Like it’s a surprise to anyone after all these years that I love the beach. East coast or west, doesn’t matter. It’s the beach that counts. After seven and a half years (exactly, as it turned out), I’ve put my trailer to rest for four months and rented a beachfront pied-à-terre for the winter.
Why? Over the last year or so, I realized I wasn’t enjoying the traveling, the exploring, the adventures the way I had when I first started out, way back in May of 2016. I found myself wanted to stop the endless moving and securing of reservations, the planning months ahead and watching my tanks and my battery and my tire pressure. I was tired of fighting for internet connectivity and more than a little over badly behaved neighbors and screaming kids on the weekends.
In summer, the Myrtle Beach area is a vacation haven for people from all over the east coast and midwest. In winter, not so much. So there are good deals on monthly rentals and that’s exactly what I did, picking out an oceanside condo and renting it from November through February 2024.
It’s not so easy to change things up, as I found in the doing of the thing. I’d have to clean out my Alto, drain the tanks, and move most of my stuff to the condo, then put the Alto into storage for the winter. I found a good place with tight security and an attentive staff, but there was a lot to do before I got to the point where Breeze could be tucked away for the winter. I reserved a full hookup spot at Myrtle Beach State Park, picked up a dozen moving boxes and some tape from the local U-Haul and got started.
Eight boxes later, the Ridgeline was full up and the Alto was mostly empty. The next morning, I got going up the road to the condo, picking up the keys and a nice little welcome package from the agency right at noon. And then the work really started…
The condo building provides luggage carts, thankfully, but it was still four trips to get everything out of the Ridgeline and into the condo. I honestly didn’t think I had a ton of stuff until I had to move 75% of it! The only things that would stay with the Alto were camping related: chair, ladder, propane tanks, various tools, and so on. Everything else eventually got into the condo, and I’d find places for all of it over the next week.
I’ve been here a month now and it’s been quite a change. I’m on the 10th floor of this complex, high enough that when I look out my balcony window, all I see is ocean and sky. Perfect.
Putting Breeze to bed for the winter was harder than I thought it would be. After I’d unhooked the battery and propane tanks, propped the fridge open, closed the fan, and took a last look inside, I locked the door and then I stood there for a while. It was hard to leave my faithful companion and home for the last seven and a half years. I can visit any time I like, but it won’t be the same. My life as a fulltimer is quietly changing into something else, although I’m not quite sure what yet. I started up the Ridgeline and idled the engine for a few minutes before I could make myself drive away and leave Breeze in that storage lot.
I came back to Breeze almost every day for a week, with some excuse or other, but mostly to make sure everything was OK and Breeze was still there. This week I went down there to install a winter cover so that I will worry less about rain, hail, and whatever weather coastal Carolina can think up. I kind of feel better now that the cover is on, Breeze tucked away for the winter, safe and sound.
The condo has super-fast (and free!) internet, which I’m thoroughly enjoying. And a 42-inch flat-screen TV, which is way more fun to watch movies on than my iPad! But the most fun I’ve been having is setting up a sewing area, complete with a new little Singer machine so that I can sew quilts by machine instead of by hand. It is SOOOO much faster that way! I’m having a blast making a few lap quilts and now a big quilt as a surprise for someone. I’ve already got two more quilts lined up, fabric purchases from Cyber Monday. Quilting is a different kind of creativity than photography and I’m really enjoying that change too.
And then there’s the beach. 24/7 surf sounds. 24/7 beach walking. And a little balcony I can sit on to enjoy it all, even when the weather is a bit chilly. Expect lots of sea and sky photos for the next few months 🙂
The last change I made was to move my website to a new hosting service. I’m hoping it all works, it seems like it does but I literally won’t know till I make my first blog post on the relocated site. So here goes…
Well by now you have really settled in To see the ocean from high up for months is a wonderful thing. I have a feeling it will be difficult to leave your current home, just as it was difficult to put Breeze in storage…but then again, it might be exciting to get back on the road. Or…you might decide you want to establish a home base. It will be fun to find out! Enjoy the rest of your winter!
I’m thinking I’ll be back here next winter, different spot but still in the area. Come March 1, I’m a nomad till probably November, with some exciting adventures planned!
Your fans have learned so much from you; even now learning about the bed of one journey is invaluable. I’m getting ready to start what I expect to be 3-5 years of full time travel trailer and your blog has been like a Masterclass. Thanks for documenting ting your journey is a manner that is educational, and entertaining. You bring me peace in my planning and here’s to your next chapter!!!
Thanks so much, Terri! 3-5 years sounds like a good plan, and you’ll see and experience so much. Let me know how it goes, and when you launch, OK?
