'25/#46 Busy, Busy, Busy

 It is amazing how fast the calander fills up. Between the holidays, getting together with people, shopping, appointments, and I'm sure I am leaving stuff out, that's why we have a calander, all our time is accounted for. I still don't know how we got all this stuff done before we retired and were working full time?!?!? 

Anyway, the doctors tell me that I am doing OK and that the aches and pains are normal for someone my age. I guess I don't like the new normal. Mary's doctors are helping her feel better and also that she is doing OK managing her health. Oh well, no one said getting older was going to be easy! 

The Christmas decorations are up inside and out and we are pretty much ready for the upcoming holidays. Again dinner will most likely be just the two of us. It is easier and we don't have to travel in the insane holiday traffic. The most we will probably travel will be to our friends in the park next door, and that is just a short bicycle ride.

Gift shopping for the each other is not such a big deal. We pretty much buy each other whatever we want all year long. So unless we find something last minute or pick up a couple of stocking stuffers, Christmas is sleeping in, opening the few gifts we have, our own traditional Christmas morning breakfast, watching holiday movies and our Christmas lights, and enjoying our Christmas dinner for two. The holidays should be spent with the ones you love and I don't love anyone more than the woman I am sharing my life with.

Today is lunch with friends and some big box store shopping before it gets too insane so i will sign off from our home for the holidays in Zephyrhills because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'25/#45 Why Is The Clock Thrown Out The Window?

 As the old joke goes, "to see time fly". Well for us all we have to do is look at the calendar. It is just five weeks since we left Michigan but it seems ages ago. After 3500 miles, multiple stay overs, chores, and arriving in our winter home. We already had our calendar filled for November and now it is December.

We had to get set up and settled in. Our mail was ordered, friends were seen, doctors were visited, and more appointments made for follow ups. Then we had to go shopping. Groceries had to be replenished and we shopped for the local charities that we regularly support.  On top of that we started our winter jobs in the park.

Then...... Thanksgiving was here. Yes we only have to cook for two but the usual dishes stll had to be made. It's not Thanksgiving without whatever is traditionally on the table. Whether it is the turkey, Granny's stuffing, or Aunties mac-n-cheese it has to be there to make the holiday offical. I hope everyone had the Thanksgiving they wanted and also were able to give thanks for all that life has brought.

Today we will be getting together with more friends and getting all the Christmas decorations out and set up. I put my foot down years ago that Christmas will stay in boxes until after Thanksgiving no matter how early the stores start their holiday season. It is crazy to see Halloween, Thanksgivng, and Christmas all at the same time while shopping! No wonder it feels like time has flown by.

Breakfast is done and it is time to start getting ready for the rest of the day in our home in Zephyrhills because......

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'25/#44 Home Is Where We Park It!

 It's time to catch up. Last week we were in Texas at what was our winter home for three years. That was where we went to Mexico for business and pleasure. That was also when hurricane or tropical storm Rafael reared it's ugly head. It was forecast to head to the Texas/Louisiana coast the same time we would be passing through that area. The decision was made to leave Texas a day early and get in front of the storm. The storm petered out so it was an unnecessary early departue but would get us back to Florida a day early.

Well here we are in Zephyrhills, our winter home for the next several months. Even though everyone in our extended family survived Helene and Milton with minimal damage it was still upsetting to see the damage that both storms did leave behind. We are getting settled in and getting together with everyone we missed this summer. We were gone almost eight months this year. That is the longest we have been away from family and friends except for our winters in Texas. 

Our little group of seniors here have a mess of birthdays all in a few days time so there will be cake, food, drink, and just good times with good friends. The friends we work with are also on the list to get together with as well as friends from our pre-retirement and especially our family. 

Today is Mary's birthday so we will do whatever she wants and just get back into the Florida Snowbird lifestyle. Signing off from our home in Zephyrhills because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'25/#43 A Short Rest

 We are in Texas for a short time. It is nice to take a break from the grind that is daily travel. Even though this is a rest from travel we will be busy. There are friends to see and I also see a trip into Mexico.

We found an excellent dentist when we wintered here in the valley. We have made it a point to pass through every so often. Not necessarily once a year, but often enough to take care of our dental needs and not pay the rediculous prices in the states. I know a lot of people will say that we are crazy but we did our research. He and his staff are educated in the US and the facilities are modern and spotless and the recommendations are neck deep from people we have met all around the country during our travels. When somebody in South Dakota, from Oregon, during conversation just pulls a dentists cardout of his wallet with rave reviews....it makes you think.

We also got some of the medications that we take while we were in Mexico. Again, the meds are in Mexico but they are the same drugs that are sold in the USA for as much as ten times the price. See one of Mary's posts of CVS branded pharmaceuticles right there on the shelf in the Mexican pharmacy. We also did a little souvenir shopping.

Last year we had some suspension issues on the trailer that tore up a couple of our tires. I decided to change all four tires but could not get the brand I wanted so agreed to another brand that were recommended and I heard were good. One year and 13,000 miles later I was very unhappy with the way they wore commpared to the brand I wanted or the brand that came on the trailer. It was time to get the tires I wanted and have peace of mind traveling down the road.

Well it is time to get busy again so I will sign off from our home in Texas because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'25/#42 Changes In Latitude....

 As predicted the last day in Michigan was cold and busy but everything got done and we were ready to roll southward. Monday morning we left St Ignace and over the next six days we made stops in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas before arriving at our destination in the Rio Grande Valley. 

Our latitude change from traveling 2000 miles south changed everything. Now the temperatures are hovering around 90 degrees. A big change from the highs in the 50's that we left in Michigan. First thing, after turning on the A/C,was to pack away our cold weather coats and dig out shorts that were forgotten about since I can't remember when. We are at the same park we worked at several years ago so we alerted friends that we were in town. The RV is set up for sitting still for a week before we hit the road again.

We are in the Valley to take care of some things that are better done here and across the border. I have also decided to put new tires on the RV. The tires currently on the RV are not wearing as well as other brands I have used in the past and I prefer to err on the side of caution. That's a lot of vehicle going down the road and and it is everything we own, not to mention our personal safety. 

Once all the errands are done and we have decompressed from all the travel we will continue on our adventure. The next destination is Florida. We have family and friends that we have missed all summer and it sounds like we were missed also. 

We were glad to hear that everyone made out well during the hurricane. It was on our minds and we were worried until we heard that everyone was OK. I think we need to see it with our own eyes and give and get hugs to confirm the good news. 

It is time for dinner so we can get to bed early. The to-do list won't do itself so I will sign off now from our home in Pharr Texas because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'25/#41 Tick Tock

 The last time I blogged we had two days off and four more to work. Now we have two days to work and then we will have the Upper Peninsula in our rear view mirror. Our check list is done and as always every time we check something off we find some thing to add. It's usually just little things that we overlooked or something new we should have added to the original list but it still needs to be done. 

The weather has turned the corner towards winter with highs only about 50 degrees and lows in the upper 30's and just plummeting from there. We are looking forward to temperatures a little bit warmer as we trek south. The heat we have in the RV works well but we still have to go outside. Brrrrrrr!

