This experience will be like being full time RVers, only we have to be back home by September for Jack to return to work.
This trip has been on our "Bucket List" for many years. We have been RVers for most of our lives and we love the RV experience and the community of RVers. We initially thought we would be doing the trip when we both retired, perhaps with friends who are RVers, but as we grew older, we thought, "Why wait", let's do it while we both have our health.
Our plan is to head straight down I-5, travelling through Washington, Oregon, California, cutting across Arizona to New Mexico (and the warm sun). We have quite a bit of experience in these States so we thought we would expedite the start of our trip to areas that we haven't travelled to before. Our plan is to stay in the States that are close to the Gulf and Ocean (more moderate climate) and we plan to first see the Gulf of Mexico by visiting Corpus Christi, Texas. We will work across the bottom of the USA, eventually getting to the Atlantic Ocean at Jacksonville, Florida. We will probably head north from there, as we have travelled to Florida a few times in the past. We will slowly travel north, following our interests and places we want to visit. If we make it as far as New York, we will have to make a decision on whether to go North of the Great Lakes into Canada, or travel south of the Lakes to head in the direction of home. If time and energy permits, we could make it to the Maritime Provinces in Canada, before heading back across Canada. We do not have a schedule, so any location could see us stay 1 night or 2 weeks, depending on what there is to do, who we meet, and our enjoyment level in that location. If we hear about an event or a site to visit that takes us inland, then that is where we will go....again no schedule. Obviously it would be impossible to see all of the sites along our route, as these States have so much to offer. Neither of us are motivated to see every tourist location on our travel route, it is more about the people and culture that we like to experience. Sure there are some things that we feel are "a must see", but we have never been travellers who feel obligated to see every tourist site in the places we go.
It is our plan to use a "hub & spoke" method of exploring an area, primarily because we don't want to be hauling our RV all the time. We will find an RV park to serve as a base as we explore a given area. Then we will take day trips (or occasionally over night in a hotel) out from the "hub" to experience the area.
As you can tell, we are very excited about our trip and we have put a fair amount of thought into our journey. The dictionary defines and ODYSSEY as "a long adventurous journey" and that is exactly what we are hoping for!
