ROADTROP

I bought a new four-inch foam mattress for $80 on eBay. I was thinking about sourcing one secondhand on Craigslist, but then recalled a very unfortunate incident involving bedbugs that occurred when we went to Egypt in 2010. Just thinking about it still makes me crazy. With the help of a cheap electric carving knife, we cut the foam down to size (39"x71").

Remains of the foam mattress

Foam is kind of gross to sleep on by itself, so I pulled out some upholstery material I have lying around that I can't even remember buying (it must have been an awesome deal, because it's horribly seventies-licious and I have a LOT of it; I think we used it as a drop cloth in Downingtown at some point) and whipped up a cover today. I wanted to be able to take the cover off to wash, but I didn't have a giganto zipper, so I made do with some of my corsetry supplies.

I was pretty excited to install the finished product in the Magnum, especially since it's a gorgeous day which doesn't even warrant the use of a sweater, let alone a coat.

Here it is with just the sheets:

And here with the double-sized beach towel I found at a bargain price, multi-purposed as a blanket. I love terry cloth blankets -- they're mostly a Chinese thing, and I grew up with them -- but they're next to impossible to find in America, so I have to make do with gaudy branded creations marked down on sale.

Magnum bed by Lacoste (not really)

I quite like designing things, but I am hamstrung by the fact that I can't draw.

Something I have turned to frequently for design inspiration of late is the 1970 edition of the Childcraft encyclopedia -- the edition with which I grew up. My set disappeared sometime after I moved out of home, but I recently found the same edition in pristine condition (N.B. correct usage of "pristine") on eBay and bought them for nostalgia's sake. I was not disappointed; I remember every page so well, especially the amazing illustrations and graphic design, that flipping through the volumes is an exercise in goosebumps.

How to use a road map

Aside from the design of this blog, it's impossible to estimate how much of an effect these books had on my life. I read about Mozart and Gandhi and Benjamin Franklin for the first time in a Childcraft encyclopedia. I learned to recite nearly all of the first volume's poems in my early speech and drama lessons. I used to wish I lived in America because so much of the content was US-centric (mostly I wanted to track rabbit, deer, and foxes because Australian animals just seemed so boring).

I hope some of my friends with kids get sets of these for their own children. I know kids have the Internet et cetera now, but there is something wonderful about the permanence of these books. Maybe the best part about reading through them now as an adult is revisiting all the completely outdated information. Sounds syrupy, but it not only pushes all my nostalgia buttons, but makes me feel good about the world to see how far we've progressed.

Following a suggestion in the comments of the below blog entry, I submitted our bed-in-a-Magnum to IKEAhackers, and they just published it:

ikeahacker

In April 2002, Matt and I roadtripped to New Orleans together, after two years of ICQ conversation, and a week after meeting in person for the first time. And we fell in love.

It has been ten years since then. TEN YEARS! Or at least, it will have been, by the time we start our latest roadtrip.

In case you can't tell, this is UTTERLY ASTOUNDING to me.

I just sent an e-mail to the reservations dude at the very hostel where we stayed in 2002:

Hi Steve,

Yes, I would love to reserve a private room for May 14 – one thing, though – would you mind taking a look at the attached photos? If it is possible for you to identify the private room at Marquette House in which they was taken, and if it happens to be available, we would love to book that particular room. (Long story short: ten years ago, my husband and I fell in love in that very room and we’re coming back for our anniversary!) If it’s not available or you can’t tell which room it is, not to worry, we’re still happy to reserve another room, but we thought it was worth a try for nostalgia’s sake!

Marquette House, April 15, 2002

Marquette House, April 17, 2002

Crossing my fingers ... so many memories! Best roadtrip ever. (Except for the upcoming one.)

A couple of days ago, I made a fairly major change to our trip plans, deciding we should leave Yellowstone a day early to make our way to Thermopolis. Initially, I was attracted by the idea of swimming in hot springs, but then I realized Thermopolis has a bigger draw. A much bigger draw.

Wyoming Dinosaur Center's Dig for a Day program allows Matt and I to go on an actual dinosaur dig. And dig. For dinosaurs. It is kind of expensive, but my god, this is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

From the brochure we were sent when we booked:

Dig For Dinosaurs!
Join us for a Real Jurassic Adventure

High in the ancient rolling mountains above the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming, at the northern end of the Wind River Canyon, the bones of dinosaurs have lain buried in layers of rock for millions of years. It was not until 1993 that fossil hunters discovered that the bones weathering out of the mountainsides were actually fossilized dinosaur bones. Since that first discovery, over 40 sites have been found in a thick mudstone layer known as the Morrison Formation, dating from the Jurassic period (208-145 million years ago). This area, now named the Warm Springs Ranch dig sites, is actively worked by The Wyoming Dinosaur Center.

Dig with us!

If you’re looking for a “real-life adventure,” join us on the dig site hunting for dinosaur bones. Our Dig-for-a-Day program appeals to all ages, from young children to active senior citizens. Participants dig in the bone bed, where leg bones, tailbones, ribs and claws have been found. Individuals (ages 18 and over) and families are welcome. A parent or legal guardian must accompany small children and young people under age 18.

You should be in good physical health. The hill can be strenuous. Our climate is dry; the dig sites are about 4,500 feet above sea level; and it is easy to feel the effects of the sun at that altitude. Not to worry though – your are not alone. Our staff will be on-hand to answer questions and to help at all times.

What we have unearthed so far

Wyoming Dinosaur Center workers have removed more than 10,000 bones from the excavation sites. Most fossils are from long-necked sauropods (camarasaur, diplodocus, camptosaur, apatosaur). The ranch dig sites include a ‘bone bed,’ formed by an ancient stream that washed bones together in the channel of the river and then buried them in the silt. Another site, currently being expanded, appears to be a feeding site for the meat-eating Allosaur.

If you find a dinosaur bone…

If you find fossils, they will remain at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center. They are your contribution to science. Your name, the bone and location will be recorded in our bone registry for all to see! The information and fossils you gather will be used to help our scientific studies. Of course we cannot guarantee you will find a fossil, but even if you do not, you have helped scientists learn more about the site itself.

What to expect

A brief orientation begins at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center at 8 am on the day of the dig. We will introduce you to local geology and paleontology as well as digging techniques and data collection procedures. Transportation to the site leaves about 8:30 a.m. A sack lunch is provided at the dig site.

If you find a dinosaur fossil, technicians will show you how to preserve it while you are working and how to document your find.

Equipment is checked in about 4:20 p.m. The van leaves the dig sites for the Center at 4:30 p.m. You will be back at the museum before 5 p.m. (However, the van leaves the dig site every hour, so you may leave any time during the day if you wish.)

If you arrive the evening before your dig, stop by the museum. We’ll be glad to visit with you about the dig, and you can tour the museum and see technicians at work on bones from the dig sites.