As you realize now we have launched into both one of the best street journey of our lives, or the worst concept we’ve ever had, solely time will inform. We lastly acquired on the street, residing the RV Life about two months in the past with the intention of residing like hippies on their approach to Woodstock. We weren’t going to emphasize about something ever once more, we have been simply going to wing it and make it up as we go, it was going to be a pleasant enjoyable trip across the nation following 70 diploma excellent climate days. Just Me, My Wife, and Our Dog.
You hear tales like ours on a regular basis, possibly not from actual folks you truly meet, however undoubtedly on these cable journey channels. It’s normally somebody who was once a butterfly photographer that simply offered their home for 1.5 Million, however not Real folks.
Sounds nice proper? Pile of money within the financial institution, wind in your hair as you go down the street, flipping 1 / 4 at each cease signal to see which manner you’re going subsequent…
So far it hasn’t gone like that in any respect.
My birthday is in early March, and in New Jersey meaning typically you’re wonderful with only a sweatshirt for the day, and typically there’s two ft of snow for my birthday. This yr I don’t need to be chilly. I’m uninterested in it. I haven’t been straightforward on my physique the previous 40 years, and the chilly jogs my memory of each single harm. No, This yr we aren’t freezing for my birthday, We are going to be sitting on a seashore in Miami.
We booked a spot for a month from Valentines day to St Pats in Florida City in order that we had loads of time to discover the Keys, and Miami, and the Everglades, and simply not be chilly this winter. This goes to be excellent, now we have over a month to make it from Jersey to Florida, greater than sufficient time to see household and associates alongside the best way with out ever feeling rushed.
We hitched up the fifth wheel and headed for the border. We have been lastly leaving New Jersey. Nothing can cease us now, the truck is stuffed with gas and I’m not stopping till it must get topped off once more, we ought to be properly out of the “North East Region” earlier than even needing to consider stopping.
Well if you realize my Wife, you realize there isn’t a restroom alongside the interstate freeway system that she hasn’t been in. About a half an hour into our 2 yr journey I hear the notorious, “Can we stop for coffee?”, which is Wife Speak for “I need to pee, but I know it’s too soon to ask to stop for that”.
As lovingly as I may, I replied “Honey, I have 500 horses pulling 10,000 pounds and they ain’t stoppin for anything”.
5 minutes later I used to be getting us espresso whereas she was checking off one other cease on her rest room world tour map. No massive deal, we aren’t vacation spot time primarily based anymore, we’re simply on a street journey with no plans. No should be in a rush anymore, now we have the time to cease. We don’t have to do a 20 hour haul from Roswell New Mexico to Las Vegas Nevada as a result of we’re delayed and our son solely has 2 weeks off of faculty anymore.
This first potty break was an indication of how the subsequent month was going to go and I by no means even realized it till I used to be wanting again on the journey so far. There have been going to be a whole lot of issues that we Knew that we have been going to must Relearn. Way extra than simply “Doug isn’t stopping until we get there”, transitioning into “Sure, we can stop”.
Our first 300 miles from NJ to Shenandoah River State Park ought to have taken round 5 hours. It was nearer to 7. We ought to have had loads of daylight left to get parked and arrange. When we backed into our website, I used to be glad that I had put in additional reverse lights on the camper as a result of it was pitch black within the valley already.
The subsequent morning, we took our canine Lagertha (lag-a-tha) for a stroll to take a look at our new again yard, and the journey switched from annoying sluggish to completely price it.
The solar rose brighter, the air smelled cleaner, even the animals have been happier right here. Or, possibly it was me. Either manner, waking up within the mountains of Virginia was nonetheless higher than any morning caught at house.
Normally we’d have completed strolling the canine after which attached and headed out on our approach to the subsequent cease, however this time, this journey, we’re slowing issues down. We are going to remain one other evening and simply take pleasure in not having a schedule to maintain and the truth that there isn’t any snow on the bottom.
The morning is brisk, however by the afternoon the temperature will get heat sufficient to exit and do some path mountaineering and simply loosen up earlier than we hit the street, not fairly 70, however nearer, and manner higher than the 30 levels again house. The following morning the temps are within the 20s, nowhere close to 70. Time to go.
Next cease, Croft State Park , not tremendous removed from Greenville SC so I can see my brother and his household, who we don’t get to see fairly often in any respect. We’ve lived within the RV for nearly 6 months now, and now we’re in no rush in any respect, this leg of the journey ought to be tremendous straightforward.
