In June of 2013, Kat and I made the leap into the full time RV lifestyle. So far, our time has been wondrous. We have been able to visit some awesome places and still be flexible enough for me to keep my full time job. Little did I know that this decision would provide us an incredible opportunity.
A few weeks ago, we received some very terrible news. My oldest brother, Dennis, had been diagnosed with late stage 4 lung cancer. Initially, he was given 6 months to live. Then he had some additional complications (an intestinal blockage) and had that number reduced to weeks. My brother was transported to his son's house for his final hospice care. So, without hesitation, Kat and I picked up and pulled our Dutchmen to the Tampa area. I can only say that it is an honor and a privilege to help my brother and his family through this final chapter of his life.
At 17 years my senior, Dennis and I grew up in different worlds. He was fighting in Vietnam when I was an infant. As a child, I moved to the west coast of the U.S. (California), while my brother remained in Florida. So, we had differences in age and distance. But, he managed to be a major influence throughout my life. When our parents were going through a messy divorce and using us kids as weapons against each other, he was the stabilizing force. As I went into bootcamp, my brother and his wife took in my pregnant wife and daughter and helped get us on our feet.
From his time in the Navy Construction Battalion, Dennis learned to fix and/or build just about anything. He started and ran a dive welding business and opened a meat market for his wife. He possessed and passed to his children an amazing work ethic.
Nearly 20 years ago, Dennis lost his wife to cancer. He never recovered from that as she seemed to take his drive with her. He vanished for awhile, but managed to re-invent himself in the IT world, installing mail sorters for the U.S. Post Office.
Once again, distance became a barrier. I was working on my career and Dennis was travelling and working 80 hours a week to support a new wife that was not of the same calibre, and drained the rest of the life from him.
It was my goal to re-unite us 3 brothers for a combined project. Now, that will not be possible.
My brother will supply the universe his much needed energy.
See you on the trail,
Kit
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Adventures of the Trail Blazers
Hello fellow explorers,
Kat and I have returned from our jaunt in the wilderness. To recap, we set out to backpack from Amicalola Falls State Park to Springer Mountain. According to the sign, it is a mere 8.5 mile hop, skip and a jump.
Now, we have had plenty of experience at hiking pretty lengthy trails. But this was our first time carrying any substantial gear (for camping, eating, etc.) To be fair, there are plenty of signs warning that it was a very strenuous effort level. But, we figured, no worries. How hard can it be? We have run 10K's, biked for many, many miles. What's a little hike.
So, we departed, carrying way!!!! to much weight. Did I mention that this was our first time doing this?
When we arrived, we realized that we had left one of our water bottles at the camper. No big deal, we had 2 full 3 litre bladders and 2 more bottles, we could easily refill them along the way (right?).
Then, about a half mile into the hike, Kat tripped and fell, striking her knee pretty hard. It bruised and swelled right up. So, we used common sense and headed home. NOPE. Kat insisted on pushing forward. I understand her feelings. She has Lupus and does not like to have physical limitations hold her back.
Thus, we pressed on. Our pace was slow and steady. Kat favored that injured knee considerably and ended up twisting her ankle over and over again. But, still we pressed on. (Please do not confuse our stubbornness with wisdom).
This trail consists of climbing and descending at least 3 sizeable mountains, more than 2000 feet ascension. This was where, taking our dogs was a big advantage. Zorro, our very loyal 70 pounds of pure muscle was more than happy to use his strength to pull Kat up the inclines. She attached his leash to her belt loop and he showed boundless energy. Nova, at 38 pounds seemed intent on pulling me up too. Amazing the power and stamina that they have.
Our slow pace and extra demand on our dogs meant that we used more water than we intended. We had to make sure the dogs stayed hydrated, even before our own needs. So, we noticed that we were getting low in a very treacherous area aptly named Nimblewood Gap.
My pack was much too heavy and not well balanced. Fortunately, 2 experienced lady hikers (Mary Lou and Patty) helped me to resolve that issue and re-arranged the items hanging on my pack for better balance. It was a major difference as I did not have to stop so often to remove the pack. They also told us that water was about an hour ahead. Thanks Ladies.
After hiking, what seemed about 80 miles, we saw a sign that said it was still 3.4 miles to Springer Mountain. That was quite discouraging.
Finally, we saw the sign pointing in the direction of the water. I was expecting a babbling brook or stream, but was surprised to find the smallest trickle of water coming from a rock. The water barely pooled. I would not even be able to fill a normal water bottle with this. Fortunately, I had packed a small plastic flask and was able to lay it flat and fill it about a quarter full and transfer water to the bottles a little at a time. We were so tired and thirsty, that we drank the water, not waiting for purification. (A big risk, but we lucked out and did not have any symptoms of Giardia or other microbial ailments).
