Now, where did I leave off?

My gosh, has it been over a year already? Where has the time gone?

There have been a couple of other times that I have gone AWOL on my blog for an extended period of time and it usually coincided with big life events. The first time was when we originally sold our big ass house on Pine Lake as Step One of preparing to become Nomads. The second time was right after we hit the road. I had blogged for years prior and by the time we actually began traveling, I needed a break! And now, for the third time, there was so much going on in our lives that I once again lost my mojo and could not focus on the blog. And, tbh, we weren’t traveling and this is, first and foremost, a travel blog. 

As you know from the last blog posted we were on our way to Texas in Ruby Red and then on to France where we would walk another 500-mile Camino, this time across the south of France on the via Podiensis. We did that, but I did not write about it because I have written about walking four other Caminos and I really had nothing new to say. Plus, it takes a heck of a lot of time and energy to write about the trip and frankly, when you really have nothing more to say, writing is almost impossible. 

HOWEVER, for the first time in our hiking journeys, Steven documented our trip with videos! And talk about time and effort, he really put his heart and soul into this series. For those who might be interested in watching our experience up close and personal, the videos are available on YouTube for your viewing pleasure. You can see the full playlist here.

Here is our little group of pilgrims on Day One after we attended the Pilgrim’s Mass at the cathedral. We walked out of that arch you see behind us, which is the official start of the via Podiensis from Le Puy. L to R: Steven, Linda, Nina, Cindy and Monica.


But wait, there’s more! Remember we went to South Korea to ride bicycles across the country? There is a video for that trip, too! And then we visited Japan! See that video here.

You know, I don’t think bike shorts and helmet are my best look, but they were great for safety and my butt considering the distances we were traveling each day across South Korea. And look at that skinny seat that I am using to hold up my bike. That’s what I sat on all day(!!). Steven got a cushioned seat for his butt.
Following our bike ride across South Korea, we met up with friends Cindy and Chris for a couple of days in Busan, and then a quick flight to Japan where we toured around for a couple of weeks. Cindy also walked the first 12 days on the via Podiensis with us a few months after this trip. This photo was taken in the Dotonbori neighborhood in Osaka. We also met up with our daughter, Zoe and her partner Dan during our stay in Osaka!


So, our travels are documented, just in a different format. And Steven is a pretty good storyteller and I was happy to let him take the reins. I most definitely needed a break and once I get comfortable with not writing everything down, it is hard for me to return to it. Plus, we’ve had some major life changes, so there’s that.

After we finished our walk we met up with Bill and Kelly and their friend Linda in St. Jean-Pied-de-Port. The three of them had just finished their own Camino in Portugal. Linda’s partner Rick joined them and the six of us traveled on to Paris for a few days.

Four pilgrims fresh off our Caminos. We got to use our credentials to skip the entrance lines and gain immediate access to Notre Dame and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. The pain of long-distance walking has its privileges.
At the Sacré-Cœur Basilica with Rick, Linda (the other one), Kelly and Bill.

After Paris we returned to the ranch to liberate Ruby Red and made our way back to Mount Vernon, WA to spend another summer close to the WA-based kiddos. It was on our trip back to the Pacific Northwest in June that we learned Steven’s father had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Over the summer months Steven made a couple of trips back to Ireland to be with his family. During this time we made no plans for travel and were quite content sitting still and being available to those we love. We even began to discuss settling down some time in the next year or two. After his July trip to Ireland, we decided to find a realtor and have that contact in our back pocket should we come across a place we might be interested in. Which is funny, because we didn’t even know specifically where we wanted to live! What we did know is that it had to be 100% Washington state, but exactly where? We weren’t sure. 

We visited a couple of Open Houses in Bellingham and near Mount Vernon just for fun and searched for properties online in Seattle and near our old hometown of Sammamish, just to get the lay of the real estate land. Prices in these areas have always induced sticker shock, but now you’d be lucky to get a decent fixer upper for a million bucks, give or take. So we started looking south in Ridgefield and Vancouver. With long-time friends just across the river in Portland we found the area appealing and a bit more affordable. So we found a realtor there and said “in a year or two”, but let’s just go look for fun and meet our new realtor face to face. Y’all, that’s like going to the animal rescue to just “look” at the kitties. You know you comin’ home with one.

On August 6th we visited a few homes for sale in Vancouver, WA, just across the Columbia River from Portland. The next day we made an offer on the first one we had seen, which was accepted. Our closing date was August 26th. During that time Steven returned to Ireland and while he was away, I packed up our stuff and readied Ruby Red for consignment. We loaded up a little U-Haul and moved into our new home on August 29th. It was a crazy whirlwind. We moved in with very little and no furniture at all. In fact, we asked the seller if they had any furniture they would like to get rid of, maybe we could buy it? They did! We got a big sofa and a bedroom set and a couple of other things to get us started.

