This Feels Like Home

The wait is finally over! We are all moved in, we've hit the road and our new adventure is in full swing. We are 14 days into this new journey, seasoned veterans really at this point (ha!), and so far the pace seems to fit us both pretty well. Molly on the other hand, well she's always happiest when she is with us, but her adjustment to this traveling thing is taking a bit more time. There have been a few minor hiccups along the way, we've learned more than a few things about the new coach, and we’ve managed to log just over 1,100 miles to date. Although it feels like this journey has been going on forever, it really only started to take shape a few short weeks ago.

We made our way back to Oshkosh in the middle of August to collect what was left of our possessions and to say goodbye to family and some dear friends. We had reserved a 10' U-haul and felt pretty confident that everything we had would fit for the trip back to Des Moines, but of all the items we kept, the only one either of us really cared about getting was our

Tempur-Pedic king mattress! Now, we certainly appreciate all the friends, family and hotels that allowed us to crash while we were homeless for the 6 weeks following the sale of our home, but there is nothing, and I mean nothing, like sleeping in your own bed. There was some doubt about whether or not we'd actually be able to fit it into the RV because residential mattresses and RV mattresses are not the same size (who knew). But with a little luck and a Rapala electric fillet knife, we were able to cut that baby down to the perfect size (fits like a glove). Thank goodness and amen.

With the U-haul fully loaded and our farewells delivered, we were on our way to Des Moines to pick up our Newmar bus. We arrived at the dealership early afternoon and spent the next 4-5 hours receiving training on the vehicle’s operations and general maintenance, and started moving a few pieces into the rig. Unable to complete the job, we returned the following morning and spent the next 8 hours playing a giant game of Tetris, doing our best to fit every last item we’d drug along into the perfect spot. Mind you, we never had an opportunity to park this bus in our driveway and slowly and methodically pack, unpack and repack again and again the way most people would when downsizing from a 3,400 sf house to a 250 sf bus, but hey, we guesstimated because we had no choice. Needless to say, we were a little nervous about the odds, optimistic, but nervous. Amazingly, after a long day and 90 degree heat, we managed to find a home for everything, while still managing to save space for new acquisitions down the road.

Now that the day was getting late, it was time to head to a local county park where we planned to stay for the next 5 nights. But before leaving my wife insisted we hook our car up to the tow system to ensure everything was operating properly. As usual, she was right for insisting because things did not work as expected. There are lots of different towing systems

out there, but the one we chose requires the car key turned part way so the battery is on, allowing the lights, steering and brakes to function while it’s being pulled by the coach. However, if your coach doesn’t have a charge line (why would you build a massive bus designed to pull a car down the road and not install one?), the battery doesn’t charge so when you reach your destination you end up with a dead battery. Well, 6:00 at night and we discovered that this brand new bus did not in fact have the charge line installed, no bueno. Even though the dealer agreed they were going to take care of this back when we purchased the bus, they were now basically wishing us good luck because they didn’t have either the parts or the time…. Long story short, we went back and forth and they agreed to pick up the bill, but we would have to make arrangements to have the work done on our own. Ultimately, that resulted in 2 additional nights in Des Moines than originally planned due to scheduling and availability in the metro area. The first sign that “Adapt and Adjust” would become a frequent theme to this lifestyle.

In the end, the extra few days spent in the area would come as a blessing. Additional time spent with our oldest daughter, Paige, a graduate student at Des Moines University, and her boyfriend, were a precious and unexpected benefit of the delay. The previous week we had said goodbye to our youngest, Ashley, so the extra moments with Paige helped ease the pain of leaving them both behind. But when the 7th day was up we were ready to move, ready to finally get on the road and put some miles behind us. Camping is nice, but the reason we bought this thing was to travel, see the country, explore and meet new people. We had taken full advantage of our time in Iowa, better understanding our new home, making some minor additions to the coach and spending time with family, but the road was calling and it was time to go.

