A Finish Is a Win!

Back in the day when I was a runner, I remember lining up for my first marathon and everyone was talking about how “A finish is a win.”  They were so right!  I took what I hoped was going to be a six-month project and turned it into an almost 3 year effort.

32 years later I finished another marathon of sorts ~ my first book is out!  We finished the “The Wonder of RV Living” and navigated the process to get it online at Amazon.com.  (If you forget the book title, just put “Randy Warner” in the search bar.)

During those almost three years I had a lot of help.  I read a lot of blogs and the notion of getting friends to proof-read the manuscript was something I decided to do.  Surprisingly quite a few people said they’d do it and I’d like to thank:

• Allisanne
• Bonar
• Dave
• Don
• Gerri
• Kris
• Stephanie
• Sue
• Wes

The gist of Vol 1 is all the planning and preparation that went into taking the leap.  Why did we do it?  How did we do it? What about this and what about that?....questions, questions and then more questions. 

I purposely kept it under 200 pages and this only goes into the two years leading up to us deciding to go for it and then the first few months on the road.  

That’s all for now.  I hope to publish 2 more volumes this year - we will see about that. Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!

Changing Gears, Downsizing, and Questions?

We've thought about this day and it is finally upon us.  We wondered how we'd feel about it when the time finally came to switch things up.  The time is now here.

We're going to be selling the Roadrunner and downsizing.

Depending on how things work out we'll be moving to the next stage of our lives. Getting another but smaller RV is part of our plan at some point, but we have other things on the To-Do List before that happens.

To-Do List for the next few months:

• Sell Roadrunner
• Go to Virginia Beach for a few weeks
• Look for/buy a house? 
• Take a road trip out west?
• Return to VB and find a place
• Buy a used Class C
• More RVing (part-time)

After we get to Virginia Beach, an option for us might be to take a road trip out west.  We're thinking of traveling in the CR-V from Virginia - Arizona and return. We may stay with friends and family along the way.  Then we could return to VB and see where things are.

Here's some questions we've heard so far with some quick answers:

Why are we doing this?  Why now?
We definitely have mixed emotions about this but wouldn't be doing it if we ultimately really didn't want to do this.  The main reason for doing this is to be near and involved in our grandkids lives as they get older.  Harrison will soon be 2 and a couple of weeks after that Brooks will be 4.  They like having us around and we like being with them,  so we feel like now is the time to make some changes.

We also like being near our kids.  We enjoy spending time with Kelly and Jon and working on projects.  Adam and Melissa are only a few hours away too, so that is another bonus.

How Did We Decide on this course of action?

Last summer we started talking out loud about the possibility of changing from full-time to part-time RVers.  We believe grandparents can have a positive impact on kids lives and want to be those grandparents.  We discussed lots of things but the bottom line is that we love RVing and yet love our grandsons more.  The best choice is for us to cut back on our time on the road and spend more time with them.

Are we road-weary?
No!  We love being on the road, but we are focused on a higher priority for the next few years.  We fully intend to continue with RV living as often as we can.  We think that will mean trips every few months for a few weeks.

How do we feel about the change?
Mixed emotions, meaning we loved every minute of full-timing but we need to do this.  We need to be present and move on.  We look forward to the adventures ahead and learning how to "settle down" again.

How long have We Been on the Road?
We have been on the road since May 2009.  Looks like we will end this stint of full-timing just shy of 10 years.

What kind of a place will you get?
We are thinking a small 1100-1500 sq. ft. single family house, not a condo or townhouse.

Do You think you will full-time again?
Don't really know, but we wouldn't be surprised if we do when the boys get older.

Will you keep blogging/writing?
Absolutely!  I have lots of posts that I've started and are begging to be completed. I love writing and am learning a lot with the forthcoming book.

Where are you in the process of selling the Roadrunner?
We have had extensive exchanges with the buyer will get together in a few weeks.  I think they'll be pleased with what they're getting.  It looks like a win-win and we will do what we can to make that happen.  If that doesn't work for some reason, we'll go back to plan A, which is advertise and actively market it beginning in April.

What's next in the coming days? 
Cleaning, polishing, and emptying the Roadrunner, packing up things and preparing the Roadrunner for sale. Also I'm working on our forthcoming book: "The Wonder of RV Living," Roadrunner Chronicles, Vol 1 and continuing to write more blog posts.  We still have so much to tell of the places we've seen and where we've been.  And I have more ideas for the next manuscript.

It's been a real joy and quite a ride.  And we're looking forward to the days ahead.  Thanks for joining us on this edition of the Roadrunner Chronicles!

