Saturday, August 13
After a day of puttering around the Best Little Trailer, working on my blog, enjoying reader comments, and relaxing with my Paperwhite, I’m in the mood to go somewhere.
Reading room at our campsite, Beaver Creek Campground, South Fork, Colorado
“Okay, crew. We have a choice. We can take a walk around the campground or we can find a new place for our walk.”
Bridget, Reggie, and I board the Perfect Tow Vehicle!
We motor out of Beaver Creek Campground and travel about a mile to the trailhead for Tewksberry Trail. Instead of taking the trail which leads into forest, the crew and I walk on the nearby bluff to enjoy the view and late afternoon light.
South Fork of the Rio Grande
I admit there are times when I wish we could hike a mountain trail. We don’t because it would be too much for Bridget. Passing up hikes is okay.
I choose Bridget over hikes any day!
Colorado turns out to be a great choice for this summer.
It’s interesting to me the different choices made by my crew.
Bridget has always been reserved and contemplative. Reggie has to run, jump, climb . . . . Of course these are not entirely choices. It’s who they are.
Reggie darts here and there to explore; Bridget enjoys a more relaxed experience.
Like most people I regret some of the choices I’ve made in my life.
Choosing to sell my house, give up my vegetable garden, and shed most of my stuff to live and travel in a 17-foot trailer is a choice I’ll never regret!
This scene could be turned into a painting. I choose to photograph it instead.
The rig one chooses can exert a strong influence on where one camps.
One can choose to live large for $40 or more a day.
An RV resort a few miles from our camp
Or one can choose to live small on $9 or less a day.
The Best Little Trailer at Beaver Creek Campground
Neither choice is wrong, as long as the choice fits the person.
“Ready to go home, punkinheads?”
After the pups have a drink, I pop them into the PTV and we head back to camp.
Hmm . . . I could make myself a cheese-lettuce-and-tomato sandwich for supper . . . or maybe scrambled eggs would be good . . . .
rvsue
THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AMAZON FROM MY BLOG!
Let’s see . . . What shall I have? Nuts or berries?
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Hi.
HI, LARRY! CONGRATULATIONS!
Was just stopping by, and there you were.
I do not subscribe to notifications, so it is very rare that if I get close to the top. Still, this is the second time I’ve been first. Well in reality, I guess it’s second because Sue is always first. 🙂
Well, isn’t that a nice thing to say. 🙂
First?
Almost, Claudia… SECOND PLACE TODAY!
You have been near the top several times lately. 🙂
Choices! They make all the difference!
Your comment is a better title for this post…..
I was very happy to see you appear under the previous post, Rachel. Good to know you and Macha are still “out there.” I bet Macha and Reggie would love playing together.
THIRD PLACE TODAY!
Wow, Sue, you are busy posting this week! Love it.
Hi, Renee,
I’m trying to bring this blog up to the present. I don’t like it when it falls behind. I’m happy you’re enjoying the frequent posts. With all these mountains, posts may not be so frequent when we move again…
I appreciate your concern. We are all big fans of yours and understand when there is a gap. We’re ok with it.
🙂
I see no value in that RV park. Not for me anyway. I camped with my dog at a state park this week and it was crowded and noisy. But at least I had trees and Lake Michigan.
Hi, Dawn,
I’m sorry your weekend was crowded and noisy. “trees and Lake Michigan” sounds nice. 🙂
Regarding the RV resort, I have thought many times about how ironic it is that some city dwellers buy an RV so they can get away from the crowded living conditions, then they “camp” in conditions where their neighbors are much closer. As you say, “As long as the choice fits the person….”
It does seem strange, doesn’t it.
Yes, as long as the choice fits. What is not good is when a person chooses a big rig intending to camp in nature and then is forced into a crowded situation.
What really puzzles me is when they chose to vacation in the same places their friends do, so the neighborhood just relocates. But as you say, as long as you make the choice that’s right for you…
Adorable chipmunk/ground squirrel!
Moving the neighborhood… Never thought of it that way!
Hi, Steve….
The choice I made to buy into an Escapee’s Park was due to my
aging condition. I reached a point where travel would no longer
be possible…..
Got a 36′ fiver with 3 slides, moved to a corner lot with great shade
trees and an expansive view!
There are always people who volunteer when help is needed. Help
for elders is always so very wonderful! I had dental surgery 2 days ago and a friend here took me in her car and waited 2 hrs.
to bring me home…
Going to stay home a week…no Happy Hour music by me for
a week…. No one else who plays is here right now so it will be
acapella for the group!!! They do not do that well at all..
Hi, Elizabeth,
Nice seeing you here again! You made excellent choices… a rig that suits your lifestyle and located in a nice spot at an Escapees Park where you can share your music and be surrounded by friends.
I wish you speedy healing from the dental surgery. Good idea to take a break and relax. .. and not hear the acapella singers. Haha!
Elizabeth, so glad you found something that works for you. I would much rather be in your situation than in a home somewhere. I may just do the same some day. Best wishes.
Does anyone know anything about the Escapees RV Park, End of the Rainbow, in Livingston, TX?
Sounds like a good idea to stay put in your RV when you can’t move anymore.
Chuck and I have visited there twice and have friends there who decided to move there permanently 2 years ago. There is an on site medical clinic there and Larry and Mary both volunteer there. It is a quiet park and well taken care of. Hope that helps!
Larry in AR – I completely agree! We camp to get away from everyone and since we are completely self contained, why not?!
Hello rvsueandcrew, breath taking photos today. Transports me right to your campsite. You give us all so much encouragement, can’t wait to start my travels. The choice is ours to make.
Stay safe out there and rock on, Judy
Hi, Judy,
Those of us who can choose this way of life are very fortunate. Not everyone has that choice, but there is always a choice of some sort, whether simply to open the curtains to let the sunshine in.
Happy you like the photos! Thank you.
Thanks for the reminder Sue! It is sometimes stressful to accept all my new limitations, especially now that I am on oxygen 24/7, but it is surprising how much I can do! I just managed an airplane trip to NY and two weeks sleeping on a friends couch. I am really sad about no elevation as I love Colorado and was hoping to spend some time in San Miguel de Allende, but there are many places I can go. And Iwill! I’m spending the next 8 months working and saving, hoping I can buy either a van or Prius in the spring so I can travel in style!
