{By Kelly}

It's a sad day... our AlumaFlamingo journey is coming to an end. Time to pack up this road show and head back home... back to reality. We said our goodbyes to all our new friends, hoping to meet up again soon on another adventure.

Before we left, I made a point of stopping by the Sarasota Swap Meet and Farmer's Market. 

Our campsite at the Sarasota Fairgrounds was positioned right next to the gate that led to the field where the market was set up. It's accessible from Tuttle Avenue near the intersection of Ringling Boulevard. Every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. vendors of all sorts set up to sell their treasures.

I walked through aisles of tables and tents with antiques, collectibles, crafts, clothing, plants, even this guy <---- who was demonstrating the proper way to use the exercise equipment he was selling. 

I purchased some really cool earrings from a girl named Ashley who had a booth at the swap meet. I absolutely love these dangly fishhook earrings made out of Red Stripe bottle caps and turquoise beads. She hand-crimps each bottle cap to create a shell-like disk.

Ashley makes all kinds of treasures by recycling everyday items. She has a variety of different beer caps to choose from, like Kona, Pacifico and more. If you can't make it to the Sarasota Swap Meet, check out her Etsy shop, AscendingTraAshes, and support local artisans. I've received so many compliments on my funky, recycled earrings! Thanks, Ashley!

Before I headed back to camp, I stopped by the food truck for some fresh squeezed lemonade. I figured Justin could use some refreshment after packing up and hitching Riva to the truck in the hot sun. It was the best lemonade I've ever had... the secret is a little bit of fresh squeezed orange juice. Yum!

We had some funny moments on the way home. We lost not one, but two of our baby moon hubcaps. Luckily, we noticed them rolling down the street in the rearview mirror on both occasions. I hopped out in the middle of Sarasota traffic to get the first one, and Justin got the other one as we made a tight turn in Indiantown.

As we drove across Florida on State Road 70, I looked behind us through the rear window of the truck and this is what I found <---. I love the way Riva is reflected on the truck's tonneau cover, along with the clouds and shiny aluminum. This photo embodies endless possibilities and the #LiveRiveted lifestyle we love so much.

{By Kelly}

It's OPEN HOUSE day! Time to unveil the Riveted Roost at her first Airstream rally. 

We started the day with some coffee and our banana bread from Der Dutchman, then took a stroll to the arena for the AlumaFlamingo Swap Meet. The Airstreamers were lined up with rows of tables selling all kinds of goodies. Used books, trailer and camping gear, knick knacks and odds and ends that didn't quite fit in their Airstreams, and a few crafty people were selling handmade art and jewelry.

I posted some signs at the swap meet advertising our open house: "Open House at the Riveted Roost - stop by for some frozen drinks and a tour of our vintage 1960 Airstream Overlander." We were parked in the "back 40" and I was worried people wouldn't be able to find us. It's a hot day in Florida, maybe some strawberry/lime daquiritas would entice them to take the long walk out to our trailer... I even put our pink flamingos out by the road to catch people's attention. 

We cleaned like crazy, then I made a run to the store for some ice, rum and mixers while Justin made some last minute updates to Riva: baby moon hubcaps, install an exterior vent on the street side (the existing zebra duct tape covering the hole would NOT do), and install the mirror/door onto the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, and install the screen in Riva's entry door. 

I had the unfortunate timing of calling Justin right as he was in the middle of installing the hubcaps. Apparently they were a bit of a hassle to put on and his dad had recommended soap to help slide them on. Well, Justin decided to use olive oil spray and it became quite a slippery situation. Ideally, he would have used a rubber mallet, but we didn't have one in our camping tool box, so he used his knuckles and brute force to get those babies on. It was not a pleasant conversation... 

Justin: "What?!?" 

Kelly: "I'm at Publix. Do you need beer?" 

Justin: "%@#$&*!" 

Kelly: "WTF, I'm calling to see if you want more beer, I thought you'd be happy!? %@#$&* <END call>"

After that, I made an executive decision to get more beer. And a big handle of rum. Of course, half way back to the fairgrounds, I realized I forgot the ice and had to turn around and go back to Publix. But I made it back to our campsite about 15 minutes before the open house started, just in time to make the bed, sweep out the trailer and get the blender set up. Justin apologized and made a point of showing me his bloody knuckles. Time for a drink!

We had a wonderful open house. Despite our location, we had a lot of visitors and it was non-stop for what seemed like the entire afternoon. Justin made the frozen concoctions while I played hostess, answering people's questions about our restoration and showing them around the camper. 

