Travels With Vanette

June-July 2019 Vanette’s 1st Adventure

I need to catch up to real time so that eventually I am covering my current status rather than historical stuff. But right now we are still in 2019…..

My first trip in Vanette, I did not take my dog Jay. She stayed with a friend Wendy in Austin. I was heading to a dance week in Mountain City, Tennessee and it was going to be hot. I was not sure what I would do with her while dancing all day.

I got a late start heading out as I had just spent a week or more in NY with my parents. My dad had fallen and broken his arm and at 95 needed a little extra help. So when I got back to Austin I had to load up Vanette and hit the road fast. I did not stop much on the way as I knew I was going to be a little late for the start of the dance week. I made it to Little Rock the first night and then Knoxville. Slept at rest stops/truck stops and arrived at my destination, Mountain City, TN on day 2 of the dance weekend.

The dance week is Summer ContraDancers Delight Holiday (or Summer CDH). Scott and Ann saved me a spot right next to them so we could share some of the chores. Scott has built out his truck into a camper with a full size bed in the back. He is the epic boy scout and carries plenty of gear. Plus since he built my electric system I figured he could help me learn how to use it (one of the reasons I simply HAD to make this dance week). The dance camp is on private property and has a 150 beds, a Barn/Dance hall with open sides and big industrial fans, cabins with upwards of 150 beds, picnic pavilions, a communal bathroom with showers, a large communal kitchen area, places to set up campers and lots of open land. Not much in the way of cell phone reception especially with T-Mobile so I was pretty much unplugged all week.

We danced mornings & nights. It was pretty hot dancing outside and we all had to pace ourselves and drink plenty of fluids. We took some fun side trips during the afternoons:

The Virginia Creeper Trail: a bike ride down a converted railroad route that is now a hike-n-bike trail. It intersects with the Appalachian Trail at one point, hence the picture of Scott on the trail with a bike helmet on.
Laurel Creek Trail: lovely hike and place to cool off in some pretty cold water.

On the last day of CDH camp we packed up and drove to Roanoke, VI for another dance event called Roanoke RailRoader Contra Dance Weekend. It was lovely to dance indoors with air conditioning. Some of the same dancers and band members were at both events. The last morning the dance was held at a roller skating rink. Some of the more adventurous (and somewhat experienced skaters) actually did a few Contra Dances on skates. The caller had to modify the dances and the dancers had to help each other stay in formation. It was pretty funny to watch.

All in All it was a great virgin trip in Vanette. Scott was able to help me understand how my electrical system worked and how to use the solar panel. We made some lovely meals together at the campsites and hung out with the cows.

Scott and Ann proceeded up to Michigan afterwards and I headed back to Austin. I stopped at Lake Bistineau State Park in Louisiana and had a nice hike and wonderful shower.

The only real problem I encountered was a attack by some really vicious mosquitoes at a rest stop in Louisiana. Even with the screens up they managed to invade Vanette and by morning I looked like I had the Measles which considering that there has been lots of reporting on the upsurge of Measles cases, I was afraid to show myself in public for quite a few days after I got home.

WRTR 2019 – Jay’s first road trip

In January of 2019, my dog Jay and I took our first big roadtrip together in my Subaru Outback to Arizona. I was a little anxious about taking her on such a long trip with multiple stops. And also, it was much colder than I anticipated. I’ve been in Texas now for 30 years and I have gotten a bit spoiled. Yes it does get cold and we do have ‘Winter’ but it is always a shock when it is cold for more than a day or two. But I really wanted to go to the WRTR (Women’s Rubber Tramp Rendezvous) in Quartzite, AZ. And I wanted to take Jay so I could get some idea what traveling with a dog would be like.

The first night we made it to El Paso and it was about 30 deg F. La Quinta allows pets at no extra charge so I got a hotel room. I don’t think I ever took Jay to a hotel before. She was not sure what to make of it. But she was quite happy to see that her food was served in our room.

I am not sure of the exact sequence of events. I stayed in Phoenix with my friend Cindy and her parents for a few days. Jay immediately pulled a large bone out of the trash that Cindy’s dad had found under the couch that day. And I think she decided this was a great place to stay.

Once we made it to Quartzite. I set up in the ‘tent camping area’. There were several other women there in tents or cars. I don’t remember if I mentioned the Habitent that I used on my Subaru. They were first created for the Prius but now you can get them for various hatchbacks. They turn the hatchback into a kind of tent and the back unzips so you can get in and out through the back. It works just like the door to a tent, has a screen or canvas closing and allows air to circulate too.

