Filed under: Campgrounds & RV Parks, Family Camping, Good Sam, RV Campgrounds

Time to Plan…

February 24, 2013 by Diane Berry · Leave a Comment

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The time has come; the time is now. Last year, being the year of our big move, we did not travel during the summer as we usually do. We were too busy still moving west and getting settled in, 1500 miles away from our former home. To be comfortable traveling, we needed to be more secure home base.

This year we have established that home base. We have been living here for nearly a year. We have settled in remarkably well and are even planning some minor improvements that we will be working on this year. I have work that I enjoy; Terry is settling into his new routine and taking classes in building and landscaping at UNM Taos to help make those improvements a reality. We have also had the pleasure of enjoying the company of all three of our children for the entire month of January, making it feel even more like home. The time has come to plan our travels for the year.

Even though I do much of my work everyday on a computer and via the internet, when starting to plan our travels, I prefer to go back to my old familiar tools: a Good Sam RV Travel Guide, a new Atlas, a notebook and a pen. Later I will incorporate new technology in my final planning and on the trip, via Mapquest and Google Maps on my smartphone. Woodalls also has an I phone app that makes travel planning easier. But for starters, I prefer the feel of the books in my hands, the maps under my fingertips and the pen on the paper.

I set up in a corner of the living room floor, taking over the spot so I can spread out the tools of my work. Even the puppies know to stay away when I settle in to my planning mode. I want to be able to page through the atlas, get a visual image of the distance between spots we are considering adding into our trip, and be able to switch back to the United States map at the front of the atlas, for yet another visual image to help firm up my ideas and plans.

I generally start with a few ideas for destinations, then crunch the miles and the visuals to see what fits into the trip, setting aside the rejected ideas for other years and other trips. This year I have two destinations in mind, but due to my work schedule and limited time off, this may require two trips. One will be to Glacier Park in Montana and the other up into Colorado to climb two 14,000 foot peaks that we had planned to summit several years ago. Unfortunately we had to abandon our plans that year due to the impracticality of that plan for that year due to a great deal of road construction between where we were staying and where we needed to be.

So, my planning process has begun. I have decided on two destinations and reconciled myself to planning two trips. I will keep you posted as my progress continues and update you on the details as I flesh them out. Hopefully you will be inspired to begin planning your travels as well. Happy travels!

To begin your planning, search for Woodall’s inspected campgrounds.