Here is our final list of projects that we must conquer by June in order to hit the road. These aren’t so bad, right?
- Get a towable car.
Since we are going to be gone for a year, we have decided to tow a car for maximum flexibility. However, we don’t want to mess around with trailers or tow dollies, so we’re only interested in flat towing which just means that all four wheels of the car remain on the ground. Only certain cars are built for this type of towing, and our little Scion unfortunately isn’t one of them. We need to sell the Scion and find a car designed for flat towing. - Figure out how to flat tow.
Once we get the right car, I’ll have some hardware to hook up to both the RV and the car to make it all work. I don’t know if I’ll still be able to use our bike rack, or whether our 5 bikes can go on top of the car. We’ll figure something out. - Figure out connectivity.
I HAVE to have internet to run my business. I’ve got a little Verizon device that provides reasonable broadband speeds using the 3G network, but this only works where there are cell towers. I’d like to also get a satellite connection in case I need to get internet in the desert. - Rent the house.
We’re not wild about becoming a landlords, but it seems silly to let a house sit empty for a year. Plus, we need the gas money. - Figure out schooling.
While there will surely be no shortage of teachable moments for our girls (figuring gas mileage, history lessons, relevant books to read, etc.) we like the idea of having some structure and accountability. For that reason, we’re looking at virtual school options to supplement home schooling. We will be researching and choosing one of these options in the coming months. - Find a temporary home for the cat.
We actually have a pair of cats, the eldest of which is a geriatric incontinent cat nearing the end of the line. A sad day awaits for her and us. The other, though, is a healthy 2-ish year old female Chartreux that is actually pretty cool and in need of a good temporary home (hint, hint). - Install an inverter.
Installing an inverter would allow us to use the outlets and other smaller A/C devices without needing a campsite’s electric hookup or needing to run the generator. I’ll have to do a bit of rewiring to the electrical system, but it sure would be nice to be able to watch a movie, reheat leftovers, or recharge our phones even when we’re driving down the road.
We’ll be plotting this list out with deadlines on a shared Google calendar so Amy and I can stay on schedule. If anyone has any experience or advice regarding any item mentioned above, we’re all ears.