This COVID Life

 

 

From the book "Everybody Dies - a Children's Book for Grown-Ups" by Ken Tanaka with David Vry

  

The past year has been interesting, to say the least.  One thing we learned, where we hang our hats is important.  

I've reduced my posts in part because I don't want to steer people to our favorite locations. Call me selfish, but I and my neighbors don't want to ruin a good thing.  

We spend about 6-months of the year in each of two campgrounds.  One is in Michigan on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan.  The other is in southwest Arizona.

The Challenge in the Spring of 2020 was getting from Arizona to Michigan.  Campgrounds opened late, and each state we traversed in the Roadtrek had different “rules”.  Governor Whitless of Michigan decided on onerous and draconian measures, in her bid to get a seat in the Biden Administration.   

Small businesses in AZ and MI were the hardest hit by the stupidity of local governments.

The Mayor of Tucson panicked and went on local TV and gave her version of doom and gloom. The resulting panic emptied all shelves of toilet paper. Pima County put up a “Wall of Shame” on its website, in which unverified complaints by mask shamers allowed attacks on small businesses by woke mobs. LOL.

 

After the Tucson Mayor's TV Broadcast

We aren’t stupid, so we avoided certain municipal areas entirely.  Chicago, for example, preferring to keep away from the hell that Mayor Lightweight had created with Gov. Pritzker’s assistance.

If there is one expression that sums up the last 12 months, my vote goes to "You can't fix stupid".

Supporting Small Businesses

One thing we have done has been to support small businesses that merited it.  As we did during the financial crises of 2008 we increased our tipping at the small restaurants we have frequented for the past year.

Frankly, we do avoid places which attract transient groups.  I consider that to be an exercise in common sense.  So, we spend more time in a few select establishments in AZ and MI. 

 

An early breakfast

 Disgruntled Newbies

One challenge is coexisting with dissatisfied newbies in campgrounds.  These include escaping New Yorkers and Californians who abandoned their home states, rushed out and purchased a Class A or whatever, and then discovered that about a million other RVers have been living this way of life before COVID-19 was even known.  

When a complainer shows up, after my patience runs out I interrupt their speech with "Let me tell you about my life in hell".  It's all tongue in cheek and I launch into my"Joy of RVing" perspective.  That usually shuts them up.

The newbies sometimes think an RV is like that car they tow and then discover the reality.  They never consider the wear and tear on plumbing and appliances like that residential refrigerator as they go bouncing down the road. They may not think about the parking implications for that 40+ ft. Class A, and so on.  They are chagrined to  find that campgrounds are full, reservations difficult to be had, and they are living in “a parking lot” as a couple of Manhattenites who decided to “just do it” described their “adventure” in a Wall Street Journal article.

The author of that WSJ article said after visiting this blog “Your way of doing things certainly sounds a lot more enjoyable. It must be so wonderful to camp your home inside the national parks…..I took a look at your blog and it was fun to see the photos.”

I asked the author to consider a follow-up article in a year. 

Before anyone goes ballistic, I want to remind the reader that the attitudes we run into and as expressed by some of these new RVers are precisely why their states, the ones they are abandoning, are such a mess.  Like locusts, they are moving on, bringing their failed ideas with them, and messing up some of our favorite playgrounds.  LOL.

 

Aerial View -A Large RV Resort

 Reduced Travel

Because of the uncertainty of the past year, we have reduced our travel, preferring to stay close to the “lily pads” we created.  Doing so has reduced our exposure to the infected, and with it, we have  reduced our risk of infection.  Reduced, but not eliminated.  We do carry sanitizer with us and use it before entering the vehicle. We do wear a mask, although I don’t trust the musings of Biden or Fauci. I go by reputable and consistent information from websites which are not peddling political blather or soft porn “news”.  Common sense seems to be in short supply.

We do our venturing during the week, and avoid the “crowds” on weekends.  For example, during the summer of 2020 Chicagoans decided to escape from Mayor Lightweight and Pritzker’s lockdowns. So, on weekends the hoard flooded the public beaches of Whiting IN and Southern Michigan.  Hapless Hoosiers found themselves outnumbered and joined us in MI.  It would have been worse, but the State Parks in MI levy a vehicle charge.  We moved further to a nearby private “city” run beach.

I expect the summer of 2021 will be more of the same. 

