Our Yard Sale!

– 10 May –

Welcome back! When last we left you, our travels had returned us to our starting state, New York, and we had begun the wind-down of our adventure in earnest. There was a lot to do…

So how do you sell off a well-used but lovingly cared-for Ford F-250 truck and Sundance fifth wheel trailer? There were a few options open to us – private sale, sell to a dealer, or sell them on consignment through a dealer. We might get more money with a private sale but the logistics could be challenging – where do we park the (empty) RV while it is on sale? And where would we sleep? Furthermore, the days left to us in America were running out… would there even be enough time to find a buyer?

Squeezing in one more campfire…note the “For Sale” sign!

We had always had a good plan in mind for the truck. The terrific manager at Vittengl Ford, where we had originally bought Butch, had said then and there that he would be happy to help us to sell it again at the end of our journey. When we got back in touch with him, he couldn’t have made it easier for us; we could drop the truck off with him in our last week and he would take it from there. Once sold, a cheque would come our way in the mail. Easy!

In the end we elected to sell the RV on consignment through a dealer called Alpin Haus – the same place that had repaired our broken awning way back in June when we first picked up Sundance. The price wasn’t amazing, and we wouldn’t see any money until a buyer came forward, but at least we knew when and where we would finally part company with our beloved home of the past eleven months.

Not wanting to abandon all hope of a private sale, we did try a couple of other things. For the last month of our travels we stuck a bright orange “For Sale” sign on the RV, in the hopes of striking it lucky by coming across a buyer en route. A couple of people came for a look around, but we suspect that they were just being nosy! And I also stuck an advertisement up on Craigslist. All to no avail, but at least we tried.

Want to buy a printer? Only one year old!

Next we had to empty the contents of the RV… not so easy when it had to remain our home for the following weeks! We identified all of the non-essential items that we could spare, especially anything that might still have a bit of value, and posted a series of Craigslist adverts and eBay sales. There was a steady trickle of sales over the next four weeks… and each one was both a triumph and a cause for sadness. It was hard not to feel a hint of melancholy when one of our possessions was passed along to its new owner… each had been a small part of the overall adventure, in its own way.

We stayed in the Saratoga area quite a while, for us – eleven nights – so by the end we began to feel like part of the community. Perhaps this would give us the opportunity to pass along some more of our no-longer-needed items? This calls for a yard sale!

Welcome to our yard sale. Everything MUST go!

Our timing couldn’t have been better – on Sunday morning the campground owners organised a group breakfast for all of the residents, we therefore set out our yard sale first thing in the morning. Our site was nicely placed on the road leading up from the main building, so everyone had to drive past and could see our signs and little stall. It was very successful – we sold most of the items that would be useful to our fellow RVers, things like the camp chairs, rope light, groundsheet, outdoor table and chairs, and Jessie’s bike. I was especially sad to see that last item go because she’d got so much fun from it – that really felt like the beginning of the end!

The sign says it all!

We also began to catch up with family and friends back in my old home town of Scotia, and places nearby. We reunited with my cousin, Chuck, and his wife Nancy – it had been several decades since I had last seen them, so our reunion was rather special. We caught up with their daughters, Stephanie and Michelle, with whom we had spent Christmas back in California, and their son C.J. It was terrific to be with them on a warm early summer Saturday evening; eating barbecue, drinking, chatting and enjoying Chuck’s handy in-table fire-pit. Now there’s an idea…

Family reunion

The following day we caught up with them again, this time for a visit to the annual Albany Tulip Festival in Washington Park. It was the first really hot day of the year, and I think most of the city had turned out to enjoy the sunny festival! It was probably too crowded to properly enjoy all that was on offer but the flowers were nice, the stalls were interesting and the gyros were tasty!

We’ve come all this way…and we find English Morris Dancing. Unexpected.

Busy day.

From Saratoga it was also an easy drive back into Massachusetts where my Great Aunt Anne lives. We had seen her last year and she couldn’t wait to hear from the girls all about our adventures around the country. We spent two lovely days with her and with her amazingly friendly and helpful neighbours, Sandra and Joe. Anne is a wonderful and special lady and I miss her a lot when we are in the U.K. – I really wish that we could see her more often than we do. Hopefully we can now that we are more acquainted with her friends, who can help her with modern things like Facetime and email!

Ladies in the sun

Looking a tiny portion of the many photos that we have taken this year.

By the time we finally moved on, we had stayed in Saratoga long enough for the seasons to change!  Here was the view out of our living-room window when we arrived…

And the same view at the end of our stay…

And with that, we were at last setting out on the last leg of our journey… next stop, Scotia, where it all began!

– Keith