On The Road Again

A trial run definitely has its advantages.  We confirmed this by staying at Pleasant Lake RV Resort last night about seven miles from home in Bradenton.  This gave us a chance to test all “systems” before beginning our official 2015 RV Journey today. For the next two weeks we will cross the country over Interstate-10 from Florida to California.  By staying as southerly as possible, we hope to avoid some of the terrible weather that has plagued the country this winter reaching as far south as even the Gulf Coast.

This year we will travel in a “new-to-us” 2004 Alpine Coach manufactured in our home state of Washington.  Dubbed “Al” by Jim, the coach is about three feet shorter, two years newer and has 60,000 fewer miles on it along with a 400 Cummins, turbo charged engine, which is slightly more powerful than the Monaco Coach.  Jim says, “I have to pay attention or I am up to 70 mph without even realizing it!”  This RV will climb the mountains with ease from California to Idaho, our second territory added to this year’s saga.

So far we have found the features of this coach to be superb and on a par equal to what we had been accustomed to in the Monaco in spite of losing a bit of length.  It has a few pluses also like a separate washer and dryer and an electric outside awning.  I even have a propane “real” oven!  We’ve brought a juicer, blender, food processor and all the supplies I will need to continue our healthier diet.  So life will be good in the kitchen and Jim always appreciates that factor.  

We made one last run home this morning to take back items that would not fit into the coach after I unpacked the last of the bags we hauled into the coach yesterday.  After picking up a few items we’d forgotten from home and then after a quick stop at the grocery store, we are off at 10:00 a.m.

Tonight we will stop in Lake City, Florida.  It is a four-hour trip to the north of our starting point today where Interstate-10 and Interstate-75 intersect.  It is a beautiful, sunny day now that the sea fog has lifted.  We have an “angel bear” (stuffed toy) mascot this year as yet to be christened and Snoopy to watch over us along the way.  “Happy trails and California here we come.”

Snoopy’s Corner:

Well, I find this coach pretty comfortable too
I must say!  I am still checking out all of the nooks and crannies in it but I have found some pretty nifty spaces to hide in, like under the foldout couch and beneath the bedroom slider.  I have all my necessary stuff, if you know what I mean.

My catnip toy bird, my litter box and my food dishes are all in “Al” as we are calling home now, so I am set too.  Mom even made me a cat bed for the trip with my favorite fleece blanket inside of it so this is going to be a pretty cool summer.  I can already tell.  Well, we are on the road and its nap time.

I’ll let you know if anything interesting comes up when we write again.