Week 857 - Full Time Motorhome Travel - Part IV-D - The People - 01-15-2023
Full Time Motorhome Travel - Part IV-D - The People
Our final travelogue about more of the people we have met.
To learn their story use your mouse to hover over their names. On a touch screen, touch once to read, touch outside the story to close.
Neal and Sherry
Neal and Sherry are a sweet couple. Neal wears his Christianity on his sleeve. He is also a proficient pickleball player. At 5 foot tall it seemed a shock to Pete (6'2") when Neal asked him to play in a tournament.Play we did; 32 teams; no lost matches; 14 games; start at 8am; finish after dark; Gold Medal! Pete calls Neal the "mouse" but he runs like a cheetah and rarely does a ball go by him.
Neal is Pete's favorite tournament partner of all time (out of 19). Sadly Neal has passed away, but Pete and Neal will be together again in Heaven.
Pete's 2nd Gold medal was with Neal who is fast like a cheetah.
Don and Pam
In 2011 we traveled to Louisville, Kentucky to have our diesel engine rebuilt. We landed at the Louisville Elks. They heard our story and retold it to every member who came into the lodge. Our repair would take 10 days during which we must stay out of the MotherShip. Don "Duck" walked into the lodge, heard our story and within minutes spoke to Ellen. He offered free accommodations on his 40 foot, 2-master bedroom motor yacht in the harbor on the Ohio River.Don picked Ellen up at the Cummins shop and drove 20 miles to the yacht. Pete rode the scooter. Don said he would come every few days to get us to the store or for any errands. We told Don the scooter would be sufficient. Don ignored that and came anyway to help us.
10 days on his yacht was fabulous. And he did all this in the week that his daughter was getting married. The Elks motto is Elks Care, Elks Share. Don's action totally exemplifies this; what a blessing!
Don "Duck" blew us away with his generosity.
Joe
We met Joe at Golden Village Palms in Hemet, California. We mentored Joe in pickleball. He learned quickly and went on to become a great competitor. Joe was always there to help. He taught pickleball to many newcomers to the sport.Joe is Navy veteran and we thank him for that. When Ellen had a knee replacement, the hospital was 60 miles away. Joe offered to take care of Mandy in our absence. Mandy has always had a warm spot for Joe and visa versa. Joe has now passed but he will remain in our hearts; a veteran, a friend and a giver. Miss you Joe!
A veteran, great friend and Mandy's pal.
Dean and Laurel
Dean and Laurel were some of the first pickleball players we met at Palm Creek RV Resort. We always had an enjoyable time with them. We learned together as we both advanced in our skills. In September 2011 we adopted Mandy in Missouri and Topeka, Kansas was in our path back home.Dean and Laurel hosted us at their home. We enjoyed our time; the meals; indoor pickleball and church. They would have us stay for a while, but had to go to a planned motorhome rally. We have seen Dean since, but unfortunately Laurel has passed away. We know that Dean's Christian faith has sustained him through that time.
Met them at Palm Creek RV Resort and they hosted us at their home in Kansas.
Dennis and Jean
Like Joe, we met Dennis and Jean in Hemet at Golden Village Palms. Pete and Ellen helped them along in pickleball. They were good players and we just shared some tips we learned from clinics and videos. When we left them in Hemet, we had a slight edge over them. But, not today! They have become equals and we never know who might win a game.In 2016 we had the joy of visiting their home in Washington. It is right on the shore of Pudget Sound. You might call it a mansion from its location and the surrounding beautiful lawn. It did not start that way. The original property had a mobile home. The neighbor traded a slice of property in exchange for giving them his house!
The house was moved over a hundred feet and they have since remodeled. It looks like a million dollars but that is just the result of decades of TLC.
They moved their winter stays from Golden Village Palms to Palm Creek RV Resort where we are now.
Fellow pickleball players who hosted us at their home in Washington.
Tim and Vikki
Another Golden Village Palms RV couple are Tim and Vikki. When we first met they were only traveling in the winter, living in their Southern California beach house during the summer.Not too long after, they began full time travel in their 37 foot Forest River gas Class A motorhome. We began seeing them a lot as our paths were crossing. They even visited our home area and came over to help remodel our house. In October 2017 we visited the huge Pomona CA Fairplex RV show to look at diesel motorhomes with them.
We continued to see them Red Bluff CA, Yuma AZ, at our home, Pomona CA, Indio CA, again in Yuma AZ, Hemet CA and Coburg OR. Always a joy to meet up, we are sure to get together again.
Full time motorhome "pal around" buddies.
Jim and LaRae
When we first started traveling, Ellen was very shy and it was hard to meet people. No more as demonstrated here! Jim and LaRae parked next to us at Far Horizons RV Resort in Tuscon in October 2021.Ellen walked over to meet them. By the time Pete got there a few minutes later Ellen and they were friends. Pete joined in and soon we all four were best friends. Jim and LaRae are just plain lovable; go figure!
Everything clicked. Jim loves pickleball like Pete and Ellen. LaRae likes line dancing like Pete and Jim Ellen. We all like cards, table games, corn hole toss and happy hours. Ellen taught LaRae pickleball and now we have more in common. We like everything together. If we need help they are there. If they need help, we are there. Instant friends, just add love.
Instant friends, just add
The last four travelogues of folks are ones we have met "On the Road". It does not include relatives and others not mentioned.
Visiting people at their home in the MotherShip is great. You get to be next door and visit as much as you want, but still have your space. We always tell people "Don't invite us unless you mean it". Of this group we have parked at eleven of their homes. Including relatives and other friends we have parked at 49 homes in the last 17 years. Where do you live? "Don't tell us unless you mean it!".
With love, Pete, Ellen and Mandy
"My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."" John 14:2-3
To view all 28 stories in a single travelogue, launch All the People.
This travelogue is about people we have met on the road. Many are now good friends. This week we traveled to Yuma AZ and back to be with friends from "Home", close friends for over 40 years. We spend a week with Steve and Susan at The Palms RV Resort. They travel in their 40 foot diesel pusher part time. Someday, we both hope, they will be full time travelers.
Photos from 2012 to 2022
The Full Time Motorhome Living Guide
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