I am camping with a group of 10 others who are full-time vehicle dwellers. This group was formed to introduce newcomers to life on the road.
The concept is that a few experienced people make themselves available to offer advice, tips and suggestions. The newcomers get a chance to meet others like them, learn the ropes and maybe make some friends.
The organizers scout out sites in advance that are on free public land, within 30 minutes of a town for supplies, accessible for most rigs and have cell phone service. This makes being out in the “boonies” a lot less scary for newcomers. Having had a few disastrous nights on my own the first two weeks, I totally understand. In fact, I joined my first caravan because I was worn out driving al day long trying to find a place to camp.
This is my second caravan. Here’s a few things I’ve discovered:
- The sites are decent. Not spectacular, but convenient.
- The average age of the attendees is 70.
- Attendees live in vans, trucks, RVs, cars and a few tents. I have one of the nicest setups.
Most of the people I’ve met live on a fixed (and small) budget. They are not here because they want to live on the road. They are not looking to enjoy nature or for adventure. They are here because they cannot afford rent or a mortgage.
A few retired on a small pension, social security or savings and chose this life instead of working longer to pay for an apartment or house. At least four of us recently had a spouse die after a long marriage. Many appear to be in poor health and bad physical condition.
I’m the youngest person here by far.
I was attracted to living on the road initially because of costs.
I found the cheaprvliving.com site after reading about it at mrmoneymustache.com. At first I thought the idea was crazy. But it grew on me . If I could eliminate my house and related expenses, I just might be able to retire early. But it was just a fantasy. My wife would never go for it.
Then she died.
I didn’t know what to do. I had no interest in trying to restart my consulting business. I couldn’t imagine interviewing for another sales management job. Living my empty life in our big house and pretending that I was OK wasn’t working.
The woman I loved for 29 years was gone. My life’s purpose and direction were blown apart.
In desperation, I chose to do something radically different than anything I’ve ever done before.
- I wanted to be immersed in nature instead of staying in my comfortable urban life. I thought it would bring me peace.
- I wanted solitude. I thought it would help me find a new direction and purpose.
- I wanted to be challenged. I thought it would make me self-sufficient, adaptable and flexible.
For all of this to happen, I have to push past my comfort zone constantly. I am a stranger in a strange place doing strange things. That’s fitting since my life has been turned upside down.
I had hoped to meet others like me who wanted to stretch, grow and be challenged.
I’m not trying to replicate the life I had before. That life is over.
Sadly, many of my campmates are trying to replicate their former lives – except on a much smaller budget.
I haven’t met anyone who is on a path similar to mine yet.
My fellow campers seem content to sit most of the time. They gather for morning coffee and sit and talk for hours on end. Then they return to their rigs and stay inside all day. At night, they gather by the campfire and talk more for hours before returning to their rigs. They talk about money, shopping at the Dollar Store, and what they watch all day on their cell phones or TVs.
I did meet two long timers who stopped by to say hello. We’re generations apart, but our conversations were fascinating.
But that’s not enough. I need to connect with other campers who are more like me and less like sedentary RVers. My fellow caravaners seem like nice people. We’re just in different places in life.
So I am moving on.
In a few days, I will head out to explore the Cliff Dwellings in the Gila National Forest. After that, I will meander around New Mexico exploring the National Parks, National Forests and towns. I plan to visit Cochise Stronghold, Chiricahua National Monument, Truth or Consequences, Taos, Santa Fe and Silver City. I hope to eat some delicious Mexican food. After that, I will head north to Colorado. There’s so much I want to see in Colorado. I plan to connect with old friends and make new friends there.
My friend Craig tells me that Colorado people are the healthiest, most active people on the planet. He said they are constantly outdoors camping, horseback riding, hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, canoeing running and rock climbing. I think I’m going to love it there.
And whether I do or not, there’s much more of the country for me to explore.