Ailana’s Journal: Part 1—2026-06-26 (and Island Kids) (Patreon)

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GOOD MORNING by Ailana Geven Keller

Well, it looks like someone in this room has his camera shutter on fully electronic mode and has been silently taking candids! I actually like the way they look!

A couple of things happened after last night’s post. I’ll try to keep this brief.

I shot Emily and Kel’s draft to my writing agent, agent, Terrence Holloway, and asked for his thoughts.

“Love it! The Route 66 content is blazing hot right now. The only thing missing is the main article. Send them to me in pairs. I have a couple of markets in mind that could take dailies.”

So Josh, Jason, and I are backtracking through our notes and will crank out a full travel review of Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch. That means the adults and kids will have to plan in concert.

Next…

Izzy Duffy called from New York. “Hey, your friend Vanessa called…”

She told me about their discussion concerning Shoreline’s need to fill a social services position. Izzy said they had a good discussion and that Vanessa seemed to know exactly what she wanted from the person who filled the position.

“Ailana,” she then said, “what if I were the one?”

She went on to say that she and Kent aren’t happy with how things are in New York City anymore. She mentioned that they had talked a lot lately about not wanting to raise kids—WHAT?—in a life built around crosswalks and subways.

We talked a long time, and in the end, she said she hoped the grant application was approved. “Please put this on your prayer list.”

I said I would, of course!

So that’s it for last night. Time to find my sneakers and get things going for today. I’ll be back later from… somewhere. See you soon!

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WINDOW ROCK by Ailana Geven Keller

We left Seligman this morning and kept heading east until the landscape started feeling bigger, quieter, and somehow older than anything we have seen so far.

This afternoon, we stopped at Window Rock on Navajo Nation land. The red sandstone arch rises above everything like it has been watching people come and go for centuries. Standing there, I felt very small—in a good way.

We have tried to be thoughtful about this part of the trip. These are not just pretty places for tourists to photograph. People live here. Families have roots here. There is history, pride, struggle, faith, and a culture that deserves more than a quick stop and a few pictures.

We talked with the kids about staying on public roads, asking permission before photographing people, and listening more than we speak.

I am glad we came. This Route 66 trip has shown us roadside signs, old motels, neon, deserts, and little towns—but today felt different. Today reminded me that the land has stories much older than the highway crossing it.

And for a while, we were quiet enough to hear that. I’m sure this is something I’ll keep close for a long time to come.

Now I want to mention a couple of things about Emily and Kel. This morning, I rode in the Highlander with Jason, Jasmine, and Micah. And Emily. Just Emily.

I saw Kel get in the RV.

“Emily…”

She was pulling out her laptop. “Yes?”

“Are you and Kel upset with each other?”

She looked at me like I’d asked if she were a horse. “No way!”

“Why are you in separate cars?”

She pointed at her laptop. “We’ve got a lot of work to do. We’re going to focus. It will be less distracting.”

“A lot of work?”

“We’re going to write up Giganticus Headicus this morning. We can ride together when the work is done.”

I’ll add that they did FaceTime some, but the topic was their article. What can I say? Kids…

BIG AND GREEN by Emily Amos

Kel and I are excited about writing articles. Josh says this is a real thing, and Ailana’s agent is eager for us to do more. And we have to coordinate our articles with what the adults write.

Kel’s good at math, and he thought of something. “If we average five stops per day for two weeks, that’s, like, seventy stops. If the two of us take pictures and notes at half the stops, we’ll have enough material for over a month of sidebars.”

So that…

We’re not going to share EVERYTHING we write, but we wanted to share this one because some of Ailana’s friends like this place. This one is from yesterday.

Roadside Yawn Meter: Giganticus Headicus

by Emily Amos and Kel Ryan

Yawn Factor: Low—2 out of 10

Kid Verdict: Worth it. We liked it, but neither of us can explain why. It’s a giant green head beside Route 66. You look at it, laugh, take pictures, and somehow leave glad you stopped.

Best Part: The statue is huge, weird, bright green, and impossible to ignore. There’s also a vintage phone booth, a colorful roadside sign, snacks, bathrooms, and enough room to walk around after being stuck in the car.

Boring Part: There really isn’t much to do once you’ve taken the pictures. Ten or fifteen minutes is probably enough unless you’re shopping or really interested in roadside history.

Parent Warning: Don’t advertise it like a theme park. Call it a bathroom, snack, and leg-stretch stop with a giant head attached. Also, it’s sunny, gravelly, and hot.

What Would Make It Better: A sign explaining why Giganticus Headicus exists—although not understanding it may be part of the fun.

Kel’s Photo Note: Take one wide picture to show how tall the head is, then do something ridiculous in front of it. Confused shrugging worked for us.

GOOD NIGHT by Ailana Geven Keller

We spent the whole afternoon exploring the Navajo Nation around Window Rock, and I’m ending the day with one of those full-heart, tired-feet feelings.

We began at Window Rock and the Navajo Veterans Memorial. It was one of those places that naturally quiets everyone down. We took our time, read what was there, and tried to give the memorial the attention and respect it deserved.

From there, we visited the Navajo Nation Museum. The exhibits helped us understand more about the history, language, art, and living culture behind the places we had been seeing. It gave the day more depth than simply stopping for beautiful scenery and pictures.

Next came the Navajo Nation Zoo and Botanical Park, where the kids took enough pictures to make me wonder whether we had accidentally hired an entire wildlife photography team.

We also stopped at Navajo Arts and Crafts Enterprise to look at jewelry, rugs, pottery, and other work created by Navajo artists. We asked questions, took our time, and brought home a few things that will always remind us of today and the people whose creativity made them.

Of course, this was still a working travel day. Everyone gathered notes and photographs. Josh, Jason, and I have material for several larger articles, while Emily and Kel already have ideas for sidebars. There were voice memos, half-written paragraphs, whispered title ideas, and at least one discussion about who took the best picture.

Tonight, we are settled into the NavajoLand Inn, a little sun-worn and very grateful.

Today reminded me that travel is not only about seeing somewhere new. Sometimes it is about slowing down long enough to understand that you have stepped into someone else’s home, history, and continuing story.

May you always travel with open eyes, a listening heart, and enough humility to leave a place knowing it gave you more than you could ever give back.

Good night, everyone.

Be your best you!

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