We have been enjoying roaming the country in our 42’ fifth wheel for two seasons and heading into our third. Our Maiden Voyage in The Mothership was August of 2019, which was a month after we retired. We took three months and traveled from Pennsylvania to Southern California. In 2020 we planed to be on the road for 6 months but, you know, Covid. So we had a late start and did another 3 months. This year we plan on 5 months and we started Tuesday June 2 2021.
A few happy lesson’s I’ve learned or are reminded of while motoring across the country in THE MOTHERSHIP.
1. Life is full of twists and turns. Sometimes you don’t know its happening until you are floundering around up to your neck in the brown stuff. Figure it out, deal with it and move along.
2. Mistakes happen. Some are painful, some are costly, some are both. At the end of the day they are accidents. Learn the lesson dump the guilt and keep on moving.
3. Life is both the journey and the destination. Don’t get so caught up in one you forget the other.
4. Laugh. It is okay to be upset, frustrated, angry even scared. But when you look at it in the rear view mirror. Laugh.
5. There are times when hitting the brakes gets you into more trouble, know when to tap.
6. Some roads are less traveled for a good reason and you do not have to take them.
7. The United States is really absolutely stunning.
8. Most of us want the same things out of life, we just find our own roads. Be tolerant of those traveling a different road.
9. Don’t be a know it all, it gets old fast.
11. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, or offer to help others. There is a debate in the RV world about offering to help others without first being asked. For some reason straight out offering to help somebody is taken to be offensive. I don’t see how being polite and decent to fellow living creature can be taken as offensive.
12. Find the balance between butting into someone else’s business and being helpful.
13. Don’t overthink everything, it is not always complicated.
14. When things go south ask yourself, “but did it kill you?” If the answer is no you are okay, breathe. If it did well then you are checking out the dead center of town.
15. Just Breathe, laugh and hold your partners hand….take your time….well all the other crap I told you above.
16. Yup…..breathe or you will pass out get in a fiery crash and die (again with the death) so yeah…..breathe.
17. Okay done for now, I think I see someone who needs help!
PanningForGold 
I didn’t realize that you had transitioned into retirement Brian… Congratulations!
Re: Covid: Just this morning, Vermont reached the goal of having 80% of the population (16 and older I believe) vaccinated (meaning at least 80% have had at least one dose). This was the final phase of our governor’s “re-open the state“ plan. There are now zero Covid restrictions in VT. (With the following caveat from our State government being: “Don’t do anything stupid“. I have completed the vaccination process, but I am still going to “mask up and social distance” in crowded conditions for now. I tend to trust the science, but there is still much to learn about the effectiveness of the vaccines.
Safe Travels and Enjoy!
Paul Kruse
I think it was two weeks ago that they took Governor Wolf’s (of Pennsylvania) emergency powers away. So Pa is pretty much back open. We also have been fully vaccinated for all that worth. I keep social distancing. I’ve always done that so not a big deal. As for a mask? I make a judgment call.
Again thanks for reading and commenting. It means a lot. This blogging stuff became much more difficult since my mothers passing.
It’s completely understandable that blogging would be tougher for you now Brian. The only advice I can give on that is “follow your heart“. I also lost my mother fairly recently (last December 23), so I understand…on some level that I can’t easily put into words. Take Care – Paul
Hi Brian I wrote a comment on your wonderful post and hope it was posted?
Marilyn
Sent from my iPhone
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Hi Marilyn,
Unfortunately I can’t see a post from you so I don’t think your post did show up. WordPress is a finicky piece of software and fails to work sometimes for mysterious reasons ( I wrote software for 24 years). In my experience when I write long posts with multiple paragraphs things start to go wrong. I often have to re-post after deleting some of the “Paragraph breaks“. Wish I had more wisdom for you. I know there are more problems than that one, but that’s the only one that I have figured out! -Paul Kruse