Maintaining A Social Life on the Road
Mari
Initially, I thought we’d be meeting lots of unique and different people from all walks of life along our travels, joining in their local social lives, interviewing them, and reporting out these slices of life to our blog friends. (Just like the radio reporter whose name escapes me - post a comment if you know who I’m talking about!)*
But that hasn’t quite transpired… yet. Perhaps we need to plan better, or be more intentional? (Certainly, we’re looking forward to the big RV Rally in Perry, GA in March ‘08. Hundreds of fellow RVers to meet there! More about that later).
Slice of Locals’ Life in Lakehead, CA: Bingo & Burgers!
The other night, Ty and I found ourselves in Lakehead, CA - a small town on Shasta Lake - just north of the city by the same name. I’d stumbled across the Lakeshore Inn and RV Park online and decided to set up camp there for the night.
This particular park is a busy destination in the summer months - they’re right on Shasta Lake and offer all kinds of fun water sports. But, in the winter months, the water level from this humongous man-made lake (largest reservoir in California; 365 mile shoreline when full!) is super low, as it gets pumped down south for agricultural irrigation. So there’s not much recreation available.
However, the Lakeshore Inn boasts a lounge and small restaurant and offers entertainment year round. The RV park owners, Ross and Charlotte Marshall, were so hospitable. As I paid the refreshingly low park fee of $12, Russ piped up, "Make sure you tell her about Bingo night tonight!" I wasn’t so sure, as my past fleeting experience of bingo was less than stimulating. But, Ty was eager to dive into the local community.
Turns out we had a most enjoyable evening! About a dozen or so bright, friendly people gathered in the lounge and immediately welcomed us into the fold.
Five spunky seniors headed up the group: all widows, each one living alone they told us. Most had lived in this area for decades. Their playful conversation included whether to attend upcoming 60th high school reunions! These adorable ladies shared an incredible bond and camaraderie that was palpable and heartening.
[Photo: Ty (3rd from left), Ross & Charlotte (in back) and the lovely ladies of Lakehead].
We played ten rounds of Bingo… and Ty won a round! $11.50 and a snow globe - way to go!! (Goes perfectly with the miniature Christmas tree we won at my dad’s Scottish Country Dancing shindig).
BTW, studies show the keys to longevity include a positive spirit and sustained social contact. I love John Robbins’ book on this subject, Healthy at 100.
Ever since I’ve known him, Ty’s major goal is to live to be 150 healthy years. A tough goal for me to get behind… but you just never know! What are your thoughts on longevity? Do you think a lively social life helps?
*UPDATE: Thank you, Dan! Indeed, it’s Charles Kuralt who I was referring to. He had a 25-year radio show called, "On the Road".
"On the Road became a regular feature on The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite in 1967. Kuralt hit the road in a motor home (he wore out six before he was through) with a small crew and avoided the interstates in favor of the nation’s back roads in search of America’s people and their doings. He said, ‘Interstate highways allow you to drive coast to coast, without seeing anything’. Yep, I agree!
Posted on: Friday, December 14, 2007 at 11:13 pm 
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I think the guy you are talking about in your piece is Charles Kurault. He retired from CBS I think and spent the first year of his retirement living for one month each in twelve different regions of the country. Unfortunately, he died within a year or two of the conclusion of his year long tour. You can find some of his “books on tape” at your local library. It sounds like an interesting way to spend a year of your life. An RV would really make this do-able and affordable.
December 16th, 2007 at 7:39 amI enjoy reading your blog and hope to be on the road for six months of the year myself when my wife quits her job.
Take care,
Dan
Thank you so much, Dan!!! You’re right on - I updated my post with info about Charles. I love that he proposed the idea to CBS for a 3 month trial and it turned into a 25-year success!!!
I’m delighted to hear you’re going to be a fellow RVer - keep us posted for sure.
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December 20th, 2007 at 2:11 pm