Twenty-four days and counting! The details of our Southwest trip are still being finalized and everything seems to be falling into place for our departure. Looks like we will be riding trains, hiking, panning for gold, exploring the Mighty Five, watching the mass ascension of hundreds of hot air balloons, searching for hidden treasure, exploring ancient ruins, and looking at the grandest of all canyons and much, much more! I've had to rearrange the sequence of a few stops due to weather and parks closing during the winter. WHAT? Yes, they do that out there.
Over the course of our Epic Adventure I will blog as often as time and internet access permit. There will be times that we will be completely off grid. We have prepared for these gaps as well as we can. Battery back-up packs, a generator and extra propane. For those that know us these are the moments we look forward to. Being off grid and disconnected is an amazing feeling. No crummy nightly repetitive news to interfere with our daily thoughts. I'm sure that you will all get tired of some of my wording in this blog during the course of the trip that will repeat: amazing, spectacular, tranquil, sprawling, charming, postcard perfect, grandest, jaw dropping, breath taking, unbelievable, 'my favorite' and I'm sure there will be a few more.
Last week we took a quick pre-shake down trip. After having the major work done on our tow vehicle and new tires, bearings and brakes on the Airstream . . . we knew we had to take a mini trip somewhere to make sure everything is in working order. The trip was quick and we had to return a day early for a job I received a call for. I always get the cruise ship jobs that DON'T leave the port. Uggghh!!! Overall the 'Mini Pre-Shake Down' trip was a huge success. Everything seems to be in good working order. The Airstream is Walburnized and all shinny. Major maintenance is done. So other than a few minor cleaning and small maintenance items that are still left on our lists AND the packing we are ahead of schedule and ready for departure.
I still have a little more research to do in a few of the regions we will be visiting on things like where to eat, what to see and things to do. Then before we leave I also still have my Montana Trip to take around the first week of September to visit my sister. I'll be flying out there and plan to blog and post pictures on that trip as well. We then plan on immediately departing on my return for the Epic Adventure around the second week of September. The excitement is building . . . so stay tuned!
