very wonderful it is that you would take the time to write about your experiences with Diz. It is fitting that with his passing on St. Valentine’s Day that we view these as love notes to Diz. Wendy and I are profoundly touched by your love, friendship and condolences. We respectfully share these notes below. I am sure they will continue to bring tears of joy to us, always. Read the rest of this entry »
They say you can tell a lot about a person based on their birthday. Wendy’s mom, the Gypsy, introduced us to a Dutch book titled apply, “The Birthday Book.” Written by Gary Goldschneider an online version can be viewed at http://www.mypersonology.com
Born February 2nd, the birthday book says that I am sophisticated, dynamic and original for the good stuff. On the not so good side, it says I am insulated, aloof and dispassionate. Wendy, born July 9th, the book says, is curious, inventive and open while being also fearful, delusional and withdrawn.
Another part of the book lets you look at your relationships with each other. When we plug in both of our birthdays, the manicure that comes up for us both is alluring quicksand. Our collective attributes are alluring, ambitious and powerful with the watch out parts being deceptive, disingenuous and ruthless.
So what does a Cancer do for an Aquarius for their birthday? Take them to another Aquarians birthday party. Even more fun, make it a surprise!
Front of the Reagan Library
So, on February 6, 2010, we headed over the hill from Malibu to meet up with our friends Tina and Dennis. The ruse, we were going to Simi Valley to an old movie set and ranch to take pictures. We had to stop by the Regan Library to get the key! OK, it is a birthday surprise…so nothing makes sense. I was along for the ride…literally and figuratively.
As we arrived at the Regan Library, there was a long line of cars up the hill. Being there a number of times, this was unusual. We had to park down the hill because the parking lot was full. When we jumped onto a shuttle bus, the chatter was about Ronald Regan’s 99th Birthday Celebration. Still oblivious, I went along with the charade as a peaceful observer…sort of dispassionate as my horoscope says.
Wendy said, “The Celebration” is about to begin and she angled to get us in. Little did I know that this was a set-up. Sheep like, I herded into the big tent where dignitaries, military and local politicians had assembled. A Marine Corp band played.
Alluring Quicksand! Wendy’s mom says absolutely! I sort of look at me as a “where the rubber meets the sky” kind of guy and Wendy a soft-hearted financier. Yet, people we tell the story to all say Yep, that you guys.
Ron Regan and Nancy? You guessed it…Alluring Quicksand. Ronnie, the Aquarian and Nancy the Cancerian. But that is not the significance of this day. It was Ronnie’s birthday and mine the week before. Not until the ceremony was over and we walked to get lunch did I turn the corner in the cafeteria to find a gang of friends wanting celebrate my birthday a week late.
It was great fun and I was very happy that close friends honored me with the surprise.
View over Simi Valley from the Reagan
For me, it was an interesting day because I was also honored to be at Ronnie’s birthday celebration. My connection with Ron Reagan was one of great inspiration. I never met the man, although I felt like I knew him. As a Businessman in California, it was Ron Reagan that put a spark back into the state promoting future thinking, innovation and hard work. It was Ron that taught me the leadership skill to be firm, frank and friendly in my communication with people. I was inspired to say the least by his humor and his communication skills. I could go on and on what he taught me. The truth is that Ron Reagan taught me to look for what is right in life versus a focus on what is wrong.
Being CNN free, in fact TV news free, for over five years, I would have heard about the big birthday celebration. I am glad I did not know, because it made my birthday surprise all that sweeter and gave me a chance to honor a friend who I never met.
No matter your view, the Reagan Library captures moments in history that we should not forget. A trip worth taking and with one of the most breathtaking views in California. By February 6, 2011, Ronnie’s 100th birthday, the library will have been completely renovated. Schedule a trip now to see the way it is and again after February 6th next year to see the changes.
Oh, take the time to look yourself up on the Birthday Book at the link above. It is fun and revealing!
When we built the Grizzly, we had the option of adding some special RV style driver and passenger seats. We opted to stay with the standard Freightliner Cascadia seats because, they came with the truck and we actually liked them better. The standard seats are “Air Ride,” which means that they supported by air bags to smooth out the ride. The seats also has various support chambers that are air driven as well. These seats also swivel and the larger cutout we have on the Grizzly permits these seats to add additional seating for visitors. The problem was that the standard seats are very utilitarian and a bit uncomfortable.
