Well, that's quite a story. I could say we've each always wanted to RV Fulltime and been working towards this for 30 years. I could also say that the idea struck while we were spending time with the Monks in India, and then worked 20 years to bring it about. Or I could say that after a life threatening auto accident that put us both in intensive care to months we decided we needed to make the most of the years we had left. On the steps of the hospital rehab unit we decided to discard everything and go Fulltime.

Or I could tell the truth. We decided, around 2016, that our beautiful ninety year old 1400 square foot house had too many stairs and too much landscaping. As we glow older these have become noticeable. It slowly became obvious we need a single story house with minimal landscaping. Well, we looked around our home town of Klamath Falls, Oregon and didn't find a house that struck our fancy. We also didn't find a lot to build on that we found appealing.

New Years day 2017 Denise fell on the ice walking the dogs and broke her arm in three places. That was the end of snow covered walks so we expanded our search. Having spent several springs poking around Arizona (to get out of the slush and mud at home) the idea of winter in Arizona is appealing, summer not so much. Pulling out the maps and climate charts we identified two towns in AZ that looked appealing, Prescott and Payson. Prescott is larger and growing very fast. It has a great feel to it and good shopping (it has a Sprouts, look it up). Payson is much smaller with a more rural feel. It is growing but not as fast as Prescott. They are at 5000+ft elevation so pleasant all year. Some snow but a lot less than Klamath Falls, less in Prescott than Payson. Both about an hour from Phoenix. We've tentatively selected Prescott (or Prescott Valley).

But then inspiration did strike. If we're going to pack up everything, sell our house, and move 1000 miles away lets travel in the trailer for a few years in between? A fatal thought.

But why? Well, we both like travel. We spent years bike touring for a month or so summers. One three month tour in Australia and New Zealand. Lots of travels with tents. Two months going to Alaska with a very old and shaky tent trailer. And lately, since retiring in 2013, spring trips to Arizona. First with our restored 1955 Shasta trailer and then with our 19' Escape. Likewise fall and summer RVing. We liked the simple life so once the idea struck it was unavoidable. We've been working the last year to make it so.

It's about our last chance to do this. If we wait longer we're likely to run into health issues, or just age, which would prevent it. So why, to take one more grand adventure before we can't.

PREVIOUS NEXT