Looking back at the last four years--long and useless post

Sometimes, as most old men do, I look back at the recent past. I do this to try to learn from my mistakes and plan for the near future.
We started full time in  June, 2011, after many months spent planning and dreaming. We went north from Denver to the Canadian border. On the way,we spent three weeks near Butte, MT. If you ever have a chance, go there. The whole downtown area is on the National Historical Register. The county courthouse is a work of art.

Then, by sheer luck, we followed the fruit and berry harvest across Idaho, Washington  and Oregon. We went south along the coast and saw some of the prettiest coastline in the world. We were in Simi Valley when my mother-in-law went into hospice care. So, we made a mad dash to Illinois, arriving at the St. Charles Moose Lodge the day before Thanksgiving. There we met some of the friendliest people we have ever met on our journey. After she died, we spent the winter in New Mexico, where I was born and raised. We stayed with my sister in her yard and in the southern state parks. I worked for a month at Ft. Stanton NM and got hooked on volunteering.

We then spent a wonderful summer at Steamboat Lake State Park CO as volunteers. We wanted to start our trip where we left off, so we came back to California. After three weeks in San Luis Obispo, enjoying the farmers market and nearby attractions, we spent the winter in Winters CA working for site. 

We took three weeks to go from there to Greenbelt National Park, twelve miles from the capitol building.  We spent three months there as camp hosts and toured DC and the battlefields nearby.

Then, a summer spent as gate attendants in West Virginia and  winter at Garner State Park in TX. Another summer at Steamboat. A failure at a commercial park in MS and we are back in Winters CA.

I have  done and seen things that I had dreamed of all my life.  I have learned that Moose lodges and VFW posts are wonderful places to stay--overnight or, in some cases,  two weeks or more. I know that working at commercial RV parks is not as nice as volunteering at public parks.  I know that a new transmission for a 2002 F250 is over $4000. Replacing a landing leg is not too bad. Replacing brakes, drums and spring hangers can be a b-----.  I know that finding a leak in a slideout roof can be difficult, but changing a circuit board in a refrigerator is a snap.

So, now what do we do?? After wandering through 35 states do we go to some of the other places we have been?? Do we start our trip over?? Do we quit and settle down and wait to die??

I know we have a summer spot at Steamboat. They have already asked us back again.  I think the ideal situation would be to find a spot in Arizona or southern California for the winter and have three months travel time spring and fall. But, winter spots there have been hard for us to find. It might be I start looking too late. I think this summer we will go back to Montana and spend a lot of time in Butte and Helena with no job. With our solar system we can boondock comfortably until we run out of water and need to dump. Yes, I think that is it. Unless we go to Steamboat. Or back to the west coast. Or the northeast, where we haven't been. Or South Dakota. Or spend time with my sister. I do love and miss her.  So many places-- so little time. 



 
   

This may give you some ideas.
Jerry

  https://www.youtube.com/embed/B2AEkfjc6-o?feature=player_detailpage

Edit: Eliminated excessive white space.

Sorry, Jerry but video is blocked at this campground, so I can't comment on what you sent.

I don't know why everyone calls it Greenbelt National Park when it is Greenbelt Park and it is administered by the National Park Service. That is a totally different thing.

You haven't seen the tip of the iceberg yet. You should keep on traveling and pick different routes. Visit the fourteen states you haven't been to yet in the continental US. There are 47 National Parks in the lower 48 and they are all as good or better than Greenbelt Park. There are 13 National Seashores, 4 National Lakeshores and plenty of historical sites. You can keep going for the next 50 years and not see it all.

Tom,
You are correct. I did a search on it and the National park service does not call it a national park.  But almost every other website does.  I really don't know the difference, but there must be one.

halfwright said:

Tom,
You are correct. I did a search on it and the National park service does not call it a national park.  But almost every other website does.  I really don't know the difference, but there must be one.

Click to expand...

From what I understand there used to be signs there saying Greenbelt National Park. The difference is gigantic both in terms of beauty and finances. There are almost 400 units that the National Park service presides over. Only 59 of them are National Parks. They are the creme de la creme of the park service. While most national monuments are beautiful they are usually one trick ponies, like the Statue Of Liberty or Devil's Tower. National Parks are usually a lot more diverse. And National Parks must be 35,000 acres and Greenbelt is only 1,176 acres so it is way too small to be considered a National Park.

It is a common mistake. Lots of people call places National Parks that are just National Monuments or National Historical Parks since they are taken care of by the National Park Service. I was on the road full timing for 10 years and I visited all 46 of the National Parks in the lower 48 and spent a lot of time in each one. National Parks get a bigger slice of the pie financially speaking since they are the creme de la creme of the park service.

https://picasaweb.google.com/108464110929132780547/NationalParksOfAmerica?authuser=0&feat=directlink

You haven't been to Yellowstone, The Grand Tetons, the Black Hills, Glacier NP, or visited the east side of the Cascade Mountain Range. Those alone should take a couple of summers and falls.

What about the NE United States, the SE United States?

According to your own narrative, there's lots you haven't seen.

Good luck, and safe travels.

Stan