Our camp for the Summer Rubber tramp Rendezvous near Flagstaff, AZ.

Near our camp for the Summer Rubber tramp Rendezvous near Flagstaff, AZ.

 
As you  might know, I’m doing a series of posts reviewing 2013. It was my intention to not just have photos, but to recap some of the lessons I learned through the year. In my last post covering April, I forgot to recap some of the lessons I’ve learned. It just slipped my mind! In my defense I can say that I was right in the middle of a cold when I wrote and posted it so I wan’t at my best and just wanted to get something posted. But, April brought me a very important lesson that I don’t want to just pass over so I’m going to look at it now.
My friends Steve camp near Williams, AZ nestled in the tall Ponderosa Pine.

My friends Steve camp near Williams, AZ nestled in the tall Ponderosa Pine.

Aprils Lesson: Live for Today, Tomorrow May be Too Late.
My mom lives in a retirement community in Florida, and it is wall-to-wall with elderly retired people. And they all appear to be living wonderful lives and having lots of fun. At first glance it makes the American Dream look very attractive! These are people who had worked hard all their lives, finally retired and then retired to paradise in Florida to live out their golden years in comfort. But while I was at my moms house after the cruise was over my step-father fell and broke his hip.
Homer and Zeke loved playing in our small pond during the heat.

Homer and Zeke loved playing in our small pond during the heat.

I now that sounds terrible, and it was, but it is astounding what medical science is able to do. Within a day he was in surgery and got a hip replacement and within the week he was in physical therapy learning to use it. His recovery was remarkable and fast! We are tremendously grateful to all the doctors involved for the amazing work they did!!
There were many beautiful wildflowers around the ponds. That's my van in the background.

There were many beautiful wildflowers around the ponds. That’s my van in the background.

The lesson came to me while we were in the initial doctors office and hospital after it first happened. There was a constant parade of the elderly seeing doctors and getting medical care. And that’s the side of retirement communities you don’t see at first glance.  yes, the elderly often do have great lives but it’s overshadowed by the constant specter of declining health.  These hardworking people bought into the American Dream and sacrificed their years of prime health by slaving away at jobs instead of enjoying their great health.  In return they were given an abundance of leisure time when their health was in decline and coming to an end. As far as I am concerned, that is a terrible trade, one that I am not willing to make.
Gloria and Judy hugging a big Ponderosa near our Williams camp.

Gloria and Judy hugging a big Ponderosa near our Williams camp.

I flew home from Florida with a renewed determination to live in the moment and not put off to tomorrow the living I MUST do today if I am going to do it at all!
Gathering at Summer RTR near Flagstaff, AZ.

Gathering at Summer RTR near Flagstaff, AZ.

May Photos
We stayed in the Prescott National Forest until the end of April when it was time to move on. Their were two  reason we were determined to move: 1) It was getting hot and we wanted to go to where it was cooler 2) We were under assault by some kind of tiny insect that was eating us all up. It was so tiny we couldn’t see it but it’s bite was terrible! It was huge and very itchy and took a very long time to go away. It was time to go!
So we got out maps and did the research and decided to move to the Kaibab National Forest very near to Williams AZ. My friend Steve headed out first and found us a great spot! So we joined him there. We stayed there until June when we moved over to the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, AZ for the Summer Rubber Tramp Rendezvous.
Out for a walk at the Summer RTR. Flagstaff is just on the other side of the hill right in front of us.

Out for a walk at the Summer RTR. Flagstaff is just on the other side of the hill right in front of us.

Junes Photos
We found a great place for the RTR about 5 miles West of Flagstaff, AZ, There were abut  40 of us total,the weather was perfect,  and we all had a great time. The summer RTR is less formal and busy that the winter one so it was a relaxed time for all.
Another Lesson Learned: Always have a story ready to tell the Ranger
While we were at the RTR I had a very odd encounter with a Forest Serve Law Enforcement Officer who explained that the Coconino NF was now interpreting the “No Residential Use of the Forest” Rule to mean that because full-time RVers  do not have a residence anywhere else were residing in the Forest and could be given a fine for spending even one night in the National Forest. I was lucky and the LEO said he was supposed to fine me, but he wasn’t going to. As a result of that incident I started researching that new interpretation of the law and found it was for real and happening on a regular basis.
Pizza Party at summer RTR.

Pizza Party at summer RTR.

For a long time I had been debating buying a piece of land but this incident persuaded me I should. So I got serious about it and found a piece of land I wanted to buy and bought it. I now own one acre of land 30 miles north of Williams AZ and about 25 miles south of the Grand Canyon. I paid $2500 for it and it’s at 6000 feet and sparsely covered with small juniper trees. It has a road to it but has virtually no neighbors.
Chili dinner at the Summer RTR.

Chili dinner at the Summer RTR.

For now I have no intention of living on it or even spending time on it. But it does settle forever the need for a real physical address and it offers me a solution for the need for an end-game when I get old enough to settle down in one place.
A map to where my land is located.

A map to where my land is located.