Saturday, April 26
Dark storm clouds move over our camp at the edge of the San Rafael Reef in central Utah. I stow the camp chair in the Perfect Tow Vehicle and hunker down with Bridget and Spike inside the Best Little Trailer.
Hmm . . . Should I take down the antenna?
I watch and wait for any sign of electrical activity. No thunder. No lightning. The wind rocks the BLT. Soon rain pelts the windows, followed by a drumming by pea-sized hail. The air temperature has dropped dramatically since yesterday, the day we arrived at this splendid camp overlooking Temple Canyon.
The photos in this post were taken prior to the storm’s arrival. A wonderful thing about camping near or in a canyon is the play of light on the rocks. The San Rafael Reef is a photographer’s goldmine, regardless of the weather.
The crew and I were going to walk the canyon today.
We can do that tomorrow. I did manage a few photos of flowers before the storm rolled in.
Evening Primrose
The white flower with red stems grows in swaths across the coral sand. The other flowers are scattered about, a surprising variety of them in an area to the east of our camp.
Scorpionweed
Some are probably considered weeds. To me, no flower is a lowly weed!
Sand Verbena
Several of these yellow blooms dot the spaces between clumps of grass and sage. They sway in the wind and won’t stand still for my camera’s lens.
Yellow Cryptanth
Not many plants with stickers here. . .
Claretcup Cactus
No goats heads and very few cacti, most of them in bud. The brilliant color of this one in bloom drew me across the landscape to snap its photo.
The little white flowers of this next plant are the “baby’s breath” of the desert plain.
(I made that up.)
Fremont’s Peppergrass
The pale purple cluster of flowers below reminds me of hyacinths. I should’ve knelt down to give them a sniff . . . darn! This is a close-up. The three clusters together measure about six inches across.
Wild Onion
Well, let’s get back to the approaching storm.
This is a view to the west from our camp, looking lengthwise at the Reef.
The light changes and so does the Reef. This was taken at the entrance road to our camp.
A few thoughts before I close this post . . .
The magnificence of the rapidly changing sky, the delicacy of the flowers, the massive, timeless rocks, the graceful ripples of sand, the inviting canyon, the presence of my beloved crew . . . All of it conspires to bring me to tears. How very dark and grey my past life compared to this! How blessed I am now!
That’s why I act like a little kid.
I run around taking photos of posies or stand transfixed by the beauty of a stormy sky. I could’ve missed all this! What if I hadn’t tried? What if I had given up and settled for less??
Thinking of you . . .
If you are bound by the demands of work or tethered by a house that isn’t selling or restrained as you diligently meet personal responsibilities that cannot be ignored or worn out from jumping over one obstacle after another — whatever your situation — don’t give up hope. Hang on to your vision of a better life. Plan for it, sacrifice, if need be . . .
But don’t let go!
If you are at a time and place where you cannot travel (assuming you want to), I share these photos and stories so that, through them, you can experience life on the road along with me and the crew.
It is not only for the realization of the blessedness of my life that my tears come, they come for you, too.
rvsue
“FLASHBACK”
In mid-May of 2013, the crew and I camped in the canyon.
I LOVE RVSUE SHOPPERS!
Thank you shopping Amazon from my blog.
Thank you for the delightful and insightful post.
You’re welcome, Reine.
Thank you for the very motivational blog!! also, the flower pictures are great!! Keep up the great posts, we are so hoping to join your life style within a year!! I am reading your old posts from the beginning & your up-to-date activities through my email…look forward each day to your new adventures..hi to the “puppies.”
“within a year” . . wonderful!
You are a special lady, Sue! Thanks for the motivational reflections. You know –our summertime weekends camping in the forests just might turn my husband’s thinking around! I signed him up so he’s receiving your posts now! Maybe – just maybe – he will finally see my point of view. Happy, glorious days!
Don’t give up hope. When I first mentioned the possibility of one day full-timing, my wife was not very enthused. Now she’s on board. A little discussion and lots of patience, and one day it will happen.
That’s great news, Walt! I’m happy for both of you. Yes, “it will happen” if you make it happen. 🙂
Thanks, Walt and Sue!
I hope the camping trips combined with my blog will bring your husband to share your vision, Diann. I see many happy couples on the road. How they grin when I ask if they are full-timers! “Oh yes, we’ve been on the road for 6 years and we love it!” is a typical response.
Thank you RVSue for the tears and sharing everything with us. I will probably never get to have your kind of life, but it is ok, because I have a little of it everyday with your posts. I enjoy them very much. I did not post the other day when Spike was lost, but I felt your pain and panic. We had a beloved black cat get out the door without us knowing it and he was gone for 5 days. We all cried all five days and just knew we had lost him. It was so cold those days and he was a house cat only, we did not figure he would survive. But he did and is still a wonderful part of our lives today. It was like the whole world was new and beautiful when we heard him at the door that night. So thank you again for thought and time that you put into this blog.
Oh, Jean… You had 5 days of torment and despair. I had about 5 hours and I thought I would die. It’s the “not knowing” that is horrible.
I’m glad you are still enjoying the company of your kitty. You described the feeling well when you wrote “It was like the whole world was new and beautiful when we heard him at the door that night.”
Thank you, Sue, for your uplifting and encouraging close to this blog post. That dream of one day hitting the road keeps me able to continue in a job that does not inspire. Seeing the places you go gives me an even greater desire and taste for hitting the road. I’d prefer sooner rather than later as I want to do it for as long as physically and mentally possible, but I’ll settle for later versus not at all. Keep up the inspiring work! 🙂
You’re welcome, Walt. I look forward to the day you write about your latest adventure on the road.
Walt, have you considered workamping or volunteering? Free camping with full hook-ups and 20 or so hours a week in trade and most request a 2-3 month commitment. This is how Chuck and I can afford to do this! We pick out some place we want to visit and look it up online and start sending out resume’s. You CAN do it and it’s a great life! Free Rent !!! Think about it!
Geri, it isn’t really the money (I don’t think) that keeps us from going now. I don’t think my wife is ready to retire just yet (I’ve been ready for years :)). Plus, we have an autistic son whose future we are still preparing for (he turns 18 next week). So we are still a few years away from having all of the pieces in place. My wife is much more practical in matters like this than I am, and I defer (albeit sometime grudgingly) to her judgment.
We are wishing you good luck! Maybe we will see you out there in America!
What a great post. This is why a guy like me that is accustomed to writing long briefs looks forward daily to reading about your adventure and joy of living and very unique life. Of course I am a dog nut with two of my own who bring so much joy that I totally understand and embrace that part of your experience. Travel safe.
Thanks for the compliment on this post, Bob. (Which Bob are you? Where are you?)
Always nice to hear from a “fellow dog nut” . . . Glad you are with us!
You are a gem, Sue, and I am so happy that I have met you in person!
Cheers,
Ilse
What wonderful pictures of nature you have taken. I so enjoy seeing flowers in the desert. You are so happy and I am glad that you share your life with us on your blog. The joy of nature that you have is infectious. Keep on sharing
Hi, Karen… Glad you like the photos. Hope you aren’t being rattled by storms in South Carolina!
We are hunkered down waiting for nature to descend. But being out in a camper is far more scary.
I’m glad I met you, too, Ilse, although don’t expect me to recognize you. Haha!
