The Green’s RV Journey

TWO OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”
– Anonymous

“Do not go where the path may lead.  Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

We are the Green’s – Craig and Debbie from Southern California; both born and raised. We are believers who understand that FAITH makes all things possible.   Craig, the “city guy,” was raised in South Central Los Angeles and me the “nature girl” was raised in San Pedro, a small port town by the beach.  We met in briefly in 1979; shortly thereafter we worked together in a small photography studio.  We became very good friends and then married in 1983. 

Our ultimate goal is to travel and explore all 50 states and Canada; happily, we can check Hawaii off of our list. We are excited to meet new people, make friends, handle our business, and make many memories as we journey and explore this big, beautiful country of ours! Who knows, we just may find another state to plant our feet in!  We have no particular plan or timeline. We will see where the road leads us…maybe we will meet YOU along the way!!

Since Craig’s strength is photography, he will be our primary photographer during our travels and I will be our primary blogger. So, when you see those breathtaking sunsets and landscape shots, they were most likely taken by Craig.  I love to take photos too (with my phone) and may post a few as well.  But the really beautiful pix were more than likely taken by Craig.  Stay tuned and enjoy the journey with us…

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January 5, 2019

Dreams, goals, desires, fantasies.  We all have them, or should.

I’ve heard that most little girls have dreams and visions about their wedding, future husband or family. Is it advertising?  Programming?  My generation? I’m not sure; but what I am sure of is that I was never that little girl.  I have never dreamed about those things.  I have always dreamed and envisioned myself traveling.  Travel.  There is something about the unknown and an adventure that calls to me.  The thought of driving down a road exploring, seeking new horizons, watching a sunset, a sunrise, taking a stroll through a field of flowers – stopping to smell them, sitting by a lake or stream letting your mind wander, or hiking up the side of a mountain to enjoy the sights at a distance. That has been my dream as long as I can remember.

When I was a kid every weekend my dad would take my brothers and I somewhere; the beach, park, or the mountains.  He loved the outdoors.  We would talk, walk, hike, and explore.  He made every outing feel like an adventure. I credit him for igniting the “adventurous spirit” in me.

For years and years I have seen people driving  RV’s down the highways and roads, and I couldn’t help but wonder, what adventures lie ahead for them?  Where are they going? Where will they stop? What will they see?  Who will they meet?  In my heart of hearts I have always known that some how, some day I would join those fortunate travelers and adventurous people and hit the road in MY very own RV. 

Well, at the age of 63 my dream is coming true.  For the last several years I have been dragging my husband with me to RV shows.  Fortunately for me they have been held in October, on my birthday weekend.  So this has been how I have chosen to spend my birthday weekend;  at an RV show.  I loved wandering through the various RV’s marveling at the size and amenities of each model.  Some so large that they were, quite frankly, intimidating, and some so small that only one person could occupy it comfortably. 

During our RV show visits I learned that there are three basic “classes” of RV’s: the “Class A,” a bus type; the “Class B,” a van conversion; and the “Class C,” a sort of combination of a Class A and B, with a van/truck front and bus back. Mind you there are quite a few variations, but after looking at the various models, one begins to see a pattern in the models and amenities.  After much note taking, photos, research and comparing we have selected the “Class C.”  I knew I would not purchase a new one because, well, they could be quite expensive and like a car, once you drive it off of the lot, sadly, the depreciation factor begins.  So, I began my search for a used RV with certain parameters; a small 24 foot model with ample storage, low miles, excellent condition and nothing older than a 2016. Also, it had to be a Mercedes sprinter chassis because the Ford and Chevy models didn’t provide enough leg room for Craig, who is 6’1’’.  Ideally the Winnebago Navion View was my first choice with a Forrest River 2401R as a close second.  Although they both provide the space we needed, the Navion View was what I really wanted.  It has a pretty sleek look to it and provides plenty of room for two, ample interior storage, and a Mercedes diesel powered engine that surprisingly gets great gas mileage, comparatively speaking.

The hunt to find OUR RV began early in 2018.  I decided to search online just typing in google searches for “Used Class C RV’s for sale.” I would visit on line sites such as “Camping World” and “RV Trader” taking hours at a time combing over and comparing the various Class C’s for sale.  After months of searching I came upon an RV that hit all of my boxes; a beautiful 2016 Winnebego Navion.  After combing through the interior photos I would close my eyes and imagine myself in the passenger seat watching the tall redwoods or sequoias pass my window as we slowly drove through the winding mountain roads. I imagined camping overnight and getting up early to sit outside in my camp chair on a brisk morning, wrapped in a blanket, sipping a cup of coffee watching the sunrise in the distance; listening to the forest wake up; birds chirping and singing in the background, squirrels scurrying about, playing and looking for food.  I could envision me in the quiet of the morning having private conversations with God and listening for his casual reply.  Yes, I could actually see these things in my mind’s eye.  I began thanking GOD for the manifestation of my dream – not sure how this will all work out, but just knowing in my heart that it would.

Knowing that one day soon I would have an RV of my own I began to research RV travel groups, blogs and organizations geared toward travellers and RVer’s alike.   I have recently joined  a few organizations; RVillage, ParkAdvisor, RoadTrippers, Campendium, Harvest Hosts and Gasbuddy. We look forward to utilizing these resources and meeting many wonderful people on the road.

Back to that beautiful 2016 Winnebego Navion.  Around Thanksgiving I reached out to owners Mark and Diane via RV Trader expressing interest in purchasing their beautiful RV.  We came to an agreement in December 2018.  However, since Craig and I were going on a 15-day cruise to celebrate our 35^th wedding anniversary, they agreed to hold the RV for us until January after I retired.   (Sidebar: I retired on 12/30/18.  Craig has been retired for 11 years now.)

During the month of December, Diane and I kept in touch learning a little about each other and our families.  She learned that this is our first RV and that our plan is to travel the country to see where we might want to plant our feet.  I learned that they have a mountain cabin that they desire to retire to someday.  Being the beautiful couple that they are, Mark and Diane are blessing us with the pots, pans, utensils, towels, sheets, blankets and a utility box containing some RV essentials.  They also filled the gas, propane and water tanks for us along with making the RV shiny and clean inside and out.  What a blessing these lovely people are. Craig and I will have the pleasure of meeting Mark and Diana on Tuesday, January 15, 2019 when we pick up our RV. 

This ends my first post. Until we meet again!