Just like the pioneers with their Prairie Schooner covered wagons and oxen, modern man hasn't lost his urge to wander, and look for a better life! This is the reason for my title. Although unlike the pioneers who had great hardships on their journeys, modern man has found a better and easier way to go than wagons and oxen. The RV or recreational vehicle! All the conveniences of home go with you, no roughing it like the pioneers for modern man! So this begins the story of our journey.
FIRST A BIT ABOUT US....
Mike and I have been married for 35 years and Mike retired from 20 years in the Air Force, and then retired from 20 years working as a contractor on Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
Sassy is my nickname because sometimes I am! LOL! Kris is my name, and I retired in 2000 after running a home day care for 17 1/2 years. I have done many jobs but doing child day care was my favorite.
We raised 3 sons during that time and 2 of them are married and have children, and the youngest is getting married at the end of 2008. He is buying our house! We have three granddaughter's ages 8, 6, and 4.
WEEKEND RV'ERS:
We have been weekend rv'ers for 25 years! We camped at various state parks in Ohio over the years. Then we had a spot in a private campground on beautiful Indian Lake, near Lima, Ohio for 20 years.
We started out in an 18' Shasta trailer which tended to get even smaller when it rained, with 3 small boys! Next we got a bunkhouse trailer with 3 bunks in the back that lasted until the boys became teenagers, and no longer wanted to be seen with parents anymore!
So we sold the bunkhouse and bought a used 5th wheel, and so began our love affair with the 5er! In 2005, we gave up our campsite and sold the 5er, but kept our 22' pontoon boat. We wanted to see if we missed boating, because we had decided we wanted to go full time in 3 years and didn't want a motorhome so we could tow the boat. Funny how you can go boating for years, then give it up and, you don't even miss it!
RESEARCH:
For the last 3 years we have gone to just about every RV show we could find in the state of Ohio! We have also searched the Web and, that's where we found out about the RV Dreams website!
We knew we wanted a 5er and a truck for our full time travel. I need to backtrack a little in order to go forward with our story, so please be patient with me, I haven't quite got the feel for this blog thing yet!
SERIOUS BLOW:
In July of 2007 we are dealt a serious blow to our plans! Mike has been diagnosed with prostate cancer! We find out it is in the early stages and is slow growing. He will have his prostate taken out in September 2007! All through this, we didn't know what was going to happen to our dream of going full time! Two weeks before Mike's surgery we find THE TRUCK!
THE TRUCK:
We decide to think positive and to go ahead and buy it! We got a 2001, Dodge 3500 dually with a V10 in it, and only 40,000 miles on it! Finding this truck renews our dream and we feel like it was meant to be! We decide we're not going to let the cancer interfere with our dream! Our motto became: "Hold On Tight To Your Dreams!" Mike had his surgery and by December 2007, he is fully recovered! We find out in December that they got all the cancer too! We put our pontoon boat up for sale and it sells the first week of January 2008! We now have a good down payment for our 5er! We decide to go to one more RV show and see if there is anything we like better. Now, on we go now to find a 5er!
CHANGE OF MIND:
In January of the new year we go to the Dayton, Ohio RV Show. We finally see one we like as well as the Titanium, that we had decided we were going to try for. It is also just a little more than the used Titanium we were going to buy. The Titanium was still our first choice, but we can't afford a new one, over $70,000. We can afford a brand new 2008 model of the one we like at the RV show.
WE BUY OUR 5ER:
So on January 18th, 2008, we signed the papers on our new Cedar Creek Sliverback 5th wheel!
We chose the model 30LSA with a rear entertainment center! Reason being that most of the time we went to RV parks we always had another trailer behind us so we had no view anyway! Our 5er is 34'7" and has 3 slides, and is just right for the two of us! We now have our version of the oxen (our truck) and our schooner covered wagon (our Silverback 5th Wheel.) This modern day pioneer couple are ready for the trail!!!!! Wagons Ho!! We are now ready to realize our dream! WOO HOO!!
Please stay tuned for the next part:
Packing, what to take, and what to leave behind!
About US
- Sassy
- This the story of our journey, Into Something Good, going Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and trying to Hold Onto Our Dreams. How we got on the way to becoming HALF time RVers! Our Ford 350 super duty diesel truck is our horses, we call it the Beast . Our 2008 34'7" 3 slide Cedar Creek Silverback fifth wheel is our Prairie Schooner Wagon,we call it the Bear. Just like the first RVers, the Pioneers of Yesteryear traveling around the country searching for a rich full filling life! Come along with us for the ride and read about our triumphs and mishaps along the way! About to be Part time RVers in a Cedar Creek Silverback 2008, 34'7", 3 slide 5th wheel, which is our Prairie Schooner Wagon, and a 2006 Ford 350 super duty 1 ton diesel truck is our horses, or oxen, only we have to feed it diesel instead of grass, and oats, which costs a lot more! Retired Air Force empty nesters off to see the good ole USA! Favorite Quote: "Life is a Blank Canvas, Made For Me to Add the Colors" Goal: I am trying to add as many colors as I can to my life!
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