In reflection (I now have time to reflect!), I wonder what possessed me to bite off this challenge - it might not have been such a big deal to those of you who drive a truck all the time, but remember that I had never driven anything bigger than a Honda CRV and here I was in a 25 foot "Big Bertha" Class A Motorhome! But, I was raised as an Army Brat (thank you, Mom and Dad), so I learned early to love different ways of life and the adventure of travel. I've always been more intrigued by the way people live and how their towns look, than the big tourist sites of the region - hence, my desire to talk to "the natives" and hear the stories of their lives. I also wanted the flexibility of staying longer in places I loved, and leaving quickly if it wasn't so great, and being able to explore something off the beaten path (if the path was well-paved, that is!). Also, accomplishing a challenge that's kind of scary, is good for your psyche - reminds you that you can still learn new tricks! Yes, we had fun and would do it again, we have no regrets (except when people ask us if we saw something that we missed!), and I still can't tell you my favorite place (some do stand above the others, but maybe because I'm forgetting the beginning of the trip!). But it was wonderful to get to familiar territory so we didn't have to make any more plans. Now it's fun to look back on the trip, thanks to the navigator/accountant that sat in the passenger seat! So here goes: we started in Atlanta, GA on May 1, 2016, drove 14,126 miles through 20 states and 3 Canadian provinces, with 8 border crossings (Canada/US), arriving back home Atlanta on August 22, 2016. We spent $3900 in gas for the RV, averaging 9.5 miles/gal at $2.62/gal (max price was $3.65/gal in Tok and Border City, AK and $3.70/gal after exchange rates in Haines Junction, Yukon Territory, Canada; lowest price was $1.80/gal in Wytheville, VA on the way home). We spent $2500 on lodging (campgrounds) for the whole trip (although cousin Don has not sent me the bill yet for parking in his yard for 10 days with full hookups!). We figured we only ate dinner out about 10 times, so may have saved some by cooking in (we both lost weight on the trip, probably because I didn't have my nightly trail mix fix!!). All total, we calculate about $10,000 for 2 people for 4 months travel - sounds like a lot, but I need to calculate what I spend at home! Renting my house and not having utilities to pay has helped me justify the expenses. So we stayed within budget, but didn't do anything extravagant except the Inner Passage Ferry trip and the helicopter trip to dogsled on the glaciers (you can do that much cheaper during winter months since you don't have to helicopter to a snowfield!). So what was my favorite?? I loved the Alpine village feel of Jasper and Niagara-on-the-Lake, the mountains of Glacier National Park, MT, and driving the scenic roads of Alaska (waterfalls of Valdez and camping on the bay in Seward) and the water bound cities seen by ship (Skagway and Prince Rupert). Linda's favorites included Peyto Lake in Jasper National Park, Canada; dogsledding the glacier and memorable musher, Pete; and ditto about Jasper/Niagara-on-the-Lake/Glacier National Park. But MOST favorite experiences were the people we met and the kindness and hospitality that was shared - our dog walkers, the Edmonton family who shared their dinner, the Swiss family who inspired us with the magnitude of their journey, and many others. Which brings me back to all the people at home who helped make this trip possible also! First, my inspirations, Karen Y and Betsy R - two women who made me think I could pilot an RV on my own; and my brother, Ken, who kept an eye on the mail, alerting me to critical issues I would have missed due to address changes; and to cousin Lynn who got us underway and helped me set up the blog (and occasionally fixed it when I screwed up and was frustrated); and cousin Don who always answered my panic questions about RV issues no matter the time of day; and Matt Fennell who gave me "customized" travel advice in Alaska; and Hilda who met us the first night of the journey (came and took us for dinner and drinks when I needed something strong to calm my anxiety); and Dad and Linda's sister, Valerie who had copies of our travel credentials, making them responsible for noticing if we "went missing" at a border crossing; and to Valerie, too, for welcoming 2 very tired travelers and one dog as well as 2 more friends into her home for a meal and a "welcome home" celebration when we  arrived on her doorstep in Ohio; and friends Linda and Lynnda who hosted Big Bertha at their homes (thanks to both of you for living on a cul-de-sac!); and Aunt Marilyn for spoiling and recovering us at the end of the journey and for being our weather alert no matter where we travelled; and Linda's neighbors, Chris and Sheela who watched over her home and car, collected her mail and handled all postal disasters while she was gone; and to the people we didn't even know were reading our blog until we started getting their feedback - North Georgia Eggers Kim and Bart who remembered more details of the trip than I did and Ginny's friend JeanAnne who said she couldn't enjoy her morning coffee after we stopped