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 The
other day when I went into Toronto, everyone was in a big
hurry. As I stood on the street and watched, everyone was
rushing here and there. Cars honking their horns, people
crossing the street in the middle of the block, everyone
in a big rush. I couldn't wait to get home.
As an RVer, I have seen this in many places,
Montreal, New York, Chicago, and many more big cities. No
one is taking the time to slow down and enjoy life. We seem
to forget we are only here on this earth for a short time.
In 1977, I was married to a wonderful woman
and we had a beautiful baby girl. On February 7, 1977, my
wife and daughter were killed in a car accident. My world
came crashing down around me. My wife was 24 and my baby
girl was only 8 months old. It took a long time to get over,
but I rebuilt my life and I married another wonderful woman
named Karen and we have two great kids, Rob and Heather.
 I
learned a big lesson from all this, we are only here for
a short time and it is up to us to enjoy as much as we can.
I didn't have a choice as to where I was going to be born
and live, but I was lucky. I was born in Canada, a great
and free country. To the south of Canada is another great
and free country called the United States and both of these
countries make up North America.
Now, if you live in North America and you
own an RV, you are the luckiest person in the world. You
could not ask for a better continent to travel in. North
America has so much to offer. From Newfoundland to California,
from Alaska to Florida there is so much to see and do.
When I talk to RVers and they tell me they
are going out west, I ask them if they plan to see the prairies.
I am told; what is there to see in the prairies. The sad
part about this is that many people think this way. The
prairies is so rich in people and beauty. You only have
to slow down and take the time to look. We just don't know
how to slow down and relax and enjoy the beauty around us.
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I was leading a caravan from Deadwood South
Dakota to Denver Colorado to meet up with out Great Southwest
Caravan. We stopped in this small town for lunch. We usually
have about an hour and a half for lunch, so after lunch
I went for a walk. In front of the barber shop sat a old
man, who must have been 90. He asked me where we were headed.
I said "Cheyenne, Wyoming for the night." He shook
his head and said "Wicked City." I asked him what
he meant and he said, "I was there when I was 18, and
the town was wild." I sat down with this man and learned
that he came to this town when he was a small boy. His father
and mother lived with his grandfather who had come to America
ahead of them. This man was a history book on the area and
I could have listened to him all day. Only in a small town
or village do you find a gem like this. If you blinked on
the highway, you would miss this little village.
 Another
gripe I hear is "When the Canadian dollar gets higher
I might go back to the States." The Canadian dollar
has been low for years now and if this is the reason for
not going, it is your loss.
I do not look at Canada and the United
States as two different countries, I look at them as being
North America, a land of endless journeys, and I have only
so long to see as much as I can. I like the small towns,
their way of life, no hustle or bustle, just slow and easy.
You can plan a great trip in the Province
you live in. Here, in Ontario, we have so much. Flat lands
to canyons, slow running rivers to sandy beaches. Just by
looking, you will be amazed at what would make a great RV
Trip. You don't have to spend a lot of money to have a good
time. Even when you travel in the United States, you can
have a great trip on a small budget. (Page
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In 2003, we are going back to Newfoundland.
When we first went there, I didn't know what to expect.
Once again the warmth of the people, and the slow pace and
the beauty of the island. I fell in love with Newfoundland.
Oh, the pace does pick up the closer you get to St John's
but that is Newfoundland. A land of beauty and warmth.
The southwest part of the United States
is another part of North America that I love to visit. Now
you might ask, what can you see in a desert? When you take
the time to look you will see a land that is awesome, full
of wildlife, plants and people who live a laidback lifestyle.
 My
son, Rob, daughter, Heather, my wife, Karen and myself have
learned so much from travelling the open road. Whether we
are in Ontario, Arizona, Alberta or anywhere in North America,
there is so much to see, learn, and do.
Remember, you are here for only so long,
so slow down and enjoy life and be happy you live in North
America. Give your wife or husband a hug, kiss your kids
and travel North America in your RV. Every road is an adventure.
I learned a hard lesson 25 years ago. Life
can be short. I believe when we leave this world, hopefully,
we will be able to take our memories with us. Let's get
out there and create fantastic memories.
See you down the road.
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