Entering our Fifth Year as Full Timers! July 1, 2014
Weather Currently in North Bend WA: 66 degrees 98% humidity (!!) high to be 84 degrees
Happy Belated 4th! Ours was relatively quiet, as Valley Camp is part of a nature conservancy....55 "protected" acres. We could hear the occasional booms from the neighbors, however, but only the one day. No grand show for us! We enjoy the elk and the deer! We understand a young black bear is near...we have only seen his sign...! Rupert, we think, smelled him once, as he let loose his scared bark early one morning!
It was July 1, 2010, when we left Gallup, New Mexico, heading east to South Dakota to "confirm" our "residency!" So it is as July comes around, we think about our "RV roaming" (as in the Seattle Times, NW Traveler, July 6, 2014. More on this article below!). What a grand four years since! We have upgraded our coach. We have experienced the loss of our original "paws": Bandit, Rusty and Puff. We experienced the gain and joy of Bitty; then sadly, her loss as well. That loss is still fresh as we move into our fifth year of this life style.
We travel in our home, moving where we want to, when we want to. Sometimes we have gorgeous back yards! (Like now--55 acres!) Sometimes we are in cramped quarters. If we are someplace we do not like, we move on! Such is the glory of having your home on wheels with you! There are times our "home" needs repair, just as with a sticks and brick home. Just as with a sticks and brick home, you get the repairs done! One just must be flexible as to "how" those repairs are managed.
We have ridden bikes through Yosemite, hiked and driven around Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Hiked Glacier, ridden bikes and enjoyed the white sands and emerald waters of the Florida Gulf Coast, the Greenway Trail along the north east coast, and unique sights between west and east coast. We have an ever growing list and stash of "stuff" for re-visits....
That article mentioned above on "RV roaming: Life on the Road in Recreational Vehicles" was an interesting read. It discussed one couple's desire to no longer be tied to a schedule, or at least be the one in charge of that schedule. We agree to that. The article also discussed the wide variety of activities of "us"--those of us living life on the road in recreational vehicles. We have observed this in our four years. There are many of "us" out there, in all sorts of recreational vehicles, living a variety of "lifes" on the road. Some truly call their RV their home. Others are what Arizona residents calls "zoners"--they winter in one area, then travel to another area for the summer. Little is known about all of "us" out there on the road! This article indicates that best estimates indicate 750,000 to one million retirees call RV's homes, according to Kevin Broom, director of media relations for the RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association). Independent studies suggest their ranks are growing... Interesting!
We are a part of something which is a puzzle, it seems, perhaps only to others. For us, it is very real. It IS our life roaming in our RV, exploring those places which interest us, going where we want to go, staying where we wish. Blogs on the life style, then, do present a slice of what this "life" is like. Our own blog gives us the opportunity to share our experiences. We gather information from other blogs we read, and chatting with those we meet on the road. We continue to learn and grow from this sharing.
We have endured. We have enjoyed. We will continue! We are heading east from Valley Camp Tuesday, across Washington state into Idaho, on into Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, ending up in Michigan where we shall be for three weeks! We are watching the weather closely, and, as always, remain flexible, an excellent descriptor applicable to all of us, as we face day-to-day tasks and activities, and especially true, we have discovered, for any persons participating in the "full time RV experience!"
We celebrate this milestone. We anticipate more. But most of all, we are enjoying THIS DAY, for TODAY well lived, makes every YESTERDAY a dream of happiness, and every TOMORROW a vision of hope...Look well, therefore, to THIS DAY! (loosely quoted from the Sanscrit)
Earlier we talked of RVing Happiness, didn't we? February 25, 2014....And that list Lindy made from after reflecting on that first year still hold true:
Roving Riders, SWIRVIN on down the road!
Happy Belated 4th! Ours was relatively quiet, as Valley Camp is part of a nature conservancy....55 "protected" acres. We could hear the occasional booms from the neighbors, however, but only the one day. No grand show for us! We enjoy the elk and the deer! We understand a young black bear is near...we have only seen his sign...! Rupert, we think, smelled him once, as he let loose his scared bark early one morning!
