How it all began...

The idea had been circling in my head for years. But the time was right and I could no longer fight the wanderlust that had built up. I bought a 1977 GMC NuWa motor home, threw a solar panel on top and started getting it ready for the open road. My main goal: to wander around North America, catching up with old friends, visiting new places and experiencing things I haven't before. This is my story...

Monday, June 20, 2011

It feels like Home


Vermillion Campground, Sierra National Forest, CA - I know it’s clique, but home really is where the heart is…and at this moment, I feel right at home.  Today I arrived at Vermillion Campground on Lake Thomas A. Edison, located in the Sierra National Forest of California.   I worked at the same location for the better part of last summer, finally heading off the mountain in early October.  Now, a mere 8 months later, I am back again and feeling euphoric about the coming months.  I spent the majority of the day relocating both my motorhome and tow vehicle back to the campground from Huntington Lake.  Though the distance is a mere 21 miles between the two, 17 of those miles are a single lane paved road with a ton of exposure to sheer drops.  Driving the motorhome, it took me just under 3 hours to complete the journey…that may seem long for 21 miles, but I had to stay in 1st gear the entire time to climb hills and descend slopes.  Upon arrival, I started working on getting the campground to cleaned up for opening day this Friday.  That was followed by going back to Huntington Lake (21 miles) to get my tow vehicle, lovingly called “The Blizzard” (she is as white as a snow bank).  Driving “the Blizzard” back to Vermillion without the difficulty maneuvering the motorhome, it took just over an hour to make it back.
At this point I was exhausted and just wanted to relax, but I still needed to level the RV so that I could use my refrigerator.  Yet if it wasn’t for this final task that I had to complete prior to settling down for the night, I never would have seen the image that took me by surprise.  I happened to gaze east over the lake and I witnessed the moon idly sitting above the snow covered mountains, just ever so briefly filtering through the branches of the Jeffery pine surrounding me.  It was breathtaking.  And that is when I realized that this is where I want to be.  And that this is where my heart lies…