Welcome to the OddEssay Blog

The Preparations:

Our journey actually began in November of 2007 when we thought we were going to take to the road and see the rest of the US. As it turned out, I got a new job in December and started working for Hover-Davis Company in January of 2008. Now, 33 months later, we again take up the journey. We are starting this blog as we get ready for our journey even though we do not expect to actually start traveling until November. I am retiring in late September and our current lease expires at the end of September. We will spend October living in the OddEssay getting used to living in the travel trailer and fine tuning what we are taking with us before we actually get too far away from our storage area. We hope you enjoy traveling with us. Stop back often. We will try to update the blog whenever our circumstances change, or we move to a new location, or we see something interesting, although we don't promise any regularity.

June 18, 2010                    We finalized our decision to retire and go traveling today. I notified Human Resources and my boss of our decision. There are lots of questions yet, plenty of potential for problems, and many chances for hair raising adventures, but we are satisfied with our decision and are looking forward to the future.

July 3, 2010                       We went looking at travel trailers today and settled on a used 2006, 27 foot Kodiak travel trailer. It is hereby christened the "OddEssay," although we did not bang a bottle on it as we did not want to add any dents. It isn't quite as impervious to smashed bottles as a Navy destroyer. If you are wondering about the name, consider that I have been doing Technical Writing since 1987 and Julie thinks I am a bit weird. Put that together with the fact we will be journeying and, well, you get the idea.

Disclaimer: This is a blog, not a technical document. I reserve the right to leave typographical errors and even spelling errors (especially since the keyboard on this laptop needs the strike force of a 500 pound gorilla to make sure all the letters appear) and I may even use incomplete sentences, or sentences containing the word "you," or sentences ending in a preposition.

July 8, 2010                       [Odometer: 232108]           Today we added two new leafs to each of the rear springs in the Suburban plus rear Timbren Enhanced Suspension Systems, for additional support and additional load and anti-sway assistance, and new heavy-duty shocks. It rides a bit stiffer with no load, but we should have plenty of steering control when we add the tongue weight of the trailer plus other items loaded in the Suburban.

July 10, 2010                     Today we went to look at the trailer and took pictures and measurements to help us start figuring out what we want to put where. We then went to look at a couple of local campgrounds. We will decide on one tomorrow or early next week and then make reservations for October.

Julie takes a rest on the sofa at the front of OddEssay while Jeff is busy finishing up the photographs.

August 1, 2010                   We were supposed to pick up the trailer yesterday but this was not a good weekend. One of the time consuming items on the work order got overlooked, so we had to leave the trailer there while they finish up the work. However, this was probably a good thing because it meant I did not have to drive the trailer back home yesterday. Friday night I picked up a severe case of diverticulitis and I have not been in very good shape all weekend.

August 25, 2010                 [Odometer 234425] A lot has been happening in our world in the last three weeks as we get ready for our journey. My health is back on track, ulie's wound is healed, the trailer is sitting in the parking lot at work waiting for us, and the suburban is in the best shape it's been in for months. It now has a new catalytic converter, a rebuilt front differential, a rebuilt rear differential, a new mirror control switch, a new passenger door window switch, two extra leaf springs on each side in the rear, new heavy-duty shocks plus a kinder system, and several new seals.

We have been busy sorting and packing. Normally when one moves, things are put into boxes with the expectation of taking them out again at the other end of the move. In this case, every item has to be looked at and judged: take, sell, or store.

On the work front, my time is winding down. Only 16 more working days to go and I doubt I will accomplish much on the last day. One very unique thing that happened concerns my replacement. The company wound up hiring my eldest son to take my place. It seems like old times training him for his new job.

Today we met with a man who is going to quote us a solar electric system for the camper. Assuming we can afford it, this system will give us much more freedom to camp on National Lands where there are no services. We'll know in a few days. If it works out, we will have a bank of four 108 Amp-hour batteries and two 200 watt solar panels plus related controls, circuit breakers, switches, etc. Now all I need to do is find someone who can install a battery isolator in the suburban.