You’re doing so much better than you were a few months ago when you wondered if you’d live to see another day!
Hi Sue! I’m at work so just a quick hello to you and the crew and beautiful Colorado, and what an adorable chipmunk! I guess that’s what he/she is 🙂 Thanks for the post, it makes today a little brighter!
You’re welcome, Linda! I guess we need someone to let us know if it’s a chipmunk or a ground squirrel. I still confuse the two.
Don’t work too hard. 🙂
I am still finding inspiration reading your blog, Sue. Today is my last day at work. I’m excited. I have no definite plans to go full time yet, at least, this year. I’ll be still down sizing my things and looking forward to the open road. Thank you again.
Congratulations Cheryl, it’s a liberating feeling!
HOORAY FOR CHERYL O!!! Retired, at last. Congratulations. I wish you many, many happy years of retirement.
My signature on the Casita Forum includes the line “Retired and Loving It” . Cheryl, I wish the same for you. Even though we don’t full time our Casita lets us take really fun trips to see the country while sleeping in OUR OWN BED.
CONGRATULATIONS, Cheryl O. on your retirement! I’ve got five more years, at minimum. One thing for sure that I will celebrate in preparation for it is my 62nd birthday. You can bet your bottom dollar that I am going to celebrate by purchasing my Senior Pass and I’m going to do it on my actual birthday too!
Great Idea! I got mine on my 62nd birthday at Newberry National Volcanic Monument in central Oregon….at $10 for a lifetime, it is a great investment!
Welcome to the “other” side!
Some people say there will be an adjustment period after retiring. It’s been 15 glorious months for me, no problem…life is good!
Cheers!
Here’s a tip…throw that alarm clock out the window. Adjustment made!
I adjusted as soon as I shut the door on my classroom for the last time.
YIPPEEEEE, I’M FREEEEE!!!
Ha ha. That will be mine too. I’ll be able to paint all day if I want instead of just at night after a long day at work.
It is a wonderful feeling when you retire and downsize in anticipation of hitting the road! Congratulations Cheryl O!!
Sue, love the photos of Colorado! Reminds me of our many trips, camping trips that is, to Colorado when the kids were growing up. It is a beautiful place. I should pack up and return up there sometime soon.
I have commented just a few times, but felt compelled today to add my two cents worth.
Agree that life is full of choices, some we have complete freedom to decide and some forced upon us due to circumstances we feel we have no control over. So philosophical today! Just trying to deal with aging parents and doctor after doctor ordering this test and that test.
While I am here, I send thanks to you, Sue, for inspiration to travel on my own!
Also, love the pups!
You’re absolutely right, Melanie, that we don’t always have complete freedom of choice over our lives. Many of us have responsibilities that we cannot, in good conscience, walk away from.
I’m sorry you and your parents are embroiled in the medical madness. I hope you can find relief and relaxation away from that stress from time to time.
Thank you for the reminder that the range of choices is different from one person to the next. Your options will change after a time. For now, bless you for being a good daughter.
Medical madness. Love that term.
Good morning, Joyce!
Your parents are very fortunate that you are their daughter! Not one of my
3 girls and only son live in the D.C. area and have never been to see me here
in S.E. NM…. I have been here 16 years….
I’m so sorry, Elizabeth. I feel the pain in your post. Do you talk, and do they know your door is open? I assume so… ?
I know how you feel, Elizabeth; my son became almost lost to me once he married a woman from another culture. They do everything her way and I only hear from him occasionally. He’s not upset with me, no lost love, just that he’s entirely wrapped up in her and their children and the lifestyle of her choosing.
It really got me down for the longest time, but then I slowly realized that I was a girl before I was a woman, and I had a life of my own, and no reason why I can’t become that girl again.
Hi
Love this post. Especially the great contrast between your camp and the other. Helped me to confirm my initial choice “to go small.” Beautiful photos again. So serene and soul nourishing. Thank you Sue and Crew.
You’re welcome, Marilyn, and thank you for your comment and compliments.
This post is one of my favorites. That photo that could be a painting is awesome! And, the photo of the campground with RV’s packed in like sardines tells it all. You have a great eye for what makes a great photo!
I am working toward cleaning out my house to sell it, retire in November and then buy some kind of an RV or Camper and get exploring all the places out west I have always dreamed of going to see. I have lived in the northeast my whole life, and though it’s beautiful here too, a change of scenery is over due. and your saying you have never regretted your decision clears the little and few doubts I may have. Thanks Sue for all your inspiration!
Hi, Marlene,
I love it when someone says a post is one of their favorites!
About the photo of the RV resort…. Colorado is very green, especially where we are now. Trees everywhere, green grass. I’m riding along on the curvy road that is Route 160 south of South Fork when I come around a curve to be startled by that sea of white RVs. I had to pull over and take the pic!
Best wishes as you put your house up for sale, reach retirement, and shop for a home-on-wheels. Big events ahead for you, Marlene!
Good morning Sue,
Beautiful choices. Love your reading room. Okay, okay, I love all of your pictures. LOL
Deena and Miss Mollie
Cute comment, Deena. BTW, I was touched by your message regarding our 5 years on the road…
Choices are so much easier now that I am semiretired. It’s my choice to work part-time at a very non-demanding job that I greatly enjoy. After 7 years I’m still liking my unstructured life! A penny for your thoughts, Miss Bridget.
Hi, Susan,
Good point— Choices are easier when time is your own!
I’m glad you enjoy your work… That’s a gift.
Hi Sue & Crew,
Life is full of choices. Some turn out ok, some don’t. I like to think that I learn something either way. Sharing you choice of life style sure gives many of us the courage to try alternative life changes. Thank you.
Really enjoy your pictures.
Wise words, Judith! I like your philosophy. 🙂
Hi Sue, congrats on 5 years! I enjoy your blog so much; indeed it has given me focus during my recovery and rehab; every post providing a sanguine diversion and fueling my scenario of full-timing.
