Monday, February 13, 2012

Update from fulltime RVer Joyce Caudell

Solo RVer Joyce Caudell and her new bike.
Background: Solo RVer Joyce Caudell recently sent in an update of her snowbird activities.

Joyce, a fulltime RVer since 2007, is currently spending the winter in Arizona before heading back to the Pacific Northwest in the spring where she will once again volunteer during the summer for the Nez Perce National Historic Park Service at the Wallowa Lake State Park in Oregon.

Prior to wintering in the Tucson area, Joyce volunteered during October and November 2011 at the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Visitor's Center in southwest Arizona.  

A retired registered nurse, Joyce lives in a 2007 26-foot Itasca Sunova, with two slides. Her tow car is a 2006 Saturn.  -- WomenRVers.com editor Julianne Crane

Joyce Caudell's Update 

"Being an average, intelligent and competent 67-year-old, I find it quite humbling taking clogging lessons. Seems my feet and my brain are sometimes disconnected. But once I let go of being average, intelligent, competent and 67 years old, I'm having a whole lot of fun clogging and making new friends."

Picacho Peak (Joyce Caudell)
"Another humbling, but 'brag-able' recent activity was bagging the summit of Picacho Peak with my friend, Laura. It's only 2 miles up and most people allow 4 hours. Took us 6-1/2 hours."

"Every move for days afterward reminded us why no one in our age group, that we know of, was willing to try this peak."

"I thought I'd join the Senior Center and do some "old folks" exercise classes for the social benefits -- another humbling experience. You wouldn't think standing and sitting repeatedly to music with a big ball in your outstretched arms would be hard. But it was -- not is, because I'm developing upper body strength and it's a piece of cake now. ;-)  Which is a good thing because I pulled a shoulder muscle using the cables climbing Picacho Peak."

"I got a new bike. Another humbling experience. I've had my old one for 17 years but I had to give it up because arthritis in my upper body made my neck, shoulders, elbows and back complain loudly after just a few miles of leaning forward like Lance and the guys. Now I sit more upright, kinda like Mary Poppins...sigh. But it's fun riding in the sunshine the many miles of paved, level bike paths along the rivers and neighborhoods nearby."

"I'm enjoying the sunshine this winter here near Tucson, AZ. I'm not sure when I'll leave." -- Joyce Caudell

For more information:  
Picacho Peak State Park, northwest of Tucson, Arizona
http://azstateparks.com/Parks/PIPE/index.html 

Photos provided by Joyce Caudell. Click on photos to enlarge. Read more about Joyce Caudell's volunteer work by clicking here.

For more of Julianne Crane's writing, click on RVWheelLife.com

If you have a story to share with other Women RVers, please send it to Julianne at  RVWheelLife@gmail.com

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