June 23, 2011
Not having a schedule is weird feeling. Being able to sleep in, sit at the table and just look out the window, or watching the rain while deciding what you feel like doing, can be very terrifying. Some have said that responsibility is what drives a person to work. The lack of responsibility is what prevents a person from applying themselves to work. Now there may be some truths to this, as the greatest fear people seem to have is dying shortly after retirement. People, who spend large amounts of time in one setting, suddenly panic when they are turned out and exposed to a new environment without any structure—prisoners being released after years of incarceration, employees stepping into retirement. The same may apply to those who worked full-time going back into the home to care for a loved one.
If we do not have something or someone to be responsible for, we quickly begin to withdraw from our environment and avoid personal interactions which eventually lead us to be reclusive and depressed. Transitioning to full-time can create similar anxiety; particularly when such isn’t necessarily a complimentary move into retirement.
I felt the same back in 1981-1982 as I prepared for the TransAmerica Bicycle Tour (TAE 517). Long distance bicycle riding is pretty much a solitary act. It can be difficult to find other riders who look forward to 100 mile rides on a Saturday morning, unless you belong to a club. Then the folks in clubs tend to be speed riders and have a time frame in which to complete each segment of the ride. I rode primarily for distance, not speed. I did however try to maintain a 10-15 mph average for my rides. Initially I had no schedule or route for my rides. I had a general idea where I wanted to go, but sometimes I would ride 50 miles straight out from the starting point and 50 miles back, other times I would ride a circular route winding my way back to the beginning.
I took me awhile to grow comfortable with aimless wandering. By the time I left Williamsburg, Virginia in 1982, I was right at home with unstructured schedules.
I forget how great it feels to have no task master. Being able to set a destination based on route, events, or just to see something is very exciting. If it rains today, that’s ok, because we can just go tomorrow. If we need an extra hour because the attraction doesn’t open until 10:00 A.M. we can wait. The only obligation we are willing to accept will be for our own employment—setting up web sites, blogging, or photographing scenes for resale / publication. I suppose what we really want is the right to be flexible and ignore any and all time restraints in our lives ASAP!
Tim and Mary
On the road in Michigan
21st century American Nomads
Showing posts with label rain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rain. Show all posts
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Weather, it will be Michigan?
June 22, 2011
Some things never change—particularly when talking about Michigan weather. The week before we arrived, it had been high 90s and sunny. Since the wedding on Saturday, it has been thunderstorms, threat of hail, and tornado watches almost every day here in southeastern Michigan. Currently the worse weather is just north and northeast of us near Flint and Port Huron.
Before we moved to North Carolina from Michigan, it seemed that the sun would come out 3 days and the clouds and rain the other 4 days—and ALWAYS on the weekends. The chores I had planned this trip have been put on hold so long as the weather remains wet.
One of the things we did get to do today was to do a drive through of a local modular development. Mary’s sister had mentioned Sylvan Glenn as a possible residence after Mary’s niece purchased a vintage single wide in the development a few years ago. When Mary hand flown up over Easter break, she had done a preliminary look and talked with the park’s owners. It is really a nice park. It is laid out neatly and is mostly 1960s and 1970s single wide mobile homes. Most are 50 to 70 feet in length. The idea is to restore the vintage trailers with new windows and siding. Some may need interior work. Then you pay 50% lot rent for the first year. Most trailers cost $10,000 to buy and restore. Some are already complete, some sell for $2,000 and need another $6,000-$8,000 in repairs.
We have been looking at different states for a domicile once we leave the confines of out rented house in North Carolina. Most full timers seem to “move” to South Dakota, Texas, or Florida. But the more we look around we wonder why not Michigan? Plates for out 5er seem to cost $75-$125 year depending on which state we settle in. My truck plates will be more than I spend now in North Carolina ($52). In Michigan we can get permanent plates (which we already have paid for in 2009) for $300 and the truck will be around $65. The only real cost will be that no-fault auto insurance that runs about $150 a month just for liability coverage. The trade-off in trailer plates and not paying property tax on a rented lot, might be enough to give Michigan the edge.
Some things never change—particularly when talking about Michigan weather. The week before we arrived, it had been high 90s and sunny. Since the wedding on Saturday, it has been thunderstorms, threat of hail, and tornado watches almost every day here in southeastern Michigan. Currently the worse weather is just north and northeast of us near Flint and Port Huron.
Before we moved to North Carolina from Michigan, it seemed that the sun would come out 3 days and the clouds and rain the other 4 days—and ALWAYS on the weekends. The chores I had planned this trip have been put on hold so long as the weather remains wet.
One of the things we did get to do today was to do a drive through of a local modular development. Mary’s sister had mentioned Sylvan Glenn as a possible residence after Mary’s niece purchased a vintage single wide in the development a few years ago. When Mary hand flown up over Easter break, she had done a preliminary look and talked with the park’s owners. It is really a nice park. It is laid out neatly and is mostly 1960s and 1970s single wide mobile homes. Most are 50 to 70 feet in length. The idea is to restore the vintage trailers with new windows and siding. Some may need interior work. Then you pay 50% lot rent for the first year. Most trailers cost $10,000 to buy and restore. Some are already complete, some sell for $2,000 and need another $6,000-$8,000 in repairs.
We have been looking at different states for a domicile once we leave the confines of out rented house in North Carolina. Most full timers seem to “move” to South Dakota, Texas, or Florida. But the more we look around we wonder why not Michigan? Plates for out 5er seem to cost $75-$125 year depending on which state we settle in. My truck plates will be more than I spend now in North Carolina ($52). In Michigan we can get permanent plates (which we already have paid for in 2009) for $300 and the truck will be around $65. The only real cost will be that no-fault auto insurance that runs about $150 a month just for liability coverage. The trade-off in trailer plates and not paying property tax on a rented lot, might be enough to give Michigan the edge.
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