After much anticipation, we were on the road and doing our best to stay calm. I have to say, the first time driving this bus down the interstate was a slight bit stressful. For some reason, this thing did not want to stay between the painted lines, despite my wife’s best efforts of leaning back towards the yellow lines every time I hit the rumble strips. I mean, it floated and swayed and bounced despite my best efforts to keep her steady. And every time a semi passed us (and that was a lot because I only drove 60 mph, even in the 80 mph zones) it didn’t sway, it jumped! It jumped hard! Like, it felt like we were dancing 2 to 3 feet back and forth going down the highway and I wasn’t quite sure how to correct it. I can’t be certain, but that first hour of driving I think we both wore a few layers of enamel off our teeth and I’m pretty sure I strangled any signs of life out of the steering wheel.

By the third hour, I was starting to get a feel for the new ride. I can’t say I had it all figured out, but the rumbles went from maybe every 10 seconds to maybe every 10 minutes, a marked improvement for sure. With the handling starting to take shape, we edged closer to our first stop and with that a bit of nervousness started to creep back in. We had chosen for our very first stop, a location found through Boondockers Welcome. For those of you not familiar with Boondockers, it is an organized group of individuals who have agreed to let perfect strangers park campers for the night at their homes. Receiving nothing in return but thank you's, these people make their homes available for tired travelers to stop and rest at no charge. What a wonderfully, strange concept in today's crazy and selfish world. For my wife and I, this was not only our first boondocking experience, but our first real experience traveling in our new RV, so we were especially nervous and a certainly a bit apprehensive about the whole concept.

Well, our fears could not have been more misguided and our hosts could not have been more pleasant. We pulled onto the property owned by John and Cindy, tucked into the rural hills of western Iowa and roughly 30 miles for the nearest metropolitan area. Down the end of winding gravel road we found their quiet spot nestled among a stand of oaks and maples with corn and cows and all the pleasantries of country life found all about.

We were immediately greeted by Cindy and her two kittens Hercules and Blue. Over the course of the next two hours we chatted with both John and Cindy and their grandson Dylan, talking about motorhomes, travel, politics, technology and family and probably many other things that just slipped my mind because the conversations were so easy. We had found a wonderful little place to spend the evening and in the process, we had made two new friends. For those travelers out there looking for a nice way to meet new people and save a few dollars while traversing from place to place, we highly recommend joining Boondockers Welcome. And by the way, make sure you stop in and visit John and Cindy (and Hercules and Blue too).

The next morning, we were back on the road, headed for South Dakota. Once we got back on the highway, the bus seemed to handle a little better than the day before. I don’t know what I was doing differently, but whatever it was, it was working. We ended up driving 4 hours to Plankinton, SD, a town of roughly 600 people. The campground was nothing special, rather run down in fact, but the price was right, the power worked, as did the sewer and water. The sewer, oh yes, the sewer. The following morning would be my first time emptying the “black tank” and that is a job that no one looks forward to. If you haven’t already done so, go rent the movie RV, starring Robin Williams and you’ll better understand my apprehension for this particular job, and I'll leave it at that.

The following day, we were moving West again, bound for Rapid City, SD. That night we ended up staying at a Cabela’s parking lot and we were both really surprised at how nice our stay was. The parking lots at these places are huge and they allow all kinds of travelers to spend the night. We pulled in, leveled off the bus, pulled out all the slides and fired up the generator. Our bus is equipped with a 90 gallon fresh water tank, a 60 gallon gray water tank (where all your sink and shower water goes), a 40 gallon black water tank (use your imagination) and a 5,000w generator. Basically, we can live in a parking lot or the middle or a desolate forest for about 7-10 days with power, water, refrigerator, freezer, ice maker, TV….. it’s really surprisingly self sufficient. So with that, we get to take advantage of these free parking places so why not? $30 to $50 a night for most decent campgrounds or free at Cabela’s, Walmart or Cracker Barrel? We were not sure what to expect, but after that first night, we knew we’d be spending way more time at places like that. As a bonus, one of my closest friends, along with his wife and kids happened to be passing through the same town on their family vacation. What a nice visit with an old friend. We shared some stories, some laughs and a few warm hugs before calling it a night. Thanks so much for the visit Brad, Jen and boys.

