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Our Awesome Travels

Our Awesome Travels
Taken In Quartzsite Arizona Dec 7th 2015

Saturday, August 18, 2018

12 years full-time.

Where are we today ?
clic a pic to enlarge it
celebrating our 12th anniversary living this amazing lifestyle
     Sure glad I started this blog when we went full-time, so many memories of people we met and places we have been. always nice to go back and enjoy, like an on line diary we can share with friends. Question? Are we tired of this full-time lifestyle? Answer. Heck no, wish we had started it sooner.

    Well here we are wrapping up our 12th year full-time living in our Motorhome. If you care there is a lot of pictures I have taken over years from some of the interesting places we have been.
     This map below is the general areas we have travelled in our 12 years full-time in our coach and of course many places in between.
         It was 12 years ago today August 18th 2006 that the sale of our house closed and we were officially living in our coach full time. A lot of people thought we were crazy, wanted to know how long for and where would we live afterwards?  I had just turned 57 the day after we bought our coach, and Suzie 49 and some people said we are too young to retire especially with no pensions. But we had been planning this for years did our research, and had a few bucks tucked away plus 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, purged our possessions and not paying for storage, more capital to invest and live off the proceeds. I have had rental properties over the years and they 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 , 7 years old then, (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 free camping on the beach 2006
Mustang Island Texas
sunset on the beach 2010
Stone Island,
Mexica Mexico
Sea of Cortez Mexico when we spent
 3 months in Mexico, 2009 and 10
         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 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.
where we park in Plattsville
       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 daughter number 2 with 4 grands so this is a very convenient place to park for a week or 2. Another daughter 90 minutes away with 3, and son an hour away with 1.
        The way we like to live is constantly change scenery every week or 2, tried staying in some places for a month or more, but not what we want to do yet always got the itch to move. 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 love boondocking in the desert
this is in Quartzsite Arizona
         We have been wanting to travel across Canada for a long time and looked like the fall of 2015 would be the year.  It did not work out, still plan to do this in the future. 
         So now entering into year 13 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 19 years old) and our car (16 years old).  Our coach had 35k miles on it in 2006 now 145k miles (we have travelled 110 k miles in 12 years) and still runs great. The 2002 saturn had 21k miles on it now 160k miles on the odometer plus towed another 110k miles so 320 k miles on the chassis. We have done some repairs and upgrades over the years and really love our coach now is actually 20 years old to is a 1999 model built in 1998.
         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.
        Living in our small house 24-7 has never been a problem for us, we do our own things, I love to cook so I do the shopping (Suzie hates shopping) I take lots of walks we both love to read we both do our computer stuff, me mostly pictures and blogging. And we do things together as well as sightseeing and visiting so many friends we have made over the years, hey works perfect for us.
         Looking forward to seeing new places and new faces, as well as running into people we have met over the years in our travels. And making new friends on the road.
our first campground we stayed in Louisiana and love it here
2007 In New Orleans
the year after Katrina
a lot of houses have been rebuilt and raised
Rv Rally at Daytona speedway
one of our visits to Key West
     In 2007 we camped in the Imperial Sand Dunes and did some exploring.
love this old plank road
they moved these planks to get through the sand dunes
we met some people there and they took us out to the dunes
this is the Border to Mexico in the desert

