The van conversion is coming along well.  I retire in a few weeks.  It is heating up here in the South and my grandson is due a few weeks after I retire.  My tentative plan is to head out in August and pretty much head due North or at least to the mountains.  I planning to take another test trip to the mountains and take one of the scenic drives that I have read about. 

The Most Scenic Drives in America

After a trip to AAA I now am the proud owner of a 2018 Road Atlas and a few tour books.  Since I have been thinking about this trip for a while I bought a couple of books Off the Beaten Path and The Most Scenic Drives in America, both Readers Digest books.  I think I picked them up at a book sale at work.  The drive I am considering is the lookout mountain parkway that runs from Gadsden Alabama to just South of Chattanooga Tennessee.  It includes Noccalula Falls Park, Little River Canyon, DeSoto State Park Sequoyah Caverns, Cloudland Canyon State Park (might have been recommended by someone I know) and Point Park.  The Drive sounds nice and will be a good practice trip.

Thinking about where to stay each night makes me a little nervous.  So, I have joined several facebook groups and installed a few apps.

FB

• Minivan Campers
• Boondockers & Fire Camping
• Gypsy Treasures Van/Car/RV Dwelling/Camping for Women only
• Travelin’ Singles RV & Camping Dating Edition (Didn’t realize it was a dating edition!! :-O)

Apps

• RV Parky
• BoonDocking
• RoadTrippers (love this app!)
• Campendium
• Roadside America (suggested by a coworker but I have not tried this one yet)

Websites

• Freecampsites.net

The Kayak maiden voyage was in the pool!  It worked pretty well.  Next I will take it down one of the rivers that are nearby.

I have a few things on my to do list.  One is to finish a window covering for the rear of the van so when I am camping with the hatch down I have some privacy.  Replacing the solar controller is also needed to so that is compatible with the meter (and all the other parts of the solar system.  I am nervous about doing this myself.

The cross bars also need to be reinstalled so I can carry something on top of the van is really needed.  I don’t think this will be very often since I will need to have the solar exposed to the sun of course. 

Retirement is a mere 2 weeks away.  I’m ready to plan my trip in earnest and hit the road.  In the meantime, I will enjoy the time and volunteer and exercise and do all the things I didn’t have time for while working 40+ hours a week!