The Deal: One Year Later

One year ago today I typed the words: WE SOLD OUR HOUSE.

We couldn't believe it then. Today, we still consider ourselves pretty darn lucky. Selling our house unleashed the last tether to our sticks-and-bricks life and brought us one giant step closer to fulltiming.

As we sat in the shadow of beautiful Mt. Lassen a year ago, celebrating our freshly inked offer, we wondered what was ahead for us. Sitting here today, between a couple of mountain ranges in scenic Idaho, we have the benefit of the kind of perspective that comes with 365 days and some 12,000 miles.

The three weeks that followed this monumental day in 2009 were exciting, crazy and stressful. That's how much time we had to empty our house of everything, put a few things in our motorhome, store a few more in our tiny POD and sell, give away or toss everything else. In between we said goodbye to friends and put our plans in motion to live life on the road. We did much and slept little.

In the midst of that 21-day cyclone, our sole purpose was to get everything done. We didn't have the time or the ability to step back and see the magnitude of the task at hand. But, today we can see it. And, it was BIG! Since then, people have asked how we did it. Honestly, we don't know! What we do know is we don't want to do that again...ever. We're not sure we have it in us!

Looking back, it was all worth it. Our efforts of those three weeks and the year or so of preparation before that have paid big dividends. We were hopeful back then, but now we know. It truly was worth all of the stressful days and sleepless nights. And, then some.

The next three weeks this year will be oh-so-dramatically different than the same time last year. Instead of emptying our house and hitting the road, we'll sit still and enjoy the rest of our time in and around Yellowstone. We'll celebrate our first Independence Day since hitting the road, then we'll head for Mount Rushmore. Sounds nice, doesn't it?

Several of our faithful readers are making their preparations to hit the road. Some are just weeks away. Others won't hit the road for a few years. They're in the pre-fulltiming cyclone. To these dear folks we have one thing to say.

Believe us, there will come a day when your life is not all about simplifying your life. When that day comes, things will be simple. And, it will all be worth it.

Really, it will!

Road Trip!

The sun finally came out today and the temperature rose well into the 60s, so we did what we had to do. We hit the road!

Gordon and Juanita fired up T-Rex and we headed off to Yellowstone with our sights set on Old Faithful. We saw that and more! What a wonderful way to spend a beautiful day.

It was another one of those days that remind us THIS is why we are fulltiming. To spend a gorgeous Monday afternoon with friends witnessing the wonder of nature in America's first national park is what this lifestyle is all about.

There's a blog post about our trip in the works. Meanwhile, you're welcome to click on over to Bullwinkle's Travels to catch up with our adventures with da Godfadda and da Missus in nearby Big Springs and Virginia City.

More soon from beautiful Red Rock!

Sun

Have you ever seen

anything

in your life

more wonderful

than the way the sun,

every evening,

relaxed and easy,

floats toward the horizon

and into the clouds or the hills,

or the rumpled sea,

and is gone--

and how it slides again

out of the blackness,

every morning,

on the other side of the world,

like a red flower

streaming upward on its heavenly oils,

say, on a morning in early summer,

at its perfect imperial distance--

and have you ever felt for anything

such wild love--

do you think there is anywhere, in any language,

a word billowing enough

for the pleasure

that fills you,

as the sun

reaches out,

as it warms you

as you stand there,

empty-handed--

or have you too

turned from this world--

or have you too

gone crazy

for power,

for things?

Today's poem is by Mary Oliver.

Yes, folks, things are definitely looking up around here.

Rain

I opened my eyes

And looked up at the rain,

And it dripped in my head

And flowed into my brain,

And all that I hear as I lie in my bed

Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.

I step very softly,

I walk very slow,

I can't do a handstand--

I might overflow,

So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said--

I'm just not the same since there's rain in my head.

Those are the words of Shel Silverstein. We're borrowing them this evening because they pretty much sum up our first week at Red Rock.

We're hoping for better weather...soon.

