Year 3 FullTime RVing – 2,700 Miles & A Western Adventure
It’s the last day of the year, a day that always inspires me to reflect upon the 12 months that have passed before. It’s hard to believe that this is the end of our 3rd year RVing. When we started this adventure we had no particular time limit or goals. Simply to jump in and see where the journey took us, and each year has been a revelation and an adventure. 2012 was our 3rd year fulltime RVing and it was completely different from the previous two.
In some ways it was our most extreme year. We slowed waaaay down completing a mere 2,700 miles of total travel yet managing to fit in our longest EVER drive on one day (400 miles) as well as our shortest (28 miles). Early in the year we spent a longer-than-usual winter in San Diego for personal reasons that turned into heart-break (perhaps my darkest time RVing), but followed it with a summer in Oregon that was one of our best ever (a true highlight). Paul suffered a back injury that stopped our travels short, but opened up an unexpected opportunity to stay longer in a city we came to deeply love.
In other ways it was our simplest year. We stayed completely West indulging ourselves in longer stays at our most favorite places:
- We spent early winter in Borrego Springs (enjoying monster art and desert stories) and San Diego (the perfect snowbird spot with glorious dog beaches, historical missions, wacky Ocean Beach, huge regional parks, wonderful urban parks, ghost stories, and the beginning of CA history)
- We passed spring in N.CA and Southern Oregon soaking in the spirit of Shasta and discovering one of our best RV sites ever.
- We revelled in a cool summer on the Oregon Coast, falling in love with the giant sand dunes, the beach moods, the lighthouses, the stunning sea stacks, wild Cape Blanco and the cute town of Bandon
- We abandoned ourselves to the glory of fall in SW Oregon and CA spending a few weeks at stunning Crater Lake followed by our favorite drive of ALL TIME on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains (Hwy 395) with our buddies Lu & Terry. Here we checked out ghost towns, explored June Lake, discovered the oldest living things on earth, caught some awesome hikes and did a bit of boondocking.
- And finally we ended winter in Desert Hot Springs (where we spa’d luxuriously and had adventures with my sister), Borrego Springs (yet again for some glorious boondocking) & San Diego.
And in yet other ways it was our most social year. For the first time ever, we picked up workamping jobs as Lighthouse Hosts on the Oregon Coast (a month at Coquille River and another at Cape Blanco) that we enjoyed so much we signed up again for 2013, plus we made and met endless friends and bloggers along the way.
As usual I’ve kept a log of all our travels and blog posts at each spot in the “Journey” section of the blog so you can click and enjoy them all there. Or just click the following:
And what’s going to happen in 2013? Every year is an open book for us. As long as our investing holds true and the budget follows we continue to follow our RV dreams. So far our plans have held so we’ll enter our 4th year of RVing with open minds and the certainty of many new adventures. I’m not the type to make resolutions as such. I try to live my life daily to the fullest and follow the doggie-kittie approach to happiness as much as I can (an inner furry goal, if you will), so with that in mind I wish you a wonderful end to 2012 and a fabulous start to New Year!
You are such an inspiration. I so enjoy your blog. I have learned so much from reading your blog and so appreciate all the wealth of information. We are starting our RV adventure sometime in January and I use your blog to check out places to visit, stay, etc. Hope you and Paul have a wonderful 2013. Who knows, perhaps, we’ll meet up one day.
Congrats on your upcoming fulltiming! How exciting! Do stay in touch and let me know if we’re ever close.
NIna
Happy New Year to you guys, and thanks for the great recap of your travels. You always find the most interesting places, and make them look and sound even better.
Thanks Russ! There’s no doubt we’ll be back (again) in Eugene in 2013 so I’ll look you guys up.