It was really nice to receive so much positive feedback and compliments from fellow Airstreamers. We've worked so hard and spent countless late nights pouring our blood, sweat and tears into the Riveted Roost - Justin especially.

This was Riva's time to shine and that she did.

Thankfully after all that, we didn't have to cook dinner. AlumaFlamingo provided a catered dinner after a spectacular Happy Hour performance by professional sword swallowers and fellow Airstreamers, Alex and Charon. 

In this photo ---> Alex is swallowing a red neon light tube (think light saber). We sat in the front row with the Youngstreamers and it was quite a show. I had never seen a live sword swallowing act and I was thoroughly impressed. You could see the red light move down Alex's neck and into his chest! I have no doubt that this act is legit. They have a spine tingling show and their comedic banter really makes the performance fun and entertaining.

After dinner, we were excited to hear Josh Rogan play again. He did a long acoustic set of his original songs and a few covers for all the Airstreamers at AlumaFlamingo. It was a great show and a real pleasure to hear an up-and-coming artist perform and sing from the heart.

Afterwards we headed back to our site for a campfire and dessert. Our neighbor, David, made an amazing dump cake in his Dutch oven using a boxed cake mix, a can each of crushed pineapple and cherry pie filling, and a stick of butter. We topped it with some vanilla ice cream and it was absolutely sinful. 

That evening, our Youngstreamer group was joined by Airstream historian Dale "Pee Wee" Schwamborn, as well as  Josh and Eliza Rogan. We sat by the campfire exchanging stories from our travels. I can't imagine a better way to spend our last night at AlumaFlamingo. Thanks, y'all!

Follow our adventures on Twitter @RivetedRoost, or find us on Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram. We're posting a lot of photos to our social media sites in real time, so follow along!

For Friday's AlumaFlamingo schedule, there were a couple seminars booked at the same time that Justin and I really wanted to attend so we decided to split up so we didn't miss anything. 

We both attended "Tech Tips" with Dave Schumann of Airstream at 10 a.m. and got some great pointers on Airstream care and maintenance. Most of the seminar revolved around "Frequently Asked Questions" about new Airstreams and towing tips, but we were able to apply much of it to our vintage Overlander. 

One of the neatest tips is using orange Pledge and a microfiber cloth to shine up an Airstream. The Airstream gurus said they often use it to spruce up the trailers at expos and rallies. They use it on the interior and exterior aluminum. I'll spot test it in a discreet place on our vintage trailer since we have a different type of aluminum, but hopefully it will have the same effect as it does on the new trailers. The orange scent is a bonus!

We split up at 11 a.m. so Justin could attend "Vintage Restoration" with Colin Hyde, while I went to "The Africa Caravan" led by Dale "Pee Wee" Schwamborn.

Pee Wee was a caravan scout for his cousin and Airstream founder, Wally Byam on their 1960 caravan from Cape Town to Cairo, an adventure that would traverse approximately 8,000 miles. The first part of the journey required these precious Airstreams to be lifted by a crane on a barge over the water and onto a passenger freighter to be shipped to South Africa. This photo of an Airstream bearing an incredible resemblance to our 1960 Overlander, The Riveted Roost, makes me cringe every time.

Once in Africa, their trip was very well planned. As a scout, Pee Wee would go ahead of the caravan to ensure the roads were passable and make camp at the next destination. I was impressed at their ambition to cross through some very rough terrain with these trailers. There were areas where they had to create tracks through the mud and soft sand, often getting stuck. They had to use a lot of manpower and creativity to pull the Airstreams out of these precarious situations. The Airstreams also crossed rivers aboard tiny man-made ferries (if you can even call them that), and rickety wooden bridges. I get nervous pulling "Riva" on a narrow, paved road next to a canal without a guard rail!

I was also impressed by how well the caravaners dressed - Pee Wee's photos showed lots of suits, dresses, hats, even some fur coats. Wardrobe storage and laundry was surely an interesting situation during this long journey. 

Watch for Pee Wee's stories and photos from this famous trip on Airstream's Facebook page and website - they are featured quite frequently on "Throwback Thursdays." If you ever attend an Airstream event where Pee Wee is doing a presentation, be sure to attend. Airstream's history is fascinating and Wally Byam's marketing tactics are impressive. Pee Wee does a fabulous job of sharing these stories and images.

Last night, we decided over the campfire to visit one of the local Pennsylvania Dutch/Amish restaurants for dinner tonight. There are several delicious choices in the Pinecraft village of Sarasota and our selection was narrowed down to two: Der Dutchman and Yoders. 

The group decided on Der Dutchman and our neighbors warned us to "wear stretchy pants" because the buffet is incredibly indulgent. Buffet strategies were plotted in serious tones by the guys while the ladies discussed suitable outfits - we didn't want to offend the locals by showing too much skin and expandable waistbands were a must!

