Preparations are almost complete for taking the first real road trip in the RV. This road trip has no pre-planned route or destinations, and no reservations. I just know that I am planning on heading up through SC, NC, TN, VA, WVA, PA, and finally to northwest PA where I went to college while visiting friends in each state. I am not sure if I will make my way all the way to Grove City College or not, but I really hope so. The entire trip should take about a month. I have not been back to where I went to college in 30 years. I think visiting the college now would be quite nostalgic. I left Grove City College back in 1979 and moved to Florida 3 weeks after graduating.
The previous seven trips were mostly practice although I did travel to many nice places in Florida. Still, those trips consisted of just driving to a campground, staying there, and then returning home. The purpose of those trips were mostly to figure out how the RV worked, and to gain confidence in the RV. The most important part of those trips was for the cats to acclimate to the RV so they would feel comfortable in the coach. Robles and Mountain Lioness are now ready for an extended trip.
Equipped with a new atlas and a four inch thick campground directory, I am just going to head north. Of course I also have a GPS Navigation Unit in the RV as well as Google Maps on a phone and tablet. I don’t know if I will be able to to do this or not, but I am going to try. I am just so used to planning trips out in detail and on this trip I will just be winging it.
Setting of not knowing whether I will be able to do this reminds me of my first bike tour in the Canadian Rockies 20 years ago in 1996. At the end of the first day of the tour was my first attempt ever of trying to climb a mountain pass up to a continental divide. I simply had no idea if I could make the ascent to Storm Mountain. I grew up riding bikes in Pittsburgh, and some roads there are so steep that you simply can’t push down the pedals even while standing up on the pedals. We would have to get off our bikes and push the bikes up the hill. I was very concerned that I might not be able to keep moving and pushing down on the pedals on the way up to Storm Mountain. That first climb up to the continental divide was not easy. I stopped several times to rest, but I discovered much to my relief that I could keep the pedals turning, very slowly, but still turning. An hour later I was straddling the continental divide on my bike.
Three years later, I set off to climb Trail Ridge Road by bicycle, the highest continuous road in America, snaking and curving up through Rocky Mountain National Park. Trail Ridge Road ascends to 12,183 feet, gaining 5000 feet of elevation over the last 15 miles. As I set out to attempt the climb, I only knew that I had put myself into position to try and I also knew that I would only have one chance. I simply had no idea if I would be able to breath and take in enough oxygen to keep going for the final eight miles that were between 11,000 and 12,183 feet above sea level. Six hours later, I crested the summit in 50 mph winds. At the end of the day, I did not feel the sense of elation and accomplishment I expected to. I felt almost a let down, like okay, what is next. Not until months later did I realize the important part was all the preparation I had put in to just even think about trying such an ascent. The actual climb was almost anti-climatic. Kind of goes back to the old cliche, “Its the journey, not the destination.”
Then in 2007 I set off on the “Chasing the Great Divide Tour”. This tour would take me from just north of the Mexican border in New Mexico to Jasper Canada, passing through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, British Columbia and Alberta. The tour was 2500 miles over 43 days, criss-crossing the continental divide 24 times in the Rocky mountains with 180,000 feet of cumulative altitude gain. The tour only had two rest days. Once again, I had no idea whether I could complete the ride. I knew I could complete several days of the tour. I just didn’t know if my body would be able to recover in time each night in time for the next day and hold up for six weeks. I did know that all the previous 10 years of trips prepared for me for this tour. I just didn’t know during those previous tours that I was eventually preparing for a trip of life time. When I arrived in Jasper 43 days later and 20 pounds lighter, I knew I had learned two valuable lessons.
First, what all these experiences had in common was that the physical aspect of the tour was not the hardest part. The hard part was the emotional part of the ride, riding for hours by oneself with only your own thoughts to sort through. The ride was much more difficult emotionally than it was physically.
Second, was that I was expecting to find the meaning of life or something like that during the tour. With the countless hours on the ride, I tricked myself into thinking I did discover the meaning of life during the rides. However, looking back on the tour near the end, I knew I was only kidding myself. I realized that it was enough to just know I was there, and I did it. The meaning of the experience was as simple as that.
Now once again, I have put myself in position to try to live on the road, and again I don’t know if I can do this. Again, its going to be an emotional journey. Somehow with my experiences from the previous trips, I feel I might be able to do this. And this time I don’t expect to find the meaning of life. Preserving through the trip, the emotional journey, just knowing that I was there in the moment and made it will be enough. And I also know, that I am truly making a major transition into a new phase of my life.
Two Lane Highway
“Soon it will be time to go
I don’t want to leave I guess you know
Maybe something new will come up
And I can come home
For just a few more days
Get off this
Two lane highway
Goin’ my way
Movin’ fast
Two lane highway
Is takin’ me home
Home at last
You don’t want me sleeping in
You turn around I’m back again
I guess this time I’m really gone
But it don’t seem right
I’ve been up all night
On this”
– Pure Prairie League
Nicely written, Rob. Trading in 2 wheeled excursions for 4 ( or 6) wheeled ones is a major turning point. I know you’ll do well. We’re getting ready to head over to GA tomorrow for a few days on the AT. Sure hope you manage to stop by on your travel, at least on your way back (we should be home on the 25th).
Thanks Wayne, as one who has been doing this for years, I appreciate your advice and tips. Yes, this does mark a major turning point. I will probably headed back the 3rd of 4th week of June, so hopefully you meant you will be home by the 25th of May, would be great to stop by your home.