Retirement

I'm on a one week countdown now for my retirement date. April 1 is just around the corner. Many people have asked me if I will head out in my RV immediately following my last day. Here are my "plans", although I use that term loosely. I want to embrace retirement flexibility and not put too much in writing so I won't be held to any promises.

I'd like to take a couple of short camping trips up to the Rim and maybe to Roosevelt Lake in April. I have promised my two grandsons that I will take them on an overnight trip after I retire.

My daughter and granddaughter will be in town in early May for a Ballet conference and performance that I want to attend, so I will stick close to home until after that.

Then I hope to head north in late May or early June, for Idaho, Washington and Oregon. That's where I'd like to spend the summer months, in search of 70° locales. I'll be trying to find lots of boondocking locations in high country, and making many stops along the way as the whim hits me.

April 1st is drawing nigh. No April Fools!

Roosevelt Lake

My brother Dale made it back to town from his summer sojourn up north, so I wasted no time convincing him we should do a weekender in our Minnies. He suggested Roosevelt Lake because the weather would be nice up there in November.

Last Saturday morning we headed out. We took the northern loop, driving up the Beeline Highway toward Payson. I was in the lead for the first leg of the journey, but when I missed the turn off Highway 87 onto Highway 188 and had to U turn and come back, I let him lead the rest of the way to the campground. Good thing too, because I would have pulled into Cholla, and he was headed to Windy Hill. It's all about the AT&T cell signal, and Windy has more bars.

We drove around until we found a couple of facing spaces where I would be in the shade and he would be in the sun. (Guess which one of us has solar panels?)

That's me on the left, and Dale on the right

After setting up and taking Hanna for a walk, we hopped on his motorcycle and zipped up to the dam for a look around.

Very pretty! Then we went to Tonto Monument to tour the Visitor Center. We decided to climb up to the Lower Cliff Dwelling that afternoon. It was a very steep walk up a paved trail and we stopped a few times to catch our breath, but the view and ancient village were worth it.

Looking toward Roosevelt Lake
(the water level is pretty low)

We made a reservation to join the guided tour to the Upper Cliff Dwelling on Sunday morning and then rode back to the campground. We sat outside in our chairs for a bit before starting supper, then I went into the motorhome to get something and found this:

After just a couple of hours of sitting in camp, my coach batteries were dead! Fortunately, the engine battery was still fine, so I wasn't stranded. Well, my brother was there, so I guess I wouldn't have been stranded. But neither of us had jumper cables, so my Minnie might have been stranded if it wouldn't have started. Whew! We checked everything we could think of, and had a lengthy text conversation with my oldest brother Richard (who is also an RVer), and all we could deduce is the batteries had gone bad. Headlamp to the rescue!!

After sharing our supper and a movie in Dale's mini-Minnie (his is 24' compared to my 27'), I went home to get ready for bed by "candlelight". Okay, so it was really a flashlight, but it did feel slightly primitive.

As I did when I went to the Rim in September, I had taken my laptop and some DVDs and I went to bed to watch Gilmore Girls until I fell asleep. It was cold - down into the low 40s - but I had snuggly blankets. However, I did get worried about Hanna in the night (she doesn't sleep with me, but curled up on the chair), and I got up to cover her up. I had to command her to lie back down on the chair while I put blankets over her because she thought I was getting up to play. Silly girl! It was 1:30 in the morning!!

I went back to sleep knowing she was warm, and slept until 5:20. I swear, when I retire the first thing I'm planning to overcome is the habit of waking up at such horrific hours. Ugh! I couldn't fall back to sleep, so finally got up to make some coffee and oatmeal.

About 9:30, Dale and I rode his motorcycle back up to Tonto for our Ranger-guided tour to the Upper Dwelling. We had packed some snacks, sandwiches and water in a backpack, and we were ready for the trek. We had been informed it would take about 3 hours. There was a lot of climbing up a steep trail and lots of steps, but the ranger stopped several times along the way to point out interesting things or give us some history of what we were seeing. We did lose one guy along the way; he was slightly overweight and out of shape, and just couldn't keep up with the group. It was very interesting, and the higher we climbed, the prettier the views became.

 

The Ruins

Our Ranger guide in a well preserved room.
Notice the grinding stones at his feet.

The view through a T-shaped window

Dale

It had started to rain while we were in the ruins, so we nearly sprinted back down the mountain to get back to the campground before it started pouring.

It was time to head home, but I had one more new RVer initiation that needed to be done first. We drove back up to Cholla Campground where there is a free dump and I learned how to do that distasteful job. I'm happy to report it wasn't so bad, and everything came out fine in the end!

My first dump!

We took the southern route home, through Miami and Superior, and back into the city via US 60. It rained pretty steadily most of the way, but was a beautiful drive home.

Now to figure out what is wrong with my batteries.

Kimbopolo and the Mobile Kodger create a poem

Kimbopolo, one of the RV bloggers I read on a regular basis, has collaborated on a poem with Randy at Mobile Kodgers. I found it so clever and inspirational, I wanted to share it with you.

Kim:    Well Randy--what did you do today?

Randy:  I blogged and blogged the day away.

            Writing my posts gives me reasons why

            I don't park my rig, lay down and die.

          

           What's your motive for writing your thing?

Kim:    Just the sheer joy that a blog can bring  

           I have this urge to write and write
           forever waiting for the muse to bite.

Randy: Well now you are a thing that's new;
           So today I think I'll blog about you.

Kim:   That might please your readers no end.
          As for the photos-- can you make me look thin?

          And I think I'll also blog about you.
          Tell me your goals and what you do?

Randy: I write poems and travel to the new.
           Now tell me your goals and what do you do.

Kim:   My needs are small, my goals are few:
          go round the bend---admire the view.

          You've been free for so long now,
          share with me the why, the how.

Randy:I had a good mind--never found where it fit;
          I'm a nobody---making-- the best of it.

          But you've climbed the heights of academe;
          can you find contentment in a drifter's dream?

Kim:  Contentment's mine on the open roads;
          "afoot lighthearted"---you know how that goes.

          Would you ever settle down;  cease to roam?
          maybe build a fence 'round an earthbound home?

Randy:I've made my gypsy bed---now I
          will mosey 'round until I die.

          Does moving, moving--on the whole
          polish your manner, your mind, your soul?

Kim:  All of the above, I guess
          since I pulled away from a life of stress.

          You think as we keep wandering this way
          we become more polished day by day?

Randy: Yes, -- like rocks tumbling downstream;
            the bump and bumble makes us glisten and gleam.

            Since those you meet are mostly strangers
            do you give much thought to risk and dangers?

Kim:    Stepping away from the TV news
           for good and forever changed my views.

           I find decent people wherever I go.
           Don't you also find this so?

Randy: Yes, I find goodwill---up and down;
            seems every new place is Mayberry town.

            But tell me how you choose where to go
            and what's the sweetest places you know?

Kim:    Trip planning is my favorite art---
            I open my map--then open my heart.

            What guides you in your nomad style?
            what experiences do you find worthwhile?

Randy:  By far the richest thing I do:
            engaging folks the likes of you.

Kim:     Well this has been great; I love to talk deep,

             but I have promises to keep.

Randy:  The pleasures' been mine--thanks a heap;

             I have miles to go before I sleep.