Living In Paradise

I gazed up at the trail rising above me and thought, "OK, this can't go on much longer....." Although the climb was steep, I was enjoying the sunny day and the beautiful views. I stopped to take pictures of the Half Moon Bay airport and the distant mountains against the cobalt blue sky.

So here I was climbing up, up, up...but where was the top? I crested a final hill and walked a half mile to the cliffs overlooking the ocean…oh my! I really was in paradise! I had taken my car to be smogged at a small repair shop near the Half Moon Bay airport.

Because two people were there before me, I had a wait of at least an hour. I noticed a trail leading up one of the hills behind the building and thought, “Time for a hike!” I was glad I had my camera with me - when it’s sunny, Half Moon Bay is spectacular. There were wild masses of fiery red and white wildflowers along the trail, and every so often an invisible animal would rustle the bushes as it scurried away. I was at Pillar Point with the large sci-fi-looking satellite dish thingy on the mountain. I’ve always wondered about it, and this was my opportunity to really check it out. There were no reptilian aliens waiting for me on the other side (bummer!), but there was something even better: a cliff with a fantastic view of the ocean….deep blue, with a shallow shelf of rock under the water that extended for at least a mile. It reminded me of what I’d seen in Hawaii many moons before. ### When I was laid off from my job at the end of April 2009, I knew I wanted to change my life in some way. I wasn’t happy rattling around alone in my rented 3-bedroom house; my kids had moved to Washington state and I was bored and sometimes lonely. I had a nice severance and thought for several months about what I wanted to do with my life. Because I wasn’t working, I really had the freedom to go wherever I wanted...how about an RV? I’d always considered living in one. So I’d buy an RV and live in it…the idea was tantalizing, but I had to be smart about it. The timing was perfect because I wasn't working. For weeks I researched RV living on the internet, staying up late at night to read web sites and asking questions on forums. I created a detailed spreadsheet of my living expenses for continuing to live at my rented house, vs. an RV. The result was so startling, I verified the figures with my friends - I’d save close to $1,000 per month in an RV! It was time to get moving, because the longer I stayed in my house, the more money I would spend. My first step was to research all the RV parks in the San Francisco Bay area on the internet and list their contact information, rent amounts, and negative or positive comments from reviews. I had no preference in regards to location, I was totally open. I considered locales as far as Napa and Marin. Then I chose the three that received the best reviews, and I was left with parks in Half Moon Bay, El Granada, and Pacifica. Time to get in my car and take a good look at them. After visiting all three, the park in Half Moon Bay won hands down. What did I like about it? I was impressed as I looked around; it was clean, quiet, and the people I talked to said they enjoyed living there. The manager was friendly and we had a good rapport. But what really blew me away was the surrounding area. The park was situated right next to the Ritz Carlton, a luxury hotel at the ocean. I walked along the scenic trails at the golf course adjoining the park and wondered, "Will I ever become tired of this view?" I knew this was the place for me. I checked out the town and enjoyed walking around Main Street with its antique shops and coffee houses. There was a farmer’s market on Saturday mornings, and numerous roadside stands sold fresh fruits and vegetables (which are my passion). A new organic market a la Whole Foods was open in town.

Everything about it was perfect! I had my answer about what to do with the next ten years of my life, and in June I happily started my new life in the RV park – but that’s another story…. ### I’m working now and I can't wait to get home every day. While driving down the freeway, I look forward to reaching the Crystal Springs Reservoir – it’s the end of the city and the beginning of the mountains that lead to the beach. On a sunny day, the surface of the water looks like it’s dancing with diamonds. My VW Beetle drives over the bridge and I relax with a sigh...I’m almost home.