Django, Skylark and the Flying Gigmobile TAKE OFF!

Django and his God

Choosing to take a road trip into the Northwest in mid November was actually a conscious choice made while sober. Whenever we told someone what we were planning to do, most of the time the response was along the lines of, “Oh my god! It’s going to be so cold and rainy”, to which we would reply, that’s o.k., we’ll figure it out. Only a few hardy, kindred spirits said, “Cool! No crowds, no traffic and no reservations!”

We own a Chrysler Town & Country van, which is almost the perfect vehicle for us with a few simple modifications and additions for gigging and camping. We call it the "Gigmobile". Because we’re musicians and carry a lot of equipment around, equipment we don’t necessarily want passers-by to see in the van, we built a simple platform, which sits in the back half of the van, elevated about 2 and a half feet. Our instruments fit underneath and are concealed and hopefully safe. When the two passenger seats and the bench seat ("stow & go") are stowed into the floor, it makes it possible to insert a plastic office carpet chair mat so we can slide Howie's keyboard and amps in and out easily - the same is true when we store crates of camping stuff. To make our camping more comfortable, we invested in a trucker’s crock pot and a small cooler, both 12 volt with cigarette lighter plugs.

Gigmobile in camping attire

Our big purchase (besides our van) was a used Tepui tent, which sits on top of the Gigmobile like a big crate. Imagine a crate-sized book sitting on top of the van and when we are ready to use it, we simply take off the cover, and unfold the "book" by pulling an aluminum telescoping ladder bolted on: and, 'presto!', the tent pops up - half of it on the van and the other half cantilevered over the side, supported by the ladder. The result is that there is plenty of room for all three of us and it stays warm and dry.

So, at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, November 19^th, we climbed into the loaded Gigmobile with Django, our trusty mutt, and headed North along the coast. 

Our first stop was the Whale City Bakery in Davenport where we redeemed the $25 gift certificate we won when we were the zombie couple on Halloween. We had gone there to see Andy Fuhrman and the Lone Star Band and came away, after dancing our zombie butts off, with a prize! The breakfast burrito we shared was tasty and the pastries that followed while we approached the Golden Gate Bridge were perfect. We had them pack up a sandwich as well, which we tucked into the cooler, to be eaten later, on the road. It's a great place!

Howard began the trip behind the wheel and at the Santa Rosa Costco, where we gassed up for the next leg of our trip, we switched drivers. Before we knew it, we were at the Cloverdale cut off, which took us up over the mountain and down into the Anderson Valley, a beautiful place to see. Lots of color in the changing leaves, probably the last week before the trees loose their leaves and stand against the cold; naked and waiting the long wait for Spring when they will again dress themselves in soft green shoots and leaves and bear their fruit.

Celina & the Redwoods

Howie too

The Redwood forest that stands at the gateway to the coast is filled with the spirit of the Mother; the trees like sentinels of love and ageless truth. Celina says that every time she finds herself in that part of the trip, she gets quiet, really, really quiet. She whispers, “I need to be very quiet here because it’s sacred here.”

Panoramic view of the Avenue of the Giants

Django wanted to pose too

Arriving at the coast we head directly to the Albion River RV Park, which sits at the mouth of the Albion River. We crossed the tall bridge and rolled down the long, steep driveway to the café and campsites. 

Chuckita in Albion

The walk in the cold wind under grey skies to the beach was a chance to see the jade green water ebbing swiftly out to the small cove Celina remembers from her stay here about 13 years ago. Howie played catch with Django at the water’s edge while Celina quickly found several pieces of beach glass. 

This is the location where she wrote “Mendo Blues” and her mind wanders back to those days spent in a friends Airstream trailer, alone, there at the Albion River RV park.

 

Celina and The Birds

We moseyed up to Mendocino proper and ate our sandwich sitting on a park bench while the weather became increasingly windy and we could smell the rain coming. A quick walk to the local book store and toy store was all we could muster before going to Fort Bragg to find a hotel room.


We found a great room for a good deal and a great view of the Noyo River Harbor and got somewhat settled before taking off to visit Ron and Glenda Jaeger, family friends of Celina who had not yet met Howie. 

Hotel Room looking down Noyo River Harbor

Ron and Glenda's trailer home is warm and welcoming and the dinner they prepared was delicious. We reminisced and they got to know Howie, while our dogs, their Sugar and our Django, sparred over territory. Django, the perfect gentleman was very patient and tolerant of Sugar’s bossy disposition and protective nature. 

Glenda, Celina's spirit sister, is also her art mentor and they talked at length about how Celina might approach art on the road. All was well by the end of our visit and parting was sweet sorrow. 

We tucked Django into his bunk in the van and snuggled up in our room for our first night on the road. The rain which had begun as we were leaving the Jaeger’s continued through the next day. All day Tuesday we drove the coast, along beaches, pasture land and forest while rain fell soft or strong

Cypress tree tunnel

on the road.

After checking out the rebuilt Crescent City Harbor, we arrived in Brookings, Oregon in the early evening and found a lovely apartment style motel room, new, clean and very comfortable in the scenic Brookings harbor. A good night’s sleep, Django in his Gigmobile bunk and us in our suite has us feeling rested and ready for another day of travel.

The rain is predicted to stop and we hope to make it to Florence where we will camp out, even though it should be below freezing tonight.