How long do we stay in one spot?

Susanne is your driver for this post!

Another question people frequently ask us: How long do we stay in one spot before moving on?

Generally, we try to move no more often than every two or three weeks. The reasons for this are multifold:

• We don't want to burn out. Moving from one site to another - even if it's just an hour or two away or simply across town - is exhausting. It means cleaning out the tanks, unhooking all of the hoses and pipes, straightening up the interior and securing any breakables, pulling in the slideout, getting the cat situated, sometimes backing out of tricky parking spots, and planning our route. That might not sound like that much... and it isn't, if we don't do it too often. But if we were to do all that every few days, we'd be totally exhausted. It might be a good way to vacation for a couple of weeks, but it's not a good way to live over the long haul.

Clark the Freelander, just relaxing in camp

• Gas is expensive. Our Coachmen Freelander has a fuel efficiency of about 9 miles per gallon and a total fuel capacity of 57 gallons. Let's say gas costs $2.80 a gallon. If we were to fill the entire tank (which, granted, we never do), that's almost $160. Thus, driving long distances on a regular basis just isn't practical for us.

• We need time to work as well as play. We certainly go out and see the sights, but we're a working class family with a kid in grade school. That means that more often than not, we spend our days working and homeschooling. Much of our week is dedicated to these tasks, and we couldn't do them properly if we were constantly on the move. For us, it would be too overwhelming.

Office space

• At the same time, we strive to immerse ourselves in the local community. By staying several weeks in one spot, we give ourselves a chance to see the sights, eat local specialties, find good running and hiking trails, and tailor our homeschooling activities to what's available in the area. We've been in Albuquerque since the end of August, and we've become quite familiar with the layout of the city (always a comforting feeling) and the location of area parks and recreation opportunities. Sam and I have made field trips to the local aquarium, the BUGarium, a trampoline gym, a cat cafe (yup, you read that right!), Petroglyph National Monument, and some area volcanoes. We've even identified a favorite Thai place.

Working

Aquarium

Petroglyph National Monument

Volcano hike

Cat cafe! Such a happy place.

What about you? How often do you and your team move from place to place? What's your idea of an ideal amount of time to stay in one spot?

Seven Free Things to Do in South Texas

Susanne is your driver for this post!

On Sunday morning, we'll be packing up Clark and leaving Texas. According to my calendar, we've been here almost eight weeks. We've thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I think all of us are going to miss it despite the unrelenting heat. (Clark's A/C, however, will not miss Texas. It is due for a nice long vacation.)

Texas has surprised us with its beauty, diversity, food, and outstanding state parks system. In particular, we have appreciated the many quality FREE things to do in south Texas. We're trying hard to save money and still immerse ourselves in our surroundings. We're also trying to incorporate local opportunities into homeschooling. Thus, the free stuff is a boon for us.

Looking back, here are some of the best free things we've done in south Texas:

1. Mission San Jose, San Antonio: We keep talking about this one because it was that good! The Alamo might be the most famous tourist destination in San Antonio, but in our opinion (just our opinion!), it pales in comparison to four gorgeous nearby missions that are part of the national parks system. Mission San Jose was absolutely beautiful: stone buildings draped in flowers, an informative NPS film that provided historical context, and an excellent self-guided tour. We would recommend it to anyone visiting San Antonio.

2. Speaking of free in San Antonio, the Riverwalk is a must-see. If you're a walker, runner, jogger, or biker and you're visiting San Antonio for any reason, head to the Riverwalk early in the morning and enjoy a colorful, peaceful adventure along the San Antonio River before all the tourists come out. Not only does the Riverwalk offer a plethora of shops and beautiful landscaping, it also features plenty of artwork and interesting architectural features. It's total eye candy. (Note: parking later in the day is tricky and expensive, but early in the morning, you should have no trouble finding free parking.)

3. If you're in Austin and needing to get your run or walk in, the Lady Bird Lake Hike-and-Bike Trail is a perfect option. During the week, I parked along Veterans Drive; on the weekend, I parked at Austin High School. I ran several loops along this trail, the shortest being about three miles and the longest being eight. I felt completely safe in the mornings and on the weekends (mainly because there are so many people here) and loved crossing the bridges, watching the paddlers and rowers on the lake, and meeting so many adorable puppies along the way!

4. We have an ASTC science museum membership through the Kentucky Science Center that gives us free admission to science centers across the United States. With the membership, we were able to visit the Children's Museum of Houston and The Thinkery in Austin for no extra charge. The Children's Museum of Houston features an indoor playground, a large water play area, and Kidtropolis (a city run by kids). 

