Still in NW Arkansas, but not for long...

Hi Guys,

 

Fall is nearly upon me and I'm still in NW Arkansas.  Who knew it would take this long to get going?  Actually, lots of people did and they post to RV forums all the time.  I've been told by one guy that it took him two years to get prepared and head down the road.  That's fine for him and however long it takes for others to get it together is fine, too.  For me, I'm nearly there now and it's only taken 5 months.  Just yesterday I dropped off the whale at an independent mechanic's shop to have the chassis and engine work done.  I'm excited to find Chuck Thurman because he is not only capable of performing the work, but he's a nice person as well.  I believe he really does have my best interest at heart and when he's done with his part I'll have a motorhome of my dreams worthy and capable of transporting me to Wonderland. 

 

My whale was beached for six weeks at Coachlight RV service center up in Carthage, MO getting the bulk of the coach work done.  Just to give you an idea of the kinds of things I've had done here is a short list.  The list expanded to about 35 items in the end, but I won't go into that kind of detail.

 

1.  New roof

2.  New Dometic Penguin heat pumps x 2

3.  New backup camera and monitor

4.  New remote controlled spot light so powerful you can read a newspaper at 750 feet

5.  New HD articulating satellite dish

6.  New porcelain toilet with elongated bowl

7.  New LED 3D TV's x 2  (40" up front, 22" in bedroom)

8.  New dvr tuners x 2

9.  New under cabinet 8 cup coffee maker

10. New mount installed for gas BBQ

11. New gas line quick connection installed for BBQ

12. New slideout tray installed

13. New freezer installed on slideout tray (wired for both 110v and 12v)

14. New ICC lights (LED) all around the roof line

15. New windshield wipers and washer system

 

The rest of the stuff done at Coachlight was repairing or refurbishing components that were either close to expiring or were already in disrepair.  This is what happens when you buy a used motorhome and I fully expected to have to do this stuff.  Truth is this is the ONLY way I was going to get the motorhome I really want.  Even a factory new machine wouldn't have satisfied me, not for full-timing.  Those who go part-timing are much more easily satisfied.  The money is well spent and not a dime went towards being frivolous unless, of course, you consider new LED 3D TV's to be frivolous.  But, who ever it was who said motorhomes were bottomless holes to throw money into wasn't exaggerating all that much.  These are very complex machines with multiple systems that almost all have backups to add to the complexity.  They are much like airplanes and large boats in that regard.  Truth is I can't complain because when I finally embark on my new adventures I'll be traveling in a vehicle that is as close to perfect as a motorhome can be. 

 

Then there is the saga of the Blue Ox Tru-Center steering stabilizer.  Turns out the parts they sent would not mount on my chassis.  When I called I was informed that they do not have adapter kits for independent front suspensions and that if I wanted to still proceed with their equipment I'd have to drive up to NE Nebraska for a custom fit.  So, up to Pender, NE I drove and along the way I was reminded several times exactly why I was pursuing a steering stabilizer in the first place.  While driving on Hwy 9 I entered a long sweeping left hander at the speed limit, 60 mph.  The shoulder was gravel and about 8 feet wide.  Well, I dropped my front right wheel off the asphalt onto the gravel and the rocks started pulling me further and further to the right.  I was surprised at the reaction of the motorhome because it was heading to the ditch without any help from me.  I wrestled with the wheel and every time I would attempt to get the right side wheels back on the road they would only bounce off the asphalt lip and head once again towards the ditch.  The good news here is that I wasn't in Arkansas when this happened because Arkansas doesn't have 8 foot wide shoulders.  Instead, Arkansas has rock walls and sheer drop offs.  The motorhome's reaction to the soft shoulder was shocking, to put it mildly.  For a split second I had some doubts, but only for that moment.  As I slowed I was able to bring the beast better under control and I was able to get her back on the road.  There should be some special training required before someone is allowed to drive these 15 ton machines, but there aren't.  We're talking about 34,000 pounds of machinery with air brakes, big diesel pusher engines and road manners that make them a real hazard on the road.  I once asked a tech up at the Newmar factory why they didn't use thicker wood in the roof structure and he said, "we don't like it when our motorhomes tip over in the wind".  What can one really say?  I guess handling is secondary to other considerations when you put wheels under a house and roll it down the road.   

