Traveling with Trailers

"Very often a change of self is needed more than a change of scene."

It’s about time the sun is back to shining.  Over the last few days clouds and rain have covered the Arizona deserts.  We didn’t like it one bit.  Most of us travel south to get away from those exact things.  Some also run from the snow.  We don’t like that either.  We lived in the south for 20 years.  We certainly don’t want to spend our winter in the rain, the snow or even the ice.

Our first year was spent in a 5th wheel going back and forth between Arizona and Texas.  We mainly stayed at Thousand Trail parks  and also at COE (Corp of Engineer) parks. What we were doing and where we were going was new and exciting.  At that time we had a big contractor’s generator and definitely were not equipped for boondocking.  Heck!  We didn’t even know what that meant.

The next year we ventured to Alabama and Florida.  I think this year was the most fun for me because of all the new places we had stopped.  We have never started out trying to go to all 50 states like others do.  We’d already visited each and everyone of them.  We just wanted to go and enjoy and that we really did.  There were so many new experiences.

 

Eventually we had a brainstorm. We decided we wanted a couple ATVs.  It would be so much fun to ride them in the desert and on the trails.  That’s what we did and it was so much fun to ride them.  We rode them constantly in Arizona and Utah but they definitely limited our travel.  However, what we also discovered is that our summer place in Washington State was not ATV friendly.  Other than a couple rides the toys stayed pretty much on the trailer all summer long. Not fun.  So, what did we do?

We had another brainstorm.  We sold them, hauled the trailer south with us and bought a 2-seater RZR.  We were off to the BLM and more short-lived fun, fun, fun.  However, there is a huge downside on all this fun.  One of those downsides is we’re always hauling a trailer.  We can’t always get into every park we might like to stay at because there is no room for the trailer. 

We’re fueling up two vehicles instead of one.  Besides that we’ve only used the RZR a little less than 2 weeks because we are not in a park where we can ride it nor have we been most of the time.  Now we do know that we will probably have a good 4 weeks of using the RZR when we head back to Quartzsite.  We also know that once spring and summer come, there will be no riding at all.  There are lots of things to think about.

Here’s one more thing we’ve discussed …… leaving our motorhome in Arizona and not driving it back to Washington.  After all, we do have a place to stay there.  Do we really need to drive it back when we rarely use it there?  Do we really need to be in Washington from April to October?  Well, we'd certainly get a tongue lashing from Sabrina if we didn't.  Our daughter-in-law might be small but she sure is mighty!  Even we're afraid to cross her!  (That's a joke). 

Obviously, we have a dilemma.  We may just enjoy this toy this year and graduate into another toy that doesn’t require a trailer next year.  Kayaks anyone?  Only time will tell.  Thank goodness we don’t have to make a decision today.  Today?  We're packing for our Christmas adventure.

‘Tis life on the road.