Well, we lived within the RV stationary for six months at an RV park again in NJ, guess what we weren’t within the behavior of doing? Locking the fridge…
Know after we realized it? About 10 miles down the street after we left Shenandoah.
Know after we discovered a spot to drag over alongside the aspect of the twisty, turning, steep mountain roads? About one other 15 miles down the street…
So… That was cool. But, all is properly now, again on the street.
We spent the subsequent couple days, catching up with Mike and Jen and the children, and making up for misplaced time with the laughs we haven’t gotten to share collectively the final couple years and had an important enjoyable go to. But, alas, its time to go once more.
Next cease Charleston to go to Loretta’s finest buddy Jenny. We are solely staying right here two or three days too then its on to Georgia. 10 days later we’d truly be on the street.
We had a good time visiting with Jen and Brandon and the children, and so they even allow us to Moochdock of their driveway, so we’re saving a ton of cash on campsites. Loretta had been to Charleston to go to Jen up to now, however I had by no means been there and didn’t thoughts the additional time testing a brand new metropolis, and with Jen and Brandon residing there, it was like having our private tour guides so we acquired to see stuff some folks would possibly miss out on.
Somewhere alongside the road these 10 days, our son and his finest buddy satisfied us to start out a youtube channel. This feels like an important concept! Just shoot some video, submit it on-line, subsequent factor ya know we will likely be wealthy and well-known and residing in Ibiza. It isn’t that straightforward in any respect actually.
Don’t get me unsuitable, we’re LOVING doing the movies each week, and studying new issues with the video editor, however we’re imagined to be retired now. How did our Son trick us again right into a full time job that we don’t even receives a commission for? No matter, he wins this spherical, and if you wish to see a few of the cool stuff we discovered within the Charleston space, try the video beneath.
We stated our goodbyes and acquired again on the street. We are 2 weeks in now, and beginning actually really feel the comfort that comes with not having wherever to be and on a regular basis on this planet to get there. Our subsequent cease is in Georgia to go to our associates Kim and Austin.
We arrange store in High Falls State Park for five days. The park was lovely, there have been a number of nice trails to go mountaineering on, the climate is beginning to be persistently hotter day-after-day. Things are wanting up. We have been solely about an hour from Senoia, which is the place they movie The Walking Dead, and have accomplished a whole lot of different television exhibits and flicks, so lets go test it out.
If you haven’t been there, undoubtedly add it to you record of stops, even when you aren’t a fan of The Walking Dead. The city is an ideal mix of small city and vacationer city. There is a cool fundamental road with retailers and even a restaurant owned by Greg Nicotero and Norman Reedus from the present.
We spent the remainder of the time in Georgia hanging out with Kim and Austin, catching up on outdated occasions and making some new reminiscences. The ladies went out and acquired their nails accomplished whereas Austin and I went and had a number of drinks and checked out a brand new restaurant. Even with going out to eat a number of additional occasions the final couple weeks, we’re nonetheless on finances due to Jen letting us Moochdock, and utilizing the state parks as an alternative of RV Resorts.
That gave us an concept for our second youtube video, on easy methods to street journey on a finances.
We wrapped up manufacturing on our second video, and began right down to Chewacla State Park for a number of days. There’s an important waterfall hike, and we’ll get to see our Nieces, and Sister in legislation. The park was superior, the verify in workers was nice, and we’re even training what we preach in our newest youtube video. Hell, we’re even right here forward of schedule for a change, so we’re going to have the ability to shock the ladies and decide them up from college!
As quickly as we parked, the complications began.
It took us nearly an hour simply to get the RV unhooked from the truck. The entrance jacks on the Fifth Wheel have been taking turns not working. Instead of lifting the entrance of the RV, they might rotate it over to at least one aspect or the opposite.
I can really feel it beginning to come again now. That stress stage and angle of a building boss who’s crew is delayed and each time he appears round they’re all “on break” once more. Several hammer blows to the touchdown gear and some alternative phrases of encouragement, each legs lastly come down and we will unhook the truck. Just must stage it, runs the slides out and plug in. We can nonetheless make it to the college on time…
We change again to our regular routine. I hit the Auto Level button. Loretta grabs the water hose, I seize the facility wire. Then we hear the beeping error from the jacks once more. Mother Fu…
Close sufficient to stage. Run the rattling slides out and lets go.