Roadrunner Reflections: Questions and Purpose

      Weeks ago I mentioned I am finishing up our first book.  It covers 18 months of planning and preparation to get on the road and then the first seven months of our travels.  I divided it into the Process (Part 1) and The Experience (Part 2).  I wanted remember how we decided to take the leap into full-time RV and then describe all the things we dealt with in order to get on the road.  
      Finally getting to the point of being full-timers was tremendously exciting.  We describe (in Part 2) what it was like at all the different campgrounds were we stayed as "newbies" during our first seven months (May - July).
Here is an excerpt from "The Wonder of RV Living, Vol. 1 in the Roadrunner Chronicles":
_____________________
 "When we were deciding if the RV lifestyle was right for us, we had quite a few discussions.  We spend time thinking out load and wondering if selling our home in Northern Virginia was the right thing to do.  It wasn't enough for us to just imagine if it would be fun.  We were trying to be smart about the decision and ask ourselves direct questions:

• How could we afford an RV?
• Which type of RVing should be consider?
• Were we ready to retire?
• What would we do with our spare time?
• What is our purpose?

Here are some thoughts on the last question:

"Purpose. In our research and planning, we needed some solid reasons to make this dramatic change in our lifestyle.  In the previous chapter I described how we processed what to do with our free time and volunteering.  Was there more to our purpose?  

• Volunteering - As we mentioned, early in our discovery phase learning about RVing, we found we really liked volunteering for Habitat for Humanity.  One discussion on the back porch included some thoughts along the line that maybe,  “this was our calling”. This idea was a significant change in our thinking.  The notion of helping other people was something we liked.  Truthfully, I think we end up getting as much out of building homes as the new homeowners.  We make friends, meet all kinds of new people, learn new skills and have a sense of accomplishment in putting in some hard work for a few weeks.  
• Pursuing Freedom - This lifestyle afforded us a freedom we have never known.  Some have said, “You are always on vacation”. While that may be partially true, it has given us financial freedom, emotional freedom, and freedom to grow older together in a way we never imagined.  The experiences we have shared together have deepened our relationship and caused us to cherish every day.
• Making Friends - We have met more friends living as full-timers than we would ever meet in Fairfax VA.  Living on the same street corner only provides so many new opportunities to get to know people.  As full-timers we have re-connected with friends and that has been wonderful.  Most of these people we would never have had the opportunity to see again, let alone be near where they live and actually get to visit them and catch up on years gone by.  We’ve met lots and lots of people from our high school and college days, people from our Air Force time and old neighbors from all over the country.  It is hard to quantify making new friends and renewing friendships but it is a real joy made possible because of this lifestyle.
• Getting to Know Family - The benefit of getting into our motorhome and parking in town near family has been huge. We have seen more family in the last few years than we’ve seen in the last 40 years.  We’ve learned a lot about them and our heritage and have gotten to know our relatives and family better.  We’ve been able to stick around for months and months when our adult children have gone through some tough times and it has only been possible because we are in our RV. 
• Getting Healthy - This only goes as far as each RVer commits to it.  While we intended on hiking lots of trails in lots of national parks and forests, we haven’t done as much as we thought we would.  Still, packing up and moving every few days (or weeks or months) keeps one active and does promote a healthier lifestyle. Every day we see people walking or doing aerobics and we are more inclined to go for hikes and see new places.  I can tell you there is something wonderful about traveling and yet sleeping in your own bed each night.  Setting up camp, packing up and continually downsizing (we are always getting rid of stuff we don’t need), all promote a healthy physical and mental life.  We are more active than we probably would be in our old house.  It is motivating to see folks 10 or 15 years older than us and see that they are going strong.  They are out there doing it and not sitting on the front porch watching the world go by.
• Adventure - I have never thought of myself as an overly-adventurous type.  I don’t ride motorcycles, I declined my son’s offer (when he was in high school) to skydive, and I don’t rock climb.  But this lifestyle has afforded us a lot of adventure.  Adventure to me means going to places I have wondered about and being there first-hand to see it for myself.  I could not wait to go to Key West, and Glacier National Park and see the Grand Canyon again.  We were enthralled by the idea of parking the motorhome on a cliff on the Oregon Coast and watching the waves crashing into the rocky seashore.  We’ve done those things and a thousand more.  This has been an adventure for sure!
• Travel - We met in the Air Force in the 1970’s and the first seven years of our married life we lived overseas in Asia, Europe and the Pacific.  We love to travel.  The RV mode of travel appealed to us. We tent-camped our whole married life and thought this might be fun.  One reason for our interest in RV living was for the travel, so that we could see more of our great country and not only "hit the highlights" (popular National Parks and well-know tourist sites) but see some of the noteworthy out of the way places."

[From our upcoming book:  

The Wonder of RV Living:  The Roadrunner Chronicles Vol. 1,  © Randy Warner with Pam Warner]

-- Watch for the book on Amazon in the coming week.

Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!

Why Write a Book?

Year ago someone mentioned that I should write a book.  Really?  Why should I do that? What would I say?  How does one do that?

I dismissed the idea then, but now, I'm a few weeks away from completing "The Wonder of RV Living, Vol 1 in the Roadrunner Chronicles".  I thought "Roadrunner Chronicles" already has some familiarity with RV blog readers, so I'll continue here with it.  It has been 18 months in the making.  I've had some expected false starts, weeks of having the words flow, followed by the ups and downs of getting across the finish line.

