My Idea of Family

We’ve had a lot going on the past couple of months. We went through some really personal stuff that I’m not going to discuss publicly, we’ve been bouncing around with work, and it’s just been an emotional time overall. What I am going to talk about is how living on the road, being in the tall tower industry specifically, gives you a different perspective on family. I’m specifying tall towers as opposed to cell towers because the industry is so small in comparison, and it’s what we do. It’s how we live.

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Living on Site

It really kind of annoys me when people start out blog posts apologizing for not posting recently so I won’t do that. I know I haven’t, if you follow our blog then you know too, and to be completely honest, I was busy trying my best to help my friend so I’m not really sorry.

After we did our trek from San Francisco, back east across the country in July, staying mostly for free on BLM land and at truck stops, I sort of despise paying rent. Continue reading

About Us

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Hi! We’re Rachel & Allen and we live full time in our 2015 Grand Design Momentum 385 fifth wheel toy hauler.  We travel the country for Allen’s work, often only having a couple days notice of where we need to be next. And we love it!

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Allen, Rachel and Charlie

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Nebraska Bound!

There’s been some sticky moments these last couple weeks, leaving us a little unsure of what’s next for us. (That’s pretty much always the case but this time was a little different!) Continue reading

Tower Takedown at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas

I thought I’d post some pictures Allen took while they were removing the tower at Fair Park.  It’s crazy to me how big some of this stuff is!

 

the giant crane they used

  
    
    
  

all gone!

 

Here’s another post with some good photos also… My Boyfriend’s Crazy!

Operator won’t you put me on through…

I gotta send my ♥love♥ down to Baton Rouge…

We found out Friday that we need to be in Baton Rouge for work on Monday. It just so happens that “Callin’ Baton Rouge” by Garth Brooks is one of my all time favorite songs! So I’m sure Allen will be good and sick of it by the time we get there! Luckily for him, it’s less than 500 miles, so he will only have to deal with my musical selection and singing for one day…

 

We are avoiding Dallas, so it’ll take about a half hour longer, but it’s well worth it!

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I always try to use the Good Sam Trip Planner, just so we don’t get taken into any RV-unfriendly places…

We should be in Baton Rouge for a few days, then I THINK we’ll be heading to Oklahoma City… If that’s the case we will be there by the end of next week. I don’t mind this plan at all!

I’ve never been to Baton Rouge. Our friend Doug, out at Candlestick RV Park in San Francisco, went to LSU and LOVES the tigers, so he will be thoroughly jealous!

I’m super hoping we can get some delicious crawfish… I love them so much… My mouth is already watering… 

I’ve looked at the weather and it looks fairly warm. Rain on Tuesday but maybe that’ll give us time to see a little bit of the town (fingers crossed for a weather day!)

And then our friends Bob and Karen are at Abe’s RV Park in Oklahoma City so it’s always good to see them!

I found a campground right down the street from the tower site that I’m hoping works out for us. Water and 30AMP service only, but it’s only for a couple days so it shouldn’t be too bad, and they have a dump station. It’s at an equestrian park… I’m just hoping this little angel puppy of ours can behave herself and not act like a wild banshee the entire time we’re there!

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Spoiled little Charles…

I’ll probably have to bribe her with treats… So if you’d like to help out with that, you can put some money in Charlie’s Treat Fund 🙂

My Boyfriend’s CRAZY!

Nuts. Psychotic. Looney. Out of his mind. Cuckoo. Bonkers. 

He’s also very brave. Hardworking. Courageous. Adventurous. Daring. 

The proof is in the pudding.  

    
   
Thank goodness he’s done with that part of his life for the rest of the year! I get to enjoy him safely on the ground for a couple of weeks!

We are taking off tomorrow, heading to Cincinnati, well, our home won’t make it all the way to Ohio but we will! Our friends put in a 50AMP outlet for us, and are letting us use their water and septic tank! How awesome are they??! Thanks Brandi and Tommy!

Haven’t decided if we are stopping once or twice along the way yet. It’s right around 1,000 miles. I have some campgrounds in mind thanks to the Good Sam trip planner. I love that thing. 

We are going to go fill the propane tanks and get some food for the road (almost totally out of groceries now!) then get the bike back in the garage and strap everything down to hopefully get an early start tomorrow!

The City By The Bay

While Allen enjoys his view “from the office“…  

Panoramic view from atop Sutro Tower

  

Allen on top of Sutro

  

a zoomed in view

 
Charlie and I work on our tan back at the campground…  

Charlie getting in the way of my reading

  

This was a better spot but it didnt last long

  

Just keeping an eye on things

 
Here are some other jobs Allen’s worked on since I started this blog:

Taking Off for the Weekend!

Tahoe here we come!!!

San Francisco always seems to take its toll on Allen and the guys (and me, for sure).  

 This time around is especially difficult because even though the weather is nicer than it’s ever been while we were here, work is almost at a stand still. There’s some kind of lead paint issue that another company was called in to deal with, which in turn is holding up work on our end. Add this to the already existent fact that the city seems to drag its feet on everything Sutro-related.   

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 Not staying really busy makes for long days (and short pay checks). No good for anyone. So I guess they all came to some sort of decision at work that they would take a long weekend. Just for reference, this is pretty much unheard of. When they are busy, they work ten hour days, six and sometimes seven days a week. So that’s what they are used to. So am I for the most part, but I love “weather days” (rain, snow, wind, etc. that make working on a 1,500ft broadcast tower too dangerous).  

“hanging out”…

  

Allen’s view looking down!

  

Taking a break up top

 Anyhow, one guy flew home for a high school reunion and another booked a cruise to Mexico. We were looking at Santa Cruz first, then heard that it’s not as cool as Monterey. So I went motel shopping. Nope. Nothing. Nada. Zip. No rooms available, and the rates for even a Super 8 or a Days Inn were $400/night!!! Yikes! (By the way, we were looking last night, wanting to leave today, that’s just how our last minute lives are lived.) 

getting the heck out of the city

  

the old Bay Bridge

 
So then we almost gave up. But then we looked at Tahoe. We found a room in a casino resort in South Lake Tahoe for less than Monterey, AND we are staying two nights! It’s going to be like a mini-vacay! We haven’t stayed in a motel in way over a decade, let alone a fancy “resort” (ever)! I’m super excited. 

Charlie is going to stay with our neighbors and her buddy Samantha so she will have fun too.  

Charlie and Samantha relaxing

  

They thought i had food

  

Charlie and Samantha’s mom

 I’m also going to bring a little of my brother’s ashes with me. He’s never been to Nevada, so it’ll be a first for both of us. 

Off we go!