People watching is more my thing when traveling; however, I do enjoy talking with people when provided an opportunity. This trip I met some fascinating people.
Various cashier/checkout people at supermarkets: If I have the time while traveling, I would rather stand on line and talk with the checkout person, and bagger when available. The self-checkout line may be faster, but not always efficient for me. It seems I am often missing some aspect of the process and needing help. Much more interesting talking with the cashier person and seeing how his/her day is going. They are hard-working people. I often recall my high school days working as a cashier at a Grand Union supermarket. I don’t even think those stores still exist!?!
Lila at Arcadia Marsh: Lila, her husband and a 2 year old child are in upstate Michigan for the summer. Lila has a remote job so they can cool off here, away from Cincinnati, Ohio. Her husband cares for their child and does various jobs as people need work done. Lila happened to be walking the boardwalk at this marsh while I was there. This was “her time” and she was also learning the wildlife in the area. It was fun to chat with her while also pointing out and naming some of the birds we saw.
A KOA worker, You Tuber and author: Yikes! This woman was a dynamo! While she works at the KOA, she also works/helps at the local church on her days off from this job. She has written a book about her travels with her husband. They work various places as they now live full-time in their RV. YouTube has some requirement of so many hours before she can have her own channel, be sponsored and earn money … if I understood her correctly … no doubt, she’ll be figuring it all out!
A retired Titan Missile worker: this man was simply enjoying the outdoors after so many years of underground, stressful work wondering if/when they’ll shoot the missile off. I mentioned there is a preserved Titan II missile site near Tucson, Arizona. He knew this was one of the 54 Titan II missile sites on alert from 1963-1987. While talking with him, I had thoughts also of the Navajo CodeTalkers. Again this guy was like them, on the precipice of history in the making.
An Appalachian thru-hiker: this man talked of his days on the trail … Georgia to Maine, 2,190 miles! I only know a few sections of the trail, those I have day and multi-day hiked in the past. He was glad to have done the trail and may consider Pacific Crest Trail next. We talked about the huge differences between the two trails.
A Michigan couple who lived a few years in Scottsdale and understood Arizona’s challenges of traffic, water and over-tourism … and that is why they now live in Michigan.
A KOA worker’s book recommendation: Walden on Wheels: On the Open Road from Debt to Freedom by Ken Ilgunas. I’m waiting for the book to be at my local library.
Another KOA male worker in Michigan: completed his U. S. Army training at Fort Drum, New York. I worked just south of Watertown, in Adams, in the 1980’s. We talked about the huge snowfall each year on the Tug Hill Plateau and how I learned about dairy farms. He knew the area. The Army had been deployed south of Watertown sometime in the 1990’s with generators to protect the cows and keep the farms working after a huge snow storm. Tug Hill Plateau can receive 200 inches of snow in a season!
Local realtor in Marquette, Michigan: I shared a picnic table with him. Marquette is being discovered, as is the entire Upper Peninsula; people are moving to the area. While this can have positives, I hope it does not ruin the Upper Peninsula’s hiking, biking, fishing, and natural resources. I’m sure few people will stay year-round as this realtor. Not everyone enjoys 30 degree to minus-20 degree winter weather or 200 inches of snow in some areas of the peninsula. (Sound familiar?) Yet snowmobile rentals are available. At the campground I stayed at, when it closes the snow mobile rentals begin!
A couple at Miner’s Falls, in Munising, Michigan: I hopped out of my van at the trailhead and saw a couple enjoying a snack on their tailgate. They recognized me as the camper next to them at the campground. Right!! I got talking to them as they also offered a homemade plum jelly and peanut butter half sandwich. Delicious!! Later that evening I learned more about this couple who lived in Oregon and now live in Montana. They welcomed me into their warm camper! As I stepped in, it reminded me of a friend who said, “Yes, at the end of the day I want to feel like I am stepping into a motel room”. (He has an Airstream.) This camper was comfortable too. Good conversation and I warmed up before returning to my van and my winter sleeping bag in May at Upper Peninsula in Michigan!
A couple asked, have you been to Yoder, Kansas? Ah, no! This couple told me about an Amish area, a restaurant Carriage Crossing and it as a Harvest Host location. Ok! Future stop, Yoder, Kansas, when crossing the country again!
In Pagosa Springs, I met a man hiking the Continental Divide Trail; 3,100 mile trail from Canada to Mexico. I know this is a challenging trail so I asked how it was going. Coming from Wyoming to Colorado they had thigh-deep snow. Instead of post-holing, which is energy-intensive, they returned to Wyoming and waited for snow melt … and now he’s at the southern end of Colorado on the trail!
Claudine, a New Jersey motorcyclist, wondered where the 2013 designated historic Brown Canyon Bridge was as she chatted with me at a nearby picnic table. The bridge was on the lower road from where we were and I had already been there. She is on her way to Spokane, Washington for a women’s motorcycle convention. It is the first time I have seen white clothing on a motorcyclist! She said it does work much better for her than the black color and the material is as durable as those made with black material. That’s terrific!
Two women from Boston, now living in Florida, traveling in a high roof van: I stopped to see how many inches in height a fan on the roof would require. I only have 3 inches of clearance in my garage; therefore, no fan will work on my van’s roof. While discussing this and other topics, they shared an interesting story after I mentioned sleeping in a Walmart parking lot one night on this trip. One occasion, they had to pull in and park at a Truck Stop.Their original destination was not happening. A truck driver asked them if all was okay. Yes, just need to park safely despite these tractor trailer trucks coming in and going out all hours of the night. The truck driver said, park between these 2 trucks. We’re here all night and beep your horn if you have any problem. Great story!
Met 20 year old female, Hope, in Denmark, WI. She is a solo bicyclist with a goal to cycle to every state park in Wisconsin, there are 50, before the fall college term begins. A friend or two will join her at some points. We discussed Warmshowers’ hosts. I recommended Icebreaker clothing and Adventure Cycling maps. It was fun talking with her about my solo bicycling adventure of 600 miles years ago and wondered out loud if I should consider Warmshowers during my next cycling adventure. Off she went to Door County with banana and apples! Of course I recommended where to have cherry pie while there!
PA State College couple parked next to me with their high roof, white Ram Promaster van … exactly like mine but I have a low roof van. They were to leave early in the morning to climb the Manitou Incline! (Check it out if you do not know what it is.) If I was in better shape it would have been a great challenge for me, but it will not happen at this time. Fun talking with them as they had a bike rack that swings away from the back doors on their van. That is what I need so I can carry my mountain bike… someday!
They also mentioned: they use KOA’s and Love’s gas stations when needing a shower. Some KOA’s are pricey; but when wanting a shower, to do laundry and have security, I use them. However, I learned Love’s stations allow you to schedule a shower, for $18, and shower space is good-sized and cleaned after each use. Learn something new every day!
And so it goes! Learning from other people, sharing a moment, weathering the weather together, and feeling a sense of community when traveling. People are happy to share their adventures and explain any tool or piece of equipment at their site. Often people are curious of my van’s set-up. They see how I easily roll in and start to enjoy my time, while they are still setting up sewer line, water hook-up and electrical line.
There are times I wished I was spending more than a night or two at a particular campground. I see some of these fellow campers sprawled out and set for a week or two. Someday I’ll approach that as a routine to try. Overall though, it’s great seeing people enjoying the outdoors and my opportunity to spend a moment or two with them while on the road!
Nine thousand miles and many memories now held in my heart and brain. We have a beautiful country with many wonderful people too! Let’s not lose track of how to be kind and respectful to our environment and humankind.
