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Alice Zyetz RV Lifestyles columns-Full-time RVing: More Than Beautiful Scenery©2003-2004 columns Subscribe to RV Lifestyles© by sending an e-mail to rvlifestyle-subscribe@listbase.net (Be sure to add rvlifestyle@listbase.net to your address book.) For information on reprinting Alice's columns, contact youshoulda at aol.com December, 2004 - Physically
Challenged RVers - Pt I December,
2004- Physically-challenged RVers
Since 1990 we have all become more familiar with results of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): the little blue logo for close-in parking spaces, the accessible toilet stalls, the sloping curbs. As campers, we have seen certain campsites dedicated to the disabled and some sightseeing trails marked as accessible. But in my experience, until we ourselves experience some disabling circumstance, or we meet and take the time to talk with someone who is physically challenged, we don’t begin to appreciate the challenges and strengths of the lifestyle, particularly when traveling. This column and the next addresses three audiences: those who are physically challenged and would like to travel more but don’t know what is already available; those travelers who are older and currently in good health but dread the day they might have to hang up their keys, and those who are able-bodied and want to know how to help without offending anyone. My thanks to Merle Young of the Handicapped Travel Club or providing a wealth of information and insights on this issue. Fortunately, the groundwork has been laid, and there is a wealth of information already available. HOW TO FIND A MODIFIED RV For those traveling in RVs, one of the biggest challenges is to find a rig that will accommodate a specific disability. Many companies will make conversions, depending on what modifications people need. Some manufacturers will build to individual specifications or change a floor plan to make a unit accessible. The needs differ so much that it would be impossible to build an accessible RV that would work for everyone. Some units just need an assist bar at the door, others need a wheelchair lift, some furniture removed, dinettes shortened for a wheelchair to access a rear bath, etc. Some require a track system in the ceiling to move the individual from the front to the rear. For more information on companies that customize, see RV-info, MyPrimeYears, RVAmerica. ADVICE TO THE ABLE-BODIED Many people are reluctant to offer assistance for fear of offending the disabled RVer. Merle Young says, "Most handicapped individuals will do a chore themselves rather than ask someone for assistance; however, if some one offers, they gladly accept their help. I think that when an RVer sees someone who is handicapped, just greet them and ask if there is anything they can do to assist. My biggest problem is with the awning. I can do it, but it is difficult. A little assistance is always appreciated." November,
2004 - Quilting THE STASH WHERE DO THEY FIND THE SPACE TO WORK? ADDITIONAL JOYS OF QUILTING Mary adds: "One of the best things about traveling is the
chance to go to different quilt shops throughout the country. A non-quilter
may think fabric is fabric but there are regional differences. In Maine I
found some puffin and some lobster fabric while in the Northwest there is an
abundance of flannel with moose, bears and trees. Quilt shops are also
a great way to find out about the area as quilters are great talkers, always
willing to share—just like Escapees!" Finally, when Donia lays out her quilt "sandwich" at an RV park, the task invariably draws a crowd. She says, "I love to hear people reminisce fondly about the quilts they have received from loved ones in their lives, as they wander through the rec hall and stop to watch me at work. Hand-made quilts mean so much to the people who give them and get them ... it's what keeps us quilters going!" September,
2004 - Deep sea diving QUESTION: HOW DID YOU GET INTERESTED IN THIS? After the training we took a boat to the reef, about 45 minutes to think (worry) about what you are doing. Your mind tells you that since you are going to jump in the ocean, with lots of heavy stuff attached to your body, and you don't know how to swim, obviously you are going to drown. This was the most difficult part of diving for me. Years later, after many dives I still dream about the first fear. The reef that day was only about 15-30 feet deep and so beautiful, with such vivid colors that once I was in the water, I forgot that I was terrified. By the end of the dive I was hooked. QUESTION: WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT IT? QUESTION: WHERE ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PLACES? QUESTION: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHERS TO GET
STARTED? August,
2004 Working for change Within a few years, however, their medical insurance premiums
jumped from $1872 per year to $22,000! After researching the situation, Shaneen
discovered that she (along with many others) was the victim of an out-of-state
insurance scheme known as the "death spiral."
