Welcome to The Great RV Escape. We're happy you stopped by.
Since we've completed our fulltime RVing journey, we're no longer posting to this blog. That said, we would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Just write your question as a comment to this post and we'll do our best to provide a prompt response.
This blog chronicles our lives from the day we hatched the crazy idea to travel the country full-time in a motorhome we had yet to purchase, through a year of seemingly endless purging as we radically downsized our worldly possessions and sold our house, along the 35,000 or so miles we traveled for four years in two Winnebagos (both named Bullwinkle), until we made our exit, bought a stick-and-brick house in our native hometown and became "anytime" RVers. It's all here: The good, the bad and the ugly. Through it all, we told it like it was.
Feel free to poke around and stay awhile. We hope our story provides you with some helpful information, a spark of inspiration and a chuckle or two.
If you have a question, please ask.
Meanwhile, safe travels!
One Long Winter
It's the first day of Spring Break around here. The sun is shining. The thermometer is above 60. Kids of all ages are doing a happy dance.
Count us in!
Winter doesn't officially come to end for another week. It can't come soon enough.
This has been a long one.
Although we had hoped to travel south for at least a bit this winter, our moose still sits where we last left him, in his cozy storage spot. He hasn't moved in almost five months!
We shelved our travel plans to be here for Paul's Dad, who passed away last month. At 88 years, old he lived a long and fulfilling life. We know he's in a better place, but still, we miss him. We feel so blessed that we were able to spend so much time with him during his last year. We wouldn't trade that time for anything, even the life on the road that we love so much. When we returned to Kansas City a year ago today, we weren't exactly sure what prompted our decision. But, now we know. We're so very glad we followed that inner voice that called us home.
Paul's dear 92-year-old Aunt Martha passed away just one week after his Dad. We visited her several times in our travels. She visited both of our motorhomes and thought they were pretty cool. We will always cherish those visits.
While dealing with these two losses, Mother Nature has dished out some of the worst winter weather we can remember. We had a rare white Christmas, which was charming. But, after that, it wasn't so fun. A couple of feet of snow piled up several inches at a time. We had a long string of days where the temperature didn't reach double digits. Sub-zero weather is rare around here. But, not this year. There were so many nights where the temperature started with a "minus" that I lost count. And, let's not even talk about wind chill.
Remember, we're talking about Kansas City. Not Minneapolis! Our first winter here nearly a decade and a half was definitely one for the record books.
The wicked weather put our new stick house to the test. Through it all, it kept us warm and dry with very little effort. We didn't have to keep an eye on any propane. We didn't have to run any water pump. Best of all, we had a very comfy 1700 square feet to hibernate in! More than once we gave thanks that we weren't trying to keep ourselves and our moose from freezing this winter. We couldn't imagine having to deal with that weather while living in our coach. Thankfully, we didn't have to.
We've been in the house for almost 10 months already. Believe it or not, we're still settling in. Of course, it took us a year to get rid of everything before we hit the road. So, I suppose it should come as no surprise that it'll take a full year of home ownership, at least, before this house is stocked with what we need and we really feel settled. We're getting there.
This long winter has resulted in a bad case of hitch itch, which we have plans to scratch before too long. We're planning a little "dewinterization" trip soon. We'll dust off the cobwebs and flush out the pink stuff. It'll be great to spend a little time on the road. Our fingers are crossed that Bullwinkle has survived this brutal winter without any problems. We shall see.
The change of seasons feels like a natural place to bring this blog to a close. I've been meaning to do it all winter. But, I just couldn't. Besides, we've been busy. Now it feels like the right time and place to wrap up our fulltime RVing story. It feels like we've come full circle from that first day when we hatched the idea. We've cleared out and sold one house, spent nearly four adventure-filled years on the road in a couple of rolling homes, landed in another stick house, (Although, let me assure you this house will never have that much stuff. Ever.) and began the transition to life as anytiming RVers.
It's been fun to chronicle it all. If another soul finds a spark of inspiration or helpful information in our story it's worth the effort. At the very least, I hope it makes somebody, somewhere chuckle. Even if nobody else finds value in this blog, we sure did. It helped us meet a bunch of great people. (A few of them are listed on that blogroll to the right.) Those folks helped make our journey the trip of a lifetime. To those dear friends we are eternally grateful.
I'm going to write one very brief final post to help future readers get their bearings in this piece of history and catch any questions folks may have. But, as far as long missives go, this is it. (I'll try to bring Bullwinkle's Travels up to date. But, I'm not making any promises.) It's been a blast, dear readers. Thanks so much for joining us on the ride. Safe travels, y'all!
For The Great RV Escape, Bullwinkle, Rocky, Boris and Natasha are signing off.
See you on the road somewhere!
Winterization
If we needed one more thing to remind us we're no longer traveling full time, we got it today.
We winterized the moose.
(Sniff. Sniff.)
This was a first for us. When we lived in California, the moderate winter temperatures spared us this seasonal deed. The orientation of our first moose included instructions on how to prepare for sub-freezing storage. But, honestly, we never thought we'd have to take on that task. And, for five winters, we didn't have to.
Here in the nation's midsection, we enjoy some of our most glorious weather this time of year. We had hopes of getting out for one more outing before we put the moose away for the winter. But, when Mother Nature sent an early cold snap our way last week we had to shift into rapid winterization mode.
The National Weather Service issued a Freeze Warning as temperatures were forecasted to dip well into the 20s Thursday night. We pulled Bullwinkle out of storage, parked him in our driveway and turned on the heat. The moose made it through the chilly night just fine, and we made plans for our last little getaway of the season.
We had just two nights free, so we couldn't stray too far. Our original plans were to head to a COE park we like about 90 minutes from here. But, it's in the middle of nowhere. With our first ever attempt at winterizing on the top of our to-do list for this trip, we didn't want to be too far from civilization in case we needed to make a quick run for extra pink stuff or some other essential item. So, we decided to hang out at a park south of town, but within a short drive of civilization. As we were loading up Saturday morning, it dawned on me to call and make sure the park had a site available.
They didn't.
That's right. There was no room for us at the inn!
We made a quick call to our old "home park". (Yep. I have 'em on speed dial!) The place was nearly full, but they had a spot for us for two nights. We'd have full hookups with plenty of room to drain and flush and whatever else would be required as we embarked on our maiden winterization. The idea of tackling an unfamiliar task in a very familiar environment had a lot of appeal.
After a short caravan down the street and around a few corners, we had the moose and squirrel back in our old neighborhood. We settled in quickly and had a nice visit with the park owners, who seemed pleased to see us. We caught up with a couple of regulars we hadn't seen in months. It felt like we were home.
We kicked back and relaxed for two nights. It felt great to enjoy the cozy comforts of our rolling home. This morning, we made a run to one of our favorite nearby breakfast spots. After we were fed and caffeinated, we got down to the business of getting the moose ready for winter.
Our owner's manual provides detailed, step-by-step instructions on two ways to winterize. We opted for the "blow out" method. It took us an hour or so (and two trips to the nearby hardware store) to complete the 21 steps. We drained the water lines, fresh water tank, water heater and ice maker and removed two water filters. Watching all of this water drain out of our moose, I imagined for a moment that Bullwinkle was crying. (I nearly was!) When the tears had passed, Paul fired up the air compressor and pumped a steady stream of air into the lines for five minutes, per the instructions. We closed all the faucets and poured pink stuff down the drains to fill the traps. Paul then flushed and dumped the waste tanks.
With that, according to the manual, our coach was "properly winterized." Mission accomplished.
Instead of feeling any sense of accomplishment, we just felt sad. We bid our farewells to neighbors and the park owners and Paul piloted our drained moose to his skinny, but out of the weather, storage spot. As we tucked Bullwinkle in, we thanked him for his many miles of trusty service and encouraged him to take a nice rest through the holidays. With his water lines dry and just the right amount of pink stuff on board, we won't have to worry about him sitting out in the cold.
But, we still might. Just a little.
We winterized the moose.
(Sniff. Sniff.)
This was a first for us. When we lived in California, the moderate winter temperatures spared us this seasonal deed. The orientation of our first moose included instructions on how to prepare for sub-freezing storage. But, honestly, we never thought we'd have to take on that task. And, for five winters, we didn't have to.
Here in the nation's midsection, we enjoy some of our most glorious weather this time of year. We had hopes of getting out for one more outing before we put the moose away for the winter. But, when Mother Nature sent an early cold snap our way last week we had to shift into rapid winterization mode.
The National Weather Service issued a Freeze Warning as temperatures were forecasted to dip well into the 20s Thursday night. We pulled Bullwinkle out of storage, parked him in our driveway and turned on the heat. The moose made it through the chilly night just fine, and we made plans for our last little getaway of the season.
We had just two nights free, so we couldn't stray too far. Our original plans were to head to a COE park we like about 90 minutes from here. But, it's in the middle of nowhere. With our first ever attempt at winterizing on the top of our to-do list for this trip, we didn't want to be too far from civilization in case we needed to make a quick run for extra pink stuff or some other essential item. So, we decided to hang out at a park south of town, but within a short drive of civilization. As we were loading up Saturday morning, it dawned on me to call and make sure the park had a site available.
They didn't.
That's right. There was no room for us at the inn!
We made a quick call to our old "home park". (Yep. I have 'em on speed dial!) The place was nearly full, but they had a spot for us for two nights. We'd have full hookups with plenty of room to drain and flush and whatever else would be required as we embarked on our maiden winterization. The idea of tackling an unfamiliar task in a very familiar environment had a lot of appeal.
