April 2005 - Hit The Road JACK Enterprises

							               Hit the Road J.A.C.K. Newsletter
                        April 2005 – Volume 2 Issue 4
                     Created By Kimberly & Jerry Peterson


Our Workamper Research
Kimberly Peterson

We knew that even though we could not get our RV right now we still wanted to look for
work within the RV lifestyle only without the RV. Yes, we were told this would be
tough but not impossible and in actuality there were times we were overwhelmed with
offers.

Some of the areas we researched included our local newspapers for jobs that offered
housing and temporary work, there was only a handful of them and most of them were at
self-storage facilities that required full time positions that we were not interested in at all.
We did not want to commit to any long-term job that would take us further from our new
lifestyle we wanted to live. It was suggested to us to apply online at www.Xanterra.com
and we are yet to get any sort of response. The application is a long process so plan for
at least 45 minutes to complete it. They are very limited both with locations and
positions and really didn’t feel like the right fit for us but could be for others. We also
visited the Caretaker Gazette at www.caretaker.org as well as www.caretaker-jobs.com
and they both have a subscription price of under thirty dollars per year and offer you
rent-free living as a property caretaker in desirable locations. Estates, mansions, farms,
ranches, ecological preserves, state forest, parks, horse stables, resort homes, retreat
centers, camps, hunting and fishing lodges, vacation homes, private islands, and any
other kind of property imaginable are listed in their magazines, also available in ezine.
One was nationwide and the other offered opportunities for caretaking around the world.
Another area we researched was the temporary agencies since they offer many short and
long-term positions. For many years I had been a contractor and did numerous exciting
positions through them but my intention was to find permanent work in my new location.
The possibility is available to work your way across the country with them.

Our best response came from the website www.workamper.com where we were already
members. We updated our “Awesome Applicants” to reflect all that we required and
posted many questions in the “Forums” on their website. The opportunities are endless
if you only keep your eyes and heart wide open to all the possibilities that are available to
each one of us. We found ours and our hope is that more people find their own calling
in their lives and living it as passionately as it was intended to live. ☺

On The Way to Our First Experience
Kimberly Peterson

We left Phoenix and are staying up in Flagstaff on our way to our first Workamper
experience at the Kaibab Lodge in Northern Arizona. We accepted this position for
multiple reasons. The interviewing process with Ellen, the owner gave us such a loyal
impression she had for her employees and that is what we look for in an employer. The
location was perfect since it is only a few hours away from our grandson and daughter.
That in itself was a big determining factor but then when we were informed that our
living quarters would be in a rig well we were sold. All other aspects fell right into place
with this position too and that is when we knew that we were being guided by our inner
spirits and this was where we needed to be during this part of our journey.

Our starting date is as soon as the snow gets plowed out of the way so we decided instead
of remaining in Phoenix we headed north. We are staying in a friend’s cabin in Flagstaff
until we get the call for us to head to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon where we begin
our totally different lifestyle.

It’s definitely much cooler up here and also it is taking a few days to overcome the higher
altitude. It was rough unpacking the car when we first arrived because we were low on
breath and this time we are non-smokers. We are taking walks and enjoying the clean
fresh cold air and the beautiful country. We took a little trip to the grocery store that was
suppose to be only 20 miles away and we ended up about 50 miles in the opposite
direction by making a wrong turn. Jerry was being the co-pilot but I do not blame him at
all, we got directions from Mapquest and they were totally wrong. This is the first time
we were ever led astray from them and we will be checking out the reason for this. It
was actually through Fry’s website but Mapquest built the map.

We found ourselves at the Spirit Mountain Ranch “Home of The Sacred White Buffalo”
located on highway 180 milepost 236.5. What a spiritual kind of place and even though
the wind was blowing some really frigid air it was worth getting out and checking this
place out. They have a website for updates and pictures of any new babies at
www.sacredwhitebuffalo.org where you can also obtain information on adopting a
buffalo. Your donations will go towards the needed purchase of more land for these
precious animals as well as provide them with the high-quality grain needed to feed them.
And they are always in need of volunteers for numerous tasks.

According to ancient understandings of North America, the white buffalo is deemed a
sign of great importance. The Native American legends have always peaked my interests.
Read the many articles about the white buffalo at
http://www.merceronline.com/Native/native05.htm including an insert from John Lame
Deer's telling in 1967. There are also articles on Miracle, the White Buffalo Calf that
was born August 20, 1994 on a Wisconsin farm owned by Dave and Valerie Hieder.
They tell the story of how it’s birth changed their lives as well as many others that came
to visit Miracle. ☺