 

When I arrived up in Pender, NE I pulled into my designated parking space at the Blue Ox factory RV park.  There would be no charge for the stay and it was nice to have full hookups for the first time ever.  I just wished I hadn't left my sewer hose behind in AR.  I wasn't concerned, though, because I had a 45 gallon tank for black water and a 65 gallon tank for gray.  This would be the first time I would be able to actually live in my motorhome and I was excited to sample the traveling lifestyle.  I put down my jacks to level the coach, deployed the living room and bedroom slideouts and raised my new Dish Network HD satellite antennae.  For a few minutes there were electric motors whirring in all directions and I could feel my motorhome transforming into what it is really meant to be, a home.  Expanding the living room and bedroom by 3 feet is no small thing and I found that after just a short time I was really relaxing and feeling at home.  The 40" LED TV up front is plenty big when viewed up close and as much as I love my 72" TV at home this one would do very nicely as a substitute.  I spread out a throw on the couch and laid down to watch TV and realized something.  This isn't any different from lying on the couch at home.  If I wanted to continue to be a couch potato I could, but is that really what I wanted?  At that moment it was and I settled into a power nap with the History Channel playing in the background.  It was home.  Romeo, my little 4.9 lb Maltese also settled into his position lying against my legs further down the couch and he was content.  There would be no squirrels to chase this day, but he seemed ok with it all.

 

When morning came around I was escorted to the factory by Blue Ox's salesman, Mike.  Mike is an affable enough guy and had a great attitude.  I was made to feel welcome and given one of the factory pickup trucks to use while they worked on my Dutch Star.  Pender, Nebraska has a population of about two thousand with three gas stations, one restaurant, three bars and a tiny grocery store.  There is also an old, dated Rexall Drug Store on main street with a very old soda fountain that is no longer operational.  I was hoping for a cherry phosphate, but it wasn't happening.  They did serve ice cream cones along with their various sundries, but that's not the same thing, right?  Maybe in my future travels I'll be able to find a real soda fountain.  I hope so. 

 

For those who have never been to Nebraska let me tell you there is a reason the University teams are called, "Corn Huskers".  For hundreds of miles I saw nothing but corn and soybean fields in every direction for as far as the eye could see.  This was mid western agriculture at its corporate best.  It is truly staggering to see so much food being grown.  And I'm convinced that if we turned our attention to it we could, in fact, feed the entire world.  Every now and again along the road I'd see evidence of the other thing Nebraska is famous for, pheasant.  I quit hunting a long time ago, but I must say when I saw pheasant flying across the road my old instinct surfaced and I would mentally lead the birds and, boom, shoot my imaginary shotgun.  I still own guns, three of which are shotguns.  I'm going to take them along when I full-time because I still enjoy shooting at guns clubs when the opportunity presents itself.  But, if I had someone pulling on my arm and dragging me to a pheasant field to shoot over someone's setters and pointers I must say I'd be tempted.  I don't have anything against hunting, to be honest.  I quit only because I lost the lust for the kill.  Killing just isn't in me these days or I don't think it is.  I could make an exception, though.  After all, what's the difference in killing a fish I catch versus a warm blooded animal that flies or lives in the woods?  Actually, I'm at a point in my life when I don't even like to put live crabs, crawfish or lobster into boiling water.  I do it, anyway, and that's about all I can say about that.  Killing animals (mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and certain insects) isn't my favorite thing to do, but we all do it either by proxy or by our own hands.  Death, it turns out, is as much a part of life as anything and to deny our role in Nature is to not really face reality head on.  I'm not saying that we should all experience a beef slaughter house or that we should embrace blood letting for just any reason.  All I'm saying is that killing isn't inherently a bad thing.  From my perspective animals were put on earth to live at our convenience.  They deserve a certain amount of respect for giving their all for our sustenance.  If this doesn't sit well with you then I'm sorry.  

