A Toast!

We waited until the very end of the year to bring our 2011 travels to a close. Just a couple of hours ago, we made the 100-mile trek from Convent to Mandeville, Louisiana. We're all settled in to our spot at Fountainebleau State Park on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, ready to ring in the new year.

Today's quick trip brought Bullwinkle's total travels for the year to about 5,700 miles. That's less than half of the previous year! Focusing this year's explorations in the Great Southwest fulfilled one of our fulltime RVing dreams. It was really great to slow down and see it all.

Our extended time in Texas, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado provided delightful memories of some of America's most spectacular scenery...and a whole bunch of red rock. More importantly, this year provided us the opportunity to spend time with some very special people.

2011 was the year we met Anne and Gene, Darren and Joyce (and we had so much fun seeing them again in Gunnison), Mike and Peggy, Warren, Carol and Breanna, Mike and Susan, Hayward and Lydia, Fred and Sharon, Keith and Donna, Karen and Arvin and their family and a bunch of great people at the Gunnison KOA, the Wishnies (finally!), Nic and Nikki, John and Bridget and Mike and Sandy. Last night we had the great pleasure of spending time with brand new friends Brad, Wendy and Brady from Wisconsin.

This year we also had the good fun of meeting up with on-the-road friends once more. We caught up with Mike and Leslie, Gary and Francile, Jim and Sandie, Bob and Molly, Jim and Ellie, Roxa and Hutch, Ed and Marilyn in a delightfully chance meeting at a restaurant in Colorado, Craig and Anne, Mac and Netters, Steve and Cathy, Linda and Denny, Mike and Penny, and Deb and Rod. We had four-time fun with good friends John and Sandy, who we got to play with in Kerrville, Cortez, Moab and Kansas.

Sadly, 2011 was also the year we lost one of our fulltime RVing friends when our friend Doug lost his hard fought battle with cancer. We continued to be inspired by his courage and humor. Our thoughts and prayers are with JoAnn, especially during this holiday season.

This year we were lucky enough to coordinate travel plans with some of favorite non-RVing folks, too. Paul's sister Susan and husband Doug coordinated their vacation plans with our travel schedule twice this year, meeting us in Kerrville and Gunnison. They're planning to head to Maui this winter. If there was a way we could get Bullwinkle across the Pacific, we would! We also hooked up with California peeps Rick and Cindy and Matt and Mary Kay while they were passing through Santa Fe.

Our travels this year also provided the perfect opportunity to reconnect with special people from our past. It had been nearly 20 years since we'd seen former co-worker Gail and her husband Dave, so it was a real treat to spend time with them in their home in Utah. And, although it had been a decade or so since we'd seen our dear friends and best neighbors ever Mary and Tracy, when we stopped by their place in Argyle, Texas, it was a joy to pick up right where we left off.

This year has served up a giant helping of fresh stories. Sit around a campfire with us someday and you can look forward to hearing about our very special doormat delivery, our food coma in Santa Fe, the day we discovered disc golf, the time we got kicked out of an RV park (almost), our 25th anniversary hike at Arches National Park, the priciest iced tea anywhere, the back-to-back challenges of keeping our AC and refrigerator running, fun with Freightliner in Grand Junction, the thrill of watching a pack of world-class cyclists roll through town, and watching Christmas Eve bonfires ablaze on the banks of the Mississippi River.

It's been a great year. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to spend our days exactly as we want, meeting fantastic people along the way and sharing it all with you, our faithful readers. We so look forward to what the coming year will bring for us all.

Tonight, as we raise a glass in celebration of the memories of the year coming to a close and the possibilities of the year just beginning, our wish for you is a new year of good health and happiness. May your travels be safe, fun and trouble-free. We hope our paths cross somewhere along the way. That would make 2012 extra special.

Cheers!

Heaux, Heaux, Heaux!

Merry Christmas Eve greetings from Cajun Country!

We made our way safely to our holiday destination, Convent, Louisiana. We're parked here on the banks of the Mississippi River on the grounds of an old plantation. It's definitely shaping up to be a most memorable Christmas.

We toured the plantation house this morning. Late this afternoon we'll head down river a mile or so and partake in the Christmas Eve festivities. Here in St. James Parish, it's tradition to get together with your family and friends and build a bonfire structure along the river. This evening, the bonfires will be lit, and the food and beverage will abound.

