Year Four Summary

THE LIST...................................... YEAR 2........YEAR 3........YEAR 4
Motorhome Miles.............................8,481..........9,070............9,576
Average Miles Per Day..........................23.23..........24.85............26.2
Average Trip........................................160..............162................184
Gallons of Diesel Fuel........................1083.27........1173.05.........1179.93
Average Cost Per Gallon.........................2.79.............3.11...............3.46
CRV Miles.......................................12,834.........11,949.............11,517
Bicycle Miles..........................................91..............149.................119
Camp Sites.............................................53...............56...................52
Average Nights in Each..........................6.9..............6.5..................7.0
Number of Frosty Nights...................too many........fewer.......too many
Number of Windy, Stormy Days.........20++.........fewer.....way too many
Number of States(Provinces)...............19(0)...........17 (5)..............27(3)
National Parks & Monuments.............23+..............11....................34
Blog Posts..............................................77.............100...................62
Days of Exercise (Jim).......................195..............173..................173
Days of Exercise (Nanc).....................261.............234.................240
Number of haircuts (Jim)......................0................0..............still 0
Old & New Friends & Family.......Priceless.........Priceless.........Priceless

This marks four years of fulltiming and it continues to be a wonderful experience. It gives us time for extended stays in places we visit and the opportunity to enjoy extended time with family and friends. We started year four in Canada and stayed in the Eastern half of the US for most of the year. We stayed in 52 places and the cost per night averaged $17.53. We had stays of a month or more in four places and weekly stays nine times. While traveling we only had one night stops 12 times and 10 of those were Wally World or other free places which helped keep our average down. We also have to thank friends who provided us with power a number of time which sure helps keeping costs down. Of course, higher fuel prices are an issue that does affect expenses, but we have not let it change our plans too much. We purchased about the same amount of fuel as last year, but it cost just oer $400 more which, at about $33.00 a month, is not too bad. We traveled in three Canadian provinces, including Quebec, for the first time. We traveled in 27 states while adding Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Wisconsin to our map of places we have spent at least one night. We have stayed in 45 states and 6 provinces during our four years of travel. Several times during the year we encountered bad weather starting with a nor'easter on the Outer Banks and we were under tornado, severe thunderstorm and high wind watches on several occasions. While we escaped all these events unscathed, it is not fun riding out a storm in a house on wheels that does not have a basement. A really, really big change for us this year was getting Dish Network satellite service. This, for a couple who never owned a TV during all the years we had a house. I still have former students ask if I have a TV yet and the answer for the first time is yes. It has been great getting to watch the Steelers, Pitt, the Pens and now even the Pirates who are having the best season in 20 years.

We continue to enjoy the experience of new places and things that we have documented on the blog but seeing friends and family is always the high point of our adventures. We started year four on Prince Edward Island as we were returning from Newfoundland. We spent a week at Jean Paul's and Celine's in Saint Omer, Quebec before heading back to the US. We explored a bit of New England where we stopped to see Bob & Gini who we met at the Rose Parade and then hooked up with 07 mates Dave & Kathy and Linda & Ron in PA. Next we went to the Yanni/Tenenbaum wedding in Cleveland where we had a great weekend celebrating with John & Patrice, Dave & Jackie, Bill & Kim, all the Yanni family and several others. This was followed with a few days of fishing at Pymatuning with Mike and Sherri. It was then back to WashPA for a month with a run to Goshen in the middle for the Escapade. Both stops were all about seeing friends. In PA many old pals and in IN our many RV mates. We then headed south with the first stop in DC for a week where we played tourist and got to see Nanc's sister, Michelle, and her husband, Keith. Next, was five weeks of fun, sun and fishing on the Outer Banks. While there we had a visit from Mike & Sherri and were able to spend a lot of time with Tom & Georgie and their dog Murphy who spent a week at the Outer Banks Motel. On the way to Central Florida we spent a weekend with Brian & Lori and their kids, visited Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head and St. Augustine where we had a short visit with Richard & Valerie. Next was a month in Apopka so we could enjoy Thanksgiving with Nanc's sister, Judy, and her husband, Bill. We also went to a couple of SKP luncheons while there to see some RV friends. For Christmas and New Years we were in Jupiter with Jack and Marylou. The first move of 2011 was to the Keys where we got to spend some time with Joe & Marcia. During our week in Fort Myers we went to a Steelers Bar to watch them win the AFC Championship with former co-worker, Janet Murry, who now lives on Sanibel. On our way out of Florida we did two weeks at the SKP park in Sumter Oaks cleaning the rig and seeing friends Wanda & Wallace, Charlie & Sherri and Joe & Marcia again. Next was a great seven weeks at Betty's RV Park for Mardi Gras, fun and more friends than I can list here. During the month of Mardi Gras activities there were 25 people who stayed the whole time so we got to know them all very well. As always, there are also many, many old friends at Betty's and new people who we met at those great happy hours. While there, Tom & Georgie came down for a week for a course in Cajun culture and we got together several times with Richard & Valerie. We loved our time with Betty and all the people we have gotten to know there. On the way north we stopped in Murfreesboro, AR; Oklahoma City & Bartlesville, OK; Kansas City & St. Louis, MO and Springfield, IL. We went to Spartan for annual service and then back to PA for six weeks of more family, friends, food and GREAT fishing. While in PA we saw many, many old friends and even had a couple of visits with RV mates, Dan & Merlene and Richard & Valerie, who stopped while passing through. We were especially happy to once again have a euchre tournament with Mike & Sherri; Tom & Georgie; and Tim and Diane. It is definitely something we miss. We were also very glad be able to spend some time with my brother, Rick and his wife, Denise. It's so nice to have time to just hang out and catch up with everyone. After PA we had some maintenance and repairs done at Newmar and then it was back to Spartan to complete the job they started in May. On our way to the UP of Michigan we spent a couple of days with Tony and MaryBeth who we met at Betty's. We had a great time in the UP and are ending year four in Wisconsin where we visited George & CeCe who we also met at Betty's.

As with life, not everything was wonderful as we did have several maintenance and repair issues to deal with this year. This is an expense that has generally been higher then we expected. We had a recall for the fridge, a bad circuit board in the washer, a leaking water line, and then ball joints and tie rods at Spartan. At Newmar we had new slide covers, new heavy duty springs for the jacks and new running lights installed. They repaired the water heater and the entry step and checked the slides and LP lines. We also had the dining room chairs reupholstered in Nappanee. Even with all that, it is really not that different from owning a stix and brix that also requires continual maintenance.

Looking to year five the big picture plans are to fill in the rest of the states. As we are heading west to the Black Hills and the Escapade in Gillette we will complete our map of the lower 48 with stays in Minnesota and North & South Dakota. After the Escapade we have reservations in Cody, Wyoming and Yellowstone. A week after Yellowstone we are going to the Balloon Fest in Albuquerque with the SKP Boomers. We have made a reservation in Mesa, Arizona for the remainder of 2011 which will be longer than we have ever stayed in one spot since hitting the road. We will see how that works out. To start 2012 we will be at Quartzite for the Class of 07 reunion. We are hoping to add Hawaii to the map with a vacation there in early 2012 and then next summer we want to travel to Alaska to complete the 50 states. As always, these plans are not written in stone and whatever we end up doing will be a fun new adventure.