Cheechaco...

While on the road, we have been reading several books. One of them, “Not really an Alaskan Mountain Man” by Doug Fine mentions the word or term Cheechaco.
The short definition of the word is “a newbie, someone inexperienced.”
But in this book, the term plays an important role, and the author expands at the edges of the definition.

A Cheechaco is more than simply an inexperienced or naïve individual in a given context.
The Cheechaco also seems to carry a plethora of misguided and starry-eyed notions about the unknown lifestyle, place, or task in which she or he is about to engage.

The book is very funny, an I could not help but realize that I am a Cheechaco RV'er.
I think that my mechanical aptitudes and love for travel have helped me handle the mechanical and traveling side of the RV world, so my RV technical “Cheecaconess” has not been too bad.

But my Cheechaconess has manifested itself in those misguided expectations.

Idyllic visions of relaxation while sipping margaritas parked in a mythical RV park where the grass is short and green and all the sites are pull-though and leveled, awnings always fully extended with no wind to disturb them, all full hookups come at at a reasonable price, and the dump stations smell like cherry bubble gum scented air freshener. Neighboring RV'rs do not have noisy children or pets, all gas stations have diesel below $3 Dlls, your GPS unit always gives you the right route, nothing in your RV ever fails or breaks, your wife never wants to stop at gift shops or visitors centers, and a unicorn leads the way on the road and keeps Sasquatch away.

As I accumulate miles under my belt, all these idyllic visions have faded away rather quickly, and I have gotten used to the realities of RV-ing which are not that bad.

Yet, none of my idyllic visions come close to comparing with the beauty of the places that we have visited and the thrill of exploring new ones.

A couple of days ago, while driving the route to Alaska through the Yukon in Canada, in a ravishingly beautiful sunny day, window down, wind blowing, diesel engine humming, the silver trailer following, a smiling loving wife next to me, and nothing but unknown road and territory ahead....I could not help to whisper, “this is the life.”


"These are days you'll remember

Never before and never since, I promise

Will the whole world be warm as this

And as you feel it,

You'll know it's true

That you are blessed and lucky"



-10,000 Maniacs