Again, we marched on, not really enjoying the landscape, just wanting to get to our destination. Finally, after a couple more hours, we reached our shelter. Looking at the horizon, we had about 1/2 hour of light and we needed more water. So, Kat set up camp and I followed the sign the water. This time, the hike was a half mile and down a very steep incline. Any steeper and it would have required a repel. At the bottom was another spring, but this one made the other spring look like a roaring river. I filled up as many containers as I could with the little light I had, huffed my way back up the incline and reached camp as it was getting dark.
After getting a fire going and boiling some water to make dinner, we actually started to feel better. I hung our food to prevent it from bear pilfering and we made our way to laying out under the stars. Then I remembered why I don't like to sleep on the hard ground. I don't sleep very well. We both took some OTC pain medicine and finally passed out from exhaustion about 3:30 AM. Fortunately, I had brought a small propane heater as it got quite windy and cold over night.
Part of what had kept me awake was worrying about Kat's knee and ankle. If she swelled up even more over night and was unable to hobble back, we would be in a world of hurt. There is not a hint of cell service in those mountains. Also, it was Monday and we seemed to be the only hikers in the area, so getting help would not be so easy.
But, after a terrible night's sleep, we both actually awoke refreshed and committed to getting back home. The anti-inflammatory worked wonders for us both, over night.
So, I ventured down the hellish hillside and topped off our water containers, we had breakfast and put one foot in front of the other all the way back. What took us 8 hours the prior day only took us 5 to return (lighter packs, more organized and sheer determination).
Once again, our dogs were invaluable. Zorro would stay right near us, when not assisting Kat up the hills (between squirrel chases that is). Then when a large incline was coming up, he would just walk back to her to see if she wanted help. He was very heroic. I had to keep Nova on the leash at all times. She has the worst dog ADHD that I have seen, she would chase squirrels and possibly bears, raccoons or whatever and not come back in a timely manner. But she was still more than happy to walk and walk and walk on the leash. As we got back to the car, and dead on our feet, they both were still in full squirrel hunt mode. Amazing energy.
So, we survived our first backpacking trip. It almost turned into a survival story due to lack of preparation and underestimating the terrain.
It seems so silly now. We didn't just decide to run a 10K one day, we started off small and worked our way up. We should have approach backpacking the same way. And so we shall going forward.
Kat and I are still recovering from our aches, pain and blisters, and she is starting to edit the pictures that she did take. Although, they are not as many as we thought due to her knee bruise.
But, we hope to learn from our mistakes.
Happy Trails -- Kit
 |
| Items we stuffed into our backpacks |
Kat and I have returned from our jaunt in the wilderness. To recap, we set out to backpack from Amicalola Falls State Park to Springer Mountain. According to the sign, it is a mere 8.5 mile hop, skip and a jump.
 |
| Such an inviting entrance |
Now, we have had plenty of experience at hiking pretty lengthy trails. But this was our first time carrying any substantial gear (for camping, eating, etc.) To be fair, there are plenty of signs warning that it was a very strenuous effort level. But, we figured, no worries. How hard can it be? We have run 10K's, biked for many, many miles. What's a little hike.
 |
| Surprisingly, no kitchen sink in the pack, but everything else ... |
When we arrived, we realized that we had left one of our water bottles at the camper. No big deal, we had 2 full 3 litre bladders and 2 more bottles, we could easily refill them along the way (right?).
Then, about a half mile into the hike, Kat tripped and fell, striking her knee pretty hard. It bruised and swelled right up. So, we used common sense and headed home. NOPE. Kat insisted on pushing forward. I understand her feelings. She has Lupus and does not like to have physical limitations hold her back.
Thus, we pressed on. Our pace was slow and steady. Kat favored that injured knee considerably and ended up twisting her ankle over and over again. But, still we pressed on. (Please do not confuse our stubbornness with wisdom).
This trail consists of climbing and descending at least 3 sizeable mountains, more than 2000 feet ascension. This was where, taking our dogs was a big advantage. Zorro, our very loyal 70 pounds of pure muscle was more than happy to use his strength to pull Kat up the inclines. She attached his leash to her belt loop and he showed boundless energy. Nova, at 38 pounds seemed intent on pulling me up too. Amazing the power and stamina that they have.
 |
| Water ended up being a rare, precious commodity |
My pack was much too heavy and not well balanced. Fortunately, 2 experienced lady hikers (Mary Lou and Patty) helped me to resolve that issue and re-arranged the items hanging on my pack for better balance. It was a major difference as I did not have to stop so often to remove the pack. They also told us that water was about an hour ahead. Thanks Ladies.
