Maiden Voyage

May 1st, 2013

We're getting up a little later then we planned to due to a previous late night phone call with the guy we bought the trailer from. Todd remembers some things he needed to get done in town (sweet thing has done ALL the getting done by himself). We pack dishes, put anything that could fall low, mostly under the booth seats, picture frames and other breakables go in towel bins and sock drawers. I ask Todd "what can I do? I'm the crew, just let me know". "Nothing", he says, "I got it", in a gentle but sure voice. I chat a bit with our neighbor outside and we say our goodbyes. Todd says "just hop in the truck while I make one more round". "OK!" Popping out to thank the owner of the park and we're off... almost.

BAM, BAM, BAM! Oh crap! (Or something like that. ;-), as the truck jerks). We get out of the truck, looking around, the owner asks "are you still hooked up to something"? No, Todd checked and checked everything again and again. A tighten of the sway control, another look around by us both (like I know what I'm looking for.. just somethings that might hit another) looks good. Here we go... BAM BAM BAM! "What the ever lovin'...", get out of the truck, déjà vu. OK, get up the small hill, bound to make a little noise right? On the road BAM (jerk)! Son of a.. OK, T pulls over as far as possible but we're hogging most the lane on a narrow two way street. Before he goes out I say "I'll stand behind the camper to make sure people go around" he says "no", in a much more stern voice (you ain't my daddy). I say I'll be careful I don't want him to get smooched to get the reply "no, stay right there". "Aye, Aye Captain" (damn! I'll be watching rear view mirrors closely.) Another tighten and here we go... almost.

So on the major road we stop at a red light and the lady in the car ahead of us gets out of the car. I say "hi", she says "your door's open". Look in the rear view, a flappin' in the wind, T says "make sure it's closed". It's the door on the trailer that doesn't fit right because the whole wall is broken and it's a replacement door. I run out and slam it like there's no tomorrow.

We make it to what was the Kmart and pull into the big, empty parking lot. Todd's looking at things and I'm hungry so I say I'll get us some food and stuff and just then it started to rain. This is starting to sound like a country song.

We're on the road. The night before Todd told me what he was really worried about was the truck breaking down. He had our mechanic come out twice to make sure it wouldn't. Before we even got out of Hendersonville the check engine light came on. I said "just keep drivin' Baby, don't look at it". We figured it was the mass air sensor anyway so onto Lebanon and we stopped at Family Campers. A nice young man checked, confirmed, and turned off the idiot light.

Off to North Carolina! The manager of the campground where we're workamping is amazing and gave us great directions so we didn't have to deal with steep grades so we ignored Garmin. Went to eat at a diner around midnight and the server told us there's a rest stop nearby while our campground was an hour away at the most. We decided to go for it. Parking in the front Todd walked to our site and back. We decided to tiptoe in so Todd took the noisy sway bar off.

After a day of ups and downs, little worries, singing in the truck, different physical elevations, eating at strange places, grinnin' like monkeys (all day), and unbelievable uncertainty, we crept into our site, quiet as a mouse. We didn't dare try to hook up or park just right, just got in and that's when the most incredible thing happened... we got to climb into our own comfy beds that we know and love! What could be better than that? Ever? After traveling, and you're in a different state, your own comfy bed, with the sheets you like and the pillow that's just right.

May 2nd, 8:00 am local time (7:00 to us)

We woke to a hammer banging. Todd set out to get the trailer parked correctly and hooked up and again I'm trying to help. Then I hear a woman say "Carrie?" "yes, hi!"! She's the assistant manager and so super nice! She was going for a walk before her shift. What a pleasant surprise and a wonderful soul to meet! Then I took a short walk over to the creek roaring over the rocks and looked way up at the smoky mountains all around, wow, really, am I really here? YES!

I couldn't stay awake all day so went back to bed. Waking up I started putting things where they belong wondering where Todd was. Looked out the window and there he is talking with a camper with two beautiful dogs, a King Charles and a big white cutie pie. I said hello to them through the window and they seemed to say hello back with tails waggin' trying to come closer. Then we stopped at the office to get our work schedules. Oh my gosh, they gave us a few days to settle in! Thank you!

In the following days we looked around town which I really do think is the most beautiful town I've ever seen. Cherokee, NC. Ate at a place that had "Indian Tacos", not terribly impressive. Moved everything to clean up after the invisible monkeys who obviously had a party in the trailer while we were on the road, and settled in.  We went to Walmart in a different town. There are no typical retail stores here, just mostly tourist stores and we enjoyed looking around. Todd's Walmart phone didn't work here so we asked and the assistant manager and she recommended Verizon's "Home Connect" and they let you pick your area code so we picked a Nashville one so we could remember it.

May 6th, 2013

Today was our first day workamping. It was so great! The people we met are exceptionally nice! AND down to earth. We worked so hard, like we do and they'd tell us to slow down but with our excitement and enthusiasm it was futile. So, oh my gosh, we're walking around stiff. They are so gracious they sort of said "told ya so" without being condescending  AND they even tried to get me to take a break but I wanted to get the whole front part of the flower bed weeded so I didn't. I have learned my lesson, Don't go from a desk jocky to gardner in a day! Todd told the manager we want to work a lot and we're both on for 40 hours each so I better wrap up and get to bed.

This is the best and craziest thing I've ever done in my life! I am truly happy!

I want to thank so much these wonderful people who have welcomed us, taken us in, and trusted me with a golf cart too!

