Different Paths

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A bit of time has passed since my last blog entry….a lot of things have happened, and many more have changed. When we started our fulltime adventure, it was to find the "perfect place" to land. We have been looking for 9 years and seen most of our wonderful country. This past year has been a time of change. We were planning on spending last winter workcamping in east Texas. We were on the job less than a week when we were summoned to So Cal to care for Terry’s Mom (82), who had fractured her back falling off the roof of the house we had bought so she would not be homeless! Sooooo……we ended up moving her to an assisted living facility this past summer and putting the house on the market. It sold last month and is ready to close escrow. Terry’s Dad passed away about 2 years ago.

My Mom is 87 and still active and healthy. She really should not be driving, so does very little of that activity. We lost my Dad four years ago and Mom adjusted well. We periodically asked her if she would like to come live with us.  We were willing to get a two bedroom fiver to accomodate her, or even to settle down and buy a house. She has always declined the offer, stating she was happy in her home of over 25 years with her memories and familiar surroundings.  The last time we talked about her moving was this past summer. We had been looking at property in eastern ID with the intention of getting something that we would have when the boys were ready to move and take care of us. They are adament about taking caring for us in our feeble years. When I told her what we were considering, and asked if she would come, she went ballistic!  (OK….I sure won’t go there again!!)

We had been working hard all summer and had not found anything we were really interested in, so we planned a trip to the western ID mountains last month. We knew of a buy-in RV resort in Cascade that we wanted to check out. We rented a car and drove to Cascade and spent three days looking at property. We found several interesting prospects, including a house that we really liked.

While there, I called my Mom and told her what we were doing and asked one last time if she would condider coming to live with us if we bought a home. In less than 2 heartbeats, she said YES! OH LORDY…what have we done? All of a sudden she is ready to up and sell the house and come right up! Sooooo…..to make a long story short, we committed to finding a house and getting off the road. We went back to our summer place and announced what we were doing….talk about shock, not only were we in that state, but everyone else was too.

We packed up the fiver and moved to Caldwell, ID two weeks ago and started hunting in earnest. We ended up looking at dozens and found one we really liked. Our offer was accepted and we are now homeowners…all in the space of four fast weeks! We should be moving in about two weeks. We will have a lot of preparation and purchases to make, number one will be a snowblower!. Number two is a huge generator to power essentials when the power goes out! New winter clothing…technology has changed since we have been in snow country…..

We will finally live another dream we have had forever….living in the mountains, by a lake. Fishing, boating, hiking, bicycling, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling…all are on the agenda. We will have room for company and hopefully our home will be full of cheer and good times. Our families are all eager to see where we are settling and are planning trips. My Mom is ready to come now, but we will have to wait a bit for that. She is planning on starting to get rid of things and getting the house ready to market.

Yes, ’tis true….the O’Keeffe road trip is nearing an end. We are a bit ambivilant but know this is the right thing to do. Family comes first and a new adventure begins. Send warm thoughts and we will continue our adventure….just down a different path.

Map your Driveway Invitations

You sure meet a lot of nice people on the road. At RV parks, and especially at the rallies, we meet people all the time who say, “If you’re ever traveling thru my neck o’ the woods, stop by. We have a big driveway and a 30amp hookup!” Our answer is, “Be careful when you say that, because we’ll actually do it!”  We love visiting people by staying in their driveway.  Here we are at a good friend’s in Florida:

How do we remember where these places are? We put them on a custom Google Map. Watch the video below to see how to make one yourself.

Chris Guld
www.GeeksOnTour.com
Computer Education for Travelers

RV: Which Type is Right For You?

Last week’s blog was devoted to understanding some of the criteria to use for choosing an RV. This week I want to look at the pros and cons of different classes of RVs. Although last week I mentioned that solo women tend to buy motorhomes, that’s not an absolute rule. Many also buy trailers. Especially now that we’re trying to improve our mileage, it seems easier to make lighter trailers than lighter motorhomes. Read more

A reflection back over the last 6 years

From the desk of the Firedude

Nearly after 6 years into full timing and now retirement again (as a host) I have sat back and reflected on my full-timing experience. I’ve asked myself, was it the right decision? I spent 33 years as a firefighter retiring as a Captain. I started right out of high school and was able to retire at the young age of 50. I spent my entire life going a 100 mph fighting fires and helping people. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. We were always RV’ers and camped on days off and vacations. It was my dream to someday buy me a NEW 5th wheel and travel and full-time for as long as I wanted and enjoy myself. Then if and when we wanted to get another home and call it an anchor point and come and go as we wanted at some point we would. I see no end.

