This morning as we were preparing to depart Blackwater River State Park it began to lightly rain. For the most part we were ready to roll. Once the rain stopped we finished what we needed to do to get on the road.
Then not long after we got on the interstate it began to rain again. This time a bit harder. Just enough to get some of the dirt, grime and bugs off both the truck and Airstream that we had recently acquired.
There was so much hard work on our part both in planning, preparing and during this trip. Others helped as well and we know that we could not have taken this adventure without their help. My mom and step-dad, Phyllis and John. Who got our mountain of mail, checked the interior of our home and ensured us that Fishy got fed and lived. Also Jim and Jan, Brent and Bailey, our neighbors and their grandchildren. They also kept an eye on our house and mowed our lawn. The Oakland Police Department who did daily checks on our house. Without their help in taking care of our home front in our absence we could not and would not have been able to comfortably leave our home for this period of time.
Finally after a very long journey we safely returned home. I have to say it was an amazing adventure. Even with me, as the Travel Coordinator, and I kind of knew what we were getting into, this trip blew my mind. Looking back it's hard to believe we did what we did.
Of course we saw and experienced so many things but there was so much more that we had to pass up because there just wasn't enough time in the day. Places like Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, Antelope Canyon, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Plus there were so many other places to see and hikes to take just in the places that we did visit that we could have stayed gone another month and still not have accomplished it all.
Tim and I hope that we have inspired others to get out and explore. Your adventure doesn't need to be through dozens of states. If not in your own state at least visit a place you have been meaning to go to in your own community. You might just be surprised by what's in your own back yard. Take the time to spend with your family it will be memories that will last forever. I know Tim and I have many more memories from this trip that will last us a lifetime.
The Airstream is nicely parked in it's space next to the house now. It was nice to find a couple of orchids in bloom on our arrival home. Fishy was glad to see us. And now the hard work of unloading, unpacking and cleaning begins. If you want to play hard you have to work hard.
TRIP STATS:
ELEVATION IN OAKLAND, FL: 95'
TEMPERATURE IN OAKLAND, FL: 84*
Total Truck Miles Driven: 6,889
Total Airstream Miles Towed: 5,879
Gallons of Diesel Consumed: 573.326
Cost of Diesel Fuel: $2,103.93
Propane Used: 60 lbs.
States Visited: 12
Times on Rt. 66: 5
Days Gone: 48
Number of Places Stayed: 21
National Parks Visited: 8
State Parks Visited: 5
Tim's Shoe Status: Blew out one pair of flip flops in Zion, Utah
Alice's Shoe Status: I wore all the shoes taken. Returned with same number I left with (10) but may need to throw out two of those due to wear.
Boars Head Lunch Meat Consumed: 5 lbs.
Peanut Butter Consumed: 3 Jars
Jelly: 1 Jar
Fruit Rollups: An undisclosed number consumed
Cookie Butter: 1 Jar
Trailer Mix Consumed: 3 Batches
(Note: I created my own recipe for trail mix - peanuts, golden raisins and dark chocolate Mand Ms - to save on buying trail mix. Since we would be hiking so much we needed a massive quantity of it. However we realized we never ate it on the trail, only in the Airstream. So Tim named it TRAILER MIX!)
Tim's Beard: Longest period of time grown (50 Days)
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