Indeed I may have found the perfect rig. It’s an airport shuttle with a wheelchair lift and an automatic door, so after I load up I don’t have to go around and close the lift door. I will need to take out the seats and set it up, but it’s all doable and much better than a w/c van that you can’t stand up in. I’m also in touch with a rat terrier rescue group.
Chey, what a wonderful find! I love it! It sounds perfect!
You are amazing. There are folks who can’t gather up the gumption to try new things and here you are, coming out of the hospital, learning to use a prosthetic, and planning a life of adventure on the road! People say I’m an inspiration. I point them toward YOU, Chey. Wow.
Thank you for coming here with updates. I enjoy hearing from you so much. Let us know if you get that van!
Oh, I almost forgot… You’re thinking about a rat terrier! You KNOW I approve. 🙂
So happy to hear you found the right rig Chey!! On days when I can’t get out of my own way I will think of you!
Chey, So exciting about your possible rig. Who’d have known? Creative thinking and an open mind on your part. Keep us up to date.
Perfect example of necessity being the mother of invention. No whining or excuse-making with you. I love it. Congratulations on finding the mode of transportation that works for you and best wishes for the future.
Your pictures as always are so much fun! Its interesting how you think being in an rv park is peaceful then you look at your picture and go what the hell.
Have you thought of a backpack for Reggie, not the kind she wears but the kind You do! the reason I mention it is that I have a Bird. With out going into the very long explanations of what its like to have a bird as a pet, My situation was she has to come or I can’t go! So now she hikes and bikes with me while she sits on my back in her backpack. Just a thought.. If there was a way to put a picture in here I would share it with you
I’ve read your second sentence three times and each time I bust out laughing. So funny!!! It’s true. Oh, Lori, thanks for giving me a cramp in my side… 🙂
Seriously though, not all RV parks are the same. Some provide very convenient, comfortable living. Even the park in that photo suits some folks — I imagine those who love to socialize and have all the amenities.
Re the backback… Did you mean for me to carry Bridget on my back? Not going to happen. She weighs around 26 pounds. Not exactly birdlike! Haha…
I’ll take choice # 2 anytime.
Hi, Dave…. 🙂
I’ve been enjoying all your recent posts Sue. I like the way you look at choices. Your post about advice to women travelling alone, or even, I find, with another woman, which is how I travel, is spot on. I love the way you handle it. I may be a teensy bit more abrupt in responding to being stereotyped :/
I’m out and about with the truck and canopy camper this summer and also enjoying being in my studio, walking Charley the dog and planning a two week trip in September then a 3 month road trip down to Arizona in December and a Spring and Summer trip across Canada and parts of the US next summer. The canopy camper will be replaced with a fibreglass truck camper made by Tufport here in Vancouver in the fall. Really looking forward to that.
I like to road trip and camp mostly in the off season and on weekdays in summer because of those crowds you speak of. Those are choices I’m able to make right now.
Your reading room is devine, I always have one of those when I travel.
Hi, Elaine,
Great comment chuck full of interesting stuff to read! What is a “canopy camper?” I want to look up Tufport campers but my connection won’t let me.
You’re right… Weekends and holidays in the summer are difficult for campers who don’t care for crowds and craziness. Sounds like you have a good balance in your life, doing what you love to do. Big plans ahead— Fun choices!
The canopy is high Leer cap on the bed of the Toyota Tacoma with beds and storage built under it turning it into what I call a canopy (another word for cap) camper.. Yes big plans, life is big!
Thanks, Elaine, for describing it for me.
I seldom comment, but for some reason today I want to thank you for sharing your trip AND join you in saying the $9 per day is by far the best choice BUT not for the cost. Have a blessed day.
Sherry
You’re welcome, Sherry,
Good to hear from you! I’m not sure I understand… You think $9 is too high for a camp with trash pick-up, water, toilet, an on-site camp host, and located in one of the most popular areas of Colorado? And with internet signal available? I suppose it’s a matter of perspective. Would be nice if it were free…
LATER… Sorry, I misunderstood your comment (See reply to Cynthia).
I think Sherry might have been saying that the $9 per day sites are the best choice NOT because they’re cheap, but because they’re so pretty and less crowded. At least that’s the way I read it??
Oh, I apologize to Sherry…. Sorry, Sherry, I think Cynthia is right. I misunderstood your comment.
I bet she meant that the cost wasn’t the reason $9 per day site is the best choice. Considering that you’re in Colorado in the Summer, $9 is a great deal. And I’ll take the $9 site any day over the parking lot.
I read Sherry’s comment to mean that your beautiful location was what made it the best choice, the $9 was just a bonus. Of course, I could be wrong, but that’s what I thought she meant.
Your picture of your sweet little trailer all alone is very inviting. Makes me want to hit the road and find a similar place to just hang out and chill.
Hi, Pamela,
You noticed how cute the BLT is, sitting in her camp site. 🙂 I like that photo, too.
Hope you can “hang out and chill” in a place that you love!
Beautiful photos as always. I agree that choices are an individual matter. Some people only feel comfortable around other people, while some prefer the more solitary life. I am a mix – sometimes I enjoy being with my friends and family, but I also value and need my alone time.
Thank you for showing us it is possible to be out in nature alone and enjoy it. Hugs to Reggie and Miss Bridget!
You’re welcome, Cari. Thanks regarding the photos…
Hugs will be delivered as soon as naptime is over!
I loved the photo captioned “South Fork of Rio Grande” because it was so pretty and it was so appropriate for the subject of this post: choices. Looking at the flow of water, it seems like the river made choices to turn this way and then another way; it didn’t just travel straight downhill ignoring every rock or clump of greenery it encountered along the way.
We travel in a fairly large Class A and it has some disadvantages – there are places it won’t fit and roads over which it just can’t go. We try to avoid the crowded RV parks and luckily, can travel during non-peak vacation months when state and national parks are not as crowded.
I forgot to say Happy Anniversary the other day when I was posting about Propane Man and it occurred to me since then that you have really done a great service for many people Sue, and in a way, for our country. I’ve always wondered why so many Americans want to spend so much money traveling to Europe and other distant places to see crowded tourist sites. We have such a huge, beautiful country here it seems silly to me to run off to see foreign lands before one has really explored their own land. (I did go to England and Ireland but honestly, I probably could have seen the sites just as well on Nat Geo for a lot less money!) As I read through the comments I see how many people have been inspired by your blog to get out and explore America, which is a good thing. So, happy late anniversary to all of the crew:)
Thank you, Cynthia, for a lovely message along with the anniversary wish for me and the crew. I agree wholeheartedly about traveling one’s own country. There is so much to enjoy and appreciate in the U.S.
I love the connection you made between the theme of this post and the way South Fork of the Rio Grande flows around obstacles in its path… I wish I’d thought of that. 🙂
Love,love,love your photos!!! That chipmunk is adorable too!!! and I am with you on living the small life!!
Hugs to you and the sweet crew!!!
Thanks, Betty-Shea,
That chipmunk was a big surprise when I opened up that photo this morning. The chipmunk was at least 30 feet away so I didn’t expect the photo to be something I could post. I love the way his/her paws are held up and folded…
Choices. Yes, that RV park has no appeal to me at all. Even at home, when I look out my windows I see only garden, grass and trees. I have a friend that said she could never feel comfortable living in a place where she couldn’t see neighbors. I also heard someone say once that the thought of living in a single family home was terrifying, she was a high rise city dweller. To each their own.
This was truly a beautiful post. Some of your loveliest pics. Yesterday’s horses were wonderful, too. Yes, Colorado was a great choice for you this summer.
I’ve known people like that, too. Hard to understand, but, like you say, to each their own.
Thanks for the compliments on the post and photos, Applegirl. It’s nice that they are appreciated.
Not feeling up to snuff today, but was happy to see a new post as it always so interesting. My word, but that RV park looks like a parking lot. I would not enjoy that at all. $9 for well kept area seems reasonable. Especially garbage pick up and internet. Belly rubs, hugs, and prayers.
Hi, retiredcajunlady,
An internet connection is available, is what I meant, not provided.
I hope whatever ails you today is gone soon. Prayers for you, too.
A few moments ago I read about the loss of life and devastation in your state, rcl. No wonder you’re not “up to snuff.” Such a tragedy, heartache, and hardship for many.
Luckily, my area in northern Terrebonne Parish, didn’t flood. We did have tons of rain, but not at all like the Baton Rouge area and those parishes north of the lake. It is such a tragedy and hardship for all those affected. As more and more of our coastline washes away, the flood zones move farther north. Quite a few family and friends were affected, but thankfully are safe now. Thank you for mentioning it here in the blog.
As for me, I have been having symptoms of ulcerative colitis again and my psoriasis is beginning to flare (even while I am taking Enbrel shots and using a super strong topical). I am hoping this flare is a short one.
Take care, Sue, and thanks again..
Oh my. What a nightmare. My friend Jean lives in Baton Rouge but was spared the major flooding. Sorry to hear you are under the weather 🙁 You should try Bag Balm for your psoriasis. I used to be the accountant at Bag Balm and MANY people called in to tell us they tried EVERYTHING for it but Bag Balm was the only thing that worked.
I will have to try that on my flare ups! Thanks for the hint!
Loved this post and its pictures. Was very comforting on a sad day here in Rienzi, MS. A dear lady of our community and church died unexpectedly this morning. She was my friend. Your quiet post and wonderful nature pictures gave me what I needed. The Lord is good.
Love to you, My dear Sister
I’m sorry, Pauline, that your friend has passed. Sending you lots of love…
I didn’t get a chance to respond the other day but congratulations on your 5 year anniversary of best little trailer living. And thank YOU for sharing the journey with all of us!
I wanted to ask about the photos, I think in that same post, showing Reggie zoom-zooming and later playing with Froggie. I couldn’t see Reggie’s leash in those last couple photos and wondered if you were now were able to let him off leash occasionally when outside.
Hi, Barb,
That thin yellow leash doesn’t always show up well in photos. Reggie wears his leash all the time, except for the rare times when he gets away. He did run around free at that camp on that day of the Froggy photo. I didn’t hook the tether’s latch well. I let him run for a while until he headed down over the bank toward the gorge. I called him back and he came running up the slope. Whew! So maybe during that photo he was off-leash. I don’t remember. To answer your question, I never let him off-leash on purpose.
Thanks for the congratulations, Barb.
Hi Sue,
After looking at the campground picture and then the BLT picture you made the right choice to go small. Going to do the same here as 62 rapidly approaches. That campground looked way too crowded.
Do you see many full timers in an Aliner? I am looking to go small and simple when my turn comes.
Glad you are enjoying Colorado!
Norman
Hi, Norman,
I see Aliners from time to time, yet haven’t spoken with any Aliner owners to know if they are full-timers. Don’t you have to “put up” the A in order to go inside? That would be a drawback for full-timing as there’s a benefit to being able to simply open a door and step inside. Obviously I don’t know much about Aliners…
Blogorinos: Any thoughts about or experience with full-timing in an Aliner?
Looked a lot at that type of trailer early on. Now so glad I have my scamp. So much easier to set up as you know sue.
The is a lady who comments here occasionally who full times in hers. She has a blog called. Little bitty living.. I owned an Aliner for a few years myself and did like it. An organized person could probably manage in it, not me though?
This post has such nice photos and an interesting theme. I really enjoyed each of subjects that you used to carry it through , too. One often hears that people regret some choices they made in life. Long ago I was feeling badly about one that I’d made. As I sat praying about it I heard an answer, in the form of a thought. It was “Think of the exact condition and situation you were in right then.” Doing that I realized , in fact, I’d done the best I could. Also, that everyone involved grew and learned from it. I can’t tell you how profoundly that process has brought peace, joy and wisdom to my life. Choices, decisions , and exercising or foregoing options – the whole subject – became easier on my entire being after that answer to prayer became part of my life, no matter what the outcome was.
Hi, weather,
I have those regrets because I’m looking at the decisions I made from the point of view of who I am now. Like you, I know I did my best and now I’m aware of influences of the past that wouldn’t have power over me at this point in my life. Live and learn. Still, I can’t help but wonder sometimes how different my life could’ve been if I’d been wiser. Oh well, the road was rutted with many sharp rocks but it got me here where I’m supposed to be and where I’m happy.
Thank you for your message … of benefit to me and to many readers, I’m sure. I feel we should all hold ourselves accountable for our decisions and actions, but also remember not to be too hard on ourselves. Doing the best you can is the best you can do! Ha!
It’s called Grace. We all need it.
🙂
Hi, Sue, I hope you and the crew are enjoying your surroundings and each other. My family is in town and I’ve been busy, yet thought I’d at last take a minute to say good morning 🙂
Good morning, weather. You’re very thoughtful. Have a wonderful day with your family.
A picture is worth a thousand words!
I like your camping choices. I drove this route just a few days ago. Do not understand all these people parking next to each other in the RV park. With 400 + other people. Crazy!
Hi, Marysia,
I agree, although I’m trying to see it from the point of view of the RVers at that park. Maybe they love the closeness. (Ugh) Maybe they don’t possess the concept of “camping,” as in “simple living surrounded by nature,” or it is abhorrent to them just as the RV resort is to me. Maybe they prefer to live in an apartment complex, feeling secure with neighbors and making new friends. It’s like another universe to me. I try not to be judgmental because I obviously have no clue what motivates folks to fork over $40 or more a night to live like that.
Obviously there is a demand for that RV “resort” or it wouldn’t be wall-to-wall RVs!
Great blog & pixs. LOVED the horses in last post. Cute little chipmunkey ☺
“Chipmunkey!” How cute!
I love your blog and pictures. You inspire me in soooo many ways. thank you
You’re welcome, Vickie. I’m wondering where you are, generally, not specifically. I’m glad you enjoy my blog and photos.
Sue, we were out exploring and ran across you at Beaver Creek..might have been the day you arrived. There were four of us, we stopped to use the loo, and we left quickly before our resolve to let you keep your space broke down. Tried not to stare….but you ARE kind of a boondocked celebrity!
Oh boy, I’m sure you caught me looking like hell. Oh well, I appreciate your respect for my privacy, Lynne.
As a fulltimer that ‘camps’ in RV Parks year around I thought I would add my 2 cents to this discussion. Almost everyone one has focused on the $40/night vs $9/night but in my quick scan of all the comments I did not see and discussion that included monthly rates.
I went on-line and select a South Fork RV Park that I remembered seeing a few days ago that looked a lot like what Sue has pictured. There is NO way I would stay in a Park like that however the park that I selected has a posted rate of $34/night with a July/August monthly rate of $525 or $16.93/night or cheaper than a lot of the camps that Sue uses IF you do NOT have a Geezer Card. That same Park monthly rates for all other months is $475 or $15.32/night.
As many have said it is all about how you ‘want’ to live or in some cases how you are ‘forced’ to live. There are some people that are boondocking as fulltimes that do not move very much simply because they can not afford to live any other way.
I live the way I do because I enjoy having a different front/back yard every month or two and I get to do it for less than a sticks-n-bricks apartment would cost. That means I’m NOT paying $40/night!
Good information, Ed. Thanks for sharing. What I didn’t include in this post or in subsequent discussion is what I learned from a fellow camper who used to camp at that RV park for many summers before it became crowded. She told me the monthly RVers are in the back (not in the frame) which leads me to the assumption that the RVers in the frame are NOT there on a monthly basis. She also told me the daily rate is $41. i don’t know if there is a weekly rate.
Just the same… Thanks for adding some balance to this conversation. I am not criticizing RV parks nor the people who utilize them. I may find them right for me someday.
Sue,. Beware of Moose, they are in Creed area and higher Especially with your dogs keep an eye out for them. Also Labor Day weekend, there will be probably 500+ motorcycles on Hiwa 285 coming from North headed to Pagosa, Durango and Ignacio so go hide. Then they head back Monday/Tuesday.
Some Denver news is forecasting snow in high elevation this weekend 8/19-8/22, above 11000 ft., bundle up with that new comforter.
Enjoy, Bob
You are very thoughtful and helpful, Bob! I did not know about any of this and I need to be aware! I haven’t a plan yet for Labor Day weekend. I guess I’d better come up with one or I’ll have a miserable four days.
Crowds, snow, bikers and moose. Good heavens. 🙂
Really liking this post Sue. I know my choice would be the second camp. My dog would never stop barking in the crowded RV resort….”too close for comfort”
Tossing around some choices myself. My mom 94, is being cared for in LTC home…I am her only child. 70 & husband 73….I visit her twice a week. I am thinking of taking 2 months or 3…Leave here mid January head straight down south to warmth, then head toward AZ. I am afraid if we wait too long to go somewhere we might not get the chance at all. I would feel guilty leaving her, but my daughter visits her every Sunday and that helps….have been thinking of this for weeks now. I really want to see the southwest.
I have been watching the best you tube videos of a young couple travelling in their Airstream….they have a blog too, I just like their videos & their Facebook page.
called. “The more we explore” I was saying to my husband yesterday…if I watch many more of their videos, I will be selling everything we own LOL. Same as I decided to sell the Aliner after spending an afternoon catching up on all the posts you had written before I discovered your blog. On my “bookmarks”. you are first, then Bayfield Bunch
next. I check both daily?.
You are in a tough spot, Val, and I wouldn’t advise you what to do. When your mother was younger and not as dependent, ask yourself what she would want you to do. I’m glad you have a compassionate daughter who can take your place.
Thank you for bookmarking my blog and for commenting regularly. Best wishes, whatever you decide…
I’m looking like Captain Sparrow tonight…had cataract surgery this afternoon. Yes, lots of choices out there. My choice is to stay stationary in my small house and travel when I want to. I love my morning showers, coffee, reading blogs, emails, playing games on the web, love that I can putter around the house and yard. I like familiar things around me i.e. shopping centers, grocery stores, pet stores, retail stores, second hand stores, etc, etc, etc. I love to hike the mountain trails in the city or along the Rio Salado trail. I see lots of different wild life while walking. However, I do love to read what others are doing and it’s like visiting a friend who tells you about their trip…love that.
Hi, Rita,
I’m glad your surgery is over and now you can heal and see better!
