This month we were wrong way snowbirds, once again. After all these years of being totally in love with Colorado, we still haven’t learned our lesson about getting here too early.
The Wrong Way Snowbirds Get Tougher By the Mile
With half of our duplex sitting vacant, it was time to leave sunny Southern California. Usually we look forward to the journey, but this time I kind of dreaded the move. My family and I had been through so much during the last season, and the emotional aftermath of my Dad’s death, then Wyatt’s, made it harder to say goodbye to Mom and my sister. I cried more than I expected to. But I know Dad and Wyatt wouldn’t want it any other way for us, so left FOY and flew north. Then we landed right into the heart of a Northern Colorado spring.
As they say around here, if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes and it will change. And that it does.
When we arrived it was gorgeous and sunny. Then the temperatures got into the low teens on a few nights, and only up to the mid-30s during daytime. This lasted about a week and a half. Despite the freeze, we sucked it up and headed out to enjoy this incredible scenery, all within a mile of our place.
Admittedly, there is true beauty in fresh snow on the trail, and watching the birds just go along with their life as usual. This is a true revelation for a wimpy Southern California native who always went to “visit” snow but never actually did more than toss a few snowballs around.
Taking on the World, and the Sticks and Bricks Life
Now I know that weather that doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger. Doing marathon training in the middle of it helps me feel like I can take on the world. And at a time like this, I need all the help I can get.
The duplex was waiting for us, along with some major repairs which I won’t get into here. Maybe Jim will tell you about that. But let’s just say that the last couple of weeks have reminded me why we chose the full-time RVing lifestyle in the first place. The duplex is a fantastic option to keep our nomadic life alive and well during the rest of the year. Our neighbors that we’ve met have all been nice, and we love the location. I don’t regret this decision at all.
But after this summer, I guarantee there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that we will make this sticks-and-bricks life a permanent thing. Every day I’m grateful that we have options in our life.
I love a nice snow or two a year and then I’ve had enough. It sure can be beautiful. Having lived the first 21 years of my life in northern MN, I remember well how the long winters were not fun. We are warming up nicely here in sw NM. I’m not pushing for too much heat too soon. I hope the repairs won’t be too much of a hassle.
Kim it’s so funny, Colorado is full of Midwesterners who all say the winters here are EASY! I have to agree really. The snow is usually light and fluffy. And, it’s sunny and gorgeous now, and the snow is all gone. I’m glad you’ve got a nice warm spring, hope it lasts a long time for ya!
If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen. Or in your case the opposite. 🙂
It’s getting warm down here in NM, so Sunday I begin the drive north to Colorado. But being a New Englander, I prefer cold and snow over hot and windy. Been running the AC during the day and sleeping with the windows open at night, that is a true “head north” message for me.
Good luck with the repairs
Haha totally Larry, I hear it’s about 101 at FOY this week. Crazy to think you’re running the A/C, we just got out our furnaces working beautifully! I like hot, not windy or humid. Hopefully we’ll get a nice heat on this summer, Fort Collins usually tops out around 90ish, I’m looking forward to it. Glad to hear you’re coming up to COOLorado, that’s gonna be nice! Safe travels!