Ideas change by Opportunity and Experience

I was just watching a video by Random Bits RV about Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona. And I got to thinking about our travels and how our plans have changed.

We began this journey with the intention of sightseeing all around America, just like all the videos I've watched for the last two years... and I wondered why we changed our minds and bought this site. When you consider that we bought a small rig specifically to be able to have easier access to State Parks, we added Solar so we could Boondock and we packed the rig with camping in mind not living, it strikes me as odd that when the opportunity to see The Grand Canyon was there we drove right past it.

So why did we buy a 'living' site? Well, not to offend my American readers because it's great that you can tour around your country and check out all the sites and sounds that you've grown up hearing about - but while we've heard about these places (and I've seen about near all of them in videos), we're Canadian. So I think that for us (at least us specifically) while I'd love to see The Grand Canyon and Winslow, Arizona, I'm not as willing to drive out of the way for it.

Likely in the future as we travel to and from our 'winter home' we will take specific routes to such destinations and spend a week or so puttering around but for us in a strange country where we aren't even sure where some States are... wandering aimlessly just wasn't working out.

Admittedly, I find this sad but I'm so grateful that we found a place we like, with great amenities, close to a lot of attractions that we can use as a base. I found it mentally exhausting trying find and then get to a spot only to spend the entire time there searching for the next spot.

I also just watched Pippi Peterson say goodbye to her first rig, a Motorhome -after getting a great deal on a 5th wheel. It was clearly an upsetting thing for her to sell that rig that she put so much effort into. She completely renovated it inside and out, took meticulous care of it and even added a LOT of Solar to Boondock. To know that people I've followed like Pippi and also in the past Less Junk More Journey, The More We Explore, The Paddy Wagon and many others have all changed the way they travel - some many times... no pressure Nathan and Marissa! - makes me think I'm not quite as crazy as I had been thinking I was.

I guess like all things in life your ideas about what you want change either by opportunity or experience. So while I'm still a little off in the head, I'm not completely coo-coo. Not yet, anyway.

Unfortunately, the decision to buy this site means that we won't likely be running into the many people we've been following for so long, which is disappointing to be sure. Perhaps next year we'll make our way to Quartzsite for the big event but we just couldn't bring ourselves to do it this year.

We have a lot of 'irons in the fire' as they say and really needed -it seems, to take some time to sort of 'find ourselves' again. Okay, so it was me that needed to be found and I'm damn near back to my old self so I'm very grateful for that.

Today is our 6 month Anniversary on the road and we've enjoyed every bit of it. There was a time, you may recall when things got a little disconcerting but we pulled through that and are all the stronger for it. This experience of the RV Life has been more about living than escaping, escaping being the need which brought us to buy an RV in the first place...

We have met so many people, some of which will undoubtedly become lifelong friends. I have finally come out of the shell I withdrew into and my bold, cocky, in your face abilities have returned. Not that I'm an in your face type, but I used to have the ability to do it back in the day - the last several years it feels like I withdrew into my shell, afraid to stick my head out (for justifiable reasons, I assure you). So it's been great to get away from all that B**S!&% and 'find myself'. (Incidentally, I always hated that phrase).

So thank you to all my readers for hanging in there through our trials and tribulations, I'm sure there will be many more to come. I still enjoy writing this Blog even when we've had quiet, cold, wet days and just sat around the RV or gone over to friends to play cards. Sometimes I feel like we have to go do something exciting so I can write about it but then I remember that we drove past The Grand Canyon and I realize that we're retired and doing our own thing.

For us, we're homebodies and like to hang close to the nest. At least that's been our experience this past 6 months but who knows what the future will bring, as I said earlier ... ideas about what you want change either by opportunity or experience! So here's to the next 6 months and all the wonders it will bring!!