Departure

 Many things to get ready!  I chose my 65th birthday to launch but my niece's wedding in Leeds on May 31 pushed that back a bit so I now depart a week later on June 14.  I will be ably accompanied to our first campsite on Horseshoe lake in Whiteriver, AZ by my youngest son, Sean.  Joyce, who stayed in UK a little longer, will bring Sean's car and her bike up several days later and we'll swap her in for Sean.  This will be the first of several travel warrior swaps along the journey.

I signed my new contract and felt the first pangs of the partial loss of role, status and income that is a necessary part of taking this step.  The new schedule is in the HR system in the nick of time.  

I'm in Walbridge, OH with my parents.  Dad celebrated his 92nd birthday yesterday and my mother her 88th the day before.  Sean his 28th.  My flight from MAN via DUB and CLT arrived to late to celebrate with my uncles, and aunts, cousins, siblings, nieces and nephews who gathered at David's but there are videos.  

Mom is sleeping on the couch since her hip fracture.  Her weight at 163, and leg swelling are both down with higher doses of Lasix and the home PT came for the last time.  Mom did well with her exercises and is walking without a cane but not without a limp--she'll need to practice heel toe walking!

It's raining outside--a welcome change from sunny Tucson.  There are forest fires in Canada and I wonder whether and how that might impact this journey. I am hoping that my parent's home situation is stable at least until I return in September for My nephew's wedding.  By then I will be in San Francisco area and my good friend Omar from Abu Dhabi let me know I can park the rig at his home in Tracy for the week.  He and his daughters are slotted to camp with us the weekends before and after.  That is the only planned break from the road.  

So my plans for next week in Tucson: Get the rig to my house.  Wash. Fill with my clothes, computers, and all the stuff. Guitar, propane fire pit, starlink, antenna pole, solar panels, extra blankets and linens for guests, towels, soap, buckets, puzzles, books, hammock, daypack with rain gear, cafe tierra, silverware, cookware---all the stuff you need for at home but compact.  Get truck detailed for a clean start. Grocery shop. Last minute calls to friends.  Fill Truck bed (generator, gas, oil, water containers, camp chairs, stepladder, cooler, foldable kayak with PFD, beach tarp, extra tent, blackstone grill, towing mirrors, folding table.  Attach bike rack and 2 bikes.  I already tested that the AC can be used with the Honda 2200 generator for off-grid need since I had the soft start added. Hoping that the temperatures due to elevation will make that mostly unnecessary.  The goal is to live off solar and propane as much as possible.

Little things to get: ice cube trays that don't spill.  Propane hose so fire pit can connect to external propane outlet, phone mount, mount for rear view camera monitor.

Then pack clothes--how many pair of pants, shirts...?  Hiking boots, shoes, will we want to go to a fancy restaurant?  Need a sport coat for the wedding...  We'll plan laundry stop every week or so. Or a bucket wash.  

Along the route we will need to fill fresh water (40 g plus 2 6 gallon plastic jugs) and dump grey and black water (up to 40 G each).  Most campsites will have a dump station.  Shop for groceries, get gas. Hitch and unhitch the trailer and level it at each stop. Each take time--efficiency is needed if we want to hike, kayak, fish, explore, recline in the hammock, etc.  Joyce says that is a lot of work!  She's right, but in a way it is calming good work to wash you own dishes and cook your own food.  Another goal is to be unhurried.  The "rule of twos": drive no more than 200 miles a day, stay 2 nights minimum each stop, get there before 2 PM, is designed to keep it enjoyable and low stress.  Inshallah!