How Did You?

[mizdeb]

How did you go from the micro planned two week vacations to slowing down and stopping to smell the flowers. I have been working on a plan for my first trip alone. I am already micro planning every step (never mind mile) of the way. How do I let go of this mentality. I have gone from 5 days to three weeks and am thinking that it will extend to a month. Starting in NH and so far am up to about 3600 miles before I get back. That should give me an idea of what full timing is like. I have a friend in Florida that I have not seen for 42 years - about time for a visit don't ya think.

I have from May 29th in PA until the 4th of June to get to Asheville NC. Thinking of going over Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge. Anyone done this pulling a camper? I have driven it and been a passenger with DH but never pulled and it has been many years since our last trip. Did the Natural Bridge, Monticello and Michie Tavern two years ago, Luray Caverns 20+ years ago. What else do I not want to miss. I am a history buff although my high school US History teacher would disagree. What CG are good either on or off the parkway? I could stay in Lynchburg TT but am not impressed with that CG.

Three weeks and two days until departure baring any unforeseen issues (like losing my mind). I will probably drive everyone crazy with questions as my fears increase....
Deb

[Bethers]

If you are a Class A personality like me - the learning to slow down, etc - will be hard. My first month + full-time, I traveled like I was on a week's vacation and planned every minute - running constantly. I was so exhausted (you know how when you return from a vacation like that you NEED a vacation?). Well that was the start of my slow down. I now still micro-manage some things. I have had my stops planned for the US part of my AK trip - which has started - BUT they keep changing. And I gave myself a good extra week for the trip after I reach the Canadian border to worry about weather etc. I have myself way extra time getting to that border - which I have pretty much used up lol - so now I'll be high tailing it up to the border - cuz I want my extra time there. But when I say that - I still only have to average about 200 miles a day. Today I did less, tomorrow, I'm going to meet up with someone in SLC, so will go 300 to make up for the less today.

I did the BRP with my motorhome and saw lots and lots of trailers and 5th wheels on it. It's a lovely drive. I highly recommend it - and the cg's along there are all wonderful (my kind of cg's). Just remember they don't have hookups - if you need them.

I find many of the places I want to see by signs on the roads - and if you take the parkway, stop as soon as you can and get the parkway guide - so you can look at where the cg's are, and what places you might want to see on it.

[snowball]

from what my DH said is that it is normal to do that... to plan your trips like you are on a vacation and have to go go go go...for about the first 2-3 years then you slow down and smell the roses and see things then it goes into that phase of we like it here and go there then to the other place you like and form a pattern of repeating loved places it seems we missed one of those phases We went to Q spent the winter went on our sojourn that spring through NW OK Arkansas don't know its abbreviation through Missouri up to IA where my husband is from was there a month then headed west had to be to ID for a reunion in July I think.. saw Sparkles in SD and 'molly's mom' gosh her name is gone for a bit in IA on to WY up to MT then to ID in time for the reunion then we started doing a relief hosting job there in ID and that started our one place in the winter one place in the summer...I wish we would have had the go thither mode and seen more but don't regret in the least any of it just wish that it had lasted longer...we really thought we would full time (guess we still are we live in our 5th wheel) but full time on the road for many more years...so don't worry about it Deb enjoy the ride go go go till you find the desire to slow down and smell the roses and in your rushing about we will be in KOA in SLC yes I'm the friend Beth is stopping by to see and so looking forward to it!!
Sheila

I thought of of her name and it wasn't even 3 mins later Trudy!!!

[BirdbyBird]

You will slow down if you leave yourself open to find adventures that you didn't even know we're there until you found the, or saw them. Like Beth mentioned...you just see I sign and think that looked interesting. Or you find a COE park that is just so beautiful that you decide to stay extra days...... For me just having extra time to walk the dogs and read a good book in a beautiful setting and not worrying about being anywhere is what I enjoy.

[retiredhappy]

My first trip I planned EVERYTHING right down to what rest stops I would use. The funny thing is that I ended up not stopping at ANY of the places I thought I was going to. My friend Carole and I would look at the map in the evening and see somewhere that looked interesting and decide to go there since "we're almost there anyway". After that trip I made and framed a sign that said "We're almost there anyway." We ended up taking four weeks instead of the planned two and going almost 5,000 miles instead of the planned 2,000. Best trip ever and I learned to loosen up (as much as I'm able).

[Pooker]

I, too, am a micromanager (probably a macromanager). I truly loved the planning, plotting, figuring, before a trip. I would plot the route between Point A to our destination and then figure out what there was to see along the way, what RV parks were available, how many miles each day, etc. We liked to choose a central camping spot to settle in for however many days while we cruised around seeing everything. Once or twice we tried to wing it, only to discover that panicky feeling when you can't find a site for the night. Or we put ourselves smack in the middle of hefty traffic during commuter hours.

Having an itinerary isn't in cement. We've often driven further than we thought we would, or found someplace interesting to stop for along the way. Reservations can be cancelled. Routes can be detoured. But at this stage in my life I'm probably not going to change. I'm a planner. Don't like surprises.

So, don't beat yourself up if you can't relax and go with the flow. Go with what makes you happiest.

Pooker

[mitch5252]

..