After a short caravan down the street and around a few corners, we had the moose and squirrel back in our old neighborhood. We settled in quickly and had a nice visit with the park owners, who seemed pleased to see us. We caught up with a couple of regulars we hadn't seen in months. It felt like we were home.
We kicked back and relaxed for two nights. It felt great to enjoy the cozy comforts of our rolling home. This morning, we made a run to one of our favorite nearby breakfast spots. After we were fed and caffeinated, we got down to the business of getting the moose ready for winter.
Our owner's manual provides detailed, step-by-step instructions on two ways to winterize. We opted for the "blow out" method. It took us an hour or so (and two trips to the nearby hardware store) to complete the 21 steps. We drained the water lines, fresh water tank, water heater and ice maker and removed two water filters. Watching all of this water drain out of our moose, I imagined for a moment that Bullwinkle was crying. (I nearly was!) When the tears had passed, Paul fired up the air compressor and pumped a steady stream of air into the lines for five minutes, per the instructions. We closed all the faucets and poured pink stuff down the drains to fill the traps. Paul then flushed and dumped the waste tanks.
With that, according to the manual, our coach was "properly winterized." Mission accomplished.
Instead of feeling any sense of accomplishment, we just felt sad. We bid our farewells to neighbors and the park owners and Paul piloted our drained moose to his skinny, but out of the weather, storage spot. As we tucked Bullwinkle in, we thanked him for his many miles of trusty service and encouraged him to take a nice rest through the holidays. With his water lines dry and just the right amount of pink stuff on board, we won't have to worry about him sitting out in the cold.
But, we still might. Just a little.
The Best of Both
It's official. We like this "anytimer" gig!
We're back from our first extended trip: A glorious month in Colorado. We spent three weeks in Gunnison, one of our favorite places on earth, and a week exploring Buena Vista, a place we'd always meant to visit.
We made a great big check mark on our "bucket list." We witnessed the flaming glory of the changing aspens in the Rockies. Absolutely breathtaking!
We caught up with friends in a couple of places, and family in another. We met new friends, too.
We worked just a little and played a lot. Paul even renewed his interest in an old hobby, taking a new radio-controlled airplane to the skies as part of the RV park "air force" in Gunni.
It was great to be back in the moose, of course. It took us no time to settle in. (The cats were "at home" in a heartbeat!) Kicking back in our cozy house on wheels, enjoying one of our favorite states, it felt like we'd never left the road.
Sorta.
Something was different. Something was better.
For the first time in a long time it felt like we were on vacation.
I don't know how to explain it, because I don't think I completely understand what made it feel so familiar yet different. Whatever it is, we like it!
When we backed the motorhome into our driveway late Sunday afternoon, I wasn't sure what to expect when we walked through our front door. Would it feel like home? Or, would it feel like the unsettled, incomplete, never-ending decorating project we left a month ago?
Much to my surprise and delight, it feels like home.
The place is bigger than we remember. And, it's not quite as unsettled as we thought. It's actually looking pretty good!
We received a warm welcome from our neighbors, who were eager to hear about our trip. They said we looked rested and refreshed.
We are!
When we pondered our decision to buy this house and make the switch to "anytime" RVers, we convinced ourselves that one of the benefits would be experiencing the best of both lifestyles.
It took us over four months to get here, but now we know the feeling of enjoying a month on the road in a house we love and returning to a "stick-and-brick" we love just as much.
For us, right now, it truly is the best of both worlds.
We're back from our first extended trip: A glorious month in Colorado. We spent three weeks in Gunnison, one of our favorite places on earth, and a week exploring Buena Vista, a place we'd always meant to visit.
We made a great big check mark on our "bucket list." We witnessed the flaming glory of the changing aspens in the Rockies. Absolutely breathtaking!
We caught up with friends in a couple of places, and family in another. We met new friends, too.
We worked just a little and played a lot. Paul even renewed his interest in an old hobby, taking a new radio-controlled airplane to the skies as part of the RV park "air force" in Gunni.
It was great to be back in the moose, of course. It took us no time to settle in. (The cats were "at home" in a heartbeat!) Kicking back in our cozy house on wheels, enjoying one of our favorite states, it felt like we'd never left the road.
Sorta.
Something was different. Something was better.
For the first time in a long time it felt like we were on vacation.
I don't know how to explain it, because I don't think I completely understand what made it feel so familiar yet different. Whatever it is, we like it!
When we backed the motorhome into our driveway late Sunday afternoon, I wasn't sure what to expect when we walked through our front door. Would it feel like home? Or, would it feel like the unsettled, incomplete, never-ending decorating project we left a month ago?
Much to my surprise and delight, it feels like home.
The place is bigger than we remember. And, it's not quite as unsettled as we thought. It's actually looking pretty good!
We received a warm welcome from our neighbors, who were eager to hear about our trip. They said we looked rested and refreshed.
We are!
When we pondered our decision to buy this house and make the switch to "anytime" RVers, we convinced ourselves that one of the benefits would be experiencing the best of both lifestyles.
It took us over four months to get here, but now we know the feeling of enjoying a month on the road in a house we love and returning to a "stick-and-brick" we love just as much.
For us, right now, it truly is the best of both worlds.
Four Years Later
Four years ago today we set off on our Great RV Escape. This is one of our favorite "anniversaries". It's a joy to recall the incredible sense of freedom we had on that day, remember everything it took to get there and celebrate all of the memories we've created since.
Of course, this is the first fulltiming anniversary that we're not celebrating in the moose. We'll meet up with him again tomorrow. Meanwhile, we're remembering this special day by reflecting on the lessons we learned on our life-changing journey. In hopes that these thoughts may inform or inspire folks who pass this way someday, we'll share a few of the things we're taking with us from our travels.
Lesson #1: Live Simply
If we take nothing else away from the last four years, this first lesson made it all worthwhile. For most of my adult life those two words were my perpetual New Year's resolution. Yet, every year life seemed to get more and more complicated. It took getting rid of most of our stuff, packing what was left in the moose and hitting the road for me to finally experience what I wanted for so long. Together, we learned the joy of living with just what we need. We kept things simple. And, we loved it. Our life of simplicity actually made room for us to enjoy so much more. Even though we're back in an "accumulation phase" for a bit as we furnish our house, this time it's different. We're finding just what we need and no more. We worked hard to finally simplify our lives. We're committed to keeping it that way.
Lesson #2: America Rocks
Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, where most residents think it is the center of the universe, it was easy to become just a bit jaded about our country. But, something happened shortly after we crossed the California state line into Oregon. We fell in love with America again. That love affair grew stronger over the next 35,000 miles. We live in an amazingly beautiful country. It's not just the purple mountains and shining seas that make it beautiful. The people we met along the way were warm, friendly and helpful. We have always been proud to be Americans. But, now we're in love, too!
Lesson #3: Age is Just a Number
As fulltime RVers go, we were definitely youngsters. It bothered us a bit at first. We found ourselves missing the company of our contemporaries. While most of our contemporaries continued slaving away at their careers, we had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know people of all ages. A few were younger, but most were older. We met folks in their 70s and 80s who were more active and energetic than we are. (And, we're pretty energetic!) Today, we have friends who are young enough to be our kids and friends who are the same chronological age as our parents. And, lots of friends are in between. What makes us friends is love, laughter, energetic spirit and a shared passion for exploring. Age isn't part of our criteria for friendship. It's just a number. (With each passing birthday, we need to remind ourselves of that!)
Lesson #4: Go Outside
When we hit the road four years ago today, our lives changed in so many ways. One of the most significant was that we began to live outside. Our pre-fulltiming life was lived predominately inside our offices, our cars and our home. We even worked out in an indoor gym! Time outside was limited to rare weekend hikes or bicycle outings. We knew it was good for us to get outside, but we rarely did. As fulltimers, the continent became our front yard. And, we loved it. When we get plenty of sunshine, fresh air and exercise, we feel terrific. When we don't, we need to remember to go outside!
Lesson #5: Never Stop Exploring
Paul and I love to explore. It's part of what we love about each other. That shared love was one of the most satisfying aspects of our fulltiming journey. Whether we were exploring a hiking trail, a National Park, a state Capitol, a new-to-us restaurant or a quirky shop, we were feeding our souls. During our first visit to beautiful Hilton Head Island, SC, Paul's dear Aunt Anne delighted in what we were up to. "Never stop exploring," she said. "Keep moving. Keep learning." Even though we're not moving around in a motorhome as much as we were, we'll keep finding the new in the every day. There's something extra special about making a new discovery in familiar territory. We think Aunt Anne would like that.
Who knew such a crazy idea as getting rid of your stuff and traveling the country in a fiberglass box would result in so much learning?
We're so very glad it did! And, even more glad we did it!
Of course, this is the first fulltiming anniversary that we're not celebrating in the moose. We'll meet up with him again tomorrow. Meanwhile, we're remembering this special day by reflecting on the lessons we learned on our life-changing journey. In hopes that these thoughts may inform or inspire folks who pass this way someday, we'll share a few of the things we're taking with us from our travels.
Lesson #1: Live Simply
If we take nothing else away from the last four years, this first lesson made it all worthwhile. For most of my adult life those two words were my perpetual New Year's resolution. Yet, every year life seemed to get more and more complicated. It took getting rid of most of our stuff, packing what was left in the moose and hitting the road for me to finally experience what I wanted for so long. Together, we learned the joy of living with just what we need. We kept things simple. And, we loved it. Our life of simplicity actually made room for us to enjoy so much more. Even though we're back in an "accumulation phase" for a bit as we furnish our house, this time it's different. We're finding just what we need and no more. We worked hard to finally simplify our lives. We're committed to keeping it that way.
