Thank You Fairyduster

It was a pleasure to read about Peter and yourself, what a great idea to have chosen to embark on an adventure like this. I too suffer from one form of Peripheral Neuropathy for a while now. Your journal is probably helping a few people and I'm sure you and Peter will be able to enjoy many more beautiful moments! Thank you for sharing! Have a great holiday season! Posted by *Fairyduster to HIGHWAY GUYS at 9:48 PM
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I wanted to share with you this response I received about one of my blog entries.

I occasionally receive notes like this one and each time it give me great joy and pleasure to know that some stranger has taken the time to read and respond to something I have written for mostly my own self satisfaction.

While many have kindly reported that that they enjoy my tales of travel, I find it a form of therapy and catharsis. Favorable comments are just like icing on the cake.

I assure you that when I decided to roam around the country’s roadways, I had no grand illusion of becoming a poster boy for either the disabled or the RV enthusiasts. My mission was small and personal, but I do realize that to some it has become a symbol of motivation and accomplishment. The comments about my decision to travel have ranged from “Brave” to “Stupid” and I take no issue or offense to any of them. I tend to think in terms of adventuresome and challenging.

I readily admit I have made some rather intelligent decisions in my life as well as some awful ones. Their value can only be judged in retrospect. “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” I have been told. Would I have chosen this path if I wasn’t disabled? A moot question since I would probably have been to busy working to think about it.
Remember: we plan …God laughs.
For now, the only direction we can choose is forward … into the unknown, and so forward we will go until we can no more.

Yuma Bound

Thursday – December 10, 2008

With an early morning wakeup and a chill in the air, we unhooked The Beast from its lifelines, secured all loose items and placed our trays in the upright position. Our pre-flight checklist in hand, we validated our status and prepared for a travel day to Yuma, Arizona.

A nice sunny day and a clear road ahead are good traveling conditions and we arrived at the local Yuma Wal-Mart Super center mid day.
I swear, if these super centers get any larger, they will have to have tour guides to help people get around.
Unfortunately, there were no electric carts available and so we had to rough it. I hoisted my walker into the cart; tied Peter’s leash to the handle and set forth. An hour later, we (Peter makes a great supervisor) were unloading and storing our groceries and then taking a well deserved and needed nap in the back for 30 minutes.

Our Yuma park location is a small, quiet and inexpensive mobile home park with a few spaces for motor homes around the pool area. There are usually some people sitting around the pool so conversations come easy. The owners of the park, Don and Rosalie are warm and friendly people and keep a very clean and tidy park. The first time we ever stayed here, we were told on the phone that there was a pet restriction, which limited dogs to 15 pounds or less. When we showed up, Peter was a big surprise (I never tell anyone on the phone I have a pet – because he isn’t, and it get too complicated to explain about service dogs if they are not aware). Once Rosalie got over the shock, Peter displayed excellent manners and made himself some new friends. Now, each time we stay here, he is welcomed as an old friend.

The Wal-Mart experience (an hour of schlepping) seemed to create some problems with my neuropathy, causing some intermittent sharp sticking pains in my left rear thigh and left heel area. Fortunately, I think my fatigue overcame the pains and I managed to fall asleep with some occasional awakenings.

Did you ever wake up from a deep sleep in the PERFECT position? I mean a position in which you feel so comfortable and relaxed that you are unwilling to move a muscle for fear of ruining the sensation.
That occurred this morning and since we had no plans for the day, I gave in to the “perfect” position and closed my eyes

A Random Act Of Kindness

A Random Act Of Kindness

What always warms my heart is the attitude and philosophy of the RV community.

I often mention how fellow travelers and campers offer to assist us in many activities such as hooking up our rig, or walking a cafeteria line, but just recently a most unexpected offer was made.

As we sat outside The Beast, reading and enjoying the sunshine, a neighbor approached us and said;

“I noticed that you’re not traveling with a car. I’m going into town to do some grocery shopping, and wondered if you wanted to go with us to do some shopping or just to go for a ride to get away for a while.”
That’s the kind of people that make this world a better place to live in and you find them on the road more often than not.

The Weenie Roast

The weenie roast

Most of the parks activities are indoors, such as dinners, ice cream socials, bingo, poker night, etc.
The weenie roast is an exception. At about 5 pm, as the sun is preparing to set, 20 of us gathered around a large pit fire, dangling hot dogs on long forks over it. At first, Peter thought this was a great idea and anticipated being the receiver of such fine food. Much to his shock and dismay, the hotdogs quickly disappeared into buns and were eaten. Of course he was not completely disappointed, since I did save one for him.