July, 2004- Outdoor informationOne option of course is how to access the beautiful scenery! How do you find out more information? Earlier this month, I came across an excellent column in the Oregonian describing a variety of Web sites that provide outdoors information. The columnist graciously granted permission so that I could share this with our readers. For the complete annotated list, compiled by Kathleen Blythe, go to www.oregonlive.com/living/oregonian/kathleen_blythe/index.ssf GET OUTDOORS: http://getoutdoors.com/finder Use the Destination Finder to select from an enormous variety of outdoor activities. Choose from three categories: activity (backpacking, scenic drives); attraction (beaches to wildlife); and terrain (alpine to urban). A list of destinations will pop up with more info. NORTHWEST HIKER: http://nwhiker.com Get hiking information for Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Includes trail and road conditions, weather, trail maps, and virtual photos. Also has graphic of that night’s sky. THE BACKPACKER: www.thebackpacker.com Information on backpacking trails and parks all over the United States. THE AMERICAN VOLKSSPORT ASSOCIATION: www.ava.org This noncompetitive walking club features trails selected for safety, scenic interest, historic areas, natural beauty, and walkability. The site will locate a club near your destination. RECREATION.GOV: www.recreation.gov From the federal government, links include auto touring, biking, boating, historic/cultural sites, hiking, RVing and much more. Search by destination, state, type of activity. MOUNTAIN BIKING: www.imba.com Excellent site but not free. AMERICAN HIKING SOCIETY: www.americanhiking.org Fine site for hiking but it isn't free. So access that beautiful scenery from the comfort of your vehicle to using your legs, bikes, or boats. Next month we’ll explore deep sea diving—even when you can’t swim! June, 2004 Hearts and FlourSince June is the month of romance and weddings, the column is
devoted to love on the road. For those of you who tend not to be sentimental, I must warn you. This
is a hearts and flour story-pizza flour, that is. Dave then left because he had reservations at Grand Canyon,
but he came back early so they could get to know each other better. They have
been together every day since and were married six months later. Although they
had both enjoyed their solo lives on the road, Dave and Janice are thrilled to
be sharing life together. April, 2004 - GenealogyShirley Reed was inspired by her grandmother’s stories from her own childhood about HER grandfather and his grandfather before him, a Baptist minister who had fought in the Revolutionary War. Thus the memories Shirley received went back two centuries. After raising her family, she finally had time to work on her family history. Unfortunately by this time she had quit work to care for her mother, ill with Alzheimer’s disease. It was sad that her mother no longer understood what she was doing, but it made Shirley more aware that she had to preserve her knowledge for future generations. First she wrote a history of her father's family. She interviewed her cousins at a reunion and conducted research by mail. After her husband retired, they traveled in their trailer to collect information about his family. She stopped in a small town in Minnesota and visited the Lutheran church. Someone directed them to his mother’s cousin living nearby. Since the cousin had just lost her husband and a son, she felt that Shirley and her husband were family brought to her in her time of need. She was a treasure of information. Shirley has used other churches, historical societies, local town historians, public libraries, and just plain good fortune to track down long lost cousins. Much of the time when they have been traveling, it has been difficult to spend much time on the Internet, but she has used http://www.cyndislist.com/, http://www.emiarch.dk/home.php3 (Danish Immigration) in addition to the white pages, state and county web sites, and some specific family sites. Shirley says, "One time in Sterling, Nebraska, where Grandmother lived as a child, I inquired at the Post Office about elderly people who knew my grandmother and was directed to a nearby café where the retired men of the town held court. I had just repeated my request when a man rushed in red-faced, stammering that he had heard we had been looking for him. We had been in town all of five minutes, so news travels fast in a small town. He took me to the cemetery and helped me make a rubbing of my grandmother's sister's grave. I hadn't even known of this sister." Adds Shirley, "This hobby of genealogy has put me in contact with some wonderful people. I have discovered many interesting details that I want to preserve for future generations. Doing this from our RV has made it so easy to carry the computer and necessary documents, and has given me the space to work as I travel. A laptop fits nicely into our 23-foot travel trailer, and I slide the printer under the sofa." March, 2004 - When illness strikesThis past month I would have preferred beautiful scenery or ANYTHING compared to where I was, but our service to you is to provide ALL aspects of the full-time life. Thus I will share with you my experiences in a rehab environment, which turned out to be a nursing care facility. My message is Be Prepared and Be Aware at all times. Since I had foot surgery on February 13 and would be unable to put any weight on it for four to six weeks, I