Pack-up day

So, Robyn, Dennis, and Avery decided to spend last night in a motel close to the Austin airport and fly back to Chicago this morning. I agreed that doing that was a wise decision. If they had stayed here another night, they would have had to get up at 3:00 this morning in order to drive the hour and a half to get to the airport on time. Not a pretty prospect, especially with a young child. It was a great weekend with them, and I'm so happy they came. :) What a Mother's Day gift!!

That left me with the entire day to get ready to hit the road tomorrow. I needed that amount of time to prepare. For those of you that don't live full time in an RV, that means doing the following: dump the tanks and clean the sewer hose; take down and pack up the three front and side window sun shades; do the laundry including sheets and towels; gather all garbage and take it 15 miles to the dumpster; check out at headquarters and turn in refuge keys and vehicle; get a ride back to the rig (another 15 miles); disconnect, take down, and store the trucker's antennae; shake out, fold, and store the outside 15' carpet; put away the grill; wash the outside windshield; adjust the outside rear view mirrors; install the Blue Ox tow bar on the back of the motorhome; pack all outdoor chairs and tables; and last but not least, drag out the air compressor and make sure all tires are properly inflated. That's just the outside stuff and I'm sure I've left a few things out. Phew...... The air compressor and checking the tires is what I dread the most. That compressor is heavy and I always struggle with getting air into the tires without letting more out! ;)

So, tonight I will begin work on the inside of the rig. I'm planning to be on the road by about nine tomorrow and head for Levon Lake Corps of Engineer Campground near Dallas. I have a tentative, leisurely travel schedule for the next three weeks that will culminate in my arrival at the Escapade in Sedalia, MO, on May 23. Escapade is like a rally for members of the Escapees RV Club. Escapees isn't your ordinary kind of club. It is really a fantastic support network for full time and not full time RVers. There should be several thousand people at the Escapade. I'll certainly post more about this at a later time.

When I checked out at headquarters this afternoon, I turned in my hours to Rob. I received a certificate for the 283 hours I volunteered at this refuge, and received some thank you gifts for reaching 2,333 volunteer hours so far for the US Fish and Wildlife Service. I really appreciated getting a camel backpack. That's a backpack with a built in water supply to keep you hydrated while hiking. Cool beans....

Stay tuned during my four week "vacation" away from volunteering....

Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy