Ditching My RV Training Wheels!

I didn’t have far to go for my first trip of the year to get the Rambling Pines Campground in Woodbine, Maryland for the first rally of the season with the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of RVing Women!

It took me less than 80 minutes to drive there, but I was pretty shaky before I headed out. I hadn’t gotten up as early as I had planned and had to do some invoices and grading before I could leave. I always feel a little nervous heading out, but this time I seemed a little more stressed but didn’t know why. I made it with no problem and as soon as I started the setup process for Memory Maker II (MMII), I noticed a problem. A set of wires were hanging down and had been shredded by the gravel as I parked in the campsite. Just as with my first trip with RVing Women last November, several women came over to greet me as I arrived at my site. I mentioned and showed my frayed wires, and within minutes Laurie had returned with her tool kit to splice the damaged part of the wires and Kathy contributed some wire nuts (whatever they are). And Voila! It was fixed!

I had been thinking about signing up for a RV Maintenance Course so I can fix my own RV, but that wire event convinced me and Friday night I actually signed up for the course. I can’t wait! If I’m going to be traveling alone, I need to increase my supply of tools, wires and nuts so I can do on the spot repairs too!!

I loved this weekend so much! It was freezing cold and rained all day on Saturday, but we all met in the pavilion for each meal and laughed and played games. These women are genuine, kind and some of the most helpful women I’ve ever met. When I wasn’t with them, I tried to familiarize myself with every inch of MMII. I confirmed what runs on electricity, what runs on propane, and when to use my generator. I made notes, and wrote down questions to ask my RVing friends at the next meal. I began to feel smarter and much more confident. It was so cold Sat afternoon and night and was the perfect weather to try out my new ceramic heater I can use if I ever run out of propane. I then comfortably used my propane for overnight and it used very little propane!

On Sunday at the final breakfast and prior to the group photo, I walked the campground in the cold but sunny weather in quest of my 10,000 steps. I looked at the trees, and the people and listened to the kids playing and the birds singing. All of those things are why I love to camp! The sun, the wind, the scenery, the differences between each of the places I’ve been to are all very spiritual for me. It’s why I love the fact that most of my weekends end on Sunday. Though I miss church when camping, being in nature is church for me. I said prayers on my walk for both my SC family and for the soul of my friend Trish who died on Monday.

After the group photo which we actually did in one take, everyone headed back to their sites to finish breaking down their campsites to go home. As I walked back to my site, I watched my friends packing up. I believe there were three other women who were camping alone, but most were couples. Watching the couples share the duties of packing up so reminded me of camping with Tim. He always did the outside and I always did the inside. I’m so happy for all of these couples that are together enjoying their travel and I hope they all have many more years together, but I sure do miss these times with Tim. Today again proved to me that Tim was with me. I had trouble disconnecting the water line and got quite wet. The sewer line also challenged me some but I conquered them both! I was wet and muddy, but energized too! I had to go to the campground propane area on the way out to get propane for my tank. I was praying I’d get close enough without running into anything and blowing us all up! But I did it!!!

Inspired by my success in getting my propane tank filled without incident, I decided to get gas on the way home instead of waiting for the next trip! I had to maneuver past some cars and SUVs but was able to pull right up to the pump! Everyone was watching me and nodding in approval at my home on wheels. Now I was on cloud 9 and I decided not to do my usual text to my neighbor to help me park MMII. I was going to do this one on my own! I pulled up past the house and toward my neighbor’s mailbox. Then I backed MMII up and onto the sidewalk and into the extended car port, even parking on the bricks!!! WOO HOO!!! I was soooo excited! Then all of a sudden I was sad and wished I had called my neighbor so he could have seen my success!! I was very proud of myself, BUT I also wanted a congratulatory hug or a high five and no one was there to give me one. I started to cry a little, but then heard Tim’s laughter!! and I heard him say “Look at you!!!! You did it!! Go Girl!!” That was all I needed and I smiled.

Right at that moment my neighbor Ralph walked by and we hugged! His wife Vivian will have been gone one year this coming Wednesday. We talked about Tim and Vivian and how fast time has gone since their deaths. We are both grateful that we can still hear and feel our loved ones and we know they’d be proud of us and all of the accomplishments we’ve made since they’ve been gone. I told Ralph all about RVing Women, how much support I’ve received from them and how they feel like my family already. I didn’t give up at any time this weekend and pushed through every challenge, parked by myself, and even signed up for an RV Maintenance course. I feel like I’ve taken my RV Training Wheels off, and I’m ready for the whatever the Open Road has in store for me! Thanks for all of the RV lessons Tim, you’ve prepared me well for whatever my future holds and I’ll love you always!!

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