there is now a high fence at this spot
    Then we toured the Grand Canyon what a sight to see. Took a train ride from Williams AZ added to the fun.
amazing scenery here at the south rim of the Grand Canyon
Pictures don;t do the Canyon justice
the road across the Hoover Dam
we drove our coach across the Dam, before the new bridge was built
Avery Island Louisiana, Tabasco Factory
Dolly Partons Dixie Stampede in Myrtle Beach
In the Atlantic Ocean at Myrtle beach
       Then we took a Caribbean cruise from Galveston TX to Grand Caymen and a couple more islands, cruises are fun.
Grand Caymen from the cruise ship
we went to Hell Grand Caymen
our cruise ship from Grand Caymen
Crawfish Boil with friends at Abita Springs LA
Sampling beers with our good friends Rob and Pat
New Orleans
Beautiful colourful scenery in Sedona Arizona
Verde Valley train ride
Near Jerome Arizona
Sandia Peak tram
Albuquerque, New Mexico
coming back down from the peak
what a thrill this was
     One of our many trips to Branson Mo. we really enjoyed this amazing musical at the sight and sound theatre. With Noah and the Ark and live animals.
2009
        During our 3 months in Mexico 2009-10 we had a lot of fun exploring the small villages
small village, neat bakery, had to go through their living
room to the bakery at the back of their house.
then the village of Copola founded 1654 so interesting
     We camped at Tres Amigos Park on Isla de las Piedras (Stone Island) met a lot of very nice people there, daily Happy hours and beach fun. Margarita Mondays were fun, this blender is powered with a chain saw motor, too cool.
margarita Mondays
    We did quite a few day trips while were in the area.
we enjoyed a tour of this Tequila factory
     We had seen a show in town with a Kenny Rogers tribute and it was wonderful, he was very good singer, we ran into him again on the beach a few days later, very friendly he was in person.
    Then we hung around to enjoy a lot of the Carnivale atmosphere in Mazatlan, these Mexicans sure know how to party and have a good time.
we had a nice seats waiting for the parade
then we wandered the crowds along the Malecon enjoying the atmosphere
We ran into this fun group waiting for the parade to 
begin, lots of laughs with them trying to speak English
 and us trying to speak Spanish  2010
    That is just a few memories of some of the highlights over the years of places we have been. So much more to see long the way, and this fall we plane on another cruise to celebrate out 25 wedding anniversary this year. And the fact that were have lived this lifestyle 1/2 of our married life.
    Thanks for checking us out and joining us on our daily lifestyle.
Want to learn more about Membership camping at Rock Glen Family Resort ?
 click this link www.geosuzie.rockglen.com for a tour 
 Where have we been this summer?

46 comments:

  1. You guys are living the dream! Thanks for sharing your adventures and may you have many more happy years together exploring this continent.

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    1. Glad to have you along Peter, enjoying our dream with us.

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  2. And we are so glad to have met you a few times over the years...Galvin Bay, Abita Springs, Felicity, AZ and La Posa South/Quartzsite. Wishing you many more years of happy travelling, George and Suzie.

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    1. Thanks Dee and Mike we have enjoyed a lot of fun times with your guys over the years.

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  3. What a great recap, you sure have made the most of your retirement, lucky you to retire so early. Looking forward to seeing you and Suzy this winter.

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    1. Thanks guys looking forward to seeing you guys agin this winter as well.

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  4. It's a shame that you haven't made a point of seeing more of Canada.

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    1. Wel Kevin have actually been across Canada to Vancouver Island and back through the northern states. All of the east Coast except New Foundling, and all the New England states before we went full-time. This recap is only our full-time adventures.

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  5. Congrats on your 12 years if Full Time fun on the road, and looking forward to following your continued adventures. My younger brother is an English teacher in Mazatlan Fall-Spring,spending summers at our PNW roots.

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    1. Thanks Jeff we do enjoy this lifestyle for sure and Mazatlan and Mexico is a fun too.

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  6. Congrats on spending 12 years showing how it's done. This year I'm starting to travel more, although the motor home doesn't go every time. As you show, there is a lot out there to see and do.

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    1. Thanks Paula we do enjoy this lifestyle and have adapted very well. Any travelling is good that you can enjoy. Keep on doing it.

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  7. Great summation of your travels George. Well done.

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    1. Thanks Al, and this is just since we have been full-time. before that we have been across Canada coast to coast and the northern states as well.

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  8. Congratulations not just on 12 years of full-time but for thinking of it and having the courage to do it when full-time wasn't cool. :D Really enjoy reading your blogs and seeing all that you see.

