Some Thoughts on Exiting the Full-time RV Life

Anyone who has gone full-time as an RVer can relate to the large amount of effort it took to make the dramatic transition. Downsizing, living in cramped quarters, and always being on the road can have a big impact mentally and emotionally.  Similarly, making the decision to reverse course and rejoin the more traditional community has some challenges too.

I’ve thought about this topic awhile.  In fact a day may not go by before my thoughts return to the RV life and I relive some of those great memories.
That said, I know some friends who are thinking about making the same decision and I wanted to share some thoughts from our experience.

We were on the road for almost 10 years and sold the Roadrunner 15 months ago.  This is from our perspective so it may or may not apply.  My hope is that it might useful in some way.

Here goes:

1. Becoming full-timers takes longer than making the big change to get off the road.  It takes a lot to put yourself into a viable position to live on the road and go full-time.  For us it was a two year effort.  Others have done it more quickly.  It really depends on your circumstances and personal risk tolerance.
2. Reversing that situation is easier but can be no less risky or scary.  But it doesn’t have to be. With a right amount of consideration and forethought, it can be done well with little pain.
3. In our case, we found that once you say it out loud and discuss it, everything changes.  It becomes inevitable, sooner than later.  Up until that time, it was a “someday” thing but not an item that we concerned ourself with much.
4. Transiting off the road my be more pleasant if you had a good full-time experience.  We found it easy to cherish those times.  Likewise, we were and are hopeful as the next chapter continues to unfold it can be equally as good.
5. I find that our circumstances may be different and I have always thought it is OK to “feel sad’ about leaving the road.  Really -- we gave some of the best years of our life to a great experience, and it is normal to have feelings about changing things.
6. I think it helps to sollidify thinking as to why we make the big change.  Once we determined the “why” -- it was easy to come back to that when I had misgivings or other thoughts.  Remember the “why" you are doing this despite the mixed emotions.  There may be times when the transition 
7. It’s ok to have changing goals after you become part-timers or no-timers.  We thought we’d be getting a smaller RV.  Then we spent that portion of our budget on a truck and still have no RV.  And we are OK with that, though we loved every minute of life on the road.
8. I know of friends who found it helped to write out pros and cons of a decision to leave the road.  It may clarify things for you.  
9. Make the change with minimum financial impact if you can.  A series of costly financial moves at this stage of your life is not helpful.
10. Don’t be surprised if others “don’t get it”.  Despite your enthusiasm for RVing, some folks just do not understand.  And they don’t understand why you ever did that in the first place.  But that’s OK.  
11. Be flexible.  Be patient with your new circumstances. Once you are settled back into a more “traditional lifestyle” there may be those days when it is not going so great and you wish you were still RVing.  
12. Make sure this is what you really want to do, so you don’t have regrets. Leaving the full-time lifestyle and going traditional is not irreversible, but I’m thinking from what we have seen it is improbable.
13. We intended to have an RV parked nearby at a storage lot or in the backyard and have it ready to go for many short 4-6 week trips.  But that hasn’t happened yet.  For us at the moment it is not feasible.  But we are OK with that.
14. Manage your expectations.  Just as RVing is not a panacea, going back to traditional living isn’t either.  It will have challenges and setbacks.  
15. You can't move if you don’t like your neighbors like you could in your RV, unless you are renting.  Hopefully you will be able to get into a great neighborhood or situation suits you.
16. Whatever cash you set aside for the transition will go fast.  Other priorities may pop up that you didn’t plan for.  Some are knowns but there are the many unknowns.  Be thrifty if you can so you have more options.
17. Set up a way to remember your wonderful times.  Photos, a blog, emails, are all ways to remember the great (and not so great) times you had on that very unique time of your life.  Review them like an old scrapbook. 
18. You may want to keep in touch with your some of your RV friends.  It is a wonderful way to remember and connect with that important part of your life.
19. Key in on the things that you deal with as full-timers that are an undertone of stress.  If you leave the road, you are free from those pressures.  It could be little things that you didn’t realize but definitely create some element of burden for you:  Major RV breakdowns, places to get a camping spot during the busy season (or COVID-19 lately), doing your laundry at a laundromat every week, or being apart from family.
20. Maybe you don’t have to get rid of your RV or you can downsize and still get out and camp from time to time.  That seems like the best of both worlds.  Become a half-timer, some-timer or when-ever-you-can RVer can be a great option if your situation allows it. 

Having said all this - life after RVing can be just as exciting, just as fun, just as rewarding.  Only different.  It doesn’t have to be the same to be good.  Or great.

It can be another exciting time in your life.  And why not?  You made a big change to go full-time, and you can be happy and successful in the next chapter of your life. After you think about it and develop your plan,  Go for it! and God Bless You!

Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles!

Selling and Delivering the Roadrunner to New Owners

A little over a week ago, we completed the sale of the Roadrunner.  It started out slowly with an email on December 31, 2018 and culminated in getting the deal done 43 days later with the new buyer.

Roadrunner on test drive with new owner

A friend with the same year, make, and model motorhome sold his in December and asked if he could pass along our contact information to a couple of people who were interested in his coach.  Soon after, I got emails from both individuals.

Thing happened a lot quicker than we planned.  We decided to put the Roadrunner up for sale after out winter trip to Florida.  That would be the first or second week in April.  But since this opportunity presented itself, we figured we could change our plans if things worked out.  After all, “Two birds in hand are worth three in the bush,” ... or something like that?

We never had to advertise the Roadrunner or contact a consignment agency.  We're calling it divine intervention and are as grateful as we can be.  It turned out to be a "win-win" for both the buyer and for us. He got a great coach for less than what he would have paid at a dealership and we got a little more money than many said was possible.

We traded emails back and forth with the two interested parties in January.  I sent each about 30 pictures of the Roadrunner and answered a lot of questions.  One was concerned about the price we were asking and the high miles we had on the coach.  Both of those items I understood.  Our 2007 Allegro Bus had 130,000 miles on it.

When we were in Red Bay after Thanksgiving, I talked with a motorhome broker who said that the two factors that he and most RV dealers consider were simply, year of the motorhome and miles.  Those two factors determine what they are willing to pay an owner for a used motorhome.   He said we would be fortunate to get $85,000 or $90,000.

As owners, we felt our motorhome was in great shape, had minimal issues, and worth top dollar.  We had put a lot of work into keeping it running well and looking good over the years.  May a lot of upgrades. Our original sales plan was to take the Roadrunner back to Red Bay the first week of April and get some odds and ends/minor work done, then park it on a lot there and see what happened.

That plan never materialized. Instead, we cleaned out the coach and got the Roadrunner ready to turn over to the new owner.  Every step of the way, we knew that for one reason or another, the sale could fall through.  Our situation was unlikely from the start but just because we had some unique circumstances to navigate, "unlikely" doesn't necessarily mean, "not possible."

A week before the new owner flew in to see it, we rented a 4' x 8' U-Haul trailer and packed it full of everything we could not carry in the Honda CRV.  We were already were traveling light since we left a lot of our things back at our daughter's place in Virginia Beach before we started on the Florida trip.
For less than $100, we rented the trailer and drove to Virginia Beach for a few days.  It coincided with our youngest grandson's 2nd birthday which was great.

Meanwhile, we were continuing the correspondence and figuring out a viable "change or ownership" plan.

