Baby it's cold outside

It's the night before our scheduled (rescheduled...re-rescheduled) departure date, and the temperature here in Halifax is -15 C, or about 5 degrees farhenheit. Whichever way you look at it, it is bloody cold, and has been for the past week. The good news is that the blizzards that are raging on the eastern seaboard are either east of us in Newfoundland, or south of us in the Mid-Atlantic states. Our plan is to leave tomorrow and stay ahead of the wrap-around snows that will be coming down from northern New Brunswick. We'll then delay long enough that the flying snow will be over, and the highways cleared when we venture south through Pennsylvania, past D.C., and down towards the Carolinas. Hopefully, we will be into Georgia and warmer weather before the next storm sweeps through and makes the "winter to remember" even deeper in those states south of the Mason-Dixon line. We realize that starting the adventure (and it promises to be one) in the middle of winter, between two snowstorms, is not the most prudent course of action. However, we have been waiting so long (years and years) to get back on the road with our little fiberglass home hitched to the tail end of our faithful Aerostar, that we are determined that we will head out tomorrow, come hail or high snowdrifts. We have all wheel drive on the van, a propane furnace in the trailer, winter clothes, and a thick duvet, so we should be warm and cosy whatever the conditions. We also will go whichever way, and how fast, the wind blows us, and realize that part of the joy of how we travel is letting the fates, weather, and road conditions dictate how far we travel, and when it is time to stop for the night. We do hope to be in warmer climes within four or five days, and then slow down and get off the big highways to meander further south and west on the smaller roadways; but we mustn't forget our motto: Never late, never lost, and will take whatever time, caution, and direction seems best. Some of our fondest memories of the last trip were getting snowed in, both in the mountains above Santa Fe, and in the national park on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick. And of course Dixie will always add her opinion, that snow is the most wonderful thing to roll and frolic in.

But enough for now. This is my first posting, and I've already spent several hours just learning how to create a Blog, and setting this up. Do you like it? I can't wait for Donna to see it, and add her eye and insights to the process. I'm sure it will get her immediate input, as she learns how to add photos from the journey, and lends her design expertise. But like the trip, it was time to just jump in and start, and learn as we go along. But now it's way past time for bed, as we have to do all the packing tomorrow morning before we can leave. Almost everything is ready to go, but it has been too, too freezing cold to put many of the things into the stone cold vehicles, so the bins and boxes and bags will all be stowed away tomorrow, and then...Tally-ho, gypsy trailer rolls again. Good night all. Lance