For this post, we’re takin it back to 1991, firing up the boombox, and blastin out some vintage Boyz II Men.
Watch, listen, appreciate, and I’ll see you on the other side…
“Why did I just listen to that,” you ask?
Because ever since I typed the title of this post into the title field, I’ve had this damned song stuck in my head. So now, it’s in your head too. Which is fitting because it seems we’ve all been on this journey together. Me writing about whatever nonsense comes to my mind; you wondering if I’ll notice if you unsubscribe.
But here we are, together, at the end. You made it, and so did we. Somehow.
After almost 100,000 combined RV and tow car miles, 230+ campgrounds in 47 states (plus two Canadian provinces), countless national parks, museums, historic sites, and too many tacos to count, in 2022, Kevin and I will be hanging up the keys and winding up this chapter of our lives.
Is it bittersweet? Not really. Having a steering wheel and speedometer in your living room for five-plus years is deeply weird.
Oh, I’m kidding. It is, unquestionably, bittersweet.
But, more than ever, we’re feeling ready to move on to new things. To be honest, we’ve been feeling ‘done’ for a while now; we just weren’t sure how to exit our nomadic lifestyle. We kept doing what we’d been doing because it’s what we knew and it’s what made financial sense (fun fact: fulltime nomadic travel can be significantly less expensive than living in a traditional “sticks and bricks” house), but, if I’m being honest, our hearts haven’t been in it for a while.
Although we never had a specific plan for how long we would be on the road, way back in 2016 when we started this trip, I figured it would probably be about three years. But as we were getting to the end of that third year, two completely opposite things happened. First, we got really burnt out on fulltime travel; and second, we decided we really wanted to visit Alaska. Our solution to these conflicting desires was to take a break from RV life by living in an Air BnB for a couple months before moving back into the motorhome and traveling up to Alaska. But, just after we settled into the rental house, Covid came along and wrecked everyone’s plans.
Like everyone else, we suddenly found ourselves unsure of what we were supposed to do. There was a big part of us that wanted to settle down permanently, but we didn’t know where, housing prices were getting zanier by the day, and, we didn’t want to make an expensive commitment for the wrong reasons.
In the end, we decided the most logical thing to do was to just stick with RV travel until something else came along that made sense.
The upside of that decision was it allowed us to see several spectacular places.
The downside was that life was pretty solitary. Even before the pandemic, many of our friends had come off the road, but once the virus started tearing around the country, it became a real rarity for us to see a familiar face.
All of that was remedied when we reached the west coast and the company of several dear friends, but the experience had drawn us further to the idea of putting down roots somewhere.
In the meantime, we now find ourselves in the midst of the biggest camping and domestic outdoor travel boom in history. For better and worse, a deluge of new RVers has entered the market, national parks are filled with visitors, and, #RVlife is all the rage.
For us, it’s been just the motivation we needed to get moving on our future plans. What are those future plans? Well, we’re still working on figuring them out. But we know there are no future plans that will involve a 38 foot motorhome. So, given how much demand currently exists for used RVs, if we’re thinking about leaving our nomadic ways behind, sooner would be better than later.
In the immediate future, as we wait out winter, we’ll continue visiting with friends and family in the south before making our first ever trip to Red Bay, Alabama, home to Tiffin, to get some minor stuff repaired and replaced by people who know what they’re doing.
Once that’s done, we’ll head back up to the northeast for a couple family events before heading to the D.C. area where we’ll rent an apartment, transition out of the RV, and prepare him for sale. Given the larger schedule, I expect Barney will be on the market by late June/early July.
What we will not be doing is going to North Dakota.
It’s true. After all that blather about the importance of filling the sticker map, I have to admit, North Dakota is not gonna happen. It’s just too far and we don’t have it in us to drive all that way for a sticker. So….it will remain my white whale. The one that got away…
Sigh…
In truth, there are several states we gave short shrift to, big national parks we wanted to see but missed, and experiences we just couldn’t make happen. But, all things considered, when I look back on these last 5+ years, I am so thankful that we had this opportunity. And, for several reasons, I am extremely happy we decided to jump when we did. We really have lived the dream, the occasional catastrophe notwithstanding.
At some point, I’ll probably write a couple round-up/wrap-up/”Deep Thoughts With Laura” posts, but for the time being, we’ll just be enjoying these last few months of an ever-changing landscape while imagining a life where we can just walk into a grocery store and know exactly where the salad dressing is.
And with that, I’m off to start figuring out what the hell is in the back of our cabinets and bays. The end of the road means it’s time to begin “The Great Purge of 2022!”
As we look forward to another year full of change, we wish you and yours a fabulous holiday season and a very Happy New Year!!
(And if you know anyone who might be interested in a gently used motorhome, please feel free to send them my way. You can tell them I’ll knock $1,000 off the purchase price if they agree to drive directly to North Dakota and put the stupid sticker on the door.)
I’m sitting here laughing, crying, and cheering for you. You guys did good. You’ve seen and done so much in your five years of full-time travel, and you’ve been so generous in sharing your journey through your blog. It’s been a blast traveling with you and reading your hilarious, honest, and helpful posts and enjoying your gorgeous photography. But the absolute best part of discovering your blog is that it opened the door to meeting you guys in person. (I don’t care where you move, you are stuck with us as friends, you know that, right?)
I’ll see if we can pick up a North Dakota sticker for you sometime in the next couple of years, LOL!!!
Thanks you so much, Laurel. If there’s one thing these last two pandemic years has convinced me of, it’s that absent the social connections we made along the way, this journey would have been a lot less fun and rewarding. And for us, the vast majority of our social connections came through this blog. Between making good friends and getting great advice, being part of this group has made all the difference in our experience and I am so thankful to have been part of it. I’m very, very happy we got to know one another online and in real life, and want you to know that, no matter how far away I may be, you will always be the first to know when I see a perfectly cooked egg. 🙂
Can’t wait to see you guys!!
WOW! Now that’s a bombshell I didn’t see coming!
I congratulate you on the tough decision to hang up the keys and start the next Chapter in your lives. Let’s hope it’s not Chapter 11 🙂
I’m sure all your readers look forward to continue to follow your adventures as you continue to have them.
Ha! That does not sound like a very fun blog, but you never know with some of our ideas… 🙂 Thanks for coming along for the ride, Jeff. I’m sorry we never got to meet, but you know San Diego is close to our heart, so I won’t be surprised at all if we make it back out that way one day. In the meantime, I’ll be following your travels and wishing you all the best in the new year!
Wooo-hoooo!! Well done! You guys have done an amazing job on the road. Way longer than we ever could. Okay. I know. We NEVER would, but hey, it’s been great reading all about your adventures!! Looking forward to what the future brings!!