couldn’t return to my fifth wheel with all of its steps. No problem. I found a rehab facility to stay in, which I had checked out beforehand and saw an excellent rehab gym. Wonderful. I was assured there were two wings, one for temporarily disabled people and one for the long-term occupants (Alzheimer’s, etc.). Great. I set my mind to focus on rehab and getting stronger so I could handle the steps with crutches. It worked for the first two weeks. Then reality set in. I didn’t have the strength and balance to manage more than three-inch steps with two banisters. The steps to my trailer were nine inches with no banisters to hold on to. Okay. I’ll stay for two more weeks until I get a walking cast. I had my computer and could work on marketing projects for the new eBook. But by then some people with long-term mental disabilities moved in nearby, calling out for long-dead spouses in the middle of the night. I started seeing glitches in the system. Because I take a lot of pills daily, I count them. One morning I received ten instead of my usual nine. It took the nurse and me twenty minutes to figure out what the extra pill was. What if I didn’t have all my faculties to know what I should be getting? They moved in a new patient with a serious cough to share my room. "I have an artificial heart valve," I reminded the nurse. ‘I can’t afford to be in close contact with bacterial infections." After a night of arguing, then first moving her out, then moving me out and bringing her back, the situation was resolved. Yes it was bacterial, no it wasn’t contagious. You get the picture. As I write this, I have my walking cast. I’m home in my beautiful trailer and life looks great. But the need for facilities like this will increase geometrically as Boomers age and families continue to disperse. What I learned: If you should become disabled, speak up for yourself at all times. If that is not possible, be sure to have another person (spouse, friend) act as your ombudsman to keep watch. There were many fine workers at the facility where I was, but it’s just too difficult to have consistent care. The places are large with many opportunities for miscommunication, the workers change shifts every eight hours, the workload is huge. Be mindful. See http://www.rvhometown for a review of Lerner’s Consumer Guide to Health Care for the vigilance needed when someone is in the health care system. February, 2004 - Solo AdventurerThis month Jaimie and I are publishing our eBook, The Woman’s Guide to Solo RVing. Because we are not solo RVers, we asked a number of solo women to contribute their real time experience and advice to make the book a practical tool, free of any ivory tower thinking. I recently had the good fortune to meet another solo RVer, Shirley Kobylski. Here’s her story. When asked why she went on the road, Shirley said there were two reasons: her favorite grandchildren had moved to Okinawa and she wanted to take her mind off of that; secondly, she added, "I had run around the world and decided to see my own country." Expecting a typical answer, I asked her where she had traveled abroad. "My first trip was to the South Pole," she said calmly. As she described the plane trip to Chile, the private jet to the Falklands, the retrofitted Russian icebreaker through the turbulent Drake Passages, then the rubber-rafted Zodiak in which she tootled around icebergs and islands (one with 100,000 pairs of penguins), I realized this lady was no timid traveler. She did go to Europe, but left Los Angeles on an old ship that went through the Panama Canal, via the Caribbean, to the Atlantic Ocean to get there! Despite her history, when she first considered buying an RV, her four grown sons said no. With her grandkids gone, Shirley couldn’t wait. This time she bought the rig and then told her sons she was going. Over the years she has had a wealth of wonderful experiences as we all have had, but the added dimension of traveling solo brings three special considerations. Shirley’s concerns reflected the concerns of the solo contributors to our eBook Safety: She bought a motorhome so she could easily leave if any situation seemed threatening. If she were staying overnight in a rest area or other cement boondocking spot, she would never leave the motorhome after she pulled in. If she did have to go out, she would stick her head back in and call out something to create the illusion that she was not alone. She always mapped out her day’s travel the night before. She would write down the information in large letters—including various places to stay along the way if she got tired—and tape it to the dashboard. Loneliness: Once in a while the loneliness would hit, particularly when she was having a great time, but then had nobody to share it with. Shirley acknowledged that she doesn’t do "small talk" well, so it was difficult to build friendships when she only would stay for two or three days. She dealt with the bad times by calling someone who truly loved her—her kids or dear old friends. Parking: This is a common complaint of all RVers, again doubly hard when alone. Shirley invested money in a backup camera and an automatic leveling system to make her self-reliant. She found, from bitter experience, that it’s almost impossible to get up on chocks by yourself. One additional piece of advice: "Make sure your side view mirrors are clean!" She also spent the money for an automatic satellite finder, again after some very frustrating experiences setting up the outside system