writing our daily blog, and Ken who can quote every detail of the trip that even I don't remember (we never knew how many people passed on the links to the blog!); and the dear Polak family who parked my RV and then my car while I travelled; and AJ and Abby who helped me give Bertha her first good wash (and that was a job!); and our incredible co workers and patients who were so excited and encouraging as we prepared for the journey; and, of course, many thanks to my friend and fellow retiree, Linda, who suggested Alaska as a destination but also served as copilot, accountant, communications specialist, co-parent for Sara (my loyal dog), and fellow adventurer on a trip she never realized would evolve into a 1/4 year vacation!!! Any disappointments??? - well, we never found the Costco Black Rice but it was quite a hunt from coast to coast! And, if we do this again, we know not to rely on the U.S. Postal Service to forward mail as requested - we are still looking for critical lost mail such as my property taxes, and heaven forbid we got a jury summons!!!! The RV is in the shop for a few tweeks - we lost the water heater pad and the lip outside the door, cigarette lighter charger not working, but the overhead bed that had been broken has miraculously fixed itself! So I'll be in Atlanta for the rest of the month, planning the next trip! Thank you all for your encouragement and support! Colleen

P .S. I couldn't let this story end without a few comments from the "co-pilot".  First of all, the BIGGEST heart-felt "thank you" to my friend, Colleen, who planted the seed long before she retired about buying an RV and traveling the USA. I never doubted for one moment that she would do it. Soon after retiring she got her 25 ft RV - one with a BIG, BEAUTIFUL, BUS-LIKE FRONT WINDOW - perfect for "viewing the world!"  Then, without "blinking an eye", took me up on my suggestion to see Alaska and invited me to come along with her (and her awesome dog, Sara) on an unimaginable adventure I won't soon forget.  Colleen was right when she said that neither of us ever imagined just what we were getting ourselves into when we said "yes" and set out on May 1st from Atlanta for Alaska and all lands in-between.  In fact, despite all the planning we did, I don't think the trip ever seemed "real" to either of us until May 1st when we got into the RV and set out on the road.  It was then that Colleen looked at me and said, "Are we really doing this?"...and then, "white-knuckled," holding the steering wheel of the RV, proceeded to pull out onto the freeway... And, the rest is history!!!   
 Enormous "thank-you" #2 also sent to my friend is for the great job she did documenting the story of our adventure, day-by-day, pictures and all, via her travel blog. It wasn't an easy task to take on!  But I am ever grateful that she persevered. After being on the road for 114 days and covering over 14,000 miles it's easy to forget a lot of the little details and some of the stories --- the "what-happened-when", the "where was that taken?" answer to all the pictures I have, the people we met, and the unplanned places we happened to "stumble upon" and visit that only added a whole new, glorious, unexpected perk to the already awesome adventure we were on . Your travel journal preserved all those memories for me and for all those who read and kept up with our travels. How lucky to be able to go back anytime and relive those days just by reading the entries. Many thanks for that, dear friend.
My mother always told me that you can never say "thank-you" enough. So, at the risk of repeating ourselves, I have to say "thank-you" again, a hundred times over, to all of you mentioned by Colleen earlier - "lifesavers", teachers, problem-solvers, friends, and followers of our blog...  All of you were with us in spirit while we traveled the road. Thanks for all of your friendship and caring! We would have been lost without you.
And, lest I forget to mention, on a humorous note, a reminder that "Big Bertha" was not always known as "Big Bertha".  Depending on WHERE we were and WHO was telling the story, she also was affectionately known as " ONE SWEET RIG! "  Who would have ever thought?.....
If you ask me what I learned from all of this it would be that there is one, big, beautiful world out there waiting to be discovered; So many interesting and kind people each with a story to tell; That a dog really is "man's best friend" (except when she tries to steal your bed!); That  I just might be able to survive and like living in a "tiny house" - a real surprise!; Laughter is a great gift; The great joy of a warm shower and to be able to wash my hair - not to mention CLEAN SHEETS! and the unmeasurable value of a good friend.
And, in the end, I can only say, "thanks" for including me on an adventure of a lifetime.  No regrets. I would do it again in a heartbeat...  Just sign me up!
And, to those who asks how we did it and took a chance, I tell them of a saying someone sent me before I left.  It goes something like this:   "It's impossible," said pride.  "It's risky," said experience. "It's pointless," said reason. "Give it a try," whispered the heart. (Author unknown). If you get a chance to live out a dream - Go for it!  All you have is today...   Linda.