The bonfires have an important job. As Louisiana legend has it, long ago on Christmas Eve a dense fog rolled into Southern Louisiana. The fog was so thick that Papa Noel and his pirogue pulled by eight alligators, Gaston, Tiboy, Pierre, Alcee, Ninette, Suzette, Celeste and Renee, couldn't make their way down the river. Papa Noel called on Nicolette, a snowy white alligator with glowing red eyes to lead the way, but it was still too difficult to see. But, the people of the river parishes saved the night by building bonfires along the river to guide Papa Noel along the way.

There's no fog in tonight's forecast. But, provided the rain holds off, an estimated 200 bonfires will be lit and bring the merriest of holidays in with a blaze.

We can't wait.

Wherever you find yourself welcoming Papa Noel, we wish you a very Merry Christmas. Best wishes from our rolling home to yours for a festive and fun-filled holiday.

Mean What You Say

It’s a few days before Christmas, and I’m not feeling especially merry. We’re parked in a lovely site in another fantastic Texas State Park that we practically have to ourselves. Our stay has been great. We’ve rested up from all of the family, fun and food we’ve enjoyed for the last few months. And, we’ve worked off a few accumulated calories hiking the miles of trails here. I’ve used our free time updating Bullwinkle’s Travels with posts about our September travels to Monett, Lake Melvern, Paola and Lawrence. (I'll catch up...someday!) Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for a picture-perfect day to go over the river and through the woods to the Louisiana plantation where we’re looking forward to spending our first-ever Cajun Christmas.

So, what’s the matter?

One stupid word.

I’ve spotted it several times lately. Each time it raises my blood pressure at least a point. This morning, it took me over the edge. So, I’ve decided to do something about it.

And, what is this offensive word?

“Moochdocking”

This neologism has recently emerged in the RVing blogging community. You won’t find it in any dictionary, but I think it means “parking and staying in your RV on the property of a family member or friend”. It appears to be rooted in another term that has become part of the RVing lexicon: Boondocking. That’s another made-up word that basically means free camping without hookups. Some “boondockers” actually go out in the boonies. Others are simply camped in a Walmart parking lot.

While the term boondocking is not always technically accurate, it’s harmless. Moochdocking, however, is another story.

Let’s get down to the root. Dictionary.com offers the following definitions for the verb form of the slang word “mooch”:

1. to borrow without intending to return or repay.

2. to get or take without paying or at another's expense; sponge.

3. to beg.

4. to steal.

At the risk of sounding like a ranting word geek, I checked another source: UrbanDictionary.com. This is the place where real people offer up descriptions of what they actually mean when they choose a particular word.

And, how do they define the word “mooch”? Here’s a sampling of the most popular entries, which use it as a noun:

* A scab or freeloader.

* Someone who wants something for free...someone who takes and takes and never gives back.

* A person who wants other people to pay his way.

* Someone who leeches off other people.

Now, is your average RVer who parks for free in a family member or friend’s driveway a scab, freeloader or leech? Of course not! Are they parked there to beg, borrow or steal? I don’t think so! Especially this time of year, these RVers are likely just wanting to be close enough to family and friends to be part of holiday feasts and festivities. After all, that’s one of the best benefits of this mobile lifestyle. And, chances are these RVers come bearing gifts and are most grateful for a convenient parking spot.

Then, why, dear readers, would this wonderful community adopt a term with such derogatory roots to describe this fun-loving activity?

My best guess is that someone, somewhere thought it sounded clever or cute, without thinking about its meaning. Then, others heard it. And, thinking it was nifty, they used it, too. And, so it went until this morning, when I reached the point where I just couldn’t take it anymore.

My criticism here is not of the act. We’re all for parking as close as we can to where the action is. Along our fulltiming journey, two of our very dear friends have offered us a place to park on their property. One couple even installed 50 amp service at their place just for us! To share your home with family and friends is in itself so generous. To welcome a heavy, moose-size box on wheels on to your place is an especially kind gesture.

No, my problem is with the word. When our friends have offered our moose a spot, we accepted their gift humbly. We were grateful to be close enough to hang out without worrying about things like traffic or when a campground gate might close. And, sure, it’s always nice to save a buck or two when we can. But, were we “mooching” off our dear friends? Certainly not! And, the last thing we would want would be for our friends, or anyone else, to think we were.

How do you think Aunt Gladys would react if she heard her niece or nephew refer to “moochdocking” at her place?

It doesn’t sound so good, does it?

My request of my fellow bloggers is simply to mean what you say. If you really are sponging off your friends and family, then use the word “moochdocking” and we’ll all know what you mean. And, if you’re not just looking for other people to pay your way, then please don’t use that one stupid word.

There. I feel better.

We ❤ State Parks

Greetings from McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, Texas.

