Having only gone “RVing” once before for a weekend with the boys several years ago, some people might have thought Frank and I were crazy to sell everything, buy a motorhome and RV fulltime. However, Frank and I knew we could spend time alone together since we had been together 24hrs a day for the last couple of years without any problems.  So, we sold the house, bought the RV and set out on our fulltime adventure on June 10, 2021.  We love fulltime RVing and have no regrets.  There are some things we have learned along the way in the past six months.

            We bought a used, older diesel 45’ motorhome (2008) because it was a layout we loved, was in our price range, and had lots of storage.  Of course, the first few days (in our driveway), Frank had to start fixing some issues, which gave him time to figure out a lot of the systems.  Still, when we headed out there were some items still not working, including our leveling jacks.  Eventually he would replace the right parts and get them working. There are still some items that need to be worked on, but Frank keeps researching before starting on some of them.  For example, our dishwasher still isn’t working correctly.  Hopefully, that will be fixed soon – HINT HINT Frank! 😊

            On travel days we have developed a routine in which Frank takes care of the outside stuff: water, sewer hose, loading the bikes, car hookup, etc… while I take care of the inside: picking some items off the floor for the slides to come in, bringing in the slides, retracting the leveling jacks, etc… After the car is hooked up, I do the blinkers so Frank can check the lights.  There have been a couple of hiccups like forgetting to bring in the small awning over the door.  We just recently found out the engine must be turned off for the awning to work.  Who knew? 😊

            How do we decide where to travel and what to do?  That falls to me.  I ask Frank, but he just tells me wherever I want to go is fine and he says he likes what I’ve picked and what we’ve done.  I use the free app / website RV Parky to plot the general route for the year and to select possible campgrounds.  Based on people’s comments and suggestions, I make modifications. Due to RVing being so popular now, we must try to get reservations in advance as much as possible, so we can’t be as spontaneous as we might like.  State and national campgrounds must be paid for at the time of the reservations and many places require a deposit that varies from one night’s rent up to ½ of the total price. In some very popular areas, we have had to pay for those totally in advance, too.  Some campgrounds do have on-line booking, but there are still a lot that require a phone call to book a site. A few books are kept handy for me to refer to find some unique places or scenic drives, but I also use the internet. Before we arrive at a new place, I refer to Trip Advisor for the top sites / attractions to determine what would interest us.  If there are a lot of options, I usually ask Frank if he would like to do ….. or —- and he’ll give me his feedback. Recommendations for restaurants on Trip Advisor and Yelp are helpful and I also refer to the Diners, Drive-Thrus, and Dives App to see if there is anything in or near where we will be visiting. We have visited historic homes and museums, taken tours and hikes, sampled area specialties, and really enjoyed ourselves.

            We have determined there are three different types of groups in most campgrounds: permanent, stationary residents, travelers, and campers.  The permanent, stationary people chose to live in an RV for various reasons ranging from saving money, traveling for work assignments, and temporary situations that turned more permanent. They can usually be identified by the permanent steps, decks, and various outside items around their home. We are travelers since we like visiting places, trying new things, and learning about the area. However, at night, we like to be inside our home (the motorhome) on our comfy couch and recliner and watch TV together, read, etc… Campers are those that set up an entire outside living area. They tend to spend the first ½ hour to hour at the site hauling out chairs, rugs, grills, hammocks, firewood, lights, outdoor games, etc… The evenings and many times most of the days are spent outside and they usually have a fire going in the evening. While staying at Lake Livingston State Park for Christmas there were even people who put out Christmas blowups and Christmas lights for just a two-night stay.  Great that they have the spirit of the season, but that’s a lot of stuff to haul around and set up.  We are more minimalist in that area.  We did have a tiny tree inside, but that was the extent of our decorations this year since we spent Christmas day at our oldest son’s house. So, permanent, stationary residents, travelers, or campers – each is great and to each their own!  We will remain travelers and kudos to the permanent residents and campers!