Today should be an easy day at work but tomorrow is another story. Sunday is the last day of the season here at the KOA. The last guest will be leaving or kicked out and the final steps to winterize and close everything will be completed. Early Monday morning the wheels will be rolling and the next stage of our adventure will begin.

The next blog will probably be from the road, so I will sign off for the last time from our home in St Ignace Michigan because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'25/#40 And The Countdown Begins

 One week from today we will be on the road again. Lots of "places to go, people to see, and things to do" are in our future and we need to set our priorities and get through the list as well as we can. Yes we are headed back to Florida but will take a circuitous route. That seems to be the theme of our adventures this summer.

We have two days off and then four more days of work and then we depart Northern Michigan. This last week of work is going to be busy getting the campground shut down for the winter. Everything needs to be stowed and prepped for the freezing temperatures so the park can open smoothly in the spring. Four days of busy, busy, busy.

Our two days off we will be getting the rig road ready for our departure. Again things need to be stowed and prepped for travel so we will have smooth traveling over the next couple of weeks. During this time we we will also be making our reservations at RV parks on our route south. We have already done the research to find the parks that are still open this time of year. When we left Maine a few years back we couldn't find open campgrounds along our east coast route until we hit North Carolina. Lesson learned!

We will also try to spend some quality personal time with the few workers that are still here before we say goodbye. Once again we have made friends that I am sure we will keep in touch with. But right now I am starting my third cup of coffee and it is time to wake Mary so we can get started on our "to-do" list. 

The countdown has begun and time will run out soon here, in our home in St Ignace Michigan because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#39 Moving Day

 No, we aren't leaving Michigan yet. As workcampers we get our RV site free therefore the site is not a premium one that will produce more revenue during the season. Our site was a water and electric site which means no sewer hook-up. To get rid of our waste water we used a pump and an auxiliary tank to take our black and grey water to a dump station and dispose of it. It wasn't a big deal but once a week it took about an hour of our time. We did do it on the clock so we were getting paid to get rid of our poop!

Now that the season is winding down more sites have become available and we have moved to a full hook-up sit with sewer. This will give me the opportunity to back flush all the waste water tanks and have them clean and ready when we hit the road. We are also closer to the office so our commute to work is three minutes instead of five.

In addition to taking care of our tanks we are starting to stow things away so when "D" day arrives we will be ready. "D" is for departure. The next two weeks will be spent shutting things down in the campground and trying to stay warm. This mornings temperature was about 30 degrees and the high will not reach the 50's. 

Gotta get ready for work so I will sign off now from our home in St Ignace because......

Home is where we park it, 

FRank and Mary

'24/#38 Time For Introspection

 It has been almost two months since my last blog. This summer is just one of those periods of time when the excitement of travel wanes. In the last blog I mentioned that coming back might have been a mistake because of our "one and done" rule of not going back to the same place twice. Looking back ( introspection...wink, wink) it turns out we may have been wrong. This summer has not turned out as bad as it seemed.

The disappointment we were feeling turned out to be caused by one particular couple that was working here. They were the type that tries to make everyone around them look bad so they look better than they actualy are. This created dischord an animosity amongst the workcamping group. As the only returning workcampers we were in a unique position to compare and share our experiences of last season to this year. Most of the people here realized that things could and should be better if we all just did our jobs and didn't interfere with anyone else. Eventualy the managers (first year managers at that) were able to get everyone to just work and ignore the disruptive personalities. 

Shortly thereafter the offending couple left and everyone was getting along and doing their jobs. We became a good social working group which is the goal of most workcamping crews. We work together, we live together, we have to get along together. Since things have gotten better and we have become closer with the new managers we have decided that we may come back for a third season!

YES! Three time is definitely a break from only visiting the same place more than once. If you follow us at all you know that this year was different from any of our past adventures. It turns out that sometimes hum-drum can work. We have been able to pad our nest egg a little since we did most of our exploring in this area last year and the new managers want us back in a new capacity. The new jobs will be easier for us old folks and we will be able to help them bring some of the good things that were done this year over into the next.

Well back to hum-drum or what we now call comfortable. The season is winding down and it's nice to watch the nest egg grow in anticipation of our next adventure. So I will sign off now, with a promise to start blogging more, from our home in Michigan because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#37 Time Marches On

 Well it has been two and a half weeks since we got to the U.P. We have settled in and started working. Everyone here is new from last year except Fred who is the one and only local on staff and it was good to see him. Schedules are different with the new managers so we had to find a system of our own that fit in with the rest of the crew.

Now that we are in our "zone" at work some things have become apparent. First of we shouldn't have broken our rule of "one and done". Coming back to the same job makes it feel like a long term commitment or even a career. The novelty of a new job, in a new place, and with new people is gone and we just drop into that rut called the rat race. It just isn't fun. It isn't terrible, but not knowing what is going to happen next is better than the hum-drum of again and again and again. This is something Mary and I have come to look forward to in our nomadic lifestyle. The not knowing is exciting and afterwards, good bad or indifferent, we have a story to tell around the campfire.

The second thing we have learned is that we are getting older. Hell, I'm just old! We can't do the work we did in the past and will have to look at workcamping jobs differently in the future. We will be looking at jobs that are less strenuous that will probably have less compensation. We will be good as long as our accomodations are covered and maybe even a little cash to go with it. We shall see.

We have our days off now and we will take it easy just hanging around the campground. There are some chores that need to be done and an old work friend is supposed to be in the area. We hope to get together with them and spend a little time.

It feels like breakfast time so I will sign off and start cooking here in our home in the Upper Peninsula because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#36 Let's Recap

 We are now settled in our home in Michigan and are looking forward to not traveling every couple of days. I can now sit down and recap the whirlwind of the last four months.

We started this trip with RV work done on the trailer and now after almost 10 thousand miles I can say that the suspension upgrade was worth every penny. Let's just say that it is easier to drive and making it much less stressful and fatiguing. We caught up with friends in Missouri, saw the eclipse in Arkansas, picked up our mail in north Texas, said a sad goodbye to a dear friend in south Texas, and a happy hello to another while making some new friends. It was then on to New Mexico to the White Sands, Arizona and Antelope Canyon, Utah and more old friends, and Idaho for some falls and Evel Knievel's Snake River jump site. That was the first month!

It was time to slow down a little. Next on the hit parade we saw Crater Lake in Oregon and on to a little off the beaten path campground just to chill for a week. Now that we were rested it was off to Washington State via Columbia River Gorge, Olympic National Park and Pikes Place Market in Seattle. After all this travel west it was eastward bound to Great Falls Montana and more quality time with a friend from the past. A little relaxing and preping the RV for the main event of the summer.

We headed north to hook-up with the RV tour we had booked to see the Calgary Stampede, Banff, and Glacier/Waterton Peace Park also known as Canada's Waterton Park and Glacier National Park in the U.S. Then it was back to Great Falls to unwind and make plans for the rest of the summer.

That led to the race east toward Michigan. We stopped in Sturgis SD for a night while the city was preparing for their annual bike rally and a stop in Mitchell SD with our third trip to the Corn Palace. Sounds a little hokie and it is but we like it. A few more nights on the road and here we are in St Ignace Michigan. 

