“On the road again
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
I can’t wait to get on the road again“
Willie Nelson
After a few months of travel, time at home, and plenty of preparation, we’re almost ready to point Jack west for our biggest adventure of the year.
But before we share where we’re headed, here’s a quick look at what we’ve been up to since our last post.
A Little Catching Up
We spent the first of the year camping in Panama City Beach, then the next several weeks in January and February were dedicated to our love of skiing. Most of March was spent at home with family and friends before we ventured out on our annual trip to the Florida Keys and Orange Beach. But prior to there, in late March, we joined the South Carolina Palmetto Pals for a Newmar rally in Myrtle Beach, followed by a week in St. Augustine enjoying the history and architecture of America’s oldest continuously occupied European-established city.
In the Keys, our niece Zoey and her husband, Tyler, joined us for several days of diving and island fun. Then, in Orange Beach, we reconnected with camping friends from last year and celebrated America’s 250th birthday over the Fourth of July with Dirk and Brie.
Taking Care of Home—and Jack
Coming home meant trading sightseeing for maintenance. Our downstairs air conditioner needed a repair that took three weeks and one hard-to-find part. The flower beds needed fresh mulch, the house required its usual attention, and we both squeezed in preventive doctor appointments before leaving again.
Jack needed a little TLC, too. A cracked windshield had to be replaced, and after several years and many miles of bumps and rattles, the closet supports needed reinforcement. None of it is particularly glamorous, but it is all part of getting a house—and a home on wheels—ready for another long journey.
Next Up: Balloons, Backroads and the Mother Road
We leave next week for an adventure that will carry us through the Upper Midwest, across the Southwest and eventually back home through Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee.
Along the way, we’ll reconnect with our DRV and Alaska friends in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula before leaving Jack in Elk City for several upgrades, including lithium batteries and Boogie Lights. While the work is being done, we’ll spend time exploring Oklahoma City’s Stockyards City—with Cattlemen’s, Western shopping, a live auction and cocktails at The Vault all on our list.
Out West, we’re especially looking forward to:
- Finally eating at The Big Texan in Amarillo
- Visiting Dirk and Brie in Colorado Springs
- Exploring Creede’s backcountry in a side-by-side
- Returning to Moab for off-roading and rock crawling
- Taking Timber and Cheeto on a remote four-wheel-drive adventure through Canyonlands
- Riding the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
- Reuniting with friends at the DRV Rally in Angel Fire
- Visiting the neon, nostalgia and roadside oddities of Route 66
- Seeing family in Pheonix and enjoying a side excursion to Tucson
- Experiencing the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
- Exploring national parks and monuments throughout Arizona, Utah and New Mexico
The journey home will bring even more history and classic Americana, including White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, the National WASP WWII Museum, the Fort Worth Stockyards, Hot Springs National Park and Nashville. We’ll finish the adventure in Pigeon Forge at the first-ever Open Roads Rally.
There will be scenic highways, historic sites, off-road trails, long travel days, great meals, reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones, and—if experience has taught us anything—a few unexpected detours.
We hope you’ll follow along as we share the places we explore, the people we meet and the realities of life on the road.
Next major stop: Michigan’s Upper Peninsula!
Masters of RVing Adventures 
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