            When we tell people that we fulltime RV, most people are fascinated and ask questions about it.  Many have expressed they want to do it, too or have friends and family that are fulltime.  The popularity has led to numerous Facebook groups, which are very helpful for those thinking of starting fulltime or those starting out.  People ask questions from how to fix something on their RV to what to do in various areas.  One thing I would recommend when joining any new group on Facebook is to use the search bar at the top of the group and search for what you want.  Trust me, 99% of the time the question has been previously addressed. It becomes rather tedious for those of us in these groups to keep seeing the same questions.  Only after going through the comments and posts that turn up after your search, should you pose your question.  I belong to an Instant Pot group, and it was so tedious to see the numerous posts: “I just got an Instant Pot, what should I do first?”  Please do some research before posing questions.  There are groups for everyone.  There are National Park groups in general and groups for specific national parks like Big Bend and Guadalupe Mts.  Also remember, that some people with no expertise do chime in because they “think” they know the answer.  I’ve asked Frank numerous times about some responses about electrical, etc… and he has shaken his head and told me the correct answer. As has been pointed out in these groups, do your research rather than just trusting total strangers.

            One of the big questions and decisions that must be made involves internet access.  Some parks offer free wi-fi and a few of them are really great.  Some of them buffer quite a bit but are useable for streaming TV shows.  Some are a total no-go.  State parks and National Parks do not offer Wi-Fi services, so while it saves money to camp there, we end up using more data from our plan.  We have a hot spot for Direct TV Stream which we use when there are no other options.  When we use that up, we start on the 40 gigs on Frank’s phone’s hot spot.   If we use all that, then we start using the 40 gigs on my phone’s hot spot.  Most of the time, it’s not a problem.  However, there have been a couple of places where we could not access any internet with our hotspots. It’s a good thing that Frank and I like reading, too. We try to always have a book or two downloaded on our personal digital devices.  This year’s adventure to the Rockies and more remote areas will probably test our internet access even more.  We have purchased a booster system, so we will see how that works out.  Who knows, we may end up like Robin Williams in the movie “RV” where he was on top of the RV with his arm stretched out trying to catch a signal. lol

            E-bikes intrigued us from the beginning, but we didn’t know if we were “bike people”; therefore, we bought a couple of used standard bikes in Cincinnati along with one for Bo for his visit.  They were okay, but I couldn’t do the hills and I really didn’t like my bike.  We determined we would have to go ahead and purchase the e-bikes. After reading a lot, we went to a few places to check some out.  Bike Lane in the Woodlands had a very helpful man that let us try out the Aventon Pace 350 and 500. While there we saw a big comfy looking seat on a bike, and I knew I needed that for my comfort. 😊 Aventon Pace 500 Step-Thru turned out to be the winners for us.  Pedago is a well known e-bike brand and highly thought of, especially by themselves.  For the price of one Pedago, we were able to buy our two Aventon’s on Cyber Monday with a $300 discount for buying two.  They arrived within a few days and were super easy to assemble.  A return trip to Bike Lane allowed us to purchase a heavy-duty hitch bike carrier and the large comfy seat.  E-bikes are heavy and require a heavy-duty bike carrier.  After a couple of days of riding them, Frank ordered him a slightly smaller version of my big comfy bike seat. On our very first day of riding the bikes, I took a tumble.  The road in the park had been repaved in the past year and there was a steep drop off. Of course, I found it when I turned to talk to Frank and got too close to the edge going about 11 miles an hour. (It’s a good thing I slowed down from 20 miles an hour.)  Frank says I bounced a few times and that it was a good thing I was wearing a helmet.  I skinned my left forearm up really bad, had three separate spots on my left knee, one on my right knee, one spot on each palm of my hands, a bruise on my left cheek and a goose egg on my left hip. Yikes!  I definitely left skin on that road! If you know about RV beds, you will know that we “climb” into them.  (Yes, we can walk around our king size bed, but we still have to climb in a little.) With scrapes on my left knee, forearm, etc… it was interesting to figure out a new way to climb in and out of the bed. I ended up climbing in by putting my right knee down (not on the scrape side) and flopping over into bed.  I had to climb out carefully so as not to hurt the scrapes on my palms since I place my hands on the side wall and pull.  It’s always an adventure. 😊  I did get back on the horse / bike and love it.  The kids gave us backpacks, fenders for my bike, and a rack for Frank’s bike for Christmas, so we are looking forward to more bike riding in our adventures this year. 

