Tag: FullTimeCamper

Catching Up: Family Adventures: NASCAR and New Memories

~ Wandering Cindi ~ 2 Comments

I took a longer break than I realized with writing and posting here on the blog. I would like to apologize for my absence. I knew I would take about a month and a half away from the blog because I would be spending that time in Iowa helping a family member. We had spent so much time bouncing around the same campgrounds in Texas, I really did not have anything interesting to say. It was the same old thing, taking Murphy swimming almost every day, no real adventures, just normal every day life. But, before we got back to that routine, we did have a brief stay in Texarkana, TX at Piney Point Campground. We saw a ton of deer, found a great spot for the pup to swim, and enjoyed a woodsy setting.

After that, we headed back to Dallas so that I could fly out and Aaron and Murphy could get settled back in at Clear Lake again.

Last Minute Change of Plans-Indianapolis and NASCAR

My mom was getting her knee replaced and needed someone there to assist her with recovery. I was pleased to have the freedom to schedule my time to go there and help her. My dad also had a few doctor appointments that I was able to take him to as well. While speaking with my brothers, I found out they were going to meet up in Indianapolis for a NASCAR race. They go to the Indy 500 every year and catch other races as they can, but they have never been to a NASCAR race and do not really follow that type of racing. But opportunity knocked, and they decided to go check it out. I decided to meet up with them in Indy to watch the race, and then ride back to Iowa with my brother, Chris, and nephew, William.

My older brother and I both landed in Indy right at the same time. Chris and Will picked us up from the airport and then we went out to dinner- really yummy Mexican food. The margarita I had was delicious, but it was also the first time I had a rubber ducky and an umbrella in a margarita.

Race Day

Sunday morning rolled around, and it was time to head to the track. I had been there once before for the Indy 500, which is a totally different type of car race. The rules and the cars are very different. Since this was the very end of July, it was HOT! We had time to kill before the race, so we decided to visit the Indy Museum at the track.

A group of four people posing in front of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum fountain, with a cloudy sky in the background.

We enjoyed visiting the museum; it had so many cool cars and the history of the Indy 500, and most importantly, there was air conditioning!

The trophy actually has the name and face of every Indy 500 winner. Really cool, but also a bit weird.

Janet Guthrie was the first woman to compete in the Indy 500. She ran her first race in 1977 and drove the car pictured here in 1978. In 1978, she kept a broken wrist a secret and drove this car to finish in 9th place. She held the record for the best Indy 500 finish as a woman from 1978 until 2005, when Danica Patrick finished in 4th place.

A few more pictures from the museum

The Race

My favorite part of the race was that Cookie Monster was the one to say, “Gentlemen, start your engines!”

Our seats were fantastic! But it was super crowded and super hot. After about 3/4 of the race, we decided to move down to a less crowded area. The view was not nearly as good, but the seats were much closer to the track. The cars were insanely loud, and every person there had earplugs. I do not think I would have made it without them.

Here is a 3-second video. If you would like to hear what it sounded like, just click on the image below for the video to play.

We all thought the race was OK. Would any of us attend another NASCAR race? I do not think so. I had a great time with my brothers and nephew, and we experienced something we had not experienced before. Plus, Cookie Monster was there.

The race was over; it was time to drop Sean off at his hotel and for Chris, Will, and me to drive to Iowa. They both had to work the next day, and I needed to take Dad to a doctor’s appointment.

Aaron, Murphy, and the Airstream were still in Texas.

A silver Airstream trailer parked under a tree with a black pickup truck nearby, surrounded by green grass and trees.

Next week, I will cover my Great River Road excursion in Iowa. Thank you for sticking with me and reading about all of our adventures!

Relaxing at Clear Lake Campground: A Peaceful Retreat

~ Wandering Cindi ~ 2 Comments

Aaron, Murphy, and I returned to Clear Lake Campground, located on the shore of Lavon Lake, just outside Dallas, Texas. We had spent two weeks here previously in May. This time, we were able to reserve a site on the lake’s shore. The site was very spacious and had a lovely view of the lake.

One thing we have found about camping in Texas during spring is the huge number of spiders! They were everywhere! They spun webs all over the trucks and the camper. There was one spider who starred in its own movie on one of our security cameras. Here are two screenshots I took from the security camera.

We also experienced quite a few rainy days while we were there. Luckily, we did not have severe weather, which can be very prevalent in this area in the spring.

Most of our time was spent outside enjoying the water and the sunshine. Murphy swam quite often; he also watched the ducks swimming in “his” water.

I kept a chair by the water, so Murphy could swim for a long time and expend his very high energy. It is a challenge sometimes to wear him out. If we are at a campground where he can run, he is OK. But if we are somewhere that is crowded and there are a lot of other dogs, we have to get creative to keep him occupied. He loves to run and swim. And he has the energy levels to be able to do those activities for hours.

Our two weeks at Clear Lake were quite uneventful and very peaceful. After about two months camping around northern Texas, we decided we needed a change of scenery. Aaron was done with the new office setup for the time being, so we were once again free to explore unknown places. We dropped off the company truck he had been using, packed up, hitched up, and for the first time in almost two months, Aaron towed the Airstream out of Texas.

Next stop- Arkansas. This will be a new state on our journey.

Why Less is More for a Nomadic Life

~ Wandering Cindi ~ 1 Comment

My younger brother, Chris, asked me this-“Can you do a review of your home and/or what you’ve learned is important to have being mobile and what you thought would be important but isn’t wanted or needed?” And my cousin, Kathy, chimed in with the perfect question, “Less is more?” The question Kathy posed is the answer. Less is more in a nomadic life.

When we bought our first camper, we were very excited to fill it with all the essential items and choose the decor to make it feel like home. We purchased pillows, throw blankets, and hung artwork created by family and friends.

We loved the way it looked, but as time went on, and we lived in the space, we realized that all those pillows were not very practical and usually ended up on the floor or pushed aside. Only the sun and lizard pillows survived to continue into the 2nd camper we purchased. We found that less was more comfortable and more functional.

All of the art made the cut, except for that beautiful painted glass with the flowers. It was secured to the refrigerator very well, but we did not think to check how the glass was secured to the wooden frame. After a day’s drive on a very bumpy highway, we entered the camper to find the glass shattered on the floor, and the frame still attached to the refrigerator. I loved that piece, and it was a hard-earned lesson. The metal lizards and the metal arrows are still with us as well.

I am sad that my collage of photos was not able to make it to the second camper. When I took them down, I did not store them properly, and they became unusable as a result. That broke my heart a little bit. This is something I will eventually do again.

We began with two pots, a small frying pan, a large sauté pan, a cast-iron skillet, a French press, a water kettle, and two pans for use in the oven. We rarely used the cast iron, as it was very heavy and too large for just two people, so we got rid of it. We also only have 4 plates, 4 bowls, 4 salad plates, 4 drinking cups, 4 spoons, 4 forks, and 4 knives. I have one spatula, one large serving spoon, and a very small whisk. We also have nesting measuring cups that can measure wet and dry items.

We used to have a camp stove and a grill that we carried in the back of the truck. We realized that we really did not need both, and opted to give away the grill, and the camp stove can be used as a grill, and in most campgrounds, there is a grill in each campsite we are able to use if we really wanted.

As far as clothing, we each have about 2 weeks’ worth of clothes, with a few layering pieces to add in for cold weather. I also have 1 wrinkle-free dress that could be worn at a wedding or funeral, and 2 dressier shirts, just in case. In 2 and a half years, I have been lucky enough to not need the dress. We each have a raincoat and a heavy winter coat, and only 3 or 4 pairs of shoes. One pair of waterproof shoes is a must. It is also very convenient to have a pair of slide-on shoes and a pair of tennis shoes. I have one pair of dress shoes in a cabinet, just in case they are needed for a wedding, funeral, or other formal occasion where dressy attire is appropriate. .

We also have two sets of sheets, two towels, and two washcloths each.

Our space is small, and storage is limited by space and also weight. We gave to be careful to not put too uch weight in the Airstream due to weight limitations on the axles and the frame.

My favorite addition to our new trailer is the water filtration system we (and by we, I mean Aaron) installed. In our first year, we bought all of our drinking water. That got very expensive, as we both drink mostly water. Now we feel much better about using the water provided at campgrounds or the water from our onboard water tank. We keep extra jugs for water to refill our tank when we are camping where there is no potable water available. This system, combined with the external water filter attached to our water hose, ensures that the water we drink is safe.

One of our biggest challenges is remembering that we only have space to buy groceries for one week at a time. With limited storage space and a small refrigerator and freezer, we must be mindful of what we purchase to consume.

One thing I thought I would miss more than I do is online purchasing. Since we do not have a large space, what we want and what we need can be very different. However, they are becoming increasingly similar as time passes. When we are able to receive packages, we do still shop online. Now, shopping online is a treat, not a daily activity.

I have learned that I can look at, like, and admire something without having to possess it. It really has to be something special and meaningful to be added to our home. A small living space can become cluttered very quickly. Less is more functional space, more living space, more window space, more collecting of pictures and memories instead of things.