Some of the hurdles we had to get over were his situation and modifications to the Roadrunner.  He was flying in to look over the coach.  Then, if it all worked out, we offered to help him get the coach to a storage facility which was about eight hours from where we were located. 

A number of things had to be addressed:
- High miles of coach
- Age of the motorhome
The broker suggested we ask what we wanted to get for it and see what happens.  Our friend with a coach like ours did that and got more than we did.  But then, he also had a lot less miles than we did.  I think anyone who shops around can see that there are a lot of 11 year old RVs that have not been taken care of very well.  We tried to keep up with things and have made something like 17 trips to Red Bay over the years to stay on top of maintenance and improvements.  We felt it was better to get a few things done each time than pay a big bill all at once.

- Washer/dryer addition
- Lack of table/eating area
- Keeping the recliner
- Purchase price
The buyer was always complimentary when I sent pictures and I ended up forwarding about 75 in total.  Two items on his list were that wanted to install a washer/dryer and to reinstall the Corian table.  We did a little bit of research and offered some recommendations with a couple of shops in Red Bay who could get that done for him.
I also wanted to keep the custom table and the Lazy Boy recliner we had in lieu of the sofa we had removed on the Driver Side.  He was OK with all of those.
After about 10 days of discussions on "how this might work" I thought it appropriate to agree on a selling price.   Better to see where we were in the process than get down near the end only to be surprised.  It only took a couple of emails and we agreed on a price we were both happy with.

- Meeting at the airport hotel
- Test drive
He was flying into the Jacksonville Airport late on a Saturday night and then taking a shuttle to an airport hotel.  We met the next morning at the hotel and drove him back to the campground at Naval Station Mayport.
We took a tour of the outside and then the inside of the Roadrunner, where we went through all the details of operation.  Inside the coach, Pam and I explained the operation of all the systems moving from the front to the back and answering all his questions. Next, Pam explained the procedures for shutting down the DirecTV, pulling in the slides and getting the Roadrunner ready to roll.  I then went outside with him and showed him what I do with the hookups and putting away things.
After that, he and I went for a test drive around the outskirts of the base.  He did fine and carefully returned the Roadrunner back to the campsite so we could connect the Honda CRV.

- Transfer of funds
- Bill of Sale
- Transfer of Title
We did our due diligence to verify that he could get an official check made out to me that I could deposit online using the USAA mobile app.  We are both USAA members. I thought a simple transfer from his account to my account would work.  Instead he had a check drafted that could not be changed or cancelled for 90 days.  A friend in the tourism industry said that some unseemly folks would pay for their tickets by checks and then turn around and cancel their checks.  The USAA procedures in place prevented that possibility.
After the test drive, we signed two identical copies of the bill of sale with two witnesses at the campground office and then filled out the Transfer of Title.

- Departure from Naval Station Mayport
- Arrival at KOA for the night
- Dinner at Cracker Barrel
- Sleeping arrangements
By now it was about 1030 AM.  We hooked up the tow car (Honda CRV) and headed for a KOA off I-75 where we had made reservations for the night.  After a couple of hours on the road, we pulled into a truck stop for some fast food.  He was able to drive the coach for over an hour on the freeway so he got some time behind the wheel.  I liked the idea he got the chance to drive it around base and also out in some traffic.  He did fine and liked the way it handled.
Our stop at the KOA was about 3 1/2 - 4 hours away from Mayport.  The delivery destination (the next day) was an RV storage facility east of Atlanta, another 4 hours away. The overnight stop allowed him to set the unit up at the campground while we were there to answer any questions.  Next, we went out to dinner together and drove back to the campground.  We had bought him a sleeping bag and pillow and we found a motel in town for the night.  He was able to check out the DirecTV by himself plus everything else inside the coach.  When we met the next morning we answered a few questions but it went smoothly.

- Departure for Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport
- Rental Car
- RV Storage
- Adios
He had breakfast of bagels, orange juice and coffee that we had in the refrigerator for him and we grabbed something at the hotel.  We met early at the KOA and he did all the departure set up and procedures with some minimal coaching.
Our next "stop" was the Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport.  He had arranged for a rental car.  We looked up the airport information online and made sure we would have no problem driving the Roadrunner to the airport.  I could not imagine that it would have any low hanging walkways or overpasses that would be a problem.  We checked it out but also kept a keen eye for some surprises along the way.  We had no issues.  As we approached, I slowed and pulled over near the parking garage, and put on my flashers for 30 seconds.  He hopped out and went on the rental office.  We exited the airport and drove 30 miles over to the RV storage facility.  He met us there shortly after we arrived.  We removed our license plates, unhooked the CRV, took one last picture, said, "Adios Roadrunner, it's been amazing!" We shook hands again with the buyer and we were off.

The end of an era.  It was a bit surreal as we drove to the nearest Chick-Fil-A for lunch and pondered our future... 

Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles.  There are more stories to come, be sure to tune in!

   

Roadrunner Reflections: Completing 9 Years of RV Living

Our 9th Year on the Road began in Virginia Beach and here we are again in Virginia Beach.  I still remember that back-porch conversation Pam and I had when we were considering full-timing.  I said, "If we are really going to do this, sell the house, buy and RV and all that, we should at least plan on doing it for 5 years."  Pam thought otherwise.  She said, "I was thinking more like 10."
And here we are.  Living the RV dream in year 10.  It has been quite an adventure.

The adventure has had so many facets to it, it is a little hard to explain.  But I am going to do my best.  I'm writing a book.  Writing a book almost like running a marathon. I've run four of those.  It took me a few years to decide I was actually going to run one and then commit to all the miles and hours preparing to go 26.2 miles.  Writing a book is a bit daunting.  Especially if you want to do a credible job.  I have the first draft under my belt and will probably have drafts two and three before I am ready to take the next step.  The halfway point of a marathon is about mile 20.  Seems as if the last 6.2 miles were as hard as the first 20.  I think the halfway point of writing a book is somewhere beyond draft two.  10 chapters, 50,000+ words, it is coming together.  We will see.  Stay tuned.  I'm shooting for a fall release.

So that is one major aspect of year nine - I became a 'writer'.  I have been a blogger for over 10 years now and have taken it seriously as various times.  Sometimes it seems like a lot of work to be a hobby.  Other times, the words and motivation are there and it comes fairly easy.  Somewhere along the line last year, I was reviewing a friend's manuscript (Wes), who had a collection of short stories he formed into a very readable book.  He has a masterful grip of storytelling.  Me, not so much.

Somewhere along the line he suggested I write a book.  I don't even remember the conversation to well.  It reminded me of running a marathon.  It took me years, literally years to wrap my head around the idea and then actually take steps to get it accomplished.  About that time I enjoyed running and remember it being a fad.  Lots of people were 'jogging'.  For some reason the idea of 'jogging' never resonated with me.  I decided I was always going to be a 'runner'.  Pace or speed had nothing to do with it.  It was a mind set.  I was a runner.

Other personal challenges included getting my Master's degree.  I remember thinking about it, dabbling in it with a few night classes and then finally one day decided, "I'm going to get this done." It took me over two years and lots of studying on Sunday afternoons, but it paid off.

