TENTATIVE TRAVEL ROUTE

I had a long talk with Google Maps last night and we figured out a tentative travel plan.  The actual departure date is still iffy but any time between 5/17 and 5/24.  Since we're pulling two trailers we have to take into consideration cost of two campsites as opposed to the cost of 1 room.  Motel 6's ususally allow dogs and don't charge an extra fee or ask too many questions we'll stick to them.

Day 1:  Riverside, CA to Bellemont, AZ -- 422 miles = approx. 7 hours.  The Motel 6 has truck parking and allows dogs, so I pick staying in a room.

Day 2:  Bellemont, AZ to Santa Rosa, NM -- 450 miles = approx 7.5 hours.  The Motel 6 has truck parking and allows dogs, so I pick staying in a room.

Day 3:  Santa Rosa, NM to Okemah, OK -- 504 miles = approx 8.5 hours.  Okemah Lake seems nice and camping rates seem reasonable.  Okemah, OK - Woody Guthrie's Home Town.

Day 4:  Okekmah, OK to Millington, TN -- 418 miles = approx 7 hours.  There's the Meeman-Shelby State Park that also looks nice and reasonably priced.  Meeman-Shelby State Park.

Day 5:  Millington, TN to Crossville, TN -- 336 miles = approx 6.5 to 7 hours to "home".

TO MISS OR NOT TO MISS... (Updated daily depending on mood)

THINGS I WILL MISS…

• I will fiercely miss my children and family.
• I hate leaving the friends I’ve made over the years
• I do like my street and my old house
• I will miss the ocean

• I will miss good Mexican food
• I will miss my Bunco Babes

• Being local to dog sports and activities (hanging with my friend Chris)
• Not doing the things I wanted to do before we left and didn’t
• Affordable health insurance
• Almost 365 days a year of sunshine
• Most people tell me I will miss palm trees.  I think I will miss looking at a snow capped mountains framed by palm trees.  Yes, I will.

THINGS I WILL NOT MISS…

• Riverside as a whole 
• SoCal freeways and traffic 
• My job unless I have to get another one, then I will miss the one I left behind. 
• The SoCal smog 
• Out of control graffiti 
• California fees and taxes 
• Getting up at 5:00 a.m. for work.

 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO…

•  The adventure of traveling across county (as long as it all runs like clockwork) 
• My kids & friends coming to visit (this is me pouring on guilt)
• Visiting my family on the east side of the country.
• Meeting new people 
• New country side to explore 
• Moving into our retirement home 
• The four seasons and no smog 
• Maybe seeing the Atlantic Ocean 
• A moonbow in Kentucky 
• The world’s longest yard sale 

Ah, the joys of packing...

I'm deciding that the very worst part of our exciting new adventure is the packing. So far, just a box every other day or so. Cleaning out the closets and trying to decide what to keep, what to toss and what to give away.

Right now I'm looking at a box of games; probably 15 years old, but all in good shape except for the dust on the boxes. They were unpacked from the Moreno Valley move and put on the shelf in the office closet and now back out. I was going to throw them out, then I thought I would take them to work to see if any of my co-worker's kids might light them, then maybe they just need to be tossed. Maybe keep just a few of the smaller boxes. This so sucks.  I think this will exemplify my packing experience... if you've seen one box you've seen them all.  Ugh.  (Update:  I've gave away three.)

I'm also looking at my trophy shelf.  It's a very small shelf but many Hannah  & Brian earned in toss/fetch discdog before she shut down.  I have one frisbee that Abby earned and one with Sky.  I've struggled for days trying to decide if I want to pack them and I just answered my question.  Yes, I have very fond memories of the California comps and all the people involved.  Yes, I will pack them.

Thank God, we don't keep a lot of clutter in the house.  Now the garage, that is another story all together.

Where to start???

Our next home....

The end result is to get from point A (Riverside, CA) to point B (Crossville, TN) with the least amount of drama. That's what this blog is about. Just a quick synopsis...

Our "B" destination wasn't supposed to be a reality until we retired. The plan was to wait until Brian and I turned 62 and we were going to pack it up and move to the retirement home we purchased in 2007.

Unfortunately, (maybe not) Brian worked for Fleetwood and this Fortune 500 company went belly up in March 2009 and Brian kept his job until February 2010. Long story, short, in one short month we should be moving into that retirement home and starting a new life and a new business.

Pat's last day of work is this Friday, April 23, 2010. I think this whole adventure will sink in and then we won't know won't hit us. I hope you follow our travels and I hope Brian and I don't kill each other before this is all over!