Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Not All Who Wander Are Lost
June, 2019 - Mount Denali, Alaska

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Three Years and Going Strong

Today marks the three year anniversary of our fulltime RVing life!

We’re thrilled to report that we couldn’t be happier. These three years have been filled with some amazing discoveries. We’ve seen so much beauty in places like Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, California, Texas and the Midwest. And, we’re looking forward to many more beautiful places in the years to come.

We did have a few mishaps along the way. The most annoying being the failure of the original Goodyear tires that came on our fifth wheel. Goodyear has stood behind their product and replaced all four tires as well as paying for the damage done to our rig.

It’s hard living in your unit when repairs need to be done. But, that’s just a part of this life. Even if you own a home, things break and need fixing. So, we deal with it and move on.

When we started on this journey, we had a lot of what if questions. What if you don’t like it? What if you get sick? What if you don’t like being together so much? etc. etc. We had done our homework and felt we were ready. And, what if we have ten extra years of freedom before the standard retirement age.

Well, we’ve had three years of freedom and can’t imagine going back to the old life. We hope to continue living this life as long as possible! And so far, we’re getting along just fine :)

Our weather has finally taken a turn for the better. As is typical for a Wisconsin spring we went from winter right into summer. Yesterday’s high was 82 degrees. But never fear, by tomorrow it will be back in the 50s with more rain.

I think the birds have been very confused with the late arrival of spring. When we arrived two weeks ago, there was a large group of American Coots hanging out along the shore of the lake in the park. This was the first spring we had seen them here. They’re already gone. I guess they just stayed a big longer than usual.

Also, I was disappointed that there were very few white pelicans here. Suddenly, in the last few days more and more of the pelicans are arriving. They were smart enough to wait until it got warmer.

The lake level is quite high this year. Last year the pelicans congregated on a rock outcropping in the lake. There were lots of birds on that little stretch of rocks. Here’s a picture from last May.

White Pelicans Beaver Dam Lake

Yesterday when I was out for my daily walk, I saw some pelicans at that same spot. As you can see, they did not have nearly as much area to sit on. And, it looks like there are still a few coots hanging around with the pelicans.

P1140353

On my walking route there is an area near the lake where a bunch of Canadian geese hang out. This pair have an absolute fit each time I walk by. I’m guessing they’re protecting a nest.

P1140354

There are many swallows in this area. Lots of the homeowners have birdhouses for them. As I walk, I see them busily building nests in the houses.

P1140356

Last Saturday we spent the day with members of the camping club we belong to. We can’t get away for an entire weekend due to our camphosting duties, but are able to spend a day with them once in a while. It was great seeing everyone and catching up with everyone’s news. And, it was actually a decent enough day to sit outside.

Kevin has been doing his job in the park. They had a late winter ice storm so there are many branches to be picked up. He’ll probably start mowing next week. The water problem was fixed last week so we are good to go and don’t need to take navy showers anymore.

I’ve been doing some spring cleaning and running errands. My biggest accomplishment is that I’ve finally found a dress for the wedding. What a relief!

I’m probably only going to blog once a week or less this summer. I don’t want to bore anyone with our day to day normal activities. I’m sure you don’t want to know that I’ve done laundry or what we had for dinner. I’ll have plenty to share as the wedding gets closer :)

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!