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Our Awesome Travels

Our Awesome Travels
Taken In Quartzsite Arizona Dec 7th 2015

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

9 years ago today we hit the road fulltime.

Where are we today ?
      It was 9 years ago today August 18th 2006 that the sale of our house closed and we were officially living in our coach fulltime. A lot of people thought we were crazy, wanted to know how long for and where would we live afterwards?  I had just turned 56 and Suzie 49 and more people said we are too young to retire especially with no pensions. But we had been planning this for years and had a few bucks tucked away and have lived a pretty frugal lifestyle.  So on this day we were excited about to embark on our a new journey of adventure and exploring and see what we can see. 
       We purchased this house below in Plattsville in 1992 and renovated it over the years inside and out, until it was just the way we wanted it. But renting the house was not an option, we wanted to be free, so sold it we did, more capital to invest and live off the proceeds. I have had rental properties over the years and can be a headache.
this was our house in 1992
this same house we sold in 2006
our last day here
we are ready to hit the road
        Purchased our coach in May 2006 (from Larry Vanstone at Sicard Rv) and at that point pretty well decided we needed to quit working, sell the house and hit the road. We began the process in June quitting work in July, purged the house contents and moved into our house on wheels.
        We hung around Ontario until October visiting family etc and crossed the border mid October, we are only allowed 6 months in the USA and we wanted them to be in warmer weather than here.
         Sept 16th we had a retirement party for us and celebrated Suzie's 50th birthday at the same time lotsa of family and friends were there to wish us well on our adventures.
      What a celebration it was and great send off for our new lifestyle.

Our first night on the beach
Mustang Island Texas
Sea of Cortez Mexico when we spent 3 months in Mexico
2009 and 10
This is a rough map of our travels
 over the last 9 years
         We have seen so many places and met so many amazing people in our travels and made a lot of new friends.
         I began blogging in 2006 just new to blogging and took me until 2010 to get to doing some regular  postings that I was happy with, but at least we have a record of most places we went to and a few hundred thousand digital photos to look back on.
       This is were we are today in Plattsville 2 blocks from where our old house is located. I have lived in this village since 1982, ran my restaurant in town for 10 years, active member in the Plattsville Bright Optimist club for 18 years so I knew and still do know a lot of people in the area. Suzie's family is close by as is my mother and daughter number 2 and 2 grands so is a very convenient place to park for a week or 2.
        The way we like to live is constantly change scenery every week or 2, tried staying in some places for a month but not what we want to do yet. Of all the places we have been we love the south west the most. Just something about the desert that keeps calling us back.
         We have been wanting to travel across Canada for a long time and this looks like it is the year, so in a couple weeks (Sept.4th if all goes well) we will hit the road to the west coast, heading south down the coast  exploring and visiting along the way. Nothing carved in stone, will travel as we usually do, just play it by ear. With our campground memberships this lifestyle is very affordable and gives us freedom.
         So now entering into year 10 on the road, and still loving every day of this exciting life together. We have had a few issues, but nothing real major, regular maintenance and repairs on our coach (now 16 years old) and our car (13 years old).  Our coach had 35k miles on it in 2006 now 119k miles (we have travelled 84k miles in 9 years) and still runs great. The 2002 saturn had 21k miles on it now 131k miles on the odometer plus towed another 84k miles so 215k miles on the chassis.
         Now we are looking forward to many more years of this lifestyle, and for as long as we can. The only thing that will slow us down will most likely be health issues and so far we doing awesome! But being fairly active keeps us young and feeling alive.
         Looking forward to seeing new places and new faces, as well as running into people we have met over the years in our travels.
        Thanks for following along with us in our lifestyle. Everyday is a new one that unfolds differently. The only regret is that we should have started sooner.

       Today we enjoyed some wonderful weather, supposed to have thunderstorms all day but did not happen, also supposed to be very hot and humid (not) so I got a bit of the lawns mowed today. About noon we had friend Debbie stop by for a very nice visit. A local gal have known here for many years, Thanks for stopping in Debbie nice to catch up again.
         Even got to read for a while this afternoon then fire up our Weber Q. A pork loin roast and twice baked potatoes.  To celebrate our  9 year anniversary and use up the 2 taters we had. Before we cross the border on thursday for a week, gotta keep moving ya know.
very foggy morning it was
the Weber Q sure does the job
now that was a celebration meal
       Hope you had a great day too!

