August 3, 2018 to August 7, 2018
4 Days With Inspiring Prinevillians
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6 years ago
We have time on our side as our tour is wrapping up, so we decided to slow down and rest. We have friends in Prineville that offered us a place to stay for a few days, so we said, "Sure!!"
After we left Mitchell, we rode 40 miles to Ochoco Lake State Park, had a picnic lunch, and called Jill. She said she'd would be 6ish miles down the road at the grocery store and that she'd give us a ride up to her and Mickey's place from there. So we rode to Ray's Food Place, loaded the bikes into the awesome camper that she's renovating, and happily accepted the 6-mile ride up the hill.
When we arrived, they set us up in the travel trailer guest house, and we promised not to stay longer than 4 or 5 months ... OK, not really, but it was tempting because they are wonderful hosts and their home is a beautiful and peaceful place to rest. They, like so many people we've met on this journey, also have an inspiring story.
After losing their jobs in the dot com bust way back when, Jill and Mickey decided to leave the rat race of the San Francisco Bay area. They bought a travel trailer, travelled for 3 years, and then found an incredible and affordable real estate opportunity outside of Prineville. For less than $100k, they bought a beautiful 5-acre property that had a salvagable modified A-frame house, an out building, a killer view, and a litter of feral kittens.
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When they assumed possession, Mick put his construction and cabinet-making skills to work to begin the house-to-home transformation. Jill nursed the kittens through winter with food and a warm shelter, trapped them all, and had them all spayed/neutered. Neighbors doubted this plan to control the feral cat population, but it worked. No more kittens and the remaining adults are healthy and there are no rodent problems.
Over the years, with the help of YouTube, books, and friendly neighbors, they have both acquired the multiple skills they need to maintain their property, renovate and heat their home, and fix their vehicles. While we were there, Mickey replaced the fan clutch and water pump in his truck. And Jill showed us the summer project she is working on - installing new floors, siding, and insulation in the garage/shop. She also told us stories about going out wood-cutting in an area where some men feel stongly that she should be back home making pies. This made us laugh because Jill is also a gourmet cook and prepared some delicious meals while we were there.
When they're not busy maintaining the homestead, Mickey is back working in the I.T. world and Jill keeps her high tech skills fresh through various location-independent assignments and entrepreneurial endeavors. She also cut my hair while we were there and I think she might should open a beauty parlor. Auntie Jill's Country Coiffure, perhaps?
As we look ahead to figure out what we might do after Undaunted Porridge, it was very helpful to spend time with Jill and Mickey. Their experience and positive outlook clearly demonstrate that it is possible to start over and to build an interesting and fulfilling outside-of-the-box life. And their friendship and hospitality were just what we needed after 2,000 miles on the road.
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6 years ago