In the course of my time spent reading other RV travel blogs, I’ve come across a handful of bloggers who describe themselves as loners.  These people tend to write about their solitary pursuits to scenic places.  They eschew crowds and usually prefer camping in boondocking spots where there’s no other people around.

I came across one blogger who in her About Me page advised her readers that if they encountered her in their travels, to Not stop by.  And, I’ve come across a couple of bloggers who state that they find it uncomfortable or stressful to have face to face social interactions with strangers.

I’m not mentioning this to be critical of these folks.  I appreciate that everyone is different.  We all have different personalities.  And, if someone wants to be alone and avoid people that’s fine with me.  As they say in Maine, “Whatever floats your boat!”

What If I Was A Loner?

But as I read a recent blog post from one of these self-described loners, it got me thinking.  What if, in the course of my travels, I had avoided contact with strangers?  What if I always tried to camp away from other people?  What if I had never ventured out and tried a new group activity?  What if I avoided introducing myself to a camping neighbors?  What if I was a loner?

I quickly realized my life would be much different.  OMG would it be different.  It got me thinking about all the great people I’ve met over the years and in my travels.  All who were strangers until I engaged with them and now they have enriched my life with their friendship.

Here’s a sampling of people I would have never met, if I was a loner and avoided people.

Neil, Mike, and All My RV Park Friends

Neil and Mike are RV park camping neighbors who I met at Fort Myers Beach.  Neil and his wife were parked right behind us when we did our first extended stay at the RV park.  When I met Neil, I found out he runs the weekly corn hole tournament at the RV park.  Mike and his wife were parked next to Neil.  Mike befriended me and my wife and coached us on how to play the corn hole game.  Neil and Mike were some of the first people we met at the RV park.  Once Annie and I got enough courage (and skill), we began playing in the weekly corn hole tournament and quickly met 20-30 more super nice people.  Over the past six years, they’ve all become good friends.  And it all started with an offer from two strangers to learn how to play a game called corn hole.

Pastor Jeanne

I reconnected with God at age 62.  Better late than never.  Last winter, I decided to attend a Bible Study at the Beach United Methodist Church in Fort Myers Beach.  I had never attended this Bible Study and I didn’t know anyone at the church.  I walked into the church one Tuesday and the eight people in the room where all strangers.  But, I introduced myself and was warmly welcomed.  I continued to attend the weekly Bible Study all winter.  Through the people at the Study, I got to know more people at the church.  And over those 12 weeks of Bible Study, I formed a relationship with Pastor Jeanne.  I came to realize that she was the teacher God sent me to find.  She was a key person on my faith journey who helped me understand faith and what God wants from us.  Thank God I found Pastor Jeanne.

Dave & Donna

Dave and Donna were two strangers that I met last year at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival.  I parked my RV right next to theirs.  Dave introduced himself and offered me the use of his string trimmer to clear out a site in the hay-field.  That encounter spawned a good friendship.  Throughout the festival, Dave and Donna fed me and constantly invited me to hang out with them and their friends at their campsite.  Over the course of four days, their hospitality became infectious and I became an adopted member of their tribe.  Dave and Donna are incredibly fine people.  They’ve become good friends and we now meet up each July at Grey Fox.

Vicki and All My Dance Friends

I met Vicki on the dance floor at a music festival.  She was a total stranger who I walked up to and said – “Would you like to dance?”   That dance was the first of many and the start of a friendship that’s going on 13+ years.  I see Vicki only 1-2 times a year at dance festivals, but I look forward to our encounters at these festivals.  Vicki has a wide circle of dance community friends and through her I’ve met other dance partners.  And over the years of attending dance festivals,  I’ve made several dance partner friends, (Pat, Jeni, Cyd, Jane, Sarah, Jennifer) who were all strangers until I ventured out onto the dance floor and one of us said – “Would you like to dance?”

Mary and All My Pickleball Friends

Pickleball is a popular sport with retirees and it’s a game that I wanted to learn how to play.  So one day, I biked down to the Bay Oaks Rec Center in Fort Myers Beach and watched the play.  I knew no one at the Rec Center.  I went down a second day to watch and asked some questions. Then I got my courage up and joined into a game with total strangers.  Mary was one of the first people I met while sitting on the bleachers waiting for a game.  I quickly learned from Mary that most of the players were snowbirds from all over the country.

It would have been easy just to sit in the bleachers by myself, avoid conversation, and wait for the next game.  But, I decided in addition to learning the game, I would engage and get to know these snowbirds.  So now, I have a large group of snowbird pickleball friends (Mary, Rosemary, Nancy, Jane, Bill, Rod, Paul, Bob, Charlotte, Marilyn, Sandy, and several others) who I play with at least 2-3 times per week during the winter.

Annie

A long time ago (way before I started traveling), I was participating in a multi-day Frisbee throwing contest with my college buddy friends.  One day during the contest, a girl, who was also in the contest (and who I didn’t know), unexpectedly threw a Frisbee at me.  I caught it and threw it back.  She threw it back to me.  I threw it back again.  That exchange started a friendship.  A couple of  years later, that friendship turned into a marriage and great partnership that’s going on 41 years.  And it all started when a stranger threw a Frisbee at me and I decided to throw it back.

I’m Not A Loner

Yes, none of these people would be in my life if I was a loner and avoided people.  And it scares me to think about the things I would not have learned and been able to do had I not met these people.  I would be a much different person.  And I guess, that’s a conclusion I’ve come to as I wrote this.  Traveling can take you to scenic eye candy places.  But, if you’re open to more than just looking at scenery, it can also change your life.

Is it risky meeting strangers?  Sure.  In my travels, I’ve met several who fit into the “campers from hell” category.  But when added up, they’re a small minority compared to all the fine people I’ve met.  And, I figure it just the small price I pay for venturing out and engaging with folks.

Knowing all this, I’m happy that I’m not a loner.  It’s fine that some are.  I’ve learned about lots of scenic places from bloggers who are loners.  And based on the travel blogs I read, its seems like most loners are happy being who they are.  God made us all different with a personality spectrum is as wide as the horizon.

In my daily prayers, I thank God for everything he’s given me.  The beautiful surroundings, nature, and things that sustain me.  But, I especially thank Him for blessing me with all the people he’s put in my life.