Re-Hashing the Gate Guard Gig

I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who do the full timing thing in their RV and most agree you either are cut out for it or you're not. For us the adventure and the chance to meet new folks played a big part in our decision to pull up stakes and hit the road. The gate guarding gig is the same deal except money was the driver. Simple as that. Whether it's dust, mud, heat, cold, smells, noise, etc. we focus on the money. Just like the full-time RV lifestyle, you either are content doing it or your not. So many folks have asked me what we do as gate guards, especially with the down time. To us having hobbies is indispensable along with satellite television and Internet. Developing a well rounded lifestyle makes life on the gate much easier. The adage of work hard and play hard truly applies here. We find it curious that folks place so much value on having a company yard to park in between assignments. We hit the road and head to a RV park just outside of San Antonio in between assignments. It gets us away from the oil patch and lets us enjoy the amenities of the big city. As we work through our second year as gate guards I can't even begin to numerate the many things we've learned. I do know the experience has made us better persons. Both of us are more resolute and assured in all we do. On a more practical note, we have become so appreciative of the value of water and hooking into the grid. At the same time we are supremely confident in our ability to either boon-dock or live completely off the grid. We know our water consumption and tank capacities and how long we can go before servicing. We have also gotten to know our motor home inside and out. The bottom line is that we have been unable to find a line of work that pays as well as gate guarding; especially with my heart condition.  Having the added bonus of being surrounded by associates that care for one another is just an added benefit and blessing.