How We Got Started

From JANICE

My name is Janice Williford Evans, and I have been an outdoor girl and explorer my entire life.

Growing up with two younger brothers, our family would meet my grandparents and all the aunts, uncles and cousins on the banks of Village Creek in the heart of the Big Thicket National Preserve every summer. We would camp out with no tents, no cooking equipment, nothing but a blanket to roll up in at night, and find a place to sleep wherever you could.

My cousins and I were allowed to run wild in the woods, and as long as we responded when our parents called us, we could do whatever we wanted from dawn to dusk.

As we got older, we outgrew creek camping, and began meeting at the river, where we packed all our supplies in a boat, and headed down the river, where we camped on a sandbar, and ran trot lines. Those were glorious fun days, and I am amazed looking back, that not one of us ever got snake bit, or fell in the river and drowned, or any other numerous traumas that kids could get in to.

When I met and married David, the love of my life, in 1974 we didn't have two nickels to rub together, but we bought us a brand new boat, because, as you can see, we had our priorities straight. To that we added tents, and camp out gear.

We had our camping act together, and so, with our two sons, we continued the tradition. Every summer we would meet all of hubby's brothers and sister, and their kids at the lake, where once again, the cousins would run wild, fishing, swimming, boating, skiing. . .and once again, by the grace of God, everyone survived without injury.

As you can imagine, the natural progression was to purchase a pop up, and then a little bumper pull RV. . .ahh, we were living large then. . .after that, a fifth wheel with a slide out, no less. We thought we had died and gone to camping heaven.

And then. . .then on a cruise to Alaska. . .we met our first Full Timer. . .and Workamper.

He and his wife had pulled their rig to Skagway, from the lower 48, and he was driving the shuttle bus, picking up the cruise passengers, and bringing them in to town. Well, I had never heard of such a thing, so I wanted to know all about it. . .and like most RV'ers, he was more than happy to share all kinds of great information. . .and I was hooked.

I couldn't get home quick enough, and begin my research. Within three years, we knew exactly what we wanted to do. . . put the house on the market, sold all the stuff in an estate sale, bought the big Full Time Rig. . .got set up in the local RV Park. . .finished out our careers, retired, and hit the road. . .

It has been a whirlwind of a lifetime. . .and if I could go back there are only a couple of things I would change.

Life is good, God is good. . .we are blessed, and looking forward to the rest of our journey!