He Says, She Says: Road Trip Planning
Mari
When we first embarked on the mobile lifestyle, a close friend of ours told us she thought Ty and I would either end up closer together than ever before… OR we’d end up killing each other. Okay, obviously not literally, but you catch the drift, eh? LOL
Downsizing from several thousand square feet (uh, did I mention separate bathrooms?!) to a mere couple hundred square feet continues to challenge us. Living with your betrothed in these tight quarters magnifies everything.
[Photo: Sunrise over Mission Beach, San Diego, CA. This was the view from our home!]
And, for the most part, we’re doing just fine. We’re on the "closer together" end of the spectrum. It’s just the planning part that sometimes finds us at loggerheads. Where to go next, which route to take, what sites to see, who to visit, etc., etc.
Much as we’re both enjoying the great outdoors, exploring, and sightseeing, we both love our seminars! When we were in Las Vegas in September for Ty’s seminars, I lobbied hard to head southeast from there - to see the Grand Canyon, Sedona, into New Mexico. In other words, stay in the sunbelt for the chilly winter months.
But, Ty voted for heading north to cruise through the beautiful Sequoia and Yosemite Parks. That did sound appealing, and I already had a seminar booked in Seattle in early December, so I figured maybe we’d keep just going north and be able to brave the cold long enough.
[Photo: Ty at Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake in northern Washington. Taken 11.15.07 on the way back from B.C.]
Well, we haven’t frozen yet! And we did enjoy a trip up to Kootenay Lake, BC, to visit my mum as I mentioned here.
Then, Ty told me he was thinking of attending another real estate seminar - this time in Phoenix, AZ, on November 29-30. (See, we should’ve stayed in the sunbelt?!)
After many lonnnnng discussions and considerations - including Ty flying solo, both of us flying, and driving the RV - we chose to stick with our plan of touring the Pacific Northwest ’til December 7, then head south for the Holidays.
(If we’d hammered down the I-15 from Spokane to Phoenix over ten days, covering 140 miles a day, we could’ve covered the 1,400 miles! But, that’s not exactly fun RVing, now is it?)
[Photo: Ty takes a snap of us both on the edge of Bass Lake, near Oakhurst, CA. Taken 10.19.07.]
At the end of the day, the road trip planning part comes down to our different motivational styles. I’m an off-the-charts detail-oriented, logistical master-planner. Ty loves to go with the flow, keep all his options open ’til the last second, and steer clear of too much planning. 
(Fortunately, we’ve both studied a ton of personality assessments and tend to understand ourselves and each other well! If you’re familiar with Myers Briggs, you’ll recognize I’m a J and Ty’s a P.)
Whew, there sure is much to consider when RVing in cold weather, though. Today, we’re in Coeur D’alene, headed for Seattle over the next 2-3 days. Both Hwy 2 and 90 have mountain passes; I checked the weather and livecams and, yep, there’s bunches of snow!
[Photo: Mari standing on the shore of Kootenay Lake at Balfour, BC... in front of mum's house. Taken 11.15.07, the day we left and, yes, it's snowing!]
P.S. Yesterday was a rare treat. After one bad haircut, I finally found an awesome hair stylist in Coeur D’alene (I sure miss my Darlene in San Diego!), and treated myself to a new "do." Ty, bless him, took care of three loads of laundry at the RV Park… turns out two other dudes were doing the same and they all had a blast together! (The laundry room tends to be the most social place at campgrounds!)
Posted on: Monday, November 19, 2007 at 8:58 pm 
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Mari,
November 20th, 2007 at 2:29 pmThis is a wonderful thing to live together, and the photos are gorgeous. I remember BC in summer, but in winter! you have to be very brave. I hope the driving is not too tiring.
Cheers,
Nadine
Wow Mari! I loved catching up on your last four posts. I feel like I am traveling with you! (ouch-no, too crowded!) But seriously, Coeur D’alene is so beautiful even in the cold and Michael says you will get some great shots in Seattle, no doubt.
November 24th, 2007 at 7:11 pmWe are lovin’ the photos. Thanks so much for the visuals with the videos too. Keep ‘em coming.
Before you know it you will be in Phoenix soaking up the sun and we will be vicariously enjoying it with you.
Happy Holidays!
@Nadine - yes, brave for sure!
We lost our awning on the Hood Canal Bridge yesterday. That was darn scary. We knew we were pushing the envelope by RVing in winter conditions. Thankfully, we’re safely back in Seattle area now and headed south (’til the butter melts!!) this week.
@Alexandra - great to hear from you!! Thanks for staying in touch. With so many stunning scenes to photograph, I’m inspired to get an even better super-duper camera and maybe take a class at some point. I’m delighted with the pics so far, just want to take it to another level!
December 4th, 2007 at 11:33 am[...] Wow, what an eventful week. Finally, the date arrived for me to attend the Web Community Forum Facebook Conference in Seattle. For the past month or so, Ty and I molded our entire travels around this one event. (Otherwise, we would’ve long gone south as I mentioned here). [...]
December 10th, 2007 at 12:44 am