I love that we can all share in this joke! Hee!
(Plus, I am just like that at laundromats: Head down, get ‘er done, no fraternizing, everyone is a potential enemy 😀 :D)
“Everyone is a potential enemy.” Love it! That’s my approach to socializing! Hahahaha!
I’ll have to admit that for me, too, it’s not always just laundromats…. but it is *especially* laundromats!
Dear RVSue and Sweet Crew,that is a wonderful and joy- filled post!
I felt happy just reading it!
Bless you dear lady!
Always a pleasure to share happiness. Blessings to you, too, Betty-Shea.
Hopefully your storms have blown over by now and ya’ll are safe and sound! Just imagine all the flowers waiting for this rain just so they can bloom for you! It’s gonna be magnificent flowers everywhere in a few days! Very good post Sue, so nice to be able to cry tears of gratitude now instead of tears of unhappiness! I am so happy for you and the pups too!
Hi, Geri,
The storm was minor but, of course, in this location the sky is a huge dome overhead and the wind can really whip across all this flat ground.
After the storm the sky turned the most intense blue I have ever seen. I doubt I’ll ever see that again. I was stunned. It was such a deep and rich blue that it seemed the sky was solid. I know that sounds weird, but it looked weird in a beautiful way. I didn’t take a photo of it because it was freezing outside and I knew it would look like a photoshop fake. I’ll never forget it. Boy, the West is full of surprises for this easterner!
I appreciate your thoughts on my happiness. I feel the same way about you and Chuck.
Great flower and Reef photos, Sue. Timber says Hi to you and your Babies ,,,,,,,,,,,Rusty
And Hi! back to you and Timber from me and the crew. Hope that cold spell is over for you. I imagined snow on the Chino Valley Railroad. 🙂
Hi Rusty,
I’m fairly new to Sue’s site, but I’ve been waiting for a chance to say HI to you and Timber. I’m so happy with your story. Not only finding Timber but the fact that you now have such a wonderful home. Rusty, Good things happen to Good people! The Lord evidently has his “sights” set on you two. Good luck from a new friend in West Texas.
Hi Rusty from me, too.
I’m so glad you got something good going for you, now.
That was a beautiful post, thank you.
You’re welcome, Angie.
Sue, I have a ham radio station and some expensive radio equipment so I am here to tell you….lightening can wipe out your electronics in a heartbeat. Doesn’t even need a direct strike, a transient hit will do it. I would advise taking your antenna which will be the highest object on your rig to attract a hit down when electric storms are anywhere near. You should also disconnect the inside connector going to your electronics and place the coaxial cable away from all electronics. I have a antenna that I cannot take down here but I do the disconnects and attach my antenna cables to a good ground.
If you look at your rig and how high your antenna is you will see it is a perfect place for a strike. Not trying to tell you what to do but sharing what I have learned as a ham radio operator/shortwave enthusiast over the last 70 years.
Consider me warned, Jim. I’ll be better about taking it down in the future. Promise! There have been storms that appeared so quickly that I feared the act of taking down the antenna was dangerous. I always disconnect the electronics in a storm… cables, plugs, and surge protector.
Thanks so much for the wonderful post today. My hubby and I traveled full time for 5 years before he became too ill to go on. He has passed on now and I’m a little too old to try to travel alone. Your posts are a bright spot in my days and I still live vicariously through them. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, June . . . How wonderful that you and your husband had those five years. I’m happy my blog is a day brightener for you!
As a young kid, I never could understand why grandma would all of a sudden tear up and cry over (to me then) little things. Now I understand why that happened. I took my young children all over the west as a mother so they could appreciate the beauty before it all goes away but no…they don’t remember half of where we went LOL. However, now my children have finally woke up and like camping, traveling, eating exotic foods, trying something new. When my kids were young, we had tons of flowers in the canyon on our rez home but they are no more….I haven’t seen flowers, blue jays, cardinals, wood peckers, for at least 20 or more years. The west, including Death Valley, use to be carpeted with flowers but now you see them here and there and the variety is no longer there. So, enjoy RVSue while you can because in the next 10 years some of those same flowers will be gone….nada.
Hi, Rita .. . . Your comment about the disappearance of flowers pains me. I’m such a fool that I get upset when I see the tracks of tires over crushed flowers. I see that too often these days.
In fact, when walking the canyon, I returned to our campsite of 2012 which, at the time, was carpeted with the white flower with red stems I showed in this post. The site is now a larger area of sand, tire tracks all around, and far fewer flowers. The area of flowers is covered with loose sand. I realize that’s inconsequential in the larger scheme of life, but there it is.
I don’t understand why people have to drive beyond the cleared area. That’s why we’re seeing restrictions to stay within so many feet of the road.
One of the reasons we bought our house in 1985 was because it was next to a large field (I don’t know what kind of acres) filled with sagebrush, rabbit brush, deer brush, phlox, all sorts of other wild flowers I don’t know. Just beautiful!!!
Most of the flowers are gone now. And since a middle school was built a little over a mile away, kids have cut a trail into the hill side. That I don’t mind. What I do mind are the recent (past 2-3 years) idiots that think the field is their private playground and they cut all over it in their dirt bikes, jeeps and ATV’s.
How sad and maddening for you, Susan.
I don’t write about every instance of damage and destruction I witness because I know it’s not fun to read. I see the kind of thing going on next to your house occurring on public lands and around campgrounds. It disturbs me.
One thing that seems to be missing in the mentality of many people is this: Just because you CAN do something, doesn’t mean you should.
Thank you, and bless you.
You’re welcome, Marcia, and the same to you.
What a deep-felt, emotional, sincere post! Thank you.
You’re welcome, Gayle. I get kinda’ mushy at times . . .
Thank you for the beautiful and inspiring post and for sharing your most incredible journey with us. While my father was home in Hospice last spring I stumbled upon your blog and read it voraciously by his bedside from start to finish. It lifted me up during those dark days. After my father passed away my mother became very ill and is now requiring my full time care. While I sit with her three days a week in dialysis I still enjoy following your adventures and it helps me to know that as much as I treasure the time I still have with her, one day I hope to follow my dreams and start traveling again. You are an inspiration Sue, stay safe and I’m so happy Spike found his way back home!
Hi, K.J. . . How fortunate for your parents to have such a loving and devoted daughter (I assume you’re female! I apologize if you aren’t.).
Thank you for letting me know that my blog helps you hold on to your dream, and also for your kind words. Best wishes to you and your mother . . .
I, too, love this post. And thank you for your words of encouragement. Even though I am here in AZ, problems still follow me that I am trying to resolve. Many problems, most of them requiring money. I went to an exercise class today…chair exercise…and still my knee bothered me. Knee replacement will probably be sooner than I thought..so that will cost me in many ways. Not to mention continuing problems with my house in NY, tax problems.. and on and on. And as you know, only half of my dream has come to fruition, the moving to a mobile home in AZ part. Now I hope to save enough for a PTV and BLT of my own inthe next couple of years so I can travel from May to October. So your words of persistence are both timely and encouraging. By the way, I hope to buy myself a 4g iPad next January (no more withdrawals from IRA in this tax year!) and never considered Amazon. But I read earlier of the woman who bought an iPad thru your blog and took a look. really good deals! Now I know where to shop when the time comes.
