bigtrucknewhouse

If You Wanna Be Free, Be Free

2011-08-16T07:19:00.011-04:00

We close on a new house today. One without wheels.

I have a friend that describes tough situations to me as ‘I can’t swallow” and I know exactly what she means. It means…I have been traveling the country for the last three years in a 36’ RV with a feeling of freedom, choice and individuality and I just bought a house in suburbia.

“Freedom” like you are different and you don’t have to apologize for or justify that because you have already defined yourself when you drove up in your house. It’s a good feeling.

“Choice” like embracing the fact that this lifestyle was a choice and therefore understanding that most everything in my life is a choice. What freedom .

“Individuality” like this works for me and my family and we can make it our own. We have the freedom to make the choice to be us. Our way.

This adventure wasn’t really about ‘where am I going to fit my clothes’ or ‘how can I take a shower with six gallons of hot water’ or ‘how do I find privacy’. It’s about cooking dinner while our son is right there (like RIGHT there) hanging out and sharing with us. It’s about finding creative places in an RV to “hide” when Daddy comes home so we can jump out and surprise him (this is usually under a blanket while rolled into a ball in the center of the bed). It’s about every night, no exception, sitting together at the dinette (not to be confused with a normal size dinner table), holding hands and thanking God for our life…and meaning it. We can only hope these things remain important in our life, even in suburbia.

We learned on this journey that no matter how dark or scary it may seem outside, it is always warm and cozy inside and comfort is only a few steps away (about eight if you are on the other side of the house). We learned that you can find solitude even though you are right beside someone, you can get irritated because you are right beside someone and sometimes there are funny smells from the person right beside you. We learned that people are people, a place is what you make of it, wherever you go there you are, and America is beautiful. The most important thing we learned was you gotta do what works for you and then you will be happy. That’s freedom. This is the kind of growth that makes us better people. Better parents.

The journey was about family and togetherness from the very beginning. It became about laughs, adventures and personal journeys.

May you each enjoy your journey to find your freedom. Your happiness. Your way. Safe travels.

Inspiration and credits go to:

1. God
2. Dr. Suess "Oh the Places You'll Go"
3. Cat Stevens "If You Wanna Sing Out, Sing Out "

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
'Cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are

And if you want to live high, live high
And if you want to live low, live low
'Cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

You can do what you want
The opportunity's on
And if you can find a new way
You can do it today
You can make it all true
And you can make it undo
you see ah ah ah
its easy ah ah ah
You only need to know

Well if you want to say yes, say yes
And if you want to say no, say no
'Cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

And if you want to be me, be me
And if you want to be you, be you
'Cause there's a million things to do
You know that there are

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
'Cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are
You know that there are
You know that there are
You know that there are
You know that there are

Everybody has Weather

2011-01-10T09:07:00.003-05:00

It's hot and sticky there. So humid. Windy and cold up there. A bitter cold. It's so hot. Dry. It's a dry heat. Rains all the time over there. Couldn't ask for better weather.

Weather. Everybody has it. It's a constant across the country.

You can access information about weather just about anywhere you look. The newspaper, the tv, the computer, even the checkout lady at Walmart if you're lucky. One of our fathers will be late for dinner waiting to catch the weather segment on Fox News. The other father has an internal clock for local on the 8s. Brian looks at the weather online before he even starts the coffee. It influences our fashion, dictates our schedules, and governs our mood. It it the dominate topic of casual conversation and directly impacts our economy. It's powerful. It's dynamic. It's universal.

But it's also universally divided. We tend to think we each have the corner on weather. We like to think that the weather at our place is special, better, or even more difficult to endure than anyone else in the country. Those in the South think they are unique because of that heat and humidity... but Chicago in August is about as thick as they come. Southern Californians tend to believe they have that perfect mild climate but our last trip to San Diego brought cold rain and winds. The Northeast is cold but so is San Diego most of the year. The Northwest is wet and so is Phoenix during a monsoon. And middle America is windy and dry and wet and cold and humid and hot...just depends on when you hit it.

Our weather from one location to another really isn't all that unique. Of course some places are warmer and some places get more hail. In some places a morning forecast means something and in some places it's only accurate for a couple of hours. This could be due to the rapidly changing weather in that region or maybe just a meteorologist that didn't make As in school. But no matter where we live, we seem to be determined to establish a sense of community through weather. Or rather, identify with our neighbors by experiencing and sometimes enduring our own unique weather patterns for that region. It is a powerful phenomenon.

But as they say...If you don't like it, stick around and it will change.

Family Field Trip: San Antonio, TX

2010-10-17T13:55:00.015-04:00

We have always been told that San Antonio is a great town to visit. We finally made it there and we concur. The most famous part of San Antonio might used to have been the Alamo but it is quickly being overtaken in fame by the Riverwalk. (Side note: we had visions of parking in a dry, dusty lot and walking down a desert pathway to to the Alamo; however, it is actually located in the center of downtown. Odd but we were able to get a refressing snow cone from a street vendor when we were done.)

The Riverwalk is an area of downtown where they have channeled the San Antonio river, built sidewalks all around, planted trees, built shops and restaurants and hotels and office buildings. As commercial as it sounds it truly is a neat place to walk around. The shops are a little too touristy for us and the restaurants are a little too chain-like for us but the place is still pretty cool. If you take the little boat tour you'll learn lots of neat facts....San Antonio is the 7th largest city in the US and it's larger than Dallas, San Antonio is the second most popular convention city behind Las Vegas, Alex Haley used to live on the river and Miss Congeniality was filmed there. You'll also learn about the immensly fascinating history in the area. Outside of Citywalk we visited the Zoo and Brackenridge Park and road the miniture train (Caleb found this 20 minute train ride much more entertaining than three hours at the zoo seeing exotic creatures from around the world).

The most notable thing about San Antonio is that we are now ruined on Mexican food for the rest of our lives. Even though our visit to Phoenix the previous week was focused much on eating at some of our favorite mexican places....Phoenix has nothing on San Antonio. Get away from Citywalk and explore some of the 1000s of mexican eateries. Talk to the locals and they'll get you in the right direction, each and every one of them has a "favorite". Explore the many enchilada combinations, experience what homemade refried beans are really supposed to tast like and discover what it means to "dress" a Corona.

And one more thing about the locals. I was speaking to a fellow camper and she voiced it well by saying "they are so friendly and they don't treat us like annoying tourists". That was so true. They are welcoming and warm throughout.

We recommend San Antonio and we'll be back.

Family Field Trip: San Diego, CA

2010-10-07T16:19:00.014-04:00

We have been wanting to vacation in San Diego for many years and finally got our chance. As many people have already discovered, it's a very neat area. We hear all the time how great the weather is there...however we got to experience unseasonably cold temps and rarely had our jackets off...it was still an awesome time.

The area is made up of a series of beaches. Each beach has it's own unique characteristics, from rich and famous La Jolla, laid back Pacific Beach and historical Coronado. It's a relaxed
and diverse town (and full of surfers which has changed Kelly's aversion to men with their shirts off that she had developed at Yosemite).

The downtown area is also fantastic and is home to the famous San Diego Zoo. The zoo is located in Balboa Park which is full of many, many museums and cultural activities.

San Diego is an area of the country where many of our military men and women are stationed. This is where Miramar Marine base is located (home of the Top Gun pilots). We got to experience a Blue Angel airshow and Caleb's favorite part was meeting FireDog. Brian's favorite part was seeing the F-22 and Kelly's favorite part was watching all of the interesting spectators.

In addition to the world famous zoo, San Diego has lots of family activities such as Sea World and Legoland. There are many many parks and it's quite dog friendly. Legoland is an entire amusement park that pays homage to the Lego. Here are some pics of a few Lego structures...all of these are made from Lego.

Family recommended...visit San Diego.

Family Field Trip: Sequoia National Park

2010-10-03T11:13:00.006-04:00

There are some interesting facts we learned at this park. The upright tree you see in pictures that you can drive through is not here...in fact, it fell down many years ago and doesn't exist. You can drive through some fallen trees at various places in the country. Redwoods aren't Sequoia but they are close. Redwoods grown on NW coastal area and Sequoia grow on eastern side of Sierra Nevadas. Some of these trees are older than Jesus but none of them were around when humans were apes (a fact so profoundly pointed out by Kelly).

This park has a uniquely diverse environment. It is desert like with rattlesnakes at the base of the park and it winds and winds up to the top where you find the giant trees enveloping a cool forest.

Tips: Construction is happening in this park (as I think it is all national parks right now). If you want to get to the top, be in line at the top of the hour. Bring water because it's hot. Bring hiking shoes because you have to hike to see the good ones. Learn how to drive downhill hairpin turns for miles and miles (this means second gear and it's ok if the engine makes loud noises as long as your rpm isn't in the red). Recognize the smell of burning brakes as they have had several car fires (and that would really stink if your fire engine wasn't in the construction line at the top of the hour).

Fun place to go and now we can say we've seen the largest tree in the world, it's 36' in diameter and it's older than Jesus.

Pics of the trees

Family Field Trip: Yosemite National Park, CA

2010-09-29T19:26:00.004-04:00

Not unlike Yellowstone, Yosemite National Park is awe inspiring. They both have granite mountains and unique geological structures, waterfalls, expansive overlooks, bear proof garbage cans, tour buses full of foreign visitors and 10 feet wide double lane roads with no guardrails (although we're convinced there are more male visitors with their shirts off in Yosemite than in Yellowstone).

One of the magnificiant things in Yosemite is El Capitan rock mountain. This monolith is world famous amoung rock climbers. It is a sheer granite wall over 3000 feet high. We laid in a field for quite some time in search of these brave climbers that climb typically 4-6 days to get to the top. See the pics.

This place is a must see. Visit during the Spring when the waterfalls rush or during the Fall when the weather breaks. During prime summer season it is hot and crowded (and there are probably more topless people to see!)

Family Field Trip: Lake Tahoe

2010-09-26T15:32:00.003-04:00

Lake Tahoe is a beautiful place. We only stayed here one night but since we aren't newlyweds, we aren't gambling and we don't have a boat....that was probably enough. Here are some pics:

Scenic Lake

Family Pics

If you are in the area, we recommend a stop but we suggest the state park areas rather than the impact zone of South Lake Tahoe...the roads really aren't rv friendly...but the roads in Yellowstone and Yosemite make Tahoe roads look like freeways. Enjoy the lake.

Cheeseballs Across America

2010-09-25T12:32:00.025-04:00

A dear friend of ours exposed our impressionable son to the oversalted, artifically flavored, crunchy, cheesy goodness of Utz Cheeseballs. After she got him hooked she presented us with the almighty mega tub of these addictive spheres to take on our most recent journey. This is their journey (newest on top)....

Virginia state line... open for business...

beer, cigarettes and lottery kind of business!

Fireworks store as seen in the Josh Turner "Fireworks" video...

Arkansas state line (and very cool rest area with playground and free coffee!)

4200 miles down...841 miles to go...

Miss Kate has been Caleb's friend since he was two weeks old...they haven't seen each other in four years but they reconnected over some cheeseballs.

The cheeseball tub missed the bus in San Antonio but a few stragglers jumped on board and explored the city with us.
Here's one at the Riverwalk in San Antonio (10/16/10)

The Alamo, San Antonio, TX (10/15/10)

Uncomfortable truck driver who only held our cheeseballs because

Kelly had a mini skirt on. Somewhere in TX (10/12/10)

Beep Beep! World's largest roadrunner made out of garbage - somewhere in New Mexico (10/11/10)

An enchanted evening in New Mexico (10/10/10)

Arizona cactus (10/9/10)

Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA (10/6/10)

World famous HODAD's
(bacon cheeseburger is a "bacon patty" on top of the hamburger patty!)
(10/5/10)

Campground at Mission Bay, San Diego, CA (10//3/10)

Surfer at La Jolla Beach, CA (10/2/10)

Musician at Balboa Park, CA...we had to tip for this picture (10/1/10)

Sequoia National Forest (9/29/10)

The release of "Froggy"
(our day long friend that Kelly found in the campground shower - ew!)
(9/28/10)

Friendly construction worker in Yosemite (9/27/10)

Yosemite National Park (9/28/10)...
we thought this was the prettiest National Park sign until we
looked closer and saw the "E" is fashioned out of duck tape

Lake Tahoe (is for lovers), CA (9/26/10)

Walmart in Winnemucca, NV (9/25/10)

Bonneville Salt Flats, UT (9/24/10)

Utah State Line (9/24/10)

Idaho State Line (9/23/10)

Yellowstone National Park (9/22/10)

Grand Teton National Park (9/21/10)

Wind River Casino (9/20/10)

Wyoming State Line (9/20/10)

Family Field Trip: The Tetons and Yellowstone

2010-09-23T12:19:00.012-04:00

We all know that Samsung is a leader in the high definition industry...but the pioneers of America experienced HD unlike any other when they road their horse into the land known as Jackson Hole and stood in the middle of the Grand Tetons. They must have been overtaken with emotion when they stood high on a mountain and felt the spray and force of the powerful Falls in Yellowstone Canyon. And they might have even gotten burnt trying to take a shower at Old Faithful.

We just explored the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. We've seen pictures, even seen it in HD on our Samsung. we've heard stories of the grandeur but there really is no way to describe it or capture it without experiencing it in real life...High Definition brought to you by God.

P.S. We saw no moose, no elk, no bears...but we did see a couple of buffalo butts.

Creepy Stuff

2010-07-26T18:20:00.004-04:00

The grass is growing under the BigTruckNewHouse. We're parked in the Black Hills of South Dakota doing helicopter tours like we did last summer. We've been here over three months and have a couple more months left in the season.

There seems to be a mystic force of stuff when you're stationary and it's starting to overtake us:

1. The toys and recycle bins fit comfortably underneath the house freeing up basement space to just throw about anything in there. The neat and tidy that is required to make everything fit is no longer necessary. This makes for a good time when you have to stick your head way up in there to find that last bottle of propane so you your dinner won't be raw. (subsequently, when your head is way in there, your rear is ever so gracefully way up there).

2. And speaking of grilling...the grill stays outside, along with the folding chairs...again, more room in the basement (to shove the chairs in when it starts to rain) for random stuff that we'll have to figure out what to do with when the engine starts again. The good news is because we aren't spending time packing it all in nice and tidy we have more time to grill out and drink beer. And that brings me to all the space we have in the basement for spare beer.

3. The steering wheel now becomes a little table to sit stuff on. Don't exactly know where this stuff originated or why we need it but it now has a home on the steering wheel for all to see. Maybe we should put a nice picture up there instead of sunscreen and a lunchbox.

4. The shoes and jackets migrate out of the closets and onto the dash. In fact, we've placed baskets up there just to catch these items and for some unknown reason the closets are still full.

5. The salt and pepper (and olive oil and snacks and fruit and a few random pictures..oh yeah, we could put those pictures on the steering wheel) sit permanently on the table and kitchen counter...although the pantry remains stuffed full.

6. A few toys (and a couple pair of shoes that didn't make it to the dash baskets) fit perfectly under the driver and passenger chairs...although the toy box is...you guessed it...stuffed full.

7. And since we have shower facilities where we are parked, our shower holds the laundry basket, paper towels, toilet paper, vacuum, iron, gym bags, one box of baking soda and a broom.

8. The electric fan and the electric heater remain on the desk by the window (because we are in South Dakota either may be necessary and any given time here).

9. Lotions and potions and a half used roll of toilet paper hang out on the bathroom sink. Not exactly sure what the toilet paper is doing there but I think we have hopes of using it someday but just can't commit to it's most useful purpose.

It sounds like we are messy folks. Quite the opposite. We do the dishes after breakfast and dinner. We take the trash out daily. We clean the bathroom routinely and sweep the floor almost daily. Yet the stuff won't dissapear back to it's perfectly organized spot that we found for it two years ago when we moved in. And it's not that we are accumulating stuff...it's old stuff creeping out.

We are ready to admit we have a creepy stuff problem. Now it's time grab the velcro, button down the hatches, and hit the road...in a couple of months. In the meantime we'll just have to dig in the basement, grab a beer and grill a burger (if we can find that bottle of propane).

Spring Makes the Wheels Turn

2010-04-18T10:22:00.004-04:00

Spring has sprung and the RVs are in motion. The snow is melting, the sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, the pollen is in the air...and so is the smell of diesel fuel.

Seems that everywhere you look, from the Walmart parking lot to the state line rest area, you'll see an RV. The snowbirds are flying South to North. Those that have been stuck in the snow all winter are escaping. The grandparents are venturing out to visit the grandkids who are on spring break. And we're in our car.

We can't help but feel just a tad bit jealous as we see our fellow RVers bouncing down the freeway. We find ourselves looking at them with envy and wondering about their story...

If they have a tow car we assume they are probably full timers enjoying a change of scenery. If it's a 45' quad slide with full body paint and three air conditioners we figure they got out of their real estate investments sometime prior to 2006. If they have duct tape on their awning they've just come thru the plains and if they have six bikes strapped onto the back of a 20' Class A we can assume they are a little tight on sleeping arrangements but are headed for a most memorable vacation.

So we're heading north with a rooftop "turtle" circa 1984 that is packed so tight we almost had to climb up and sit on it to get it shut. We have a tailgate rack stacked so high it's hard to see in the rearview mirror. Our dog has been squooshed into only 1/2 of the back and the only part of our son that we can see in the back seat is his eyes. But the good news is we're on our way home and that 36' will never feel so big as it will after traveling in an Xterra.

Spring has sprung. The insulation is coming off the windows, the ice is melting (and turning into mud), the heaters will become fans and although we may not be taking our BigTruckNewHouse down the road this Spring, we know we can... and that's a good feeling.

Safe travels to all.

Family Field Trip: Salem SD

2010-03-27T21:43:00.006-04:00

Well, it wasn’t really a “field trip’ so much as an unexpected pit stop.

We finished up our winter work in South Dakota and decided to take a couple of weeks to head South before the summer season. We took the car rather than the house to save a few bucks. Plus we wanted to see how fun it would be to cram a German Shephard, a three year old and three weeks worth of belongings into an Xterra. And by the way, making lunch in an Xterra crammed full of the above mentioned items is not near as easy as stepping back to our kitchen and making a hot meal at a random rest area. And we certainly took for granted the ability to pee on the road (not pee ON the road…well, maybe our son might but we draw the line there).

So back to Salem. While flying across SD (because you can “fly” down the road in a car rather than “float” in the RV) our car started smelling very sweet, then came the smoke, then 0.5 seconds later we’re on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

The following chain of events developed into one of the most memorable travel experiences to date:

THE BREAKDOWN: Once on the side of the road, we look at each other and say "Now what?" (interestingly, this was the same thing we said when we brought our child home from the hospital). We got on the phone with Geico Roadside assistance and the poor lady couldn't figure out where we were, much less find a wrecker at 4 pm on a Friday, much less a wrecker that could hold all of us.

THANK GOODNESS FOR CELL PHONES: Some lovely passerby called 911 to report a car on fire (it was actually the radiator but who cares at this point)

NOW THE FUN BEGINS: Sheriff (Matt) showed up to save the day. He first cancelled the call for a fire truck. Then he called his buddy, the wrecker guy who was also a mechanic (Dave). Officer Matt loaded us all into his police car and drove us to Salem. Side Note: This ordeal was nothing short of awesome to our son. He excitedly announced that our car was broken as he watched it being hoisted up and towed away and tauntingly giggled and waved goodbye to our dog was still in the back of the car (and she wasn't too happy about it). Next Caleb jumped into the police car in awe of all the lights and buttons – let’s hope it’s the last time he’s in the back seat of one of those.

THERE IS HOPE: Officer Matt dropped Brian off at the garage. The new radiator will be there in the morning and we’ll be on our way. In the meantime we need to get checked into the hotel and get some food (and we were also invited to the yearly banquet at the local armory but we had to decline)

BUMP IN THE ROAD: The policeman escorted Kelly and Caleb to the one hotel in town. Large sign on the door - “NO DOGS ALLOWED. NO EXCEPTIONS”. We’re not thinking we are going to convince them to make an exception for a 90 lb Shepherd. It’s Friday evening, a town of 1100, and one hotel. At this point we are pretty certain Kona is screwed.

ROAD SMOOTHES OUT: The family that owns the motel are wonderfully nice and have two dogs of their own and let Kona stay in their doggy hotel room. She played, she ran, she stole the ball from her new friends, and she forgot about that tow truck thing (at least we hope). We were happy to discover the motel was extremely clean and Caleb was happy to discover a bathtub (a treat for an rv kid). Our hosts had a son who took Caleb’s hand, shared his toys and draw pictures (that he hung on his family’s refrigerator). At this point we are pretty certain we’ve just entered Pleasantville.

OH SHIT: We walk up to the garage because Brian forgot his wallet. It’s not in the car. Mechanic Dave offers us a car to go back to the interstate and look for it. He then goes to Officer Matt's house to look in his car for it. Thankfully, it was in Kelly’s purse…evidently she threw it in there in her “we’re in the middle of nowhere and broken down now what do we do” panic.

IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER: We walk about four blocks to grab a bite to eat (and beer). It was the best burger and fries (and beer) ever. And Kelly’s favorite bar food…deep fried dill pickles. The staff was awesome. They gave Caleb ice cream and we got deep friend sheep (which is a deep fried food that we actually haven’t yet eaten). End of the night the cook even offered us a ride home. Seriously, could this town get any nicer.

THE NEXT MORNING: We had breakfast at the local diner. We walked to the garage and TA-DA! Our car is done at 9:30 a.m. because mechanic Dave got there at 6 a.m to get it done for us. We paid a reasonable bill. They gave Caleb popcorn. The little boy at the motel drew Caleb a picture. We loaded up and said goodbye to the nicest town in America.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Only 18 hours left to go.

If you ever find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being stranded on the side of the road we hope you are near Salem, SD. And if you happen to be driving on I-90 between Rapid City and Sioux Falls, stop in and grab some ice cream at The Cookie Jar or maybe a beer (and some sheep) and The End Zone and please tell 'em we said "hi!"

Tourist or Resident

2010-02-21T16:21:00.005-05:00

It’s the middle of our winter. We’ve been in South Dakota about five weeks and we have about five weeks left until we take a “spring thaw” and then back here in May to fly for the summer season. It’s cold and snowy and we’re having a great time. But do we live here or are we still just visiting?

This past spring/summer was our first time up here. We came as tourists and left as seasonal workers. When we came back up here during the winter it kind of made us think our living status might be changing. We understand that you might think our living status has been a little skewed and ever changing since we moved into an RV. However, when we moved in and started traveling we identified as full timers. Now we stay in one place a few months at a time, and keep coming back to that place every few months. Yet we travel the rest of the year and our house still has that steering wheel (which we very conveniently turn into a desk/office when we’re residents).

