~Sunday, July 5, 2020~
Day 21
As I maneuver around our new “home on wheels”, I’ve come to realize that all things must come in small packages. For example, the refrigerator. Goodbye to Costco family size containers...i.e. Peanut butter, mustard, vanilla, mustard, mayonaise (basically all condiments). And I’m used to always having backups which we simply don’t have room for. Hello 12 oz. containers! Next, let’s talk about the shower. Even our shampoo bottles have to be a certain size and shape. The built in caddy’s won’t fit round bottles (except for the top one), but flat ones are ideal. One thing I won’t back down on from Costco though….paper towels. And if I could find RV toilet paper there, that would also be on my list. Somehow, I WILL find storage for 12 rolls of paper towels if it kills me.
I’ve been looking forward to spending the day with our youngest grandson, Carson. We offered Hannah and Devin babysitting services so they could finally get some alone time. Every couple needs those, right? We got a few things done at our site in the morning, then headed over to their place around 1:00. They had plans to take a cool waterfall hike (a 7-miler) followed by dinner in Oceanside. We thought between feedings, diaper changes, and bath time, that we could get out the big map and plan out our grand route plan.
Originally, our plan was to leave earlier and head counter clockwise in the U.S. But now that we’re getting a later start, we are now thinking clockwise due to following the good weather, and trying to work around Ken and Bertie’s wedding in September, AND possibly visiting family during the Holidays. Whew. So the first phase (though we can’t be too specific on dates), would be to Bend, OR, Mount Hood/Portland (to see Tim and Tracy), Washington (Mt. St. Helens and the Olympic Peninsula), then heading East across Washington state to Idaho to visit Wallace, Coeur d’ Alane and SandPoint (apparently an amazing place to retire, but cold). Then Montana for 2 weeks before making our way back to California for the wedding. After the wedding, head to Utah for 1 week, 4 weeks in Colorado, 2 weeks in Arizona, and 2 weeks in New Mexico. Then cross through Texas to visit Louisiana for 2 weeks, 6 weeks in Florida, 2 weeks in Georgia, 2 weeks in South Carolina, 2 weeks in Tennessee, maybe 2 weeks in Kentucky, 2 weeks in Virginia, and then it’s a bit fuzzy. It will be interesting to look back on this plan to see how close we were to matching it. We just have to wait to see what unfolds, but at least we have a plan. And hey, we were able to do it between those diaper changes and nap times. I even fit in some light cleaning/laundry. I know the kids have not had time to keep on the basic stuff being new parents, so I was happy to help. I don’t miss cleaning 3200 square feet of space but missed a little cleaning therapy. This trip is more about this 🚣♀️ 🧘♀than this 😜.