March to Remember
March was a month to remember as we finished our travels with Airstream across the Baja peninsula. It was time to say goodbye to all the amazing people we met in our time in Mexico. It was time to work, check in with family, and feel gratitude for the freedoms we have to experience life on our terms.
Paraiso Misional RV Park
One of our favorite campgrounds in all of Baja, Mexico is Paraiso Misional in beautiful San Ignacio! A perfect stop over as you travel the peninsula in search of whatever your heart desires
A Bucket List Experience
If traveling through Baja, California, Mexico make time for the whale trips on either coast. It is a magical experience!
Baja Caravan is a Wrap
Now that the driving is over, we look back fondly at the places we visited. From free camping at Bahia de Los Angeles (BOLA) to camping in the middle of town in beautiful San Ignacio, and finally beach camping at Playa Santispac. Our caravan experience offered a little bit for everyone. Walking historic town squares, visiting Missions built in the 1600’s, paddleboarding the bahia, karaoke at the beach bar, or just sitting in peace soaking up the sun. Baja’s laid-back vibe is a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the states and just what our souls needed.
More to Baja than just Beaches
So much more than just beaches to explore in Baja, California, Mexico. Thanks to our friends at Baja Serena in El Pescadero, we got the local perspective.
Baby Sea Turtle Release
This was just a short 15-minute drive up Highway 19 from our campground in El Pescadero to the town of Todos Santos. If you are down here visiting Baja Sur, this area was definitely our favorite! Be sure to follow us on instagram to get more videos like this.
Crossing the Border
Our first sunrise over the Sea of Cortez was amazing and consistently seeing them in new places is one of our favorite parts of traveling. The different sounds that accompany it, the tide coming ashore, the birds crashing down looking for fish, it all help put our worries, doubts, and fears into perspective. Nature continues to do its thing day after day as it has for many years, whether we are paying attention or not. I am always reminded of the consistency required to do something great and create lasting impact.
Awe and Appreciation
Standing on a beach a short distance from where the Queen is safely parked, Otis is chasing his ball timing the ebb and flow of the waves, and just a short distance away a mama whale is teaching her newborn calf all the essentials of their life is hard to put into words. It’s moments like this that truly make us appreciate our decision to change our lifestyle, to bet on ourselves, and to pursue an everyday life that makes us feel alive!
Baja Recap – The Decision
Each year so far, we have spent the winter in new and different places. Year one was Florida. Year two Arizona. Different sides of the country, different geography, much different humidity, but much warmer than the winters we were used to. So where to go for year three that would be new and warmer? Was it time to tow our Airstream south of the border and explore Baja, Mexico?
This idea brought with it a lot of discussion between the two of us and lots of opinions from friends and family we shared the idea with. Is it safe? Crime? Language barriers?
What the FUNK?
Year three of our full-time travel adventure was underway. On this day we found ourselves nestled in a state park on the amazing Oregon coast, a place none of us had been before. Full of giant trees, moss, the ocean, and breathtaking cliffs. Yet something was missing. Something was not right. We were just…. off.
Our Big Upgrade for Year 3!
We finally did it! Broke down and bit the proverbial bullet. After two years of full timing, it was time to make our Airstream function more like a house than a camper.
Recap – Summer 2023
What started out as an emotional homecoming ended up being the healing moments lives are made of! We are grateful for all of them beyond the words we can write or say! It is a true testament to the beauty of the human experience!
Returning Home?
We realized we did not want this visit to be about looking back, instead we were excited to hear about the futures for our friends and family. Learning all about the changes in their lives, what their children are up to, and what they are looking forward to in the next chapters of their lives. This visit also reaffirmed for us that our “home” is not a specific place but instead it is a state of mind.
Introducing Mr. Otis
Our last “fur baby”, as Andrea likes to call them, passed away two months before we embarked on our traveling life. It was an emotional loss for us, as Sir Russell’s passing marked the end of our children’s childhoods and the beginning of a new phase of life for all of us. After much research and deliberation over the past two years, Andrea and I decided we were ready. It was time!
Questioning Things?
In a crazy turn of events during year two of our full-time rving adventure, we have found ourselves dealing with something we never anticipated. Not the worries over the road conditions. It has not been the pressure of constantly finding that next place to call home. Not even the adjustments to the two of us living in 224 square feet of “home”.
Where Did We Go?
For the first time in two years, Andrea and I decided to take time away from our weekly blog. It was not because we were tired of it, but more so because life led us in that direction. Sometimes growing stronger together requires time apart for the growth of the individual.
When Is It Time to Move?
When traveling full time is your lifestyle, how do you decide when to move? Well, that is a good question that we have been asked quite a few times and is a great campfire conversation starter, as everyone’s thought process is unique.
Someplace New, Yet Familiar
In the fall of 1996, Andrea and I found ourselves living in Butte, Montana. While our reasons were different, we had each been there before. Visiting our families many times as children, yet never knowing one another until now. This was the place Andrea and I first met. Where we fell in love, got married, and our family began. This small mining town is indelibly linked to our family’s past and future.
Be Where You Are
Where we are is where we need to be,
For the universe has made it so,
Where we are not, is where we aren’t,
There is no sense daydreaming about it,
Only stealing from us another now,
Skooliepalooza for Airstreamers?
Something you probably do not know about us was Andrea’s final choices for our rig. After much research, deliberation and thought, it came down to two options, an Airstream or a “Skoolie”. It was only natural that we would eventually attend one of the biggest “skoolie” events of the year, Skooliepalooza. It was time to see what it was all about.