Lesson #2: America Rocks
Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, where most residents think it is the center of the universe, it was easy to become just a bit jaded about our country. But, something happened shortly after we crossed the California state line into Oregon. We fell in love with America again. That love affair grew stronger over the next 35,000 miles. We live in an amazingly beautiful country. It's not just the purple mountains and shining seas that make it beautiful. The people we met along the way were warm, friendly and helpful. We have always been proud to be Americans. But, now we're in love, too!
Lesson #3: Age is Just a Number
As fulltime RVers go, we were definitely youngsters. It bothered us a bit at first. We found ourselves missing the company of our contemporaries. While most of our contemporaries continued slaving away at their careers, we had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know people of all ages. A few were younger, but most were older. We met folks in their 70s and 80s who were more active and energetic than we are. (And, we're pretty energetic!) Today, we have friends who are young enough to be our kids and friends who are the same chronological age as our parents. And, lots of friends are in between. What makes us friends is love, laughter, energetic spirit and a shared passion for exploring. Age isn't part of our criteria for friendship. It's just a number. (With each passing birthday, we need to remind ourselves of that!)
Lesson #4: Go Outside
When we hit the road four years ago today, our lives changed in so many ways. One of the most significant was that we began to live outside. Our pre-fulltiming life was lived predominately inside our offices, our cars and our home. We even worked out in an indoor gym! Time outside was limited to rare weekend hikes or bicycle outings. We knew it was good for us to get outside, but we rarely did. As fulltimers, the continent became our front yard. And, we loved it. When we get plenty of sunshine, fresh air and exercise, we feel terrific. When we don't, we need to remember to go outside!
Lesson #5: Never Stop Exploring
Paul and I love to explore. It's part of what we love about each other. That shared love was one of the most satisfying aspects of our fulltiming journey. Whether we were exploring a hiking trail, a National Park, a state Capitol, a new-to-us restaurant or a quirky shop, we were feeding our souls. During our first visit to beautiful Hilton Head Island, SC, Paul's dear Aunt Anne delighted in what we were up to. "Never stop exploring," she said. "Keep moving. Keep learning." Even though we're not moving around in a motorhome as much as we were, we'll keep finding the new in the every day. There's something extra special about making a new discovery in familiar territory. We think Aunt Anne would like that.
Who knew such a crazy idea as getting rid of your stuff and traveling the country in a fiberglass box would result in so much learning?
We're so very glad it did! And, even more glad we did it!
Do We Miss It?
That's the most common question we've heard about our fulltime RVing adventures lately.
The answer is simple.
Of course we do!
Our nearly four years on the road were filled with great places, terrific people and memories that will last a couple of lifetimes. Why wouldn't we miss it? In fact, we are counting the days (just three more) until our first adventure as Anytimers. We can't wait!
As much as we miss all that, we are really appreciating what we have now. Despite my occasional rant about how much time, energy and money it's taking us to make it our home, we love the new house. It's really great. We're enjoying cooking more than ever now that we have a proper kitchen. We hosted our first dinner guests this week and look forward to many more. I almost forgot how much fun it can be to entertain.
We appreciate being near family right now, especially our parents. Being here, we're on top of what's up with them more than we ever could be from hundreds of miles away. We'll always worry about them, of course. But, somehow the worrying is less stressful when we're all close by. We're also enjoying reconnecting with friends in the area. Our social calendar is filling up. And, we love it! We've met many of our neighbors, and they are a friendly bunch, too.
We're in better shape than were on the road. We hiked and biked when we could, but these days I'm walking and Paul's running nearly every day. I love it. And, Paul ran his first road race in a zillion years on the 4th. I don't know why, but we're eating better, too. Check that. It could be because we're no longer exploring new restaurants at every destination!
Paul has been busy getting his business off the ground. Having a real office provides him with the tools he needs to do the work he loves. And, it's obvious he's enjoying it. He's designing the business to work with our extended travels. But, for now, he's logging some serious hours to get things going.
One of my concerns about coming off the road was a fear of being bored. Not so! I am amazed at how busy we are. We keep wondering how we managed to squeeze in all this stuff when we were both working. (We didn't!) I suppose things will slow down once we're finally settled, but maybe not. If we do get bored, we'll just fire up the moose for a little road trip.
So, do we miss traveling fulltime? Yes.
But, are we sorry we stopped? Absolutely not!
It has been a little tough reading about our friends who are in some of our favorite Summertime destinations this holiday weekend. We're happy for them, but we're the first to admit it would be so nice to be among them. But, we have a house to settle into, a business to launch and a family wedding next week. As tempting as it is to run to the mountains, there's really no place we'd rather be right now.
Now, next Summer is sure to be different. We'll be on the road!
Time, Energy and Money
We thought this move would be simple.
Who were we foolin'?
It's been six weeks since we became land barons. By this time we were sure we'd be settled. Life would be normal, or close to it. The transition from living in a rolling home to a stick and brick house would be a distant memory.
After all, we only had so much stuff. All we had to do was a little shopping and we'd be all set. Right?
Wrong.
Truth is we're still in this transition. Knee deep. Turns out stocking a house, even a smallish one, from basically scratch takes time. A lot of it.
We're six weeks in and still have three rooms with no furniture. Not a stick. Actually, our living room has cardboard cutouts that represent pieces of furniture. Quite stylish! The good news there is I think we've landed on a layout that works. The next step is to buy the stuff. Then, we'll wait. Weeks.
Our rooms that have furniture are far from finished. We still need an area rug here and some bedding there and there. It all involves shopping. A lot of it. It's not our favorite thing to do. And, much of the time, it's not all that productive. I've been searching in vain for two small pieces of furniture to complete our most finished room. Once I find them, we'll start hanging artwork in there. Yes, our walls are bare. We have yet to unpack any of our art because we're not sure where we're putting it just yet. Plus, we have plans to frame yet-to-be-prints of some of our favorite photos from our travels. (Any project that starts with combing through tens of thousands of photos is going to take some time!)
We've made some mighty big moves in our past. Some were across town and one was across the country. Whatever the case, six weeks in we looked like we actually lived in the place. Here it looks like we're still waiting for the moving van to show up!
Of course, we have no deadlines on this project. That may be a blessing and a curse, actually. We have all the time in the world to get this done, which may be exactly why it's taking that long. With our first house guests expected in three weeks, I'm on a mission to properly outfit our guest bedroom and bath. Yesterday's shopping outing resulted in a shower curtain rod, hooks and a liner. Pretty exciting stuff, eh?
We're making progress. But, we are surprised at how much energy this never-ending project is taking. I'm always on the lookout for something. Because we pretty much need everything! Craigslist correspondence has become my latest obsession. Scouting for a bargain is fun, but when it becomes your job, it's an energy zapper. Paul has been focused on getting the lawn up and running. Of course, that meant buying and assembling a lawn mower, spreader, sprinklers, hoses and such. He wanted a lawn to take care, and he definitely got one. The house doesn't need much work at all. But, the yard is definitely in need of Paul's green thumb. Still, our "to-do" list is lengthy. And, it seems like the closer we get to checking things off the list, the longer it gets!
We knew this transition would cost us. And, we planned for it. But, the giant sucking sound of greenbacks leaving our bank account can be deafening. It'll be interesting to see how much we've spent after the dust settles. It'll be more than we thought it would be. Guaranteed.
The point of this ramble is that the transition from fulltiming to anytiming takes a lot of time, energy and money. And, while nobody will make the transition exactly as we are, our money (what we have left, anyway) is on the whole process being more complicated than imagined. Lots more.
We used to joke that one day we'd find a cute little house, park the moose, call Pottery Barn and have them deliver a house full of furniture. We found the house and stored the coach. But, that whole house full of furniture thing just isn't that simple.
We know there's a day in our future when we'll feel settled in both our homes. Then, we'll get to experience the best of both worlds. We can't wait.
Meanwhile, we'll keep hoping we have enough time, energy and money to get there.
Fingers crossed!
Who were we foolin'?
It's been six weeks since we became land barons. By this time we were sure we'd be settled. Life would be normal, or close to it. The transition from living in a rolling home to a stick and brick house would be a distant memory.
After all, we only had so much stuff. All we had to do was a little shopping and we'd be all set. Right?
Wrong.
Truth is we're still in this transition. Knee deep. Turns out stocking a house, even a smallish one, from basically scratch takes time. A lot of it.
We're six weeks in and still have three rooms with no furniture. Not a stick. Actually, our living room has cardboard cutouts that represent pieces of furniture. Quite stylish! The good news there is I think we've landed on a layout that works. The next step is to buy the stuff. Then, we'll wait. Weeks.
Our rooms that have furniture are far from finished. We still need an area rug here and some bedding there and there. It all involves shopping. A lot of it. It's not our favorite thing to do. And, much of the time, it's not all that productive. I've been searching in vain for two small pieces of furniture to complete our most finished room. Once I find them, we'll start hanging artwork in there. Yes, our walls are bare. We have yet to unpack any of our art because we're not sure where we're putting it just yet. Plus, we have plans to frame yet-to-be-prints of some of our favorite photos from our travels. (Any project that starts with combing through tens of thousands of photos is going to take some time!)
