How we made our adventure - Part 6

 

30 ft. Travel Trailer - site as found

  Part 6 - Zig-Zagging in Michigan - the Travel Trailer

After getting a seasonal site in Michigan it was our goal to use it for regional exploration using the Roadtrek during the warm weather. We wanted to concentrate on establishing a "lily pad" in the southwest winter location, but circumstances intervened.

As summer drew to a close in August of 2015 we decided we would prefer to move to a shady campsite farther from the shower rooms. But there were none available for 2016.  However, in September we saw a "For Sale" sign on a 30 ft. Travel Trailer situated on an ideal site adjacent to the pond.   We discussed price, etc. with the seller. We then discussed with the campground owner who told us we could keep the trailer on the pond site. With demand high, there would be no issue surrendering the site the Roadtrek was on. 

That's how we came to own a travel trailer at the Michigan campground.

This was not the plan, but opportunity is something not to be ignored.  We had never intended to live "full time" in the Roadtrek.  

The travel trailer gave us our "cabin" on the pond from May to November. 

For the next few years we improved the TT and the site.  Since 2016 we've spent as much summer time there as possible.

In 2017 I added a repurposed 12x16 deck. 

 

Repurposed deck - a long story - I pulled out 600 nails to get the 16 ft boards up.

framing for deck

I fit the board, and then screwed them down

After  screwing down the boards I stained them. Wooden rear entry steps completed this project.  Still to come: the cook station.

The deck, screwed and stained. 

 

 

 

We did purchase an inflatable kayak, and continue to enjoy the area.
 

Each year, I make a few improvements or do some maintenance.

solar shade I made

Added a second vent fan, replacing a vent

Replaces three vent covers, prepare for Maxx-Air cover

Added three Maxx-Air style vents

By summer 2020 we had added a cook/workstation, a glider, new BBQ, improved fire-pit and so on:

  

 

 

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

 

How we made our adventure, Part 5

 

St. Joseph, Michigan

Part 5 - Committing to the Michigan lily pad

We had previously spent substantial time exploring the Upper Peninsula and western Michigan.  Southern Michigan was convenient to the condo location and so we decided to include the area in our research.

In September 2014 we revisited an area on the east coast of Lake Michigan. We made a short stay reservation at a campground.  It was a relatively short 1-1/2 hour drive from the condo.  Doable even for a weekend getaway. We  arrived with good weather, the Monarch butterfly annual migration was underway. Warm days and cool nights. The lake (Lake Michigan) was a short hike from the campground.  We discussed the campground with the owner, and decided to make a seasonal commitment for 2015; we knew our work schedule would make extended stays impossible, but the campground was a small and popular one. We reserved one of the two remaining campsites.....Location, location, location!

 

 

 

 Michigan - Summer 2015

The next year we settled into our site in May. We spent the summer there as time permitted; work did intervene. We liked the fact that we could leave the Roadtrek in our spot and come and go via an auto as time permitted. We explored and enjoyed Lake Michigan.  One issue was abundant sunshine at our site.  I needed to handle that. Reflectix was essential, but more was needed, including improved ventilation. We were familiar with this, as during earlier treks we had camped in Texas with daytime temperatures peaking at 103F "in the shade".

 

Watching the kayakers on the lake brought back fond memories.  I decided "I'd like to do that" and I put it on the list.

 

We spent as much time as possible at  the campground.  We hiked, enjoyed nature and BBQ'd.

 

 

 

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

 

 

How we made our adventure - Part 4

 

Springtime, morning on the condominium patio

Part 4 - Discovering the "Lily Pads"

After that initial Florida trek we began looking for our retirement location(s). We had some ideas, and health issues dictated a warm place for the winter. Ultimately we wanted mild summers and mild winters. By mild, I mean daytime temperatures in the range 55F to 90F. 90F is comfortable at low humidity. 

We were well aware of the fact that such moderate conditions made a single locale unrealistic.  We had done a lot of weather research and we had ruled out both coasts. In other words, it was a solid "no" to pleasant San Diego. Of course there were also financial considerations. 

We had a list of criteria.  We weren't interested in becoming boondockers, although short periods off the grid is acceptable. We love the outdoors, but we also enjoy museums and exploring different cuisines.  G and I are good cooks, so we enjoy dining out for the things we seldom make.  Ramen soup, for example, authentic Indian food, Mexican food, Thai,  etc.  

We had no specific schedule to do this, and we initially didn't have much time to devote to non-business travel.  But we were aware of our mortality, the increasing popularity of RVing, and the never ending numbers of baby-boomers who were retiring. We concluded that campsites in some locations might be popular and scarce. So we went about this with some urgency.

With research in hand, we continued where our earlier driving and travel trips left off.  But now we had the Roadtrek and we could expand our research to include resorts and campgrounds. We began our serious exploring in 2014 with the objective to set up our retirement lifestyle. We had done previous travel via auto and airplane, and we had some general ideas.  We began slowly as time and budget allowed. I continued to work for another 5+ years, gradually reducing my work load and hours. G retired before me. So, each year we took some time to go on treks and figure this out. We desired to get the winter location handled first, but the universe intervened.

To make this possible I made the decision to delay retirement.   However, by 2017 I was no longer working full time.  Actual retirement did not occur until 2019-20. Yet, even today I do perform some part-time work.  I've been working and filing tax returns since 1963. LOL. The advantages of delaying retirement and living a phased-into-retirement lifestyle well beyond Social Security Full Retirement Age (FRA) is a  story unto itself.

