Quality of Life | Live Work Dream | RVing Lifestyle Design Blog

Living By Instinct: Discovering Plainfield, Vermont

September 26, 2007September 25, 2007 by Rene

Not Just Aimless Wanderers

Not having to watch a clock has given us the really precious gift of being able to go with the flow, follow our intuition and just let things happen. How sad that life as working fools, we are all too busy to meander down streets of different places, or stop to chat and get to know people. Why should this great learning experience be reserved for retired folks only?

Not charting a strict course is less about aimlessly wandering around the map, and more about listening to intuition, so that we can open ourselves up to what lies ahead. Doing so has brought us many adventures, and helped us to learn tons about where we might want to set down roots.

We Found a Contender: Plainfield, Vermont

Recently, after leaving Burlington and moving toward New Hampshire, Jim and I were completely starving for some grub. We kept looking for a good place to turn into, but the countryside’s driveways don’t give much room to stop an 8,000 pound trailer. Finally, we spotted one of Vermont’s unobtrusive roadside business announcement billboards (Vermont, Maine, Alaska and Hawaii are the only four states that have outlawed billboards).

But Can We Stand the Weather?

September 22, 2007September 20, 2007 by Rene

We’ve traveled many miles searching for our ideal community. A few times, we thought we might have found it. But . . .

The thought of moving into a small town is nice, but few have the diversity that we feel makes life more interesting.

We crave the solitude of 40 acres in the sticks, but fear we might go nuts being so isolated.

And in places where we love both the land and the people, it might a lot of effort to fit in.

So where does that leave us? At the other end of the country, completely enamored with one state in particular, which is now the benchmark to compare all future areas against. That state is Vermont.

The Bed and Breakfast Lifestyle in Oakville, Toronto

September 4, 2023September 17, 2007 by Rene

When Jim and I first considered changing gears and starting a new business, running a Bed and Breakfast or lodge was high on our list. So I did some research, and read two books that helped us narrow down our focus, if we decide to make the leap. The books, “So You Want to Be an Innkeeper” and “I’m Living Your Dream Life,” dive into the gory details about the daily demands of catering to tourists. I highly recommend them if you’ve ever considered running a tourism business.

What’s It Like Running a Bed and Breakfast?

We’re still considering this type of business as an option, so when we checked into Melfort Cottage in Toronto, we were on a mission to learn more about that line of work. Melfort Cottage is a small three room Bed and Breakfast, run by Heather Donaldson, a retired schoolteacher. Located in the middle of the posh Oakville area, Melfort Cottage is perfectly situated in an historic neighborhood, within walking distance to restaurants and shopping.

When Is Enough Enough?

September 17, 2007September 14, 2007 by Rene

Let’s get one thing straight: I am not a pinko communist! But you’d have to be blind not to notice the scandalous events of our government over the last few years, and any thinking person has had to ask themself; what is wrong with this picture? Personally, I’m fed up, and sadly, I’m not so sure that anything can change the mess that big money and nepotism has created in the U.S. Thus, my tirade about living in the U.S. . . .

Plan Early, Stay Focused and Tell Everyone About Your Road Trip Sabbatical

August 31, 2007August 31, 2007 by Rene

Since launching our blog, we continue to find individuals who also want to hit the road and travel. Some, like Sara and Matt, are doing it in a truly eco-groovy way, by treading lightly across America in a veggie oil powered RV. And the couple that inspired us, Phil and Carol White, continue to live their Road Trip Dream across America, while sharing the benefits of travel with others at conferences and events. Our Blog Roll, over on your right, has links to theirs and other RV travelers websites.

Recently, Rudy and Irene Tenorio of Atlanta, GA, contacted us, asking more details about our trip. This adventurous couple wants to take early retirement, starting in December, 2010. Because they’re smart and starting to plan now, and contacting others who are doing it, they’ll definitely be on the road to making it happen in ’10.

Do What You Love, Rewards Will Follow

February 5, 2020August 28, 2007 by Rene

Do what you love, the rewards will follow. Listen to intuition. Changing your career path in life leads to greater rewards. Bruce Minard of Hifive Kennels trains and breeds champion wild bird dogs in Traverse City, Michigan.

Look Out, Here Come the Localvores

September 4, 2023August 23, 2007 by Rene

About 4 states ago, I whined about how I was stunned find out that people in North Dakota didn’t have fresh local lettuce all year long. Silly, spoiled native Californian. Getting out and into the real U.S. has opened my eyes.

As a lacto-ovo vegetarian since 1989, I always tried to live by the creed “Eat / Buy / Act Locally.” And when living in California, abiding by it was easy. I never gave much thought to those organic hearts of Romaine I’d buy in December. Even though I was paying as much as $3.00 a bunch, the lettuce was organic, and it was “local” because it grew in my own state, so it didn’t travel that far. During summer, as I bought salad greens at the Farmer’s Market each week, I was mentally adding up my bonus karma points. Score! How much more local and hippy dippy could I get? My, did I feel righteous at the checkout line!

Living the Good Life in Belgium, Wisconsin

August 21, 2007August 21, 2007 by Rene

Wisconsin has turned out to be a favorite state, and by the time we arrived in Belgium WI, about 40 minutes north of Milwaukee, lakeside, we thought, “hey, we could really live here.” The area is gorgeous. Rolling hillsides and farmland, quaint towns, roadside farmer’s markets, trees, and quiet county roads winding through the countryside.