Thanks for adding another choice to this discussion. It comes across clearly in your writing that you have made the right choices for you. You enjoy the way you’ve shaped your lifestyle. Good for you!
I hope you aren’t uncomfortable from the surgery. Sleep well…
Read the post but not the comments, yet. I would choose Angel, in your case Bridget, over hikes as well. By the looks of that RV resort, with every one packed together, your site looks much more serene and beautiful. I would choose your lifestyle at $9.00 per day easily, plus I am very frugal. My mom used to tell her friends that her oldest daughter would “Squeeze a nickel until the buffalo hollered.” My response was, ” Yeah, I’m just like you; I learned my lessons well.”
If I were full-filling my RV dream, I would not have been shampooing carpets today. I am beat! Your post was a nice relaxing end to my day. Thank you, Sue and crew.
You’re welcome, Barbara. Now that the carpets are clean and fresh, I hope you can find time to relax today.
Hi gang! I’m home again from my trip to NY. Back in my tiny house in Tucson. I’m resting. It will probably take me several days of resting to feel like myself again.
I love travel but it is exhausting. This is why I hope I can either have a van or a Prius by next year. Prius camping is quite popular now, because you can run your Prius all night (it’s electric) with no danger and sleep in air conditioned comfort! So I’m now considering either a Prius or a van so I can travel and camp, and stay in it when I get to NY. I also need to plug in my cpap and if you can run your car all night I can probably plug into 12 volt.
I had a great time inNY and learned lots of stuff. Saw lots of people. I hope I can go for a longer time next year. But now it’s back to my rehab, my med appts, and my life here.
Just wanted to check in and say hello to all!
Happy to hear you are doing well DG!
Hi, Ginger,
While you were busy in New York, Virginia asked blogorinos for information regarding travel with oxygen tanks as they are planning a trip and her husband needs to bring oxygen.
I’m assuming she meant plane travel. I don’t know if they’ve left yet.
DG, you might want to check out Roxanne’s blog, Good Luck Duck . She travels and camps in her Prius and even has a tent that attaches to he back of the open hatch area!
Spectacular views. You and the crew are living large!!!
Hi, Rose…. Yes, in some ways we are!
Too cute!! Love the pics!!
I’m glad you do, Sandy. Thanks!
I’m with you – $9 and some peace and quiet!
Just spent two weeks in the Great Western Desert (Utah) – it was so quiet you could hear the air….. In fact, it was so quiet you could hear the rain fall, even if it never hit the ground. Loved it, but had to come back and cool off.
My eurovan camper (still working on a nickname) will be ready for boondocking this next season, as I have a few more fix it items – then we’re off to Alaska. Ya, I live in Los Anchorage.
Thanks again for the photos and taking the time to share with the rest of us!
Don
You’re welcome, Don. You remind me to explore more of Nevada. What I experienced I did enjoy.
Have a safe, fun trip back to Alaska!
I say call the van, “Vanna.” 🙂
I remember the hot springs you found there! Yes, I am ready for more Nevada explorations! LOL!
If you get to the Great Western desert, fall is a great time of the year. The Great Basin area is perfect for off-road boondocking as the BLM does a decent job of road maintenance. Many hot springs are (dirt) road accessible but with little to no traffic outside of the weekends.
I check your site regularly, just the photos alone are worth the stop – again, my thanks as your photos are a chance to see my old stomping grounds without a 4 to 7 hour plane ride.
As far as the van – right now I refer to it as the “whale” as in Great White Whale. At 17 feet long, it isn’t my old Campmobile (1971 VW pop-top) and I’m finding that my ‘fix-it’ items, while seeming to be minor – are both expensive and a bit more complicated owing to German over-engineering.
Best of luck on your journey and I look forward to the next installment on your journey thru life and the western US…..
Hi, Don,
I’m curious why you feel that fall is a great time to be in the Great Western Desert of Nevada. Is it because of air temperature alone? Or is there fall color on the mountains?
You’re calling 17 feet a “whale?” That gave me a chuckle. Good luck with your projects on it. Thanks for visiting my blog and for sharing some of yourself here.
Fall is best time because it is in-between the summer monsoons (Aug-Sept) and the snow & nasty cold weather.
Lehman’s Cave, a popular spot to visit is at 2080M (8825 ft MSL) so can be very cold in the winter.
If you visit historic Cove Fort (near Beaver UT) you find the weather a bit warmer, but at 5, 902 FT MSL) it can be pretty cool at night. Out on the desert, with no trees around, it can be a challenge to stay warm if the wind comes up.
There are tons of travel and camping information on the web for the entire area. It’s a beautiful area most folks just drive through to get to more popular places like Capital Reefs or Zion Canyon.
dek
Thanks for the reply and additional information, Don. Hey, we were at Cove Fort! We didn’t tour it but we drove by it and I posted a photo or two. Another year we took our time driving south to north through eastern Nevada. That’s when I had my first hot springs experience… (Dave Deacon Campground). You’re right… Most people drive right through, as if it’s empty desert with nothing to offer. Several readers changed their thinking after seeing and reading about our trip through Nevada.
I agree… It’s beautiful. Oh, I didn’t mention the Ruby Mountains, one of the most beautiful places on earth! I want to go back!
Thanks for being here in Blogorino-land, Sue. Your positive philosophical posts always cheer me up. Like Melanie, farther up in the thread, I am responsible for an aging parent, but when that time is done, I will know I did my best for my mom, and I will be ready to set out on my own journey because I have been taking notes from the best!
In the meantime, I read your posts to her. She so enjoys the Crew’s antics and photos.
I could step right into that 5th photo. That creek is beckoning the adventurous to follow it! Hugs to you and also to Miss Bridget and Reggie-man!
Hi, Paula, another devoted daughter…. 🙂
I’ll think of you reading my posts to your mother when I write about the crew soon. Best wishes as you plan and prepare for the next stage of your life!
You are an exceptionally wise woman Sue.
So many choices, so many roads, some taken some not taken all of which brought us to where we are today. I sometimes think of all the coincidences in my life that have led to so many of those forks in the road. I just try to remember that all of them brought me to where I am which is a pretty happy place.
