Our past couple of days in Tampa have not been filled with photogenic events, and frankly I’ve been working at one thing dull thing or another.   As a result we have little to report.   So instead of me telling you what cereal I had for breakfast this morning, let’s hear from a few friends in the Airstream “blogosphere” who we’ve encountered lately:

Bobby & Danine, who we last saw in Tucson a couple of months ago, are up in Oregon after a snowy time in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington.   We were in the same area last October and got lots of rain but nice temperatures.   It seems they got the tail end of winter on their visit, but they survived and I think had a good adventure.

John Irwin, who we saw in Austin just a couple of weeks ago, is back from a Chili Fest rally in Texas, and has filed a report on that.

Bert and Janie Gildart, who we hosted at our home in Tucson last month, were recently at the Outdoor Writer’s Conference in Oregon.   I think they’re heading home to Montana now, but with them you never can be sure.

Rich Charpentier, who accompanied us for several months on the road in 2006, is still settled in Prescott AZ, still living in his Airstream, and seems to be doing well overall despite the occasional health setback.   We’re happy for him and talk on the phone often.

Mary and   Rick Dotson, who we saw in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago when we visited with photographer Rick Olivier, gives her report of that visit here.

Jill Smith-Mott and her husband, who came over to the trailer in Austin for a cookout, are apparently still feeling the aftereffects of having met us.

Jim Breitinger is now off the road after a year of full-timing, and living in Phoenix in his Airstream.   He’s building up a bank account so he can go out again someday, and in the meantime musing on what he’s learned.   I last saw him in Quartzsite in January, and I bet we’ll see him again in 2009.

Bill Doyle and Larry Ko, friends from San Diego who we have met at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park twice, are still roaming in their Airstream regularly.   They have some of the best and most diverse country in their area to enjoy, and they are starting to realize how lucky they are. Their latest report has to do with Earth Day.

Sharon Pienak, who we met in South Llano River State Park in Texas not long ago, is still there awaiting repair of her “Silver Snail” so she can get out on the road again soon.   I have a feeling we’ll encounter her again this summer sometime.

Charon Henning and Alex Kensington, our swordswallowing and fire-eating friends, wrote in last week but neglected to tell us where they are.   I think they are on the east coast somewhere.   We hope to see them   in July at the Vintage Trailer Jam in Saratoga Springs NY.

Rick and Judy Vastine, our Tucson friends and fellow homeschoolers, recently announced that we infected them completely, and they are now owners of a used Airstream trailer!   We are surprised, excited, and flattered that we were able to have such an affect on them.   When we get back west this fall, you can be sure that one of our first trips out of Tucson will be with them.

Terry and Greg, another set of Tucson friends and fellow Airstream owners, are making very good use of their trailer.   They recently visited Rich Charpentier up in Prescott, but that’s only a fraction of their recent travel.   Their goal seems to be to visit every state park that has camping in the state of Arizona and I think they are nearly there.

Roger and Roxie, who courtesy-parked us in Visalia CA last December, just got back from a good trip to San Francisco with their Airstream.   Roger had to mention that he managed to avoid denting his Airstream on his first solo voyage … something I was unable to do!

(Did I miss anyone who has a blog?   Put in a comment if so!)

Here we are sitting in Tampa, taking care of business, and everyone else is out there having what seems to be a more glamorous time, but I’m not jealous.   Sometimes we need some time to “just be“, and this is it.   It’s a nice feeling to read the reports of our friends who are all over the country, enjoying life, and doing well.   I hope they get the same enjoyment out of reading our travels as we do from keeping up with theirs.