It’s almost been a year since we last posted. I figure the only way to get past the shame of not writing here is to just do it. A lot has happened since the last post about Meyer Lemon marmalade made in Cedar Key. I almost look back and laugh at how many wonderful unexpected twists and turns have happened since then.

March 2016:
William was invited by dear friends to share his photography in their brand new gallery’s grand opening during the Cedar Key Arts Festival. We were excited to learn about the process of selling one’s art and to spend time with Pat and Cindy. As fate would have it, we had quite the adventure. Pat told the story better than I could. It’s a story about the goodness of people and community. Give it a read here.

We spent the whole month in Cedar Key, FL.

April 2016:
We put the Ring Dring Ranch on the market! We didn’t want it to sell right away, but we thought getting some feedback in the spring would help us once we stopped back by in the summer to sell all our things. Having been on the road since June 2015, we felt ready to let go of our stuff.

We spent the month moving from Cedar Key, FL to Greenwood, SC to Lancaster, PA.

May 2016:
I made the decision to leave the workforce for a while. This was a tough decision for me since my whole identity was pretty much tied to my work. Letting go of that career and specifically my work family is one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I continued to work until mid-August to do what I hope was best for the community.

We spent most of the month in PA before making our way to Springvale, ME.

June 2016:
William and Big John did a bunch of fishing and story telling. I worked to transition my workload to others and prepare them for my departure.

We spent half the month in Springvale, ME before rushing back to Michigan to attend sister Amy’s wedding.

July 2016:
We had carpet installed in the basement of the Ranch. I continued the painful task of letting go of projects at work and telling our community that I was leaving. (I should note that the community was very supportive of me. They lovingly cheered on my decision to jump.)

William spent the month in the Ring Dring Ranch. I was gone almost the whole time for work.

August 2016:
The house sold to the very first couple who looked at it once we were back in Michigan. I feel like I need to emphasize: I do not recommend letting go of everything you own and a job you love at the same time. In hindsight the timing was all good, but at that moment I wasn’t sure I’d survive it.

We spent the month in Michigan, some of the time in the house and other times in our home (the camper.)

September 2016:
The Trinkles on Tour headed west! We made our way to Ogallala, NE and then to Wheatland, WY to spend time with Cedar Key friends.  For some of the trip, we traveled portions of the Oregon Trail. Neither of us got dysentery. By the middle of September we were in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The leaves were peaking and we were peeping. We stayed in Golden, CO but ventured out regularly.

October 2016:
We spent the month in Manitou Springs, CO. We took the cog railway to the top of Pikes Peak, toured the Air Force Academy and the US Olympic Training Center, rode the Royal Gorge Railway, and spent a lot of time romping around Garden of the Gods. I also ran off for a week to take Momma and Daddy to Myrtle Beach. We had a great time just being together.

November 2016:
We spent the month in Santa Fe in a great campground that offered DSL. Internet access is a real struggle sometimes for us nomads. We saw beautiful things in the area and were totally in awe of Tent Rocks. We also spent a day at Meow Wolf, an interactive art installation wrapped in a mystery. (Mind blown!) We went to Taos Pueblo and learned some American history. We soaked in the healing waters of Ojo Caliente. We celebrated William’s birthday there. We ate NM Green Chile on pretty much everything.  I flew to SC for the week of Thanksgiving and celebrated Christmas with my folks while I was there. When I returned to Santa Fe, the weather had turned cold cold cold, so we moved south to Truth or Consequences, NM for a few nights of soaking in the hot spring baths before moving along to Tucson.

December 2016:
We spent the month in Tucson, AZ right on the edge of Saguaro National Park. The Sonoran Desert is amazing. We stayed in a campground with tons of activities and classes. I dabbled in yoga. William and I both enjoyed learning about the geology of the area and rock hounding. My former colleagues had a big meeting in Tucson while we were there, so I got to spend time with several members of my work family. That was a wonderful surprise. We spent our first Christmas away from family as full-time RVers. We surrounded ourselves with traditions and had a quiet but joyful holiday.

This isn’t everything. I’ve missed telling you about a whole bunch of things. I do feel like I’m not so far behind that I’m too ashamed to begin again. Hopefully we’ll write more in 2017. -Porter