A Widow's Ride

Downsizing, Debacles, and Discoveries: Our First Week on the Road

Hold the phone on the Scooter Cannonball updates for a moment, folks, because we’ve got a major life announcement to share! While I was busy prepping for the Cannonball Run, a far bigger adventure was unfolding right in our own backyard. Mark and I have officially downsized and sold our beloved mini-farm!

If you’ve been following along, you know we’ve been itching to travel more. But with our five-acre spread and all its animal residents, finding sitters and managing the upkeep was becoming less of a joy and more of a… well, chore. Mark’s retirement only amplified that feeling, especially with a “honey-do” list that seemed to grow exponentially.

In the eight years we lived in Alabama, we hadn’t realized just how much we’d accumulated. Mark had 30 years’ worth of heavy equipment tools, and we had an antique collection that the younger generation, bless their hearts, just don’t quite appreciate the way we do. So, we began the arduous task of selling off his tools, our antiques, and everything else we no longer needed.

Then came a fateful trip to the Mountain Top Flea Market. We posted on Facebook that we were there and downsizing, and that little update sparked something truly amazing.

One of our young neighbors, part of a multi-generational family compound looking for land to build on, saw our post and reached out. “Are you selling?” they asked. “Are you interested?” we replied. A resounding “Yes!” came back.

This was it – the delicate dance began. We worried if they could afford our asking price, being a young, newly married couple just starting out. But after a walkthrough and securing a pre-approved mortgage, they not only accepted our price but even agreed to cover closing costs if we’d throw in the goats, sheep, and tractor! It was a done deal, a true win-win.

Knowing the Scooter Cannonball was on the horizon and we’d need time to pack, we proposed an August 1st closing. They agreed without hesitation. How did we get so lucky? Even during the Cannonball Run, they checked in, asking if an earlier close was possible. I explained I wouldn’t be home until June 30th and we’d need a couple of weeks to pack. Again, they agreed!

So, on July 1st, we officially closed on our house. The mad dash began: packing what we wanted to keep, hosting a massive garage sale to shed the rest, and most importantly, preparing our 31-foot living quarters trailer to become our home for the next six weeks, or perhaps even longer.

Our new goal? To crisscross the U.S., exploring different areas where we might want to settle down. Our kids and grandkids are scattered across the country – California, New Mexico, Massachusetts. California’s already off the list; it’s simply too expensive!

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The RV Life Learning Curve: When Everything Happens in Threes!

They say the first week of full-time RVing is a steep learning curve, and that everything happens in threes. Well, let me tell you, we got a crash course!

We woke up bright and early last Sunday, aiming to be on the road by 6 AM for our first stop in Wytheville, VA. The dream was to arrive by early afternoon, set up, and just chill, breathing in our new life.

Bump #1: Barely five miles down the road, Mark asked for a Coke. Me, in my haste, didn’t open it slowly enough. Result? A volcanic explosion of fizz all over the console and passenger door, necessitating a frantic window-crank-down to let the soda spew out! A bubbly start, indeed.

Bump #2: Just 30 miles further, the phone rang. It was the buyers. We’d left the company phone at the house! I’d mistaken it for Mark’s personal phone, which he had with him. Crap! We were ready to turn the truck and trailer around, but thankfully, they offered to bring it to us. After sharing our pin, it was over an hour before we were back on track.

We finally pulled into Stony Fork Campground around 4 PM, with plenty of daylight left. The next challenge? Learning to communicate while backing our massive trailer into a campsite on an uphill slope with a narrow, ninety-degree turn. After multiple failed attempts, we were both so frustrated. We even considered moving to a first-come, first-serve site, knowing we might have to pay for two. We managed to back into the site next to our original one, but then discovered the electrical hookup was too far away. Back to square one! Just as we were about to implode, another camper came to our rescue, helping Mark navigate the front of the truck while I handled the back of the trailer. Whew, we did it!

Bump #3: Then came the remote work dilemma. I still work full-time, relying on Starlink for connectivity. I thought it would be a breeze to set up anywhere, but our treed campground was an issue. Starlink needs a clear view of the sky. We tried a pole from Amazon, but it was wobbly. My old tripod on a slope wouldn’t activate the dish. After hours, I finally got it working on a flat surface, but with an 11% obstruction rate, meaning constant interruptions. I just hoped for the best for Monday.

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Starlink Struggles and a Campground Change

Monday morning, the chaos began. Emails and reports were fine, but my first virtual meeting froze constantly. This was a huge problem, especially since I’d been added to a multi-day, four-hour leadership meeting at the last minute! How was I going to function?

As a last resort, Mark drove me to Starbucks. I worked from there for four hours while he ran errands. I felt bad, apologizing to the baristas, who just smiled and said, “No problem! It happens all the time.” Mark even brought me a coffee, and I ordered a sandwich. We repeated this on Tuesday.

When we returned, we had a serious discussion. Our reservation at Stony Fork expired Wednesday. Our original plan was to move to a first-come, first-serve site there, largely due to the reasonable prices and Mark’s Senior National Park pass discount. But we were really questioning if we’d made the right decision.

We decided to bite the bullet and splurge on a pricier campground. We’ve learned it’s often cheaper to rent by the month than by the day or week. Our next four weeks might be more expensive than our old mortgage, but it’s essential for me to keep working. We called several campgrounds, most of which were full for the next 11 days. Luckily, we stumbled upon one just five miles up the road with a strong Wi-Fi connection!

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Finding Our Groove (Finally!)

Wednesday morning, I turned off Starlink and used my phone to call an employee, testing the connection for my first meeting. It was clear as a bell! As soon as that meeting finished, we dashed to the new campground to set up before my leadership call. And guess what? Our communication while pulling out of the campsite was perfect! No cutting too sharp, no sliding down ravines. Whew, maybe things were finally looking up.

That hope was short-lived, though. Pulling into the new site, we just couldn’t get our act together to back the trailer in. One of these days, we’ll learn to trust each other completely during this process! The campground owner kindly showed us how to park it sideways, utilizing the full breadth of our spacious site. I quickly set up my computer to connect to the Wi-Fi for my last leadership meeting of the week, while Mark got the rest of camp squared away. The day was a success, and we could finally breathe.

Today is Day 5 of our journey, and we’re finally finding our groove. We’re even glad to trade the serenity of Stony Fork for this bustling new campground, full of families, retirees, and on-the-road workers. It’s almost like our motorcycle community; there’s such a camaraderie among RV lifers. Maybe, just maybe, we might be able to pull off living on the road in a living quarters trailer for a while!