Adventures Await!

I don’t know about you, but for us, 2023 flew by quickly. We were able to create amazing memories traveling our beautiful country, with trip highlights in Niagara Falls, Mackinac Island, and lobsters in Bar Harbor, Maine. We made many new friends and enjoyed a few unexpected fun adventures (Mark Twain’s house and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Waters). As we reflect on our favorite memories, I’m reminded of a few key things we did to help make our four-month adventure easy and memorable.#1 – PLAN your route – We start planning our route a year in advance. Paths vary; some years we target visiting friends and family; other routes hit key sites and states. There are many trip planning tools you can use. We enjoy using RVParky, as it’s inexpensive and easy to use. When planning, we review various FMCA chapters and other RV groups in which we are members to identify rallies and events that fit our schedule and the area of the country on our route. We sign up for these events as soon as registration is available and then pin the dates and locations to our route. We also use TripAdvisor to seek out historical sites, fun activities, and top restaurants. We love trying new food, so we also review restaurants that were featured on Food Network. We make it a point to avoid chain restaurants and always try local establishments and food that we do not typically eat at home. The internet is your friend for finding the unexpected, anywhere you go. If you don’t have a favorite trip planning app, shop around to find one that allows you to input your RV size (height and length), along with parameters for travel days and ability to display parks, food, fuel, etc. Ask others what they like and don’t like about the planning tool they use, and then choose one that fits your lifestyle. In the end, expect the unexpected; pack your patience; and use the F word – FLEXIBILITY!#2 – BE PREPARED (from my Girl Scout days) – It’s a given: always check your RV, tires, maintenance, insurance, cleaning, etc. before you depart. We travel for adventures and therefore look for ways to spend more time exploring and less time cooking and doing chores in our coach. I begin food prep about 45 days prior to departure. While homebased, when we make a meal for four, I’ll freeze half. When I prep onions, celery, peppers for various meals, I cut up four times what I need and then freeze in portioned snack bags for fast meals. When I clean shrimp for a meal that calls for ½ pound, I clean the entire pound and freeze half. I also put meal kits together in my freezer and write cooking instructions on the bag for quick meals and cleanup. Some of our favorite freezer kits are tacos (seasoned cooked meat; pack with cheese and tortillas), seasoned fish fillets (clean/season; pack with broccoli as a side), shrimp Toscano (clean/season shrimp; pack with sauce veggies; then add cream and broth when I cook), chicken enchiladas (shred half a rotisserie chicken and add green chilis and seasoning; pack with tortillas and cheese; thaw and mix chicken with cream cheese; stuff, top with shredded cheese, and bake with cream/broth sauce). You get the idea. Prep your favorite meal ingredients so it doesn’t take as much time to prepare when you are on the road. Of course, you can also purchase meal kits, but we like preparing our own.#3 – SEEK NEW ADVENTURES! – In my younger days, my folks encouraged me to try new foods. I reluctantly tried them, and for the most part (tomatoes aside), I liked them. I learned to not be afraid to try new things. Sure, you can stay in a normal campground or RV park, but why? Shake things up! If self-contained, try boondocking for a night or two when you change campsites. We use Harvest Hosts on our weekend relocations and have the best time. In 2023 we stayed at a beautiful equestrian center, an alpaca farm, and way too many wineries for my waistline. We stayed at inexpensive, primitive parks, as well as upscale fancy places. In the end, it’s the people we met and activities in the area that made each place memorable. If you can’t get a reservation where you thought you wanted to stay, be open to unconventional places. You may just find new friends, food, and activities that delight your heart, making lifetime memories for you and your family.Whether you plan a few trips or are on the road all year long, enjoy your adventures in 2024!

Cheers, Jeri