I’m writing this on Monday January 19th and tomorrow is the last day of the RTR. These are very busy times for me so I’m running behind on blog posts on the RTR itself, that’s what today and the next few will be.
This potato bake was another great meal hosted by Mark and Donna! Thanks so much guys, everyone had a great time!!
My main goal for the Rendezvous is to create a tribe, a community of like-minded people who have chosen to live free and mobile. Unfortunately, many of us allow the fear of the unknown and especially of loneliness to keep us from following our hearts true desire. My intent is to create a group of mobile people that gather to support each other–especially for the newcomers who are just starting out. It’s a great joy to me to see peoples confidence and knowledge grow as they make friends and ask each other questions and, most importantly, find solutions to the problems they’ve been facing. Whatever difficulty you’re facing, chances are someone here has faced it too.
More spuds baking away on the charcoal!
We hold seminars and classes most days to answer peoples questions, but by itself that doesn’t build community, and community is every bit as important to the new vandweller as knowledge. The best way to build community is over food so one thing we do often is eat together! Above you can see some photos of the potato bake hosted my Donna and Mark. They are a full-timing couple who are wonderful, caring and generous people–and pretty good cooks too. Last year at Ehrenberg they hosted the New Years eve dinner where they baked up a delicious ham in their cast iron Dutch Oven which was simply incredible! They also did a potato bake at lasts year RTR, so they generously did it again this year. As always it was amazing. Every potato was done perfectly and people had brought virtually every kind of a topping you could possibly want. A great time was had by all!
It was a huge success as always. Thanks for everything you do Mark and Donna!
Of course we are all full of poop and those of us in cars and tents don’t have a good private place to do it, so I set up this tent to be the camp potty tent.
What goes in must come out! So every year I set up a potty tent for those still in cars and tents. With so many of us in a small space there’s limited privacy so having somewhere to go away from everyone else’s eyesight is a necessity! The tent works out well!
This is a pack it in, “pack it out” set-up. You do your “thing” on the 5 gallon bucket, you wrap up your “thing” in the trash bag, and then you take your “thing” back to your camp with you to dispose of. 😛
At every gathering I do announcements and that includes things people are selling, projects and repairs they need help with and even businesses or services they have to offer. My good friend Kyndal does haircuts every year so this has become my annual, once-a-year haircut and beard trim. Ain’t I purrrty!! Of course Cody is so beautiful he steals the show. Big ham dog!
One thing that sets the desert apart from everywhere else is the continual, stunning sunrises and sunsets! Every day I plan a walk at about sunset so I can be outside and in a position to see what the sunset is going to be like, and amazingly often, it is fantastic!
Another great sunset!
After this years RTR I’ll be moving back to Ehrenberg camp and many people from here will join me there; all are welcome! To help you find the camp I’m including the next three maps :
I wish I were there !
Lucy.
Lucy, I wish you were here!
Bob
I LOVE Cody’s facial expression, he seems to be saying: ” i’m happy, I’m with my daddy, LIFE IS WONDERFUL’ !!
Glad U have him & he has U.
My regards. Lucy.
Lucy, he is a very expressive little guy!! He’s also very verbal, he is full of little grunts and groans. I haven’t figured out what they mean but it’s cute to listen to them!
He’s turned into a great little friend!
Bob
“These are very busy times for me so I’m running behind on blog posts”
Pace yourself, great posts.
Thanks Tom, that’s very kind of you!
Bob
Bob, I just wanted to thank you for all the time you put into this. I just got back to Colorado late last night and it was hard to leave not just the weather, but all the great people that were at RTR. Hopefully next year I can spend the whole time!
Doug, I’m really glad you but but I’m also sorry I was so busy and we didn’t get to spend some time together. Next time!
Bob
Bob, Thanks for all you do at the RTR! Being a newbie, I feel I’ve learned so much from you and fellow tribe members. Wish I could have stayed to the end but had to head back to the rat race! Hopefully not much longer though. Looking forward to next year’s RTR as a full timer!
Kevin, it isn’t easy to escape from the Rat Race, at least you’re loosening it’s grip on you. Keep banging away at it, one of these days you’ll be free! And… you’ll be a little happier in the meantime.
Bob
I have been reading your blog regularly for many months and enjoy it very much. Your photos are phenomenal! I am a new full time RVer, retired, widow living in a Class C in Florida. I have lived in various parts of Florida most of my adult life since the mid 60’s. It is apparent that the time you put into sharing your life and experiences is a labor of love. I wonder if you have any suggestions as to how I might seek out full time RVers on the east coast, particularly in the Carolinas and Tennessee? I would like to live more “off grid” than I am now but am not quite ready. I am sure their are widows such as myself who are doing just that. I plan to travel north to the Carolinas and Tennessee in the Spring. Any suggestions you might have are greatly appreciated.
