If we went back to January 2020 to warn ourselves about what was to come there would be many things that we might not believe. It’s been a year of suffering and frustration for many in this country. We have been fortunate. Our caution since the pandemic hit has spared our family from getting sick. We have, however, had to adjust in ways we couldn’t have anticipated in January. Sheltering in place, wearing a face mask, social distancing — all things that seem so normal today. But, the one that might have surprised us the most? Lisa and I bought a motor home and are getting ready to embark on a socially-distanced cross-country adventure.
Let’s go back to the beginning to see how this out-of-character behavior began.
Lisa was talking with her girlfriends on a Zoom happy hour (another COVID-19 invention) when she started to lament her inability to take our annual trip to Winona Lake, Indiana. Her father had just turned 91 and seeing him whenever possible is of utmost importance. And, we haven’t missed a year since we got married. But, flying is not safe yet; driving requires a lot of risk with hotels, bathroom, and food stops. Seemed undoable. Then she (or someone on the call) brought up the idea of an RV trip. Sounded like an option. So, after the call was over, Lisa came to me with the idea. “Sounds promising,” I said. “I’ll look into it.”
I began to research RV rentals. Now, going to Winona was going to be a month-long excursion with a stop in Boulder and a possible national park visit. The rental costs were sky high, especially since it would be parked unused for a much of the time while we were in Boulder and Winona Lake. Since we love to travel and this might be our only means to do so for a while, and given we want to visit my parents, see our place in Boulder periodically, and head off on other adventures, I wondered if buying a motor home might not be a bad idea. So, the research began.
We ended up buying a used 2017 Airstream Interstate Grand Tour motor home. And, we were fortunate. There have been a number of COVID crazes and, I think we’ve done them all. First it was sourdough bread and banana bread, then it was a puppy (Sophie), then a hot tub, then a backyard playground for the grandkids. And, finally, a motor home. All of these crazes drove up demand for the products and we were fortunate to put a deposit on our RV before the masses came rushing in. One news report we saw said that RV sales are up 170% from the pre-COVID period. We feel lucky to have gotten such a nice unit for the price we did.
Lisa says I became obsessed with the idea of becoming an RV owner. I guess I did. It would be six weeks before we could take delivery once we pulled the trigger because the Airstream dealership was so slammed with demand. So, it was YouTube videos to learn what to do; blogs to learn about this strange new hobby; Amazon to buy all the needed accessories the videos and blogs said I must have. I also started planning our trip (Yes, Gracie, you heard that right. I am doing the planning).
You can imagine how excited we were to take delivery on our new toy! Lisa thought it should have a name. Katie suggested The Winona Rider. It stuck.
First up: a test run up to Sonoma Valley. We joined a network called Harvest Hosts which allows members to park their RV overnight for free at wineries, breweries, farms, and golf courses around the country. We chose Mayo Vineyards in Glen Ellen as our maiden voyage destination. If you know us, going to a winery would not be a surprise. Driving is easy since it is a relatively small RV so the trip up was a breeze. We arrived and the woman running the winery welcomed us and had us back in to a spot among the grape vines. Maybe this will be a better way to travel than we expected! She then offered us a socially-distanced wine tasting and told us we could set up in their outdoor tasing area after they closed if we wanted to eat dinner and allow the dogs to roam around in the enclosed space. Yes!
We both slept like babies. It was like camping, only more luxurious. And, since we haven’t left Danville since March it felt even more special. Yes, there were a few hiccups. For example, when your rig isn’t plugged into an outlet it is important to be economical with power usage so you don’t drain your batteries. I woke up at 4 am and noticed I had forgotten to turn off the outside lights. Lisa said she heard me mutter, “You idiot.” (to myself) as I got up to turn them off. Our batteries were fine, but, it was a warning to have a checklist of things to pay attention to. I am guessing this won’t be our last rookie mistake.
Tomorrow we begin the main event. A month-long RV trip with stops in Lake Tahoe, Salt Lake City, Boulder, Lincoln, Des Moines before we reach Winona Lake. On the way home we will retrace our steps to Boulder before going north to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. We are looking forward to the adventure (misadventure?) of a lifetime. All without setting foot on an airplane or pulling out our passports. Our marriage has survived 35 years. It’s survived sheltering in place in our relatively spacious home. Why not test it in a space the size of your master bath for one month?
We plan on being extremely cautious as we don’t want to get sick or infect anyone else. Of course, we’ll be sporting our masks and keeping our distance as we go. It will be interesting to see how the cultural differences around the country impact the seriousness that people handle the risks. Join us on this road trip as we blog all of our experiences.
When we bought the RV, Lisa said we would be selling it on the day a vaccine is released. Now we’re thinking, perhaps, we will keep The Winona Rider well past the pandemic. Who knows?
Lisa and Brad's Travels 