After hiking, what seemed about 80 miles, we saw a sign that said it was still 3.4 miles to Springer Mountain. That was quite discouraging.
Finally, we saw the sign pointing in the direction of the water. I was expecting a babbling brook or stream, but was surprised to find the smallest trickle of water coming from a rock. The water barely pooled. I would not even be able to fill a normal water bottle with this. Fortunately, I had packed a small plastic flask and was able to lay it flat and fill it about a quarter full and transfer water to the bottles a little at a time. We were so tired and thirsty, that we drank the water, not waiting for purification. (A big risk, but we lucked out and did not have any symptoms of Giardia or other microbial ailments).
Again, we marched on, not really enjoying the landscape, just wanting to get to our destination. Finally, after a couple more hours, we reached our shelter. Looking at the horizon, we had about 1/2 hour of light and we needed more water. So, Kat set up camp and I followed the sign the water. This time, the hike was a half mile and down a very steep incline. Any steeper and it would have required a repel. At the bottom was another spring, but this one made the other spring look like a roaring river. I filled up as many containers as I could with the little light I had, huffed my way back up the incline and reached camp as it was getting dark.
After getting a fire going and boiling some water to make dinner, we actually started to feel better. I hung our food to prevent it from bear pilfering and we made our way to laying out under the stars. Then I remembered why I don't like to sleep on the hard ground. I don't sleep very well. We both took some OTC pain medicine and finally passed out from exhaustion about 3:30 AM. Fortunately, I had brought a small propane heater as it got quite windy and cold over night.
Part of what had kept me awake was worrying about Kat's knee and ankle. If she swelled up even more over night and was unable to hobble back, we would be in a world of hurt. There is not a hint of cell service in those mountains. Also, it was Monday and we seemed to be the only hikers in the area, so getting help would not be so easy.
But, after a terrible night's sleep, we both actually awoke refreshed and committed to getting back home. The anti-inflammatory worked wonders for us both, over night.
So, I ventured down the hellish hillside and topped off our water containers, we had breakfast and put one foot in front of the other all the way back. What took us 8 hours the prior day only took us 5 to return (lighter packs, more organized and sheer determination).
Once again, our dogs were invaluable. Zorro would stay right near us, when not assisting Kat up the hills (between squirrel chases that is). Then when a large incline was coming up, he would just walk back to her to see if she wanted help. He was very heroic. I had to keep Nova on the leash at all times. She has the worst dog ADHD that I have seen, she would chase squirrels and possibly bears, raccoons or whatever and not come back in a timely manner. But she was still more than happy to walk and walk and walk on the leash. As we got back to the car, and dead on our feet, they both were still in full squirrel hunt mode. Amazing energy.
 |
| Exhausted, but happy Nova sleeping on Zorro at end of trip |
So, we survived our first backpacking trip. It almost turned into a survival story due to lack of preparation and underestimating the terrain.
It seems so silly now. We didn't just decide to run a 10K one day, we started off small and worked our way up. We should have approach backpacking the same way. And so we shall going forward.
But, we hope to learn from our mistakes.
Happy Trails -- Kit
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Getting our Green Horn on
Hello all,
Sorry we have been too busy to post of late. We have been having lots of fun bike riding and generally exploring the area. Tomorrow, we are going to undertake a new adventure (for us). Kat and I are going to backpack from Amicalola Falls to Springer Mountain, which is the official Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail. We will then break out the tent, spend the night and hike back. Our backpacks are all packed up and loaded in the truck. We are getting up early tomorrow and heading out.
We are complete amateurs and have probably packed way too much, but it is something that we have always wanted to do.
We have notified family and co-workers in case we don't make it back in a reasonable time.
I am sure Kat will have tons of photos to edit and post.
See you on the trail,
Kit
Sorry we have been too busy to post of late. We have been having lots of fun bike riding and generally exploring the area. Tomorrow, we are going to undertake a new adventure (for us). Kat and I are going to backpack from Amicalola Falls to Springer Mountain, which is the official Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail. We will then break out the tent, spend the night and hike back. Our backpacks are all packed up and loaded in the truck. We are getting up early tomorrow and heading out.
We are complete amateurs and have probably packed way too much, but it is something that we have always wanted to do.
We have notified family and co-workers in case we don't make it back in a reasonable time.
I am sure Kat will have tons of photos to edit and post.
See you on the trail,
Kit
Monday, September 16, 2013
Oh my there's dragons in Georgia.
It's been awhile since I have posted. I wasn't feeling up to par for a couple weeks. I have lupus and sometimes it starts to flare. The aches and pains come and go from time to time, but at times it's almost unbearable. I just keep positive and keep moving. My poor Kit has RA and we have learned to just keep active and it helps keep them at bay.
