And Yet Another Year End Review

This post is not mandatory for ya'll to read (Still talking Kentuckian). There will not be a test at the end of it. It is really for me because as I sit here and think about the last year, I feel that it has gone by too fast and I feel like we haven't really done a whole lot of stuff that we feel is exciting. Some people may look at Facebook as a nuisance. The younger generation may even look at it like MySpace. Old technology and what not. I think it is perfect for what we do and it is a great record of what has gone on in our lives over the last year and longer. I also think that it is the best way to keep track of all of the people we have met since taking this little journey. To reconnect with friends since so many of us are all nomads. So without further adue:

January-One year ago found us back in Minnesota for Christmas. Spending time with family. Our travels take us away from family and to get back and spend some quality time with our family is special. We have said that when we had a house there, we didn't spend a lot of time with family and friends. Now when we come back we know that time is short and the time we do spend with people is better. We also purchased Lil Blue.

Lil' Blue

We then headed back to Kentucky, picked up our fifth wheel and went south to the gulf to find warmer weather. We stopped in the Waveland Mississippi area. In Pass Christian actually. I really like this area. Hit hard by Katrina and never has it fully recovered. The beaches are beautiful and it gives me the opportunity to do some metal detecting. I don't get rich by any means but it is relaxing and there is always the chance to score big. Like finding a quarter.

Palm trees in Pass Christian

After a few days there we started making our way out west to meet up with friends in Quartzsite AZ. But before that we stopped for a few days in San Antonio. I have always wanted to see the Alamo. The history is amazing.

TheAlamo

February-We made it to Quartzsite to meet up with our friends Jim and Barb. We spent the month boondocking in the Sonoran desert with them and other people we met. We explored the area in our Jeeps, did some geocaching and hiking. We even day tripped to Alagadonas Mexico.

Quartzsite AZ.

Jim, Barb and Lisa geo-caching

March-We left our friends and parted ways and we then headed to Las Vegas. It has been many years since we have been there and since we were close we wanted to visit. We camped in Las Vegas at Sam's Town which was cheap and entertaining. Vegas however was not what we remembered, so after a few days we left.

Las Vegas strip

As luck would have it we met up with Jim and Barb outside of Las Vegas in the Lake Mead area. They were boondocking out by the lake so we found them and spent a couple more magical days with them. Steve and Joan were working in the Lake Mead area so we also did some things with them. We Jeeped, hiked and played some cards.

Lake Mead with Jim and Barb

Barb declaring her love for Tater Tots

Jeeping with Steve, Joan, Jim and Barb

We again parted ways. Jim and Barb were headed to Alaska for the summer. We moved down around the lake farther.

Stewart's landing on Lake Meade

April to May-We headed over to Moab Utah because we were working a camp host job. We did this one last year and liked the campground and the people. We love the Moab area. It is one of our favorites. If you have never been there, you need to go. You will be amazed.

Snow in the La Salle mountains

Lisa 1500 feet above the valley floor

Island in the Sky

June to July-We did our little 2 month stint and started to make our way North to Yellowstone. We stopped in Grand Junction Colorado for a few days. Exploring wineries and we climbed to the top of Mt. Garfield. Very strenuous but worth it.

Mt. Garfield summit

We got a job in Yellowstone working as cashiers in a gift store. We were excited to do this because it was something new for us and a place that we would like to really explore. We were going to be there for 3 months. This place is amazing and we feel so lucky to be able to have lived inside a national park for 3 months. We got to explore the park much more thoroughly than most people ever get to. Once again our friends Jim and Barb were able to meet us in the park after their Alaska trip. (Either we are stalking them or they are stalking us.)

Yellowstone General Store, Tower Fall

Yellowstone's Grand Canyon

Grand Tetons

Grand Prismatic

We have so many pictures that it is hard to choose. July found us trading in the fifthwheel that we had started this journey with for a newer one. One that was of better quality. We had a 2011 Aztec made by Gulfstream for a 2014 Cardinal made by Forest River.

Old

New

September-We went from Yellowstone back to Minnesota. We moochdocked in Lisa's mother's driveway.

Moochdocking in Fergus Falls, MN.

Enjoyed more quality time with friends and family before moving on to Kentucky for our next gig at Amazon.

October to December- We travelled to Kentucky to work for Amazon again. We really wanted to explore Kentucky this time around. Which we did. Kentucky really  is a beautiful state.

Patton Museum

Cumberland Gap

Natural Bridge, KY.

Lil' Blue

So that is our little tale for the year. We put on many miles and visited many areas of the country. According to Facebook I got 51 new friends. That is one over my limit so I am sorry for one of you. (JK). Next year is really up in the air for us because we have no plans past March. Where will we go and what will we do. Only time will tell. Until the next time, Be Safe and Be Happy. When I was younger there was a TV show called "Hill Street Blues" and one of the lines I liked from that show was "Do it to them before they do it to you."

Till our paths cross again.

Lessons Learned on our Second Trip Down the River

The only lesson learned is that this J-O-B sucks. It sucks with a giant moist slurping sound. I don't want to elaborate anymore than I already have because everything I mentioned in previous blogs still holds true. That would be beating a dead stick with a horse. It's a love hate relationship. We love to hate it.

I am terrible with names. So I have given so many people here nicknames that only we know. (Affectionately) Such as:
Pockets, Bubba (there are quite a few Bubbas), Gangsta couple, Bitch Face, The Twins, Speedy (he actually likes that one), Spandex Granny, The Tool, The Lemon Ballers, Doofus, Bozo, Jabba the Hut, Nasty Hat and The Genie. Also there are just too many that are just called Dumb Ass. (Affectionately)

I will miss how much this company cares about our well being. They do, they offer free bottled water all day to stay hydrated. In fact there is a pee chart in every bathroom so that you can verify the color of your urine to the chart to see how hydrated you are. It's easier for men than women I assume.

We have learned that we are not big fans of camping in cold weather. No matter how well these things are built, they just are not made for it. Our water hose froze once because we worked a ten hour shift when it was below freezing. Just too long of time to not have water flowing through it and I had even wrapped pipe insulation around it. The sewer lines froze due to the fact that one of our tank valves doesn't work, leaving liquid in the pipe. It's a good thing that propane is cheap here because we are burning through a lot of it. Still can't get toasty warm though.

On a positive note. We will be leaving here with our Bonus's. Both of us. A dollar an hour for every hour worked. Cha-ching!

As you read this we will be traveling north to the frozen tundra. So, for all of you sitting on a beach reading this, I hope your little umbrella drink tips over.

It's Peak Season.........Or Not

We are still here in Kentucky working our J-O-B.

They call this time of year Peak season because of all the holiday shopping. That is why they hire all of us work campers and also all of the temps. They also schedule mandatory over time of 50-60 hours a week. They tell us that from Thanksgiving to Christmas* no one can take any vacation time. We must all be here as many hours as possible to full fill all of the Christmas* wishes. We were here last year for peak and this year it has a totally different feel.

For example, they are offering VOT (voluntary time off). Unheard off during a peak season. Example number two. They are starting to cancel the mandatory overtime. Again unheard of during past peak seasons. Example number three. They are asking workampers to voluntarily leave early and keep our bonus Unbelievable.

Rumors are running rampant. It appears that other fulfilment centers are taking our volume of orders. So we are just left twiddling our thumbs.

So here we sit.










*Yes I said Christmas because I am a Christian. Sorry if this offends anyone.