I plan on flying to Denver sometime in the next few weeks, although I haven't looked into flights at all yet. I'm assuming that something will be available one-way from Boston to Denver on some random day. Once I book that flight, it all becomes real, very real indeed. I sincerely hope that once I book, the weather cooperates.
In the meantime, I'm getting to work on planning my route. I'm driving campground to campground in do-able chunks, avoiding too many huge city interchanges, and attempting to get in the vicinity of natural beauty and few options for entertainment and basic needs. I do feel as though I am flying blind. I've never camped in anything like a KOA campgrounds before, never driven thousands of miles solo, and have no idea, really, how I will cope with all that driving. I don't dislike driving, but I don't love it, either. I'll be in a much bigger vehicle than I am used to, with no co-pilot!
There will be time to get my head around these issues once I arrive in Colorado. I'll start at my dear friend Kathy's house in Denver, get a couple of days of fun and rest before I head up to Fort Collins, where my buddy Charles awaits with a camper van for me. Between now and then we're getting a lot of work done to the vehicle, increasing its road-worthyness and comfort. I expect that I'll enjoy being up in FC for many days before I eventually get back to Denver and do the final outfitting of the van for the trip. Bedding, food, and many other expected and unexpected needs. I am only flying out with a bag of clothes, no doubt there will be much I need to be safe and happy for 2500 miles.
Staying calm, for now, but as we get closer to the real thing, I wonder how I'll be feeling? No doubt a mix of exhilaration tinged with a bit of the fear of the unknown.
Here's the vehicle!