Thanks, Jen! I’m just glad we finally got out of Bellingham. 🙂 It’s been a fun journey made all the more enjoyable by writing these articles and sharing them with friends and family. I appreciate your continuous support for our past crazy ideas and your unquestioning excitement for whatever boneheaded thing we come up with next.
I came to reread some NM posts, and now I’m going to be humming B2M for weeks… I didn’t even watch the video, because I thought I could out smart it, nope. Congratulations! Exciting to hear about your next chapter, while still obviously living off your previous trip advise
Ha! You’re gonna be singing that song for at least a week, guaranteed. And not only will that be annoying, but it’ll make you feel old as dirt. You’re welcome!! 🙂
When it’s time, it’s time. Hopefully the new chapter will be even better than the last. We will miss your posts and regret that we never had a meet-up at some brewery somewhere. The D.C area? My nephew lives there. Climate change is causing a north-eastward migration.
Your spirit and smarts and cool side-eye perspective inspire us – you’ve provided us with some great driving conversations. We started out at the same time, so now there will always be something missing – like when the old pioneers bid the wagon train farewell and split off to make a claim over the ridge.
I’m going to hold you to those “Round-up Wrap-Up Deep Thoughts” posts and any smoke signals you send our way will be very welcome.
Hugs to Thor,
Carmen
Thanks so much, Carmen. I, too, am bummed we never crossed paths, but never say never. The future is unwritten and we’re not sure what the long term holds yet. Wherever we are, I’ll be reading your wonderful travel posts and taking notes on all the great places we still haven’t seen and the delicious foods we haven’t tried. There’s always more to see and do, and you guys have a great talent for finding the good stuff. Let’s stay in touch!
We’ve all known this post was coming. You’ve been preparing us for a while. I’ve truly enjoyed traveling along with you. Through your travels, my list of “must see” places has grown. Your journey has been an incredible one. I hope you’ll keep your Instagram account so we can cute pictures of Thor living his new best life. Wishing you all the best as you start a new chapter. But, beware! There are still raccoons in DC 😉
LOL… I kindof feel like raccoons are our mascot now. I’ll definitely keep the Insta account not only because Thor wants everyone to see how cute he is, but because it’s a great way to stay connected with our travel friends. And I’ll be reading your blog posts and looking forward to seeing all the cool places you guys explore. I especially hope you go visit those areas of eastern California we saw last year. I think you’d really enjoy them. Stay well!
Dang. Guess I have to start living my own life instead of living vicariously through y’all! I am happy that you had this amazing experience and I hope to get to see you when you are back here!
Hey, I saw your Michigan road trip pictures on FB. There are lots of small RVs perfect for part time travel around the U.S…. I’m just sayin. 🙂
And yes, it would be great to see you when we get back to DC!
I kind of suspected this day was coming. I’m sure covid just made it all happen sooner. I know the heart of adventure and wanderlust still beats inside you both so there will be plenty of new experiences on the horizon. I can’t wait to find out what happens next. Keep us all informed okay.
Thank you, Stewart. We sure hope there will be more adventures ahead. It’s hard to imagine sitting in one place after all this movement, but there are trade-offs with any lifestyle and this one is no different. We’ll just take things as they come and see where life takes us. I so appreciate that there are nice people reading this site and rooting for us and I’ll be sure to keep you posted. Best wishes in the new year!
I’m sorry our trails never crossed, I’ve enjoyed your posts and following your travels. It seemed like you were heading towards settling down the last year or so. So many of our RV friends have come off the road in the last couple of years. While we have no plans to change our lifestyle we are keeping an eye out for some property. Having our place in TX and our volunteer place in IL has made it easier in the last few years. Thankfully I’m a planner and we have every reservation in place but our last night at the end of our winter travels. Enjoy the last hurrah.
I, too, wish we’d crossed paths. Your current schedule is a good one and I think it makes things more workable over the long term. Just not having to constantly think about where you’ll be several months out and plan every step of the way (and then lose a bunch of money when you have to change plans) would be nice, and settling into the same places a couple times each year means having consistent contact with friends – all so important. Anyway, I wish you guys all the best and will continue following your travels, wherever they take you. Take care!!
I have always felt a special kinship to you as we started our FT lives the same year. Your blog was helpful and honest about life on the road….and always hilarious! I’m so glad we got the chance to meet in person.
As you know, we went back to a sticks & bricks with a RV port so we still have the rig. We’ll continue to travel some around Jeff’s CT scans, the best of both worlds. We love having the sense of security & community in these unsettling times!
Best wishes for your next chapter.
Thanks, Debbie. It is interesting to think about the folks who started traveling fulltime when we did and consider where they are now. I absolutely believe that you guys are in the “best of both worlds” category with your stable home base and your RV available whenever you want it. I continue to root for good news for Jeff and hope you guys get to see some cool stuff in 2022. Stay well and let’s keep in touch!
Oh how I’ll miss these posts. And the gorgeous photographs. Thanks for taking us all along for the ride, Laura. And now I’m going to spend the rest of the day feeling sorry for poor, neglected North Dakota.
Well, if North Dakota wanted to be featured on this blog, maybe it shouldn’t have been located so far away. It’s got no one to blame but itself, really. Thanks for following along and encouraging us, Molly. I hope I’ve prompted some of your wildly infectious laughs along the way.
Wow when I was reading your blog I felt like you were telling our story! We’re going through the exact thing! We’ve been full timing since2010 & this year we just had even!
We stayed at a Boondockers in KS this fall & they had a very cool homestead!! I mentioned to them that if we had a place like this we would hang up out wheels! They said when you look for that place make sure you feel like you’re on vacation sitting there looking out the window!!
When you least expect it & not looking you find it! That’s what just happen to us! We found that small casita with that vacation view❤️ We are now selling our small Class C MH too but we have a ND sticker?!!
Wow! 11 years is a LONG time to be doing this. I can imagine you are ready for a change, especially after these last few years with all the new challenges. It certainly sounds like you found a great place to settle down. And who knows? Maybe after a year or two, you’ll get the itch to travel again and you can just buy a small RV and go see whatever. Either way, it’s nice to have options. Best wishes for lots of happiness at your new place!
Totally get it! We got burnt out somewhere after the first year or two but our saving grace was buying the land. We get the perks of RVing without as many RV Parks and humans. Entering year 6, I couldn’t do it if we had to stay in RV Parks all the time. You can’t even wing it anymore without reservations and that is just miserable. I loathe reservations. If y’all find yourselves in North FL, come on by! We have an extra 50amp spot and Pepper loves having friends to play with!