And I think becoming a writer and changing the mindset from dabbling it in putting together a credible effort will be rewarding as well.  I haven't got the interest in a novel and writing engaging stories, but I do have 10 years of thinking about RV living and writing about it.  I have thousands of pictures and memories to fill up 10 volumes.  (At this point I have plans for 10 volumes.)  Why not?  I like doing it, it is a challenge and we will see.  There is one change in Year 9.  I became a writer.

We have plenty of other reflections about that last nine years and the last year in particular.  The biggest events over the last couple of years are the arrival of our two grandsons:  Brooks and Harrison.  These two little guys are game changers!  Being away from them four or five months is a special kind of tug that we want to figure out.  Maybe the better way to travel and come back to Virginia Beach is to go on two or three month trips and come back to see them for a couple of months at a time.  They grow up quickly.

We are very fortunate to have a daughter and son-in-law that are insistent we be involved in the grandkids lives.  We are glad to do so and are figuring all that out.  It's been a real joy to be around them and help out and we surely will do more of that in the days and years ahead.  Their presence on the scene has caused us to reflect and consider the next step in our RV living...

We cannot say how long we will be full-timing.  But our thinking has definitely changed to where we are actively discussing other arrangements.  We have no timeline in mind and we have one more year before we hit the 10 year mark.  I remember asking the question on an RV forum before we hit the road, "What is your exit plan?".  Most people responded as if I was nuts and if I was already thinking about an exit plan, maybe full-timing was not for me.  What??

I think I wanted to see if there is something worth considering before we started, that would make it better when we moved to part-timing or some-timing.  The bottom line is that I decided just like we figured out how to transition to full-timing, we could figure it out when the time for us to change and 'settle' down.

Not sure what to call where we are now, but we are definitely in a different phase of RV Living - "No Man's Land".

It reminds me of deciding to leave my current job for another one and not telling anyone yet.  I was in that situation after I retired from the military.  I had decided to leave, was actively pursuing new employment, but I wasn't in a position yet to discuss it with anyone but Pam.  I continued to work hard at my current position and I determined the date I needed to offer my resignation.  It was "No Man's Land".

That term may be a bit overly dramatic but we are in a different phase of Living the Dream.  After 9 years of living this life, we know that our life is probably going to change in the next year or two.  We're not sure exactly what that is going to look like but it will probably be settling down here in Virginia Beach.  Our son and daughter in law live in Fairfax VA and work in the Northern VA/Washington DC area.  Our daughter and son in law and two grandkids live here in Virginia Beach.  It makes sense for us to be in Virginia if we want to be near them.

This phase is almost like starting out all over again.  At this stage, I want to do all I can to avoid a big financial mistake.  We are now at Social Security retirement age and on a fixed income. Unless my book(s) are wildly successful and we come financially independent.  😳  Like playing the lottery, I don't think that is a very sound financial retirement plan.

Thinking about getting off the road and brainstorming sets off a whole set of uncertainty, curiosity, changes, risks and research.  While we enjoy our time on the road, we will be working the next phase in the background/behind the scenes.  We will see what happens.  Meanwhile, part of reflecting on our ninth year is a recap of some of the travels we've had over the last 12 months.

We started out going to Ohio and up to Michigan before returning to Virginia Beach for the holidays. After the first of the year, we drove south on I-95 to Florida and then headed west on I-10 and into California.  We saw friends in the San Bernardino are and landed in Arizona for the winter.  It was mostly warm and a great time.  We love Arizona!

We found ourselves doing a lot of things this last year that we did in Year 1 of our adventures.

We saw museums and state capitols, worked for Habitat for Humanity on a couple of gigs, went to Canada, went to Mexico and spent a lot of time in the Tucson area:

Museums/Zoos/Parks

• Virginia Zoo (Norfolk)
• National Historical Site at Kitty Hawk (Wright Brothers)
• Columbus Zoo (Ohio)
• Jack Nicklaus Museum (Ohio State campus)
• Noah's Ark (full size display and museum near Cincinnati)
• Creation Museum (Petersburg, KY not far from Cincinnati)
• Red Bay Museum (Red Bay, AL)
• Kentucky Horse Park (Lexington)
• Cultural Heritage Center (Pierre, SD)
• Pony Express Museum (Marysville, KS)
• Loretto Memorial Chapel (Santa Fe)
• National Museum of the American Indian (Washington DC)
• Ford Theater (Washington DC)
• Dodge City (KS)
• Natural Bridge (Virginia)

State Capitols

• Columbus, Ohio
• Lexington, KY
• Pierre, South Dakota

Volunteering

• Gold Manor (major renovations at daughter and son-in-law's/Virginia Beach
• Habitat for Humanity/Care-A-Vanner, East Lansing, MI
• Habitat for Humanity/Care-A-Vanner, Sioux Falls, SD

Other

• Solar Eclipse (An event Pam put on the calendar many months in advance so we could see a 100% coverage in Nebraska)
• Golf in Arizona (Played more this year than I have in many years)
• Hiking (Sabino Canyon and Catalina State Park -  Tucson)
• 100,000 miles - we passed the 100,000 miles in the Roadrunner a few weeks ago.  

As we look back on our 9th year, a number of things have changed since we first got interested in RV living Full-Time:

Observations: 

• Facebook - It seems to me Facebook is exploding with RV groups and information.  It is so easy to ask a question about RVing and one only has to wait minutes before a multitude of responses flash on the screen.  
• YouTube - A close second to Facebook is YouTube that has about every kind of video you would want to see on the lifestyle, RVs and "How To" on all kinds of RV subjects.
• Kindle - this device was fairly new 9 years ago and it was not nearly as common as it is today.  Most people (me included) read books on Kindle or the Kindle app on smartphones.
• Travel Trailers - There seems to be a lot more travel trailers on the road.  New RVers are getting the less expensive models and it seem to be much more common to see them in the campgrounds.
• Gas vs diesel Class A's - I would guess that the gas engine Class A is gaining
• Price of fuel - Not nearly what I thought it would be after 9 years of RVing.  Diesel seems to be hovering around the $3.00/gal and I thought it would be over $5.00/gal.  Back in 2008/2009 it was making a steady climb and I expected it to stay at the high cost.  We paid over $4.00/gal years ago, but thankfully that did not last long.

Maintenance on The Roadrunner and tow car (Honda CRV)

• New headlights
• Replaced pitted/corroding air horns on top with aluminum air horns
• New carpeting throughout
• Repainted all bay doors
• New tires 
• Replaced Driver Side (DS) front window that took a rock 
• Alternator in car

I am surprised we have not had to replace our front windshield.  It had a number of chips and small cracks that were repair after they occurred but I thought that it would only last a couple of years.  Not so.  Here we are, many years down the road and the windshield is still doing good.

Each year I pause and reflect and try to note where we are in the RV Living adventure.  We are still loving the lifestyle and yet know it is going to change in the next few years.  We will see what it looks like and embrace that stage of Living the Dream.

Meanwhile, you all, our loyal, frequent and interested readers.  Interaction with you has been one of the huge bonuses of this journey and I thank you. It has been amazing!

Thanks for checking in on this edition on the Roadrunner Chronicles. 

Traveling Tips - Cold Weather

We have been on the road now for a little over a week.  We have, like most of you, been experiencing cold weather.  In an RV, that can make life a little more difficult.  There are a few things we do that make it cold weather living in a RV doable and quite enjoyable.  It is all part of the adventure.

