THOUGHTS ABOUT MY NEXT CHAPTER…

After a three-year hiatus, I have decided to revive my old blog to bring folks up-to-date on what I have been doing and thinking about since Luke's passing almost one year ago. It's a lot to read, but there is some big news at the end.  :-0 

Writing from my patio

I am writing this update on April 11, 2020 while sitting in my recliner lounge chair on the patio of my Brentwood, California home. The adjoining golf course tee boxes are empty because of the mandated recreational shutdown during this pandemic.  Miss Shade is enjoying the long grassy yard while hunting for lizards along the decorative rock and bark yard border. Birds and turkeys are singing and I am wearing a “Life is Good” sweater while contemplating my next chapter.

Luke and I taking delivery of our Isata

As I have written before, Luke and I “had a plan” that included what life would be like after one of us passed away. A year ago at this time, we renewed those discussions while he was in hospice care following a series of strokes.  He passed quietly on May 16, 2019 and my “plan” became my next chapter.

As you may know, last summer, with the help of my daughter Robin, I found a cute 1500 sq. foot house in a 55+ community with three 9-hole golf courses in Brentwood, CA. I am 45-minutes away from family and got to watch Grandson Tanner’s varsity football games.  I joined two ladies' golf groups and was able to use my own golf cart that I brought from my previous home.  My Cool house of 40 years sold in October and I am very comfortable in my new surroundings.

My 24' RV parked in front of my new Brentwood home.

Part of the “plan” was to continue to RV in our previously downsized 24’ Class C Dynamax Isata 3 Series motorhome.  On Christmas Eve day I finished loading it up and began a three-month outing that we would have done as a couple. I took the rig out of nearby storage, parked it in front of the new house and began the trip from my daughter’s in nearby Pleasanton.  Over the next couple of weeks, I helped with float decorating for the Pasadena Rose Bowl Parade, attended an FMCA RVers regional rally in Indio, CA with the Golden Spikes RV Club, and then moved to Arizona where we would have typically traveled as part of our annual winter journey. 

My Isata 24FW towing my Honda-CRV

I had no trouble hooking up my car for towing, finding places to park overnight, and always had my faithful and protective companion dog Shade with me.  I did have to deal with a few motorhome repairs and a recall issue, but time, warranties, and money took care of everything.  Everywhere I went I knew friends and received a ton of (((HUGS))) acknowledging my loss of Luke and congratulating me on tackling the journey as a “solo”.  

Boondocking in the AZ desert

I went to the annual gathering of my Escapees “Boomer” family in Boomerville, just outside Quartzsite, Arizona where I taught about Valley Fever, Essential Oils, and introduced a new talk called “Do You Have a Plan” that was well-received.  I then moved across town to the annual Geocachers’ rally where, just a year previously, Luke had his first stroke. A friend honored him with the placing of a special hidden geocache Remembering Cool Hand Luke (GC8JMVK) and the group let me be among the “first to find” which was heartwarming.

Again, following the “plan”, I headed to the Phoenix area where I attended three San Francisco Giants Spring Training games, played golf, and met up with more friends in the region for more golf, meals out, and more reminiscing. This leg of the trip also included getting the “recall” on my RV’s slide mechanism fixed.  It was scary to learn that the controller board could move the 16’ full-wall slide out on its own while driving!!!  Once I got the January dated recall notice in my forwarded mail, I was able to arrange the repair under warranty at the Camping World in Avondale on March 12.  

With peace of mind, I moved to Yuma for a week of golf with friends at Cocopah RV and Golf Resort just as the pandemic restrictions were shutting down the country.  I concluded that I had been “sheltering-in-place” except that my place just kept moving.

As I drove north through California’s Central Valley, I had plenty of time to contemplate what I had accomplished per “the plan” and to start thinking about my next chapter.  With extra toilet paper on hand, a service call completed on the RV, and a new RV storage space secured, I drove to my new home, unloaded the RV, and settled down into my happy place.  

Walking for the mail

I am successfully social distancing, wearing a mask to walk Miss Shade daily to get the mail and doing only very essential driving.  I have made one trip to the grocery store, a trip to the vet, and yesterday I traveled two miles to the Ace Hardware store to get a part so I could (and did) fix the broken handle on my toilet!  Ah, the life of a sheltered homeowner. 😉

THE NEXT CHAPTER…

Despite the current pandemic restrictions, I am very content in my new surroundings. Yes, it would be great if the golf courses and local dog parks opened, but I am happy just “veggie” out at my new house. My “office” windows, my family room with my 60” Xfinity TV service, and my patio all overlook my serene setting.  I'm a very contented, happy non-camper.

When I think about all the places Luke and I traveled over our 50 years together, including our extended RV travels the past 16 years, and all the organizing and teachings I have done on the road, I am ready to settle down in Brentwood. There is nothing left on the “RV Bucket List” that I need a motorhome to drive to!

I have now decided to HANG UP MY RV KEYS.  

My RV friends know there comes a time to find a place to settle and reflect on all the great friends and memories that I accumulated during this RV lifestyle.  

This is my plan!

After much thought, I have decided to sell my 2019 Dynamax Isata 3 Series 24FW Class C motorhome and to replace my 2006 Honda CR-V tow car with a new car for driving around town.  Many friends toured this cute RV during my recent travels.  There were lots of folks talking about downsizing and how perfect this 24'7" RV was with the extras we had added. I have done my homework on comparable pricing for the RV and the car (available for review). 

I am asking $101,900 for the RV and $4,000 for the towable Honda CR-V. 

Now’s your chance to buy both vehicles plus extras as a package for $103,000 !!!

Roadmaster All-Terrain Hitch w/braking system

Among the “extras” on this unit that you won’t find on a dealer’s lot are the following:  a much needed second drawer and an electrical outlet added to the galley. We also originally paid an extra $2000 to have a Winegard Traveler satellite dish and DirecTV receiver permanently added when we purchased the unit in October 2018. (The "out the door" original price was $16,332.)  I am also including a Roadmaster All-Terrain hitch package, a 10-station Tire Pressure Monitoring System, and an easy to plug and drive supplemental brake system. The storage bays and interior will also include many RVer's convenience items that will come as part of the sale price.

The Isata RV currently has 6,975 miles (including the 2,191 miles when it was driven from the Indiana factory to California) and all Mercedes Bentz Sprinter servicing is current as of March 30. The Honda has149,000 driven miles with all services completed by Honda dealers as recently as December. All service records, including tires, are available.

The RV and Honda hooked up before my trip.

Trying to sell something during this global shutdown requires a different form of marketing and I am in no hurry.  I first started by creating a large photo album of the RV with captions that can be viewed by clicking this link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QJ1U6cb5SyYSgXPg9

The album photos include those taken while we were shopping for the unit and actual shots taken of every interior and exterior view of this specific unit. The rig is stored just one mile from my home in Brentwood, CA (Contra Costa County) and can be seen in-person and test-driven when the times come.  Please feel to share a link to this blog and photo albums to alert friends and family who may want to join the RV lifestyle.

I have created a dedicated email address if you would like to ask questions or arrange a showing.  Please send inquiries to selling2019isata@gmail.com. 

Thank you all for your support this past year!

I welcome your feedback.