Rumours Dispelled Once And For All

No, we didn't get lost in the Mid-West.
We didn't fall over Niagara.
We didn't kill each other from cabin fever.


We just had too much fun and not enough WIFI.


Well, now we are home, and YOU, our beloved readers (we know who you are because you really gave it to us when we got home) will get the rest of the story, just not on the days after it happened.

Plus, we have pictures too!

Ken

Catching Up With Ourselves

We have been so very busy that we all have not had time to post. Our daily outings end with us exhausted and falling into our bunks, after just barely making them. The next day we find ourselves leaping up, doing laundry, showering, grabbing a bite, and then heading out for the next adventure.

So here I am helping everyone to catch up with us, and helping us catch up with ourselves.

We’ve traveled from Cleveland to Wisconsin Dells, WI (about xx miles) and then from Wisconsin Dells to Minneapolis, MN. (about xxx miles). Tomorrow we head out from Minneapolis toward Chicago.



The rain rolled in on Tuesday, just as we boarded Duck Boats in the Dells. Ducks are those WWII leftovers used throughout the country as land/water touring craft. They look like an oversized aluminum fishing boat with wheels. With the pouring rain pounding on the canopy top, the driver rolled the plastic sides down in the vain hope of keeping us dry. There are at least three Duck boat touring companies, and they probably own most of the 60 year old amphibious vehicles that were manufactured for the US army.

The ride was nice, through the woods, into Delton Lake, down the road, and then into the Lower Dells. We saw some beautiful rock formations, where the dessert sands of North America layered up over thousands of years, and the glaciers uncovered them and eroded them away.

Kathy, who spent some childhood vacations in the Dells, says the place has changed very much.

For my part, I think there has been a lot of very poor planning, and that the natural landscape features are being ruined by over development of tourist attractions and by Duck boats driving across the sand bars and into the Dells.

Enough soap box!

We visited “Top Secret”. Others can fill you in, but I have this to share with you:

Kathy: “Why is there a gorilla in a jail cell in the basement of the White House?”
Emille (our tour guide): “Top secret, mon.”

Later we went to the waterpark Mt. Olympus and rode a couple of roller coasters (wow! Almost too much for this 52 year old). Then we went back to the campsite and K&K cooked Dutch Oven chicken (which took longer than we expected).

On Wednesday we spent the entire day in Mt. Olympus, doing water slides, lazy rivers, and wave pools. In the evening we say a hypnotist show, and Logan was hypnotized on stage. Very amusing. The dinner at a Mexican restaurant was very satisfying and filling.

Thursday was a travel day. We woke up later than usual and had a big breakfast and did some laundry. We traveled for about five or six hours, changing drivers every two as we usually do, and arrived at our campground in the early evening. The past two campgrounds have been KOA's; very reliable and clean. This site (and all the rest) is not KOA, but it is very clean and quiet. They have a community campfire each night.

When we were informed of the location of the storm shelter, we were reminded of the fact that here in the Mid-West tornadoes are a frequent and very real danger. None for us in our forecast though.

Well, that's enough catching up for now. Tomorrow, while we are on the road to Indiana, I will post about our days in the Minneapolis area.

Ken

A Long Day On The Road

>

Cleveland to Wisconsin Dells: 554 miles, 10 hrs 2 min.
Driving in Ohio is nice. The rest stops on the turnpike are the best I've ever seen.
Driving in Indiana is nice. The roads are flat and straight. Made just for big RV's.
Driving through Chicago was nerve-wracking (Charlotte is the brave soul who drove this part). The skyline drive is not so great to drive on.

We arrived in Wisconsin Dells at the end of what we have predicted is our longest leg, tired of the road and ready for a good meal. Tomorrow, weather permitting, we will have loads of fun on duck boats, Dell's tours, mini-golf, or maybe waterparks.

I realized I hadn't given you critical information about our first leg: 419 miles, 7 hrs 50 min.

Well, off to bed so we can have lots of fun tomorrow. Oh, sorry. YOU probably are at work and jealous.

Ken

Cleveland Rocks!

I am thankful to my family and friends for indulging me in my visit to my childhood home in Parma Heights Ohio. It was on our way to downtown Cleveland, and so not much of a detour.

When we think back on our childhood, we usually remember places and things in a much different scale than it really was. Maybe this is because we ourselves were smaller. My High School was smaller, my house was smaller, my neighborhood was smaller. The street that I walked each day to elementary school, the one with thousands of houses and millions of cracks I had to avoid stepping on in order to spare my mother's back, was hardly longer than our RV.

The trip into Cleveland was along a newer super-highway, one which didn't exist when I lived here. The skyline has changed as well. The once dominant "Terminal Tower", a terminal port built in the 20's for derrigibles, is dwarfed by a skyline much the same as Wm. Penn on top of city hall is now dwarfed by Philly mega-scrapers.

The Rock and Roll hall of fame was wonderful to visit and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves modern music. My friend Gregory D. Jr. would have loved the two storey Springsteen exhibit, and his father (my boss) would have loved the displays of many of the rockers I know he is fond of listening to.

We forwent a lake and river tour of the city to spend more tim in the R&R Hall, and now are pleasantly enjoying our chicken dinner back at camp.

