It seems like just yesterday Dee and I were talking about the possibility of retirement.  The big question was “What will we do after we retire?”  Our decision, as you all know, was to purchase a motorhome and travel the country.  So three years ago we retired and immediately began our journey wandering around the country. 

As I think back on the past three years the first word that comes to mind is WOW!!!  Our experiences have been wonderful.  We’ve traveled almost thirty thousand miles and visited over forty States as well as the eastern Provinces of Canada.  We’ve explored areas of the U.S. which were breathtakingly beautiful.  We’ve been to National Parks, State Parks, monuments, big cities, little cities, tourist towns, rural towns and vast remote areas.   We’ve met many friendly people and enjoyed all sorts of food.  We’ve seen sights and had adventures that we would’ve never had if we didn’t go on the road.  Yet amazingly, we’ve only experienced a small part of what our great country has to offer.  There are many more areas to explore and countless sights to see.  We often speak with people who’ve been enjoying the full time RV lifestyle for many years and they still love it.   

Life on the road has been good and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.  We are on the road traveling except for the winter months.  We rent a campsite in the Florida Keys to keep warm and hang out with our good friends who live there.  But the good times and fun come at a price.   Expenses on the road can add up quickly.  Vehicle maintenance, fuel, food and campsites are just a few of the expenses. We’ve experienced a few mechanical issues with our car and MH and a few minor health issues but fortunately there are Clinics, Urgent Care Centers and MH repair centers in most areas.  The biggest downside to being on the road is being away from your family.  Dee and I miss our family and friends tremendously.  We speak to our three children often but it is not the same as being with them and enjoying their company.  Dee misses her Sister and her garden which she loves to play in.  At times I miss the little comforts of home like high speed internet which is always an issue on the road.  We fly home for the Christmas holidays but the time home passes quickly.  We spend much of our time home catching up on home maintenance and annual medical and dental checkups.  This December we also both have Jury Duty.

Some people wonder how we can live in a forty foot motorhome.  Our ride has all the comforts of home and we have no issues making it our home away from home.  We like that we sleep in our own bed and have our own bathroom to use.  We can cook meals when we want and relax on days we don’t feel like exploring.   There are no airports, hotels or car rentals to deal with.   Traveling in a motorhome full time may not be for everyone but so far we’ve had a great time.

How long will we continue this lifestyle?  Only time will tell.