Nova (our beloved furry female kid) had an incident a few weeks back. Nova has had this thing with bikes ever since a little boy tried to intentionally run her over. Kit was running with Nova and she decided to jump out at a poor unsuspecting biker. The biker was not injured and stopped to ask if Nova was okay. She seemed shaken at first, but upon further inspection I saw that she had chipped her tooth and when I took her to the vet we found out it was two teeth. Our poor girl has been in a lot of pain, but on antibiotics to stop any infection. Nova is scheduled for surgery on Thursday to perform root canals on her two k-9 teeth that were broken, one is almost completely gone and has the root exposed. If you want to keep up with Nova and her recovery, please feel free to follow her and our other fur babies on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/k9xplorers
The last few weeks have been hectic, but Kit and I have been staying active. We bought ourselves bikes and have the perfect place to ride them. We love riding and feeling the breeze on our faces. It makes me feel like a kid again to ride, plus it's great exercise. In doing some research we have also found a great hiking spot less than ten miles away from us and may have overlooked it altogether if Nova hadn't been injured, since they don't allow dogs. The Sawnee Mountain Preserve is a mile and a half steep climb to the top and the vantage point at the top is unbelievable. It is well worth the climb and we have been a few times and plan on going back tonight with a picnic dinner. Kit and I just sit and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us, it is just so peaceful and quiet up there. This has become one of my favorite spots and I love looking out and connecting with nature.
This past weekend we went to a Dragon boat festival. It was so much fun to see all the different cultures that were there. There were some Indian dancers that were just amazing and I couldn't stop photographing them. Then watching the dragon boats racing across the water was nice too, seeing them paddling and working as a team to make it to the finish line. I was impressed, on one of the boats there were men and women probably in their 60's. Then at the opening ceremony there were dragons, dancers, and fireworks. They even had a flower ceremony at the end for cancer survivors. I highly suggest you check out your area for festivals that may be going on in your neck of the woods.
Nova (our beloved furry female kid) had an incident a few weeks back. Nova has had this thing with bikes ever since a little boy tried to intentionally run her over. Kit was running with Nova and she decided to jump out at a poor unsuspecting biker. The biker was not injured and stopped to ask if Nova was okay. She seemed shaken at first, but upon further inspection I saw that she had chipped her tooth and when I took her to the vet we found out it was two teeth. Our poor girl has been in a lot of pain, but on antibiotics to stop any infection. Nova is scheduled for surgery on Thursday to perform root canals on her two k-9 teeth that were broken, one is almost completely gone and has the root exposed. If you want to keep up with Nova and her recovery, please feel free to follow her and our other fur babies on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/k9xplorers
 |
| Poor Nova resting. |
This past weekend we went to a Dragon boat festival. It was so much fun to see all the different cultures that were there. There were some Indian dancers that were just amazing and I couldn't stop photographing them. Then watching the dragon boats racing across the water was nice too, seeing them paddling and working as a team to make it to the finish line. I was impressed, on one of the boats there were men and women probably in their 60's. Then at the opening ceremony there were dragons, dancers, and fireworks. They even had a flower ceremony at the end for cancer survivors. I highly suggest you check out your area for festivals that may be going on in your neck of the woods.
Until next time,
Kat
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Exploring in the Backyard
Hello fellow explorers. Does anyone else get the feeling that you need to go to exotic places or you are not really exploring. Often we are driven by the "need" to travel to the famous sites to capture the grandeur of nature. It is almost a status of us full time travellers to stake our claim to Yellow Stone, the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls or you just aren't exploring. I really wish that we were in the position to go to one of these premium locations, but my career is currently keeping me tied to Georgia at this time.
So we are keeping our focus on the local. Indeed, there is much to see wherever you are. Every location has its own unique history and narrative. We want to uncover the beauty of the local. While everyone is looking for greener pastures ... elsewhere. Maybe, we can help them find those patches of green in their neighborhood.
In that spirit, we have begun exploring a place that is only 8 miles from our home base. We nearly ignored it because it does not allow dogs. The place: Sawnee Mountain Preserve.
View Larger Map
What did we find? Only a very easily accessible location to monitor and track the emergence of Autumn in the Blue Ridge/Appalachians without have to trek to the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. Now for some of the breathtaking views from this backyard gem.
Here are some bright blue skies and a picturesque horizon. Amazingly, 20 minutes later, we were scurrying down the mountain in a pop-up thunder and lightning storm.
Kit examines a relic left from the Georgia Gold Rush, an abandoned mine. Whew!!! No bears this time.
