How RVing extended my life and made it better

 

Accepting the keys to our new Roadtrek 210P, December 2013

Our RVing journey began in October 2013 when we rented a Class B in Las Vegas and used it to tour Utah's National Parks.  This led to treks of about 6,000 miles each year and the establishment of two "lily pads" for longer stays; one at the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and the other in Tucson, Arizona.  I've approached each trek, short or long, as possibly the only time in my life I will do it and the one opportunity I have to visit each location.  As a consequence, I make the most of each.

One of the things about life is finding things that fulfill us, make us stretch, find companions, have a purpose and make a difference.  I like new experiences, too. RVing did that and more for me.  I'm one of those people who likes to leave things in better condition than when I found them.  Think of it as applying "no trace camping" to one's entire life. I also like to tinker and take on projects.  RVing is a perfect fit. 

RVing took care of all of the above and more.  After purchasing the Roadtrek, which has been our primary exploration vehicle, we purchased a 30 ft. travel trailer for a Michigan location and a 41 ft. 5th wheel for the Arizona location.  The Roadtrek allowed us to find the campground and resort with a lot of additional exploration.  I took apart much of the systems of the Roadtrek and have become very proficient.  The Roadtrek gave me multiple purposes and what I've learned I applied to our RVs in Michigan and Arizona. 

Summer in Michigan

Our "lily pad" in Michigan, ready for winter

Assembling the deck in Michigan

Our Arizona "lily pad"

We had reached a kind of equilibrium and were comfortable with our Michigan and Arizona "lily pads".  One was in a mega-resort with all kinds of activities.  Tucson has a lot to offer, too.  After covid fear receded we decided to resume our travel plans of about 6,000 miles each year.  Each year from 2013 to 2019 I reduced my working hours.  By 2022 I was remote working for about one month a year.  

However, things came to a halt in 2022 when I became gravely ill. I was diagnosed with an unusual, rare tumor.  It was an inoperable, deadly cancer with at best a 15% survival rate.  In the fall of 2022 we began planning how to deal with this, became permanent residents of Arizona and I sought medical treatment.  It didn't look good. 

When I was diagnosed with a serious illness, it became a new hobby (just kidding). My life's work and dealing with adversity had prepared me for this fight.  I was mentally ready to take it on, had the financial resources to relocate permanently and we knew where it was that we would domicile. That location would provide better medical care with less stress on my spouse.  Overall, I was in poor shape. In early 2023 my urologist suggested that “It might be best if Norm goes into hospice”. But I didn’t and decided to work my way back to a more “normal” life. At one point my radiologist marveled “You are made of stern stuff”.  It took more than two years and with the grace of God, here I am. Stable. That’s better than the alternative.

While undergoing treatment I did my best to live a normal life.  It was difficult. My weight had fallen from 170 lbs. to 135. At first, I needed a walker to get around. But I continued to do RV maintenance. As time went on, I progressed to a cane and finally was able to get around without such support. I frequented the gym at the resort to use the stationary bicycle, beginning with 5 mile trips.  As time went on, I increased the exertion level. 

While treatment continued G and I discussed future travel plans.  However, there needed to be some changes.  One change was our 5th wheel. I could not maneuver inside, and we spent a month in an ADA compliant room at the resort hotel.  The resort has RV areas and park models, affectionately called "candominiums".  It also has a section with manufactured homes and a section of condominiums.  Friends had been assisting us in finding a "home" on the property.  It isn't unusual for manufactured homes to be sold before the listing goes up. Location, condition and floor plan plays a part in this.  G looked at several but was dissatisfied. Friends gave her a heads up about another.  She went to the real estate office and toured that home the day it was to be listed.  Excited, she and I talked about this, I hobbled over on my walker and viewed the place.  We talked for a couple of hours; it would be a financial stretch, but we tendered an offer, it was accepted and voila' we were soon to be homeowners. We put the site of the 5th wheel up for sale and did the same for the RV site.

We were now down to two RV's!  

Arizona site ready for sale!

As I progressed from radiation therapy through chemotherapy, I began scheming about how to get back into the Roadtrek.  This wasn't possible in 2023.  However, by the time I was in immunotherapy and my stamina improved, this began to look like a real possibility. However, I did have two nephrostomy tubes and a compromised immune system to contend with.  I continued to take on more difficult chores, assembling furniture for the new house, taking on certain repairs and so on. It was a slow, difficult process.  There were setbacks, far too many to list here. Certain physical issues made it imperative that I be within a short distance of a bathroom!

Radiation Therapy Graduation Board - I had made it!

Chemo access prior to the installation of the port on my right shoulder

We are Family RV Association members (FRVA, formerly FMCA RV Club). In March 2024 we attended the FRVA (FMCA) RV expo at the Pima County Fairgrounds near Tucson.  We were with the Roadtrek International Chapter of the FRVA (FMCA).  This international event was local for us and very convenient. We decided to do this short RV trek.  It was a trial; it was a success and got us out of the cobwebs. Links to FRVA, Roadtrek International Chapter and Roadtreks for sale websites at the end of this post.

