SoulWheelin’s Solar Return – Happy Anniversary!

Today, June 1, 2022 is the one year anniversary of the birth of our new life.

365 days ago we moved into the trailer and every day has brought new beginnings and change. 

“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” – Winston Churchill

Many friends and family did not think we would still be traveling past a couple months, let alone a year later.  We have often been questioned if we are getting sick of it yet and told we will want to settle down by Christmas.  It’s hard for many to understand a change this drastic and outside the conventional. Shaking life up and removing yourself from the normal provides so much opportunity for growth within yourself. 

When we moved away from our old way of living I could not have imagined the changes physically, emotionally and spiritually this new life would take us through.  Life without change is no longer living. 

Traveling and making our trailer our home instead of a house has immediate obvious changes. The space for one. You must learn to dance around each other. Learning to ask for things to be passed to you if the other is closer to what you need is very beneficial. 

The first time we got ready to ‘go out’ to the Greely Stampede was a challenge! We had to figure out how to get ready together in one small bathroom. It was a game of twister, reaching around each other and trying to see at the same time in the one and only mirror.  I think we did alright and showed up in proper style.

Getting used to the small kitchen seemed to come natural, other than the step ladder that I still dislike using. The 5th wheel trailer has high ceilings which gives it a more open feeling, but makes all the cupboard shelves out of reach for me. I can barely reach the bottom shelf so I require a step ladder to do anything in the kitchen. I’m trying to change my attitude that it’s a blessing because going up and down the ladder is good exercise. But really, who wants to exercise while cooking? It hasn’t held me back however and we’ve both cooked more in the little trailer kitchen then we did the last few years in the house.

Other than the high cupboards, I’ve really enjoyed cooking in the small kitchen, being attentive to using what few supplies that are housed in the cupboards, as opposed to a big pantry full of stuff that never gets used up. The fridge and freezer also have been a perfect size, allowing us to have enough fresh food for over a week or two at a time. 

Trailer life has changed our dress code to a new level below what Covid ever did! Showering has changed to every 3 or 4 days and most times not even using a hair dryer. Makeup gets used for special occasions only. Clothes get worn over again cause why not and I need to save the clean clothes for going out in public.  We even went 6 weeks without doing any laundry once, but on average laundry gets down every 2-3 weeks. 

Speaking of laundry, using a laundromat is the best thing ever! All laundry is done completely within 2 hrs or less. Felt like in the house there was always laundry on the go at some stage, neverending. Now just a couple of hours once or twice a month and it’s done!

Some of these changes may seem shocking, and they would have been to me too a year ago. But now they seem normal and actually healthy. We don’t need to do so much laundry and shower every day all the time, it’s just not really necessary, especially when living mostly in nature.

We are so lucky that we both adapt so quickly to new situations. Surprisingly for two people who like order and process, we are now thriving in the ever cycle of changes. 

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” -Maya Angelou

Move days, what I affectionately call the day we travel to our next location, are full of new changes.  We have found at about the 2 week mark it is time to move or inertia starts to set in and we are getting too comfortable. 

However, move days come with lots of emotions. Sometimes sadness to leave a place we have become fond of and comfortable in, but also an excitement for the new place yet to discover. Followed by a bit of anxiety while driving this big rig down the unknown highway. 

But move days are each a new beginning, and to compliment that is the act of putting everything away in the trailer and cleaning.  That has become a ritual on move day and it is very refreshing to arrive at a new place with a freshly clean and tidy trailer.  I then get to bring our cherished items back out, sometimes rearranging or refreshing them with others. Only things that really mean something to us or have multiple purposes have a place in the trailer. Looking around at the items in the trailer always gives me joy.  

Another constant change is our external surroundings. The view from my desk, from the bedroom window, the way the sun hits the trailer or which window it rises in is in constant change. This part I love! It makes our home feel new and refreshed all the time. I enjoy looking up to the night sky in a new location and identifying where the sun will set, where the moon will rise, where the big dipper and Orion are in the sky. Those are our anchors as we move around below them, in constant change. 

Living more in nature has given us the opportunity to become more in-tune with nature’s cycles and ourselves.  We acknowledge and experience the moon cycles as well as the seasonal cycles more so than ever before. We’ve become familiar with the sunrise and sunset times, as well as the moon rise time and how it will affect the stargazing tonight.  Planning our months with the start of the dark moon feels so natural compared to previous calendar ways.  

Change is a collection of new beginnings. Whether it be a new day, a new moon, a new location or a new season it is an opportunity for new beginnings. Constant cycles of letting one thing go to allow for a new beginning to arise results in ongoing change.    

I’d say the biggest change over the past year is one we did not expect. This lifestyle asks us to be trusting and patient. During this past year both of us have become more present which translates into being calmer and more peaceful. This change in our energy, attitude and state of being is distinguishable and many of our friends have witnessed it in us.

Looking back on this year what would we change if we were to start again? We get asked that question often and wouldn’t change anything considering what we knew at the time starting out.  We both agree this was a great decision we would make again and we have personally grown so much during this year of change.  It is not for everyone, but if it is something that you dream of we would definitely encourage you to do it!  

Knowing what we know now we would change a few things.  We wouldn’t move as often as we did the first few months. We would get a motorhome with a small car, as Dharma is very hard on gas to get around on a daily basis and hard to park in the little towns we love visiting. A motorhome would remove the need of constantly using the step ladder in the kitchen as an added bonus. We also would use state parks or boondock more often instead of expensive and congested RV parks.

What lessons have we learned during our first year traveling?  

Well there is quite a list:

• Learned to depend on each other but also give each other space. Time alone is important and we must be deliberate in making sure we find ways to have that time.
• Learned this lifestyle could not be done with just anyone, no matter how close your relationship is, it takes a special match to cooperate and accommodate each other while also not losing yourself in the process.
• Learned to slow down and enjoy the moment.
• I’ve learned to be more patient, loving and compassionate, starting with Mike and the dogs and spreading out to strangers.
• Mike has learned to fix things independently, to fit large items into small spaces and to not leave the black tank valve open!
• Learned less is more and how to be conservative with water, power and internet streaming! Also learned that life is better without TV.
• Learned we don’t need an hour a day showering and primping to get ready to go out.
• Learned we must remember this is regular life and not vacation time. Remember to eat healthy and exercise!
• Learned that a constant state of change results in transformation!

The lessons are not over I’m sure!

So now what’s next? 

We are definitely continuing this RV nomadic lifestyle! We are not ready to ‘settle down’ and in this current moment feel we may never be.  

Our next journey is taking us to visit family in New Brunswick, Canada today!  After that we will look for longer stay places where seasonal work may be available for Mike.  We will also be shopping for a small motorhome in the fall back in the west. 

In the long term it feels we will have 2 to 4 locations per year, choosing seasonally of course. For now though we are still enjoying the frequent changes and all the opportunities they bring!  

Please join us in celebrating the end of SoulWheelin’s first year and Solar Return. 

We are excited about every new day to come!  

Let us know what changes you have made this past year in the comments below. What changes in your life’s have brought you the most rewards and transformations? Can’t wait to hear!