We had a table of eight hungry Airstreamers and Der Dutchman did not disappoint. The restaurant is huge - there are two giant dining rooms on either side of the buffet, each resembling a church reception hall. We all went for the buffet, which featured a well appointed salad bar, some amazingly delicious fried chicken, fish, Amish stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, homemade noodles, macaroni and cheese, a variety of cakes for dessert and much, much more. The buffet also included a serving of soft serve ice cream, which at that point, was overkill. 

As promised, we left rather stuffed, but not before we shopped for some "souvenirs." Upstairs, there's a retail shop with beautiful quilts and gift items, plus a bakery and market downstairs. Every flavor pie imaginable is showcased, along with dairy products and all kinds of pantry staples. I eyeballed some fresh churned butter, but Justin turned me down... we ended up purchasing a small loaf of banana bread for breakfast the next morning.

I was thoroughly impressed with the cleanliness of the entire operation and the wonderful customer service. Der Dutchman is a treat and definitely worth a visit if you're in the Sarasota area. Next time, we'll visit for breakfast, which looks divine.

Later in the evening, we enjoyed a live jazz performance at the fairgrounds, followed by Josh Rogan's show at the 210 Tavern in Sarasota. Josh and his wife Eliza are fellow vintage Airstreamers who traveled to AlumaFlamingo from Colorado. Josh is a wonderful musician and Eliza is a talented artist enjoying life on the road. It was a great evening of amazing music and new friends.

Follow our adventures on Twitter @RivetedRoost, or find us on Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest  and Instagram. We're posting a lot of photos to our social media sites in real time, so follow along!

{By Kelly}

One of the highlights of our AlumaFlamingo adventure was Sarasota Jungle Gardens. This beautiful park has been in operation since 1939 and is truly a Florida landmark. It has a kitschy vibe that we found both endearing and nostalgic. The gardens are home to more than 150 native and exotic animal species, so there is plenty to see.

We strolled through the children's play area and tropical jungle until we arrived at a clearing with a lake and dozens of pink flamingos. We had purchased two bags of food with our admission at the entrance (highly recommended, otherwise, you'll be buying handfuls of feed out of the gum ball machine a quarter at a time). I was eager to feed the flamingos, so I knelt down and a few friendly pink ladies nibbled the pellets right out of my hand. The large males had a funny arrogant strut and seemed too busy tending their flock to be bothered with taking treats from people.

I've never been so close to a flamingo and was amazed by their strangely prehistoric presence. They appeared quite graceful with their long legs and necks, but ridiculously awkward when trying to move quickly across the pond, as illustrated in the slide show.

We walked around the park and saw a variety of birds and turtles, as well as pygmy goats, lemurs and monkeys. There was a reptile exhibit and show, but we skipped it because we knew we had to get back to the camper to let the dogs out. We ate lunch by the koi pond at the Flamingo Cafe and Justin ordered lemonade in a pink flamingo bottle - it will make a great souvenir and dish soap dispenser for The Riveted Roost.

I had to visit the flamingos one last time before we left. I was happy to find that they were ready for lunch, too, and had better appetites than before. We found one flamingo (tag #20) that had a deformed beak. His overbite seemed to make it difficult to eat the pellets from the ground, so we made sure he got plenty to eat. You can see him in the video below, and hear the unique sounds they make towards the end of the clip. If you visit Sarasota Jungle Gardens, look for #20, he's a friendly guy who would love a snack.

After Sarasota Jungle Gardens, we made a stop by Publix to pick up some beer (New Belgium's "Accumulation" White IPA) and the ingredients for Mojo Pork. 

We accumulated a lot of "Accumulation" bottles during this trip. We initially tried it because it has a vintage Airstream on the label, but were pleasantly surprised at how good it is. It's a Winter Seasonal ale, and we were still able to find it in February in Florida, despite the 80 degree weather.

I knew we would rather socialize than slave over dinner, so a crockpot meal was a perfect solution. Mojo pork is a super easy recipe and there are a variety of ways to serve it. I made a big batch so we could share with our neighbors. The entire campground is going to smell that savory pork slow cooking all afternoon and come calling at dinner time, so be prepared!

