We originally planned to travel to Alaska from June through August. Thanks to information from an Airstream owner's forum, we learned that we should protect the front of the trailer from stone damage, have a generator and carry extra gas. Stone protection procedures are fairly simple, but we don't have a generator and we can't safely haul fuel inside our Chevy TrailBlazer. We abandoned the Alaska idea with much reluctance.
Our new plan is to take two (shorter) trips this year. The first to the Southeast in May and June. The second to the Northeast in August and September. The following notes are for the Southeast trip.
Shakedown:
We've had a bitterly cold winter and lots of rain this spring. A test outing seemed prudent. So ... we found a small break in the weather on April 20-21 and went to Cross Creek Campground in Delaware, OH for de-winterizing and a one night test of all systems. The day was gray, windy and cold when we arrived. The temperature had dropped into the 30s. We tested the furnace first. Happily, the furnace and everything else came to life with no difficulty.
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| Cross Creek - everything checked out Thursday morning was beautiful ... sunny, warmer and there was no wind. We returned the trailer to storage until it's time to leave. Dates: leave May 3rd - return June 15th Itinerary: * Columbus to KY to TN to MO to Drasco, AR for the wedding of Dick's nephew. * AR to TN to MS to AL to FL then down the Gulf Coast to Key West. * Up the Atlantic Coast from Key West to GA to SC to NC to VA to MD to NJ and back home. |
Concerns:
* We've not taken long trips at this time of year. Weather could become a challenge.
* Gas has just reached $4.159 per gallon in Columbus. What does it cost in Alaska?
Goals:
* Visit family and friends.
* Go to places we've never seen.
* Meet lots of strangers.
