Homeless!

March 24th was our last day at Travolta Ave in Indian Palms country Club. As we were madly doing our last pack, Mike at the truck loading the kayaks, bikes, and U Haul trailer; me in the house washing the mattress cover, duvet cover, pillowcases and clothes, awaiting the arrival of J&D Movers who were supposed to arrive at 9am but didn’t come until 10, our realtor called at 10:58 to tell us that the house had closed. It was no longer ours. Shortly thereafter, we departed, all our worldly possessions in, on, and behind our truck.

Finally! After much anticipation, we were on I 10 headed north. We stayed on I 10 until we turned off on I 215 at Redlands, next onto I 15, CA 58 at Barstow and finally, at Kramer Junction, onto US 395 to Bishop. Spectacular drive along the foot of the Sierra Nevadas, a first for us. Towering into the clouds, covered with snow, we were driving in temps of 74 degrees F.

After checking in at the Red Roof Inn in Bishop, CA we asked about a local pub for dinner – they recommended the Mountain Rambler – a local brewery which was “hopping” with families, friends, skiers, and climbers – a superb recommendation.  We found a spot at a table shared by two women and ordered a salad and some Thai meatballs. Delish! We loved Bishop and hope to go back and explore some day.

Next morning, after fortifying ourselves with good strong coffees from the popular ‘Looney Bean’ in downtown Bishop, we set off. Tooling along, enjoying the scenery and listening to Harry Chapin, I felt the giant hand clenched around my solar plexus loosen just a bit. Strange, because I hadn’t been aware it was there but now, in retrospect, not all that surprising I guess.

Turned off the 395 to Tonopah and headed on US 360 to Hawthorne. Not a single other vehicle in sight. Discovery: This is what we need to be doing every day….exploring new places, new vistas….just passed Marietta Wild Burro Range – must check that out on a return visit. On US95, I mistakenly saw a “legal brothel!!” No mistake. Apparently, Mike informs me, brothels are legal in Nevada!!!??? I 80 to Winnemucca and then went back onto US95 for a short distance through Idaho. Thought we were going to stay somewhere in Jordan Valley but there were no motels – proceeded to Ontario OR for the night.

The scenery has been spectacular. At first, in Oregon, we passed through miles of yellow grass valleys. Then it changed to sagebrush and finally to grass covered mountain/hills with outcroppings of basalt – spectacular.

We stayed overnight at The Quality Inn in Ontario, Oregon. It was a good room – 2 queens and included breakfast for around $100 but I couldn’t sleep for the life of me. Too excited.

What a spectacular trip from Ontario to Durkee….green, green and more green covered mountain-hills. We followed the I84 as it wound its way around and over the hills. Travelled for a short while beside the Snake River which has overflowed its banks – very reminiscent of Kamloops during a heavy runoff year. Stopped at a rest area just past Baker City, checked that the bikes and kayaks were tied down tightly and then continued on, arriving in Pasco at noon.

I can’t even begin to describe these past two months, from the point at which we made the decision to go full-time RVing to now. During the first few days of the new year we found ourselves casting about for places to go. Before we knew it, we had decided we didn’t belong in a Country Club and needed to go traveling in our fifth wheel trailer. It was magical, how the decision seemed to make itself and how everything seemed to fall into place. It seemed like every time we turned around, there was a new affirmation that what we were doing was the right thing – from the house going on the market, to selling within a month, to getting rid of all of our stuff  (selling, giving away and consigning), to re-establishing Wyoming as “HOME” and feeling so good about being “from Wyoming” again, to finding the truck and fifth wheel of our dreams ……we never looked back once.

Was it stressful? Absolutely! Almost every day I would wake up at 1, 2 or 3 am, mulling over all that had to be done and not sleeping another wink until the next night. We even made it down to Al Godones, to Nava Dental for one last lovely visit (for me to get a crown). To top it all off, as we hummed on down the highway, we got a notification from USAA that the money had been deposited in out bank account….earlier than expected….! A cause for great celebrations.