Failure to Launch

The good thing about not having a solid plan is the freedom to go with the flow!

We are officially 17 days past our launch date; yes there was a little frustration. Fear of becoming rooted is certainly a concern but also very unrealistic as life's opportunities will continue to come our way.

If you live anywhere in the country other than Virginia you may think our roots are stuck in the snow and ice...but literally, this is all the snow we have had this season. In true Virginia style, we had no warning of precipitation and the snow turned to puddles within three hours. So what's the hold-up?

1. Storage Issues: While we don't own much we had some last-minute rearranging to do including housing our 1927 Model T roadster.

We were fighting lots of rain and freezing temps which never makes for good moving days, but finally, we got some sunshine and have actually been able to get in some rides before we launch.

2. Car Stuff: We needed to get rid of our larger SUV and find a towable Jeep Wrangler. This took much longer than expected but we finally nailed one down. Of course, it took a few more weeks to get the title in the mail and get all the DMV details handled.

We probably won't be ready to tow it for the first few trips but the good news is it looks like gas prices are dropping!

3.-10. Misc Issues: kid's birthdays, tune-ups for cars and RV, doctor appointments, wrapping up some business at the bar, and blah blah blah.

Rooted but Feeling Free

We have not wasted this time at home base. We love watching the stars, planets, and moon make their way through a 3rd cycle during our stay sprinkled with campfires and gatherings with friends and family.

Speaking of family, we have definitely become quite attached to our donkey neighbors. I think they are just as happy to see us peek our heads out of the RV as we are to see them coming up the hill. We never expected to bond with these semi-feral boogers.

But don't worry we don't hang out with them all day...we are still making our way through Petersburg National Battlefield. Our latest wanderings brought us through the Western Front area which included Poplar Grove National Cemetery which had a groovy Find-a-Grave system and guestbook. *Heads up to those non-Richmonders if you are visiting the Petersburg Battlefield area. Not all areas are pristine, safe, RV drivable, or even open. We came across several signs that said "closed until further notice" despite what Google may have to say about hours. The true closure notices are up to date on the .gov website but you really have to dig for each stop. But on a positive note for those of you that like to hike, we saw many trail heads off of backroads including nearby Dinwiddie sites.