Our loyal readers will recognize The Truck, first spotted at the Ermine Hill trailhead parking lot in Denali State Park in Alaska in 2019. It was spotted again several times in Alaska (it’s a very huge state but there are very few roads, so that’s not a very big surprise…) before we actually got together with Dean and Dawn in Seward, Alaska. That rendezvous was so much fun that we knew we’d make others happen. We later missed each other by a day at Tombstone Provincial Park near Dawson City, Yukon – kind of a bummer, though we knew there’d be other opportunities.
Because we’re not traveling this summer, we were doubly elated when we found out that Dean and Dawn were traveling through Vermont. Another rendezvous, literally in our back yard (and our front porch, back porch and kitchen)!
Five years into what was going to be a one-year adventure, Dean and Dawn continue to live full time in their RV, carrying all of the essential toys on a rack on The Truck. They managed to hide out during the COVID lockdown by volunteering to essentially rebuild a closed campground. They’ve since managed to mix a few other volunteer opportunities – mostly at national wildlife refuges all around the country – with extended family visits, among their usual amazing adventures.
Although the visit was short, we enjoyed a fine collaborative lunch and a stimulating walk (between raindrops) through the ‘hood, where we got to share our little corner of Vermont with Dawn and Dean. And we talked non-stop the whole time getting caught up and sharing stories, which is kind of amazing for 4 people who self-identify as introverts. Fortunately, we share a passion for crazy lifestyles.
We did, of course, update each other on the status of our respective blogs. As in the past, we noted the many similarities – places visited, photos taken, and warped humor. We’ve joked that we could swap blog posts and our loyal readers would probably not notice. Ha! (Wait, what? No, this is our post – Doug and Sue drafted this one. Really. And please do check out Dean and Dawn’s blog, YOFO Adventures.)
Rumor has it a new volunteer opportunity is in the works for our friends for the winter. In Florida. Not far from my mom. Could there be another rendezvous in the future…? Stay tuned!
Here’s another link to some photos from the Seward Rendezvous, because there’s simply nothing better than grilled Twinkies.