Making a List, Checking it Twice, Thrice

Cat and Dog making themselves at home in the van while I work

Cat jumped into the van and rested.  Dog checking him out.

The reason I've been working so hard on my van mods and repairs this spring is that I'm trying to get on the road in a couple weeks.  Time is getting short.  Very short.  Now that the electrical is fixed, I'm breathing a big sigh of relief.  I found a blown fuse in one of the lights circuits that gives me pause.  It might have blown while I was doing the installs so maybe it is ok.  I'll keep an eye on it.

But there are only 2 weeks before I must be on the road if I am to make it in time for a wedding.  And there is still a lot left to do.  I will get the little desk done as I am currently in the process of doing the finish.  I want to devise an over screen for my roof fan to keep the big bugs out of the fan blades.  Our plague of stink bugs taught me that lesson.

I still have some cabinet straps to make and install.  I've done nothing about organizing the pots' cupboard but it really needs it.  Then there is cleaning the van, and packing up all the stuff for me and the animals.  And getting the house ready to sit for a few weeks.  And I really need to go pick a bunch of blueberries to stock the  freezer.  They will be gone by the time I get back.  And, and, and ... Lots to do.  I just ordered replacement LED bulbs for my halogen lights.  I can do that install when on the road if need be.  They should save a lot of battery time when boondocking.

It would be wise for me and the animals to spend a couple of nights living in the van before we take off to be sure that we have everything and it is set up well for us.  I intended to do that last year but ran out of time and just hit the road not having tried anything before starting.  I figured it out but there was some fumbling and slowness in doing things because of my unfamiliarity.  I've got the cats figured out but the dog is a new resident in my van so I have to be sure I have everything she needs with me and we will have to figure out our routines.

One good thing is that the dog, who used to be very nervous about the van, is now comfortable in it.  I have had the doors open so much that she has jumped into it frequently and is no longer scared of it.  The cats have considered the van to be one of the rooms of their abode since our trip last year.  When it is open, they jump in and take a nap.

I've also been looking at maps for our route.  I found some interesting sites with tons of info on the US Highway system.  I put the sites in my On the Road list of links in this blog.  Among the amusing things I found is that there used to be a US 666 road in western NM.  They renumbered it in the 1980's due to the religious superstition of the American population. At least for a few decades, this country rose above silly superstitions and named something according to a sensible plan instead of magical irrational thinking.  There is still a US 13.  I've been on the US 666 road when it was named that as a child.  Did me no harm.