Getting Ready

We are almost ready. We have the camper – Q (for Captain Quirk) has spent endless hours perfecting every detail for our comfort and convenience. I have spent my time planning and organizing – thinking about our needs for food and comfort and entertainment – and worrying about how all we need can fit into our small simple space. 

There is a lot to consider – but we are following my son’s excellent advice and preparing for any eventuality – and then trying to figure the best way to meet all of these possibilities with the least weight, cost, volume and effort.

Since we will be on the move, and traveling in winter – there is an endless list of possibilities to keep in mind. I worry about:  

Weather – Winter weather as we travel south can include blizzards, heavy snow on the ground, rain storms, earthquakes, tornados (what me worry?) and sunshine and drought. I can’t tell you how many well-meaning friends and relatives have shared horror stories about driving into sudden and unexpected blizzards, crazy driving, sliding cars ….

So – we are carrying chains - which we learned are required to go over the passes, extra fuel, good heaters, lots of food and extra water, warm clothing and bedding.

We recently learned something about California Parks - some places are full hook-up – meaning water can flow. Others are dry. This means limited water, which mean limited potty as well as limited bathing. So we will have to carry extra water – which equals extra weight which means lower mileage.

I worry about finances - fuel prices vary with time, politics and location. I worry about access to medical care if needed, I worry about the dogs. I worry about what it will be like to live long term in a small space with Q -

I look forward to eating -  on the road –what is available can range from gourmet to MacDonald’s –so  we have created a well equipped kitchen which I hope will allow us to eat and cook locally. And of course, will allow Q to have his morning espressos with fresh ground beans. I am depending on my pressure cooker and microwave/toaster oven to keep us well fed.

I worry about looking good and having the right clothes for every situation– I need clothes for cold, rain and warm weather, city and camping, museums and hiking. Also, holidays, social times and rainy days when I want to be cozy. And, I have to have the right shoes for all of these eventualities, plus swimming and showering.

And don’t even get me started about hair,  which brings me to towels and shampoo and makeup and hair dryer, and vitamins and prescriptions – and earrings.

And then there are the dogs – packing for them includes leashes, tethers, brushes, medicines, food (wet and dry), licenses, … what am I forgetting (I ask this a lot.)

And, oh, how about books and music, and my art supplies, camping chairs, tools – for the truck and random repairs, hoses for connections, cleaning supplies, All in our little camper -

Oh yeah - What will we do on cold /rainy days and long dark nights, or if we are stuck somewhere? – which brings us to technology

This has been interesting – to make things simple we are consolidating into one laptop and two Iphones.  This requires that we know about wi-fi and internet access and gadgets that connect and coordinate all. Also, to cloud or not to cloud.  Access will differ from place to place – and we have learned from a trip to the back country where there was no internet service and we had no idea where we were … not to depend on the internet for directions – so we need to carry maps as well.

I have created this new blog as a way to share our adventures with family and friends, loaded Photoshop and other photo software onto the laptop, loaded books onto my Iphone, changed carriers and plans, changed the way I stream video, and more. In our open-ended travel style, we will need to depend on the internet for ideas, suggestions and communication.

Clearly, becoming a snowbird is far more complicated than I imagined. It’s certainly not like the freewheeling days of youthful adventuring – like the times I crossed the country in an MGB convertible with a cooler, a stack of books, a sleeping bag and a bag of clothes.  As an adult the longest time I have been away from home is six weeks.  I have never had to close down my house, and I have never had to plan to shut down my life in one place, with no idea where and what it will be like in the unknown OTHER.  

Which brings me to an entirely new set of issues

Close down the house –

Cat care for Mishka who will be staying home

Turn off cable

Stop recycling and garbage pickup

Winterize house but keep water running for cat and plants

Empty freezer and fridge, organize plants,

AND

Organize all finances to be handled electronically. This has been an investment in time and energy to change things over –tons of phone calls and careful attention to what goes out when, how each company accepts electronic payments, when and how electronic deposits are made, and how and when we are notified. This step has been a true bonus - it’s really cool to see money arrive and bills get paid automatically and without stamps or mail. This is now simpler.

It is my hope that in the long run, after our travels are over, the simplifying that is taking so much effort now will continue to pay off in our at home lives.

As the departure day draws closer, there is still much to do, all of which involves eliminating extra things at home and in the camper.

More tomorrow.