I'm going to do my best to keep this upbeat and charming, though the negative characterization of our lifestyle may bleed through. It is, however, a reality check for us and those who are under the impression that our new RV adventure is jam packed with butterflies and bunnies. You have, no doubt, seen our smiling faces and the picturesque vistas that we settle into with our trusty motor home. Our Facebook page and our blogging tends to lean on the positive side of our travels. From time to time we report on the wrong turns or the mishaps that we can laugh at now, but in the moment they were exhausting. Happiness sells and no one wants to hear us complain. Right? I mean to say, we already have social media inundated with the complaints of the human race. Why do we want to add more negative vibes?
Right! Noted. No bad vibes.
We must be real; to set the record plainly and if we are being honest about our adventures out here, all of our cards must be on the table. We are not out to dissuade anyone from seeking out similar lifestyles. We don't want to imply to our family and friends that we are miserable. The reality is that the scales of life are in constant competition between the good times and the bad times. There are moments when the balance is tipped in favor of the bad, but not too long before the good times overcome the weight of the odds that may be stacked against us. This is the struggle of life to balance the scales with the hopes that happiness outweighs all that seeks to keep us down.
So what are these struggles that we fight through to keep the fire of adventure burning? Our trusty home on wheels is always cause for concern. Although she keeps us dry and stays adequately stocked, she is nearly 22 years old. She is not without her aches and pains. A simple leak around the slideout during heavy rains is annoying. Though it only happens when driving winds push rain around the barriers that are in place to keep the environment out, it can be frustrating when you are dripped upon as you sit on the couch. A high pitched scream from the furnace as it attempts to keep us warm on chilly nights makes me grumble as I add another line item to my mental list of things to investigate. So much for a good night's sleep. My Everything will be less than thrilled when her alarm goes off before she's had any measure of quality rest. Drawers break, carpets deteriorate, fixtures bust and we're making another trip to the parts counter to keep our Winnebago from crumbling. As she marches on with us down the road, her joints creak and the rubber is worn away. It's not necessarily because she's old, but rather because life is relentlessly throwing things at you to jump through or heave yourself over. Like any home, care and repair is just a part of the commitment. Though it may make us crazy; it may make us wonder why we continue to throw money into it; we know the obstacles will come, we lean into it and justify the nature of this unique adventure.
Although her age and mechanical mishaps give us concern on occasion, she is remarkably resilient to the challenging life that we've introduced her to. We marvel at how easy she maneuvers through the tight confines of the campgrounds and downtown streets. We are grateful that her systems are not complex and simple to repair. We cheer her brute strength as she ascends the Cascade Mountains with ease and glides over the highway as though she's floating on a cloud. Our diesel steed has earned our respect with her relentless effort to forge ahead when we ask. She wears the bruises and a few scars with pride and they are a testament to her solid character and road worthiness.
People are just... so complex. Yes, complex seems to be a safe word. Complex seems to encompass the very things that people tend to be when you encounter them. Whether they are giving you the stinky eye or berating their children for all the world to hear. How stressful it can be when you settle into your new home for the next few weeks and find that you have parked within earshot of the whining children and the nagging mother who wishes her husband would just take them away.... to the park.... in the next county. When loud and intrusive campers penetrate your inner peace with little to no comprehension of consideration for other's, it can make for trying times. It is moments like these that require patience and removing oneself from the area with a peaceful walk. The farther away you get, you can feel the weight of those bad vibes drift off. The beauty of the landscape is easy on the minds eye and the smell of fresh cut grass is welcoming that inner peace back into your being. The feeling that... that you've... that you've just stepped in something that someone should have picked up when their canine dumped it off. For crying out loud people, pick up your dog's poop. It isn't that hard. Why must every campground include a mine field of ignorance. There is no poop fairy! And now the new neighbors are helping themselves to a clearing directly behind our motor home. I guess I'll be locking up the bays at night because someone is eyeballing the contents of my compartments. People's lack of consideration can bring about great deal of stress. No, not all campers that we encounter fail to recognize boundaries or pick up their poop. There is a sprinkling of thoughtful people and mindless ones, too. Depending on the day, there may be a handful of more than the other. After being alive for so long, we recognize that tolerance goes a long way and controlled breathing helps to alleviate the pain of rolling eyes. Every campground has them. Every grocery store has them. People are just, complex.
Though we scowl and curse those that we encounter during our short stay, we also understand that there are circumstances beyond our knowledge. Bad days can breed bad days as much as smiles can be contagious. Even a stress filled travel day can turn us happy campers into a grumpy old couple. Every now and then, we do run across people who restore some glimpse of faith in human beings. We have enjoyed the company of fellow boondockers around the fire and continue to correspond with folks that have long since moved on. We eagerly share information about our travels with some hope that we will cross paths again. These encounters are rare but rewarding when they do happen. As we have said, it is a matter of perspective and what we don't know that can lead our opinions astray. As a matter of preparation before entering a new campground, we scour the reviews and indulge other's terrible moments with staff or maintenance workers. With a dose of salt we come to find staff members easy to work with and not as terrible as we were led to believe. We find that reviews are less then reliable when it comes to peoples' interactions as they only focus on the conflict rather than the consideration.