March 20, 2024 - Pima County Fairgrounds

After months of immunotherapy and several nephrostomy tube exchanges I discussed travel with my oncologist.  I told him I wanted to live as near a normal life as possible.  Let's call it "a new normal".  He agreed that I could skip a session.  That opened the window for a 3+ weeklong trek.  At the appointed time we were off in the Roadtrek! It was a press because time constraints wouldn't allow a leisurely trip.  I did most of the driving, too.   We had been away from Michigan for nearly two years.  On arrival I nervously opened the trailer, half expecting to interrupt a menagerie of critters that had moved in during our absence.  But our trailer was pristine!  We did see a small problem with the roof and I contracted to have that fixed. 

2,000 miles one-way, August 2024

The trek was a success! Upon return to Arizona G and I immediately began planning a second trip.  In September we returned to Michigan.  I wanted to inspect the repairs and prepare it for winter. We had our final campfire of 2024 on September 16.

Final 2024 Michigan campfire September 16

Today, I'm "stable" and we are planning our 2025 adventures.  I’d say working longer and RVing altered my life for the better, in many ways.  My twin died of medical issues 20 years ago, a younger sibling also passed of illness at 50.  My parents both died of illness at 70-71.  I’ve lived the life they didn’t have the opportunity to.  Perhaps I’m the outlier. Working and dealing with adversity may have prepared me for this fight.  Having the purpose of again RVing and everyone's prayers definitely spurred me onward. I don't know how long I'll be in this sweet spot, but I am enjoying it!

Links:

Family RV Association

Roadtrek International Chapter

Roadtreks for sale

(C) 2025 N. Retzke

At the FMCA Pima Fairgrounds - Update 1

Our Roadtrek 210P at the Pima County Fairgrounds

Officially, 1,128 RVs are here!

(Note: This blog is best viewed on a PC, there is a list of topics on the right, visible by scrolling down)

Hello Everyone!  We made it to the FMCA International Convention at the PIMA County Fairgrounds in Tucson, AZ.  Nice weather and we were able to park with a group of Roadtrekkers.  We are members of the FMCA and the Roadtrek International Chapter.  Our scheduled arrival was on March 18th and this date was assigned by the FMCA.  With hundreds of RVs arriving, it is critical to stagger the entry dates, which are officially on the 18th and 19th. We have 30A hookup, with water and sewer connections nearby. It's a great location and we can walk to showers, etc.  We're parked on asphalt and get some shade, too. 

We had some difficulty getting into the group, but the FMCA staff at the fairgrounds were extremely helpful.  Our thanks to the staff and volunteers. 

Not every Roadtrek at the fairgrounds is parked with the group.  

Our Roadtrek group at the Pima County Fairgrounds

This is our first RV trek since November 2022.  We're having a good time and we hope to travel more in 2024.

Update 1 March 21

There is lots to do. We have attended coffee and donuts at 8am, the opening ceremonies, various entertainment, exhibits, some sessions including "Ask the Experts" which is about all things RV.  G attended the Ladies Luncheon (ticket required). We also went to the karaoke and took turns at the mike.  The astronomy group had set up telescopes and as it got dark we looked upon the craters of the moon, the cloud bands of Saturn and we could observe four of its moons. The Orien Nebula was a treat through an 11-inch Celestron reflective telescope.  We shared birthday cake with the Roadtrek Chapter president, too. Thanks to the many volunteers in their golf carts who gave us rides!  Nevertheless, we got a lot of walks in.   

Opening Ceremonies at Sunset

Comedian Mark Cordes

Sharing Birthday greetings with the Chapter President

Quite a Karaoke setup at the Cantina

Celestron 11-inch reflector telescope

G with the Celestron - it is quite large

Me using the Star Map (r) App to determine which stars and planets I was observing

(c) 2024 Norman Retzke 

At The FMCA Rally - Batteries

 

Electric Vehicle

While at the FMCA Rally at the Pima County Fairgrounds I noticed this electric vehicle on display.  The batteries had been removed from the chassis and are sitting on the bed.  Of course, there are seminars about RV batteries and also vendors.  I found this old vehicle to be interesting.

Wooden crated lead-acid batteries

Close-up view of the batteries

Gould was the battery manufacturer.  At one time they produced electrical switchgear, automation products and all sorts of electrical distribution hardware.

(c) N. Retzke 2022

At the Rally - FMCA - Day 2

 

Central Park at the Pima County Fairgrounds

Central Park at night, after the concert

Day 2 was a blast.  Seminars, food, vendors and entertainment.

