TRAMPER TRAVELS - JUNE 26, 2024 - NOAH, PAIR EM' UP AGAIN!

Warning: Long blog post alert. It has been a long couple of days, and a lot has happened.

We had quite the adventure in the wee hours this morning. After a long travel day yesterday, we finally got settled in and went to sleep. We knew thunderstorms were going to roll in. OMG. Did they ever! They were intense and lasted about four hours from around 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. We managed to sleep off and on throughout.

However, we were awakened at 1 a.m. by something landing on our feet. I was out of that bed so quickly I didn’t even realize it until after my feet hit the floor. Once we got our wits about us, we realized what was happening. A problem we thought we had fixed wasn’t totally fixed. The air conditioner in the ceiling is having trouble draining the condensation properly.

The water has to go somewhere, and the only place is into Tramper. Let me tell you, that was some cold water and a rude awakening. Mike got outside, jacked up the front of Tramper about 6”, and that put a stop to the water building up on the roof. We got the wet sheets off the bed, tossed them in the shower, got the sleeping bags out of the truck, and settled back in to try and get some sleep, which we were surprisingly able to do.

Mike got up on the hitch so he could get a picture of the roof and the AC unit to try to show what is causing the problem. Hopefully you can see, but when the AC unit was mounted in the roof (which by design was a bit arched), it created a concave pocket in the roof under the AC unit. There is a drain tube, and the pocket isn’t allowing the condensation to drain the way it should because water builds up in the pocket and covers the tube drain.

We thought this had been addressed, but obviously, not well enough . . . yet. It will be, though, for sure!

We woke up to a beautifully clear day and secured Tramper for travel. First up was a stop at Menard’s (the Home Depot or Lowe’s of the midwest), where we picked up what we think will be a solution to the condensation challenge, and got on the road at 9 a.m.

Our first stop for fuel brought us to Sapp Bros. Travel Center. One of the YouTubers we follow comes to this place often on his routes. We now know why. One of the best travel centers I’ve seen.

And, with my spirits admittedly a little low this morning after our challenging night, I quickly found something to smile about. I am (was) a bidet neophyte. Not anymore. I couldn’t resist trying it. I must say I’ve added this item to my bucket list. My spirits also rose quite a bit. What can I say?! I’m easily amused sometimes.

The day couldn’t have been more perfect for traveling. We stopped near Aurora, Nebraska and had a nice lunch outside next to the corn fields. There are a ton of cornfields in Nebraska.

At the time I write this, it is 6 p.m. We have 175 miles to drive before landing in Scottsbluff, Nebraska for the night. We will have gone 575 miles today. When we arrive, we have things to do, and then we are disconnecting to wind down for the night.

Tomorrow’s another day!

TRAMPER TRAVELS - JUNE 25 - UP AND AT EM’

Up and at ‘em early. We were on the road a little before 5:00 a.m. We wanted to get through Nashville before rush hour, and we knew we had a long travel day ahead of us.

An RV came up pretty hot and heavy behind us. Of course, curious minds had to see if we could learn whose coach it was.

Turns out that this is the tour bus of Feid (a/k/a Ferxxo), who is a seven-time Grammy nominated singer/songwriter and one of the hottest stars in the urban music movement today. The Colombian-born, award winning, platinum selling artist is listed as one of the top six most streamed musical artists in the world while gaining a highly engaging social and cultural following.

Interesting.

At the Kentucky Welcome Center, there was a memorial to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, but there wasn’t time to find it. I did, however, get this shot about it. My family has ties to Oklahoma, so I found this to be pretty cool.

I began working on my travel tracker today. It doesn’t take long, and I have it done right up to the St. Louis area.

We put in a lot of hours (14-1/2) and a lot of miles (660) today, but we landed at the Love’s RV Stop in St. Joseph, Missouri at 7:30 p.m.

We were super pleased with how Tramper and the truck (Red Knight) did today. And now, it’s time to get some much needed rest.

TRAMPER TRAVELS - JUNE 24 - 2024 - WE’RE DOING IT!!

We got a much later start getting on the road than we had hoped for yesterday, but we still had a lot to do to get ready to roll.

Since Tramper is a new build and doesn’t have the storage that our 39-foot RV had, it took a little longer to load and organize than when we had the RV.

