Author Archives: Sparky
GTW Hop 1: Northwood, NH, to Warwick, MA
105 miles via US 202, NH 9, 10 and 78 and MA 78. Cumulative distance: 105 miles. FYI: “GTW” stands for Great Trip West. This was a nice trip, right up until we got to the Wagon Wheel campground. The problem? We didn’t know that we had arrived. We were relying on the GPS and … Continue reading
Northwood, NH
Our Great Trip West begins today! The starting point for our trip west is Northwood, NH. Specifically, the Saddleback Campground on Route 43 in Northwood, NH. We have spent most weekends since June in the campground – and have lived here full-time since September 1 – and have learned a little about the community. In … Continue reading
On the road again for the first time
Yesterday was a big day in my new fulltimer life: I hauled the fiver on public roads and no one died. I didn’t even ding it. No problems at all, really. One of the fiver’s brakes was a bit squeaky, but that could just be rust. I hope. The truck handled beautifully. It accelerated well … Continue reading
Not quite retired
Last Friday was my last day of work. For three months. Then I resume working in California. So my status is “not quite retired.” I really intended to resign. I had my resignation letter typed up and in my hand. But on the day I planned to hand it to my boss – just over … Continue reading
Dropping the baby
I dinged the fiver. Not too bad – just the end cap of the canvas topper for one of the bunkhouse slides. But I feel like a babysitter who has dropped the baby. If only I had been more careful… The occasion was the tail end of a 3-hour driver training session at the campground. … Continue reading
Madison, WI
I was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. I attended grade school there. I graduated from high school there (Robert M. LaFollette Sr. Junior/Senior High School – say it a few times). I played Little League there. I attended church there. I ran around the neighborhood, unfettered by rules (but with the knowledge that I … Continue reading
S&B Homeless
One week from today Jett and I hand the keys to our house over to the renters. At that moment we will have no place to live other than our fifth wheel. This is a condition known amongst the traveling crowd as “sticks and bricks homelessness”, abbreviated to “s&b homeless” when talking to other RVers. … Continue reading
Reunion
As if imminent retirement wasn’t a sufficient reminder of my advancing age, I also have my 45th(!) high school reunion this weekend. It wasn’t all that long ago that I was a freshly-minted grad and the thought of the first reunion, five years down the road, seemed very remote. Oh, how time flies! This year … Continue reading
No looking back
I gave my notice yesterday. Four weeks until I am unemployed and income-less. Scary. And exhilarating. As luck would have it, one of my few teammates (there are only 4 of them) gave notice last week – something that I learned just minutes before giving my notice. That added a little extra drama to the … Continue reading
The battery backup lesson
It has rained every day for the last three weekends that we have spent in NH. This is unfortunate, of course, as we have tried to show off our new traveling home to friends and relatives each of those weekends. And I am still waiting for sun so that I can take a nice photo … Continue reading