herself. Shirley Kobylski, a unique lady, and also typical of the solo women travelers I have met through the years: adventurous, sensible, problem-solvers, and interesting people. January, 2004- Albuquerque Balloon FestivalThe annual balloon fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is an unforgettable experience. I was there ten years ago as an observer and was overwhelmed by the number and variety of balloons that fill the sky twice a day. One of the highlights for me was the nighttime "Burn," where the balloons are inflated, lit, and tethered to the ground enabling you to walk among their vivid colors and shapes. Someone once described it as if you were walking inside a lighted Christmas tree. Even more exciting is having an opportunity to participate in the festival. One Escapees couple, Bill and Darlene Jones, own a balloon with the wonderful—and apparently descriptive—name of "$hebroku$." Last year I heard that they wouldn’t be launching their balloon any longer, but fortunately for Steve Bufty and Donna Patten and more than twenty-five other Boomer RVers (younger Escapees RV Club members), the balloon was available again and they were able to crew. As Steve and Donna describe the experience, "We survived and were thrilled by the Fiesta where we spent nine days crewing, watching balloons, and taking zillions of photos. It was never a quiet day with getting up at 5 am if we were crewing or getting up by 6:30 if we were just watching the balloons fly over our motorhomes. Anyone who wanted to was able to go up for a balloon flight." Crewing to set up the balloon required a number of steps. Here is just a sample of what people did in the forty-degree morning temperature: put on gloves; get the balloon, basket and fan out of the bed of the truck; put burners and poles in the basket; hook up the lines from the balloon to the basket; begin inflating, first with fans and finally with propane burners. The next big activity was getting the balloon aloft and finally bringing it down at some distance from the launch site. That last step is called the "chase," where people chase down the balloon and, amidst food and partying, manage to reverse the whole process to get the balloon ready to start all over again for the next launch. Steve and Donna said, "Crewing for Bill and Darlene Jones was a great experience and a great time was had by all." Finally, from Stephanie Bernhagen: "There are not many things that will get full-time RVers out of bed at 5 am nine days straight, but the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is one well worth making the sacrifice for." December, 2003- Celebrating the holidays
on the road Since this is a time of greater diversity in the RV world, I wanted to share my experiences with the holidays. Because I am Jewish, I have to make the holidays happen. Occasionally, I’ve gone back to Los Angeles at Hanukkah time, but most years I’ve had to create my own Hanukkah celebration. Except for one year when I didn’t think to stock up on Hanukkah candles and couldn’t find any at the last minute and had to make do with birthday candles, I’ve had wonderful experiences. The first year we were driving the back road from Jerome, AZ, to Prescott, totally absorbed in the rustic surroundings. As we got to the outskirts of town, we passed a little house and suddenly I realized I had seen a Star of David on the house. What? We turned back and sure enough the old house was used for worship. Although closed, the sign on the door invited passersby to come to their Hanukkah celebration at the end of the week. Of course we did. The next year we celebrated Thanksgiving with the Boomers, a special interest group of the Escapees RV Club, when I realized that Hanukkah started that Sunday. I asked several people if they might like to know more about Hanukkah. Yes, they said. Eight of us met in Jaimie Hall’s Pace Arrow (she was one of the few with a generator to accommodate the food processor for grating the potatoes). We had such a wonderful time sharing "women talk" while we were frying the latkes that we began the tradition of having a women’s circle at every future gathering (even without a ten-pound sack of potatoes between us). Finally, last Friday night my husband and I and another Jewish couple put on a Hanukkah dinner and party for 150 members of Jojoba Hills, the Escapees RV resort in Southern California. We were delighted to share our tradition with so many interested RVers. The best part of it all was the help from so many people who until that day had no idea of how to make potato latkes or noodle kugel. I wish you a happy holiday season and a sweet New Year however you choose to celebrate—or not, for my Buddhist friends. May we always honor the diversity among us. November, 2003 - Memphis 7.9 by Sam Penny - a reviewSam Penny, Escapees full-timer, asked himself the fiction writer’s key question: "What if?" while he and his wife, Alice, were traveling near Memphis, Tennessee. "What if a 7.9 earthquake were to hit Memphis?" The result is the book Sam wrote while on the road. Here is my review: Memphis 7.9 by Sam Penny. ISBN 1-58898-920-8 Sam Penny, Escapees member and full-timer, has combined his experience as a traveler, his background in physics and geology, and his amateur interest in seismology to produce Memphis 7.9, a fictional account of what might happen if an earthquake of 7.9 magnitude were to hit Memphis, Tennessee. It is not a pretty picture! Sam uses his very ordinary characters, not