Next Trip

Shortly after getting back from our trip to Casa Grande, Arizona, the Grand Canyon and The Valley of Fire, I started thinking about our next trip.  I knew we wanted to get the house ready for the market as soon as possible, and going off in the Alfa for two or three weeks at a time was not the best way to accomplish that.  It seems every time we take a trip, many days are lost in preparing for departure, and then when we get home again, in getting settled and back to work.

So we decided to do as much as we can and look at somewhere to go in a few months.  We may take a short weekend trip in July, or do some driveway camping and sleep in the Alfa for a night or two, but our next multi-week jaunt will not be until mid-August. 

Looks like a cool place to visit in August (picture from web)

We will be going up to Olympic National Park in Washington.  

There are a number of  campgrounds operated by the park service, but none with hookups, and most of them have a 21' length limit for RVs. 

I did find one that did have hookups inside the park. It is run by the park's concession company much like the ones we stayed at in Death Valley and the Grand Canyon.  It is at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort.  There are only 17 RV sites.  I actually made the reservations in April, and at that time there was only one spot available big enough for our 35' Alfa for the week I wanted. I'm glad I looked into it then and didn't wait. There are other RV parks we could stay at in the area, but they are outside the park and we would have to drive in each day.

Although we are not averse to boondocking for a night or two when we are traveling from place to place, we do like to stay at established campgrounds with hookups when we want to settle in for several days. I think it's good practice for full timing when we will probably plan our stays for weeks in one place. We dry camped in Yosemite for five nights last fall, and I found it disturbing that we had to run the generator for several hours every day.  I respect the people who are tent camping and want to enjoy a quiet, clean air environment.  I know if I was a tent camper I would not appreciate a big Class A running a smelly diesel generator at any time of the day. So, until we get solar, I guess we had best stick to places with power. Water and sewer are less essential.

I suspect we will drive up there in two days, stopping overnight at a Walmart or Lowe's.  I'll be looking into other interesting destinations on our way back south, but leave the plans very open.  If all goes well, the house will be on the market by then and we will be free to take our time getting back.  Or better yet, we will get an offer while there and have to hurry back to finish getting rid of stuff before a closing!

Well, we can dream can't we?

Next

The best cure for the post-trip doldrums is to start planning the next one!

While reading the SeeYaDP forum, Craig noticed the announcement of the Alfa Owners annual rally scheduled for April 15 - 21, in Casa Grande Arizona.  He suggested that if we got a lot of work done in the next couple of months, we should go.

I'm good with that!

I suggested we go to the Grand Canyon on our way back.  

He's good with that!

So the beginnings of the next adventure are starting to take shape.

Actually this is much like I imagined this process to be.  Work on the house for a few months, then take off in the RV for a while. 

But I have  hard time being patient.
I want the house done. 
I'm a terrible nag.

Craig assures me it will get into marketable shape by this summer.  

I'm hoping, but have my doubts.

I find planning a next trip goes a long way toward keeping me from getting too depressed! 

This last week and a half has been hard. I continued the job of culling things out of my studio, but then came to the conclusion that culling was an impossible, halfway measure.

So last Tuesday I declared my retirement.

Craig did his part later that day and took down my web site.

I spent several days packing up art stuff and either putting it aside for a future flea market, Goodwill, or loading it into the van so I could take it to the dump.  For the first trip, I went by myself, and as I tossed things out of the back of my van, I almost shed a few tears.  But as I drove back home I felt liberated.  

I'm retired!

I still have to deal with a closet full of fake fur, but without sculpture masters or sculpture materials, it will be easy to part with.  On Monday, Craig helped me cut up and remove my work benches.  We filled the van, and he helped me take this load to the dump. 

Next  we will have to restore the walls.  After 23 years of nails, paint splashes, and other mars, they need a lot more than just a quick paint job! At the moment we have four fluorescent light fixtures on the ceiling.  They are not quite shop lights, and do have "natural light" bulbs, but they are fluorescents and not suited for  bedroom lights.   When we moved in there were no overhead lights at all.  I think the best thing is to ask a realtor about what to do.  

Heat is another problem.  There is none.  We do have central forced air heat upstairs, but the lower level does not have any ducts.  The family room is nice and warm when the  wood stove is burning, but the bathroom is freezing in winter, and I had to use a space heater in the studio. 

I'm thinking of getting one of those little fake electric wood stoves.  

At first I thought we should have some heaters installed in the walls, or maybe do baseboard heat, but I think the electric stove would be more interesting and could be moved to whichever part of the room the occupant wanted it. Everyone seems to hate baseboard heat anyway.

Craig was been hard at work as well. He has his own project, new doors and woodwork in a number of places, but he helps me whenever I need him to, and vice versa.

So, I'm looking forward to planning the next trip! 

Has anyone done the Grand Canyon at the end of April?