We left Virginia Beach and drove south toward Florida.  The farther south we went we noticed the front heater aka as "dash heat" was not blowing warm air.  Hmmm.  We forgot that we had the reverse problem last summer in the heat when our air conditioner would not blow cool air.

When we took it in to Bay Diesel at Red Bay, they added freon and serviced the A/C.  A tech also told me about the yellow shutoff valve near the transmission back underneath the engine.  He gave it a half turn to block the flow or warm air through the hose to the front.

I forgot all that.  In the last few days, after Pam and I experienced some cold driving in the front of the coach, we stumbled upon our conversation with the tech.  I didn't remember where the shutoff valve was located exactly.  The weather has been rainy and nasty so I wasn't anxious to get down on the ground and wedge myself under there to poke around.  We waited until we were in a better spot to do anything about it.

I called Bay Diesel yesterday morning and talked to the man himself.  Nice to talk to Chris.  He explained where the engine heater shutoff valve was:  near the bell housing and chassis frame.

Since I did not know what bell housing was, I looked it up on Google and figured out what it looked like.

It was freezing cold outside at our campground in Houston, but we were on a dry concrete pad and I figured it was as good a time as any to see what I could do.

l bundled up with gloves and work jacket and got a moving blanket to lay on.  I didn't know how long I was going to be on the ground but it doesn't take long to get cold laying on cold concrete.   I also put my headlamp to good use.  I have recently started using it more to free up my hands.

I wanted to see if I could squeeze under the coach since it was leveled and sitting pretty low to the ground.  I was able to wiggle my way under the tight space.  I looked up and around and just tried to get my bearings.  I looked where the hoses were and were they were leading.  It wasn't too long before I found the yellow shutoff valve.

I was able to get one arm raised and turn the valve where it was in line with the hose.

Then I crawled out from under the coach, picked up and put away my things.

I was surprised:  I turned a simple 5 minute job into a simple 5 minute job!
I thought:  I am winning at life!!  Yes!!!! :)
I only got excited because I have learned that things that seem simple often times aren't simple and if they are simple, I know I often have a way making things harder than they need to be...

So there it is - how to open the valve and get hot air blowing into the front dash heater.  We verified it worked and were a lot warmer on the drive to Cowtown RV Park in Aledo, TX, where we are camped for a few days.

While we are at it, I thought I'd note our own version of winterizing.  Since we live in the Roadrunner 24/7 even in cold weather at times, here are some of the things we do to make our home warmer.

Pam devised a curtain hanging system with a standard rod that is held in place with 3 self adhesive plastic Command-brand plastic hooks.  Kelly gave her a two curtains that she no longer needed and it fits in place and keeps the cold from the window and door at bay.

I got a Snuggy years ago and keep it over my leather recliner in cold weather.  Instead of cold leather, I sit on a warm blanket.

If you look real close, you can see a small blue comforter that I also drape over me.  Just like at everyone else's house, we use throws/afghan/comforters when we read or watch TV.

Last fall we got new carpet installed at MSRV in Golden/Red Bay.  Daniel did a great job with the install and put a binding on a couple of pieces of extra carpet.  I paid him extra to put binding on two long pieces I keep rolled up in the basement.  During cold weather we keep them unrolled and minimize the exposure of those cold ceramic tiles.

 Heaters.  We have a large electric space heater for the front area

In the back near the shower/bathroom, we have a smaller ceramic heater.  We turn them both off at night and pile on the blankets if necessary.

The DS bedroom slide has some drafts around the rubber seal from the outside.  Pam puts some rags and towels in strategic places to cover the holes.  Most of the time we don't even notice it and its no big deal, but in the cold weather when it is windy we can tell where the drafts are coming from.  This simple fix takes care of it.

Those are some of the things we do to keep warm in cold weather.  I left out the best way to stay warm -- stay in places that are 80 degrees and above!

Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  We hope you are well and warm!

Roadrunner Reflections - Great Plains to the High Mountain Desert

In the last few weeks of travel we've been able to see the Midwest, central plains and now were here in God's country — the High Desert or northern New Mexico not far from where I grew up.  Every couple hundred miles, the landscape changes significantly and I wish I could take a snapshot in my head and replay it later.  Such are the memories that we make and try to remember.

Our Route the Last Couple of Weeks:  SD to NM

(A.) Sioux Falls, SD

(B.) Farm Island SRA, SD

(C.) Randall Creek SRA, SD

(D.) Seneca, KS

(E.) Dodge City, KS

(F.) Tucumcari, NM

(G.) Albuquerque, NM

Pam and I left our campsite in Dodge City, KS (E.) about 8:00 a.m.  We were up early and took showers, emptied the tanks, hooked up the CRV, said a prayer and got ready to pull out. About then daughter Kelly called and we spent a few minutes talking to her and grandson Brooks.

Nice way to start the day.  We had already picked our route to Tucumcari, NM where we had called the day before to make overnight reservations.  We made our way out of town past the feed lots and onto the Highway 54 toward Liberal KS. I had forgotten that Liberal was the hometown of Julie Garland in the movie 'Wizard of Oz'.

The secondary roads have been a fun way to travel over the past few weeks.  They have been quite good for the most part, plus we like getting out there and seeing more of the backcountry of America.  One thing that astounded us was the sheer number and magnitude of grain elevators across the prairie.  Apply nicknamed, "Prairie Cathedrals" these majestic structures seemed to be dotting the countryside every 10 miles.

Another mystery at times were the crops.  We recognized the corn growing in various degrees of health from South Dakota to Texas.  It seemed South Dakota they were in need of more rain while the corn was more robust and healthy in Kansas which had a lot more rain.

Then there are beets.  In fact, there was lots of beets and corn.  Some of the farmland was wheat, and there was lots of hay.  And a new one we didn't recognize -- turned out it was sorghum.  Pam guessed that one and looked it up on her iPhone.  Sure enough that was it sorghum with the distinct tassels on top.

A little over a week ago, we finished our Habitat for Humanity build in Sioux Falls we traveled to Pierre, SD.  That drive was uneventful and we got a chance to see the Missouri River and some more of the Lewis and Clark Trail.  We are big fans of that and love learning about those explorers.  We found out about the small town of Pierre (pronounced ~ PEER).  For a population of about 13,000 and no major highway near by, it has a pretty good operation going.

While in Pierre, we experienced a little of the remoteness and hilly plains of South Dakota.  Driving from there to our next stop at Fort Randall State Recreation Area, we came across a lot of small towns and wide open spaces.  That stop was a bit too remote from us.  We were isolated with no cell phone or internet access.  We stayed below the dam in an area with lots of trees.  Next time we will camp upstream on the lake portion.

While there for a couple of days, we took in a guided tour of the dam itself which was a first.  We also drove over to Yankton SD thinking we'd see some more history.  It was a fine way to spend the rainy day, but it again was pretty remote until we got into town.  We drove out to the dam and lake and took in some more of the Missouri River.  We found another nice campground on the Missouri River.

Whether it is a day trip or getting from one destination to another, we love seeing different parts of the country and different parts of each state.  Each area has a special uniqueness all its own.

And so it has been the last few weeks since we left Sioux Falls.  We love the miles and miles of rolling hills through the farm land of South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas.  Each area is a little different.

Leaving Randall Creek State Recreation Area (SRA), we found highway 281 that runs north/south through the eastern and central part of Nebraska.  We followed it for hours through the cornfields and back country.  It was beautiful and again, the roads were good.