Being the epic road trip that this is going to be, we have also never packed for all the possible conditions we may run into on such a trip. Making choices that we could actually fit on board proved to be a challenge as well.

But we figured it all out and got on the road at 3:20 yesterday afternoon.

We didn’t get very far down the road (like a couple of miles) when we realized the truck absolutely did not like the generator being up in front of the grill. When climbing a bit of a hill, Mike noticed the temperature climbing to a level he wasn’t comfortable seeing.

So our first stop was Integrity RV in Douglasville, where they agreed to get the generator off for us and store it until we get back. These guys are the best if you ever need RV supplies or service.

The second we got back on the road, the truck settled in and was happy.

We had a beautiful sunset in the evening as the day turned into night.

Our original plan was to make it to Calvert City, Kentucky. But with such a late start, we chose to stop for the night at Love’s Travel Center in Columbia, TN. Not a bad travel day. We drove right at 300 miles.

Oops! Plan B: Love’s was packed. One of the employees (Cody) walked the entire lot with Mike. He suggested the Burger King lot less than a half mile away. So that’s what we did! We fired up the generator and slept great. The generator we removed from the front of the truck in Douglasville was a backup, and we have a smaller one with us as well

TRAMPER TRAVELS - IT FEELS SURREAL!

Today is Thursday. We are leaving on Monday to begin our epic Alaska/Canada trip!

We have been working on Tramper and doing other things to plan this trip for a while now. It really feels a bit surreal that we are down to the wire before we leave.

We have three days to finish things up and load Tramper. One of our tasks has been to spray our clothes with Permethrin to help deal with the mosquitoes in Alaska. They are big and relentless. So it’s good to do everything possible to discourage them.

Permethrin remains active and helpful for six weeks or six washings, whichever comes first.

Another task that we wanted to wait to do until we were close to leaving was to install stickers and decals on Tramper

The RV2AK sticker is from a Facebook group run by a husband and wife who live in Alaska and help folks like us who are planning this type of trip. The other decals we just really wanted to put on Tramper. The sticker and decals are on both sides of Tramper, and we really love them.

While it is super hard to believe we have actually reached this point in the journey, the next post will come when we are on the road!

Until the next time!

TRAMPER TRAVELS - IT’S THE FINAL COUNT DOWN!

We have nine days before we leave! Nine days, everyone!

Tramper received the greatest gift in the mail yesterday from some dear friends — a goodie box filled with Deep Woods Off, a beautiful sundial compass, an Alaska the Last Frontier road trip activity book, colored rope lights, fire color packet (adds colors to your campfire), a keyring that says “2024” and “Find Joy in the Journey” with a camper on it, and a camping journal to fill out.

The card couldn’t have been more perfect, and we laughed when we saw that the package was actually addressed to “Tramper”!

Amazing and so very thoughtful! Thank you so much.

Last weekend, we did another shakedown trip after all the work we have done. Everything went well. Thunderstorms revealed a leak, but that has been fixed.

I have begun packing. We bought snacks and freezer food. We have some more work to do on Tramper, and we need to spray some of our clothes with permethrin for the mosquitoes, but we are just about ready to roll!

TRAMPER TRAVELS - BEGINNING TO STAGE “GO” ITEMS

We now have three weeks before launch day! Time is flying. I am beginning to turn serious attention to my packing list and have begun to stage items. We are collectively running through things to make sure we don’t forget anything important.

Of course, the maker and photographer in me turns my attention first on the tools of the trade — for me, though, It’s more like trades (plural) with all my interests!

Items such as clothing and necessities have thus far only been put on a list. A girl’s gotta have her priorities straight, right?!?!

This post is being done from the phone app to see how that works and to ensure I like how it looks when published.

Three weeks There is still so much to do!

TRAMPER TRAVELS - CAMPING WITH JOHN AND MARY

Today is apparently catch up day on the Tramper Travels blog! There are three posts scheduled for today, with this being the last.

On the weekend of April 6, we did a quick camping trip with John and Mary (our Alaska/Canada travel partners). We went to Florence Marina State Park in Omaha, Georgia and had a great time. Yep. There really is an Omaha, Georgia!

We spent time hanging out, eating (very well), hiking, photographing, fishing (well, trying to anyway), and discussing our upcoming trip to Alaska/Cananda.

