Details, details...

I just finished co-authoring a cookbook with my friend Andrea who is a wonderful chef. I've Got a Convection Oven in My RV. Now What? will be available as an eBook on the RV Bookstore website soon. For information, check the Healthy RV Cooking blog. Not many people can write a book in a month and I'm very grateful for my co-author's help. I'm also thankful for Chuck Woodbury's assistance in adding it to the RV Bookstore.

Now that the writing project is done, I've been going through the myriad details involved in selling my RV and buying another. The California DMV website has a checklist for both transactions and I printed two of each form I need. Now I just have to fill out my part and wait for the lucky buyer.

Since I'm a full-timer, I need to decide where I'm going to call "home." Right now, I'm based in northern California in the San Francisco Bay area. The place to start would be changing my address (for the last time) to the Escapees mail service in Livingston, Texas. Eventually, I will register my RV there, get a driver's license and register to vote. That will also give me an actual street address, not a post office box, to satisfy the Real ID Act. I'm sure you've heard of it by now. It states all Americans will need to prove they have a residence (house or apartment) with an actual address where there are utilities paid or accounted for. We full-timers don't have that and a post office box will not be acceptable. At least I won't be considered a terrorist once I have that permanent address.

I've already mentally moved everything out of the current RV to the new one. No sweat and no stress. Unloading the storage room will be heavy work but I'll have help. Maybe when the time comes, I can turn into Jeannie and blink the stuff over! Wouldn't that be nice?

to this

Choosing adventure

Well, I did it. I was the winning bidder on eBay and have a 26’ 1985 Southwind motorhome (or I will in three weeks.) The owner bought the RV on eBay in November, had a lot of work done to it ($2900) and then was laid off. He has all the receipts and manuals. We met today, he likes my enthusiasm and knowledge of RVing, and knows I would enjoy it. It needs a few little items like light covers, a new blade for the bathroom fan and a bedroom curtain, but the engine has new (not rebuilt) parts like a new carb and alternator, 7 brand-new tires (at least $1000 just for those) and it’s better than it looks. He even tried to put up wallpaper for me that he thought I might like (I do). He started the engine and oh my—is it great! It’s a Chevy 454 with a lot of power and it runs smoothly. And all the stuff I have in storage will fit inside too without going over the weight limit.

So I gave him a $1000 deposit today and in three weeks, she will be mine. After a couple of local shakedown trips, and parking and backing practice (don't want the other kids to make fun of me when I go to a campground), I'll start my travels on July 2. My summer schedule was posted in a previous blog and if anyone plans to be in the area, I'd love to meet you.

Out of the comfort zone...

...and into the fire.

I was given an ultimatum this week: stay where I am doing what I'm doing (both of which I enjoy), or go on the road in my RV to teach, learn and experience new adventures. It was not a simple decision. If I choose to go, when I return from my trip, I will not have a job with the RV site on the ocean near San Francisco.

For a fleeting moment, I thought about cancelling the trips in July, August and September, the heart of the RV travel season, and keeping the job that supports living in the Bay Area. Then I reminded myself why I became a full-time RVer: to travel when and where I want, to see new places and meet new people, to re-visit some old familiar places, friends and family, and have the freedom of the road. I'll be teaching new and aspiring RVers about saving space and weight in your RV; and basic self-protection for RVers, especially solo women. I'll be visiting RV dealers and stores and telling them about the terrific RV Bookstore that provides the newsletter, websites, blogs and an encyclopedic knowledge of the RV lifestyle in its forums.

There are some negatives: no alarm clocks, no business suits, no daily commute, no cube farm, no meetings, no corporate mindspeak and no competition with my co-workers. My home is my office (at least 17.6% of my current RV, according to the IRS) and my commute is my choice. If I like my neighbors and my neighborhood, I can hang around a little longer. If I don't, I have wheels and can change the view.

I know many of you are waiting to retire or finish obligations. I respect and admire you for your devotion. However, I want to encourage you to assess your current life plans with those you love and trust, and make some decisions about when and how you can embrace this wonderful lifestyle sooner than you may think you can.

The RV life is not for everyone. Sometimes it's scary and sometimes it's tough, especially when you travel alone as I do. I'm not going to kid you and tell you there are no roadblocks or detours. There is always risk in the adventure and there is always adventure in the risk.

If you're reading this and are seriously contemplating jumping into the water instead of dipping your toe, do it. There are no guarantees and life itself is risky: you won't get out alive. But while you're spinning around on this big, beautiful, blue planet, wouldn't you like to enjoy it as much as you can?