 

It took from Tuesday morning to Friday afternoon late to get the steering stabilizer sorted out.  Saturday morning I pulled out onto the highway once more and headed back south.  I'd need to calculate a new route, though, because with all the flooding from the Missouri River I-29 is closed north of Rockport.  Going north I had to detour over four hours to get around the flooding and the trip had taken a lot longer than I had originally anticipated.  The only really cool thing I saw driving through the rolling hills was a wind farm.  I had never really seen a huge wind generator in person and they are truly massive.  The base of the tapered pole looked to be 10 feet wide and I don't know how long each blade was, but they appeared to be close to 60-80 feet in length.  These beautiful white sentinels of the prairie could be seen from a great distance and they are so huge that they appear to be turning in slow motion.  I don't know that I'd want those things in my back yard, but they would be preferable to a nuclear plant or a coal fueled power station.  I wanted to take pics and video of the windmill farm, but the traffic was heavy given so many cars and tractor trailers were having to detour.  I can tell you the local law was having a field day writing speeding tickets to all those less patient drivers having to endure their own time delays.  That was about the only positive thing I saw as a result of the flooding, increased revenues for the locals due to detours.  My new GPS would have informed me of the flooding problem had it not crapped out 20 minutes into the journey.  It's going back to the factory.  I had plenty of maps on hand, so navigating the countryside of AR, MO, KS and NE was not a problem.  It was kind of nice to not have to listen to that female voice, "left turn in one quarter mile", "left turn ahead", "please make a U-turn ahead and resume on the original course".  Following turn directions from a computer voice is one thing, but it's more Zen to go it with maps.  I will buy another GPS because they are easier, but it was almost nostalgic to use the maps once again.  

 

It didn't take long after heading south out of Pender for me to realize the true value of the steering modification installed at the factory.  The Blue Ox Tru-Center steering stabilizer is a miracle of technological achievement and it has transformed my motorhome into a road worthy and safer coach.  Most all of the coach's tendency to wander is now gone.  Further, with the "on the fly" recentering feature I can make little adjustments in steering pressure to compensate for stiff crosswinds and changing crowns (slope of roadway) on the highway.  I found I could finally relax while driving and was grateful for the positive feedback I was getting from the steering.  If nothing else I felt safer.  It's my opinion that no motorhome should ever be allowed to leave the factory without one of these installed.  That's how strongly I feel about steering stabilizers.  I pulled into a space at our home RV park in the late afternoon Sunday.  It was an almost uneventful two day drive.  One thing I found curious, though.  When I crossed over into Kansas the color of the asphalt road changed from black to red.  It was kinda cool and unexpected.

 

I took the Dutch Star to Springdale, AR yesterday and dropped it at a diesel/chassis mechanic's shop.  He's going to do the last of the work to the motorhome.  He's going to service the chassis and engine and then install my Banks Engineering Turbo Power Pak.  When I bring it home next week I'll start provisioning from the house and prepare for the long term prospects of the open road.  Today I got the Nissan Pathfinder 4x4 out of the shop and I'm pleased to report the new drive shaft de-coupler works.  All that's left to do on the Nissan is to install the Thule (pronounced TuLee) kayak rack, install the Brake Buddy aux brake system in the Nissan and find some magnetic tail lights I can mount at the rear.  I'm hoping I can figure out all the last stuff by myself.  We'll see.

 

I know those of you who are following this blog are not here to read about all the preparations leading up to my official launch, but that's all I've had to write about to this point.  It's the middle of September now and I'm thinking I'm going to change up my itinerary due to getting a late start.  Since it could start snowing in the Rockies any time now I'm thinking South and not North.  Even up in Pender the nights were brisk and I had to run my heat pumps to stay comfortable.  I'm thinking that Glacier, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion and all those other Western National Parks will have to wait until 2012.  Today I'm shopping for RV parks down in the Florida Keys and that turning away from the mountains at this point is a good idea, anyway.  Truth is I'm in no shape to hike in the mountains.  They would be way too taxing on my out of shape body.  I'm now thinking the best exercise I can get is in the clear azure waters of the Keys.  So, I'm going to spend most of this Fall and Winter down in the Florida sunshine scuba diving, snorkeling, spearfishing and fishing.  I don't expect to lose all my weight by Spring, but I do expect to be in a lot better physical condition by then.  We'll see.  I should be in good enough condition to then go to the Rockies and play in the National Parks. 