Melinda & Eryk
(Pookie & The Bear)
Thanks, Melinda! You guys are among several couples we know who pop back and forth between Florida and the northeast, and I think it’s a great way to live. Chasing the nice weather is half the benefit of this life and you guys have found a great way to balance that, as well as your need for space and socialization. It is definitely true that the old ways of traveling without plans are done, at least for a while. They do seem to be building more campgrounds which is good, but I’m not optimistic when I see these big corporations gobbling up all the independent places and turning them into KOAs and such. I guess the saying that the only constant is change is true. Stay well and Happy New Year!!
Laura,
Whatever you do next…write about it. Blog. Substack…whatever medium you like, but tell us about it. You make a difference in people’s lives and we need more of you.
I’ve LOVED reading your travel blog. You will leave a void that won’t be replaced. Good for you!
Cheers!
Thank you. Seriously. That means a lot to me and I truly appreciate it.
Cheers to you too, and best wishes for the New Year!
Amazing to think we both started our Blogs about the same time, came from the same area, both purchased RV’s from the same dealer and both have family in our FL winter spots. Time sure flies by when your having fun and I think we are all better because of our travels and getting to know you guys. We just have to get some more gas station pizza before you leave the area.
It is definitely pretty crazy how our lives have developed in parallel these last several years. Hell, you saw Barney before we did! The only difference now is, you’ve got a ton of extra storage space and we have a bunch of stuff we need to get rid of. Sooooo…. 🙂
I’m very glad we got to know you guys early on and that we’ve continued to cross paths over the years. Friends undoubtedly makes life on the road – and life in general – that much richer.
Thank you, thank you for all your posts….they always bring a smile and laugh to my face!!! I’ll miss the adventures but know there will be more to come…in some form. With some luck and a lot of planning we hope to reach that RV mecca, Alaska this summer!!! We will have a craft beer and toast a sunset to you…..we miss you already!
Thank you guys for all your support and positive feedback. It’s a lot more fun to blog when it allows you to connect with nice people along the way. I do hope there will be more adventures to write about down the line, even if they arise from a more rooted existence. I also truly hope you make it to Alaska. We have all fingers and paws crossed around here that things will start looking up soon. I hope to see photos of that craft beer and the midnight sun!!
Now, this provides an opening of what I have wanted for years…the chance to do the complete compendium of your lives.
We have done two With Respect radio discussions over the years of your lives: one near the beginning, one in the middle years. Now it is time for the wrap. Please join me again to share your reflections with my audience.
For every departure their is some sort of arrival. And the interesting secret is that each arrival brings with it a departure on a new adventure, even if it is planned as a rest from adventures.
Like your other commenters, I want to thank you for letting me live a life that fate has kept me from, except through your eyes. Those eyes are wide open, wondering, human and expand our worlds. Thank you.
John
Thank you so much, John. Taking part in your show was another totally unexpected and memorable experience during this incredible adventure. We couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to the world of radio and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We also appreciated yours and Ray’s suggestions about Michigan – especially the House of David which remains one of the most fascinating places we’ve visited. Thank you for all of your good advice and supportive comments through the years. Maybe we’ll see you one day in Virginia and can round out our chats. In the meantime, I hope you have a wonderful holiday and wish you all the best in 2022!
Congratulations! I know you’ve been contemplating this for a while, so I know you are making the right decision for you at the right time. While it will be bittersweet to say goodbye to Barney, a new way of life is an opportunity for new experiences … like traveling to places overseas. All the incredible experiences you’ve had and chronicled here on the blog will be with you for the rest of your lives, and will be a marvelous foundation for building the next chapter in your lives. And who knows, you may still make it to North Dakota someday.
I’m just gonna have to make it to North Dakota at some point, aren’t I? I thought I could let it go and just move on, but the more I think about it, the more I realize it’s now going to be a necessary item on my main bucket list. Dammit.
I know you know exactly how we’re feeling – looking forward to leaving some of the difficulties behind but also recognizing that this was an incredible chapter of our lives and once it’s over, it’s over. Bittersweet is definitely the word.
In the meantime, I’m so grateful for the friends we’ve made along the way and thrilled that many of those connections will outlast this particular project. Speaking of which, we’re looking forward to catching up with you guys in real time in just a couple weeks!
I’ll miss your very funny, informative blog and all the beautiful photography. My husband and I are older and just retired, so we are planning on starting our journey around the US, this coming spring, albeit in chunks of time rather than continously. I often look and see where you’ve been, where you’ve stayed and what great brewery and /or taqueria you,ve enjoyed. I’ve so enjoyed all your choices- Thanks for all the great recommendations! All the best to you guys on your new adventure in life, whatever that looks like! I hope you someday get to North Dakota and eventually Alaska! Happy holiday wishes ~
Thank you so much for your kind words, Nancy. It thrills me to no end that other folks have found some value in this site. I truly hope you enjoy your upcoming travels and find plenty of your own special places along the way. Part time RV travel is such a great way to get out there – allowing you the comfort and convenience of your own space without the somewhat overwhelming commitment of fulltime travel. I wish you all the best in your retirement and safe travels wherever you go!
I’ve been expecting such an announcement…just a hunch on my part. I’ve loved reading your blog; your adventures and take on life make for an interesting and amusing read. So many folks we know are pulling off the road but I’m just not ready for that yet. We’ve been full time for 4 years, and I think I have a few more years left. I’m interested where you’ll end up! I always thought San Diego was the spot for you. :-). Best of luck with your next adventure!
My sense is there are cycles of life for full-timers…. people sort of have these “gut checks” at the 1 year mark, the 3 year mark, and the 5 year mark. Finding people who’ve continued on beyond 5 years is rare, but it does happen. In fact, friends of ours who started at the same time as us (who commented above) just bought a new coach because they know they want to keep traveling for several more years and wanted something that ticked all the boxes. You guys have obviously found a great pace for yourself and have kept things balanced and interesting. As long as you’re happy and enjoying it, I say keep on truckin!!
Thank you – We have really enjoyed reading and following your travel blog. What fun! We hope to join you for dinner and drinks here in Arlington when you get back. PS We knocked off our 50th state (Arkansas) just last week; North Dakota was #49 three years ago.
Hey guys! That’s pretty incredible that you’ve been to more states than us since this has been our JOB for the last 5 years. Ha! We are terrible. 🙂 Anyway, yes, lets’ definitely get together when we get back into town. It’ll be fun to catch up on all the neighborhood gossip! Hope you guys have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!