Tomorrow we head to Wisconsin.

Ken

Day #1 My Birthday

I slept lightly last night, probably the excitement. We got up on time but we got going about 30 minutes later than we planned. We got into the RV at about 7 AM and the gang proceeded to sing Happy Birthday..... and did so every 49 miles. It was quite fun and at one point I even was crowned "the Burger King" Traveling in this manner is so much fun and I found that the time passed quickly. The kids were occupied too and that made the travel very enjoyable. We arrived at the campground about 2 hours behind schedule but there was still plenty of light to set up. We all decide that we need to rethink our estimated travel times.

Having relatives in MN, I have traveled this road many times, but not in probably 20 years. It was so much fun and I wonder why I have not come this way sooner.

The campground is beautiful with a great swimming lake (which Logan and Chrissy quickly take advantage of). The site is nice and so are our neighbors. Lots of RVs here! We make a great dinner and then cake and presents. They actually set off the smoke alarm in the RV with the candles. Thanks guys. What a great birthday.

The best part of this vacation is that I get to spend so much quality time with my guys! I love you Ken and Logan.

Kat

Oh! Hi (o) from Ohio.

Here we are in beautiful Ohio. I grew up here. The weather is beautiful and the scenery is not unlike Eastern PA.

We drove down the turnpike, through the tunnels, over the mountains and along deep drop-offs.

By the way, if anyone happens to see Gov. Rendell, I have a suggestion of what he can do with Pres. Obama's stimulus money.
FIX THE PA TURNPIKE!!!!
There are many miles of continuous bump, bump, bump.

We christened and named our vehicle. His name (thanks to Stephanie's brilliant suggestion) is:

HaRVey, the RV.

Tomorrow we visit my home town of Parma Heights, then Cleveland and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, followed by a boat tour of the city skyline (on Lake Erie).

Ken

Leg One, Across Penn's Sylvan Land.

Here's the first leg of our trip: Home to Ohio.



We'll post how it went when we get there.

Ken

P.S. It's Kathy's birthday!

People to Thank

Today was actually the big day. Final preparations- picking up the RV, loading it, errands, mingling with friends and neighbors. Lunch at Perkins??
What could be better?
We managed to pack it all in with minimal fuss and arguing. We are a GREAT team!!
Lest we forget, a debt of gratitude is due to those who helped us on our way- the fine folks at RoadBear RV in Middletown, NJ- we highly recommend them to anyone considering an RV Rental. Worth the drive!! Our good friends and neighbors (you know who you are) who helped us solve a last minute dilemma of how to power the WI on the road (not to mention providing us with the GPS). Our friends who came to the Bon Voyage party IN THE RAIN (and the Junkins had to kick them out because we still had packing to do- you guys made our night) and many others who wished us well and safe journey!!
Let's not forget the Junkin's neighbors who listened to the 'purr' of the generator and AC for six hours!!
The road trip starts at 6:30 am (or so).
Stay tuned!!

Provisioning et Bon Voyage!

I don't have much to say, I'll let others do that another day.

But here we are provisioning our ship:



And here friends say "Bon Voyage" followed by a sip:





Ken

Countdown: T-Minus 1 Day

I had the opportunity to read the AARPBulletin while sitting for five minutes (I won't tell you where), when I saw an article entitled "All-American Vacations - 50 Top Summer Attractions, State By State".

Well guess what? Of the 7 States we are travelling to or through, we will definately be visiting 3 of the "Star Attractions".

Navy Pier in Chicago, Il,
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana,
Mall of America, Minnesota.

Plus, we will probably drive through Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin.

The other three?
Cedar Point in Ohio (opted for R&R Hall of Fame in Cleveland instead)
Independence Hall in PA (Just driving through!)
and Times Square, NY (Been there - done that!)

This is looking like an "All Star" vacation.

Ken

P.S. I realized that you might have gotten the wrong idea of where I was sitting and reading. No! Not there. It was in the kitchen.

Countdown: T-minus 2 Days

General late night shopping tips: Pick a store you are familiar with. Shop in the evening to avoid most crowds. Eat before you shop so you don't impulse buy. Bring a list and stick with it. Have a shopping expert on hand. Don't shop in groups of four!

Other shoppers at the Giant tonight hear the following:

"You can get those at Marrazzo's for 29 cents each."
"Are Potatoes on the list?" "Yes, but we don't eat them until Chicago, so let's buy them later."
"I need that in low salt."
"I need that in low fat."

"I need that in sugar free."

"I want that with salt, fat and sugar."

"I'm just here to push the cart."
"We're going on vacation together." (By way of explanation to another shopper.)
"I don't like cranberries."
"Can I buy these Animal Crackers?"
"We're going on vacation together." (Another shopper happened to walk by.)
"I don't like those."
"I prefer these."
"Those are on sale at Pathmark. Should I go there tomorrow?"
(A 45 minute discussion about what kind of hamburgers to buy...)
"If you three are up there, then I'm going to have to push both of these carts myself." (Beginning to sound a bit like whinning. I didn't think we brought the kids.)
"We're going on vacation together." (As if the checker asked.)
"We're going on vacation together." (As if the bagger asked.)
"We're gonna need a bigger RV."
"Don't put the heavy stuff on top of ... oh well."

And the grand total is: $363.96 ( with a Bonus Card saving of $60).

Well under budget ... for now.

Some pictures: (sorry for the graininess, I left my camera at home and had to use the cell phone.)


The start of shopping. Notice the smiles.

Which tuna should we buy? Chunk? Light? In water?


Ken and George drag racing.
Guys, really?


Another shopper takes our picture while listening to "We're going on vacation together."


The "Giant" receipt. (I always wanted to say that, and now it is true.)
Charlotte fell asleep.

Ken

A Story to Tell...

I am just sitting at a meeting- routine really- with a client or colleague when the discussion comes up.. “you’re going on vacation- when?? Where??” “An RV trip to the mid-west- really?” I then launch into my now well rehearsed tale about our upcoming trip, the planning, the building excitement, the destinations, the whatevers. The typical response is either “good luck brother” (less often) or “that’s really cool, I’d love to do that someday” (more often).

Of course, there are the usual expected comments like: Do you know how to drive an RV (Yes); have you seen the movies ‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’ (Yes, many times, one of my favorite goofy movies) or ’ RV’ (Yes)?? How about: “Will you see the world’s biggest ball of twine?” (No). “Do you know the people that you are going with really well?” (Of course, I think so anyway). “Are you nuts”? (Maybe) and, who can forget “Going to Wally World?” (No).

I think that the idea of an epic RV trip like this one draws us back to our roots as great explorers and risk takers. That is what makes it almost universally appealing.

There will be nothing primitive about this trip, but we certainly will have the exploring part down pat.

You see, part of the fun is telling the story. We will have many more stories to tell as we commence our voyage. We hope you will follow along on this blog, and comment if you want. We look forward to hearing from you.

George

Countdown: T-minus 3 Days

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

Time is my enemy. And I am running out of it.

If you work in a job that is boring, repetitive, uneventful, then time leading up to a vaction drags on, and on, and on... Hurry up vacation, BUT!, once you start please go SLOOOWLY.

If you work in a job that you love, and is challenging, and keeps you hopping (like I do), then there is not enough time between now and vacation to get the things done at work that need to be completed so that you can be absent! Slow down, vacation, you are heading toward me a steam train speed.

But thankfully, come 5:00 Thursday, ready or not, I am officially ON VACATION (and I could care less about everything else).

*big grin*

Ken

The excitement builds as we get closer to liftoff!

You know I never imagined the excitement I would feel for this RV trip. We are about 4 days away and I just cannot wait. I have very much looked to vacations in the past but I feel especially excited about this one. 2 years of planning and its almost here. The packing has begun and the lists are getting checked off. I am trying to pack very efficiently (ignore anything Ken tells you about my packing habits) There is a small closet in the RV and I have found that for my warm clothes, I can fit 2 pairs of pants and 2 sweatshirts on one hanger. I am a genius!! Everything else will be packed very efficiently as its just shorts, tops and bathing suits. I did buy 4 new pairs of shoes and will work to sneak these past Ken. Hey there was a buy 1 get 1 for 1 cent flip flop sale!! What can a girl do?
Ken and I worked on menus this weekend and picked the 3 meals that we will be preparing on this trip. All will be done in a Dutch Oven. This will be very much fun. I also look forward to the meal that Charlotte will be preparing in her home made box oven. We will be King and Queen of the Dutch Oven. Look out Dinner Club, this may be the theme for our next gathering.
Charlotte finished the Kapers list but forgot to attach it to her e-mail. We are waiting for Bill Gates to finish giving her her lessons.
Speaking of Charlotte….. you may not know but she is quite the practical joker. We have gone on vacation with this family several times in the past and you do have to keep your eyes open. She may just slip a whoopee cushion under you as you sit down for an elegant dinner or remove your pillow case and cover your pillows in plastic bags and replace the pillow case. Just when you think you have outsmarted her, you turn around and there are 50 cows on you lawn! She is very sneaky. I may just have to hire airport security to search her luggage prior to our adventure. Stay tuned for tell of any shenanigans!
George, Charlotte, Steph and Chrissy made matching shirts for all of us and I cannot wait to see them. Well off for more packing…….

Kathy

Countdown: T-minus 5 Days

Sunday.

A day of rest.

But when you are preparing for a big event like we are, your mind just won't rest.

Things keep popping into my head: stop the mail, don't forget this thing, call that person, take care of this thing before you leave. And when they do, I go searching for my notebook, because I find that things don't stay in my head very long anymore, and in the time it takes me to locate the darned little green steno pad and a pen ... I forgot what I was supposed to remember to do.

But one thing I will do today, and I'll keep this brief: I will take time to go to church and thank God for the opportunities he has given us, and to pray for our safe travels along the way.

Oh! There's my pen, behind my ear... now what was I about to write down?

Ken

Countdown: T-minus 6 Days

Packing.

It's always the most difficult part of going away. What sub-set of your life do you want to bring with you? What things are critical, and what unnecessary?

What kind of clothing will I need to have? Will it be hot, cold, wet, snowy? OK, the Mid-west in July PROBABLY won't be snowy.

