And the Adventure Begins.......

A year ago last April, after my hubbies unemployment ran out and with no suitable employment in sight, we packed everything we owned into a garage at my mothers place, grabbed our 1966 17 1/2 foot Aristocrat travel trailer and headed for Altoona Iowa on a wing and a prayer to become 'Workampers' at an amusement park called 'Adventureland'.

This was the craziest thing that I had ever even imagined doing in my lifetime. I mean, we weren't carnies. I had been a Vocational Counselor and Eugene had operated machines with his last employer over 16 years. Together we had raised 5 kids and now had 5 grandchildren. Our family thought we were having some kind of midlife crises, and I was quite sure that it was some sort of insanity, but thought about it as an extended adventurous vacation. Surely the labor market would open back up by the end of the summer. I knew I could be watching it online with my laptop.

When we arrived, we found ourselves only 2 of over 300 workampers, and most were our age or older. Of course most of them had motorhomes that made ours look like a little outhouse, but they accepted us nonetheless, bringing us into their 'tribe'. A whole gaggle of American Gypsies, and they seemed to be having the time of their lives. Eugene wanted to go out and buy a larger trailer, but I had just paid off all of our bills with the measly money we had in our 401k, and was not about to take on another payment given these circumstances. I made him promise me that we would not do that for at least a year, thinking that by that time, I would find him a 'real' job.

Eugene worked in games and came home every night smiling, telling tales of all the fun he had that day. He always carried candy in his pocket to give to kids who did not win prizes, so that they wouldn't walk away disappointed. He was loving this! I was working in the retail shops, selling everything from costume jewelry and bobbles to crazy hats which I decorated up with feather boas. I had a lot of fun visiting with the guests of the park, answering their questions and describing this new lifestyle. We met many new friends and attended and hosted many potlucks and campfires after hours. As our site rent was absolutely minimal, ending up at only $112.00 total from April through September, we were actually making it financially pretty easily. Upon speaking with our other 'tribesman', some of whom had been doing this between 10-15 years, they hooked us up with a magazine called 'Workamper News' where there were advertized jobs in this market all over the country. Most said that they just moved their rigs south for the winter, some to the same areas year after year, others never went to the same place twice, said there were too many places to see. All had great stories of meeting great people in great places in their travels.

I made one phone call from an ad in the magazine, and we had a winter gig in Stone Mountain Georgia, right outside of Atlanta. So much for the 'real' job. This was just too much fun! We hauled the little Aristocrat through Iowa, into Illinois, crossed a corner of Ohio, through the tobacco fields of Kentucky, the hills and valleys of Tennessee, over the Appalachians and into the beautiful state of Georgia. What a great experience.

Although Eugene was the only one working in Georgia, we met so many great new friends and had such a wonderful time, that we made arrangements to go back this next winter after a return trip to Iowa for our second year at Adventureland. He had spent three months helping the electrician get Crossroads, the amusement park, decorated with over two million lights ready for a "Stone Mountain Christmas". Then he worked access control, (security) for the man-made snow tubing hill until March. We now had year round employment, and a biannual scenic trip to look forward to. We took a totally different trail coming back to Iowa, taking us through Arkansas and Missouri. I love traveling!

Because I was not working, I spent alot more time in the trailer. It was really starting to shrink on me, so upon arriving back in Altoona, I started staulking Craigslist. By father's day I had found us a great 28 foot 5th wheeler, and bought it. Now we only have a half ton truck, so before we leave for warmer weather at the end of September, I will once again be online looking to trade our trusty (not rusty) Silverado for a 3/4 ton hopefully with a fifth wheel hitch already in it. We do like our previously loved trailer though! I now have a bathroom, a bedroom, and hot/cold running water. Try going without that for a whole year.

As far as the Aristocrat, although we had two offers to buy it, my daughter Crystal and her hubby and son came down to pick it up and keep it in the family. (Possibly only as a conversation piece).

Until next time.....