Summer 2016 Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR)

Audio Version available - see player below

Just left my lofty perch at about 7,500' in the Coconino National Forest outside Flagstaff, Arizona where I was attending the Summer 2016 Rubber Tramp Rendezvous or the RTR as it's known by the vandwelling world. The event is typically held in January outside Quartzsite, Arizona, but there have been two (that I know of) including this current one, held in the warmer months at a high elevation where the temperatures in Arizona are MUCH more moderate. It was probably in the mid to high 70's yesterday at the RTR and it was about 120 degrees in Phoenix, Arizona, perhaps 125 miles south of Flagstaff.

The event was created by a full-time, nomadic, vandwelling fellow by the name of Bob Wells. Bob, has a very interesting background and caught my attention early on. His Web site, www.cheaprvliving.com, provided a wealth of knowledge and information that I (and likely thousands of others) found very useful. When I began my newly chosen lifestyle of living free without a permanent residence and my “tin tent” on wheels aka, “My McVansion,” much of what I learned from Bob's site helped me implement my adventure.

Photos-of-the-Week #254 Wake Up! Wake Up! It's Another Glorious Day In Paradise, Ocean Pond, Osceola National Forest, Florida, February 2014 (With Sound)

This week I'm sharing three photos with you. They were all taken at the start of the day as the sun was rising over Ocean Pond in Osceola National Forest in northern Florida.

Mornings, even in February were fantastic at Ocean Pond. The temperatures were brisk, but nothing could dull the beauty of nature. . . READ, SEE & HEAR MORE

Monday Musing - The Paradox of Climate Change and Other Stuff

Okay, friends – so, I'm freezing my backside off here in rural West Virginia. I'm sure most of you are experiencing unusually cold weather where you are, too.

Wait! It's winter – it's supposed to be colder. The days are shorter. The nights are longer and the sun is baking the other hemisphere if you're north of the equator. I learned all this in basic science classes in my early school years. You should have, too, if you were paying attention.

I keep reading posts on Facebook and in blogs about how cold it is and everyone is ready for spring and summer. But, winter just got here. I grew up in northern New Jersey during the late 40's through the mid 60's and then spent two years in flipping crazy cold, snow hell, Syracuse, New York when I attended graduate school. Believe me, I have a basic understanding of winter, extreme cold and some really crappy weather.

An aside, I was also accepted to the University of Florida in Gainesville. I'm still wondering why I really chose Syracuse and babes bundled in parkas when I could have hung out with all the bikini babes. Oh well, life is all about choices, good ones and bad ones. Back to the main stream of thought.

So, here's the paradox. What the hell is all the political claptrap controversy about global warming aka climate change? We are spending billions and billions of dollars to study something that science taught me back in junior and senior high school. Scientists agree the Earth's climate is changing. No shit, Sherlock! It's been doing that since the flipping “Big Bang.” The only difference between all the times it's happened over a few billion years is that humans have become “smart enough' (?) during their short existence on the planet (a really important question to ponder at another time) that we think we are the reason the planet is warming. (Another aside, if it's warming, why am I freezing my butt off?)

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…It's about learning how to dance in the rain" - Vivian Greene

How much of life do we miss out on because we just don't want to get wet? It's like an automatic reflex. The sky becomes overcast and we immediately start thinking about reacting to some rain.

Why is that? We go home and take off our clothes and climb into a shower or slide into a bath. Aren't we getting soaked to the skin, literally? Is it because we are wearing clothes that may be ruined if they get wet? My solution for that is simple, on days when there will likely be precipitation, don't wear anything that might be "ruined" by some of nature's liquid sunshine. That's right, I called it liquid sunshine and, of course, that's not original.

This Is The Year That Was - 2014

There is one more day left in 2014. The old cliché oft used is, "It's later than it's ever been." The day after tomorrow we'll begin a brand new year, 2015. Life for most people will simply be a continuation of 2014 and previous years. However, some people will approach the new year with, "Today is the first day of the rest of my life." I need to use every minute, every hour and every day to it's fullest because it is priceless.

How are you looking at the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015? Was 2014 a great year, a good year, an okay year, a crummy year or a really bad year for you? Why did your evaluation of the year that was garner the descriptor you chose? What do you plan to do to make 2015 a better year and, perhaps, the best year of your life?

The Negative Forces

Allow me to make a broad statement. For all the beauty, promise and opportunity the world provides, the world is a very negative place. We have choices to make everyday about whether our lives and circumstances will be part of the negative or, depending on our attitude, whether we'll be a bright light shining out through all the negative.

Individually, there is little we can do about changing or alleviating the negative forces in our world. Some of the negative is simply natural forces we can't do much about. Other negative is human inspired and created. There's not much we can do about most of the natural events. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, massive weather event, etc. are going to happen regardless of what we do or think we can do. Now, you might expect that I'd say that we can do something about human caused events, however, I don't believe we can really have much impact in these matters either.

Some of the negative events of last year included several airliner disasters. One disaster involves the disappearance of an airliner full of people. Nothing has been found of the plane or the people, so we don't have a clue what caused it. A second airliner was shot down by, supposedly, rogue rebels in the Ukraine or the Russians supporting them. The third just happened and while the airliner has been found in a shallow watery grave, there are no survivors and the speculation (to be investigated and proven) is that weather was the culprit in this event.

Then there are negative events that are specifically caused by humans. The beheading of several American citizens as well as others from different countries by radical Islamists is a prominent negative and downright evil act. The rape, mutilation, torture and massacres of thousands of men, women and children because of their religious beliefs, desire for a better life and quest for the freedom to live their lives as they chose. Then there was the rioting, looting and burning of their own hometown by people protesting the shooting death of a young black man who made the wrong choice of challenging the voice of law and reason. This was followed by the senseless execution of two policemen innocently eating lunch in their patrol car. This list goes on and on.