Joan, I have a couple of suggestions:
1) Join my forum and post your whereabouts. We have many people on the east coast and you can probably get together with them.
2) Join RV clubs like the Escapees, LOWs (Loners on Wheels) WINS (Wandering Individual Networks) and others
3) Join RV forums like RV.net. They are a very large and active community of full-timers.
4) Join the Yahoo group Vandwellers. I know there are gatherings in Georgia and the Carolinas.
Hope that helps.
Bob
The RTR looks like SO much fun! I am really looking forward to next year. It will be great to get out of cold Montana! My daughter and I are going to the Yuma Renaissance Faire at the end of this month. She just called me this Morning and told me she wanted to go. So I will get to test out the desert area and weather! Sadly, we won’t be in my van because my daughter is NOT a vandweller – or even a van camper! But… She’s got friends in California so we’ve got a place to stay. I’m even looking forward to this little trip – and it’s always fun to go to a Faire… I even have a renaissance costume!!!
I hope you have a great time Marie! Have you ever done the Phoenix Ren Faire? I hear it is pretty amazing.
See you at RTR next year!
Bob
Unfortunately, I have never been to the ren fair, I should go the next time it comes up. I have been wanting to go for a few years now.
Ren faires are very cool! As Bob mentioned, there’s one near Phoenix (Apache Junction) that is open every weekend from early Feb. through half of March. It’s fun to dress up like pirate, or wench!
Yeah, you should check it out Douglas.
Bob
I had a great time at the RTR!
It was everything I thought it would be and more, I love the community.
Food /coffee and campfire get togethers.
Thank you so much for hosting I’ll see you next year if not sooner.
Just Dave (Chrysler minivvan)
Dave, it was great to have you here. You’re always welcome in my camp and if you come by later we can actually have time to visit!
Bob
I thought I’d only spend three or four days at RTR this year, but, dang, I stayed the entire two weeks. Hurray for friends! It was also nice to have more young people attending.
Al, I was really surprised how long you stayed! I think that’s the longest time in one spot since I’ve known you.
Having friends is a very good thing!
Bob
Two weeks in one spot, and I didn’t die!
Al, I saw some smoke over by your camp and wondered if you had burst into flames–I’m sure glad you didn’t!!
Bob
With your beard trimmed up nice and neat, you could make some extra cash in December as a mall Santa.
http://www.payscale.com/career-news/2006/12/santa_salary-1
“One of the more unique jobs out there is working as a Santa Claus. The job requirements include a sizeable tummy, a real beard (fake ones are out) and a convincing “ho-ho-ho.” While it may sound like holiday heresy to mention “Santa” and “salary” in the same breath, you might be surprised to learn that Santas can earn a high hourly wage for bringing joy to little kids and big kids alike.
A beginning Santa can earn an hourly wage of $100, while veteran Santas can earn an average wage of $175 to $200 per hour. The really big pay rate comes on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; that’s when these Kris Kringles can earn wages of $175 to $200 for their first hour of work, and $100 to $300 for every hour after that.
If a Santa works 40 days during the holiday season, he can ring in the New Year with $8,000 to $10,000 in total wages. The big money is reportedly in private and corporate events, that’s where Santa’s wishes come true. Of course, there are some expenses, namely, the red suit, boots and belt which can put Santa out $500 to $1000 bucks. However, earning $10,000 in a little more than month is good money, especially for retirees.”
I’m going to stop trimming my beard and start putting on more weight.
Don’t forget to practice you’re Ho Ho Ho!!!
Bob
Wow, I almost have to look into that! Thanks Tommy.
Bob
Get some dog antlers for reindeer Cody
Tommy, next Christmas I may do that!
Bob
Hello friends,
When I was in the fire department, one of the guys on my shift was a Santa every year. He made good money plus his wife would take pictures and sell to the families. He always looked forward to Xmas coming around.
Have a great time, WTXCal
Thanks for the info WTXCal
Bob
Funny to see Willy’s photo on here! He also ended up staying longer than he first expected, and somehow survived! We made new friends around the campfires, and this whole experience has turned me into a snowbird– i LOVE the desert now. I know i’ve said it repeatedly, but it bears even more repeating, that we all appreciate your website, Bob, and your gathering of this tribe of wonderful wanderers. Thanks again for all your hard work. See you next year!
Where can I learn more about this Rubber Tramp Rendezvous? I’ve seen a few mentions of it online, but no place where the event is listed or a website?
At the top of the page on my website is a Menu button called gatherings, click on it. The page is here:
http://www.cheaprvliving.com/gatherings/
Hope to see you there!
Bob