Sal’s Amazing Post-Retirement Road Trip

Oct. 29, 2024 — Sal Hyer is a former municipal employee who retired in early 2024. One of the dreams he and his wife Lisa had was to go on a long adventure across the country. He wanted to take his pickup truck, but Lisa did not want to stay in hotels. Compromise being the soul of marriage, they bought a camper. They started in July and plan on finishing the trip early November in Ft Myers, then live in Vermont for the winter.  Theirs is definitely the adventure of a lifetime, we can barely contain our jealousy.

 I wanted to drive my pickup truck but my wife did not want hotels so we have an RV.  I am having more fun than I thought driving the big reg.  I already have 7,000 miles training and using it. The Rv is a Newmar Dutch Star class A diesel pusher, and we towed a Jeep Wrangler, which was key. It was purchased Feb 2023.  It was my wife’s idea to get it a year + early and it was a good one. 

Sal Hyer

Their trip proved to be a series of looping circles – up to Canada, down to Florida, west to Wyoming, then east to Colorado, south to New Orleans, south and east back to Fort Myers. Day 1 of their adventure, July 24 found them at Black Bear Campground in Salisbury, MA. It was a good spot to begin, as it was near the beach in New Hampshire. From there they headed north, and continued on in ever expanding circles. Up through Maine, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. With many stops in between. The stop in Ottawa was longer than planned because of a mechanical problem. The tow truck dropped the rig, causing a delay. In the end the repairs had to be made in the USA, so they changed directions and went on to Fort Myers to complete the repairs.

On the way to Florida

Once back on the road they started the southern route, all the way to Okeechobe, FL, with stops along the way in Maryland, Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia. They always put in for the night at campgrounds and RV resorts, which they enjoyed as a base for area explorations.

From they headed across Alligator Alley to Fort Myers, a familiar haunt for the couple. Arriving on Day 37 of the trip, they once again had some bad luck; a serious breakdown of their rig. It was a useful downtime though, as they spent 3 weeks in the area, exploring Captiva and Sanibel, playing golf, and relaxing.

Heading north on Day 65, they stayed in Leesburg, FL before cruising through Georgia on the way to “Bachelorette Town USA’, Nashville, TN. A highlight there was hearing The Gatlin Brothers and Sara Evans at the Grand Ole Opry. They even got to hang with Sara for talk and more songs. Next up was a day of fishing in Benton, AL, followed up with several days exploring St. Louis and its famous arches.

Headed out west

Westward Ho, there were many amazing highlights along the way. Those included visits to the Badlands National Park and Custer State Park in South Dakota, plus the unmissable stop of Mount Rushmore. Onward from there were Wyoming’s Devils Tower and Yellowstone, and then Teton National Park and Jackson Hole.

First day in Wyoming. What a great place. I can’t explain the beauty and views. Cool stuff.

Sal

Headed south again, they enjoyed visits to the Moab, Utah, plus Park City. Both avid skiers, they checked out the slopes for a summertime view. Then on to Colorado and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Traveling east, Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas was a delight. New Orleans was the next stop, where they had an early bike ride and food tour.

Coming back east

The end of October found the traveling couple’s Day 110 on the Florida panhandle in Navarre. They explored some wonderful beaches, watched sunsets and sunrises, and met some nice people. Soon they will be completing their journey in Fort Myers, FL, although it is still a long drive.

Highlights:  The friendly people at the RV parks 
The views out the front window as we traveled 
The easy of the road systems in the USA
The importance of visiting family

Sal

Bottom line

Sal and his wife had a dream, and they are living it out. They are a great example of how retirement can be a great adventure, if you plan and step up to fulfill that vision. Hats off!

Comments: How about you, do you have a big dream adventure that you want to live out once you retire? Please share your thoughts in the Comments section below.