One word of warning: The Children's Museum of Houston is loud. Really loud. There's something about the acoustics in that building that seem to magnify any sound times five. It was a little much for us, and we ended up leaving earlier than we'd planned. If you have children who are sensitive to noise, you may want to avoid the busiest times. 

The Thinkery is smaller but has some excellent mini-classes, an indoor water play area, and a super-cool outdoor play structure that made me want to be a kid again just so I could climb to the top. 

5. Kid's Kingdom Playground, San Angelo: This playground is one of the first spots we visited when we arrived in San Angelo. It's well-shaded, features a wide variety of playground equipment, offers plenty of places to sit, and has an adjacent picnic table/bathroom/water fountain area. It's also located right next to the beautiful Concho River riverwalk, which features plenty of local artwork. 

6. The Children's Room at the Tom Green County Library, San Angelo: The children's room at the Tom Green County Library is phenomenal. It's totally kid-friendly: colorful artwork, stuffed animals propped atop the shelves, and built-in reading nooks, and well-labeled shelves. The architecture in this building is excellent, allowing plenty of light into the children's room on the first floor.

7. Art Thursdays at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts: Sam and I had the opportunity to participate in a free art activity at SAMFA. We created steampunk stamp art, clay sculptures, and watercolor paintings. Everything was free, and we didn't even need to sign up beforehand. Art Thursdays take place every Thursday from 3-6 PM at SAMFA's education building. The SAMFA is in itself a great little museum - and very affordable at $2 per adult!

This list doesn't include the many of not-free yet still-affordable activities in south Texas, including the spring-fed pools in Austin (such as Deep Eddy and Barton Springs) and the state parks (we visited McKinney Falls State Park and San Angelo State Park - both excellent).

For those of you who have spent time in south Texas, what other free attractions would you recommend?

Things We Saw On The Way To The Activity Center

Our current RV campground stretches for about a mile between the entrance gate (where the pool and laundry are located) and the shores of  Lake Medina (close to the campground activity center). Today, Sam and I braved the heat and hiked from our campsite near the pool down to the activity center and the lake. 

Along the way we saw some really big trees...

 

And the lake itself...

 

And lots of deer...

 

And, in the activity center, a Tony Little workout video circa 1991. As seen on TV, of course. 

 

Texas does not disappoint. Obviously.

Day 1 in San Antonio

Our first day in San Antonio can be summed up in one word: HOT. It's hot. Sure, it's a dry heat, but it's still 102 degrees and sunny, and Clark doesn't have particularly effective air conditioning (it's okay, but the extent that it can cool the RV is limited to about 20 degrees below the outside air temperature).

Nevertheless, we ventured into San Antonio for a couple of hours to check out the Riverwalk and eat some ice cream.

 

 

 

The ice cream was from a shop called Lick Honest Ice Creams and it was delicious. They offer a variety of original flavors, some of which are vegan. Yes!

Then we went back to the campsite because we were sweating like maniacs and some of us (you can probably guess who) were getting grumpy. We took naps and played Minecraft.

And then when it cooled off a bit, we checked out the campsite's playground. This weekend, we're staying at a KOA that has a playground dating straight back to the 1980s. Behold:

Object 1 - The Spinny Thing

 

 

 

Object 2 - Dangerous(ly fun) Metal Climbing Apparatus

 

There were also see-saws, a metal climbing teepee with chipped paint circa 1985, and swings in the shape of ponies.

Sam's assessment of the playground: "For once, they have some GOOD STUFF to play on!" Truth, buddy. THIS is why we're taking you across America. To help open your mind to new things.

Ten Ways to Support Your Favorite RVer

Dear Non-RVer,

We write this particular post for you, the sensible person who did not choose to sink tens of thousands of dollars into a box on wheels, who does not have close encounters with poop water on a near-daily basis, and who is probably not living within 10 feet of a cat litter box at all times (but also, your house probably doesn't expand at the touch of a button, so we win on that front).

So you're not an RVer, but you likely know someone who is. You may even know some younger folks - people in their 30s or 40s, or even 20s - who are taking to roads that just a couple of decades ago were dominated by retirees. Perhaps you're wondering, What can I do to support this favorite wanderer of mine?

A few ideas:

1. Limit the number of times you remind us how crazy and weird we are. It's fine to tell us this a few times; after all, we're a little crazy and weird. We get it. We can take the ribbing. Two or three or four times is acceptable, but ten is maybe a bit over the top.

2. Do not assume we're financially irresponsible. Unless you're our accountant and have seen strong supporting evidence, you don't know much about our money situation. Most RVers are in fact responsible, frugal, and creative with their money.

3. But also don't assume we're trust fund babies or that we won the lottery. Maybe that's the case for some people, but that's certainly not the case for us! Like most of you, we work, and like most of you, we're just trying to make enough to pay the bills, travel, and provide our child with some cool opportunities.

