Now that we've been out with two RV groups, we're facing this question: What to join?
We are joiners, no doubt about it. Like I said, we're both extraverts and love meeting people. As it turns out, it seems just about most people enjoy meeting us, too. So, it's easy for us to join any and every group that comes our way. And, once we join our old friend overwhelm is not far behind. We find ourselves overcommitted, busy and tired...even if what we're up to is "fun". So, we're taking this business of joining an RV club (or two) seriously.
Since we're planning to be fulltiming in a bit, we're concentrating first on which national clubs to join. Then, we'll pick our "local" chapters of those groups. Our current choices are the Winnebago-Itasca Travelers Club and the Family Motor Coach Association. With the WIT group, there are resident experts on our brand of motorhome. Plus, it's great fun hanging out with people who love Winnebagos. Every FMCA'er we've met on the road has been friendly and helpful. It feels like a real community. And, the chapter we hung out with last weekend was loads of fun. Another local FMCA chapter is hosting a rally over Thanksgiving. We're thinking about checking them out then.
We're also considering the Escapees. Their name most closely represents what we're up to! Plus, they have "classes" of fulltimers who are comparing notes about getting ready to hit the road. I just read through the Class of 2009 thread. Even though we're probably more realistically the Class of 2010, it's inspiring and comforting to read what these future fulltimers are up to.
Of course, we've already joined other RV-related "clubs" that are less about joining and more about saving. We plunked down our bucks to join the KOA campers club on our first night out on the Grand Canyon trip. Then we joined Good Sam. And, of course, we joined Camping World on our first trip there. That membership paid for itself in one quick scan of a barcode!
We sure to join something. Meanwhile, we'll enjoy shopping around.
Oh Give Us A Home
A Home Campground, that is.
This weekend's mini-escape just 30-miles or so away has us in serious search mode for a place we can make an easy escape to anytime we want. We're thinking of it as our home campground.
The place we visited last weekend was fine, but gale force winds and lots of highway noise were the norm. Not exactly what we're looking for.
We made reservations yesterday at another spot in the area that was recommended to us by a couple we met in Plymouth. It's their home campground. We're hopeful that it might just become ours, too.
We'll see.
This weekend's mini-escape just 30-miles or so away has us in serious search mode for a place we can make an easy escape to anytime we want. We're thinking of it as our home campground.
The place we visited last weekend was fine, but gale force winds and lots of highway noise were the norm. Not exactly what we're looking for.
We made reservations yesterday at another spot in the area that was recommended to us by a couple we met in Plymouth. It's their home campground. We're hopeful that it might just become ours, too.
We'll see.
In A Group vs. On Our Own
We're home again, and already looking forward to our next mini-escape. Such is the life of a future fulltimer.
With this trip behind us, we've now spent 10 nights in Bullwinkle. That's exactly equal to the number of nights we spent in our rented trusty Tioga when we went to the big ditch and back in April. (True, the nights in the Tioga were spread over 11 days...in Bullwinkle we've done it in just about a month.) We're looking forward to our next trip when Bullwinkle will represent the majority of our nights on the road.
Of our 10 nights in the new moose, we've noticed that we've spent a mere four enjoying a quiet dinner alone. That's one of the things we love the most about this lifestyle. Already, our extravert tendencies have taken the lead: six nights have been spent happily enjoying dinner in the company of others -- Winnebago groups we've met in the campground, friends we've met along the way, and an FMCA group that invited us to join them for a rally.
That leads us to an important question: How much do we do with groups vs. going out on our own?
With groups, we love meeting new people, the camaraderie, the conversation, the food, fun and good times. With ourselves we love, well, being by ourselves.
Right now, we're missing enjoying time alone with our moose. So 40/60 isn't balanced enough for us. Maybe we'll shoot for something closer to 50/50 or 60/40.
Next outing, we're definitely on our own.
With this trip behind us, we've now spent 10 nights in Bullwinkle. That's exactly equal to the number of nights we spent in our rented trusty Tioga when we went to the big ditch and back in April. (True, the nights in the Tioga were spread over 11 days...in Bullwinkle we've done it in just about a month.) We're looking forward to our next trip when Bullwinkle will represent the majority of our nights on the road.
Of our 10 nights in the new moose, we've noticed that we've spent a mere four enjoying a quiet dinner alone. That's one of the things we love the most about this lifestyle. Already, our extravert tendencies have taken the lead: six nights have been spent happily enjoying dinner in the company of others -- Winnebago groups we've met in the campground, friends we've met along the way, and an FMCA group that invited us to join them for a rally.
That leads us to an important question: How much do we do with groups vs. going out on our own?
With groups, we love meeting new people, the camaraderie, the conversation, the food, fun and good times. With ourselves we love, well, being by ourselves.
Right now, we're missing enjoying time alone with our moose. So 40/60 isn't balanced enough for us. Maybe we'll shoot for something closer to 50/50 or 60/40.
Next outing, we're definitely on our own.
Mini Escape
We're off on another. (Yeah!)
We're heading out with a group for a few days away just 30 miles or so from where Bullwinkle is parked. It should be fun. And, we won't have to spend a small fortune on gas!
It's doubtful that wi-fi is on the menu at this place. But, whenever we connect, we'll highlight this mini-trip at Bullwinkle's place.
Happy weekend!
