Today’s the day!!! Tune in at 3:00 on the goRVing Facebook page for a live reveal of how Janine has taken our little R-Pod 196 from “Factory to Fabulous!” We are so excited to show you all the special touches that have totally transformed this camper into a cozy, elegant showstopper.

“Janine used bright and cheerful wallpapers from Spoonflower to give the camper an elegant, artsy feel. Campers don’t have to be brown!”

“2020 RPod 196…taking her for a test run for the next four months!”

I’ve been trying to come up with a great name for my epic trip. I have decided I’ll be chasing the sun to stay warm as I travel further south so that’s just what I’ll call it. And yesterday was officially the very first day!!! And what a crazy day it was.

First, we had to pack up our hotel room. It is absolutely amazing what two people can accumulate in three short days! Once we were packed up, we headed to Advanced Auto Parts to buy a 2” ball for my hitch since that’s the size the RPod needs. I found one, but they didn’t have a wrench big enough to handle the job so I went across to the Goodyear store. They didn’t have a big enough tool either. So, rather than keep searching, I just went back to Advanced Auto and bought a new hitch at the correct size and we headed to Hershey Park to pick up the new camper.

“Camping in the early days in Denver. This is just down the street from where Ben & Sue live!”

Janine and I spent our time at the RV Show yesterday browsing around for content for our blogs. We stood for eight hours and walked nearly 10,000 steps. By the time the show was finished, we were exhausted but then there was work to be done. Processing and editing photos, writing blog posts, calculating trip routes and travel times. All the logistics that come with the postmortems of a travel show.

“Janine, her BFF Carol, and me in front of the R Pod at the Hershey RV Show.”

Ok, so I thought Friday’s show was busy? Hokey Smokes!!! Yesterday was absolutely insane at the RV Show…but SO amazingly fun! Hundreds of people came and walked through the camper. Everyone loved the decor and if they didn’t…it was probably a guy. Guys don’t necessarily get the whole “decorate your camper” thing. That’s why most campers are varying themes of BROWN. I think a guy takes a look and says, “Yeah…that won’t show dirt. Use that!”

“I can’t believe the number of camping trailers here at this show!!!”

Who remembers Ed Sullivan telling you to keep watching because “it’s a really big shew”? Janine and I made it to the Hershey RV Show yesterday and…OMGosh…it is HUGE!!! I mean…like, you couldn’t see everything in a whole week! Every camper you can think of is here. And some I’ve never heard of. There are vendors selling everything from bumpers to hitches and everything in between.

“Tonight is a full moon AND Friday the 13th! What could POSSIBLY go wrong?”

If you have ever worked in an emergency room, you know it is guaranteed to be crazy busy on the night of a full moon and any Friday the 13th. Add the two? Yikes! Let’s just say, I’m super happy I am going to go work an RV show today and not an ER!

“Little Bit, taking a walk in her pretty party dress.”

Someday, when our great granddaughter grows up, I want her to look back on her memories of me and think, “Wow! My Gigi was REALLY brave!” I want there to be family stories like, “Remember the time Gigi went on that five month camping trip on her own??? That was awesome!” But more importantly, I want her to remember running into my arms after church and plastering me with wet kisses and huge hugs. Of leading me around by the finger to show me the awesome wonders of her tiny world.

“A little sneak peek of the all new R-Pod 196 from Forest River…Girl Camper style!”

When Mr. Virgo and I managed a 4200 acre luxury resort in southern Colorado, we found ourselves needing a chef. One of the happy little benefits of being married to the boss was getting to sit in on the results of the chef’s “stage”. Typically, when chefs are interviewed for a position in a fine dining restaurant, they must demonstrate their skills before the person looking to hire them. This means…observing their kitchen skills while the food is being prepared, then taste testing. In our case, we were treated to three different chef stages before one was selected.

“Mr. Virgo…Forever 62…and still handsome as ever.”

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Mr. Virgo. You would have been sixty-nine today. Would you have been retired by now? Would we have pulled that camper all over the country? Would our golf game be any better? It’s hard to say, but my guess is…we would have been out hitting some balls today.

My life is so different now…I do different things. I camp and write about it. I grieve and write about it. I got married again…and I write about it! Nothing is safe anymore…it’s all blog fodder. But in a good way.

“There is another who stands with us in the fire….always.”

I cannot tell you how many times I have felt alone in my life. Totally alone. Totally forgotten. Maybe not totally worthless…but pretty darned close sometimes. When I went through my formal conversion to Judaism just before my second child was born, part of the process was to sit before the Bet Din…the Jewish Tribunal Court that determines your suitability. Did you learn all you needed to learn? Are you converting for your faith…or for your husband? How will you accomplish the very important aspect of the Jewish faith…being a contributing member of the synagogue?