Then we came to Grand Prairie NE, where we took a rock which broke the forward double paned window on the driver's side.  Yikes!  Fortunately, we were able to tape it and continue to our night's destination in Seneca Kansas.

Notwithstanding a broken window, I love driving the Roadrunner.  The ride is very smooth and comfortable and purrs along a steady 62 mph.  It could go much faster, but that seems to be a good cruising speed.  At that, we get 7.4 mph which is pretty good and normal for our 400 hp Cummins engine.  Most days, I drive a couple of hours and Pam takes over for an hour or two and then I'm good for the rest of the way.

A normal day for us is about 250-300 miles.  We use a planning factor of averaging about 50 miles per hour which includes time for Rest Stops to walk around and also for fuel stops.  Our tank holds 150 gallons but I usually start looking for a place to fill up at about the halfway point.  Which means we can go over 500 miles between fill ups with no problem?  Traveling the back roads of the Plains might seem to be an issue, but there were plenty of truck diesel stations all along the way.

Once we passed through Nebraska and just across the border into Kansas, we went through the small town of Marysville.  We saw that there was a historical marker for the Pony Express and in fact we were on the Pony Express Highway.  Cool!  We had a friends travel the whole Pony Express route on his motorcycle a few years ago and here we were on a stretch of it.

Back to the beginning of our day yesterday, we had called ahead the day before and made reservations at a decent overnight stop in Tucumcari NM.  That was about 250 miles and 5 hours.  We like to get into the campground no later than mid-afternoon when we are traveling if possible.  We were making such good time that we were near Tucumcari about 1:00 PM and we gained an hour.

With less that three hours to go, we decided to press ahead and get to Albuquerque.  It made for about a 450 mile and 8 hour drive but we were both feeling pretty good and it was worth it.  We gained another day in there to relax and  see my brother Reid and wife Amy.

As we left Tucumcari and headed west on I-40 I was struck by how big the sky was.  Wow -- the vistas went for miles and miles.  Reminded me of Montana and Wyoming.  It was beautiful!  Breathtaking.  The other thing we noticed about the landscape is that is no longer farming country.  Ranching and cattle is the name of the game out here.  That started to change as we went through Oklahoma and into Texas.  

From Oklahoma and into Texas and as we made our way into New Mexico,  the dirt was more visible and had a reddish color instead of the dark brown.  The cornfields and soybeans of the Great Plains were now a picture of mesquite, cedar, scrub brush, tumbleweeds and green grasses of the desert and High Desert.  The grass is quite different from the prairie grasses of South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas.  And I don't ever remember the country side and pastures being as green.  You could tell it has been raining quite a bit in the last couple of months.

The last hour from Santa Rosa, past Clines Cornes, Moriarity, Tijeras Canyon and into Albuquerque seemed to come quickly.  We pulled into the Kirtland AFB Security Gate off Eubank Boulevard and were told from now on, entrance for our RV was available only through the Truman Gate.

They let us through this last time but next time we'll have to travel around town and enter over by the Airport at the Truman Gate.  There apparently was some change in the security posture that happened earlier in the day.  Maybe next time, we'll call ahead and see if the Eubank Gate is open.  Going around to the Truman Gate is going to be a longer trip and not nearly as convenient.  The FamCamp is within a stone's throw of the Eubank Gate.

So here we are for a few days in Albuquerque.

We'll take a day trip up to Santa Fe again and spend some time with Reid and Amy.  And eat way to much Mexican food (promise!).

Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!

Feedback and Connecting

Today we are in:  Virginia Beach

I love interacting with our readers and friends!  Thank you for the comments and hundreds of  pageviews!  Its fun to know someone is out there and I especially appreciate the time and effort you took to respond:

• Karen @ two4road  
• Nan @ Trippin With the Talleys
• Steve and Karen  @ GonebyRV
• Don @ WhereDidWeParktheHouse
• Sandra and Randy
• Mary and Tom @ Palm Creek Sewers and Quilters
• Nancy and Bill @ BillandNancyBlog
• John and Sharon @ OntheRoadtoRetirement

Hearing from you has caused me to reflect a bit and think about the RV community and how we connect with each other.  It can be as simple as responding to a blog post or engaging as spending time face to face.  And often something in between.

We love the community and sense of camaraderie that RV lifestyle brings.  It is a subculture all its own.  Even within the RV community there are numerous groups subgroups.  Some people get into a group and travel some and stay at a location during the winter as snowbirds or winter visitors.  Others like us, hit the road a while back and are living in their RV full time.

Full time RVing is how we meet a lot of people.  I can think of two couples off hand that we met at a campground.  We had never seen them before we parked next to them.  We became good friends with both couples.

One we met the Fairgrounds at Rodeo de Santa Fe when we were there for a Habitat for Humanity Build.  The other couple we met when we were parked next to them overlooking the Gulf in Key West.  One of those couples we spent 4th of July with a few years ago in Bar Harbor Maine.  The other we have seen again in Seal Beach California and another time made sure our paths crossed in Walla Walla Washington for a few days.

Other people get a sense of community by going to Rallie's like FMCA or the Allegro Club or Escapees.  Rallies are a great way to meet some folks, get to know them a little bit at happy hours or campfires.  Next thing you know, you keep up with them and find ways to meet up again.

As you can see RVing is a mixed bag.  There are a myriad of reasons why people chose this lifestyle. And it doesn't have to be a 'forever' choice.  We know of a lot of people who did it for two or three or five years and decided it was time to get off the road and live in a community they enjoy.

We've been doing this eight years now and I always get a charge out of hearing from folks.  Sometimes it is comments on the blog.  Sometimes it is a private email, or a comment on Facebook.  Its always great and sometimes we get to meet new people face to face for the first time.

We have been to a few rallies, seminars and bootcamps.  At our very first seminar, we met Steve and Karen (GoneByRV) back in 2008 and still find ways to meet up around the country.  I think we've seen them most in Red Bay AL back at the factory.  And that is another way to meet and connect with people.

Connecting with 'friends we haven't met' and some we have through this blog has been literally quite surprising.  It is a real wonder to me when people are kind enough to send an email, or make a comment or ask a questions -- its always fun to hear from them.  Some we have never met face-to-face.  But if its possible, we often try to say 'hi' to people if we are nearby.

Such was the case a month ago or so. I got an email from Don who has been reading the Chronicles for about three years.  We were able to meet them on the weekend.  We didn't have a lot of time but  we did have a great time just getting to know a little bit about them and their story.  Looks like we are going to get together again later in the week for dinner down on the Oceanfront here in Virginia Beach.

So we connect with other RVers a number of ways.  Many times its by meeting people at campgrounds or rallies or volunteering projects.  Once we seem to 'hit it off with' them, we find a way to keep in touch and the next thing you know a new friendship is born.

Thanks again for connecting with us by reading the Roadrunner Chronicles and especially for responding to the questions!

Roadrunner Reflections - Post Surgery Update

Just wanted to send out a quick update.  Surgery went well.  We have a way to go and taking it a day at a time but things are on track.  We saw the doctor yesterday and he was pleased with how things went and how they looked.  Things went smoothly.

The doctors and staff were first rate and top notch.  They were professional, had answers for all our questions and emoted a general sense of confidence, caring and ones that are in the prime of their medical career.  We were immediately put at ease talking with them about the task at hand.