Hi, Ginger . . . Our lives have a way of collecting problems and complications. I’m sorry to read your knee isn’t responding to exercise the way you’d like.
Thank you for planning to buy your iPad through my blog. Amazon does have some great deals!
Very inspiring post, Sue. But people need to know that it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You don’t need to fulltime RV to be able to enjoy incredible experiences like you’ve had.
Just getting out into nature, camping away from the crowd, enjoying a few days or weeks of peace and quiet may be enough to enrich a life or even change a life. They don’t even need a camper trailer! A van, a car, a tent, anything to get them out into the ‘real world’. That may be enough for them to re-evaluate their lives, to simplify, to get rid of stuff, to say ‘no’ when they can, and to take time just to BE in nature.
You make excellent points, Hannah, and well explained!
My post does make it seem like full-timing is the only way to be happy, which, of course, isn’t true. Thanks for presenting another option for people hungering for peace and quiet, for the restorative effects of being in nature, and for the fun and excitement of visiting new places. One doesn’t need an RV to “get out there.” 🙂
I wish car/tent camping had occurred to me years ago. There’s so much to see and do once the place to sleep is taken care of. I hate hotels/motels/air travel/rent a car and so on…(and the cost and hassle all that requires).
I just wanted to say something about the “… a car, a tent…” part of your post. I grew up spending part of my summers in a tent, and although I enjoyed it as a kid, the thought didn’t appeal as an adult. Then I went “car tenting” with modern equipment. Wow. Easy, relatively cheap, and *comfortable* (and I’m the Princess and the Pea when it comes to sleeping). I love the paradox of how such a thin whisp of nylon really DOES create this comfortable, safe fort! And you can hear the sounds of nature (while staying dry and comfortable…. yes, I’ve now said comfortable three times).
Here are the ingredients:
1) A GOOD tent. I like a 3-season ones (vs. “mountaineering” 4-season ones because they don’t have very good summer ventilation). I look for the following: Good ventilation, vestibule or “porch” for wet gear, ability to have windows open in rain, stand-up headroom, doors that open nicely without catching fabric in zipper (annoying!), ease of setup (I like the ones where you put the poles up and then clip the tent to them, vs. fussy sleeves).
2) A ground cloth that you don’t let come out past the bottom of the tent (if you do, rain funnels in).
3) A Thermarest or similar self-inflating camping pad. For car camping I go for the thick/wide ones (why not!). You can sleep on a bed of nails and not feel a thing through these pads. And they are super durable (no waking up “flat,” like with air mattresses).
4) A good headlamp.
5) A good sleeping bag – one that’s “over rated” so that you don’t have to sleep in the little straight-jacket that is a zipped bag, but instead can just drape it over you like a blanket 99% of the time (but zip it up if you absolutely have to).
6) And then remember that because you are car camping, you can actually have more “stuff” along if you like. You can even take a campsite with electricity 😀
Also, unless you like getting up really early, pick a spot with morning shade.
The one thing a tent is not good for is stealth or “along the way rest stop” type of thing. But otherwise they rock, especially if you take advantage of the “car camping” part (presuming you are car camping). And…. don’t scrimp on the tent if you don’t have to — if you need to justify to yourself, keep in mind how much more you would have (had) to spend on an RV 😀
Thanks, Pen, for sharing what you’ve learned! Great information and tips that come from experience.
Wow. I’ve just begun to think that perhaps I could use a tent and still be out weeks at a time…and there you are with all this great advice!
Dawn:
We have been camping/living in a tent almost daily for 1 year now…
It can be done if you’re with the right person, that shares your vision…I am now going solo, or trying to, as
the vision is still strong in me but not in him…
It will be interesting to see how far I can go and for how long…its been fun & nerve-wracking as well…
One year before I retired, I was on a business trip to LA and decided that I would car camp with a rental car at the tail end of the trip.I brought my hiking boots with me and a half dozen extra boxers.Bought a foam cooler,sleeping bag and one man tent from Walmart for $60.Bought a pair of jeans,pair of shorts and 14 T shirts from Goodwill for $20.
Camped in Death valley for 2 weeks sometimes 30 miles off the asphalt along the old mining trails.
Dumped it all in the dumpster at the car rental and flew back home.One of my best 2 weeks ever.
Hi, Chas…
Great anecdote . . . I love that you followed an impulse, and, because you did, you were changed. I bet you came away from that 2-week experience with a different view of your world and were better for having done it.
Wow…great idea!
sounds like you have had some experience doing this…
I planned for two years prior to actually setting out. did lots of research on the web of places to go, followed Sues blog religiously, looked at other camping forums, asked questions.
and it’s been a lot of fun but also a lot of work. setting up and taking down a 9×12 canvas tent and all the other essentials takes time, especially when it all has to packed just right into a standard size van…but we did it and I will continue to do it in spite of the nay-sayers…
What loving consideration it takes to write words of such understanding encouragement to everyone . Being overwhelmed with happy tears and filled
with gratitude for your blessings in life is a gift in itself,hopefully being shared by many, now prompted to count their own blessings.People mention that you’d be a good advertiser for Casita,and they’re right.However you’ve chosen to advertise His goodness,and have the best benefit package there is…
My day was wonderfully lost in mental meandering about things and people I value.You being one of them ,I just left a longish reply to you on yesterday’s post.Checking my email I then found news of your new post and always some of my personal favorites-Stormy skies in great photos ,thank you!!!
Hi, weather . . .
I have seen your comment under the previous post and I replied. Thanks for letting me know it was there!
I’ve had thoughts on the same subject you mention — how “gratitude in life is a gift in itself.”
I recently read a blogger who wrote she was “choosing” to be grateful for what she has, in reaction to her disappointment to not being able to buy something she wanted. This got me thinking . . . .
One can choose to be grateful, but that is a superficial, mental response requiring conscious and repeated effort. It’s the kind of gratitude of the thanks-for-the-birthday-present variety. It doesn’t involve a change of heart.
True, heartfelt gratitude springs effortlessly from the soul. One cannot manufacture deep gratitude by conscious choice. It must be received. Once received, it becomes a part of one’s daily experience and enables one to be deeply happy. It doesn’t eliminate pain or disappointments or unhappy events in our lives, but it helps us get beyond them.
Best wishes for your day . . .
Heartfelt- exactly!Prayers we’ve cried in anguish are often followed with this gift.Our story can only be fully lived and seen by understanding that this is His way of healing our heart.
We move from where we’ve been hurt only if we’re willing to cross a bridge that places us at a safe distance from the pain.Far more beautiful than wood,metal or stone these bridges are built of thoughts-about being blessed,grateful,happy…
Wonderful post and photos – Thanks Sue and give the Crew hugs!
Thank you, MK. I’m writing this with Bridget and Spike asleep beside me. They’ve had their early morning potty run and are snuggled in bed for the last snooze before starting their day. One of my favorite things to do is tuck the covers around their bodies after they get back in bed from going outside in the cold. You can consider them well hugged!
thank you so much sue and crew, yes this is my dream and I won’t give up till I am there.. have hurdles to get over.. a son to raise who is now a teen, but this is my dream.. and I share it with who ever will listen. Through your blog I know this is what I want and how I want to live when I am free of work.. thank you and god bless you and the crew for sharing your life with us.. we are the ones blessed…
I appreciate your sweet words to me, Patsy.
I’m impressed with your openness with others regarding your dream. I kept my plan to full-time in an RV a secret during the years I worked, planned, and saved to make it happen. I waited until the time I announced I would retire from teaching at the end of the school year. People asked me my plans for retirement and I told them honestly. It was fun seeing and hearing the reactions! 🙂
i get the same response now when they see how serious I am about it, others in the same boat as me when retire, ask a lot of questions, and of course is send them to your site, so they can see that it can be done, but of course I am the same type of personality as you. I love nature, my animals.. and well people when I want to.. I have cherished family and friends, but I am truly a home body. And home is where ever my hat will be hanging when I retire. computer, camera, chair, coffee, my dog, way to communicate with family and friends and away I go. just in Canada its a little harder, I hope in 8 to 10 yrs that things change here to allow more discretion for those that want to live this way. Cheers to you and the crew. thanks for sharing your adventures and life with us… Keep safe and “Happy”…
You’re welcome, Patsy, and thanks for sharing my blog with your friends!
Ahh, sigh, great calming pictures. Mom and I are at Elephant Butte right now and the air is filled with dust from the wind storms the other day. Your place looks so clear, very nice. We are making our way north very slowly, as we are counting the flowers along the way (that is what my cousin says that I do haha). It is a good year for wild flowers.
Hi, Evelyn,
Elephant Butte is lovely, but I do remember the times when the dust blew. I like that phrase “counting the flowers along the way.” Great way to travel . . .
We travelers are like migrating birds heading northward at this time of year. Savor the trip!
Hi Sue….Thank you for such an inspiring, heartfelt post. Your blog truly helps me keep sight of my dream to see more of the beauty that He has bestowed upon us. Sometimes that goal seems so far away. Until then, I travel through your descriptions and pictures. Thank you for sharing!
It is never too late to live happily ever after! You, Spike, and Bridget have found your happily ever after – and you are loving every minute of it! I am so happy for you!
Have a safe, blessed, peaceful evening!
Thank you, Denise. What a lovely message. Keep your eyes on your goal and resolve to do what it takes to reach it and you will! In the meantime, I’m glad you are riding along with me and the crew. Have a wonderful day!
Thank you for your encouragement, Sue!
After several dark, stormy, windy days, the sun is trying to chase away the gray and come out – yeah! We had heavy rain and wind….some flooding in areas, but nothing compared to some folks.
Hope you and the Crew have a great day!
Sue, I have been following along in your travels for a while now, but I don’t think I have ever commented. But this post just INSISTED that I leave you a little note. What you said about following your dream and doing whatever you have to to make it happen is so spot on! I have been retired from the corporate world for almost 12 years. In those years I worked a few part time jobs, but a huge part of it was being caregiver to my Dad in his last years. Now, within a few months, my hubby is retiring from his job after 42 years with the same company. We plan on buying a new camper (to replace our old pop-up that these bodies are getting too old to put up and down) and hope to travel a lot more than we do now. We are thinking 1 week, sometimes 2 per month. Our dream is to sell our home and go full time for at least 2 years, and see every inch of the USA and Canada as we can. But I am tied to ‘home’ as now my Mama is needing more and more help. I love my mother, and am committed to doing anything I can to help, but that doesn’t change the fact I feel that tug to leave, but keep getting pulled back by my commitment. So, we will do as much travel as we can until that day that we really CAN hit the road and live our dream of following our noses around every bend in the road until we’ve seen them all!
Keep doing what you are doing, and telling everyone to step out of their comfort zone and DO IT!!! Becky G. in Georgia
I applaud you, Becky, for your devotion to your parents. Taking care of a loved one in the last chapter of their life can be tiring and very stressful. You are doing the right thing, although it involves sacrifice on your part.
Keep the dream . . . You and your husband setting out in your new camper to parts yet unseen! Best wishes to you both and to your mother, too.
Thank you, Sue!
Very well written, Sue:) I hope it motivates some people to step outside their comfort zone and accept changes (as Nina said in her blog) so they can embrace what life has to offer to the fullest.
Sure is a gorgeous new home for you and the crew:)
Thank you, John and Pam. Yes, I hope it does, too, whatever the dream.
Really nice post today. I love the fact that you had the gumption to do this. It’s so kind of you to encourage other people as well. You really do have the Best Little Trailer for how you want to live.
Hi, Allison . . .
The Best Little Trailer is a big part of the reason I’m enjoying life on the road.
One needs the rig to suit how one travels. Some people choose a rig according to how much it provides — the amenities and comforts — which is fine. I chose the BLT for how little it provides in exchange for the ease of towing and of going to “far out” places.
Thank you for the compliment on this post.
A most thoughtful and inspiring post. As someone who longs for a life similar to yours, I have to say thank you for taking us along on your journey. One day (fingers crossed & positive thoughts) I hope to at least come close. It’s hard not to notice the irony of the beauty of an impending storm bringing one to tears of joy, while thinking back on a dark/grey possibly stormy life. I find, the older I get, the more of life’s beauty I see. Take care of you and the crew.
Hi, Teresa,
I hadn’t given much thought to the irony that you mention. . . interesting and very true!
Thank you for writing and may your longing be realized. I wondered if I could make my dream come true and not only did it happen, but it’s better than I imagined. I wish the same for you!
BTW, are you the Teresa I met in Mexico? I don’t think you are, but checking anyway . . . 🙂
Hi Sue! I have been reading your blog for a few months now and really enjoy it. It makes me see that a woman alone can do full time rving. And you boon dock most of the time too. I am 72 and don’t have a rig yet but I want to get one. Thanks for the good reads. Dee
You’re most welcome, Dee! Great to see you here and to learn that you enjoy my blog. Yes, women can do this. It doesn’t require anything that is male. 😉
Best of luck acquiring the perfect rig for you!
Words of inspiration from an individual who is truly living her dash!
Your blog inspires others to live theirs. Rock on Desert Woman!
And you rock on, too, Adirondack Woman!
You inspire me on so many levels, and durn it…more tears here too. I’ve spent the last year trying to shake things up, and I look forward to shaking it even more in the next one. Change is a comin’…
Good for you, Cindy. I sense the determination in your words and that’s what it takes… a vision and the determination to make it real. You will succeed!
You have written so well today…well, I enjoy them all…but this one was very nicely done with the photos too…and you alluded to the dark days of yesterday. You are not alone in finding joy in our retirement years, in spite of the hard parts dealt us by kin, life, etc. Thank you for sharing how you do that. We may be fulltime rvers one day…but we are busy now with helping our daughter. (Being wanted by her is a miracle in itself…one never knows how things will go in the future…you too may one day be surprised…but meanwhile, tis best to go on with our lives in the very best ways we can!!) If this life was perfect, perhaps we would not long so for the next one…I do look forward to THERE one day, when it is my time. Living where all is right all the time…won’t that be a switch!!?? You know, I so agree with how when people come along and bother you…you pack up and move elsewhere…I do think that is helpful in how our world is today. The younger generation basically feel no one has rights but them…one reason I like renting and not owning a home…we too can move, just not as easily or frequently as you do…but that may yet come.
Elizabeth now in WA enjoying the sea breezes
Hi, Elizabeth . . .
I’mI happy for you and your husband that you are an important part of your daughter’s life.
For many years home ownership drove my life. I wanted the stability it offered. Then I found out it also came with responsibilities that were burdensome and the house itself became a burden.
Apartment living, although it can have its own negatives, does allow you the freedom of change and freedom from maintenance.
You are in a wonderful location! You can move if you want to in the future or you can stay. I know you love those sea breezes! I do, too!
It was 15 years before the changes began for us and her, Sue (and I feel her marriage and motherhood had a lot to do with it). A very long time it was however. And oddly enough, marriage for another child has meant essentially nearly nonexistent relationship there. You can never know what lies ahead…positive or negative.
We so understand the responsibilities that come with home ownership…and yes, that is a big reason we prefer to rent. But also it fits our needs best for now. I am so happy for you that your life is working out so well. You are very brave. I am not that brave!! Of course, having little doggies is also of some help. I hope that one day we will again have a dog!!
Dear Elizabeth, Thank you for sharing. I too had a miracle happen last year. My son and daughter are back. I thought it wasn’t possible, but when things like this happen, you know it is the Lord working in our lives. When my beloved wife went to be with Jesus, three years ago, I thought my life was over, but I see He has more for me to do. It’s also nice to have an eight year old granddaughter. All we can do is pray for each other. Sam
Sam, Very glad to hear you had a miracle in your life too. Sometimes we get them. I am grateful that GOD helps us too. Otherwise, who knows how we could have withstood all that has come. I am glad you are able to enjoy the grandchild. Thank you for sharing too…so sorry you lost your wife. It is good to have some reasons to feel needed in every part of life. I am very grateful that Sue shares here too…what a lovely thing for all us readers!! Elizabeth
I second what Elizabeth wrote to you, Sam. I’m happy that your life isn’t over . . . You’ve moved to the next chapter and it sounds like a good one!
So many replies and not much left to say but “Thank You.” The last two paragraphs were inspirational to me. My dream gets more vivid daily, inspired by your blog.
Health issues keep prevailing in our household, but I keep dreaming and praying for better things down the road.
Hi, Barbara . . .
I love your statement “My dream gets more vivid daily.” I pray for good health to return to your household so you can enjoy “better things.” The timing has to be right and you’ll know it when it arrives. 🙂
…a beautiful post, lovely sentiments.
Thank you Sue.
Jane
You’re welcome, Jane. I appreciate you joining us!
Thank you Sue for such inspiring post. Since my husband’s death I have a hard time to make decision where to live, where to settle. Before he died we sold our condo and I have no desire to buy anything anywhere and stay in one place. Truly, I don’t know where I belong since I don’t have kids and family. When my husband was alive we traveled all the time and considered ourselves the citizens of the world. Although we still paid taxes. I want to be free and go wherever I want to go. Right now my tent is my sanctuary in campgrounds where I can find peace and quiet. One day maybe I’m going to get RV but maintenance of it doesn’t appeal to me.
As to your beautiful pictures of wildflowers this is what I came up with.
Evening Primrose
Scorpionweed (phacelia)
Sand Verbena
Yellow Cryptanth
Claretcup Cactus
“Baby’s breath” (could be spectacle pod or roseata gilia but baby breath seems so fitting)
Finally the pale purple cluster of flowers that remind you of hyacinths are Wild Onion in Lily Family. Your picture of Wild Onion is fantastic. I did not see this wildflower for a while but usually I see them pinkish – pale blue. Once you leave your camp please include details where are they blooming. I’m in that area often and planning to hike in the Swell and the Maze of the Canyonlands sometime next week but I want to make certain I won’t disturb your privacy.
Hi, R. (Colorado) . . .
You are having an adventurous spring! I’m very happy for you. Thanks for identifying the flowers for us. I appreciate that. I never would’ve guessed that pretty, pale purple cluster as being wild onion!
I’ll try to remember to give directions to this camp in the next post. For now, here goes . . .
Taking Highway 24 south from Interstate 70, turn right at the sign for Goblin Valley State Park (or left coming from Hanksville). You will come to an information kiosk. Do NOT turn left toward the state park.
One both sides of the kiosk there are dirt roads going across the flat grassland (right turns off the paved road). Actually these roads join and become one road
Follow that road until you come to short spur roads to the left which go up to one campsite each. The first site is nice but unlevel. We are camped at the end of the second spur road. It’s also unlevel but not as bad. It tends to be a windy site at this time of year, but the canyon is right below where it’s sheltered from the wind.
If you don’t care about having internet, I suggest camping IN the canyon. I’ll write about that in my next post which will be about our canyon walk.
Also you can go to rvsueandcrew.com and do a search there for “San Rafael Reef” to see a slideshow of our camp in the canyon.
NOTE TO ANYONE . .. If you haul dirt bikes, ATVs, etc. when you go camping, please don’t camp at the location I just described. Join people like yourselves who camp all over Wild Horse Canyon and the North Temple Road. Those are the prettiest sites anyway. Leave us “other campers” this spot I describe. Thank you.
Back to R.! Most of the flowers I photographed, including the wild onion, grow on the slightly sloping land to the east of the campsite. Have fun!
Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. It’s the reason that we have been riding along in your passenger seat since before you ever hit the road.
Thanks. You have been with me and the crew for a long time. I’m glad for that. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you.
You are such an inspiration – to so many.
I often mention your blog to members of the various Facebook groups I administer so that they too can experience your joys, your challenges, your attitude, your perseverance – and hopefully, they will become fans as well.
Recently our 50 amp surge protector died and needed to be replaced. After researching my options I made the purchase thru your Amazon link. Using my Amazon Prime we had the item at our RV doorstep in less than 30 hours. When asked why I didn’t just run across the highway to the Camping World to buy one today, I replied that I would much prefer to spread the love around and would rather support a blogger who has an Amazon link.
I hope many more folks will realize it’s so easy to support your efforts by using the RV Sue and Crew Amazon link to start their Amazon shopping session. It’s just one small way we can contribute to something so very worthwhile in this world.
You constantly remind me of life’s nuggets by the simple yet profound thoughts you so freely share with us all ….today’s blog post is yet another gift to us and I am so grateful for you ~ thank YOU RV Sue and Crew.
~ Namaste
You’re welcome, Candace.
I send you a BIG THANK YOU for ordering the surge protector through my blog and for explaining your reason for doing so!
I’m saving my Amazon earnings for any pesky unknowns that may pop up in the future requiring $$ and maybe, if I see a day where I can no longer live as a vagabond, those earnings will furnish a studio apartment like Tioga George is doing or provide for some other living arrangement. 🙂 Who knows?
At any rate, I appreciate you thinking of me when you go Amazon shopping! Have a wonderful day . . .
Your post made me realize that nature inspires noble thoughts and feelings, which a city, and structured life just can’t possibly do.
Very true, Starlight. I can’t help but wonder how many people are unhappy, sick, nervous, depressed, etc. simply because of the relentless, daily assault on the senses that city life inflicts.
I’m aware there are benefits to city life — things like museums and restaurants. One has to be a certain type of person to withstand all the rest for any length of time. I think everyone needs to get away from that for periods of refreshment.
Great observation . . . Thanks for writing!
Great observation, Starlight. You’re a smart person. I’ve sensed the same and am so hoping that once I sell this city house and get out in nature, my overall well-being will improve. How could it not.
Jane
Love that last storm shot. Thanks for sharing your life with those of us housebound at the moment. And for reminding us not to give up.
You’re welcome, Dawn. And yes, don’t give up!
Won’t ever give up. Just bought a new tent for my dog Katie and I to camp in…we have two already, wore one out, the other is so old it leaks. Bought it through your Amazon link special to say thanks for all your good advice..and for taking us along on your adventures. Katie and I are camping at a state park for a weekend in June. Can’t wait. We’ll ‘practice’ in the back yard with the new tent as soon as it’s warm enough. 🙂 🙂 🙂
You’re going to have a wonderful time with Katie and your new tent. You’re like a kid with a new toy, which is great! Thank you, Dawn, for remembering my Amazon link. I appreciate it very much. Have fun in the backyard!
Just a reminder for those researching certain subjects on rvsueandcrew.net….the site’s search function is very limited so what I found works well is to go to google.com and format a search like so:
solar power site:rvsueandcrew.net
You will be rewarded with all of the pages on Sue’s site dealing with “solar power’.
This is a great tip! Thanks
I agree.. That’s great to know, John. Thank you very much.
My blog’s search box is lousy. I have it set to produce one result because it’s tied to the posts. In other words, if I allow more than one search result, more than one post will appear when going to my blog and that eats up gigs.
Good morning, Sue. Your words & photos are striking in their connection to Mother Earth. So healing and full of wisdom. It’s sorrowful to read that wildflowers are disappearing from the desert landscape.
Hi, Dawn, and good morning to you, too. . .
About wildflowers . . . When I lived at my house in Georgia, I used to collect the seed heads of the lovely blue cornflowers from the field adjacent to my property. There were only a few at the beginning. I crushed and scattered the seeds across that field every year. By the time I left the field was a sea of blue.
I’ve often wished I could do the same thing for wildflowers as I travel. I don’t do it because one needs to know what one is doing and I obviously don’t. I might spread a plant that causes problems or disrupts a balance or something. It’s a nice thought though, being a Johnny Appleseed of flowers. 🙂
“Susie Flowerseed” has a nice ring to it!
I am living vicariously through you right now – I have pets too, and can’t wait to be in a motorhome with them so I can always be “at home.” I will probably stay more stationary than you (will need to work full time to continue paying on student loans) but take a lot of inspiration from you, and your photos. Thank you so much for blogging as often as you do. The flowers are gorgeous.
You’re welcome, Terri. I’m happy you enjoyed the flower pics. Those flowers are even more lovely when discovered personally– the delight of the surprise!
Best wishes as you find a way to get the most out of life while paying off those student loans (been there, done that!). Yes, it is wonderful to always be at home with the crew and to take them wherever I go.
Nice to hear from you . . .
I just recently learned of your blog and I absolutely love it! Wow, you take the time to reply to everyone!!
I feel happiest when I look around at my “herd” as some people call them, and see that they are all safe and snuggled in, dozing. I know you understand that feeling. 🙂
I’m glad you found my blog.
Hi Sue, We hiked out to the rim of the Rio Grand Gorge yesterday and saw a lot of the same flowers. The white ones are Evening Primrose. The ones you called Baby’s Breath were all over the trail and I couldn’t identify them. But posted it on the website of our POA and this is what one of our neighbors said: The plant Susan asks about is called “Peppergrass” “Pepperweed” or “Mesa Pepperwort.” Here is my picture of it at the edge of Barranca a few years back. It is in the mustard family. I read in Wild Plants and Native Peoples of the Four Corners that the Anasazi used it extensively. Each of the seed pods have two seeds. The seed is high in Potassium and the leaves are rich in vitamin A. It is said that at Isleta Pueblo the leaves are chewed for headaches. Bon Appetit.
Wow! Quite a load of interesting information. Thank you, Susan!
I love the Evening Primrose . . . I’m a bit confused because the ones around this camp are in bloom all day long. Anyway . . Enjoy your explorations!
Yes, you are truly Blessed to have had the courage to decide and go ahead and put your plan into action. Many of us often say we’re going to do this or that “someday” but allow other things to get in the way, and never follow through on our dreams. I like to read Cheaprvliving.com and the author said something I agree with 100%; We should follow our minds and live in the Present, the Past is behind us and the Future is Uncertain. How fortunate you are to combine the 2 everyday and share the treasures some of may not get to see. I love flowers and I love to travel, the few times we do get a chance to get away. How fortunate you are to combine the 2 and share with us. Stay safe and Thanks Sue!
You’re welcome, GypsyPurl . . .
I don’t know how much was courage. Probably more desperation than anything else. I was desperate to make the most of the remaining years of my life.
Yes, live in the present, but first make your “present” the best it can be!
When I read this post, I thought “This is why you rarely get sick.” Certainly the limited exposure to others is relevant, but living on happy is the best prevention. You find joy in dirt and weeds and hail – as we all should – everyday. I am reminded that there is beauty and wonder just out my front door – in the middle of suburbia. Soon we will be on the road full-time, those dreams will come true. In the meantime I’ll focus on a daily prescription of happy. Maybe I can find some dirt to play in! Thanks Sue.
You’re welcome, Jodee,
You make a valid point about “living on happy” being a good preventative. I’ve been blessed with good health most of my life, although I’m very low energy which is okay. The times that I’ve had bouts of sickness have been when I was around a lot of people (teaching) or around toxic people (ex-husband and others).
Around toxic plants and venomous snakes, I do fine! Haha!
You are heading into a very exciting stage of your life. I wish you well.
Had to laugh…doing well around toxic plant and venomous snakes…well, so true, Sue…toxic people often are clever and hidden more or less…much easier to avoid toxic plants and venomous snakes!!
Hugs to you…a lot of us have toxic people we are related to, unfortunately!!
Okay Sue, are the holes behind the beautiful Desert Babies breath for snakes? LOL
The photography was excellent in this Blog. Always follow the light, be aware of it, that’s what photography is. You are aware, the same mountains, how drasticaly they changed in maybe a short period of time. Awesome. Loved them.
The last of the blog, your sentiments, touched me deeply in ways I cannot express so publicly. I will say I am so very happy for your Blessings. You can’t know Joy until you know Sorrow. I beleive in equal depths. I am thankful for knowing you.
Be safe and Take Care Sue and Crew!
Hi, Diane . . . And I am thankful for you, too.
About those holes…. good question. I’d guess they’re rodent burrows which a snake may inhabit once the rodent is . . . well . . . gone. 🙁
I can understand you not wanting to elaborate on why this post touched you deeply. I have parts of my life too sensitive to share, too.
Yes, the depths of sorrow allow us to reach the height of joy Story of my life. Too bad I didn’t realize what joy was ahead for me. . . . Oh well, I’m here now!
God bless you, Diane.
Very touching post today!
Wonderful photos too! You should have taken the picture of that blue sky. I remember them when living out in Colorado. I think everyone should at least once travel out West to see the blue skies and the bright stars at night.
Be safe in those storms.
Have a great day.
Hi, Deb,
Maybe I should’ve taken a pic of the intensely blue sky. But maybe it’s better for people to experience one for themselves, to be surprised as I was. 🙂
Thanks for the compliment on the photos. The storm has passed and, if I can trust the weather widget in the sidebar (that’s iffy), warm days with clear skies are ahead for me and the crew.
You have a great day, too.
I just want to say that was one of your best posts. Very inspiring for all those who are struggling to live their dreams. I hope the storms have passed and the sun is shining on you and the crew!
It’s a beautiful day here at our new camp, Marcia. I hope it is in Massachusetts, too. Thank you for the compliment on this post.
Susan, I am so very proud of you!!!
Love you much
Your Big Sis
And I am so proud of you, Pauline!!! (notice the 3 exclamation points)
Love you much,
The Middle Child
I knew I felt a kindred spirit! I’m a middle child too, sandwiched right between two sisters. Oh the bliss!
As we reluctantly/anxiously head back to Indianapolis for the “installation” of John’s pacemaker, we pass many places we had planned to visit this summer. When I am not driving, I try to take as many photos as possible from the windows of the motorhome and say, we will be back! Enjoy every minute you are in each place, savor the freedom you now have. Throw the past in the trash!
Yes, the past is in the trash where it belongs, Nan. I can understand the wistful feeling you experience as you drive by places you’d like to visit. When that happens to me I say to myself, “Well, now I have a reason to come back.”
Best wishes to John for his “installation” and to you both for all that is to come in your lives.
Thank you for this post that is so reassuring that I can also do this. I’m on 3.5 year count down. It sounds like a lifetime away. But dreaming and reading your post keep me motivated and hanging in.
You’re welcome, Abase. I know it does seem like a long time to wait (I remember my impatience at several years away from lift-off. ). I’m happy my post reassures you of the possibilities for your life and helps you hang on to your goal.
Nice to hear from you!
I really enjoyed your closing comments today. Joe and I put our lives on hold for 6 1/2 years, caring for his mom. She passed away in November one day and one month before her 99th birthday. We are on the road again and enjoying life as never before. Even though it was difficult, we will never regret taking care of her in our home. For us, it was the right thing to do.
Yes, I agree! You did the right thing. Your mother was very fortunate to have your loving care.
I’m happy to read that you “are on the road again and enjoying life as never before.” I wish you and Joe well.
Thanks Sue for this post today and all the flower pictures. It is very hard to sometimes keep moving forward. But you are right, keep on dreaming and holding on to that hope. It will be a while before I am able to hit the road. I really enjoy reading about your travels and of course Spike and Bridget! : )
Tinabeane
You’re welcome, Tina,
Do hold on. . . It’s worth the struggle and the waiting. I remember what I did to keep from quitting in despair . . .
Every little thing I did (and I do mean little!), I’d say to myself, “Well, that brings me closer to my goal.” Sometimes it would be as small as skipping lunch to save the money or taking a load of stuff to the thrift store or reading online and learning something about tow vehicles or simply making it through another day at work . . . “Well, I’m that much closer!” 🙂
You’re moving forward even when it seems like you are standing still. Thanks for writing. It’s nice to hear you enjoy our travels.
Eons ago when hubby was finishing up six very long torturous years in the Navy (submariners are gone all the time)…he began counting the days left the last 2 years…it was referred to as “getting short”…we have often used that term later too. Such as when he saw the freedom days arriving when retirement loomed (had to retire sooner because his health was failing mostly due to a very insane boss…and when co-worker who was only in his early 40’s dropped dead and our doctor told us every health issue you have is made WORSE by stress…we knew it was time). The unexpected thing that happened was being needed clear across the continent in one of the most gorgeous areas of the country. Ah, break our hearts…tho’ it was not our plan to move here, must have been GOD’s…and we are SO GLAD!!! And surely, Sue, you could not have known how much joy life would hold when you began your adventure either!! Great encouragements here to just hang in there until your goal is in sight!! Thank you!!
I was planning to say thank you but it’s already been said. I retire at the end of this year from a very difficult job so you spoke to my heart. xo
Hi, Heda . . . It’s good to see you here!
Oh, you are going to LOVE retirement after spending time in a tough job. I’ve been retired since May of 2011 and there are still mornings that I wake up, realize I don’t have to go to work, and the feeling is wonderful!
You’re in the home stretch and soon you’ll break through the finish line and be free to live YOUR life, not the life of a job.
Today is the first day of my third retirement! I hope this one sticks….
I do, too, John!
It’s hard to believe that something so pretty can grow in such a miserable place. Love the shots as usual. You are getting such a large following I think I will be sitting on the sideline and enjoy your post without comment. You be safe…
Hi, Ron . . .
I must not be doing a very good job of portraying this camp on my blog. It’s far from “miserable.” It’s absolutely gorgeous!
I’ll miss your comments, Ron, but I understand if you need a break, especially if you’re hurting. Do drop in from time to time as you feel like it, if only to let us know you’re okay.
Hi,
Just in case “you’re getting such a large following” means that sometimes it takes a lot to find one’s replies and the responses:
AZ Jim’s tip-
if you have windows,open comments section on this blog,
to find yours or anyone’s,go to edit menu
open find,a box will appear on left part of screen
type in reply Ron (or whoever)
hit the down arrow- what you search for will be highlighted
This may not apply at all to the situation ,but hope it helps keep the connection going 🙂
P.S.
At times(as noted a few comments below here by Jean from OR) it also may take a lot just to comment initially.
Depending on the device used issues, such as:
it’s speed,capacity,responsiveness,etc., scrolling all the way down to the bottom of the page may become too much!
If that is a big enough problem,you could reply to Sue by replying to the first comment at the top of the page.While it would not appear in the usual order that makes sense to you,
correct me if I’m wrong here,Sue,
notified of a new comment and name,she would see it.
I make these suggestions because the increased popularity of the blog shouldn’t cause long time and appreciated followers to be lost,and then missed 🙂
Good advice, weather. It doesn’t matter if someone pops up with a new message near the top. You have more insight into the pros and cons of the many devices that readers may be using to access my site. All I know is my big ol’ laptop. Thanks for jumping in with helpful instructions.
🙂
you did a great job as usual. But you know how I feel about that part of the country….Got to have trees, but the flowers are very pretty…I will be reading daily..you just be safe..
RVSue, if you’re still in that area the Capitol Reef NP is so close to you and it is not as crazy with crowds like Arches and the town of Moab. Actually is one of the last visit national parks in UT and it is beautiful. There is a campground in fruit orchard. If you decide to go there is a very small BLM campsite right off rt. 24. As you get to mile marker 90 there is only indication for parking. You can see a kiosk with information on Fremont Granary from where remains of this historic structure are visible. The sign indicates there is a small camping spot for your enjoyment. It is almost right off the main road but not visible from it. I took a closer look and there are two fire rings. Lovely, IMHO. The town of Hanksville is tiny but it has a post office, small grocery store, two gas stations, BLM office. About 14 miles from the intersection of route 24 and 95 in Hanksville on the left side of the road there is a wonderful Mesa Farm Market. It is not much from outside or inside but bakery goods and homemade cheese are worth to stop. You can get a freshly baked bread, cinnamon rolls, goat cheese made right there and lettuce straight from a green house. Nothing is cheap but a large head of lettuce is only $2.00. Just sharing some ideas with you and your followers.
Hi, R. (Colorado),
Thank you for taking the time to share all this great information about Capitol Reef!
The crew and I were there for the month of May last year. We went from the Glen Canyon Rec Area to Goblin SP. From there we returned to Hanksville and went to Capital Reef and beyond.
We made our home at Sunglow Campground in Bicknell using it as a base camp to explore Capitol Reef National Park, the Notom Road, the infamous Highway 12 going into Grand Staircase-Escalante SP, Fish Lake, Johnson Reservoir and Meadow Mill Reservoir, as well as the valley towns of Torrey, Bicknell, Lyman, and Loa.
http://rvsueandcrew.net/capitol-reef-national-park-and-sunglow/
I agree . . . Capitol Reef is beautiful and not as crowded as the parks around Moab. Thanks again for all the detailed information and hints how to enjoy the area.
Be blessed Sue
You, too, Erika. 🙂
Thank you for this encouraging post Sue. I have been reading you silently for a while but today was compelled to write to thank you for your touching words and thoughts. I am so grateful for your blog. It keeps my dream alive until I am able to make it real.
Welcome, Frenchie! Great to have you with us! I’ll keep writing and you keep dreaming, okay? 🙂 That is, until the dream is real!
Thank you Sue! My boyfriend is in the process of installing solar panels, batteries and things on our truck camper (with guidance from HandyBob). We are very much week-enders right now. My daughter is 13 and I plan on pretty much full-timing it when she goes to college, while keeping the house so she has a place to come back to for breaks. That means I will be still working for a bit while on the road. As a RN there is a lot of travel nursing assignments so I hope it will all work out with proper planning!
After all, planning (and perseverance) is what makes dreams become reality :))
Have a great day!
You have a great day, too, Frenchie. I’m happy for any help my blog may give. Sounds like you have a good plan. One thing about being a nurse, you’re always needed!
Greetings.
Hope you and the crew are having a marvelous quiet but enjoyable day.
Headed back to CA, since I left in a hurry in an attempt to see SaraAnn back in Jan. My dad relocated to Denver so I have to clear out two houses. Hopefully that can be accomplished in a month. Keep your fingers crossed.
It was hard saying bye to Annie Oakley as she doesn’t understand what is going on. Jules says she’s laying by the front door whining.
The newspaper article about Rusty and Timber is in CA. I think I missed the window of General delivery when you were in AZ. No biggie…I’ll bring it back with me and send it off at a later date.
Enjoy
Hi, Cinandjules,
Boy, do you have your work cut out for you! Both houses? I wish you strength — physical and emotional — to handle that task. Poor Annie. She will be so happy when you return!
One of these days, when my signal is strong enough to open up Outlook 🙁 , I’ll email you my legal mailing address in SD. Should’ve done that in the first place . . . Hope your travel and arrangements went smoothly today. Thanks for dropping by . . .
How is this for a first on RvSue and crew
I’m dropping in on you!
At a cruising altitude of 33372 ft and speed 476 mph we are currently over Michigan…. JetBlue has fly wi (wifi) on some of their planes.
I have the entire roll to myself…stretched out like I’m at home on the couch reading nothing other than…your blog.
Row….. What a dummy!
It’s getting ashard to leave a comment on your page, as it is on theBunch!Great posts, they keep me going. We don’t owe anything,,but I had a strove nine years ago, our fiver burned up, and now my Sweety says our vintage Lazt Daze may not make it to TN.ligghtning storms can fry every thing, read Travels with Gertie Andy, he had a session!!
Hi, Jean,
I remember reading about Andy’s lightning incident several years ago. Don’t tell me it happened again!
Why is it getting hard to comment on my page? You write the comment and click, same as always. It shows up at the bottom or if it was a reply to someone, it shows up under their comment. If you come back later, follow weather’s instructions or scroll down. Unless you mean because of your stroke . . .
Hi Sue and the Crew. Its been quite a while since I sat down to write you. I have never missed reading all your blogs for the past two years and enjoy everyone. I had mention to you that I wanted to full time but money was always an issue. Well guess what, I solved that problem. I found a small trailer called Runaway. I mean small, but I don’t care, enough is enough,,, time to go. I am going to add a screen room to it and what ever else I need. They make them by order in Ocala, Florida. Mine will be ready for pickup May 16th. It only weighs 600 lbs so I can tow it with my car. I just new tires, new brakes, tow bar, oil change and ready to go. I am having problems figuring out just how to use my blog but I guess I will figure it out. My main problem will be internet. I need it because I have a small online store. I will be mostly boondocking. My trailer comes with air conditioner, no cooking, or bathroom. I have learned so much from you that I believe I can handle it. My first trip will be from Florida to Maine starting out in June. I would like my second trip to be West toward Arizona. Thanks again for your post, support, pictures.You kept me sane while I was waiting. Sharon from Fl.
Sharon! That’s wonderful!
You will handle it fine because you obviously have the determination and resourcefulness to do whatever it takes. Camping in the East will probably be more expensive than in the West where there is more public land. I’m sure you’ve taken that into account.
Bless you, girl! You’re going to do it! Thanks for sharing your news with us. And I’m happy to know you still read my blog.
I have family I want to see in the East. Some are in N.H, Mass, Maine and Vermont. I can park at their places. I also will use truckstops, rest area, Walmart and others. I may stay in a few National Parks or State Parks if I want to treat myself.Your new site looks wonderful!!!
I was thinking that was probably your plan… visit family and driveway camp or camp somewhere on their property. That will make for a great trip and cut costs a lot. I’m interested in how your eastern camping goes. I hope you’ll share with us. I bet you’re getting excited!
This info may have been posted before, but since you mentioned money was an issue and your trailer doesn’t have a toilet…..when we were in Mississippi doing relief work after Katrina we used a 5 gallon bucket with one of the regular toilet seats that snaps on top of it. I know Bass Pro sells them for 12 -15 dollars, so they are probably cheaper on Amazon. You just line the bucket with a trash bag, and (if you want) sprinkle some kitty litter in occasionally. Throw the entire trash bag away every day or two. It can even be used as extra seating (haha) for guests – maybe those annoying ones who just drop in unannounced?
While living in NY I tried often to explain to people that, while the East can be very beautiful, it just doesn’t have the drama of the West. We have the fabulous red rock formations of Sedona, the eerie beauty of all the rock formations and canyons in Utah, the stately and majestic mountain peaks all around, the startling beauty of the Grand Canyon, the Redwoods, the forests, the crashing waves of the Pacific, the huge beautiful sky and long golden vistas of the desert. Yes, the West requires a bit of courage, a sense of adventure, but the rewards are staggering. I am so very grateful that I grew up here, and am able to be back here. This rugged, lightly civilized land is home for me.
I’m a latecomer to the West, Ginger, and I wholeheartedly agree with you! You left out one of my favorite things in the West — its rivers! 🙂
I have been travelling with you for a few years now, through your blog. Thank you for sharing your travels and beautiful photography with all of us. This post particularly spoke to me. My goal is to be a full-timer. I sold my motorhome a couple years ago and, since I now have back, leg, etc., problems, I’ve tried to be content living in my house. However, my spirit of freedom and adventure are. suffering greatly. I’m 73 and retired now. I truly believe my physical problems and pain would be less if I would be following my heart. Your tears of gratitude, in this post, really spoke to me and touched my heart. Thank you so much for all you’ve done for all of