Passing Judgment . . . or Not

It's not my position to pass judgment on any of these events or the perpetrators whether Mother Nature or humans. My point is simply that these event have occurred and will continue to occur in the future. I'd like to inform you that 2015 will not bear witness to any of these kinds of events, but I can't. Negative, and if you prefer to call it "evil," exists. These are the challenges humans have faced and dealt with since the first man and woman began this entire human species thing.

I have friends that span the entire political spectrum. The same is true of the religious spectrum. The way I see it, they are all right and they are all wrong. There are the gun rights advocates and the anti-gun advocates. The Pro-Life and Pro-Choice people continue to lock horns. There are the haves and have nots going head to head. There are also the urban dwellers (because of their numbers and dense population centers) pontificating over the rural population. And, of course, let's not forget the divisions between the various races and nationalities, the men and the women and those who have chosen to live alternative sexual preference lifestyles. Everyone believes he or she is right and everyone who doesn't believe the way he or she does is wrong.

This has been going on since the beginning of human time on this planet. What bothers me is what would happen if we all simply minded our own business. Just suppose we didn't pass judgment on anyone else but ourselves. What would happen if we put all the time, energy and resources we expend on all this folly of negativity into living each moment like it was the only moment we had left on Earth? For one thing, we probably wouldn't need to continue creating the ever more horrendous weapons of mass destruction (from automatic weapons to "death rays") we've created since the beginning of time.

The Pipe Dream

Unfortunately, the very idea that humans would or could ever focus on positive, beauty and love rather than negative, evil and hatred is a pipe dream. We are animals and our lizard minds still function as they always have. Sure, we've become somewhat civilized, created societies and have tempered some parts of our animal instincts. But, I fear that for all the talk of love, reason, rationality and compassion, the emotions of jealousy, envy, greed, evil, hate and power over others are still stronger. It seems that it doesn't take much to trigger these negative emotions. The people we say we love, often become the targets of our anger, jealousy, envy and even greed.

All of these traits are manifest in a variety of ways. It might be the overt actions of a serial thief, rapist, murderer or con artist. It might be the corporate ladder climber who doesn't care who he or she steps on and pushes behind them, even their best friends or relatives, to gain the rewards, the corner office and the ultimate power. It is just as evident in social endeavors including sports, social clubs and groups and family units. It, unfortunately, is human nature. It is who we are.

The pipe dream is that any of us believe we can overcome this negative aspect of our human nature. And, of course, most of us are not as bad as the few who make themselves so prominent throughout society. I often ask myself why does someone want to be the president of the United States or the leader of any other country in the world. It certainly can't be for the money since there are many ways to earn considerably more than that job pays. But, it has to be pretty heady stuff to think that, as in the case of the president of the U.S., you are the most powerful person in the world. WOW! With the stroke of a pen you can decide and change the fate and lives of hundreds of millions and possibly billions of people around the world. I hope anyone reading this article doesn't think any of these people actually are doing it because they have our best interests in mind and heart. That's just the cover story to get our votes.

2015 - The Beginning

So, the day after tomorrow, is the beginning all over again. Of course, everyday when you awaken is the beginning all over again. We don't need to make New Years Resolutions to lose weight, improve our education, achieve new heights of performance at our occupation, spend more time with our families, be a better person or anything else. The new year, 2015, is going to be exactly the same as 2014, 2013, 1999, 1960 or any other year. Only we make it different.

We can make the difference by changing out attitudes. We can strive to control and put our own issues with greed, hatred, jealously, negativity and so on behind us. It's never easy because we are all human. Do little things. Last year I decided as I travel the U.S. that I'm going to do my best to make at least 12 people smile everyday. There are some days I don't come in contact with 12 people, so I try to make it up on another day. I listen to too much news - NEGATIVITY! I'm going to curb my self-flagellation and attempt to focus more on the beauty of the people and world around me. I still have a tendency to allow my temper to slip while I'm by myself in the van and something doesn't work the way I want it to or something breaks, runs out of battery power, becomes disconnected, I make a wrong turn because Google Maps became mixed up and . . . well, I'll let a stream of "blue" expletives fly. They are often caught on the audio track of my dash cam and I'm embarrassed that one day someone might hear that. I can fix that problem IF I choose to.

So, how about you? Is 2015 going to just be another year like the rest or will you change it? How many people can you make smile everyday? How much love and compassion can you share with others. How many people can you be a positive force for in their lives when they are going through some serious trials and dealing with negative times.

I wish you a Happy, Healthy, Abundant and Positive 2015. 

Without Bound - Perspectives on Mobile Living - A Video Documentary

So, what is this "living free" lifestyle all about? If you're living free, on your own terms, out of the mainstream, typical, might I even say "average," American lifestyle, then I'm sure you've had people ask you why you choose to live this way. Perhaps they even tell you they envy you, but . . . they could never do it.

I get that regularly. Now, I do my best to not be judgmental. Part of living free is to accept that everyone has the same choices as you and I have. It's not my job to "convert" anyone to my belief system or lifestyle. I don't mind explaining my ideas and thoughts and I'm always happy to assist anyone believing they want to give it a go and take on living free as a way of life.

There are a lot of us around the country (and around the world) who have chosen some form of living free lifestyle. Not all of us are mobile dwellers in RV's, travel trailers, vans, cargo trucks, utility trailers, converted school buses, SUV's, cars and tents. Some prefer to be more stationary and have created all kinds of unique and interesting housing units, many of which, definitely, can not be considered sticks and bricks.

The bottom line is living free is an individual's expression of his or her personal freedom and liberty to live and subsist in whatever manner he or she chooses as long as it doesn't infringe on anyone else's personal freedoms and liberties. There are as many stories as there are people living this kind of lifestyle.

