Solo RVer and writer Malia Lane is back on the road again

I first met fulltime RVer and writer Malia Lane about five years ago when she was traveling (and working) in the Pacific Northwest.

At that time she had been on the road solo for more than six years, supporting her lifestyle by taking temporary paralegal jobs in various locations around the country. These days she "makes gas money" through her business: Above the Bar Virtual Assistance.

"Virtual assistance enables me to work for clients online," explains Malia. "Most of my clients are attorneys and they send me work either from digital recordings that I transcribe or email attachments of documents they want revised."

"It is great that I can work from my rolling home," she says. The "only problem is that sometimes they all want things at the same time."

However, she still prefers being a virtual assistant to when she would "have to stop at a location for extended periods and go find temp jobs. I’ve found there are pros and cons to both ways, but I’m just thankful I can support my travel habit in whatever way I can."

Malia recently returned to the road after a long 'visit' in Austin
Before taking off on her current journey earlier this month, her last big trip "was seeing every mile of the Blue Ridge Parkway during the summer of 2007." (Read more about that trip in an article I wrote for the Spokesman-Review by clicking here.)

In November 2007 Malia returned to her hometown of Austin "to visit, supposedly for only a few months but wound up pretty much staying put for over three years" due to family responsibilities.

What got you back RVing?

"Once we determined my elderly mom was no longer able to care for herself, either at home or in assisted living, she moved in with my brother and sister-in-law in South Carolina," says Malia. "This was the main issue that had kept me off the road, so once that was settled, I spent the time and money it took to get my motorhome road-worthy again."

Currently Malia is in South Carolina visiting family, and is really excited about her upcoming summer in Michigan.

"I’ll spend the entire summer there exploring the state parks and will be writing an article for MotorHome magazine about it," she says. "This will be my longest trip since Alaska in 2003, so I’m pretty stoked about this adventure."

"I decided on Michigan for my re-entry voyage because the Great Lakes really do look great," she says, and because "several of my virtual assistance clients live there and, although I’ve worked for some of them for almost four years, I’ve never met them in person."

Insights since being back on the road:

"No matter how nervous I was about hitting the road again," says Malia, "there is no doubt at all this is still what I want to do. I had thought for a while maybe it was time to give up the keys and settle down in Austin again; but after about 20 miles, all those doubts were gone and I was again singing my theme song, With Arms Wide Open, as loudly as I could."

RVing is not always the easiest lifestyle, she says, however, "I wouldn’t trade it for anything else at this point. I’m happy to be able to do this while I’m still young and spry enough to do the kind of hiking and activities I love."

Malia says she gets a lot of emails from people, especially women, who say they would love to do what she does, but they’re too afraid.

"I tell them it’s not like I don’t have my own fears and insecurities. I just believe firmly it’s possible to move past them and live your life so you don’t have regrets when you’re too old to do anything else but sit in a rocking chair reliving your memories. Create lots of memories now so you won’t be so bored then."

Read more of Malia's writings at:
Malia’s Miles: http://www.maliasmiles.com.
Blog: http://www.maliasmiles.com/blog/
Inspiration’s Journey: http://www.maliasrv.com

Photo: Malia Lane outside her motorhome at Pecan Grove RV Park in Austin, TX, before taking off on her six-month road trip. (Julianne Crane)

Read more by Julianne Crane at RVWheelLife.com

Reminder: RVing expert Cathy Atkins speaks at RVTravel series in Edmonds on 4/23/11

RV lifestyle expert, Cathy Atkins will give a one-hour presentation at the RVtravel.com seminar series taking place in Edmonds, Wash., on April 23, 2011.

Atkins is an RV enthusiast and is also a member of the Board of Directors of RVing Women, a national organization that provides education and support to single, divorced and widowed women RVers. She will be give tips and insights for solo women who travel in RVs.

Doors open at 8:30 a.m., with events running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click "here" for more information about the seminar series and how to reserve your seat. Cost is only $15.
Read more by Julianne Crane at RVWheelLife.com

Artist paints, tours in 21-ft travel trailer

New England artist Skye Sutherland and her 85-pound rescue dog, Zackary, are planning an extended cross-country road trip this year.

"I paint camping pets' portraits, and teach art workshops to adults and children," says Skye. During January 2012, she will be teaching classes at the Oasis Palms RV Park in Palm Springs, Calif.

Before that, however, she will be spending the spring and summer in her RV in Connecticut. Come August she will head to northern Maine and Canada for an art exhibit featuring her paintings and a huge family reunion. "Then," she says, "my dog and I leave Maine in September to head west."

Type of RV: 2008 21-ft. Flagstaff Micro Lite travel trailer. Pulled with a 2001 Dodge Durango RT.

Travel pet companion: Zackary, an eight-year-old Doberman/Shepherd mix. "I got him from Protectors of Animals in Connecticut almost seven years ago. He was a scared, abused one-year old. I worked with him and gave him a lot of love. Now he's a big gentle buddy, but a good protector also, which is nice to have when traveling."

Personal background: Skye lived in the New York City area for years, studying and sketching. She decided to move back to New England after "watching the World Trade Center towers being destroyed in front of my eyes."

In Connecticut she was living in an apartment/office building that she had purchased in 2002, "not enjoying being a landlord one bit," she says. "But that was the time when owning real estate was all the rage."

Skye recalls that her mother kept saying: "Why don't you sell the building, go live in a motorhome and travel the country painting dogs at campgrounds?"

"She put the bug in my ear and it stayed there for years," says the artist. In 2010 Skye "bit the bullet," sold her real estate and purchased a small, light travel trailer.

"Growing up, we camped in tents, trailers and motorhomes," recalls Skye. "As an adult, I camped mainly in tents and cabins. So owning my own RV, and learning how to tow it and all that comes with it, is interesting. I'm still learning."

A couple of those things Skye has been learning are how to live and work in a tiny space with a big dog.

"Poor Zack, he can't turn around in the hallway of the camper and must back up if he is facing the wrong direction," says Skye.

"I went from a 500-sq-ft art studio--with space for a library, office and large sink--to a trailer with a few feet of working space," she says.

"I am limited to the size I can paint--16 x 20 inches is maximum, and that's pushing it. I try to paint outside, but that has its challenges due to rain, wind, and bugs. But, I love setting up all my stuff on my little kitchen table, and just painting. Sure, it's tight, but it's fun."

Best thing so far about RVing: Knowing that "I can up and move whenever I want.”

Type of art: Realistic painting of animals and nature, mostly done in pastel or acrylic.

Contact: Skye Sutherland
P O Box 885
Portland, CT 06480
(860) 538-8831
artist@SkyeSutherland.com
skye@CampgroundDogs.com

To see more of her work: www.SkyeSutherland.com and www.CampgroundDogs.com.

Photos: (Click on photos for larger views.) Top: Skye Sutherland and a shed moose antler; middle: Zack outside Skye's RV; and Skye's work area inside her travel trailer. Photographs courtesy of Skye Sutherland.

Read more by Julianne Crane at RVWheelLife.com