The Day After The Day After

It's become our custom to chill out after a travel day. In fact, we've been known to be absolute bums. There's been more than one day after that I've spent in my pajamas. It just seems it takes us a day of relaxation to recover from a day or two or three of travel.

That's our excuse, and we're sticking to it!

Yesterday was supposed to be that day. And, were we ever ready! Even Mother Nature cooperated, providing us with almost chilly temps and periodic rain showers. But, despite our three-day marathon to get here, yesterday was not to be. Instead of lounging about, we spent a good part of the day driving.

What gives?

Well, Saturday night when we returned home after our wonderful welcome dinner at Gordon and Juanita's, I checked my email. One message revealed that our friends Pat and Ed, whom we got to know in Port Aransas, were going to be in the area for one more day. They wanted to know if we were game to meet for lunch in Yellowstone on Sunday. We really wanted to see them and catch up. So, we decided to forego our traditional day after travel day activities, or lack thereof.

The drive in the rain was long, but we saw some wildlife and enjoyed bits of the park. And, lunch with our friends was quite enjoyable. It was all definitely worth the "sacrifice". After our big lunch we decided dinner would be cheese, crackers and wine. So, we invited G&J to join us for a light dinner and more conversation. By the end of the night, we are all fading. But, Paul and I were definitely suffering from "day after deprivation".

So, when a new day dawned this morning we decided today would be our day after. We both slept in. One of us slept lots later than the other. I donned a comfy shirt and yoga pants. That way, it doesn't count as pajamas! Paul read. I un-sewed some fouled up quilt blocks. The TV provided background news of the day.

Around noon, Juanita braved the rain and came over for a bit of show and tell. She just purchased some super-nifty hand quilting equipment that I was eager to see. She did a little demo while we compared all kinds of notes and pictures about our quilting adventures. She is nearing completion on a Hawaiian applique quilt with some very impressive hand quilting. She enthusiastically showed me the ropes, but I long ago vowed never to hand quilt again. But, I have to admit that Juanita's groovy system could convince me to give it a go again down the road.

After lunch our lounging about continued. Juanita invited me to join her for an errand. As we got ready to pile in the truck we met Judy of Travels with Emma. She's here for awhile, so we look forward to getting to know her and Emma while we're here. Back to the truck, Juanita and I made a quick trip to the nearest grocery some 10 miles away, where she stocked up on some essentials and I bought some instant cocoa. Here's my rule: When it's June and you can see snow, you need cocoa. Simple as that.

Of course I made a cup promptly upon my return to our rolling home. Then, I commenced to do some fairly productive work on a few blocks for our fulltiming quilt. We squeezed in a walk to nearby Henry's Lake before we wrapped up the day with some pretty intense vegging. We could get used to this!

With thundershowers looming in the distance, Paul fired up the grill and we pulled together a deliciously simple meal. Then the rains came. It looks like super great sleeping weather tonight.

Maybe tomorrow we'll enjoy a day after the day after the day after.

Stay tuned.

So Happy

Those two words say it all. We are so happy to be here in this beautiful place, parked next to our friends, with no particular place to go but lots of fun stuff to see and do for the next month.

Ahhhhh!

We wrapped up our over-the-road marathon with a very short and easy drive north to Island Park. Our five-mile trip off the highway led us to Red Rock Campground and RV Park, where we were greeted at the gate by Gordon and Juanita. It's been nearly a year since we've seen these two special friends, and we are so happy to see them again. The talking and laughing commenced immediately. We have lots of catching up to do!

Of course, once the four of us get going, few things can stop us. We did take a break to get the moose set up. The lively conversation resumed over a bottle of wine at Gordon and Juanita's. I was stopped in mid-sentence by a rainbow to beat all rainbows. All four of us were out of the house in a flash with cameras in hand. I'll post pictures later, but they won't do it justice. Let's just say Mother Nature gave us a spectacular welcome to this very special place.