Right after we began full-timing all these feelings started to hit me all at once. I missed my firefighting family, my kids, friends, all the calls and helping people. After going 100 mph for 33 years, it was hard to adjust and slow down. I would see a fire truck go by going to a call and would get a sick feeling, one of emptiness. At times I would get teary eyed. Even though we all work for retirement someday so we can relax and enjoy ourselves, I found it hard to give up. Still I was going to follow my dream of full timing because in reality I won?’t be able to do what I was doing anymore and this was my retirement dream.

So reflecting back over the past 6 years of full-timing what do I think? My fears of losing my firefighting family, friends and family have dwindled. I still and probably always will have that ache in my heart of ending my wonderful career. You might think that’s weird because most say “thank God I don’t have to work” or “go back to that job anymore”! I have found out I have a new family and friends as well! All the wonderful people we’ve met since we began our full-timing journey some of which I met on the forum here and have became good close friends. The adventures, less stress, it’s all good. I could have NOT followed my dream, but couldn’t see myself sitting around watching TV, mowing lawns, emptying trash and doing nothing day after day. I didn’t want an over stuffed recliner with a permanent imprint of my butt in it. I chose to be a camp host. It was a transition for me. I went from 100 mph to 50mph and now finally around 25 mph. I still get to help people. One reason for establishing my website to help those in pursuit of the lifestyle. Going from 100 mph to 0 mph would have been disastrous. There of course has been much travel mingled in as well.

In reality I still see my firefighting family. Some have even came over and camp with me. They call me to check up on me and give the latest scoop on things. My other friends call or visit often as well. One son is a firefighter and with the same department so he keeps me informed. We see our friends often and now have the ability now to go see distant friends and family that we couldn’t before. Between all this and our new RV friend’s life is settling down some and my dream is finally settling in place and becoming reality. Would I do it again? Yes indeed. Am I having fun? YES! I won’t get into the cost thing as there are so many variables and every one’s situation is different, but for me it is definitely less expensive and the benefits are wonderful. I even get asked quite frequently in the campgrounds about full timing and my choice. I tell people to follow their dreams whatever they may be, we only get one shot at it. Full timing has been a wonderful transition for us. We have gained so many wonderful new friends. The choices and opportunities and adventures are virtually unlimited. I’m sure some of you have read my humorous posts in the full timing forum on my adventures as a Host. It’s been a kick to say the least. I have finally written a book on my adventures as a full-timer, host and as a retired firefighter. It is filled with outrageous humor, the serious side of full-timing and many of my adventures. It tells all sides of the lifestyle. The good, bad, and ugly. All those of course come along with conventional living too! The point was in the serious side was to show how full-timers coped with the serious health issues and things like that.

One thing I’ve learned is to follow my dreams. I will always have that empty feeling of not being an active firefighter anymore. I miss the lights coming on and the alarm going off at 2 am and charging down the road red lights and sirens going to a fire or medical aid to help someone. That ache will never go away I’m afraid. I can say though that full timing has been wonderful and second best! Besides my firefighting family the best people in the world are RV’ers! So many new friends, it’s great! Follow your dreams. In reality? I have not lost any family and friends at all, but have gained a new family and more friends! Life is good! Rv’ing and full timing is good! I just wanted to personally thank all you wonderful RV’ers I’ve met helping make my dream come true. the great folks of RV.net and my time as a moderator have made it most memorable. did I make the right decision? you betcha ya I did. This winter I’ve chosen to anchor near my old stomping grounds, spend time and the holidays with the family and even a trip to Tuscon. Life is grand. In my opinion with todays economy I am doing pretty good in this lifestyle!

http://firedude.thefiredude.com

Camping with Pets

Camping with your pet brings the whole family together to enjoy the experience instead of leaving the four-footed member of the family behind to worry about.