Check out the interactive map below to see where we have been this Spring and Summer.

42 comments:

  1. Happy Anniversary to both of you. It's a different life but we love it too. Any idea when your plans call for moving into Washington state? We're here for a while. Hopefully, our paths will cross again.

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    1. That would be wonderful to hook up again.
      Looks like near the end of October we head into Washington if you are still around.

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  2. What a great write-up to celebrate your full-time adventures. ..I'm sure the next chapter will be full of more friendships and travel. ..good luck and congratulations. ..lesalp.blogspot.com.au

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    1. Thanks Leslie, looking forward to the next chapter.

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  3. We just counted two years, nine is good.

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  4. Thanks for recapping this for us others. Good memories and good lifestyle.

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  5. Congratulations George and Suzie, nine years and it's still awesome. When are you coming to the island?

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    1. Thanks if all goes well should be on the island for about the first 3 weeks of October, hope to see you guys.

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    2. We are meeting, Tom and Diane and Sassy in Oregon in Oct fingers crossed we are still here, if not we'll see you farther down the road.

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    3. We will keep in touch and hope to see y'all down the road at some point, be nice to see Sassy again too.

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  6. Just a recent follower, but enjoy every post. Grew up in Woodstock and lived in Guelph, so I know plattsville a bit. Look forward to posts about your travels this fall.

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    1. Glad to have you along Furry this is a wonderful area on Ontario.

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  7. Here's wishing you at least another nine years on the road.
    Be Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

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  8. Congratulations to having 9 years on the road under your belt and to many, many more!

    You did fantastic job on renovating your old house. You would never even know that it was the same house.

    Looking forward to seeing you sometime in September. :-)

    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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    1. Thanks Ruth, we are looking forward to many more as well.
      That house renovation was fun but I ave done enough of them over the years, but it was time to move on.
      Just like the song "See you in September".

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  9. Great story and you are obviously still enjoying it - I have the same wish-we'd-started-earlier regret. Your head west plan sounds perfect for seeing Canada and heading to the southern US for the winter.

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    1. It will be an awesome journey looking so forward to it.

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  10. Nice recap George.
    meant to ask you, where do you buy those salmon burgers ?

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    1. Thanks Kelly.
      Bought those Salmon Burgers from Caudles Catch at the St. Jacobs Market, they also have a store in Kitchener and a website.

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  11. Great recap of your RV lifestyle. I hope you know the impact your blog has on us newbies. I hope you enjoy many more years of wonderful RV adventures!

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    1. Thanks Kelly, enjoy the lifestyle it is awesome!

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  12. Congratulations! I liked hearing your story and it fills in a lot of pieces.

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    1. Thanks Jan its been so much fun, travelling, meeting people and blogging.

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  13. Awesome post George! Great memories and more to come!

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    1. Thanks guys, you said it looking forward to much more too.

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  14. Happy anniversary to you two and hope your travels together never come to an end.

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    1. Thanks DD we are travelling and amazing road through life and enjoy every minute of it too.

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  15. So it looks like the full time life is going to work out for you after this brief test... :cD

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  16. Boy you two were really young. Glad it all worked out and you are still enjoying the good life. Congratulations.

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  17. Lovely post George. Looking forward to reconnecting end of September. You might want to check if one of your memberships works here at Holiday Park Resort. If not I can get you a discounted rate.

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    1. Thanks Contessa, we looking forward to the trip and seeing you guys again.
      Apparently your park is a coast to coast one of our memberships, so should be good.

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  18. Happy 10th RV'ing Anniversary! Yours is a nice story. And the memories you have experienced will be forever etched in your minds. Your blog will help you remember them all too. Congratulations!

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    1. Thanks so much and the memories are already amazing, looking forward to creating more.

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  19. Great post George. Here's to the next ten years. Travel safe and until the next time, take care you two.

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  20. Happy Anniversary, we are 3 years behind you.

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