Today was a travel day. We moved from Pahrump, NV to Red Ledge RV Park & Campground in Kanarraville, Utah. It was about a 4 hour drive.
Before we started full timing, it was not unusual for us to have a 10 or 15 hour travel day when we went on vacation. We had limited time and wanted to see everything we could. We wanted to spend our time off at our vacation location and not on the road. Life sure has changed. Now it is all about the journey. Certainly we are excited about the destinations and look forward to each new sight. But now we marvel at the landscape. We notice the rock formations, the changes in the trees and flowers and we really try to savor each new sight.
Now we are both happy with a 2 to 3 hour travel day. We like to get to our destination before noon. Have a little lunch and then go exploring the area. If we are unsure what we plan to see at the stop; we make a trip to the Visitor Bureau/Chamber of Commerce. It is always a great idea to visit with the volunteer workers at the Visitor Bureau—they have generally given us the best tips. I ask them where they like to go out to eat. If your family comes in to town, what are the attractions you like to share when you have visitors. These helpful hints are generally some of our best experiences.
We have been in the Arizona and California since January and we were both ready to move on and see something different. We have enjoyed the warm weather, but we are anxious for more green trees and foliage. I was really getting tired of desert and WIND!
Although we have been to Moab, Utah 4 or 5 times, we have never visited Zion National Park or the surrounding areas. We will be here a week and are excited to see what new sightseeing treasures are in store for us.
Just a couple thoughts about our traveling…
We have learned it is very helpful for both of us to be in the truck watching what is going on around. Many people have talked to us about towing the jeep behind the truck. Today was a perfect example of why it is helpful for us both to be together. George does a great job watching the road and traffic around him. We had a couple of major road changes.
The night before we will be traveling I study our route on Google Maps. I open the map with Google earth so that I can track the route and look at the roads closely. I pay special attention to any road changes, exits etc. and look closely at the area surrounding the campground. I want to be familiar with the area around the campground—it makes it much easier to find the location when I have done my homework. Twice we almost missed our turns because George thought he knew where we; and we were not where he expected.
So…
- Plan the route (even if you are “sure” you know where you are going)
- I generally will study the route map, so I am aware and prepared for each change.
- It is also good to have the map opened; if you lose the internet connection you will still have the map. If you do not have the map loaded when you lose internet connection—you are not able to retrieve the map until you have connection again. (Today we did not have internet connect for well over an hour.)
- When there will be any kind of change (exit, curve, attraction, etc.) I tell him when we are 10 miles away, then 5 miles away, then 1 mile away.
- Our agreement is that he will acknowledge that he has heard me (even a grunt will work here). Even if he is well aware of the change—I do not assume he knows.
When we miss a change, it is usually because I am not paying attention and I am not taking control of the navigation.
RVs now are big. That is my house being driven down the road and we both want to do everything we can to get to our next stop safely and happy. So, 4 eyes are better than 2. I am not a back seat driver, I am the co-pilot.
Finally, because I had studied the map; I knew there was not a good place to unhook the jeep inside the campground. I had located a place across the street that we were able to pull in and George unhooked the jeep while I checked us in.
Great day and we are glad to have some new sights to explore this week.
