We are free at last. - Montana Owners Club

Driftwoodgal · 02-16-2007, 02:16 AM

Well, after 27 years of owning a dog and cat boarding kennel we will become semi retired real soon. The people that are buying it are from England. They got the news yesterday that their Visas have been approved, so we will be signing papers at the end of March or mid April. This has been a two year process and it is finally coming to an end. We will now be able to use our Montana and travel.

I will have to get adjusted to the new retirement life. We have worked 24/7/365 for so long, not sure what I will do without a job.

Here's the question to all of you that have travelled in your RV. What place is the most memorable to you? I mean where have you camped at and had the best time because of the campground and the local attractions? If you have more than one please post it as well.

315RLS · 02-16-2007, 02:29 AM

Driftwoodgal,
Congratulations on selling your kennel. We can relate to 7/24/365 having a kennel ourselves. Enjoy your travels and retirement. For most memorable for us was the Canadian Maritimes..

msmoonsatx · 02-16-2007, 02:30 AM

That's asking for the floodgates to open LOL. Several places that come to mind are northern Michigan around Mackinac City, Woodstock Vermont, Yellowstone National Park and Asheville North Carolina. It is not necessarily the campgrounds in these locations, but the scenery and the attractions.

Driftwoodgal · 02-16-2007, 03:07 AM

msmoonsatx,

I am hoping I will get flooded with information

315RLS,

It will be so nice not to work on the holidays. I will get to enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas with family. What a treat!!

Ozzie · 02-16-2007, 03:12 AM

Congrats on your developments!

You will get many answers for sure, probably what you want if you're going to travel. One area I would go back to in a heartbeat would be Glacier National Park. Hit it in July when it's warm as it gets pretty chilly up there. It is a hikers dream with many good hikes to fantastic areas. Hidden lakes and glacial waterfalls kinds of things.
If memory serves, one lake had 4-6 waterfalls you could see coming down from the glacier on top. If you can do the hike, you will be rewarded.

richfaa · 02-16-2007, 03:36 AM

You will be amazed at how quickly you will adapt to being retired.Every place we go is memorable, everyplace we are is an adventure. Being free to come and go as you please,, no deadlines, no set schedule.Taking the time to "smell the roses" We call this " Rich&Helen's great adventure" you are about to begin yours...enjoy.

Tom Gina 06 · 02-16-2007, 03:49 AM

Congrates everyday will get longer as the time to blast off gets closer. Now the grieving process will start to hit as you have to let go of it all. Just remember it is OK to have those days. Then the moments of relief as you pull away totally free will overwhelm you. Just wish we could do the totally free thing, but then I guess we are in a way. Things to do places to go? Anywhere your heart desires that has to be the best part!

Crossthread · 02-16-2007, 04:44 AM

I'm with Rich. Very few places that I'd take off the map.Some may take longer to get back to.At Glacier Nat. Park, I was asked if I had reservations. I said"Sir, I punched a time clock for 37 years, If you have a space, I'll take it,if not have a good day".I couldn't fit in the space.But I'll go back there every chance I get.If you drive 30 miles,or 300 miles, you will enjoy it after the setup becomes routine.Enjoy what time you have left. Bill

Sunshine · 02-16-2007, 05:04 AM

Congratulations! Always good news when a plan comes together. Having been in a 24/7/365 position myself for a number of years (when I was younger), it was even a pleasure to get a "regular" job! Retirement does take some getting used to - at least it did for me, but the freedom is wonderful!!

Parrothead · 02-16-2007, 05:07 AM

Congratulations on your new life. I agree with others that all places offer a new adventure but some hit a spot with you that makes it extra special. Montana for us, Flathead Lake, Glacier. We stayed in Polson, Montana for 3 weeks and loved it. The Flagstaff AZ area is another for us as is Mt. Shasta area in California. Of course we haven't been everywhere yet so this list will grow. I have been to a lot of places, before RVing, that I want to return. We will see if my childhood memories are any good. We have a list of places we want to see and I know we will see a lot on the way. Enjoy every second.
Happy trails.......................

GlobalDouglas · 02-16-2007, 05:22 AM

Congratulations!!!! It's nice when things finally come together! Favorite places??? Yellowstone NP, White Mountains NF in NH, and the Great Smoky NP are all awesome places I have fond memories of! I wish you many happy days and safe miles with your coming new home and lifestyle!!

