Getting Ready for the BIG ONE!

I've been a road-rat for the past 4 years. Having never RVed before, I have to say this lifestyle fits me in more ways than I would have imagined. I've logged over 75k miles, hitting each of the lower 48 states. Traveling mostly backroads, I've seen a side of America few realize exists.

Solo-RVing, and finding great friends along the way who graciously accommodate my non-profit organization, HEAR US, and our mission to call attention to invisible homeless kids, has been more than satisfying and successful. With this experience under my belt, I'm about to venture on the most intense project of them all--the HEAR US Learning Curve Express.

You see, for way too many years, Congress has been bamboozled by HUD and its cronies about the scope of homelessness, particularly as it affects families and youth, especially those outside metro areas. It got so bad that the bamboozlers fought to limit the definition of "homeless" to exclude folks who bounce between friends' couches and motels after they lose their place to live due to hardship. Yeah, let's make it harder on people who have lost their homes. Geez!

The way I figure, I'll land in congressional districts and find some homeless families or teens willing to talk on camera, pop those interviews on our YouTube site(with help from NIU interns), and make contact with the Congressperson (or staff) to invite them to meet with the film subjects, possibly with some media presence. That should provide a congressional learning opportunity that could yield huge results.

It's a big country, but I'm willing to meet with and film as many invisible homeless families and teens as I need to in order to convince Congress that in every district people struggle with survival because they have no place to live. With that as my goal, I may be on the road a long time.

I know this is my RVer blog--but it's as impossible for me to separate my work from my lifestyle as it is for homeless families to become "un-homeless" because they're not staying at a shelter. My task now is to let them tell that story as often as it takes until Congress gets it. It could be a long trip....check our HEAR US website soon for some exciting announcements!

Milestones and Miles to Go

48 states. Heading into 5 years of living in Tillie. Who'd ever thunk?

I do remember 5 years ago as my plan to create this unconventional approach to homeless advocacy evolved. Even I had those moments when I thought I was nuts. Especially the RV piece.

After years of scoffing at RVers, I was to become one. No! But yes. And now I'm plotting my next--last?--cross-country venture.

This trip, if it materializes, has all the ingredients to pump my adrenalin. I am more determined than ever to give homeless families and teens visibility, especially in districts where their legislators have demonstrated cluelessness as recently illustrated by our homeless definition campaign's rejection.

Between now and the next few weeks I'm planning to clear out the stuff I don't need, paring my already semi-Spartan digs down further. I'll make greater use of my scanner and use/stash less paper. Getting my wires under control is also a priority before I strangle myself.

I also want to improve the ergonomic conditions I face daily by adjusting my workspace height. I saw an adjustable table in a campers' magazine. Yeah, I need to do something to adjust this table height. How remains to be seen....

Funny how things that were issues, concerns and unknowns are now non-issues. I'd like to think I'm learning to prioritize, that life in Tillie has taught me to value what is important. That's a lesson that needs some practice. The test will probably come in ways I don't expect.

Negligent Blogger Confesses!

Where did this past month go?

I'm back in IL for the time being, safely ensconced at a friend's...perfect spot! Next week we plan a trip northward, to points unknown.

Hard to believe this will be my 4th summer living in Tillie. It seems normal, and nice, until the heat gets here. I'm still debating summer travel plans.

One of my likely trips will be to catch up with Zach, the amazing 11-year-old boy walking from "My House to the White House" to raise awareness about homeless children. Seeing as we're not having much luck getting Congress to pass a decent definition of homelessness, I'm not adverse to desperate measures.

My work trying to raise awareness of homeless children continues. I'm blogging my fool head off, including on the poverty blog at Change.org. I've been trying to keep up with Facebook
and have even begun to post new videos to YouTube.

No promises for exciting posts here for a while, but who knows??!! Happy Spring-Summer!

One Finger Says it All!