This is the day we said goodbye to Ruby Red. She was a good home to us, but we were ready to move on.
Our lovely new home in Vancouver, Washington. She is a three bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom home with a dedicated office for Steven and a glorious kitchen, office and walk-in pantry for me. At just under 3,000 sq. feet, she is quite a bit bigger than Ruby Red!


We had planned to start from scratch but then another big thing in our lives happened that changed everything. My parents decided to sell the ranch in Texas and already had a buyer. That meant we had to get all our stuff from there if we wanted it. We had quite a bit of furniture and things that my parents had U-Haul’d in 2014 from our home in Washington to the ranch in Texas. We were clearing out to go fulltime and they had just bought the ranch and needed furniture. We had never really thought about a time when we might bring it all back to Washington, as far as we were concerned it would always be at the ranch. But time marches on, and there it was for the taking. All we had to do was get it from there to here. We figured why not, it would be less expensive to go get what we already owned than to buy new. So we booked our flights and rented a U-Haul. That trip did not work out as planned, as Steven’s father passed away a few days after we arrived at the ranch. Steven went to Ireland and I enlisted the help of our son Zac, who flew to Texas and made the trip in the U-Haul truck with me and all our stuff back to Vancouver. Though certainly not ideal circumstances at the time, an unexpected road trip with my boy driving cross-country in a U-Haul was totally our jam. It’s what we love to do. I did all the driving and he was perfectly happy just taking in the countryside. 

Zac and me taking a break while driving the last leg of our cross-country trip in a U-Haul.


The same day we moved into our new home, we turned Ruby Red over for consignment and she finally sold earlier this year. For the first time in 20 years, 11 of them full time, we have no home on wheels. Alfred Hitchpop, our beloved pop-up which we got in 2006 was towed all across the Northwest and we made great memories traveling with our kids. We got Scoopy in 2013 from Laurie and Odel, who were our mentors and great friends. Bijou, the greatest little motorhome that could, was our home for over five years during our time in Europe. She got us through a pandemic and wow, did she take us to some great places! And then there was Ruby Red who we got in December 2023. We didn’t have her for long, but we sure did enjoy her and she was a great home for us while we mostly stayed put and pondered our future.

Steven has settled right in to a routine and he’s super happy living in a house but he also would have been fine if we had just kept on rolling. He is so adaptable. I have found the stability of a permanent home to have its advantages – friends, doctors, neighborhood, kids, lovely kitchen – and much more, but I miss traveling. It has been hard to stop the wheels. But when I drill down, I ask myself, if you had wheels, where would you go? And you know what, I can’t think of any place I’d want to go. We covered a lot of ground in our years on the road and it is enough. Except, there is this one place…Hawaii. During all our travels, we made it to 49 states, but we never visited Hawaii. Neither of us has ever been, but we are going! 

In September we will travel by train from Vancouver, WA to Vancouver, BC and board the Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas for a 12-day float to Hawaii. We do not consider ourselves to be cruise people, but somehow this seemed like a good way to celebrate our 50th state. We then have four days in Oahu before flying to Maui where we have rented a Jeep camper for another four days. Then we’re off to Kona where our daughter Tara lives with her partner Dave. We are so excited to see the place they call home. We’ll also visit the Volcano National Park before flying back to Portland. All told, we’ve planned a 28-day Hawaii extravaganza and we are both really looking forward to it!

As for this blog, I don’t know. I’m not ready to say goodbye, and I think I will need something to do on a long cruise with so much time at sea, so I might as well bring you all along on the trip, right? Let’s plan on that and then we’ll go from there. See you in September!

In the meantime, here are some highlights of our most recent adventures…


SOUTH KOREA

This was our first foray into Korean food at the Gwangjang Market, the oldest traditional market in South Korea.
This is us at the finish line of the Seoul to Busan Cross Country bike route. We had covered all 633 kilometers and so many more as we explored the towns and countryside. It was a phenomenal adventure. Be sure and watch the video for more!


JAPAN

Our first top in Japan was Hiroshima, where we took a bike tour of the city.
Street scene in Japan.
Angry Chef statue in Osaka.
Me and Cindy at the Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto.
On our last night in Tokyo, Steven and I stayed at a capsule hotel. We were on different floors as men and women were separated, but it was in a fabulous location! We figured we had to give it a try and we really enjoyed our stay.