There are new people at the park this year and they seem just as nice as the last group. We are looking forward to getting into a little routine working and still seeing some of the Upper Peninsula that we missed last year. As I've said before we will also put a little cash back in the savings account for future adventures.

I will sign off from our home, for a while, here in the U.P. because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#35 Piling On The Miles

 It has been a week since we finished the tour and we are back on the road making our own way. Our boss from last year offered us work to finish the season in Michigan and we took advantage of the opportunity. We need a break from all the travel. Since we left Florida on March 22nd we have traveled almost 9000 miles. We plan to sit still until sometime in October.

This summer's travel also took a dip out of our wallet and there is also the wear and tear on the truck and trailer after all those miles. We will be able to replenish some of that and pay for the maintenance working the rest of the summer season. 

Speaking of miles, just this past week we have driven right around 1500 miles. Six days of overnight stays and we will be looking forward to not traveling every day. It will be nice to set up our home for an extended stay. There will be pictures put up, clocks back on the wall, and knick knacks set out to make it feel like a home. We will also be sitting still long enough for our mail to catch up with us. And finally we will have a place for Amazon to find us. I am surprised that Amazon hasn't sent out a wellness check on us! 

Well tomorrow we will be setting down some temporary roots, but for today I will say goodbye from our home in Wisconson because ....

Home is where we park it, 

Frank and Mary

'24/#34 We Are Free To Roam The Country

 We made it across the border in what had to be the easiest crossing coming back to the states. Usually it is the  third degree and the fear of being detained while they search for something that is not there, just because they can. There was a line and a little wait but that was the worst of it.

The next stop was Glacier National Park. This is something that has been on the bucket list for quite a while. The tour we were with made all the reservations for the Red Bus tour on the Going To The Sun Road and the boat ride on McDonald Lake. Glacier implemented a reservation system several years ago to control the crowds and protect the park. No reservation, no trip up the Going to The Sun Road. It is inconvenient for impulse visits but a little planning and the park is all yours. 

The bus ride up the road was amazing. I could have done it with the truck but I would have missed all the breathtaking views. The road itself is a marvel of engineering and the constant maintenance shows. There are lots of pictures on Facebook from me and Mary. The next day was a casual boat ride on the lake with lots of information on the park's geological history and the people who have lived there.

This is the last day of our Fantasy Tour. We met a lot of nice people and we got to see some of the things we always wanted. But we are not tour people. We like to travel on our own, change plans as we head down the road, and explore whatever the road may put in front of us. This is probably our last tour. Tours are great for people who don't like planning all the details of a trip. It is a lot of work, but that is part of the experience. Also there are people who don't like to travel long ways in unfamiliar areas by themselves and tours are perfect for them. We are glad we did it but it just wasn't our cup of tea.

We are winding down for a couple of days back in Great Falls, Montana and will hit the road soon. Glad you could join us on our adventure. I will sign off now in our home in Great Falls because....

Home is where we park it, 

Frank and Mary

'24/#33 Glad To Be Going Home

 It's been twelve days on this RV tour and it is winding down. Today we are traveling back across the border into the U.S. Hopefully this border crossing is as simple as the one coming into Canada. 

We have met a lot of nice people on this trip and seen some wonderful things but it will be nice to get back on our own schedule. I don't think...I know we will not do this RV caravan thing again. Between the rush, rush, rush and the camping they chose it is not for us. The first camping was a temporary set-up in a stadium parking lot with limited facilities. We were aware of this going in so it was not too much of an issue. 

The next campground was a privately owned. This campground is not one we would have chosen. Tight turns, limited electric and sewer hook-ups, and the number of permanent residents is not what we expected on an organized RV caravan. There were a number of RVs that had electrical issues. as we did, and all the campground owner could say is that we were using too much electricity or that we had issues inside our rigs. I expected that for the price of this caravan to be in campgrounds that could accomodate the number and types of RVs that participated.

Almost everything is raedy to go so I will sign off for the last time from our home in Canada because.....

Home is where we park it, 

Frank andd Mary

'24/#32 After The Parade

The day after the opening day parade we went to the first day of rodeo competition. The competition will go on throughout the 10 days of The Stampede. Needless to say there was quite a crowd. Several years age we spent the summer in Cody Wyoming and went to the nightly rodeo at least once a week. We have seen enough rodeo to last us the rest of our lives.

 This rodeo is more than that. This a rodeo and state fair all rolled into one. It is billed as The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth. We joined in the sea of cowboy hats and enjoyed the show. 

Tomorrow we will go to the Heritage Village and check out life on the Canadian plains in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Then there will be more rodeo.

Until then this is goodbye from our home in Calgary because.....

Home is where we Park it,

Frankand Mary

'24/#31 It's Stampede Time!!!

 Being Americans we watched some of the 4th of July fireworks on TV and called it an early night. The 5th of July is when everything starts here in Calgary. The Stampede Parade starts at 9am but we had to be there before 7:30 when they start closing the streets. 

Find us with the satellite dish

Our bus left the campground (big parking lot) at 7am and dropped us off at our reserved seats. Then we were served coffee and donuts from Tim Horton's (Canadian Dunkin' Donuts). This is why we signed up for this guided RV tour. All the routes, reservations, and some meals are all prearranged and paid for in advance. Our job is to have fun. 

After the parade we took the train down to the Stampede grounds. Admission was free for a few hours and the crowds were insane. I bought a T shirt and magnet and we called it day. All the festivities and rodeo events will start tonight and continue until July 14th. 

Train friends?

The day before we had breakfast at the Sky Tower and checked out the view from the observation deck with some of our new friends. The rest of the day was a "free" day so we walked around town and checked out the city's preparations for the Stampede. It's like a US city getting ready to host the Super Bowl. Then it was on The CTrain back to the campground. Again train tickets are all provided so we can get around easily.

Rally Friends

We still are living in our home so necessary chores need to be done. Mary found a laundromat nearby and all our clothes are clean again. We should be good until this tour is over. This afternoon we have tickets for the rodeo so I will sign off now from our home in Calgary because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#30 Eh?!?

 We made it! We are in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ride up from Shelby was an easy and scenic drive drive through the northern farmlands and oil fields of Montana. We made friends in Shelby who were also going on this RV tour and decided to caravan together. One stop at the border and one more for the others to let the dogs out and we were settled in at the rally gounds by three o'clock.

 That's us in the middle

The customs check at the border was so much easier than we expected. A few questions about booze, guns, pepper spray, and ammo and we were on our way. Our past experiences crossing into Canada were just as easy, but this is our first time with the RV. Our past crossings back in the U.S. were not as easy. We are not looking forward to what may happen on our return to the U.S. with the RV. We will plan for the worst and hope for the best. That is kinda our S.O.P.

Well the weather is poopie as Mary might say. Since we got here a day early we have nothing to do until tonight's orientation. We are looking forward to all the activities planned for the next two weeks. 