All good things must come to an end, I am sorry we never got to meet up. It is highly unlikely that we will ever visit the big city and that you will find yourselves in the remote locales we like to hide. But if you ever find yourself in the Black Hills of South Dakota, look us up! You are right, we (and we) timed it right, it would be much more challenging to start FT’ing right now versus a few years ago!
I’m telling you, Jim, you never know. One day, you might wake up and think: “Ya know, I could really use some noise and traffic in my life,” and I could wake up and think: “Ya know, I could really use some Grizzly bears roaming around my front yard.” OK… it’s unlikely, but my point is, you never know! In the meantime, if we ever do get out to North Dakota, you’re basically just down the street, so we’ll definitely hit you up to grab a beer. Stay well!
We’ll. Our regret is that our paths never aligned so that we could actually meet in person. We came close a couple times, but it never happened. Our loss. We always felt a kindred spirit with you guys because we started on the road at the same time. After a couple of years on the road, we decided we wanted a winter base. So, we bought an RV oriented 1/4acre property in Arizona which we love. The idea was, and is, to winter here and travel the rest of the time in our motorhome. Then covid changed everything and gas prices, as well as everything else, have skyrocketed. We never imagined we would spend an entire summer in southern Arizona, but we did. 120 degrees is not so bad.? Anyway, although we’ve been all over the western half of the country, the eastern part has eluded us. And with gas getting higher and higher, heading east at 7 mpg was out of the question. We thought our time traveling in an RV was at an end.
But never say never. We just bought an 18 ft. trailer that will allow us to head to Florida in April at about 18 mpg.
So, why am I boring you with all this? Hell if I know. Except to say, it ain’t over until it’s over. Who knows what lies ahead? If you still have wanderlust, you’ll find a way. Maybe not in a Barney, but somehow.
Laura, you know how much we and everyone has enjoyed your writings. You are very talented in that regard. I’m the one that described you as my new found Irma Bombeck with your wonderful ability to inject humor in your blog. And your travel info has been so helpful to so many. Please keep writing.
As for your decision, I think we were all “warned” while you were in Austin. We could see it coming. We wish you and yours only the best.
Thanks so much, Ed. I, too, wish we had met one another in person during our time on the road. It would have been fun to chat and compare notes. I do expect there will be more adventures ahead and hopefully they’ll be worth writing about. Lots of uncertainty at the moment, but hope springs eternal for improvement down the line.
Speaking of which, I think your trailer purchase makes a lot of sense. As much as we have enjoyed this motorhome, the cost and frequency of fill ups is no good for anyone, and we will be happy to lose our $100+ pit stops. If we ever decide to take up RV travel again, it will be with a home base and a much smaller set-up. Likely a class C or a small trailer. We absolutely love having our home with us, but there are significant downsides to big RVs and if you’re only traveling part time, you just don’t necessarily need all that space.
In any case, I wish you all the best as you continue on. Hopefully there will be no more 120 degree winters and it’ll be smooth sailing in the future! Stay well and all the best in 2022!!
Thank you Laura. I should have mentioned that although we bought a small trailer to pull behind our Ford Sport Trac, we did not get rid of the motorhome. We will continue to use it for Western travels. There’s still a lot in the West meaning everything west of the Rockies that we still haven’t seen. But we like the idea of a smaller trailer, particularly because there are so many campgrounds etc that are not big rig friendly.
I totally get that. If we were to ever RV again, it would be on a part time basis with a smaller set up that we could take anywhere and easily find campsites for. It’s great, though, that you have both options. An RV for all seasons! 🙂
Oh, I so, so can feel you on all of this: the long time on the road, the changes the pandemic has wrought, and when to call it and what to do after that. I had the feeling this is where your journey was going, and I’m happy you’ve come to decisions that will make you happy and move you into Chapter 4. I do hope you write somewhere at some point for us to see where you go, I love your style and sense of humor, and your way of looking at the world. And wherever you settle, maybe we can someday meet up in real life for a coffee (chai for me, please) and celebrate the craziness known as full-timing. May your remaining roads be smooth, hazard-free, and full of the excitement that change brings to life.
Thanks so much, Annie. You write one of my favorite blogs and I’m bummed we didn’t cross paths along the way, but if there’s one thing I know it’s to never say never. I’ll be following your ongoing travels, undoubtedly inspired by your independence and can-do attitude. And Kevin and I will see where life takes us. Let’s stay in touch and hope to grab that chai one day!
Congrats to all three of you! You have been on an amazing journey the past few year. It has been great learning about so many interesting places, many of which we might not get to. We have loved reading each post and seeing all of the wonderful pictures. Hard to believe this is the end of Chapter 3 Travels. I’m looking forward to the sequel: Chapter 4 – Return of the Travelers. I’ll help you with your into, “In a galaxy far, far away…..” ?
LOL… as someone mentioned above, maybe we’ll just keep going on these little adventures until we end up at “Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.” It does have a certain ring to it…
Thanks for all your support online and in real life. Had we faced the rough start we had without you guys nearby, this whole trip might have lasted months rather than years. Just one more piece of a very large puzzle that has helped us get here. I’m still bummed about Alaska, but my guess is, there will be other interesting places to meet up. Stay tuned! XOXO
Lots of the same reasons why we stopped! Would love for you to come through Asheville again if you have time on your final passage. Or even after that, just come stay with us in the house!
I know you’ve been here before and gone through all the same decision making. You guys had a nice soft landing with the house and van – the best of all worlds in my estimation. We actually may be on a route not terribly far from you after Red Bay, but it’ll still be winter, so I’m not sure what the roads will be like. We’ll just have to play it by ear, but I’ll check in with you when we get closer. Would be great to see you guys!
Congratulations on your next chapter! You have sure collected a-lot of memories the past 5 years – well, except in North Dakota!! So, you really can’t quit blogging yet as I expect to read about your first vacation post S&B’s … destination, North Dakota!
HA! No.
🙂
Firstly, well done for covering so much territory albeit short of that one white whale. The thing is we long ago discovered, we cannot, will not and will not even try to see and do it all. But wow, you guys certainly covered a lot of ground and have had some amazing experiences. So bravo and well done too for coming to a decision about changing your life’s trajectory. That is a great achievement actually. Can’t wait to see how you decide to shape the road to post road life.
In the meantime, please forgive our default entrepreneurial mode, but can’t help to observe the fortuitous convergence of the wave of new RVers and your perhaps having time to extract the very insight that these new RVers would no doubt benefit from going forward. Any consulting to new RVers in your future?
At any rate, we have really enjoyed reading about all your adventures, good and bad and hoping you continue with your blog as you adjust to this post nomadic lifestyle and the growing of some roots. It’s a great life being nomadic, but yes, everything has a start and a finish. Best of luck for the next chapter. Rooting for ya!!!
