Acceptance During Uncertain RVing Times

Packing up and hitting the road has always made me giddy with anticipation. This time, not so much. But I accept it. We are rolling down I-5 during uncertain RVing times.

Uncertain RVing times
We knew we would have to start moving, eventually.

As Jim shared last week, we wrapped up our Camp Covid stay with my birthday party: an insanely long (to us!) but challenging ultra marathon. I ran my age, 51 kilometers and then some.

Run Your Age Ultra Marathon
At mile 13.2 I was still smiling. How can you not in this terrain?

It was long, sometimes grueling, but oh so satisfying. The riverside route was the same one we chose for our Loneliest Marathon in May, but longer and with more elevation gain. We looked at other routes but in these crazy times we opted for predictability. Safe, but comforting.

Run Your Age Ultra Marathon
I’m not fast, just dedicated to finishing what I started.

Will I do a 52k run next year? Or a 53k run the year after that? Of course! Being in better shape now than when I was half my age, has boosted my confidence about what I can do with my body.

Run Your Age Ultra Marathon
A DIY race medal for pandemic times.

These crazy runs and all the training that goes into it makes me feel good knowing that we are both doing our absolute best to ensure that our later years will be as healthy as they can possibly be.

Run Your Age Ultra Marathon
Jim ran his Run Your Age Ultra the day before.

Jim and I don’t have kids to look out for us in old age. This is kind of like our own version of health insurance. I accepted the responsibility of caring for my health into old age from the day I told him kids were out of the question.

Run Your Age Ultra Marathon
And he smiled right through to the end.

So now here we are, on the road during uncertain RVing times. And we’re doing it during an historic heatwave, killer pandemic, firenadoes, and an outbreak of the plague in South Lake Tahoe. Is Mother Nature pissed or what?!

Pandemic RV Parking Paradise
Our little corner of pandemic RV parking paradise.

I didn’t like that we had to leave this beautiful zone of serenity in a time of insanity, but we would have needed to, eventually. We packed up on a dime and it feels good knowing that we still have the heart of  gypsies. Our nomadic instincts kicked in as we washed the rig, de-cluttered and made preparations to get moving.

RV rubber roof cleaning
A pressure washer (with reduced PSI) made the job so much easier!

The reason why we are traveling is simple, and as much as I don’t want to be out here on the road (now that’s a sentence I never thought I would write), I accept it. And I also understand that once we get to L.A., things are going to be different, at least temporarily. We are parking the RV curbside in front of my parents’ home, something we never swore we would do again. But there were no better options, so we will stay in their home until the savage Salton Sea heatwave breaks and we can check into Fountain of Youth earlier than usual, probably in mid-October.

Mount Shasta KOA parking
The Mount Shasta KOA didn’t look any different than last time we stayed in 2018.

In Los Angeles, we will be faced with mental and physical challenges. But that’s nothing new in this lifestyle. There will be no more pre-dawn running routine, afternoon workdays or strolling around Camp Covid and watching the baby quails grow up. The nightly chorus of chirping crickets and croaking frogs will be replaced by the din of speeding cars and screeching sirens. It’s nothing new, I already know this, so why fight it?

This will be a temporary change, but we’re ready for it. And we’re grateful that we have the flexibility to even be there in the first place. Fourteen years of living nomadically with four years of daily mindfulness training has taught me to break the habit of labeling things “bad” or “good.” A situation is simply that – a situation. And it’s always the boss.

Deception Butte Trail Westfir Oregon
I’ll keep this in my heart while we make our way through the urban jungle.

Labels add a level of resistance that only serve to make tough situations more challenging than they already are. After all, what we resist, persists.

When it comes to dying, resistance is futile. I accept this is the reason we are rolling now. I can’t change the fact that my dad is getting ready to turn in his greasy mechanics coveralls for a set of angel wings. Death is a natural consequence of life, and as Jim Morrison said, nobody here gets out alive. It’s my pop’s time to fly soon, and if I can be there to help him transition over with some amount of ease and grace, then our stay in the City of Angels will be worth the temporary insanity of an urban jungle.

Agredano family 2017
Mom and Dad (center) are the heart of this family (circa 2017).

For now, we’re carefully rolling our way down south and navigating an entirely new world of RVing in uncertain, crazy times. Based on what we saw last night at the packed Mount Shasta KOA, to most people, it’s not all that different than before.

8 thoughts on “Acceptance During Uncertain RVing Times”

  1. Happy belated birthday! I’m so glad that you guys have running and your mindfulness practice to help with your stress during this especially difficult time. It sounds like things worked out for the best because there probably isn’t a better place for you to spend time with your dad than while staying right in your parents’ home with them. Hugs to you both and a big kiss for Wyatt.

    Reply
    • Thank you Maya. Yeah, running is definitely saving our sanity right now. I agree, everything works out for a reason. If the virus wasn’t happening, we would be in Wisconsin right now, but luckily we were only in Oregon and made it down here pretty quick. Thanks for the love. Back at ya!

      Reply
  2. Really enjoyed the post Rene.
    Especially “what you resist…persist” I have not been a happy co-operative covid situation person. I’ll think about what you said.
    I’m sad for you that you will be saying good bye to your Dad.
    Kelly

    Reply
    • Thank you Kelly! It is so good to hear from you! I’m glad I could give you something to help during this crazy time. Give Al and Pheebes a big hug from us, we hope to see you somewhere down the road again.

      Reply
  3. Congratulations on that spectacular run. You two both look super fit and healthy. Greg and I did not have kids and I agree with your philosophy! So smart.

    Good luck on your sojourn to LA. I don’t envy you, but appreciate your mission. Hang in there.

    Safe travels,
    Laura

    Reply

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