This past January, I said my final farewell to my father, and if you’ve read any of the old stuff on this blog (which goes back 15 years now — yikes!), you’ll know that was a big deal. I was my Dad’s mini-me, the kid who knew his whole history and could finish his sentences. He was my buddy, my mentor, and my companion in travel and exploration.
It’s taken me about six months to work through my grief, but one day, I emerged from my chrysalis and just like that, I bought a camper van. I can imagine Dad now, saying, “You bought a WHAT? What did you do THAT for?!?”
Well, Dad, I was looking into cabins where I could go and write and paint. And then I thought, why not get a cabin on wheels? Then I can have a creative retreat in any state park, or even a fancy RV resort with a swimming pool!
This is how I ended up with Muffintop, a Chevy conversion van, complete with bed, toilet, kitchenette, air-conditioner, and a 13-inch TV with a VCR. I can stand up inside, and she still fits into a regular parking space!
Muffie belonged to Denise and Bob for many years, until they decided camping wasn’t in the cards any more. They took very good care of her, with trips to Alaska, Oregon, and Connecticut. There were only a couple of minor things to fix, we all thought. But Muffie wanted to test my love, so those turned into a series of hard-to-diagnose issues that almost drove my mechanics to tears. By the time they got done, I didn’t even have time to get used to her. I picked her up in the morning, literally threw my stuff in the back, and hit the road, heading for the Florida panhandle and then Burning Man.
But first, I bought a Good Sam emergency road service policy.
That was about 1000 miles ago, so I think we’re good now. My teddy bears and I are currently sitting in an RV park in Louisiana, with all the comforts of home — well, actually, more comforts than home. I don’t have a microwave or a VCR at home!
As you’ve probably guessed, I’ve been talking to strangers along the way. I even got some candy from one of them! In my next post, I’ll share some of their stories with you. Thanks for following along, and remember, I Smile First!
