I know that a lot of people read this blog to capture ideas for their own travel in the future. That’s why I talk honestly about the good and the bad, our experiences with equipment, people, and places. It’s my hope that you can get an idea of what’s waiting for you when you get on the road yourself.

Lately I’ve been talking a lot about non-travel subjects like divesting household stuff and getting our tow vehicle serviced. That’s because it’s part of the lifestyle. It’s not glamorous dealing with some issues, but absolutely necessary. I find a lot of people have questions about seemingly mundane things like “How do I decide where to go first?” and “What do I do with my furniture?” I can relate because those little things can be the difference between going and being bogged down by uncertainty.

But there’s another, more selfish, reason that I blog. While I enjoy helping others get going, and sharing our adventures, I also benefit from your feedback. As of this month, over 5,000 people read our blog. So when I have a problem, I can call on you for help — and that’s incredibly powerful.

For example, yesterday I mentioned needing an address for our scammer, and having some things to give away. Right away, two blog readers offered their addresses, and another one made arrangements to get some of our stuff from storage. When we have had a problem, blog readers have been there to help us out. When we’ve needed a place to stay, you’ve offered us courtesy parking. This two-way interaction makes the whole thing work.

So the answer to the question of “Where should I go?” can be found if you take the time to share your experience with other people. We get invitations to camp, invitations to join rallies, and suggestions of really terrific places to go, all the time from our Internet friends like you. The Internet blog phenomenon isn’t just an egotistical expression of a few outgoing people. It’s a form of communication that really adds value to an adventure like this — changing what was a solitary pursuit (full-time RV’ing) into a group experience.

The new generation of RV’ers is different that way. A decade ago, the big full-time RV trip was almost solely for retirees, who effectively dropped out of communication for long periods of time. Now, we are a generally younger crowd (the average new Airstream buyers are still working and in their 50s). We are in constant communication through our cell phones and Internet. And it works for us, because going out on the road is no longer just about dropping out — but equally about dropping in, in other words, seeking out new experiences, new people, and sharing those things.

That’s why this blog continues. In about a week I (with occasional contributions from Eleanor and Emma) will have been blogging this experience for a full year. It has been a massive amount of work, but I foresee us continuing the blog for at least another four months, probably longer. I’m happy to do it because you make it worthwhile.

Eleanor is dropping off more stuff from storage with friends today: a box of cherry wood scraps, a cherry table (sold), kid’s stuff for the local playgroup, and leftover building supplies from our former house. I’ve made contact with a local guy who takes good household items and donates them to needy families, so he’ll meet us Saturday with his truck to take some furniture. I’m hoping by Sunday we’ll have our remaining stuff reduced to just one storage unit, which has been our goal all along.