By Miri Rossitto, F434901
July 2017
Always On
My plate is very, very full. I own a small-business development firm in Los Angeles. I am a wife to an always-hungry-for-adventure-or-a-home-cooked-meal kind of man. I am a mother to two incredibly curious daughters who never stop. Seriously; they never, ever stop. I am also mom to two German shepherd rescue dogs who revel in being my shadow. I volunteer for a few nonprofit organizations, I mentor local students, and I often walk around my community picking up trash. I am always on, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, rain or shine.
The truth is, though, that I am an incredibly happy person, and I am appreciative every single day. That is because no matter how hectic or complicated my daily life gets, I can close my eyes and immediately imagine myself in my happy place. Can you guess where my happy place is? Our RV!
When I was a young girl, my friends usually dreamed about being princesses or firefighters. Not me. I dreamed about owning my very own motorhome. I would imagine myself sitting in the big, cushy driver’s seat, rambling over roads afar. My grandparents used to own a Winnebago, and the tales they told me absolutely thrilled me. They loved to sit with me over endless mugs of Ovaltine and fill my head with stories about explorations into national parks, friends they had made in new cities, and how huge the stars were at night.
Finally A Motorhome Owner
I was hooked well before I got my driver’s license, and some days it was all that I could think about. I knew that my husband was the man for me when he told me that owning an RV was not an option; it was a must! Finally, after two kids and years of saving money, I was able to achieve my dream, and we bought an RV. The best part about the purchase was that the adventure was only beginning!
We have traveled thousands of miles all over this beautiful country. And the truth is, we haven’t even seen that much. Our family has a motto: There are no wrong turns. Countless times, for various reasons, we weren’t able to follow a specific mapped-out route. But every time, we found ourselves discovering something cool or new. We’ve uncovered interesting small towns, quirky museums, and wonderful people who just wanted to chat or help.
Our incredible country is covered with countless things to experience or see, and for us, these memories imprint on our soul. My oldest daughter had to write a paper for school, and the assignment was to explain what or who made her who she is today. She worked for days on that paper, and in it she gave credit to her family and our RV. My heart couldn’t have been fuller.
Lake Tahoe
Last month, we drove the RV to Lake Tahoe from Los Angeles. U.S. 395 is one of my favorite drives in the world, and it was an amazing trip. In one day we went from 85 degrees and bright sun to 34 degrees and snow. The girls got to witness snow actually falling out of the sky. I smiled as my younger daughter thoughtfully noted, “Snowflakes taste beautiful.” We had never camped in such cold weather before, and by our second morning, the area was covered in almost a foot of snow! I am pretty sure the girls’ squeals could be heard in Nebraska as we spent the day throwing snowballs and sledding around the campground.
At night we huddled under warm blankets and drank Ovaltine while watching “Full House.” Thanks to my handy husband, we even got to take hot showers with our newly installed instant water heater.
As we drove home, all of us agreed that our Lake Tahoe trip was our best spring break trip so far. Just so you know, we say that every year.
FMCA Family
Our RV has unlocked an entirely new world for us. We have met the most kindhearted, fun, and adventurous people during our travels in it. When we started looking for RV groups to join, we heard about FMCA. It was a perfect fit. Our family became part of the FMCA family, and my girls met friends for life. Every time we visit new cities or campgrounds, we love to seek out our fellow members. We try to make plans as often as we can to go camping, even if it just means a night or two away in our beloved motorhome.
But if work doesn’t allow an escape, or a school obligation keeps us in L.A., I can always close my eyes and I am immediately in my happy place. As a matter of fact, it is snowing around my happy place right this very second. . . .