I can't say for sure when it will be out on Amazon for purchase, but I'm working hard to make it happen before Thanksgiving.  We will see.

Why do that?
May main motivation was that it would be a nice Christmas present.  I thought it would be cool to send a copy to each of my three brothers.  It still may happen and I'm only one year off my original goal of Christmas 2017.

I also thought that it might be helpful to pull together some information and send it along to folks who are curious about "How We Became Full-time RVers".  For others, I thought actual "Stories From Our Adventures" might be interesting.  Those two ideas comprise Part 1 and Part 2 of the manuscript.

Now, I look at it as a way to remember these great years on the road.  Last winter when we were at Palm Creek Resort in Casa Grande, AZ to see friends Karen and Steve, I remember RV neighbors who showed us there hardcopy book of their book on the trip they took on a boat around the Great Loop.  It was amazing to have a copy of their adventures in my hand and be able to read about it.  More motivation to get the Roadrunner Chronicles (Vol 1 - the book) completed.

How I started:
Rewind back to almost three years ago when I learned a friend was writing a book.  Wow - that was interesting.  Wes has a very good command of words and a knack for painting pictures with his words.  His Little Book of Misadventures got me thinking, "Ugh - There is no way I could do that."  I know I don't have nearly as a creative mind or story-telling creativity.

On the other hand, we have stories.  We've been living the dream for over 9 years now, and I have my own approach.  It began here with the blog Roadrunner Chronicles.

Where We Are:
Over 70,000 words, thirteen chapters, I'm now almost done with the second edit and thinking I have one more to go.

I have a couple more changes to make before I am happy the book cover, but it will be some variation of this.

That all for this edition of the Roadrunner Chronicles -  next week, I'll share the titles of some of my chapters.  Thanks for taking a look today!

Roadrunner Reflections: Questions for Our Readers

I've been thinking a lot lately about how this whole adventure started.  Hitting the road in the Roadrunner and 'Living the Dream' one of the most exciting things that we've ever done!  We purchased the motorhome eight years ago.

Interestingly enough, we bought our 2007 Tiffin Allegro Bus right here in Virginia Beach from a private party.  We have never regretted that decision!  We would have never guessed we'd be spending six months at a campground five miles from where it all started.

But here we are and will be for a couple of more months.  Daughter Kelly came through surgery with flying colors and is recovering nicely.  But Grandma and Grandpa continue to provide some useful assistance with the two young grand kids.

Back to the beginning of the RV Adventure and how it all started.  There are many reasons why we decided to sell everything, downsize and get into this wonderful lifestyle.

I know there are hundreds of you out there that regularly or semi-regularly check in and read The Roadrunner Chronicles, so I have a couple (three to be exact) questions for you.  Will you give some input?  Here's Question #1

1.  What is the primary reason you decided to RV? What was your main incentive?

For us -- it ended up being related to the notion that we could not decide where we wanted to retire.  Florida?  New Mexico?  Tennessee? -- we had those thoughts rattling around in the background when we started looking at RV back in 2007.

So if you'd be kind enough to respond an give some feedback -- that would be great!

Questions #2 is directly related to #1 and is this:

2.  Did you have to convince your spouse to do this?  Or were you both on board from the start?

For Pam and me, we started out slowly and talked a lot about RVs and those people that were able to afford them.  We looked and learned for quite a few months before we decided, "This might be for us if we can figure out how to pay for something like that."

It took a good many months of talking about things and then coming up with a way to pay for an RV.
That leads me to Question #3 which is:

3.  How did you (or how are you paying) pay the RV?  

Did you purchase it outright?  Did you cash in savings?  Did you finance it over time?  Did you sell your house?

In our case, we nailed it down to two choices:
We were either going to rent our house out and finance the RV; or sell our house and pay off the RV and tow before we started out.

In retrospect, we are very glad we chose to sell our 'Stix and Bricks' home.  We had 15+ years of equity in it and had been paying double payments for a few years to get the principal down.  By the time we sold it for $450K we had only $80,000 left for the payoff.

(That introduced another set of questions as, "What if this doesn't work out?" and "Are we going to be out in the middle of nowhere a few months from now and ask ourselves, "What have we done!!?"-- we will save that for another time.)

I realize many people can not or chose not to sell their home.  Everyone has to make those decisions that they are most comfortable with.   Always there is a bit of risk involved in doing this but everyone has a comfort threshold and as I have said a hundred times, "There are many ways to do this lifestyle!"

So today I have three questions I am asking for your input on:
1.  How did you decide to start RVing?
2.  Did you have to convince or persuade your spouse to RV?
3.  How did you pay for (or are paying for the RV?

There will be more questions down the road for our readers, but I hope you'll take a minute and respond and let us and our other readers know what your answers are to these questions.

Thanks so much!  And thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles!