What I Learned on Our Shakedown Cruise

This very first trip in Therapy (other than to bring her home from the factory) was indeed a learning experience.  Although we have had RVs before, we have never had the freedom that we had these last 25 days.  Our trips in the past have been “vacations” mostly of the two week or less variety.  I usually had everything planned in advance and we had reservations and knew where we were going to be on any given day.

The difference in this trip was the feeling of freedom.  We had no agenda, no schedule, no reservations.  We stopped when and where we wanted to and if that meant sleeping in a parking lot for a night then so be it.  The hardest decisions we faced were where did we want to go next.

This is a new feeling for us… and for me especially.  I am one who wants to have my “ticket” ahead of time.  I want to know where I will be, that I am expected, and that my place in that location is secure.  But I learned to lighten up.  I learned that it is not a scary thing to sometimes take the road less traveled.  I learned that if one place is not acceptable or available, there is another place somewhere down the road.  I’ve learned that it is okay to have plans set in Jell-O!!

I’ve learned there are many ways to eat hot dogs, hamburgers, and to make potato salad!  Apparently, there are also distinct differences in biscuits and scones, although I didn’t learn that from personal experience (thanks, Rick!).

I’ve learned that I really won’t die if I miss my daily shower once in a while and people will not laugh and point and say, “She didn’t take a shower this morning.”

I’ve learned that the first scratches hurt the worst and you really do NOT want to tangle with a juniper bush.



I’ve learned that we really do need some kind of front-end  protection for the toad.



After two days of cleaning and washing, I’ve learned that it’s a lot more fun to get it dirty than it is to clean it up!  Thank goodness we had sunshine in Eugene today so the wash jobs were not too terribly bad.

I learned that I can eat stale bread for sandwiches and it doesn’t taste that bad!  And I learned that when I cook, the flames from a propane stove are HOT and you don’t want to set anything too close.  It took me a couple of times to learn that!



I’ve learned that I love that motorhome!  Everything worked just like it was supposed to and it drives like a champ.  I learned that I like to travel but that I also like to come home.  Most of all I have learned to expand my horizons and get out of that tiny box that so often defines my world. 

And finally, I have learned that one can have friends , even though you may have never met in person.  I’ve learned that those friends can “be-there” for one another even though physically, they may be many miles apart.  I have learned I can hurt with and laugh with and spar with people I have never met.  I have learned that I thoroughly enjoy the new friends that I have been able to meet.

And so my friends, this blog is dedicated to you, and down the road, someday, somewhere, I hope to meet many of you in person.  Until then, travel safe and stay warm.