Ready for launch.

We have gone through a procedure familiar to many an RV owner. The trailer has been cleaned thoroughly, the propane tanks are filled, the food is stocked. I lubed the hitch, filled the fresh water tank, checked the lug nut torque, and checked the tire pressure. Eleanor pared down our unneeded supplies, re-packed, and re-organized everything. We’ve checked in with the neighbors and put out the trash. A hundred details have been attended to. And now we are ready.

All the preparation is good but of course it is no guarantee that we will not encounter adverse events as we strike out. It wouldn’t be an adventure if it were entirely controlled, programmed, and guaranteed. We have set things in place and from here on in we have to put our faith in our Airstream and ourselves.

Marlin: How do you know? How do you know something bad isn’t gonna happen?

Dory: I don’t!

This marks the end of the house blog, and the return of the full-time traveling blog. Aside from a short stopover in Tucson about a week from now, we expect to be on the road for about six months. We have stops planned in NM, TX, LA, FL, NC, VA, VT, NY, ME, OH, CO, UT, and AZ again … and those are only the ones we are sure about. SC, MD, MA, KS, and SD are on the “possible” list.

Bert and Janie tell stories of their adventures in Alaska

As enticing the possibilities are of this next phase of our travels, they were put in perspective today by Bert & Janie’s tales of their adventures in Alaska. Ten years ago, they spent about a year in northern Alaska, living in a wall tent, exploring the Yukon River by jon boat, and living with the natives.

At one point, they spent a month walking north into the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from Venetie to Kaktovik, about 200 miles over the Brooks Range, only to find their pre-arranged ride wasn’t going to show up. They walked another 15 miles to the nearest village, completely out of food. Bert got two ducks with the last shot in his shotgun as they were walking, thus averting a near-disaster. Their year in Alaska resulted in dozens of printed magazine articles authored by Bert. They are amazingly humble for all the incredible things they have done. Whenever I think we are taking on too much, I look at what Bert & Janie have done.

By comparison, our trip is just a fun little jaunt, 300 miles south to the beach. We sure won’t run out of food and resort to hunting ducks. I think all we’d find would be pigeons and hummingbirds anyway.

For the next week blog entries will be sporadic. I will write every day but my ability to get online and post from Mexico may be spotty. When I can, I’ll upload and backfill all the daily entries. If anyone needs us this week, leave a message. We’re outta here.