You know I could be safe still.
I could still get to hop in my brand-new, 2-day old minivan and drive to Florida. Better yet, I could fly there.
You see, even though The Beast is parked in my driveway, irritating the heck out of my 12-year-old who just wants to play basketball there (despite the fact that it snowed this morning), it's not road-ready. Far from it. Many things must happen magically by Thursday night in order for us to bring Beastie on the road. Here are some highlights:
-An oil change. Yeah. Sounds simple. But just where do you get an oil change for an RV? Can you imagine steering that Beast over the bay? I'd have it half in that bay before they could even try to direct me forward. But new oil is important, as a working engine come Virginia would be preferable.
-Wheel alignment. Somehow, when you let go of the steering wheel, it currently veers violently to the right. ??? But on the bright side, I guess that makes it easier to exit from the freeway.
-De-winterization. Yes, Susan Huss, it has a VIN. :) But it's still a home on wheels! So it has to be winterized, just like any seasonal cottage in Northern Michigan. The pipes must be drained come the first snow, so in March...water has to be re-run into the vehicle. If this doesn't happen, I will be one sad girl, walking in my pajamas half a mile to the campground bathhouse at 7 am to pee and brush my teeth. I didn't like it at Camp Timbers in 1985, and I'm sure I'll like it a whole lot less at the Friendly Village Campground in 2015.
-Propane. Again, where does one get propane for The Beast? (Notice that I have gone from calling it "Cousin Eddie" to "The Beast"--I'm not sure which one is more appropriate) Just to note, you generally have to wander into the scary Southeastern 'burbs to find RV dealers.
And why is Propane important? Because without it, the RV will be stone-cold Friday morning when we take off for Pennsylvania. And despite Marco's assurances that I can bring a blanket, I'm not convinced I'll last 20 minutes before demanding to be taken home.
And those are just the necessities. We still have to:
-Buy camping supplies
-Install TV
-Sew curtains
-Install curtains
-Clean the interior
-Clean the fridge
-Get bedding
-Get pillows
-Pack
-etc
-etc
-etc
So with T-3 days to go, I shall sign off, so that I can go on Amazon to buy those camping supplies. Perhaps a small travel grill, for making hot dogs at some rest area off I-75. A charcoal one, hopefully, since we don't know how to use that kind. I mean....why keep it simple? This is an adventure, after all.
I could still get to hop in my brand-new, 2-day old minivan and drive to Florida. Better yet, I could fly there.
You see, even though The Beast is parked in my driveway, irritating the heck out of my 12-year-old who just wants to play basketball there (despite the fact that it snowed this morning), it's not road-ready. Far from it. Many things must happen magically by Thursday night in order for us to bring Beastie on the road. Here are some highlights:
-An oil change. Yeah. Sounds simple. But just where do you get an oil change for an RV? Can you imagine steering that Beast over the bay? I'd have it half in that bay before they could even try to direct me forward. But new oil is important, as a working engine come Virginia would be preferable.
-Wheel alignment. Somehow, when you let go of the steering wheel, it currently veers violently to the right. ??? But on the bright side, I guess that makes it easier to exit from the freeway.
-De-winterization. Yes, Susan Huss, it has a VIN. :) But it's still a home on wheels! So it has to be winterized, just like any seasonal cottage in Northern Michigan. The pipes must be drained come the first snow, so in March...water has to be re-run into the vehicle. If this doesn't happen, I will be one sad girl, walking in my pajamas half a mile to the campground bathhouse at 7 am to pee and brush my teeth. I didn't like it at Camp Timbers in 1985, and I'm sure I'll like it a whole lot less at the Friendly Village Campground in 2015.
-Propane. Again, where does one get propane for The Beast? (Notice that I have gone from calling it "Cousin Eddie" to "The Beast"--I'm not sure which one is more appropriate) Just to note, you generally have to wander into the scary Southeastern 'burbs to find RV dealers.
And why is Propane important? Because without it, the RV will be stone-cold Friday morning when we take off for Pennsylvania. And despite Marco's assurances that I can bring a blanket, I'm not convinced I'll last 20 minutes before demanding to be taken home.
And those are just the necessities. We still have to:
-Buy camping supplies
-Install TV
-Sew curtains
-Install curtains
-Clean the interior
-Clean the fridge
-Get bedding
-Get pillows
-Pack
-etc
-etc
-etc
So with T-3 days to go, I shall sign off, so that I can go on Amazon to buy those camping supplies. Perhaps a small travel grill, for making hot dogs at some rest area off I-75. A charcoal one, hopefully, since we don't know how to use that kind. I mean....why keep it simple? This is an adventure, after all.