4. Offer your recommendations! If we're heading to a place you've visited, let us know what you think we should see and do - and what we should avoid. We had a fantastic time in Austin in large part because friends gave us the inside scoop on what's worthwhile and what's overpriced and/or overhyped.

5. This one's mostly for the relatives: if you're wondering what to get us for birthdays and holidays, gift cards are the way to go. Avoid purchasing physical objects that will take up room in our small space. This goes for kid's gifts, too. Who wouldn't love a cool Lego replica of the Millennium Falcon?... And yet, the Millennium Falcon has no place in Clark. Appropriate gift cards: any camping store, Amazon, Starbucks, KOA, Southwest, Panera... etc.

Alternatively, write us a sincere card/letter and send it to our mail service. That is a perfectly acceptable gift choice. We care about relationships. We don't really care about stuff.

6. If we happen to stop in or near your city/town, come hang out with us! We'd love that.

7. If you know of any easy-to-prepare recipes, share them with us. Cooking in an RV (especially an RV with a small kitchen) can be way different than cooking in a regular house. We're always looking for yummy food that doesn't take a lot of time, space, or ingredients to make. (I guess I can only speak for us on this one... Maybe other RVers prefer more complex recipes.)

8. If your favorite RVers run a business, support it if and when you can. Going back to #3, we do work. But many RVers work on contract or run their own small businesses. Your support means a great deal to us. (Shameless plug: I'm developing a health and wellness coaching business, and Sam has his online store.)

9. If you hear of a remote job we're qualified for, an opportunity to work camp, or a similar  nomad-friendly gig, let us know. (See #3 and #8.)

10. When things get difficult and we get frustrated, remind us of the good times and why we started doing this in the first place. As an RVer, you never know how a day will go. You never know when the A/C will break, or you'll lose your car keys or wallet, or your kid will get sick in the middle of nowhere. It's possible that this will be the day that your tire blows out on a highway with no shoulder. The unpredictability can be a blessing and a curse, and dealing with unexpected surprises is not always fun. Your encouragement when the going gets rough will mean a lot to us.

Views from McKinney Falls State Park

After wrapping up our Austin house sitting gig, we decided to hang out in this city a little longer and set up camp at McKinney Falls State Park. It's located near Austin's airport, but except for the occasional plane overhead, you'd never know that you're close to an urban area unless you looked at a map.

For electric and water, we are paying $20 a night; however, our Texas residency landed us a half-off-the-second-night deal, so for five nights we're paying $90. The sites are all large and private, unlike many of the parking lot-style places we've stayed at so far. We have good Verizon coverage here: Internet access via our JetPack is no problem.

 

The park is fantastic as it features a gorgeous running/biking path, a stream, waterfalls, and two natural pools in which to swim.

 

 

 

 

In other words, two thumbs up for this park. We'd recommend it to anyone traveling through the Austin area.

Nomad's Adventures in Austin, TX

Even though Texas is pretty hot in the summertime, we're in no rush to leave. At the moment were situated in Austin, where we are house sitting for some good friends and enjoying this extraordinary city. We've discovered so many free or low-cost things to do here.

Highlights so far:

Deep Eddy pool, a glorious, crystal-clear swimming hole filled with spring-fed water:

 

Barton Springs pool, not as clear as Deep Eddy but also spring-fed - and you can look at fossils and chase little fish as you swim:

 

Cost for both pools: $3 per adult, $1 per child (for city residents... Which we aren't, but since we are house sitting, we counted ourselves as temporary residents)

The trail around Lake Austin, where I've been able to get in several enjoyable runs, including a four-miler with two of the women in my online Beachbody challenge group:

 

 

Cost: Totally free! Even parking near the trail is free. 

The Thinkery, a children's museum with an enviable outdoor climbing structure and loads of exploratory activities inside:

 

 

Cost: Free with the ASTC Travel Passport Program! (Totally worth it!)

And of course, many delicious and vegan-friendly places to eat:

Chi'Lantro, which is like a Thai version of Chipotle:

 

It was at Chi'Lantro that Trent ordered the famous kimchi fries... Picture an enormous pile of french fries covered in meat, kimchi, and squeezable cheese (he's an at-home vegan so he's always thrilled to go out and gobble up meat).

Sweet Ritual, a vegan and gluten free ice cream shop: 

 

Tacodeli, because can you go to Austin without getting tacos? I think not:

 

Summer Moon Coffee Bar, for coffee made with fire-roasted beans:

We're house sitting until the weekend and then we'll be moving back into the RV and settling in at a local campground. I'm thrilled that we have more time to explore this city! On the agenda for today: finally try some kolaches!