unlike his readers, to set the stage for the disaster. As a result, when the shaking begins, the reader will be afflicted as well. "Please," I pleaded in my mind with the author, "Don’t let anything happen to Chris, even if he is planning to ride it out at the epicenter." It’s all there: the initial rumbling, the jolts, the broken freeway interchanges and bridge supports, buildings collapsing on themselves, fires raging, the Mississippi River breaking through the levees. As a Californian who has experienced her share of earthquakes and still can’t drive under a freeway overpass without speeding (just in case . . . ), I appreciate the importance of this book. Sam states that he wanted to combine his retirement goal of writing fiction with his desire to warn people who have become complacent about the potential dangers. One of his characters—you can almost see this villain twirling the ends of his mustache while the audience is hissing—abuses his government funds for retrofitting freeways and buildings, resulting in unsafe structures. Unfortunately, he is probably not alone. "Can’t happen here; this isn’t California," seems to be the motto for some place as remote from the West Coast as Memphis, Tennessee. But it can, and Memphis 7.9 paints the scenario in glaring detail. I highly recommend this book. Sam has created a work of fiction that will spur his readers to action and certainly make them aware of what could happen if they don't prepare for a potential disaster. Contact the author at sam@twopennytravels.com or visit his Web site www.twopennytravels.com. Price: $19.95 U.S. September, 2003 - Climbing Mt. KilimanjaroPrevious columns have been about being an artist on the road, a writer, a beader, lighthouse keepers, a traveler with horses. This month, dear readers, lace up your hiking boots, we’re climbing Mount Kilimanjaro! Billy Outlaw (he and wife Helene are members of the Jojoba Hills SKP Resort) leads local hikes every week. When they travel, Billy and Helene make sure they include hiking as part of their activities. Periodically, Billy will add a strenuous hike to the mix. While most of us celebrate birthdays with cake and ice cream, Billy celebrates by finding new challenges. For his sixtieth birthday, he decided to climb Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. He redid the climb—from the back—for his sixty-fifth birthday. This year he celebrated his seventieth atop the 19, 340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro with his daughter and various friends and acquaintances. The group of twelve started at 6000 feet, climbed 3000 feet the first day in four miles; the next day, 3000 feet in six miles; rested on the third day; fourth day, 3500 feet in seven miles; the last day, started at 12:30 am and gained 4000 feet in three miles. It was so cold that he wore four layers on top, six layers on the bottom, plus gloves, face mask, and pullover cap. All twelve made it to the top, gave congratulations all around, and started back down. [Author’s note: I’m exhausted.] When asked why he did it, in his quiet and gentle manner Billy said, "Because my daughter bought the ticket." He added, "I didn’t have a burning desire to do it, but she had asked me several times before and this time the opportunity arose." The highlight of the trip was the camaraderie among the group. "They all wanted to be there and it was fun sharing the challenge." For Billy, hiking has always been one of the family’s activities when the kids were growing up, but it wasn’t until retirement and going on the road that he became an ardent proponent, inspiring others to literally follow in his footsteps. August, 2003 - Joei Carlton Hossack- authorJoei Carlton Hossack, contributor of two stories to RV Traveling Tales: Women’s Journeys on the Open Road, is the author of five books. She is a full-time solo traveler, who travels, lives, writes, and markets her books on the road in a 10-foot TRUCK CAMPER! I thought I had the record as a full-timer for writing my first book in a 21-foot fifth wheel that I shared with my husband, but Joei wins the prize. So those of you who would write IF you had more space, take heed. Unless you travel in an even smaller rig, you won’t have that excuse any more. How does Joei manage? She said, "My work area is total clutter. There isn’t much room for anything but the bare essentials. My laptop computer sits on my table while the printer is in a compartment above the table. I have a two-tier rack on the table for sheets of paper, boxes of paper clips, my daily planner and everything else that doesn’t have a permanent home. I have a couple of file boxes near my bed but everything to do with writing stays close at hand." Her books are printed and bound in Nashville, Tennessee; her distributor is in North Carolina. She usually carries three boxes of each book, stored in the back seat of her truck. When I asked her how she markets her books, she responded: "Now you’re getting into the bane of my existence. My saving grace is a cell phone with coverage in the United States and Canada and lots of day, night and weekend time. I call the bookstores ahead of time and set up signings. I then send a confirming letter. I plan out my route ahead of time because I don’t want to be backtracking or going too many miles out of my way. I go to the library every day to do my e-mail and surf the net. I don’t have an ISP on my computer. There are too many stories on there and I’m always worried about viruses. I don’t