            Go West Texas RV Couple, Go West!  We will heed that advice and go west to Arizona before heading north.  Lots of national and state parks are on the agenda for this year.  It will be a matter of if the weather cooperates with us as to how much we will be able to see and do. On the list are: Big Bend, Davis Mts, Guadalupe Mts, Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands, Saguaro, Organ Pipe Cactus Monument, Petrified Forest / Painted Desert, Grand Canyon, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Arches, Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier, and more……  We hope you will follow along on our adventures on our Facebook Page – The Texas RV Couple and we’ll try to do some more YouTube videos!

Till Next Time,

Beth Cervenka

Come Explore with Us!

            Having been to the Smoky Mountains on two previous occasions, I knew about Cade’s Cove and was excited to share it with Frank.  However, I learned this time about Clingmans Dome, which is closer to Cherokee, North Carolina.  Yes, something new and it would be the highest elevation in the Smoky Mountains.  I was game and we decided we would do it when we moved to another campground in Cherokee. We arrived, set up camp, and set out.                        

            We made a quick stop at the Visitor’s Center on the North Carolina side and then set out driving towards Gatlinburg with Clingmans Dome – our destination.  We were lucky enough to see a male and female elk on the way. There were observation points and Frank pulled over to accommodate my photo addiction. I had seen mention of there being a lack of parking spots at times at Clingmans Dome.  As we approached the area, we saw some people parked on the side of the road.  My first thoughts were oh no, we are going to have to hike into the Dome.  However, we kept driving to the parking area and found a space. Yay!  Good for us!

            Clingmans Dome Observation Tower, which is 45 feet tall, has been around since 1959, but I had never heard about it until this trip.  It is on the highest point in the Smokies and along the Appalachian Trail at 6,643 feet and straddles the North Carolina and Tennessee state line.  Wow!  I read it had a ramp up to it and that it was steep.  Looking at a picture of the dome and the ramp, I quickly thought, I can do that!  I did read that it was not wheelchair accessible due to it being steep.  Looking at the picture, I thought, “Well, the ramp isn’t that long.  I can do that.”

            Obviously, I only took in what I wanted to take in.  At the bottom, there was a sign saying there was a .5-mile trail to the dome.  Okay, a half mile isn’t so bad, and it’s paved.  We’re good.  Those were my thoughts for the first few SECONDS.  Quickly realizing this was much steeper than I anticipated and now knowing it was a half mile of steep incline, I became concerned.  However, I’m a hardheaded, determined person and I was bound and determined to conquer it. Even if I did huff, whine, puff, complain, and come up with various solutions to solve this problem along the way, there was never a thought of giving up.  Yes, we saw others give up and decide to “sit it out” while family members, etc. went on.  Luckily, there are benches every so often for people to sit and rest.  You can’t see the next one as you are climbing and rounding bends as you ascend this “path.”  I would spot a bench and just focus on it.  Every time someone else was sitting there, but that did not deter me. That bench would be my resting place.  Some people stopped and rested on some rocks or tree trunks, but I wasn’t so sure I’d make it back up from such low positions, so the benches were meant for me.

            Frank kept encouraging me with comments like, “Breathe in through your nose and exhale through your mouth.” The problem with that was that my nose was clogged up so when I tried that, I didn’t feel I was getting enough air and then my nose started running. His next words were, “If you stopped talking, it would be easier.” Really?  I’m coming up with all kinds of ways to “fix this problem” and you want me to stop?  My ideas were: an incline train, a ski lift, a tram, etc… I shared those ideas with anyone and everyone within my vicinity, especially to the people resting with me on the benches along the way.  Frank’s next words of advice were, “You don’t need to stop at that bench, you can make it.” “Yeah, well, I don’t want to “make it” just now. I want to rest and try to catch my breath.”  He didn’t suggest that one again.  His next words of encouragement were, “Slow and steady, slow and steady.” I reminded him that was why I was stopping at the benches. 

