On this Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for many things that have come our way since we embraced the world of RVing.
- I'm thankful in a new way for the awesomeness of God's creation, for the many places we visited that I had never seen before. For the majesty of Yellowstone National Park, the beautiful sunrises and sunsets we witnessed in the Bighorn Mountains, the Pictured Rocks National Seashore in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the Emerald Coast of Florida's panhandle, the sandhill country of Nebraska, the vastness of the prairie and the magnificent wildness of the eagles, elk, Grizzly bears, wolves, deer, wildfowl and woodland critters we have watched this year.
- I'm thankful to live in a country that gives us freedom to travel and has set aside vast tracts of carefully-protected wilderness for its citizens to enjoy.
- I'm thankful to new RVing friends we have met… Alan, Stu, Pam, Kristi, William, Alice, Robert, Ginny and those who share so much on our various Facebook groups. I'm thankful for the Family Motor Coach Association and especially Jerry Yeats, Pamela Kay, Robbin Gould for all they do for Motorhome owners including the annual reunion we had this summer in Indianapolis. I'm thankful to the Roadtrek International Chapter of the FMCA and new friends, Dick, Frances, Tim, John and all those on the Cyberrally e-mail group, especially Jerry, from Livonia, who called me on my cellphone when I was stranded on the road in South Dakota to give me the advice that undid my operator error and got me traveling again.
- I'm thankful to Roadtrek itself and the men and women in the Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, factory who have welcomed me for my video work this year. Jim Hammill, the president, is unlike no other president of a big company I have ever met. He is accessible, refreshingly outspoken, brutally honest, always innovating, lots of fun and passionately committed to a product that is built on an unwavering quality standard and the loyaly of its dedicated customers. Vice President of Operations Howard Stratton and Engineering guru Jeff Stride have patiently shown me the manufacturing process and its commitment to live out the legacy of excellence of the founding Hennemeyer family.
- I'm thankful to all the readers who have embraced me as I have begun this blog and my social media work. Almost 31,000 now follow me on Twitter where I'm @roadtreking and over 2,000 have liked my Facebook Page at http://facebook.com/roadtreking They have encouraged, corrected, guided and welcomed me as they have offered story ideas and shared their RV adventures. Two of them, Les and Kathy, drove to an RV show I was visiting in Novi, MI this fall to meet me and give Jeniffer and I a gift. In all my years as a journalist, I never experienced such an affirming act of kindness related to my work.
I wish a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. See you down the road.
What are you thankful for this year? Let us know under comments.
4 Responses to “The Top 5 Things I’m Thankful for in my first year as an RVer”
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January 09, 2013at1:31 pm, Shannon Schmidt-Hidalgo said:
Blessed and thankful for all of our opportunity that we have on a daily basis. Thankful for the chance to make each and everyday meaningful.
We are grateful for our mistakes as we have a chance to learn and also thankful for our success. Thankful for those who believe in us and those who don’t; as they teach us too.
We have learned in our adventures that some of the best people we have ever met are the folks who camp and RV. Love meeting new people, hearing their stories and learning about their ways of living.
November 22, 2012at8:45 am, Alan MacRae said:
Well said, Mike. It’s been a good year for sure and the friendship we have forged will endure many more. Happy Thanksgiving to you, Jen and all of my RVing friends I have met and have yet to meet.
November 21, 2012at6:45 pm, Kiki Dunigan said:
I, too, am thankful for the many people I have met at campgrounds who share their stories around a campfire and teach me more about my own life than they could imagine. I am thankful for the opportunity to travel in my Vintage Airstream Safari, and most grateful to my husband and children for their support of my mid-life crisis as I travel the highways and back roads of this great country in search of all the good people who live and work out there. Further, I am grateful that I lost my job, because had I not, I never would have known that there is something better, and much more fun, waiting for me to embrace. I may never be an accomplished writer, but the people I have met in my quest for stories have enriched my life and given me the best memories! God is great, life is funny, and people are amazing!
November 21, 2012at8:21 pm, Kathy Shanteau said:
KIKI, I too am thankful for getting downsized out of my job. God always has a better plan, and showed me (and my husband) the beauty and joy all around that we probably would not have taken the time to enjoy.
MIKE AND JENNIFER, It’s amazing to me how everything works together, I don’t believe in coincidence, but that all our steps are purposed. I’m thankful that as new owners of our wonderful Roadtreks, God has crossed all our paths and through your web sites we can all come together and share experiences and friendships. Thankful for your gift of journalism.
Lastly, thankful for being an American, GOD BLESS THE USA.