Recalling My First Trip

Well, it's nearly a month since I returned from my 2 months of "Meanderings" around the country and I find myself trying to recall as much as I can -- wishing I had started this blog before the trip began -- though, I didn't even know how until my daughter (Laura) showed me.  Now I struggle to remember things I had not written down as I moved from place to place -- struggle too in maneuvering about the blog to enter comments, pictures and compose/edit the layouts (sometimes to the point of total frustration).  Still need Laura's help too in connecting/linking folders with more pictures -- maybe a Picasso Album function?

Having driven over 8000 miles in my '04 Jeep Liberty while towing a 3000 pound pop-up camper/trailer (an '04 Fleetwood Westlake) to cities or campsites along my route -- I had to sink over $3000 in repair costs into the Jeep -- lost AC compressor in the Texas desert, starter failed in Tempe and had crankcase looked at and cleaned, front brakes needed to be replaced in Modesto, CA and power steering leaked/failed while coming out of the Smoky Mountains.  The camper/trailer did better than the Jeep -- only sustained some wind damage while on the western slopes of the Rockies in Colorado.

Originally, I set-out from northern Virginia around mid May in memory of my deceased younger sister (Kathy) and hoped she could have been with me (if only in spirit) to help guide me to places and people I needed to see -- her company along the way would have been really nice to have also.  Now, my memory and notes come together with other thoughts and hopes too that no one is offended by my comments or recollections.  I will hopefully complete this sometime soon and before I take to the roads permanently with my twin tuxedo cats (Tiger and Molly) for company.

One cousin (Gene) already feels offended and believes that I singled him out and snubbed him for some reason -- "Ill mannered of Me" he insists but, I assure him again that was not the case -- just selfish of me as I wanted more time in the mountains of Colorado (do some fishing) before I headed back to the East Coast.  Also, wanted to check out some of the small towns around South Fork or Alamosa in case I decide to relocate back to the region (summers in the DC area are too humid to enjoy July/August and the past two winters have been too cold or too much snow -- nearly half the year wasted).