Our Southern Migration Friends and Food Frenzy continues! Since arriving on Monday, we've met up with friends Steve and Cathy and our Iowa buddies Gary and Francile here in Austin this week. Yesterday, we ventured south to New Braunfels to reconnect with fellow fulltiming buddies Deb and Rod over a very tasty lunch buffet. It's been great to see everyone. And, as always, we look forward to the next chance to reconnect with these good people on the road. As much as we love the places we visit, the people we get to spend time with are the absolute best!

Between our fun fests, we've really enjoyed our time here at McKinney Falls State Park. It's just one of the many gems in the Texas State Parks system. This oasis of peace, quiet, green space, wildlife and plenty of Texas live oak trees is just 20 minutes from downtown Austin. But, it feels much farther away. With 50 amp electric, water, 3G cell service, satellite and plenty of HD over the air, we have just about all the comforts of home. (And, there's a dump station on the way out.) Our nearest neighbor is about 100 yards away, which is about 10 times farther away than our nearest neighbor in our last stop in the metroplex. There are about six miles of hiking trails around this place, and we've enjoyed about half of them. (We'd take advantage of more if it would only stop raining!) We've watched deer pass by our place every morning and evening. It's all a welcome break from our 50 amp paved RV park life.

Now, don't get us wrong. If you build a fancy schmanzy concrete RV "resort" with wide interior roads, level concrete pads, full hookups, wifi, cable and swanky landscaping, we will come. But, every now and again we're noticing we like to get back to nature. And, we've discovered that many state parks fill that bill.

We visited our first Texas State Park last March when we stopped by Davis Mountain State Park in the west Texas oasis of Ft. Davis. When we checked in, the enthusiastic ranger convinced us to buy a Texas State Park Pass. For just $70, we could visit all of the Texas State Parks we wanted without having to pay the $5 per person (or so) day pass fee for the next 12 months. Since we were planning to spend five or six nights at Ft. Davis that benefit alone had us ready to sign on the dotted line. An added benefit was a 50% discount on the second night of our next four stays at a Texas park. We weren't sure we'd be able to take advantage of that. But, when we were heading to Austin and found McKinney Falls, we decided check out the place.

It's all good!

So far, we've stayed at State Parks in three states. In our native Kansas, we spent a night at Hillsdale Lake State Park while we messed with our refrigerator repair. Like our experience in Fort Davis, that stay offered a spacious site with lots of green space and a few well-placed trees. While passing through Colorado a couple of years ago, we were fortunate to snag a space for a few nights at the very popular (and beautiful) Cherry Creek State Park near Denver. The way we look at it, to have a spot to call home that's close to nature and just minutes from the city is the best of both worlds.

We like it!

We'll be a bit sad to head out of this gorgeous spot on Sunday. But, a few hours later, we'll find ourselves in another Texas State Park. This time we'll be on the eastern edge of the state on our way to our holiday spot in Louisiana. We've never been to Village Creek State Park before. But, we have a feeling we're going to like it.

With parks in three states under our belts, we're wondering. What are your favorite state parks?

Curious minds want to know!

One Fun Week

We think we might just have this whole "southern migration" thing finally figured out. In our first winter as fulltime RVers, we made the trip too late. Leaving the frozen tundra of Kansas City in late December, our mission was simple: Get someplace warm...fast! Last year, we left our old hometown a month earlier, which was better. That migration was a speedy one. We made a beeline for Texas Hill Country, and didn't stop to have much fun along the way.

This year, we're taking our time. And, we're having a whole lot of fun. The highlight of our stop in Oklahoma City was a visit with the RV Vagabonds, Linda and Denny, whom we met a couple of years ago near Camp Verde, AZ. They made an unscheduled stop in OKC for a repair, and we were happy to time our stop while they were hanging in limbo waiting for parts to arrive. It was great to see them and catch up. We didn't let the unseasonably cool temperatures keep us from having fun. We were pleased to hear that Linda and Denny did finally get to escape Limbo, OK. We wish them safe travels to their considerably warmer winter destinations.

While in OKC, we made time for a return trip to our favorite sushi restaurant in the country. If you're in OKC and like sushi, you simply must stop by Tokyo Restaurant. It was as good as we remembered -- maybe even better! We also made time to stop by the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, which we we missed on our first pass through town. I'll write it all up on Bullwinkle's Travels when I get a chance. But, this week, we've just been having too much fun!

We arrived in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex Wednesday afternoon, and we've had non-stop fun since. We're parked just a few miles away from dear friends and once-upon-a-time neighbors Mary and Tracy, who have treated us to some Texas-size hospitality. We've had more fun catching up with these fine folks than the law should allow. We've laughed so hard our faces have actually hurt! We've also had very little sleep. After two late nights that had us all talking until the wee hours of the morning, last night these old folks had to call it an early night because we've finally realized we're not in our twenties any more. Yep, we were all home and in bed by 11:00! (And, that was early!!!)

