Ok, so I was a girl scout. Maybe some of my penchant for preparedness comes from that. And maybe some it comes from having lived as a kid in two places (a house and a boat) and always having to make sure I had what I needed with me. Or maybe it’s because I’m a diabetic and I always need to be prepared for whatever my disease will require. Suffice it to say, I like to prepare and plan. And for a big trip like the the one we’re about to embark on, I’m going all out.

There are some vacations/trips that you may want to wing. But a 22 day, 13 stop camping trip across two countries isn’t one of those trips.

This is the kind of trip where you want to have everything you may need with you. You want to be prepared for all kinds of activities (hiking, biking, kayaking, swimming). You want to be prepared for all kinds of weather (cold, hot, rain). You want to be prepared for “impromptu relaxation” (hammock, kite, marshmallow roasting stick). You want to make sure you can get to where you want to go (car washed, tuned, and window deflectors installed). You want to be comfortable (camper ready, extra bedding, everything tested). You want to make sure the dog is ready (haircut, bags packed, car bed clean). You want to be sure things at home are ok (cat sitter ready, house clean, mail stopped, sick cat staying with trusted friends). You want to have plenty of entertainment (eBooks, movies and tv downloaded to iPads, iPod stocked with driving music, appropriate apps loaded, knitting, painting, photography gear packed).

And though not everything is done yet, by the time we leave tomorrow I (we) will be ready!