SO, WE’RE RESIDENTS: We’ve joined the YMCA and we work out kind of regularly (but areobics at 6:30 am is out of the question). Our son attends preschool. We know enough people that we’ve seen the same one more than once and some of them even recognize us (and some even say "hi"). We have friends here...good enough friends that their numbers are programmed into our phones. We have visited the local bank and post office more than once. The saved zip code on weather.com is the one here. The address here is saved in Amazon and EBay checkouts. We’ve found our favorite pizza place (yet we’re still on the lookout for great BBQ). We drive by Crazy Horse every day and don’t pull over to take pictures (but we always look that way in awe).

NO, WE’RE TOURISTS: We look for family entertainment via tourist magazines and brochure stands (and use the coupons). We are upset that many of the attractions are closed during the winter. We are still impressed by the gorgeous landscape in the Black Hills and take pictures every time it snows. Kelly has no idea how to drive in the snow and ice and Brian drives too fast on it. We’ve never been on a snowmobile and Caleb’s never been in skis. We're not tired of the snow; in fact, we get excited every time we see it falling. We recognize a local accent that they don’t know they have. And they know we aren’t from here by our Tennessee twang (that we know we have and can't hide).

I guess we’re residents when we’re here. We’re full-time RVers when we’re on the road. And we’re tourists taking it all in just about all the time.

Preparing the Spam Can for the Freezer

2010-01-08T14:00:00.006-05:00

We don't even have to tell you how cold it is outside. If you live in an RV you know and if you live in a house without a steering wheel you also know. It's cold.

We are on our way to SD for the next few months so our concerns about the cold are great. We have no idea what we're in for but we are certainly preparing ourselves.

First we bought some insulation sheeting. The pretty blue kind because the white or pink just wasn't going to go with the rest of the house. We cut to fit our windows with lovely edges made with a dull box cutter. We put foam weather stripping around them and velcroed to the windows. We were pretty proud of how this turned out but soon realized we have no light coming in. So we decided to cut out a "window" on one of the windows. We took our dull box cutter (seems that new blades really aren't that expensive) and we cut out an 18" x 24" window than cut a larger piece to cover that hole but can be removed during the day. Clever and classy!

Next item was the bathroom because for some reason it's freezing in there. We took some of that same sheeting and attached it to the entire outside wall. Not without first having to remove the toilet paper holder and now our toilet paper rolls all around and gets lost everytime we travel. This wall cover still didn't keep the seat warm enough for Kelly so she found some toilet seat covers that Caleb uses in public restrooms (that are decorated with Diego) and taped to the seat. They seem to keep her warm enough to quit squealing at 6 am every morning. Again...classy!

Now it was time to address the front door. It has so much air swooshing in around it that the stairs (inside the house) often have ice on them. Weatherstripping around the door was the obvious answer. But how to attach the rubber stripping to the cold, metal doorframe (because of course we didn't think to do this until it was already 15 degrees outside.) Kelly so cleverly reached for the double sided tape (not heavy duty foam stuff...more like the Scotch tape stuff). You're not surprised (and you may not be finished laughing) but it didn't work and Brian graciously didn't make her feel like a total ass - after all, he let her use it in the first place. So we got clever and screwed it in (and used a little duct tape just to be sure).

We also had to figure out how to supplement the gas furnace with electric heat since propane has now jumped to over $3/gal, we're setting the thermostat to 60 degrees and Brian is sleeping in a hat. After some research we're off to Walmart for an oil filled radiator type thing. It was hot on the outside, large and dangerous for kids and dogs... not sure what we were thinking but we had hopes it would be warm. Nope, froze all night. Back to Walmart to get a safer fan heater. Nope, again we froze. Back to Walmart to get the ceramic heater that we were going to get in the first place - it's quiet and our living room is warm and comfy. However, the fan heater we got for the bedroom makes a lovely click click click and it has to be exchanged...nothing like a Walmart customer service line after Christmas.

All in all we think we're going to have a grand adventure this winter. Some may have fears that we are going to wake up as popcicles. In fact, we sometimes have fears that we are going to wake up as popcicles. But for now we believe that with enough weatherstripping, insulation, duct tape and long underwear (and maybe a few strips of scotch tape) we'll weather the storm like pros...clever and classy.

Sticking To It

2009-12-29T07:20:00.004-05:00

When we say "sticking to it" we aren't referring to the way we want the picture to adhere to the wall as we dodge potholes along I-90. We mean more like a habit.

Neither one of us are good at habits, especially good habits. We don't really stick to anything. Maybe that's why we are most comfortable with an ever changing home front. I wonder how many people who have hit the road also lack the fortitude for consistency.

Let us share with you some examples of how we've failed at a habit.

DIET: Not so much like "lose weight" but like "healthy". We like to eat naturally...closer to the earth, healthier for you. But dang if those Krystals cheeseburgers don't taste good and we're certain there is nothing natural about them. And we prefer organic milk but our wine can be made with grapes soaked in pesticide as long as it tastes good. We tried for a while to count calories...that lasted almost three weeks and then the holidays hit (how do you calculate the calories in a cheese ball? a whole entire cheese ball!)

EXERCISE: This one is hard for most everyone. Many years ago we walked almost every evening after dinner. That was a great week. We joined a gym once, got lean and strong. That was a great month. Later, we started running. Got the cute shorts, expensive shoes, sports bra (Kelly, not Brian) and even a very cool jogging stroller. We did keep this habit up for a while. But that too has faded and our running clothes are just taking up precious closet space and let's not even mention how much space the stroller takes up.

MANNERS: We didn't realize our manners are so relaxed until we started teaching them to our preschooler. We say "yeah" instead of "yes" and we say "shit" instead of "oopsy daisy" and we forget our southern "ma'ams" and "sirs". We are trying to grab onto this one and stick to it so our child doesn't end up a menace to society.

FRIENDS: We keep saying we're going to call you. When we finally do talk with you we are excited to be in touch and want to stay that way. But we don't and you don't. So just say hi on Facebook and call me when you can and know that just because we didn't remember your birthday doesn't mean we don't love you.

CLEANING: We've talked about this before. Sometimes we're immaculate (or at least Kelly is) and sometimes it gets thrown everywhere (or at least Brian does). But there is nothing "habit" about it.

MONEY: We have to save. Frugal is a requirement. Our work is sporadic and we're poor. We pride ourselves on not breaking down and buying a Wii for Christmas...but we did buy a whole box of indulgent chocolates and some super expensive stinky cheese (maybe this belongs under the DIET category).

So we don't stick with our good habits. In fact, we have a tendency to revert to our bad habits. We've been known to buy a pack of cigarettes many years after quitting - this usually coordinates with each leak we discover in the house....which consequently has lead to way more smoking than we would prefer.

New Year's Resolutions aren't really for us. Why make a promise that you're just going to break. We don't need a new year for that...we do it all year long and we'll stick to that!

Snowy Slides

2009-12-05T10:13:00.002-05:00

Did you sleep in an RV last night? Maybe. Did you sleep in a Walmart parking lot last night? Possibly. Did it snow last night? Perhaps.

If you answered yes to all of these questions, the following advice may be helpful...

While your wife is in Walmart getting groceries, go ahead and get the house ready to go. When you start to put the slides in pay special attention to the two inches of snow and ice that aren't being pushed off the top of the slide by the seals as it probably should - before it enters the inside of your house and slops on the bed and floor.

Now, when your wife gets back from the hustle of Walmart with two weeks worth of groceries she's trying to unload into two feet of pantry space, announce to her that there is a problem. However, assure her that you have a plan. You've decided to remedy it by putting the slide in part way and sticking your arm outside from the inside and scraping off the top of the slide. Together discuss how this is not possibly going to work (taking special care not to make your spouse feel like a foolish ass).

Plan B. Unload the entire basement in the snow and get the ladder that is as far in the back as possible. Discuss with your spouse (again, gently) that this isn't the ideal plan and you have no time for that.

Plan C. Walk across the Walmart parking lot from the very back, in the snow. Wander the isles looking for some kind of device that might reach the top of the slide. No luck. Trapes back across the parking lot empty handed.

Plan B again. Nope, don't have time for that.

Plan D. Take a small broom with a three foot long handle, open up the bedroom window. Stand on the bed, hanging backwards out the window, twist your body into a 196 degree angle and scrape the snow and ice from the top of the slide (all the while praying that the people in the RV parked behind you aren't watching). Bingo. Now do the same on the living room slide. This time taking special care not to squoosh your son's head that is sticking out the window with you. Have patience as you explain to him exactly why you are doing this and assure him that soon we will be on the road to Grandma's house. Done.

Wonder how long it would have taken to get that ladder out?

Life's a Vacation

2009-11-25T10:08:00.003-05:00

Do you have an RV? Do you live in it or vacation in it? Here's how you can tell the difference.

Live: Spend your evenings watching the news and sipping on wine. Maybe even venturing outside in your house shoes to drain your tank.
Vacation: Sit outside in lawn chairs, laughing loudly and chugging beer.

Live: Taking your garbage to the dumpster every evening (because your garbage can is the size of a Walmart bag). Maybe nodding to your neighbors but usually not even looking their way.
Vacation: Take your garbage (filled mostly with beer cans) to the dumpster while yelling back to your wife that that's where your heading and chatting with neighbors all along the way.

Live: Eat grilled chicken (cooked on your Foreman) and steamed vegetables (served on your Corel dishes). Inside of course. Set the smoke alarm off, open the ceiling vent and get choked on the campfire smoke coming from next door.
Vacation: Build a campfire with the wood you bought at the convenience store on the way in and roast hotdogs and maybe even throwing a can of beans on the fire.

Live: Back into your campsite with ease while your wife quietly guides you in. Hook up your utilities in minutes and go inside to start dinner. Cuss because your satellite is blocked by trees and know your wife is going to be pissed because you miss the results show of Dancing With the Stars.
Vacation: Hope for a pull thru site, park while yelling at your spouse whose trying to direct you whose yelling back that you can't drive. Hook up your utilities while chatting with your neighbors. Pull out the lawn chairs and open a beer.

Live: Actually go to a tourist area and spend an entire day at home. Not because you don't want to but because you have a slide leak that has to be fixed because it's raining.
Vacation: Go to a tourist area, do it all and come back with an airbrushed t-shirt.

Live: Know you can level and open slides in the Walmart parking lot (and walk your dog in the landscape islands)
Vacation: Why would you sleep in the Walmart parking lot?

Live: It's a yard.
Vacation: It's a campsite.

Full timers live in a space space with small yards. We respect each others' privacy by not trampling into yards, petting dogs or talking unnecessarily. We're probably outside to get away from our spouse for a few minutes or to air out our house from the dinner our spouse burned. We probably don't care where you are from.

We vacationed in an RV and/or tent as children. It was some of the most memorable times we had. It's the best type of vacation (except maybe Hawaii). We encourage you to pack your bikes, stock your beer cooler, grab your lawn chairs and go camping. But please camp down at the lake sites, turn your radio down and if you have to talk to us as you pass our campsite make sure an offer us a beer.

This is not just a vacation for us, it is our life. Or maybe our life is a vacation.

Family Field Trip: Smoky Mountains, TN

2009-11-06T09:38:00.010-05:00

You know from our previous posts that the Smoky Mountains are where we call "home" and we're here visiting for a bit. After a few days of being busy with family and friends we finally found a day to take a drive in hopes of catching the last bit of Fall leaves up in the mountains.

If you've never experienced the wonder of Fall in the Appalacians we highly recommend it. It is truly unlike any place in the country. There is something special about the combination of cool, crisp air, the bright shining sun and the magnificient colors of the leaves. It is breathtaking. And as so many have said before us...you can't truly appreciate it until you leave and come back.