We arrived an hour early early, prepped for surgery for about an hour and a half, had the two hour surgery and a couple of hours in recovery.

The general anethesia took a while to wear off and I wasn't feeling too great but it's all manageable. I have regained my appetite and am adjusting to the head down position that's required for 50 minutes every hour.  Sleeping has been interesting but that too is working out OK.

An eye surgery nurse just called to check up and answer any questions we have.  We've been very well taken care of.

More than that, we appreciate all of you and the people we have heard from.  Your interest and concern, your prayers and words of encouragement mean a lot to us.  Thanks very much!

That's all for now on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  Back to 'head down' and moving through recovery.  :)

Roadrunner Reflections - Eye Update

Just wanted to followup with a brief note on my eye.  Over the last week or so, I've had some activity and didn't really know what was going on.  Seems like every few days things change but I had some pain and swelling which was new, so I thought it prudent to move up my two month 'check-in with a retina specialist' to as soon as I could find one.

Retina Northwest in Portland Oregon takes my insurance(Tricare Standard), and they worked with me to get me into a retina specialist.

That occurred on Friday AM the doctor did a very thorough exam and saw previous issues in addition to new problems.  I have a number of retina tears culminating in a Retina Detachment.  Yikes!  Not what we were hoping for... Up to Friday I was diagnosed with Retina Tear and Vitreous Hemorrhage.

This is a serious turn of events.  Glad we went in to see him.  I found him to be very thorough in his notetaking and assessment.  He was very professional and calm with the cold hard facts.  This has to be fixed.

He scheduled me for emergency surgery later this morning in Portland where I will be under general anesthesia where he perform:  vitrectomy with scleral buckle and intravitreal gas.

I thought this YouTube video was a pretty good (and short) explanation of my condition:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lxu3cUguM0

I also was going to show a short YouTube video of an actual surgery but it's a bit much...

We're going to stay in Portland for as long as it takes to get back to 'normal' and take it one day at a time.  It should take a couple of weeks in recovery here at the coach.  We'll find out in our post op appointment on Tuesday if I need to like face down or on mine side or what...

I am not planning on being able to read or sit up for those two weeks.  One friend who has had a number of retina detachment surgeryies (5) said, I am likely to become a 'carpet fiber expert'!  I guess being face down for a couple of weeks will make one very familiar with the floor.

Two things people have asked:

Will you get back to 100% vision?
- The doctor said, 'Maybe, but probably not'.  Not sure what all that means but I'm still planning and working on rehab so I get as close to what it used to be.
And
How do you feel about the surgery?
- I feel great!  I am so thankful we were able to get in to see the doctor and get scheduled ASAP.  Our son's Father-In-Law in a teaching optometrist and has been giving some good insight, recommendations and encouragement.  Plus, I've been able to talk with friends who have successfully been through this.
I am good with the outcome -- however it turns out. Since I am at about 5% vision in my left eye now, anything better is a bonus.  I am hoping for the best and praying that it will happen.
So, I'm in otherwise good health, good spirits and in good shape.

With that, I will close now and take a brief hiatus (probably at least two weeks or less if cleared to do so).

Thanks so much for your interest, support and prayers!  We appreciate it!

Thats all for now - thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!

Roadrunner Reflections - Eye Update

Just wanted to followup with a brief note on my eye.  Over the last week or so, I've had some activity and didn't really know what was going on.  Seems like every few days things change but I had some pain and swelling which was new, so I thought it prudent to move up my two month 'check-in with a retina specialist' to as soon as I could find one.

Retina Northwest in Portland Oregon takes my insurance(Tricare Standard), and they worked with me to get me into a retina specialist.

That occurred on Friday AM the doctor did a very thorough exam and saw previous issues in addition to new problems.  I have a number of retina tears culminating in a Retina Detachment.  Yikes!  Not what we were hoping for... Up to Friday I was diagnosed with Retina Tear and Vitreous Hemorrhage.

This is a serious turn of events.  Glad we went in to see him.  I found him to be very thorough in his notetaking and assessment.  He was very professional and calm with the cold hard facts.  This has to be fixed.

He scheduled me for emergency surgery later this morning in Portland where I will be under general anesthesia where he perform:  vitrectomy with scleral buckle and intravitreal gas.

I thought this YouTube video was a pretty good (and short) explanation of my condition:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lxu3cUguM0

I also was going to show a short YouTube video of an actual surgery but it's a bit much...

We're going to stay in Portland for as long as it takes to get back to 'normal' and take it one day at a time.  It should take a couple of weeks in recovery here at the coach.  We'll find out in our post op appointment on Tuesday if I need to like face down or on mine side or what...

I am not planning on being able to read or sit up for those two weeks.  One friend who has had a number of retina detachment surgeryies (5) said, I am likely to become a 'carpet fiber expert'!  I guess being face down for a couple of weeks will make one very familiar with the floor.

Two things people have asked:

Will you get back to 100% vision?
- The doctor said, 'Maybe, but probably not'.  Not sure what all that means but I'm still planning and working on rehab so I get as close to what it used to be.
And
How do you feel about the surgery?
- I feel great!  I am so thankful we were able to get in to see the doctor and get scheduled ASAP.  Our son's Father-In-Law in a teaching optometrist and has been giving some good insight, recommendations and encouragement.  Plus, I've been able to talk with friends who have successfully been through this.
I am good with the outcome -- however it turns out. Since I am at about 5% vision in my left eye now, anything better is a bonus.  I am hoping for the best and praying that it will happen.
So, I'm in otherwise good health, good spirits and in good shape.

With that, I will close now and take a brief hiatus (probably at least two weeks or less if cleared to do so).

Thanks so much for your interest, support and prayers!  We appreciate it!

Thats all for now - thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!

Roadrunner Reflections: Lessons Through My Left Eye

Some things happen in life that cause one to stop and take time for contemplation and reflection.  It has happened to me that last few days while here at the foot of the Sierras.  Pam and I have traveled over 3,000 miles in the last month and it was time to park the Roadrunner and catch our breath. We are at a nice campground called The Lakes RV and Golf Resort.

While running an errand I had an episode with my left eye.  It was a bit scary and I pulled over and tried to clear the cloudiness and blur from my eye. But it didn’t really work.  There was no pain, but my vision immediately started cloud up and get blurry.  Right then and there I started getting used to just looking out my right eye.

I was concerned but last April a similar incident happened.  Then, the cloudiness cleared up day by day and pretty much resolved itself over the course of a few weeks.  We were in Virginia Beach at the time and I when to an eye doctor to see what was going on. He basically said to keep tabs on it and not worry about it.  So I didn't.  Until it happened again last week.

That was on Thursday afternoon.  By mid-morning on Friday I decided to call around to get hold of an optometrist who would take my TRICARE insurance.  I got in to see him a little before noon and we didn't leave until almost 4 PM.  

I described what happened as liquid spurting in around my eye that made me think of oil pockets.  After about 30 minutes it settled and it was like I was trying to look through a mix of dish soap and dark brown smears.  Like clear/brown dish soap on a glass.  (Later I found out this was the result of the hemorrhage.) 

The bottom line was I couldn’t see very well.  I could make out general images.  But when I took the first eye test, I was 20/20 in my right eye and 20/200 in the left.  I think that is basically blind.