NIna
Well as a new follower I want to thank you for sharing. We ALMOST met up in Oregon and perhaps we will some day. As you know we are Motor Homeless for now. Hope to get another one soon it will be MUCH smaller but it will still travel and see this great country. Our big plan for this up and coming summer is to visit our son in Germany for a month. He is stationed at Ramstein AFB and then do a 14 day “Old Buzzards” bus tour of London, Paris, Rome and points in between. Yes we will keep up with the Adventures of Paul and Nina and the 12 Paws. Thanks again for allowing us to share…… Safe Travels and Enjoy 2013…… Lee and Shelia….
So sorry we missed you guys on the coast. Gotta plan that better next time 🙂 ENJOY your trip to Germany. I used to do business in S.Germany some years ago and came to really love the region. Can’t go wrong with Paris & Rome either I say!
Nina
Imagine this…yesterday we were at a Wildlife area near Chattanooga, TN where we met a couple from GA. The word “motorhome” was mentioned and we were off on a great conversation. We told them we read several blogs about motorhoming as we plan to do it soon ourselves. WELL, guess who’s name came up? YOU and Paul!! They follow your blog, too. Loretta and Henry and will go fulltime in April and they have gained enormous insight into this from you. Now they are sharing with us! Wonderful folks!!
Our house goes on the market Wednesday and we hope to be on the road Thursday. (Some imagination, huh?)
Happy New Year and may God richly bless you.
Murlene and Joe
Oh man I LOVE those kind of stories! I am so happy to inspire others who are travelling this lifestyle! Brings me no end of joy! CONGRATS on getting on the road. Here’s hoping you have many adventures before you.
NINa
We have very much enjoyed being able to follow your travels. We are planning our adventure this Spring. You guys have been an inspiration and hopefully a great resource for our future trip. Happy New Year,
Deas and Jennifer Nealy (Jake, Nikki and Shorty our dogs – Annie the kitty)
Thanks so much! Happy to be an inspiration. Do let me know if you stop by any of our old haunts and enjoy the stay.
Nina
Steve and I wishes you and Paul continued good health, months of fun travels and heaps of RV information and insights to share.
Cheers and to more adventures ahead. Happy New Year!
Thanks! TO you too!. Hope to meet-up with you this coming year.
NIna
Have enjoyed following your travels and look forward to more…best for the new year
Thanks a bunch. We’re hoping 2013 is a goodun!
Nina
We wish you all the very best in 2013 no matter where the road may take you….
Thanks Jil…and may 2013 be the year we meet again!
Nina
Happy New Year! I just LOVE this post, with all the hyperlinks! It’s a fantastic resource. You save everyone so much research time. You make it so easy for the rest of us to just go and enjoy these wonderful places. A great big Thank You! Cheers! –Linda
Happy it’s useful to you! Good travels to you in 2013!
Nina
And the serendipity is, you haven’t even scratched the surface!
Box Canyon Mark
So true, so true!
Nina
JoAnne and I wish you both a new year filled with fun and adventure. Thanks for sharing your journey and Safe Travels!
Happy New Year!
Thanks! TO you too!
Nina
Happy New Years from the hounds and I. It’s been great following your travels and look forward to starting my own RV living soon.
Here’s to getting on the road…!
Nina
I second Bear Tracks. The links are wonderful and a lot of trouble I know so thank you so much. Hope 2013 sees all your troubles behind you…and us to for that matter. I’m ready to move on for sure.
Thanks! I think 2013 will be a good one…certainly has started that way.
Nina
Thank you for making time to blog about your travels and to share your FANTABULOUS photos with us. IMHO the sunset silhoutte photo is THE EPITOME of Wheeling It and what your travels encompas:) Happy New Year!
I have to admit that sunset shot is one of my favorites of the year too! It was an amazingly lucky capture.
Nina
Kevin and I wish you many happy travel days ahead. Thank you for the insights into fulltime RVing. We plan to retire to fulltime RVing Dec 2014.
Cool! Only a little time left now! Here’s hoping all your fulltime dreams come true!
Nina
It’s been a fun and testing year for many. Let’s look for 2013 to bring our hearts desires. Happy New Year!