I Stand Corrected!

After a crash course training my replacement at the office - she is outstanding! Very smart, friendly, organized, focused, customer oriented, patient, and has a sense of urgency! I wish I could've spent more time with her but I know my job is in very capable hands and oh, I can breath a sigh of relief. She can email me anytime... anytime! Best wishes to you, kindred spirit!

Today was my last day there and goodbyes are difficult but something I'd better get used to, being a vagabond and all. We're headed for North Carolina in the morning! We're so happy to be working and spending time with the good people of Happy Holiday RV Village!

Todd is spending some time with family right now after a day of more preparation. Most he tells me I don't understand (all that hardware) yet but I want to learn, so I will.

The first move has to be the hardest. Here we go!

One Week to Go!

Now it's time to get ready so Todd is making sure the nameless truck is ready and we'll see if we can part with a few more things to lighten the load AND my car is now on Craigslist. Whew!

"Like the Pine Trees Lining a Winding Road...

...I got a name, I got a name." Her name is .. drum roll, please... Serenity. "Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful?" Now we just have to name the truck.

In case you didn't know the first quote is Jim Croce and the second Lionel Richie.

Today has been amazing, like the whole day was an epiphany. "Signs, signs every where signs.." (Five Man Electrical Band). It really seems like God and/or the universe is telling me it's OK, go, get out, get a workcampimg job, be free, don't hold back any longer, if you wait until everything is perfect and all ducks are in a row you'll never go, go, dang it, just go!

Guess I was just in a singin' mood.  :-)

(Little update) I know this says "Posted by Todd and Carrie". I, Carrie, sometimes forget to sign out of our main account, sorry.

Hitch Itch

Oh my gosh, we do have hitch itch bad but we have things we have to get done first. On the very positive side, I do want to see this beautiful lake in the spring and summer (as long as temps don't reach 110° again)!

I was worn out today at the office thinking I've been doing the same things, looking out the same windows for eight years now, God it's hard to keep my eyes open. I'm trying so hard at work to make it easy for the person who replaces me so concentrating hard keeps me awake. Putting comments in Excel worksheets and adding difficult formulas and macros because s/he will have so much more to think about. Customer service is #1 and they have to be so organized. Tooting my own horn I guess but I will be impossible to replace. I swear I wish the owners would retire and shut the place down instead of selling it like they plan to, they even have the buyer.

On another note, we've met really, super nice people here. The kind you can really count on. This campground had terrible water problems and Todd and other campers fixed it the best they could. We do have water and we're getting the pressure worked out here, in the trailer, very thankful. One of the campers offered a gallon of water if we needed it (when water was off), which I thought was amazing but our tank was full, "thank you so much anyway!".

We've met people who have been here from days to twenty one years! A lot of people stay here years, I don't know how. When it's freezing and windy here it feels like a window is slightly opened. Trying to stay for 239 more days. Please wish us luck!

First Week in the RV

We're so happy to be here! We've met super great full time RVers and love not listening to upstairs neighbors like in the apartment.

Seems like if something could go wrong it did but maybe it did for good reason. We've especially learned RVing in freezing weather isn't for us. As soon as the propane furnace turns off it's very cold in here so we're going through a lot of propane, about twenty-five gallons in a week and a half. The little electric space heaters try but can't keep it warm enough in here.

I'm no stranger to the high price of propane. When I had my adorable little 1,152 square foot house in the country the only thing that used propane was the heater and the propane bills averaged $2,000 a month for three months. Of course I had to buy a new electric HVAC unit I'll be paying on for many, many years.

There's something wrong with the water flow to the campsite we're in so we're using the water hook-up from the next (vacant, of course!) campsite so Todd went and bought a longer hose and it isn't insulated. He did insulate the one we thought we could use but now if it's going to freeze he goes out and unhooks and empties it out after one morning we had to thaw it out in the bath tub! Efforts to make it to work by 9:00 for me has been futile all week long!

So, we moved our take off date up to Saturday, November 30th, 2013 at noon. We're hoping spring weather gets here soon and my job hires someone full time so I can train them. We have a lot we want to add to the TT like solar panels and a 100 gallon water tank. We'll need a sway stabilizer too then off to warmer weather forever!

The Truck

Well, even though it was inspected before T bought it, it had problems that were undetectable. Engine problems that no one could really pinpoint exactly. T knew he wanted to get rid of it, was drinking gas and dirtying oil like no one's business - T and the truck, just kidding. He had already put new tires, shocks, a bad ass hitch and other things on for towing but that isn't the point of this post.

The point is, he's such a good man. The thought crossed our minds, we could sell it knowing something is wrong, the thought crossed quickly and was out of there. We knew we lost a lot of money and we don't have it to lose but T put a craigslist ad up, explaining that we don't know what's wrong but something is and it might need a new engine. People answered not even reading the whole ad and Todd told them "it could need a new engine". It wasn't looking good and then someone replied "I had the same truck, loved it, wrecked it, saved the engine, I have the engine for it! Would like to talk about the trade you mentioned, I have a Suburban"! Oh my

gosh, just what T wanted!

The truck traded was so cool but rough ridin' for me. We drove only a couple of hours and my back was stiff. The young man who traded was perfect for it. In his twenties, I'm sure he will enjoy four weeelin' in it!

We were redneck royalty for a minute and loved it!

And since it was an even trade we don't have to pay taxes again, just the 15 bucks or so to transfer the title.