So happy for a garage door in my Coach

Willie can watch what's going on without escaping

I love the 'french' door..Willie can see through it, but can also be contained in the living area of the Coach.  This is sooo handy for moving things in and out.  Most of the Road Warrior models have the option for a slider door, but since our entertainment center is on that wall, we're out of luck.  

Scooter goes for her last groom tomorrow...thankfully once we're down in Buckeye, AZ, our dear friends who have moved there will have a good groomer for their dogs.  But once we really strike out on our own, we'll have to rely on locals wherever we happen to be.  We have an outside shower, so we can either wash her outside or just take her in our shower with us.  That may end up being what we do, unless the parks we stay at have a self doggy wash station like this one.  We are going to ask Nicole, her groomer, how to care for her feet and nails ourselves.  She'll need nails done before haircuts, due to her neglect before we rescued her.

Pirate is concerned about the angle of the ramp door and getting the bike high-centered.  We're looking at places we can move the Coach to so we can relieve some of that angle.  I'm sure once we get the hang of loading and unloading, it'll be a piece of cake, but I want spotters for the first time.  I've had to pick that bike up off of my Pirate before, and nearly tore a muscle in half doing it.  I don't know how I managed other than the adrenaline you get...the kind that allows mothers to pick up cars off their babies kind.  It was slow motion and done without thinking...he was underneath and I was getting him OUT OF THERE!  Thankfully, we were only going 5 mph when we hit pea gravel about a foot thick.  The gravel just grabbed those tires and we stopped!  I stepped off the bike like we'd always practiced, then flipped around and lifted the bike.  I had the shoulder injury that we didn't know about and Pirate was thoroughly bruised...Rosie only had a scratch on one of her saddle bags.  Our  friend Mikey offered to come get us with his bike trailer, but we ended up finishing that trip, thanks to prayers and Angels.

We have a 'slight' change in plans for heading south...we didn't realize how far east Moab, UT is...it's totally out of our way, so Kitty doesn't get to go this time.  =(  We will be going through Bryce Canyon, Zion's Park, and Grand Canyon and will probably stay in that area for three days.  More friends than I knew about are coming to meet us there and ride in.  I'm not so sure how I feel about that.  Seems like a lot of folks are hanging from our coattails here...with two friends uprooting their lives and moving to AZ.  I'm really looking forward to some time with my husband...ahem, people!  Pirate did reassure me that this is OUR journey and they can make plans around OUR schedule....I just hope that is what happens.  I've waited such a long time for this and dreamed and schemed and planned for this.  Hopefully the 'newness' will wear off quickly and they will settle into some sort of routine that doesn't include us every day.  I'm going to be selfish with my time because like I said, I've waited far too long to let someone else infect their wishes into this.  Can you sense the agitation, lol?  

Big Sigh...and thanks for letting me rant a bit.  We will only be in Buckeye for 7 months, and that will be the longest we stay in one spot.  We're going to get the kinks worked out down there and do some upgrades to the Gypsy Rose, too.  We will get our screen room and slide toppers while there (the fridge slide REALLY needs help keeping things cool).  Next April/May we will head North and come see the kids, then start planning the rest of our journey.  I'm going to have to get used to traveling in this big ol' Rig by then without getting so nervous.  I just keep telling myself that if we can make through the Big Horn Mountain Range with the Gypsy Rose, we can make it through anything!  That shakedown cruise really did prepare us.

Now I'm off to design our business cards.  I'm printing up cards to hand to folks with the website on it.  That way folks we meet along the way can follow us.

I had a comment on the last entry that said they couldn't live in a fifth wheel.  It's not for everyone, that's for sure.  Most folks have a need for the stix n' brix.  That's ok, not everyone can see themselves doing Harley road trips, either.  It's got to be in your blood, I think.  I just have way too many things I want to see before I get my ticket to the other side.  As King George said, "I ain't here for a long time, I'm here for a good time!" I am the truly independent of the good opinion of other people, I know who I am, and I really dig being me...it's great fun being a crazy old biker chick with too many tattoos!