            Then low and behold, we saw the Appalachian Trail and the sign where it crosses the path up to Clingmans Dome.  That lifted my spirits, and I was even able to step down the trail so that Frank could take a picture of me “walking the Appalachian Trail.” You will notice the energy and enthusiasm I am displaying for the picture.  I then insisted we have pictures next to the sign.  He grudgingly agreed to have his picture taken by the sign but refused to pretend he was walking the trail.  Party pooper.  Oh well, I walked the Appalachian Trail, so there! 

            After the short, uplifting stop by the Appalachian Trail, there was more of the steep path to traverse.  Frank kept saying we would have to climb stairs up to the tower, but I knew that wasn’t true because I had seen the ramp.  After about two more bends in the path, we made it and saw the tower.  Thankfully, there was a circle at the bottom with benches around it so we could rest to prepare for the final trek up to the Dome.  While we were sitting there, I jokingly expressed my suggestions to the people gathered there about how that trek could be improved. They were all on board and we started talking and laughing about how much we would pay for such a conveyance and the price kept getting higher and higher as to what we were willing to pay. I must say that I expressed that the engineer who designed that “path of torture” should be shot.  Yes, that is a little violent, but I came up with that on the trek up, so I think that is forgivable given my lack of oxygen.   I will amend it to say he should be held accountable, and something should be put in place to help those of us who are not quite so “athletic” or who don’t hike every single day in the mountains. 😊

            The ramp to the dome was actually quite easy. The part I thought they had “warned” us about was not the worrisome part, it was the “path” / “trail” to it.  The temperature kept falling on the trek up and it had become a little chilly.  As we moved up the ramp, we really felt the wind.  We reached the top – YAY – and the mist, fog, “smoky” part of the mountains obscured everything but the tops of the very closest trees.  A little disappointing, but I had just climbed a half mile straight up (that’s my description and I’m sticking to it), so I was proud for just making it up there!  Yay me! (And Frank).  Frank wanted to hurry up and get down from the Dome and the ramp because he felt it was shaking and not very sturdy.  I really wasn’t concerned about that and took my pictures before agreeing to go down.  It was quite breezy up there.

            Going down was so easy compared to going up.  However, some people with bad knees have expressed that was the worse part for them.  I was probably still on my “high” from conquering the “path / trail / cliff climbing” that it felt easy.  When we reached the bottom, I was able to take some pictures of the view that were breathtaking.  No, I didn’t get any good pictures up top, but the ones at the bottom made up for it. 

            What did I learn?  Read a little more carefully, but honestly, I wanted to go up there and was determined to do it.  You might want to take a jacket because it is much cooler up there than at the parking lot.  Make use of the benches. Wheelchairs are not advised or allowed and there is a reason for that.  I still wish there was an alternative for those who aren’t in such great “hiking shape” so they can access the Dome.  They can still have the path so others can prove their “might” and physical prowess, but some accommodation for the rest would be nice. When I posted my little excerpt on my Facebook page, I shared it on the National Parks Fan Page.  Most people understood my humor (I used emojis) but one lady called me out and said it wasn’t bad and she did it regularly and she was in her 70s.  Kudos to her!  I’m not her!  I’ve had four back surgeries, I have spinal stenosis, and I’ve just started walking / “hiking” in the past few months.  I also don’t live in the mountains and “I’m not a mountain goat!” Altitude does play a role in this! 

            If you are going to the Smoky Mountains, and I recommend you do, be prepared for Clingmans Dome.  It’s okay to just take pictures from the parking lot.  Also, I recommend staying in the Cherokee, NC area rather than the Gatlinburg, TN area.  Cherokee is a little less “touristy” and is a lot less crowded.  My other words of advice if you are wanting to go during the fall for the changing of the leaves: look up when the Tennessee and North Carolina schools have “fall break.” There were a lot of kids in Gatlinburg and that’s when I learned about their fall break being the first or second week of October and we were here the second week of October. I think that was one of the reasons there were so many people, and it was so crowded.  You might want to try the third or fourth week of October.

            Do go to Clingmans Dome and make an attempt if you can. If not, there is not shame in parking lot pictures!

