A Soul Searching Morning

[IanC]

I've been on the road for just a bit more than 2 months.  Lots of it has been awesome, especially in Northern Florida and Louisiana. Several spots out west have been real nice too.  I think the worst was the long monotonous drive across the country on Interstate 10.  I left Ehrenberg yesterday and am in Lake Havasu - kind of holed up in against very strong winds.
I guess after only 2 months I am still a tourist and am pretty much in awe of things, but there are days when it's pretty much nothing - a good morning hike with Todd (my dog), a couple of chores, maybe a trip to the laundromat and the day has slipped away.  I have worked since I was 16 - often 2 jobs and thought that, at 60 I'd be ready to do nothing for a while, but there is always the nagging thought about not doing anything productive every day.
I had planned my journey as a 6 month experiment but am already wondering if I'll make it 6 months.  The desert is starkly beautiful - much more than I imagined but I'm already getting a craving for green.
The other issue is that driving in the mountains is not my favorite thing - my truck is 6 cylinder and my trailer, although just 10 ft doesn't have brakes and climbing and descending isn't carefree driving.
My present thought is to stay in Havasu for a week or so and then, instead of continuing the climb in elevation, go back down and retrace my route back to the East Coast, although the though of more Texas and Interstate 10 is daunting, and the gas on the trip out here was a BIG expense.
I'm wondering whether those folks who have been on the road for a long time had an adjustment period of decompressing from static life and settle into routines where doing a lot in a day isn't important anymore.  I've been parked near people who I never even seen - they never seem to emerge from their vans/trailers.  I wonder "what do they DO? How do they fill their days?"
Ending this journey abruptly would mean starting a life from scratch since I sold everything to do it, and at 60 starting again isn't a piece of cake, BUT, I don't want to do this because I feel I have no other choice.  I want to be in a place where I feel that this was a good decision.  Anyway, mostly I'm just rambling. It's possible that tomorrow this fierce wind will have died, the sun will be out and we'll take a monster hike through these incredible hills and all will be right with the world again.

 

[Gunny]

IanC, when get to Kent Tx there on I-10 take the I-20 split, come thru the Dallas-Ft Worth area and have a cup of coffee or a brew.

Rob

 

[AbuelaLoca]

In all honesty, it sounds like you need a group to hang with for awhile! I'm certainly hoping to have that when I first go it full-time... A little time to get used to slowing down, but doing so with like-minded folks and sort of learning from them... that's just what it sounds like you need to me...

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I'm naturally a busy body myself so i'm not sure how i'd spend my days either should i ever try the lifestyle full time.

You could always get a part time job just to have something to do a few days a week, although that will tie you to an area.

I'd recommend getting brakes installed on the trailer so you dont feel limited on where you can go. The higher you go the better it gets in my opinion. Well to a certain point. If you really get up there trees become sparse and wind gusts that kick the crap out of you. But it's fun to drive to the top of the high peaks just to see the views for a few minutes.

Any new lifestyle takes some time to get used too, i'd give it at least six months, a year if you can, then decide. Have to unprogram everything you know

 

[IanC]

IanC, when get to Kent Tx there on I-10 take the I-20 split, come thru the Dallas-Ft Worth area and have a cup of coffee or a brew.

Rob

I went through Kent on the way here - went down to FT Davis. Pretty breathtaking scenery, isn't it? Like something out of every Western movie I've ever seen. Yes, when I return I'll be doing Rt20 - looks like a nice campground in Sweetwater.  If you're still in Texas then I'll throw you a PM.

 

[Gary68]

sounds like someone need to get a highbanker,pump,shovel and a bunch of 5 gallon buckets

 

[IanC]

In all honesty, it sounds like you need a group to hang with for awhile! I'm certainly hoping to have that when I first go it full-time... A little time to get used to slowing down, but doing so with like-minded folks and sort of learning from them... that's just what it sounds like you need to me...

You're right. Ehrenberg was like that. I got to know several folks very quickly and Todd (dog) was loose all the time and made friends with several other dogs.  First thing in the morning I'd see his fat butt heading across the rocks to visit his friends (who were also loose).  It was a pretty nice situation.  Funny, by now, Todd knows when I'm packing up to leave and he was visibly sad to go.

 

[Gunny]

Be warned, the scenery on I-20 is no better than I-10, tumbleweeds and flat land. Pecos is nice, small town atmosphere and nice people, cantaloupe capital of Texas but too early for the fruit. If you like chicken fried steak and who doesn't, take exit 361 and go north about 5 miles to Mary's Cafe. Order the large Chicken Fry and enjoy. Best I've had. And park anywhere there is space.


Rob

 

[Gunny]

Enjoy.

 

[Wabbit]

Give it at least your original thinking(6 months). We are going into our 2cnd month, and honestly, I'm shitting bricks. Money is gone, hole in roof that if the fix doesn't work(acrylic plexiglass) will srsly screw me no where close to even starting renovation in van...lol. However, I'm a bit of a fatalist, let the fates decide the outcome. The sunsets are spectacular, the sunrises so peaceful. I want this life living like this, sometimes peaceful and nothing is wrong with the world to screaming in my head, "OMFG you're a f#cking idiot!!!" when things I thought were planned out fail horribly. Peace man, best of luck!

