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| Here's my rig! It's a Jayco Eagle fifth wheel, 31.5 RLTS being towed by a 2007 Ford F-250 Diesel 4x4 pickup! |
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| On my first trip, I had the opportunity to photograph this Bald Eagle. |
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| This is near Stonewall, Texas, about 15 miles east of Fredericksburg. Don't be surprised if you see a painting of this area! |
For many years, I lived in Tulsa, OK and painted in a studio located in my home. I'd usually travel several times each year to various places around the country, taking photos all along the way, and then go back to my studio to paint the landscapes I had just seen. That system worked pretty well for quite some time. But, for as long as I can remember, I've had a desire to travel around this great country of our's, painting the landscapes all along the way. I finally got up enough courage to do exactly that. In November of 2012, I sold my home, furniture, tools, SUV, and pretty much everything else that I could get my hands on. I was, essentially, homeless for a short period of time.
I moved into a hotel and started searching for an RV. Within a week, I found a fifth wheel travel trailer that I thought would "fit the bill" pretty well. I bought it and had it moved to an RV park in the Tulsa area. I had to have a vehicle capable of pulling the trailer which weighed approx. 10,000 lbs. empty, so I bought a diesel 4x4 pickup. I lived in the fifth wheel while having a few modifications done to the truck to get it ready for towing. During that time, a few problems occurred with my trailer so I put it in the shop for almost a week to have those things fixed. Everything seemed to take longer than expected, but by January 8th, 2013, I was ready for my first trip. I knew I had to be back in Tulsa by mid-February to get ready for the NatureWorks Art Show, so I didn't want to travel too far. So, where could I go?
I decided to go to Fredericksburg, Texas, which is where the Whistle Pik Gallery is that represents me. This would give me a chance to learn how to hitch up the trailer, tow it, unhitch it and set it up. I spent a month in Fredericksburg, creating a couple of new paintings for the gallery, as well as "fine tuning" the small studio in my trailer.
When the time came, I made the trip back to Tulsa for the NatureWorks show but decided to stick around the area a little longer than originally planned, so I could make even more adjustments to my trailer. Having a small space in which to work required a lot of thought and careful planning. Not only did it have to be functional, but everything had to be designed so that it could be easily stored away on moving day. I redesigned the lighting in my studio, got rid of the small sofa in my trailer and replaced it with a computer desk, packed up, and was ready to travel once again.
So, briefly, that's my adventure up to this point. Please check back periodically for updates on where I am and what I'm doing. I expect to update my blog every couple of weeks.
Talk to you guys later!
Jerry
