Beginnings

A reader asked for some information about our rig and why and where we started our full-time experience.  I can tell from her comment that I haven't done a good job describing some of our background.  So, here goes:

Mike and I grew-up and worked in the Tri-Cities (Richland, Pasco, Kennewick), Washington.  It was a great place to grow up and we still have the majority of our family and many friends there (and we miss them, terribly).  It is not a small town; the population between the three cities is around 100,000+ so you have some good shopping and conveniences that come with a medium size city.  But, the area is a bit isolated--you drive quite a distance to get out of the desert or to a large city.   Hunting, fishing, golf and water sports enjoyed in the Columbia River are the primary sources of recreation in the immediate area (when the weather obliges).  It is considered a high desert (yes, Washington has a dry side with no trees) and the weather can be harsh--cold in the winter, extremely hot in the summer, and dust storms in the spring (picture tumbling tumbleweeds), but the fall is wonderful from the beginning of September through the end of October (that is when we plan to visit!).  We were ready for a change during our retirement, and we also knew we wanted to see and experience new parts of the country.  Full-timing in an RV was and is an economical and fun way to satisfy our wanderlust!

Our choice was to sell most everything--house, furniture and some of the toys.  For us, this decision was very freeing.  Nothing to worry about 1,000 of miles away, more disposable income on the road; and to be honest, we aren't sure where we want to end up when we do settle down again.  It works for us, but I know it is not for everyone.

After researching RVs, we decided the one for us was a 5th wheel.  It gave us more livable space than a motorhome, and we already had the truck (2004 Ford F350).  More specifically, we wanted a Doubletree Mobile Suite--it is well insulated, quality finishes (both inside and out), and structurally seemed to be very well built.  We stumbled across a new 32-foot Doubletree Mobile Suite at Russ Dean RV in Pasco, Washington the summer of 2008 and it was listed at a great price.  Most folks want a 36-foot, but really the 32-foot is all we need.  Plus, we did not want to overtax the truck with too much weight. 

So, there you have it.  In future entries, I'll describe how we decided to furnish our RV, organizing, and our favorite technology on the road.

Today, we found a nice trail around Lake Marie (see picture above) not too far from our RV park at Winchester Bay.  Hiking in the woods gave us a reprieve from the windy bay--very calm among the trees. 

We're very happy with our new lifestyle.