From Crescent City, CA, to Michigan, we flew,

Stopping in Chicago O'Hare without much ado,

To pick up our new Ford F550 truck in Kalamazoo.

 

Then to Elkhart, Indiana, we did speed,

For a spare tire carrier in the front we did need.

But it looked really bad there and blocked our view,

Now what in the world are we to do?

We put the tire in the back of the truck and went on our way,

Hoping to solve this problem some other day.

 

Off to Des Moines, Iowa, we did go,

Stopping to visit Tom's daughter Lisa and her "bo."

We had a good time playing with Sarah and Cinder,

Where in the world could Ashley be?

They also have birds in a cage upstairs,

These pets are lucky to have owners who care.

Some signs of spring we did see,

No snow in sight and a few budding trees.

Don't speak too soon, said Chris, Lisa's "bo,"

We often have snow in March in Iowa high and low,

And, fourteen inches fell on March 15th or so.

 

In Kansas, we camped in Horizons factory parking lot,

The folks there were friendly, but scenic this campsite is not.

Some things in the Coach were not working quite right,

So, we listened to trucks and trains through too many nights.

The folks there now feel like family, Ken and his crew, and the Brokenicky's, too,

But we were eager to get on the road 'cause there's so much more to see than their factory.

 

When the Coach was finally ready to roll,

We braved our fears and took her for a stroll.

We nervously drove to Milford Lake State Park,

Where we slept quite well in the silent dark.

 

In March, the park is empty of crowds and RV's,

So, we practiced our towing and hitching very slowly.

We needed the wide open space you see,

Because we did not want to back into a tree.

The icy, cold wind made this practice a chore,

But we need to learn how to do this and much more.

 

Remember when you pulled that little red wagon down the road?

When you pulled, it followed; when you pushed, it bowed?

It's the same when towing, but it's hard to get,

When you pull, it follows, but when you put it in reverse and turn right, it goes left!

We ventured further away from our nest night after night,

Until we were sure we could take full flight.

 

Early dawn and it's time to go,

So, let's get this show on the road.

So much to do, so lest we forget,

Tom's made a checklist to help us avoid regrets.

 

Tom is sniffing and sneezing and blowing his nose,

The drastic changes in temperature have given him quite a cold.

His sinuses are making his face swollen and red,

The dust and dry air make his head feel like lead,

Perhaps he should just go to bed.

 

But who will help me drive this big thing,

And call ahead for the next night's lodging?

Full hook-ups we need and a pull-through site, too,

Because backing up we cannot do.

We are avoiding this task, as long as we can,

But the time will come when we will have to be "the man."

 

So far on this trip, what did we see?

Not much in Indiana or Michigan but highways and factories,

And, Iowa and Kansas are as flat as can be.

Into Oklahoma and Texas, the flat land goes on,

There are farms and ranches and oil diggers, too,

Is that an antelope I see? Yes, there are two!

 

As we drove on and on into New Mexico today,

Blue sky and blooming cacti led the way,

But the land seemed to change 'cause I no longer saw hay.

There are dry creeks and dirt rivers and red stones galore,

Those mountains in the distance have snow on them, I'm sure.

There are cattle and farm trucks and rusty trailers everywhere,

Native Americans on dirt roads are selling their wares,

Should I stop, should I shop, should I dare?

 

We drive on and on into the sun in the west,

Let's stop here to have a snack and take a rest.

Our Rig has all of the facilities we need,

Of those BIG RIGS, we must always take heed.

 

Overnight camping is better than a hotel,

Bed, bath, and beyond, there's good food, too,

But, it's lots of work to hitch and undo.

We do not unhitch for overnight stays,

'Cause it takes too long for us to get on our way.

Driving the new big truck is a piece of cake,

Hopefully, towing skills will come sooner rather than too late!

 

Indeed, the USA is a big country,

The Southwest has miles and miles of road for you and me.

Today, we were driving on Indian reservations, around mesas and buttes,

And we drove through an old lava bed, too.

Ancient volcanos blew their tops, when the lava became boiling hot.

After cooling, the lava made black rocky land on which nothing can grow or easily stand.

So, the land is sparse and the people few,

Sure am glad that I wasn't here when those volcanoes blew.

 

This southwestern sun is warm on my skin,

Let's stop at the casino to see if we can win!

No, on and on we must go,

Tom is eager to get back to the seasho'.

The salty sea air will help him get well, and Harry and Sadie are waiting there, too,

So many days we’ve been away so I'm sure that they are quite blue.

Their “cat house” is ready, we hope they do know,

In the future, they will travel with us, but in tow.