Southwest Surfers Concert

Walking back to the Roadtrek

Roadtrek Group, at night

(c) Norman Retzke 2022

At the Rally - FMCA

 

Norm at the Rally

It's March 23, the first day of the Rally. We are parked with the Roadtrekkers and they are a nice group of people. We attended our first "Meet and Greet" yesterday at the 4:00 Happy Hour.

Entry was about 10:00am yesterday and the drive was uneventful.  The FMCA people we met were all extremely pleasant and helpful. We got an escort to our space, then we went on a walking tour of the central area. 

Today we'll be attending several seminars in the morning, and then vendor's areas this afternoon.

Entry to the Fairgrounds

A part of the Roadtrek International Chapter Attendees area
 

Our 210P

(c) 2022 Norman Retzke

FMCA Rally - Tucson Arizona March 23-26

 

It is finally happening.  The event was originally scheduled for March 2020 but was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns.   Per RVTravel.com:

“FMCA hasn’t hosted a convention in Tucson since 1985, so this visit is long overdue,” said FMCA events director Doug Uhlenbrock. “We are hoping that the fairgrounds will accommodate our needs well enough to become part of our regular rotation.” "One key element of the event is an RV Expo. Major RV manufacturers and dealers bring their latest models for tours. RV-related accessories, components, services and other products of interest to travelers will be represented as well. When not shopping, attendees can take part in seminars by RV experts. Topics range from tire maintenance, technology and safe driving, to RV trips to Alaska, New Zealand/Australia and more. A variety of daytime and evening entertainment is offered. Multiple options are available for attending. Those with RVs are invited to stay on site to enjoy all the activities. The gate registration price for on-site stays is $245 (electric hookups are extra), which also grants RV owners who are not members of FMCA a one-year membership. For attendees who want to view only the RV displays and the supplier and component exhibits, admission is $10 per day or $25 for a family of three or more; children 12 and under are free with an accompanying adult. Individuals with an active military ID are admitted free as well. The day pass for Wednesday, March 23, will also be good for Thursday, March 24." 

For more information at the FMCA:  https://fmca.com/index.php/fmca-tucson-2022-learn-more.html

For the RVTravel article:  https://www.rvtravel.com/big-fmca-rally-coming-march.../

==

We intend to be there, with the Roadtrek International Chapter, FMCA

101st FMCA Convention

We will be attending the FMCA International Convention in Tucson, AZ March 26-29, 2020.

This will be our first FMCA rally.  We have not yet received our packet for the event, but the FMCA has indicated that they have begun the mailing of packets.

Original material:  https://roadtrek210.blogspot.com/

Steel, Iron and Facebook

I decided to revisit Facebook this year. I joined in 2010 but after a week of exploring a variety of groups, I put it back on the shelf as "not ready for prime time."

Here we are 5 years later, and I decided  to try it again. After all, according to the popular press, so many privacy issues had been resolved, it was all "wonderland," etc. etc.

Interestingly, the Wall Street Journal published an article on July 14 entitled "How to Start Liking Facebook Again: Fixes for the Biggest Complaints" by technology writer Joanna Stern. Apparently I wasn't the only one who had problems with FB. However, I am possibly unusual because I NEVER liked FB, and I still don't.

Ms. Stern's pet peeves sound like 2010 all over again. So the question remains: Can one find value over at Facebook? The answer is a qualified "yes" but it goes beyond likes. FB aso remains a huge time waster and distraction. I simply don't have the time or inclination to sit with my smartphone all day. In fact, to accomplish things I frequently turn off one of my phones and set the other to silent. I know, horrors. But then, I'll never get carpel thumb disease.

Steel and Iron
Now, why the title of this post? There is some value over at Facebook, but one must be selective. For example, I am interested in things that improve my life; in other words, things I can apply to my lifestyle. I have no interest in those dim bulbs in the entertainment industry. FB and Google+ also provide a means to contact family, friends and acquaintances.

So what might improve my life? I have several interests in which a few of the 1.4 billion FB users can provide value to me. These include travel and cooking. Travel specifically in a steel can (a small class B RV) and cooking with cast iron. Other than that, I already have more than sufficient sources of information and guidance. More importantly, those other sources are trustworthy.

That, by the way, is my #1 pet peeve about FB and any and all social networks. The internet is the Wild Wild West with many unknowns. I really don't need instant chat about any and all opinions. I'm interested in what works, what doesn't, and what I can use. Opinions ("I like this") are about as useful to me as the voting on America's Got Talent. Yet, I too get sucked into the FB vortex and find myself hitting the "Like This" button. Okay, I admit letting people know what works has some value. but I also suspect this might simply be a popularity contest. One thing I have learned about creating value is this. It isn't a popularity contest. Some people will use what I provide and others won't. Some will refuse to simply because they don't like me. On the other side of the coin, if I find value I'll use it. I really don't care who did it and my opinion of them is meaningless. It is about finding value and then applying it. In fact, I'd go so far as to say "If I don't use it, it has little value." It's like working on a HOA board, which is a payless, unpopular job. Some owners and residents will like the results, some won't and some will forever dislike various board members, simply because they are on the board. No big deal, because I didn't buy a condo to be in a social club. Who does? That's why they make retirement and over 55 communities, isn't it? Ditto for other aspects of my life.

