Introduction and Preparation for the trip!

     It's been three years since our Blog, "Moose Droppings".  For those reading the first time, we are Becky and Jim Singer from Southport, ME. That Blog documented our 11,500 mile trip around the U.S. with our three companions-Dudley Doo-Right, our Newfoundland; Rosie, our Golden Retriever; and Katahdin, our 4" dangling Moose mascot.  We have taken several other RV trips since then, and traded our 2008 Itasca Navion IQ in for a 2013 model this past January.  Why?  Because the old model only had a rear slide, and Dudley took up nearly 1/3 of the floor space.  The new model has a side slide, and we're all a lot more comfortable! 
     Alas, Katahdin will not be with us this trip.  He bounced around so much on a Spring trip that he lost an antler, and we felt it was better to leave him home and let it heal.

     As we prepared to go, we had some issues to take care of.  Becky came down with a severe case of poison ivy, which with treatment will take 3-4 weeks to run it's course.  We also needed to put our "colors" on the RV, proud members of Red Sox Nation that we are!  Our son Greg was nimble enough to put the logo on, prominently displayed!  Hope we make it through NYC safely!
     After finishing up our last minute chores, got the dogs shots up to date, and completed all our "administrative duties", we were ready to go by Wednesday night, August 28th. 
     Lots of folks wished us well on the journey.  Among them, Betsy Pitcher and her daughters Sierra and Kiki.  Kiki is the one in the door, posing.  She thought she should go too!

     
    
So tomorrow we'll be off!