This camping trip was during the 2024 eclipse, and while we didn’t have totality, I believe we were somewhere around 85%, and it is pretty neat. I wasn’t set for eclipse pictures, but that’s okay. We just enjoyed it in person.

Internet wasn’t the best, and our phones really had a hard time deciding if we were in Central time or Eastern time. One of the pictures below shows mine and Mike’s phones sitting next to each other — one with Central time and one with Eastern time. Good thing we don’t really need to worry about time when camping!

All in all, we all thoroughly enjoyed our first camping trip together, and we decided that we were ready to hit the road together in June!

Pictures do not have individual captions, but you get the idea!

TRAMPER TRAVELS - CHRISTMAS 2023

Note: While working on a blog post today (May 27, 2024), I realized this one from our Christmas shake-down trip with Tramper was never published. So I’m publishing it now.

All pictures in this post were taken with phones. The photographer in me had to make the disclaimer! LOL.

While Tramper is nowhere close to being ready, we do have quite a bit done. We wanted to take her out during our Christmas break for her maiden voyage to see what’s working, what isn’t, and what needs to be changed.

First up was a brake job that we thought could wait until after the holidays. Wrong. I learned a lot while helping Mike with this job. Mostly I learned that this isn’t my favorite thing to do. In all fairness, it isn’t Mike’s favorite thing to do, either. It had to be done, though, and it is much shorter work when there are two involved.

We headed to Mike’s mom’s property late afternoon on Christmas Eve. Until my mom passed away, we began every Christmas since we have been together at my parents’ house Christmas morning, and then we would head to Mike’s mom’s property and spend part of Christmas Day with her, too.

Leaving the driveway on Christmas Eve.

After losing Mike’s mom in September, it was difficult to be on her property for this first Christmas without her, but it was something we felt we needed to do, and we are happy that we went. I even grabbed some little decorations for Tramper at the last minute.

My mother-in-law kept an immaculate yard. My first thought when we pulled in was just how much she would hate all the leaves in the yard.

Jaime, Gary, and Roz came to visit with us on Christmas Day, which was nice. They’ve been coming to the farm property on Christmas Day for many years as well. It brought some normalcy to the day for us.

Roz is getting so big. She’s into drawing, and she is admiring the art supplies she received for Christmas.

One day, I’ll remember how to add captions to the gallery pictures, but for now, this is it! It’s a process.

The day after Christmas, we headed down to Nicholls, Georgia and stayed overnight at General Coffee State Park. Jeremy drove up from Tallahassee, and we were able to spend a little bit of time with him as well.

He started an Ugly Christmas Sweater tradition, and Mike joined in on the fun this year! It was so nice to spend time with him and to be at a campground again. What’s not to love about a camp fire?

I began a tradition when I was pregnant with my daughter, Jaime, of purchasing a Hallmark ornament for her. I added Jeremy when I was pregnant with him and Jaime’s daughter’s when she was pregnant with each of them to the tradition, and it has been going strong for years. Jeremy’s ornament has a Santa on it that reminded me of my mother’s Santa mugs she displayed at Christmas for years.

We were able to have our morning coffee in Tramper before leaving to head back to the farm on Wednesday, too. And the internet we are testing worked really well. We were able to stream some television out there. That is hopefully a good sign for things to come on our Alaska road trip later this year.

On Thursday, Mike’s daughter, Caryn, and her family came to visit us on the farm. Always great to spend time with them. I didn’t get any pictures. What is wrong with me?! It went by so quickly, so I’m going with a selfie Caryn took with her dad for this. Thanks, Caryn!

I also want to include some of the amazing handmade gifts that Carrieanne (granddaughter) and Caryn made out of clay. Carrie made the lady for me. Carrie is so incredibly talented. Caryn made the Nativity ornament for us, and I think it’s beautiful. I have always been a sucker for a Nativity. Beautiful work and so very appreciated.

Jaime is a very gifted knitter, and she made this beautiful neck cowl for my retirement/birthday gift. It’s made out of the softest yarn and will be worn and loved!

It was a great Christmas break, and we enjoyed all the time we were able to spend with family. But, back to Tramper.

