It’s Moving Time

 

It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.

 

There are two fairly new Wa-Marts within about 20 miles of each other.  One is in Woodland and the other is in Longview.  We noticed  “No Overnight Truck or RV Parking” signs plastered all over the Woodland Wal-Mart parking lot.  These were the signs.

I wandered if it was the manager or if was the community that did not allow the RV parking.   However, right down the road from the Woodland store is a Safeway's where we often see RVs settled in off the road for the night.  So, I finally asked and discovered it wasn’t the manager.  Woodland has an ordinance against it.  They have allowed RVers to park at the Wal-Mart but they are warned there just might be a knock on the door in the wee morning hours if the police decide to enforce that ordinance. Normally they don't.

 

We have parked overnight at many Wal-Marts when traveling through.  There was another time we had seen similar signs and discovered just because the sign said you couldn’t park there it didn’t really mean you couldn't.   RVs still overnighted at that location … including us.  We were told that the ordinance was rarely enforced and we were welcome to stay.  Other times when we’ve seen these signs it really means no overnight parking.  Some Wal-Marts even provide overnight security for the store and for the overnighting RVers.  

Staying at a Wal-Mart really isn't free.  Many times it’s just easier to get off the road without setting up.  Our intent is to stay just one night and that's all Wal-Mart wants you to stay.   There are some RVers we have learned who try to stay several nights.  Then, there are those we have heard that try to live in the Wal-Mart system ... traveling between Wal-Marts.  I can't imagine why someone would want Wal-Mart to be listed as their home address but to each their own!!  These overnight stops tend to be pretty expensive places we stay because they carry everything in their store and it certainly is convenient to stock up when we’re staying in their lot and we certainly end up doing that.

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Have you ever noticed that having a gorgeous view always seems to make a price tag on a piece of property jump sky high?   Terry and I thought this view was fantastic.  We could imagine sitting on the deck and just enjoying the beauty of the lake below.  The two decks overlooked Lake Merwin plus Mt. St Helens.  It was gorgeous . …… except there is no way I would be comfortable knowing all of this was built on the side of a BIG hill.   I did enjoy checking the view out. I tiptoed to the edge and peeked but that was just about the extent of my visit.

My blog title did say it was moving time.  However, we weren't the ones moving.  Friday was moving day for Tammi  and her family.  They closed on their new house only 2 miles from where Lee lives.  They aren’t actually moving into their new place for another month or so because the kids need to finish this school year first.  They spent last weekend buying new appliances for the house.  Their shopping list then included a refrigerator, range, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and a dryer!!  After the closing it was their job to move these things into their new home and hook them up.  Our little ATV trailer proved it was good for more than just hauling ATVs back and forth to Arizona.

We’ve sure been having gorgeous weather!!  Not too hot and not too cold with no rain and lots of beautiful sunshine.

‘Tis life on the road.