A NOTE FOR POTENTIAL HOSTS

We are humbled and excited that nearly a hundred of our friends and acquaintances around the country have indicated an interest in hosting us in some way. Some are planning to meet us for lunch or serve as an interview contact; others are offering us full accommodations. We are in the process of creating an itinerary spreadsheet, with specific plans and dates. Rather than address all these issues dozens of times, we thought we would lay out our needs, and let you volunteer whatever you can.

If you have indicated your interest in being a host, we’ll be in touch with you soon.

Here are our needs, in descending order:

1. Fellowship with you. The most important thing is spending time with you, sharing a meal with you, and hearing your story. If you have some interesting people you can introduce us to, that would be great too.
2. A relatively level parking spot. We will be staying in campgrounds occasionally, but driveways, parking lots, and street parking will probably be our most common resting places. We’re about the width and length of a full-sized pickup truck, and just under 10’ high. It looks more like a van than a traditional RV, in case you’re worried what the neighbors will think.
3. A hot shower. We have a shower in the van, but it’s really tiny, with a limited water supply.
4. A washer and dryer. We don’t have room for many clothes, so we’ll be washing ours frequently. The fewer laundromats we have to use the better.
5. Electrical outlet. We have a solar panel and can go several days without plugging in, but using your power source allows us to do more. If you have a 30 amp plug, that would allow us to use air conditioning and microwave! Of course, we might never leave, then!
6. Water spigot. We also have our own water tank and pump, but things are easier with city water hookup.
7. Wi-Fi. We will have our own mobile hotspot with unlimited data; but as you may know, unlimited data isn’t really unlimited anymore.
8. A bed. With rare exceptions, we will be staying in our own bed every night. It’s ours; we are getting set up the way we like it; and there is comfort in the continuity. However, occasionally we might like a change of pace.
9. A yard and/or a canine playmate. Our dog, Maybe, is traveling with us. She’s a good sport, but it would be nice at times for her to have some room to run and play. Also, we will be leaving her in the van at times, and when it’s too hot to do that, our options are limited.
10. House concerts. Brett is bringing a guitar, and he hopes to play a house show or two for your friends and neighbors who are interested in sharing a meal or drinks together, and tossing some tips at a traveling songwriter.

In the end, we are prepared to go it alone, but we’d much rather share this experience with you. We are very grateful for all the offers we’ve had so far. We can’t wait to see you.