Wow…. Great news! Congratulations on this new adventure! How are the fabric shops there? I’m a quilter also and love to sew.
That’s big news! And I completely understand. As you know, we stopped our full time travels at 7 1/2 years. Figuring out the next chapter has involved several plot changes over the past three years, haha. Would be fun to reconnect…we’ll be traveling for several months this winter and will be close to Myrtle Beach in early March, but it sounds like you’ll be elsewhere by then. Enjoy your winter respite and your immersion in beach walks and quilting!
I think too much of anything causes burnout. It’s always good to mix things up and there is no better place to do that than by an ocean. Enjoy your respite!
Hi Annie, I totally get this, even the parking and sentiment of not having your rig right there with you all the time. I bought a motorhome recently to use just for traveling since I bought my little place in North Carolina 2 years ago. But I still have my Truck camper too. Darn market isn’t the best right now of course. Remember, I am only a short 5 hours from you, and in the south, that is no biggy in the winter. I was in Myrtle Beach myself mid October. I have a guest room, so you are more than welcome any time! I too find the sounds of the surf very soothing, and the vastness of the ocean view is quite humbling to me as well. Enjoy, but if you do come up, bring your sewing machine and we can work on quilts together! I need to get back into quilting again. Miss you my friend,
Rayne
I enjoyed reading the many comments as much as reading about taking a different travel “vehicle” for now. Enjoy, relax, become refreshed for whatever comes next. Best to you!
We were full time for 6 years and found that the call of the road became more faint with time. We finally decided to put roots down in Tucson and it was surprisingly easy. We still love to travel in our rig and visit interesting places and I still yearn to head out for a couple months at a time. As I tell Joanne, I now love to travel but also love to come home. Wishing you all the best as your new chapter unfolds.
You might want to take the battery home and keep it on a little trickle charger. I’ve lost mower batteries over a winter from not doing that.
Good luck on this transition working well for you!
I’m excited for you, Annie!! Totally hear the work that was involved in making it happen.
Oh Annie how lovely!! A few months by the sea is so restorative. Enjoy!!
Thank you for sharing and good luck.
I can relate and am coming up on 7 years myself. Hmmm. Interesting to follow your latest adventure. Hope it’s fabulous.
Whoa… based on your lead photo I thought you’d figured out a way to attach a lanai to the Alto. Enjoy your temporary retirement from your retirement 😉
Yay for winter vacations!! The quilting area looks great and so does the quilt.
I feel your moving pain – just about every stick of furniture here is in a different spot now. With my house rearrangement I have reverted to watching a 32″ TV. What is wrong with this picture?
Any ideas about making local contacts?
What an adventure you continue to o have, Annie. May the next chapter be glorious.
Wow, oh wow! My good friend has a saying. “Change is good.” I often repeat this when change it getting to me.
Your change reminds me of when my family would return from a trip in our travel trailer and we’d all have to unload it before taking it to the storage lot. I’m personally glad to hear you are hunkered down for winter. It a safe choice with how crazy the weather has been. Take care. BTW, this coast is nice too.
Oh, Annie, you have been such an inspiration to so many of the Altoistes! I hope this next chapter is everything you hope. We are probably going to sell our Alto this Winter or Spring. Sad but needs must when the devil drives. And we never know what might be around the next corner, do we?
Maybe Breeze needed a break too. That’s what I’m thinking. So you both get to stay in one place for a while. Enjoy the beach my friend!
I love that you did this.
I love this change for you! And I love that you’ve let it come organically. Happy winter to you.
My partner and I love following your posts. It’s good to change up the routine sometime and yours is having a home base for a few months. Enjoy your beach home, TV and sewing machine. Life is as good! We were camping in South and North Carolina in at the end of April 2023 and plan on returing. Maybe we will also find a condo for a few winter months, that is after we are tired of the snow and X-country skiing in Ottawa, Ontario.
Wow, big change. And I can see why you love it. Enjoy every moment. Breeze will be there come the spring.
Oh yes, I had four and a half years on the NC ocean and I miss those morning sunrises and long walks on empty winter beaches. Have fun. I’m sure it will be an amazing winter for you, full of new discoveries. I’ll be curious if you have something akin to “sea legs”, from staying in one place. Like getting off a boat after years at sea.
WOW…you are changing it up! Good for you! It seems like such a wonderful way to take care of yourself! So happy for you! Enjoy the ocean!
Wow, I am so happy for you! Enjoy the ocean! Breeze will be waiting for you whenever you are ready again!
Thanks, Char! The ocean has made the adjustment easier, for sure.
I am so happy for you! I know this can’t be easy. Change never is but you have done it! It will be splendid wherever life takes you next. Be well and enjoy winter at the beach and your new creative endeavor.