We are snowbirds now. Or are we?

atlantis_pad.jpgDue to some false LH2 ECO sensor readings, the STS-122 mission launch was scrubbed yesterday delaying Space Shuttle Atlantis from taking off until Saturday afternoon at the earliest.

We intend to stay one more day here in Jetty Park in hope that the countdown will continue as planned. If not, we will head on to our obligations at the farm in Vero Beach about an hour south. The view of takeoff won’t be nearly as spectacular there, but we’ve postponed our workamping stay long enough already.

In the meantime, here are some scenes from our first day in Florida …

And here is something I realized after our first night at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch Florida State Park


1207FL_dinnerout.jpgWe are officially snowbirds now. With record winter weather slamming the North, I am more than happy to say I have once again donned my full-timing uniform of shorts and a tank top.

Just a few weeks ago up in North Carolina, we huddled under our wool blanket when it was 28 degrees out at night. And now, we’re dining outside in our bare feet. I think I’m going to like Florida.

While we are not quite subtropical yet, we are definitely getting there. The weather is balmy, and it’s November! The trees are palmy, and the earth everywhere is much more sand than soil. Remember that when deciding to run or bike on any trails in these parts! It will be interesting to see what grows at the farm and how.

While I would like to think we are officially snowbirds now, since we plan to sit out at least some of the winter months in Florida, I wonder what the fulltiming rules are regarding this. Do we have to spend a whole season in the South before oficcially donning the Snowbird title? Must we be retired? Do we have to be older than 60?

I’ve called myself a fulltimer since we sold our house and hit the road six months ago. Yet we just met an older couple who have been on the road since January who do not consider themselves fulltimers because they still have a house. So what makes a fulltimer a fulltimer? And who exactly is the typical snowbird?

3 thoughts on “We are snowbirds now. Or are we?”

  1. I guess that makes me a Fulltimer! As to whether or not I can officially call myself a Snowbird yet, consider this my rather unofficial poll. Anybody else out there have an opinion?

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  2. Personally, my own definition of a fulltimer is someone who has no ties to a house anywhere and lives solely on the road. In my mind, I could never call myself a fulltimer if I still had a house sitting somewhere waiting for me to return — even if I had no intentions of returning.

    I know several people who consider themselves snowbirds. They live in a sticks and bricks home for 6-8 months out of the year. Then they pack up their RV and spend the coldest part of the year somewhere warm, usually Florida or Texas or Arizona. Granted, they are all over 60, retired, and pride themselves on carrying the title of a “Snowbird”.

    I guess I’m weird. I’d love to get on our bus and spend our first winter in Alaska. Of course I say this now. I’m sure when the time comes, my tune may change. So I may just settle for Colorado.

    It may be worth doing a little poll and seeing what other “fulltimers” and “snowbirds” think. The results would be very interesting.

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