Till next time,

Beth Cervenka

Come Explore with Us!

All of us of a “certain age” have heard of Laura Ingalls Wilder. We know her via her books, or the television series based on her books.  My introduction to Laura Ingalls Wilder occurred in elementary school. We only had one TV in our home, and it only had two channels, ruled by my father.  (We lived in the country and only had a TV antenna.) Therefore, if we didn’t want to watch what was decided by our father, we read. Also, I could be a little talkative in school (go figure), and the teachers soon learned that I always finished my work early and was tempted to talk. The surest way to keep me occupied was to let me read my library book.  In the fourth grade, the teacher and I had a kind of “telepathic” system. I would look up after I finished my work, catch her eye, and she would nod. Leaving the room with my library book from the day before, I would go across the hall, turn it in and pick out another. After returning to the classroom, I would immediately become engrossed in my new book.  I usually went through a book a day.  I read most of the history-oriented novels in the library. Thus, my love for history and reading kept me out of trouble at school and introduced me to Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Of course, I read all her books and I read them all before the fourth grade.

Laura Ingalls Wilder had one child, a daughter – Rose Wilder Lane.  I remember reading a small book she had written about her mother, but I just thought she was “riding on her mother’s coat-tails” so to speak.  When we visited the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home in Mansfield, MO, I found out I was so wrong about Rose.  In fact, Rose became well-known / famous before her mother started writing her books and it was Rose that encouraged her mother to write down the stories from her childhood.

            An interesting note, Rose Wilder finished her high school education while staying with her aunt – Eliza Jane Wilder in Crowley, Louisiana in 1904.  She was able to learn three years of Latin in one year and graduated at the top of her class of seven students. Due to her parents’ financial situation, Rose Wilder was not able to attend college. She did work as a telegraph operator in Mansfield, MO, Sedalia, MO, Kansas City, Indiana, and California.  While in California, she married Claire Gillette Lane and became pregnant. However, the baby boy was a stillborn and she was unable to have any more children.  While living a nomadic lifestyle with her husband, Rose was a voracious reader and taught herself several languages. In 1908, she began her writing career by writing occasional freelance newspaper jobs to earn extra money. In 1915, Rose served as an editorial assistant for the San Francisco Bulletin. However, her talents were not limited to editing and she began writing and had her photo and byline writing romantic serials that were published for weeks at a time. Rose even wrote firsthand accounts about the lives of Herbert Hoover, Henry Ford, Jack London, and Charlie Chaplin that were published. While her new career was flourishing, Rose and her husband amicably divorced in 1918.

            By the late 1920s, Rose Wilder Lane was “reputed to be one of the highest-paid female writers in America.” She also had a growing interest in world history and politics.  Rose easily found work as a “silent’ editor or “ghostwriter” for other writers in order to earn extra money. She was known for being generous with her friends and family building a new home for her parents. Today, known as the “Rock House,” it started out as a mail-order Sears & Roebuck house, but she had it customized and added electricity.  One series of articles she sold paid for the house and its customization. She even bought a car for her parents and taught her mother to drive it. She went on to modernize her parents’ farmhouse for her own use.  When you visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder home, you will see the farmhouse and the home that Rose had built for her parents.

            After WWI, Rose Wilder Lane worked as a traveling war correspondent and worked with the American Red Cross through 1965. She wrote for The Pittsburgh Courier, the most widely read black newspaper of the time from 1942-1948. She advocated anti-racism and laissez faire politics which lead to her being influential in the libertarian movement. In fact, Rose Wilder Lane, Isabel Patterson, and Ayn Rand have been called the “founding mothers” of the American Libertarian Movement. Rose returned to commercial writing when she reported from Vietnam for Woman’s Day magazine at the age of 78. 

While I made the visit to learn more about Laura Ingalls Wilder, I realized I already knew so much about her due to her books.  It was Rose Wilder Lane that caught my attention and piqued my interest.  It was through her connections that Laura Ingalls Wilder was published, which inspired many young girls through the years in her books, and even more in the TV series inspired by the books.  I do believe that I will be adding Rose Wilder Lane’s writings to my list of “to read.” I hope you will check out the Laura Ingalls Wilder home in Mansfield, Missouri and that you will learn more about her daughter – Rose Wilder Lane.

