They say vacations are supposed to be down-time; a time to relax, unwind, and forget about our crazy, stressful lives. For some reason, Chris and I just can't seem to do this very well....so, here we go!!! Seeing that this was our 3rd RV trip, we kinda figured we had it down....we know how to use an RV (we both have been excellent drivers navigating though the snow covered Rocky Mountains, having a blown tire (or two, or three, or four!!), and having been kicked out of the Grand Canyon because we didn't have chains...)
we have iPhones with mapping capabilities, and we know we want to go to Maine...shouldn't we just be able to get into the RV and get there????
....No, its not quite that simple.... I think most RV people are planners...this always gets us!!! So Thursday AM, yes, quite literally, Thursday AM, we get up bright and early (ok, we are not all cross-fitters...to us this meant 7....but it felt so good to be in bed....so 7 became 7:30....) Grabbed our last great shower for 2 weeks (there is nothing like a shower in your own bathroom....nothing), and were ready to go...well, at least Sunny & Rayne were ready to go....at the first sign of suitcases, they were hearding the car...we weren't getting out without them (ask them now, I think they are ready to go back!!!) So, we packed some crates to put on the trailer we were hauling to NJ where we would pick up the RV (Chris' famous last words: no backtracking!!!) Most crates were filled with clothes and shoes...Chris said we didn't need anything else (don't worry, I didn't believe him and packed a few other essentials...bathroom supplies, passports, rabies vaccine tags, a flashlight!!), the real essentials were in the jeep...all dog stuff including two beds... (nothing else fits with all of their supplies..hence, the trailer...)
And we were off!!! And all seemed well until I hear, excuse my language, "Shit!"...yes, the trip has begun....the "Tarp" Chris had placed over the trailer was quickly shredding all over the place....stop one...re-secure tarp....Then, stop two.... remove tarp....Then, stop three.....one of the lids of the crates was off and our only down comforter was blowing in the wind ready to depart us on route 80......time to pull-over...again....now, this shouldn't have been a big event, except Chris decided to pull right over...on a hill with 3 lanes and tractor trucks blaring by us....nothing like watching from the backseat as your husband ties all of the lids down on the crates and wondering which tractor trailor was going to pick him off....all I could see was my video becoming something that was watched over and over again on U-Tube...poor family heading out on vacation killed along route 80...look away as this disturbing video may be hard to watch..... (is anyone besides me wondering why we didn't tie these down at home, especially since we seemed to have the rope and scissors quite handy???) Don't even go there....on this trip, I truly appreciate what it means to be the assistant and not the leader...sometimes, you just keep your mouth shut...pick your battles...2 weeks is a long time on the road....
So after MANY stops (who knew it could take all day to get to jersey?), we finally arrive at 84 RV (or something like that)...the one thing I have learned from my RV experiences....they are always the last place you would expect them to be....always..... and, an hour later....after our "helper" showed us he knew less than us....and that the tires looked a little like we've seen before...(he kinda chuckled when Chris said, we blew a few the last time we rented an RV...almost like, "once you drive this off the lot buddy, it's yours.....") it was time to.....unpack...you really thought it was time to go??? Now do you understand why we went dark...time just hasn't been on our side.....
But alas, here we go..... (it is actually very nice and I'm hoping in good shape!!)
While Chris was getting the low down, I had to occupy two dogs in some pretty hot temps....by the time we were allowed to enter the RV, Rayne was pretty tuckered out....Sunny barks the whole way in a car so this trip to Jersey was quite a day for Rayne.....
Dinner was provided by Frank Pepe in New Haven, CT......
White clam sauce pie !!!
The pizza was terrific (who knew pizza was so big in the NE?? I had thought it was a NY or Chicago thing... learn something new every day...) and our waiter was even nice enough to give me a pitcher of water to take to the dogs because we didn't have any groceries for the RV (remember, clothes only, according to Chris) and rule #1 on these RV trips....dogs first!!!
Day 1 was complete....in New Haven, CT....exhausted....no plan for tomorrow...and no blog....time for bed....vacation?....you be the judge.....
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