We've made some mighty big moves in our past. Some were across town and one was across the country. Whatever the case, six weeks in we looked like we actually lived in the place. Here it looks like we're still waiting for the moving van to show up!
Of course, we have no deadlines on this project. That may be a blessing and a curse, actually. We have all the time in the world to get this done, which may be exactly why it's taking that long. With our first house guests expected in three weeks, I'm on a mission to properly outfit our guest bedroom and bath. Yesterday's shopping outing resulted in a shower curtain rod, hooks and a liner. Pretty exciting stuff, eh?
We're making progress. But, we are surprised at how much energy this never-ending project is taking. I'm always on the lookout for something. Because we pretty much need everything! Craigslist correspondence has become my latest obsession. Scouting for a bargain is fun, but when it becomes your job, it's an energy zapper. Paul has been focused on getting the lawn up and running. Of course, that meant buying and assembling a lawn mower, spreader, sprinklers, hoses and such. He wanted a lawn to take care, and he definitely got one. The house doesn't need much work at all. But, the yard is definitely in need of Paul's green thumb. Still, our "to-do" list is lengthy. And, it seems like the closer we get to checking things off the list, the longer it gets!
We knew this transition would cost us. And, we planned for it. But, the giant sucking sound of greenbacks leaving our bank account can be deafening. It'll be interesting to see how much we've spent after the dust settles. It'll be more than we thought it would be. Guaranteed.
The point of this ramble is that the transition from fulltiming to anytiming takes a lot of time, energy and money. And, while nobody will make the transition exactly as we are, our money (what we have left, anyway) is on the whole process being more complicated than imagined. Lots more.
We used to joke that one day we'd find a cute little house, park the moose, call Pottery Barn and have them deliver a house full of furniture. We found the house and stored the coach. But, that whole house full of furniture thing just isn't that simple.
We know there's a day in our future when we'll feel settled in both our homes. Then, we'll get to experience the best of both worlds. We can't wait.
Meanwhile, we'll keep hoping we have enough time, energy and money to get there.
Fingers crossed!
Storing the Moose
It's been a long time since we've stored a moose.
We took our original Bullwinkle out of storage four years ago tomorrow. One of the things I remember celebrating that day was that we no longer had to squeeze our wide body moose into that skinny little spot. We haven't missed it a bit!
Well, in four years, our moose got bigger. And, apparently, storage spots have become even skinnier. (It couldn't possibly be that we are out of practice!)
Our big moose has spent the last month at Cummins Coach Care for some general maintenance and fixin' up. When we dropped him off there we told them to take their time, as we - for once - were in no hurry. At the start of Summer, Cummins can be a busy place. Between that, and waiting on the Winnebago to send a correct part, this service appointment took awhile. When we got the call last week that the moose was ready to roll, we scheduled to pick him up yesterday afternoon.
We have really missed him! Even though we've been too busy settling in to go anywhere, we were a bit bummed knowing we couldn't because Bullwinkle was away. One of the advantages of becoming Anytime RVers is enjoying the "best of both worlds". We've been so wrapped up in the fixed house world, we are eager for at least a short trip to the other world. Soon. Very soon!
When we arrived at Cummins mid-afternoon, our moose was sitting out front waiting for us. We paid the bill, hooked the squirrel to the moose and made our maiden voyage to Bullwinkle's new storage spot.
The less-than-an-hour drive was a wonderful flashback. It was mostly city driving, which we really try to avoid, but it felt great to be looking at the world through that big Imax window. It's quite a ride.
As tempted as we were to swing by the house, pick up the cats and keep on driving, we kept on course and faced the moment of truth. Paul piloted the moose and squirrel through the skinny little entrance gate with ease. Once inside the storage facility, he had plenty of room to maneuver Bullwinkle around his new neighborhood and find a spot to unhook.
While Paul was separating the squirrel from the moose, I surveyed our storage spot. It was as skinny as I remembered! There's a large boat on one side and a wall on the other. The wall is supported by three or four posts that sit on large concrete blocks that would make mincemeat of fiberglass in a hurry. These menacing blocks and the big boat were separated by barely 10 feet of empty space. Unlike the angled storage spot we moved out of four years ago, this one requires a sharp 90-degree turn to enter.
In travel mode, our moose is 8.5 feet wide, not including mirrors. At 40 feet long, he doesn't exactly turn on a dime.
Therein lies our parking challenge!
We sussed out the situation. Every coach in the place was parked "nose in", so we decided to follow our neighbors' lead. This would take teamwork and patience. Thankfully, we have plenty of both.
We have parked our moose a couple hundred times. It took every bit of experience we have acquired over the course of those successful landings to dock our great big Winnie into that skinny spot. Paul sat calmly and patiently behind the wheel while I broke out into a cold sweat as I simultaneously provided moment-by-moment directions and kept an eye on all eight corners of the coach, the mirrors, the concrete blocks, the beams, and the neighboring boat. (That's a lot to keep track of!) Paul followed my instructions to the letter. An early miscalculation on my part (Starting the turn too soon.) kept compounding through the process. As a result we came damn close to hitting everything. We had to back up and get repositioned five or six times, but eventually the nose of the moose was inches from the back wall. We were just between the lines and had enough room to open the door. Most importantly, no fiberglass was damaged in the process.
Whew!
We went through the long-since-forgotten process of putting the moose to bed. When we flipped the battery disconnect switches we realized that was likely the first time we'd done that. It's a good thing they worked! We pulled the front curtain and locked the door behind us. After three-and-a-half years of being out in the elements, Bullwinkle is safely under cover. Our trusty moose has earned a well-deserved rest.
He'd better rest up fast! We'll be back soon to get him back on the road. A family wedding is just around the corner. It'll be great to have our rolling home with us for that celebration as we enjoy our first trip as Anytime RVers. Eventually, we'll find ourselves back at the storage spot.
I'm already dreading it.
We've done it once. So, we can do it again. And, we know it will get easier in time. For starters, we'll start the turn later. And, Paul is thinking maybe we can back in next time.
Uh. We'll see about that.
We took our original Bullwinkle out of storage four years ago tomorrow. One of the things I remember celebrating that day was that we no longer had to squeeze our wide body moose into that skinny little spot. We haven't missed it a bit!
Well, in four years, our moose got bigger. And, apparently, storage spots have become even skinnier. (It couldn't possibly be that we are out of practice!)
Our big moose has spent the last month at Cummins Coach Care for some general maintenance and fixin' up. When we dropped him off there we told them to take their time, as we - for once - were in no hurry. At the start of Summer, Cummins can be a busy place. Between that, and waiting on the Winnebago to send a correct part, this service appointment took awhile. When we got the call last week that the moose was ready to roll, we scheduled to pick him up yesterday afternoon.
We have really missed him! Even though we've been too busy settling in to go anywhere, we were a bit bummed knowing we couldn't because Bullwinkle was away. One of the advantages of becoming Anytime RVers is enjoying the "best of both worlds". We've been so wrapped up in the fixed house world, we are eager for at least a short trip to the other world. Soon. Very soon!
When we arrived at Cummins mid-afternoon, our moose was sitting out front waiting for us. We paid the bill, hooked the squirrel to the moose and made our maiden voyage to Bullwinkle's new storage spot.
The less-than-an-hour drive was a wonderful flashback. It was mostly city driving, which we really try to avoid, but it felt great to be looking at the world through that big Imax window. It's quite a ride.
As tempted as we were to swing by the house, pick up the cats and keep on driving, we kept on course and faced the moment of truth. Paul piloted the moose and squirrel through the skinny little entrance gate with ease. Once inside the storage facility, he had plenty of room to maneuver Bullwinkle around his new neighborhood and find a spot to unhook.
While Paul was separating the squirrel from the moose, I surveyed our storage spot. It was as skinny as I remembered! There's a large boat on one side and a wall on the other. The wall is supported by three or four posts that sit on large concrete blocks that would make mincemeat of fiberglass in a hurry. These menacing blocks and the big boat were separated by barely 10 feet of empty space. Unlike the angled storage spot we moved out of four years ago, this one requires a sharp 90-degree turn to enter.
In travel mode, our moose is 8.5 feet wide, not including mirrors. At 40 feet long, he doesn't exactly turn on a dime.
Therein lies our parking challenge!
We sussed out the situation. Every coach in the place was parked "nose in", so we decided to follow our neighbors' lead. This would take teamwork and patience. Thankfully, we have plenty of both.
We have parked our moose a couple hundred times. It took every bit of experience we have acquired over the course of those successful landings to dock our great big Winnie into that skinny spot. Paul sat calmly and patiently behind the wheel while I broke out into a cold sweat as I simultaneously provided moment-by-moment directions and kept an eye on all eight corners of the coach, the mirrors, the concrete blocks, the beams, and the neighboring boat. (That's a lot to keep track of!) Paul followed my instructions to the letter. An early miscalculation on my part (Starting the turn too soon.) kept compounding through the process. As a result we came damn close to hitting everything. We had to back up and get repositioned five or six times, but eventually the nose of the moose was inches from the back wall. We were just between the lines and had enough room to open the door. Most importantly, no fiberglass was damaged in the process.
Whew!
We went through the long-since-forgotten process of putting the moose to bed. When we flipped the battery disconnect switches we realized that was likely the first time we'd done that. It's a good thing they worked! We pulled the front curtain and locked the door behind us. After three-and-a-half years of being out in the elements, Bullwinkle is safely under cover. Our trusty moose has earned a well-deserved rest.