My brother-in-law grew up in this old farming community (pop. 2000), and almost all 9 of his siblings, and parents, still live in the area today. Sherry, my brother-in-law’s sister, and her husband Dave generously let us set up our rig on their property. They have an incredible block of land out in the countryside, 40-acres that have been in the family for years, complete with horses, a pond, a garden, beautiful landscaping that the two have done all themselves, and trails in a forested area. It’s the perfect example of what Jim and I are looking for when we land somewhere.

Long live the urban refugee. Damn the urban refugee.

August 18, 2007 by Jim

I have to share this New York Times article I just got from the Redwood Technology Consortium mailing list about location-neutral rural transplants since it focuses on urban refugees transplanting themselves to Steamboat Springs, CO – in Routt County where we really enjoyed our stay at Seedhouse Campground. We were considered urban refugees ourselves when we moved from San Francisco to rural Eureka, CA ten …

Ideal Live/Work Retreat Available in Amador City, CA; What a Deal!

August 15, 2007August 15, 2007 by Rene

Part of our mission with this site is to help others find their ideal live / work situation, and we think that a home renovated by our good friends Mark and Kathy Johnson, of Jackson CA, is perfect for those looking to escape the rat race. This historic Arts and Crafts home is in pretty Amador City, CA. We saw it when we visited them …

Our Short List of Liveable Communities

August 15, 2007August 14, 2007 by Rene

We have now traveled more than halfway across the country. Some people say we’re going way too fast. But wait — hold on, there is a method to our madness. Not too long ago, we decided to haul butt through states that we knew that we probably wouldn’t end up living in, and hurry up to get to places that might better meet our relocation criteria. During the first visit, we’ll spend four or five days in an area. Then, if we feel it’s a contender, we’ll return for ideally at least a month, once we’ve traveled the U.S.

With this in mind, here are the top contenders for us, based on what we’ve seen so far. We plan on revisiting the following areas next year:

The Amish Have Got it Right

March 6, 2013August 13, 2007 by Rene

Travel to the Upper Midwest, and once you get off the interstate, you’ll find long, winding county roads that can take you through miles of gorgeous farmland and forests without ever seeing more than a few other vehicles. Traffic? Stoplights? Nope. Just plenty of cows, corn and water.

Last Friday, we’re cruising along on Wisconsin’s backroads, going from our campsite at Harstad County Park, (about 20 miles south of Eau Claire) , up to Chippewa Falls to go on a Leinenkuegel Beer brewery tour and check out the towns. We’re driving along, and spot a “Farm Fresh Eggs: $1” hand painted sign outside of a homestead. I had to stop; what a deal! Then, as we approach Cadott, (whose claim to fame is that the town’s exactly halfway between the North Pole and the Equator), Jim spots another sign: “Bake Sale Ahead.” Below that, it says “Scratch and Dent Corner Store.” Our two favorite things; sweets, and bargains!

We pull over. Out back, goats and chickens roamed the grounds. We swung open the squeaky screen door, and realized that an Amish family runs the store. Neither one of us were expecting it; we’d never met an Amish person, and the closest we’d ever been to anything Amish is when Jim used to bake Amish Friendship Bread every week. Both of us wrongly assumed that most Amish lived in Pennsylvania. Turns out that in this area of Wisconsin, there is a large, Amish community.

Living and Eating in a West Coast Bubble

September 4, 2023August 1, 2007 by Rene

Yesterday in Grand Forks, ND, I found another health food store. They’re becoming less than a few hundred miles apart now, a good sign that we are getting closer to larger populations where healthy food & environmental consciousness matter. The stores we’ve encountered are reminiscent of what health food stores were like on the West Coast many years ago; small and hippie-ish, with a focus on supplements and little, if any groceries and produce. This one in Grand Forks did have some local produce, but no lettuce or greens.

I noticed a sign-in sheet for a local CSA Farm on the counter. The farm was about 50 miles from Grand Forks, and it turns out, is the nearest local vegetable farm for the area, but they only produce for CSA members. For anyone else who wants organic produce, they can take a gamble and go to the nearest supermarket, but chances are that the produce came from hundreds of miles away. Huh? No local produce in stores during summer? Barbara Kingsolver would be appalled.

Fargo: It’s Not What You’d Expect

July 31, 2007July 30, 2007 by Rene

You’ve seen The Movie, and like us, if you’ve never been there, you’ve probably always assumed that Fargo was this tiny, backwater place with a few strange people, dive bars, a barren landscape, and bad weather. Don’t believe it. The movie “Fargo” wasn’t even filmed here; it was filmed in Minnesota!

This Small Town Versus That Small Town

July 23, 2007July 20, 2007 by Rene

One of the reasons why I wanted to leave Humboldt County was because in the nearly 10 years that we lived there, many of the great ideas that people have about improving the area, never get off the ground. With the exception of the Redwood Technology Consortium who won the fight to connect Humboldt to the real world with fiber optic cable a few years ago, it seems that most great ideas never go anywhere.

Every improvement from the badly needed pedestrian / bike trail connecting Eureka and Arcata, to the fabulous Bay Trail, to the Marina Center Project, requires 10 consultants and 100 studies, and 10 years later, guess what? Nothing. Now, that definitely isn’t the fault of great residents like my friend Jen Rice who are so dedicated and try to get things like the Bay Trail to happen. No, not at all. It’s just that there are so many darn factions and infighting in Humboldt, that nobody can agree on anything. Every great idea that comes up will have a fight on its hands by some group claiming to know what’s best, guaranteed.

So as we head out into the rest of Small Town U.S.A., we are taking note of which towns have leaders and citizens that can work together and get things done.