Just as you would pack what items to bring along for you, don’t overlook what your pet may need to keep him comfortable, too. Being prepared with the right essentials and equipment is the key to ensure a happy time on the road and in the woods. Also keep in mind when and where you plan to camp. The time of year and geographical location of your campsite can make a big difference in how and what you prepare for your camping trip. Know what the weather conditions are likely to be and pack accordingly. Read more

Casino Camping Location Report - Dubuque, Iowa

Dubuque is an exceptional small city and an interesting place to stop for a night or to stay for several days.  We arrived on a Thursday, and spent the first night at the Wal-Mart Supercenter because we needed to stock up on some groceries.  On Friday I visited the Diamond Jo casino in the Port of Dubuque district, and on Saturday we had a great time at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium (photo is one of the historic riverboats on display outside the museum). Read more

Digitizing Old Photographs & Slides

There are a couple of reasons to move your collection of slides and prints to digital images.  First, it will preserve them in their current state, that is as long as you keep the digital files alive - more on that later. Second, by getting them out of albums stored on the back shelf, you will enjoy viewing them as screensavers on your computer or using a digital picture viewer. Third, as RVers, space is at a premium.  If you have a home base (or a relative does) you can keep thousands of images in a space smaller than a paperback book while leaving the originals on a shelf.

There are a couple of considerations when digitizing images:

1. How many are you planning to process?  It the number is relatively small, the amount of labor involved is not all that important.  If you are doing thousands, you might want to stick with the faster methods.
2. What kind of quality are you looking for?  If all you want are files that you can look at on a laptop, show on a digital picture viewer, or your cell phone, and are planning on keeping the originals, low resolution scans are fine, and will be less expensive, faster to process, and offer more options.  On the other hand, if you are planning to make 16″X20″ or larger prints from the files, and are replacing the originals with the digital copies, you are going to need more expensive high resolution files made with professional equipment.
3. How much are you willing to spend? By far the easiest way to digitize your images it to let someone else do it.  There are plenty of services out there that, for a fee, will turn your slides & negatives or prints into digital files.  The price ranges from as little as $.16 per print & $.25 per negative or slide to well over a couple of bucks per copy, depending on the final file size, how much cleaning up of the image is necessary, and the volume. All you need to do is pick out the prints & slides you want digitized, mail them off & a few weeks later they come back, along with a CD(s) or DVD(s) of your images. Some services worth checking with include ScanCafe, Larsen Digital Services, or choose from a Google Directory of Services.
4. Although a flat bed scanner will do a great job digitizing prints and many of them state they will scan slides & negatives, a dedicated slide/negative scanner will work better if most of your images are stored as slides.  Dedicated slide scanners range in price from a few hundred to many thousands of dollars.  The advantage of the more expensive versions is higher resolution (not necessary unless you are planning to make large prints from your slides & negatives) and automatic stack feeding - very much worth it if you are doing hundreds of slides - stack 50 in the feeder & come back when done.
   Still, I’d think twice about doing it myself with a dedicated slide scanner.  If you can borrow one it may be worth it cost wise, however think about the time involved.  By the time you finish loading, doing even minor editing, you will spend 4-5 minutes per slide, more if scanning negatives.  If you have the time, go for it, otherwise, look for faster solutions.
5. A low tech method that is faster than a scanner, at least for prints is to shoot the images with your digital camera. It will take a little time to set up a copy stand, but it could be as simple as a tripod for the camera & a board to tack the pictures to.  A pair of lamps aimed at the photos at 45°, and you can shoot hundreds per hour.  It will help if you order your photographs by size so you don’t have to keep zooming the camera in & out.
   If you are copying slides and can live with less than ideal quality, set up your slide projector & shoot the projections.  Another solution for slides or negatives is an adapter that goes on the front of your camera. This is just one example, but there are a number of them designed for many different cameras. A Google search for “slide copying adapter for camera” comes up with lots of them. If you are shooting negatives, you will need to invert the image file to turn it into a positive.  In Photoshop, use Images>Adjustment>Invert.
6. How are you going to store your image files? - Actually, how is not quite what I mean.  I’m not as concerned with the exact method as I am with making sure you will be able retrieve the files in the future.  Whether the images are stored on a hard disk (or two - mirrored disks make sense - you can purchase a 1TD drive for under $200.00 which will hold hundreds of thousands of images) or a bunch of DVDs, or what ever storage method is available, it is important that you make sure updated computers, operating systems & drives are capable of reading the image files.  You must be an active archiver - As I’ve said in past articles, you don’t want to have to send out your equipment to a retrieval service to get back your images! Which ever method you choose to store your files, make sure you always have at least two copies of everything.  That way when the first method fails (note that I said when, not if) you have the second to retrieve your data.

