The photo above is my friend Christine in her rig pulling up to meet me yesterday. We met at a Flying J Travel Center in Matthews, Missouri. I was thrilled to see her. Christine is a solo full-timer who Bob and I met several years ago at an RV event in the Tetons. She has been on the road for five years. She no longer has a “brick and mortar” home, but proudly points out about her rig: “this is my home.”

We caravanned several hours in a lot of wind to Lake Poinsett State Park, a beautiful little jewel. Except for a really beat up Airstream that looked like it had been parked there for a very long time, we were the only ones in the park. The Airstream reminded me of the bus in that movie, what was it? Where the guy goes out into the wilderness in Alaska and winds up dying? Anyway, I was glad that Christine was parked next to me.

When we got all settled, Christine talked to me about a few things she thought I needed to pay attention to in my rig. Christine has a beautiful, completely kind, loving, non-know-it-all-ish way of teaching. I was beyond grateful for her knowledge, support and love. We retired to our rigs for the evening at 6:30PM. She said good night and in her purely Christine way exclaimed “Night-time hug!” She enveloped me in one of her amazing momma bear hugs. 

It is morning now, 6:30AM. It is still dark I am sitting in bed with my coffee now with my window open and I can see the constellation Orion and a planet, not sure which one. I slept for 9.5 hours. I love the quiet and the dark. There are many reasons I love being on the road, but darkness, quiet and stars are on the top of my list. And friends like Christine, of course.