We drove through the tourist traps of Sevierville and Pigeon Forge and took the bypass around the fudge shops and Old Tyme Photo shops of Gatlinburg. (Brian remembered when this entire area was just a quaint village before "Ripley's" invaded). As we drove, the air got clearer and the smell of exhaust was replaced with the smell of Fall and bear poop. The noise of the city was replaced with the rippling river that swirls through the mountains, cascading in waterfalls around hidden corners in the road. And once again...the colors...

We took this drive around naptime thinking Caleb would be lulled to sleep by the slow drive. However, he looked out the window with awe, announcing all the new things he saw. He loved the waterfalls, the playful squirrels, the bear cub playing high in a tree and most of all the mountain tunnels in the road. (Kelly fondly remembers her Dad beeping the horn through the tunnel as she giggled at his silliness.) Caleb ran on the Appalachia Trail and used a National Park bathroom that actually had running water (not so much the case West of the Mississippi).

We drove as far as Newfound Gap at the TN - NC state line. The last time we remember being here was on a motorcycle trip we took in 2003. The picture from that trip shows Kelly in a "Bunny Gone Bad" shirt and Brian in a doo-rag and leather. The pictures we took this time are of Kelly holding Caleb and of his "Mr. Bears" enjoying the view. Boy have times changed.

The drive that day sparked our memory of the Harley ride six years prior. Together, we remembered back to the feeling we had on that trip. The excitement created by the sunshine mixed with that Fall smell and rippling water. It was an awesome memory to go along with so many other memories of the Smoky Mountains. And now we have a new beautiful memory of that same spot (and "Mr. Bears" does, too)

Missing the Stuff and Missing The Point

2009-10-23T13:09:00.005-04:00

Over the past year we've always found humor in the leaks in the roof and bumps in the road. No matter how often our path has swayed around we hold strong to the belief that everything happens for a reason and our lives have purpose. "Happy" is our motto.

But as entertaining as we may be, this blog isn't fiction and real life sometimes creeps into our optimistic world. Reader Warning: if you would prefer not to know all of the gory details of our rainy days, do not continue to read...

Every now and then we have a pity party and yearn for a solid house and wonder if we've made the right decision.

When we visit Kelly's parents' and hang out in the huge (immaculant) garage Brian feels a bit of a loss for a garage, for his tools and for his space.

At Brian's Mother's there is lots of yard. A farm for Kona to run unleashed and Caleb to pet horses, smell the flowers and pee outside. We used to have a yard but now we usually have a concrete pad and firepit and the neighbors frown upon outdoor urination.

Brian's Dad is a cook, a very good one. He has an entire wall devoted to pots, pans and gadgets. He has another wall devoted to spices...lots and lots of spices. Kelly used to have spices...now there is room only for Italian Seasoning and Cumin. She misses her spices.

A few days ago Caleb was looking at a toy magazine and pointed out a train table that he wanted. Brian said to him "do you remember the train table you had in your playroom when we lived in the big house". He didn't. He doesn't have his playset out back, he doesn't have three rooms devoted to him and he doesn't have stairs to slide down (unless you count the three front steps and we usually get funny looks in the campground when we let him slide down and there's always the risk of pushing that button that makes them slide under the rig and then he'd be squished and that's probably not so good). At three years old does he miss that train table?

That leather sectional is sometimes missed and the surround sound and flat screen will never be replicated in the rv (not so much because it actually CAN'T but more because Kelly won't allow it).

So we sometimes miss what we used to have and what we used to be. But we're also missisng the point of what we've now created. The old complications and the distractions from family life are missing. We don't miss that.

But as Gary Allen sings, "Life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride".

Maybe our new motto should be "Happy Most of the Time"

"Where are you from?"

2009-10-16T13:24:00.005-04:00

All summer while working in South Dakota we were asked "Where are you from?" (most likely due to Kelly's sweet southern accent). Sometimes we said Atlanta (where we last lived before moving into the BigTruckNewHouse), sometimes we said our home was the rig parked outside (since it was easiest to just point rather than explain) and sometimes we said Tennessee (the place we went to college, met and lived for many years and the state where our parents reside).

But as we thought about it we decided that Atlanta really isn't our home since we only lived there two years. And although our mailing address is in Tennessee we really can't count that since we haven't lived there in six years. More accurately our home is "that rig parked right there".

When the season ended and we anticipated our next move we spoke enthusiastically about heading "home". We meant heading South to see the Grandpeople and friends we hadn't seen in months. We're here now and we'll be here for almost two months. We look forward to seeing those friends and spending time with family it's really not our home anymore. The roads aren't as familiar, what used to be El Charro is now SoccerTaco and what once felt like a small southern town now has stoplight cameras (which WILL ticket you on rolling rights!) and they even have a Whole Foods Market.

We just left one set of Grandpeople after a week of staying in their house. We appreciated cooking in the big kitchen, watching the big t.v., taking long, hot showers in the big bathroom and the free babysitting (oh yeah...we enjoyed visiting with them, too). But as we loaded up the BigTruckNewHouse we said to our dog "Are you ready to go home" (and she was).

Although the hospitality and beautiful rolling hills of Appalachia and the sound of that sweet accent bring us comfort and warm feelings, our "home" has a little kitchen, a little tv and a little bathroom. It bounces down the road and stops in many states (and Walmarts and Flying Js).

Last week we celebrated our one year anniversary in the BigTruckNewHouse and we don't yet see an end to this lifestyle. We take pride in making our rig a comfortable home and from now on when we're asked "Where are you from?" we'll proudly tell people "that rig parked right there".

Curvy Roads

2009-09-12T11:01:00.005-04:00

If your house has a steering wheel people assume that you are somehow better equipped to handle life's curves. Is that true? Should changes make us more or less comfortable than someone in a real house? Our family has really tested this theory over the last year.

Because we are still part of the employed we probably had to have a few more plans heading out than those enjoying this lifestyle in retirement. However, those plans have taken some pretty sharp hairpin turns.

Last Spring we were excited when Brian was offered a great flight job but we were told there wasn't a space for him just a few weeks before he was to go. Shortly after that he was promised a flight job close to "home" that was to start in the Fall and we've recently learned that once again the depressed economy is affecting that job also. And you all know how unexpectedly we got the tour job this summer in SD.

The plans we had for the last year didn't play out as expected. It feels that we've spent an awful lot of time feeling scared and uncertain about tomorrow. However, these curves in our plans may have less to do with a steering wheel and more to do with a rotor. So where does the steering wheel come into play and are we more comfortable with change because we have it?

With each major change of plans that smacks us we hold each other and pray (and we're getting really good at this). We pray for God to calm our nerves and fears and we pray that whatever is next for us we'll be able to enjoy and appreciate. Then we fill up the house with some diesel and off we go. The steering wheel allows us to pick up and move to the next opportunity with hope and excitement...so yes, we are more comfortable with change because we have a steering wheel.

It may sounds a little too fairy-tail-corny but so far (knock on wood...er...paneling...and fiberglass...) it has worked for us. We have overcome some major dissapointments and come out happier on the other side (albeit poorer).

We don't live a curvy road because our house has a steering wheel but we do handle the curves a little better because we hold on to that steering wheel with faith that God is our pilot.

We love our curves and we love our steering wheel.

Family Field Trip: Badlands, SD

2009-08-24T16:54:00.007-04:00

There are Badlands all over the US. They have been the setting of many movies and home to prairie dogs, coyote and rattlesnakes (and moths, grasshoppers and stickbugs). Each set of Badlands has it's own unique characteristics. The ones in SD are rugged, colorful and desolate.

We've been on this particular Field Trip for two weeks while Brian was flying his rotation here. Today is our last day. And while it has been nice to experience a change of scenary, we are excited to be getting back to the lush landscape of the Black Hills. We are excited to get back to civilization, milk, bread and human contact (and we're out of beer).

If you've ever been to the Black Hills you might not call that place of no cell coverage and no internet exactly "civilization" but compared to the Badlands it is just as grand as NYC.

The best part about our journey to the Badlands was the family time we spent together exploring the wildlife (moths, grasshoppers and stickbugs...and a random toad), Caleb's bike rides around the landing pad, and the beautiful sunsets and rainbows. The sky alone is reason enough to take a drive thru the Badlands of SD...take ONE day, drive through, take a helicopter ride, watch the sunset and head on to the Hills.

Family Field Trip: Strugis and Beyond

2009-08-16T12:38:00.007-04:00

In the Black Hills of South Dakota there is a yearly event like none other. Sturgis motorcycle rally. It's a big deal...a really big deal. This is the time that local business booms and so does the motorcycle pipes. Whether you ride or not it is truly a unique spectator event.

If you've never seen 100+ motorcycles riding down the road in formation, you should. If you've never seen a family of five traveling many miles together on two motorcylces and a sidecar, you should. If you've never met a group of lifelong friends taking a break from their professional life to ride the Black Hills together, you should. If you've never seen a young woman in cut off shorts and leather chaps with a painted on bikini top, you should (well, maybe you can live without that one!)

In the three months we've been here we had yet to head north to visit Sturgis or the historic Deadwood area. We waited until after the rally...

Sturgis after the rally was just a small town but there was certainly a feeling of nostalgia knowing the history and events that have taken place here for many years.

Up the road a bit there was Spearfish which is home to a very neat fishery that Caleb loved.

And then there is the historic town of Deadwood, the whole town in on the historic register and it is truly straight out of the Wild West... casinos, saloons and all. History was made here by characters such as "Wild Bill" Hickok, Calamity Jane and Wyatt Earp.

Our day trip to Strugis and Beyond was fun and something we had to do so we could say we did. And we got to see pretty flowers and eat ice cream.

From the Eye of the Helicopter

2009-07-05T15:27:00.006-04:00

We're living in the parking lot of Black Hills Aerial Adventures in Custer, SD. This is where we'll be until late this Fall. This is a summer to remember.

Living in a parking lot of a helicopter tour facility (known to Caleb as the "helicopter store") isn't so bad. We have water and electricity, a laundry facility is available and there is a picnic shelter. We have a kind and generous landlord (who is also our boss). We have friendly neighbors (our fellow hungry pilots). Caleb gets to ride his bike and play baseball on the landing pads at night and the dogs have lots of room to run and play. And while most kids like a little music and a good story to fall asleep, Caleb enjoys the sound of a helicopter whirling overhead.

Being stationary is an odd feeling. We took the BigTruckNewHouse out for a little drive a few days ago. As we heard our dishes clanging and shampoo clashing around the shower we both felt a little nostalgic for the road. While it is nice to have the stability of a parking lot (yes, we just typed "stability" and "parking lot" in the same sentence), the excitement of the road has been a large part of us for the past number of months (and has provided much blog fodder).

This summer we are creating adventures of a different kind. Kelly is working with happy vacationers, Caleb is meeting and playing with kids from around the world (although he's not too keen on sharing his toys with them) and Brian is flying over Mt. Rushmore every day. But the best part of our day is getting to see the joy of hundreds of people experiencing the earth from the eye of a helicopter. Each night at dinner we share stories of the intersting people we've met. Each night we are exhausted from our long day. Each night we go to sleep appreciating our chance to see the world from our point of view through their eyes.

Yes, Dad, everything is an adventure. And right now our adventure is the adventure of others.

Not a bad gig!

Family Field Trip: Black Hills, SD

2009-05-21T12:47:00.014-04:00

You're getting all of these Family Field Trips because we are heading West at a lesuirely pace. Brian has an opportunity to do a few months of contract work in California and that doesn't start until end of June. After that, we'll be headed to Tennessee for a helicopter touring position in the Smokey Mountains. In the meantime the Norths are heading West (yes, we are aware that that was very corny).

