Down-Day Ruminations

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Crooked River State Park, St. Mary's, Georgia

We didn't need to go anywhere yesterday, so we didn't - it was a down-day in Georgia. Slept in to start the day, which is always good. Spent a fair chunk of time catching up on my posts. Was not able to write the day we went to Canaveral, and the Verizon service was so poor I couldn't post what I was able to write. So spent yesterday writing about Canaveral and the Forts and then populated the posts with some of the better pictures. That took more time than I wanted it too and I didn't get a nap in, which is supposed to be a key part of a down-day.

We also ended up doing four or five loads of laundry. We are finding that the humidity makes us sweat more which means the clothes get dirtier faster. An additional wrinkle to traveling down here that we didn't plan for. We simply need to do laundry every four or five days , which is usually very doable, but takes some time.

We also pulled some more ticks off the girls and one each off of us! They weren't dug in yet, so Joan thinks we picked them up while taking a short hike around the campground. That's not encouraging for the rest of the trip! Finding them in Faver Dykes was to be expected because it was so wild. But finding them here means that we will probably find them pretty much anywhere. It also means that the Frontline isn't 100% effective at preventing them! Traveling has its tales!

We passed the half-way mark a couple of days ago. I have to admit that we are tiring and the thought of another month on the road is a bit daunting. We love all the things we've seen and done. Some things (like Canaveral and Dry Tortugas and Everglades) outshine others (like Fort Matanzas), but I really wouldn't eliminate anything from the itinerary. I suppose we could break a trip like this into multiple smaller trips, but it takes time and money just to get out here and we don't want to make that investment too frequently. So it is a bit of a quandary.

One thing we were trying to understand with this trip is whether we could full-time it. I think the answer is probably 'NO'. Trying to fashion a life-style with two people and two dogs in less than 150 square feet of living space is certainly not easy. Joan and I aren't fighting quite yet, but we both have to make conscious efforts to avoid getting on each other's nerves.

Even the girls seem to be getting tired of this travel stuff. They are often not allowed in national parks, except maybe parking lots and campgrounds. So they end up spending long days in the trailer, while we sight-see. It is air-conditioned, of course, so they aren't exposed to unhealthy conditions, but the trailer isn't as big as home, so they too must deal with close-quarters. They enjoy walks, when we can take them out, but are also showing signs of becoming overwhelmed with all the new smells and sounds.

While full-timing it might not be an option, the answer might be to actually program stops into the trip where we have no agenda. Just go somewhere, spend a few days, take short walks, read a book, and not really worry about things. Might end up adding a few days to the trip, but would extend our stamina.

Traveling is a journey not just into other lands, but also into your own personality. We often see things we didn't know were there. And you learn more, not only about beaches, Indians, and wildlife, but also about yourself.

(17.1.43)

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Comments

[Carolyn Anderson]

Full timing?
We couldn't do it in a 35' motorhome. Had to move up to a 36' newer, better organized one that included washer/dryer. I could have stayed in it forever. Even without slides. At that time we only had one 14# dog. No cats. Life changes, we move on. Keep watching for ticks! Darn.