But the choice of a pretty mountain hike or spending time with a companion that loves you unconditionally forever and ever and makes your heart go skippity skip ever time you look into those big brown eyes. Well, that one’s easy.
Sorry I haven’t commented of late I just got caught back up reading the past few weeks of posts as I’ve been off on an adventure, still have to try to read as much as I can of the comments. So much happens here in so short a period of time. But I’ll have to try to do that when it’s not 2:00 in the morning and I’ve been driving all day. Oh, and happy birthday to the BLT.
Hi, Rick,
I do miss you when you’re not here for a while, as do others who have become accustomed and fond of your comments. This time I didn’t worry because I recalled you saying that your life becomes very busy at times.
Thanks for the happy birthday wish for the BLT and for taking the time to keep your blogorino membership active. Be well be safe, and be happy…
Rick!!
You were missed!!!! 🙂
Thanks Gal, it was actually a great adventure. A friend had planned a 3 week fishing trip into Northern Ontario. The kind where you fly into a lake on a float plane, stay at a lodge and get picked up later. At the last minute one of the folks he was going with had to cancel when his wife became ill. So he called and basically asked “Do you want to go to Ontario for 3 weeks all expense paid? We leave in 36 hours.”
So thanks to a VERY understanding boss and girlfriend off I went. It was amazing. Apparently everyone who goes there goes for the fishing and never travels far from the lake. Not being as big a fisherperson as my companions one day I went off on my own for a hike.
Within 20 minutes the only trails were game trails through virgin forest. After hiking for a couple hours it dawned on me that it was entirely possible that I was the first human to ever set foot in the area. Very cool feeling.
Love the chipmunk photo and the caption is perfect. I put it in my computer background slide show. 🙂
Great, Mick! He is a cutie!
Well to comment on Rv parks….I live in one. Pay annually. Of course my Rv isn’t really mobile. You can move park models but you have to have a flat bed truck and a permit. However I like my park and dont think it’s too crowded. If I ever have a van, I will probably stay in the occasional Rv park but the cost is prohibitive, I’m thinking state parks sound a lot better. Not sure how much I would boon dock as I am more social than Sue. Plus my health is more tenuous. Lots of things to consider in where you stay.
You’re right, Ginger. It’s good that there are many choices since we don’t all have the same requirements or preferences. I like the area you chose for your Arizona home.
It’s going to be 108 degrees F here in Grants Pass Oregon today. Yuma Arizona is cooler than here! Say instead of a hike how about a swim for the kids and you too. I was once told that swimming is the best exercise there is. So build a little swimming pool with rocks and enjoy.
Whoa! 108 degrees! Aw, Joe, you’re used to those temps, coming from Arizona…
We were cold this morning! Rain every day for several days makes for a damp morning. It has warmed up, now that it’s almost noon, but not enough for swimming in a creek, which, BTW, already has a swimming pool that someone made with rocks.
When we have a warmer day, I’m in there!
Rocky Ford melons are now in season here in Colorado!! YUMMY
I am very happy that you have enjoyed Colorado this summer, it is a really lovely place to be.
Ooooo. I miss the Rocky Ford produce. And Venitucci corn. And Western Slope tree fruit.
Hi, Candace… Oh, darn… I saw some cantaloupes today and passed them by since they aren’t a fruit I prefer. I wonder if they were Rocky Fords…
Look for Palisade peaches or Olathe Sweet corn if one of those appeal to you. Both in season now. : )
Finished eating Olathe sweet corn a few minutes ago…. very good!
Life throws a lot of curves at you .
I lost my lady 1` month ago.
I guess I have a different view of boondocks and rv parks. At times I need the solitude and just enjoy the natural world. But at other times I need folks around to keep me grounded during this time,even if it is just a conversation about the weather.
Slowly but surely I am starting to downsize ,I will be full time, I sort and get rid of things until the walls start closing in and then hop in the Casita and go for a few days.
So like they say different strokes for different folks.
I was in your neck of the woods last week around Pagosa.
Oh and I started reading your blog about a month into your adventure, enjoy it daily
Ron
Hi, Ron,
Do you mean your wife, the artist, passed away? I am so sorry for your loss, Ron. Do whatever you need to do, go wherever you need to go in your Casita in order to cope. I remember how difficult it was for you to let go of your pal, Magoo, a few months ago, I think it was, so this has been a painful time for you. I wish you better days.
Yes, you’ve been with me and the crew for a long time. I appreciate you being here. Take care.
Happy Friday Sue!
It seems summer has finally arrived here. It will be 100* + for the next few days. It had been around the 70’s for most of the season so far. My feline and I will be seeking respite from the heat by frequent mistings under the garden hose or spray bottle. Thorough head soakings and a few well placed, soaked towels about the body. A well placed fan and I’m set. Your photos will give me a mental escape as I visualize the coolness and quiet burbling of that stream.
Perhaps you have moved your continuous adventure to another new campsite by now. I recall trying to camp in late fall after snow then melt then freeze. Other road users drove on the mud, made ruts and the ruts frozen hard. Almost impossible to traverse. Don’t know why that memory came to the forefront. Maybe just searching for a cooler mindset.
Wishing you star speckled nights and wildflower days.
Happy Friday to you, too, Maple Valley gal! Thanks for the lovely wish for our nights and days…
Hope you and your kitty can keep cool through your Washington heat wave. As for me and the crew, we just came in from sitting in the sun, wanting to get the chill out of our bones after a damp, cool morning. Yeah, I know about those ruts… 🙁
Picture #5 is my new desktop. Missy, you have become a very good photographer. I enjoyed all the posts today and was sorry at Ron in Texas’s news of his wife passing. I never know how to treat that, I know words cannot help. I wish Ron healing and recovery. Sad indeed. I look at my own treasure (Detta) daily and in the back of my mind think what would I ever do without her. We’ve been best friends and lovers for more than 44 years (after both of us made mistakes with others). You look like you are still having new adventures daily and the crew are leading lives that any little dog would love. I can only sit here and enjoy these new places with you through your blog and it was just so thoughtful of you to provide this place to fill our imaginations with new sites daily. Keep those wheels turning Missy…
Hi, Jim,
It is hard to know what to say when words are inadequate and we really cannot know what another person is going through. I know you treasure your Detta as she does you. You don’t need me to tell you to cherish each day.