 

I've been a certified scuba diver since 1969 and back in 1988 I took a refresher course that brought me back up to speed.  Since then the regs have changed and you now have to get an Advanced Open Water Certification if you plan on diving deeper than 60 feet.  And if you're going to enter a wreck you have to have a dive computer with you.  Apparently they've had a number of accidents and came to the realization that better training was the answer.  I see it as an opportunity to better my skills.  I called a dive shop down in Ft. Lauderdale and was quoted $450 for their Advanced course.  I called locally and the price was $175.  I'm taking the course here.  It's a two day course with five total dives and I get to pick my modules.  I just wish I fit into my wet suit a little better right now because the temperature drops below the thermocline in Beaver Lake to a chilly 67 degrees.  Brrr.  Maybe they'll have a big boy wet suit I can rent for the time being.  I won't need one down in the Keys until later this year and even then my thin 3mm shorty wet suit will be adequate.  

 

I called an old friend from the mid 60's who was my older brother's best friend.  His name is JR or Johnny.  JR and my deceased brother, Bill, used to do everything together be it hunting and fishing.  JR has lived on Key Marathon for the last 32 years and his backyard is the Atlantic Ocean, which is very cool, indeed.  He's a true authority on Keys fishing and diving and I'll be following his lead, at least at first.  He told me to come down and he'd help me fill my new freezer with lobster tails.  All I can say is YIPPEEE!!  I love lobster, even the spiny lobster of the Keys and it's on my diet.  YES!!  I'll just cut back a little on the garlic butter.  I'm really looking forward to learning the ropes from Johnny.  When I talk with him I hear a lot of my brother's voice in his.  And that's a nice thing.  I can't wait to get wet down there.  I've got everything I need to refurbish my speargun and I'll be doing that today.  My other equipment is a little dated, but it's in good enough shape that I will not be replacing anything, except my mask.  The silicone is discolored and opaque looking and I expect the strap is going to break soon.  My fins are still in good shape, but they are an older technology.  I will probably replace them sometime down the road.

 

My next post to this blog will be after I've launched and I'm on my way East.  I was thinking about a detour up to the Chesapeake Bay area to fish for stripers and eat some fresh blue crabs and dungeness crabs.  It would almost be worth it to make the trip to Baltimore just to eat at that "all you can eat" crab house I know about.  I guarantee they'll lose money on me at $22.  I believe I can digest crab faster than I can eat it.  Dungeness are special in that they hold a lot more meat than blue crabs.  But, like any crab if you don't know "how" to eat them then it is less than a labor of love.  Back in the mid-70's I went to a little crab shack outside of Sarasota and I met an elderly man who took pity on me and taught me the correct, most efficient way to eat blue crabs.  I enjoy teaching the technique to others.  Knowing how to eat crabs properly is a real relief if one loves crabs the way I do.  So, if you'd like to join me sometime I'll be happy to show you the path to crab heaven.

 

My Best,

 

John

The question asked was "why don't more people RV full-time"?

Hi Guys,
 

I was browsing one of the RV discussion forums and found an interesting question being asked of the forum members.  "Why don't more people full-time?"  Since I'm about to join those ranks I thought I'd try to answer that question from my own perspective.  

First, there is no "right answer" and what I know comes only from several months of preparing to motor home full-time.  I have yet to launch and right now I'm still three weeks out from beginning my new lifestyle.  I do, however, know why I'm so attracted to this idea and would like to share my feelings on the subject.  

When I say full-timer I'm not describing part-timers who keep a home to which they can return any time they get tired of the road.  A true full-timer is someone who has no other home and if taken to the next level it also describes the person who has also sold or given away all the possessions that won't be carried along in the coach.  That's the tough part.  Abandoning one's possessions isn't an idea to be taken lightly.  We can become very attached to "stuff" and like the proverbial albatross around the neck "stuff" can also weigh one down.  Stuff is the anchor that once shed will allow for a truly free lifestyle.  Being bound to one's stuff whether it be a house or the Mercedes in the driveway is all the same.  It inhibits forward vision.  Breaking the bonds that bind us to our normal lives is the key that unlocks the door to individual freedom.  One thing is certain.  Full-timing requires a certain mindset.  It requires that we look forward instead of backward in our lives.  This is no small thing and very difficult for most people.