Ben and Peta
Thanks, Peta. You two are hugely inspirational and give new meaning to terms like fearless and adventurous, and you’ve given us much to think about when it comes to our future travel plans.
As for consulting, I do enjoy talking to people about the ups and downs of this stuff, but my 2 cent opinions are worth exactly that: 2 cents. Fun stuff to talk about over beers, but not worth paying for. Fortunately, there are tons of resources available these days and people really just have to be honest about their own lives, needs, and preferences, then find the resources that relate to those things. I hope my blog can be a reference like that for some people, but our experiences are limited to our own situation.
Anyway, thank you for your continued good wishes and support. I truly hope we get to meet up one day. In the meantime, best wishes for the holidays and Happy New Year!
I have really enjoyed following your travels around the U.S. and wish you the best of luck on the next phase of your life. I hope you continue to blog and bring all of us along in your new adventures transitioning to non-RV life in the D.C. area.
Thanks so much, Maura! It’s been a wonderful experience and this has been an incredibly rewarding hobby to keep along the way. I’ll definitely consider writing more if we’re doing something interesting… or maybe I’ll just post Thor pictures. He seems to have quite a fan base all his own. 🙂 Best wishes in the New Year!
Do you realize how popular & important your blog has become? How cool is that? You have a talent for writing & photography. I still say there is a book in you!
Yeah, I have no idea what happened here. My take is that people have low expectations and are easily amused, but maybe someone with marketing skills could turn that into an income stream??? 🙂
I totally get it! When we hit that 5-year mark, we started getting burned out and losing interest in travel (and that was before covid and the RV craziness). We weren’t sure what, where, or how, we wanted the next chapter to look like so we just jumped at something that would work short term, and we’re loving it. No regrets!
We wish you a smooth transition and it was nice meeting you out on the road.
Thanks, Ingrid. I know you guys moved into a house in Phoenix. I hope you’ll blog more about that experience since a lot of folks seem to be going through similar transitions. It’s always nice to hear from others going through these things. Thank you, too, for sharing your experiences when you were traveling and for helping us with specific planning over email. I will always appreciate your willingness to offer us so much help when we were first getting started and it was great to meet you guys in Arizona.
Cheers to both of our next chapters!
Well you gave it a good five years and I have sure enjoyed being along for the ride! I got a good laugh over the comment about the salad dressing as I to long to have a year round grocery store 🙂 I will miss the laughs I always got reading your blog but I am happy that you are moving onto your next chapter and wish the three of you many happy new adventures.
For our RV to yours we wish you a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2022.
Thank you so much. I’m disappointed we never got to meet, but who knows what the future will hold? Hopefully once all this Covid craziness settles down, you can travel East one year. I think you’d enjoy it quite a bit. In the meantime, I wish you safe Christmas travels and all the best in 2022!
This is bittersweet news to hear, as well! I’m excited for you, for whatever comes next.
I also feel that full-time travel isn’t a forever thing for us, and we have transitioned to part-time, though we don’t have a home base of our own yet.
We’ve had a hard time deciding what comes next for us. We really enjoyed volunteering with the Fish & Wildlife Service over the past year, but that’s not a forever thing either.
Transitions are hard (for me), but I’m glad that these things aren’t forever things! It means that there are still new experiences to come!
I can’t wait to see what you choose next!
I can’t imagine many situations in which fulltime RV travel would be permanent. Only a small portion of full-timers keep up with it after 3 or 5 years. It’s just not realistic to think it’s a forever thing. The problem for you and us is we’re all too young to just sit around, so we have to find the next challenge. I’ll keep you posted on our plans once we figure them out and I’ll be interested to see what you guys decide to do. Like you said, though, it’s nice to know there are more new experiences to come. In my view, that’s a good problem to have.
You both accomplished what we had dreamed of in our 5 1/2 years RV traveling, most of it as full timers. It’s now going on three years since we sold our Tiffin. The timing was perfect but we have missed it so much.
We used to say while traveling, we hoped to figure out where we would settle down. So when we decided to settle down, we were already there. It worked out for us.
So I’m sad with you while at the same time, I understand your need to change it out!
Best wishes, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Debbie
I absolutely believe this will be a bittersweet transition for us, just like it was for you. We know that we are ready to move on, but we also recognize that once this is over, it will be over, and we will miss many of the things we take for granted now. Like everything in life, it’s just a balance, and getting more of one thing, means less of another. It also means being honest in the future about where we are and changing things up if we’re no longer enjoying our situation – same as your considerations of a Class B. The important thing to remember is we can always change things up, or even reverse course if we want to.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too!
I have to selfishly say I’m sure happy you’re heading back this way!
Me toooooooo! I’ll let you know when we’re back in town. It’ll be great to see you all!
If I had known that North Dakota sticker was worth a grand, I would’ve picked one up for you a few months ago. Dang it! Since you didn’t include Alaska as one that got away, I have to believe you’re going there at some point, RV or no. No?
While this isn’t a surprise, it’s still the end of an era, not only for you, but for all of us who have followed and looked forward to each and every post. Without this blog, our paths would never have crossed, and our lives would be less rich for not having you two in them. You have inspired, encouraged, and entertained us all these years, and you can add my name to the list of those who fervently hope you will continue to write and share. Hope, hell, you’ll do it and like it!
It goes without saying, but Imma say it anyhow, may Chapter 4 be filled with all the Very Best Stuff. You know where *we’ll* be, and you know you’re always more than welcome to find us there. It’s a great jumping off point for Alaska 😉
Gah… you’re making me all misty eyed. Stop it, dammit.
Alaska is 100% remaining on the bucket list! We were way too excited to go there to just let the idea die forever. I just figure it’s a place we can easily fly to and then rent an RV for a couple months. Hell, a lot of RVers do that just to keep the wear off their own rigs. So yes, Alaska will happen at some point. And I think most flights from the US connect, so…. there ya go!!
The sad thing about making travel blogging friends is we have to get used to not seeing each other in person very often. The happy thing is we’re really good at staying friends despite the challenges that come with distance. So…cheers to old friends and new chapters!
I must say I’m not surprised and totally get it. We struggle sharing the road and RV parks with so many others these days. We aren’t quite ready to leave though so will struggle on for now. We occasionally become through DC and would love to see you all (and Mike and Kathy!) for a catch up. But all the best for now!!
Thanks much, Sonya! It’s an ongoing challenge, for sure, but there are definitely ways to adapt, as you guys have with your property in Florida. Sometimes you just need some sweet, blessed space! We’d love to see you guys in DC, so definitely let us know when you’re coming through. We’ll all just invite ourselves over to M&K’s house!! Stay well!
