In 1950, my soon-to-become-favorite aunt and uncle (Lucille and Carl) retired, sold their belongings, and purchased a pickup truck, camper shell, aluminum boat and a new Airstream trailer. They spent the next decade making their annual trek between Estero Beach in Baja Mexico, Coos Bay in Oregon, Cape Canaveral in Florida and everywhere in between. When they stopped to visit us in Southern California, I remember their interesting stories, beautiful color photographs, canned salmon that Unlce Carl caught, and exotic souvenirs.

in 1954, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz starred in The Long, Long Trailer, a film based on a novel of the same name written by Carl Twiss in 1951 about a couple who buy a new travel trailer and spend a year traveling across the United States. Being children of the 50's, we remember this film and the many hilarious scenes as Lucy tried to cope with life on the road.

As a tribute to these two trailering pioneer women, we decided to name our motorhome Lucille.