On our second trip, we managed to capture this couple enjoying the view.
From this vantage point, we will capture the change of seasons over the next few weeks.
Until next time - Kit.
So we are keeping our focus on the local. Indeed, there is much to see wherever you are. Every location has its own unique history and narrative. We want to uncover the beauty of the local. While everyone is looking for greener pastures ... elsewhere. Maybe, we can help them find those patches of green in their neighborhood.
In that spirit, we have begun exploring a place that is only 8 miles from our home base. We nearly ignored it because it does not allow dogs. The place: Sawnee Mountain Preserve.
View Larger Map
What did we find? Only a very easily accessible location to monitor and track the emergence of Autumn in the Blue Ridge/Appalachians without have to trek to the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. Now for some of the breathtaking views from this backyard gem.
This picture, taken from the Indian Seats which are at the pinnacle of Sawnee Mountain, shows the view that the Cherokee and Creek had as a lookout and place of meditation.
 |
| Kat taking in the view |
Kat and Kit catching a glimpse and braving the heights.
 |
| Kit does not fear heights, only falling |
 |
| Here bear! |
Until next time - Kit.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Scouting the Gorge
It is amazing how just a couple of days
of perfect weather can wash away weeks of rain soaked frustration.
Wrapping up an extremely soggy August, we are now in a cycle of dry
and unseasonably cool weather. Guess what? Time for another road
trip. So, we wound up Hemi-Lou and our canines made for the Blue
Ridge Mountains of North East Georgia. Destination: Tallulah Gorge State Park.
The drive was surprisingly easy.
Interstate 985 transitions into Georgia Hwy 365 and takes you almost
to the doorstep of the state park. I always like to see
non-stressful approaches to places of wonder. I am more likely to
return with the travel trailer when the terrain is accommodating.
From our current base in Cumming, GA, the distance was 77 miles or 1
hour, 28 minutes of travel.
Tallulah Gorge State Park is the home
of a series of 4 cascading falls that make up Tallulah Falls. The
gorge has been given the nickname of the “Niagara Falls” of the
south. It is also listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia.
More pics here.
More pics here.
Attempting to describe such a place
definitely demonstrates the limitation of adjectives in the English
language. I can use words such as majestic, breathtaking,
splendorous and awe-inspiring, but they really do not convey what we
experienced with our eyes.
Unlike the major tourist draws like the
Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, this site only gets a few thousand
visitors a year. Permits are required to hike the floor of the
gorge. We were able to hike around the north and south rim of the
gorge, but pets are not allowed on the floor of the gorge, nor are
they allowed to venture down to the suspension bridge.
So, we count this trip as a scouting
trip. The short term goal will be to target a long weekend in
September to take our time hiking and shooting photos, engorging
ourselves in the gorge, if you will.
Kat is starting to get requests
for some of her prints from prior locations, and I am sure that
demand is going to increase after she finalizes the edition on the
images she captured on this trip. In the future, I will add some
links to purchase some of her artwork in various formats.
We can't wait to go back and do some real exploring.
Until next time -
Happy Trails,
Kit
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Not Always Fun and Games
Just a short note as I do not want to dwell on it. But it does help keep our lives and travels in perspective. The North Georgia August has continued to break records for rainfall. We have tried our best to enjoy the outdoors even in rainy weather, but lightning and flooding are more than plastic panchos can cover. So, we have been spending more time indoors in our camper than we would like.
The poor dogs have had to endure short and wet walks, mostly just to relieve themselves. The timing has been uncanny, every afternoon as I am coming home from work, the rain starts and has spoiled most afternoons and evenings. Kat and I have been frustrated, mainly because we desire to stay active both struggle with our weight and we begin losing the battle if we have periods of inactivity. Plus, who wants to stay cooped up in a 29 foot home.
So we did take some action to increase our living space. We setup an 11 x 11 covered screen room so we can enjoy the outdoors sans 6 legged flying critters. But, even that has been challenged by sideways rain. But we have been able to use the room a few times now. It makes such a difference eating and relaxing outdoors
We have also been more able to utilize our outdoor kitchen. (A camp stove and oven).
The 2nd thing we did was to purchase a 22 inch TV and install it under the counter. We had been getting by without a television since we were spending most of our free time outdoors. The constant rain did cause us to adjust our priorities a bit.
We did not do anything elaborate like get cable. We are using our Roku for most of our entertainment and the antenna for local coverage.
So, we did add spend a little money to upgrade our living space this week.
