RV-Dreams Rally - Thursday, Day 2

One of the best things about the RV-Dreams Rally is meeting fellow enthusiasts. Some are full-timers like us but many are interested in pursuing the lifestyle and are part time or extended RVers. At each gathering, we try to sit with new folks we haven't met.Day 2 of the rally started out in the red barn for a series of morning presentations. They were packed with a lot of information. Howard and Linda shared speaking duties and covered the following topics:

• Full-timing Preparations
• Emotional Aspects of the Full-time decision
• What does it Cost to Full-time?

We went from 9:00 - 1:00 with a few breaks. The information and questions/answers were very good. Pam and I could relate to it all. I think one of the better things we did was plan and prepare for full-timing and much of the information validated our approach.

The emotional aspects of leaving friends was not as hard on us as some. I think if one has a lot of family in an area and grandkids nearby, leaving is harder. Since Pam and I spent 20 years in the military, we grew to accept leaving and making new friends. The process of planning and leaving took us about two years, so I think it was easier for us than for some who decided quickly and went through the process in six months or less.

The cost and budget discussions were fascinating. We picked up some good ideas like establishing a Health Savings Account. We will have to check that out more.

After lunch Howard and Linda gave a demo on their Sea Eagle inflatable boats. They filled them up and took them out for a quick paddle around the Buckhorn Lake Ranch waters.Then the rest of the afternoon was open, so I was able to go see some of the President's Cup golf tournament on TV. I always like to watch that and the Ryder Cup which are held in alternating years. Phil Mickelson and his partner won their match, so I was happy. (I am a big Phil fan.)
Dinner was in the red barn and it centered around a chili cookoff. Fifteen contests entered so there was plenty of the delicious stew for all of us. The winners gathered for a photo. Pam brought an apple crisp dessert that was completely gone so I think they liked that too.
The evening events concluded with people doing a 'show and tell' of their favorite RV gadget. Here Linda is showing a wheel chock they use for their 5th wheel. It was very intersting to see what people came up with. One of the handy items we have picked up is a hitch linch pin for our Blue Ox towing system. The ones the came with it were hard to pull out when we were ready to disengage. This makes it a lot easier.

We broke up about 8:45 and I took Ed (our dog) out for one last quick walk before we called it a day.

It was another interesting a fun day at the rally. Looking forward to learning more! Thanks for following this edition of the Roadrunner Chronicles. Comments always welcome!