A New Video Documentary

Michael Tubbs, a professional filmmaker and graphic designer, became intrigued by the lifestyle of a number of mobile living free proponents.  He, with a colleague, decided to interview and film a number of those people who have been doing this mobile, living free lifestyle for a number of years.

Each individual has his or her own take on why he or she chose to live free in some form of mobile living accommodation. If you've been part of this lifestyle or you're even a wannabe who lurks in the background of many of the RVing, Vandwelling and similar Yahoo Forum sites, then most of the people in the documentary will be familiar to you. You also likely follow many of their blogs.

Perhaps you are only an occasional visitor to my blog. You might have a healthy or, possibly, an almost voyeuristic curiosity about people like me and those in this documentary.  Maybe you're sitting on the fence, wanting to jump over on our side, but need a bit more of a nudge to make the decision and take the action. Then viewing this 50 minute, professionally and nicely produced, documentary will be well worth the time you invest.

You'll hear one of the main stigma's of this kind of lifestyle dispelled. That stigma is the difference between a homeless person and someone who freely chooses this lifestyle. There is a significant difference.

So, click on this link http://youtu.be/Lg37Cbx-kak  and enjoy learning about "Without Bound - Perspectives on Mobile Living."

My kudos go to Michael Tubbs, the producer and his colleague, Aaron Harlan for creating a well done representation of a unique lifestyle. As a 50 year media producer myself, I appreciate the care and professionalism displayed in the camera work, sound, storyboarding, sensitivity and editing for this production. I hope to have an opportunity to meet up with Michael Tubbs one day and express my appreciation in person.

Let me know what you think after you've viewed the documentary.

Additionally, I urge you to share this documentary with as many people as you'd like to. I would especially share it with those detractors who may be holding you back from making an important choice. That choice is to express your personal freedom through a non-conforming, alternative, living free, lifestyle.

Photo-of-the-Week #176 Chequaga Falls, Montour Fall, New York, July 2014

Here is, yet, another natural discovery I made. No, I don't mean I actually found something that no one else had discovered before. In fact the beautiful display of nature is actually in the middle of a residential neighborhood in the little town (population around 1,800) of Montour Falls, New York. There is, apparently, no Montour Falls, just Chequaga Falls (also misspelled Shequaga). . . READ MORE

Photo-of-the-Week #167 - On The Brink, Niagara Falls, New York, July 2014

Here is one of the great "levelers" of the world. I took this photo right at the edge of where the American Falls of the Niagara Falls formation goes over the edge for more than a 150-foot drop to the lower Niagara River. The water flows from Lake Erie with an elevation of about 570' above sea level through the upper Niagara River over the three waterfalls that make up Niagara Falls - the American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls and the Canadian (Horseshoe) Falls. The water from Lake Erie continues down the lower Niagara River into Lake Ontario with an elevation of about 245 feet above sea level. . . READ MORE

Photo-of-the-Week #154 - Silver Glen Springs, Ocala National Forest, Florida, February 2014

My recent trek to Florida provided opportunities for me to visit familiar place I've been to one or more times during my lifetime and to find and explore new places and sites I'd never experienced before. This photo of Silver Glen Springs in the Ocala National Forest in north central Florida is actually a crossover. I had been to Ocala National Forest 49 years ago and visited two of the four major fresh water springs, but I had not been to Silver Glen Springs at that time. So, while retracing some of my past experiences, I was able to add a new experience to the list.

As I said, there are four major springs with recreational facilities located in Ocala National Forest. They are Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs, Salt Springs and Silver Glen Springs. During my college days, I met a gal who was a native of Daytona Beach and she became my "Beach Babe" for three summers I went to Florida. The second summer, 49 years ago, I took a couple buddies and she rounded up a couple of her girl friends and we enjoyed two weeks of fun in the sun on the shores of Daytona Beach. She also took us to Alexander Springs and Juniper Springs. I have fond memories from that time and even some photographs stored away in my personal "time capsule." In those earlier days the springs were all still pretty natural and free and open to the public. Since that time, perhaps, fortunately, or maybe not, the springs have been taken over by concessionaires who have, to a fair degree, commercialized them.

My visits to Alexander Springs and Juniper Springs, the sites of my youthful romp, were, while still quite beautiful, disappointing. They didn't seem to resemble what my 49-year-old memories recalled. My first time visit to Salt Springs was also disappointing and it was probably the most commercialized. Please don't get me wrong. All three of these sites were quite beautiful and I highly recommend everyone to visit them if you're in that area. But, the natural, untouched beauty I recall had been changed. Okay, I know! Everything changes constantly. I'm sure there are even parts of the Grand Canyon that are different today than they were to someone who had visited them 50 years ago.

However, my visit to Silver Glen Springs was refreshing. Of the four springs, Silver Glen was in the most natural state. It brought back the familiar memories I had from my early visits to Alexander and Juniper. I spoke with a member of the concession staff about why Silver Glen hadn't been "improved" and he told me that the concessionaire had started to improve the site for recreational use, but early into the planned changes human remains were discovered on the grounds. This immediately put a stop, apparently permanently, to further improvements. It appears that the Silver Glen area is part of a sacred burial ground for an American Indian tribe. So, thankfully, our government has enough respect for those people who inhabited this country before the Europeans arrived to leave sites like this undisturbed.

You can see from the photo that the water is crystal clear, the bottom is white sand and the temperature of the water is a constant 72 degrees. Even though Ocala National Forest is in the northern section of Florida, it is still quite tropical as far as the foliage. Bears, boars, foxes, alligators, deer, a wide variety of birds, snakes and lizards are among the indigenous species of wild life that populate this area. And, of course, they are protected. While I didn't cross paths with any alligators, snakes, bears or boars, all of which can be dangerous to humans, I did see a number of lizards and many species of birds. You can see by the sign that scuba diving is prohibited, however, snorkeling is not. The actual springs where the water reaches the surface from the underwater aquifers are usually quite large and can easily be seen, although none in this photo.

