Boulder, CO > Fort Kearny, NE > Lake Anita, IA > Lac du Flambeau, WI
The name of my first book is I’m Living Your Dream Life. It’s a memoir about how Mike and I took a big plunge by selling off a conventional lifestyle to create a vision we had dreamed: turning our passion for playing disc golf into a sustainable business. You have to read it to understand the actual tongue-in-cheek interpretation of the title, especially because I wrote it after only 10 years in and with a couple of toddlers underfoot. It, like any business start-up, has been a challenge and still requires an enormous amount of energy. And now, as we return to Sandy Point after a brief vacation, it’s because of that dream vacation that I’m ready to face the challenge of year 29.
Eleven days and ten nights in a trailer. We did that. We joined the senior road warriors club and attempted to make another dream into a reality with more equipment than know-how. We had a vision of what it might be like, but as we have learned, reality must be experienced to truly understand. I’d say we felt fully initiated after our first trip to the dump station. Never before has wastewater disposal been so fascinating! All we knew was that there was black water and gray water and a long coiling hose. But the process is as easy to figure out as a jigsaw puzzle and thank God my capable husband has no fear of conquering anything.
I asked in an earlier entry, do all RV-ers size up the rigs of other RV-ers on the road? It became a major interest for us as we marveled about the magnitude of some of these monsters and how drivers manage them around tight turns. These deluxe traveling homes made our sweet Wildwood Lite look quaint. Still, towing it across the plains, particularly during the strong spring winds, afforded us an average of about eight miles to the gallon and required almost constant Gas Buddy navigation. We felt like a slow-moving turtle carrying a great big shell.
Other lessons: 1. Never try to set up after dark. ‘Nuff said. 2. Early April is not the time to look for campsites at high elevation. In spite of warm temperatures, there’s still a great deal of snow and unexpected road-closing plow piles that make backing up on tight, curvy roads an issue. (Again, Mike’s a champion). We learned it’s best to have a secure, reserved plan in place BEFORE taking off for the night and that boondocking is better done when a climb isn’t involved. Still, on the day we spent nine hours going through Plans A-B-C-D and E, we were at least grateful to have our portable bathroom with us and we got to spend the exploratory hours with one of our daughters and her new puppy. Visiting adult children, particularly after a prolonged pandemic-induced absence, feels like a reward!
Both our girls had the perfect spot ready for us directly in front of their darling and exquisitely decorated two-bedroom house in Boulder, where we spent most of our time. It sits behind a white picket fence and there’s a lovely front yard with a picnic table and a campfire pit, along with decorated trees and friendly neighbors. It was a convenient and lovely campsite. And by golly, can these girls cook! They took wonderful care of their aging parents.
We are so grateful for the opportunity to spend time with our incredible daughters. They could not have been more welcoming, loving, kind, and darn funny. Having a trailer and being able to visit with them wherever they land for now and in the future is definitely a dream come true. It was a joyful family reunion and a valuable vacation.
So, after eleven days and ten nights, I feel fulfilled and ready to roll. Time to catch up with the paperwork, unpack the trailer, store it under its new shelter in the woods, and then prepare the resort for a full house in 21 days.
Am I still living your dream life?