We did go shopping for a few essentials we couldn't bring into Canada and filled the truck with diesel. Fuel is dispensed by the liter and not the gallon. After all the conversions and calculations we paid $6.09 a gallon in Canadian with the exchange rate equaling about $4.48 in U.S. dollars. Still a little higher than we pay in the states but acceptable on this once in a lifetime adventure.

Well I am going to relax under cloudy skies until tonights festivities begin in our home in Calgary Canada because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#29 A Big Drop In The Bucket

 We are ready for the highlight of our Bucket List Tour. Today we head into Canada and on to Calgary. Our cell phones will work but our data will be limited so we may be incognito for the next two weeks.

Our time here in Shelby Montana has been busy getting the RV ready for Canada. What can we bring? What can't we bring? What documents do we need? Also there was preping the rig for extended periods without full utility hook-ups. We will be on limited water usage and low electric at times. This is nothing we haven't done before but it takes a little preparation.

We are almost ready to hit the road. Several others that will be meeting in Calgary for this tour had the same idea of using Shelby as a jumping off spot. So we will be traveling with a small gourp of like minded RVers. I call it the precaravan for the Calgary Caravan.

Well it is time to hook everything up so we will be ready when the others are. So I will say goodbye from our home in Shelby because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#28 People, Places, And Things...

 But mostly people. I looked back on the adventure we call our life and realized that we have been living full time in an RV nineteen years this September. I also noticed that we have been retired from the Post Office and in travel mode for sixteen years. Where has the time gone? Well this blog reminds me of all the places we've been, the people we have met, and the things we've seen and done. It is all amazing to look back on but the thing that sticks with us the most is the people we have met. We now have friends all over the country and the world and I don't mean just Facebook friends. 

We do keep in touch through social media but our Christmas card list has also grown as has our post card pals list. We do have some friends who are not on social media so we keep in touch however by phone as well as snail mail. On top of all this we also catch up with friends in person. With our travels criss crossing the country we never know when we will be near someone we just have to meet up with. 

This summer's "Bucket List Tour" is a perfect example. Just on this trip we have spent time with Crystal and Lee in Missouri, Bernie and Stephen in Texas, and now we will get together with Matt in Montana. In past years we have reconnected with friends in Wyoming, Indiana, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and of course Florida. We collect friends just like we collect memmories and treasure them all.

It doesn't always work out getting together. Usually the timing just doesn't cooperate. Just recently we missed Amy and Steve's vacation by one day in Washington. Maybe another time our paths will cross. Later this summer we have tentative plans to be in areas that will put us in the neighborhood to visit more friends. It all depends on where the road takes us.

Right now I am sitting in the Ford dealer waiting for the truck to get some routine service. With all the miles we have traveled this year oil changes are more frequent and are necessary to keep us rolling down the highway. While I am sitting here Mary is getting some much needed rest. This summer on the road has been more physically taxing which is why we take time to just stop and sit someplace to recharge the old (and getting older) bodies.

Well that is enough blog for now so I will say goodbye from the Ford dealer near our home in Great Falls Montana because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#27 Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall

 And sometimes it snows! Yesterday we drove east just to see what we could find. The day started at 57 degrees and partly cloudy. As we drove into the mountains it started to sprinkle and the temperature dropped. A little off the main highway we found Snoqualmie Falls. It was one of the bigger falls we have seen on this trip and was impressive. Bundled up and with rain gear it was just a short walk to the observation point and photo ops. Again the rain and clouds and cold just makes for a dreary day. i don't think I would want to live in this part of the country. It is beautiful and scenic but as I have gotten older I think I want a little more warmth and sunshine.

While we were out this way we decided to head out to Leavenworth. The temperature kept dropping into the mid 30's and the rain turned into the  snow/rain mix known as sleet. This truck is a Florida truck and just doesn't understand these driving conditions. I on the other hand understand and moved to Florida! 

Leavenworth has been touted as an Alpine Village in Washington. Disapointing is what it was. Just another tourist trap with Alpine style decorations and signage. There was an Alpine style McDonalds, Starbucks, mongolian grill, several pizza shops, and gift shops galore. For those of you from our part of Florida think Johns Pass the Alpine version. After a water stop and a bathroom break we headed back to our home base.

We took the state highway back and were treated to some more scenic byways while passing through small towns, many of which didn't even have a traffic light. By the time we got home neither of us wanted to cook so it was one of our rare dinners out. And we called it a day.

Today's weather doesn't look much better so we will see what we want to do after breakfast. I will signoff now from our home in Everett because...

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#26 Rainy Day Musings

 Yep, the Pacific Northwest and it is raining. We are staying in today and relaxing. Watch a movie, take a nap, and who know what else? It's also a good time to think and reflect. That makes it a good time to blog.

First I want to give a shout out to Debbie, Linda, Jacquie, and Jeanette. I know many read the blog and I get feedback second and third hand through my and Mary's Facebook page. It is nicer to see the comments show up in the commment section of the blog. Think of it as instant gratificaton. It's simple to do and I get notified when the comments appear. Thanks to all who follow us and a special thanks to those who let us know.

We have been asked several questions about our lifestyle (remember it is NOT a vacation!) and I thought this would be a good time to respond. I'm going to answer two questions at the same time. How can we afford to travel so much and why do we work? Everyone's situation is different as are their priorities. This lifestyle is what we wanted to do and we focus our finances to living it the best we can. Our pensions take care of us very well as does our retirement health insurance. That being said, like everyone else we want to do a bit more and a little bit better. 

There therein lies the other part of the answer. Someone once told me he knew exactly how much money everybody needed. His answer was "a little bit more". No matter how well off someone is a little bit more makes things nicer, easier, and more enjoyable. Yes we work but it is different than the jobs we had all our lives. These are temporary seasonal gigs that are never more than six months. A career is something you settle into for year after year after year with an end goal. These jobs are just that...jobs not careers. Usually part time hours, a couple days a week, and over in a few months. Unless it is totally intolerant we can put up with the job for a short period of time. And if not, my house is on wheels and I can move on down the road.

Now the perks of "workcamping", and yes that is what it is called. The jobs are not rocket science. Usually it is menial office work, some light maintenance, or on site security. Not heavy and not complicated. The jobs we do always include our rent and electric. That means that in the past fifteen plus years of workcamping we haven't paid for rent or electric except when we are traveling. At the most that adds up to two months a year and often less. This puts quite a bit of money back into our pocket for the travel and exploring that appeals to us. It helps fund our fuel costs for the extra travel and we can bank some for times when we aren't working. I am refering to our current Bucket List Tour.

Another perk, and you retirees out there can back me on this, is the calendar. Once I retired, more often than I care to admit, I had no idea what day it was. With no schedule and no daily comitments it didn't really matter until something in the non-retired world came up. Birthdays, graduations, holidays, and get togethers with friends and family would pop up and it would take a while to sort out days, weeks, and even hours to plug into my nonexistant schedule. With an easy part time job I was getting paid to know what day it was. How cool is that?

 Seriously though I didn't want to sit in rocking chair for my retirement. And these jobs are all around the country where we get to meet some of the neatest people and get to make friends with the kind of people we would never meet or know existed. Our friends are from all over the country and beyond. RVers from every state, work visa students from all over the world and the best part is we all share our experiences and really get to know each other. Our friends are from almost all fifty states, China, Taiwan, Bulgaria, Romania, Peru, and others that I can't say or spell. And on top of all that our new friends are diverse in age from nineteen to ninety. With the internet we have been able to keep in touch with many of them over the years.