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I'm not sure if your problem is traveling in a vehicle, or just not having a job to go to every day.  There are workaholics who've retired, but then gone back to work because "I can't just sit around and do nothing!".  You sound like you might be a workaholic.

Fortunately, I didn't have that problem when I retired.  Hard work is wonderful.  I can sit and watch other people do it all day!

 

[GotSmart]

It would be a shame not to see the pacific and the redwoods.  Check the weather first.  Some places are getting another 2 ft of snow this weekend.

 

[Almost There]

Ian, where are you at LHC. Two of us just arrived at Craggy Wash a few hours ago and I know at least one other couple are here that I know (recognize their vehicle.).

I slid in to retirement by reducing my workload bit by bit until by the time the last day came, I hadn't been doing much 'work related stuff' for months. Most people who have an abrupt start to their retirement need at least 3 or 4 months to transition. By that time, most can't figure out how they ever found time to work. Give yourself more time.

You also have to remember that at the very first of your retirement you filled your days with some big travel days.

Give it some more time!

 

[LMTLMT]

I do it part time and yes it can be lonesome at times but I try to keep myself busy. I have driven the 10 and yes its long and forever but I take breaks to keep fresh. I know not everyone might not agree this but sometimes I hang out at the “Driver’s Lounge” for an hour or two to plug in, check emails, FB, and etc and watch tv and bs with truck drivers of all walks of like. Sometimes breaks like that will help. LMK if you make it to So. Cal, and coffee or brew as well.

 

[TooManyDogs]

I'm not full-time but have taken the van out on several trips now. A couple of weeks ago, I had to travel for work and talked the boss into letting me drive the van so i wouldn't have to board the dogs. Camped near the worksites on Wednesday and Thursday nights, finished up work on Friday and stopped at a state park I've been wanting to visit on Friday afternoon. Any reasonable person would've also spent Friday and Saturday nights at that park (or another nearby -there was plenty to explore) but I just felt the urge to go home. Even though I tell myself (and others) the main reason I don't head out on the road now is because I have to be home for the dogs. They were already with me! I don't know...It is making me reevaluate whether I *really* want to full-time.

So yeah, I appreciate your posting and can empathize with the questioning. Hopefully you'll figure out what's best for you.

 

[BradKW]

When people say, “What should I do with my life?” or “What is my life purpose?” what they’re actually asking is: “What can I do with my time that is important?”

Seems to me you have a unique opportunity that most will never have to go in any direction and do anything. Ignore the voice telling you what you should be doing, and sooner or later the voice that tells you what you could be doing starts to get through. 

Just relax, you got this  

 

[IanC]

Ian, where are you at LHC. Two of us just arrived at Craggy Wash a few hours ago and I know at least one other couple are here that I know (recognize their vehicle.).

I slid in to retirement by reducing my workload bit by bit until by the time the last day came, I hadn't been doing much 'work related stuff' for months. Most people who have an abrupt start to their retirement need at least 3 or 4 months to transition. By that time, most can't figure out how they ever found time to work. Give yourself more time.

You also have to remember that at the very first of your retirement you filled your days with some big travel days.

Give it some more time!

I'm just up the road from Craggy but am moving there in the morning. I scoped it out and it looks pretty nice. Actually, I came up to LHC (I was planning on Slab City) because I was in the mood at the time to hang around 'regular people' in town, but after taking a trip downtown it re-enforced the fact that I'm not a 'regular person'. All the snowbirds and vacationers seemed like aliens.

 

[Almost There]

Look for Lady Arabella - 2002 GMC Savana 2500 with the big high top fiberglass roof and long windows in the high top, black swing away hitch carrier, Ontario plates and Marilyn's dirty black HHR with the white car top carrier.

We're on the right hand side of the road coming in, about 1 1/2 miles from where Craggy Wash 14 day camping really starts. Not to be confused with the first mile in that has campers parked there - I believe most of it is AZ Trust Land.

PM me after you're parked if you can't find me although the van is kind of hard to miss....

 

[IanC]

I do it part time and yes it can be lonesome at times but I try to keep myself busy.  I have driven the 10 and yes its long and forever but I take breaks to keep fresh.  I know not everyone might not agree this but sometimes I hang out at the “Driver’s Lounge” for an hour or two to plug in, check emails, FB, and etc and watch tv and bs with truck drivers of all walks of like.  Sometimes breaks like that will help.  LMK if you make it to So. Cal, and coffee or brew as well.

Thanks, I might switch plans, go back down to Slab City and then see what is available for camping along the Pacific. I've been to San Diego and it's awesome, so maybe something in the range where I could do a day trip into SD.

 

[Wabbit]

Do you have a hobby that fits? I am planning on metal detecting(read GOLD!!!).