I was here in February and there were very few people at any of the springs in the winter. They are quite popular in the summer, however, and you'd have to contend with a lot of people. I did see people swimming in the springs and the water temperature didn't feel much different than the air temperature. But, during the summer when the temperature might be 95 degrees, diving into that 72-degree water is like jumping into a tub of ice water. I tell you that from personal experience. If you're in Florida and in the area of Ocala National Forest, I highly recommend setting some time aside to enjoy these natural wonders, especially Silver Glen Springs. 

Off The Road For Two Weeks AND . . .

Today is two weeks since I'm back from my latest trek. I had a lot to catch up on when I came off the road and there is a long (longer than I thought) list of things I want to do to the van in preparation for the next long trek. But, it has been too cold to work on the van (warm weather is in the future, actually, beginning today - hooray - except it's raining).

So, between doing the inevitable catching up on some things that were tied up in my mail that I decided to have held in South Dakota until I knew I'd be somewhere long enough for the mail to reach me, sorting through all the stuff in the van to eliminate stuff carried along but not needed (that seems to happen after every trip), working on some client project work and other things on my "to do" list, I have been recapping all the terrific folks I met and visited with along the way. Some are old friends (I mean that in terms of the length of time we've known each other - although some of us are beginning to approach the time when we'll be considered "golden agers"). Others are folks I've known through a variety of Internet connections and/or readers of this blog. Finally, some are people who crossed my path during the trek for one of any number of reasons.

The people I meet and interact with are as important a part of my adventures as the roads I travel and the places I get to see and explore. I made a list of people I had some form of interaction with on this trek and it's quite a list. I hope not, but I may have missed a few people as I made up this list. The list also doesn't include the numerous servers, other business people and camp hosts, among others, I met as I patronized their restaurants and businesses or connected in other ways. So this list could easily be double the number of people noted on this list.

Here's the list:

Dudley Carpenter - Sparta, NC*

Muffet Gray Carpenter - Sparta, NC*

(I saw numerous others I knew while with Dudley and Muffet and met several new folks)

Ed Purdy - Mebane, NC*

Jane Purdy - Mebane, NC*

Gaston Matthews (aspiring musician) - Raleigh, NC**

Jimmy Crawford - (aspiring nomad - in a year or so) Raleigh, NC**

Richard Rosen - Sebastian, FL*

Art Gliner - Vero Beach, FL*

George Morrisey - Merritt Island, FL*

Carol Morrisey - Merritt Island, FL*

Richard Parker (full-time RVer at Florida RV Show) - Tampa, FL*

Joan Parker (full-time Rver at Florida RV Show) - Tampa, FL*

Marshall Ellgas (full-time vandweller) - Hudson, FL**

Allison Ellgas (full-time vandweller) - Hudson, FL**

Gary Pinnell - Sebring, FL*

Linda (owner of Linda's Books), Sebring, FL***

Tommy Head - (former boat & vandweller and current RVer) Port Charlotte, FL**

Barbara Glanz - Sarasota, FL*

Mike (boat dweller and aspiring vandweller)- St. Petersburg, FL**

Barbara Hanson (aspiring vandweller) - Clearwater, FL**

Michael Aun - had dinner at Celebration, FL (from St. Cloud, FL)*

Christine Aun - had dinner at Celebration, FL (from St. Cloud, FL)*

Lois Miller (RVer) - Hudson, FL**

John Miller (RVer) - Hudson, FL**

Dick Strader (Full-time RVer from WV) - Crystal River, FL*

Joe Uvick (full-time RVer from Flint, MI) - Ocala, FL***

Lisa (RV traveler) Ocala, FL**

Rachel (RV traveler) Ocala, FL**

Lyn Castro (RV traveler from NC) Ocala & Osceola National Forest, FL**

Bobby Stephenson (RVer from southwest VA) - Osceola National Forest, FL***

Judy Calhoun - (van camper from upstate NY) Osceola National Forest, FL***

Tom Calhoun - (van camper from upstate NY) Osceola National Forest, FL***

Jerry (van camper from Pittsburgh area) - Osceola National Forest, FL***

Kathy (van camper from Pittsburgh area) - Osceola National Forest, FL***

Kathy (vandweller from Cornwall, NY) - Osceola National Forest, FL**

Lou Heckler - Gainesvile, FL*

Jonellen Heckler - Gainesville, FL*

Ray Perez - Gainesville, FL*

Gypsy Jane Cassidy (full-time RVer/vandweller from VA) - Hazlehurst, GA**

Ellen (full-time nomadic vandweller) - Hazlehurst, GA***

Leonard Steward - (soon to be full-time, home-made RVer) - Jasper, GA**

David Hair (part-time vandweller from Dalton, GA) - Blue Ridge, GA/Tumbling Creek Campground, TN**

Cuzzin Dick Tracy (full-time vandweller from Dalton, GA) - Tumbling Creek Campground, TN**

* Long time friends from graduate school, social and business

** Friends I met for the first time (with an exception or two)  who have been blog readers and/or participate in various on-line forums I am a member of

*** Chance meetings during various stops or camp stays along the route of the trek

I want to thank each of these individuals for their individual (and, in some cases, joint) contributions to a most enjoyable first trek and adventure of 2014. You'll note that in some cases I didn't list last names and this was simply because I didn't have a last name to list. And with the exception of only one person on this list, I look forward to my next encounter with each of them.

