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Our Awesome Travels

Our Awesome Travels
Taken In Quartzsite Arizona Dec 7th 2015
Showing posts with label The beginning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The beginning. Show all posts

Thursday, August 18, 2016

10 years ago today we began the lifestyle of our dreams. And still enjoy every minute of it

Where are we today ?
Rock Glen Resort
clic on a pic to enlarge it
      It was 10 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 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 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
This is a rough map of our travels
 over the last 10 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.
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 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 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 11 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 17 years old) and our car (14 years old).  Our coach had 35k miles on it in 2006 now 126k miles (we have travelled 91k miles in 10 years) and still runs great. The 2002 saturn had 21k miles on it now 140k miles on the odometer plus towed another 91k miles so 231k 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.
a campfire with friends last night
one of many over the years
     Today we again have no plans just let the day unfold. After a few early morning walkabouts headed into Forest about 8:30 am pick up a few things and fuel the car (.87.9 cents a litre and home before 10. Just puttered a couple more walkabouts then a light lunch. And then what we like to do in the afternoon if nothing on the agenda. Read a bit, walkabout, read some some more, fitness centre, read some more, nice hot shower, read some more the time to whip up supper. You get the picture. At one point a nice lady here stopped by to give us some fresh veggies out of her garden, she has more that she can consume (sorry we can't remember her name). Thanks so much , nothing quite like fresh veggies right out of the garden ! 
      I had marinated a couple of bone in pork chops all day so just add to a salad and some musk melon (also know as Cantaloupe).
      Even got to read for a while this afternoon then fire up our Weber Q. To grill a couple of very tender pork chops that I marinated oh so tender and tasty.
sure did hit the spot .
This is where we are today
         After another wonderful summer day and great supper we headed down to the clubhouse for darts. Always lotsa fun  from 7pm till 9 pm, Costs us 5 bucks to play and my team came in 2nd place so won 2 bucks. Not bad for a couple hours of fun and socializing all 18 of us. Then home to call it a night and begin year number 11 of enjoying this amazing lifestyle.
Suzie has a good form
          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. And the fact that we have to be in Ontario Canada for 5 months to maintain of health insurance and we can only be in the USA for 6 months a year, the warm winter months os what we want.
          Hope you had a great day too!
Check out the interactive map below to see where we have been this summer

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.

Monday, October 30, 2006

On The Road, Finally

Spent last few days at Rock Glen, Arkona, then 3 days at the Farm, 3 days at Lazy Lakes New York, geting colder.

October 28th, 7:30am on the Road heading to Jeffersonville, Ohio. Arrived at the Flying J at 4:00pm. The drive for the day was uneventful but we had lots of weather. We had Sunshine, clouds, rain, hail, snow and very hi winds. It was nice to stop for the night. Travelled 400 miles.

October 29th, Time change over night, left at 7:30am. Great day for driving, sunshine and getting warmer. Took off jackets, then into shorts and T shirts by 3:00pm, 80 degrees F. Spent the night at the Flying J at Franklin, Kentucky.

October 30th, Heading to Nashville for a couple days and tour about,Weather hot sunny about 80 degrees, and went to Dinner Show at Nashville Nightlife Theatre, Music Valley Dr,. next to campground, Great show with Contry Music , Steve Hall and Shotgun Red. Very Funny..

Another day unfolds Oct 31..
Did Walk about in morning, took tow bar to Camping World next door, gonna take a few days to get part and fix, so will do more Nashville. Went to Opryland Hotel and walked inside for few hours. Absolutely amazing place, so huge all the Gardens, walkways, rivers, waterfalls, restaurants, all under one huge roof.

For supper went to "the Cock of the Walk" for amazing Catfish dinner, deep fried dill pickles, onion rings and fries, Huge servings (1 would have been enough) served family style using tin plates, and cups. Great meal.

Nov. 1
Rainy Day, went to Opry mills (huge new Shopping mall) with new hardwood floors throughout, checked out The Aquarium Restaurant, an amazing restaurant that we were able to walk into and look at the huge tanks and many different fish (sharks, eels, sting rays etc.. and a diver in the tank try to catch some hostile fish), Bass Pro Shops, also Huge Gibson Guitar Shop, sidewalk music Monuments, but it was still a shopping mall. Later we drove about other none tourist areas of Nashville to feel the atmosphere.

Nov. 2,

Beautiful sunny day 58 degrees F
Went to Lane Motor Museum, Very rare cars and 1 of a kind vehicles, quite interesting. We also took quite a few pictures, check the link http://www.lanemotormuseum.org/
From there went to downtown and farmers market, not much going on there, but still interesting.
Then off to The Parthenon, (full size replica of the Original) a very unique, huge structure was originally built for Fair in 1897, the redone more permanent material 1921-1930.

Nov. 3
Morning will be heading south to Natchez Trace Parkway, until Monday then Abita Springs Louisianna, for a couple of weeks (near New Orleans).

Click HERE for pictures

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Future Plans

  • Sunday, October 22nd back to The Farm to wrap up a few things then away we go.
  • On Wednesday, October 25th we will leave The Farm and travel to Niagara Lazy Lakes.
  • On Saturday, October 28th we will leave Niagara Lazy Lakes and travel towards Nashville to pick up the Natchez Trace Parkway.
  • The Natchez Trace Parkway is about 444 miles long. Similar to the Niagara Parkway. No commercial vehicles are allowed. The parkway goes from Nashville Tennessee to through the southern portions of the Mississippi River, to Alabama. The following link will take you to the Natchez Trace Parkway website: Natchez Trace Parkway.
  • Our plans after that have not been confirmed but we are planning on going to Corpus Christi and Brownsville, Texas. We plan to arrive Picacho Peak RV Resort from December 15th to January 15th. Picacho Peak RV. The following maps our planned route.

Beginning of the Natchez Trace Parkway.

To Corpus Christie Texas

Monday, October 16, 2006

We are ready!!!!!!!!!!!

Green Acre Park in Waterloo for Thanks giving weekend. http://www.greenacrepark.com/html/about.html
Rock Glen Resort in Arkona

We are now ready to take off on our dream adventure any day now.

Saturday toured craft sales Grand Bend & Thedford, then back to Rock Glen for Pot luck dinner and progressive Euchre. Played darts sunday night and Suzie cleaned up, beginners luck I guess. Monday Geo was chippin branches and trimmin trees with Bill and Forest at Rock Glen.

Tuesday Rainy and we both worked on computer, setting up blog and a web page.

Wednesday very mild and did some maintenance and minor repaires on Rv , enjoyed mild weather being outside and BBQ supper. Soon we will not have internet every day, and doing much travelling, can hardly wait....

Click here on "Our Travels" to view some pictures