What makes a friendship? In my opinion it sort of depends on many factors … when you met (childhood, high school, adulthood?). How much time did you spend together? What kinds of things do you have in common? How much time do you have to develop a relationship? Lots of factors but perhaps the most important factor (as an adult) might be luck when paths cross unexpectedly.
One of our first long western RV trips included a Roadtrek gathering in Red Lodge, Montana. We’d already moved along roads from Wisconsin through Nebraska to Colorado and north through Wyoming with stops at the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. We joined other Roadtrekers in Red Lodge for a photography opportunity for Dave. It was three or four days with camera and photography as the focus.
We met lots of nice people at this adventure but when Greg and Chris bicycled up to our site one evening for a visit something “clicked”…we just had so much fun talking to them. We sort of kept in touch after everyone pulled out with Christmas cards I think. Years later Dave and I spent a winter month in Greenville, SC and found they lived there, so we spent a fun evening at their house and discovered more commonalities. I remember driving back to our rental that evening wishing that we’d met them earlier in our married life and that they lived closer!
And so here comes our 2023 RV trip to the East Coast and we remembered they’d moved back up to New York State. A few shared emails and we found we could camp at a state park north of Albany and they were free to drive up for a third visit. And we had a relaxing lunch, long conversation, hike around part of the park and some goodbye hugs.
They drove off with a wave and againI thought “Damn! I wish they lived in Milwaukee! We vowed to stay in touch and encouraged them to come camping out our way. So who knows if/when there will be visit number four.
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