Doug and I just returned from overseas (three and a half years in Bahrain an island kingdom off the coast of Saudi Arabia.) in October. Doug is retired Navy working his third career (fourth if you count working for his Dad's plumbing business before enlisting in the U.S. Navy at the ripe old age of 17 (his Mom had to sign him in)) as a federal civilian with the U.S. Navy. I am also a career federal employee. After Doug retired from active duty he told me as I followed him around the world for his career he would do the same for me (and I didn't even know I wanted a career
).
After his retirement we settled in Umatilla, FL (near Eustis and that great bass fishing that was referred to in one of the forums) for ten years and then moved to Naples, Italy for five and a half years (as a Navy brat I lived there in the 70's with my parents learned the language and fell in LOVE with the country). Doug wound up in Pensacola and I returned to Orlando (where we both had worked before moving to Naples). Before he was able to get a job back in Orlando, Doug bought a Winnebago Class A and a permanent camping site in Lillian, AL as his "residence" up north. I bought a house in Casselberry (north west greater Orlando area) for all the "stuff." After nine months of geographic separation Doug was able to get a job in Orlando and the RV went to the 5 acres in Umatilla where the "forever house" will eventually be built and became our "country estate" for the weekends that had a tendency to move about the southeast for long weekends. Somewhere in the 22 months we were in the states we upgraded to a Winnebago diesel pusher with one slide out. We held on to the Class A for about a year and a half during our sojourn in Bahrain and for the good of the unit (diesels HAVE to roam or weird things grow in the fuel tank and strange things start to happen to the unit overall) we sold it to our aunt and uncle and they LOVE it.
With our return stateside (again greater Orlando area) last fall, Doug bought a new Dodge Diesel pick up truck (don't have more details than that other than you get in it, turn the key, and drive...oh yeah, and fill it up in $75.00 increments if you pay at the pump). This purchase, along with the desire to explore these great United States; revisit a number of places we've seen in our travels with the Class A, Pop-up Tent Camper, and/or honest to gosh canvas tent camping; and, pick up RVing with my parents again; resulted in our decision to get a 5th wheel. Started off looking at previously owned models (everything that we've purchased with wheels on it relating to "camping/RVing" has been previously owned) and somehow wound up ordering a 10th Anniversary 2955 Montana. We are looking at delivery in the next few weeks!
Those of you with military careers can appreciate the fact that while a "forever house" has significant appeal after moving around the country/world for your entire life (for me at least as my father is also retired navy)...the idea of being anchored
is a horrible fate! So the 5th wheel will serve as our vacation home and weekend retreat until our retirement and might be our part time home when I retire in six or so years.
Your Montana Owner's Club site has been a source of great information (like the PDI checklists), amusement (That "void the warranty" comment in dog chipping forum made me laugh out loud.), and friendship (the "Welcome to the group" emails alone make you feel immediately a part of the group). I am sure we'll continue to log in on a daily basis and garner at least one valuable tidbit each time. Thanks for being in the worldwide network!
Regards,
Robin (eeoski), Doug (fire1), and the four footed "children" (Yorkies) Piccola ("Little One") and Lupo ("Wolf")
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