As the sun set and the desert temperature quickly cooled, the conversation leaned towards individuals telling of their home state and their desire to leave it for the seasons. Most were from the northwest, Washington, Oregon) with some from Canada. There was a couple who had just arrived from Salt Lake City, Utah who reported it was snowing when they left. Now that’s why they call them snowbirds.
Then there was an old timer (looking like Gabby Hayes) from Alaska.
We only knew him as Jerry, a small man with a large gray-white beard who looked about 80+ and in fine health. At his side were a mandolin case and a large bottle of red wine. He opened both, and after a cup of wine (for his arthritis he claimed) he began to serenade us with song after song, which many of us sang along with. Another camper, with lesser talent than Jerry but with much gusto and exuberance, opened up a case and withdrew a saxophone and some sheet music, and proceeded to play his songbook of Christmas tunes, which we all chimed in on.

As time ticked on, the temperature ticked downward and the fire no longer was adequate to supply the heat needed to keep us in the spirit, although I suspect that Jerry’s wine was doing a fine job of keeping him warm as he frequently refilled his cup.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Blog 2008
Tuesday – November 25, 2008
Dear friends,

With great anticipation and anxiety, Peter and I have decided to shun most of our worldly possessions and head out for our greatest adventure ever.

After weeks of tossing and dumping and donating the accumulated contents of our life, and with the untiring and continuous efforts and strength of Marci, the task was done.

With a last look back at a bunch of empty rooms that once were our home, we climbed aboard The Beast (our nickname for our RV) and directed him to go forth in search of adventure. Unfortunately, at this time of year, we are relatively restricted to the southwestern part of the US since neither Peter, The Beast nor I like cold weather.

I never feel like we have started out trip until we see our first Wal-Mart. It occurred at 29 miles. A new record for us. We didn’t need to stop … just seeing it was good enough for us.

There is a warm and peaceful feeling that comes over me once we away from the city with its traffic, congestion, large buildings with their long shadows and people rushing to get somewhere.

There are simple pleasures to be enjoyed on the road such as the scenery of mountains and fields as far as the eye can see. Hitting a patch of newly paved blacktop that makes the ride so much smoother and easier to drive on. Pulling into a gas station and lining up the pump with the filler tube the first time. Also finding a Valero station with gas at $1.99.

With the weather threatening to be rainy tomorrow, we drove thru to our first destination and arrived at Ehrenberg, Arizona (across the Colorado river from Blythe, CA) at 4 pm. However, we forgot that Arizona does not have daylight savings time so it was actually 5 pm and we got to register just before they closed the office for the night.

This park is a member of our AOR (Adventure Outdoor Resorts) membership so the price is right and it’s a good park except for the gravel – which is the natural enemy of disabled people and their rolling walkers but we will manage.

As we were pulling into our assigned space, a neighbor approached and offered to assist in hooking up which we accepted with great appreciation. With The Beast packed to the gills, our living space is limited but for tonight we will sleep well and work on reorganization in the morning.

Wednesday-November 26th
This morning we awoke to our least favorite sound – rain on the roof. The good news is that we are staying here for 2 weeks so we can sleep in and ignore it. The radio weather report was for rain 50% today. I think that means it only rains the part of the day we decide to go outside. Of course Peter does not like to be cooped up so we did take a brief walk so he could do some exploring and check for P-mail.

Thursday – November 27th
Today, Peter and I had a delicious thanksgiving dinner with 50 of our newest friends. The park is about half full, but the atmosphere and friendliness of the staff and guests is wonderful. Everyone is very helpful when it comes to assisting me and Peter has found lots of people wanting to pet him and offer him treats.
Later in the evening I heard a strange munching sound from the kitchen area and found Peter with his nose deep into the “locked” bucket of dog food. Somehow he and figures out how to pop the latch with his nose and sucked up about 2 days worth of food before I could stop him. Now I face the bucket with the latch toward the wall. I don’t think he will get sick from the extra food but I am sure he will be pooping like a sausage machine for the next couple of days.

Friday – November 28th
The weather finally dried up and the sun should be out for the next week. It gets chilly at night (40’S) and warms to about 70+ by noon. Many people actually use the outdoor pool and it looks funny to see some people in long pants and jackets while others are walking in bathing suits with a beach bag on their arm.
Peter and are have decided to skip the afternoon water aerobics classes.

Saturday – November 29th,
As you might expect, tonight’s dinner was hot turkey sandwiches with mashed potatoes, gravy and desert.

How long we will be on the road and where we go are good questions with no firm answers.
Much depends on the health of The Beast, Peter and myself. Hopefully, with proper maintenance and care, we will hold up for a long while, and until then we plan on getting the most out of life by doing what we enjoy.