News Flash: August is hot in Georgia.
Really. Hot.
Fortunately, we’re retired, and with that comes to Freedom to do the “Reverse Snowbird” routine of spending the hottest time of the year someplace else. Someplace cooler. It’s become our routine, and we like it.
We had planned to make RV Adventure a part of our life in retirement, and our dream has become our reality. In fact, as you read these words we’ve escaped from the Georgia heat and are camping in our RV in a Northern Ohio State Park. More on that in a moment…
Our 2021 RV Adventure is underway! As you read these words, we’re camping in our RV in Ohio, away from the Georgia heat.
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If you’re new to the site (hi to all of the new readers from the Business Inside feature article), here’s a summary of how we’ve spent our summers since our 2018 retirement (you’ll notice that all but the first include some variation of an RV Adventure):
2018: A 7,000 Mile Train Trip
Our first major journey was a 7,000-mile cross-country train journey, fulfilling a bucket list item to see the country by train. Ok, it wasn’t an RV Adventure, but it was a great way to start retirement! In addition to the train trip, we took numerous week-long “mini RV Adventures” within 200 miles of home, which were really shake-down cruises to get familiar with our rig before our “big” RV trip in 2019.
Related Posts:
- What I Learned From a 7,000 Mile Train Journey
- The Ultimate Guide to Cross-Country Train Travel
2019: A Summer RV’ing In The Pacific Northwest
6,000 miles in our RV, covering 16 States, with our 4 dogs! A relaxing month in the Pacific Northwest before our return loop through Glacier, Yellowstone and The Tetons.
Related Posts:
- The Great American Road Trip
- Taking An RV Trip Across America (with 4 dogs!)
2020: RV’ing Across Michigan’s Upper Penisula
We had two big trips in 2020, starting with some slow RV travel across Michigan’s amazing Upper Penisula, followed by a fast-paced cross-country drive to help our daughter move from Seattle to Alabama.
Related Posts:
- The Great Escape
- Re-Entry
- A Drive Across America
2021: A Year For Family
For 2021, we’re taking it a bit easier. Since our daughter is now living nearby and we’re spending a week every month in our second home in Alabama, there’s no need to haul the RV across the country to visit her.
So, we’re not.
Our 2021 target: Michigan and Ohio. It’s still an RV Adventure, but without all of the miles. During the month of August, we’re using our RV as a mobile home to travel with our 4 dogs, with a focus on visiting family and friends around the Midwest.
As you read these words, we’ve just left my sister’s farm in Southern Michigan (shown above) where we spent a week visiting family. Fortunately, my Dad’s assisted living facility is no longer quarantined, so we were able to get some quality time with him while we were in town. I treasure visits with my Dad, especially considering the reality that at 89-years-old our time with him is limited. After what we’ve all been through the past year, it just seems right to make 2021 the year to focus on family. #Priorities
Yesterday we migrated across Northern Ohio and set up camp in Punderson State Park. We have some friends in the area, and we’re staying here for a few days to visit before heading on to visit my wife’s two brothers in other areas of the state. After that, we’re heading to Hocking Hills, a longtime favorite state park in Southern Ohio to camp with some friends who are also passing through the area. From there, we’ll weave our way South to our home in the North Georgia mountains.
Conclusion
Ah, retirement.
A rare time in life when we have the Freedom to travel as we’d like, at whatever pace fits our state of mind. The RV has turned out to be a great investment for us through our first 3+ years of retirement, and we’ve no regrets about making the investment. We’ve settled into a nice routine of spending the majority of our time at our mountain cabin base, with one week per month in our second home in Southern Alabama visiting our granddaughter. Add in the occasional RV adventure, especially when the summer heats up, and you have a recipe for a pretty good life.
Isn’t that what retirement is all about?
Your Turn: I trust you’ll understand that I won’t be responding to any comments today since we’re traveling, but I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you manage your time in retirement. Are you following our approach of part-time RV adventure, or do you hang closer to home? Perhaps you’ve done (or are planning) some extended travel? I’m looking forward to reading your comments and getting back on the keyboard when we return home next month. Until then, enjoy your summer!
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