Laura and Kevin, I am forever amazed by your thoughtfulness and wisdom. I have loved following you on this brave adventure and can’t wait to see you here in DC before I leave for my next assignment in August. Can’t wait to see how you decide what the next chapter will be looking like . . .
Amy! If we were actually thoughtful, wise, or brave, we’d be doing what you’re doing and trying to make the world a better place, but hey! Eating tacos is helpful too. LOL. You are nothing if not a hopeless optimist!
We’d love to see you in DC this summer! It’s been way too long since we were all in the same place. I’ll ping you when we’re back in town.
I wish you both the very best in your new adventure of sticks and bricks. I will truly miss your blog posts. They always make me laugh. I get it though. I find that after our long road trips I look forward to returning to my stationary home. I got so burnt out after our 2019 trip to Alaska that I haven’t updated my blog in 2 years! I’ve got some work to do……. Happy holidays, and best wishes for a fabulous 2022!!
Oh, I hope you’ll update your blog. I used to get all kinds of great ideas from your posts and would love to see what you guys found in Alaska. We still want to go there some day and I will happily read anything I can about travel there. But yeah, after a trek like that, given the mileage to and from and while there, I can imagine just wanting to curl up and sleep for a year or two. BUT…after two years, it’s time to get back to blogging. Chop chop!!! 🙂
Happy Holidays to you as well!
Yes, it comes to an end sometime. Very interesting. I started in 2001 fulltime. Could never get out of the west because there was always to much to do and the friends you make and want to return during the winter months to see them, About 7 years ago we felt some of what you described. Decided to get a house and continue for 6 months. That worked and we usually were excited to hit the road in October and return around April. Now, older, some friends are passing and the urge to quit is here again. One more year maybe and thats all. Especially as you mentioned, prices are up so maybe sell this summer. Thanks.
Yep, I think there’s just a natural ebb and flow to these things. Nothing stays the same forever – not in the world and not in our own lives, so we always have to make adjustments. It sounds like you’ve had fantastic experiences on the road and I can only imagine all the incredible memories you’ve created along the way. I think you’ll know when it’s time to call it quits… and if you change your mind some day, so be it. I wish you all the best!
All good things must come to an end, but Dang I will never get to meet Thor!
You and Kevin have done a great service to the blog world with your hilarious writings, photography and everything in between. So like everyone is pleading, do continue your crazy writing that we all love and wait for its publication. I have a feeling you will fly to the west some day so just know we will be happy to host you here in W !
Steve and I are happy that our paths have crossed and continued our distance friendship thru your posts. We wished you the best of luck in your transition, I know it is going to be fun and you will be glad the road has ended as it is.
I have converted my blog to books all 574 posts, and will downgrade my WP account, not blogging is stress relief.
Welcome back to the stick and brick living where the scenery is no longer changing. Cheers to new beginnings !
Thanks so much, ML! Yours was one of the first RV blogs I started following and it was always so incredibly helpful, and we had such a great time hanging out with you guys over the years. I’ve been sad since you all wrapped up your trip, but I also now truly understand the desire to settle down (and you guys take awesome vacations which keep things interesting.). I definitely want to know more about the blog to book thing. I’ve seen a couple people do it, but it sounded like it has some pretty big limitations with regard to pictures (how to capture collages and slideshows, etc). I’ll be interested to hear about your experience with it. Anyway, thank you so much for your good wishes. I am glad I get to keep track of what you all are up to on Facebook, and whenever we head out that way – which I’m sure will happen at some point – we’ll definitely stop by for a visit! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
When it ends, it ends quickly. That’s how we felt, also. All of a sudden the end came and, thank goodness, we had found our future town. It’s funny how it’s fun til it isn’t. I still love our MH and traveling with it but not full-time. We had hit everything I had on my list and then tons more. We crossed the country five times since the family was on the east coast and took a different route every time which gave a wonderful time seeing the whole country. But I was just tired of planning. It was so much work to plan where to go next, where to stay, what to do there, etc. After eight solid years with no sticks and bricks, it was nice to have a house again. However, I am still struggling with not having something different to do every day. I just want someone to plan the trip and parks for me now:) Anyway, it sounds like you have a great future plan. We still travel east a couple times a year (but now at a much faster pace in the air). We may still catch up one day when we are back east. Have a wonderful Christmas and a fun New Year filled with new adventures as you settle.
Pam, you are preaching to the choir! The endless travel planning was one of the things that really wore me down. I am a planner by nature, so I would spend hours researching and thinking over every aspect of every plan. Where to go, when to go, how to get there, how long to stay, what campground to stay at, what campground to stay at on the way and for how long, what to do while there, and on and on. Then having to call places for reservations, keep track of what still needed to be booked, reserve spots on tours or other things we wanted to do, keep track of where friends, family, and other RVers might be, and then, of course, cancel all the plans we had when something came up…. You know what I’m sayin. It was a lot and I will be happy to just sleep in the same place for months on end and not worry about it once we settle down.
Anyway, yes, I would like to think this is not “goodbye” to any of our travel friends. Hopefully we will all cross paths again, somewhere “down the road.” 🙂
I am so sad that Chapter 3 Travels will be ending. It has been such a joy to read your blog and feel privileged that we were able to meet you in AZ. You know, that sticker map really needs to be completed before Barney goes away. I will gladly pick up Barney and take him to ND, spend a few nights there AND get that sticker on that map. And you know I am serious, as I did offer you my car usage while you were here.
Hahahaha! You know, I would totally assume you were joking, but you have a point. Anyone who would offer a perfect stranger their car, might do something that crazy. 🙂 Speaking of which, I am so glad we got to meet too! It would have been nice to cross paths other times, but it’s harder than it seems when everyone is always driving off in different directions. Anyway, we are ‘never say never’ kind of people so who knows? Maybe we’ll cross paths again one day. This is not ‘goodbye’ at all. Just the end of a chapter.
Hope you guys have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I know you’ve got to do what is best for you, but I am sad to know that your Chapter 3 Travels blog will be ending. Even though we never had the chance to meet, I felt like you were my blogging mentor! When I first discovered Chapter 3 Travels, I was new to blogging and loved your organization, pictures, and funny commentary. It was such fun to read about your adventures and to know someone else was going through some of the same RV experiences we were. After our 3 years on the road, we aren’t near the end of our traveling yet but I look forward to your Wrap Up posts for future guidance. All the best to you, Kevin, and Thor!