OUR NEW HOME

This is my new kitchen, and just beyond is my little office space with a desk. Beyond that is my big walk-in pantry, which if I am honest, is the reason we bought this house. It is my favorite room.
The Pantry. Otherwise known as my favorite room.
Living room. We bought that big sofa from the seller and they left us that round table to go with it. Everything else came from the ranch.


VIA PODIENSIS, FRANCE

Pilgrims leaving the cathedral to take the first steps on the via Podiensis. Steven and I arrived in St. Jean Pied du Port after 40 days of (mostly) walking.
We took on the challenge of the Podiensis early in the year, we started April 1st. That meant more rain and lots and lots of mud.
This was a typical scene at stops along the way where pilgrims had to leave their belongings at the entrance rather than drag mud through the rooms.
On our way down the big hill to Conques where we said goodbye to Cindy and Monica. Our merry band of three, Nina, Steven and me, carried on. Nina would eventually return home to care for her sick pup Polly, nine days before we reached the finish line.
Our first 12 days were glorious sunshine, but then things took a turn for the worse. It didn’t rain all day, mostly it rained overnight, which was enough to keep the trail full of mud.
We took our lunch breaks anywhere we could find room.
The Podiensis is a difficult walk with plenty of elevation and descents. Here we are having arrived at the top of a massive climb on the Aubrac plateau. It was all downhill from there, which was plenty hard, too!
Another town, another castle along the way. It was rare to find things open at this time of year, the Podiensis was by far the most sparse walk in terms of services in between stops.
The Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy in Conques, France.Steven, Nina and I spent the night at the abbey while Cindy and Monica luxuriated in a lovely Airbnb.
Pont Valentré in Cahors, France. Built between 1308 and 1378, this fortified 14th-century structure features six arched spans and three towers. The bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a highlight for pilgrims crossing the river .
Finding an actual picnic table was such a treat, and we had a delicious lunch before walking up more hills.
We had a couple of days walking along the canals, which was lovely and a nice break from the strenuous hills and mud, but the concrete was hard on our feet and after a while it got a bit repetitive. There is no pleasing us!
Another picnic table at the edge of some random village!!
The Chemin de Halage towpath cut directly into limestone cliffs along the Lot River between Cabrerets and Saint-Cirq-Lapopie. A real highlight on this day, simply gorgeous! 
The towpath was carved out of the tall limestone cliffs in the 1840s to allow horses to pull barges down the Lot River.
We eventually reached the Basque county in our final days on the trail.
We spent the last week walking with Christine, a lovely French woman who practiced her English with us. She did great and we laughed a lot. She was good company for me!
We met Garry and Agnes on our very first day out of Le Puy and basically hopscotched with them across France.
Else was another women we met in the early days of walking. We lost her somewhere along the way and didn’t see her for a couple of weeks, but here she was in the final days.
We made it. In the rain. Forty days and forty nights. Sounds very biblical, doesn’t it?
Garry, Agnes and us, after we reached our final stop, St. Jean-Pied-de-Port. Christine had already returned to her home in northern France.
I never get tired of these photos of St. Jean-Pied-de-Port. It is such a gorgeous little town.


FRIENDS

On our way to the ranch last year before we went to France, we stopped off to visit Laurie and Odel. As I mentioned, they were our RVing and fulltiming mentors. They had traveled fulltime in Scoopy for nine years before turning her over to us as we began our journey. Without them, sharing their knowledge about Scoopy and cheering us on, our full timing years might have looked very different. I was very saddened to learn that earlier this year Laurie passed away from an aggressive form of Parkinson’s disease. Steven and I are so glad that we had the opportunity to visit with her on our last trip through California.

Next Up: Hawaii!

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29 Comments

  1. joyce denmsore-thomas
    Reply

    I had just been thinking about you! Wondering where you were…what you were doing. I always look forward to your posts – both visually and you are a wonderful storyteller with a great sense of humor. The BIG bonus is Steven’s photo/video work. (I think I live vicariously through you!) Guess I’ll just have to be patient to “see” you again in September! In the meantime – happy travels and home stays!

    1. 2chouters
      Reply

      Thanks so much. It took me a while to get into the headspace of writing again about our travels, but I am so happy to finally get it done and have everything on record. 🙂

  3. Rita from Phoenix
    Reply

    I missed you guys so much!!! My heart raced with excitement when I saw your blog appear….omg I stopped everything and read!! Wow we missed so much but will tune in on utube to catch up. So happy to hear from you. I’m so sorry to hear about Steven’s father. We all had met his parents, brother and sister plus other family members. It’s so sad to hear news about Steven’s dad passing. My condolences to the family. Life goes on. I can’t wait to travel to Hawaii with you. I’ve only been to Maui and had a glimpse of Oahu as we changed planes there. My granddaughter is moving to the big island in July and I’m planning a visit there after they settle down. Take care.