Then we eventually headed to Quartzite. There were close to 2000 women there! It was pretty amazing. They had multiple ‘learning’ sessions and opportunities throughout the week. Some of the ones I attended: Solar Power, Safety for Women on the road, Hygiene for Women on the road, panel discussions, and I was able to tour the inside of quite a few vehicles and here the stories of multiple women. It was here that I kind of decided a van was the way to go. I had looked at various small towable campers over the last year or so, but had found out that my Subaru did not have a towing package and I would need to invest in installation of one or get a new vehicle. And I was no longer sure what I wanted. At the WRTR, looked at many vans and 5th wheel camper vans. During the safety discussion there was mention of how nice it was to feel that you could just climb into the driver seat in the middle of the night if you felt unsafe for any reason and just drive off without having to get out of a towable or attempt to break camp. And also the benefit for boon-docking. And a few women said they didn’t mind having to tow something but the majority said it was a bit of a hassle and a limiting factor.

The trip home was mostly uneventful. I had a lot to think about. We stayed at various campsites. The weather varied from very cold to sunny and slightly warm. Jay seemed happy to be home BUT….The next day after cleaning out the car, she laid down in the back and refused to get out. She usually follows me everywhere but that day she sat in the car even while I went inside made a cup of tea and did some laundry. She had decided we needed to go somewhere…anywhere. I eventually broke down and took her for a ride and a walk and had dinner at an outdoor restaurant where she could sit and hang out with me. Now whenever I pick up my keys she jumps up and follows me. She doesn’t want to miss out on any roadtrips!

Jay refused to get out of the car once it was cleaned out.

Winter 2018 – a short trip to Santa Fe

During the first several months of my retirement, I spend a great deal of time watching Bob Wells videos on YouTube and reading everything I could find on traveling solo, RV-ing, travel trailers and especially solo women traveling.

In Nov 2018, I took a short road trip from Austin to Santa Fe to meet up with my friend Bev. I left Jay with my friend Wendy again and hit the road; still in my Subaru Outback. The details are a bit of a blur of course it now being Jan 2020 which is one of the reasons I feel I need to 1. document my trips in a blog closer to real time AND 2. why I need to go back and review my photos and see what I can remember…at least where I went and where I might want to return to. So…..

I know I stopped the first night or 2 in Weatherford and stayed with Cindy’s daughter Ann. And then headed to Santa Fe. But before I made it to Santa Fe it started snowing. I hadn’t driven in snow in many, many years. By night fall, it was pretty bad but the road was pretty baron and no place to stop. I finally came to a gas station and little motel and manage to get the last room at the motel where I spent the night.

In the morning, I had to scrape the snow and ice off the windshield with piece of plastic I had in the car. And drove 10 mph for an hour or two til I finally made it to the Santa Fe Airport to pick up Bev. It was pretty f—-ing cold the first 2 days. We looked for some indoor activities and managed to find a few art museums and of course shopping (which I really didn’t need to do but always get pulled into it when I am with Bev).

It finally warmed up enough for us to do a little hiking. We went to Kash-Katuwe Tent Rock National Monument which was fascinating and a great place to hike. My cameral ran out of batteries and a lot of my photos were taken with my phone but they still capture the unique setting.

On the way back to the hotel, I took a ‘shortcut’ and ended up on a dirt road for miles and miles. I did love my Subaru! It was so fun. Although Bev was a ‘bit’ anxious but that just made it even more fun.

After I dropped Bev off at the airport, I headed back to Texas with some stops along the way.

I spent several hours at White Sands National Monument one afternoon. It was a surreal landscape and I would love to go back when I have time and actually so ‘sledding’ on the sand dunes. The photos don’t do it justice. The sand is so while and smooth. It seems like another planet. I can’t wait to take my grandson sand sledding there someday!

I stopped at the McDonald Observatory and froze for several hours for a less than interesting “star gazing party”. Not something I would bother with again.

I spent an afternoon at the Fort Davis National Monument. That was a rather sobering tour, fit in well with my summer Civil Rights theme. Much of the information had to do with how poorly and differently the buffalo soldiers were treated from the white soldiers.

I spend a lovely Saturday in Alpine, TX visiting the shops and seeing the local artistry.

And then I was back in Austin!

Summer 2018-My First Solo Road-Trip

My first road trip after retirement was in my Subaru Outback. It was my first long solo trip and I am sure I was a bit anxious about it. Would it prove to be the beginning or end of my dream. Would I enjoy traveling on my own or would I be lonely? Could I handle sleeping in my vehicle on a regular basis?

Well, I am writing this a year later and I can tell you it was not the end! I loved listening to audio-books as I drove through beautiful, varying landscapes. I was never “lonely”, but very much enjoyed my solitude and also enjoyed meeting people along the way.