I must confess the thought of leaving everything behind was a little stressful at first, but after some thoughtful contemplation the idea of giving away everything actually became fun.  When I look forward at the prospects that lie before me I see giant redwood forests, wind and water carved canyons, natural monuments, rivers and streams.  I see mountains and valleys full of Nature's magnificent flora and fauna.  And I see myself integrating into that natural environment to the extent one can while living in a home on wheels.  I expect to become a better person for my new chosen lifestyle and I expect to leave behind in my rear view mirrors any lingering doubt about my decision to abandon life as I've known it to now.  If being truly free demands that I rid myself of my possessions then I see the trade as being more than fair.  I can tell you there is a tremendous sense of relief when this commitment has been made.  Houses are ONLY brick and mortar.  New cars can be bought and new swimming pools can be dug.  What a full-timer leaves behind is only possessions and they are, in and of themselves, meaningless and easily replaceable.  The culture of materialism is a trap most of us fall into and removing one's self from that equation is what is most important, at least to me.

In truth, though, I'm not really giving up much in terms of living amenities.  Modern motorhomes are designed to provide most all of the amenities we take for granted in our stationary homes.  So, when I'm parked on some mountain top or exploring a southwestern desert I will still be receiving all the same TV channels through my rooftop HD satellite dish.  I'll still have a couch to lay upon when I'm feeling lazy.  Sure, I'm giving up my 72" TV, but only because it wouldn't fit in the space I have available.  Instead, I'll be watching a new 40" 3D LED TV that is still bigger than I really need.  With my new gas BBQ grill mounted to the exterior wall and plenty of freezer space to store fresh caught fish and thick cut buffalo, elk or beef steaks I don't see myself suffering much while on the road.  Taking along most of my home conveniences like central heat/air, an ice maker and a convection oven will be a comfort, to be sure.  But, it is all virtually meaningless when compared to the other blessings I'm about to receive just outside my coach windows.  How many of us, after all, will wake up in the morning to a bull elk bugling for his harem?  How many of us will fall asleep tonight to the sound of a babbling brook, the hoot of an owl or the lonesome cry of wolves now repopulated in Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks?  Living on the road, I am told, is not a compromise to full-timers because the rewards so far outweigh the costs.  I am a real believer and I've not yet even launched.  I've convinced myself that stick and brick houses along with all the other materialistic trappings that hold us back are but an albatross around the necks of all free and adventurous souls. 

It's taken to the age of 60 for me to make this decision and transition.  Since my decision is already etched in stone I don't really wonder much about what motivates others.  I just figure they are creatures of habit just like I used to be.  And it's no crime to love your home, your friends and your life.  I have loved all that, too.  It's just at some point I found I wanted something more from my life.  I've always been someone who wanted more and until now I didn't really know how to go about getting it.  I'm still a work in progress, though, and to be honest I've had my doubts, especially when they've been so brightly illuminated by friends and family.  Today, however, those doubts are no longer a part of my personal dialog.  I now see the stuff I've collected over my lifetime as just an impediment to my personal freedom.  To dwell in my past and to be constantly reminded of my past is to not move forward and not moving forward is no longer an option.  Not forgetting the past is one thing, but dwelling excessively in the past is quite another.  I am now compelled to move on.  My new mantra is "ever forward" and what better way is there to live than to follow my dreams?  When I search my heart I find I no longer need the kind of comfort and security that a stationary lifestyle provides.  And please know that being free means more to me than just giving things away or picking up and traveling down the highway.  It also means leaving my fears behind and becoming my truly brave Self.  Full-timers are the new American adventurers.  Move over Lewis and Clark.  You've got company.

mb/jd

I've just seen the best fireworks finale of my life!!

