OK.  Everyone meet Rattling Rosie, our luxurious home for the next three weeks.  In a panic at the last minute, we upgraded the rental from a unit that would be comfortable for a family of four to one that would be comfortable for one of those TV families with fundamentalist religious beliefs.  When I reserved the small one, I was worried about ease of maneuverability and gas mileage.  That was 6 months ago, I hadn't even begun worrying about traveling with two very large and one very naughty dog.  I can't even move around my kitchen with them around, so I don't know how I thought I was going to function in an RV as big as a coat closet.

We set out last night a little after 8, and I am writing this from a rest area in Maryland where we slept last night.  Here are the things we have learned:

1. Riding in an RV is noisier than riding in an open cockpit airplane.  I anticipate permanent hearing loss.  I tried to stuff washcloths between the windows and the screens to quiet the infernal rattling, but it didn't do anything except possibly void our damage deposit.  
2. When you tell people that you're coming to visit and you want to park your RV at their house, they will actually move away to avoid you.  We were supposed to visit my sister's family on this leg of the trip, but they moved to Denver where they felt safe from our Cousin Eddie style visit complete with big, trash eating dogs.  We had also planned to visit some friends who moved to Nashville a couple of years ago, but he suddenly accepted a job offer in PA!  In the future we will not notify victims of our visits.
3. New Jersey is still the worst place in the world.
4. Dogs will always make a liar out of you.  Jude is perfectly suited for RV travel.  Who knew?