One month on the road

Having departed New York on September 2, we’ve now been on the road a full month. We’ve added some 4500 miles to our odometer, getting about 18-19 miles to the gallon when not towing the Airstream and 13-14 when we are.

So far, so good – apart from our $80 daily budget, which we have spectacularly exceeded on many an occasion. It’s not that we’ve been extravagant, but the odd motel and cheapish restaurant meal do add up.

The majority of our overspending, though, has been merited. A trailer is a home after all, so it needs to be stocked with food, kitchenware, eating utensils, bedding, towels, and the like. And vehicles need to be serviced to ensure safety.

In addition to the basics, a few added comforts make trailer life all the more enjoyable (and bearable). So on our last shopping trip, which encompassed a Super Wal-mart and a Big Kmart in Gillette, Wyoming, we bought an electric heater – which works if we sleep at a campground with electrical hook-up; a dish drainer – which makes washing dishes a far less expletive-peppered event; a foldable travel highchair for Lulu – feeding a baby without a highchair is a literal pain in the neck; and a fuschia, white and turquoise Huffy bike for Sophia – who finally has a pair of wheels of her own to ride around campsites.

Now – apart from an inability to get a decent night’s sleep in the trailer - we feel fully prepared. And following a serious reorganization of how we store our belongings in the car and trailer, we finally feel at home.