A week away

Good morning campers! It’s Silver Cliche’ here with you from beautiful Vero Beach, Florida. The day has not begun yet, but despite months of preparation and with about a week before departure I’m feeling like I didn’t start prepping early enough! When I tell people about the upcoming trip (which I will do for you in a moment) they frequently say “Oh my! A trip like that sounds challenging and exciting! How will you pull that off?”. I now can say that the trip looks easy in comparison to the challenge of preparation.

Anyway, the pieces are falling into place, even if not quite quickly enough. The contents of the Amazon boxes, which still arrive daily, has shifted from components to rehab the trailer (wiring materials, recliners, fans, lights and a new mattress) to add-ons (portable washing machine, video to monitor the dogs, a rechargeable vacuum cleaner) to essential supplies (dog food, RV toilet paper, kitchen gear). I had to complete an application recently that included the question “Name someone who will always know how to locate you.” I replied “Amazon.com”.

I digress. The trip... the trip.

A “trip to everywhere” needs lots of stops and lots of miles. We’ve got both. Let me give you a rough breakdown by month. We plan to leave about April 14 heading north to Georgia to visit Mrs. Cliche’s brother. Then west across the continent with stops including Mobile Bay, NOLA, the gulf cost of Texas, Big Bend and Marfa, Texas (I’m not sure whether I’m more excited about discovering the mystery lights, barbecue or arts scene in Marfa). May will begin with a continued surge west then a turn north. Stops include national parks (Saguaro, Joshua Tree, Sequoia and Yosemite), coastal areas (San Simeon, Carmel) the coast of Oregon and end where Lewis and Clark called it quits at Cape Disappointment, Washington. I can say with certainty that place was named before the Chamber of Commerce was formed there. In June we will make a turn east including stops in Idaho, Montana (Glacier NP), North Dakota (Theodore Roosevelt NP), Minnesota (been there, done that already) and camping on all five Great Lakes. We’ll end June on the St. Lawrence River looking across at Canada (I forgot to mention that one night in Big Bend we will be boondocking on the Rio Grande looking across at Mexico). July will see us in all six New England states, New Jersey (for Airstream maintenance at the dealership where we bought the Cliche’ seven years ago) and the 48th state we will camp in will be little Delaware on our 39th wedding anniversary. 

Airstream campers generally see themselves as sophisticated travelers whose home is an American icon. I’ve defiled the Cliche’ for this trip with the campiest item of camping gear sold at Camping World (yes... there is such a place)... the vinyl US outline map with colored stickers for each state! We will place the last sticker for the lower 48 on July 17. When she saw that I had defiled the rear window of the Airstream with the map, Mrs, Cliche’ asked “Won’t that spoil our view out the window?”. I replied “The view?  The VIEW?? This will spoil our image as sophisticated travelers!”. I feel a certain kinship with Chevy Chase’s character from “Vacation” right now.

After Delaware, there isn’t another state to stick on the map. Well, there is Alaska... maybe 2022?... and Hawaii, but I hear that is a drive no Airstreamer looks forward to. With no new territory to conquer for the year, we’ll leave Delaware and head to Maryland for a visit with our daughter and three grands. From there stops in North Carolina and again in Georgia then home to Vero Beach in time for hurricane season!

Well, the sun is about to start lighting the eastern sky here. I think I have time to clean out some closets in the Cliche’ and reload them with the new stuff Amazon brought me yesterday before Mrs. Cliche’ gets up.

Later...