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    1. Thanks guys it was a dream we had and now we are following it enjoying life. Glad to have you along.

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  9. What a wonderful 12 years you guys have had!

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    1. Thanks Stew we sure have had an amazing time enjoying this lifestyle.

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  10. Congratulations you two! What a wonderful post, I really enjoyed all the pictures!! You guys have really seen some things and some country and countries! Amazing!! Hope you have many more years left of this lifestyle as it suits you so well! Oh almost forgot..your house was just too adorable!! I would have had a hard time letting go of that porch!!

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    1. Thanks guys glad you enjoyed it e sure do love this lifestyle. And have been to some wonderful places we enjoyed. Looking forward to many more as well. We built the house the way we wanted it, enjoyed it and the porch for quite a few years. If we wanted to pursue this lifestyle we had to sell the house or keep working,

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  11. That was fun! I have followed you for years but don't think I ever read about the very early times. You two have made a great success of this lifestyle. Congratulations on both anniversaries.

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    1. Thanks Sue for following right along with us it has been a wonderful journey so far. And the celebrations are always fun as well.

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  12. Congratulations on your Fulltiming Anniversary and an early Birthday wish for Suzie. We've been following you since 2008 (Sorry we didn't see it sooner) and have definitely read about many of the places we would later visit from your post. Wishing you many more years of Fulltime RVing and Enjoy your Cruise.
    Be Safe!

    It's about time.

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    1. Thanks guys it has been an awesome journey so far looking forward to more.

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  13. congrats on your 12 years of fun and hope you have at least 12 more.

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    1. Thanks Larry we are looking forward to many more as well.

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  14. Amazing life on the road. You two have done it right. Congratulations! Thank you for the overview.

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    1. Thanks Doug for following along and always fun to meet up with you in our travels too.

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  15. This is an amazing accomplishment you guys. You've been there, done that and got most of the tee shirts! You are an inspiration to us newbies. I hope I get to post about twelve years on the road.
    Keep up the maintenance on your rig, car and yourselves!

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    1. Thanks Dave it has been a blast and we love every minutes of it. Hope we can keep us all up a running for many more years too.

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  16. What a wonderful life style you and Suzie, have made for yourselves. Wishing you so many more to come

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    1. Thanks Jo we are living our dream and enjoying life, just the way we want to.

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  17. Rock-On George and Suzie!...If my wife of 30yrs hadn't passed from Alzheimer's 4 years ago we would be on a ride..Not as adventurous as yours, but fun anyways...
    When the fires quit bugging me here in Chelan I have plans!
    Keep smiling and having fun!
    Upriverdavid

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    1. Thanks David we have been so blessed to enjoy this lifestyle and wish we had done it even sooner. Make a plan then jump in a do it

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  18. Thanks for permitting me to follow along vicariously on your travels over many of these years! I've enjoyed the ride as much as you and Suzie!

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    1. Thank you Scott for following along and glad you have enjoyed the ride.

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  19. What a great read this morning George! Many more wonderful years to come.

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    1. Thanks Loree looking forward to many more as well.

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  20. What a great ride you two have had!! Congratulations!!!!

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    1. Thanks Nancy it has been wonderful so far and looking forward to more fun times on the road.

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  21. Wow! What an amazing collection of wonderful memories you made. Here's to the next twelve years of fun traveling. :c)

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    1. Thanks guys it has been a wonderful journey and looking forward to more fun times.

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  22. Congratulations on 12 years of full timing, you sure have made the most of it ... here's to many more years! And I love the reno's you did on your house, it looked great.

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    1. Thanks guys we have been enjoying this amazing lifestyle so much to see and do.
      We bought that house and had a dream. made it come true and really enjoyed the house. Then next was to follow our dream of full-time rving and travelling.

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  23. Great to have met you both and congrats for inspiring the rest of us to keep on rolling.

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    1. Thanks Jim and Sharon, glad that we met up with you guys and still do on our travels.

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