Reflections on Our Four Year Nomadiversary

May 31, 2015, we moved into our 35' Thor Tuscany after more than two years of planning and dreaming. Delayed for a replacement part, it wasn't the champagne-across-the-bow launch we'd anticipated, but it was a very big moment none the less!

Our first week in a storage lot - free with FHU's thanks to good friends.

Of course it doesn't seem like it's been four years already - no four years seems that long at our age :-) Yet, when we talk about all the places and people we've seen, it seems like much longer. 

We've done things differently than we thought we would in that we've only dry camped a couple times, and found we're quite comfortable in RV parks. Those too-close-to-neighbors-often-like-a-parking-lot places we thought were horrible have turned out to be just fine for how we travel. Our outdoor time is spent away from home so we don't really care if we have large space around us. We seldom even have our chairs set out, and can count on one hand the number of times we've eaten outside when it's just the two of us. I'm sure this is blasphemy to many, but it works for us. Of course those happy hours and pot luck meals with friends are grand fun outside!

January 2016 gathering at Catalina State Park - Wrights, Banks, Lowes and Ponds.

Travel days started out more ambitious, and quickly reduced to less than 200 miles. They're more likely to be less than 150 now, unless we're trying to get across Texas :-) I've driven all of the 45,000+ miles as I'm still a horrible passenger and enjoy driving. And Bill still doesn't care, and enjoys being chauffeured everywhere. Our Rand McNally has added a couple "adventures" to our travel days, but mostly it has worked well for us. 

We've had some windier-than-is-comfortable-to-drive days, and twice found ourselves on icy roads. Otherwise we've successfully navigated around bad weather on our moving days. A tornado touched down 1/2 mile from us in Arlington, Texas, both Hurricanes Florence and Michael (2018) caught up with us after they downgraded to tropical storms, and I had to evacuate the motorhome from a major fire in Valencia, California. Otherwise we've been successful in our original goal to be guided by the seasons. 

The Rye Fire came within yards of the campground, way too close!

Two things have enhanced our experience - Tessa and the Jeep. Both give us unlimited enjoyment, and have added fun and excitement to our explorations.

Knowing the smartest place to be during set-up and breakdown.

I've said it many times - the biggest, most wonderful surprise has been the number of new lifetime friends we've made in our travels. No matter our backgrounds, we all have this love of travel and the appreciation of how blessed we are to live this life. One of the many things we have in common is strong marriages. Living happily in a small space isn't possible for everyone! Our solo travel friends do it on their own terms, comfortable and happy to live this life without a partner. We've seen and done things we would have missed from reading their blogs and Facebook posts, and have shared so many fun times in their company. You know who you are!

We've been to the east coast twice, experiencing wonderful places we'd only heard about. The west is still home, and for us holds the most breath-taking natural beauty. Although we've traveled mostly different routes, we have yet to visit the "middle" states of Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. A summer in Alaska is still in our future as well. 

The East is filled with wonderful early American history. Mt Vernon was smaller than we expected.

I, of course, thought about favorites - campgrounds, eateries, natural wonders, scenic routes, etc. But they're all subjective opinions, different from others who have traveled the same roads. What stands out for me are the experiences. Those moments that had a profound impact on me. Those places that reminded me how blessed I am to live this life.

The sun first rises in the United States - Cadillac Mountain, Maine 
The fog made it magical and ethereal, and a wonderfully unique moment.

In the shadow of the full solar eclipse - Albany, Oregon
Bad photo, incredible life experience. When the stars came out and the temperature dropped 10 degrees, it was a humbling 90 second education on the power of the universe.

Times Square - NYC, New York 
This city surprised me in so many ways, but mostly how much I was affected by the energy of its hum. I could have hung out here for hours and just absorbed it.

Powerful waves - La Push, Washington 
We see a lot of beaches, love watching the surf. These waves were so huge, rising several feet before their violent crash. They were mesmerizing.

Gardens at Manzanar Japanese Internment Camp - Inyo County, California 
The whole place is moving, and the remains of the beautiful gardens tell a story of the tenacity of a people able to find and create beauty in the worst of times.

Wild ponies - Chincoteague Island, Virginia 

Realizing a little girl's dream of meeting the heroes of her childhood stories.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton House - Seneca Falls, New York 
Placing my hand on the same newell post where Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton also placed theirs was surreal. To be in the space where these brave and brilliant women met to change history was....well, it was deep.

Tunnel at Lambeau Field - Green Bay, Wisconsin 

Not something that will resonate with a lot of people, but for Bill and I, when they played the crowd cheering as we walked through the Packers' tunnel to the field, we both had goose bumps. And we aren't even Packers' fans!

Civil Rights Museum - Memphis, Tennessee 

Visiting just after the 2016 presidential election was depressing. I felt like I needed to apologize to all who had fought and died to slow the spread of hate across this county. Still, it's so well done.

Honoring the directions - Vermillion Cliffs, Arizona
Along the gorgeous Hwy 89A is a rest area with missing and faded signs on a concrete medicine wheel recognizing the four directions. Ancient story tellers speak in whispers here.

Wolf sighting - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
We've seen all the big animals in the wild except moose, but this was the biggest wow for me of them all. (I've confirmed it wasn't a coyote)

Original Andrew Wyeth tempura painting - Farnsworth Museum, Rockland, Maine
Seeing Wyeth's paintings in person brought me to tears. A fan for many years, having the opportunity to see them, as well as several mock-ups in his handwriting, was so special to me.

I know there are others, I'll think of them later and regret I didn't include them. But these are the ones that surfaced today.

43 states, visited 94 people from high school away from our annual reunion, 43,700 miles in the motorhome, and 19 NFL stadiums are just a few of our "stats".

Visiting high school pals Peggy and Michelle in Roundup, Montana

No regrets, none. Nothing we'd do differently, not a thing or a place we'd change. The imperfect moments have been part of the journey, how we've handled them have confirmed we made the right choice for our retirement. 

We miss our grandsons, and our sons. More each time we leave from visiting them. We look forward to their joining us for fun times on the road.

A rare capture of the family together (Travis and Emily were on their honeymoon).

Our near future will likely include adding a winter base in southeastern Arizona - we'll look again in November!

And yes, we are continuing our travels, to add more amazing experiences that fill our hearts and expand our minds.

Many thanks to all of you who've come along for the ride, you've made it even better!