Fran Crawford

From Whence I Came

I was born in Monaca, Pennsylvania, on February 23rd a loooong time ago... the same year that the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco was finished. (Go figure!). I attended Grove City College at Grove City in western Pennsylvania as a journalism major. There were no courses on how to become a traveler in those days.

Grove City College is special because it is one of very few universities that operates entirely without government (your tax dollars) funding and yet keeps high quality education attainable financially.

Getting to California

My dream to travel began to come true, although in a car... not in a RV full timing, whan I left college and began my odyessy across the nation. San Antonio, McAllen and Laredo, in Texas; Wichita and Topeka, in Kansas; Papillion, Nebraska and St. George, Utah, are places, as an USAF officer's wife, I called 'home' before I landed in Yuba City, California, in 1969.

A Mother's Greatest Accomplishments

Crossing the country, the car got more crowded as we traveled with four sons arriving... one in Texas, two Kansans and a natiave Californian... all of whom have very successfully reached adulthood and have attained a creditable degree of maturity considering who they had for a mom.

Surviving Nature and a Volunteer Mentality

Along the way from Pennsylvania I managed to survive a fairly bad hurricane, and a really bad tornado. California introduced me to earthquakes. I also survived volunteerism... eighteen years in a cub scouts, girl scouts, various and sundry PTAs, Air Force wives' clubs, and Family Services Centers.

In Yuba City I did the Community Calendar of Events for 12 years in conjunction with KUBA radio, the Yuba Sutter Regional Arts Council and the Chamber of Commerce. I volunteered time for five years with Beckwourth Frontier Days.

Gainful Employment

Most recently in Yuba City I have worked the agricultural season as peach and tomato truck dispatcher for the Morning Star Trucking Company. I continue (almost 10 years) to write a column for the Territorial Dispatch published by Charlie McNiff in Marysville and have begun to write Franecdotes and other articles for a new-last-year RV travel magazine called RV Companion, published bimonthly out of Loveland, CO.

I've worked as a news editor of a county seat weekly, a church secretary, ad space salesman, professional photographer, retail clerk, craft instructor, screen printer, bus driver/dispatcher, transportation supervisor, commercial artist, typesetter, sign maker, newspaper columnist and defensive driver instructor.

Live and Learn

In my journey through life I have learned to shoot rifles and handguns, speak with toastmistresses, and model the fashions of the sixties. I have taken courses in everything from tutoring reading, commercial art, and welding to sign language and ceramics. I've owned a hobby shop, bead company, stained glass studio and a 400cc motorcycle. I've taught macrame on television, and women's personal protection at the range, and golf to a grandson who's dad thinks golf courses are a waste of good real estate.

Lessons I've learned from life: A sense of humor is key; never trust someone who is patronizing you; you must like yourself before you can like others; your dog can show you what unconditional love is; trust your thoughts, ideas and beliefs... trust yourself; and... don't let your mother discard your Superman comics. And now I have learned the feeling of freedom that comes with full time RVing ... owning just what you need to get along happily and not being responsible for what may happen to your lhomestead or the heirloom silver your children will vie over someday. Freedom to choose a destination for RV traveling and then freedom to enjoy the journey that gets you there!

Favorites (Bookmarks?)

I like grandchildren, golf, 'hawk 'n' knife throwing, word games, full time RV traveling, common sense, harmonicas, turtles, dogs, target practice, things metaphysical, the color of rice fields in the spring, palindromes, rivers, computers, the internet, Arizona's west coast, friends, family, all kinds of music, chocolate amd Steve... not in any particular order of intensity. Greens and blues are the colors I choose.

Moi?

I am who I am today because people always expect more of people with naturally curly hair... and ...I have an incredible sense of humor.

I hope this doesn't make you think I am conceited. I am actually introverted by nature (pisces people are) but as a necessity have become a self-made extrovert... sometimes even borderline obnoxious!