DAY 16 – Lessons Learned on the 2009 Country Roads Trip
The great thing about having a Class A is that the bathroom is inside the vehicle itself. The boys can get up to potty whenever they need to and so can any adult passengers. A problem can occur, however, when the driver needs to go. Like any standard car-based road trip, you have to perform a potty pull-over. I must confess that, on occasion, in really bad stop-and-go traffic, Richard and I have swapped seats during brief moments of impending bladder blow-out but only when the RV was sitting still and in Park. It’s easier to do this in a toll booth than in traffic. I was very careful today. I purchased one large coffee and I sipped it conservatively all the way to Maine.
Our drive was a long one and relatively uneventful, except for the mad dash we made through the rest area at lunch time. It was pouring (AGAIN!) and the wind was blowing so hard that the umbrella I was sharing with Mason turned inside-out, much to his glee. The rest stop (it was one in Maine) was PACKED! We bought our food and dashed back through the rain to the RV so we could eat in relative quiet.
The steroids kept Richard’s vasculitis at bay and, while he’s still itchy, he does seem to be better. He wants to wait to see if it’ll go away completely before we see a specialist but I’d feel better getting a diagnosis (or at least trying to) so we can avoid this in the future. He hates being itchy and I hate staying up all night worrying about my honey.
Percy must be getting used to our long trips because, while he did jump on me and bark when we got home, he didn’t pee on me like last time. He’s such a good doggie and he loves his Mommy so much. 
The big kids were happy to see us and even more happy to get their souveniers. I always try to buy them a thing or two on our trips. I didn’t get them much this time because I’d planned to go shopping in Connecticut but those plans were squashed because of our early return.
LESSONS LEARNED ON THE 2009 COUNTRY ROADS TRIP:
If it’s raining when you leave home, that rain will likely follow you on your entire trip.
Free wifi SUCKS. Fee-based wifi is better (sometimes). Neither can be counted on to work all the time and your 3G connection is only as good as the closest cell tower. And, when a campground employee tells you their wifi works just fine, don’t believe them and always have a backup means of getting online.
Chainsaws should not be allowed in campgrounds.
The “scenic route” is beautiful, but hard on the RV.
The little numbers 1 and 2 on your gear shift are for going downhill! Wow!!
If a highway sign advises you to use the highway, USE THE HIGHWAY.
If the guests at a campground scare you, you might want to leave early.
There is no shortage of lightning bugs in the East in July.
Bats aren’t very afraid of people.
If it’s raining and dark, STAY ON THE MAJOR HIGHWAY. If you are night blind, plan to arrive at your destination LONG before dark…just in case you get lost.
If Mason is on board, you can never have too many Band-Aids or Neosporin.
It’s hard to diet when visiting Aunt Wanda’s house!
I can survive without Cable TV for seven whole days!!
Murphy’s Law: As soon as you fix one broken thing on an RV, something else breaks.
You shouldn’t encourage your children to read other people’s tattoos.
Retired folks who volunteer are HAPPY folks!
The BEST highway signs are the Hospital highway signs.
And, never leave home without Benadryl!
February 4th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Food for thought.