What another great year it was! I feel so blessed and fortunate to be able to live this lifestyle of adventure and travel. Pat and I are continuing to enjoy the RV travel and seeing all that this great country has to offer. It has now been a year and 8 months on the road! Sure, there are some down sides such as missing the family during holiday. But, man oh man, what we have enjoyed this year! This post is to provide a recap of 2018.
Where to start? I guess let’s look at some of the highlights:
- Time with family – we made two stops in Virginia and three to Indiana to see the kids and the moms. Can’t top that.
- Mother Little’s 90th birthday celebration
- My mother’s Florida home sale and move to a retirement center in Indy
- Our son Bryan’s wedding to Jennifer in Washington DC in October
- More family: Spending a month in Savannah (a favorite) and a week with family (Mike and Lorna) and a week at Port Aransas with family (Tom and Ginny) (blog update coming soon)
- Spending four locations with new RV friends Sue and Calvin
- A week with RV friends Bob and Lois in the NY Finger Lakes region
- Two months in Maine during the summer and Acadia National Park
- Many other bucket list destinations
Mileage in 2018
We drove many miles from Florida at the start of the year up to northern Maine for the summer, then a slow travel pattern south to finally end up in the southern most point in Texas. The total miles driven while pulling the 5th wheel coach were 6,900. Of course, we had many other miles driven at each location to explore.
Our 2017 Ford F-350 diesel dually truck now has 22,500 miles on it of which 13,000 were from this year and 9,500 were last year in eight months of travel.
Other Stats
We stayed at least one night in 21 different states. The most was Florida and Maine with both about two months. We stayed at 46 different RV parks. A few just for one or two nights, but most were for a week. Again, in Florida and Maine, we stayed a month each at RV parks.
Our 2004 Ford Explorer that we used to explore (instead of driving the large truck), finally started showing too many signs of age, so we sold it and bought a new Honda CRV. We really love having that small car to zip around. Much easier than a crew cab, long bed, dually F-350. And better fuel mileage.
Wrap Up
We are currently at our winter destination in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas (a new blog forthcoming). We saw and did many things this year and did it ever go by quickly. Soon, we must begin our serious planning for 2019. We know it will include New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado. Just need to take a week and plan it all out.
When we started this little RV Journey, we thought we would be done seeing the 48 states in three years, but it is looking more like a 4-5 year plan at this time. We have much still to see and some places would like to return again for another visit.
In Maine, we were able to cross paths with Randy and Pam Warner of the Roadrunner Chronicles (LINK). After more than ten years of being full-time RV’ers, they are discussing a home base and getting a smaller RV. Big changes for them. I’m not sure if we will stay on the road that long, but if we continue to enjoy it, who knows.
Our travel pattern has been to travel 150-200 miles and then stay a week at a location to explore and then move on. That can become tiring after awhile, so we may slow it down a bit this coming year with more of the month long stops like we took in Savannah and in Maine.
I would like to thank everyone for following along with us. It means a lot to hear your feedback either in the comments section, on Facebook, , a phone call, or a text message. We look forward to the opportunities and blessings that 2019 will bring.
Happy New Year and God Bless
Here are a few photo highlights:
Pat’s mom’s 90th birthday party. 
At the Bru Burger Bar in Plainfield with Robert, Sherri, Pat, and me in Indy. 
Our RV friends. Randy, Pat, Lois, Bob, Bj, and Mike at Anna Maria Is. Florida. 
Savannah – View from the River Street overlooking the river. 
Here is our group resting in Forsyth park for a few minutes in Savannah (Mike, Lorna, Pat, Me) 
Trish, Randy, Lorna, Mike on the steps of the Olde Pink House in Savannah. 
Asheville brewery tour. 
Pat by a field of tulips at the Biltmore.. 
Bardstown KY, dinner train. Here we are enjoying the experience! 
The aroma inside the rickhouse is great as some portion of the bourbon is evaporated into what they call the “angel’s share” 
Our son Bryan, Pat’s mom, and Pat 
At the Creation Museum in Kentucky. 
We lost our 18 year old Tigger to old age. 
