We had to start someplace; this seems as good a place as any.

 

Ohh my gosh, I really can’t believe “it’s” started.  “It” seems so fast, coming upon us so quickly. Truth be told, the path that lays out before us has been well planned, integrally choreographed, and strategically engineered for the better part of the last 10 years.  The “IT” I have so eloquently referred to is our impending retirement from the 9-5 working life.

The “Us”, or more plainly stated, the “we” referred to above, are Judy & Steven.  Two college sweethearts, who have made a life & family together for the better part of 40 years and have now decided to retire and find “our” next great adventure, together.

And that adventure starts with a 2023 Northpoint 5^th wheel luxury RV.  Yes, that’s correct, we have a house on wheels, and it is attached to “monster” pickup truck, and it is our intention to take this 52-foot-long caravan on the road starting on July 7^th 2023.

We have affectionately nicknamed the truck, “The Beast”, as there is really no bigger commercially made pick-up truck, and the sole purpose of this 3500 dually truck is to pull & tow a 5^th wheel.  (and to think, I traded in an outstanding Audi S4 supercharged manual shift sports car for The Beast). That Northpoint RV is called a 5^th wheel because of the way it is attached to the bed of the truck. 

We have nicknamed the camper “Couples Coach 23”, because the floor plan is specifically planned and engineered for people like us.  We are pretty much empty nesters, finished with our primary careers, and were looking for an RV that contains important amenities, yet doesn’t sleep over 7 people. (and believe me when I say 7 people would be a stretch in this floorplan.)  A very funny and experienced RV salesperson, named Jim, explained it to us this way.  Jim said,

                “A couples coach is an RV that can easily serve cocktails for 6 people,      

                can certainly accommodate 4 people for dinner, and sleeps 2 comfortably.”

The amenities include a fantastic gourmet kitchen including a 4-burner stove, full size oven, family sized dual fuel refrigerator, extended countertop space, and a real kitchen table and chairs.  A great master bathroom with a big shower and built in teak bench.  A huge bedroom closet, which will include a small, stacked washer & dryer.  Notice there’s not much written here about the number of beds.  Because there’s only really one, and OMG is it comfortable.  (Even when you’re parked in the biggest truck stop in NJ, just off the George Washington bridge, with the constant roar of the diesel trucks as they drive by a mere couple feet from your bedroom slide.  Will need a separate post to elaborate further on our first boondocking experience in the Vince Lombardi rest stop on the NJ Turnpike.) 

No, as I have been asked so often, we have no intention of selling our primary residence, for the nomadic life of full-time RV’ing.  Rather, our intention is to spend extended 90-day trips to explore the world.  The plan is to spend 75 % of the year out on the road and the balance at home, because in all actuality, we are just “homebodies” anyway.

So that’s the plan.  Crazy right?  And we’re mere weeks away from following through on the plan.  A plan that started a long time ago, with a goal.  Retire early.  Retire early and find something else to “feed our souls” each day.   A reason and a wanting to get up every morning and challenge ourselves to find something new to do and explore.  Everyday.  And as we approach the end of the 2023 school year, all the pieces are in place for us to write the “Rest Of the Story”, which also happens to be the name of this blog. (see how we came full circle there, I read someplace that’s a good thing to do).

This blog was born from the desire to keep in touch with the people who we have met along our life’s journey.  We are so fortunate to be able to follow through on our plans and want to bring our friends and family along for the ride.  Hopefully you’ll consider checking back to this blog to read… the Rest of the Story.