What could have possessed us?

Really, we are going to drive coast to coast and back again? With a detour to northern Alberta? Over five weeks? (More if we break down.) Without a toilet? In a 21-year-old camper with nearly 220,000 miles on the odometer?

No, we can’t rationalize it. Yes, we are crazy. It’s who we are.

Joanie and I have never been practical. Always, if there was an easy way to do something, we’d find a more difficult option.

How else can you explain four kids? Throwing a wedding at home? Agreeing to hosting two weddings within four months? Upsizing in our 60s when we could have gone full condo? Or for that matter, living in 25 homes during 37 (blissful) years together? That works out to moving house every 17 months, 22 days, 19 hours, and 12 minutes.

We haven’t so much indulged real estate porn (long before Zillow), we’ve wallowed in it.

Charitably, and to our faces, our friends and family call us romantics. We can only imagine what they say when we’re not within earshot.

Nor are we novices. We’ve made this very mistake before.

Back in 1995, when we lived in Zurich, we bought a decrepit, creaky, Mercedes van, which we nick-named ‘Tommy’. Tommy was kitted out with platform beds, a stove, and fridge. We shoved off with 3 kids under the age of four (including five-month-old Julia) and drove 18 hours to the French beaches near Calais. I’m not even sure we had seatbelts or child safety seats.

Predictably, it was a disaster.

We limped home and abandoned Tommy (not the first car we’ve parked on the street and walked away from).

Ok, so we did have a great time a few years ago when we rented a top-of-the-line Sprinter Van and spent ten glorious days exploring Yellowstone, Montana, and Idaho, first with dear friends Alex and Monika, and the last few with adorable cousin Bobby and Gina.

It was Bobby and Gina’s white 1999 VW camper that most captivated us during those days of camping together near Stanley, ID.

It was more than camper van envy. We have Bobby and Gina envy. Yes, that is creepy. But seriously, Bobby and Gina live the coolest lives ever. When we grow up, we want to be them.

Anyway, as a first step toward fulfilling our dreams, three months ago we flew to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, drew a collective deep breath, and bought our ageing, white VW Eurovan.

Tomorrow we set out on our journey.

Join us, virtually, on this site. We promise regular updates, photos, and the odd video. We’ll share our route, some of its history, wildlife shots, and moments of respite and fun with friends and family. Best of all, you’ll be able to ride along while, unlike us, retaining the wonders of indoor plumbing.

We welcome your readership and, if you like, your comments.

Having you along will make us less bitchy, too.