My life is better and fuller because of all this and workcamping is the icing on the cake of the RV lifestyle. It's still raining so I will take a nap here in the soggy Pacific Northwest in our home in Everett because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#25 Mxed Bag Of Life

 With the Olympic Peninsula behind us we are now on the other side of Puget Sound and Seattle. From here we will explore some of central Washington. Islands, mountains, lakes, and some unique small towns are on the agenda. To that bag of adventures we must add some of the day to day tasks that are part of the RV lifestyle. Hence the "mixed bag of life".

 A few years ago we had a protective coating put on the roof to make it last longer and need less maintenance. This came with a lifetime warranty that was a strong selling point and is now coming in handy. Before we left Florida we noticed a couple of spots that needed some attention, so we called the company and spoke with the service manager, Jim. After explaining that we would be on the road most of the summer he said it may take a while to coordinate with a tech but we would be taken care of. With our itinerary and his list of mobile techs we finally were able to connect here in central Washington.

As I am writing this the tech is on our roof and finishing up the repairs so we can travel down the road with peace of mind. Kenny (the tech) is also a full time RVer who is traveling with his wife and three kids. As is common with Rvers we chatted about our lifestyles, where we have been, where we are going, and some of the challenges that we have come across. I will say that the company and everyone we have dealt with have made us happy with the choice we made getting this roof coating.

Once Kenny is done we will decide what we want to do with the rest of our day. Yesterday we went to the North Cascade National Park. It was a beautiful scenic drive with snow capped mountains, waterfalls, and lakes. We are not much into hiking and with our aches and pains still healing we limit ourselves to the driving loops with some short scenic walks. Diablo Lake was high on the list to see as was the Gorge Creek Waterfalls. Mary has lots of pictures she will share on Facebook. A picture at Diablo Lake had Mary complaining about her hair in the wind, so I tried to fix the problem. She wasn't happy with my solution. What do you think? 

Anyway, Kenny is almost done so I will sign off from our home in Everett Washington because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#24 The Adventure Continues, Slowly

We are at our second stop through the state of Washington and getting ready to move on to the next. Our last stop was in the southern part of the state and from there we went to Mt Hood and Mt Rainier. Wonderful scenery driving through the parks and amazing views hiking some of the shorter trails. There was a little too much physical exertion compounded by our senior citizen status that added up to sore backs, pulled leg muscles, and overall aches and pains forcing us to rest at our next stop. 

 Upon our arrival in the Olympic Peninsula we first tended to our aches and pains while planning our time here. Assorted ice packs, heating pads, and our home TENS unit got us moving again, but slower.Our brains say we are still in our 20's and our bodies just laugh. We are doing OK for a couple of old farts, we just have to remember that we are a couple of old farts!

As usual we found a lighthouse and a waterfall and walked along the shore looking at Canada. We drove some of the scenic byways of Olympic National Park and Mary continues to document everything in pictures. The weather has been beautiful while we have been here as opposed to the weather we had in Oregon and southern Washington.

 That made it a good time to get all the road grime off the rig. Since we weren't near any truck washes that have worked well for us in the past, we found a local detailer that would make it all nice and clean. Old farts smart enough not to try to do it ourselves but not smart enough to let them wash the truck also. It is a lot of truck that reqires ladders and climbing to reach everything. That call was ALL on me. I told Mary to remind me how much fun it was (sarcasm) to wash the truck ourselves. The older I get the smarter I think I am.

We are expecting our mail to catch up with us and then we will head on down the road. The Post Office has been a disapointment the past several months due to poor management decisions and the inability to keep new and qualified hires. We have been using FedEx lately and with mixed results. Apparently FedEx is having the same problems as the USPS. 

It just seems like the new crop of workers don't want to work and don't have the work ethic that was there before. I know I sound like a crotchety old man and I guess I am. I sound like the generations before us that complained about our generation. I guess it is true that as we get older we become our parents. Well it is time to start our day so I will sign off from our home in Washington because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#23 Nice To Visit, But.....

 It is another cold, damp, day here in Oregon like we were told it would be. Getting the old bodies up and going in the morning is a challenge in these conditions but we are on the move today so, up and at 'em. There is still so much to see and we have enjoyed our adventure but neither of us can see us settling down in this part of the country. Not that we have decided to settle down or come off the road but the ideal location for our forever home has not presented itself.

Today we leave Oregon and head north into Washington. Waterfalls, giant airplanes, mountains, lighthouses,  and the Tillamook creamery. All things on the bucket list now checked off and another state marked off on our map. Yes we have a map to chronicle our travels. It is not one of those big maps you see on the side of RVs with the state stickers filling in as campers go down the road. We opted for something more subtle since our RV is home and not a vacation camper. It stays inside the house for us to enjoy and not so much to let others know about our travels.

Gotta mark off Oregon

There is a break in the weather so we will get things ready to hit the road, but first breakfast. We can't travel on an empty stomach. Oh, look the sun is out! We'd better get out there before the sun is gone ond summer is over! This is me signing off from our home in Troutdale Oregon because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#22 Another For The Bucket

 Mary has designated this year's travels as the "Bucket List Tour" since we are going to see many of the things we have just driven past while saying "next time". The list is very long but we are checking things off as we meander around the country. 

Many years ago I had read about Howard Hughes and the Spruce Goose. The list of facts surrounding the design and construction of this first jumbo transport plane boggles the mind. I have said that if I was anywhere near where it was displayed I would make a point to see it. Well McMinnville Oregon is now the permanent home of the Spruce Goose. The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum is an eclectic collection of aircraft with the Goose as it's centerpiece. Planes and replicas of some original planes cover aviation history from the Wright brothers to F-14s. 

Mary in the blue shirt.

As I said, the Spruce Goose is the centerpiece and also the biggest plane by far in the exhibit. It was impossible to get a picture of the entire plane in a single frame either because of it's length or the height of it's tail. Mary was not as interested in seeing this as it was one of my bucket list items but once in the massive presence of the one of a kind airplane she was hooked. The story behind it's creation is just as amazing as the plane itself and you can read about it on line. Just saying that the fact that it was even built under the government contraints is a story unto itself.

While in McMinnville, also known as civilization, we found a Walmart and did some shopping. We will be back on the road in a couple of days with more items to check off our bucket list. So I will sign off during another rainy oregon day from our home in Tillamook because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#21 We're Not In Florida Anymore!

 Just paraphrasing Dorothy a little. With over eighty years of living in Florida combined we have acclimated ouselves to a warmer climate. Now we are spending over a month in the Pacific Northwest and it is not summer yet. That means overnight temperatures in the low forty's and highs in the mid fifty's. THAT's winter in Florida. Also did I mention that while it is cold it is also damp and it rains at least a couple of times a day. Brrrr!

