#2 LOTS TO DO

My brain is swirling!  There is so much to do in these next few weeks. 

Alex and Sierra are upriver at Circle Keepers, so I am taking advantage of some kid-free time. (At the moment Steve is in the shower, giving Willow her 4th bath of the week. She loves to roam our land and roll in whatever type of scat she finds most appealing. Many days, with our dogs, it feels like we have 4 young kids, not 2. I wonder how the road trip will be with the dogs.) Anyway, back to planning.

I'm just starting lists of what needs to be done before March 24th. 
1. Wednesday: Steve flies to the Bay Area to inspect, purchase, and drive back motorhome to Washington
2. Sell travel trailer we currently own
3. Load up RV with all gear we have and see what else we need to purchase (I wonder if we should buy chains for snow?) 
3. Withdraw Alex from school and gather 2nd grade teaching supplies
4. Find someone to occupy our home for 1-2 months (helps offset our travel costs)
5. Arrange a mail hold/forward
6. Go through camping/backpacking gear and reorganize
7. Get dogs into vet for checkups & stock up on Titus' medications & food
8. Find someone to mow upper part of our land while we are away...  
9. Etc.
 
Today's plan is to clean out and empty our travel trailer (TT). We have had it for 5 years and have loved it.  When Sierra was a baby, we purchased our first 28 foot TT and quickly discovered that we wanted more space.  So, we moved up to a 32 foot TT, gained a back bedroom/bunkhouse and are so happy we did. If we love our trailer so much, why are switching to a motorhome?  Increased access & ease of mobility.  With the trailer, we often had to reserve camp spots well ahead of time to be able to fit our trailer and Ford Excursion at sites. We needed a space at least 55 feet long, or a spot that had room where we could side-park the truck. That meant, planning and reserving campsites at least 6 months to a year ahead of time. So, often times, we would reserve sites and then cancel later if we needed to- just to guarantee we would be able to have a spot.  Having this new to us (used) motorhome will mean we can literally pull into a campground, and more often than not, find a spot without a reservation. Also, if Steve needs to travel for a meeting, interview, etc, then I will be able to manage our travel easier without having to hitch up the trailer to the truck, etc.  

Now, you may have a picture of what campgrounds will look like where we are staying.  Often times people assume we stay at RV parks and resorts.  Nope. We love camping and backpacking, adventuring to wilderness areas, and going far off the beaten path to find solitude... so we avoid RV parks and lean towards National Forests, Wilderness areas, State Parks, BLM land, and National Parks.

My personal goal is to try to stay in areas away from lights & traffic & tourist traps. I want to feel the sun on my face, see the desert stars above, and breathe in the smell of the Ponderosa Pines. My god is the Great Out Doors (G.O.D.) & I feel most connected to the universal spirit/higher power/whatever you wish to call it, when I am outside. For me, this trip will not only be a grand family adventure, but also a time for me to reconnect with Susan.  Not Susan the 'Mom', 'Wife', or 'Teacher', but Susan who is simply Susan, living as a human on this planet.  I am beyond excited to be living a simple life, exploring, learning new things, and most importantly- discovering who I am today ♡

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“I do not want to get to the end of my life and 

find that I just lived the length of it. 

I want to have lived the width of it as well.” 

-Diane Ackerman