$12,000.00 Dog House

We had an aha when realizing the travel trailer may just be a very expensive dog house! We are going to have this beautiful boy for several more years

and if we really want to travel, we had to figure out a way to take him with us. We are blessed to be able to have free flight benefits–Gerard is retired airline! And I have recently involved us in home exchange. We could literally hop on a plane to anywhere in the world, but alas, Sitka doesn't fit under the seat of an airplane. We wonder if we would have made the decision of a travel trailer if Sitka wasn't with us.  And then there are the three cats, but fortunately for us, we have a house mate who will make sure everyone is well taken care of, including the house. It will be a more involved conversation if we were ever to decide to go full-time traveling.

This morning, I woke AGAIN to -18º. This is getting old. If we could pull out next week, I would. However, I think there is great value in staying until we get through the next jewelry show. It is a great venue for us and we did exceptionally well last year. Once we hit the road, we expect to make jewelry along the way and we hope to even sell our wares on the road. The bigger issue preventing an early departure is the trailer– it is still being built.

To get us even more excited, we will head down to the cities on the 6th for the RV Camping Show at the convention center.  Could be a dangerous venture, what if I come back with a bigger RV?! At minimum, I am sure I will find gadgets and things to make our travels more koosh. I still have a wish list on Amazon. I need to find just the right french press for coffee, one more lantern and some hooks for the back of head rest in car to more easily hang things so they are easy to find.  Patience, patience, patience and a number more sub-zero days I am sure before our adventure can begin. A total of 28 more days (hopefully, not 28 more subzero days) and we will be on the road!  

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
 

It's Better to Travel Well Than to Arrive ~Buddha

I know we're still 49 days until launch, but there is much to prep and plan for.... or not. However, I plan to travel well and have a place for all things. I have chosen to do all I can to organize and pack so we don't have to spend much money on the other end buying what I already have duplicates of here...where did I put that other can opener?  We really don't know or can't conceptualize the space inside the trailer and where we will put things... So, what THINGS do we take? I packed a 1950s vitamix blender. We love smoothies and protein drinks. What if I need to make a Marguerita? We also have plenty of items that will work well for food storage without having to spend a fortune buying canisters and containers to fit in our new space. I might as well bring them from here. I'm on a DIY kick anyway. I am grateful  for pinterest and the wealth of ideas on organizing. I am utilizing all my empty crystal light containers... I knew they would come in handy. And what would we do without Amazon? What we need gets ordered and delivered to our door. Blackboard contact paper.... what a find! I can label and relabel. A few more items to be ordered, but hopefully, we can just have them shipped to Anita and William's place in Tucson. Still to be ordered are leveling blocks for the trailer, a more durable sewer hose, oh the fun things, and a 12v crockpot. I am imagining putting a roast in the crockpot and after a day on the road dinner will be ready when we arrive at our new campsite. How cool is that?! Gerard now has a 12v adapter for the cpap machine!

We were really blessed and surprised that our son, Chaz, gave us a car top carrier for xmas–an enormous car top carrier! I put the things I expected and hoped to put in it so we wouldn't have to cram it all inside the car. Sitka will be able to have the whole back seat to himself.  The carrier is not even half full! I do have to remember all this stuff has weight and weight costs fuel. A good reason we have started packing so early. I am sure we will be re-evaluating until our departure date.

I hope to put another rug and our jewelry gear in the carrier. In the rear of the car I've managed to get all the bedroom, kitchen and other necessities into 3 tubs that should fit nicely in the cargo area of the Saturn.  Is it March 2nd yet?!

spices-velcro these under a cabinet?

the blue bucket has 2sheet sets, pillows, towels, and down comforter
(all in space saver bags) 1 camp kitchen tub and 1 camp gear tub

blackboard contact paper...love this stuff!

amazing car carrier... can even take the kitchen sink?

car top carrier w/2 bag chairs, tent, folding table, 6'x9' deck mat, drying rack and it's not half full!

And the Adventure Begins...

Kickin' Kamper 14' Bamboo Ultralight

My blog page has been inactive for more than 2 years. Our upcoming road adventure seemed like a good opportunity to breathe new life into this space.  Gerard and I and our sidekick Sitka have decided to take to the open road... to become shunpikers (those who avoid the turnpike and tollroads) Of course, we know nothing about Rving but we decided to jump right in and buy a 14 foot travel trailer anyway. It is being built in Tucson, Arizona. Our plan, weather willing, is to pack the car and our new  Thule (car top carrier-thank you very much to my son for this generous xmas present) with everything we need to live on the road for 3 months and head off to pick up the "cabin" March 2nd.

Being held hostage this past week inside by a polar vortex–coldest below zero temps in 20 years– has been a good time to research our upcoming adventure.  Oh my.... I may have waited too long. What a learning curve. I am reading rv blogs like crazy and learning we know absolutely nothing! I am so grateful for making a connection with Gerard's cousin-in-law. Steve is giving us a crash course. Keeping a blog, I believe will be instrumental in watching our progression from newbies to seasoned rvers. Who knows, maybe we will become full-timers some day. I am sure there will be plenty of humorous mis-steps along the way and our blog entries will be amusing fodder for friends and family. 

inside the "cabin"

At the moment, our guest room has been turned into a staging area and the packing has begun! We are just beginning to formulate questions we should have probably been asking months ago–12v outlets? Solar panels? Black water hoses? Tank insulation.... who knew?! So much to know. We will be pulling this 1700lb trailer with a 2005 Saturn Vue. Oil change and brake flush..we should be good to go. We will be adding brake controls and sway bar and this light little trailer will get hooked up and ready to explore the southwest. 

our tiny kitchen

Our travels this year were meant to be exploratory. We really wanted to check out southern New Mexico–White Sands, Las Cruces, Truth or Consequences, Elephant Butte. What for? you ask.... possible relocation? Possibly. I can't imagine ever leaving our view of Lake Superior for good, but we ain't gettin' any younger and these winters are harsh. Taking to the road satisfies my soul on so many levels. Especially in the winter when wanderlust grabs hold of me. Our plan is to spend most of our time in New Mexico and Utah before returning north at the end of May.

Today ends with Gerard obtaining his lifetime national parks pass ($10). Age pays!!!! The annual pass for the national parks is $80 per year. If you are over 62 years old the lifetime pass, yes, I said lifetime is $10. All the bedding(2 sets of sheets, down comforter, pillows and towels!), is shrink wrapped and in one tub organizing the camper kitchen tub and making hotel reservations in Tulsa, OK and Roswell, NM.  I know, I know we're not leaving until March 2nd.