He'd better rest up fast! We'll be back soon to get him back on the road. A family wedding is just around the corner. It'll be great to have our rolling home with us for that celebration as we enjoy our first trip as Anytime RVers. Eventually, we'll find ourselves back at the storage spot.
I'm already dreading it.
We've done it once. So, we can do it again. And, we know it will get easier in time. For starters, we'll start the turn later. And, Paul is thinking maybe we can back in next time.
Uh. We'll see about that.
Unloading the Moose
Just when we were starting to feel settled in, we brought Bullwinkle home.
That changed everything!
Our allotted time at our home park came to an end yesterday. So, we headed that way after breakfast and went through our quite familiar travel day routine. The big difference, though, was we weren't traveling far. We were coming home.
We bid our farewells to our home park hosts. Although the place isn't much, we've been so grateful for their hospitality over the last four years. They've gone above and beyond trying to accommodate us, sometimes on very short notice. We are so thankful. We'll miss the place...just a bit.
Bullwinkle made his way from our spartan park to the suburbs, with me following behind in the squirrel. I was nervous about many a low lying branch along the way, but Paul maneuvered around each and every one like a pro. With the last turn into our quiet cul-de-sac, Paul pulled into our long and level driveway, which turned out to be just barely long enough and not really all that level. But, it will do.
Sitting in front of our new home, Bullwinkle looked huge! We were amazed at the difference in scale between a 40-foot motorhome sitting amongst a sea of RVs in a park and one lone machine sitting in the driveway of a modest suburban split level.
It's big!
The cute kids from down the street came a runnin' when Bullwinkle pulled into da 'hood. They kept a safe difference until we were properly docked. Then, they were itching for a peek. And, we quickly obliged, offering the kids, their mom and a couple of other neighbors a quick tour. It was unanimous. They all agreed we have one awesome moving van.
With the tours complete, the real work began. With six weeks before our next trip, we opted to pretty much empty the moose of most of its contents, for now anyway. That'll give us plenty of time to launder what's dirty, use what we don't yet have in the house and figure out what needs to go back into our anytime rig.
After two days of unloading the moose, I have just one question.
Who put all of this stuff in here?
We still cannot believe how much stuff we've pulled out of the moose. We squeezed a whole bunch of cargo in 400 square feet!
Many, many, many trips from the moose to the house wore us both to a frazzle. But, the good news is Bullwinkle is just about empty. We'll wrap up the job in the morning before we take him across town to our favorite service spot to take care of a few odds and ends before we put him in storage.
Oh yeah. Bullwinkle has his very own storage spot. We secured it just the other day. It's covered, which is dandy. But, it's skinny. Very skinny. The moose will be cozy, indeed. We keep telling ourselves that in time it'll get easier to park in that skinny little spot. We shall see.
As our second week of home ownership comes to a close, we're celebrating the fact that for the first time in four years most of our belongings are in one place. It's not all unpacked, mind you. But, it's here.
Like I said, we're getting there!
We're Getting There
That has been the phrase of the day. Dozens of times we've found ourselves saying it to each other.
"We're getting there."
That short little phrase is a sign of progress. Without a doubt. It's been a week since we signed on the dotted line and got the keys to this place. Since then we've been busy cleaning, moving, unpacking, shopping and assembling.
Yep. We've done a lot of assembling.
Lots.
Slowly but surely, we're adjusting to life in a stick and bricks home.
We're here to tell you, there's a lot to love!
Since the moment the cable guy left, I have been soaking up all of the uber-high-speed internet I can.
It's been awhile. I've really, really missed it!
As the principal after-dinner dishwasher in our household, I have also fallen in love with our dishwasher. It rocks! This is the time of the evening when I used to find myself washing dishes. Now, I'm blogging. Love it!
One more thing. Let's talk about water pressure.
Whoosh! It really rocks to have some. It's so nice to be able to know you've rinsed the shampoo out of your hair...in seconds!
And we haven't had to give a second thought to dumping any tanks.
Of course, if we had a dollar for every time we've tried to use the non-existant foot pedal on the toilet, we'd have a big pile of bills. Thankfully, we've sustained no injuries as a result. But, we have come close.
Speaking of the toilet, of which we now have two, we bought a dozen rolls of extra thick, super quilted, ultra soft toilet paper.
Absolute bliss! Plus, we had plenty of room to store the extra rolls!
And, talk about room! Have we told you about our refrigerator? It's HUGE! We made a run to Walmart this afternoon and lingered, actually lingered, in the frozen food section!
There's no doubt about it. These first days, we're enjoying the little things. The lawn. Tons of space. A garage. A real basement, with concrete walls and everything.
That said, we're living amongst cardboard boxes, empty rooms and a very long to-do list. Our kitchen table and chairs are yet to be delivered. Shopping has become our fulltime job.
It's a bit crazy.
But, tonight, we're enjoying a glass of wine, TV and some internet time in the comfort of our family room. It's the room that's most furnished, thanks to our most productive shopping sessions, and it's the most peaceful.
Dare I say, it's starting to feel like home.
Yep. We're getting there.
"We're getting there."
That short little phrase is a sign of progress. Without a doubt. It's been a week since we signed on the dotted line and got the keys to this place. Since then we've been busy cleaning, moving, unpacking, shopping and assembling.
Yep. We've done a lot of assembling.
Lots.
Slowly but surely, we're adjusting to life in a stick and bricks home.
We're here to tell you, there's a lot to love!
Since the moment the cable guy left, I have been soaking up all of the uber-high-speed internet I can.
It's been awhile. I've really, really missed it!
As the principal after-dinner dishwasher in our household, I have also fallen in love with our dishwasher. It rocks! This is the time of the evening when I used to find myself washing dishes. Now, I'm blogging. Love it!
One more thing. Let's talk about water pressure.
Whoosh! It really rocks to have some. It's so nice to be able to know you've rinsed the shampoo out of your hair...in seconds!
And we haven't had to give a second thought to dumping any tanks.
Of course, if we had a dollar for every time we've tried to use the non-existant foot pedal on the toilet, we'd have a big pile of bills. Thankfully, we've sustained no injuries as a result. But, we have come close.
Speaking of the toilet, of which we now have two, we bought a dozen rolls of extra thick, super quilted, ultra soft toilet paper.
Absolute bliss! Plus, we had plenty of room to store the extra rolls!
And, talk about room! Have we told you about our refrigerator? It's HUGE! We made a run to Walmart this afternoon and lingered, actually lingered, in the frozen food section!
There's no doubt about it. These first days, we're enjoying the little things. The lawn. Tons of space. A garage. A real basement, with concrete walls and everything.
That said, we're living amongst cardboard boxes, empty rooms and a very long to-do list. Our kitchen table and chairs are yet to be delivered. Shopping has become our fulltime job.
It's a bit crazy.
But, tonight, we're enjoying a glass of wine, TV and some internet time in the comfort of our family room. It's the room that's most furnished, thanks to our most productive shopping sessions, and it's the most peaceful.
Dare I say, it's starting to feel like home.
Yep. We're getting there.
Our Last Night
Today was one of those busy days that could pass by in a flash if we let it. But, we're taking a moment to pause and celebrate an important milestone. This is our last night as fulltime RVers.
Of course, I haven't checked the Fulltime RVers Bible for an official ruling on this. But, we consider this our last night because tomorrow night will be the first night we spend in our new home. We've been working hard the last couple of days to get things set up there and settle in. Truth is, it'll be awhile before the dust settles. But, we've reached a point where we need to gather our things and our cats and sleep there. With that, we'll be home.
We'll have lots to say about this in a future post once we've had some time to pause and reflect. Here are today's words of wisdom to future fulltimers packing up their belongings for storage: Think about what you might need first when you settle in to your new spot. We gave this absolutely no thought, because we were focused on getting things out of one house and into another. I spent half of today searching for everyday dishes that, as it turns out, I think I gave away. See what I mean? Meanwhile, I have boxes of crystal and china to use. Go figure.
With more to say soon, I'll focus on what is in our minds and hearts on this gorgeous night after nearly four years on the road.
This has been one hell of a ride. We wouldn't trade it for anything.
We are filled with gratitude for all of the people who helped us get on the road, the folks we met (and those special few we lost) along the way, and the people who have helped and are helping making this amazing transition to life as Anytime RVers. To each of you, we say "Thank You". We could not have made this journey without you.
We have a few more posts to come to wrap this thing up. So, stay tuned.
For now, all is well. Cheers!
Of course, I haven't checked the Fulltime RVers Bible for an official ruling on this. But, we consider this our last night because tomorrow night will be the first night we spend in our new home. We've been working hard the last couple of days to get things set up there and settle in. Truth is, it'll be awhile before the dust settles. But, we've reached a point where we need to gather our things and our cats and sleep there. With that, we'll be home.
We'll have lots to say about this in a future post once we've had some time to pause and reflect. Here are today's words of wisdom to future fulltimers packing up their belongings for storage: Think about what you might need first when you settle in to your new spot. We gave this absolutely no thought, because we were focused on getting things out of one house and into another. I spent half of today searching for everyday dishes that, as it turns out, I think I gave away. See what I mean? Meanwhile, I have boxes of crystal and china to use. Go figure.
With more to say soon, I'll focus on what is in our minds and hearts on this gorgeous night after nearly four years on the road.
This has been one hell of a ride. We wouldn't trade it for anything.
