A Year on the Road

So today it’s been a year on the road, and we still ask ourselves what in the hell were we thinking?!? So many things have changed but some things aren’t much different. We still have bills to pay, meals to cook, trash to take out, dishes to wash, minor home repairs to fix, laundry to do, pets to feed, and doctors to see. We, however, no longer do yard work. If the grass gets high, we just move down the road

We seem to talk and listen to each other more. We hold hands more as we take in the beauty around us. We laugh more and take things less seriously. Little things that in the past we may have missed, we now take joy in seeing. Some days have been stressful, but we are constantly asking each other what day of the week it is. We have visited with family, some of whom we had not seen in over 20 years. We have spent time with friends that we haven’t seen since high school. We have visited with most from our wedding party, and although it was over 25 years ago, they are still our dearest friends. We have reconnected with those in places where we have lived with visits to St. Louis, Charleston, and Baton Rouge. We have also made new friends while on the road, including a couple from Denmark.

We are constantly amazed by the things we see. We have become more in tune with nature and the absolute beauty of this country. We have walked on the beaches of the Atlantic and the Gulf. We were awed by the roar of a shuttle launch and humbled by our visit to Gettysburg. We have seen the most spectacular sunsets. We have gazed at the moon with wonder, mesmerized by the tranquility that it provides. We marvel at the number of stars we see at night. They are all there; you just need to get out of the city to see them. As we drive through the small towns of America, we slow down. Every single one of them offers something unique to see if you are willing to take the time to look. We talk to as many people as we can. They all have a story and are a wealth of knowledge, information, and experiences.

This lifestyle may not be for everyone, but it does offer the opportunity to slow down. We all take vacations, and many visit the same places where we have traveled. The difference is we don't feel the need to cram everything in as we always did while taking those one week trips. Looking back we missed so much as our concern for getting home and heading back to work on Monday was always in the back of our mind. Many times on vacation, like many of you, Russ was on the phone taking care of business. Our decision was probably made easier in that we never had any children and that our family is spread out around the country, which made leaving our last home much easier. Through our travels over the years we have lived in 8 different cities and used to joke that home was where the paycheck was. Today home is where we park the bus.

We are always asked if we are having fun. The answer is yes. People we meet are shocked when they find out that we basically sold everything and hit the road without test driving the lifestyle. They also seem to admire the fact that we did it that way. No looking back; no going home. Just moving down the road and enjoying the moment. The fork in the road offers two choices - follow the GPS or follow our heart. It is our choice to make. If we knew a year ago, what we know now, would we do it all over again? Absolutely!!! We are glad we got on the bus. We think even Mikey, Abby, and Jo would agree.

BY THE NUMBERS

18,656 number of less miles driven compared to the last year we both worked

8,483 Saturn miles
7,861 RV miles
1,572 monthly health insurance premium
1,084 gallons of diesel
559 longest 1 day drive
106 highest temperature
81 most consecutive days in one place
45 cost of our membership (best investment we have ever made)
36 National Parks/monuments Cancellations (in our National Parks Passport book)

35 annual fee for that membership
29 lowest temperature
28 campgrounds

24 National Parks/monuments visited

23 Saturn mpg
19 states traveled in
16 family members visited
15 states spent the night in
8 RV mpg
5 Sweet Adelines choruses visited
4 Cardinals games
3 MLB parks
2 Missour Tigers football games
2 states of residence
1 Bowl game
1 shuttle launch
1 night spent in Wal-Mart parking lot
0 fish caught
0 weight gain/loss for the two of us (we both weigh the same as when we left)

BEST/WORST

National Park

Picking the best National Park is a tough one. We are going to go with Shenandoah Valley for its sheer beauty and solitude, and Gettysburg for its significance and the most humbling experience. There really isn't a "worst" National Park.

Campground

The Fiesta Key KOA in Long Key, FL, with its view out the front window of the Gulf and sunsets is hard to beat. Shiloh's RV & Travel Resort in Monroe, LA, was by far the worst.
Location
Long Key, FL, and Front Royal, VA, were equally enjoyable. No need to rush, no traffic, just the time to spend as you like. See Monroe, LA, for the worst.

Restaurant
If you ever make it to Titusville, FL, the Dixie Crossroads is the place to eat. If you ever make it to DeFuniak Springs, FL, Bo's Family Country Cafe is a place of last resort.

Pizza

Lombardo's in St. Louis, MO, is hard to beat. Think it has something to do with the cheese! Buck's in Denham Springs, LA, leaves a lot to be desired.

Pizza - frozen
Franchetta Supreme is the best. All the rest tie for the worst.

Roads
Georgia and Texas seem to consistently have the best roads. Louisiana are the worst with New Jersey not far behind.

Wal-Mart
The best Wal-Mart was in Front Royal, VA, and had only been open a few days when we visited. The worst is in Berlin, NJ, and we can understand why Russ' sister is not big on Wal-Marts!

Supermarket
The Schnuck's in Eureka, MO, was great. We have never been to a Piggly Wiggly that is worth the price of admission.
Bakery
Tellico Grains Bakery in Tellico Plains, TN, was fantastic. As far as the worst, is there really a bad bakery??
Moment
Another tough one. Watching the shuttle launch, seeing the Milky Way from the Keys, and a big black bear on the Appalachian Trail. The worst moment....was that the awning?!?!

A FEW THINGS WE'VE LEARNED

1) A possum is a flat animal that sleeps in the middle of the road.
2) There are 10,000 species of spiders, and most have visited us.
3) Gnats do not taste good.
4) The average person standing on any street corner of any city or town in this country has more common sense than the entire U.S. Congress combined.
5) There are as many varieties of camping vehicles as there are people out doing it.