have a fax machine." Why does she do it? "I don’t think my books (or anyone else’s for that matter) would sell if I didn’t get out there, get myself known and push like the devil was behind me. There isn’t anything more exciting to me than a good audience and I have been fortunate enough to have some great ones." She also has seen the dark side of this life when you’re "stuck in stores where there is absolutely no traffic whatsoever and sit like a bump on a log for about four hours." Any recommendations to our readers about starting out? "Unless you plan on changing your life to accommodate your writing, keep it a hobby. Marketing is an overwhelming challenge." Jaimie and I agree wholeheartedly. Producing the book is the easy part; selling is the great challenge. But like Joei, we still wouldn’t change a thing. For us, the joy we’ve experienced providing a vehicle for women’s voices and the enthusiastic support we receive from most of our readers is exhilarating. Joei Carlton Hossack is the author of Restless From the Start, Everyone’s Dream Everyone’s Nightmare, Kiss This Florida I’m Outta Here, A Million Miles from Home and Alaska Bound and Gagged. All books can be purchased through Alexander Books at 1-800-472-0438. She is an entertaining and inspirational speaker specializing in World Travel. Joei also conducts writing/publishing/promotion seminars. She can be reached by e-mail at JoeiCarlton@Hotmail.com July, 2003 - Working at AdventurelandDonia Steele, contributor to RV Traveling Tales: Women’s Journeys on the Open Road, and husband Mark are Workampers this summer at Adventureland Amusement Park in Des Moines, Iowa. They got their jobs last January when we were all at the Workamper Job Fair in Harlingen, Texas. Stephanie and Paul Bernhagen worked at the park last summer and loved it. Donia and Mark share a delightful writing style that is evident in their account of their first year on the road: Steeles on Wheels. Contact them at www.steelesonwheels.com . Here is a brief excerpt from their e-mail describing their life at Adventureland: "We just plain like everything about this place, in a completely open and straightforward way. There's fresh air, good weather (mostly), happy people, a pretty campground and amusement park, a nice town, interesting and varied work assignments, and lots of laughter surrounding us for hours and hours every day. Oh, and the screams. Day and night, a steady shrieking sound wafts over the park and adjacent RV park, coming from the excited kids on roller coasters and other whip-em-around-and-turn-em-upside-down rides. We find it strangely pleasant and soothing, sort of like screaming wind chimes. Our jobs are largely of the non-complicated, mildly physical type. We either "assist" in running rides, or we "operate" the rides. Each new assignment takes five to fifteen minutes of training to be able to perform solo, an hour or so to start to calm down, and one shift to survive enough mistakes to achieve mastery, confidence, and relaxation. Assisting on a ride generally means directing guests where to line-up, stand or sit, while barring the door to folks who are shirtless or carrying drinks, or who are otherwise disqualified for a particular ride--perhaps due to undersize, the wearing of a cast or neck brace, obvious pregnancy, or encumbrance with backpacks or strollers. The vigilant assistant then checks lap bars or seat belts, and gives a (literal) thumbs up to the operator, so the ride might be set into motion. So far, between us, we've operated or assisted on the Underground (a "scary" mine train), Sky Ride (a chair lift), Dragon (big roller coaster), Carousel (a carousel), Infant Ocean (kiddie boats), G-Force (a slam 'em and swirl 'em ride). Next week Mark is going to the Tornado (another big coaster) and Donia is off to the Himalaya (a hugely fast, jerky, spin 'em-around ride. We also love the chance to spend time around exuberant young families for a change, with the happy music of screaming wind chimes in the background." June, 2003 - Donna Ellis, Beader ExtraordinaireDonna Ellis, beading maven and contributor to RV Traveling Tales: Women’s Journeys on the Open Road, describes the joys and challenges of beading in an RV. Alice: How do you organize your beads in the motorhome? Donna: I have a number of cabinets for beads in the motorhome. (We won't say how MANY!) I also have put the tubes of like sizes and colors into clear plastic shoe storage boxes, so I can see at a glance the beads I'm looking for. I do have to be organized with the beads, or I'm constantly searching for something. A: How do you find places to buy beads when you are traveling? D: The wonderful part about RV beading is the eternal quest for new and wonderful bead stores, which are sprinkled all across the nation. You can also order beads from some great mail order houses that sell nothing but beads, and I buy larger quantities of the beads I use all the time from them. But for seeing and FEELING the beads, you have to walk into a shop. (Beads are very tactile. You do have to FEEL them!) When I first started, I found the bead stores in a particular area by going to the local yellow pages and looking under "beads." Also, several bead magazines list bead stores, addresses and types of products. A: How did you begin selling your work? A: What advice would you give to other travelers who want to start beading? D: BEWARE! Beads can be quite addictive. When you're trying to design something and need just that CERTAIN