Carrying a mask in pocket is de rigor these days.  The county we are currently in does not require mask wearing at all time when in a variety of establishments if 6 feet of separation is maintained.  However, most grocery stores do require a mask, as do restaurants indoors when not seated.  Having  a mask visible will keep most, but not all, mask-shamers at bay.  However, I have noticed a placebo effect. As neighbors are vaccinated some become more relaxed and approachable.  They apparently don't realize or care that the vaccines aren't 100% effective. Go figure!

 

Mask at the ready. Biden would be proud.

 

We are having a good time

I’m pleased to say that overall we have been having an enjoyable time. Why? Planning and Location.

Our decision to become “annuals” at several campgrounds has paid off. Well, OK, one is technically a “mega resort” but with reduced activities it is less like a resort.  But we have National and/or State Parks nearby, and because we frequent certain establishments and tip well, we are treated as “regulars”.  There is an old expression “There is no free ride” and this past year has certainly proved it to be true.

What do we miss?  Certain “live” entertainment is what we do miss the most.  So, we spend more time in nature and that is certainly possible, year-around, where we hang our hats. 

 

A desert Oasis

 

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

 

 

How We Made our Adventure - Finances

 

Summer Lily Pad

Roadtrek - our travel machine

Mondo-Condo

Our winter lily pad

 

 Finances and related decisions

Nothing in planning is automatic. When we began designing our plan more than two decades ago, we had to put together "the framework for the plan" and we had to determine how to finance it. We also had to pay the bills for the two decades in the interlude before we could hone and execute the plan.

There were all kinds of constraints. Income limitations, work, kids college, paying off debts, saving, and so on. We had obligations to meet, and that included retirement financial planning.

To meet all of the obligations,  it did require that we take steps to live below our means. The financial obligations were at cross-purposes. So G and I lived for a time in a small apartment at about $650 per month; we then went "upscale" at about $770 a month; heat included. We then bought a small condominium which was half the price our "friends" were buying.  WaHoo! Living Large!  But we also had lower debt,  lower real estate taxes, lower heating and cooling costs, lower HOA fees, and so on.

We did want our own place (my home was surrendered in an earlier, nasty divorce, and it was promptly sold at a large discount and then torn down to make room for two homes). But, there were the current realities to deal with. We scrimped and saved so we could buy a small, inexpensive condo; we needed somewhere to live for 10-20 years prior to retirement.  That decision allowed G and I to devote a substantial amount of our time to productive, income producing work with minimal time devoted to home maintenance and related expenses.   When the children graduated from college I gave each a $5,000 "grubstake loan" to get them started in their road to independent living. G and I continued to work, and save and plan.

13 years after beginning the formulation of our plans G and I had began putting the major pieces into place. That included 1) What we were going to do, 2) How we were going to do it, 3) When we were going to do it, 4) Where we would do it and 5) How we were going to pay for it.

Some of our friends and acquaintances were quite surprised by our speed, once we began to execute.  But because of the years of planning the gun was "cocked and loaded" and in December, 2013 when we pulled the initial trigger, the pieces fell rapidly into place.

Looking at Costs

Here are the 2020 numbers. The costs of each of our "lily pads" is in percentages. These numbers don't include health insurance, cell phones, website fees, etc. which are not directly attributable to any specific location.

Each year we live about 6 months in Arizona, 5 months in Michigan and a few weeks at the condo.  Our contractual agreements allow us to live up to 6 months each year at our site in Michigan, and 12 months in Arizona. Keep in mind that we maintained the condo as our legal domicile and primary storage location.  We are fully aware that it is time to jettison it.  We could rent it, but I've had previous experience as a landlord and I am not inclined to take that path.  Local and our national governments, and the courts tend to manipulate landlords, to the disadvantage of the landlords.

The numbers for each location include any real estate taxes, fees, rent, utilities, insurance and repairs attributable to each location. The numbers do not include the cost of purchasing the abode, be it the purchase price of a condo or RV, or any condo mortgage.  For the Roadtrek, it includes repair costs and insurance, but does not include gasoline which is dependent entirely upon miles traveled.  The Roadtrek costs include new tires purchased in 2020 as well as other maintenance  including oil changes.

These are rounded numbers which will not add up to 100%:

Condo 38.9%

Arizona 38.7%

Michigan 13.5%

Roadtrek  9.0%

If I were to ignore the annual costs of the condo, then this is the actual distribution of costs for the lily pads we visit via the Roadtrek:

Arizona 63.2%

Michigan 22%

Roadtrek 14.7%

It is obvious that we can reduce our annual "out of pocket" location living costs by more than 38% if we jettison the condominium.  Which is exactly what we intend to do.  

