Lessons from the road (including route update)

We have been learning a lot during the first two weeks of this adventure. One thing we discovered early on was that running 40 miles per day does not leave for a lot of recovery time, especially when you have to deal with heavy traffic to get back to the RV. Day 3 Betsy switched to a goal of finishing by 4 pm, which was about 30 miles per day. She then changed the goal to just running 30 miles per day and is now typically finishing her run around 2-3 pm. This has allowed for a lot more recovery time. It has also allowed for earlier starts in order to beat the heat in the Sonoran Desert. She has been amazingly consistent on the 30 mile runs, even when it carries into the hot afternoon.

We also learned early on that the taillights and rear turn signals on the brand new (used) RV were no longer working, not ideal when navigating LA traffic, had to revert to the old arm signal for left hand turns (but then could only make left turns)... Luckily we were able to get this mostly remedied while still in LA.

We learned that for some reason in the middle of the night an RV might "Burp", or at least this is what we have come to call it. Thankfully it only happened once, but it was on the first night and it was terrifying. It woke us all from sleep and felt as if the Incredible Hulk gave the side of the RV a shoulder check. All 4 leveling jacks were in place in the am and no tires were blown. One of those things that might just go unexplained.

We also have learned that mapping a route across the US is much easier than having to travel those miles with your feet on the ground. The current 30 mile per day pace (which is still subject to change) adds a number of days to our previous time line created with 40 miles per day. In order to try to make up for that time, and also lighten the overall challenge, we have come up with a new route that is more direct. This, unfortunately, cuts out a number of areas where we were hoping to connect with friends and family that have been supporting Betsy on this adventure. We are very sorry about this, but hopefully the new route still provides an opportunity to connect along this journey.

We are so grateful for all the support!!

Until next time.