It was just over 8 weeks ago that we limped back home from our spring travels (if you missed that post, you can read it here). While the trip was spectacular, the hiccups we encountered along the way gave us lots to do over our “break”. First and foremost, we had steel tire valve extensions installed which should mitigate the issue of leaks at those points. In addition, I installed a tire pressure monitoring system so that we can easily check pressure from inside the RV. That’s peace of mind! We also installed a new outside shower to aid in washing feet and, most likely, Daisy.
We arrived home with even more to do around the house. The substantial flower beds surrounding our home and property were overgrown and littered with weeds. It is likely nothing had been done to them for at least two years prior to our purchase. Suffice it to say, Karen got a quick lesson in property management! We spent days weeding and thinning out overgrowth (particularly the ferns, which migrate everywhere). We topped that all off with 32 cubic yards of mulch that we spread ourselves. If you’ve never done it, that’s a shitload of mulch.
Karen spent several blistering days stripping and repainting the posts on our front porch. They now look amazing and match the color scheme of the rest of the house. I spent those days installing low voltage lighting in the front, and we worked together to install new house numbers that are far easier to see from the street. It was a lot of work but the results were worth the effort.
We also spent a lot of time visiting with the people who matter to us. We got to see all four of Karen’s nieces and had quality visits with each. I got to see my kids on several occasions, even going to Cedar Point twice with Julia. And we spent a lot of time with mom, both in Pittsburgh and Cleveland. She finally got to see Hamilton at Playhouse Square and loved it! Dinners and lunches with friends kept us busy as well.
And between all of that, we were able to do a lot of cooking meals for the trip we started today. Our freezer is loaded with delicious food that should get us through (maybe) half of this trip. It definitely helps.
And so, at 8:00am this morning, we left our stationary home and headed back on the road. If all goes as planned, this trip will take us almost 8,000 miles over 70 days (69 nights, for the immature among you). We will see 9 U.S. National Parks as well as 4 in Canada. We will be forced to drink wine in both Willamette and Napa Valleys. We will see the Pacific Ocean again, and dip our toes in Lake Tahoe. And we will see 4 giant busts (not nearly as sexy as that sounds). There will be hiccups on this trip as well, but we will deal with them as they come. And we will continue what we love best, spending time together and seeing this spectacular country.
So tonight I sit and write at a lovely campground in Elgin, Illinois, just northwest of Chicago. It’s hot, but we’re able to be outside to get some fresh air. There’s so much more ahead for us. And so much more ahead for us.
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