I drove all day Sunday, 4/3/16 (Day 91) from Lake Charles. LA to Stevenson, AL for the SE GTG.
I arrived in the daylight / early evening and settled in with about a dozen other vandwellers who were already here along the Tennessee River.
The Southeast (Roving) Get ToGether moves around the southeast US usually in Florida in January, where its warmer until it gets warmer further north. I met up with the group last year in January before heading west. This year I skipped Florida as I wanted to visit the RTR in Quartzsire, AZ.
This Vandwelling group is tied to Yahoo Groups and its informal leader is Cuzzin Dick, who keeps the tribe posted on what is going on.
The GTG doesn't have the hundreds of people attend that the RTR has, but I like the smallness of this gathering as it is less formal.
Other than Dick I also knew Jane, who I met last year. What is nice is that I met everyone that was there and that left or came during the GTG. One was Rob in his van that remembered my Gold Prius at the RTR but we hadent met to remember each other. As usual there are solo woman and solo men that make up the majority of attendees, with just a few that are couples.
At night we had a campfire that Dick was nice enough to arrange by having wood delivered.
This area of northeast Alabama worked out for me as a good place to use as a base to see area attractions a a visit to my cousin's in Georgia, where I spent 2 nights out of my starting and ending time here.
I generally go out each day and I would check back to see if anyone needed anything as I would stop and get things that others that that stay put like Dick may need.
This couple cooked on this wood fired jet boil rig by collecting twigs.
Camping along the Tennessee River made for a nice setting. The road in was rough but my Prius had no problems. The road did get worse while we were there as it rained and with the fishing traffic it made more muddy holes to try to drive around.
The US Coast Guard pushing a barge with channel markers they were setting.
Evening fisherman with tug pushing 6 large barges.
It was a wonderful time at the GTG meeting everyone and enjoying their company. Everyone is so friendly.
The Roving GTG is off to a new location now and I'm headed in a different direction. I hope to meet up with these folks next year.
Now to publish what I have been doing while I was here.
Brent
macaloney@hotmail.com
Had a great time meeting and camping with you. Brenda and I hope we can cross paths again on the road. Perhaps Quartzite in Jan '17?
ReplyDeleteDan and Brenda
Da & Brenda,
DeleteIt was a pleasure to meet both of you too and a fellow firefighter. I hope it works out for a meet up in 2017
Brent, this Karen with the Pleasure-Way from the GTG. It was a pleasure meeting you and I'll never forget the valuable lessons you gave me on my motor. Thank you! The vid Dan made shows what a clever individual you are, I should've checked out your Prius. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteKaren,
DeleteThanks for the feedback.
I'm glad we got to talking about your vehicle before you were heading out. I could tell you were interested in learning.
I hope the video will help give others ideas about what is possible and take them further.
I hope to see you again at another gathering.
Brent
Hi brent, does the group travel together loosely throughout the year in a caravan of sorts (it'd be nice for the companionship)? Or more so a few scheduled times per year? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteBryce,
DeleteThere are many groups that you can belong to in this roving lifestyle. CRVL holds the big RTR in Quartzsite each January and from there smaller groups form and some travel together for a time. I believe you are a member of CRVL and know of the summer RTR next week in Flagstaff area and possibly one in CO and others offering other gatherings.
The GTG is a separate group linked to the yahoo group called Vandwellers headed up by Dick. This is a roving GTG and people come and go and it stays in southeast US starting in FL in January. This band of folks is much smaller.
I like attending both as they are both different, and of course the weather is different.
I belong to both as I enjoy the variety that I get. The roving GTG like the western RTR folks head for higher elevation during hotter months.
Brent