Four More Days of Work Left

I have not been sad until today. I only have four more days of work left - for my entire lifetime! It seems strange, but it is also creeping up on me fast. And I have a lot of stuff to clear out of my office yet. But, the file drawers are empty. Six of eight desk drakers are empty. Three of four book shelves are empty. I mostly have the stuff that is sitting out on surfaces, or on the floor, left to pack up and move out. But this weekend, I was in here creating one last Ward 2 Year-End Report. It's going to be my best one ever!

Getting ready for retirement, I did make a trip out to actually see my farm this fall. Here I am outstanding in my field with my friend Kelly and my renter Bruce.

New Hiking Boots

Bought some new hiking boots for my Great National Retirement Tour. With excellent ankle support. I am ready to hit the hiking trail. Have been wearing them to work to break them in before January.

Also, made some more reservations: One at Joshua Tree National Park in California; one at Carlsbad Caverns in Carlsbad, New Mexico and one very close to Charleston, South Carolina. So far not running into any campgrounds that are full up for the snowbird season. Hope my luck holds.

Joshua Tree National Park and Carlsbad Caverns are on my bucket list, so those items will be crossed off after those stops.

So far will be more than doubling the number of nights I have spent camping in my little trusty pop-up camper. Thus cutting my per-night cost of ownership in half. Of course, that is before I have to pay for all the mechanic work on the camper, especially the part that I damaged trying to get it into my garage last winter.

More Reservations

Made another campground reservation in New Mexico today. It was not hard. They had a lot of open spaces. I was afraid I would start running into snowbirds taking up all available campground spaces pretty soon. Glad I'm not. Also made a reservation for the Grand Old Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. Very excited!

First Two Campground Reservations

Made my first trip reservation. For five nights at Traveler's World RV Campground in San Antonio, Texas. They are right on the River Walk trail, so we can ride bikes on the River Walk. I wonder if San Antonio has Nice Ride bikes. Oh, I see there is a B Cycle at Roosevelt Park and we could ride it along the San Antonio River to Blue Star Brewing.

And I just made a second reservation for 3 nights at Fort Pickens National Seashore in Pensacola, Florida. I'm on a roll. And BTW, that National Parks Senior Pass is the best. deal. ever!!!!!

Photo: Gulf Islands National Seashore

Planning the Itinerary

Took in the trusty Palomino camper to Hilltop Trailer to fix the delaminating edging on the front passenger side, and see if they can't do something to make my door fit better. Oh, and putting two new tires on. Don't want a blown tire on my cross-country odyssey.

Lined up some maps, a couple of calendar pages for January and February 2016 and logged onto the website for Google driving directions and plotted the first leg of my trip with my friend Carol. Sent her the e-mail. Now we just need to find two camping sites near Joshua Tree National Park in California and Carlsbad Caverns National Park in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Then Carol will be leaving me there to return to Santa Fe, New Mexico. And I will continue on to San Antonio, Texas. Looking for suggestions for a good RV camp ground in San Antonio.

Planning for National Retirement Tour

I am planning to retire on December 31, 2015 and my National Retirement Tour begins on January 15, 2016. My friend Carol is going to accompany me on the first leg of my trip to the American Southwest. Carol and I are going to be pulling my little Palomina Pinto pop-up camper because I plan to spend some time in several National Parks along the way. And, as my friend Colleen says, it is great when your guests arrive with their own bedroom.

I have started, in those early morning times when I can't sleep, to suss out some campgrounds that have both showers and electric hook-ups. It may be getting almost too late to start making reservations for late January and early February.

That's all I have to report now.