Time to wrap up this eventful year...
I would have to say that this was the year of total direction change for the older Bennett family. Even though we had talked about switching from a sticks and bricks life style to a mobile full time RV life style, it was always just talk. But by January 2016 we were picking up steam toward actually doing something about it. We pretty well made the decision to give it a go for at least two years, then reevaluate. Of course that meant we had a lot to do. Most of which did not get done as the year ends, but more progress that we could have predicted at the beginning. Early on we decided that though we would research, study, and make some preparations this year, we made the decision to go slow until we returned from the Washington D.C. choir trip our church had planned..
Well, we did. We spent the year looking at RV's and RV camping places. Studying on the reviews of different manufactures, the necessities for RV'rs, exploring every RV park we could find between Texas and North Carolina, and planning how we could transition from S&B to a home on wheels. We narrowed our choices and began to track RV's for sale on the internet. We found a few we liked and those we went and looked at when we could. None of them really met our criteria for quality, setup and price. Then we went to DC. We told several people, including our kids, what we planned to do, and that we were going to get serious after returning from the DC trip. We didn't even realize how serious we would get. We got home on October 7, and on Oct 16 we bought a 39 foot fifth wheel RV. I found it on RV TRADER. It was listed as a 2014 Grand Design Solitude 369RL in Alvarado TX, about 150 miles from Lindale. We had never seen one, but we had seen and studied the Grand Design Solitude series and looked at several of the smaller models. The thoughtful designs, quality and often the layout and is the same in many of the Solitude models, only the length is different. When we arrived to look at the trailer the owner informed us he had made a big mistake in listing the RV as a 2014. It actually was a 2015 which he had owned less than 10 months. No price change, he just wanted out because his fiancee wanted a lake cabin rather than a fifth wheel. We knew in five minutes this was the one for us. It was like new, but had a year of use to iron out many of the possible problems of a new RV and it was the right price. By morning of the next day it was mine. Now what do we do with it. I dont have a tow vehicle and it's a long way from...where?
Wonder of wonders, months before God had put in our lives a couple who Pam met in GABC choir. They are avid RV'ers, and happen to have a space on their lot, next to their fifth wheel next to their S&B where they would let us put ourfiver. Not only that, Russ and Karen wanted to help install water, power and sewer so we could not only store, but practice with our RV by staying in it often. Beyond that, years before God had introduced us to Tim and Becky at FBC Lindale. Since they retired, Tim and Becky are not full time RV'ers, but "anytime" RV'ers. They go "anytime" they want. Tim and Becky were gracious enough to drive with us to get the Fiver and tow it back to Russ and Karen's place. I think God knew what He had planned for me and Pam and it is not a coincidence that these people were in our lives way before we knew why. I think the story of Tim and Becky, Russ and Karen, and Skip and Pam is just starting and has a lot of chapters still to be written.
So that bring us about here to the end of 2016. I am getting antsy to be on our way, but we have to down size big time and help someone by selling them our house. Then we have to help someone else by taking our truck off their hands. My original time line had us actually hitting the road on my 70th birthday. I still think that is the outside "go" date. Our hope is that we can be about 6 months ahead of that, but only time will tell. Until then we continue to pray for wisdom as we make big decisions about our lives. I believe that if God has been in this for the last 15 years (By the way Walter and Wanda who we got to know well over 20 years got us started on the path.) will continue a good work until completion.
Consider 2016 wrapped. There is obviously more to come. Until then, these are just some ramblings from a Rockin’ RoVer. Rockin’ and RoVin’ on.
I would have to say that this was the year of total direction change for the older Bennett family. Even though we had talked about switching from a sticks and bricks life style to a mobile full time RV life style, it was always just talk. But by January 2016 we were picking up steam toward actually doing something about it. We pretty well made the decision to give it a go for at least two years, then reevaluate. Of course that meant we had a lot to do. Most of which did not get done as the year ends, but more progress that we could have predicted at the beginning. Early on we decided that though we would research, study, and make some preparations this year, we made the decision to go slow until we returned from the Washington D.C. choir trip our church had planned..
Well, we did. We spent the year looking at RV's and RV camping places. Studying on the reviews of different manufactures, the necessities for RV'rs, exploring every RV park we could find between Texas and North Carolina, and planning how we could transition from S&B to a home on wheels. We narrowed our choices and began to track RV's for sale on the internet. We found a few we liked and those we went and looked at when we could. None of them really met our criteria for quality, setup and price. Then we went to DC. We told several people, including our kids, what we planned to do, and that we were going to get serious after returning from the DC trip. We didn't even realize how serious we would get. We got home on October 7, and on Oct 16 we bought a 39 foot fifth wheel RV. I found it on RV TRADER. It was listed as a 2014 Grand Design Solitude 369RL in Alvarado TX, about 150 miles from Lindale. We had never seen one, but we had seen and studied the Grand Design Solitude series and looked at several of the smaller models. The thoughtful designs, quality and often the layout and is the same in many of the Solitude models, only the length is different. When we arrived to look at the trailer the owner informed us he had made a big mistake in listing the RV as a 2014. It actually was a 2015 which he had owned less than 10 months. No price change, he just wanted out because his fiancee wanted a lake cabin rather than a fifth wheel. We knew in five minutes this was the one for us. It was like new, but had a year of use to iron out many of the possible problems of a new RV and it was the right price. By morning of the next day it was mine. Now what do we do with it. I dont have a tow vehicle and it's a long way from...where?
Wonder of wonders, months before God had put in our lives a couple who Pam met in GABC choir. They are avid RV'ers, and happen to have a space on their lot, next to their fifth wheel next to their S&B where they would let us put ourfiver. Not only that, Russ and Karen wanted to help install water, power and sewer so we could not only store, but practice with our RV by staying in it often. Beyond that, years before God had introduced us to Tim and Becky at FBC Lindale. Since they retired, Tim and Becky are not full time RV'ers, but "anytime" RV'ers. They go "anytime" they want. Tim and Becky were gracious enough to drive with us to get the Fiver and tow it back to Russ and Karen's place. I think God knew what He had planned for me and Pam and it is not a coincidence that these people were in our lives way before we knew why. I think the story of Tim and Becky, Russ and Karen, and Skip and Pam is just starting and has a lot of chapters still to be written.
So that bring us about here to the end of 2016. I am getting antsy to be on our way, but we have to down size big time and help someone by selling them our house. Then we have to help someone else by taking our truck off their hands. My original time line had us actually hitting the road on my 70th birthday. I still think that is the outside "go" date. Our hope is that we can be about 6 months ahead of that, but only time will tell. Until then we continue to pray for wisdom as we make big decisions about our lives. I believe that if God has been in this for the last 15 years (By the way Walter and Wanda who we got to know well over 20 years got us started on the path.) will continue a good work until completion.
Consider 2016 wrapped. There is obviously more to come. Until then, these are just some ramblings from a Rockin’ RoVer. Rockin’ and RoVin’ on.
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