We slowly add decorations as we find things that we like. I picked up this piece at the International UFO Museum in New Mexico. I really like New Mexico, and feel I could spend months there and still not see everything the state has to show. The symbol is from the state flag, with an alien incorporated into the design. We had a lot of fun that day, and I thought this would look good in the camper.

Before we moved to Florida from Louisiana, I was a keeper of all the things. I felt comfortable in the clutter, and if I saw something I liked, I would usually get it. I did not have to love it, because I could always give it away or donate the item. When we bought our home in Florida, we purchased a smaller home that had only a quarter of the storage space. I conducted a massive purge before we moved, getting rid of over half of the things we had accumulated while raising three kids and living together for over twenty years. I was actually shocked at how good it felt to get rid of so many things. And I did it again when we decided to start living and traveling in our Airstream. It felt freeing. And I honestly can not tell you what I miss besides my own washer and dryer. However, doing two weeks’ worth of laundry all at once in an hour has its perks as well. So, I guess I don’t miss the washer and dryer too much.

Interior view of a camper with a potted plant on a table, soft pillows on a couch, and a scenic view of a lake and mountains through a mesh window.

I don’t think I could go back to lots of knick-knacks and clutter again. For me, less is more. Less is more freedom, less is more experiences, less is more life being lived. One way that less is less, is in time spent cleaning, which translates to more time doing other, more enjoyable things, like when we visited the Grand Canyon.

A silver Airstream trailer parked at a scenic overlook with a view of a canyon under a cloudy sky.

Thank you for taking the time to read about our wandering life.

Everyday RV Life: Challenges and Joys

~ Wandering Cindi ~ 2 Comments

Due to the location of the new field office Aaron is getting up and running, we have been bouncing around northeast Texas, on the outskirts of Dallas, Texas. I must say, towing the camper in a hectic suburban environment has been both educational and challenging for me. I am glad to have the experience under my belt, and I now have a lot more confidence in my towing and driving skills.

To be honest, I have been struggling with what the blog should be about this week. Our stays and travels have been pretty uneventful the past few weeks. It seems very repetitive to keep posting pictures of Murphy playing in a lake, but that has been our life on the road recently.

We stayed at Hickory Creek Campground on Lewisville Lake for a week, and I didn’t even take any pictures. We had been there before, I think in 2023, and nothing had changed. It is a lovely campground that is very popular with the locals, and seems close to full quite often.

The most exciting day of that week was the day we arrived. We got to the campground an hour before check-in, and we could not go to our spot, because they were full, and the people in the spot we had reserved had not checked out yet. That was OK- it was a chance we took arriving early. The gentleman kindly gave me directions to a Walmart where we could wait. We needed to grocery shop, so it worked out well. As I was parking the camper, I noticed a Domino’s Pizza across the parking lot. Pizza sounded so good. WE did the shopping, and while checking out, Aaron ordered us some pizza. By the time we had the groceries put away, the pizza was ready. That was probably the hottest and freshest pizza I have had in over a year. It was five minutes from when it left the oven until we started feasting in the Airstream.

After a week at Hickory Creek, it was time to head to Lavonia Campground. This campground sits on Lavon Lake, and we were ready to settle in one spot for two weeks. We pulled up to the site, and the driveway was narrow, and there was a ditch on each side. I am not ashamed to say, I hopped out of the truck, and let Aaron back into that spot. I am not great a backing the truck by itself, and trying to avoid ditches and thread the trailer onto a narrow drive was not a challenge I was up for. Aaron happily backed the trailer into the spot.

This was probably the most challenging campsite we have had in terms of trying to get the trailer level. The driveway had a considerable slope, so it caused the front to be much lower than the back. We were able to get it level, but it did not look pretty.

In the next 2 pictures, you can really see the difference in the heights of the rear and front of the camper.

We had a pretty view of Lake Lavon from our site.

One thing about campgrounds is that they need to be maintained. Grass needs to be cut, things like that. I have no problem with that. When we arrived, the campsite itself did not have very long grass, but the surrounding area was covered in very high grass. I don’t mind the high grass; it usually has beautiful wildflowers growing with it. Murphy likes running through tall grasses.

What I do mind, is when the grounds keeper is careless when they are mowing and weed-eating. We have visited numerous campgrounds where they take care not to spray the grass and debris towards the campers. This time, the landscaper did not care. I am very grateful that no rocks hit and broke any of our windows. It sounded like hail was hitting the trailer while he was mowing. And he left a huge mess behind when he was done. I was not happy.