Slides went out simply wonderful, we go to refill the canines water bowl and the pipes are banging like a cop serving a search warrant. The energy is flickering like we’re in the course of a Halloween haunted home. And my persistence stage is nearing an all time low for the day.
Loretta takes the canine for a stroll and calls Kayla to let her know we lastly acquired the camper and truck separated, I’ve a dialogue with our camper about how drained I’m of its bullshit at the moment.
Loretta comes again and says “Kayla said this was Jasons favorite place to come camping”. Now all of it is smart. Jason and I used to bust every others chops on a regular basis when he was nonetheless with us, and now we’re at his favourite park. I don’t put a lot inventory on this kinda factor, however after listening to that, I seemed to the sky and stated “Ok, you got me bro, good one.” Everything mounted itself at that second and we haven’t had a problem with the RV since.
We did make it to the college on time to select up the ladies and spent the subsequent 3 days realizing how comfortable we have been we solely had one boy. My nieces ran me by the ringer, and the youngest in some way satisfied me to do gymnastic stretches along with her, I feel I’m nonetheless strolling crooked.
When we depart right here we’re within the house stretch on our journey right down to Miami for a number of weeks to flee the chilly. We are heading south into the west aspect of Florida, then East over to St Augustine to go to with Aunt Stacy and Uncle Mark and take a look at Old City. Again, one other metropolis I’ve by no means been too and now we have private tour guides.
This is one other metropolis I might extremely advocate going to when you’ve by no means been earlier than. It’s like Pirates Of The Caribbean meets Nashville. There’s cool stuff to do for each age group within the household, and the climate is gorgeous even in January.
During our tour of town, I hopped over a small guard rail to take an image and popped one thing in my knee. Now I’m doing the peg leg pirate stroll across the metropolis, the remainder of this journey ought to be enjoyable…
From right here we solely have a pair stops left. We are heading west in direction of Tampa and stopping to go to Lorettas mother and father alongside the best way, then on to see my cousin Katie and her husband Jimmy, and if we will squeeze it in, a go to with our associates Kristen and Craig and seeing some sights across the metropolis. Then its off to Fort Myers to go to Lorettas brother Daniel and sister Rebecca and our niece and nephews.
We managed to make the schedule work to see everybody, and even squeezed in an hour to take a seat on the seashore in February, as a result of when you can sit on the seashore in February, why wouldn’t you?
Know what occurs we you go from bundled up in winter garments within the north east to half bare within the decrease latitudes and overlook sunblock as a result of its February? Yup…
No matter. Tomorrow we’re on the final leg, and I might fairly be somewhat itchy from a sunburn than house shoveling snow.
At this level now we have been on the street a month and a half and each of us are wanting ahead to being stationary for a short while so we will simply take a minute to catch our breath and simply loosen up.
I’ll be trustworthy. We haven’t relaxed but. I don’t assume we have been even arrange for 10 minutes earlier than our new neighbor David pointed and yelled “You guys got winners, grab a beer and get ready” and we haven’t stopped since.
We are right here for a month from Valentines to St Pats, we’ve acquired loads of time to get some stuff accomplished, can’t damage to go meet the brand new neighbors and throw some cornhole for a bit proper?
We’ve been right here 3 weeks and haven’t gotten any of our “chores” accomplished but. The folks listed here are superior, and it nearly seems like house. We all hang around like “normal” neighbors, and exit and do issues collectively, and meet up within the pool or the on website tiki bar on the finish of the day and commerce tales of our adventures for the day.
We nonetheless have to ensure Lagertha will get her Mom & Dad time, and her day by day excursions. We had a complete record of issues we have been going to do after we acquired down right here, and didn’t do a single one in every of them for two weeks. We have been simply having enjoyable with our new “Florida Family” and time began to get away from us.
We realized it one Saturday morning and informed ourselves we couldn’t go outdoors and play with our associates till we acquired some stuff on the calendar so we’d truly go verify it off. We took the subsequent 2 hours and acquired some adventures lined up. Now we will go hang around, and now we have “days off” after we can go do stuff.
We have made some superior new associates and are actually having a good time taking part in within the Florida solar, but when there may be one factor that Life On The Road is instructing me, its that I actually miss my sofa…
Maybe the subsequent campground we will simply sit across the fireplace and catch our breath? Nah…