The next item was not such a success. Last Sunday evening (a rare dry evening) I was walking the 2 bigger dogs by the lake. It was a nice, enjoyable walk. The dogs were able to play and wrestle. So, with them secured on their leashes, we starting walking back towards our camper. As I neared the road that leads up the hill to our camper, I noticed that the neighbor's toy poodle had got free from its owner and was running straight toward my dogs, barking and growling. I tried to move away from the small dog, but it veered right into and attacked my (much bigger) dogs. Obviously, this is not an example of how smart poodles are supposed to be. Now, Zorro, really hates to be in fights, so he actually slid out of his collar and put some distance between himself and the situation. But Nova, who notoriously has small dog aggression, did not back down. She ferociously defended herself. The poodles owner finally arrived and helped me to free the poodle from Nova. It was quite horrific. I expected severe damage to that poodle. Fortunately, no vital places were punctured on the dog. It had blood on 3 legs and will make a full recovery. One more minute may have been a different result.
I know the poodle was traumatized, but it will do the same stupid thing next time. I was traumatized too and even Nova seemed pretty shaken up from the whole matter. So, I have decided to just pick Nova up in future instances like this. We were very lucky that it was not worse. Then a few days later, I got a chance to test this method. Again, the rain was a factor. A storm had come through right as most people were coming home from work. So, everyone had to wait until the lightning and rain subsided to walk their dogs. As we were walking our dogs, I noticed about 10 other dogs being walked, not usually a big deal, but ... the rain had caused all of the dogs to feel a bit anxious, it seemed. To make things worse, a little girl (about 7) was trying to walk here medium size dog. It was too much for her. The dog pulled her off her feet. She let go and the dog was headed right for us. (Deja vu). Just then a chihuahua got off leash and headed toward the loose dog which was headed for us. A perfect storm of events. I did manage to pick up Nova. Kat took Zorro and we headed up the hill without incident.
We managed to get through the week and it appears that this weekend will be drier. Things are looking up, already. This was not as much fun to talk about and post, but I do not want to give the impression that nothing bad ever happens to us. We just push through and try to not let it impact our overall outlook.
Until next time - Kit.
The poor dogs have had to endure short and wet walks, mostly just to relieve themselves. The timing has been uncanny, every afternoon as I am coming home from work, the rain starts and has spoiled most afternoons and evenings. Kat and I have been frustrated, mainly because we desire to stay active both struggle with our weight and we begin losing the battle if we have periods of inactivity. Plus, who wants to stay cooped up in a 29 foot home.
So we did take some action to increase our living space. We setup an 11 x 11 covered screen room so we can enjoy the outdoors sans 6 legged flying critters. But, even that has been challenged by sideways rain. But we have been able to use the room a few times now. It makes such a difference eating and relaxing outdoors
The 2nd thing we did was to purchase a 22 inch TV and install it under the counter. We had been getting by without a television since we were spending most of our free time outdoors. The constant rain did cause us to adjust our priorities a bit.
We did not do anything elaborate like get cable. We are using our Roku for most of our entertainment and the antenna for local coverage.
So, we did add spend a little money to upgrade our living space this week.
The next item was not such a success. Last Sunday evening (a rare dry evening) I was walking the 2 bigger dogs by the lake. It was a nice, enjoyable walk. The dogs were able to play and wrestle. So, with them secured on their leashes, we starting walking back towards our camper. As I neared the road that leads up the hill to our camper, I noticed that the neighbor's toy poodle had got free from its owner and was running straight toward my dogs, barking and growling. I tried to move away from the small dog, but it veered right into and attacked my (much bigger) dogs. Obviously, this is not an example of how smart poodles are supposed to be. Now, Zorro, really hates to be in fights, so he actually slid out of his collar and put some distance between himself and the situation. But Nova, who notoriously has small dog aggression, did not back down. She ferociously defended herself. The poodles owner finally arrived and helped me to free the poodle from Nova. It was quite horrific. I expected severe damage to that poodle. Fortunately, no vital places were punctured on the dog. It had blood on 3 legs and will make a full recovery. One more minute may have been a different result.
I know the poodle was traumatized, but it will do the same stupid thing next time. I was traumatized too and even Nova seemed pretty shaken up from the whole matter. So, I have decided to just pick Nova up in future instances like this. We were very lucky that it was not worse. Then a few days later, I got a chance to test this method. Again, the rain was a factor. A storm had come through right as most people were coming home from work. So, everyone had to wait until the lightning and rain subsided to walk their dogs. As we were walking our dogs, I noticed about 10 other dogs being walked, not usually a big deal, but ... the rain had caused all of the dogs to feel a bit anxious, it seemed. To make things worse, a little girl (about 7) was trying to walk here medium size dog. It was too much for her. The dog pulled her off her feet. She let go and the dog was headed right for us. (Deja vu). Just then a chihuahua got off leash and headed toward the loose dog which was headed for us. A perfect storm of events. I did manage to pick up Nova. Kat took Zorro and we headed up the hill without incident.
