Our modern camping and travel.

On the road 2014, 2008 Navion IQ and 2010 Honda CRV

August 4th, 2014 – Somewhere in Kansas.

We’ve explored our local area and our country quite a bit over the last 42 years.  These days, we usually travel the longer distances with our little Navion iQ Class C motorhome towing our Honda CRV.  Once we’re set up in camp site, we explore further afield using the CRV.

It’s quite a difference from when we first got started.  Our earliest exploration was by foot in Vallejo, California.  Then we got our first car, and, boy, did we put the miles on that little car.  We visited San Francisco, the Marin Peninsula, and up the coast to Fort Ross.  We made it to Donner Pass, Lake Tahoe, and Yosemite – all in a few short months before I was transferred to the next school, which was in Idaho.  It was there that we did our first camping, renting a tent from Navy special services.  Over time our camping included buying our own gear, dabbling in backpacking and, in the late 80s, graduating to a used, very small travel trailer.  That lasted for 3 long camping trips, but, on the last one it was totaled when we were rear-ended in Tulsa.  Then it was back to tent camping and another couple of backpacking trips.

All of that was before the modern era of the internet and social media.  When we were traveling, we just went.  We might drop a post card to family from somewhere on the road, but there wasn’t any constant contact like there is today.  Of course, that made it difficult if someone needed to get in touch with you, but that’s the way it was.  Sure, you could call, but that was pretty much before the advent of phone cards, too, so calling long distance generally meant short calls on a public coin operated phones.  You either needed a pocket full of change or you called collect.

We didn’t make many calls like that.  Too expensive for us, too expensive for our families if we called collect.

HP laptop and iPhone 5Today, though, it’s instant communication, any time you want it – most of the time.  We can make a phone call from most places where there are concentrations of people and along most major traffic arteries.  We can also send a text message and check in on all of our social media.

On this trip, we will often be away from the concentrations of people and traffic arteries where cell service is concentrated.  Quite often, our cell phones will have a message at the top of the screen: “no service.”

That’s okay.  We’ll check in when we can but we’re not going to go out of our way very often.  Our kids will know about where are and where we will be going for the next week or so as does Karen’s mom.

Our modern mode of travel without constant contact: it works for us – and we really don’t know yet where all we’ll be going.

camping, changes, internet, life, on the road, photography, places, recreational vehicles, retirement, travel, Travel Photos

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Grannymar Aug 14, 2014 Link

    I think you have found the right balance. Enjoy.
    Grannymar recently posted…Thursday Special ~ At the BorderMy Profile

    • Mike Aug 20, 2014 Link

      We’re in Bozeman, Montana, right now. Communications have been very frustrating for the last week. We would have been better off with none at all, but often we checked and found we had a cell signal, but it didn’t work well at all. I finally just turned my phone off most of the time.
      Mike recently posted…Wild AssesMy Profile

  • Hilary Aug 15, 2014 Link

    Hi Mike – we’ve never been great communicators … my parents knew we’d return – like bad pennies! But your grandchildren will be happy to hear from you on your travels and Karen’s mother too ..

    Sounds like it’s going to be a happy trip – and the backpack and tent fit happily into that magnificent beast you move around in!

    Cheers and enjoy – Hilary
    Hilary recently posted…Commonwealth Games highlights from Glasgow 2014 … part 2My Profile

    • Mike Aug 20, 2014 Link

      No backpack and tent this trip. Our camper takes the place of all that. We were nice and comfortable inside with rain and temperatures dropping below 40°F. There were a lot of tent campers in the same campground and I’m sure there was a bit of discomfort.
      Mike recently posted…Wild AssesMy Profile

  • Grannymar Aug 21, 2014 Link

    Mike, I thought it was only in Ireland, we had very poor internet signals. At least at home we both have good and reliable signals!

    • Mike Aug 21, 2014 Link

      We’ve been traveling in areas where towns — and cell towers — are few and far between. Sometimes, there’s even signs warning of how far it is to the next gas station. We lived in a place like that in Idaho. As one headed east, there was a sign, “Next gas 73 miles.”
      Mike recently posted…Wild AssesMy Profile

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