We are filled with gratitude for all of the people who helped us get on the road, the folks we met (and those special few we lost) along the way, and the people who have helped and are helping making this amazing transition to life as Anytime RVers. To each of you, we say "Thank You". We could not have made this journey without you.
We have a few more posts to come to wrap this thing up. So, stay tuned.
For now, all is well. Cheers!
Shopping!
I never knew we could spend money so fast!
But, we sure can!
We're here to tell ya, setting up a household from essentially scratch involves a whole lotta shopping. Just this week we've purchased TVs, DVD, phones, sound stuff, a sofa, chair and recliner. That and a bunch of other stuff, plus the few things we have in storage, are all planned to show up on our doorstep next week.
Say it with me now.
Cha-Ching!
And, really, we're just getting started!
We knew this would be a pricey proposition. And, yes, we planned for it. But, for a couple of frugal types like us this has been a real head spinner!
Besides super shopping, we've been uber-busy with family stuff. It's been crazy. In fact, we're having to squeeze in the shopping when we can. Late this afternoon we drove by our very-soon-to-be house. It's sitting there, just waiting for us. Everything is set for us to get the keys on Monday.
"It looks peaceful," Paul said as we looked longingly at our future home.
I couldn't agree more.
And, we can't wait.
You see, even with lots more shopping to do, our house is already becoming a haven.
We really need it.
But, we sure can!
We're here to tell ya, setting up a household from essentially scratch involves a whole lotta shopping. Just this week we've purchased TVs, DVD, phones, sound stuff, a sofa, chair and recliner. That and a bunch of other stuff, plus the few things we have in storage, are all planned to show up on our doorstep next week.
Say it with me now.
Cha-Ching!
And, really, we're just getting started!
We knew this would be a pricey proposition. And, yes, we planned for it. But, for a couple of frugal types like us this has been a real head spinner!
Besides super shopping, we've been uber-busy with family stuff. It's been crazy. In fact, we're having to squeeze in the shopping when we can. Late this afternoon we drove by our very-soon-to-be house. It's sitting there, just waiting for us. Everything is set for us to get the keys on Monday.
"It looks peaceful," Paul said as we looked longingly at our future home.
I couldn't agree more.
And, we can't wait.
You see, even with lots more shopping to do, our house is already becoming a haven.
We really need it.
Putting The "Recreation" Back in RVing
The house stuff is moving ahead quite nicely. Basically, we've cleared all the hurdles. We're just waiting for our closing date later this month. With the green light glowing, we've scheduled delivery of our itty bitty POD container, found a place for the moose to park, and ordered all kinds of furniture. We're gaining on our goal of being able to comfortably sleep, eat and watch TV as soon as possible after closing.
That's progress!
In our spare time, we've made some inquiries into local RVing clubs. As members of the national Winnebago Itasca Travelers, the Winnie owners club, we are eager to make introduction to our local and state WIT members. We have such fond memories of outings with our Winnie friends in California, we look forward to making connections like that here in our hometown.
After exchanging a few emails, we had made connections with the local and state clubs. Several folks from both groups extended warm welcomes. They shared their schedules of upcoming events. They have outings planned to popular state parks, lakes and one place in the Texas panhandle we've been wanting to visit.
It sounds fun.
As we perused the calendar of upcoming events with both clubs, we recalled the days when we would escape life in our sticks-n-bricks for a few days with our RVing brethren.
It was truly recreational.
After nearly four years of living in an RV, we realize we miss the "recreation" in RVing. It's tons of fun, but living in this house on wheels has simply become a way of life. As much as we love it, it's just not the same as getting away with friends once a month or so for a few days of camping.
It sure sounds like fun.
We can't wait!
That's progress!
In our spare time, we've made some inquiries into local RVing clubs. As members of the national Winnebago Itasca Travelers, the Winnie owners club, we are eager to make introduction to our local and state WIT members. We have such fond memories of outings with our Winnie friends in California, we look forward to making connections like that here in our hometown.
After exchanging a few emails, we had made connections with the local and state clubs. Several folks from both groups extended warm welcomes. They shared their schedules of upcoming events. They have outings planned to popular state parks, lakes and one place in the Texas panhandle we've been wanting to visit.
It sounds fun.
As we perused the calendar of upcoming events with both clubs, we recalled the days when we would escape life in our sticks-n-bricks for a few days with our RVing brethren.
It was truly recreational.
After nearly four years of living in an RV, we realize we miss the "recreation" in RVing. It's tons of fun, but living in this house on wheels has simply become a way of life. As much as we love it, it's just not the same as getting away with friends once a month or so for a few days of camping.
It sure sounds like fun.
We can't wait!
Back to Craigslist
Four years ago we were knee deep in Craigslist. We were photographing and listing many of our belongings for what turned out to be immediate sale. Of course, there were items that were duds. But, overall, we unloaded a bunch of stuff quickly and easily on this nifty little website.
Fast forward four years and we are back at Craigslist again. But, this time it's different.
We're buying.
I've been cruising Craigslist Kansas City for awhile now. I just wanted to get a sense of what is available here. Hardgoods are a plenty. So, I've been focusing on finding things for our master and guest room and tables for our family room.
Yesterday, I spotted a nifty master bedroom set. King size. Simple styling. Espresso finish. Five pieces. A real bargain.
Splendid.
I fired off an email to inquire if the set, which had been posted a week and half ago, was still available. I added that it would be a couple of weeks before we would be able to pick the set up should we decide it was for us. I gave the seller the opportunity to give us a pass.
Instead, she said it was perfect. They were selling their bedroom set to prepare for the arrival of a set from her parents, which was scheduled to arrive in mid-June. She was more than happy to wait a few weeks for us to take delivery. We scheduled a time for us to take a look this afternoon.
We made the pilgrimage to the western suburbs, to the land of great big houses and itty bitty lawns. It made my stomach turn. But, we weren't there to buy a house. We were there to shop for furniture. We pulled up in the steep driveway and rang the bell.
The cute little couple introduced themselves. She was wearing a Kansas t-shirt, which provided an ice breaker about our shared alma maters. We made polite conversation with the strangers. With the ice appropriately broken, we finally went upstairs.
The furniture was fine. Beautiful. Ten years old with a hardly noticeable scratch or dent or two. It would definitely work. Paul shot them an offer and they countered. Within a minute we had all agreed on a price that was exactly what we all probably originally intended. It's quite a game.
We left them a deposit and went on our way. We'll be back in a couple of weeks to take delivery. Meanwhile, we know this young couple is experiencing the same joy we did four years ago. They've realized that Craigslist is a great place to sell stuff.
Lucky for us, now we know it's also a great place to buy.
Fast forward four years and we are back at Craigslist again. But, this time it's different.
We're buying.
I've been cruising Craigslist Kansas City for awhile now. I just wanted to get a sense of what is available here. Hardgoods are a plenty. So, I've been focusing on finding things for our master and guest room and tables for our family room.
Yesterday, I spotted a nifty master bedroom set. King size. Simple styling. Espresso finish. Five pieces. A real bargain.
Splendid.
I fired off an email to inquire if the set, which had been posted a week and half ago, was still available. I added that it would be a couple of weeks before we would be able to pick the set up should we decide it was for us. I gave the seller the opportunity to give us a pass.
Instead, she said it was perfect. They were selling their bedroom set to prepare for the arrival of a set from her parents, which was scheduled to arrive in mid-June. She was more than happy to wait a few weeks for us to take delivery. We scheduled a time for us to take a look this afternoon.
We made the pilgrimage to the western suburbs, to the land of great big houses and itty bitty lawns. It made my stomach turn. But, we weren't there to buy a house. We were there to shop for furniture. We pulled up in the steep driveway and rang the bell.
The cute little couple introduced themselves. She was wearing a Kansas t-shirt, which provided an ice breaker about our shared alma maters. We made polite conversation with the strangers. With the ice appropriately broken, we finally went upstairs.
The furniture was fine. Beautiful. Ten years old with a hardly noticeable scratch or dent or two. It would definitely work. Paul shot them an offer and they countered. Within a minute we had all agreed on a price that was exactly what we all probably originally intended. It's quite a game.
We left them a deposit and went on our way. We'll be back in a couple of weeks to take delivery. Meanwhile, we know this young couple is experiencing the same joy we did four years ago. They've realized that Craigslist is a great place to sell stuff.
Lucky for us, now we know it's also a great place to buy.
Say What?
Did we really say we bought a house?
Oh yeah! We did!
Technically, we haven't bought it just yet. We made an offer, which has been accepted. We're currently in escrow. (And, that's such an exciting place to be!)
So, what's up? What prompted these two nomads to cough up the cash for a 2,100-square-foot split level in the 'burbs? Perhaps the best way to explain what's up is to answer a few questions.
Oh yeah! We did!
Technically, we haven't bought it just yet. We made an offer, which has been accepted. We're currently in escrow. (And, that's such an exciting place to be!)
So, what's up? What prompted these two nomads to cough up the cash for a 2,100-square-foot split level in the 'burbs? Perhaps the best way to explain what's up is to answer a few questions.
Q. So, you're hangin' up the keys. Are you sad about that?
A. We're not the least bit sad. We're excited!
Unlike our marriage, fulltime RVing was never a "forever" gig for us. From the beginning, our plan was to live on the road for "a year or two, perhaps as long as three." It's been almost four. We were overdue! As we close the chapter of our lives that was lived on the road, we're moving on to a chapter where we'll be reconnecting with our old hometown in a brand new way.