Relationships

Relationships are really what make life the great joy it is (or should be). Sure! I have a definitive need for personal times of solitude, as do most people. Those are my "me" times when I can focus on my inner thoughts, absorbing something I've just experienced and learned and just enjoy the peace of being in my own company. After all, who is the most important individual to each of us? Ourselves, of course. If you don't like who you are and love yourself and take care of your personal needs, the chances are you're not going to relate to others very well.

We live in a very superficial world. We hear all too many people, whether celebrities, politicians, motivational/inspirational speakers, etc., tell everyone they "love" them. Heck! They don't even know most of the people they supposedly love. They could be loving spousal and child abusers, thieves, con artists, greedy, self-aggrandizing sociopaths and the list goes on from there. The term is used too loosely and generally. What is more realistic is to say you appreciate whoever the group of people are - fans, audience, employees, seminar participants, etc. for their time and attention. But that doesn't evoke the same emotional reaction and attachment as using that emotionally charged four letter word.

Now I thrive on the experiences of meeting and interacting with all the people I encounter, including those I enumerated above. And, since I do have some very personal, long time relationships with many of them, I can say that I love them with a brotherly, close friend kind of love. That means I have a personal interest in their well being, health, activities and families. And, I can truly say I loved meeting the variety of people I met and truly appreciate each of them for the individual each is and I would enjoy getting to know each of them better over time. But, I'd be much more accurate and honest if I said I really liked them. I remember a woman I had a strong interest in and an attachment to, once upon a time, saying to me, that she wasn't "in-love" with me, but she was "in-like" with me. My first impression was to be let down. But, after I let it sink in a little, she was being honest with me and while that relationship wasn't destined to be a "love-affair," it flourished as a very good and important friendship. Personally, I don't think anyone can ever have too many friends.

So, exploring and seeing all the beauty and amazing wonders of this world is fantastic, whether created by God or Nature or just a chain reaction series of events. Visiting the many man-made wonders and artistic, scientific and other creations of the human mind is also tremendous. But, learning about and exploring what makes all the individuals I meet along the way unique is the icing on the cake. And, while the cake may be great, the icing makes it so much better.

Enjoying the kind of "living free" lifestyle I have evolved to provides me with, what I feel are, exceptional opportunities to cross paths and interact with a far more broad base of diverse individuals than I ever did when I was living a more traditional, stable, fixed residential lifestyle. Eliminating, in my case, the "front" or "facade" of a home and business style that gave the impression of stability and some degree of business success has opened new windows of opportunity to meet and relate to people from all facets of our society. I can relate just as easily with someone who has an elementary school education as I can with someone who has advanced degrees. I can relate to those who have worked for someone else all their lives as well as other entrepreneurial people like myself.

I have not lowered my standard of living. I've simply reevaluated my values and interact with each person I meet as they are most comfortable. I place no one, regardless of their education, experience, talents, skills or station in life, above or below myself or anyone else. This has been a lifelong learning process for me. And the best part, is that I am still learning and I learn something of value from everyone I encounter. That is why being a living free, location independent, nomadic traveler is such an exciting adventure.

I hope, no matter what lifestyle you are currently living and what your aspirations are, you are enjoying the adventure of meeting and learning from everyone you encounter along your life's journey.   

Photo-of-the-Week #150 - Home Number 3, My Favorite, Bloomingdale, New Jersey, September 2013

This is a photo of my favorite home of the six homes my parents owned, before my father died prematurely in 1967 and I permanently left New Jersey in August of that year. We moved into this home around the end of December of 1956 and left it about six or seven months later in July or August of 1957. It was, without question, the shortest we had lived in any home during my youth.

You can see that this home was nothing like the previous homes (or those three that would succeed this home). The others were all on small, standard city lots, devoid of trees. This house was custom built in a community called Hillcrest Heights in Bloomingdale, New Jersey. Bloomingdale was a small town in a rural area of Passaic County about 16 miles from Clifton, also in Passaic County. While Clifton had about 15 elementary schools, Bloomingdale only had one. The house was built on a half-acre lot and all of the woods you see in the photo existed when I lived there. As a matter of fact, the house looks exactly the way it did when I lived there.

The house had three bedrooms, but still, only one bathroom, as I recall. There was a fireplace in the living room and a second one in the basement. This was literally on a mountaintop with an extremely steep hill to reach the top where we lived. The builders had to blast into the rock to excavate for the basements of virtually all the houses in the sub-division. The rock was so pervasive where our house was built that they left a large rock formation in the basement, under the living room, and built a three-step, terraced platform over it. Had my father built a family room in the basement (he never had the opportunity) he would have incorporated the terraced platform in the design of the room.

I said this was my favorite home and it was, because this is where I discovered the stork had made a miscalculation and dropped me with a family in the city instead of a family in the country. I knew that this was the kind of lifestyle I wanted to live in the future. Unfortunately, my mother felt that being 16 miles from Clifton was simply too far and felt she was stranded in the boondocks. So, she put the pressure on my father and he put the house on the market and we moved back to Clifton the following summer. But, there were small cliffs up here for me to scale up and down. There was lots of nature all around and, while a half acre isn't a massive amount of land, it seemed like a small kingdom to a 6th grade kid compared to the standard lot size in cities.

This community has grown up, been further developed and, while still basically rural, has lost a tiny bit of its original charm and appeal to me that it held some 57 years ago. Of course, I could be jaded by the wonderful rural places I've had the opportunity to live during my adult lifetime.  

Enlightened Perspectives - Something A Little Different

A friend of mine forwarded the following perspectives to me the other day. Like you, I'm sure; I get a lot of these forwarded emails claiming some person of some significant celebrity had authored the great words of wisdom. It might be George Carlin or Bill Cosby or Mother Teresa, you know what I mean. In this case, the late Andy Rooney, the former 60 Minutes news magazine commentator who closed the show for 30+ years with his pithy insights into life.