Until next time,

Beth Cervenka

Come Explore with Us!

Branson, Missouri has become a destination for many people in the last several decades and we wanted to check it out. When we first arrived, all the signage for the attractions and concert venues struck us as very touristy and a little bit like Vegas (minus the casinos 😊). Unfortunately, there were no “big” names preforming when we were there and just lots of “tributes” to various bands and performers, which was disappointing. However, we did want to check out some attractions and the Titanic Museum was on the top of the list. (They did not allow photography inside the museum, so those photos come from their website.)

           One of the first attractions that is hard to miss in Branson, is the Titanic Museum, which is done in the shape of the ship and even has an “iceberg” along the side.  This attraction was certainly on our list of must-sees, and it did not disappoint. I did wonder why there was a Titanic Museum in Branson, which is landlocked. According to their website, “The Branson Titanic Museum is one of two Titanic-themed museums owned by John Joslyn, who was part of a 1987 undersea expedition to explore the ship’s remains. While the ship-shaped museum seems huge, the exterior is built to half-scale of the actual Titanic.”  Due to the pandemic, we purchased our tickets online and received our “boarding time.” As we were “boarding” we were each handed a card with a person’s name, his / her biography, and if the person was a first-, second-, or third-class passenger.  We were instructed to keep our eyes open as we toured the museum to find out the fate of our characters.  Frank’s card was for the ship’s barber, who was a part of the crew. My card indicated I was a first-class passenger – a lady of means.  I was pretty sure “my” character would survive but was a little worried about Frank’s character. 

            We were also given audio “wands” and told that whenever we encountered a number along the way, we were to key the number into the wand to hear more information about what we were seeing.  Youth and children had different numbers for their audio tour at times.  I thought that was a neat idea to have special audio aspects for them to keep them interested.

            Seeing the grand staircase was impressive but what I found eye-opening was the floor in the area before the grand staircase was the most expensive material at the time. No, it wasn’t marble or granite or any kind of stone. It was linoleum square tiles.  What?  Yes, the linoleum tiles that everyone had in their homes, schools, and stores at one time and are now considered so cheap that no one wants them, was the most expensive flooring material at the time the Titanic was built in 1911 and 1912.  Go figure. 

  Personal effects of passengers and passengers’ biographies where interesting. There was an entire room devoted to the musicians and we learned there was more than one band on board, so when “the band played on”, they aren’t exactly sure which musicians those were.  There was an area for various crew members and there we found Frank’s character – Gus, the barber.  I was relieved to learn he would survive the voyage and continue his career as a ship’s barber.  Whew! 

            In one part they show angled “decks” to show what the pitch of the deck would be like at various times as the ship went down.  Some kids loved trying those out, but I really had to hold on to the rails to try to even take a step or two up the inclines and that was with rails on both sides that I could reach.  Imagine with only one rail or if I had no access to the rails at all.  I believe I would have been sliding back and into the water as the ship went down.

            The museum picks a different group each year to focus on for special exhibits and this year they featured the Jewish passengers and crew.  There was even a kosher kitchen and chef on board. An odd little connection is that Anne Frank’s father – Otto Frank – had gone to college in Heidelberg with Nathan Straus Jr. (whose friends called him “Charley”), the son of the founder of Macy’s department stores. (Straus’ parents famously went down with the Titanic when his mother refused to leave his father behind.) They became good friends and remained in contact.  Otto Frank enlisted Straus’ help in trying to leave Europe for America, but the destruction of the American Embassy in the Netherlands and the U.S. entering the war thwarted those efforts.

            As I had assumed, my character did make it off the ship and survived.  We spent about two hours going through the Titanic Museum and we recommend it. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes because you will be standing and strolling the entire time. While it did have audio wands and some exhibits that would appeal to children, I would not take young children or any child that wasn’t really fascinated by the Titanic.  My grandson, who is 10 is fascinated by the Titanic, so I would have taken him. Be sure to check out the Titanic Museum in Branson!

Until next time,

Beth

Come Explore with Us!