Security Blankets

Fall is kicking in, but winter is licking its chops to get here. I plan to drop south quickly after a brief “I was in the neighborhood” visit to Knoxville. There is less competition for camping sites, at least in Virginia. I am sure the conditions will change as I head further south. A convoy of Fleetwood Bouncers nearly blew me off the road as they passed by me in the Shenandoah Valley. Their Pennsylvania tags looked to be Florida bound. They will arrive tomorrow. Me? I plan on taking three days.

I listened to Camping in the Zone this morning. Raymond Brody’s lead topic on his radio show was about the cold weather. I was relieved to learn that the pipes, the toilet, the shower and other water features in the camper will not freeze with just one night of cold weather. However, while the RV might not freeze, that doesn’t mean I won’t. Anything below seventy is freezing. Fortunately, I have a heater in the RV. Set on low it kept the bite out of the air last night and Diablo did sleep under the covers curled up in the crook of my arm. (She is no fool. She knew where it is warm.)

Here is my confession. Starting out on this four month road trip, I had no RV experience. Going alone made me a little nervous, but my spirit of adventure always gets the best of me. Being alone was not going to stop me, even if I was a bit concerned. It was not until this morning that I realized I had a couple extra security blankets.

The first blanket is the camaraderie of those who RV. Many people notice my little and old RV. Or they notice the cats. It is not uncommon to strike up conversations with anyone in the campground regardless where you meet: camp store, adjacent campsite, front entrance, bathroom…

The other sense of security comes from Raymond. Whether I am talking on the air with Raymond, or just listening to him on the radio (or the internet in my case), I have felt that if I got into a real pickle, I could call his store in Nashville or Knoxville and get a good bit of advice and if needed a shot of confidence. Fortunately, I have not had any major issues with the RV or my confidence. Yes, the engine light came on hours after I began the trip (Mom reassured me that it had done this for years) and there was a few weeks of stinky hot water (Dad and I took care of that) and I was concerned about freezing pipes (Raymond addressed that this morning). I knew I could always call Dad and I have Good Sam’s emergency road service for the extreme cases. But knowing there are other RVers out there and a special person like Raymond who has a wealth of expertise to share, I have confidently motored down the road seeking the next place to sell a book or two. I am hardly alone.

Thanks Raymond.

Hawaii: Aloha. Praying you are all safe.