We spent the two weeks catching up on some spring cleaning. Our big task this stay was washing the curtains. We did not want to harm or shrink them, so we hand-washed them and then hung them out on a clothesline to dry. They were quite dirty from our time in the desert, and Murphy rubbing against them to peek out of the windows. My friend Karen had given me the clothesline as a gift before we began this journey, and I thought about her and thanked her for it as we dried the curtains.

Honestly, this has not been the most exciting part of our journey, but it does offer an honest glimpse into our everyday life. Not every week is going to be some grand adventure, but every week is another week we are so appreciative that we get to travel and experience so many beautiful places, even the quiet ones by a lake where the dog gets to swim every day.

We have at least two more weeks in Texas before we get to move on to other adventures. So, he next blog will probably be more pictures of Murphy and a lake. But who knows what may be waiting for us at the next campground? Maybe some excitement, or perhaps just some more calm, uneventful time by the water.

If you have any questions about our life and travels, please leave a comment here. Alternatively, if we’re friends on Facebook or Instagram, feel free to ask a question or two there, and I’ll answer them in my next blog. Thank you for joining us on our adventure!

Three Lakes in Three Weeks from Texas to Oklahoma

~ Wandering Cindi ~ 2 Comments

We left Lake Colorado City State Park and made our way to northern Texas. Our first two-week stay was at Clear Lake Campground on Lavon Lake east of Dallas, Texas. It is run by the Army Corps of Engineers, and it was a lovely place to call home for a time.

The sites are very nicely spaced apart, and we had a pretty view of the lake. Wildflowers were blooming in the field on the other side of the Airstream. Murphy and I spent most of our days walking to the shore of the lake so that he would swim and wear himself out. The park was not crowded or full during the week, but it would get very busy on the weekends. That is OK with us, as we usually do our laundry and shopping on the weekends, and our recreation during the week.

Close-up of a yellow wildflower blooming in a grassy field.
A dog standing by the water's edge, looking out at a lake under a partly cloudy sky, with grass and plants in the foreground.

Murphy photo bombing my picture.

A small plant with reddish leaves growing on a grassy bank by a lake, with calm water in the background.

This was the shot I was aiming for.

I swear the dog is part dolphin. It is near impossible to keep him out of the water.

There were a few rainy days, but that is expected in spring.

The day before we were supposed to check out and move to our next stop, we got a phone call from the state park we had booked for the next 2 weeks. Lake Texoma State Park was experiencing very high water levels, and the site we had booked was closed due to flooding. They did have other spots available in a different part of the park, so we went ahead and took the offered campsite.

Since Aaron had a company truck, I had to do the towing of the camper. I don’t tow it very often, so this was good for me. If ever Aaron were not able to drive, I need to be comfortable towing and parking the rolling house. I will say, driving through and around such a metropolitan area as Dallas was a bit intimidating. My nerves were shot, but I did a good job. This picture is from my Snapchat story.

I was excited for our new spot, It was in Floyd’s campground in the state park. My grandpa’s name was Floyd, so I thought it was pretty cool to park here for a few weeks.

This was the view from our site. As you can tell from the trees in the middle of the water, the lake was crazy high. And it only continued to rise.

We stayed in that spot for 2 nights before the park called us again. They were worried that our site was going to flood and asked if we could move to another site, still in Floyd’s, but up a hill and further from the water. We semi-packed up and moved across the street, up the hill.

A shiny Airstream trailer parked under lush green trees with a black truck nearby in a campground.

I still took Murphy down to the water, considering his part-dolphin heritage, but didn’t really let him swim. There was so much trash washed up from the lake. I was really mad about it, too. People use the lake for boating, fishing, and swimming, but do not respect it enough to take care of it, and throw away their trash. It really frustrates me! It won’t be a beautiful place to spend time if it is abused and trashed.

Close-up view of a muddy area with scattered debris, including plastic cups and sticks, along with patches of green grass.

We stayed in our new spot for 2 days, and then got another call. We would need to move sites again for the night and would have to leave the park the next day by 2 pm. The park was closing due to rising water levels. Aaron was at the new office trying to set it up, so I was scrambling to find us a new home for the remaining week and a half we were supposed to be at Lake Texoma.

I found 1 spot available about 30 minutes away at Murray Lake State Park in Oklahoma for the rest of the week. It was a lovely state park, but the campground was very crowded. We were very grateful we had somewhere to go, and Murphy, as usual, enjoyed swimming in the lake. I was getting more towing experience than expected, and it was a good reminder to always have a plan B in mind, in case of something like flooding occurs.

I was also able to reserve a spot for us at Hickory Creek Campground in Lewisville Lake, just north of Dallas, for the following week.

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who reads and follows my blog. I will be back in a week or two with more Texas adventures.