September 2020

Decided to do an overnight test run to see if I had everything I needed for the long term. Drove out to Patapsco Park for the night. Milo was very excited to be back in a car!

Getting to the campsite was super easy. I did have some reservations of backing in the trailer, but managed it with only hopping out of the car twice to double check my wheel placement. I do feel a little badass at backing up a trailer by myself. The campground was quiet and was so nice to quietly set up camp. Knowing I was only going to spend one night, I decided against building a fire--that and it was a little (by my standards--others would say VERY) humid.

Decided to go ahead and cook dinner. It was a little after 5, but I didn't have a real lunch and was pretty hungry and tired. I spent the morning helping out a local group cleanup a watershed area. Getting out the camp stove (my mom's and its probably older than me), I followed all the directions to pump it up and light it. It lit quickly, but then went out. I checked everything and tried again. Again lit fine for about 5 seconds. Then the back end (near the entrance to the fuel line) caught on fire. I quickly pulled out the fuel source and the end of that was on fire. I won't lie, I thought I would possibly die right there if the fire backed into the tank. Thankfully was able to extinguish the fire quickly and opted to not use the stove. I had a backup single propane burner and used it for my simple fair of soup and grilled cheese. Well upscale simple..tomato basil bisque and habanero cheddar.

The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful. I spent a lot of the time organizing things to make sure I could access things easily. Meandered around the campsite some to stretch my legs and settled in for an early night. Milo does enjoy have a window at eye level again to look out (something he hasn't had in a few years).

By morning, I decided I needed to add a level of squish to the bed. I love a good firm mattress, but brand new thick foam mattress was a little to firm for me. Milo who has taken to sleeping in as he's gotten older, was awake bright and early.

I made coffee and relaxed outside until the family next to me decided 9am was the appropriate time to start loudly playing music. I'm a serene morning person. I don't want to talk or hear anyone else talk. I like to sip my coffee and watch the news or just stare into nothingness. But I know folks with kids live different lives, so I decided it was time to pack it up. Only made one small slip up and forgot to plug in my power cord for my brake lights. Realized it at the first traffic light and did a quick run out to fix it. Looking forward to the full trip soon!

Hope you enjoyed the view,
Ocean

How did I get here?

In a little over a week, I will sell my condo that as been my home for over 3 years. The idea came in a moment of frustration during the pandemic. I was working from home, when the toddler next door screamed and set off the yippy dog downstairs. Milo, my 12 year old Jack Russell, picked up his head from the couch as if to ask what I was going to do about the noise. I simply picked up my noise canceling headphones and put them on.

This had become the new norm. My once warm, happy little home more and more was becoming a place where I was trapped day in and day out. And there was no escape. I don't have any outdoor space at my condo. So my only escape is headphones. I had already decided to buy a house in the next year with a yard for both of our sanities. But didn't have the money just yet to be able to buy something. How could I save money faster? Definitely not getting a second job, been there, done that and not going back.

And then I asked the question... What if I didn't have to live here? Could I live in my car? Instantly started searching for "How to live in a CRV?" Got back some good tips. Started seriously considering that yes, I can do this. Talked over the idea with a few trusted friends. One asked if I had looked at roof top tents (I had not). So of course, I did. Those are so cool! And more importantly, they come with a mattress. Reality is I love my sleep. I don't sleep on the ground (call me a princess). More research... Need a roof rack step one....

As I was progressing in my research I had a family call with my mom and brother. They were concerned with my plan. That's fair..single lady taking off without a clear end point. They brought up campers. I dismissed it out of hand. Campers were expensive and one of my goals was to save money. And I drive a CRV with a towing capacity of 1500lbs (yep, had already looked that up as well... Did I mention I love research?). No camper for me!! After a couple of days I talked to my mom and she knows my weakness... "You know, you don't like the cold and a camper with walls would be warmer than a tent." Cut me to my core... I DO NOT like the cold is an understatement. So back to researching...

Teardrop or Aliner? That is what my research brought me to. After speaking with a female colleague who has had both types, I ultimately decided on the Aliner. You can stand up inside, have move ability without just sitting on a bed. And you can cook inside of the weather is really bad. Sold. OK so where to get one.. Apparently I'm not the only one in the country who thought travel by camper was a good idea. Thankfully during a visit to my mom's there was a nearby (3 hours one way) dealership with 2 left.

So now I own an Aliner and planning a trip across country to enjoy the beauty while I can. I'll try to share knowledge of things I learn along the way as well as stories.

You'll be able so see my view,
Ocean