The blog begins

I am fighting intimidation. I have friends who are well-read and articulate. I have friends who are clever and funny (although usually not as funny as they think they are). And I have a friend who will argue about a single punctuation mark for hours. I can't compete with any of those things, but in the end I am comforted by the fact that it unlikely that anyone will actually read it; I am writing it for myself because reflecting on our travels in writing as we go will add to the experience, not to mention assist my failing memory.

Today I introduce the supporting cast of characters. First, the van. We bought it in July 2009 and it has already been well broken-in, with 16,304 miles on the odometer. It's a 2008 Dodge Sprinter van, customized by Sportsmobile in Fresno. It has a comfy bed, a small refrigerator, a two-burner propane cooktop, a microwave, a 20-gallon water tank, a propane heater. It's tall, for a van, 6 feet 3 inches inside. Tons of storage. A Mercedes diesel engine that can get 22 mpg on a good day. It's only 18 feet long, so you can drive and park it anywhere.

It has hot water on demand (no hot water tank, in other words) but only when the engine is running or has recently been running. There's an outdoor "shower" but no bathroom facilities. Pretty basic - you know, like the old VW vans from the 60's. It's NOT an RV; it's a van, man.

Now, the dog. Ruby is many things we're not: outgoing, fearless, open to any new experience, a lover of ALL people, places and things. She is 19 months old. Ruby loves everyone and nearly everyone loves her back. She's also extraordinarily beautiful and that's not just my own opinion. You'll see.