Will we go out to dinner at a posh restaurant, or will all of our days be spent in comfortable living at campsites?

And the most critical question of all, will we be able to do laundry sometime so I don't have to pack 14 distinct different sets of clothes?

Men and women pack differently, I have observed over the many years of travel with Kathy. For me, over a 7 day vacation, 4 pairs of shorts, exactly 7 shirts, 7 sets of underwear and socks, and two pairs of shoes are essential. I add one pair of jeans, one sweatshirt, and I'm good to go. Multiply all of that by two or three (why do you need all those shoes, I ask) and that is Kathy's packing... for a three day weekend.

On the other hand I must admit I bring along quite a lot of additional paraphernalia. Chargers or power cords for cell phone, camera, computer, razor, iPod, iHome, GPS, etc., plus connector cords to get them all to talk to each other. Painting and drawing supplies. Games (five or six card decks). Books to read (like I really will have time to finish all 7 of the Harry Potter books in just 14 days!).

Speaking of things to read, we should tally onto Kathy's packing list the following: Us, People, National Enquirer, 2 more back issues of People, Better H&G, Rachelle Ray Everyday, one smut novel, Cooking Light, Cosmo ... I get a hernia just carrying her beach bag.

Realistically, I could fill up this 31 foot RV with my stuff alone. But I have to share the space with six others.

My work, today, is challengingly set before me.

Ken

Countdown: T-minus 7 Days

Here is a little teaser of our itinerary. We don't want to give too much away because we want you folks to follow our trail, here on the blog.

Day 1 - Depart for Cleveland, OH. [Charlotte is taking first turn at driving. I hope we make it as far as Trevose, and the turnpike entrance!]

Day 3 - Depart for Wisconsin Dells, WI [America's greatest waterpark per capita location. Believe me, everywhere you turn there is another huge waterpark.]

Day 6 - Depart for Minneapolis, MN., home of the "Mall of America". More than 500 stores. If you shopped in each store only 10 minutes it would take you 86 hours. [And nevermind the roller-coaster and aquarium.] Luckily, we only have one day here. Though the girls are trying to convince us...

Day 10 - Depart for Indiana Dunes State Park, located on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Day 12 - Depart for Niagara Falls. Let's hope no one gets the brilliant idea to climb into a barrel.

Day 14 - Arrive back home, safe, sound, and [hopefully] still friends.

We hope you will ride along with us via this blog!

Ken

Plans Complete, The Count Down Begins

I think this will have been our LAST planning meeting. I've skipped blogging the several meetings we have had since our West Chester trial run, but the jist of these meetings was to finalize our plans. Last night's meeting left us with just a few things left to do; shop for groceries and complete a Capers list.

What we have accomplished over the past meetings:

Finalized our itinerary.
Selected most attractions to see.
Determined when we will be eating in and when we will be eating out.
Roughly choose about 60% of the meals (for shopping purposes).
Developed a shopping list.
Bought discount tickets to attractions.

It is exciting to us all that we will be heading out in just about two weeks. We hope you will all ride along with us.

Ken

P.S. We will be having a Bon Voyage reception at 7:00 PM on July 17th. You can say goodbye to us, tour our RV, help us christen it, and wish us all well. Bring wine and cheese!

Photo archive, part 3

George and Charlotte study the campground map.

Then to bed. The kids fit snuggly on the setee and the futton (but later the girls decide the setee is too cramped).

In the morning our campsite is beautiful (but cold!).

We are located right on the Brandywine River. The Campground offers canoeing (maybe next time).

Photo archive, part 2

When we arrive we prepare dinner in the kitchen ...

...and find places to eat. This shot is from outside through the windshield.

Then, KAPERS!

Photo archive, part 1

We arrived at Ken and Kathy's house with the RV and began to pack. Chrissy is ready to help.

Inside, Stephanie and Chrissy help Charlotte put things away.

Kathy helps toss things inside, to be sorted and stowed later.

George and Logan squeeze the beer, er, uh, the essentials into one of the compartments.

The women are ready to roll!

Our first outing in the RV - where to park??

On Thursday (4/12) we decided to venture to QVC for their studio tour. We found it quite easy to pack up the RV and hit the road. We all leisurely prepared for the day and we got out of the campground later than we had hoped but after all we are RVing and playing things by ear. Charlotte and I decided that they would make lunches for all during the ride to attempt to make the 1 PM QVC tour. The RV headed out of the slot with the kids strapped in and Kathy and Char at the kitchen counter starting to prepare lunch. George was at the wheel and we were in a pull through site. We were golden!! As George approached the edge of the site and proceeded to turn left we all yelled (two of us as we were being catapulted across the cabin!). George stopped and through Kens navigation realized that the “pull through” actually curved to the right and that was the intended route over turning left. Once we had veered right, Charlotte and I resumed our duties after picking up all the things that also flew around the cabin. The West Chester campground is very hilly and if you stay there, wait until you are on the highway before you make lunch or make it before you go. If our lunch making were on film, you could all see it on Americas Funniest Home Videos. It certainly was a balancing act. In any event, the lunches got made and all were fed. We saved a sandwich for the driver.

