October Blog: The Difficult Task of Seeing All the Great Things in America

The difficult task of seeing all the great things America has to offer is officially underway. We last left you somewhere along Route 66, taking in the sights and remnants of its heyday. From Albuquerque, we took a right turn and headed north to Moab, Utah, for a week of getting out, getting dirty, and seeing what the Jeep could get us into. Because apparently, driving a 45-foot RV around the country wasn't enough of an adventure!

Moab: Bikes, Jeeps, and Rocks (Lots of Rocks)

We arrived a few days before meeting up with our fellow Renegaders, which gave us time to explore on our own. We took the Jeep out on a couple of trails and got the lay of the land. We also discovered that Moab is a fantastic place to ride bikes.

From Village Camp RV Resort, we could hop on bike trails and ride into downtown Moab or head all the way toward Canyonlands, with minimal interaction with car traffic. That's our kind of exploring! One of the highlights was crossing the Colorado River on a dedicated bike/hike bridge. Amazing views, beautiful scenery, and no need to find a parking spot for the RV. Win-win!

Our First Fantasy RV Jeep Adventure

Next up was our first Fantasy RV tour: Jeeping in Moab. We headed out with a group of experienced Jeepers, armed with our bigger tires and enough confidence to get ourselves into trouble. It didn't take long to realize that a few more Jeep modifications might be in order if we wanted to reduce the number of times we introduced the underside of our Jeep to the local geology.

We tackled Hell's Revenge, Fins and Things, Gemini Bridges, Gold Bar Rim, and a couple of other trails. There were plenty of incredible views, some challenging obstacles, and a few moments when we wondered exactly what we'd signed up for.

We even got the opportunity to purchase an exhaust pipe rounder. 😂 Yes, apparently that's a thing you can need when your Jeep decides to get a little too personal with the rocks!

One of the biggest takeaways was learning just how valuable experienced Jeep guides can be. They know the trails, know how to pick the right lines, and can help you navigate obstacles that might otherwise turn into an expensive afternoon. We learned a lot, had a blast, and came away with a better idea of what we want to change on the Jeep before the next round of rock crawling.

Retirement is great. You get to learn new things, explore amazing places, and immediately start a shopping list of things you apparently need.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta: Up Before the Sun

After leaving Moab, we headed back down to Albuquerque for our second Fantasy RV adventure: the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. We attended during the second week of the festival, and Fantasy RV had a pretty nice setup for the occasion.

They provided power and water for the week, along with a honey wagon that came through midweek to empty our waste tanks. That takes care of some of the less glamorous details of spending a week parked in a field. The setup also eliminates much of the stress of moving the rig around when the whole point is to stay put and enjoy the show.

And what a show!

Our parking area was right beneath the flight path where the balloons climbed higher before looping back toward the launch grounds. When the conditions cooperate, Albuquerque's famous “Albuquerque Box” can allow balloons to travel in one direction at lower altitudes and return in the opposite direction at higher altitudes. It's a pretty amazing bit of wind-assisted navigation — and a spectacular way to watch balloons fill the sky.

We managed to accomplish the seemingly impossible task of getting up at 4 a.m. one morning to head over to the launch grounds. Yes, four in the morning. Retirement apparently comes with an alarm clock after all.

We also made it to an evening balloon glow, where the balloons were inflated and their burners fired in coordinated bursts against the dark sky. Watching those colorful giants light up like enormous lanterns was incredible.

But some of the best views didn't require leaving our RV parking spot. Over the next few days, we settled in and watched balloons drift right over our rig, sometimes just 20 feet above us. Having these enormous, colorful balloons floating practically within arm's reach was an unforgettable experience.

And the best part? No 4 a.m. alarm required on those days. We could enjoy the show from home, coffee in hand, while the sky filled with balloons. Now that's more like the retirement lifestyle we signed up for! They get so close: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aMpQIw7ZEI8 They even land in the space at the end of the RV row: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/03davISYpic YouTube: The Where2Rvin YouTube channel has many videos posted, a few longer Jeepin and a bunch of Balloon Shorts and Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCurZgfwK3Aa-Nn1r34G-KeQ

Next Stop: Florida

After Moab's rocks and Albuquerque's balloons, it was time to point the rig east and start making our way toward Florida for November.

We've managed to squeeze quite a bit into this stretch of travel — Route 66 history, Moab's incredible scenery, Jeep trails that tested our equipment (and possibly our judgment), and a sky full of hot-air balloons.

The challenge continues: trying to see all the great things America has to offer without feeling like we're racing through a checklist. There are still plenty of places to explore, roads to travel, and adventures waiting around the next bend.

Of course, there's also a Jeep modification list, an RV maintenance list, and probably a few things we haven't discovered are broken yet.

Welcome to retirement RV life. The destinations are amazing, the memories are priceless, and the to-do list never ends!