Well, I've long ago learned that most of the stuff that is attributed to these folks was never written or uttered by them. Actually, the words they are credited with are often not even in context to who they actually were. But, we read them and perhaps, feel a little better. I did my research and sure enough, just as I had suspected, Andy Rooney was not the author of these "enlightened perspectives." In fact, they've possibly been the accumulated perspectives of several individuals, all unnamed. I guess they could be attributed to that well-known author Anonymous.

However, despite the fact that our dear, departed friend, Andy, is not the author, I still found them to be - as the email subject titled them, "Enlightened Perspectives." As I approach the end of my 7th decade of experiential existence on this planet, I found that they agreed with my own perspectives, especially as I was enjoying the relaxation and ambiance of the Paradise I had been enjoying for well over a week. So, maybe you've seen these before, maybe not, but I present them to you, have added a few to the list and take credit for authoring them since they pretty well express my attitudes and perspectives about this blessing we call life. I hope there is something meaningful, reassuring or enlightening here for you.

Enlightened Perspectives

Take the time to read these. You'll come away with an enlightened perspective. The subjects covered affect us all on a daily basis:

They're written by Anonymous or Andy Rooney or Ed Helvey, I'm not sure it really matters.

I've learned.... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned.... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.

I've learned.... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned.... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned.... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned.... That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned.... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned.... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned.... That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned.... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned.... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned.... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with him or her.

I've learned... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned.... That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned.... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned.... That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.

I've learned.... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned.... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned.... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned.... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned.... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

I've learned.... That no matter what it is you plan, it will always take longer than you planned.

I've learned.... That no matter how much you budget for something, it will always cost more.

I've learned.... That once you buy something from the least expensive source, there will always be someone cheaper.

I've learned.... That life is short and goes by fast, follow your dreams and live them NOW.

I've learned.... That what you don't know can hurt you, so never stop being inquisitive and learning new things.

I've learned.... That you should pay someone else to do the things you don't enjoy doing or are not good at, both parties benefit.

Final Words

So, there you have them "My Enlightened Perspectives" and now they are yours to do with as you will. You can embrace them and share them, use my name or Andy Rooney's or your own name. A gift once given is yours to do with as you please. I hope these platitudes will raise your attitudes . . . for today and the rest of your life. Life is too short to miss all the beauty, joy, happiness and grace that is ours to enjoy and embrace. Have a fantastic day wherever you are and smile at everyone you encounter, it's infectious. 

Photo-of-the-Week #148 - Another Sunset from Paradise, Ocean Pond, Osceola National Forest, Florida, February 2014

Okay! You know I love to photograph sunrises and sunsets. I just happen to believe they are some of the most majestic representations of God's, Mother Nature's or however you want to describe an artist so awesome as to be able to create this. And, of course, it's not created just once, but over and over again since the beginning of time. And, no two of them are alike.

This was taken just after the sun went behind the tree line the night before last. Everyone at the Ocean Pond stopped whatever they were doing and watched this moving spectacle. There's not much really to say except, I'm very glad I was there and that I had my camera close at hand. 

Adventures in Paradise

Some readers of this blog may remember an old TV series that went by that title. It aired from 1959 until 1962 and was created by James Michener. It took place in the South Pacific. Well, my Adventure in Paradise, while not quite up to Adam Troy's, the protagonist of the series, adventures, mine was unexpected and fun. But, let me roll back to what led up to the adventure.

A week and a half or so ago I received an email from Lois Miller of the Lois and John Miller family from Hudson, Florida. Lois and John were familiar with yours truly through my ramblings in this blog and also my posts on various RV and Vandwelling Yahoo Forums. Coincidentally, Lois and John are charter members of an online Web service called BoondockersWelcome.com . . . as am I.

Boondockers, for those of you who may not be familiar with the term in reference to RVing or Vandwelling, is when said RVers or Vandwellers choose to find locations to park and spend one or more days/nights in other than commercial RV campgrounds, parks and resorts where they have access to full hook-ups of shore power (electricity), water, sewer and often cable TV and even wifi. In essence, having all the conveniences of home. Boondockers find places that range from free (or very low fee) national, state or county parks, desert lands, national forests, Bureau of Land Management land, Corps of Engineers land, Walmart, Camping World, Flying J and similar parking lots and driveways, side yards, back yards and the lower (or upper) 40 of private property where they have been invited to stay. They are usually self-contained (no hook-ups) though sometimes they are fortunate to have partial hook-ups and some form of bathroom facility.

The Invitation

So, back to John and Lois. This delightful couple invited me to spend a couple days parked on their four acres in a more rural section of Hudson with electric and water available. So, who could refuse? This was a chance to meet two more interesting people (especially people who read my blog - he says with a bit of ego unabashedly exposed) in a nice area of Florida, not far from the Gulf of Mexico and with electric and water available. Also, they are RVers and have their, beautiful 40' diesel pusher, motorhome parked on its pad next to their home. So, I replied to Lois, thanked her for her invitation and told her I would take her up on it. I arrived late this past Saturday afternoon, enjoyed some pleasant discussion on their patio and met John's sister, Cecelia, who was visiting. It had been rather cool and rainy, but right after I arrived the clouds parted, the sun shown brightly and the temperature began to slowly rise. We retired for the evening, them to their house and me to My McVansion for a restful night of sleep.

Sunday was a beautiful day, sunny and moderate 70's temperatures. I caught up on some email and just generally enjoyed a very nice day. I also posted my Photo of the Week and made a Walmart run to gather a few provisions. Lois invited me to use the washer and dryer and I did and emptied the dirty clothes hamper and got all the nice, clean clothes folded and stored away in their assigned clean clothes storage locations.