And, while Bullwinkle's keys will soon be hanging on a nifty rack in our new house, they won't stay there long. We're thrilled to be making the move from fulltime RVers to "anytime" RVers! We're already planning round-trip excursions from here.
Q. Are you sorry fulltime RVing didn't work out for you?
A. Didn't work out? We're closing in on four years of this amazing lifestyle. If fulltiming hadn't worked out for us we would have known (and stopped) long, long ago. We've loved it!
We feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to do this crazy thing. We've explored so many stunning places, met so many wonderful people and made lots of new friends. What's not to like? We hoped it would be the journey of a lifetime. It has exceeded our expectations.
Q. Then, why are you stopping?
A. The short answer is we couldn't muster the energy to drive across West Texas for a third time.
But, that's not really it. While we were lacking enthusiasm to head west, we both felt some kind of gravitational pull back to Kansas City. We've made dozens of trips in and out of our old hometown since we left here 13 years ago, yet we'd never felt this kind of powerful tug.
We were being called home.
No one asked us to do it. We just knew this is where we wanted to be. And, when you just know, you go. As soon as the snow cleared, we pointed the moose north. Our energy and enthusiasm returned instantly. It was clear we were on the right path.
Just as they had when we left Oakland to hit the road, things fell into place. On extremely short notice, our home park had a spot for us for exactly a month. That provided us a window of opportunity to find the perfect house at the perfect time at a perfect price, just as real estate prices began to percolate. We didn't want to miss the best real estate market in years. And, by the looks of things, we didn't.
It feels like it was all meant to be. As much as we have loved our life on the road, we have found something else we love even more.
Q. Why Kansas City?
A. We have a list of reasons! The bottom line is the easiest place for us to call home is also the best. We resisted returning to the place we lived for the first four decades of our lives because it was so familiar and comfortable. Turns out that after a decade living in California and four years of exploring new places on the road, familiar and comfortable are exactly what we want. Kansas City is home!
In our travels, we looked at real estate in some of our favorite towns. Whenever we got remotely serious about purchasing a home, we got antsy. We'd think of our old hometown and couldn't imagine not living there.
While we have no desire to return to the workaholic lives we lived here before, we do have plans to do a little work. Paul has maintained relationships with a handful of financial planning/investment management clients while we've been on the road. Having a home base provides an opportunity to grow that into a small business, which we've always wanted to do. And, Kansas City is the best place for us to do that. We're both eager to see Paul busy!
Besides being a place where a bunch of our family and friends live, Kansas City is centrally located. We can point Bullwinkle in any direction from here and be somewhere fun in a day or two. We can't wait!
Q. What about Bullwinkle?
A. Well, today, he's getting his annual chassis service. Tomorrow, we're heading off to southwest Missouri to visit extended family. Next week he'll bring us back to Kansas City and, if everything works as planned, we'll close escrow by the end of the month. Near the top of our "to-do" list is finding a safe, secure and sheltered spot for Bullwinkle to call home. But, he won't stay there long. After we get settled in, we'll be off together on some Summer adventures.
Bullwinkle is like a member of our family. So, we're sticking together! He'll get more rest than he's been used to. But, after traveling over 30,000 miles, he certainly deserves it! We feel fortunate to have such a comfortable (and movable) second home!
Q. What about your new home?
A. All systems are go with this deal, but we don't want to jinx anything. It's tough to type with my fingers crossed, but I'll say it's cute, comfortable and just the right size for two people and two cats who have been living in 400 square feet. It's a 35-year-old house that's been redone inside and out. It's almost like new, but it's sitting on a lovely lot in a well-established neighborhood we know and love. And, of course, it has a long, level driveway. Bullwinkle won't live there, but he'll be a frequent visitor!
Q. What about your blog?
A. As our fulltiming adventures come to a close, we'll wrap up things here at The Great RV Escape. We pledged long ago that we'd share our story from beginning to end. So, we shall. As exciting as all of the preparations for life on the road were, we're here to tell you that transitioning from "fulltimers" to "anytimers" is an exciting adventure! And, it's all part of the process. We want to capture it all. And, we hope our complete story helps somebody who finds their way to these pages someday.
Bullwinkle's Travels will continue, of course. We'll share our "anytimer" adventures there. Of course, that poor, neglected blog is so out-of-date, it's going to take some serious dusting off and updating. I'm on it!
Q. What's next?
A. Suddenly, we have LOTS to do! We'll keep you posted.
An Eventful Month
I can't believe a month has passed since our last post. And, what a month it's been!
When we last touched base we were in Kansas City waiting for Spring to arrive.
Fast forward a month. We're still in Kansas City. And, we're still waiting for Spring. In fact, tonight's forecast calls for temps of the record breaking variety.
We're not talking about a heat wave, folks.
So, what are a couple of native Kansas Citians to do while waiting for things to warm up around here?
Here's a rundown.
We've spent much of our collective energy tending to Paul's Dad, who has had a bit of a health scare. He's doing much better, thankfully. We're so glad we've been here to support him. (And so is he!)
My Dad celebrated a big birthday. We're so happy he was on the planet to mark this milestone and we were with him to celebrate.
Just after the party, I caught the big bummer of a respiratory bug that's been going around. Two totally listless weeks were a complete blur, followed by a week-and-a-half of a nagging cough. I'm pleased to report that I have recovered. But, for a while there Paul was simply bouncing from one invalid to another. (Yes, he IS a saint.)
I spent much of my sick time watching the NCAA men's basketball tournament, which was entertaining until the regional semis. With our beloved Jayhawks out of the mix, and my bracket completely busted, my annual overdose of college basketball came to an abrupt end. Withdrawal has been a little rough, but I've managed.
We have caught up with other family and friends, which has been great fun. We always enjoy our time in our old hometown.
Yep. It's been a busy month. But, it's all good.
Oh yeah. There's one more thing.
We bought a house.
More soon!
When we last touched base we were in Kansas City waiting for Spring to arrive.
Fast forward a month. We're still in Kansas City. And, we're still waiting for Spring. In fact, tonight's forecast calls for temps of the record breaking variety.
We're not talking about a heat wave, folks.
So, what are a couple of native Kansas Citians to do while waiting for things to warm up around here?
Here's a rundown.
We've spent much of our collective energy tending to Paul's Dad, who has had a bit of a health scare. He's doing much better, thankfully. We're so glad we've been here to support him. (And so is he!)
My Dad celebrated a big birthday. We're so happy he was on the planet to mark this milestone and we were with him to celebrate.
Just after the party, I caught the big bummer of a respiratory bug that's been going around. Two totally listless weeks were a complete blur, followed by a week-and-a-half of a nagging cough. I'm pleased to report that I have recovered. But, for a while there Paul was simply bouncing from one invalid to another. (Yes, he IS a saint.)
I spent much of my sick time watching the NCAA men's basketball tournament, which was entertaining until the regional semis. With our beloved Jayhawks out of the mix, and my bracket completely busted, my annual overdose of college basketball came to an abrupt end. Withdrawal has been a little rough, but I've managed.
We have caught up with other family and friends, which has been great fun. We always enjoy our time in our old hometown.
Yep. It's been a busy month. But, it's all good.
Oh yeah. There's one more thing.
We bought a house.
More soon!
Spring Snow
We came north a wee bit too soon!
Our first week in Kansas City has been a harsh reminder of how wild the weather can be here. Especially in the Spring. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by sunshine and warmth. On one of our first days here the high temperature was 83 degrees...in March! Fast forward a few short days and things are different. Very different.
Mother Nature dumped about 8 inches of snow in the last 24 hours. The temperature struggled to make it above the freezing point today. The overnight low is supposed to dip into the mid-20s tonight. The wind chills are supposed to be in the teens. This Arctic forecast is the same for the next three nights.
Piles of heavy snow are not good for slide toppers. So, we pulled both of our big ol' slides in just after the white stuff started yesterday afternoon. The moose is mighty cozy! The snow has stopped, but our slides are still buttoned up. With a whole bunch of snow on the roof, it has started to blow and slide off the sides. That being the case, we're keeping the path to the ground clear. The coziness will probably continue for at least another night.
Meanwhile, we're kicking back. Paul made a pot of most masterful chili. And, we're enjoying our annual overdose of college basketball. We haven't even attempted to get out and about today. There will be plenty of time to do that tomorrow.
Spring will return to our old hometown soon. The forecast for later this week is calling for highs in the upper 50s and nights above freezing. That'll be better. Much better.
We can't wait.
Our first week in Kansas City has been a harsh reminder of how wild the weather can be here. Especially in the Spring. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by sunshine and warmth. On one of our first days here the high temperature was 83 degrees...in March! Fast forward a few short days and things are different. Very different.
Mother Nature dumped about 8 inches of snow in the last 24 hours. The temperature struggled to make it above the freezing point today. The overnight low is supposed to dip into the mid-20s tonight. The wind chills are supposed to be in the teens. This Arctic forecast is the same for the next three nights.
Piles of heavy snow are not good for slide toppers. So, we pulled both of our big ol' slides in just after the white stuff started yesterday afternoon. The moose is mighty cozy! The snow has stopped, but our slides are still buttoned up. With a whole bunch of snow on the roof, it has started to blow and slide off the sides. That being the case, we're keeping the path to the ground clear. The coziness will probably continue for at least another night.
Meanwhile, we're kicking back. Paul made a pot of most masterful chili. And, we're enjoying our annual overdose of college basketball. We haven't even attempted to get out and about today. There will be plenty of time to do that tomorrow.