I'm back in IL following a 6-month, 10k mile romp through the backroads of this fine country. I really did backroads this time, including all my miles in scenic TX, NV,CA, LA, AL, FL, MS, OK, AZ, NE, IA, IL, and most of GA, UT, NY...whew! I think that's the final answer. One thing I can say for sure, backroads are much more interesting, and friendly, than those overcrowded interstates.

Take, for example, the use of 1 finger. In most of uncivilized civilization, one finger means, well, you know. Not nice. A sign of anger, frustration and the like. Well, out in the country, 1 finger holds a whole other meaning..."howdy!" being the most literal translation.

I practiced--on empty roads--the 1-finger wave--and took a pix to let people know what a good 1-finger-wave looks like. I received lots of them, making me sad that my journey is coming to an end, at least for now as much as I know.

If you've read this far, perhaps I could tempt you to look at some pix I took to show city slickers and untraveled folks what life is like off the Interstate.

• Animals you might find out there
• Scenes you might see
  

It's actually kind of delightful, but don't tell anyone because I'd hate for those roads to become congested. If it happened, and was traced back to me, I'd probably get a different kind of 1-finger salute from the nice folks out in the country...!

Perks of Risk-Taking

Sometimes I'm happy when I listen to my urges. So far this is one of those times.

I debated leaving paradise for the unknown. But I did leave, and so far the journey has been nothing short of spectacular! Backroads across AZ, UT and now NV were totally unoccupied...except for a few 4-legged friends. Check out this short slideshow.

Why Not?

Tillie dwarfed by snowy mountains 3 years ago. We just missed a huge storm, but the remnants of it were thought-provoking. This was the pretty stuff. I didn't stop for pix in the more intimidating part.

I'm in a weird spot now--perfectly content, having all I need--electricity, water, a vehicle to chase around in, ideal weather, good friends, and no push to leave. The Phoenix area at this time of year is beautiful--signs of spring brighten up this usually brown resort area.

So why am I so restless? I'm not sure, but I am. And I'm willing to give up Nirvana to set out to the nether lands. How weird is that? It is.

My official business here is almost done and should be wrapped up by tomorrow. So I could, would, should leave Thursday. Reno is my next destination, but I don't need/want to be there too soon, so I'm thinking about how to go without taking the routes I've traveled before.

Heading north to go east of the Grand Canyon and into Utah would take me on a route I haven't traveled since I was in college, when my vehicle was a '68 Firebird sans snowtires, and my traveling companion/college roommate Pat and I were feeling quite full of ourselves until the blizzard hit, forcing our route to change (the least of the possible catastrophes as we drove at night through a blinding snowstorm in the mountains).

I'm quite tempted, and barring other options popping up that make more sense, Tillie and I will likely head for a scenic route. Sure, I'll check weather forecasts, knowing that springtime storms blast across the mountains picking up weirdness from California, and I don't want to test my mountain driving skills in a blizzard. The all-important campground with electricity has diminished in importance after my weeks of boondocking this trip.

But I do want adventure, or at least a less-than-tedious drive across NV, so the northerly route it will be. And who knows when/if I'll pass this way again. I say go for it! What say you?

Tillie n' Me...Getting Better Every Day!

How cool is this? A friend let me know about Wordle, and, well, it does become addicting!

I assembled a list of words related to my past 3 1/2 years of RVing. It's not all inclusive, as I am looking at it now and coming up with a few more. Oh well, it's free, and I can do another one. Here's a pointer I learned on my own.

Once you create yours, print it but use one of the PDF creating tools, or maybe you don't even have to, but that lets you save it. Then copy the image into a photo editing program, save as a jpg, and then you can use it like you would a photo.

And, it's probably smart to assemble your random list of words in a word doc so you don't have to start from scratch if you forgot something. I didn't find a way to scrap it except for exiting the program and reopening. You will end up posting to the gallery and looking at the collection waiting for yours, the best of all.

The perfect hobby for a quiet evening boondocking in a parking lot, or wherever. Don't say I didn't teach you something!!