We find ourselves in an enviable position. We are wanted in two different places next summer! Here’s the scoop… Continue reading
So nice to be appreciated and wanted!
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Category Archives: Workamping
Forewarning
Today was the last day of our work week, but this weekend isn’t going to be fun and games as usual. Remember all that training Mark got to be an RV inspector? He’s been working on his final training and the next two days he has to do two premier mock inspections. We are going to be so busy I doubt I’ll have time to write, so this is a brief check in. Continue reading
Guest blog: John Glionna
Those of you who have been following my blog for a while may remember how upset I was about a year ago when a reporter from Harpers classified Workampers as senior citizens who have to work to survive and get taken advantage of by their employers. Another reporter compared Workampers to the Joad family from Grapes of Wrath or to Woody Guthrie. A rash of reporters began contacting Workamper News asking for people to interview so I offered to be one of those people. Several months ago I was contacted by John Glionna of the LA Times who, at the time, was looking for a modern migrant worker-type story and I told him if he wanted to interview me he had to tell the story like it is. He agreed to interview Mark and I and two other Workampers and do our stories justice, so this weekend he and a photographer from the LA Times, Francine Orr, are here following us around and asking us all sorts of questions about our lifestyle. I believe he’ll write a good story. I’ve asked him to do a guest blog: telling a little about himself, explaining his story idea and what he’s hoping to get out of this. I’ll let you know when his story is published so that you can find a copy of the LA Times and read it if you so desire. And now, without further ado, here’s John… Continue reading
Car show
This has been our first big weekend of the season at Wagon Trail Campground. Yesterday (Saturday) Mark and I had an inkling that the bathrooms were going to be full when we did our morning rounds, so we started half an hour earlier. The bathrooms were crowded and we were barely able to do our job, so this morning we tried going in at 7:00. They were still crowded, and Mark and I were both dragging all day from lack of sleep. We have finally decided that there’s no beating the mad rush for the showers, so from now on we’ll stick to checking at 8:00 just deal with the crowds as best we can. Continue reading
Opening day!
Considering how much we had cleaned the last two days, we were only expected to do a quick walk through at 8:00 this morning, noon, and 8:00 this evening. When we finished our noon rounds, Tim asked if we’d like to work more this afternoon. The person who cleans the yurts is either not here yet or hasn’t started, and Tim needed help so we agreed to help right after lunch. Continue reading
Second day of training
After my last post with pictures, one of my readers asked me what the purpose of hex signs are on a barn. There is some disagreement as to whether there is some meaning to them or whether they are just decorations. If anyone else is curious, here is a link to a Wikipedia article on hex signs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hex_sign. Continue reading
First day on the job
The campground opens in two days and three people are registered to spend this weekend here, so today Mark and I started helping with cleaning in preparation for the beginning of the season. Continue reading
Mecca for Workampers
Today we drove up to Heber Springs, AR in our truck. This is like going to Mecca for Workampers because that’s where the office of Workamper News is. We needed to pick up some brochures and we wanted to meet the people we’ve been talking to for so long. We also had a chance to see what all is in the Workamper store and Mark bought some RV maintenance DVDs. Continue reading
From Little Rock, AR
Last night several of us class members initiated a new fire ring Mark and I got and roasted marshmallows. We stayed up late talking, and then this morning everyone helped each other get ready to leave. Ricky and Mike helped Mark load his Harley into the truck and then we said our goodbyes to them. Lance drove by and wished us luck in our business and safety in our travels. Then I went over to Bob and Sally’s RV and knocked on the door. Bob came out and chatted with us for a while. He said he would recommend all of us to RVIC if we all wanted to contract with them. After all the goodbyes, we hit the road. Continue reading
Girls’ day out
Mark was in class all day today and I thought it was going to be a quiet day in the RV for me. I’ve been trying to get a little walking in each day, so this morning I planned to take a ten minute walk around the park every hour to keep myself moving. While I was out walking I saw that our next door neighbor was walking too. I had never spoken to her before, but her husband had greeted us yesterday when we pulled in and I had seen her working around their RV, so I knew who she was. I greeted her as I was passing by this morning and she invited me to join her. Continue reading