The best friends ladies group, Janet, Tammy, Pat, and Laura. 
The 2018 Board Meeting of the Senior Staff while visiting in Virginia. 
Ross, Pat, Audrey, and me at Tammy & Quentins 
Williamsburg VA – Gov’s mansion. This was rebuilt after burning. 
Back in DC – Our view from the National Mall. 
Randy, Pat, Sue, and Calvin 
Bryan and Jennifer at work in the kitchen. With Ross and Pat giving input. 
Lancaster PA guided tour. 
New York Finger Lakes – Wine Country – Lois, Bob, Trish, and me after a tasting and purchase. 
Finger Lakes winery. 
USS Cassin Young in Boston. 
BoothBay Harbor Maine. View from the 3rd floor deck of the Boathouse. 
Boothbay Harbor Maine – The bridge house, built in 1902. 
The tide was coming in and over the 15 minutes that we were in this area, it was a noticeable change. 
Viking Ship – Almost to the dock. 
Maine 
Another lunch at our favorite the Rhumb Line/ in Camden Maine. 
Bar Harbor Maine – There are many of these roadside lobster pounds or shacks. Most are wood fired boilers. 
Bar Harbor Maine 
Acadia National Park Maine – Us from the trail. 
New RV friends Pam and Randy Warner in Maine. 
Small town near Bar Harbor 
Can you ever see enough sunsets? 
The Rock Castle in Connecticut – The main reason the castle is structurally sound is that it has a steel frame work. 
We ran into Ed Hare, ARRL lab manager. He told us the story about this small low powered radio built in a tuna tin years ago by one of the early pioneers. 
Me, Randy KC9LC at the controls of W1AW. 
Bryan and Jennifer’s wedding. Photo Credit: Adam Mason 
Pat, Audrey, Ross and me after the wedding. 
Here we play tourists after the wedding. 
Alan, Holly, Craig, Ginny, Tom, Sherri, Robert and me, Randy 
Nashville Tn – Good patriotic crowd 
Meridian MS – This is the main product of the Soule company, a small steam engine that powered many saw mills. 
New Orleans, LA 
NOLA for lunch 
Abbeville LA world’s largest omelette – Adding some cooking oil. 
Dallas Tx Thanksgiving – The photo after the escape room attempt. Randy, Jenn, Bryan, Pat, and Lorna. We were really winners! 
A walking tour of Grapevine TX to the many shops and to lunch. Mildred, John, Cindy, Pat, Randy, and Billy-Bob (John’s co-worker). 
Cindy, John, Lorna, Mike, Pat, and Randy after a huge Thanksgiving dinner. 
Caroline, Paige, and Isaac 
Waco Texas 
Magnolia Farms in Waco. 
San Antonio Tx along the Riverwalk. 
The Alamo in San Antonio.
What a year it was!! Happy New Year!!!
Hi Randy & Pat, I always enjoy your posts and hearing about your adventure. Thanks for sharing it all. Happy New Year!
Hi David, Happy New Year to you and Terri!
We are excited for both of you to continue your tour of the states. We look forward to connecting this summer in Colorado and who knows where else.
Hope you enjoy the Texas winter in the valley. Be careful and keep us updated.
Robert
We are also looking forward to Colorado this year; the highlight of 2019!
Lorna and I had a great time with you guys in Savannah, truly unforgettable! We also really enjoyed your visit during Thanksgiving and having an opportunity to spend some time with Bryan and Jenn during their short stay.
Let us know when you finalize your travel plans for 2019, we hope to meet up again with you somewhere out west next year.
It was great to spend time with you guys this year – twice! Thanks again for making that long drive cross country to meet in Savannah.
Hey Randy and Pat, looks like another fun travel year shaping up for you guys. I see you plan to visit Arizona this year. Lots to see there for sure. Spent the month of April in the Tucson area (Green Valley) a few years back, great weather. I am spending January in Scottsdale right now. Happy New Year to you guys and happy travels for 2019.
Hi Rick! Enjoy the month in Scottsdale! We have never been to Arizona as adults, so looking forward to it. We still have not finalized our 2019 travel plans, but need to get busy on it very soon. Happy New Year!