Thanks, Robin! That’s really flattering, especially since I think you write one of the best RV travel blogs these days. I’ve enjoyed following you guys because you tend to like the same kinds of things we like, and you’ve captured in words and photos hundreds of really interesting and beautiful places around the country. I am not at all surprised that you want to keep traveling. There’s plenty more to see and do and as long as you’re having fun, you should definitely keep going. When you’re ‘done,’ you’ll know it, and then you’ll move on to the next thing. Anyway, I’ll continue looking forward to your posts to see what else you find. In the meantime, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Travels!
Well… crap.
Please do send me your address once you “settle down.” We have no plans to get back to the east coast until we downsize – this beast won’t fit in D.C.! – but we’ll keep in touch and maybe someday….
Best wishes for the future!
Thanks, Andrea! I promise, at least until Facebook thoroughly ticks me off, I’ll at least be on social media…and hell, I might keep this blog going depending on what we do next. We’ll see… Either way, you haven’t seen the last of us and I definitely hope to stay in touch! Best wishes to you guys too!
I joined rather late in your odyssey, but have enjoyed reading everything since then. Don’t stop writing! Oh, and thanks for not skipping Minnesota. That would have hurt. 😉
LOL. Minnesota is actually one of the states we know we didn’t spend enough time in. I know it’s an incredibly beautiful place and it’s the sort of state we would have loved to spend an entire summer exploring, but there are only so many summers to work with and we had to be in various places. So…maybe on our way to North Dakota some day?? Haha. We’ll see. Anyway, thanks for reading and for your kind comment. Best wishes in the new year!
Wow. Bittersweet, indeed. I will miss your posts and sense of humor, Laura! But, we – too – know all about travel exhaustion and the need for a break once in a while, plus, new chapters that have to be explored. I remember you three renting an AirBnB (I believe in Austin), but have a hard time grasping that’s already two years ago. Wow. Time flies. It must have been around that time that I started following your adventures. I hope we still get to meet in person one day. We love the DC area and have a few friends in Annapolis, so who knows?
Enjoy those last months on the road – I hope they will be filled with joy and absent of RV trouble. Hugs to you both and pets to Thor! And, I think you should take a afar up to North Dakota one day. I’m sure it feels left out right now. 🙂
Hey Liesbet, Sorry for the (very) late reply. We’ve been busy visiting friends and family and getting lots of loose ends tied up as we work on transitioning out of RV life and, as a result, my blog has been gathering dust. Thanks for your kindness. I haven’t quite decided whether I’m done with blogging or not, but either way, this has been an enjoyable hobby and I, too, wish we had crossed paths at some point. Regardless of whether I’m writing, I’ll be following you guys as you continue trekking around. You’ve got some big plans ahead and I haven’t seen many people write about overland travel south of the border, so it will be fun to follow you guys as you tackle a whole new challenge. In the meantime, stay well!
I’m so glad I won’t “lose” you. I do want to know where you’ll eventually settle, so drop that little hint at some point in one of your comments to Roaming About, if you end up quitting your own blog. I’m glad you’re having a nice time with friends and family. Precious. And, so very exciting to start a new chapter for you three as well! Stay in touch, please!
Life is a series of journeys to include one that none of us come back from. Glad I checked to see if you had any new posts as I had not received this one. I also reread your post prior to staying at the B&B from travel burn out. That post was spot on in terms of what we are also feeling, and why, now that we are ending our third year in August. Funny that at this time the only place we have stopped for two months is Golf Shores as well. And we also don’t live in an RV – we travel in one… Once we are done traveling the RV is done. Although it would be nice to have a small one to get the hell out of winter, otherwise it would just sit in storage because someday the next journey will involve speeding around in a boat on a fishing lake.
We will be in Washington DC on or about 4/28/22. Figure we will take a short stay for a week at Cherry Hill Resort rather than one of a couple less pricey places where travel into and out of the city would be more involved.
You will like the Red Bay area (assumption on my part this is the first trip). Make sure and go to the Rattlesnake Saloon where they know the Tiffin name at the gift shop. Not sure how far north of Red Bay it is but we spent a little time in Muscle Shoals Alabama as well – Music Hall of Fame and we missed the Helen Keller house because even in Alabama they were scared of the virus at the time. I have a list of all the vendors in town that don’t work for Tiffin that fix Tiffin stuff if ya need it let me know at email: [email protected].
If there is still a parts shortage prior to arrival in Red Bay, I advise you figure out as many parts as you need and see about pre-ordering them. Tiffin will have a parts employee who will be an expert for advice. Vanleigh did and I was able to pre-order most of what I needed with about $50 left over in stuff I ended up not needing but gave to the guy parked next to us. I paid for the parts myself and had them shipped to their office. Several others were stuck at the service center waiting on parts. In my case, they could not even get springs for axles. Vanleigh (located maybe 20 minutes from Red Bay) took a set of springs off the line at the factory which was extreme as all the new parts are going to build RVs. Lippert had a factory right next door and would not give me the parts which were under warranty. This upset Vanleigh who took matters into their own hands, removing springs from axles and taking the matter up with Lippert directly. At the factory they had a list taped on new RVs showing what parts each unit was missing as it went down the line. I had to replace a toilet part a few months ago. No parts available so I had to buy an entire new toilet. Ordered suspension stuff through E-trailer two months ahead of time. Three weeks before I needed them, I was notified they are no longer available for months after our scheduled repairs due to over-seas shipping issues and demand. Okay, so ends the warning about getting parts…
I checked the used prices on our 2019 Vanleigh fifth wheel. They are starting at $2,000 more than we paid for it. A dealership in Michigan has finally stop calling to see if I want to sell the dually truck. I had the oil changed there and they started bugging me to sell the truck believe it or not.
We have no plans to totally come off the road but might buy a condo to travel from if we can find one next summer. Then travel another year or so. Someday, if we sell the rig I’ve been considering a consignment place in Houston Texas or elsewhere. You have the benefit of blog followers which I hope will help ya all.
I will miss your writing. We can all benefit from knowing about the transition so please keep us informed.
Hey Mark,
If you can find a good condo to use as a home base, especially somewhere central, it would, in my mind, offer the best of all worlds. Fulltime RV travel is great, but it’s nice to have a place to come home to and to be able to skip the busiest travel seasons for certain destinations. We’ve had fantastic experiences in a lot of places simply because we went in the shoulder season rather than their high seasons. Having a home base and an RV ready to go whenever you want, is the perfect solution. Of course, a boat on a fishing lake sounds pretty wonderful too. 🙂
Thanks for the heads up on the parts issues in RB. We actually have an appointment with an offsite vendor for several issues and have ordered most of what we need already. Fortunately, most of our issues are just cosmetic (new carpeting, upholstery, etc), so there’s not a lot of parts to worry about. Knock on wood, this coach has been incredibly reliable and we’ve avoided any big issues. Hopefully our luck will hold until we can sell it. Speaking of which, your observations about current prices are in line with what we’ve been seeing. It’s truly incredible how much demand there is for these things right now.