Along the way, we passed the entrance to Longwood Gardens. At seeing the entrance, Charlotte and I immediately decided that we were going to miss the 1 PM QVC tour. After briefly discussing the Fridays weather (it was supposed to rain) we said lets do Longwood today and QVC tomorrow in the rain!! All agreed. “George”, we ordered, “Make a U Turn!”. Ok in a 31 food RV in traffic and with construction in the area, that is not as easy as it sounds. After a mile or so, George did get the RV going in our new direction and we entered Longwood Gardens.

We pulled into the parking area to find the best spot to park our RV. It was not too crowded and we did not mind walking so we decided to park away from the cars. “Ok park over there” Ken said. “How about over there”, Charlotte said. “I’m going to pull in here” George said. “What if the lot fills up and you do not have room to pull out”, I said”. “OK – I will parallel park over there”, George said as he finally felt confident he could get out at the end of the day. “Not over there!!”, Charlotte exclaimed. “Yes over there”, I said, “we can get out there”. “What about….” Ken started when one of the kids said, “There is bus parking off to the left”. Duhhhh – The RV fit nicely in the bus lot with only 2 busses, no other RVs and about 50 spaces. I guess we have to put the kids on navigation duty.

We got into Longwood and had a very lovely day. It was bright and shiny and warm. The flowers and trees were just beautiful. The orchid room was amazing and there were Easter Lilys everywhere. When we were all through, Charlotte took the RV for a spin around the bus lot before we headed for our campground. It was a great afternoon!

Kathy

Wondering, Are We A Good Fit?

I'm sitting here by an open campfire, blogging. That seems a bit like a contradiction, but the night is relatively calm and peaceful (new trailers have rolled in for the holiday weekend, and a few kids are jibber-jabbering, and I am hopeful their bedtime is soon) and I have had a rather satisfying day.

We awoke with a purpose today. Our goal was to have an organized breakfast of bacon and eggs, get showered and dressed, and clean up and pack up the RV, as if we were heading out to the next camp stop. Instead, we headed out at about ten of noon to go to QVC and the studio tour of the premiere home shopping network. I'm hopeful that others will relate our experience (Kathy and I have been there before).

Each time we have gone out together, to Longwood gardens, or to QVC, we have passed by oldest son Adam's restaurant, Sovana Bistro in Kennett Square, an up-scale establishment where he has been a general manager for several years. As we pass, Logan or I texted him "We're driving by now", and each time he has passed our campground, going home at night or driving to work in the morning, he texted "I'm driving by now". On our way home from QVC we pulled the RV into the parking lot. One of Adam's co-workers was cleaning the front windows and saw us. She turned to Adam and said, "This is very strange. A big RV is parked out front, and I feel as if they are watching us like we are animals in a zoo!" Adam came out, very surprised to see us, but happy.

We asked him where our appetizers were.

I reflect on our day together as I sit by the fire while Logan, Stephanie and Chrissy cook banana boats in the coals, Charlotte and Kathy clean up (their kaper duty, not my expectation of what the women folk should be doing) and George and I enjoy having just cooked and served up a perfect steak and potatoes dinner.

I am contented, camping with my family and friends. Calm and peaceful in my heart and my mind (while the world jibber-jabbers before its bedtime). And my contentment leads me to believe that if these six friends, family really, can accept me for who I am, then our two week trip this summer can be very successful, and life fulfilling.

I look forward to it.

Ken

A camping shower, much like a spa??

Well, we survived our first night in the RV and I woke up in the morning with the sunrise. It was exciting and had experienced a very good nights sleep. It was a crisp 38 degrees outside (or so). The RV is comfortable and spacious and I know that I can spend 14 days in the vehicle, rig, tin can, etc. Ken and I slept in the over the cab bunk and navigating the ladder was not bad. It makes me feel young to climb to the top bunk! So I woke up and Ken said he wanted to get up and blog. Everyone else was still sound asleep so we headed for the showers. Towels in hand, excited that the showers were clean and awaiting the hot water. I got into the shower room and sudddenly realized that it was also at most 38 degrees in the shower room as well. ugggg. I turned on the water and jumped in the shower, almost tempted to keep my clothes on but after all I was roughing it!! The water was a lot warmer than the air but the shower head was meant for a 10 year old child. I was wondering how Ken was making out as he was in the shower room next door. I took a quick shower and decided it was just too cold to shave my legs. I was on a mission to get this shower done!. Finally I decided to get out quickly, dry off and get dressed as quickly as possible. I opened the shower room door to the outside and found Ken exiting at the same time. As if we were twins, we turned to each other, looked each other square in the eyes and said "Oh My God!!!"

Kathy

Spaciousness, With A 220 Acre Garden

The RV is surprisingly comfortable for seven people. Kathy, Logan and I owned a 27 foot Hunter sailboat for several years that we often stayed overnight on, both in the marina and anchored at bay . Compared to that, this RV, at 31 feet (even considering the four feet or so removed for engine compartment) is a mansion. Kathy says that sleeping in the "cab-over" bunk, though still confining, is much more spacious and less claustrophobic than the V-berth or even the master berth of the Hunter. And considering that we must climb up and down a ladder to get in and out (i.e. make night trips), I tend to agree that this RV is quite a bit more comfortable than my beloved sailboat.