While our former neighbors were working, we kept ourselves busy having even more fun. We joined our buddies Steve and Cathy for a fun lunch and house-hunting expedition. Our job was to keep our friends from buying anything but lunch. We were successful in that regard, but along the way we realized there's a lot for us to like here in North Texas. We didn't buy anything either, but we've added this locale to our future home base "short list". The next day we ventured into the charming town of Grapevine and scoped out Steve and Cathy's park. It will definitely be the place we park the next time we visit the metroplex. We made time for another fun lunch with these two and look forward to meeting up with them in our next stop.

We were pleasantly surprised to find our friends Mike and Penny camped at their home base here. We met them during our first southerly migration in Port Aransas, and hadn't seen them since our very quick stop in Fort Worth a year ago. They stopped by yesterday to join us for lunch and a lesson in Class A motorhomes. They have their eye on a Winnebago diesel pusher and had a few questions that we were more than happy to answer. Our fingers are crossed that they'll soon be members of the Winnie family. It was great to see them.

Today we had the great fortune of meeting virtual friends and locals Mike and Sandy of Phannie and Mae fame. From the first moment we saw these two we felt like long-lost friends! The conversation flowed easily and moved from the moose to the interstate to a wonderful brunch to Mike and Sandy's lovely neighborhood to their beautiful home to Phannie and back. What a fun tour! We finally let these good folks get on with their mission of getting Phannie up to McKinney to get some fancy shades that are on Bullwinkle's wish list. Thank you, Mike and Sandy for sharing Mike's birthday with us. It was really great to meet you both. We look forward to seeing you and Phannie and Mae on the road soon.

All of this fun and frivolity in DFW must soon come to a close. Tonight, we'll celebrate our last evening in town with our old neighbors with more food and Cowboys football at their house. It will be sad to say goodbye our dear friends. But, we've been having so much fun here we're going to have to find a reason to come back soon!

Tomorrow we'll point the moose and squirrel south on I-35 and head for Austin. And, guess what? There are more friends to have fun with there! And, family, too! We'll hang out there for a week before we move on toward our winter destination. But, before we get there, we'll just have to make a few more stops.

Like I said, I think we're figuring this out. This year, we're taking our time moving south. Along the way, we're having a lot more fun!

Pay It Forward

Our trip from Monett to Oklahoma City was generally uneventful. We left Monett about 90 minutes after our aggressive planning model thought we would. Of course, that meant we would arrive in Oklahoma City much later than we had hoped. But, along the way we enjoyed pleasant weather, some welcome sunshine and, for once, a rare tailwind.

If you're traveling from east to west in Oklahoma, chances are pretty good that you're going to be on at least one turnpike. Such was the case with us today. We found ourselves on two toll roads. As we entered the first toll gate, we waited on a sedan from Kansas, which seemed to be taking its own sweet time. We watched the gate attendant engage in a lengthy conversation. Somewhere in there, he poked his head out the window and looked back at our rig. We didn't understand what was going on. After a rather lengthy delay, we were starting to get a bit antsy.

At last, the light turned green and the Kansans moved along. We pulled up to the toll gate. The attendant greeted us with a smile.

"Where are you going today?" he asked.

"Tulsa," was Paul's reply.

"The people in front of you were sure you were headed to Joplin," the attendant explained. "So much so that they paid your toll for you."

Paul and I shot the attendant a quizzical look.

"They said to wish you a Merry Christmas," he said. "I tell you what I'm going to do. Since you're heading the opposite direction, I'll give you their three dollars and you can use it when you pay your toll at the Tulsa end."

With that he gave us a ticket and three dollars.

We were so touched by this random act of kindness. We thanked the attendant and wished him a Merry Christmas, too. As we rolled down the road I recalled a similar incident many years ago when I was crossing the Bay Bridge from Oakland to San Francisco. Like today, I pulled up to the gate and was waved through because the motorist ahead me had gifted me my toll.

"You know what we need to do now, don't you?" I asked Paul.

"It's time to pay it forward," he said.

Absolutely right! We look forward to our next chance to do just that.

In this holiday season, we are reminded that it's not always the big, expensive gifts with fancy packaging and bright bows that make Christmas special. Sometimes, the biggest joys can be found in an anonymous gift of just a few bucks.

It sure brought a smile to our travel day.

Weathered

Today has been all about the weather.