My favorite way of showing my images is as the screensaver for my computer.  Although screensavers are not really necessary with modern monitors, they offer a great method of viewing your pictures.  You can also use slide show software (built into most operating systems & photo editing software) to show your pictures, or put together a Powerpoint presentation.  If you don’t keep a computer running all the time, a digital picture viewer (or digital frame) will provide a good way to show your images.  Since the quality of digital picture viewers is all over the map, I’d put together a USB thumb or flash drive of your images & take it to the store so that you can look at the images before buying.  Also, view it at the distance you will be viewing in your RV.  It is easy to purchase one too small to be useful, however they get more expensive as the size (and quality) increases. Remember, you can purchase an entire laptop PC for less than $600.00 these days, so don’t spend too much for the digital frame!

Another way to view your images is on your TV.  Thee are a number of ways to do this.  Many DVD players are capable of showing JPEGs as a slide show.  If you have the software, you can build a picture CD or DVD that can be shown on many DVD players.  Many digital TVs have inputs that can be connected to the output of your computer. There are also boxes that can be used to connect a computer through a wireless network to a TV. One example is Apple TV.

There are many other viewing devices. I have hundreds of my photographs stored in my iPhone.  Woe to the poor person who asks if I have a picture of my granddaughter! There are even keychain picture viewers! The joke about the proud parent or grandparent bringing out a wallet foldout 4′ long of images is no longer a joke - you can carry around hundreds or even thoudands of pictures.

Converting your original slides, prints & negatives can be a good backup to your original film material, and provide a practical way to view the images.

Why Drillers Love the DRILL, DRILL, DRILL Mantra

An interesting fact I discovered online somewhere (I don’t remember just where) is that in the breakdown of gasoline at a retail price of less than $3 gallon, the producer (driller) keeps 95 cents. No wonder exploration and drilling companies want to open up as many new fields and grab as many leases as they can. It probably makes good economic sense to them to get the leases first (as well as any controversial area leases they can obtain due to a temporary panic in the economy due to either oil shortages or price spikes), then sit on most of them and not drill until (1) they extract the oil from the easiest, most economical, and most profitable fields first, and (2) then in the future when new technologies emerge for extracting the more challenging oil fields, like oil shale, where they are betting that oil will rise to such a high price that drilling for oil almost anywhere will be profitable–and they will already hold the leases. (Gary, one of the commenters on one of my blogs points out that it still takes more energy to extract oil from shale than the energy they derive from it.) Read more

Custom Maps with Google Maps

You’re not a real traveler if you don’t like maps! I’ve been staring at maps and dreaming about places all over the world since I was a little kid. My favorite Christmas present was a world atlas. There’s no better ‘wish book’ than an Atlas!

I still like to look at maps and dream, but now I also like maps to show where I’ve been! I love sharing my travels and, what better way than to show your travels on a computer map and let your viewers click on points for more information.

That’s exactly what Google Maps lets you do with it’s ‘My Maps’ feature. Here is a map of our 2008 travels. You can use the zoom in and zoom out tools, or you can click on any marker, or route line to see more detail - maybe a picture or a link to a blog post.

View Larger Map

Read more

The $1,128,000,000 Campground

Airstream RV Blog #84 - The $1,128,000,000 Campground from Sean Michael on TheLongLongHoneymoon.com.

How valuable was this camping experience? We’ve been told that a half acre of land on the Las Vegas Strip recently sold for $47 million. And yet, here’s a massive swath of such land dedicated to a full hookup RV campground. So using these numbers as reference, I guess our little campsite is worth at least $5,000,000 — and the campground itself is worth around $1,128,000,000. Read more

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