Working in the kitchen, or sitting at the setee, moving from the front to the back, we are almost never squeezing by each other apologetically. Even traveling with the "bump-out" in, there is a spaciousness to the RV that keeps us from feeling cramped.

Back in the early 1980's, after my sister and I had had moved out and on to college, my mom and dad would frequently visit Longwood Gardens. My mom loved it so much that my father bought her annual memberships. She would go there several times a week, alone or with her girlfriends, for lunch and meditative walks. I can see why she loved it so much, and was fully reminded of her durring our visit today.

Kathy and I have come here a couple of times, usually at night, and usually in winter. Our first time was one Christmas day, after dropping our younger children off for holiday visitation to their respective other parents. We walked in the snowy night throughout the Gardens, marveling at the lighted trees, and at the pointsettia displays in the Conservatory.

It is quite a wonderful change for us to see the Gardens in the spring, with daffodills and tulips blossoming everywhere, trees flowering, and fountains fountaining.

The Duthikins gathered around the carrilon tower awaiting the 4:00 chimes. When the tower rang the hour we all were pleased, and Charlotte stood and proclaimed, "I only wish they rang a bit more on the hour so that we could hear some of the variety of songs possible from the (32 bell) tower."

Promptly the bells launched into "Here Comes Peter Cotton Tail" followed by a beautiful rendition of "In Your Easter Bonnet".

Thinking she had a good thing going, I stood in the exact same spot as Charlotte as the last peal of the bells echoed in the distance, raised my arms as she had done, and also wished, "I only wish I had a thousand dollars!"

Charlotte's wish came true. Mine did not.

Ken

Neither Wind, Trucks, Nor On Ramps...

Chris was our tour guide at Roadbear. The people at Roadbear were all very nice and informative. Just on their friendliness alone I could highly recommend them, but they seem to go beyond in helping you out the first time.

As we walked through the parking lot on the way to our RV tour, Chris asked, "Have you driven an RV before?"

"No," said George and I simultaneously.

"Have you ridden in one?"

"No"

"Have you ever been in one, even to just look around?"

"Is that a prerequisite?" George asked.

"Um, no," Chris replied, before realizing he had just gotten a glimpse of George's wry humor. I'm sure he thought "God bless them. Three days of that!" Little did he know we are all like that.

The tour was very thorough and after we had signed all of the proper liability waivers we were on our way, George driving. It was good for us two men to take our first drive without the fretful "navigators" making comments. This way, also, they wouldn't know of our mistakes, like missing the jughandle and having to turn around in a tight little parking lot, or like heading North on the Parkway instead of heading South. That is, they wouldn't have known if George hadn't enthusiastically filled them in on all the little details.

"We hit every possible condition," he announced. "Trucks, construction cattle shoots, on-ramps, windy roads..."

"Snow?" Logan asked. "Hurricaines?"

"Tornadoes?" Kathy and Stephanie chimed in together.

They're all such a wise guys.

There was plenty of room to store our things (which is good, because we only had three days of things to pack, and will have fourteen days of things to cram in for the long trip) and everyone worked hard to get us on the road as quickly as possible.

I drove to the campground, and was suprised at how easily you become accustomed to handling the big vehicle. Wide turns, staying to the right as much as possible, not panicing or fretting, all come easily. The wind and the draft from tractor trailers are the most stressful issues. We could easily do 55 or even 60 MPH on the turnpike, which will help us to accurately calculate travel time on the big trip. It is fatigueing though, and on the long trip we will have to spell drivers every two hours or so.

We pulled into the campground at dusk, with just a few minutes of light left, but, surprizingly, we were settled in and set up (hook-ups and all) before the sun set completely.

Kapers! Well, everone did their jobs and we had a nice dinner, played some games, watched "American Idol" (the cable reception is crystal clear), and settled in.

I'll find out in the morning if my snoring kept anyone awake!

Ken

I'll Need A Vacation From Vacation

Approaching a vacation, certain preparations must be made. These are critical to one's peace of mind and the ability to relax and enjoy the seperation from the daily grind.

At work, one must wrap up loose ends, put finishing touches on projects, leave detailed lists of emergency procedures for your subordinates and coworkers, finalize reports and, in short, prepare for your absence, knowing that the office cannot survive without you, though hopefully they will inadequately trundle through until your return. If you are lucky, you can even straighten your desk, and do the few strategic things that will more easily launch you into the work world when your holdiay is over.

At home, one must prepare the homestead for your absence. Mail must be stopped, the newspaper suspended. The lawn should be mowed to give the appearance that you are still at home. There are arrangements for kenneling the dog, and the timers on the household lights are to be set. In order to avoid major diaster while away the thermostat must be set to keep the house at a survivable temperature, and the washing machine spigot is to be turned off to prevent an accidental bursting of the hose while no one is available to stem the problem.

And personal packing care must take place; washing and folding enough underwear and socks to get through the absence, charging phones, iPods and razors, selecting the appropriate wardrobe items to get you through any weather (and dining) eventuality. Toiletries must be replentished and packed, shoes polished, and diversionary reading materials found.