Hi All,

Since this will be my last 4th of July in Arkansas I decided to drive to the 9 hole golf course and watch the Holiday Island community annual fireworks up close and personal.  The entire performance was routine and repetitive until the finale.  What I saw made me feel like I had died and gone to fireworks heaven.  The finale was a masterful 15 seconds of visual art.  Most finales I've seen in my life have seemed chaotic and unstaged.  Not tonight.  This finale felt more like a fireworks ballet than someone just shooting at random.  There were fountains of red, white and blue acting as a continuous lighted base for the aerial action above.  When I say above I should clarify because I want you to comprehend the full impact of what I saw.  I was so close that I had to look straight up to take in the explosions.  Some of the sparks were extenguishing very close to me.  This was as close as one could safely be.  I don't care how many displays you've seen in your life there is no substitute for being less than 100 yards from the action.  I had Romeo in my arms and he wasn't all that happy with any of it, especially the finale.  But, he's just a dog and what does he know, anyway?  I would say they shot sky rockets at a rate of 5 a second for the entire 15 second finale.  The sky was so bright you could have read a newspaper.  To say it was a "rush" would be an understatement.  It was the best fireworks experience I've ever had in my life.  And to think I saw it here in little 'ole NW Arkansas and in one of the poorest counties in the nation.  I wonder where I'm going to be this time next year?

Happy 4th,

John 

It's been a month since I last updated this blog and a lot has happened...

Hello Road Hog Blog readers:

 

I've had the motorhome in the Holiday Island RV park for just over a month.  Everything is going well from my perspective.  I am well aware of what needs to be done to bring the motorhome up to a high pre-launch standard.  And I've learned a lot along the way, but I'm not qualified to do the work.  I'll do more and more once I'm out on the road, but for now I need a professional.   

 

June is flying by and I'm enjoying my time learning about my new motorhome (MH).  I've saved a ton of money by shopping on the Internet for all the stuff I want.  For instance, I'm pretty spoiled when it comes to HD TV, so to receive HD TV in the motorhome I have to replace the existing dome style satellite dish that only receives standard definition TV.  So, I bought a Winehart Dish 1000, which is a multiple transponder dish.  It's a pretty lavish indulgence, but what the heck.  We only go around once, right?  Just don't tell the Hindus or Budhists.  I expect it will be a good system, that is the dish not reincarnation, although reincarnation would make a good entry in this blog.  We'll talk.  Bottom line is the new dish will do the job and channel my HD TV fixes to the motorhome.  It's a bonus that they look cool, too.  For guys cool factor is always in the equation. 

 

I'm told by full-timers I've met that I should expect to always have a "list" of stuff to be worked on.  This motorhome is a sophisticated home on wheels and there is certainly a lot that can go wrong.  While here in my old neighborhood on Table Rock Lake I'm going to make my best effort to trim my MH list to zero.  It sure would be nice to start my full-timer career with a blank slate.  I think it would be just one less thing to divert my focus from my real mission, which is to have as much fun in my life as possible.  How's that for a life's mission? 

 

I've pretty much decided that I will spend the majority of my time this summer in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.  Montana is supposed to be a truly spectacular place to live and breathe that is if you can catch your breath for all the dramatic scenery.  Brother, Huntley, has made me promise to be in Glacier on August 15th to witness the height of the wild flower bloom.  I might have mentioned this in another entry, but it is on my mind and my hands just keep on typing what ever comes out of my head.

 

mb/jd  (My Best/John Dent)

I feel like I'm back in school...

It's May 27th and Labor Day is just around the corner. 

I'm trying to not etch anything in stone with respect to my departure date.  I know unpreparedness is the real enemy and I will not venture onto the road unprepared.  So, today I'm saying July 1st, but in a few weeks I might be saying something else.  I frequent motorhome forums online and ask all kinds of stupid questions.  Actually, I never ask stupid questions.  I ask questions instead of researching other threads where these topics have been discussed before.  But, for the most part everyone seems very willing to help out newbies and I am most appreciative.  One guy who was discouraging me from buying a 39 foot motorhome as my first RV said it took him 2 years to prepare for full-timing.  That's what it's called when you don't have any other home other than the one with wheels.  He's either a lot more patient than me or he's slow on the draw.  I'm already seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and I've only been at it for a few weeks.  I was thinking I might need an extra month getting ready, but only because of possible continued back orders.  As for me I'm chawing at the bit and really wanting to get out there ASAP. 