From our last field trip in Colorado Springs we went north to Fort Laramie, WY. We stood in a rut created by the wagons on the Oregon Trail and we visited buildings where some very important negotiations and trades were made amoung the settlers and natives of this country. And we saw alot of bear skin rugs that still had the head attached and were a little disturbing to Caleb (and Kelly).

Then we headed to the Black Hills of South Dakota with plans to stay a couple of days, visit Mount Rushmore, Bedrock City and Crazy Horse then head on. We found this area to be full of things to do. Natural beauty and commercial madness. Majestic mountains and wild waterslides. Perfect.

Mount Rushmore was impressive and somehow different than we imagined (although Caleb thought Abe Lincoln was "just a rock"). Crazy Horse was cool and huge. Custer State Park had Buffalo and some kind of weird breed of Deer running free. There were Burros in the road (and window) and the the cutest little Prairie Dogs running around. The Dinosaur Park was oddly on the Historical Register and Caleb was terrified of this place (but it was free). And Bedrock City was like Willy Wonka world for Caleb (and fun for Mom & Dad, too). We've been here longer than we expected.

And we'll be here even longer. We are not going to be able to continue our journey West...because Brian got a job here in South Dakota. Not just a job but a helicopter tour job for the summer season. It was random, he wasn't looking for it and it happened. And now we're here until Sept/Oct flying tours in the Black Hills and Badlands areas. Very exciting stuff.

We are certain this is given to us by a Higher Power as are so many of the other freaky, strange and wonderful (and even terrible) events in our life. Maybe one day we'll write a book about our God given drama...

So, if you'll be in the area this summer, please stop in for a helicopter ride, ask for Brian and tip well!

Family Field Trip: Colorado Springs, CO

2009-05-14T15:51:00.016-04:00

After spending the last few stops in metropolitan areas, when we hit Colorado we decided to visit a little less urban Colorado Springs rather than Denver - it was a good decision.

There is the obvious reasons why it was a good decision - like beautiful mountains, great weather, friendly people, healthy air...but it was a good decision for us because as soon as we exited the highway to our campground one of our brakes locked up. Like smoking, stinking, made us cuss kind of locked up. Long story short...nine days in Colorado Springs, half of which was spent in a hotel, our brakes are fixed and we are headed North

One of the things Colorado Springs is best known for is Pikes Peak (known to Caleb as the "train snow mountain"). Up there on the list of coolest things we've ever done is ride the Cog train to the top. Kind of expensive (there is a coupon on their website for those of you as cheap as Kelly) but highly recomended as a life experience.

We also visited the Royal Gorge Bridge which is a breathtaking marriage between God and man, intertwined with some funnel cakes and donkey rides for Caleb and soaring helicopters for Brian. Side note: On our way to the Gorge, Brian was thrilled to pass Cheyenne Mountain. If you are like Kelly and assume this is just a big mound of rock...ask your computer about it and you will be impressed by what you learn.

Another big mound of rock to see in Colorado Springs is Garden of the Gods. We spent a quiet morning driving around the loop and stopping for a picnic. It's a lovely area and it's free (again, for those of you that enjoy a cheap entertainment).

The Air Force Academy was on Brian and Caleb's list of must see. The church is a magnificient piece of architecture and way too serene for a two year old. As you might expect, the campus has an efficient feel about it that seems to have run effortlessly forever. And this geometrically designed, tidy place sits amidst mounds of jagged Colorado rocks. Side note: Although Brian and Caleb are the ones that wanted to visit, Kelly seemed to no problem with the skads of sexy (and intelligent) young men swarming about.

Brian and Caleb also took a jaunt out to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Oddly, this zoo in known for their giraffes. From the pictures of the animals taken, it seems a bit like a little Madagascar right in the middle of Colorado.

In addition to your normal run-of-the-mill folks, this area is home to nature lovers, thrill seekers and a multitude of hippies. A very neat place.

(we didn't stay at the Radisson...we ate in the airplane)

Family Field Trip: St. Louis

2009-05-05T17:36:00.011-04:00

Years ago when we first drove across the Mississippi river in Memphis it was a bit of an emotional experience for us. We had been in the western part of the US before but never traveled there by car. There was something nostalgic and enchanting about the journey across that bridge. After all, everything either happens "East" or "West of the Mississippi".

That feeling was even more intensified when we visited St. Louis and saw the GATEWAY ARCH for the first time. Not only is it a monument to celebrate the work of our early settlers, it is a place that reminds us about our physical freedom as Americans and the beauty of exploration.

St. Louis is a city rich in history and culture, beautiful architecture and cathedrals and lots of Catholics. The park in the center of town was the site of the 1904 World's Fair - made famous in later generations by Judy Garland and known to our generation only by the chorus of the song (which Kelly sang for three days). The park has a free ZOO, a free SCIENCE MUSEUM and planetarium,, a free art museum, beautiful lakes and walking trails. It's a really neat place to hang out for a day or so.

Custard and ice cream also seems to be popular in St. Louis. There are two different world famous places. Ted Drewes custard (which we got to visit) and the Crown Candy Kitchen (which we didn't make it to). Both are highly recommended by the locals.

You can take a tour of Anheuser-Busch (or just stay home and drink beer) and you can visit the St. Louis Grand Central Station which is home to what used to be the busiest train depot in the country (or again, you can just stay home and drink beer).

St. Louis was fun. We passed through the Gateway and now we are headed West.

Family Field Trip: Land Between the Lakes

2009-05-02T19:38:00.009-04:00

In Western Kentucky there sits some land, right between some lakes. It’s an area of prairies forgotten, lush forests and calm waters.

This sparsely populated area is also home to a gazillion creatures and we saw many of them during our two day stay :

Deer and Bison
Turtles and Frogs
Groundhogs and Squirrels
Wolves and Coyotes
Eagles and Bluebirds.
We smelled a skunk, played with a worm, and killed a mosquito.

We stayed at the Hillman Ferry campground and it was one of the best places we’ve stayed. Playgrounds, beaches, paved bike trails and welcoming camp hosts (which isn’t always the case when we pull up with two big Shephards and a cranky kid.)

This field trip was relaxing and much needed after spending two weeks on our remodel project (picture are still to follow on that). If you need a few days to stop and enjoy the moment this is a great place to do it.

We're home again?

2009-04-29T09:04:00.002-04:00

As we noted in the last post, we recently went back to Atlanta where we lived before we moved into the BigTruckNewHouse and where our rented out “sticks and bricks” house is located. This was our first stop back “home” since hitting the road.

We were in Ga for an appointment and we took some time to see some friends and visit the old neighborhood. As it happened, we arrived six months to the day from when we moved into the BigTruckNewHouse. Wow, six months.... it was hard to believe that we have been living this life for half a year and now we were back home. Or were we?

As we drove down the street of the neighborhood our son said "House. Back", it was cute of him to say but we didn't really feel that we were back to our house. Although we still owned the house, it was not ours any longer, nor was the neighborhood or the street. Everything was just as we remembered but for some reason it all seemed small and closed in.

We are not limited by the cities or neighborhoods. Our windows look out on different sights and we have different neighbors and yards at every stop. Our BigTruckNewHouse is our home, the road is our street and America is our neighborhood.

Status Update

2009-04-23T08:27:00.003-04:00

Although it appears that we have driven off the face of the earth, we are still here. After finishing up the latest survey project that Brian was doing in KY and IN we have taken some time to visit friends and family in the GA and TN area.

We have also taken this time to park our house in Kelly's parents' driveway and finish the laminate flooring leftover from the first renovation. And we are keeping our fingers crossed that we can get our steps fixed so they don't keep flying open and shut as we drive down the freeway. Pictures of the new floor, curtains and other little modifications to follow.

Next week we will be back on the road and headed toward Northern California for another work opportunity. We are very excited about our first cross country adventure in the BigTruckNewHouse and we hope to bring you a plethora of pics and side-splitting stories of our misadventures and madness.

Family Field Trip: Indianapolis

2009-04-09T16:34:00.012-04:00

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is the largest in the country and quite possibly the coolest place on earth (besides maybe Hawaii or Bob's Big Barn of Beverages). All three of us had a blast and we recommend it to anyone. It's a bit pricey but well worth it.

The rest of downtown Indianapolis is also very cool. Like Louisville, there is an interesting mix of history and present. Lots of sports, lots of monuments, plenty of arts, music and cultural activities. There is a State Park in the center of downtown and a shopping and dining district with connecting skywalks designed for the cold, windy weather. This skywalk system came in handy when we were caught downtown in a tornado watch. We were informed by our waiter that tornados don't hit in the "bend of a river" so according to him we had no worries; however, when you live in a trailer the word "tornado" always evokes fearful images. Caleb now knows that rain makes flowers but the wind makes your house sway.

While we were there we got to visit with Kelly's cousin, Mitch, after many years. Seeing family and friends is part of what this experience is about...besides the stuff we have to do to pay for food and buy the diesel.

And we must give a shout out to the Acropolis. It is an authentic Greek restaurant with yummy food and a wonderfully welcoming staff.

Speaking of welcoming people, when we left Indianapolis we took some time to hit Mattoon, IL and visit our friends Adrien and Cody and their little girl The Baylee. (A big thank your for letting us park our home in your driveway).

We are currently on the road South from IL to TN to visit Grandma and Papaw and at the suggestion of "Bread Truck Chuck" we made a side field trip over to Metropolis - Home of Superman.

Enjoyed our time north of the Mason Dixon line but now it's time to wash the salt and mud off the house and hop on down to the southern states to see the Easter Bunny.

Ice Maker Strikes Again

2009-04-06T16:19:00.005-04:00

Some of you may remember us mentioning that our ice maker had a little leak in the beginning of this adventure about six months ago. Under the fridge flooded and it freaked us out a little. We just ripped it out to gain more freezer space (and to avoid having to fix it). We plugged the water line on the outside. Problem solved.

Last night Brian was running back to the car to grab something (its still rainy, snowy, windy and cold) and he heard a slight hissing sound. He unscrewed the panel outside and got squirted right in the face with water (although he was already pretty soaked from a few minutes in the eight hours of torrential rains we had). Kelly came out to check it out and as she peaked in Brian let go of the leak "clown flower" style - he's funny like that!

As he further investigated a pinhole was found in the old ice maker hose. He must repair, it's after 9 p.m., the kid is still awake, the dogs haven't been walked and it's still pouring rain. Again, doesn't it seem like we have these little bumps in the road every time it rains?

Brian turned off the water, dried the hose and duct taped it (we're from TN and that's how we fix things). He turned the water back on with intentions of getting a proper plug and removing the old hose in the morning. We went to sleep.

Morning came. He checked the panel and realized the duct tape didn't work (how could it not work??). Water had continued to squirt out and seeped inside and under the fridge. This isn't the biggest deal in the world now because we had the first ice maker leak then last month our water container was sticking out too far and the door was shut [by Kelly] on the lever and the water leaked out everywhere and now this. We're very good as drying the area under the fridge and it's a chance for Kelly to reorganize the drawer of pans that fits under there.

Back to the ice maker attack....the water got turned off again. Brian made a quick run to the Home Depot which he couldn't find so therefore it was really a long trip to the Home Depot. What made it even longer was that Caleb had to "pee pee" and was freaked out that there was no water and the "potty was broken" so he decided to just pee in the floor. Lovely.

Update: The water (and pee) have bee cleaned up and our hole is plugged.

Until the next storm...

Family Field Trip: Nashville IN

2009-03-27T11:31:00.003-04:00

A neat little village. It is an artist colony. We walked the streets and window shopped (because we have no space to in-store shop). And Caleb got a ballon.

We ate at a quaint restaurant called the Hob Nob. It was historically authentic with original, unfinished wood floors and original wallpaper artfully peaking through finished walls. And Caleb got a cookie.