I've done none of this.

I'll be up late tonight.

I hope I don't have first duty driving the RV.

Ken

Shopping lists have been distributed!

So my assignment was to document the menu that we decided upon at our last meeting and to make a shopping list and assign the items to each family. I made a fancy spreadsheet, all organized and sent it off to the crew. Well Charlotte needed the list in alpha order, or better yet to the aisles of the Giant in Morrisville. So cute she is. :0 I am going to spend 3 days with her this week. We'll see how it goes!!

Kathy

Weather For The Trip, So-So

In checking out the 10 day forecast for West Chester (I won't give a link to weather.com, because it will be useless to the reader in a few days) it looks as if we can expect typically Spring-like conditions.

Wed Apr 8
Partly Cloudy
High 52° - Low 37°
20% chance of percipitation

Thu Apr 9
Partly Cloudy
High 58° - Low 40°
10% chance of percipitation

Fri Apr 10
Showers
High 57° - Low 45°
40% chance of percipitation

Sat Apr 11
Few Showers
High 55° - Low 37°
30% chance of percipitation

I am remembering one particular Duthikin trip to the Pocono's for Easter, where we walked along a beach shoreline of the local lake, through snow.

"Through all kinds of weather
What if the sky should fall?
Just as long as we're together
It doesn't matter at all"
(Side by Side by Harry MacGregor Woods)

Personally, I'm packing foul weather gear and lots of sweatshirts.

Ken

Oh we ain't got a barrel of money
Maybe we're ragged and funny
But you travel along singing a song
Side by side

Oh we don't know what's coming tomorrow
Maybe it's trouble and sorrow
But we'll travel the road sharing our load
Side by side

Through all kinds of weather
What if the sky should fall?
Just as long as we're together
It doesn't matter at all

When they've all had their quarrels and parted
We'll be the same as we started
Just traveling along singing our song
Side by side

We Agree, No Beans For Dinner!

Blogging from George and Charlotte's dinning room table:

The planning session tonight concentrates on the upcomming April trip. We're heading to the West Chester KOA (West Chester, PA) for four days, three nights, with day trips to places like QVC and Longwood Gardens. Decisions made include; menus and provisions, sleeping arrangements (K&K will still be sleeping in the same bed and G&C will sleep in the other bed), kapers (apparently a Girl Scout term for "chores"... why can't we just call them "chores"?), and how many DVDs each family is allowed to bring.

This pre planning is important to avoid inequities in responsibilities, etc. But also, because we are all such obsessive planners!

It was initially suggested that the Wednesday night supper be simple, to allow for the newness and complexity of the drive and set-up.

"Hot dogs and beans!" was the first suggestion, and we all said, "Yum!"

But then someone remembered that there were seven of us, and that we were going to be sleeping in a tin can and, "wouldn't it be a better idea to avoid feeding beans to the seven of us?"

Agreed! Unanimously!

Kathy says, "I think the hardest thing for us to deal with will be the 24 x 7 living personalities. I know Ken and Logan but want to learn Geo, Char, Steph and Chrissy so that we can live in harmony and not annoy anyone."

So here are some TMI items about us: (will be updated when C&G send along their TMI's)

• Ken and Logan are not morning people
• Cracking of Knuckles is like farting to Ken, a rude body noise
• Kathy likes things free of clutter when possible and so she will look for a place for everything out of the way if possible
• Ken and Kathy do snore sometimes but not always
• Logan talks in his sleep
• Ken only talks in his sleep when he is in the same room as Logan and they have the most interesting conversations with each other
• Kathy and Logan can get car sick
• Kathy is a back seat driver and loves to read the map and tell you where to go!
• Ken should not have too much caffeine
• Logan is allergic to raw apples, peaches, pears, plums and figs
• Ken does not like mushrooms, avocados, lima beans or liver
• Kathy does not like salmon, lamb, or liver
• George does not like seafood
• Chrissy does not like chocolate
• Charlotte is a trickster. Look before you sit
• Logan does not like liver but probably never tried it (but most definitely would try anything)
• The Ken, Kathy and Logan rarely eat dessert
• Kathy hates to wear shoes
• Kathy does not hear the words to a song when it plays
• Kathy loves to cook
• Ken loves to draw
• Ken, Kathy and Logan enjoy talk radio
• Ken, Kathy and Logan collect squished pennies

Ken

Four Minds- Hundreds of Details

The final itinerary is set and the detailed trip planning has begun!! It's time to figure out the details of our stops- which RV park? What is nearby? How convenient to our day trips, etc. There is alot of information to figure out. Chicago is the tough one- traffic is notoriously bad and a 31' RV is not going there. Mass transit abounds but is not near the campground- with one exception we have found so far- Dunewood National Park right on Lake Michigan only 1/4 mile from the station then a 35 min ride to the city. Beautiful view of the Chicago skyline at night- a definite possiblity. No electric hook-ups though!

We're having great fun planning with great friends. Mapquest and aerial views, Blogspot and Wiki, we're using technology to the fullest (thanks to Ken). We even have a joint bank account!!
By the time we're done planning we will need a vacation!!
George

Four Minds, Two Trips, Plan One.

