The Interwebs


I've been taken to task for not blogging frequently enough, and that's fair.  Sometimes I put it off because I just don't feel like I have much to say.  Sometimes I put it off because I'm out doing things so that I have something to blog about,  and I can't get near the computer because of the out-ness.  This time it was internet.

We just spent 2 weeks near our old home in Huntsville, Alabama.  John works remotely, most of the time, but sometimes has to be in the office for meetings, audits, testing, etc.  This time, we knew we' be here close to Christmas, when we'll leave the Behemoth and head north.  (Ironically, to avoid worrying about her freezing in northern temps.  And, of course, it'll be in the single digits here in Alabama while we're gone!) Anyway, we stayed longer than our usual, because it made sense to stay south, but not too far south, before we needed to leave.

The campground we stayed in is one we've used before.  In fact, it was where we had our first stay of more than a night; a test run for this lifestyle, while still within minutes of our home (in case we forgot anything) and a service center (in case we needed that.)  At that time, John worked, and so did the internet, just fine, and all seemed good.

This time, we really struggled with internet.  We have two different cell providers.  Each of use has a phone plan with one of them, which provides us 2 hotspots.  We also have 2 hotspots on the RV, each connected to one of those providers.  One provider has "unlimited" data, (not gonna advertise; let's call them A) and the other is more limited, (we'll call them B)  and costs more than we like when we go over.  Up till now, we have been able to use A, and limit our use of B.  This month, A was virtually disabled at this campground, and B was very available.  Except, of course, when John went into the office, because his phone was the one on B, and I couldn't access that while he was gone.  We will pay through the nose for B this month, but that's part of this adventure.

We did look into a satellite-based internet, (again, not advertising) but it is a little tricksy, also, in availability. Their map doesn't seem to like the east coast, and there was/is/it's confusing a policy about not being available beyond 500 miles from your home address. We were also advised not to get it because it needs line of sight, which is fine in "resort-style" RV parks, and we have talked about how we don't like those.  State and national parks, which we prefer, have too many trees (horrors!) for that service to work.

All that to say, getting on the internet this month has been a challenge, and that made blogging also difficult.  Part of the price we pay for this lifestyle, but we're in a hotel this week (more on that, later) so you should be hearing from me more regularly.

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