color, size or style, you NEED everything ever made! Beading is a great RV project, however, as they are quite portable. I've never brought my oil paints with us in the RV. Although there are great scenes to paint, I don't think it would travel as well. A: Any disadvantages? D: One time we were rolling down the freeway. My husband was driving, and I was happily beading away on a necklace, where I was using about twelve to thirteen different colors. About ten of those colors were ALMOST the same hue. We swerved, and within the blink of an eye, I had NO beads left in my beading tray. Every bead was on the floor or on the seat in the BACK of the car! When we finally got back to the house, I took out the vacuum, put a nylon hose on the end, sucked everything up (including little bits of popcorn, french fries, lint, pebbles, etc.), emptied it onto a paper plate, and had a monster sorting job ahead of me! I learned quickly not to open all the colors at the same time. May, 2003 - Lighthouse keepersIn the last issue, Pamela Handy wrote about visiting lighthouses along the way. Just by coincidence, I had met Marcia and Chuck Pratt in March and interviewed them about their experience working in a lighthouse as volunteers. For one week they were lighthouse keepers and caretakers for the New Dungeness Lighthouse, built in 1857, near Sequim, Washington. They had to sweep the 76 steps every night to get the sand off. Chuck’s job was polishing all the brass railings from the landing to the top, plus the brass housings for the compass, the brass fittings that went around the base of the windows, and the old brass telephone holder. The lighthouse was five and a half miles out of town. People either walked out or drove a four-wheel vehicle at low tide. Marcia and Chuck shared the duties and living quarters (a three-story Victorian house, also built in 1857) with another couple who were good friends. They also shared the grounds with two Canadian geese, a family of deer, and several bald eagles. The only drawback to this idyllic week was cleaning the goose poop before they could mow the lawn . . . oh yes, and the continual blare of the automatic foghorn. Would they do it again? Absolutely. You can too. Visit the Web site for the United States Lighthouse Society: http://www.uslhs.org April, 2003 - Following the Oregon TrailGinny and Chuck McCall particularly enjoy exploring an area of historical interest. Over the years they have followed the locales in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s writing, the Lewis and Clark expedition, the California missions, the Santa Fe Trail. Their very favorite experience was following the Oregon Trail. Ginny said she felt like she was reliving the pioneer experience. "I could see the ruts made by the wagons and sometimes walk in them. Following the trail from Independence to Baker City gave me a new appreciation of what hardships others endured to make a better life and a new respect for the history of this country." The Interpretive Center in Baker City was the best of all. Ginny added, "The manikins were dirty, they looked tired, and one of the oxen even had a fly on its eyelid." Ginny and Chuck acquire the information they need to prepare for the trip in a variety of ways. Chuck, a history buff, has a collection of old history books. They search out used bookstores for specific books, particularly those with excerpts from people’s diaries or letters to bring the history to life. They check out the Chambers of Commerce and Visitor Information Centers. Ginny enjoys using the computer for her research. She’ll type the subject (Oregon Trail, for example) in a search engine (Yahoo, Alta Vista, etc.) to find some Web sites. Once they are underway, they stop in small museums and local sites for more information. Right now, they are planning to explore the Canadian Rockies this summer. For any of you that may be thinking of doing the same thing, here are some of the Web sites they have found:
March, 2003- Teenaged
full-timer The Battle with Stuff by Samantha Eppes February, 2003- RVing with horsesMany RVers travel with their pets. But how many travel with their pet horses? An excerpt from Carol Dennis’ story, "Gypsy’s Journeys," describes how she got started. "My adventure began in 1996 when I purchased my first horse, Lady. I became an avid trail rider and loved to travel and ride around Florida. I bought my second horse, Spirit, so that I could have a spare horse. Riding became a passion. I found myself traveling more and more with both of my horses, leaving my business in the hands of my manager. I learned a lot of ‘horse sense’ while traveling around Florida, hauling food water, and other things the horses need. I started dreaming about what it would be like to ride trails in other states. I put my house on the market, sold my business to my manager, and bought a slide-in camper. With a slide-in camper I’d still be able to haul my horse trailer. The slide-out room in the camper made more room for my cat, guard dog, and me. This way I would have my family of pets with me so I’d never feel lonely or alone. Where would I travel to first? The magazine Workamper News provided an answer. I contacted a church youth camp in the hill country of Texas that had three hundred acres. That would be enough room for my horses and me. The camp director was willing to give it a try. It worked out great and the job was fantastic. I worked outdoors most of the time doing new construction of cabins, mowing