First and foremost, a line of big winds and nasty rain and thunderstorms stood between us and Oklahoma City today. So, we decided to kick back for another night in Monett. Tomorrow looks like a much better day to travel to OKC, but it looks like we might have to weather some weather there before we move on to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Such is life on the road, especially in December.

With our day free, we made a lunch date today with Paul's cousin who lives in nearby Joplin. As you may recall, Joplin was struck by a devastating EF-5 tornado on May 22nd this year. We were eager to see how Joplin was recovering from the storm. So, after lunch, cousin Nancy gave us a driving tour of the devastation. It's been six months since the deadly tornado destroyed a quarter of the town. Most of the debris has been cleared away, and some rebuilding has begun. Walmart re-opened a week or so ago. Several homes have already been built, including seven constructed in a week by the crew of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and ten built by Habitat for Humanity. These 17 homes looked like lush islands in a barren sea where everything has been flattened. Trees are gone. Those that remain are mere remnants of what stood before, and are not likely to survive.

It was all amazing. We had planned to take pictures. But, today's dark skies and pouring rains made that impossible. Maybe, just maybe, it's better that way.

St. John's Medical Center, an eight-story acute-care hospital, took a direct hit from the killer tornado. Today, its crumbling remains stand in a sea of nothingness bearing witness to that tragic Sunday afternoon. The fact that only five souls perished in that facility that day is a testament to the heroes and heroines that stepped up that fateful afternoon. This site was particularly touching to me. I spent nearly a decade of my life working in two Kansas City hospitals that were about the size of St. John's. Twice each year we would conduct "disaster drills" that helped the hospital staff prepare for the thing we all hoped would never happen. About every other drill was built around the scenario of a major tornado striking the area. In that scenario, the staff's first mission was to protect the patients. The second objective was to prepare the hospital for an incoming flood of tornado victims. In each scenario, the hospital was designated to be a safe place for a destroyed community. But, in Joplin the hospital became a victim. Having gone through 20 or so of these drills, I cannot imagine the chaos that must have swept through that facility that night. To see it today was heartbreaking.

Joplin's schools were also hard hit. The high school and two elementary schools were destroyed. Thankfully, the tornado struck on a late Sunday afternoon in May. So, the schools were empty. Any other time, the death toll would have been significantly higher.

Nancy was lucky. Her house was literally three houses away from the northern edge of the tornado's path. Three houses. Can you imagine?

Growing up in tornado alley, I've always had a healthy respect for Mother Nature in general, and tornadoes in particular. These days, as someone who lives in a fiberglass box on wheels, one of my biggest fears is facing a big bad tornado. These days, I'm extra careful. We've evacuated a couple of times. When it comes to that, I really don't hesitate. And, I have to tell you. After seeing the devastation we saw today, one thing I kept asking myself was what would have happened to any motorhome or trailer in this bad boy's path. It would have scattered in a zillion pieces into the wind.

No doubt about it.

I'm not exactly sure what the point of this post is. But, after surveying the devastation in Joplin today, what I know for sure is that it's not a good idea to mess with Mother Nature....especially if you're living in a fiberglass box on wheels!

The other thing I know is Joplin is going to need help...for a long time. If you are so inclined, here's a link with information on how you can donate to help the people of Joplin recover from this devastating storm.

On The Road Again

Greetings from beautiful Monett, Missouri! We're here at the "Crossroads to Everywhere" enjoying our first morning out of Kansas City. As much as we love, love, loved being in our old hometown, we are oh so happy to be on the road again.

Chances are nobody else refers to Monett as any kind of crossroad, but our family members who live here joke that this tiny little town in the hills of southwest Missouri must be something like that for us. And, we suppose it is. This is the fourth time we've brought our rolling home to town. And, as always, it's really good to be here.

Yesterday was an especially notable travel day. It was the first time we've left Kansas City without stopping for service on our way out of town! We're taking that as a sign of good things to come! We did make a quick stop for a propane fill, and then it was smooth sailing for Bullwinkle. This is one moose that is happy to be heading south!

We were planning to spend a night or two here. But, after sitting in one spot for two months, nobody at our house, especially our girl kitty, really feels like traveling today. Tomorrow's forecast calls for wind and rain between here and Oklahoma City, which is our next destination. So, it looks like we might just sit here in this comfy spot until Sunday morning. We'll keep an eye on the weather and see what happens. It's such a blessing to have that kind of flexibility. That's one of the many things we love about living life on the road.

Meanwhile, we're thinking about heading out to our favorite breakfast spot in town this morning. Then, a bit more family visiting is in order.

Yes, it feels good to be on the road again! We've really missed it!