Provisioning

We picked up the Alpine coach on Thursday, exchanging check for keys.  The enormity of it hit us as the dream became real.  Yikes!  We are now the owners of this rather large coach, which rides on six rather large tires.  In fact, everything about this coach is rather large, compared to our little petite Rialta.  (My South African cousin calls the Alpine a moerse motor home - which in Afrikaans means  "hell of a" motor home).  

concentrating on driving between the white lines

The drive back to Maryland from Virginia was a great first learning, if not also rather hair-raising, experience.  Controlling a vehicle this size and staying within the white lines takes some adjustment. Michael managed extremely well, and the coach rides smoothly and maneuvers beautifully.

approaching DC, Washington Monument and Capitol dome
appearing on the horizon  - where on earth is
Garmin taking us??

There was a lot of construction and also an accident along the route back.  We were using my dad's GPS which decided to navigate us back a different way to avoid the gridlock.  That routed us right through DC, so without knowing the roads in the area, and having to rely on GPS prompts, it was a bit stressful driving along the narrower roads Garmin directed us to take.  
The trip back took twice as long, and skeptic me, naturally began to doubt Garmin's ability to navigate us along the fastest route let alone the right one back to Silver Spring.  But eventually we arrived at Cherry Hill RV Park, which also happens to be located less than two miles from where my folks live.  How very convenient that turned out to be for us.

We spent the next several days busy finalizing insurances, and also provisioning and stocking our new home on wheels. Every cupboard was empty, and the larder was bare. We have everything we need back home, of course, and wanted to avoid duplicating what we already have as much as possible.  But we do still need a few basics   - like something to eat off, to sleep under, to dry with, something to cook in and food to eat. Having lived the RV life for several years, I have created lists of all the items that we normally take with us.  It has made packing for a trip a lot easier and the lists were especially helpful to identify what we would require for this journey.  
Luckily family helped out with a lot of items, like dishes, cutlery, and linens (thanks Marek and Lena).  My dad helped with other items we needed, and also lent us his laptop which is almost essential these days to plot our course and identify campgrounds and RV parks along the way. 

taking stock and deciding where it all will live

Luckily too, my folks live in an area where there are major shopping centers in every direction. Stores like Target, Ikea, Home Depot, Ross, Marshalls, Kohl's and Harbor Freight (for some necessary tools), and also Costco and supermarkets came in very handy, welcoming us to spend our dollars as we checked off more items on my lists.
My dad's Honda became the Honda-Truck, faithfully hauling all our procurements and purchases to the Alpine.  It felt like Christmas as we carried in bags of stuff. And it felt like we were newlyweds, setting up house for the first time. What fun!

stuff, stuff everywhere, and plenty of space to put it all

On Saturday we drove to the closest Camping World, which unfortunately is 100 miles away in western Virginia. Camping World is the mecca for campers and boaters, and fully stocked with all the specialty parts, gadgets and gizmos that campers need.  And since we needed a lot of those parts for this motorcoach, off we went on that long drive.  It was a pleasant enough drive and the leaves were just beginning to turn color.  Water hoses, sewer pipes, surge protector for 50-amp electric hookups, an RV-specific GPS (one that gives warnings about low clearance bridges and overpasses), and a few other necessary items were on the Camping World  list.  

the daunting Alpine Bible of
rules and regulations

We eventually got to actually sleep in Alpine for the first time this past Tuesday.  Once we had the proper hoses and cables, and Michael replaced the hot water shut-off valve, we were able to hook up to water and electricity. Michael read the manuals to understand how all the parts function and checked that everything was in working order.  My job was to organize and stash everything into cupboards and drawers.  I continue to be surprised how much storage space there is inside the coach.  This will probably be the last time there will be empty space on board.  I fully expect that once we get home, I will fill every nook and cranny!  

All that remained now was to plot a course for home and take a mostly provisioned Alpine out on the road. Coincidentally, there will be an Alpine Rally in Pismo Beach, California, starting November 14th.  What perfect timing!  Pismo Beach is of course one of our favorite spots, and the rally will be a perfect way to get to know other Alpine owners and for Michael to be able to ask questions and chat about various "boy part" issues. The Pismo Rally gives us a destination goal.  Depending on how things go, we may have enough time to stop at a few places along the way, like Kitty Hawk, Nashville and Memphis. 

Tomorrow is D-day to begin our cross-country trip.  It has taken a full week to get ourselves organized and ready to set off.   But in between the provisioning and setting up, we also enjoyed time with my family.  And we are of course grateful for their help and support as we launch into the long westward trek back home again.  
Pismo Beach, here we come! 

saying goodbye to mom

Marek & Lena stopped by our home to say goodbye

brother Stas also popped round to say goodbye