fields, painting, taking care of the pool and many other small jobs. I also learned electrical wiring and some plumbing. I loved the job and meeting new people who also worked on the road. While working there, I rode in some of Texas’ state parks. The area in Bandera, Texas, is breathtaking and feels so remote. It has mountains and steep challenging trails. My horses were in very fine shape by the time they climbed all the steep hills. They had been used to the flatlands of Florida." January, 2003 - Artist on WheelsFor the holidays this year, we had the pleasure of attending a Tuba Christmas in McAllen, Texas—more than 350 tuba players performing Christmas carols. It was an incredible musical experience. One of our SKP Boomer friends, John Hallock, plays the tuba and every Christmas checks the Web site <www.TubaChristmas.com> to find out where tuba players are gathering in the area so he can put on his Santa hat, schlep his tuba, and join the local tuba community. In response to my request to contact me with your own special interest, Sylvia Hicks sent in the story of her life on the road as a working artist. Sylvia Hicks, Artist on Wheels "I have been fortunate to continue my passion for watercolor while full-timing. Storage space for my tools of the trade was a major consideration when we purchased our Holiday Rambler in 1996. I was teaching watercolor classes at the community college, active in the Seattle art community, and wanted to be sure that I could continue painting along the way. Here we are, five years later, and my original vision has changed considerably. Instead of huge abstract paintings, I now am content with smaller scale landscapes. Capturing the beauty of national parks where we frequently volunteer has given me wonderful subject matter. An artistic background has been a plus where I have conducted historical sketching hikes, done photography, and provided artwork for park use. One of my most interesting assignments was at Cape Cod National Seashore where I was given the project of pulling together the wealth of information available on contemporary visual artists who have worked and lived on the Cape. This dream of a "job" gave me entree to museums, artists’ studios, and art schools throughout the Cape. I also was able to do Internet research on local artists back to the early 1900s. The resulting data will be used by the Parks as classroom project in developing visual art programs for grades K-12. Passing along my love of watercolor has come in many forms—from informal paint-outs with other artists to more formal workshops and classes. I offered ‘Introduction to Watercolor’ as a weekly class while in the Rio Grande Valley this winter and will be teaching a similar half-day workshop during the Spring Escapade in Lancaster, CA. If you happen to see us parked along the byways or in a campground, stop and say hello. My home is now a rolling art studio and you might just catch me sketching or painting the view out the front door. As the logo on the back of my motorhome states, I have become an ‘Artist on Wheels.’ You can contact me at BobandSylvia@pocketmail.com." December, 2002 - Playing Bridge in TexasThis month I want to share the marriage of two of
my interests. My husband and I are avid bridge players; we're not that good, but
we love playing in bridge clubs. Like everything else, there is a huge
organization of bridge players: the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL). Of
course they produce a paper national directory as well as a Web site devoted to
bridge, including a list of bridge clubs. (http://www.acbl.org) Since we are in South Texas this
winter, we consulted our directory to locate bridge clubs. We called the contact
person listed and were filled with information about where and when to play
bridge in Harlingen, Texas. November, 2002 - What this
column is about In this column, I will explore the many options available to the full-time RVer. My husband and I have been on the road for more than eight years. We don’t do any one thing. We love to travel to national parks, national monuments, and beautiful places too. But we also love to play bridge and share folk music. My husband loves to square dance. I love to visit small Jewish congregations in unlikely places. We love to get involved in communities. We love to meet new people and have new experiences. A friend mentioned an international kite flying competition in Long Beach, Washington. Suddenly we were immersed in a whole new adventure. One woman travels with two horses and loves to ride trails in different states. Many people volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. The list is endless. How do you find out what is available nationally? For every interest there is a Web site. If you don’t have access to the Web, go to any library and use their computers. Do a Search by starting with a simple expression inside quotation marks—for example, "Square dancing" or "balloon fiestas". You’ll find a wealth of information. If you have a special interest you would like to share with the readers of this newsletter, please write to me at youshoulda@aol.com and we’ll publish your story. Include 1) a brief description of what it is and why it is special to you, 2) how you locate information about it and 3) a brief anecdote about something interesting or funny that happened as a result.
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All pages copyright © 2000-2007 Jaimie Hall
and/or Alice Zyetz unless otherwise noted. |
