RV Living Quarterly Report (September 2019)

Since losing our home, and being displaced by the Paradise Camp Fire (11/08/18), our family of 5 has been living, full-time, in our 35-ft motorhome. It’s our 9 month Winnebago anniversary today!

You can click on any words that are blue in this post to go to the post about that particular place or activity.

Since our last Quarterly Report (June 2019), we have…

Driven/Ridden in the Winnebago for an additional:

• approximately 2,417 miles
• That’s a Grand Total of approximately 5,989 miles. Kudos to E, my wonderful husband, for all that drivin’!

Visited 4 more states:

• Nevada
• Utah
• Colorado
• Wyoming
• Grand Total: 7 states (CA, AZ, OR, ID, NV, UT, CO, and WY)

Stayed at 12 more spots, including dry camping 2 nights:

• Mountain Home RV Resort, Idaho
• New Frontier RV Park – Winnemucca, Nevada
• Silver City RV Resort – Minden, Nevada
• Leoni Meadows Family Camp – Grizzly Flats, California
• Shamrock RV Park – Reno, Nevada
• Fox Peak Centre – Fallon, Nevada
• Ely KOA Journey – Ely, Nevada
• Sacramento Pass Rec. Area – near Baker, Nevada
• Portal RV Resort – Moab, Utah
• Vernal/Dinosaurland KOA – Vernal, Utah
• Monument RV Resort – Fruita, Colorado
• Riverview RV Park – Loveland, Colorado
• AB Campground RV Park – Cheyenne, Wyoming
• KOA Journey – Rock Springs, Wyoming

Explored 4 more National Parks:

• Great Basin National Park – Nevada
• Arches National Park – Moab, Utah
• Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park – Colorado
• Rocky Mountain National Park – Colorado

and 2 more National Monuments:

• Dinosaur 🦕 National Monument – Jensen, Utah
• Colorado National Monument – Fruita, Colorado

and 2 more State Park:

• Kings Beach State Recreation Area – Lake Tahoe, California
• Curt Gowdy State Park – Wyoming

We have added some great field trips to our growing list:

• Nevada State Railroad Museum – Carson City, Nevada
• Virginia & Truckee Railroad Company – Virginia City, Nevada
• Downtown Reno Library – Reno, Nevada
• The Discovery – Reno, Nevada
• Northern Nevada Railroad – Ely, Nevada
• Candle Kitchen – Grand Junction, Colorado
• Canyon View Park – Grand Junction, Colorado
• Downtown Aquarium 🐠 – Denver, Colorado
• American Girl Store – Denver, Colorado
• Cheyenne Botanic Gardens – Cheyenne, Wyoming
• Paul Smith Children’s Village & Lion’s Park Treehouse – Cheyenne, Wyoming
• Terry Bison Ranch – Cheyenne, Wyoming
• Big Boots 👢 – Cheyenne, Wyoming

FAQs

Here’s an updated “Q & A” session with everyone; B (age 5), K (age 7), S (age 9), me and E. Again, my friend who writes the Rookie Roadsters blog, comes up with the best interview questions. R.R. I hope you take it as a huge compliment that I’m copying you!

• What was your favorite National Park/Monument?

B: Dinosaur 🦕 National Monument – Jensen, Utah

K: Dinosaur 🦕 National Monument – Jensen, Utah

S: Dinosaur 🦕 National Monument – Jensen, Utah. Because there was dinosaur stuff.

me: Joshua Tree National Park. This place was like nowhere I’ve ever been before it was like visiting another planet. I could’ve gone there every day.

E: I’d have to say Arches National Park – Moab, Utah, some of those stone fins were super cool!

• Which train ride was your favorite?

B: The Gilroy Gardens train ride.

K: The one at family camp – Leoni Meadows.

S: Terry Bison Ranch – Cheyenne, Wyoming

me: The train ride at Leoni Meadows Family Camp – Grizzly Flats, California, was my favorite, The wildflowers in the meadow were so pretty. Driving the hand car at Nevada State Railroad Museum – Carson City, Nevada was a short ride, but it was a really awesome experience too!

E: Terry Bison Ranch – Cheyenne, Wyoming, because we got to feed bison! If the train ride at Leoni meadows had bison then I would say the train ride at Leoni Meadows.

• What is difficult about living in the RV?

B: Because we don’t have much space to play and I love playing.

K: That we have to take military showers.

S: Living in a tiny space. I like more space.

me: We can’t wash dishes and use the shower at the same time. It makes the water pressure and temperature in the shower all crazy. I’m always stepping on/over LEGOs and toys. I miss cooking. It’s stressful to be in such tight quarters and that makes it really hard to deal with any extra stress, for example my Identity Theft or dealing with the insurance claim.

E: Trying to work in the small, shared space with unreliable internet and cell service. Driving this rig can be really stressful too. Things are constantly breaking and falling apart.

• What is great about living in the RV?

B: That we have toys.

K: That I have the top bunk.

S: That we could go to Legoland for my birthday (March 2019).

me: Getting to visit National Parks, try new food, and see new things. Visiting with friends and family that we haven’t seen in years!

E: My favorite part is that it’s easy to clean and straighten up.

• What is God teaching you through this adventure?

B: To be nice.

K: To explore nature.

S: To be patient.

me:

“The spirits don’t punish us. They only show us the way we need to go. Where one path ends, another begins.” – Cloud Dancing

“God doesn’t punish us. He just shows us in which direction we need to go. And when one path ends another begins.” – Michaela Quinn

Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Season 5, Episode 13 Season of Miracles

E: To enjoy the journey!

• Tell about a fun thing we did recently.

B: Playing at Cahill Park in Cheyenne Wyoming.

K: American Girl Store – Denver, Colorado

S: Terry Bison Ranch – Cheyenne, Wyoming

me: Terry Bison Ranch – Cheyenne, Wyoming

E: The last night we were in Cheyenne, Wyoming, we went hunting around the town for Big Boots 👢. When we went to Rocky Mountain National Park and got caught in the rain. Playing soccer with the kids in one of the RV park grassy areas.

• What was your favorite restaurant we ate at?

B: The Old Spaghetti Factory

K: Pasta Jay’s

S: Pasta Jay’s

me: Dechutes Brewery – Bend, OR, The Sparrow Bakery -Bend, OR, Yaks on the 5 – Dunsmuir, CA, Antica Forma – Vernal, UT, Pasta Jay’s – Moab, UT & Boulder, CO

E: Pasta Jay’s in Boulder Colorado, get the Wild Buffalo Bill Ravioli and the garlic knots.

• If you could go back to visit only one place, where would you go?

B: Gilroy Gardens.

K: Legoland California

S: Legoland, California

me: Arches National Park – Moab, Utah, it was so hot when we were there, we didn’t get to see everything that I wanted to see.

E: Moab, Utah

• What do you miss most about Paradise, CA?

B: The duck pond park.

K: Seeing Mugga and Bubba [grandparents] every Sabbath.

S: Seeing Bubba & Muga [grandparents] more often.

me: Meehos [Mexican food drive through], randomly running into people I know at the grocery store, the smell of the pine trees, going to my parents’ house on Sabbath afternoons, the way the light reflected off the pool and danced on the living room ceiling, the stars at night, Dolly-O Donuts

E: Our old routines and lifestyle.

• Where do you want to go next?

B: An amusement park.

K: To a new park.

S: Legoland in Florida.

me: Yellowstone National Park

E: A new house to live in that I don’t have to drive!

Thank you so much to everyone who is following our blog. It means so much to have you along for the adventure. We are blessed by your comments, prayers, and support. If you’re not already following our blog, join us today!