Thanks for the tips about Red Bay. It will, indeed, be our first (and likely last) visit, so we’ll check this stuff out. As for DC, we’ve stayed at all the local campgrounds and Cherry Hill is quite nice, albeit very pricey. But if you take advantage of all they have to offer, I expect you’ll really enjoy it. If you get an opportunity, check out the Library of Congress. It’s one of those places most people skip, but it’s my absolute favorite building in DC. Enjoy!
Thanks for getting back to me Laura, another reply just posted to my email. Small world, I had been on your blog checking out DC camping spots. We are coming into the area via I-81 to 66. Not sure I want to drive around the Beltway to Cherry Hills or pay the $$$$ to camp. Reconsidering Bullrun or Lake Fairfax as we are setup easily for electric only for two weeks. Seems like if we were to spend less $$ on the campground we could stay longer and see more. We will be leaving the DC area heading towards I-70. I read your review on Fairfax and many other blogs/reviews on Bullrun. Currently researching mass transit options from Fairfax or Bullrun to DC, paying special attention to available parking for a dully truck at the train station. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Also – if you have time, I’d really enjoy reading about your transition from the road.
Hi Mark,
If your interest is in exploring DC, and you’re planning on using public transit, I would strongly suggest you go to Cherry Hill. They have a bus that goes directly downtown, or you can use a city bus that goes from the campground to the Metro station. There is no hell like the hell of driving anywhere in the DC area. I promise, the less driving you do, the happier you’re going to be. If you can leave your big truck at your campsite, and just use public transport, you’ll make your life infinitely easier.
If you have your heart set on Virginia, Lake Fairfax isn’t far from the Reston Metro and I know we parked in the parking garage there – but I can’t remember how big the spaces are. You’d probably be OK, but to pay $50 per night just for electric and then have to drive to the metro and pay for that too, and then hope you can get into and out of your parking space, and then have a much longer Metro ride into DC, seems crazy.
Cherry Hill is pricey, but it has nice amenities, is well maintained, and if you’re going to take advantage of DC’s tourism opportunities, it’s probably your best choice.
Bull Run has nice campsites (though, many in the FHU section are unlevel, so be careful), and it’s not far from Udvar Hazy (well worth it). But for actually getting into DC, you’ll be signing up for a whole lot of aggravation.
Anyway, hopefully that is helpful and doesn’t upend your plans, but that’s what I would do.
As for my blog, I’ve been completely slacking on all of it. We’ve just been spending time with family and friends and dealing with other life stuff, but I’ll get my act together soon and write about our transition off the road and what’s next. I appreciate your interest!
We fully understand. We too are in a 36la fulltiming since 2019. Must say we enjoyed this more before Covid and the crowds. We plan to stay full time for a few more years. You will miss it. We had an RV 20 years ago and sold it after a short full time trip 1.5 year. Couldn’t wait to get back to a house. Then we realized how much we missed being free to move. Hate your neighbors, move. Want sun and beach, move. Want quiet mountains, move. We found ourselves missing the road more than we thought.
We too are headed to Red Bay at the end of February. Remember, it can get crowded. Don’t time your visit with the snowbird move back north. You can wait a month at times. If you are using after hours folks book now.
Good luck guys. We have really enjoyed your blog. You have a real gift for writing. We have laughed aloud while reading your posts. You need to write a book.
Hey Bill,
Sorry for the late response. I don’t doubt for a second that we will miss certain aspects of RV travel and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to some day buy another one to travel more. There are still plenty of places to see, after all. But for now, we’re ready for a bit of stationary living. We’ve had a good long run and it’s time for a break. But we’ll never say “never” about anything.
We are actually heading to Red Bay in the dead of winter hoping to avoid a long wait, but still expecting to sit around for a bit. it’s gotten pretty crazy there. Honestly, if we can get out without freezing to death or ending up in a tornado, we’ll consider it a success. LOL.
Anyway, thanks for the kind words. I appreciate them very much and am glad to hear you’ve enjoyed my ramblings. Safe travels and stay well!
Just stumbled upon your blog, not sure how I’ve missed it all these years. We too are starting to feel the grind of full timing especially after the last few Covid years. We are now on our 11th year and starting to try and figure out what our next chapter is. Lucky you for it “hitting you in the face” so to speak… we need a good slap so we can see better what are future holds for us. Best of luck in your new digs!
Hey there! Thanks for stopping by and thanks for your comment. 11 years is a long, long time to be doing this. Of course, nothing ever stays the same, but I would love to hear your thoughts on how things have changed for better and worse over your years on the road. As for winding down, I think when you know, you know and for most of the people we’ve seen settle down, the answers became clear quickly. I hope they will for you too. Between now and then, I wish you happy travels!
Changes over time have mostly been for the worse justifying our planned departure from this lifestyle. Worst change is the need for reservations everywhere as we loved being non-committal so our plans could evolve based upon our fun factor in each spot visited. Another big negative is the skyrocketing costs for RV sites as well as the persistent overcrowding of National Parks and popular RV spots. Nonetheless the benefits have vastly outweighed the negatives over the years…
Too bad about North Dakota but 48 states is awesome.
Most big changes fir ne have come suddenly – one day I think I’ll never leave a place and the next day I’m ready. That day hasn’t hit me with the traveling lifestyle yet – even at my lowest points where there were a lot of last year. But I did a lot of time looking out the window at people in house, thinking, I wonder what that’s like – to live in a house, in a neighborhood.
I wish you luck on your new adventures whatever they may be!
Thanks, Duwan. It is interesting how those moments come about. Things aren’t appealing at all until they are suddenly really appealing. I do think life tends to point us in the right direction at appropriate times. I am sure when it’s time for you to come off the road, you’ll know and the right answer will reveal itself. In the meantime, I’ll be interested to see what kinds of fun and interesting places you find. Safe travels!
[…] our interests in travel, minimalism, the outdoors, breweries (of course), and more. Kevin and Laura are coming off the road this year, and we are so glad that they swung by this little corner of the world to deepen our friendship […]
One adventure ends, and another begins… that’s life! While you may have reached the end of this road, you are winding up with amazing memories and adventures! And you shared it with us making it a part of our life too… So thank you and wish you the best for your next adventures!
Thank you so much, Deepa. I really appreciate your kind comment. Connecting with the nice people who read this blog has truly been one of the best things about this adventure.