We are planners. There is no doubt that the Duthikins will enjoy the research, scheduling, charting, mapping, preparation, meal planning, and packing as much as the actual trip itself. The heightened anticipation from figuring this all out is sweet.

Our planning meetings are an excuse for socialization. We eat, we plan. We drink, we map. WIFI computers and empty dinner plates populate the dinning table at George and Charlotte’s.

The first order of business is to decide on a short “trial” trip. We want to find a fun place about 2 hours away. It should be friendly and have lots of things to do nearby.

We chose the days before Easter weekend in April because the kids will be off of school, but we all want to be back home by Easter. We decide that George will pick up Ken from work on Wednesday, and together they will pick up the RV from Roadbear. In the mean time, Char and Kat will pack clothes and provisions. When we get the RV to Yardley we’ll load up and head out.

Our destination? West Chester, Pennsylvania. Home of QVC Studios and close to Longwood Gardens, Winterthur and the Brandywine Museum.

We have a plan.

Ken

We Looked, And Then We Booked

We took a day to visit two New Jersey RV rental places. One, it turned out, was just a garage that happened to own two class 'C' RVs and rented them out to unsuspecting families (and maybe hunters). We peeked at them, but given the condition of the outsides, and the condition of the garage, we didn't have a good feeing about them. The main question was, what kind of network could we rely on for repairs on the road, should we need them. In that instance, the answer was: none.

George discovered Roadbear. He was impressed that they were a franchise with locations across the country and a decent support system. We visited them in Middletown New Jersey. They were a clean, well presented facility with many RVs to look inside and friendly, helpful people to answer our questions.

Roadbear's main business comes from overseas tourists who fly in to Newark, rent an RV and see the USA by driving across it. Their secondary market are "tailgater's" who rent for a weekend and park at Giant's Stadium or Penn State or such.

I guess we are in the minority; families who just want an adventurous way to spend a vacation.

The Class 'C's appeared well provisioned, clean, well maintained and inviting. We imagine stocking up on groceries the night before we leave, stowing clothes, games and a few luxury items in the many compartments, and pulling out from Yardley on a clear, early summer morning. By then we hope to be well organized, with meal plans at the ready, camp sites reserved, destinations planned, and relatives and friends ready to receive us in Minneapolis. With all of these positive thoughts in our heads we booked our RV. A small trip in April, and the major trip in late July.

Now the planning starts in earnest.

Ken

RV Rental, Harder Than It Sounds.

RV rental places are not as common as Wal-Mart (the ubiquitous free RV campground), nor even of McDonald’s (whose drive-thru one could never actually drive an RV through).

Cruise America , the nation’s largest RV retailer and rental source, says, “There are 130 Cruise America rental centers in the United States, Canada, and Alaska from which you can depart.” Take away the Canadian and Alaskan dealers, and the 16 states that don’t have dealers, and we are left with about 3.6 per state. 3.6 spread across Pennsylvania means one in Philly, one in Harrisburg, one in Pittsburgh … are you getting the picture? We looked east, to New Jersey.

There are basically seven classes of Recreational Vehicles, but since we don’t have a vehicle capable of towing, we are limited to the three types of motorized RV’s. Class ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’. Class ‘B’ is a conversion van. I am the only Duthikin old enough to have been a wild-child hippie of the 60’s (albeit a rather young one) and Kat, Char and George (I’m sure) are beyond the days of van-camping.

Class ‘A’ RVs are those entourage behemoths that only rock-bands, sports teams and super-wealthy vagabonds can afford to own and operate. They are built on a bus chassis and can weigh up to 30,000 pounds. We looked at a few at RV trade shows, and boy can they be decked out with luxurious accessories. We even saw one with a fireplace! Interestingly enough, even though they abound with space, they rarely have enough sleeping berths for six, and never 7.

Which leaves us with class ‘C’ type RVs. These are the cab-over type of vehicle, built on a larger van chassis. The front end usually looks like a Ford or Chevy truck or van. With a master suite in the back (2), a cab-over queen in front (2), a sofa-bed (1) and a convertible dinette (2) it is just the right size for the Duthikins.

Now, if we can all just agree on the sleeping arrangements.

Ken

A New Adventure Awaits The Duthikins

It is interesting how friendships form. School mates can carry the bonds of friendship for life. Cousins, work acquaintances, church parishioners, team mates, next-door neighbors, pen-pals; people meet and connect.

For the Duthikins, as for many others, our friendship began through a chance meeting of our children. A daycare friendliness grew into a school camaraderie and then to a sibling-like closeness. As our kids grew together we parents found ourselves in the same social circles again and again.

Eventually we took vacations together. The Poconos, resort vacations, holidays away in the mountains.

Since a very young age the kids talked, almost mythicaly, of "The Mall of America", a vast shopping center surrounding an amusement park. And so sprung the idea of the Mega-Trip. Like Clark Griswold's cross-country trip to Walley World we are making 14 day RV pilgrimage to Minneapolis and back.

Chronicled here are our thoughts, experiences and challenges of putting 7 people (4 adults and three children) in a class 'C' motor home and celebrating the limits of our friendships.

If this works out, there is nothing we can't get through together.

Ken