Our planned route. Numbers indicate planned stops or campgrounds.

Maureen, Zora, and I are about to become canned goods.

Tomorrow we start a 3-week camping trip, driving our truck and towing a rented travel trailer. That means 300+ pounds of human and 85 pounds of canine sharing 144 square feet of living space for 3,000 miles and most of June. Talk about family bonding.

Our planned route takes us through Northern California, up the Oregon coast and all the way to Seattle. Next, we head east to Glacier National Park, south to Yellowstone and Grand Teton, and finally into Utah’s sandstone country before turning back west into California.

We started planning this adventure back in January, so I feel surprisingly well-prepared (famous last words, I know). We’ve already reserved most of our campsites, scrutinizing Google Earth to pick the best spots. I’ve read countless RV forums and blogs to familiarize myself with everything from the pros and cons of sway-control hitches to the finer points of dump station etiquette. And we’ve (over)loaded the truck with every imaginable necessity, luxury, and distraction. This is a far cry from most of my prior camping experience, on canoeing or backpacking trips where weight was limited and space was at a premium!

So wish us good weather, no flat tires, and minimal drama involving bears, mosquitos, or marital discord. And if you haven’t heard from us after a couple weeks, send one of those rescue dogs with a cask of whiskey around its neck. Or just send the whiskey—we’ve got plenty of dog already.