Yes, the Carrs are heading west again. There is just something about the West Coast that beckons every summer, and we follow. This trip poses some unique challenges. We have now downsized enough to be totally out of the RV-owners community and have gone back to our roots of tent camping, however with a few concessions to age and creaking bones. Needing cots for beds and chairs and a table inside the tent for what we consider civilized camping, we need a tent large enough to accommodate these. Below is our latest tent purchase:

With a spacious 10×14 sq. ft. interior, and another 4 ft. of screened in front porch, we’re excited to give it a workout on this trip. Perhaps one of its finest attributes is the ease of putting it up.

While they tease you with a 2 minute setup, our first attempt (which includes reading directions and puzzling out diagrams) took more like 20. However, we now have a strategy that we can polish up as we travel along. When we get really efficient, it will be like watching a (very big) spider grow legs and stand up. Who would have thought that someone would take the technology behind an umbrella and turn it into a tent?

If you’re interested in any further details about the tent, or videos of how it is erected, check out https://www.coreequipment.com/collections/tents/products/10-person-instant-cabin-tent-with-screen-room-14-5-x-14.

The second challenge we face with this trip is to do a cross-country trek in our new electric Hyundai Ioniq 5. As charging stations are predominantly on the two coasts but somewhat skimpier in distribution in the middle of the United States, it’s going to take some careful consideration of our route (see the picture at the top of this page) in view of our cruising range of approximately 230 miles per complete charge. Fortunately, the interstates are proving to be fairly reliable for charging stations, but we will miss all the off-route, down a new path adventures that often make our travels so interesting. Perhaps next year.