Although we planned this trip and purchase for quite a while, neither of us had ever traveled in a motor home before. We believe in plunging in with both feet, however, so we got a Windsport 35D. We had the RV modified quite a bit for our tastes. We took out the sofa and replaced it with an easy chair. Both the driver and passenger seats were replaced with more comfortable ones, and the table was replaced with a wooden one. Small focused lights were placed everywhere, and they were wonderful additions, as were the additional electrical outlets. The kitchen and bathroom counters were replaced with corian. We added a SVHS/DVD player to the TV in the bedroom, and a satellite TV system and satellite Internet system to the roof. We also added a navigation unit installed at the local Best Buy. All the vents were electric, with one having a rain closer and the other a low slung cover. The storage under the cooktop was replaced with an oven. Because we expected to spend most of our time at the computers, the whole motor home was wired for Internet. You could plug in at the bedroom counter, where Mary would work, either side of the dining room table, at the easy chair, or at the passenger seat. This worked out very well.

Although we purchased the motor home in October '04, the trip didn't actually start until after the fear of snow was passed - in April. Up till then, we fitted out the bedroom with a digital video editing suite, and Mary spent the winter there, working on music videos. To avoid driving out for propane, we had a tank installed beside the unit, so it was a toasty addition to the house, sitting right in the driveway.

It wasn't easy driving something 37' long, and adding a 16' car behind was even worse, even with a Brake Buddy. At first, Mary drove behind. Once Paul got the hang of it, he was able to attach the car and Mary got to ride. Our goal was the National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas, and we were on a pretty tight schedule. From there, the plan was to tour the west. Because we don't fly, we don't get out there anymore.

Our very first RV park, and our very first night on the road - Jellystone Park in Sturbridge MA. Okay, so we only went fifty miles. At least we got out of the driveway!

The front windshield curtain hangs too high for privacy, so at night we added blankets to fill the space. This turned out well for the dogs, and it protected the dashboard. Later, we exchanged the blankets for an arc of pillows. The dogs liked THAT even better!

Mary's nerves were wound pretty tight, so she stayed in the motor home and tried to pretend we were still at home. She did what she always does when nervous - redecorate! She had worked out stuff places where she could put small antique tables throughout the unit, to make the space more personal, as well as to provide surfaces for her knick knacks. Lyn had made a wallhanging for the bedroom, and Indian baskets hung on other walls. The new plan was to take the small Queen Anne cherry table and stuff it between the passenger chair and the wall. When covered with blankets, it made a perfect dog bed so that she didn't have to ride with both dogs in her lap, but could still hold them. And the basket of essentials fitted perfectly beneath the table. Besides, it didn't need to be stored anymore for traveling!

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park

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We were still thinking about distances as if we were driving a car, so we pushed it to Canandaigua, and collapsed. What kept us going were the CDs and tapes. We had collected a set of audio mysteries about Egypt, and whiled away the hours listening to stories of Amelia Peabody.

Canandaigua was where Mary's 3rd great grandfather, Henry B. Gibson, and 2nd great grandfather, Henry L. Lansing, lived, but there was no time to go anywhere.

The bed was wonderfully comfortable. We'd added a fancy, down-topped foam pad, then put a cheaper foam pad below it. Between the two of them, we slept just fine. We still weren't experimenting with the motor home much, and the only big thing that went wrong was that the nav unit didn't work at all.

Canandaigua/Rochester KOA

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Coming in before the season, this campground felt somewhat uncomfortable. The people hanging around near the office seemed a bit tough, perhaps because the park store sold alcohol. The park had no view, but driving to it was lovely. We also learned what it takes to disconnect the car in the middle of the street to turn around. Thank goodness for a friendly, and patient, policeman.

Indian Creek Camping Resort

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Finally! A view of water from the dining room windows, and a train thru the windshield! The rug on the dining room table protects it from paw scratches. Matching throws cover most of the furniture, and there are throw rugs to protect the carpets. Mary was getting a little more relaxed and, if we hadn't had a schedule to keep, we might have stayed here longer.

Enon Beach

Raining and not a single RV park with room. Still early spring. A trucker suggested we park near the scales in the rest stop. Since the trucks were jammed wall-to-wall, we were grateful to follow his suggestion. Luckily, we pack the RV so that everything is accessible while we drive, including the bed! All that planning was coming in handy! It was our first night without electricity, so we were learning a little more about the rv.

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Deciding that bridge railings look like curbs, we settled here for a month while deciding where, and how, to cross the Mississippi River. We knew we were losing the convention, but we still had the intention to get out west. A wide site and trees behind us meant that we had full use of our Internet satellite antenna, as well as our TV satellite antenna. There was no septic, so we also had our first lesson in why you have to buy high end septic gear when you buy an RV. We pulled all the herb pots out of the bathroom, and gave them some sunshine. The prairie across the road was the most perfect view we could imagine. We're both from Illinois, and we had come home.

We had some of the happiest times on our trip here. Mary had finally relaxed, and we took long walks with the dogs. We were getting a lot of exercise and feeling very healthy. The dogs, on the other hand, weren't used to walking so much, so one or the other would often come home riding in a dog pouch. There turned out to be a great vet in the area. The Wal-Mart and grocery stores were wonderful, and we were working our way thru stacks of DVDs we'd gathered for the trip. Lunch was usually a comedy, with something more serious for dinner.

We also got to do some sightseeing. Mary's 3rd great uncle, Sidney Breese, was Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, and a US Senator. Clinton House was his home, and has reproduced his courtroom.

Timber Trails Camp Inn