An essay written by RV Wheel Life writer Jimmy Smith was featured in the Guest Editorial space in a recent RV Travel Newsletter. The selected piece focuses on an “Early morning in Southern California’s Coachella Valley” written on a January morning during a former RV Snowbird trip.
“We have been out for months and months, again plying the nation’s little roads,” writes Jimmy. “I’m never sure how to frame what it is we do. We fit into some loose category of sojourners sometimes called RVers, or wandering homeless, or some other yet defined group of tribesmen off seeking sustenance and solar encouragement during the dark months of winter.” Read the rest of that entry by clicking on RV Travel Newsletter: Jan. 9-15. Issue 724.
To read more of Jimmy’s on-going musings, go to: “Jimmy Smith’s Another View.”
Photo: Morning in Southern California’s Coachella Valley (Julianne G. Crane)
John:
Thank you very much for taking the time to write such a thoughtful comment.
We appreciate your words and encourage you to give RVing another try.
Julianne and Jimmy
I saw the piece today by Jimmy Smith on the daily site for ‘Let’s RV’ by Greg Gerber. Following the clicks I got to the story and read the article. The statement that caught my attention was the revelation Jimmy had to answer in his mind as to what he decided he was doing out “there”:
“What didn’t I understand? Why is it that I still am looking for something that I’m not even sure what it is? Wait, I know what it is, it’s just a bit illusory but it’s … MEANING. Each day I continue to look for meaning and purpose, and deep connection with my fellow travelers.”
Isn’t “meaning” what we are all going through life trying to find? In Jimmy’s case I believe he has already found his meaning and to the very best of his ability he will strive to not let it get away from him. I am on his side and wish Jimmy the best of luck and the best of times in his life’s adventure.
Do I envy him?, who wouldn’t! I have been a RV’r since 1995 when my wife and I bought our first 22-ft. Itasca Brave. We made the decision to go full-time shortly thereafter trading it in for a 28-ft. Safari Trek and then trading that in for what was to be our dream coach, a 33-ft. Safari Trek Diesel Pusher.
We left May in 1996 to do the Oregon Trail on our way to the Safari factory in Harrisburg, OR to get some serious warranty work done on that 33-ft.coach which kept us worried we would not be able to search for and find our “MEANING”.
Ultimately we had to do battle with Safari and Chevrolet over a coach that just could not perform as it was advertised. Fortunately for us, we won our battle through the Florida Lemon Law and were able to turn the RV over to Chevrolet in Jacksonville, FL “and” get most of our money back.
Is this what we wanted? Of course not! What we wanted from the get-go was to be “out there”, just like Jimmy, finding our niche in life separated from the hustle and bustle of a business life that kept us tied down to a job from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Friday. Unfortunately, our trying experience turned my wife against the RV lifestyle and I wound up going back to work.
Now, 20 years later, Jimmy has stirred up in me that desire again to look into what we have given up, and to find out if it isn’t too late to get back out there on the trail and find our “MEANING” again.
Thank you and Jimmy for the article. Its timing could not have been more to the point and at the right time.
JG