We had some really cold nights — one that was between 30 and 32 for at least six hours, and one that was slightly higher in temperature. We learned that Tramper is leaking a lot of cold air in through the E-Track rails. We worked a couple of days adding temporary insulation until we get home so that we could (1) sleep without being cold, and (2) see what was going to work for a long-term fix. We used anti-fatigue mat on one of the tracks and window sill seal on the others to see what would work the best. I believe we are going to go with the anti-fatigue mat. It is easier to pull out if we want to, and it also does a better job of insulating.

Before this maiden voyage, we had already planned on adding rubber mat flooring and carpet on the floor as well as adding insulation on the underside of Tramper. We are also going to put a ceiling with insulation inside and a silicone coating on the outside roof of Tramper. We didn’t plan on having to insulate the E-Track system, but that’s the point of a maiden voyage — to learn what needs to be done that you didn’t plan on doing!

The good news is that the shower worked very well, and we are happy with it. The refrigerator/freezer is going to be amazing for us, too.

Onward and Upward! We have a lot of work to do still. This trip was a huge success, though!

Happy New Year, one and all.

TESTING-WHO RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF THIS BLOG POST?

It has been a long time since I have done a blog post. I’m trying to reacquaint myself with the blog and get it running again. I’m thinking this will be the perfect place to document my retirement adventures (since I have this awesome website that is just sitting here not being used).

My first task is to find out who is actually still subscribed to the blog. I’m sure there is somewhere in my “management” tools where I can see who is subscribed, but for now, I’m going to publish this little post and see if I hear from anyone!

So, here goes: testing — testing. Is anybody out there still?

TRUCKING-LEARNING AS WE GO

Mike pulled out of the truck stop in Houston in the dark this morning to head to the Kroger distribution center for delivery.  Leaving a spot in the dark and pulling in to a dock in the dark puts a whole new spin on driving these big rigs.  In the truck stops, the trucks are parked very closely together.  Not being able to really see because it is dark makes getting out a bit difficult if there are turns involved especially.  And docking is also a bit more difficult in the dark.  A driver has to take even more precautions than if these maneuvers were being done in the daylight. 

We figured that once he got to the distribution facility, he would “know the drill” because he had just delivered to a Kroger distribution facility in Keller the day before.  WRONG!  These two facilities handle the delivery of loads completely differently.  Apparently, even though they are the same company, there is no standardization in their operating procedures.  At the Houston facility, Mike had to dock, unhook the trailer, and go park and wait while the trailer was unloaded.  Once that was done, he was called to come hook the trailer back up. 

Something else we learned (and this one completely blows my mind) is that just because you have reserved a parking spot at the truck stop doesn’t mean there will actually be one available when you arrive.  Sometimes, the reserved spots are just not marked very well, and a driver may pull into one not knowing it is a reserved spot.  Once they are made aware that they are in a reserved spot, they generally will move without issue.  Sometimes, a driver is just an arrogant butt who pulls into a reserved spot knowing without a doubt it is a reserved spot.  It doesn’t matter what you are doing, folks.  There are always going to be those people in our lives.  Security guards in the parking areas can usually make them move; however, it can become a clash of wills if a driver absolutely refuses to move.  I am not sure what happens when a security guard can’t get a driver to move, but I imagine a driver would get a credit for another night somewhere else in that case.  Having that happen would create a definite problem for a driver who can’t park because the lot is full. 

These are the things that pop up that cannot be controlled and create logistical problems.  If a driver had things always go according to plan, that would be awesome.  I wonder, though, how often that actually occurs.   Probably not all that often, but I am sure we are going to find out! 

He was given his next run, but the truck needed to go to the repair shop first. The charging system has been overcharging everything, and it needed to be checked.

Some of the youngest grandchildren are keeping up with Papa and where he is on his journeys. This picture was sent to us tonight, and it made us both smile so big. It is a family affair.

TRUCKING-HALFWAY TO FULL DELIVERY

Mike called this morning while I was driving to work. It was around 1 am when he was done with the corn being unloaded and was able to park for the night. He said the Keller distribution center is big, and there were around 75 trailers being unloaded at the same time. It was a bit of a challenge getting docked in the dark, but he got it done and then slept pretty well. No doubt. That was a super long day for him.

He couldn’t roll again until after 10 am because that’s when his clock would start running again. He was going to try to get a little more sleep, which I thought was a really good idea.

He made it to Houston and is at a Pilot truck stop with a delivery time of 5 am tomorrow for the remainder of the corn he is hauling. The Houston distribution facility is just a couple of miles away from where he is, so that won’t be too bad.

