“Ssso isss there any placcce in particular you want to sssee?” Clemens asked as he looked over the map they had on the Laptop screen.
With their workdays concluded, and some free time on their hands while their dinner was being cooked, they’d taken the time they now had to look over places they could visit during their Honeymoon Roadtrip.
“Well…” She peered at the map, a finger running over a few places. “Houston, Texas is a place I’ve wanted to see for some time now, but how to get there…” She trailed off as she thought about a good route to take.
And they had good reason to give the matter plenty of thought. While the Animatrix Serum was still relatively new, the numbers worldwide who had used it, either by intent, accident, or imposed already numbered past the one million mark, with a few hundred thousand within the United States itself. But with the US population past three-hundred million, they constituted only a tiny percentage, and to add to that, there were no shortage of those who made clear their vehement “opposition” to both the Serum itself and those who used it. And while presumption would dictate that the greatest levels of such Hate would be greatest in the Southern States, particularly the Deep South, both Clemens and Jenny knew better, that it would be found just about anywhere in the country. The short-lived R.A.M. Movement in Montana being more than solid enough proof of that for them, especially when the lingering elements of said movement was taken into account.
“Well for Houssston, the simplest route would be thisss one, that takesss usss near Tallahassssee, following it leadsss usss to Blackwater River Ssstate Foressst. Following it further meansss reaching Lake Charlesss, Beaumont, then Houssston.” Clemens ran a finger along an Interstate Route that would make good time and still get them close enough to a few places they might want to see along the way.
“Two or three days of travel.” Jenny mused, checking the distance involved. “Maybe more of we stop to see a few places.”
“We’ll sssay four daysss and work with that.” Clemens noted it down. “After that we could either head up North, through the Central Belt, or continue Wessst.”
“Well if we went along one road, we could swing around and head back another way, let us see more.” Jenny spoke her thought aloud.
“That would work, cccertainly.” Clemens agreed. “What about thisss? Along thisss road, and follow it to here.” He ran a finger along a road that would take them through Texas, into New Mexico then Arizona, before reaching San Bernardino, and then cut up to reach the Death Valley National Park.
“And after that, we could go through the middle, Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado is somewhere I’d like to see.” Jenny plotted the path.
“And from there, we could head up to here, Yellowssstone.” Clemens began, thinking about not only the distance, but the time needed. “I’d think we’d only have enough time for one other placcce after that though, two at the mossst.”
“Then perhaps along this way, which gets us to the George Washington National Forest, then along the interstates south, which will take us back here.” Jenny showed the route.
“And that sshhould allow usss to visit all the key placccesss, and be back in time.” Clemens did the mental arithmetic. “Twenty-eight, twenty-nine daysss at the mossst.”
“You know, I think that’s the core of our trip decided.” Jenny concluded as she wrapped an arm around him.
“Jussst need to pick out a good RV for it then.” Clemens’ hand closed around hers. “Needsss to be big enough to be comfortable, but sssmall enough to be legal in all the ssstatesss. Here’sss a few I’ve been looking at.” He moved to a few of the tabs he’d kept to the side.
“Not bad.” Jenny remarked. “Predictable with the Winnebagos though.” She added teasingly.
“It’sss ssstill a good sssize though.” Clemens replied with mock hurt.
Being the new Via model with end bathroom, it certainly wasn’t what would be expected with the Brand Name, but it was perfectly sized to meet all their needs and still be able to take them close to anywhere. The Era being even smaller, but still adequate for their needs. The last of the short-listed options was the Thor Siesta, about the same size as the Era, but a little more traditional in design.
“The thing about this one though, is that the cab isn’t really usable when we’re stopped.” Jenny looked at the options, working out which one looked to be the best. “Plus there’s something we need to account for.” She brushed a leg against Clemens’ tail to emphasis her point.
“Ssso it’sss out then?”
“Easily, plus I don’t really like the way it looks.” She added as an afterthought.
“In that cassse, jussst the Via and Era to decccide between.” Clemens spoke quietly, looking over the two and weighing up the pros and cons of each one. “Only sssixxteen and fourteen inchesss between them, though neither are that large. Rental priccce for the Via issss a fair bit higher though.”
“But a lot easier for lounging in, no need to make the bed every night, roomier too with its slide-outs.” Jenny spoke in favour of the Via.
“I wasss thinking the sssame thing.” Clemens agreed. “You know, I think that’sss the one then.”
“So when do we book it?” Jenny queried.
“I think it’sss bessst we do that after dinner. It sshhould be almossst ready now.” He answered, slowly getting out of the chair.
While Jenny returned to the kitchen to finish the dinner preparations, Clemens moved the laptop back into their bedroom, it on the desk and their clothes resting on the bed itself. True, being naked in their own home was quite the eccentricity, but it was in the privacy of their own home, and they were careful enough to keep something close by to cover themselves with in the even of unexpected guests which could happen, as it already had on occasion.
There was still a lot to be done, now they had a good plan as to where to go, and what to travel in for their Honeymoon, and with that effectively decided, they could focus their time on the preparations for the Wedding itself, to which there was still a lot of work to be done. They’d post the invitations first thing in the morning, and then had to decide on the wedding dresses, the entertainment, the food and drink, and a lot more. But time was one thing they did have on their side, and by tackling it one bit at a time, and in bits during the days as they approached the Wedding Day itself, they’d been able to keep it down to a very manageable level.
Though as he finished laying the table for their dinner, Clemens knew it was something that could wait until they’d eaten.