We had a nice time and with balloon in hand and a face full of cookie, Caleb found heaven in Nashville, IN.

Family Field Trip - Kentuckiana

2009-03-25T07:28:00.007-04:00

Kentuckiana consists of Louisville, KY and the surrounding areas. It's a neat place.

The "Kentuck" part, Louisville, is where you'll find corporate headquarters for Yum Brands, the UPS central hub and Humana Healthcare corporate office; It's the birthplace of both Muhammad Ali and Papa John's pizza. It's home to the Cardinals and the beginnings of the Louisville Slugger. And of course there's the Derby.

The surrounding areas that help make up the "iana" part has it's own special charm and history created in part by the Ohio River that swirls throughout.

It's a bustling and expansive area yet there is a laid back hometown feel that makes it all very comfortable. We like it.

Click here for a few pics of our Kentuckiana Field Trip.

On to our next city...

Here and There #1

2009-03-21T09:03:00.014-04:00

Here and There...this is the first of a series of posts where we make our own special observations about the various regions of the country.

The yearning to travel holds with it a desire to make the pages of Time Life magazine come to life. We want to break down stereotypes and open up our minds. We want to discover the special community spirit of our melting pot society and that thing that makes us a united country (despite the whole bipartisanship crap we are currently experiencing). We hope you are able to share that with us in our other travel posts.

However...there is also another side to this whole travel thing. As we zoom down the highway or meander through Walmart it is almost impossible not to do a little sociological stereotyping (especially in Walmart). Here and There is where we'd like to share these loosely formed thoughts and opinions:

1. Driving. Brian recently learned as he was zooming down the left lane at 80 mph that he was all alone despite the fact that it was rush hour...the folks of Louisville actually follow the speed limit and do so in the right lanes. He spent a couple of years driving in Atlanta where 80 is the average speed limit and 12 inches is the average distance between cars. And if you're not on your cell phone, eating lunch and changing lanes at the same time then you are certainly an amateur. Good job Louisville on making our roads a little safer. And here's to you TN for making the roads a little friendlier, AZ for making the roads a little easier to navigate and NM for making the roads a little faster.

2. Smoking. As former smokers (who sometime still smoke when one of us [brian] picks a fight), we are constantly making observations about this topic. In the Southwest you rarely find anyone that smokes - probably because cigarettes are a million dollars, it's too hot to stand outside and smoke and you always take the chance of burning down a building in the dry climate. In Georgia they smoke but only in their car when they are talking on the phone, eating lunch and driving 80 mph. In Tennessee they only smoke in the bars. In Virginia they are joyously supplying the surrounding states with nicotine. In Kentucky they smoke in bars, restaurants, convenience stores and bathrooms. The only place they don't smoke is the Brown & Williamson club at the Cardinal Stadium... ironic?

3. Eating. This one you will probably see on Here and There a few more times. Because of our Southern roots we are always finding that people do it differently There. Of course, there's the well known fact that people in other regions of the country drink something other than "Coke". But more surprising, is that tea doesn't have to be sweet and sometimes people even drink it hot and even more, some people put cream in it. We've learned that Mexican food doesn't have to have cheese on it. Florida avocados aren't the same as California avocados and Arizona guacamole doesn't resemble what they do with it in Georgia. Chicken wings can be made 10,000 different ways and BBQ can be messed up in just as many ways. On a recent trip to Louisiana we found food that we didn't know what it was exactly and we didn't know how to pronounce it so we could ask someone what it was. We feel certain it's not just LA where this is going to happen (although the pronunciation part is probably just LA)

One of our favorite things to do with food on the road is try out local pizza joints (when we're not at Chuck E Cheese). So stick around and later we'll share with you all about how they make pizza Here and There.

The Tree Bloomed

2009-03-14T14:39:00.007-04:00

We have this big white dome on top of the BigTruckNewHouse. Is it part of our autopilot system? Is it a super secret way to communicate with aliens? Or maybe it is just a beanie cap for our house. After contemplating we realized it was a satellite for television. Woohoo! We could take House, Desperate Housewives and of course Lost on the road with us. This was gonna be good!

As is the case with most of the systems and gadgets on our new home, some research was necessary to figure out how to use the dome on our home. After talking to some other RVers we decided on DirectTV as our provider. Step one complete.

We thought we’d just walk into the store, find a rep, pay them and then there’d be TV. Not the case. You sign up, they send a service rep out, they give you a free receiver and they hook it all up. We didn’t have an address for the rep to come out to. This might have seemed like a problem but we are reasonably smart people that can hook up a DVD player so just give us the receiver and we can do it ourselves. Not only will they not do this, the rep seemed a bit confused by what we were asking for as if we are the only people in the world living in an RV. Step two not complete.

Now we knew we needed a receiver before the next season of Lost started and time was running out. We called the manufacturer of our dome and discovered their receiver costs $600. Are you kidding? Direct gives you one for free (but once again, you need an address). After more research we found we could buy an older DirectTV receiver on Ebay for $30. Perfect, we have an older satellite, it will work. We shipped it to Mom’s and made sure to stop in for a visit before the Lost season starts. Step two complete.

With anticipation we called the satellite company to get our service hooked up…on sale, $40 a month for a zillion channels…we are getting closer. But of course there was another little glitch on our journey to Lost. If you want the local network channels you get them no problem (once again, if you have an address). If you travel the country they once again get a little confused. Customer service again acted as if we are the only ones that have ever called them from an RV, they passed us around to about four different people and someone finally knew how to help us. We filled out some kind of form promising our first born, paid more money and bingo…we have network channels from NY and LA feeds (this means if you miss Lost the first time you can catch it three hours later on the LA feed). So after several months of reading books, playing games and generally enjoying special, quiet family time we finally have TV. Step three complete.

We’ve been very cautious as to how much television we actually watch because we want to keep a part of that special family time that disappears when TV is on. But it has been nice to have a little Mickey Mouse to fall back on when it’s cold and rainy outside. The dome on our home works pretty well and overall we are satisfied - although we are a bit envious of the fancy, automatic satellite locating, shiny domes on other people’s homes.

In the most recent campground we stayed at we suddenly lost signal on a cold, rainy day. No Mickey. We searched and searched for a satellite that would give us a signal and scratched our heads as to what could be the problem. Brian thought for a bit, went outside and found the problem…the tree bloomed. Yep, tree beside us bloomed and blocked our signal. And now we are back to that quiet family time...sitting around and watching the tree bloom.

Honey, We Have a Bit of a Problem

2009-03-07T14:08:00.011-05:00

Last you may recall when we wrote of Valentine's Day we were on the beach. Let us finish the story...

That evening we were in Birmingham and went our for the evening. Upon our return Kelly went to the back of the house and announced "Honey, we have a bit of a problem". The problem was a flooded bathroom, bedroom and storage basement down below. After much investigation into the late evening hours we determined our toilet had a leak. We ripped it out, stuck it in the shower and were left with a hole in the bathroom floor European style.

Even later into the evening hours, Kelly became a little frustrated with sopping up the water by hand and started pulling up the carpet. We stopped before we got out of control and took a break to figure out what the heck we were going to do. We were in a very commercial campground that would not have seen the humor in a big pile of wet carpet and a toilet sitting outside by the road. We called it a night.

We stopped at Camping World in the morning, picked us up a new fancy ceramic toilet and headed to the folks' house so we could pile our wet carpet and toilet by their road. We assessed our damage and thankfully the only thing we lost (besides the toilet and the carpet) was the box that held our extra case of wine and it is with great relief that we tell you no bottles were lost.

Now this is where the story starts to turn around. We (Brian) ripped the carpet all the way up and pulled up 12,832 staples one by one. While the carpet was removed Kelly primed and painted the nasty, tacky trailer wallboard. Next came the laminate flooring, the vinyl tiles in the toilet room and the new fancy toilet. To finish it off we recovered the desk chair, some kick panels and the fabric border around the slide that frames the bed.

A week later we had a new bathroom and bedroom and all signs of the tacky trailer were gone (besides the fact that our house is on wheels and we still only have six gallons of hot water).

Below you can link to our Before, During and After photos and take a look at what can happen when your toilet runneth over.

BEFORE THE FLOOD

THE RENOVATION

OUR NEW MASTER SUITE

As soon as the folks are ready for us to trash up their driveway again, we hope to soon finish the flooring in the front end, change out our light fixtures and make some fabric window valences (we have already removed the heavy wooden valence boxes on all of the windows). Stay tuned.

Note: A couple of other things worth mentioning that have occurred in the last couple of weeks. Driving down the freeway our front door stairs sometime do this open/close thing all by themselves - haven't figured this one out yet but it makes Kelly laugh and Brian a little worried each time it happens. Also, the other day our awning came loose while driving down the freeway and caused Kelly to scream a little (or maybe more than a little) but thankfully it didn't fly off and kill anyone. Life on the road is way more of an adventure than we ever dreamed!

Family Field Trip

2009-03-01T11:54:00.006-05:00

Although 2/3 of us are sick right now with some weird mutated virus, we were able to take a few hours for a family field trip to visit the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY.

Our Fuzzies

2009-02-22T11:43:00.008-05:00

As many of you may recall from our story of how it began our dogs were one of our deterants from moving into our BigTruckNewHouse. Seriously, who in their right mind would live in 36' with two 80 lb dogs (90 lbs if you really want the truth). But we can't imagine this adventure without our Fuzzies. Well, we can imagine a world with no bags of dog poop and a home with no dog hair..

The biggest change was having to walk the dogs 4-5 times per day. As long as we've had them we've had our nice little suburban fenced backyard. Using the bathroom on a leash was something that took some time getting used to (for them, not us). After a few days of no results we took on the motto "poop or die". In a campground full of people and dogs you gotta figure it out on a leash. And they did. Speaking of the leashes. They're big. They pull. They like squirrels. They hate little dogs. Caleb loves little dogs. It's interesting to take a walk in a campground full of little dogs and people that don't necesarily think big dogs and little kids are as cute as we do.

Living in the BigTruckNewHouse with them isn't as crowded as you might think. They lay under the table beside the bed in the back where we have a fluffy dogbed for them. We have a perfect little spot behind the driver seat (aka Caleb's "naughty chair") for their food (high protein, less poop food) and water. Caleb mostly leaves them alone other than the occasional game of grab the tail and run round and round.

One of our concerns (besides the whole little dog thing) was leaving them alone when we went out. They bark and when you're 10 feet from your neighbors you run the risk of getting kicked out. We found that they like small, comfortable spaces so we put them in the back bedroom with the door shut. They love it. In fact, this is the only time they get to lay on the big bed and become royalty for a few hours. And they get treats.

Driving in the BigTruckNewHouse is probably our biggest challenge (again, except for the little dog thing). For the first few trips Mogi was miserable and wouldn't lay down. The only place he felt comfortable was against Brian's leg which unfortunately resulted in 90 lbs of fuzzy laying on the gas pedal. This made for some interesting spurts down the highway as Brian yelled "get him off" and Kelly frantically grabbed Mogi's rear and pulled with all her might. Now Kona has decided to freak out going down the road but we are diligently working to comfort her and we feel certain with time (or tranquilizers) she'll be ok.

The moral of the story is don't be afraid to do what you need to do with your beloved fuzzies. They are more capable than humans to adjust and prosper to your chosen lifestyle as long as you just love them.

Just Take it Easy and Plan Ahead

2009-02-14T15:39:00.011-05:00

Isn't life on the road about taking it easy and seeing life a little slower (alot slower if you care about getting more than 5 mpg). We've recently learned that too much "take it easy" and not enough "plan ahead" can be hazardess to your marital bliss (not as much as not having double sinks, but close).

