Adventure gene...now I know why

Great article. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/125-restless-genes/dobbs-text

Count down to hitting road towards North America

This last 12 days are packed full of many things; VA appointments, a run down to Vandenberg AFB, final gear layouts, etc.

I know we will get there but damn, I could leave now. But we really need this time to finish thing so we can hit the road and not regret not seeing someone or not getting something accomplished.

We both can't wait to get going on this, our next adventure!!

Last few things

We are now completing the last few things that we need to do before we hit the road. Fixing a couple items on the rig, moving a few more things into storage, doing a final layout of gear in the rig, and the best and toughest part... Planning time to see a few friends and family for the last time for a while.

Our social calendar is packed with diner dates, lunch dates, cocktails, etc. it's a little hard but also good for us because it is giving a little closure and allows us to make sure people have an idea of our plans and know how to contact us if need be.

1week to go (sort of)

We'll, we are 1 week out from the true start of the adventure. 1 Oct is our official last day in the military! We will most likely stay in the Reno area for about 3 weeks while we do final preparations to start traveling.

Last shakedown

So we are getting closer to our last day in the Reno area, it's coming fast. We have accomplished another good shakedown/practice run and think we are ready now. So it is only the calendar that we are waiting on.

Becky and I on the North rim of the Grand Canyon

I had to fix a number of small things on this trip but all was easy. Thank you to Julie (sister) and Milton for the use of their driveway and shop and thanks to Chuck and Rick for the help. 

Sorry we don't have more pictures for the blog but we are working on a good way to export and edit photos from the SLR to ipad.

Ok, here we go with some major changes

Ok, so here is the plan, some people know and some don't...due to the fact that we have both been "forced" into retirement and jobs making 80k - 100k a year don't fall in your lap, we have decided to take the RV that we ( Becky, Chuck, Elaine, Robbie, and I ) have been slowly working on for over 2 years and travel.

We will be living on only our retirement checks and trying to make that stretch. Making 75% to 80% less money than we are used to will be tough. We have set a budget and been living by it and pay on bills with the rest.

It is time for us to quit the rat race and go enjoy life OUR way. We don't know what will happen, but that's when the best parts of an adventure hit you...when you know what's coming next.

Becky and I have talked about the plan and the biggest thing we are unsure of is, what label to put on us. Are we full-time rv'ers, gypsies, vagabonds, traveling rednecks, hippies, etc.

We tell people we are retired and they look at us like we have a dick growing out of our forehead. Some people ask what we are doing and we tell them we will be living in our RV and traveling, they say "that's cool, for how long?" And we say "forever, well the foreseeable future anyway, maybe 3 to 5 years in North America and then we'll see from there". We get the same look as above and they have now way of understanding.

Oh well, it's our life, our plan, and for sure our adventure.

Here we go......

Well, we got some sort of not so good news this last Saturday. I have been non-retained. This means I am being forced to retire early from the military. I say sort of bad news because I do get my pension (although it's 75% or less than what I am currently making).

Becky and I are, very soon, going to be in a state of mutual retirement.

It's now time to start our retirement life of  adventure.

More to follow soon.