The point I am making is that while we want to do and see things, getting started in the mornings is ..... let's say a challenge. The heat gets cranked up, I fill myself with coffee, and we try to motivate each other to start showers, breakfast, and getting dressed. Being retired means we don't have to keep to any schedule but we still want to keep the adventure going.

Well we are past the heat and the coffee so it looks like showers and breakfast is coming soon. I will sign off from our home in Tillamook Oregon because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#20 The Roads Less Traveled

Just sitting here in Elkton Oregon thinking and decided to share my thoughts. This year is all about the traveling and less about the destination. When we have concentrated on getting from one destination to the next there was no better way to travel than the National Interstate Highway System. Four to eight lanes of traffic with no stop lights or intersections can put mega miles in the rear view mirror in a hurry. The only way to travel faster is by plane and where's the fun in that?

This year we are stopping and seeing things more often and are more likely off the beaten path. By eliminating the calander as our guide we are taking less traveled routes on secondary roads and state highways. Many of these are just two lane roads that go through towns, over rivers and creeks, around mountains, and just generally conform more to the terrain. The Interstate speed limit is usually between 55 and 70mph while the secondary roads can be anything between 65mph down to 35mph in town. 

With these differences we have changed our driving style. Now we plan for 200 mile days instead of 300 mile days. This means finding places to stay more often. We also have to find fuel in places that may not have truck stops. We can fuel up anyplace there is diesel but sometimes the gas stations can get cozy with a 42 foot trailer. We have been known to drop the trailer in a parking lot and just drive the truck to get diesel, but not often.

Well all I can say is that this trip is definetly different than our past travels. I guess we are taking the roads less traveled and sometimes it feels like we are lost but that's OK. This is all part of the adventure. I will sign off while sitting by the river at our home in Elkton Oregon because.....

Home is where we park it, 

Frank and Mary

'24/#19 Pacing Ourselves

 We are in a little campground alongside the Umpqua River in Oregon. My last post was about the snow around Crater Lake and how much different it was than ten days prior at White Sands New Mexico. Well we have another weather change.

We are about twenty miles from the Oregon coast as the bird flies. The elevation here is around 130 feet while Crater Lake was over 6000 feet. We are now in T-shirts and shorts as opposed to arctic wear and dealing with temperatures close to 90 degrees instead of highs in the mid 30's. Oh well, the only thing that stays the same is the fact that things will change. 

The time here in Elkton is going to be a mix of chores, down time, and exploring. Keeping the wheels rolling is tiring and expensive. Those RVers who travel, travel, travel are the ones who get burned out and disillusioned with the lifestyle. We are not on vacation and do not have to cram as much as we can in the time we have. 

Yesterday was shopping and laundry while today we took care of minor household tasks. The AC feels good and we will do some planning for the next few weeks. So I will sign off from our home in Elkton because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#18 Location? Time? Now Weather?!?!

 In my past blogs I have talked about waking up in my own bed and forgetting where I am until that first cup of coffee. This is easily fixed by looking out the window. Then I went on about time zones and the inconsistancy of Day Light Savings in different areas of the country. The clock on our phones or a quick call to a local business can solve that issue.

Now we have more changes to deal with, and I am saying this in a fun way. Ten days ago we were in White Sands New Mexico with temperatures in the  eighties and in the desert. Now we are in Oregon at Crater Lake with temperatures  between freezing and the mid forties and SNOW! It's a good thing we are full time RVers and carry all of our clothing with us. All contingencies from shorts to winter layers would be a bummer to pack in a suitcase.

White sand!

White snow!!!

We have moved on from Crater Lake and are heading toward the coast of Oregon to do more exploring. I will sign off from our home along side the Umpqua River in Oregon because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#17 Thoughts From The Road

 RV travel is different than other types of travel. By plane you show up at the airport and POOF you are at your destination. OK maybe in a couple of hours. By car you drive and find hotels along the way. Car travel can be as much as 500 to 700 miles a day and hotels are usually readily available. Also gas stations are even more plentiful than hotels. RV travel requires a bit more planning.

First of all driving an RV is not the same as driving a car. It is much more fatiguing, both physically and mentally.  It is quite the responsibility to be in charge of sixty feet of vehicle weighing around thirty thousand pounds. Rough roads seem rougher, cross winds seem stronger, and then there is the fact that 30,000 pounds doesn't stop on a dime. All this while cars around you are oblivious to these facts. This usually limits us to around 300 miles each day, so it takes longer to get to each destination.

Speaking of destinations.... RV parks are not as plentiful as hotels nor are gas (diesel) stops where we can fit. RV parks can be quite a ways off the highway, down questionable roads, and not have adequate hook ups for the RV. Poor electrical hook-ups can do $$$$ damage, water pressure can be too high or too low, and the water could just be YUCKY! The navigator, Mary because of my social media ineptness, makes it look easy. That makes it easier for me to concentrate on the actual driving. 

I personally would rather deal with the roads, the weather, and the other drivers than have to deal with the internet, apps, and phone calls. I'm lucky I can get this blog written and posted. The up side to all this is when we get to wherever we are headed we are in our own home, in our own bed, using our own bathroom, eating our own food, and just enjoying the comfort of familiar surroundings no matter where we are. My blog sign off says it all.

We are home in Klamath Falls Oregon because......

Home IS where we park it.....

Frank and Mary

'24/#16 Water Falls and Insanity

 Well Twin Falls turned into an interesting stop. First of all there are the falls. The Snake River Canyon's geological history has created some interesting natural sights like both the Shoshone Falls and the Perrine Coolie Falls. The Perrine Coolie Falls has a verticle drop of almost 200 feet. It is not the tallest waterfall but impressive none the less.

The Shoshone Falls are not as tall but are much more interesting. Again a geological creation from centuries ago. Also lots of pictures of what is refered to as the Niagara Falls of the west. We have seen Niagara Falls and can see the reference.

Between the two falls is the location of Evel Kenievel's failed attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon in 1974. Not much to see but a big mound built for the jump. A few more pics and a moment to contemplate the mind that would consider trying what seems insane to most of us.

Well we will be off for Oregon in the morning so goodbye from our home in Twin Falls Idaho because....

Home is where we park itt,

Frank and Mary

'24/#15 Filling The Bucket

 And the Bucket List Tour continues. While we were in Page we also went to Antelope Canyon. Anybody with a computer knows what Antelope Canyon looks but just doesn't know it by name or location. It is a Microsoft screen saver that could easily be mistaken for a computer generated image. Trust me. It's not! We took hundreds of photos and have been sharing them all over the internet. I tried to get pictures with us in them to prove that it is real. Or maybe that WE are computer generated. HAHA!

We left Page and are in Twin Falls Idaho for a couple of days. We'll see what there is to see and start our trek into Oregon. So until the next blog so long from our home in Twin Falls because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#14 The Bucket List

 If you are following us you know that we are traveling a lot more than we have done in the past. We are seeing things that we wanted to but just didn't have the time. Well now is the time. Mary calls this the Bucket List Tour. Things we wanted to see but didn't for one reason or another. This year..... no excuses.

We are in Page Arizona and the area around here is beautiful. This is the scenery that you only see in movies, TV, or magazines. Well now we are here in front of it in person and the pictures do it no justice. The vastness can not be comprehended in pictography and the colors are surreal. 