Yeah, the crew and I are having a good summer. Funny how I thought this morning that I will enjoy returning to the desert for the winter. It’s all good, wherever our wheels take us.
This blog is more satisfying knowing there’s a guy in Arizona, who loves his wife and cares for hummingbirds, reading what I write and enjoying my photos. Hugs to you both from Missy…
My only advice is plan for tomorrow and cherish today.
Ron
Finally catching up to you! Whew! I got behind in my reading. We had to go to Panama City for Chuck’s Doc’s visit this week and that is an all day affair. Seems he will be having surgery on a pinched nerve near his elbow. He has lost the ability to grasp and hold anything with his right hand so I hope this will help!
It had been HOT and HUMID here and hard to get any ambition to do anything besides mope and complain about heat and humidity! hahaha!
Here is another excuse about getting behind on your last 3 blogs… MediaCom is doing some upgrades here and we lose several hours per day of internet service while they are upgrading!
I want you to know how much I have enjoyed spending this summer with you in Colorado! Each blog seems better than the one before it and the photography just adds wings to my imagination of what it must be like to be there. Always love photos of the Crew though. and the one of Reggie doing zoomies and playing with green froggie cracked me up! Hug those babies from us and know you are loved!
Such a fun note, Geri! I feel like we’re sitting together, enjoying each other’s company. I’m glad you have enjoyed our wandering in Colorado and the antics of the crew.
It must have been scary for Chuck to lose the ability to grasp with his right hand. Good news that it can be fixed!
I’ve been to Panama City, a long time ago. That’s where the young people from the Univ. of Georgia go on spring break… At least they did several years ago.
Hope you get some relief from the heat and humidity…
I sincerely hope we can get together again and just jabber away like a couple of old magpies with nothing better to do!
When planning this life I thought we would choose boondocking and after 15 months full time we have chosen parks almost exclusively. Looking back I’m surprised at this choice, but it’s working for us just fine. Love the painting photo!
Good morning, Jodee,
The important thing is you find what you like best and RV that way. Learning why parks are your choice over boondocking (or dispersed camping or dry camping) would be helpful for some readers. Care to share here?
May be too late for anyone to catch this. We tend to spend our days away from camp, visiting local sights, auto-hiking through the country to see what new areas have to offer, learning how people live in different parts of the country, etc. I can count on one hand the number of picnic tables we’ve sat at where we’re parked, because we’re usually out and about. Also we don’t have solar and with the residential fridge we have to run the generator a couple times a day which I really don’t like – especially if others are anywhere nearby that we would bother. So, we just got used to staying in rv parks and find it works fine for how we’re living. I think if we get solar we’ll camp differently but for now there’s plenty to see on our day trips.
Yes, solar is a big factor, perfectly suited for boondocking. You’ve found a way to enjoy RVing. That’s what’s important!
I’m very thankful for the many choices in life. Each one is mine. Everyone else has there own sometimes they interweave but still our own. Thank God
I’d wager your choices were better than mine, Ronda. Oh well, life is a learning experience. One thing I learned is it’s not a good plan to marry a sociopath. Haha!
?that is definitely a good plan.
I have had some tough decisions but yes over all probably better than most. I have had a blessed life! I’m a missionary kid who’s lived in 5 states, 5 countries, and visited 33 countries. My dad saved $ hoping to send 3 kids to college. However, the military sent one brother to college the other only took a few Jr. College classes. I finished college with debt for just one semester! I’ve had a rewarding career saving lives and homes, one rope rescue class I got to Lead Climb to the light on the top of the Space Needle and hang from the rafters in Qwest Field. I have an AWESOME husband who I wasn’t even looking for. I was “Miss Independent”.
I am very blessed and thankful everyday. So what if I lost my hearing and subsequently my beloved career. I still have my wonderful family and friends and pets and home and now a travel trailer…..and I’m doing interesting work I probably never would have done if not forced to change. Now I’m looking forward to the next choice.
Oh good my commenting powers are back. I tried to thank you and Steve for your comments on the young family and the big fir but it wouldn’t go through.
Sue: I hope you have a lovely day on Sunday filled with happy memories. I will be thinking of him and smiling. I do hope they have shallow ponds and gentle streams in Heaven for him.
And he’s made friends with the bovines there… 🙂 Thanks, Cynthia.
Hi! RVSue and Crew!
I’ve often stayed humbly at a parking lot of Truck Stop or Wal-mart where I’ve chosen not intuitive but with my acumen. Boondocking, hotels, RV parks, RV resorts, of course, without time-consuming to search while on the road. I’ve savored many place through our overnight camping.
In hindsight, I might have traveld daftly and deftly under my modest budget.
RV travel leaves us a wider range of choice than another way like tent-camping or car travel. But not leave me any choice of country where I’m born in. If I were … in the US.
Have a good day!
Hi Sue n Crew! Love your reading room! Congrats on 5 years! Safe travels, Chuck
Hi, Chuck! Thank you!
Yum! Love lettuce, cheese, tomato & mayo sandwiches! Re camping; we like a bit of everything. At times we enjoy being isolated by boondocking. We like the “free” rent in casino parking lots. Other times we like a good RV park like the one we are in now. Beautiful scenery with hookups— takes worry out of C-PAP usage. Additionally we meet many very nice folks. But we tend to camp next to geezers like us with similar likes. We just appreciate the ability to do what we enjoy while we still can.
Knock. Knock.
Who’s there?
Amos.
Amos who?
Amos quito just bit me!
Knock. Knock.
Who’s there?
Andy.
Andy who?
Andy just bit me again!
🙂 😉 😀 😛
Heres one I love.
Knock knock
Who’s there?
Interrupting cow!
Interrupting co-
MOOOOOOO!
I know -pretty goofy.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE!
I’m working on a new post. It will be a while before it’s ready. The connection was slow again this morning, so slow that I gave up trying to put a post together at camp. We are in a parking lot in town where I plan to upload photos.
I apologize for not replying individually to every comment.
Bye for now,
Sue