We managed to get through the week and it appears that this weekend will be drier. Things are looking up, already. This was not as much fun to talk about and post, but I do not want to give the impression that nothing bad ever happens to us. We just push through and try to not let it impact our overall outlook.
Until next time - Kit.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Yes Virginia, the Grass is Greener …
More than a month has passed since we
cut the tether from our stick house. We have been staying at a very
scenic RV park by the lake. We are hanging around the edge of metro
Atlanta while my current job continues. Our next big step will be to
exit my full time job for other possibilities. Oh yeah, that is a
big step for me. I am very comfortable where I currently work. I
have been there 7 years and I have plenty of work for the foreseeable
future. But, we want to travel across the United States, so I need
to find a way to replace that income, at least a fair portion of it.
Now, that anxiety will always be there.
But, I have to examine how far we have come in just a few months.
We were able to save enough money to buy our RV. We sold all of the
things that were holding us back. We transitioned out of our stick
house and now we can just step out our front door and be in nature.
That is quite a change in a short period.
I realized the other day, as I was
talking to a co-worker, how different we are than most people. I
mentioned that I went fishing the afternoon before and she stopped
me. “Hey wait! Did you say that you went fishing on a Tuesday?”
Staying a couple hundred feet from a scenic late does give you that
advantage. I then remembered that most people (and formerly us) have
to wait until the weekend to enjoy recreational activities.
The work
week is bondage for most. Even most of your weekend is taken up with
activities that you were too busy to do while you were working,
further cutting into your recreation. No wonder so many people are
burnt out. This year has been especially tough on people in Georgia.
It has rained most weekends this summer. The weekend plans have
been quashed for many. Fishing on Tuesday is a huge mental
advantage.
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| A good place to fish on Tuesday or any day |
The lifestyle change and decisions we
have made are worth it. For the first time in our lives, we are on
the side where the grass is greener. When I get home from work, it
is like a mini-weekend, every day. Of course, it would not be as
enjoyable without Kat here to partake in it all with me. She handles
the little things during the day (laundry, housekeeping, etc.) that
make it possible to jump right into enjoyment when I am home. I
cannot emphasize enough how important her contributions are.
Free time is more valuable than I could
have imagined. In the last month, I have been able to spend quality
time with our dogs and work on their training. Zorro no longer
requires a leash. We still keep it on him in public places, but it
is good to know that if I drop the leash, he will stay close by. Now, I want to start teaching him to catch a frisbee.
Nova nearly has her small dog aggression under control. I have also
taken some time to learn some Spanish.
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| Worth the extra free time |
I am sure that this lifestyle is not
for everyone. I wish we had embarked on this journey years ago. But
we were not in the mindset to even consider such a thing. But now we
feel more free than we ever have in our 27 years together.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Exploring the area
We had a lot of fun exploring this last week. Monday morning I went down to a sunflower farm that is just down the road. I had fun snapping so many photos of my favorite flower.
It was a real thrill to try and capture their beauty. I spent probably a good hour just walking around trying to find the best perspective.
Of course I had to purchase some to take home with me as well and after walking the dogs the next morning I noticed how the sun was shining through the trees on them and took a few more photos.
Then this weekend Kit and I decided to check out another one of my loves, covered bridges. There is a Poole's Mill covered bridge not even ten miles from where we are staying. This bridge is a very old bridge and not in the best condition. The land once belonged to a Cherokee Chief.
The area is gorgeous and we really enjoyed ourselves. I of course had to get a few pictures of the bridge. It is an old rickety bridge. The graffiti on this bridge is just sad and there are a lot of recent defacing of the bridge.
A lot of people were having fun sliding down the rocks in the water. We plan on going back and doing the same. It looked like a lot of fun. Hopefully Kit will share some of his photos, he got some good ones.
Yesterday we took the bigger dogs back to Amicalola Falls. My little dachshund Ninja is slowing down a bit and we felt it would be best to leave him home. I have even noticed a little graying on his little ears in the past few weeks. We really enjoyed our walk up the falls and we both took a lot of photos.
It is such a peaceful and beautiful area. We plan on going back up to the Appalachian trails and even staying over night some time. It was interesting to see the dogs reaction to the falls. Nova was in awe and I was fortunate enough to catch her wonder.
The pups made it up 174 steps and metal steps at that. They were not real thrilled with the stairs, but they did well. Instead of making the pups go back down the stairs, we decided to take a path through the woods to make our descent.
Kit and I both love the great outdoors and are finally where we want to be in life. I have so many photos from our adventures already. I think that we get so caught up in life that we actually let life slip away. Remember to make time for your self and step away from all that is holding you back and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us.