Pilot/Flying J allows truckers to reserve a parking spot, so I handled that for him this afternoon. He said this stop is definitely not one of the nicer truck stops, but that’s just the way it is. Some are definitely way nicer than others.

It wasn’t long after he pulled in, and there were no more spots left to park — reserved or unreserved. You have to reserve these mid-to-late afternoon to ensure a spot. Mike’s truck is the third from the left in the last picture.

He’s helping me by getting some pictures along the way for the blog!

It will be an early-to-bed night for us!

TRUCKING-WHEW! WE MADE IT!

We made it through the first leg of the first dispatch yesterday. Mike landed in Keller, Texas with his delivery at around 8:30 pm. They were to call him for docking somewhere between 9 pm and 12 am.

He had to fill out paperwork for paying lumper fees — in basic layman’s terms, these are the people who unload the trailers. I am sure I am probably over-simplifying this explanation, but hey, I’m a super newbie. The lumpers get paid as soon as they are done unloading. ELI is a no-touch-freight company, which means that the drivers do not touch the freight at all. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a huge plus in my book!

We have learned a bunch in a very short amount of time, and there is a lot more to this trucking business than simply hooking up, driving, and delivering. A LOT more. While I have long admired the sacrifices that truckers make to do their jobs, I had no idea how very involved every single aspect of this journey would be. We are only a week into this right now. My head is spinning!

The night before, I was trying to figure out where he was on the route, what amount of time he had left on his clock for driving (they have to shut down after a certain number of hours driving), what truck stops were on his route and could be driven to before his clock ran out, which ones of those he could use his fuel card at, etc., etc. There is also the fact that just because there is a truck stop that you can get to, it doesn’t mean you can actually park there for the night. All the parking spaces could very well be taken. Some truck stops will let you reserve a parking space Some will not.

I was bouncing back and forth between the Trucker Path app, Google maps, and various truck stop apps. I needed about 4 screens to look at!

There is a lot of pre-planning, planning, and post-planning that goes into all this … in other words, logistics. Logistics and paperwork and logging. The logistics of getting this all done on time and in a safe manner are absolutely mind blowing.

I’m not sure why I am so surprised, because I started seeing how involved this industry is when Mike was in CDL school. It is mind blowing to me what these truckers have to know and remember in order to pass and actually get their CDL license. But when you think about it, their jobs carry with them a tremendous amount of responsibility, and safety has to be the number one priority.

Mike is currently hauling corn in a reefer unit. I was just doing a little research about reefer units and the temperatures they need to be at for different perishable items. I had no idea there was so much to know about the responsibilities of hauling perishables in a reefer unit, but there is a lot to know.

Here he was before leaving Bainbridge, Georgia.

And this shows the temp on the reefer trailer.

Once he landed for the night, I could relax! Mike is safely parked in the holding lot to get some rest before beginning the next leg of this dispatch.

TRUCKING-WE ARE A TEAM!

I just spoke to Mike, and he is rolling, rolling, rolling. He is pulling a reefer trailer filled with corn and will be bringing half of it to Keller, Texas and the other half to Houston. For those who don’t know, a reefer is the industry term for a refrigerated trailer used for hauling perishables.

The rig is running really well, but his Comdata card appears to only be working at Love’s truck stops. So, he asked me to check his route and find all the Love’s truck stops along his route. The Comdata card is company issued and is what he uses to get fuel.

I found a cool app (Trucker’s Path) to give me that information, but to get all the really awesome features in a more streamlined fashion, one has to pay for it (surprise, surprise). We are also using the free version of Life 360 so I can keep up with exactly where he is. Sometimes, he shows as a green dot and sometimes, he shows as his rig — as shown in the image below.

I am very much an app girl, and a lover of technology (for the most part), and having apps such as these will make it easy for me to help him when he needs help. I am sure there are better apps out there, but for now, these work.

The Qualcomm is funny … it knows everything and reports everything! If I were driving, I might not find it quite as amusing, though.

I may not be physically in the rig with him, but we will very much work this new venture together as a team.

He will have to take a break in about four and a half hours. This part of the team will more than likely be sleeping at that point, as I’ve been awake since 2 a.m. I will settle in, but it’s going to take a little bit of time.