Oh, my - I didn't realize we had so many Type A personalities here! Me? I call myself Anal, but I like Beth's phrase better...so from now on, I am no longer Anal. I am Type A.

I'm not sure what's different for this trip to Alaska, but I have barely looked at a map. I am hoping the others will drag me and The Beast along and not lose us along the way. I am sure it must have something to do with my newly acquired Widderhood (almost 5 months now - can you believe it?) that effected new change in attitude. Like today, my best friend is coming from Illinois, and I haven't even made the bed yet, nor run the vacuum. Oh, well.

What's the polar opposite of Type A? Type Zzzzzz. That's what I want to be.

So, you have gone through some incredible life-changing experiences recently. You'll find your way. See ya down the road!!


I'd better get up and vacuum...make the bed, too. Looks nicer...


..

[sharon]

Don't worry about it Mitch. For the first 2 years after Jack passed, I just followed my sis and BIL around. First year was 4 months in the SD, Id, Co area and then the trip to Alaska. Where ever they went, I followed, never questioned, just went. After the Alaska trip, they gently pushed me out of the nest and I've been going on my own ever since. The girls understand and will take very good care of you and Abby. Just go and have a great time!

I used to be anal about my house, too, and then one day about 6 months after Jack was gone, looked around and figured out it had been 6 months since I had vacuumed and dusted. I'm not anal anymore, but at least I vacuum a little more often than every 6 months.

[JudyJB]

I plead guilty to that same problem. I am an over-planner, and am worried I will end up somewhere without a place to stay or enough to do to keep from being bored.

I am forcing myself to stay at least several days in every park I stay in, but I am still nervous I will have forgotten something or won't make the right decisions.

If you find a cure, let me know.

[mitch5252]

If you find a cure, let me know.

wine.

..

[longdog2]

Experience!

[Acadianmom]

I'm probably about as close to a Z as you can get or more like a chicken with it's head cut off. If I plan anything it's not much and at the last minute. About the only reservations I make are for the GTG's and then I'm usually a day early because I know I would be late getting there. I have been all the way to Seattle and back without any reservations and all the way to New Jersey and back with no reservations. I am getting better about starting to look for a campground earlier so I can get off the road before dark.

My sister and I are probably going to the lake this weekend, I'll know for sure when I pull out Friday. Might go shopping tomorrow or stop on the way out. Probably should start my list so I won't forget something. My jello plans are usually pretty liquid.

Martha

[Bethers]

Even as a Class A person and planning the way I did - I quickly quit making reservations and rarely ever do. That's because I have found I rarely stay where I think I will. So now I watch general areas - and the places I might want to stop. Night before last, I had picked a spot to stop. But I got a way later start than I planned and actually stopped 120 miles sooner. I saw a sign for a NFS (National Forest) cg coming up - and I stopped there and was so glad I did - great place - and one I'll go back to. Actually if not now in a planned mode in order to get to my workamping job in AK - would have stopped a couple other places, too - one before there. Would have stayed there another day at least to see more in the area - and would have stopped several more places in my next 300 miles. Can you tell I rarely get far in a day when I don't have to?

The difference is when there's a gtg planned - then I make my reservations way in advance - to commit myself to it. And now I'm planning my stops and probably will pretty much follow them the next couple days, as I do have to get north and get myself on track for my job. Otherwise - too much to see - too many places to stop -

But I do recommend finding a place to stop for the night before you're tired, or it's dark, etc.

My going through Canada the next couple weeks should be very interesting - hoping to boondock - and it's a little more challenging in Canada to find places - for me anyway. Hopefully I don't end up in the hoosegow.

And if you have ideas on places, and while you're driving - it gets to be 1 or 2 in the afternoon - that's when I'll pull over and call a cg and see if they have space, do I need a reservation (love when they say no - just in case I don't go there) or check where some Walmarts are in the areas - so I can get off the road in a couple hours.

[JudyJB]

Martha and Bethers, I suspect an intervention is called for here. Can you round us all up and do some Peanuts' style psychotherapy???

I even suspect I have developed ADD as an adult. I can't seem to sit still. Let's say I pick up a book and try to read. Five minutes later, I jump up because I just thought of something that needs doing. Or I go online because I really need to find something out.

After unpacking and washing all my dishes and pots, I was bored this past weekend on my first camping trip--no TV, no internet, not even any cell phone service. Just me and this empty room. Went on a long walk each day but weather was not conducive to outdoor things much of the time. I have decided to borrow some DVDs and take them along for bad weather days. Need to learn how to use DVD player, however, first.

Maybe if I had been on a beach or someplace with a museum or nature center or something, I would have been better.

Sorry, Mitch, but I am not supposed to drink much wine, so even though I promise to bring it along to share, I just can't drink much of it. Maybe experience will help.

[Acadianmom]

That's why I don't like to boondock, I get bored too. I have a bunch of the $5 Walmart movies if I get desperate. I like the old TV series that I can sometimes find on a DVD. There's a book in my RV that has probably been in there 5 years. If I really get desperate I get it out and start over, I have never gotten through it. I'm a night person and if I go to sleep early I will be up at 3:00 am. That's why the GTG's are fun, you have someone to do things with and talk to.

Martha