I head north from the Deming/Las Cruces area in about a week so, after my Habitat for Humanity shifts, I have been getting the van and RV ready for storage. First up: cleaning out cupboards, nooks, and crannies of anything that would attract critters. Second big job: summer-izing the RV, which means putting reflective shades on all the windows. I will install a huge, one-piece covering over the RV, but I am thinking that the extra insulation should keep temps down inside.

Also time-consuming: the endless paperwork. Taxes, pay life insurance premium for another quarter, renew the registration for RV and van. Endless, indeed.

On my recent day off I took care of some business in Deming (60 miles from the HFH RV park in Las Cruces). First,Tango’s shots and updated records (crossing into Canada and back). We also stopped at my doc for a check-up, a little blood letting, and a 6-month renewal on my RX’s. Safety deposit box paperwork with Kerry’s signature to the bank. Post office to mail some things. My mail service to pick up a package of last-minute travel supplies and mail.

After my HFH shifts this week I will be summer-izing the van: cleaning dashboard and doors inside then applying Armor-All everywhere, even outside along the plastic and rubber surfaces. The summer temps will exceed 100 degrees in the desert and the sun will be relentless. Also this week: finish sewing some clothing for the trip and the blackout curtains for the car (to block out that midnight sun in Alaska on those nights when I might be snoozing in the car)

This coming Sunday I will be back at the RV Ranch in Deming. I will pull my car, Alice, out of the storage slot and put in the van and RV. A friend or two will help me install the RV cover. On Monday, I take Alice to have a darker film put on the side windows and then dash to Mexico for one more tooth cleaning! If I have any energy left I will head north that night, but most likely I will overnight in Deming and leave early Tuesday. Whew! Getting ready to leave for up to 6 months is time-consuming, but when I drive away, I will be ready for an exciting adventure. 

By the way, it occurred to me today that I am ready for this great northern camping adventure, but the northern areas probably won’t be ready for me! Very few National Forest campgrounds will be open. Snow could fall. Night temps could be wretched. No matter. I have a Mr. Buddy propane heater for the tent and tons of warm gear. I am going no matter what and despite the possibility of a late spring. This is typical Jane thinking: I am wearing shorts down here near the Mexico border so spring must be happening everywhere. I may have a rude awakening in the near future.

One more note for those who spend time in smaller towns and/or travel to remote areas: Medical Evacuation for any reason is costly. A fellow RVer had a heart attack a few years ago, right at the RV Ranch in Deming, and was med-evac’ed to El Paso (110 miles). The bill: $40,000. Another friend was med evac’ed last month after a stroke. The possibility is real for any of us since we do not have a trauma center in the area and we are not getting younger! 

Medical evacuation is also possible while RVing in the boonies, as I often do. Emergency medical people pack you up and send you off via fixed wing or helicopter service, leaving behind the RV, tow vehicle, pets, and everything you own. What a nightmare!  Thankfully, I found good insurance through SkyMed that covers medical evacuation and for a driver to bring your things home! Even pets. Especially pets. If you are in a foreign country and medically stable, they will get you home too. The company actually makes all the arrangements for you while you recover. Although I am covered now anywhere in the world, I am just happy at the moment that I will be taken care of in Alaska and that Tango will be safe.

When I found coverage through SkyMed, the $45/month seemed cheap. I talked to Kerry – my super paramedic son and consultant – about the coverage and he agreed that it would be a wise investment. I am ready to roll!