Sebastian

This link hit home tonight while I was reading it. I've had a couple of friends tell me a lot of the same things. It was written a few years ago but still states the same thoughts I've had for over a year now.

The post here hits home: It sounds loud and clear!

No Progress

Just like before ... a burst of "I'm going to clean, downsize and sell", then back to the normal routine of work, watch ballgames, sleep, eat, work, watch ballgames, sleep, eat. Anyone else go through the up and down roller coaster when they were trying to decide what to do? I warned you that I had a college football and basketball addiction.

Email traffic is leaning towards "always have a base camp" and I see that more and more from the blogs I follow. That doesn't mean my base camp has to be in my current location. There is one thing I have noticed in my search of small houses in off the grid towns in the west ... much more expensive for what I live in now. I could buy at lower prices and then spend to upgrade to livable conditions. While I would be fixing up a new SB, that would also take time away from traveling. These locations that I am looking at are small towns in the SW, near larger towns such as the location I live in now ... only difference is the weather of course.

I was never much of a pack rat anyway, but I have still downsized a lot and am basically living in this house with the bare necessities.

It's too long of a story to go into but I found this past week, as of the end of December due to reorganization, my current job will change. My job is not going away, but due to approved changes, for me to continue to have "access" to the financial system that I currently have in performing my job I would have to change to the company that has that contract. I am not going to do that since I work for a great company and they have slotted me for a different position in the same department.

When I heard the news last week of the December 31 deadline, I thought for a short time it might be the right time to pack up and leave and get a taste of living on the road in the SW for the winter. I found out that I like my house, the land that I live on, a structured environment, with the ability to get away when I want even if it is just for the day. Also I have to admit, my hounds have a great routine and a great field to roam in.

So like a friend told me after my last post, "things can always change" ... it might have changed back to my normal routine this past week.

On the subject of downsizing I have a funny story just as an example on why it is so hard for the American public to resist the continuous buying.  Besides all of the junk email, TV ads and a few regular mail of coupons to save ... I bought 2 (TWO) things yesterday at 2 different stores. I bought a pair of shoes at Dick's Sporting Goods and a DVD recorder at Best Buy. For that I was handed the following by the cashier:

Dick Sporting Goods - a receipt that was 17" long!!!!  $10 off on my next purchase for filling out a survey. "Special" Holiday Financing offer.  They were shocked when I said I would use my debit card to pay.

Best Buy - a receipt that was 14" long!!!  For ONE item.  Same type of offers, surveys and a threat never to lose this receipt if my "disposable" DVD recorder were to stop working and I would want to return it. They seem to only last around 6 months anyway, thus the name "disposable".

Sorry the blog is boring, so up and down and no travel decisions but I'll take it one day at a time and see how it goes.

Boondocking and Isolation

Those two words in the title never seem to leave my thoughts and today came back into the mental scene like a high speed storm. Sell everything, hit the road and figure things out on the way.

How's that for a wide range of thinking?

I have 4 days off from work after tomorrow, the 21st, and plenty of time to shampoo my carpets, wash down the walls, a thorough cleaning, more downsizing and put that brand new "for sale" sign in the front yard. Yes, I know it's the holidays, I know its winter and maybe it will not sell during this time ... but at least it's a start and if I were to get lucky with a sale, then I hit the road.

I am not sure of the reason for the sudden change in thinking.

My favorite college basketball team is #1 until they get beat and they will get beat eventually ... maybe tonight. Yet, I know I can watch them anywhere in the USA with my Directv dish and transfer my service.

All I thought about today during a slow day of work ... was boondocking and sitting somewhere with warm weather, a slight breeze, sun and 3 hounds napping outside on a rug.

So we will see. I think I am going to be very productive these next 4 days and that will get me back in forward motion of clearing my house out, selling it and hitting the road.

What if it doesn't sell?  After a period of time where I give it a chance to sell, I'll buy a trailer, head west and see what the future brings.

RVsue's story has always been very interesting as well as her current blog posts. When I read last year, the reason she decided to sell out and hit the road I could see we had similar reasons.

Stay tuned.

Is Sadie a Hold Up in the Decision?

As much as I love my hounds, I wonder sometimes if my 80lb bloodhound Sadie is subconsciously keeping me from making a decision. Two "low level" basset hounds are much different than 2 basset hounds and 1 large bloodhound. Plus a "hound" is much different than those smart never run away shepherds. I would have to have all 3 of my dogs on 3 different retractable leashes because even with the older Winston (8yrs old), when they get on a scent, they are off and all 3 can run much faster than I can.

I know this from past experience in the hayfield walks in the afternoon and an unexpected deer shows up within their scent range ... and I know how slow I am chasing them.

So when I see pictures of other travelers hiking with the dogs unleashed, and they stay around without running off, I know that is not possible with the noses of my hounds.

With a tow vehicle that I am currently driving daily to work, that puts me in the range of a small trailer. The more I think of it, the more I could see me and 2 basset hounds doing it comfortably but that 3rd 80lbs of fumbling tumbling hound INSIDE something only 16'-18' makes it seem hard to imagine.

So that is why I asked, if Sadie, my big bloodhound has been the reason I have not been able to make a decision, when I am use to making decisions pretty quickly on other topics.

All through my google searches over the past 13 months, I have not found anyone RVing full time with a bloodhound or even a large dog with 2 other dogs. Definitely not inside a smaller trailer.

Based on weekend observations, my hounds sleep A LOT during the day while I am at work and also while I am around on weekends. Those naps could be on a rug inside a portable fenced area like RVsue uses for her two smaller dogs but when the winds are howling and the rain is flying, the big girl with the 2 basset hounds and I would seem to be pretty cramped inside a smaller trailer when I think about it.

Does that move us back to a Class C or a 32' - 34' Class A?  Even in times of $4 gas?

I have done all of my gas estimates with different types of RV's at $4 per gallon fuel in the past year. I am pretty close to an estimate of 8,000-9,000 miles traveled in a year, maybe less if I stay in places I like longer. Having lived in the west in the past for 20+yrs, I have seen a lot of Calif, Washington, Idaho, and Arizona. So I see myself doing less traveling than maybe some others I read about.

Still, I keep coming back to traveling full time with 3 hounds and 1 of those hounds being 30" tall at the shoulder, packing only 80lbs and a tail that can clean off a coffee table with a couple of tail wags. I will not even get into the drool stories....lol

I could do a Class C or A and used my current tow vehicle as my toad.

More and more to think about.