Starling Travel

With over a foot of snow and temperatures at seven degrees Fahrenheit, I am missing camping. We usually camp all year long, going down to St. George and Lake Mead to camp, but even those areas are dealing with snow and low temperatures this year.

And then I remembered, it’s summer in Australia. I watched this video and loved the UEV-360 trailer with its Wild Goose style pop-up lid.

Rather than satiating me, it only made me miss camping even more. Man, winter is hard for me…

I’ve never been to Epcot Center. Living on the west side of the country, Disneyland is so much easier to visit, but how I wish I had been able to see this ride, Horizons:

With its look at the History of Tomorrow, it was a look forward AND backward. Just like PaleoFuture, it was looking at what our dreams used to be. If only they hadn’t added their current dreams for the future, it would have been a timeless ride that didn’t need to be retired. Well, that and the marshland sinkhole that threatened to topple its roof. It was eventually replaced with Mission: Space.

I really miss the excitement for the future that Walt Disney had and I wish there was a way to revive that. Sure, predictions like flying cars and jet packs never came true, but isn’t dreaming for something and not getting it better than never trying at all?

After over a year driving either the teardrop or our tent trailer, I have yet to learn how to back up with a trailer connected to our vehicle. This video is helpful.

I think the best bit of advice is that learning this takes LOTS of practice. Mike and I chose lightweight trailers because we have been scared of this part of the process. We have tried to learn to back up the trailer properly, but every time we screw up, we just take it off the hitch, put on the wheel and hand roll it into place.

That’s the benefit of having a lightweight trailer, you don’t have to learn how to back it up.

Then again, that’s the BAD thing about having a lightweight trailer. We have never learned how to back it up.

I’m beginning to think that we need to purchase some traffic cones and just practice backing up the trailer over and over until we can do it without thinking about it. If I ever want a cute canned ham trailer, I’m going to need to know how to do this.

My friend, Christy Strebe, posted this photo on Facebook the other day.

She said:

On the way back to San Diego from Yuma… not sure why there is a group of RV’s and alien space ships.

She posted it from In-ko-pah Automotive in Ocotillo, CA.

I was perusing the local classified ads and I found a really unique teardrop trailer.

• KSL Classifieds – Tear drop trailer 2010 Moon window, insulated, CNC cut. excellent

It looks like a normal teardrop until you see the “moonview” hatch in action. (Continue Reading…)

A special thank you to Paleofuture for posting this drawing of the GM Bonanza.

It’s a concept vehicle that never made it to the production floor, but I would have loved to see one in action. Instead of a boat stowed on the top of the motorhome, I would have loved a full patio where I could sunbathe and overlook the campground.

I’ve talked about my desire for a patio on top of a motorhome before here:

• Starling Travel – The Kabe Royal Tower: A Camper with a Second Story – 12-10-2012

Back then, I said:

Ever since I owned my Barbie Star Traveler, I have fantasized about hanging out on TOP of a motorhome. Right on the box, it showed Barbie and Skipper laying out in the sun on top of the motorhome.

It’s something that was hardwired into my brain by the sheer repetition of play. Barbie and Ken enjoyed that Star Traveler every day for YEARS. The act of putting Barbie up on the roof every day, sitting on her lawn chair that came with the camper, made me want to do it in real life, even though it’s impractical and dangerous.

The GM Bonanza is just another in a long line of fantasies that can never come true for me. Just like flying cars and magic pills that make me feel full even though all I’ve eaten is the little pill, that beauty of a concept motorhome will have to stay just that, a concept.

I LOVE these cute little animated videos from a guy who used to work at Disneyland Studios in Orlando Florida. You can see all the videos here:

Such an interesting insight into the amusement parks!

The FAA is allowing airlines to use electronic devices during ALL phases of flight! Here is the press release from the FAA:

• Press Release – FAA to Allow Airlines to Expand Use of Personal Electronics

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta today announced that the FAA has determined that airlines can safely expand passenger use of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) during all phases of flight, and is immediately providing the airlines with implementation guidance.

Due to differences among fleets and operations, the implementation will vary among airlines, but the agency expects many carriers will prove to the FAA that their planes allow passengers to safely use their devices in airplane mode, gate-to-gate, by the end of the year.

Right now, we have to turn off any electronic devices during takeoff and landing, which are such short amounts of time that I never found that to be a big problem. My biggest problem with flying is the near strip search before we get on and sitting on the tarmac for SEVEN hours without food. Until they solve those problems, I’m going to hitch up the trailer and DRIVE it every time.

Via: FAA: airline passengers may use electronic devices during all phases of flight

Image via: Even a Real Pilot Thinks We Should Use Cell Phones on Planes

I was looking at the most recent Mad Magazine, and they were making fun of all the fees that the airlines charges us, taking it to a crazy conclusion.

Click on the image to see it full-sized:

It might seem crazy for an airline to charge you for an oxygen mask, but I wouldn’t be surprised if even more fees started showing up on our tickets.

I’ve talked about this before:

• Starling Travel » Carol Burnett Show’s No Frills Airline

It has been almost thirty years since Carol Burnett skewered the airlines, but now, they have gotten JUST as bad as they portrayed. I wonder how long it will take until the airlines start charging us for unused barf bags, oxygen masks, seat belts and even the seats themselves.

In honor of Halloween, I found these photos of the Haunted Mansion in Disneyworld with the lights on at Haunted Mansion Backstage. Here is their description:

Not exactly backstage, but here’s a cool lights-on peek near the end of the Graveyard scene after a ride stop and evacuation at the WDW Mansion. Every time I ride the Mansion I wish for this to happen to me! Ride stops, eventually lights come on and a CM has to escort us out. Please! 🙂

I’ve never once thought that I might be on the ride and they would have to turn it off, turn on the lights and escort me out. I have sat for five minutes while we have been “unexpectedly delayed by spirits,” but I had no idea that I might have a chance to walk through a fully lit Haunted Mansion to get out.

Via: WIL WHEATON dot TUMBLR, hauntedmansionbackstage: Not exactly backstage,…