Spring will return to our old hometown soon. The forecast for later this week is calling for highs in the upper 50s and nights above freezing. That'll be better. Much better.
We can't wait.
We're Going Home
This is our last day - actually our last hour - in Texas Hill Country. It's been a great stay. We're gonna miss it. We look forward to coming back.
Where we go from here was a real puzzler. We were leaning west, but just couldn't muster the energy to fight the wind across West Texas...again. We didn't feel like going east. Anything south of here just isn't our taste. And, it's still too cold to head too far north.
Then, we remembered something. When you don't know where you want to go you can always go home. And, so we are.
When we leave here this morning, we're heading north. But, we're not going all that far. We'll make a short stop north of Fort Worth. Then, we'll swing over to McKinney for a couple of days and have a couple of pesky blinds taken care of. From there, it's a familiar drive back to Kansas City.
Yes, Kansas City did just receive a couple of feet of snow. But, it's melting. Quickly, hopefully. By the time we get there it will be early Spring. It'll be chilly, for sure. But, our fingers are crossed that it'll be pleasant enough.
My Dad has a milestone birthday this month. And, we want to check in on Paul's Dad, too. Nieces and nephews will be home for Spring Break. A few other family members plan to be passing through town. And, we'll have the chance to watch March Madness on our home turf. That's always fun.
We can stay for a month. Then, we have to roll. You see, NASCAR will be in town. Our park, and all the parks in town, will be full. And, we don't have any reservations.
Where we go from there is anybody's guess. Meanwhile, it'll be good to be home.
Where we go from here was a real puzzler. We were leaning west, but just couldn't muster the energy to fight the wind across West Texas...again. We didn't feel like going east. Anything south of here just isn't our taste. And, it's still too cold to head too far north.
Then, we remembered something. When you don't know where you want to go you can always go home. And, so we are.
When we leave here this morning, we're heading north. But, we're not going all that far. We'll make a short stop north of Fort Worth. Then, we'll swing over to McKinney for a couple of days and have a couple of pesky blinds taken care of. From there, it's a familiar drive back to Kansas City.
Yes, Kansas City did just receive a couple of feet of snow. But, it's melting. Quickly, hopefully. By the time we get there it will be early Spring. It'll be chilly, for sure. But, our fingers are crossed that it'll be pleasant enough.
My Dad has a milestone birthday this month. And, we want to check in on Paul's Dad, too. Nieces and nephews will be home for Spring Break. A few other family members plan to be passing through town. And, we'll have the chance to watch March Madness on our home turf. That's always fun.
We can stay for a month. Then, we have to roll. You see, NASCAR will be in town. Our park, and all the parks in town, will be full. And, we don't have any reservations.
Where we go from there is anybody's guess. Meanwhile, it'll be good to be home.
Riding Together
I must say, our "big" travel day was so well planned it went off without a hitch!
Yeah, us! We're just out here doin' our jobs!
Our 64-mile travel day was uneventful. Just they way we like it. We faced a pretty stiff Texas breeze as we made our way through Hill Country, but the scenery made up for it all.
Along the way I noticed how much more fun I was having compared to our last travel day. Why? Because we were riding together.
You see, a week or so ago, we made the trek from Kerrville to Boerne separately. After we got the moose inspected, we took off for the 40-mile trip separately. Paul piloted the moose while I drove just ahead with the squirrel.
Have I told you how much I hate that?
I know there are more than a few RVing couples who travel separately on the road. For most of them, it means having an extra set of wheels when they get to their destination. I certainly understand that benefit. And, yeah for them that they can make that work.
But, I gotta tell ya. I hate it!
I mean, really, I hate it.
If I'm in either of the front seats in our moose as it's rolling down the road, I'm as happy as a clam. Whether I'm driving or passengering, I enjoy the view out our sweeping Imax window without giving a second thought to the fact that we are piloting more than 17 tons and nearly 60 feet of vehicles containing our worldly possessions. It's all good.
But, if you put me in our squirrel with the task to drive any distance behind or in front of our moose, I freak out. If I'm in front, I drive with my focus on the rear view mirror. A chorus of "Oh my God, that's our house!" echoes in my head. And, if I follow behind I am struck by how friggin' big our house is. And, for goodness sake, it's all on wheels! How crazy is that?
Most of all, when I find myself in the squirrel separated from the moose, there's somebody I really miss. My husband! Somehow it's just not the same traveling the highways and byways of America separated from my beloved and travel buddy. After all, we're on this journey together. It's just not as much fun when we're apart.
Today was so, so, so much better. The moose had the squirrel in tow. The cats were in their crates. Paul was in the captain's chair and I was in my familiar and quite comfortable seat as the safety director.
All was right with our world.
We were riding together.
Yeah, us! We're just out here doin' our jobs!
Our 64-mile travel day was uneventful. Just they way we like it. We faced a pretty stiff Texas breeze as we made our way through Hill Country, but the scenery made up for it all.
Along the way I noticed how much more fun I was having compared to our last travel day. Why? Because we were riding together.
You see, a week or so ago, we made the trek from Kerrville to Boerne separately. After we got the moose inspected, we took off for the 40-mile trip separately. Paul piloted the moose while I drove just ahead with the squirrel.
Have I told you how much I hate that?
I know there are more than a few RVing couples who travel separately on the road. For most of them, it means having an extra set of wheels when they get to their destination. I certainly understand that benefit. And, yeah for them that they can make that work.
But, I gotta tell ya. I hate it!
I mean, really, I hate it.
If I'm in either of the front seats in our moose as it's rolling down the road, I'm as happy as a clam. Whether I'm driving or passengering, I enjoy the view out our sweeping Imax window without giving a second thought to the fact that we are piloting more than 17 tons and nearly 60 feet of vehicles containing our worldly possessions. It's all good.
But, if you put me in our squirrel with the task to drive any distance behind or in front of our moose, I freak out. If I'm in front, I drive with my focus on the rear view mirror. A chorus of "Oh my God, that's our house!" echoes in my head. And, if I follow behind I am struck by how friggin' big our house is. And, for goodness sake, it's all on wheels! How crazy is that?
Most of all, when I find myself in the squirrel separated from the moose, there's somebody I really miss. My husband! Somehow it's just not the same traveling the highways and byways of America separated from my beloved and travel buddy. After all, we're on this journey together. It's just not as much fun when we're apart.
Today was so, so, so much better. The moose had the squirrel in tow. The cats were in their crates. Paul was in the captain's chair and I was in my familiar and quite comfortable seat as the safety director.
All was right with our world.
We were riding together.
It's My Job
We're wrapping up our week-long stay at Stop #2 of our (at least) three-stop tour of Texas Hill Country. Our week here in Boerne (That's pronounced "burney") has flown. The RV park isn't much to speak of, but it's been a great place to be while we played with our good friends Cindy and Rick, who flew in from Northern California. We spent four fun-filled days touring San Antonio and the beautiful Hill Country. The weather was absolutely splendid during their visit, so we couldn't complain when we were blasted by gale force winds yesterday after their departure. (We also can't complain because we're not buried in 18 inches of snow as are many of our peeps in Kansas City!)
Today was a day of running errands and such, in preparation of our big travel day tomorrow. While we were en route, we took a hands-free business-related call. It was a terrific conversation with a colleague who is helping us get some things in order. It had been awhile since we'd talked with her, so it was great to catch up. Somewhere in the conversation, we realized it's been nearly four years (gasp!) since we've worked. (I still can't believe these two workaholics have been able to go that long without holding jobs!) Our colleague offered a keen observation.
"Maybe it's been that long since you've worked," she said. "But, successfully maneuvering yourselves and your household around the country for over three years is definitely a job."
She's right! We don't show up at an office every day any more (Thank God!), but we still do some of the same stuff. We manage a budget, tackle projects, develop strategic (travel) plans and manage lots of logistics. And, every once in a while, we do a little communicating! Along the way, we get the great privilege of meeting amazing people and exploring remarkable sights.
It's the best job ever!
As the resident strategic travel planner, it's time for me to double-check the route for tomorrow's aforementioned travel day. Like I said, it's a biggie. In fact, it's 50 percent longer than our most recent trek.
Where are we headed for our third stop in Hill Country? Dripping Springs, Texas.
How far is that? 64 miles.
My work here is done.
Today was a day of running errands and such, in preparation of our big travel day tomorrow. While we were en route, we took a hands-free business-related call. It was a terrific conversation with a colleague who is helping us get some things in order. It had been awhile since we'd talked with her, so it was great to catch up. Somewhere in the conversation, we realized it's been nearly four years (gasp!) since we've worked. (I still can't believe these two workaholics have been able to go that long without holding jobs!) Our colleague offered a keen observation.
"Maybe it's been that long since you've worked," she said. "But, successfully maneuvering yourselves and your household around the country for over three years is definitely a job."
She's right! We don't show up at an office every day any more (Thank God!), but we still do some of the same stuff. We manage a budget, tackle projects, develop strategic (travel) plans and manage lots of logistics. And, every once in a while, we do a little communicating! Along the way, we get the great privilege of meeting amazing people and exploring remarkable sights.
It's the best job ever!
As the resident strategic travel planner, it's time for me to double-check the route for tomorrow's aforementioned travel day. Like I said, it's a biggie. In fact, it's 50 percent longer than our most recent trek.
Where are we headed for our third stop in Hill Country? Dripping Springs, Texas.
How far is that? 64 miles.
My work here is done.
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