Now when something like that happens, one can get pretty philosophical about things.  I contemplated the long term loss of my eyesight.  With only one eye, it complicates things, but I know that a lot of folks have only one eye and they adapt.  So I decided I will too — regardless of the prognosis.

The optometrist said I had a hemorrhage and maybe a retina detachment or tear.  That possibility was serious business.  He tried for a couple of hours on Friday afternoon to get me into see a retina specialist.  But the best we could do was a Monday appointment at 1:00 in Fresno.

The retina specialist was quick and efficient and put some incredibly bright lights into my eyes after the pupils were dilated.  He also did a ultrasound on my eye (yes - just like the one they do with pregnant women!).  He confirmed I did not have a tear of retina detachment.  

He prescribed the following treatment:  No lifting heavy objects or exerting strain. Stop talking baby aspirin, sleep with a pillow or two. Gravity is my friend.  I am not to put my head down for long periods of time.  

Sadly — there is nothing definitive that we can point to for the cause.  I don’t have diabetes, high blood pressure.  I haven’t had a heart attack or had a blow to the head.  I don’t have the 4-5 diseases the doctor questioned me about.  I read 7 people out of 100,000 ever get an eye hemorrhage. That is interesting but I would like to know why this is happening. (Isn't that one of the universal health questions?)

But the fact that I had no tear or retinal detachment is great news!  I have hope. And the fact that the murkiness in my eye seems to get a little better each day was another positive item.

But after a week now, I have very limited vision in my left eye.  Progress is slow.  A week ago it seemed as if I was looking through dish soap an inch thick.  Now it seems as if it might be 1/8 of an inch.  This is all what it ‘seems like’ because in both cases we’re probably talking about millimeters of substance.  But the bottom line is that I still probably have 95% loss of vision in that eye at the moment.

I really believe I will regain it all back — but it will take time.  

So in the meantime I am learning (or at least I try to remind myself):

• To try to quickly get perspective.  Get a grip.  This is not life and death. Its an inconvenience and may get worse but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  Worst case might be we have to change our lifestyle and get off the road.  We’re not there yet, but it is a possibility.  If that happens, its been a great ride.  Wonderful. Glorious. Fantastic.  But we’re not at that point.  
• To use my one good eye.  It gets mentally tiring, but every day it is easier and easier.  Sometimes I forget about ‘the cloudy eye’. Other times I find myself closing it and just using the good one.  More adjustments will come I am sure.
• I am grateful for many things:
  • The one good eye
  • Overall generally good health.
  • Strong wife who is helpful but doesn’t get too easily shook up over these things.
  • Living to be this age.  I am very aware my dad had heart disease and didn’t live to see his 63rd birthday. These days it is all a bonus.
  • That it wasn’t worse — like a detached or torn retina.
  • Hope — at any stage of life and when addressing serious issues one needs hope.  And I have that and am thankful for it.
  • Good timing. This happened after we had already traveled 3,000 + miles in the last month and are taking a two week hiatus.
  • Supportive team.  Our son reminded me his father-in-law is an optometrist, so I sent him the report from the first doctor.  He concurred and echoed many of the same questions, concerns, diagnosis and treatment.  Good to have a second opinion.
• To try not to be too self-focused.  Really?? (this whole post is just about that…) But at the same time, I am trying to just relax and do things I normally do.  And reach out to friends like always to see what they are up to.
• Tomorrow is not promised to anyone.  Neither is this life-style we love so much.  I don’t think so, but if they eye doesn’t ever get any better, do we want to continue to drive around the country?  Maybe.  Maybe not.
• Patience.  This will take time.  Maybe a month or two or longer.  After an initial followup in a few days, we will be seeing a recommended specialist for more follow-up in a couple of months.  
• God is sovereign.  Like all things that happen in life, I believe this happened for a reason. This is no surprise to Him, so talk to Him about it.
• To do what I can and not worry about what I can’t control. Enjoy what I can.  Never complain.
• Don’t bother feeling sorry for yourself.  I see so many people disabled and without the use of limbs.  Others I know are fighting for their lives.  This could be worse. Be a good example.  
• Tell your family soon when you realize it is serious.  Bad news doesn’t get better the longer you wait.  They can handle it.  Don’t exaggerate. Don’t minimize.  Just tell them what you know and they can process it.  Call them.  Talk with them.  This is one of those things our daughter said is “Not Textable” as in “Do not send me a text like this - I want to talk to you".  
• Your friends would want to know, so if it appropriate, let them in on what is really going on.
• Dwell on those things that keep you thankful.  I heard this once, “I complained about growing old until I remember those that were denied the privilege”. 
• This is like the Roadrunner.  Once we got the Roadrunner, I have told myself early on and a hundred times since, “It is all going to break sooner or later.  Don’t act so surprised.”  Aging will eventually take its toll.  Thankfully I am in otherwise pretty good health.

Every day I think and ponder new things this is teaching me.  Hopefully I will make good choices and this will run its course and the eye will heal itself.  I believe it will and am ‘looking' forward to more adventures in the Roadrunner.  This is a pretty special time in our lives and we are cherishing it.

Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles! 

Roadrunner Reflections: 7 Years on the Road

Last year I don't think I ever got around to jotting down some thoughts of what was going on in my mind and soul and heart during year 6.  I decided I'd give it a shot this year to try and quantify how great of a year it has been. 

Sometimes the words and thoughts just flow out like a stream of consciousness, other times it is a bit disjointed.  Hopefully you can get the just of how we feel about being on the road the last seven years.

In a few words:  wonderful, exciting, interesting, gratifying, expensive, fun, educational.

A day doesn't go by that Pam and I don't comment on how very grateful we are for our health, this time or our lives and being able to do this together.  It is special in many ways and being able to do this with Pam makes it even more so.

At this stage of the proceedings, e.g. passing through 63 years old, we are well aware of the finiteness of things -- of our own mortality.  We have seen too many pass from this life and some who now are not in good health.  We are also understand our life on the road will not last forever.  How long?  Don't know but we are going to continue to try to enjoy it as much as we can for as long as we can.  

It always is a bit sobering to us when we hear of folks who have 'hung up the keys' and are now off the road.  And every one is different, all have different motivations and situations.  But at some point all had that wonder and fire and big eyed look and quick smile as they told stories about their RV life.  Even if only for a few months or a few years doing this is special.  When we think about when our days ending 'on the road', we get a bit sad and know we are not read to stop; this is where we need to be.  

We do not tire of seeing family in different parts of the country.  We don't tire of moving on and moving down the road to meet up with old friends and new friends.  Sometimes we've stayed only a day or a few days in a place.  Other times it's been a week or a few weeks. During other periods in the last seven years.  So far the long stays have been near our kids depending on what was going on in their lives.  

There are still parts of the country we haven't seen much of and others that we keep going back to.  We'll get to see some of the new places hopefully in the coming months as we continue on to California and see more of the Sierras and then up the Oregon Coast again.  And we want to spend a little time in the Midwest seeing more of the RV country visiting factories and such before we head back to Virginia for a few weeks in the fall.  

Finances are something everyone deals with.  Everyone's finances are different.  Some workamp, some stay in one location for five or six months to reduce costs -- all of us have to manage our finances and see what works for us.

