When we booked our site for the winter in Cedar Key, we never imagined the community that would transpire here.
Especially as most of our gang from last year were meeting up in the deserts of southern California to bring in the new year together.
At last count, we have 25+ different full time RV-households that have told us they are passing through over the winter to meet up.
Some staying a month or longer, some for just a few days. And that doesn’t count the amazing people we all meet who come to this little island all on their own.
We didn’t really plan a ‘rally’ here, it just happened as word got out that we were heading back to this magical place. So we’ve taken to calling it a convergence.
Many of us have never met before, but we’ve all been quick to form an amazing community.
And this is what I love most about our mobile lifestyle. How quickly you can connect with each other.
When you only have a few days or weeks to be around each other, you focus on finding your commonalities and getting past the surface stuff.
The bonds made on the road are simply amazing and long lasting.
We’ve been positively glowing in community this chilly winter to be amongst so many like minded peers. We’re all glowing from the abundance we’ve found here with each other.
We learn from each, we help each other, we support each other, we share resources, we party together, we jam, we dance, we enjoy sunsets, we bond.
We have activity companions for manatee adventures, kayaking, biking, walking, drinking, yoga, late night campfires or whatever.
These nomadic convergences are temporary neighborhoods like I’ve never experienced before in my previous stationary life.
And honestly this introverted nomad has been struggling to balance some much needed recharge time to keep up with an abundant social life.
I leave you with some classic Cedar Key sunset photos.
This lifestyle is truly one of abundance.
Hubby and I are camped a few miles down the road at Cedar Key RV Park and would love to stop by for a meet-up if you are not already on overload from all the socializing! We are friends of Nina and Paul and found you through their website.
Hi LuAnn.. we’d love to meet up with you guys. I just sent you a direct e-mail as well.
What glorious photos these are! Thanks for sharing them.
Your post about community brings up for me a question I ask myself often, in advance of our going FT: How can you LEAVE a convergence like this?
Although I’ve not experienced it as an RVer, I know exactly of what you speak. I’ve had this at school (the “choir kids”), and in groups of women at a music festival. It is very hard to know this is only a temporary community.
Do you try not to cry as you drive away, consoling yourself that you’ll likely see many of them again, next winter?
Indeed we do sometimes cry when epic convergences end.
But I love looking ahead to future rendezvous – perhaps in completely new places to explore.
For example – we’ve met up with Ben & Karen (www.creativecruiser.com) in 13 states now, and we look forward to adding many more to that list.
But yes, the goodbyes (aka “until next time”) are often some of the hardest parts.
Like Chris said, it is hard to leave convergences like this – and to say ‘until next time’ as each new friend parts ways.
But we are all nomads, and we itch for new places too. It’s tough to learn to say ‘until next time’, but it gets easier once you realize all the amazing places you’ll be able to share with the friends you make in the future.
See you are rockstars! I think the tourism board for that area should be paying you a stipend for the economic activity you are creating. Looks like fun! We are heading to Quartzsite to see what that is all about.
Wouldn’t that be fun if such things were even possible. We’re just happy to share.
The quick bonding is the first thing I noticed about RV communities…and love it…it seems to cut through all the BS… I remember my first year when I met this couple…we hung out together for about a week…we talked on the phone every weekend for over a year when we first saw each other again and that meeting was like we were never apart…and 11 years later, we are still close and talk once a week!
That is just one example of many like incidents….
But alone time is one key for making it work.
Those friendships to treasure for a lifetime, indeed! We deeply value our connections with fellow RVers we’ve met, there’s just something different about them.
You need a sign you can hang out that says something like, “Taking some me time. See you later.” Then use it! I once retreated without telling people what I was doing and caused lots of hurt feelings so I encourage you to be upfront about this need.
Someone in our group actually gifted us a ‘Quiet Please’ sign.. and it’s come in quite handy. Everyone here is very understanding of the varying needs for social and alone time, it’s really a fabulous group of folks. It’s more balancing our own desires – so many awesome people here, so little time!
I’m still quizzin’ on the “big announcement”.
I figure it has to do with organizing nomads and vagabonds. Maybe Insurance, communication technology or residency setup, like I said, I’m quizzin’ on it.
You two are testimony that blogging is a social asset for us all.
Enjoy your stay at manatee heaven!
Aloha from Maui.
*grin* Blogging has definitely been a huge social asset for us, and is the primary reason we keep putting efforts towards it.
Wow!
You guys are are having way too much fun.lol
I hope to meet you folks on the road some day, just bought my new-to-me MH. it is in the shop getting checked out and having the engine and generator serviced. I figured I would have it done before getting out on the road looking to do some workamping, hopefully sooner than later.
Thanks for your great blog.
Roger
Congrats on your acquisition.. cheers to many adventures ahead! See you out here somewhere.
Manatee photo – Amazing!!!!!!
It was a beautiful experience too. Such gentle creatures.
Awesome, I am so glad you have such an abundant life! You are blessed. Love your fire picture and the manatee pic.
We are truly blessed indeed.
I too am an introvert and completely understand your need for recharge time. Hans and I are currently in our former home town of San Diego and it is non stop socializing for two whole months and almost more than I can take. Looking forward to moving on to AZ next week. Here’s to solitude every once in a while! Cheers!
Cheers to solitude, indeed! I definitely have found that being on the road has pushed me to expand my ‘holding tanks’ in terms of social energy. Have you found that to be true for you as well?
Sunset photos are making us miss Cedar Key!
And Cedar Key misses you too!
Just gorgeous. I’ve just referred one of my readers to your previous post(s) about Cedar Key. Be on the lookout for Croft and Norma.
Also, I may just pop up there sometime within the next couple of months!
Cedar Key is on the schedule! Our neighbors here in Mexico Beach were telling us about it as well.
We will be there on the 20th in space #10. Looking forward to meeting you.
Awesome! If you’d like to join our little group here and be in the know of what we’re up to, feel free to join us at http://www.facebook.com/groups/cedarkey2014
What a wonderful summary of our time here. We are glad that we put our fears aside, and decided to try working on the road. We feel blessed to be part of this amazing community! Chris and Cherie, your books and nomadic series helped so much in making a smooth transition to this lifestyle!
So glad you both are here!
Yea, we love Cedar Key. Looking forward to returning in 2015.
Be sure to make a reservation.. this place is pretty full up this year!