We're heading out with a group for a few days away just 30 miles or so from where Bullwinkle is parked. It should be fun. And, we won't have to spend a small fortune on gas!
It's doubtful that wi-fi is on the menu at this place. But, whenever we connect, we'll highlight this mini-trip at Bullwinkle's place.
Happy weekend!
Entertaining
One of the major accomplishments of last weekend's getaway was entertaining friends. You know how it is after you move into a new place? You're eager to show the place off and invite people over. But, it takes awhile to get comfortable enough to do so.
We must be settling into the moose, because we took the big step and invited friends to join us for dinner after they arrived Friday night. It was a simple dinner of burgers and fixin's that was served much later than planned because Bay Area traffic set our friends back an hour or two. We welcomed them with housewarming cocktails and caught up on each other's latest developments. We shared stories and laughs over a tasty meal that lasted until a wee hour. It was great fun. Our friends returned the favor Saturday night by treating us to dinner at their place. Once again we had great fun, and all felt a bit better calling it a night at a more reasonable hour.
Much of our entertaining was outside. But, with cooler late night temps, we served dinner inside 'round our u-shaped dinette. It seated the four of us quite comfortably. Bullwinkle proved to be a perfect host. It was great fun to entertain friends in our home away from home.
We can't wait to do it again!
We must be settling into the moose, because we took the big step and invited friends to join us for dinner after they arrived Friday night. It was a simple dinner of burgers and fixin's that was served much later than planned because Bay Area traffic set our friends back an hour or two. We welcomed them with housewarming cocktails and caught up on each other's latest developments. We shared stories and laughs over a tasty meal that lasted until a wee hour. It was great fun. Our friends returned the favor Saturday night by treating us to dinner at their place. Once again we had great fun, and all felt a bit better calling it a night at a more reasonable hour.
Much of our entertaining was outside. But, with cooler late night temps, we served dinner inside 'round our u-shaped dinette. It seated the four of us quite comfortably. Bullwinkle proved to be a perfect host. It was great fun to entertain friends in our home away from home.
We can't wait to do it again!
Warming Up
As much as we wish we were already fulltimers, especially as a "camping" weekend comes to an end, we are appreciating having this time to warm up to driving, living and hanging out in our motorhome. For once, we're so glad we're not following our original plan.
Originally, our plan was to research, shop for and eventually buy our fulltiming rig. Simultaneously, we were going to clear our stick house of all of our possessions and sell it. While we were at it, we were going to both quit our jobs, Then, we were going to drive off into the sunset in our brand spankin' new motorhome...happy as clams.
Today, we can't imagine taking on that much at once. Sure, it's all good. But, it's stressful, too. We're talking about taking on a major lifestyle change while leaving a career, moving and learning how to drive and live in a box on wheels. Lots of people have done it this way and lived to tell a happy tale. Plenty of others, as we've learned, took the time to adapt to RV living before unplugging from the stick house and work. As much as we thought we'd be among the former, we're delighted to be the latter.
We're loving this warm up act!
Originally, our plan was to research, shop for and eventually buy our fulltiming rig. Simultaneously, we were going to clear our stick house of all of our possessions and sell it. While we were at it, we were going to both quit our jobs, Then, we were going to drive off into the sunset in our brand spankin' new motorhome...happy as clams.
Today, we can't imagine taking on that much at once. Sure, it's all good. But, it's stressful, too. We're talking about taking on a major lifestyle change while leaving a career, moving and learning how to drive and live in a box on wheels. Lots of people have done it this way and lived to tell a happy tale. Plenty of others, as we've learned, took the time to adapt to RV living before unplugging from the stick house and work. As much as we thought we'd be among the former, we're delighted to be the latter.
We're loving this warm up act!
Not Long Enough
It's official. Weekends just aren't long enough!
We even took Friday off to try to stretch out this past weekend. But, it didn't help. Before we knew it check-out time Sunday was upon us far too soon. Just as we were starting to really relax, it was time to pack things back up and go.
We're really not complaining. It was wonderful to get away for a couple of nights, hook up with friends, make new ones, get out on the bikes and just enjoy hanging out 'round the moose. Those are all the makings for a great weekend!
We're just making the observation that when we check in on Friday we're not ready to check out on Sunday. We entertained the idea of buying another night or two (or maybe a week) and calling in sick. On the way home we shared passing thoughts of swinging by the house, picking up the cats and a couple of things and keep on driving.
Three days just isn't enough. So, next time we'll make it four.
Now we see how this whole fulltiming thing really gets started...by adding one day at a time.
We even took Friday off to try to stretch out this past weekend. But, it didn't help. Before we knew it check-out time Sunday was upon us far too soon. Just as we were starting to really relax, it was time to pack things back up and go.
We're really not complaining. It was wonderful to get away for a couple of nights, hook up with friends, make new ones, get out on the bikes and just enjoy hanging out 'round the moose. Those are all the makings for a great weekend!
We're just making the observation that when we check in on Friday we're not ready to check out on Sunday. We entertained the idea of buying another night or two (or maybe a week) and calling in sick. On the way home we shared passing thoughts of swinging by the house, picking up the cats and a couple of things and keep on driving.
Three days just isn't enough. So, next time we'll make it four.
Now we see how this whole fulltiming thing really gets started...by adding one day at a time.
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