TRUCKING-BEGINNING TO SETTLE IN

I got home around 8:00 PM last night, unloaded my stuff, and spent the night unwinding and preparing for sleep.

I leisurely drank some coffee this morning, having had a morning conversation with Mike, who did okay sleeping in the rig last night. He said it got cold!!! For those of you who actually KNOW Mike, you know he is a polar bear and likes it cooooold, so to hear him say that was rather comical! George at ELI, if you ever stumble upon this blog — you told Mike that the rig gets cold at night! LOL!

Many of you have never seen the inside of a big rig, so here are some pictures. We were in the process of organizing, so it’s a bit of a mess, but it gives you a basic idea of what it looks like. One image shows a straight-on shot of the bunk area and one shows the storage behind the driver’s seat. His microwave/air fryer is also behind his seat. Behind the passenger seat is a spot to hang his clothes, the refrigerator, and the coffee maker.

Since Mike does not currently have any plans to team drive, the top bunk is devoted to storage.

I decided that today was going to be a complete R&R day for me. It has definitely been a whirlwind the past four days, and today will not be for me. I have to get ready for the work week and pick some tomatoes in the garden, but other than that … nada.

TRUCKING-WE HAVE A TRUCK!

Mike was issued his truck Friday, and all items were installed (TV, microwave, refrigerator). Repairs that needed to be made were also taken care of on Friday.

The company Mike will be driving for is Elberta Logistics International, LLC (“ELI”). ELI is a trucking subsidiary of Elberta Crate & Box Company. Since 1905, Elberta Crate & Box has been crafting high-quality wirebound crates and has become the largest wirebound box manufacturers in the world. These wirebound boxes are used in the produce, fish, industrial, and military industries.

In 2015, ELI was formed as an asset based carrier. They haul dry van, flatbed, and refrigerated freight. It really is interesting to drive around the yard and see all the different aspects of their business. Below is some of the wood that gets turned into the wirebound crates.

On Friday evening, we moved most of Mike’s items into the rig and got the sheets on the bed. It had been a long day, so we grabbed a very late dinner and got back to the hotel at around 10 pm.

Saturday was spent getting the rig set up, and items such as the GPS and Qualcomm up and running. It really is amazing just how much technology is used in today’s world when it comes to trucking. The Qualcomm (or Omnitracs) is an onboard computer that is basically an electronic logging device that allows trucking companies to track where the driver is, monitor the truck, and exchange messages with the driver similar to email.

The trailer had to be hooked to, the entire rig had to be weighed, pre-trip inspections had to be completed, DEF fluid and fuel had to be put in, too. This is all very time consuming for a first-time set-up especially.

By the time all this was done, it was 4:00 pm, and he was ready to hit the road. It was difficult to say goodbye to each other, but it will just take time to adjust to our new norm.

TRUCKING-ORIENTATION DAY

Orientation day went pretty well for Mike. I dropped him off at 8 a.m. and waited at the hotel until Jeremy and Ceili (my son and his girlfriend) came. We went to Seminole State Park and rented kayaks. We didn’t have a lot of time out there, but we had a lot of fun. It was probably a good thing that we didn’t have much more time because I definitely got a bit of a sunburn. Not complaining, though, because it felt so good to be back on a kayak out in the water again.

We went over to where Mike was doing his orientation, and he wasn’t quite finished yet. We hung out over there until they were done for the day, offloaded all his stuff from the Ram to put onboard the truck, and headed out to grab some dinner.

The original plan was for his truck to be assigned to him and for us to help him set it up; however, we ran into a little bit of an issue with the truck that was to be assigned to him. For whatever reason, it wasn’t available. The options were to go back home and wait a few days (not an option in our book), have Mike hang around here for a few days (also not an option in our book), or to take a different truck and be dispatched when it was ready. There was a bit of work that needed to be done on the different truck, and it needed to be cleaned up. We opted to do that and are currently waiting for that truck to be ready.

The trucking company has an on-site Penske repair shop, so that may make things a bit easier when repairs on the truck are needed. Right now, the refrigerator and microwave have been installed, and we are hoping that the truck will be released to him later this morning. We can then get all his stuff onboard and set up.

We shall see what today brings!

TRUCKING-LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN!

