Epic Eclipse Adventure: Day 0

So after buying an RV on a whim, we stuck around San Diego an extra week while the sales guys inspected and cleaned it up for pickup. Friday after we bought it, we went to the yard and got our initial walk through, to get acquainted with our new new moving house. Turns out it’s pretty complicated. And definitely overwhelming. “Let me show you all 40 ways you could accidentally destroy this RV…. here are the keys, have fun!”

We were both struck by the intensity of the feelings that came up once we officially signed the papers. We’re worried it’s too big. We’re worried it’s too expensive. We’re worried about whether we’re getting the right kind of extended warranty and insurance. We’re feeling the weight of this whole thing… this is BIG. The RV is big, the decision is big, the trip is big. Is this how people feel when they buy houses? It feels like there’s no turning back, and the future is unknown and unknowable, and that’s scary and exciting at the same time.

We drove it back up to my parents’ house, and felt really conflicted. Do we drive it home to San Francisco? Do we leave it in San Diego for now? Do we try to drive it up to the total eclipse? Do we get home to SF and then find another way to go to the eclipse? We’re hemming and hawing, but one thing we DO know is that we need to familiarize ourselves with this large machine, and quickly.

We decide to at least stay in San Diego for the rest of Friday, and spend the evening reading as much of the manuals as we can. If we decide to go to the eclipse, we would have the weekend to do it. Ready or not… we have an RV.

We bought an RV!

And now our name doesn't apply anymore. Just Vantasy is now officially the Tinker Trailer! (And yes, we know Tinker Trailer doesn't quite apply, either, but we like it so *sticks fingers in ears* la la la laaaaaaa.)

Long story short: we were in San Diego visiting family, Awesome Cousin Chad discovered and informed us of an RV show happening that weekend, we went to go check out Sprinter vans. Did you guys know Sprinter vans were surprisingly small? And that RVs are bigger? Yeah, so did we. But actually seeing the difference -- and imagine living in one of those vans, trying to fit more than one person in the hallway at a time, and actually trying to get work done in one -- was startling. Enter beautiful, well-taken-care-of, used RV. Five days later, we picked it up. The next morning, we drove to Idaho for the total eclipse. (I mean, why not. Right?)

"So how's the planning going?"

It's not. It's not going. But that's okay!

Since the last check-in, the following things have happened:

• Mike gave notice at work...
• But then has had to work approximately 90+ hours a week to get all his stuff done, and also go to China.
• Which means I'm working about the same, because I'm trying to prep my team for my being gone.
• Which means we have spent a total of zero minutes planning the trip.
• My parents moved from Bakersfield to San Diego, so we now get to spend a month in San Diego and skip Bakersfield entirely. I consider this a win. (No offense Bakersfield. But, kind of.)
• My bff is planning on moving from Austin to England, which... isn't exactly an easy detour. So again, less time in Texas.
• But we have had zero time to update the itinerary, nor even send nice emails to all of our loved ones politely asking them whether we can park in their driveways and use their bathrooms for a month at a time. This has also led to about a dozen awkward conversations that went like this:

Me, to someone I talk to ALL THE TIME and somehow haven't mentioned the trip to yet: <Fill in the blank such and such thing> won't really matter anymore soon, anyway, because of the trip.

Them: ...

Me: ...You know about the trip, right?

Them: What trip? Are you guys going to be traveling again?

Me: Oh, shoot... yeah! We're going to take a van trip around the country for a year!!

Them: WHAT. Why didn't you tell me??

Me: I'm so sorry! I thought I had!

Them: That's so awesome. When? Where are you going to go?

Me: Uh... well... so... can we stay at your place for a month in February?  Surprise!

Sorry, loved ones. But in our defense, our plan was to write you very nice letters about three months ago politely informing you that we'll be in your hometown and we'd love to spend time with you.

So the plan is, once work settles a little bit, itinerary will be updated, letters will be sent, and van will be procured!