May 21 2026

Side by Side

Last week my driveway looked like a tiny RV dealership. Rig and his twin, Thor, sat side by side. Thor belongs to my friend Al. We met at a state park in New York in 2021 because we own the same model motorhome. Al and I talked by the campfire and exchanged phone numbers.

In April, on my way home from the Keys, Al and I camped side by side in Ocala and caught up by the pool. We set a date for him to park in my driveway en route to his home state, New York.

So, last week our campers sat side by side again. Other than our twin rigs, it would seem Al and I don’t really have much in common. He travels from state to state playing poker. I take trips chasing my dream of riding my bike in all fifty states and return home to write. But we both travel to meet people and visit family and friends.

On a walk in my neighborhood, I got a glimpse into Al’s world. Staying connected to his twenty-four-year-old twins who live in Chicago and Washington DC, he admits, would be difficult no matter where he lived, but the RV life allows him to see his busy, professional daughters.

Al faces challenges I had never considered—misconceptions about a man living in an RV. Some believe he must be running away from something. Others assume men should fix everything themselves, but he would rather pay someone, which creates another set of challenges.

The more I travel, the more I appreciate people. I’ve learned to look for what we have in common rather than focusing on our differences. Isn’t it funny how simple side-by-side connections can turn into friendships? Everyone I meet influences who I am becoming. Or, as Alfred Lord Tennyson said, “I am a part of all that I have met.”

*Photo by Janice