I want to become more intimately familiar with the motorhome systems that will be begging my attention later on.  So, each day now I go down to the community RV park and play with the motorhome some.  I'm determined to become familiar with all of it before I launch.  Today was a banner day.  I learned how to dump my waste tanks.  It's pretty straight forward, but I did make a mistake that if made while dumping black water I would have gotten a little stinky.  Fortunately what I messed up was gray water and not black.  I also learned that I have a leaky sewage hose and that I need to buy a new one that is longer.  And I also learned that special hoses are used for fresh water and that I'd be wise to buy new white hoses while  I'm at Walmart tomorrow.  My old one will be relegated to black water tank rinsing.  I've not performed that little task yet, but it's coming.  If I was smart I'd move into the thing in the interim, but that would mean being away from my first love, my 72 inch TV.  I tried to make it fit in the motorhome, but alas it isn't to be.  Newmar, in its infinite wisdom has built into this motorhome a lot of redundancy, especially in the electrical system.  It's all in the name of convenience, but you don't have to be very smart to know that redundancy and automation translates into increased complexity.  In the case of the hot water heater switch there are no less than 4 on/off switches on the coach both inside and outside.  And if that wasn't enough this particular model also has the capability of having the hot water heated by the engine while under way.  Who figured this stuff out I wonder?  Then there is the fact that the refrigerator and the hot water heater work off both electricity and LP gas.  They automatically default to electricity when available.  Last in the chain is LP gas, which could theoretically be a real life saver when boondocking.  That's when you camp without hookups.  You could boondock in Yellowstone or in a Walmart parking lot.  To the motorhome it's all the same thing. 

I admit that progress hasn't been quite as fast as I might have liked.  It's nearing the end of May and to accomplish everything that needs to be accomplished before launching July 1st will be doable, but barely.  To facilitate my emotional departure I've basically decided to give away or sell everything I own that won't be making the trip.  It's interesting to look around at all the "things" I've collected over the years and know that it's all going bye-bye.  I'm actually looking forward to ridding myself of all these possessions.  And I realize that the feelings I'm experiencing aren't really about my things.  What I'm feeling is all about really moving forward in my life.  I refuse to allow my past to be an anchor around my neck any longer.  The real break has already been made by my making the decision to divest myself of 95% of my worldly belongings.  Fortunately for me I've got a wonderful ex-wife who says she wants everything.  She's going to make things really simple for me.  I'll provision from the house and when I finally pull away the rest will be hers.  She can sell it, store it, burn it, give it away or do anything else that comes to her mind.  She can even use it if so inclined.  If the time comes that I want to settle down in a stick and brick house again then I know where they sell all that stuff and I'll be the one paying pennies on the dollar.  It's all good.

The world is hereby notified...

Dear Friends and Family,

The decision has been made to cut the cord and travel full-time.  My anticipated launch date is July 1, 2011 provided I can finish the refurbishments to the motorhome by that date.  There is a lot to accomplish in a relatively short time. 

The purpose of this blog is to document my adventures motorhoming across the United States and Canada.  I hope to be able to share a lot of the experience with my friends and other readers in a way that is interesting and maybe even compelling for those who have considered such a personal adventure for themselves.  When I talk with full-timers (no stick/brick house) I get the impression that there is nothing else in this world they'd rather be doing.  I'll let you know if I share the feeling once I'm underway.

I would be remiss if I didn't thank Huntley and George for their participation and help.  None of this would have been possible at this time without them in my corner.  Thanks, guys.  You have my gratitude.

I hope to shoot both video and still pics chronicling my travels, especially through the National Park system west of the Rockies.  There are no imperatives with respect to anything like a schedule, except for two dates.  I'm told I must be in Glacier National Park on August 15th to see the wild flowers in full bloom in the valleys.  The scene is supposed to be quite spectacular.  Next is a date in mid September when I'm supposed to meet with good friends for a mini-reunion in Pacifica, CA.  Other than those two obligations I am free as a bird to go and experience what life has to offer.

Hope to have you as a regular reader.  Once underway I will post often.  Until then I've got work to do.

My Best,

John Dent