Every campground presents challenges that can make for an unpleasant stay from poor drainage to limited signal reception. Most of the time, we are making our way into a campground for the first time and it isn't long before the challenges present themselves. Because we are still working full time during our travels, we rely immensely on connectivity to the internet. Even with three different carriers, an outdoor antenna high atop our rig and a powered signal booster, there is no guarantee that our internet will work sufficiently to keep productivity up and a paycheck coming in. With all of the redundancies, a remote campground nestled up against a mountain full of tall evergreens can pose a problem when signal towers rely on line of sight. This, by far, is the most important challenge that can make or break a campground. Getting packages can be frustrating with this lifestyle as there is no standard policy about accepting shipments among campgrounds. Our mailbox service is a great convenience for collecting, sorting and shipping those unwanted bills and magazine subscriptions, but it has become frustrating when shipping is wrought with delays and uncertainty. A sloppy campground due to rain and no drainage makes for unhappy faces. It's hard to see the pleasure of a relaxing day when you're sitting in the mud. Some locations don't allow for space between RVs. A 16' x 20' site doesn't allow for boundaries, privacy or a cozy campfire without burning somebody's britches. While we have found many locations to be serene and picturesque, however there is always something to spoil the experience.
On the flip side, every campground has offered up a unique view in a new region. Imagine coming home from a day of exploring and seeing the snow capped mountains as you pull into your site. Consider the view when just a week ago you parked along the coastline and watched the tide come in and go out daily from your office chair. With the many challenges that we are immersed in during this adventure, it is hard to ignore the many different views that we enjoy from month to month. We still have a lot of ground to cover and the changing landscape keeps us moving forward.
So, how are the vibes? Shaken? No need to worry, this post will soon be over.
With some of those posted pictures of our smiling faces, you could probably pick out a storm brewing in the background. Weather plays a vital part to our happiness. As you can see from our photos, we try not to let the gloomy, grey skies dampen our mood. Mother nature does have a tendency to test our resolve and sometimes seems to revel in the frowns that we let sneak out. Our locations are planned out around the seasons. We continue to learn how different the seasons react to different regions of the U.S. Our current lesson teaches us that the Pacific Northwest may have less rain, in volume, compared to the Northeast, but the frequency of rain is significantly higher. It has led to a very depressing month and a half with few visits from the sun and few days of exploration. Everything is either so soggy or muddy that not even a campfire will dry our spirits. Even the trees are in a slump with the abundance of moisture and our eyes and minds look nervously to the sky as the tall evergreens sway and threaten to drop in on our site. We have been dealing with cabin fever and force ourselves to get away for some new sights to see. Again, our spirits are damp. It even effects our dog, Chase. He has been itching to go out and stretch his stride for weeks now and I'm afraid he's starting to get a little flabby around the waist. We realize that it is the nature of things, however, a week long break from the rain is what we desire. So, we move to points South in the coming days. It will not be an easy quest as colder temperatures are forecast with a possibility of snow flurries. Ugh! And, of course, the South is no guarantee for sunny, happy faces. As you may well remember our trek to bask in the rays of Texas, last year, brought us sub-freezing temperatures and 4 inches of snow on top of rolling black-outs and frozen water supply lines. Oh, and don't forget the food and gas shortages that were brought on by impassable roads for our fearless truckers. As you can see the weather's uncertainty can have a negative impact on this lifestyle if you are unprepared. We were more fortunate than the majority of Texas residents because we lived the harsh winter weather yearly and understood the importance of contingency planning to outlast the storm.
Though our visit to Texas was the most unpleasant time in the Lone Star state, we collected a huge amount of data and experience about our rig and ourselves regarding the ability to weather the unforeseen harsh environment. The information we gathered informed us that we can weather the colder temps which allow us to stay farther north as winter approaches. Speaking of winter, though my Everything is not a fan, I am absolutely thrilled when crossing over the Cascades with snow all around and blanketing the mountains. It is concerning to drive through but I must admit I am giddy when something so beautiful is around even though it could be dangerous to our footing. The rainy season is a bummer but it should be noted that without the abundance of precipitation, the fires in the west could be considerably worse. The tall evergreens are marvelous and majestic and to hear of so much destruction by wildfires is upsetting. Moreover, driving through the areas that have been ravaged by these fires is disheartening. We can't help but be grateful that the rain has fallen to give these great forests a chance to survive. Whether its the sun baking our brains or the rain soaking our resolve, there is always a break from the extremes and our adventures are filled with variety that even living in a four season state can't provide.
As is with any life experience, the challenges we face and overcome are the drive we depend upon to keep forging ahead. This Journey that we have been on has seen pandemics, winter storms, thousands of dollars in repairs, torrential winds, endless rains, homesickness, strange bug bites that we still can't figure out. With all of that, over the past two years we have lived next to the ocean and have seen countless landscapes that leave us in awe. We have made new friends and discovered new places that require further exploration. AND She saw a moose! In our failed attempt to be entertained by Spokane, our drive home resulted in stumbling upon a grazing moose. Without a positive attitude to keep us out on the road, despite our challenges, that moose would have escaped our dreams. We have seen history and walked in the foot steps of our heroes and with every step we find ourselves wanting more, no matter how many puddles we have to trudge through. What else does our nation have to show us? Where does the next road lead us? If we cave to the obstacles and the tough times, we'll never know. This lifestyle, though illustrated through the positive grins and mesmerizing wonder, has it's equal share of upsetting moments and heartbreak beneath the surface. It is important to realize that our Journey is not only filled with bunnies (quite, literally) and beautiful skies. It is an adventure and rightfully so, it is the best of times; it is the worst of times.
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