The journey developed its own theme as I found myself in multiple museums and parks that focused on America History: specifically revolving around Slavery, the Civil War and Civil Rights. One of my first stops was Memphis where I connected with a former coworker and we spend several hours at the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel. It was bigger and more engaging then we expected and we spent more time there than we thought we would.

Other places that I explore along the trip that kept the theme going:

The Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.
The International Civil Rights Center & Museum in the Woolworths in Greensboro, NC
Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson
Mount Vernon, on the Potomac River
Montpelier, home of James & Dolly Madison
Highland, Charlottesvile, VA; home of James Monroe
And 2 of my favorite unexpected stops: the Mark Twain House & Museum and the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center right next to each other in Hartford, Connecticut. The tour through the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center was exceptional and very different than any other house tour. They take small groups thorough the house but focus on her impact and influence. At the end of the tour the group sits around her dining room table and has a guided discussion about Racism in America.
And also the home of another of my childhood idols: The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum in Springfield, MA. A great place for both kids and adults. The lower floor contains life size replicas of some of his most famous characters. On the upper level, adults can discover more about the author’s history and character as revealed by correspondence with his family and earlier works.

Some of the most memorable stops:

Niagara Falls: I grew up in NY but on the opposite side of the state from Niagara Falls and I had never seen it. My brother and his wife who live in Chicago met me there and we spent a couple of days hanging out and seeing the falls. It was fun to have some company for that one especially since my brother is very high energy and did all the sightseeing planning.

CDSS Pinewoods Dance Camp in Plymouth, MA: A week of dancing at this CDSS sponsored camp was my retirement gift to myself. I had wanted to go for a long time and was excited to finally register. A couple of dancing friends from Austin were also going which meant that I would at least know someone there. It was a wonderful week and a lovely setting (even if it was the hottest week they had ever had at camp). I have been Contra Dancing for about 10 years now and it is amazing. The people are the friendliest, most welcoming people I have ever met. I will have to write a post just about Contra Dance and what it has done for me. In the meantime, if you want to know more about it just google “Contra Dance near me” and you are likely to find a group. It is sort of a “cult”.

Pinewoods sits on a peninsula, swimming and kayaking available

My Mom’s 90th Birthday Party: This was the ultimate goal of the trip; to make it to my mom’s birthday party. It was a year in the planning. My dad really, REALLY wanted to do something special for her birthday. We invited relatives and friends from far and near. It was a bit stressful in the planning phase but we manage to pull it off.

On the way back to Austin, I also managed to visit a couple of national parks: Shenandoah NP, Great Smokey Mountain NP and visit my cousin in Greensboro, NC.

So, I learned that I love to travel. I enjoyed every moment and was never lonely. So it was time to start thinking about my next steps.

Vanette’s Story

When I got my little van, she was just a shell of herself. Although I had done quite a bit of investigation to figure out what to buy, I did not realize how much time I would need to spend learning everything I didn’t know. With limited skills, knowledge, tools, supplies and $$$$; I spent many hours trying to understand it all and figure out where to start.

As it was rather noisy, I started with noise reducing insulation: Reflectix. It did help with the noise somewhat and I was able to do it myself which was encouraging.

Reflectix is easy to cut with a utility knife and then you peel off the backing and stick to any surface. The roller tools help smooth it firmly in place.

I really did not want to use up any space with thick wooden floors. I happened to find some sheet vinyl that covered the Reflectix, added a little more cushion and it didn’t look too bad. Plus it was soft and made a nice cushion when kneeling.

At the same time, I was accumulating items I would need. You can see my cooler in the picture below.

Sheet vinyl installed. Green painters tape indicates potential layout of bed and counter

Then my friend Scott got involved. First he helped build a platform for my dog, Jay so that she had room to sit on the front seat. It also allows me to store quite a bit of stuff under it so increases my storage space too. It took Jay a while to get use to riding in the front seat but she also would not stay in the back of the van. I am still trying to figure out how to get her to use a restraint but she likes to move from back to front especially on long drives. The platform is easily removed and has ended up being useful for numerous things such as a stand for my solar panel or for drying clothes.

We came up with a design for my bed and some counter space. Then Scott really got to work. I helped him cut the wood out for the build. But then my dad broke his arm & I left my van with Scott while I went to NY to help my mom and dad.

I tried & tried to understand how to set up an electrical system to no avail. It was great to have someone that could guide me: Scott told me exactly what to buy. When I got back to Austin, Scott had installed the electrical system, the platform for my bed and the counter.

Some 3 inch memory foam made the bed into a bed, although I had to use bungee cords to keep the foam from sliding off initially. I have since added a small lip to the platform to hold the foam in place. Plastic storage bins that I already had worked for storage under the bed and counter.

And then it was time for a road-trip.