It’s not a function of old age, or at least getting older, my preferred weather is 67 degrees with at least partial sunshine, low humidity, and a light breeze. In other words, mild. Pleasant. Shorts, and maybe a sweatshirt weather. I’ve always been that way. It’s been a constant from my growing up years in Southern California, through my 4 years of military service, and the subsequent march into my 70’s. So, here it is, Saturday, February 6, 2021. The skies are cloudy, there’s a light snowfall, and the temperature is….. 3 degrees. The high temperature forecast today is… 3 degrees. Tonight’s low is expected to plummet to -15. (At least the wind is supposed to be calm by then.)
So, with my desire to ‘Explore The Real America’ utilizing my ‘wheels and home away from home’ at the ready anytime, why am I not set up at a moderate climate location, like the State Park we stayed at last year, or a boondocking away from the harsh winter environment that is my current reality?
Why, indeed. Well, the obvious answer is that if I were completely selfish, I’d be searching for the closest place that would fit my parameters, anchoring my unit long enough to explore to my heart’s content, then pulling up stakes to seek out the next perfect site.
The reality is, there’s another member of my family that deserves the respect to provide input as to what we do, now and moving forward. We both have visions as to how that plays out, and we do have constructive conversations where we actually listen to one another. Some might say we don’t pull the trigger to become more ‘nomadic’ out of fear. I would counter that argument with the fact that we have ‘jumped off the cliff’ on numerous occasions during our 40 years of marriage, and have always landed on our feet.
One of those ‘cliff jumpings’ involved our purchasing a Class C motorhome, leaving my radio job, and embarking on a full time RV lifestyle that had us following the antique show and flea market circuit, covering our expenses with Deborah’s expertise in buying and selling collectibles along the way. It was our first RV’ing experience, and as such, our novice mistakes, along with some unforeseen mechanical issues with our unit, led to an all too brief venture.
The good news at the time, was our ability to re-enter the ‘traditional sticks and bricks’ life quickly, and didn’t lose our life’s savings in the process. The experience though, affected our individual view of ‘full-timing’ differently. While she enjoyed her enhanced involvement with the antiques/collectibles world, setting up at numerous locations, making sales and replenishing her merchandise, not having a home base left her feeling a bit vulnerable to the unknowns of the future. I, on the other hand, had my senses awakened to the freedoms the lifestyle provided. Having more realistic expectations and the need to be much more prepared to face those unknowns, seemed to keep that fire ignited from then to even today.
Today, her reservations about full time travel have eased a bit, and my ‘vision’ of full timing have evolved somewhat as well. We are researching areas of the country that will serve dual purposes for the remaining years of our lives, serving as a home base, being centrally located to provide her ‘sourcing’ of ‘treasures’, and my need to roam and explore. As you know from this website, I started to produce some videos last year to see if I enjoyed the process, and have decided that yes, I do enjoy that creative activity, and will continue to hone the limited skills I’ve picked up along the way, and will expand the offerings to topics outside of the ‘Freedom Rock’ tour. So, where are we headed?
