Where Will We Go?

        We're really anxious to be on the road again.  When we are here at the stick house, we really enjoy spending quality time with our son and his wife and our two grandchildren.  And we visit with friends.  Plus, it is good to do our workout at the gym, rather than always using free weights in the RV.  But beyond that, it is all work.  This year we have spent lots of time trying to pare down what we own.  And there is always work to do on the house, which accumulates over the months we are gone.  Then we spend a lot of time on annual doctor's appointments, lab tests, and dentist visits.

 

So we are ready to be on the road and have more fun.  But we have a big problem.  We don't know where we are going!  For three or four months, we had planned to head back to Alaska this summer.  Then the stock market and the economy tanked.  It really doesn't look like a good time to be taking funds out of our investments to pay for the diesel fuel to drive there or the Alaska Marine Ferry to return to the States. 

 

        So we decided to find one or two places to volunteer this summer, allowing us to travel without spending much money.  Last summer we were out eight months.  We spent three and one-half months volunteering.  In addition, we spent lots of time in Corps of Engineer and National Forest campgrounds, as well as Colorado State Parks.  In all of these places we use our senior passes and don't have to spend much.  So, by the end of the time out, we averaged only $9 a night for RV sites.  That is really the way to go.

 

Since we only started in January to look for places to volunteer, we haven't had time to nail anything down.  We have applied for spots in a Washington US fish hatchery and in two Oregon state fish hatcheries.  Now we are looking at Oregon state parks. 

 

        We plan to go on the road about the first of April.  However, until we know if we have a volunteer spot starting in May or in June (or none at all), we can't plan our itinerary.  We would like to go down to Arizona, west to California, then up the coast.  If we have to be in Oregon by May first, that will have to change. 

 

        I guess this is a work in progress.  I'd like to have everything firmed up.  Since we've only been working on this for two or three weeks, I guess it is too soon for that.

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