This past week we headed just west of Lafayette, LA for Brian's job interview. We [he] casually checked online and found some RV parks in the area and there were a few available so we [he] decided we'd just pick one upon arrival. When we got there we discovered there was no room at the inn, anywhere.

We found out this was Mardi Gras weekend. Campgrounds within a two hour radius were packed. Now, prior to becoming parents this event would have meant a little something to us as we would have been envious that we weren't in that two hour radius. At this point in our lives we wondered what the heck people were doing this far out and why were they paying over $100 for a campsite. Note: we finally found a campsite 45 minutes away from Brian's interview, got the job, we're headed to the Gulf in April, will blog about that later.

Not sure we learned our lesson from that "don't make reservations experience"

A few days later we were headed back up north to finish some contract work we are doing in KY and IN. We drive all day, it's getting late, Caleb [and Kelly] are hungry and cranky, the dogs have to pee, it's storming and we don't have a place to stay (seems we've been in this situation before). A few hours earlier we had done a little research and found a good campsite on our route. We [Brian] passed it and didn't realize until 45 minutes too late. We made a rest area stop to compose. We are in the middle of nowhere [not even a Walmart parking lot], still raining, still cranky. Almost an hour after "discussing" our situation we turn around and went 45 minutes back. "Plan ahead" might have come in helpful here.

You'll be glad to know that a lesson was learned and marital bliss was restored. We were both assured that the campground was worth the 45 minute drive back when we were holding hands and walking on the beach for Valentine's the next morning. Seems that "taking it easy" might sometimes outweigh "planning ahead" afterall (and we have reservations for tonight).

"Chuck"

2009-02-07T20:03:00.008-05:00

As you may have previously read, when we arrived last week the campsite was covered in ice and snow. The campground was mostly deserted but we met one very interesting fellow that we felt was blog worthy.

His name is Charlie (aka "Chuck") and he was our neighbor. He lived in a converted bread truck that had also done some time as a construction van. He told us his occupation was a "living historian". You may ask what this is, as we did. The answer we got was a rendition of an Irish anthem. It was performed very well in the middle of the icy campground road; however, we still aren't sure how a living historian is actually defined and how you make a living doing it. But here are some things we know about Chuck (because you know we love lists).

1. He is a "white smith" which we discovered is someone that works with metal such as copper and tin. And he also burns/stamps leather goods.

2. He shares his home with a large white rabbit whom he is trying to house train. (We know this because we commiserated in the laundry room because we are potty training our two year old). The rabbit gets several daily outside romps orchestrated by Chuck playfully running with him and he loves CheezIts (the rabbit does, Chuck hates them).

3. He "has" 12 (yes, 12!) outside cats that he feeds and takes care of. We believe there is also a opossum or two also.

4. He used to be road manager for REO Speedwagon but doesn't consider that an admirable part of his past but rather "just an excuse for grown men to drink, do drugs and find a way not to work"

5. He knows every fort and monument in the eastern US and what roads to take to get there and where to camp. In addition to his recommendations on the historically accurate he strongly encouraged us to stop in Metropolis, IL and see the statue of Superman on our travels. We think we'll take his advice on that.

6. He has just about every convenience he would need inside his home. He cooks and bakes and eats well (as does the rabbit). He said the only thing he was missing was an espresso machine.

7. He is a very kind and helpful man despite the fact that he considers himself "hateful and pissed off most the time"

8. He has recently quit drinking, smoking and coffee which is probably why he's so "hateful and pissed off"

We feel certain that many years from now Chuck will be someone from our past that we will remember and we are better people for having met him.

If you are ever near Lexington, KY, check out Ft. Boonsboro State Park and say hi to Chuck for us, he'll be the one with the rabbit.

36' Ice Cube

2009-01-30T13:06:00.006-05:00

As we head north in the BigTruckNewHouse we've learned a few lessons that we'd like to share.

1. No matter how good your insulation is, slides are basically big square holes in your walls and cold air will inevitably gush in around the edges.

2. Double pane windows don't mean anything when it's 11 degrees outside.

3. Since that is a wasted upgrade, shrink wrapping your windows for better insulation is advised. However, when the metal trim is cold the tape won't adhere and they don't make a hairdryer powerful enough to heat it up enough. So shrink wrap your windows in the warm weather when you don't need them insulated so you will be warmer in the winter...absurd!

4. Buy electric heaters to help save on your propane usage. However, if you have the two heaters on and the coffee maker comes on you may be throwing on clothes and wading through the snow to flip the breaker back on. Same goes for vaccuum and hairdryer. And putting two heaters on "high" at the same time is a luxury you will never know.

5. If you stay at a campsite with no water in the winter you will learn there are many things you can wipe off with a paper towel and not have to wash (paper plates can be used about three times before you probably need to throw them away).

6. And if the water at your campsite is turned off you may choose to use the bathhouse rather than your own water tank for showers. Remember that wet hair can freeze in the 30 second walk back to your home.

7. Backing into a campsite is more than just making sure your slides are clear when it is covered in ice and snow.

8. As you head north of I-75 there seems to be alot of RVs headed south. We advise you to get off at the next exit and follow them to FL.

Stay warm.

Same Home, Different Yard

2009-01-24T18:50:00.000-05:00

Other than a few small trips we have mostly been staying in the same campground for the last three months. Lake Lanier Islands in Buford, GA. This is where we got our feet wet (and muddy) and learned how to be an RV family in our BigTruckNewHouse.

We had gotten comfortable there. We'll miss Mr. Charlie who took Caleb for golf cart rides each day and provided Kelly with someone to bake cookies for. Elaine from Maine (and her husband Maurice) and their cheers of joy as they played six games of Yaztee each night. There was the cheerful ladies that ran the gaurd house, Don the kind and generous manager, and the helpful security guards that roamed the grounds every evening smiling at our little circus. The garbage truck that emptied the dumpsters twice a week at 7:00 a.m. will never be forgotten. The freaky little face of the squirrel that ate out of your hands will be burned into our minds forever. And the discovery (by the dogs) two campsites down that our sewer line was busted will also stick with us a while. But we have finally taken off for real.

We have been given an opportunity to work and travel north for a couple of months. Pull up the connections, start up the house and go. It's that easy and that scary. We spent a week or so at the Grandpeople's home and took full advantage of their long hot showers, big fenced yard for our puppies and hours of free babysitting. We did some sightseeing and played in the snow. We got some new tires, did a little upholstry remodeling and fixed a leak on our home (home improvement unlike none we've ever known). We said our goodbyes and with fear and excitement we headed north.

Our first stop is a campground in Southeastern Kentucky. The lots are cramped, we are sandwiched between the interstate, a gas station and McDonalds and it's cold. It is a far cry from the quiet woods of Lake Lanier (besides that whole garbage truck thing).

However, right now we are sitting in our warm and cozy home, our son sits on the floor and plays train, the puppies are lounging on their fuzzy bed, and tonight we are looking forward to sharing a meal together at our table. And we are cherishing the idea that no matter how our yard may change, we will always have a beautiful home.

I Have Some Leaks, Too

2009-01-11T08:35:00.007-05:00

Here's a little story about life on the road when it's cloudy.

Last week we had some work to do in Georgia.

First we spent the night in a Walmart parking lot for the first time. We called the manager ahead of time and got permission. We pulled in and parked beside a couple of other rvs. Inadvertently, we were parked under a parking lot light which we learned when we were trying to sleep. Our first question was "is it proper etiquette to put the slides out". We did and it was - but I probably wouldn't put out the awning, set up the lawn chairs and have a beer. The next question was "where do we walk the dogs". Despite what you might think it is possible for two German Shephards to potty (vocabulary from our toddler) on a thin parking lot median strip of grass. We shopped, we ate Walmart deli dinner (their chicken wings are quite good), we listened to the delivery trucks and cars all night long. It was raining. It was free!

The next day we headed out to do our work. It rained most of the day. As the night came on it was still raining and we were far from our destination for the day. This is where it gets interesting. We read the map wrong and took a bit of a detour on a small road not meant for an RV. We accidently took the keys out of the car we were towning, therefore the steering wheel was locked and our front wheels didn't turn for about 10 miles (thank goodness it was raining and the road was slick). We later realized that our running lights on the car weren't working. The electrical connection was shorting out. We rewired it. Now 1/2 our lights worked. Then they didn't. Then the electrical connection wire broke completely. That shorted out the dash lights on the rv (or else some weird mystical thing was happening to them but the damn things weren't working). It also blew the fuse for the running lights in the car. We replaced it with our horn fuse. Did I mention it was raining. Correction, it was pouring rain, it was cold, it was dark, it was late and we were in the middle of nowhere Georgia! (but we were having a better day than this guy!)

We arrived at our campsite about 11:00. Baby boy was asleep and puppies had to pee. It was still raining. We took the dogs out and the dogwalk had 3-4 inches of water in it. At this point we were soaked so a good run didn't hurt us. Baby boy still asleep, very easy transfer from carseat to bed - very cool to be able to do that. We hit the sack. But on our way we saw a wet spot above the shower. A leak. We went to bed.

The next morning we noticed wet carpet by the bed. Really really wet carpet. Another leak? The next day was laundry day. On the way out to the laundrymat Kelly fell down the BigTruckNewHouse stairs and thankfully there were three steps...one for her rear, one for her back and one for her head. She survived, finished the laundry and we have clean underwear. Later that day another wet spot was found and it wasn't dog pee. And did I mention that it was still pouring the rain?

We eventually figured out the that "leaks" weren't all that they seemed to be. The bedroom situation was most likely because we didn't close the slide completely and we were funneling water into our home and the other two were caulk issues. Nonetheless, Kelly layed in bed that night and cried that we had made a mistake. The rain, the mud, the rain, the fall, the rain...it was too much and we needed to just go back to a "normal" life. Brian then lovingly said "but Kelly, I have some leaks and you didn't give up on me". And the next morning the sun was shining.

We are now preparing to head North. Wonder how we'll weather the snow?

Holiday Tripping

2008-12-30T14:28:00.012-05:00

The family rule: Christmas morning, just the three (five) of us, at our house, in our pjs (this last part being a requirement after Caleb was born).

This year we put a new spin on that "rule" by asking "Where do we want to spend Christmas". How cool is that? We can wake up in our own beds on Christmas morning and be anywhere we want to be!

We chose to have a Smokey Mountain Christmas. Partly because of the proximity to the Grandpeople and partly because it's a very beautiful place that brings memories to life for us (once you wade through the tourist trap that is Pigeon Forge!)

We stayed at a nice little park on the creek. Caleb loved watching the ducks. The dogs wanted to eat the ducks.

We made some wonderful memories . . . like taking our son on a coal engine train . . . ice skating . . . carmel apples. . . almost running out of propane on a very very cold Christmas Eve and running to Walmart (did I mention this was Christmas Eve - at Walmart!) to get an electric heater. . . getting ready to wrap Caleb's presents later on that evening only to realize that we didn't have the wrapping paper (we improvised).

If you are interested in more pictures/details just check out Caleb's blog.

Wonder where we'll be next Christmas?

2008-12-23T21:15:00.001-05:00

Happy Holidays to All!

Liquidating

2008-12-18T13:37:00.016-05:00

We bought our RV after about 12 months of talking about it and 6 months of looking at them. But it was actually a bit of an impulse buy. We stopped in just to look and 8 hours later we owned one. Now it was time to prepare for the big move...

How do you rid yourself of a 5 bedroom home and 30+ years worth of possessions? It's actually quite easy.

