RVenture’s 2014 Reflection

As 2014 comes to a close we decided to reflect on our first year on the road. What an adventure RVenture has been. It has been some of the best times, some of the worst times, and all that lies between. Ah, the life on the open road.

When we set out on this journey a little more than a year ago we were total RV novices. We had no idea how much work and maintenance was involved in this nomadic lifestyle. Let me tell you, backpacking around the world is way easier and cheaper. When all that you own is carried on your back, you are so flexible and have little that holds you down. Literally, if you pack well! This enables you to have the ultimate carefree lifestyle. However, the benefits of traveling with your own house are numerous, but they come at a price. I will not list all the problems we have had with our RV this year. If I did, it would consume multiple pages. But just for a taste, we have had to fix the RV slide-out twice, replace every battery that exists in the RV, reseal the windshield frame, fix a crack in the windshield, replace the heating/cooling thermostat, and replace air conditioners (both for the truck engine and house A/C). And our most recent adventure is replacing the RV front grill from the damage a deer did to it. Amazingly, the deer ran away unscathed. However, the piece is custom made and takes 4-8 weeks. And that list doesn’t even touch on the small fixes and upgrades we made. Whew, talk about a money pit.

But there are so many benefits. The most important is that our pets, Wizard and Raja, live with us! They have become RV champions. It is awesome to always come ‘home’ at night and see their two smiling faces and wagging tails! The second best thing is that you always have your own bed to sleep in. (Even when it is full with 2 animals.) I truly enjoy my RV kitchen and feel that it is as good as any chef’s kitchen. We probably eat more at home now, then we did when we lived in a sticks and mortar house. Maybe all my free time has something to do with that. We really do have all the modern day conveniences of home. It just goes to show you how little space and ‘stuff’ you really need to live a happy life.

And a happy life we have! We have traveled the United States from east to west and south to north. We have camped in 52 locations and made uncountable day trips from those home bases. We have explored 16 National Parks and tons of its cousins (National monuments/seashores/historic sites/recreation areas/forests/historic trails). Not to mention all the state parks we have thoroughly enjoyed. We have had traveling companions join us for brief jaunts and we have visited family and friends that we hadn’t seen in years and sometimes decades. Our love of farmer’s markets has grown. It is so satisfying and rewarding supporting local farmers/crafters. Not to mention fresh food is the best! On the other hand, we have also experienced parts of the USA where fresh, healthy food is hard to find. Travel really shows you the differences/disparity that a large nation like the United States contains. Why are some areas so disadvantaged while others are so wasteful? Diversity is important, but it also shows you that we are all the same. Travel has helped me gain perspective and deepened my spirituality. The answer is really simple; LOVE.

Here are some our highlights of the year, in no particular order. As you may notice, most of these are national parks. That is because for people like us they are the true jewels of the USA.

1. Glacier National Park: This park is amazingly scenic and full of life. We had the experience of a lifetime when we walked with a black bear and a grizzly bear (and cub) in the same day. The beauty is truly jaw dropping and the hiking trails sooth your soul.
2. Grand Teton National Park: This is another place of indescribable beauty and a soulful place. Go, just go!
3. Salmon, Idaho: This one was one of our unexpected surprises. We were just trying to make it to Glacier National Park from Grand Teton National Park and this lovely small town was on our path. Little did we know that it was the birthplace of Sacajawea and is surrounded by the rushing Salmon River, bald eagles, and memorable mountain ranges. We met our favorite wild goat here and almost bought an RV park!
4. Zion National Park: What epic hikes the Narrows and Bright Angel Trail are! These two trails are some of the best in the world. We both have scars on our feet to prove it!
5. Mount Rainier National Park and Mount Saint Helens: These two volcanoes allow you to witness the power and forgivefullness of nature.
6. San Juan Islands: Yes, RVenture went island hopping. These are the gems of Washington State. They are so fantastic, that they are on the short list of future home sites. To be honest, our list is not short but that is whole other topic.
7. Big Bend National Park: This national park is in the middle of nowhere West Texas, but so worth the trouble to get to. It surprised us in its complexity, diversity, and warmth (both temperature and culture). We will definitely make a return journey here.
8. Seaside, Florida: Who doesn’t love the town in the Truman Show?! This quaint small town has amazing white sand beaches, organic restaurants, and a wonderful farmer’s market. It is heaven, and houses there reflect that cost! “Good morning, and in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!”
9. Mount Shasta, California: This magic mountain rises out of the southern Cascade mountain range in northern California. It is so remarkable that folklore seeps out at it edges. And we do love magic and folklore.
10. Seminole Canyon State Park: This was an excellent state park in Texas. In fact it is one of the most remarkable Native American sites in America. This park contains prehistoric rock art (pictographs) from 4000 years ago! And there is evidence and artifacts there from people that lived over 7000 years ago! I have to mention here that Texas has some of the most fantastic state parks for RVing in the USA. They are full of beauty, they are modern and well maintained, and have private sites. Three things every RVer loves!
11. Sunsets on the beach: We enjoyed our fair share of beach sunsets from Gulf Shores, Alabama to San Juan Island, to the Oregon and California coasts. And we enjoyed many river and lake sunsets too! “Never waste any amount of time doing anything important when there is a sunset outside that you should be sitting under.” C. JoyBell C.
12. Local microbreweries and vineyards: One of our favorite pass times is enjoying the locals’ drinks. Once again we have experienced our fair share of breweries and vineyards. If there is one near where we stay, chances are we indulged.

So what is next? Well for now we are going to keep RVenture rolling. As long as there is still a will, there is a way! We have had an unbelievable RVenture so far! If you have any ideas on where we should venture in 2015, leave us a comment below. Cheers to 2015!

P.S. Now it is time to catch up on the last two months of the blog. However, there are breweries, vineyards, and sunsets calling our names. Looks like you may have to wait until 2015!

Live life. Take chances. Be bold. Be crazy. Travel. Don’t Wait!