More conversation and laughter as Gordon and Juanita prepared a hearty meal for two weary travelers. Over chili, salad and delicious bread that nearly took my breath away, we shared tales of people seen and places ventured. Before dessert, we wandered around the park a bit to take in the sunset, meet a few folks and get our first peek at the wildlife around here. Over Juanita's yummy blackberry crisp we brought the first of a month's worth of daily conversations to a close. We are so happy to be with them.

As we settle in for our first night surrounded by peace and quiet, even the cats seem happy. They're no longer manifesting the stress of several days of travel. And, neither are we.

A Week on the Move

I can't believe it was just a week ago that we watched holiday weekenders arrive in Fort Bragg. We've enjoyed four relaxing nights on the coast and traveled nearly 1000 miles since then!

It's been quite a week.

Bullwinkle's blog has yet to catch up with our most recent travels. Starting tomorrow, we'll enjoy a month in one peaceful place. Bringing our other blog up to date is on the list of our to-dos for the month.

Meanwhile, here's a highlight or two.

Tuesday we traversed very curvy, two-lane California Highway 20 from the coast to I-5. That's more than 100 miles of white knuckle driving! We've never before been so glad to see a wide and straight interstate. Once we were straightened out, we stopped in Sacramento for a couple of special meetings.

We parked the moose right behind the "mothership", which is home to Sandy and John. This very fun couple started their fulltiming adventures in January, and have spent the last three months in the Golden State. It was a real treat to catch up with them and get to know each other a bit beyond our blog pages.

Wednesday we all piled into Sandy and John's toad and ventured east just a bit to visit Gypsy in her new digs. It was wonderful to see her again and introduce her to Sandy and John. We enjoyed a tasty lunch filled with stories and laughter. (Thanks, Sandy and John!) Gypsy is getting settled in here in Sacramento and developing a healthy case of hitch itch. We look forward to seeing Gypsy again on the road soon!

Yesterday we fired up the moose early (but not too early, since our new friends were sleeping just feet away from our big diesel engine). We said our "so longs" to Sandy and John and look forward to seeing them again this fall in Tennessee. Thanks so much for making time in your California adventures to hook up with us!

With many miles to cover in not so many days, the chief navigator in our crew gave our route considerable consideration. (Yes, I obsessed about it!) My first challenge was to figure out how to get out of California. The most direct, and our most familiar, option was I-80 up and over the Sierra Nevada. On a good day, this stretch of highway looks like Swiss cheese. I read recent reports of miles of narrow lane closures near the summit featuring skinny jersey barriers on both sides and roads rough enough to reduce a motorhome to rubble. That's not exactly how we like to tackle a 7,000 ft. climb!

So, we opted for the scenic route, taking US-50 through South Lake Tahoe, catching I-80 well east of the mountains. It added 40 miles or so to our route for the day. But, more importantly it took us an extra hour or two. (I lost track!) When we arrived in Elko, NV for the night, we had traveled 440 miles at an average speed of 48 mph, making yesterday our longest travel day ever, in more ways than one.

This morning we were up early and on the road by 7:00. Today's route included a 100-mile stretch on US-93. Between road construction, wind and rain, we covered that ground at about the same speed as yesterday's average! (Why does this stuff happen on days when you really need to make tracks?) The three interstates we took across southern Idaho let us finally travel at freeway speeds, but kept us in steady rain the entire way. The silver lining of the day was that the increasing winds were on our tail! Immediately upon our arrival in Idaho Falls, the winds were really gusting. We were happy to be off the road, with 324 miles under our collective belts for the day. (Our "typical" travel day mileage is somewhere around 200 miles!)

Tonight we're looking forward to a good night's rest. We're both sleep deprived, and the cats are stressed. (You don't want to know how cats manifest stress!) We'll all be better in the morning, and the weather is supposed to be much improved for our last travel day for a month.

And, how far are we going on this third travel day in a row? A mere 94 miles separates us from a glorious month of peace and quiet with dear friends in what we hear is a stunningly beautiful place.

After the week we've just had, we can definitely handle that.