It certainly has…and thanks so much for the lovely sentiment.
Nina
Thanks very much for the invite! We’ll bring chips and New Mexico salsa and anything else you would like. Just let us know. Wendy
Lovely to have you here, Wendy & James…and that cute Abby too!
Nina
Happy New Year!….Thanks for your wonderful blog.
I loved the picture of the Salton Sea!
It was a beautifully serene moment. So happy to have seen it. Thanks for the compliment!
Nina
Happy trails for the coming year! I look forward to maybe meeting you guys when you return to my favorite hangout near the Coquille River Lighthouse… 😉
Oh most definitely! Can’t wait to get back to the OR coast this summer. I miss it already!
Nina
Looks like a picture perfect year! I hope you two have an even better year in 2013. 🙂
Thanks. Here’s hoping your year is the best too!
Nina
What a year you both have had! We are so thankful to have been a part of it and look forward to spending a little time together in 2013. Fabulous post Nina. Happy New Year! 🙂
We’ve LOVED having you as part of our journey in 2012. Definitely looking forward to spending more time together.
Nina
I think Terry is finally on the mend, although not back to 100% and I have been fortunate so far not to get his crud (fingers crossed). We would love to see the two of you before you leave SD so we will be in touch to coordinate.
It was nice meeting you both yesterday. I wish we had more time to sit and talk with you and pick your brain, but we are just on vacation, which means hurry, hurry to our next adventure. We will start our full time adventure next year, wow that feels good to say next year(late next year, but still next year).
Thanks for your blog and a Happy New Years from Scott and Norma.
I’m really glad you guys took the time to stop by and say “hi” even if it was short and sweet. Hope you have many great travels along the way and GOOD LUCK with the fulltiming plans. I think you guys are gonna love it.
Nina
This is an amazing life style. It just keeps getting better.
We want to thank you for turning us on to boondocking in Anza Borrego. We can’t get into the state park until Jan 2. So we decided to spend two nights boondocking. We are near your old spot. This is so awesome that we thought we would return for a few days after our park campground stay. With no solar and an electric refrig, we won
‘t stay too long. But temps are low enough that things are fine by running the generator twice a day for awhile. The quiet and peaceful and view are beyond words.
Thanks again!
Happy New Year!
Oh I’m SO happy to have introduced you to one of our fav spots. Enjoy your time there!!
Nina
I have enjoyed reading your blog last year. I hope you have Sunny days ahead. Happy New Year!
Cheers very much! To you too! Nina
Thanks for your “year in review” and for the insights and friendship you’ve all shared with us. We wish you an even better 4th year, troubles in the rear view mirror and only blue skies through the windshield. Happy New Year…..
To you too Sue…it’s been wonderful to meet you.
Nina
Happy New Year Nina, Paul and all on board! May 2013 bring you both wonderful adventures and tremendous happiness! Safe travels! I love the sunset photo with Paul – gorgeous!
Lovely sentiments…thanks so much!
Nina
Happy New Year to you all.
It seems surprising that it’s been three years. This is how long we’ve been in Vienna, although that will come to a close soon. I’ve enjoyed seeing the sights through your eyes (well…. lens)
Happy Trails.
Thinking of you from Lake Cahuilla. Kathie & Bob
Thinking of you guys too. Enjoy you time there and also back in Borrego.
Nina
Congrats on three wonderful years and HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 🙂
Happy New Year to you too!
Nina
Looking forward to dropping in on your blog in 2013. Fun, informative, great pics, and you and Paul live a life that is a good example for others… Plan for the future, but live for today…
Keep it up, good health, and have fun…
Greg (Smitty) & Debbie
It was very nice following you, Nina. Three years, wow. Three years of endless nature wandering. That’s envy inducing. I think the one I remember most is the story of Paul’s injury ending up to volunteering. That was so cool to know. Ow, Thanks again for directing me to Ocean Beach.