If there is one thing I have learned about life, it is that it is always an adventure … if you’re doing it right anyway! My husband recently finished CDL school to become a tractor-trailer driver after 30+ years in the billboard industry. When he submitted his resume’ after receiving his CDL license, there was a flurry of responses from trucking companies … some worth considering and many not even worth reading about. In no time at all, he had found a company he was comfortable with pursuing options with, and we found ourselves heading to Bainbridge, Georgia for orientation and tractor-trailer set up for him to begin this new journey.

The first thing to deal with was knowing what and how much to pack for him to work and live in his tractor. Our Dodge Ram was PACKED TO THE RAFTERS literally, but it is hard to know what to bring and what to leave behind. We figured it was better to have too much than not enough, and we knew that I could always bring back what wasn’t needed or what couldn’t fit!

Today, as I write this, it is orientation day, and I am sitting in the hotel waiting for the arrival of my son and his girlfriend. We have plans to kayak at Seminole State Park together, help my husband set up his assigned tractor-trailer, and have a meal together before we all retreat to our “corners” — Jeremy and Ceili back to Tallahassee, my husband to his tractor, and me to the hotel.

Jeremy and Ceili have exciting news they want to tell us when we are all together tonight, and Mike and I are beginning our new lives … it is an exciting and an unknown day for us all in many ways.

I decided last night that, because this adventure will be so very different than anything we have done together before, it needed to be documented in a blog. Since I already had a website which I am in the process of revamping (more on that later), this was the perfect spot to begin documenting.

So, if you are here reading this, welcome to the next adventure in our lives. We have always felt that a moving target is harder to hit, and we will definitely be moving targets!

PHOTOGRAPHY-HANNAH FOSTER

It has been six years since I last photographed Hannah Foster, but she is just as much a pleasure to work with now as she was then.

Hannah is every bit as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. She has a bright light that shines so brightly.

Don’t let all that beauty and shine fool you, though. There is way more to her than just good looks and a winning personality. Hannah has depth of character.

[insert pic with red backdrop and dress].

Hannah has brains and a helping spirit, too. She will be wrapping up college before you know it and has great plans to help others through speech pathology.

Hannah is going to affect lives for the good in a big way. I just know it. You go, girl! Change the world!

PHOTOGRAPHY-HOPE FREDRICKSON

11 months ago, Hope Fredrickson looked in the mirror and did not like what she saw.  Staring back at her was an aging, overweight, dowdy woman … somebody whom she didn’t even recognize.  Hope loves to live, to laugh, and to love those around her.  That day, Hope and her husband made a decision to go to WW and get their bodies and lives back in sync. 

Fast forward to October 2019.  Hope was 43 pounds lighter and was shopping for a formal to wear on a cruise.  She found a beautiful navy blue, fit and flare dress, but she was sad to see that it was a size 4 … a size she hasn’t worn since high school.  She walked away from that beautiful dress several times and tried on other dresses.  She couldn’t get that dress out of her mind, though, so she went back to it and tried it on.  It FIT!   Hope wore that dress on the cruise, and when she did, she felt as though her outside matched her inside for the first time in a long time.   

The blue dress came out again during Hope’s recent Embracing Photo Session.  The power of working hard to come back to one’s “True North” was encompassed and felt in a dress, and Hope was radiant in spite of being nervous about this photo session initially.  As the cameras began firing, Hope felt herself relaxing and enjoying the experience.  She wasn't concerned about whether she looked okay, because from the inside out, she truly felt okay.  She felt beautiful and as if the weight of the world was being lifted from her. 

And, it shows.  Hope’s Embracing Session was all about embracing who she is and being comfortable with that woman.  From a dress and jewelry that incorporated another very powerful woman in her life (her mother) … to the outdoors that she loves so much … to the fun side of her personality … and finally, to that powerful blue dress … Hope’s Embracing Session became, to her, exactly what mine had become to me.  While very different in our approaches to our sessions, the power and strength felt by both of us in our respective sessions were the same.  Indeed, as the photographer for Hope’s Embracing Session, I also felt the power and strength emanating from it as well, and it mirrored the intensity of my own session. 

I had so much fun doing this very important session for Hope.  We all have something that we need and/or want to embrace.  If you are interested in experiencing the power of an Embracing Session of your own, reach out.  Let’s talk.  I would love to collaborate and make it happen with you.