We began with our "home base" which is ideally suited and situated in the Midwestern U.S. While we began trekking we lived in a condominium within a train ride's distance from Chicago IL.  Our location is in a really wonderful town, but Democrat financial malfeasance and the never ending migration from Chicago has changed the character of the town and made leaving desirable.  This is a big country, and there are places the Democratic locusts have not yet destroyed. Furthermore, there was the winter weather to contend with.   From 2015 to 2019 we trekked with a purpose of establishing and using "lily pads"where we can spend time away from "home base".  In fact, we have lived in the Roadtrek for up to 110 continuous days while we explore. We have established  a summer and a winter location.  We are now for all practical purposes full-time trekkers and RVers.  The original "home base" will soon be only a memory.

In November  2020 we had our first dusting of snow and this was the view from the kitchen window of the condo; soon the stream will be shut down:

Our condo is now no more than a stop along the way.   It will soon end. To make the HOA functional I served on the board for 8 years, until September, 2018. That too made leaving difficult.

Exploring Arizona, January 2015

We wanted to determine the winter location first, so in January 2015 we drove to Arizona.  We had researched potential locations. We avoided Phoenix are as we had concluded it was too dense. We wanted to investigate a RV resort as a possible winter location. In January 2015 we had been delayed by my work duties.  Here's the view from the condo at dusk on January 11, 2015 while we waited for a winter weather break. 

 When an opportunity arose, we departed on January 21.

We headed southwest but a nasty winter storm was in the Rockies and was moving southeast.  It would be difficult to avoid it. G was navigator most of the way. I had added a full-time backup camera to the Roadtrek, which is in the photo. 

G as Navigator

Sunset, leaving frozen Texas, approaching New Mexico.

January 23, dawn in Roswell NM, about 5F - BRRRR!

On the road, headed to warmer weather

Approaching Tularosa, NM:

Arriving in Tucson at sunset January 24.

D-M military base

We spent a  week plus at the resort and explored the area. We visited museums, and all sorts of activities. We would have stayed longer, but no site was available. We looked at RV sites and Park models at the resort to determine what might be suitable as a "lily pad".  We even experienced a shower and rainbows on  February 1.

We like the resort and were ready to make it a place for next winter. But, we knew getting a reservation with my somewhat uncertain work schedule would be a problem.  So we looked for a covered site before leaving which we could rent for a longer period in the winter 2016-2017, but none were available.  We wanted an annual lease so we could come and go at any time during the year. Flexibility was essential with my work schedule and other commitments.

We departed Arizona and returned to our condominium and our "working" lives. 

As usual, we made a list of what worked, what didn't and what we would improve. Some involved the Roadtrek. Simple things like buying an electric blanket, and other, more complex things like modifying the macerator hose.  

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

 

How we made our adventure - Part 3

 

En-route to Florida, First Trek

Part 3 - Our shakedown trek

After the purchase we had  barely arrived at our condo and I was watching the weather reports. A nasty week-long winter storm was descending  upon us.  I decided "We don't have to be here for that!" and sprang into action. I had a work break and vacation time to use. G also had time available. I declared "We are heading to Florida".

I think G thought I was out of my mind, but I ran to the local Ace Hardware, purchased some basic, necessary stuff to outfit the RV while G packed canned and dry goods and basics for the 5 cu. ft. refrigerator. We quickly packed clothes, I retrieved the Roadtrek and we left that very afternoon, December 6, 2013. We headed to Florida. We got to southern Indiana before the rapidly approaching storm overtook us.  We spent the night at a rest stop, I started the Onan generator and the propane furnace.  It was ugly outside, but we were fine.  The next morning after clearing the windows I snapped this photo as we prepared to continue on our way.

Dawn after spending the night in a Rest Area

It wasn't all that long and we arrived in Florida.

One of the smallest rigs, plenty of room at our site

We settled in and visited relatives in Sarasota

That was our first adventure and our "shakedown" trek. Several weeks after leaving the north we were back at the condo. Success!  We returned to our day jobs and began thinking about the when and how of the next step. We had a plan and the Roadtrek was our passport.  

The value of a "long term" perspective

After the children left for college, and in view of my frequent business travel, it became apparent that a traditional sticks and bricks home was not ideal.  We had been living in an apartment and saving money. We wanted something more permanent for the next 20 years while we worked toward retirement. A small condominium would be ideal. It would require minimal care, I could conduct my business travel and G would not have to deal with exterior maintenance. In other words, we could focus on work and retirement planning.

When the time came for "retirement" having a condo would allow extensive travel and we would not be concerned by a vacant abode.  

More than a decade after purchasing the condo we rented a RV as we prepared for the next chapter in our lives. It is the plan to eventually rent or sell the condo. That day will come soon.

When we began pursuing our RV goal in earnest, we did so with a 10 year perspective. In other words, all purchases would be for using or living or whatever for at least 10 years. This was to have the potential for a 30 year adventure.

One question we would ask ourselves when considering a location or the Roadtrek purchase was "Can we see ourselves here or doing this 10 years from now?" Another was "Can our budget afford this for 10 years, or more?"

The flip side is, if we made a purchase then we considered amortizing it and the opportunity cost.  In other words if a used  Travel Trailer was purchased for $10,000 we would view that as a $1,000 annual budget cost each year for a period of 10 years.

Each step was evaluated for pros and cons. We approached everything this way.  So, when we considered leases for our RV  "Lily Pads" that too was to be a long term venture.

Next - Part 4 Discovering the "Lily Pads"

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