After a long evening of stormy weather, heavy rains and constant wind, we pulled out of Rapid City with our sites set on Buffalo, WY. We had roughly 250 miles and were both tired from a lack of sleep the previous night. We went through our first thunderstorm in the new home and for anyone with a dog that is terrified of thunder, you can imagine how well Princess Molly “weatherd” cracking thunder and driving rain in a tin box…. Although the skies had cleared that next day, we figured it was going to be a long ride as the forecast was calling for steady winds at 10-15 mph, with gusts up to 30 mph. I didn’t know what to expect from a handling perspective, but I expected it would require lots of focus. Overall, the drive went relatively well. I continued to improve on my handling of the vehicle, down to 3-4 rumble strip encounters a day and with my wife handling all the navigation, we’d settled into a good partnership on travel days. We’d also started to figure out setup and breakdown responsibilities. It’s really important to have a strong routine on how you set up and tear down, particularly the tear down portion. Doing things the same every time, the same sequence, the same process, the same roles helps ensure nothing gets missed and everything is done correctly. We’ve heard and read a lot of horror stories about driving down the road with power cables still attached to the pedestal and leveling jacks still extended, and trust me, there is no cheap fix on these homes so mistakes can be very costly.

By late afternoon, we’d made it to Indian Campgrounds in Buffalo, WY, situated at the base of the Big Horn Mountains and we were looking forward to spending three nights at the same

place. We had slept in a different town each of the last 4 nights so a few days of R&R, along with a little housekeeping was a welcomed opportunity. The sites were nice, but closely spaced sites so getting to know your neighbors was a must. We met a lovely older couple from New Mexico, via Wisconsin, parked right next to us. They told us how they had been full time RV’s for seven years before relocating to New Mexico and buying a place to settle down. They were on their way back to Wisconsin to visit family and still driving their big RV in their 80’s. I saw my wife and I in them, still traveling, still adventuring and still in love well into their golden years. So very impressive.

The next morning we got our first chance to get out and enjoy the local outdoors as we headed up towards Sheridan and into the Tongue River Canyon trail system. The hike was a wonderful day as we followed the Tongue uphill, as it cut it’s way through 3,000 foot granite walls. The hike was a little 5 miles round trip and climbed just over 1,000 feet. It was obvious we had a ways to go to get back into hiking shape, but it was a good first expedition and a beautiful way to spend the day with my two of my best girls.

And tonight, we sit in a Walmart parking lot in Riverton, WY, planning the next 4-5 days. From here, we head to the Tetons for what we hope is some boondocking in the wild. We don’t know exactly what to expect from here because we have no reservations, we don’t know if there will be any sites open in Teton National Park because they are all first come first serve, but we know that the odds are not great. This is a very busy park and we are less than a week away from Labor Day so we will see what happens. After that, we know even less. We are roughly halfway to our final destination of Mesa, AZ, with tentative plans to be there around the middle of September. We know the direction we are heading, but don’t know where it will take us or where it will place us. We are taking a see what happens approach to the remainder of the trip so who knows where it will lead.

It has been an interesting and exciting journey so far, with some challenges along the way and some lessons learned. I believe one of the lessons that has stuck out to me so far with this experience is that patience and adaptability are two very important traits for success and happiness with the way of life. Things happen, things break all the time and usually not at the most opportune times. We’d heard the frustrations from other full timers back when we were planning this adventure, but you kind of brush it off until it happens to you. RV life is exciting, it’s adventurous and new and fun, but it can be frustrating if you let malfunctions and problems consume you. You have to be able to step back, take a breath and troubleshoot the problem because there will always be problems, whether you have a 15 year old coach or one that is hot off the assembly line. It’s a 24,000 pound box rumbling down the road and vibrating like crazy so stuff is going to happen, stuff is going to break, it’s going to fall off, it’s only a matter of time. Our bus is brand new and we already have a scheduled trip to the repair shop for the end of September because three things broke within a week of driving off the lot. Oh well, it happens and we move on. If you don’t adapt well to change and patience is a challenge for you, you might want to stick to living in buildings with foundations. Just saying.

Well, thanks for reading and following along with this rather long post and I promise we’ll try to make them a bit more frequent (and shorter) moving forward. Hope all our friends and family, both new and old, are all doing well and making the most of each day.

Be good