Our original plans were to find some sort of seat covers that would upgrade the appearance as well as the comfort. As we searched and searched, we could not find anyone that made covers for this latest Freightliner nor could we find anyone to make them. Around October of 2009 we were in central California and got a lead that the hot bed of Sheepskin seat covers was near Napa California. We made some inquiries and found an interesting person. We talked to him, sent him drawings and now the Grizz is decked out in a set of customer seat covers that are out of this world.
First about the covers. We know a number of our friends and Chill Travelers have been looking for a place to get high quality sheepskin seat covers that are custom fit to their rigs. So, we thought we would write about and show the finished product.
What we needed was to find some very high end seat covers that would provide us with the support, warmth in the winter, coolness in the summer and would tolerate the in and out of the cab at fuels stops and last for a very long time. Sounded like some big specifications, but we found them in the form of a company run by an Austrian near Napa California. Carlamb is the company of artist and master, Janis Birins. The company is available for view at www.carlamb.com. All of Janis’s contact information is there.
The Drawing
The process took a bit of time because we were the first to have seat covers made for the Freightliner Cascadia. The first step for us was getting an idea of what we needed and then provide Janis with a drawing of the seat. This was the best option as we were headed away from northern California toward New Mexico. Bob photographed the seat and using some Photoshop magic created an outline view of the panels that made up the seat. He then dimensioned the panels. Janis then made the trek to Sacramento to the Freightliner dealer to take more specific dimensions. Then the challenge became finding high quality pelts somewhere in the world and having them dyed to match the Grizzly’s interior. Janis found the pelts in New Zealand…of course… and ordered them in. It took about a month for them to clear customs. Then he began to cut and stitch.
Click To Enlarge
A few days after New Years, we received the box from Janis and quickly began to install the sheepskin seat covers. We first put the bottom cushion on over the seat. Then the back slipped on like a surgical glove. Janis suggested and we agreed that because of the way we have to go in and out of the cab doors that the seat back could not be stretchy synthetic and it must go further down on the seat because, unlike the truck version, our coach seats are visible from the interior. The back of the seat has industrial Velcro installed on the bottom half of the seat back to close it off and give the appearance of being sewn. It fit just perfectly. Then the armrests went on skin tight.
This lost chapter was written in the mid 90’s about life in the air in the late 80’s and early 90’s. At the time we were about to publish Defining Moments, we dropped this first chapter because prepublishing readers felt that it did not fit the book. We agreed and only resurrect it here because of the profound experience that both of us had watching the movie starring George Clooney, titled, “Up in the Air.” It was our lives with one major exception, we got together. So as you read Defining Moments, we feel that this lost chapter does now play an important part in our lives. Think about meeting the love of your life and the circumstances surrounding that meeting. This chapter prepares you for Defining Moments: A Brand New Day because it portrays our lives before meeting each other.
It was never an easy lifestyle for most infrequent travelers, but effortless and a big part of our corporate lives. 9.11.01 changed many things in our world, but significantly changed how we all fly. Many of our friends at American, Delta and United retired or just quit. We still stay in touch with some of them and others we have lost, but often think about and wonder how they are. Read the rest of this entry »
For all of our friends that emailed, called and contacted us wondering if the new George Clooney movie “Up in the Air.” was written by or about our lives prior to meeting, it was not. All of the calls, story line and what we have drove us to see the movie.
Today is December 31, 2009. Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. It was 15 years ago that we met in Santa Fe New Mexico and 13 years ago tomorrow that we were married in Taos, New Mexico. This 2010 eve, we are in Las Cruces (The Crossroads) New Mexico.
Our friends Tina and Dennis have been in Las Cruces with us for the last two weeks. They headed home to Southern Cal this morning and we thought that the theaters would be pretty quiet today. We bid them farewell and jumped into the car and headed to the local theater. We were first in the theater and the other ten or so that showed up left the theater quiet and a good atmosphere for us to watch the movie.
At Movies End, Clooney lookig at the departure board
Opening scenes were all too familiar with shots of the ground and cities below from 35,000 feet. The airport scene immediately transported us back nearly 20 years to a time before we had met. Loners and moving fast was our lives with Bob in excess of 250,000 miles a year and Wendy bringing up a close second. Wendy being in HR and Bob as a turn-around specialist made Clooney’s working scenes as a firing outplacement specialist very real.
View looking toward the Organ Mountains and Old Town Mesilla
Wendy and I are the least likely people to follow tradition. As close as we get is to be in Mesilla New Mexico for the Christmas Eve celebration.
How to describe this place on Christmas Eve?
