Valentines Day

Lori and I have been camping pretty much since we met.  We started out with a tent.  Back when I was a kid we would camp under the stars or in lean-to’s – going with the scouts in tens was a luxury!  I was very resistant to moving to a camper.  It seemed fate that about the time my back was giving out and sleeping on the ground – well at least getting up off the ground – was becoming an effort that a friend of ours was selling her seldom used Coleman Seapine.  By seldom used I mean that this thing had been slept in only three times, once on a trip to Maine and twice in her driveway.  I loved that Seapine! Sleeping off of the ground was a blessing for my back and because it had heat we would camp year round in Connecticut.  Winter camping in the Seapine was heaven!  For the most part we had the campground to our selves The Seapine had a chemical toilet but we always left it behind and used its cabinet for other storage.  We had that Seapine for 12 seasons before we moved up to a Coleman (yes the label reappeared!) Niagara.  This thing was heavy and pushed the limits of my V-6 RAM 1500.  The Niagara was everything we needed.  Being a popup it compacted and hid behind the Ram.  It towed straight as an arrow and when it was set up it had EVERYTHING – a full latrine (20 gal black water tank) an oven, a microwave (that we used twice).  It was a palace that we towed behind us!  That Niagara served us well for another 8 seasons! I told you that story to be able to tell this.  While we were stretching seasons in popups we had been planning for the day we would retire.  The popup life style allowed us to ‘RV’ very inexpensively so we could take some of our hard earned money and invest for our future.  I REALLY miss the Niagara.  There is nothing like sleeping with canvas.  However, our goal was to full-time and when you do that you need to be able to access a latrine on the road and have a kitchen where you can make lunch.  While we have not had to do it yet, the capability of over-nighting at a Walmart or rest area needs to be practical.  For all these reasons the Niagara had to go.  We have been travelling in our 26’ Flagstaff for seven months now and have not looked back.  I have been very fortunate to spend almost thirty years sharing a vision with my best friend . We worked hard and sacrificed along the way and now we are living our dream – and apparently the dream of many others.  I hope you all are enjoying the blog.  Give your significant other a nice hug and thank them for sharing your journey in live.  Happy Camping!  Spring is coming!!!