Joyce H · 02-16-2007, 08:32 AM

Driftwoodgal,
My first suggestion would be to plan now to attend the MOC National Fall Rally in northern Indiana in September. There you can meet many of us in person and get all your suggestions live and in person. In additon to all the rally activities including a factory tour and presentations and seminars this area of the country is beautiful. It is in the heart of Amish country. Do plan a few extra days either before or following the rally. There are lots of back roads to explore and the greatest flea market. We thought we may be bored when we retired after 45 years of working, but our list of places to go and things to do just keeps getting longer. Enjoy!!

Driftwoodgal · 02-16-2007, 09:24 AM

Gosh thanks for all the well wishes and the ideas of where to travel to. Keep them coming, would love to know where you stayed when you visited the area.

Joyce,

Making the rally will depend on wether or not there is a hurricane. Hubby is an insurance adjuster so we possibly could be working in September. We need to continue to work a few more years so we don't have to worry about our budget. The insurance adjusting won't be full time, so we will have time to travel and see the USA.

Montana Sky · 02-16-2007, 10:48 AM

Congrats on your new upcoming lifestyle! I am sure you will find things that will help fill your days...

One of my favorite areas to stay is the Black Hills of South Dakota. Of course, Yellowstone, the Tetons and Glacier are also in that list...

dsprik · 02-16-2007, 12:07 PM

Congrats, Driftwoodgal! You'll love the lifestyle. The Black Hills and the Badlands are also must see areas.

Connorsmom · 02-16-2007, 01:21 PM

Yep...definitely the western states. Every year while growing up, we went west on vacation. The final destination was always Las Vegas, but we saw some amazing things in this beautiful country. And if I saw something in a school book that was that way...my mom and step dad took me to see it. Mount Rushmore, the black hills, Grand Canyon, Royal Gorge, Meteor Crater, Redwood Forest, Old Faithful, Pikes Peak...the list goes on and on.

One of my fondest memories was pulling into Albuquerque NM. This was in the 60's. We always stayed at the same hotel, and would always get there just as it was getting dark. We would go over this long bridge, and all the lights from the homes and businesses would be shining like a beacon in the darkness. This hotel was an A Frame building. I would be really excited, hardly able to sleep that night, because I knew what I would see in the morning. I would get up before everyone else, and run outside back behind the hotel....there...running free, no one to own them...horses. More horses than I could count. Their manes blowing in the wind, hooves throwing up powder dust. It is one of my most cherished memories. Then one year it happened...

We pulled in as always, I had trouble sleeping from excitement as always. I went out back in the morning , and what did I see...asphalt as far as the eye could see, and RV's parked everywhere...the horses gone...:-( I'll also never forget the devastation I felt that day so long ago. Modern technology...gotta love it.

Go west...and see those few places still not touched by civilization...well, at least not a lot. See the incredible natural beauty that is America...:-)

Jan

Okie Guy · 02-16-2007, 01:47 PM

My favorite Picks...
1. St. Louis, Missouri to the Budwiser Plant for a tour & Beers
2. Great Falls & Dutton Montana
3. Cheyenne, Wyoming for the big Frontier Days rodeo.
4. Phoenix, Arizona to Rawhide Wild West Town.
5. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, OKC National Memorial and OKC Art Museum.
6. Sapulpa, Oklahoma to Frankoma Pottery.

Just a few off the top of my head.

sreigle · 02-16-2007, 02:13 PM

Congratulations on your coming freedom to travel! I hope you enjoy it as much as we have. Favorite places? Wow, that's a tough question. Next month we complete our first four years of fulltiming. I don't think we can say any one was our favorite. There are so many great places. And we have barely scratched the surface. If you have time to peruse where we've been and want to get an idea of what we thought of those places, please click on the Our Travels link below and look at whatever you want.

I hope you enjoy your new lifestyle. We are sure enjoying ours.

If I may add one more comment - the eastern states are beautiful and we very much enjoy then. But the western states are spectacular.

slewis · 02-17-2007, 12:32 AM

When do you experienced travelers of the "West" think the best time to go would be? Summer, spring or fall? Don't mean to hi-jack Driftwoodgal's thread, but we've been wondering the same thing. Good question.

I second the idea of attending the Fall Rally in Goshen, Ind. We learned so much and had a ball. Great food, too.
Sandy

Driftwoodgal · 02-17-2007, 02:28 AM

Slewis,

You aren't hi-jacking the thread. All of this type of information can be valuable to all of us. I love it when I can help out a fellow cruiser on a message board that I post to. I have already been there and done that in some ports so I can help them use their time wisely.

We won't be living in the Monty full time. We will still have a house here in Driftwood Texas. We are going to a family reunion of sorts in Pidgeon Forge in July.

Colleen

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