        For us, year seven has been the most expensive so far.  I think one of the challenges for us is how to manage our finances and not make any 'unforced errors' as in bad financial decisions.  Somethings are unforeseen and we just have to work our way through them.  This past year - the last 12 months - has been the most costly for US dollar wise.  We budgeted $6000 for RV and Car Maintenance and spent over $15,000.  Yikes!  Obviously we can't keep that up.  Hopefully that was an anomaly and we look forward to meeting or being under our budget this next year.

Social media has really been a big part of our experience in this journey, especially blogging.

During this last year I came to the conclusion that our reasons for blogging are changing and now I am doing it predominantly to keep a record of some of the thoughts and places we have been.  Don't get me wrong, we am very thankful for those that offer comments and a word or two.  And I really look forward to them.  

        Another big deal and huge benefit of 'putting myself out there' is that we get emails from people we never met.  And they actually have asked about things, about my opinion of this or that.  To me, that is very rewarding and a real bonus to the effort.  If we can help folks along the way that just makes it all a little more worthwhile and I look forward to that.

Blogging is an interesting hobby and I don't know too many people who are regular at it and don't play catch up.  Most people who blog don't feel as if they are current and caught up.  I just goes with the territory.  

We ask ourselves the same question as we did when we contemplated full-timing:  Why do we want to do this? There are many reasons. We love camping and seeing new places and people.  Traveling is not the same as traveling.  Seeing new hotels is not the same in our mind as seeing new campgrounds. But beyond the camping and friendly people we meet is the sheer wonder of this country.

        Seeing America has been an education.  Or at least the start of one.  Being an observer of life across the country in big and little communities has been an eye opener. We like seeing new sights and learning about history.  Little museums are the best!  The tidbits we learn are better than books.  It takes us back to the old days and we can imagine what it was like to live like our parents and their parents.  That is fun!

        This lifestyle IS an adventure; you never know what you will find.  You never know what challenges you will face.  Although there are a lot of predictable and plenty of things that we find as familiar in new places. We think it is a privilege renewing friendships with folks and family and meeting new people.

        Going to a new place doesn't phase us.  We like to learn about each new location, and sometimes we like seeing a lot in a short amount of time.  Our rythmn changes sometimes and that's ok.  Others may want to 'Slow Down'. Each to their own.  There are so many ways to do this.

        Another aspect of this adventure is the simple notion of being on a road trip.  And the fact that we love driving that bus!  It's a nice thing to drive, has very comfortable seats and a big windshield.  Pam loves to drive it too so another benefit is that we can change drivers and get a quick nap and go 5-6 hours each day.  After that, it gets pretty tiring.  I know others don't drive that long but each to their own.

      

An unexpected benefit of this is that sometimes we have a chance for redos.  By that I mean we may get to see some place once but then followup and get to see it a second time in more detail. I feel like we did that this last year in a couple places:  Utah, Colorado and Florida.

        For example, our goal last summer was to see St. George, Zion, Bryce Canyon, the Arches and a couple of other places in Utah that we've wanted to spend a little more time in.  The Arches and Moab, UT we have seen before, but we got to see them again and stay at a different campground which added to the experience.

        We also got to see the old pueblo ruins of Mesa Verde and the Rocky Mountains and Estes Park and the Garden of the Gods.  And Pikes Peak.

        We've been to Florida quite a few times but this winter we were able to see new places and meander around through the Central part of Florida more and also become familiar with campgrounds in the Palm Beach, Ft Lauderdale eastern part of Florida. For us to be able to go to these places and to live this lifestyle -- it is invigorating!

        Seeing new things and meeting people continues to be interesting and exciting.  A few days ago we learned where the name Ozarks came from -- the French.  Aux Arc meant 'bend in the river'.  Over time, those along the banks of the Arkansas River turned 'Aux Arc into Ozark'.  It is not life changing but intriguing to learn more about different parts of the country.

This lifestyle has a certain quality of life that fits us.  Unpretentious, humble, interesting, different, challenging at times.  It used to be a bit overwhelming with all the systems and stuff to learn and getting used to the constant variety of change going on.  Every day is different.  But we have hit a rhythm and look forward to what tomorrow brings.

So that's a recap and some thoughts on our 7th year.  I know I'm a bit 'all over the map' but we love doing this, plan to continue, and hopefully meet you down the road somewhere and be able to hear about your experiences.

Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chroncles!

Roadrunner Rewind: Seven Thanksgivings on the Road

It gets to be a challenge remembering where we were for the last 6+ years on the road.  We get some of the years right --- but others don't seem to match up and we get confused...

Anyone else have that problem?  

I decided it might be fun to highlight where we have been for each Thanksgiving since 2009:

2009
Our first Thanksgiving on the road we were with Brad and Sue in Fort Worth, TX.  We stayed at Benbrook Lake at the Army Corps Of Engineers campground nearby. Six months into our new lifestyle and we were loving it.  We were told we'd probably want to see everything the first year and it seems as if we were trying to do just that.

We had been as far west as Santa Fe, down to Mexico border at Nuevo Progresso, up north to Canada and the Bruce Peninsula and Lake Huron and back to Texas for Thanksgiving.

2010
Our second Thanksgiving on the road found us back in Fairfax VA.  We were able to spend time with good friends Jeff and Tiffany.  Adam was back in D.C. from India where he had volunteered for 3 months and  Kelly had landed a new job in the Virginia Beach area.

Jeff and Tiffany were very generous to include our family in theirs along with his brother and wife and son for a big Thanksgiving meal.

We left the Roadrunner in Virginia Beach at the Sea Mist RV Campground and drove up to Jeff and Tiffany's place and stayed with them.

2011
We were back in Virginia Beach for Thanksgiving. We were able to spend it with Adam and Kelly and her friends.  Adam drove down from DC and Kelly was living in the area.

We actually cooked Adam's vegan and took it over to have the Thanksgiving meal with a bunch of Kelly's friends who were all getting together and were nice enough to include us.

2012
This was an unusual Thanksgiving for us.  We were not near family and didn't want to join some of the people who we barely knew with their families.  So we ate turkey TV dinners after leaving our

our Habitat for Humanity Build in Bowling Green FL.  We decided to head toward the Everglades and didn't even take a picture of the meal.  Our first stop in that direction was at the Big Cypress National Preserve.

2013
We were out on the West Coast that year near San Diego.  We got to spend time with nephew Rob and niece Chris.  Marty and Elena were there was were Matt, Sierra, her parents, Elena (Chris' mom) and her sister.  It was a big crowd and lots of fun.

We also got to share a Thanksgiving weekend meal with cousin Kevin and wife Sue which was a real treat.

Two their four boys were home and it was nice to hangout with them and watch the Detroit Lions on TV.

2014
We were in the area after spending some time in Nashville and Murfreesboro and spent Thanksgiving with Mike and Joan.  I did not take any pictures of that event but had a blog post here. 

We stayed on site at their place where we have an RV pad.

2015

One happy bunch here... Don't know why I didn't stay with it to get a photo of everyone smiling and enjoying themselves?

We had already eaten most of our meal and Joey and Angela came by to say hi which was nice.  More on our time there here.

So there is my recap of the places we've enjoyed Thanksgiving as full-time RVers.  Seems like the majority have been in Virginia Beach with Maynardville, TN a close second.

Wonder where we will be next year?

Thanks again for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  As always, we love reading your comments so feel free to leave some...