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June 29th 2022
Published: June 29th 2022
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Very similar to the last 2-month trip we tried to get home a few days early to decompress, restock the fridge, unload the trailer and truck, do all our laundry, and try to get back on schedule before returning to normal work schedule. We wanted to share the same fun facts like last time, but if you have any additional questions, please feel free to ask.

Fun Facts


• Our total trip was almost eight weeks long starting on May 8, 2022 and returning home on June 29, 2022. Once leaving Florida we drove in 14 states.
• We drove about 6,700 miles, costing $2,942.81 for fuel, stopping 30 times for fuel. This trip we drove some every day because even on the rainy days Nate had to drive me to better cell service in order to work remotely.
• We took a total of 2,817 pictures and videos, shared 225 collage photos on our blog, posted 44 blogs.
• Camped 52 nights in 31 different campgrounds, costing $1,959.10.
• Went to grocery store 27 times. Stopped 3 times to do wash (this requires the purchase of extra under clothing and socks before trip).


So, the ultimate question would we do it again?


• The answer is very much the same as last time, YES! We discovered many things in states closer to home than we realized, and we look forward to returning to many of them in the future. We are once again thankful that God, our employers, and good timing allowing us to take this trip.


Would we change anything?


• If I can travel long term again, I would like to move at a much slower pace to emerge ourselves into the culture of each area. Also, to allow for more time to work remote because it caused a bit of burn out moving so fast and trying to work. Nate said for him he would like to slow down and talk to more people for tips and tricks. He loves to learn and help other new campers; he was only able to do a minimal amount of this. Daisy would like the trip to be half the length of what we went.


Did we do anything to prepare for the trip?


GPS: We already had a Garmin RV 760LMT with optional back up camera connection from our last 2-month trip. This is a GPS specialized for RV travel: you enter your specifications like height of trailer to prevent unsafe travel, options are available for custom avoidance like U-turns, there is a speed limit indicator that warns when speeding, you can also switch to a car mode and many other customizable options.
Backup Camera: Nate’s F250 came with a backup camera that makes hitching to the trailer easy.
Insulated Foil: Nate cut insulated foil to fit each window; this really reduced the heat within the trailer.
Wireless Thermostat to Monitor Pet: We were fortunate enough to have some great people from my work help set up a wireless thermostat to monitor the temperature of the trailer when we were out site seeing before our last 2-month trip. This once again reduced my stress level greatly knowing that my little doggies were safe. The system would send us a text if the temperature was higher than the set perimeters, we could also view on an app at any time on our phone. This was important because there are times that the RV Park can lose power or even your own breaker can trip.
Storage: We purchased a newer travel trailer in 2021 so Nate did a lot of modifications for 2-month storage needs. He added storage drawers under the bed for his clothing, after rerouting the heating duct. Added a step with shoe storage to help the doggies and myself onto the bed. Repurposed a small closet for dirty clothes storage. Added shelving to my closet. Reconfigured under the bathroom sink for storage. Also reconfigured under the kitchen island so we could bring our favorite appliance from home, the air fryer. Tripled the storage above the TV by taking space from the outside compartment.
Daisy’s Bed: Removed 2 reclining chairs allowing Nate to build an expandable slot twin bed that turns into a double. The bed has storage underneath to hold 4 laundry baskets that Daisy neatly organized with all her clothes, workout gear, etc. The bed is stained to match the other wood in the travel trailer. He also built 2 storage compartments on each side of the bed to give daisy space for her drink, laptop, and anything else. The final touch was privacy room darkening curtains completing Daisy’s special tiny space.
Booth: This project is not complete yet. He has built 2 booth seats with open air kennels underneath. They are so large the dogs use one side together and the other we use for gallons of water, soda, etc. We were fortunate when purchasing an RV table second hand it came with cushions for the seats. This was great because sewing and upholstery is not one of our strong suits. Nate has a few modifications to the build and staining the wood left.


How much did it cost?


• Fuel $2,942.81
• Eating Out $1,127.91
• Grocery $1,332.91
• Camping (Passport America really helped with keeping this cost down) $1,959.10
• Entertainment/Other $ 569.61
TOTAL $7,932.34


Nate Top 10


• Quincy Mine, MI
• Maquoketa Caves State Park, IA
• L'Anse Township Park & Campground/ Lake Superior, MI
• Wisconsin Dells - Witches Gulch, WI
• Hocking Hills State Park, OH
• Sliding Rock, NC
• Chapel Rock Beach, MI
• Bonds Falls, MI
• Deer Ranch, MI
• Chutes and Ladders Park, MI


Tina Top Ten


• Chapel Rock Beach, MI
• Bond Falls, MI
• L'Anse Township Park & Campground/ Lake Superior, MI
• Hocking Hills State Park, OH
• Maquoketa Caves State Park, IA
• Presque Isle's, MI
• Lone Elk County Park, MO
• Big Manitou Falls, MI
• Wisconsin Dells, WI
• Maumee Bay State Park


Daisy Top Seven


• Maquoketa Caves State Park, IA
• Sliding Rock, NC
• Chapel Rock, MI
• Chutes and Ladders, MI
• Tunnel Hill, IL
• Otherworld, OH
• Deer Park, MI


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