Monday morning arrived and Lois texted me wanting to know if I'd like to visit one of the local Florida Water Management District Wilderness areas where the State of Florida offered free camping to the public (with an easily obtained permit). I was familiar with the existence of said properties and locations because Marshall Ellgas (who I haven't written about, yet, but will in an upcoming post) had posted a nice guest blog post on Bob Well's "CheapRVLiving" blog about this very subject. Additionally, when I visited with Marshall and Allison (right here in Hudson, Florida on the other side of Rt. 19 and a few miles further south), he reminded me of these locations throughout the state and forwarded me detailed information by email, which I had been looking over.

Well, what better opportunity to inspect one of these locations than with my own personal Floridian tour guides.

The Adventure 

 So, we packed into John and Lois's, clean, white (that's significant) Ford Ranger 4x4 pick-up truck with me in one of the jump seats behind the passenger's seat and off we went. The drive to this preserve was only about ten or fifteen minutes on the outside. John had the code for the gate lock to gain access and in we went. First, we went to the equestrian camping area. The area was mainly set up for folks who brought their horses and camped, typically on weekends from what Lois said, a horse person herself. As you can see from the photos, it was nicely arranged with numerous camp sites, some shelters with picnic tables, charcoal grills, a fire ring a well and unique horse trough and a pit toilet facility (not pictured though it was modern and very nice).

When not inhabited by folks with their horses, it's a dandy place for vandwellers to have what they call "get togethers" to meet up, get to know one another and hang out. As I said, there are locations like this, many locations, throughout all areas of Florida. They are primarily wetland areas to provide guaranteed water resources for the cities of Florida. This particular location, the Starkey Wilderness Preserve, provides some of the water for the Tampa, Florida area. But, it also provides the public with picnicking, hiking, biking, horse trails, camping and fishing in a natural, wilderness setting.

So, after we left the campsite, we passed the primitive camping area for those who want to tent camp. It was also nice, but smaller and more compact than the equestrian camping location. But, now we were basically following trails (in the clean, white Ford Ranger pick-up truck) that were not actually designed for motor vehicles although the state employees charged with maintaining the preserve traversed these trails in 4x4 vehicles, I'm sure. So, what we faced were sand hazards (areas of loose, very fine sand), water hazards (areas of standing water with no indication of the actual depth) and mud hazards (typically water hazards that had dried up - a little bit). All of these hazards, while not looking particularly ominous, were threats to forward mobility.

We were in search of a small lake well into the interior of this 3,000-acre preserve. Lois and John and been there once before. So, we navigate around and through the various hazards and ultimately, with the aid of a preserve map and GPS, found our objective. It was, again, quiet, peaceful, beautiful and relaxing. I caught some photos of two adult Sandhill Cranes. We walked out on the fishing dock and checked out the lily pads, the minnows that were plentiful in the shallow water by the dock and the occasional larger fish who would surface to catch an unsuspecting morsel resting on the surface of the water. I also captured a photo of the remains of a chimney that had once belonged to a house near this lake when this land was part of a ranch and nursery a long time ago.

But, alas, we determined that it was time to return to civilization. So, back into the clean, white Ford Ranger 4x4 pick-up truck to face the challenges of those numerous hazards between civilization and us. John was at the wheel as he was driving in to the lake. He was a master at avoiding or navigating through the hazards. We knew we needed to reach a more solid packed road that ran along a series of high tension power line towers - the only indication of civilization in most of this preserve. The road served as the way for the power company workers to access the towers for maintenance. We spotted the towers over the top of the trees and knew we were heading in the right direction.

Danger ahead!

At last, dead ahead of us we saw our solid packed road. John gave it the gas as we went through one more small sand hazard. But, there, all of a sudden, loomed in front of us a large water hazard that was right up to the edge of the road and the closer we got to it the larger that water hazard got. There was no way to know how deep it was. John gave it the gun and Lois yelled "Stop, John, we'll never make it through that water!" John slammed on the brakes and we went sliding on mud to just a few feet from the water. Indeed, there was no way to know how deep the water might be, since we couldn't see the bottom through the water. It's likely it would have been well over the rocker panels of the clean, white, Ford Ranger 4x4 pick-up truck.

But, alas, when we opened the doors and stepped out, we realized that we had inadvertently been lured into a mud hazard and, yes . . . we were stuck. And then the fun began.

There was no real consideration of going forward because, even if we did know how deep the water actually was, there was no way to gain any momentum. So, our only course of action was to retreat to the rear. BUT, we were stuck in the mud and all the wheels on the clean, white, Ford Ranger 4x4 pick-up truck wanted to do was to spin and throw mud everywhere, especially all over the formerly clean, white, Ford Ranger, 4x4 pick-up truck. And, of course, we each collected some of that black mud on our shoes, clothes and hands.

We all started gathering branches, rocks, some broken pieces of concrete and cramming them under the tires to provide something for the truck to gain some traction on. Lois drove and John and I pushed. It was a slow process. We moved only inches at a time, but needed to go back about 15 or 20 feet to be assured of some solid ground. I knew we'd eventually get out of the situation, but I did become a little concerned when I saw a bunch of buzzards and vultures begin circling overhead. Hm, I thought, could this be my demise, to become a lunch for a bunch of vultures here in Paradise, only several thousand yards from civilization? Naw! I just made that up for dramatic effect.

It probably took the better part of an hour to slowly move the truck back until I came up with a stroke of genius - turn off the four wheel drive and just go to the normal two wheel drive, what do we have to lose? I have no idea if my two wheel drive idea had anything to do with it, but as Lois piloted the now filthy formerly, clean white, Ford Ranger 4x4 pick-up truck, John and I stood in the slippery mud and gave it the old heave-ho one more time. Viola! As if by some miracle, the truck pulled out of the mud and Lois took it back about 100 feet from our former trap. John and I looked at one another and smiled. Success! The vultures and buzzards dejectedly departed. We were free again and ready to find the next best route (hopefully the one we came in through) back to civilization. We did find that route and proceeded to return to civilization and a pleasant afternoon to recover from our Adventure in Paradise. We celebrated our adventure with a little beer and a nice, large meat lover's pizza at a local pizzeria later in the evening.