Yesterday we went to Horseshoe Bend. This bend in the Colorado River is photographed so much that the photos are taken for granted. Walk the three quarter mile path and stand at the edge of the cliff and it takes your breath away. Everyone takes pictures and it looks like all the other pictures you have seen over the years. We took pictures that no one has taken before. Pictures with US in them.

The walk was worth it and as long as you stay hydrated in this arid climate it was fine. Someone along the way didn't listen and suffered the consequences. She was fine after awhile but it would have been so easy to avoid just by drinking some water.

I will blog more later but will sign off for now from our home in Page because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#13 Where Am I, When Am I??????

 This has been a different kind of summer than we usually have. With no workcamping we have been seeing places that we have just driven by in the past. That means a lot more driving and a lot more setting up. We can be setting up for just one night or for several days or even a week. Setting up can be just plugging in our electric or it can mean hooking up electric, water, and sewer. No matter where we are we still wake up in our own bed. Some times when I wake up I am not even sure where I am! A peek out the window usually solves that problem.

With all this travel we have also crossed state lines as well as into different time zones. That just makes all the clocks in the house wrong! You can't look out the window to figure that out. On top of that some areas of the country adhere to daylight savings rules and others do not. On top of that some of the Indian Reservations make their own decisions about what time rules they want to follow. Oh and one more thing....our cell phones will change time depending on where in the city of Page we happen to be! My brain is about to explode.

The truck needed an oil change and I made an appointment. I had to call back just to make sure we were using the same clock. The oil change is done and we are good for several thousand more miles.

At least I know when it is time for bed. It is dark outside and my eyes want to close. Those are my constants for now. I will sign off from our home in Page because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#12 We're OK

 Just a quick blog. Many of our friends have been watching the news and checking up on us. We are doing just fine. All the weather that has been going across the country has not affected us. We seem to have been traveling around and behind all the storms.

Now that we are in New Mexico everyone has seen the news about the train derailment, explosion, and fire.  We are no where near this but our travels had us going right into the evacuation area and staying for the night. I tell people that the best tool we have in our RV tool box is adaptability. Some research and a few phone calls and we have rerouted our trip to avoid the area. A few more miles and a little more time driving is all it will cost us.

Thanks for following us and caring about us. We are fine here for one more night in our home in Tulurosa New Mexico because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#11 Snow Blindness At 86 Degrees?

 Yesterday we drove out to the White Sands Monument and Missile Range. The missile range is part of Holloman AFB and is one of several military installations out here in the middle of nowhere. I guess that's as good a place as any. We were more interested in the National Park area.

Instead of an oasis in the desert this is more like a desert in the desert. After miles and miles of sand and cactus and wind we came to an area of bright, white sand. This is the White Sands Monument. It is a natural geological formation that is barely a thousand years old which makes it an infant in relationship to most geologic areas of interest. 

The sand, actually gypsum, has a coarseness somewhere between beach sand and talc. Being very fine it is very susceptible to the winds of the desert. The minimal moisture, the rapid evaporation, and the high winds have created what is the largest gypsum field in the world. Apparently it can be seen from space. 

The fine sand shifts and moves very easily with the wind and also under foot. On flat areas it packs down reasonably hard to create an easy surface to walk on but where it has formed into dunes is a different story. The dunes that can be sixty feet tall or more and are not as easy to climb as people say. The sand constantly shifts under foot and slides downward as you try to climb back to the top. It almost feels like three steps forward and two steps back, and is sometime easier to be on all fours.

Now about the "white" sand! If anyone has experienced snow blindness then you know what to expect. Adjusting from the brightness can take a few minutes if not wearing sunglasses. Not only do you experince snow blindness the sand along the road through the area  looks like you are driving through a winter wasteland, but with temperatures in the 90's it doesn't feel like winter. 

Like most National Parks it is illegal to remove anything from the area. People have been caught and fined for doing so but I don't think they are going to worry about the sand I brought home with me.

The stuff is so fine that it get into everywhere and it is impossible not to have some of the sand follow you home.

Well I will sign off now from our home in Tularosa because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#10 Aliens, Pistachios, and Glowing In The Dark

 We are in Alamagordo New Mexico. The last time we came through the state we stopped in Roswell, the location most famous for alien sightings. We did all the tourist things and saw all the corny museums and gift shops like good tourists.

Here in the Tularosa Basin there are no aliens but science fiction turning to reality. Alamagordo is the site or the Trinity test that led to the creaion of the atomic bomb. While you can't get out to the actual site there are a number of informative exhibits that will tell about that first test. The radiation has diminished to just ten times the natural levels in the surrounding regions so I don't think that we will leave here glowing in the dark.

In the early 1970's pistachio trees were planted in the area and have become a regular crop for the region. Pistachioland is now home to the World's Largest Pistachio and gives regular tours of their farm. All this is on our "must do" list before we move on down the road.

There is much more to see and do around New Mexico including the Balloon Fiesta that we experienced last year. I don't know if or when we may pass through again but I am sure we will find something new to see.

I will sign off now because we want to get an early start playing tourist. So until the next blog from our home in Tularosa because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#9 People, Places, and Things

 Our travels have us criss-crossing the country this year. Our first stop was in Elkart for the trailer upgrade which falls in the category of "things". We are on our way to White Sands New Mexico which would qualify as a "place". 

The past few days we spent in Baytown Texas. A dear friend of ours, Tommie, passed away a while ago and there was going to be a memorial service while we traveled.  It was a no brainer that we would be there. She and her husband were one of our first workcamper bosses. We got to see her husband, Burnie, and the rest of their family and friends. These are the "people" we make a point to see in our travels. We were welcomed by everyone in the same way that Tommie would have. It was nice to know that her influence will continue on through them. The world could use a few more Tommies!

As we've mentioned before we are not in a race around the country. Our days are usually around 300 miles and at a leisurely pace. We don't have to leave at an ungodly hour in the morning and we are settled in for the night in time to prepare dinner. We then relax watching some TV and read before calling it a night. We wake in the morning refreshed and ready to start the new day. We don't get burned out traveling and that is one of the reasons we have been able to enjoy this lifestyle for fifteen plus years. My point is that it is going to take us three days to cross the great state of Texas.

Well this is the end of my blog from our home in Fort Stockton because......

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#8 And Here We Are

 I didn't start blogging about our current journey until almost two weeks in, so it has taken me this long to catch up. Well here we are today, current and in "real" time. The last blog was from Marshall Texas where we stayed for six days. Since this summer's travels will involve a lot of actual traveling we decided to make time for periodic stops just to rest. We didn't want to burn ourselves out on driving so much that we didn't enjoy the trip.

We left Marshall after doing some of the chores that are part of the RVing lifestyle. The usual laundry and house cleaning, and the RV specific dumping and rinsing the waste water holding tanks. Sounds disgusting but everything is set up so that it is a civilized process. Then it was back on the road.