The Sentinal of Mesilla
Mesilla is probably what Santa Fe was like 100 years ago. At one end of the town square is the Catholic Church. The three other sides have very old adobe buildings that house shops and offices. There is a Nambe store on one corner across from the place where Billy the Kid was tried. Another corner has a fine dining restaurant and yet another corner has a shop that sell New Mexico artifacts and every junky tourist item you can imagine. Filtered in between are other shops and offices. At the center of the square is a bandstand gazebo looking thing and around it are sidewalks that converge to the center. The town is ringed with restaurants, businesses and homes. The people here are friendly, hard working and seemingly very happy. Not much of the outside world seeps in. Read the rest of this entry »
Bob & Wendy’s Galactic Adventures at Spaceport America
Near Las Cruces New Mexico by Bob Root
Our View of the Organ Mountains
New Mexico, The Land of Enchantment the license plates and signs say!
As the Christmas Holiday approaches my days have slowed a bit allowing me to reflect and breath.
My day today began as usual with a cup of home brewed coffee made with our high tech Aeropress seated at my computer scanning new emails. A vendor offered a real-deal on a piece of gear I have wanted, so I called them to get my order in right away. As I placed the order the gal asked for the shipping address. I said 1200 Rear Drive……..Las Cruces. She said can you spell that and I did. She said…..and the State? I said New Mexico! She said Oh, wait a minute. I am sorry sir; this offer is not available outside the US. I laughed and explained that we are a part of the union and that New Mexico is the place between Texas and Arizona. Read the rest of this entry »
Not only is Chill Travelers a unique website, but it is paid for in a unique way. We have created a sponsorship program that when you click on a sponsor link to the right or on the sponsor page, Chill Travelers receives a commission on any purchases. We will try to add appropriate sponsors that will benefit our members. In turn, we will receive a percentage of the sale that will pay for the cost of the website, software purchases and maintenance costs. So when you want to buy something from Amazon, go to wwwChillTravelers.com and click through so that we get the commission. Same is true for all the other sponsors.
This not only benefits you, but in many cases, you will receive additional discounts on sponsor products by clicking through Chill Travelers. Thanks, Bob & Wendy Read the rest of this entry »
Interesting People: Along the Way in El Capitan California
We like to say that “You Have To Go First” to me interesting people. It is true for us!
We are just off of a grueling two weeks in Southern California visiting dealers and exhibiting at the California Women’s Conference. We were invited by Maria Shriver to put our Luminos in the speakers gift bag. As we like to say it, 25,000 women and one guy…Bob.
We decided to cruise up the coat and stay at a favorite place called Ocean Mesa RV Resort that adjoins El Capitan State Beach. We are still working every day, but start and finish the day with long walks either on the beach or through the canyon.
November 3, 2009 started the same way with a hike to the beach. Bob wanted to get some stereo sound recording of the surf for a Korg project he is attempting. So after gather some sound files, we walked through the parking area back to the coach and decided to take a swing through the campground in the state park. Our first impressions were that Disney Imagineers must have chosen this campground as the model for Fort Wilderness at Disney World in Florida. Of course theirs was a grander scale. Read the rest of this entry »
It was 1995 that we had our chance meeting in New Mexico along the Pecos River near Santa Fe. Since then, we have returned to New Mexico. First a year later to get married in Taos, resign from our corporate lives and to forever look forward. It was the beginning of our SeeLevel life and adventures.
Since our first meeting, we have talked about going to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. A Hot Air Balloon event that is full of mystery for us. What would it be like to watch these balloons, 500 strong, take off. Little did we know that we would not be watching from the sidelines, but right smack in the middle of the field.
After being in Santa Fe for a week before the balloon fiesta, we decided that it was going to be so big that we had better get to Albuquerque early. We made reservations to stay in the VIP RV lot three months before. This was going to be fun for us because we were only steps away from the balloon fiesta field. It was also going to be interesting to see how the Grizzly would do being off grid for 5 nights. Would there be enough water and how would the hybrid power system do? Quiet hours were good from 10:30p to 5:30a. Could all the systems, our computer network and creature comforts hold up?
We were total newbie’s and we acted like it. What we did not have experience with became a big deal. What would the RV Park be like when we got there? How did our passes work? Rumors of record crowds caused us to wonder where we would stand. Would we be able to see anything?
We arrive on Wednesday before the Balloon Fiesta was to open. We drove down from Santa Fe early in the morning. We drove by the balloon field headed for Flying J to fuel up. Then we headed back to the fiesta. We began to see signs on the freeway that said, “No parking!”…on the freeway???
We exited to follow the signs to the VIP RV parking. The signs directed us past the Balloon Museum to a small road that said Balloon Pilots Only. Down the road we went.
Posted on 16:39, December 26th, 2009 by 
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