Preparing for The Long Road Ahead

The roads that lie ahead promises to be no less than 4500 miles, that's one way and then there will be the trip back.  I started to make the final preparations, new tires, oil change, brake check and so on.  On Good Friday I was sitting in the Bristol, Tennessee Chrysler Dealership, (Friendship Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge)  I wanted to insure my Dodge 3500 was ready for the trip and avoid any unexpected costly repairs out on the open roads.  So there I was waiting for my vehicle to get a clean bill of health or a routine repairs of some sort.  I figure it was pay now or pay much later and be at the mercy of those who figured I was traveling and they could charge me what ever they wanted.   As it turned out my 012' dodge needed nothing that I hadn't already replaced or repaired. 



I wish I could report the same for my physical health.  While picking up a light weight aluminum lawn chair I suffered a back injury.  I have been living on Icy Hot cream and Ibuprofens.  Seemed nothing was working.  I retreated to the bed for several days only to endure the pains as it wasn't doing much good so I got up and started to walk.  Walking seems to help me more than anything.  I do hope that by the time we are ready to start the trip my condition has improved.  As I grow older my back seems to grow weaker.  I have to constantly remind myself I'm not the guy I once was.  Still my mind thinks I am.

Easter has come and gone for 2014.  It was a beautiful day as the weather was perfect.  We enjoyed a lazy day around the ole campsite and then went for a walk.  I was looking for a relative or a group of them who may be having a family get together at the Eastman Park.  Finding none we had to resort to left over fried chicken.  All in all it was a beautiful day and the weather couldn't have been any better.






When we arrived in Tennessee it wasn't yet spring.  We have endured a mixed bag of weather conditions since then.  Now the weather has warmed and the trees have turned green and the beauty of Dogwoods and Redbuds are abundant.  Hopefully we have seen the last of the cold in these parts until fall.






Our trip north to Alaska has once again been slightly delayed, on the first leg.  We had planned to spend several days in Mobile, visiting family before getting started north.  Due to conflicts with the new job and working schedules, my son wasn't able to get the time off.    We will hold in place for another week before we venture out on the long road ahead.  That will save us several hundreds of miles and by leaving a week later we will still be on schedule by cutting out the detour to Mobile.  We were looking forward to some beach time but that too will have to wait. Our next departure date is set for May the first.  We have had a couple of months to prepare and yet the closer we get the more rushed we are.  I don't think there is a way to prepare for a trip of this duration.  The longer we have to pack the more we try to take.  Best just to pack in a rush and hit the road.  I think we are trying to pack the big house in the smaller house.  We are running out of room.  We can always buy those last minute items as we go.

Everything is done and only the waiting is now the issue.  We have prepared and made ready as much as we can.  All that is left to do is put the Seymour house in storage.  That will require a few hours to assure that the house is prepared for long term storage.  The Micro Light Flagstaff is waiting for the final load out and then we are on our way.  I'm sure  we will be second guessing ourselves for miles before we settle down and just relax and enjoy the many miles that lay ahead of us.  If we forgot anything we can't live without,  there are Family and Dollar General stores everywhere.

Until then we are enjoying the life of nomads.   Be sure to keep up with us and our travels. (http://whygodutch.blogspot.com)