Until next time keep smiling,
Kat
Friday, July 26, 2013
I am hooked....
Kit and I went fishing last night and had so much fun, at least for awhile. I find it tranquil and relaxing to fish and throw the line in the water.
I have always enjoyed fishing ever since my Daddy would take me as a child. I love the thrill of the fight to get the fish in. I was fishing for Carp last night, but instead I caught a nice size turtle, poor thing had the hook stuck in his mouth. I was able to pick him up out of the water hoping not to have my hand bit in the process. I felt so bad for the little guy or girl.
Once freed, I put him back in the water and decided to change to a lure and go for bass or something that wouldn't attract my little friend. I pulled out my little cricket lure that I have had luck with in the past and had it tied on really well when I noticed I had my favorite shirt hooked. I was perturbed at this point and try as I might I couldn't get it loose. I was pretty mad and poor Kit thought I was mad at him.
I got back to our little cabin and took off my shirt. I got the first set of tri hooks loose, but while working on loosening the second set I hooked my ring finger on my left hand. Oh my gosh it hurt and Kit immediately tugged hard on it to get it out, but to no avail. I pulled as hard as I could, but with no luck. My gosh the pain was intense and I have a high pain tolerance level. I ended up having to cut my favorite shirt anyways and if I had in the first place all the pain could have been completely avoided.
I had no choice, but to go to the hospital. When I was checked into triage my blood pressure was 190/88. They took me right back and the staff was so nice. The Physicians Assistant proceeded to numb my finger and I had to wait for it to take affect. Once the PA came back in, he cut away the other hooks and before I knew it, the hook was out. I only felt a slight tug and was so happy to have it out. Today my finger is still numb and I didn't realize how much one finger being injured can affect typing.
I have learned my lesson, once hooked cut the darn shirt. I put poor Kit through so much, he was so sweet and so worried. I don't ever want to go through hooking myself ever again.
Lesson learned,
Kat
I got back to our little cabin and took off my shirt. I got the first set of tri hooks loose, but while working on loosening the second set I hooked my ring finger on my left hand. Oh my gosh it hurt and Kit immediately tugged hard on it to get it out, but to no avail. I pulled as hard as I could, but with no luck. My gosh the pain was intense and I have a high pain tolerance level. I ended up having to cut my favorite shirt anyways and if I had in the first place all the pain could have been completely avoided.
I had no choice, but to go to the hospital. When I was checked into triage my blood pressure was 190/88. They took me right back and the staff was so nice. The Physicians Assistant proceeded to numb my finger and I had to wait for it to take affect. Once the PA came back in, he cut away the other hooks and before I knew it, the hook was out. I only felt a slight tug and was so happy to have it out. Today my finger is still numb and I didn't realize how much one finger being injured can affect typing.
I have learned my lesson, once hooked cut the darn shirt. I put poor Kit through so much, he was so sweet and so worried. I don't ever want to go through hooking myself ever again.
Lesson learned,
Kat
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Time well spent
We have been having so much fun exploring our area with the pups. We went out this past weekend to a different part of the park. The boardwalks are endless and the area we explored was even more wild and overgrown.
Our pups are enjoying all the new smells and new areas. It is fun to see their excitement and energy.
Sometimes we even come across wildlife on our hikes and the pups get even more excited.
Sunday we went fishing and relaxed for a better part of the day, it was so nice to finally have a break from the rain and actually sit back and fish.
Our pups are enjoying all the new smells and new areas. It is fun to see their excitement and energy.
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| Don't move little bunny or my pups will see you. |
I of course could not resist sitting there and snapping a few photos of all the beauty that surrounds us. The different varieties of dragonflies is amazing.
I also came across a sweet little green friend who honored me with his presence for a few minutes. He sat on my blanket for a few and allowed me to pick him up. I didn't hold him for long because I was afraid of hurting him.
There are 100's of these little green tree frogs in the trees here and I love it when we walk the dogs at night and they make their music.
While fishing yesterday, my hubby called me over to see the coolest turtle, not sure what kind he is, but I wouldn't get too close. He is now our mascot and I enjoyed watching him eat some bread that I threw in the water.
I remember the excitement that I felt as a kid when I would play outside in the woods and I feel the same now. I am loving being back in nature and exploring our gorgeous area.
We are currently upgrading some things in our RV. We bought a new bed, since we missed our old memory foam mattress and we are both sleeping so much better. Kit installed a new shower head and it is so much nicer. We have been slowly upgrading our space and buying things to organize our small space. It is really nice to be free of all the clutter and stuff that was holding us back.
Until next time,
Kat
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