First the Iron
I find the "Cast Iron Cooking" group probably the most interesting FB site. Now I know that's a personal, subjective comment. However, I suggest the reader think about how much time they have spent cooking, baking, eating and then cleaning dishes. I'd also suggest we consider what it is that really makes a difference in our lives. I am of the opinion that talk is cheap.

Why a group about cooking? For the foodies, cast iron might seem oh, so middle ages. For those who don't cook, how much time and money has been spent in restaurants, both good and bad? In the wild, one is frequently uncomfortable. A good meal makes a real difference and it is sometimes the only thing over which we have some control of comfort when camping. I've done a lot of ground camping and that's been my experience. One thing that made a real difference was a good meal. It still does and my spouse and I enjoy cooking and baking. It's one of the ways most of us share our good fortune with others. "Breaking bread" is in the American Lexicon.

Over at the cast iron group, people share results, not just opinions. It isn't about wants and needs. They share cooking tips, cleaning tips and recipes. Everything it takes to make a meal of anything from corn bread to steak to beans to stew and pie. The group users provide the evidence, too. Lots of photos and recipes. Now, other groups do similar things, but this group is "doing" and doesn't spend much time "complaining."

Now the Steel
Another interest is several RVing groups. In particular, smaller Class B or C. Why? Well, I have a specific interest in travelling and living in these rather complicated machines. There are a number of these groups over at Facebook. Some provide more value than others.

Now, I've actually had my fill of certain kinds of travel. In my business life I've driven about 600,000 miles, flown more than I can remember. Spent as many as 11 months at a time "somewhere else" living in a motel or compound. Home was sometimes 12,000 miles distant.

In those travels it was mostly work. I wasn't wherever to make friends. Sometimes my purpose was to make and force a difficult decision. It wasn't about popularity. Once it was about lifting the banishment of a company which had found itself in serious difficulties. Yet I was at times popular. When results are necessary, achieving them may make one notorious if not popular. For companies, it is all about results and survival. Good companies reward this with more work. Sometimes bad companies also do so, but from experience, these bad companies will be more inclined to attempt to squeeze blood from the workers. Greed is rampant in our society.

In nearly all of these travels, I either drove by or flew over millions of people. I didn't share their experiences. I first saw the Grand Canyon from the air. Now, it's time to see all of the things I flew by, up close and at my pace. So I have an interest in doing just that.

RVing on Facebook
Rvers are a diverse group. At one end of the scale are those travelling in a $2 million Prevost. At the other are those living stealthily in a Van parked in NYC. Most of us are somewhere in the middle, travelling in a smaller RV called a "Class B" or "Class C" and costing when new from $50,000 to $150,000.

Obviously, this diverse group has differing viewpoints and needs, wants and desires.

As the owner of a class B, I have a specific interest in that type of travel and living. However, there are other sources of information. My favorite is the FMCA Roadtrek Chapter. Why? That group via their cyberrally communication is a group of committed listeners. They each paid for this privilege.

That, by the way, is probably the #1 problem with FB. It is free. That means people sign up who have no financial or other tangible interest. On FB, we'll be interacting in a group comprised of the makers and the doers, but also the casual bystanders and from time to time, the loose cannons. I commented recently in a FB group that the problem with "free" is it has no value. Provide access for free and people equate that to "no effort" which is one step on the entitlement bandwagon. It may also simply be entertainment. I have no interest in entertaining the bored. That's why we have free TV.

Over at the FMCA there is a membership fee. That alone keeps the casual observer and the loose cannons at bay. In all honestly, I've gotten far, far more value from my FMCA membership than I have from FB. That's the reality. Sometimes, the best things in life are not free, nor should they be.

Sharing implies a give and take. That's not necessarily the way it works at FB, unless one considers sharing to be opining.

What FB has going for it is visibility. Some RV manufacturer's have decided to spend a lot of time on FB. I can understand that from a marketing and sales perspective. Owners have a free site to go to for advice, etc. Potential buyers see the involvement of the manufacturer and equate that to commitment and service. This can drive sales, which is really important in competitive industries, and the RV Class B world is competitive. This is not a criticism. I'd rather have a responsive company than one which is non-committal and un-responsive. However, there is perception and there is reality. There are some really large, well known companies which have thrived by driving perception, to alter the reality of the customer. I'd rather live in an unaltered, raw reality. It's a fine line for any company to walk.