The Roots of the Trip

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Firstly, what inspired us to make this trip? The answer is the stories our parents told us about their 48 state trip in a little 17 ft. RV shortly after they were married. Whether the story was about the bull moose at Jenny Lake, Mama teleporting when she saw a rattlesnake, eating calzones for the first time in Boston's Little Italy, or christmas in Big Bend, these stories never failed to entertain us. When we grew older, and began discussing plans for our futures, we both wanted to take a similar trip one day. Then we asked "why 'one day'? Why not now? After all, we're both young, and healthy. We have very few responsibilities, no kids, no mortgages, few bills, etc." So decided, we began planning last year, though we only became serious this year.
With the assistance of our father, we began looking for a motor home. After more than one promising but not-quite-right failure, we found our new home away from home: a '95 Winnebago Minnie 300, which had been kept in fantastic shape by its previous owner. We purchased it from a retired firefighter who had only taken it on a few trips before his circumstances changed and it became impractical.
Once we had our motor home, what other major acquisition could be left? A travel sized dog, of course! Our parents had taken their golden retriever on their trip, and we liked the notion of taking a dog with us. Of our two goldens at home, one is getting elderly and one is incredibly attached to our dad. We needed a dog of our own. A co-worker of Jessica's offered us a rescue dog. At first we weren't sure, but after a few days trial, we decided that, with training, little mix breed Rascal would be perfect.
We initially set oue departure date for as early April, but as time flew by, we kept finding new issues to fix, thinking of necessary purchases, and just generally being delayed.
We took a practice trip down to Agua Caliente and at last, in the beginning of May, we departed.

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Photos

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Jessica, Julia & Rascal in front of the RV