We spent about 10 days in Nashville before we set out on our journey so we could spend some time visiting family and friends. We spent the morning having breakfast with our Granddaughter Ellis. Courtney was there also, but Ellis was the real star of the show. Missing time watching Ellis grow up is probably the hardest part of our travels over the next few years. We also believe we will have multitudes of stories to share with her and any other grandchildren we will have in the future. Sharing our stories with our family and friends is huge for us. We felt the blog was a great way to document our adventures so we can share them with others. It will also be great for us to look back and cherish those memories.
We finally got on the road late morning on June 7, 2022. My official retirement date was June 6, 2022. Lisa had already retired in 2018. The first day of travel was planned to be an easy one, so the late start was not an issue. Spending time with Ellis was well worth a late start. Lisa was trying to figure out how to escape with Ellis without anyone noticing, but decided Ryan and Courtney might object to that plan.
Mark worked for months plotting the route, booking campgrounds and researching the areas. It was a lot of work and planning to set up this first 6 months of our adventure. The trip was designed with purpose and intent versus just willy nilly taking off. We have planned and anticipated so much- such as maintenance for the coach and for us. There has been literally years of research and planning invested into this trip already.
So…. Off we go to start our adventure.
With that being said, we had an approximate 150-mile drive to Metropolis, IL, the home of Superman (Statue) and Noel Neill, the original Lois Lane, the intrepid reporter for the daily planet and love interest of Superman and his alter ego Clark Kent.
While in Metropolis, we also stopped Big John’s Grocery store. From what we were told, these used to be a chain of stores. Now there are only a handful around. The one in Metropolis has an original Big John greeting you.
Google is a great thing. We looked up things to do in the area. The superman statues and Big John grocery store were actually at the top of the list for top attractions. There was a casino nearby, but we opted to skip it after the excitement of the Big John statue. We didn’t want to set the bar too high for the rest of the trip.
On our way out of town, we took a walk on the river near this Lighthouse. It was a nice walk and allowed us to get Karma out. We are actually looking forward to seeking out parks and things to do that get us outside and active. It is great for us and Karma loves it. Most of our stops will be at COE parks or state/national parks. We should have many great trails and parks ahead of us.
Tomorrow we are back on the road. So far, so good. Karma isn’t really sure what is going on, but he is adjusting well to life on the road. He is already learning the signs that it is time to pack up and move on.
We are each learning as we go. We have definitely learned we need to make lists because we will forget. We are doing well working together as a team. It is a good thing we like each other, because there is no such thing as privacy. Having a sense of humor is a must. We have to laugh at ourselves and each other. It is critical that everything has a place and we put it back in its place when we are done with it. Living in a RV is like playing Jenga. It is a balancing act.
Below is our planned route for the remainder of 2022:
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