Countdown

The countdown is underway!! We hit the road in only 50 DAYS!! We've made some progress on the motor home and the travel plans are coming along, but I have to admit my anxiety level is rising as the days tick away. The King is running well and we've made some other repairs, but still have lots to do!!

The husband and the teen spent the last couple of weekends chasing down the remaining electrical issues and we seem to have them all worked out. We installed 2 new house batteries that should allow us to run without plugging in for at least a couple of days. They also installed some vent covers on the roof vents so we can keep them open while we're on the road. The teen LOVED hanging out on the roof!

We have also been busy working out our route, finding places to camp and researching things to see. I started at the library where I signed out this book:

It looked like a great guide to the beauty and wonder of Americas' National Parks and I thought it would be really helpful. We never got past the first two chapters...which were all about avoiding bear and mountain lion attacks while in the parks. In case you're wondering, if you encounter a bear you should wave your arms and make lots of noise. If you should happen to run into a mountain lion your best bet is to duck your head and back away slowly. I would prefer not to need either strategy and visions of bears using the motor home as a giant tasty chew toy were stressing me out, so we returned that book. And bought this one:

Maps, tips, places to stay, things to do and see and great restaurant suggestions! It contains preplanned road trips and historical and cultural information and no scary bears. Much better!

Luckily, life hasn't been all work...I took the teen on a nice little educational trip to Washington D.C. over spring break. We had a great time, saw Monticello:

all the monuments and a handful of the many museums there. The teen loved the Air and Space museum:

 and the Newseum:

We also saw the Holocaust Museum, which is very well done but emotionally draining, and the American History Museum, with Dorthy's ruby slippers and Archie Bunker's chair. We had a great dinner at America Eats Tavern and stayed with some wonderful friends. We even got to spend a bit of time with my cousin and her kids!

We're moving into the more “fun” updates on the motor home (new cushions and seats and other creature comforts) so I hope to have some more updates soon! Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we'll be able to do a little more each weekend. 50 days...wow, we'll be on the road before you know it!