I was intrigued by a question that was posted on a FB group chat for people who camp/travel in their 70’s. I joined because 1) I am over 70 and 2) my husband and I traded our camper and bought a larger one , so that we might have the opportunity to go on longer trip. The topics are often the kind of questions you might expect: what route might be better or not; what out-of-the way delight did you find that would recommend to others; and certainly, is the attraction really handicapped accessible? One might suppose that there is sufficient handicap accessibility only to find that they are not. My first time at Disney I had no trouble but then again I was 30 something years old. A few years ago I went for a short week with my youngest grandchild, only to discover there were hardly any places to sit down and driving one of those little carts in that crowd with no experience was not an option. Add the extreme heat and humidity, there is simply not enough Tylenol or Advil make it even passably comfortable, even with adult beverages. When I began a travel journal there will be a “last” column and Disney World will be #1.
That leads me into a topic another member posed. He wanted to know if, as an older group of folks, did we think about different lasts in our lives? It was fascinating to see how people responded. The author simply said he was discovering in his 70’s that each year there are some life challenges that will affect what we do, and where we will go in our travel adventures? Are there activities that we have relegated to the past, some perhaps we are not willing to give up, are some we have easily retired and some that we were forced to by circumstance and how would we know when was the right time? And an even bigger question is what to do if it is time for you to stop whatever and your spouse/partner is not at that place yet?
The answers were surprising. First, was the individual who thought just asking the philosophical question and invite discussion meant the author and all of us who were intrigued by this post were ready to sell all our units and retire to the porch of an old folk’s home. I think he was expecting something different, and he had no intention of giving up anything. If I posted the question and got that response, I would have encouraged him to scroll on or find/start a group that was more to his liking.
I am surprised at all the people in this category who are full time travelers. They criss cross the country, stop and see children/grandchildren and old friends, travel up north in the summer and south in the winter. They have sold the house and gotten rid of their “stuff” and are permanently mobile. Some are widows and widowers, and sometimes for us all are questions about safety. The little lock on the inside of our camper is not at all sufficient for any reasonable expectation of safety. Some conceal carry, and there are sites where gun registry/laws are spelled out for travelers. And we all avoid places that are sketchy. It is amazing that after going through the loss of one’s spouse, there are people who have decided to learn how to drive a 35′ unit and how to back one up. so that they can continue this pursuit. So clearly for some, death of a loved one is not a reason to say it is time to quit.
Other people chimed in to say that some of the questions they ask are because they are buying their last RV and they want opinions from others about their purchase or intended purchase. Dave and I have a pick-up truck that pulls our travel trailer and for us, this is the last one we will buy. The price of this truck exceeded the price of our first and second house together, so I can state that, with some confidence that neither one of us wants to buy another truck no matter how much we love this one.
The reason we decided at our age to move up to a larger and yes, more expensive camper is because I need something that I can manage given some mobility issues. The knees do not work as well as they used to and when your knees cause problems your hips and back follow along. ” The knee bone is connected to the thigh bone….”
I can say that we have discussed what we would do should one or both of us I have a have a major health problem. Dave is our driver and while if I had to, in order to get home I could drive the unit, I would be on pins and needles till I turned into our driveway. Driving 35 feet of truck and camper is not for the spatially challenged. When we were younger, I drove a 25-foot class A, but that was then and this is now, besides Class A are easier to back up if need be. We decided should that happen, we would find a lovely campground near buy and become spring, summer, fall residents. Should our health problems become so bad that camping is not an option anymore then we sell it for whatever we get for it.
The one “last” I cannot wrap my head around is not having a home to return to after gadding about the country. I love where we live, Maine captured our hearts 55 years ago and we, feel blessed that we have this wonderful place to live. We have worked to get it refurbished to our level of contentment, remain safe to live in for a number of years yet. I am certain the person who owns this house next will probably not like my redesigned kitchen, with its soapstone counters and farmhouse sink that are set for a woman who is 5’9″. A friend asked us about installing the walk-in showers with handicap bars. She thought that the next people buying the house might have small children. Babies can use the farmhouse sink (grin) and frankly they can and will want to remodel it to suit their own taste or they won’t buy it. What no longer works for us is a tub that neither of us can fit into and get out of comfortably and safely.
I am certain that as the years go by Dave and I will find more “lasts”. I am certain that in our travels we will find places we visit that we will not really want to revisit, and they will go into our camping journal as a “last “. Still, it is important to go to new places and meet new people, those friends we have not met yet. We love to see how others in this magnificent country live. In the meantime, we will keep asking directions, keep as mobile as possible, enjoy our months of planning trips and the journey as much as the arrival.
weftalone 