It was July 1, 2010, when we left Gallup, New Mexico, heading east to South Dakota to "confirm" our "residency!" So it is as July comes around, we think about our "RV roaming" (as in the Seattle Times, NW Traveler, July 6, 2014. More on this article below!). What a grand four years since! We have upgraded our coach. We have experienced the loss of our original "paws": Bandit, Rusty and Puff. We experienced the gain and joy of Bitty; then sadly, her loss as well. That loss is still fresh as we move into our fifth year of this life style.
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| FRED, 2011 at Valley Camp |
We travel in our home, moving where we want to, when we want to. Sometimes we have gorgeous back yards! (Like now--55 acres!) Sometimes we are in cramped quarters. If we are someplace we do not like, we move on! Such is the glory of having your home on wheels with you! There are times our "home" needs repair, just as with a sticks and brick home. Just as with a sticks and brick home, you get the repairs done! One just must be flexible as to "how" those repairs are managed.
We have ridden bikes through Yosemite, hiked and driven around Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Hiked Glacier, ridden bikes and enjoyed the white sands and emerald waters of the Florida Gulf Coast, the Greenway Trail along the north east coast, and unique sights between west and east coast. We have an ever growing list and stash of "stuff" for re-visits....
That article mentioned above on "RV roaming: Life on the Road in Recreational Vehicles" was an interesting read. It discussed one couple's desire to no longer be tied to a schedule, or at least be the one in charge of that schedule. We agree to that. The article also discussed the wide variety of activities of "us"--those of us living life on the road in recreational vehicles. We have observed this in our four years. There are many of "us" out there, in all sorts of recreational vehicles, living a variety of "lifes" on the road. Some truly call their RV their home. Others are what Arizona residents calls "zoners"--they winter in one area, then travel to another area for the summer. Little is known about all of "us" out there on the road! This article indicates that best estimates indicate 750,000 to one million retirees call RV's homes, according to Kevin Broom, director of media relations for the RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association). Independent studies suggest their ranks are growing... Interesting!
We are a part of something which is a puzzle, it seems, perhaps only to others. For us, it is very real. It IS our life roaming in our RV, exploring those places which interest us, going where we want to go, staying where we wish. Blogs on the life style, then, do present a slice of what this "life" is like. Our own blog gives us the opportunity to share our experiences. We gather information from other blogs we read, and chatting with those we meet on the road. We continue to learn and grow from this sharing.
We have endured. We have enjoyed. We will continue! We are heading east from Valley Camp Tuesday, across Washington state into Idaho, on into Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, ending up in Michigan where we shall be for three weeks! We are watching the weather closely, and, as always, remain flexible, an excellent descriptor applicable to all of us, as we face day-to-day tasks and activities, and especially true, we have discovered, for any persons participating in the "full time RV experience!"
We celebrate this milestone. We anticipate more. But most of all, we are enjoying THIS DAY, for TODAY well lived, makes every YESTERDAY a dream of happiness, and every TOMORROW a vision of hope...Look well, therefore, to THIS DAY! (loosely quoted from the Sanscrit)
Earlier we talked of RVing Happiness, didn't we? February 25, 2014....And that list Lindy made from after reflecting on that first year still hold true:
- Listening...
- Watching...
- LAUGHING!
- Planing....
- Re-planning....
- More re-planning....
- More more re-planning...!
- Throw all the plans out!
- Go back to the first plan....
- STOP planning...just go...!
- Losing something/someone you love STILL hurts!
- Weight loss.....IMPORTANT for us all: motorhome, paws and friends-- but hard for us friends!!! Lindy only weighs the motorhome at almost ALL DOT weigh stations when empty along state highways...! NO WAY will the motorhome be overweight...! Rest of us....? Ummmmmm.
Roving Riders, SWIRVIN on down the road!
We will be finishing up on our 5th year in September, ain't it great!
ReplyDeleteYes! And we have learned so much from you guys! We are having fun experiencing your fun in the Oregon and Washington Coast! We are excited about exploring Houghton, MI! Thanks, Bob and Jo!
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