Ditching Suburbia

Brakes. How important are brakes? Really important!

Our brake line was (unbeknownst to us) corroding under a rusty bracket and got a pin sized hole in it yesterday when we were driving to refill propane tanks. You know you have a problem when you put your foot on your brake and it goes right to the floor and the truck doesn't really stop. Luckily we weren't going fast at all and the brakes worked just enough at such slow speeds that we didn't crash.

So now we are waiting for an "out of stock" part to get shipped closer befire we can fix it and get moving again. This sets our plan for this week back a few days, but we are glad this didn't happen when we were towing - can you imagine? When towing, we weight in the ball park of 26,000 pounds. The new pinhole was obscured by the bracket and even if we had been looking for it before hand we might not have noticed it. Danger has been averted by our blessing of discovering this under a safe condition.

This whole thing brings a metaphor to mind about our need for breaks (like our truck needs brakes). A slightly different spelling, but similar in importance. Too often in life we focus on the go go go. Even during 2020, some are go go go in movement, nearly all of us are go go go in our minds.

The drive for success, for financial health, and the societal infused "guilt" if you aren't being busy can fill a mind up. Add to that all the social media garbage, so many people being mean to each other in a newly magnified 2020 way, and then throw in a dash of your own personal stresses and you have a recipe for a crashing truck in your mind.

Are you towing around 26,000 pounds of stress in your head? In your back? In your shoulders? In your feet?

Fix the brakes in you "mind truck" by taking a break. Have someone rub your feet or your shoulders. Go on a walk. Get outside. Smell some dirt. Reconnect with your loved ones.

Don't let a corrosive on-line environment put a pinhole in the brake line of your soul. I could explore this metaphor further, but I'll leave that to you. Do you need a break? What ways do you think you could bring 26,000 pounds of stress to a stop? Introspective thoughts encouraged in comments below.

Do you have any adventures planned?

Inspirational quote for your Wednesday.

Kids are great at finding the cool, the unusual, the beautiful and the amazing. They are filled with a sense of awe. Hiking with our kids always leads to them pointing out something that I would just pass by.

Do you have any tips for keeping your sense of wonder alive?

Did you know ditchingsuburbia.com has a resources page with lots of great information?! We have updated the Blogroll of Fulltime RVing Families (link in bio) and we are working on the rest of the site.

Do you have a family blog that we should add to our list? Let us know!

Updated Blogroll of Families Who RV Fulltime!

Check out our updated list of blogs by families who live full-time in their RVs. Do you have a blog and want to be added to the list? Let us know!

Updated Blogroll of Families Who RV Fulltime. Where to find blogs of fulltime RV Families.

Is fear holding you back? How far could you go if you let go of your fear? What would your life look like if you stepped outside your self-made boundaries?
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I encourage you to take a bigger step today. Go somewhere new. Eat a strange food. Have a conversation with a stranger. Stand on top of a mountain!
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What motivates you to be fearless?
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We loved these views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The hike was definitely worth it. Swipe to see our family at the top!

We updated our list of Apps for RVers. We took some time fixing some outdated ones and adding some of our favorites. This is the blog post we wrote explaining the update (with links to the list of apps).

Updated Apps for RVers and where to find other resources. RV apps will make your camping and RV life easier.

For those out there considering homeschooling for the first time, Tabitha wrote this up to give you encouragement and pointers.

Homeschooling in 2020 - So Much Easier Than You Think! Curriculums, Schedules, Programs - It doesn't have to be complicated.

Last year we went to a cool place to see wild horses on the beach. Oliver (11) wrote this up way back in October right after we went. We've just never posted it. Here it is - it is his first writing publication ever.

Oliver's Take on Assateague Island National Seashore Where to see wild horses roaming freely on the beach.

Do you love waterfalls? We do! North Western Alabama is full of great waterfalls! You can get into nature, get some exercise, take some amazing photos, and maybe have a swim.

Hiking in the William B. Bankhead National Forest If you love waterfalls, you will love the Land Of A Thousand Waterfalls!