Lessons Begin

We've barely begun, and we're already being taught some lessons.  We realize that in comparison to the vast number of RV'ers out there, we're definitely in the 'newbies' category, but we consider ourselves somewhat experienced.  After all, we've not locked ourselves out of the RV (requiring HeM to crawl up through the laundry shoot to get back in) in ages.  And we know to double-check the break-away cable on the 5th wheel so it doesn't erroneously pull out at an inopportune time (the break-away brakes on the RV definitely work!).  So we expected that our 180-mile move to Arlington would be uneventful, and for the most part, it was.  However, there are a few things that we have added to our lessons book:
1)  Be sure to check all vent covers, trim, drawers that may not survive the 'slide out' after being rattled loose for 180 miles.
2)  Keep a supply of accessible water--the fresh water tank (flushing/hand washing/etc) and bottled water (drinking) in case the RV park you move to has a water main break the day after you arrive--possibly due to the large construction job going on next door which begins its noisy workday around 5:00 am.
3)  Don't start your RV experience at a 'resort'. Like this:

You'll be spoiled.  Not all RV parks have wide and well-maintained interior roads, comfortable to drive and inviting to bike.  Not all RV parks have wide sites, offering a bit of privacy and inviting outdoor relaxing (as opposed to being able to look down into the port-side neighbor's truck bed from the desk window, and the starboard-side neighbor's sewer dump set-up six feet from the living room window....not to mention the claustrophobic ambiance to any outdoor activity). Like this:

Pictures can't really do justice to the marked differences between the first park and the second, but believe me, there's really no comparison.  Lessons 1 & 2 are easy to incorporate into our repertoire; lesson 3 not so much.  For future long-term (a month or so) destinations, we (SheM for sure, HeM probably?) will be looking for the 'resort' parks rather than 'value' parks.  SheM will find a way to make it work in the budget worksheet--she's a former accountant, and used to 'working' with numbers (wink, wink), right?

And We're Off!.......well, kinda

So, have we done everything?
1)  Sell house; stuff all furniture and items deemed 'storage-worthy' into a storage unit.  Check.
2)  Make the rounds of 'fixes'--Rudy's barbecue, Oasis views, and My Place camaraderie.  Check.
3)  Say 'hasta la vista' to lots of dears--family, friends, memories--in the Austin area.  (And we DO mean 'until our next visit(s)' which will be several--such as doctor/dentist appointments, not to mention some strong heart strings attached to a certain family on Buckingham Road.)  Check--a little tearily.
4)  Roll up our cozy home-on-wheels and hit the road, on to the adventure of our lives!  Check.

First stop?  Arlington, Texas.  We're fortunate to have even more family and friends in the Dallas area that we want to visit and spend some time.  And it's the holiday season, so no sense in going too far away just yet, right?  So we'll limit the distance between us and Austin/Arlington until the first of the year.  Then we'll REALLY launch the adventure, making our way to warm Florida for the winter months.  Hope there's room there for a couple more snow birds!