Our last TRAVEL POST

In the process of preparing Hope Church for a new pastor the leadership repeatedly told itself and the congregation that THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE.  Don't fear it- prepare to adapt with constant prayer.

We've been praying lately, and especially today.

This is our last travel post.

Why?  Because as of 5 pm today we stopped traveling, at least by coach.

No, Bob Simcox, I did NOT wreck it, drive it into an alligator lagoon or into the Everglades.  We have just driven it until our budget for major maintenance repairs almost ran out. Today.

We had considered an extended warranty on FROG when we bought her but in our entire year of ownership have never seen one that looked good enough to buy.  So we self insured.

We put $20,000.00 back to cover any on road major expenses after we hit the road June 8.  You do the math.  We've been on the road seven months and have about $4,000.00 left after buying our 10 new batteries today and another new water pump (labor not covered in the new last month pump warranty), TV antenna repair.

And the $20,000 was to last not one, but at least two years.

This has been a hard day. I have learned the hard way that unless you have more ready cash than we had, or are able to do most of the labor on your RV yourself, as the former owner could, this life will empty your wallet.  And that kind of 'living the dream', as Mona recently said, can become 'living the nightmare'.

 A year ago we thought we'd done our home work to a T, but at an average of one $2,000 shop visit a month, in addition to regular oil changes and service, we just can't continue this adventure on the road.

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You may remember we had decided last week to look for a HOME BASE here in Alva.  Next Monday we have an appointment to look at a HOME.

We will still travel.  But only as we can use our Marriott Hotel Reward Points and timeshare program.  Unless Mona lets me buy us an umbrella tent so we can revisit the good old days!









Thank the Lord, we are so glad we found Alva before we found only $4,000 left in the repair fund. The community, the church, and the people.  Who of course ARE the community and the church.

And then there is the long, easily boated Caloosahatchee Waterway/River with the marina  at the foot of our mobile home park.  The turquoise water Captiva Island beaches an hour away. And did I mention the people of Alva?

Anyway, we have begun the process of researching local coach consignors.  There are two biggies right next to each other just 20 miles from Alva.  The two largest in Florida.  So while we will take a loss on the coach, it should be much less than if we tried to sell it ourselves, and
                                                                                    it should sell much faster.

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We want to thank you all for joining us on this fascinating trip across a small part of this amazing land called America.

And to so many of you we did not get to visit yet, who knows.  Our future home, and our future travel, are all in God's hands.  And so far He has not disappointed!

Happy New Year!

-Ken