We are currently looking at which state we will "domicile" in. So long Illinois!

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

 

How we made our adventure - Part 10

 

 

G's broken finger required 3-pins

 

 

 Our first year with all the lily pads in place

We think of the "year" as beginning with the fall season; that's when we trek to the Southwest. Our first year with all of the pieces in place was the Fall of 2016 to the Fall of 2017.

However, there were some bumps.  G experienced a fall which resulted in a concussion and broken bones.  Recouping in Arizona was a plus. Once G was feeling better we did a lot of sight-seeing.

When she was healthy I continued my work and did a few related trips. 

Another airline ride

I did also fit in a few projects with the RV and the site.

I did add shelving to make the 5th wheel bunk area a small office/hobby room. The room was also suitable for a guest with a tinted glass door to the main living area, couch-sofa bed, dresser, and private 1/2 bath.

Bunk area rear wall, ready for our tech.

Bunk area rear wall, shelving and tech added

Stairs and porch, added

At the end of the season, we took the "shortcut" via the Florida Keys and visited friends:

Islamorada

Sunset in the Florida Panhandle, from the RV site

We trekked to Michigan and began to enjoy the warming Spring weather and the lake. The hummingbirds, swallows, and herons had returned.

Three Oaks Sesquicentennial Play

Cormorants migrating - October 2017

We had decided to add a deck on the MI site.  The campground allows this.  Our site is sandy and slopes toward the pond. That's a good thing. We did some planning and settled on an approximate 12 ft x 16 ft dimension.  I was considering the project for the fall, at the end of the season.  As luck would have it, a site was being vacated and the new tenant wanted that deck removed. I discussed with the existing tenant, the new tenant and the camp ground owner. All agreed I could remove it and relocate it to my site.  On the last days of October, with the site vacated I did just that.

It was easier said than done.  The decking was nailed in place with more than 600 rusty nails. To make the work more difficult, it was very wet, the wood was damp and had expanded, tightly gripping the rusty nails.  This was a project for a dry August, but no such luck.

With a Wonderbar and hammer I removed all of the deck boards then cut the support framing into three sections. G and I carried these with the help of a maintenance worker to our site.  In the Spring I would re-assemble on our site.

Stored for Spring, ready for tie-down

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

How we made our adventure, part 8

 

Roadtrek Office

 

Winter 2015-2016. 110 days in the Roadtrek. 

We began looking for a suitable  "Mothership" for the Arizona site - Step 2

In the early winter of 2015 we settled in and set up house keeping on the new site in Arizona.  I continued to perform my consulting work,  using the Roadtrek as an office. However, the shed could have been set up as an office. In fact, I continued to work for another 4 years.

While I was away on a business trip G began researching 5th wheel RVs at nearby RV dealerships. Upon return from a business trip, I joined her in the search.   I did a lot of online research of manufacturers, floor plans and we discussed pros and cons, ad nauseum.  We spent a lot of time at a consignment website.  Their floor plans, descriptions and prices were very helpful.  We decided if we couldn't find anything locally that we would head to Texas and see what was available.

However, after 110 days in the Roadtrek we were ready to return the Roadtrek to its primary role as exploration vehicle.

We did a lot of outdoor cooking. For one thing, we are both good cooks, and we have different styles and cuisines which complement one another.  G has an Italian background and I a German one.  We can both bake, too.  G favors the Mediterranean approach with olive oil, and I go toward butter.  But we're ambidextrous; for example, I make an awesome ratatouille and G's rum cake is very popular. 

Cooking outdoors reduced the clutter in the Roadtrek, and made housekeeping easier.  We could do clean-up in the shed. 

 Breakfasts were sometimes made indoors.  Mornings can be cool.

At those times we didn't feel like cooking, we could go to the resort bar and grill. Of course, there were lots of nearby restaurants, too.

 

 

Prime rib special at the resort bar and grill

We had the option of making some extensive modifications to the shed, but I didn't want to convert it to a living space.  

Shed

  We also did a good amount of sightseeing and exploring of the area.

Meanwhile, I continued my work related travel, sometimes by air and sometimes by rental car

Consulting, sometimes at the customer's site. Several locations:

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