We are now in Livingston Texas. This the home of the Escapees organization that was formed by Rvers for Rvers. They have numerous campgrounds around the country, organize national and regional events, and provide services for those of us whose homes are on wheels. The most important service to us is the mail forwarding service. Many people ask "How do you get your mail when you travel?" and this is the answer. All our mail comes to Livingston Texas and when we are someplace and want our mail they will send it to whatever address we wish. 

Since we knew we were coming here we haven't had our mail forwarded for almost a month and planned on picking it up in person. Being on the road doesn't stop us from shopping so there were a number of packages included. Three trips from the window to the truck and we had all our mail. It was time to take it back to the trailer and sort through it all. I thought it would take days but we were done in an hour or so. In addition to packages and the usual bills and correspondences we also had a stack of magazines. Lots of reading material for a while.

Well here we are, all caught up, in our home in Livingston because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Maniaci

'24/#7 A Time To Celebrate

 With Hollister in our rear view mirror and memories of good times with friends we hit the road again. Our next destination is Little Rock Arkansas. We will stay here for five days and do some celebrating and exploring.

Like many across the country we wanted to see the April 8th eclipse. It was special to us since it also fell on our 35th wedding anniversary. I tell Mary that I ordered the eclipse for her and she acts like it is true. Well that's our story and we are sticking to it. Little Rock was in the path of totality so we had ring side seats for the show. As much as I can usually express my thoughts this was one of those events that are just too big for words. Let's just say that it was awe inspiring. 

Later that day we took a stroll across the river to visit the Clinton Presidential Library. The museum was a self guided tour and tastefully done. It was not just about Bill Clinton but also about how the world was changing during his time in office. It was about the world and the country and how Bill and others tried to make it a better place. 

The documents, memorabilia, photos, and videos collected brought back memories of a time that I personally remember and lived through. I'm not sure, but having lived through a time that is now considered historical might just label me as an old timer. Let's make me sound older by saying that I grew up in the mid to late 1900's. Ouch!

Just down the river was a naval museum dedicated to the USS Razorback. It was a combat submarine that saw service in WWII and Vietnam. It was decommissioned in 1970 and  recomissioned to NATO in the Turkish navy in 1971 where she served for another 31 years making her the longest active service submarine in history. 

Submarine life is not for the faint of heart as we have learned through our visits to four different submaine musems. We have seen the Civil War era Hunley, the Cold War era USS Growler at the Intrepid Museum, the USS Nautilus that was the first nucler-powered submarine, and now the USS Razorback. We have an appreciation for those that served as submariners in the US Navy that can only be learned by walking in the footsteps of those who lived the life.

I am going to sign off now and start getting ready to depart tommorrow from our home in Marshall Texas because......

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#6 Friends In Our Neighborhood

Back when we started this RV adventure one of our first RV friends told us that our neighborhood was now 3000 miles wide. That means that all the new friends we make during our travels are in the neighborhood. Traveling thousands of miles it is not unccommon for us to travel 100 miles out of the way to see friends.

The Monday after Easter we left St Louis and headed toward Branson to stay in Hollister Missouri. Several years ago we worked in Forsyth that was also near Branson. That was our one and only attempt at up-north winter workcamping. We survived but decided not to work where the temperatures got into the single digits any more.

I worked at the old Jellystone campground and Mary got a job in town at the Dollar General. She, and I by proxy, made some good friends at the Dollar General. We have kept in touch over the years and whenever we pass through the area we make a point to stop in and visit.

It was relaxing just chilling out and spending time. Crystal is doing well, her boys have grown and our she has gotten married to a nice guy named Lee. We get along great with him and the boys are just as glad to see us. They all want to catch up and hear about what we have been up to.

It has been ten days since we dumped our waste water holding tanks so it was time. Our last day in Hollister was spent dumping tanks, cooking for the road, and just generally getting everything ready for travel. Like I've said before, this year will involve a lot more traveling than we have done in the past, so setting up and breaking down is now becoming routine.

Another note on the upgrade to the trailer. Not only has the ride smoothed out the trailer is also much more stabile. The independent suspension ensures that no more than one wheel at a time is bouncing over bumps which allows the remaining wheels to maintain contact with the road. 

We are still in Marshall Texas relaxing and just taking care of the usual things that come up in day to day living. Until the next blog from our home in Texas because......

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#5 Feels Like New

 Well, all the work on our rig is done and it is time to hit the road again. The ride is much better. The trailer rides a little taller and the expansion joints are much less noticable so I guess everything is working as promised. We will evaluate more as we put miles behind us, and that is the plan this summer!

Our next destination is Hollister Missouri. We have worked in this area and passed through several times over the years. That means we have friends to visit and catch up with. We stopped twice just to overnight. Our first stop was at a Loves Truck Stop RV area. Loves has built a number of RV parks at their truck stops. This keeps RVs away from the trucks that come and go at all hours and sometimes idle all night. It also allows Loves to get some more of the RV dollars we spend on the road. It was convenient but still noisy due to the proximity to the truck traffic. It was also a little pricy for just an overnight stop. For the same price we could stay in a regular campground just a little bit off the highway with better amenities and more quiet. We will not return unless it is the best option in the area.

The next night we stayed at a KOA in St Louis and had the quiet that was missing the night before. Same price, cheaper fuel near by, and just as close to the highway. KOAs are not our first choice because they are on the pricy side for overnighters but we get discounts as former employees and for repeat visits.

By the way, Happy Easter. Our next stop will be five days in Hollister. Looking forward to see our friends. Almost caught up so I will sign off from our home in Marshall Texas because......

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#4 Chuggin' Along

 We left off in the last blog at an overnight in Georgia, heading toward Elkart, Indiana. This journey was just a series of stops on the way to our destination.

Our first night was spent in Heiskell, Tennessee at an Escapees park called Racoon Valley. We are members of Escapees  and get discounted camping here. Escapees is an organization created by RVers for RVers. Still just an overnight so we took advantage of one of the meals Mary had pre-cooked for this trip.

The next night we stopped just outside of Cinncinati at the FMCA headquarters and campground. FMCA is another group we belong to. The benefits being members of these different organizations  make the dues well worth paying. We stayed in Cinncinati for three nights and prepared for our stay in Elkhart.

Wednesday morning we departed FMCA headquarters bright and early. Well at least it was early. We wanted to get to Elkart by noon so that the shop we were having RV work done at could get started. They had to measure the trailer and check it's weight to get everything ready to start bright and early next morning.

At 5am there was a knock on our door and the shop foreman just needed us to close up the rig so they could get it in the work bay. Again early but not so bright. We were as excited as we could be at that hour to get the new independent suspension installed. We stayed in their customer lounge and spent time with other RVers who also were getting new suspensions. 

As RVers do, we shared stories, experiences, and tips learned from the road. At 17 years we were the senior RVers in the group but that didn't stop us from sharing and learning from each other. Everyone's journey is different and so are our experiences.

We spent the night in our rig inside the shop and had to get up early once again to let the techs get to work. Sleeping in our rig in a shop is not a new experience for us. One of the other couples decided to get a hotel room being light sleepers since there was a night shift in another part of the facility.

Just letting you know, we slept great in our own bed! I will continue catching up in the next blog. Just so you know, we now are in our home in Little Rock Arkansas because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary