Life on the road – can or can not be what you expect. For me, the first year was nothing I’d expected. A year goes by quickly.
The first map was our trip West. We were excited to finally go and we were gone.
Those were a lot of miles, but we experienced so much and learned a ton about boondocking, our set-up then with the 5th Wheel and learning the solar configuration.
Map 1 Total Miles: 2795
Map 2 covers some of the most horrendous terrain to date. 30 miles of washboard roads, crossing a knee-deep swollen creek, miles of pot-holed paved roads, and conditions we could never take our current motor coach into. It was fun, in a way, but I don’t think I want to do it again. No, let me rephrase… I NEVER want to do some of those roads again… ever! I went, I saw, I experienced, I’m done.
Map 2 also shows us getting to Cottonwood, AZ and getting the call that my dad had fallen and broken his hip so back east we went and hung out in that area with a ton of family things (the red pin was our ending point) going on.
Map 2 Total Miles: 2918
Map 3 shows us leaving SC going back to Mom and Dad’s for a week to check on them and then trying to decide what to do. We chose to head north and were going west until we got the “help us” call to Campground host in the UP of MI.
Once our commitment in the UP was done in Mid September… we just kinda killed time on the east coast. I wanted to be home for at least Thanksgiving and Trapper obliged. So we slowly moved down the east coast using our Zone Pass from Thousand Trails. This membership makes East coast travel much more affordable! We had $0 out of pocket for a few of the next stops you’ll see.
Map 3 Total Miles: 2542 miles
Map 4 shows us leaving Twin Lakes Campground close to Washington, NC and then bouncing around between The Carolina’s and Tennessee. This was during the time I got the call that my Dad was dying and ultimately died.
I’d like to give a huge shout-out to Escapees Racoon Valley RV Park. We were in Fair Play, SC at another Thousand Trails Park and Trapper called to see if we could make reservations. I guess he explained the situation because when we showed up – I walked in, turned to close the door and the lady behind the desk said, “You’re Mrs. Fry, right?” Me, “Yes” then she said, “My most heartfelt condolences to you and your family.” I just started tearing up. How nice!
And finally, on this map, we round out the year. Thanksgiving in Monroe, NC, a week in Goose Creek, SC with family and then to Dallas, TX for Christmas.
Map 4 Total Miles: 2492
Grand Total Miles Covered in 2019 were 10,747
We took that little remodeled, solar updated, 5th wheel into places we’ll never get the motorcoach. We went through trading vehicles this year, selling the 5th wheel, the truck, the hitch and purchasing a 2005 Monaco Windsor and a Jeep Liberty to tow.
We lived pretty Spartan like in the beginning, but we were learning. We don’t have to be quite as Spartan anymore.
We spent 7 weeks at Trapper’s Aunt and Uncles, 7 weeks at my son’s…. all in their driveway’s – just 2 different rigs.
We did our first Camp Hosting Gig and traveled (safely) almost 11,000 miles. We saw some of the best the USA has to offer and most of that was just out in the wilderness.
Here are some random pictures and thoughts on 2019
Let’s don’t leave out the ultimate picture! This silly map was blank on Take-off Day 11-19-2018 and today it looks like this…. 18 states our first season!
My favorite picture of all times is this one… of the Pecos River.
This post was the wrap-up of 2019 and we’re starting again in 2020 from Dallas, TX… come join us!
2019 closes, for me, in memory of my Dad and his inspiration in my life.
We’ll see you in 2020…