INGREDIENTS

• One tablespoon olive or coconut oil
  
• One pork shoulder or pork butt (I used two small Boston butt roasts to fit in a large crock pot. I also trim any visible fat before cooking - or you could ask your butcher to do this for you)
  
• One large bottle of Mojo (I used Goya)
  
• Two Spanish onions, sliced in 1/4 inch rings
  

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high. Sear pork on all sides to form a golden brown crust. Put pork in crockpot on low and cover with entire bottle of mojo. Put the lid on and set a timer for 8 hours (or cook on high for 4-5 hours). When 30 minutes of cook time remain, uncover and add sliced onions on top of the pork. When the pork is finished and the onions are tender, remove from crockpot and shred pork with two forks. Reserve some of the cooking liquid for the pulled pork (skim the fat off). Return pulled pork, onions, and reserved liquid to crock pot and set temperature to "keep warm" until ready to serve.

I like to serve the pork with black beans, yellow rice and romaine lettuce. You can also make mojo pork sliders/sandwiches using bakery rolls, or mojo tacos with tortillas and your favorite toppings.

While our pork was simmering, we went to the AlumaFlamingo Happy Hour, which was followed by the "Aluminum Gong Show," a charity talent show where fellow campers show off their best (and a few terrible) talents. If you like the act, you can buy them extra time on stage by putting some money in the hat for the local food bank. If no one puts up any money, the act will get "gonged" and will have to exit the stage. It was a fun show, with gifted musicians, poets, a few bad comedians, but lots of laughs.

Afterwards, we returned to our campsite and enjoyed a fire with our neighbors. I cooked up some rice and beans on the camp stove and we had a delicious mojo pork feast. (You'll have to excuse the presentation... I didn't think to take an "after" photo until the next day when we got the leftovers out.)

After dinner, our neighbor Becky cooked some Jiffy Pop over the fire. Even as an adult, there's something mesmerizing about that space-age looking popcorn popping up to create that silver dome of deliciousness. We passed it around and I swear it tasted even better than it did when I was a kid... It was a perfect way to end the day.

{By Kelly}

Our first full day of AlumaFlamingo started bright and early. Jackson got up at 6:30 a.m. which meant I did too! I walked the dogs, then rode my bike to the restrooms since we don't have a toilet or black tank yet... TMI, I know! The beauty of getting up that early was the gorgeous sunrise over acres of Airstreams. ^

The rally was serving coffee and doughnuts so I picked up breakfast and took it back to the trailer. Justin was still passed out (highly unusual for me to wake up before him). He worked his butt off preparing for this trip, many late nights followed by early mornings, so I let him sleep in. I made a run to Publix for some snacks, beer and dinner fixins. Then, we made it to the 9 a.m. "Boondocking" seminar. They covered security and safety, how to conserve water and electricity, and recommendations of great places to camp off the grid.

The next stop was "The Vision of Wally" at 10 a.m. presented by Dale "Pee Wee" Schwamborn. Pee Wee is Wally's first cousin and accompanied his mother and Wally Byam (the creator and first president of Airstream) on many caravans and later worked at the Airstream factory. He gave a detailed history and shared some great photos of the early Airstreams and caravans, as well as scans of Wally's notebooks. I was really inspired by Wally's business philosophy and work ethic. His keen marketing skills helped elevate Airstream to the coveted brand it is today. I also related to many of the statements found in his journals:

"My ancestors did not work for others. It is not in my blood."

"What I want is freedom to come and go and work when I want to."

"You can live tomorrow today."

And my favorite:

“Don’t stop. Keep right on going. Hitch up your trailer and go to Canada or down to Old Mexico. Head for Europe, if you can afford it, or go to the Mardi Gras. Go someplace you’ve heard about, where you can fish or hunt or collect rocks or just look up at the sky. Find out what’s at the end of some country road. Go see what’s over the next hill, and the one after that, and the one after that.”- Wally Byam 1896-1962

Justin and I ate lunch at the camper, then I attended "Full Timing Prep" while he worked on Riva's plumbing. I think it's amazing that I haven't come across anyone who regrets selling all their stuff and hitting the road in their Airstream full time. They discussed what to do with your home (sell or rent), how to handle mail, insurance and other things that one might not think of until the time comes to ship out. I really admire all the folks who are traveling the country full time. My intent is not to wait until retirement to take such an adventure. Hopefully we can take the leap to full-timing it in the next year or two!

At Happy Hour, we met another young couple who is full-timing, enjoyed some drinks and exchanged Airstream stories. Our awesome neighbors, Becky and David, shared their grill and we dined together on NY Strip steaks and caprese salad. Glamping is the life for me!

After dinner, we loaded up David's truck with our chairs and drinks and headed to the communal AlumaFlamingo campfire. It was a beautiful, clear night and I saw the first shooting stars I've seen in years. It was the perfect ending to a great day! When we got back to the camper, Justin crashed on "the dogs' bed" with Jackson. Two tired puppies.