STAYCATION

One of the Great things about living in the Sierra is you don't have to go anywhere for fun. Sometimes we only travel a few miles in Tranquila to enjoy peace, serenity, and good times.

Kids Fishing Derby

Every spring they drain the pond for a couple of months to clean it out, and then in May it fills with fresh icy cold snow run off and then its stocked with trout. The first of June is the annual kids Fishing Derby. It's a blast to watch kids from 2 to 16 come and fish. Mom and Dad and the Grandparents all gather around and help out.

Dad helping out, boys are less than enthusiastic.

Maybe next year's derby.

The sister and brother team did well.
Enough of the stay cation, time to hit the road.

Darrell's daughter came up for nearly a month to visit us and to explore our valley with its many lakes and many streams. We had a good time hiking, kayaking, and fishing.

 Hana stopped to feed the horses.

Spark flies up the trail to a lake.

After a little hike D jumped in the the lake for a cool swim.

A very convenient BIG Chair…reminds me of the old Lily Tomlin skit.

Best Buddies.

Spark and I love our local lakes, 

but we are getting itchy feet for a trip to the coast.

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

  Ah, S P R I N G ! Nothing like it. 

This spot was too warm for Sparky.

To celebrate Easter and to enjoy springtime, we got Tranquila out of storage, washed her down inside and out, and took off 7 miles from our front door. A perfect location to take a short hike, read, listen to the babbling stream, lounge around soaking up the scenery, and BBQ a big fat tri-tip for lunch. It was sunny and warm, too sunny and warm for Sparky to enjoy. After running after the tennis ball a few times all he could do was lay in the sun and pant. No Big Deal. Down the hill 5 miles so Spark could swim to catch the ball, and we could continue with our idea of a a lazy Sunday afternoon.

As they say in Mexico, the spot was "the same, but different",

and a much better pick for Sparky.

We love Tranquila's solar panels.

While we are talking about warm sun, I have to give a plug for Darrell's new solar and wind turbine business, 
"Erickson Energy Management".  
When we ordered Tranquila from Airstream, we had solar panels factory installed. This summer we will be adding a telescoping wind turbine to increase our ability to stay "unhooked" at National Forests or when boondocking off the grid.  Aboard our sailboat, El Tiburon, in Mexico we enjoy making clean energy using solar panels and our wind generator. We can keep quite anchorages quiet without the need to run a noisy and $$$ diesel genset. Even when plugged into a slip at a dock, our solar and wind generator cuts our electric bills at the marina. So, why not do the same with our Airstream? The house too!

El Tiburon docked in Sausalito, 
with solar panels and wind generator quietly working.

Una Mas Airstream at La Ventana, Baja

Ah, the Airstream Life!

One more Baja Airstream to add to the collection of Airstreams, old & new, we have spotted in Mexico. The owner and his wife are from Colorado and have been pulling their Stream to Mexico for decades! This time they drove across the border just outside Tucson, and then put their baby on a cargo ship at Topolabambo on the mainland. They got to park on top of the ship and stay in their trailer for the 24 hour crossing to La Paz. They are now cozied in at La Ventana beach south of La Paz. This place is a major wind surfer, kite surfer, SUP'er, volleyball campground. Young and old are water-sport fanatics. Lots of gray-haired retirees out there enjoying the daily 15 to 20 knot breeze!

Dug-in.

One of the few 30 footers with the slide-out, maybe the only one in Baja.

Note the LP Gas tanks weighting down the awning. It's hot, you gotta use the awning, but it's also REALLY windy. Looks like the tanks do their job, so the owner doesn't fly away with the daily strong breezes.  Gotta Love Baja, Gotta Love Airstreamers.

Darrell and Spark walk the L O N G pristine beach at Ventana.

La Ventana beach is located on the Jacques Cousteau Cerralvo Channel, with Isla Cerralvo in the background. Just about everyday at 12noon the prevailing north wind pipes up and howls through the channel, making it "Heaven of Earth" for water/wind enthusiasts. For sailors, like me, that noontime blow is why we leave Ensenada De Los Muertos anchorage just south of here in the early morning hours if traveling north to La Paz. The return trip south to Cabo can be fun and frisky, or it can be a roller coaster washing machine of a ride. Regardless of the amount of wind in the channel, the trip is always beautiful.

Our other travel home, sv/El Tiburon sails into the sunrise to avoid the 

afternoon winds in the Cerravlo Channel.

It's all Good.

Merry Christmas from Baja

Airstreams are renown for their durability. Here are some fine examples of vintage wandering, or not so wandering, Airstreams in Baja California Sur.

Digging the fine sand beach and turquoise water at Ventana.

This fine example of an Airstream can be found just 

outside La Paz near the beach.

This homey Airstream made it all the way down a 

very lumpy dirt road to remote Cabo Pulmo. 

Cabo Pulmo is a favorite living coral dive spot in Baja.

Look carefully and you will see yet another cozy example of

an Airstream tucked away at Cabo Pulmo.

This old 'Stream did not quite make it all the way to Cabo Pulmo.

Organic living at Pescadero Ranch, Baja

Tucked away in Puerto Los Cabos

This Airstream owner obviously values his or her privacy.

Merry, Merry Christmas from Sarah, Darrell, and Sparky 
 Baja California Sur

Fish Stories

When on Tranquila, trout is our thing.

Spark and I love trout, so Darrell gets 'em for us.

Lake Davis

But when aboard El Tiburon, we go for the Big Boys.

Darrell snags a 40 lb Wahoo with a hand line and a cedar plug.

Thanksgiving Dinner in the Sea of Cortez, Baja!

Always on our minds......

We may be a thousand miles from our beloved Tranquila, but Airstreams are always on our minds.  Here are a couple of 'Streams we ran across in San Jose del Cabo, Baja, Mexico.

A convenient location right down town.

And its next door neighbor!

Darrell so wants to turn one into a bacon-wrapped-hotdog stand....

(one of our favorite Baja treats).

Nighty Night. Sleep Tight Tranquila.

Tranquila has been put to bed, safe and snug, and tucked away undercover. We have migrated south and are onboard El Tiburon in Ensenada. November 4th we will sail about 1,000 miles south to La Paz, then across the Sea of Cortez to spend most of the winter in Puerto Vallarta and points south.  In the meantime, you can follow our Mexico travels at www.sveltiburon.blogspot.com until we return back home in the Spring.

El Tiburon anchored at San Evaristo, Sea of Cortez

El Tiburon anchored peacefully at Los Gatos, Sea of Cortez.

Sparky and El Tiburon berthed at Marina La Cruz in Banderas Bay, Mexico

Whether on land or sea, life is pretty simple and sweet with plenty of fresh air.

See ya all next spring and summer, when we once again will be reunited with Tranquila.

Happy Days aboard Tranquila will start up next Spring.