    1. 2chouters
      Reply

      Hi Rita, so good to hear from you! And thanks for your kind words about Steven’s Dad. It was a very sad situation but we are thankful Steven was able to get back home to spend time with him. Hang on for Hawaii, we have a few days at sea and I figured, what the heck am I going to do?? We got the Internet package, may as well use it. 🙂

    1. 2chouters
      Reply

      Ah, Nickie, shifting gears – isn’t that the truth. When it’s time, it’s time. And I love my pantry so much I go look at it every day. I didn’t even have to rearrange stuff, nailed it on the first try!

  6. Saralisa (Lisa) Prange
    Reply

    It was so good to hear from you. What a busy year you had in 2025. I’m so sorry to hear about the passing of Steven’s father. Your new house is beautiful. The photos from last year’s journeys are beautiful. You are a talented writer and Steven is an amazing photographer.
    I look forward to your upcoming trip to Hawaii in September.

    Happy early anniversary!

    Take care.

    1. 2chouters
      Reply

      Thanks, Lisa, very kind of you to say. It has been a really busy time for us. Time passes by and sometimes we hardly notice, and then everything seems to happen all at once. We are ready for a leisurely summer and then be well-rested for our big Hawaii extravaganza! Hope you are doing well.

  7. Kelly
    Reply

    I’ve missed your writings, even though I know all the happenings already. You guys sure kept busy! Bill and I miss sharing epic RV trips with you guys – and time at the ranch – we will just have to travel differently now. Looking forward to seeing what the future holds!

  8. Barbara
    Reply

    Just simply AMAZING !!! Your new home is beautiful… that kitchen !!! Hawaii sounds fabulous … after all these blogs you really could have written a fantastic book !!
    Enjoy your trip , sounds a little more relaxing 🌴

    1. 2chouters
      Reply

      That kitchen and pantry, right? The pantry wasn’t even in the listing and we were so surprised to find it! I was immediately sold. 🙂 We are looking forward to Hawaii, even if we are a little nervous about the cruise. That is a looooong time at sea. But oh well, what else are we gonna do?

    1. 2chouters
      Reply

      Oh, Vern, it is so good to hear from you! I’m glad to be caught up with the blog now maybe it will be a little easier to write some stuff and I won’t be gone as long. Fingers crossed. I hope you are doing well!

  10. Ingrid
    Reply

    I’ve missed catching up with you guys!! Lots of news and loving the new house, looks fab and may you have lots of new memories in that house. The kitchen looks amazing but I do have to ask why you have 20 million blenders in the pantry!! On another note, I’m so sorry to hear about Stevens Dad, may he RIP and we hope Steven and the family are all ok. It was great that Steven got home a few times to see him before his passing.

    1. 2chouters
      Reply

      Haha, good catch on the array of food processors. I certainly don’t need that many, but they all came to me at different times (and varying locations) in my life and this is just the collection I ended up with. We have already donated another one to a charity shop, so this is my pared down version! Anyway, I saw your fab photos the other day on Instagram, Mark has really come a long way in his photography. Just beautiful!

  11. Dave and Jeanne
    Reply

    You indeed had some inspirational adventures and got lots of folks out the door and on the trails 😎👏👏
    We look forward to your next chapters. Have fun and buen camino.

  12. Garry Walshe
    Reply

    Oh the memories. Twelve months has gone so quickly. We enjoyed hopscotching across France with you guys.
    Silly us are now planning a full Camino Frances next year.

    1. 2chouters
      Reply

      Seems like just yesterday we were trudging along in the mud! Good on ya for doing the CF, I don’t think I have another long one in me, but never say never! 🙂

  14. Jane Harris
    Reply

    I have followed and enjoyed your blog for years. So glad to read of your next adventure even if only in occasional travels. I know you will enjoy where life takes you.

    1. 2chouters
      Reply

      Thanks so much for following along all these years on our adventuring. We are enjoying sitting still for a while, I hope we don’t grow too comfortable! Thanks for your comment!

  15. Jodee Gravel
    Reply

    Another amazing year in the can! Even with personal set backs that are part of life, you enjoyed so many wonderful adventures with so many wonderful friends and family. Your Hawaii trip sounds like the perfect way to wrap up the 50 states! Your home (another BAH!) is beautiful as expected and I know you’re loving being able to bring home more goodies from the kitchen stores 🙂 Miss you both and hope we’ll find another time for our paths to cross in the future.

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