The first question to answer is "sell the house or rent it"? We tried to sell but in this market we didn't want to lose our equity so we were lucky to rent to a wonderful family. We will continue to try and sell it at a later date.

The second thing to answer is "store or get rid of". We battled some with this one since we had available free storage at our Mother's home. In the end we chose a combination. The only furniture we kept was an antique carriage and our master bedroom set (to sleep in at Mother's). We kept some Christmas keepsakes, garage/tool items, camping gear and several boxes of keepsakes. Everything else went.

The last question you ask is "how do you get rid of it"? Simple.

10 STEPS TO GETTING RID OF EVERYTHING YOU OWN

1. You first pull out the big and/or expensive things that you want to try and sell on Ebay or Craigslist. Put those in a room with the door shut (this will make sense later). Don't spend too much energy doing that as you won't really take the time to sell most of these items. They will end up in a box in storage to sell later. You will probably eventually give these things away.

2. Send an email to your very close relatives and ask them to come with a Uhaul. You might think that this step comes after you have gone through your possessions but, believe me, you will save yourself alot of time by just letting them take now.

When they come for the big day, give each one a box and a list of the following rules:

The house is a wreck, deal with it.
Don't feel bad about taking stuff, just pretend that we died and you must do something with it.
If you see that I'm getting rid of something that you gave me it means you probably loved it more than I did.
Don't ridicule me for the weird gadgets or plethora of useless shit that we own.
If you can't fit it into the car I'll save it for you and won't give it to the next person who was smart enough to bring a large enough vehicle.
Stay out of any rooms with the door shut. (that is where your important"To Sell" items will be hidden)
Feel free to take a cookie and have some lemonade as you peruse.

They will be hesitant at first to take but just hang in there because they will warm up to the idea and become hard core vultures by the end of their visit. Hold back from throwing yourself onto your food processor or brand new flat screen and screaming "NO, it's mine and you can't have it!". This feeling is temporary. Remind yourself of the new life you are getting ready to have.

3. Do the above with all of your close friends, friends you kind of care, aquaintances, and anybody you can drag off the street. You will soon have very few items left.

4. Invite everyone back again until they won't take anymore.

5. Gather some boxes and label them "Thrift Store" "Storage" "RV Stuff" "Find Someone Who Will Take It" and "Trash". Pick up every single thing left in your house (one at a time) and put in one of these boxes. See what I mean about giving away to family and friends first - that's less things you have to pick up and make a decision on. It is sad, exciting and frustrating to go through this process so make sure you both have had a couple of glasses of wine before you begin. (Side note: we touched every single thing in our house and still couldn't find that missing vaccuum attachment).

6. Make your trip to the thrift store and dumpster. That part is done and easy.

7. Examine the pile of "Storage" and see how large it is. Remove 1/2 of it and get rid of it.

8. Examine your pile of "RV stuff". Remove 1/2 of it and get rid of it.

9. The hardest will be those last few items you don't want to give to the thrift store, throw away or put in storage but you don't have room for it in the RV. You have got to do some serious conjoling in order to get your friends to take these items. But do the best you can. Take one last truckload to the thrift store.

10. Share a bottle of wine (or two) and go to sleep on the floor. Sleep well because tomorrow you have to figure out how to fit what's left into 300 square feet.

Less than two weeks after living in the BigTruckNewHouse we missed nothing from our previous world of excess...except maybe the 50 gallon hot water tank.

Settling In To "Normal"

2008-12-09T14:24:00.010-05:00

Each day the Fuzzies get more and more accustomed to life in the BigTruckNewHouse ("BTNH"). Their attitude is more of defeat and compliance rather than "I hate you and it's the end of my world". We are trying to make their life comfortable with special dog beds and toys for them. We take several walks daily and try to get them into an area that we can offlease/run them at least every other day. (Here is Caleb with poop bag in hand. He using it to gather leaves and sticks.

The wildlife we see at this campground is amazing. There is a squirrel that eats out of our hands, eagles overhead, deer almost everyday and some random dead things that the fuzzies always find to roll around in.

Aside from walks and wildlife Caleb and Kelly spend their days drawing, painting, reading, playing cars, making yummy goodies (and burning stuff as they learn how to use a convection oven).

It's really fun to be 2 1/2 and living in and RV. Running end to end while screaming is a blast. Climbing all over every piece of furniture to reach the upper cabinets is a breeze. Bouncing on the bed while watching yourself in the rear closet mirror while we try to get his PJs on is fantastic. And locking your Mom out of the RV while looking out at her and giggling is just about the most fun ever! Caleb certainly has adapted very well.

Typical household duties must still be carried out. Vaccuuming takes about 3 minutes if the fuzzies and kid stay out of the way. Washing dishes by hand takes some getting used to and ages your hands about 10 years. Grocery shopping is done more often since space is limited (and it gives us a chance to get our of the BTNH every few days and see real people).

One of the biggest adjustments is laundry. We chose to keep our storage space rather than install a W/D. Laundrymat prices have certainly inflated since we last used them in college but the people that frequent them haven't changed. Caleb always find friends to run round and round and round with (usually while screaming and dodging the open dryer doors). We spend about $50/month unless we get up to the Grandpeople's and pilfer laundry facilities from them. We have a little game to see who can wear their clothes the most before washing. Brian usually wins.

All in all our life has adjusted to our new life and it is hard to imagine living in the big house after settling in to the BigTruckNewHouse.

Our First Real Trip - Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-07T14:33:00.024-05:00

We've been in the BigTruckNew House for almost two months Thanksgiving week we finally took our first real trip. The towbar system was ready, the seatbelt for the carseat was put in, we knew how to operate our home and we were on our way. Our plan was leave Atlanta and head to VA and through TN to visit three sets of family.

We were up early and excited. First item on the agenda was hooking up the Xterra to the towbar. No problem. Except...the car turn indicators were opposite the BigTruck turn indicators. Oops. Have to rely on the RV blinkers, head out and figure that one on down the road.

It is very surreal to drive your home down the highway. Brian caught on very quickly to maneuvering the BigTruck as soon as he realized the car on his rear was ours!

Caleb cuddled into his carseat with Nemo playing in his dvd in front of him. Kona layed down between our seats and slept the whole way. Mogi wasn't completely happy that his home was flying down the road - he spent some time with his nose out the window but more time hugged up against the door trying to get out. We're not so sure he would enjoy a walk at 60 mph.

Our original route had a road closure so we did a little rearranging of our plans. No problem. Kelly made lunch in the back while we were driving down the road. We stopped at a rest area and ate in the BigTruck. Nice. Snacktime for the kids. Nice. Bathroom breaks. Nice. We arrived relaxed and refreshed with full stomach and empty bladder. After this experience, we're not sure how all five of us ever traveled long distances in a regular vehicle.

Our first stop had a steep driveway but we just put boards under our levelers and all went smoothly. We now know how to put our house on stilts in case of a flood! While we were here we installed a flat screen tv, fixed the turn indicators, installed a cabinet door and did some other cleaning/maintenance. And we ate.

Second stop was a little further up in the mountains and we were concerned about snow and ice on the curvy roads. Not a problem but our water hose froze. Oops. But we ate well.

Last stop was a farm with a narrow entrance fence we were worried about. Brian manauvered it like a pro. We were set up within minutes. And then went inside and ate.

All of the parents were excited to see our BigTruckNewHouse (and excited to see their Grandchild!).

On the trip home it rained the entire time. Brian took it easy. We stopped and got some groceries, Kelly unpacked everything while we were driving down the road. The kids slept most of the way.

Our first venture was a success. We saw beautiful countryside, made special memories with our friends and family and never left home.

We arrived at our campsite relaxed and refreshed with full stomach and empty bladders and ready for bed.

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LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE TRIP

Lesson 1: Don't believe what the dealership tells you. Double check all fluid levels and filters before you purchase and before any trip. We spent quite a bit of time and money on this trip changing fluids and filters (generator, engine and air).

Lesson 2: Get heated cord for your water hose if you are going to be anywhere near cold weather. Foam tape isn't good enough.

Lesson 3: Warn your wife how much the BigTruck sways before you put her behind the wheel and let her merge onto the highway. This will avoid the screams of terror as you go flying down the entrance ramp swooshing back and forth seemingly out of control while you scream "slow down and pull over" to which she screams back "I can't make it stop!"

(After that first 30 seconds of horror she got the hang of it and Brian is now looking forward to the opportunity to hit the back for a nap!)

We can't wait until our Christmas trip!

From the HOA to the KOA

2008-12-03T08:19:00.026-05:00

We are the Norths. Originally from East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. UT graduates. Married 10 years. One child, 2, and two substantial 90 lb. dogs. We moved full time into our 36' Safari Cheetah motorhome about 2 months ago and are living northeast of Atlanta.

We are a family that works and plays all out - always looking for adventure. We've riden Harleys in the Smokey Mountains; flew our airplane across the country; went skydiving in the dessert; rode horses in the Caribbean ocean of Jamaica; went paragliding down the side of a volcano in Hawaii; wilderness camped on the edge of the Mogollon Rim, seen alot of random livestock in the middle of the road, and various other adventures we can't mention now that we are parents.

In '04 when Brian came home from a business trip in Phoenix and said he loved the Southwest and wanted to move there. Oh and quit his job, sell the house and move away from all family and friends, too! (What the #@!! ?) Four months after he came back from that fateful business trip, the house in Tennessee was sold and we were dragging a Uhaul across the country. Brian began the fulfillment of a lifelong dream and started helicopter flight training while Kelly lived her lifelong dream of lounging in the pool and sipping cocktails every afternoon.

The thought of living in an RV started about this time. We knew that the first few years of his career would involve moving to remote areas and it seemed a neat way to do it (we do realize that the adjective "neat" seems a bit flippant given the situation but we couldn't really use the word "sensible" now could we?). We shelved the idea because we didn't think it would be quite so neat with the one large German Shephard (Kona) we had at the time. Little did we know...

Despite the adventures and changes, we were both feeling a need for something more meaningful. We needed balance! Spiritual, Physical and Emotional balance. You know...pray, go for a walk, eat some fiber, turn the TV off (which subsequently led to parenthood).

We each began this journey individually and as a result became closer as a couple (or maybe that was the no tv thing again). God became the center of our lives and the happiness and well-being of our family became our priority.

Over the next two years we adopted our second Shephard (Mogi) and were blessed with a son (Caleb). Brian graduated from flight school and the opportunity came open for him to be an instructor in the Atlanta area. We loved the Southwest but were anxious to be closer to the Grandpeople. So we sold the house and packed it all up back across the country. We've now been in Atlanta two years and Brian is ready to move on to the larger choppers. Time to pack it up again!

This is where the remote areas come into play (remote as in an hour from Walmart!) - rim of the Grand Canyon, coast of Gulf of Mexico, glacier of Alaska. We reviewed our options.

1. Brian could go without us and commute while we stayed in Atlanta - NOPE

2. Move with him and rent an apartment assuming his job was not a short term contract and assuming we could find an apartment that would accept two Shepards - NOPE

3. Sell it all, buy an RV and keep the family together while he works and we can explore the country during his time off - PERFECT.

We will highlight our journey in the RV a little more specifically later and link that to the blog for those that might have interest. Additionally, you can link to our son's blog "Bubba Said"(designed mostly for the Grandpeople). Eventually you will be able to link to Brian's blog and to Kelly's blog individually and you can explore with each of us on this adventure as we figure out how to live on wheels.

So here we are. Two months ago we were in a 3200 square foot, 5 bedroom home in the suburbs and now we are in a 36 foot RV living on Balanced Wheels.

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2008-10-01T16:37:00.001-04:00