HOPs Keep Them Hoppin’

Although Louise Schweichler has lived all over the world, she has stayed the longest in Jamestown, New York. Her husband, Bruce, also hails from this western New York town. They have been married for 15 years and been full-time RVers for the last nine. Bruce says, “We did it the right way. We rented an RV for two weeks and then lived in one for two summers before we actually went on the road.”

Bruce failed retirement. He retired from an aircraft bearing manufacturing company at 57, but he now works for Escapees RV Club, a national RVing organization. He and Louise have thrown themselves into work they both love, and also into volunteering when they have time. As many Escapees do, they use the Escapees National Headquarters in Livingston, Texas, as their legal residence. They spend a fair amount of time there, making it a natural for them to volunteer at CARE, a unique Escapees program that allows members to live in their own RV while recovering from health issues at a professionally staffed facility. The Schweichlers also volunteer for Octoberfest and various chapter events in Livingston.

The job they love so much requires a quality satellite system to keep them in touch around the world. They are HOP (Head Out Program) directors for Escapees. Over the years, The Escapees had “Escapades” spring and fall, one on either side of the Mississippi. These national gatherings are now being phased out and replaced with smaller HOP themed programs that accommodate a limited number of RVs or participants. These are somewhat larger than regional rallies, yet small enough to be personal.

Bruce and Louise rent the facilities for each event. That is the beginning, and then they organize caterers, parking, campgrounds, buses, tours, and pet-sitting for the 12 yearly HOP adventures. While this hard-working couple may attend only one or two HOPs a year themselves, they bring in HOP hosts who make sure everything runs smoothly and everybody stays happy.

A HOP may take you aboard a well planned Greece, Italy or Barbados cruise. It might take you down the Mississippi River, four-wheeling over Colorado mountain passes, or to the Grand Teton Music Festival in Wyoming. Who wouldn’t love working on those arrangements?

Traveling in Style
A 40-foot 2004 Itasca Horizon motorhome pulls their 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee. A Honda Goldwing motorcycle clings to the bumper. Neither Bruce, 66, nor Louise, 45, claims to be mechanically adept, although he says she is probably more so than he is. They both set up, break down and share hitching chores. Although each can get behind the wheel, Bruce drives most of the time.

I asked how full-timing had affected their relationship. Bruce says, “With working, we are together 24-7, and I think we have drawn closer because of it.” She adds, “We’ve always been best friends.”

They love traveling and deciding where to go on a whim. They are exceedingly friendly and make friends wherever they go. Leaving friends behind is what they like least about full-timing, although they frequently connect with those people in other places.

Are gas prices affecting their lifestyle? Bruce says, “It costs well over $500 to fill the tank. That’s a lot of cash! You have to really love the lifestyle to keep going, but we do, and we’ll cut back on other things. We belong to Thousand Trails. Maybe, we’ll just sit in a park and save up money for diesel.”

Louise adds, “We’ll take longer to get there, but we’ll still go. We used to drive coast-to-coast in the blink of an eye but that isn’t something we’ll do anymore.”

Family Connections
They enjoy quaint little towns and prefer hometown restaurants to franchised chains. Their travels have taken them from Alberta’s Jasper National Park to the Florida Keys and all points between. Next year, they look forward to organizing a HOP at Niagara-on-the-Lake in Canada, not far from their home territory in New York. They spend holidays with friends wherever they are. Family includes Bruce’s two daughters from a previous marriage, and Louise’s parents. Louise says, “Basically, we see our families when we see them…more often if it fits our schedule.” This year they are hoping for a New York family Christmas for the first time in ten years.

They look online for a local Catholic Church in their path and try to make it every Sunday. Bruce says, “We attend churches in some very small towns but I still can’t quite connect with wearing shorts to church.”

When they can break away from their hectic schedule, you might find Louise reading or working on a newfound interest, photography. Bruce explores via an ATV when he has access to one and they both enjoy riding their motorcycle. During a HOP last summer, they went extreme Colorado River rafting. One of their most unusual experiences was in Jasper, Alberta, where they stepped outside and into a campsite full of elk.

In No Hurry
They have no “exit plan” from full-time RVing. So far neither has been seriously ill, so settling down hasn’t entered their minds yet but Louise admits, “We talked a little bit about the Texas Hill Country as being a place we think we could settle…eventually.”

This adventurous twosome occasionally boondocks but until they bought this unit, never had a generator. Regarding safety, Bruce says, “We are both very aware of what is going on around us. We both make the decisions about where we should go or where we should park.”

The next roll of the tires will take them to the Escapees 30th anniversary Escapade and Fourth of July celebration in Gillette, Wyoming, where they will lead (not just plan) several short HOPs. From there, they’ll leave for Alaska for the rest of July, August, and September, caravanning with friends who have been there before. They are hoping for warmer temperatures than Louise experienced last January when she flew up to visit family. It was 40 degrees below zero! Their plans include soaking in the Liard River Hot Springs pools in northern British Columbia, fishing, and maybe experiencing the train trip to Denali National Park.

Three-pronged advice from Bruce to newcomers: “The husband and wife should be compatible; if you have a fifth wheel, your truck needs enough power to pull it, and be aware of your surroundings because you are always in a strange place. You need to be ready for anything that happens.”

Louise says, “Research your rig. Don’t just take the first pretty one that comes along. Check out the campgrounds. Don’t necessarily take the first site they offer you. Campground personnel may not understand the dangers of finagling your big rig into a spot that is too small.”

They both agreed that if you have the full-time RVing bug, it isn’t something you’ll give up in a heartbeat. God Bless!