Thank you, Lois and John for being such gracious hosts and for taking me on the Miller Adventure Tour to Paradise right there in Hudson, Florida. You have added your wonderful mark to my trek through the (sometimes) Sunshine State.  

Photo-of-the-Week #144 - The Master of Camouflage, Vero Beach, Florida, January 2014

Here he is (well, I'm not sure if it's a he or a she - I don't know how to tell the difference) the "master of camouflage." It's a small lizard known as a Chameleon. You'll find these little guys all over Florida.

They're quite harmless and very fast. They're also quite small. I suggest they are like squirrels are up north, everywhere. The reason I call them the masters of camouflage is because these little guys can change their color through a broad spectrum, when you include all the degrees of intensity, to blend into their surroundings and become less invisible to their predators.

And speaking of predators, it appears our small friend had an encounter with one of several potential predators. Chameleon's usually have a long tail tapering down to a sharp point. You'll notice this little fellow has a short stubby tail. The Chameleon will break off its tail should a predator capture him by the tail. This is another defense mechanism in addition to his ability to change colors and blend into his environment. What you may or may not be aware of is that the little Chameleon will grow a new tail in just a few weeks. Handy, huh?

I caught this photo on a seawall in Vero Beach, Florida while sitting on a nearby park bench having a pleasant conversation with my friend, Richard Rosen. 

Photo-of-the-Week #139 - Head's Up! Avalanche Country, Yosemite National Park, California, June 2010

So, last week's Photo of the Week was east coast snow in the Shenandoah Valley and this week's photo is west coast snow at about 10,000 feet in Yosemite National Park. Last week's photo was from February and this week's photo is from June. But, snow is basically snow wherever your find it. Some is more powdery and light and some is wetter and heavier. Powdery snow blows and drifts more easily than wetter snow that tends to pack and stay in place.

This is the first time I've ever encountered a sign like the one pictured. Now, this is serious stuff. I have never seen or been in an avalanche first hand. I've only seen them through the magic of film or video documentation. Thus, it's hard for me to imagine what it would be like to stare a moving 12 to 15 foot wall of snow in the face. My first inclination would be, what the heck, it's only bunch of powdery, light snow. But, putting a more realistic spin to it, I would imagine it's much like a sand storm or even quicksand. Once you are engulfed in it you lose all control of your body and instantly become disoriented. I would imagine there are serious dangers with being pushed into huge, hidden boulders and trees and going over unseen ledges resulting in a serious fall. And, digging your way out of, 3, 6, 10 or more feet of snow, especially if you don't actually know which way is up, not to forget that there is no air under all that snow.

Thus, the reason I took a quick (make that VERY quick) photo of this sign. There were many more of them along this route and at many locations the snow walls on either side of the road exceeded the height of my vehicle by several feet. Actually, in many ways, it reminded me of the winter during the first year I lived in Syracuse, New York. By the beginning of January of 1968, the snow had accumulated to a point where the snow blowers used by the city and the university has blown the snow so high off the sidewalks they have created what one might call a snow maze. It was impossible to see over the snow walls so it was literally like walking through a maze to navigate the sidewalks to whatever building you were seeking. I don't recall avalanche warnings, but there certainly may have been some locations in upper New York State where they were a potential threat.

So, heads up when you explore many of the scenic and beautiful places around our country and the national and state parks and forests. They are there for our enjoyment, but there are a myriad of dangers when you explore nature and avalanches are certain one of them in the "high country."  

Photo-of-the-Week - Snowmageddon, Winchester, Virginia, February 2010

I thought this photo was appropriate since yesterday was the first day of winter. Interestingly, as I compose this, the temperature outside is in the mid-60's on its way to break 70 degrees again this afternoon as it did yesterday. This photo was in Winchester, Virginia in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

This photo shows the result of the second of three blizzards that hit the region during the winter of 2009-2010. The first storm hit in December. I believe the news said this was the first snowfall of it's size since around the mid-1920's. The snowfall in this photo was in mid-February of 2010 and left between 24" and 30" of snow behind. I had just managed to get the snow cleared out of this driveway and the next day another 24" to 30" of snow fell leaving a total of around 50"+ of snow on the ground. It felt like I had moved back up to Syracuse, New York where these kinds of snow accumulations were pretty much taken with a grain of salt. I hired some help to clear out the driveway and walkways where I was house sitting for the third storm.

The total snowfall that year was within an inch or two of the all time record for the region. According to a variety of authorities this was a 400 year event. The last snowfall with this kind of serious accumulation that I recall was in February 2003, again, in mid-February. It actually began 14 days after I had moved on the "The Ranch" I finally left in 2008) and the day after I underwent major surgery. By the time the storm ended, 30" of snow had accumulated on my patio. Fortunately, I recovered well enough by the end of the afternoon on Friday for my surgeon to release me to go home before the snow began. However, my nearly quarter mile driveway was not passable until the end of the afternoon the following Thursday.

The Snowmageddon event paralyzed the region for weeks and as long as a month later there were still many streets in the Washington, DC metropolitan area that still hadn't had a snow plow pass through the streets. It was a helluva mess for quite a bit of time. Today there are major snow and ice storms passing through the northern part of the central plains states, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and New England. Meanwhile, New York City and south are experiencing recording breaking warm temperatures in the 70's. With weather as crazy as this it's hard to know how, when and where to travel and what to wear.