Photo: Workamper Charlie Parrish with Cash, his chief engineer, when “Choo-Choo Charlie” is driving the train.

Today I am interviewing a man from California who discovered Workamping while talking to a Workamper while tent camping at a beach in the northern part of the state.

Charlie Parrish worked as a call center manager for a health care company for many years. When COVID forced the center to close, he got in his RV and started his Workamping career many years before he intended to begin.

His first Workamping gig required him to travel through the northern states from California to Maine. But the travel experience hooked him. Today, he spends his winters in California, and his summers visiting places that have always been on his bucket list.

Charlie has worked as a camp host, shuttled customers on canoeing excursions, mowed grass, and worked in camp stores or at the front desk. When I interviewed him, he was wrapping up a Workamping gig for a campground in Minnesota called Fiddlesticks.

That was where he found a job he just loved – operating a train which took kids around the park. He became known as “Choo-Choo Charlie.” He had worked with kids most of his life and even served as a foster father to 10 teenage boys.

A few years ago, Charlie wrote a book titled “31 Blessings,” which outlined lessons he learned from the 31 children he has mentored since leaving high school.

As a solo Workamper, Charlie said he has had little difficulty in finding jobs. For example, when he sees advertisements seeking couples to work 24 hours a week, he offers to do all the hours as a single. Many times, employers are willing to give him the jobs.

Charlie scans through the daily Workamper News hotline email. Then, he makes note of any jobs that sound interesting and sends off a resume to see if the employer is interested in hiring someone with his skills and experiences.

Of all the places he has been, Charlie has really enjoyed his time in Maine for all its natural beauty and the small-town hospitality he encountered. Yet, he would love to work at Yellowstone someday.

Charlie attended the RV Fundamentals Class at the National RV Training Academy. That course gave him the confidence to complete quick fixes to his own RV, and to show people how to take care of common problems they experience.

He also took an RV driving class to help him master backing his 40-foot fifth wheel into campsites. That one-on-one training not only taught Charlie driving skills, the instructor provided advance insight into things he could do to improve this RV experience.

If he were to start over today, Charlie said he would select a shorter RV instead of the 40-foot unit he has now. He discovered the length prohibits him from getting into some campgrounds, especially national parks.

When it comes to applying for jobs, Charlie likes to have a list of questions available to ask prospective employers. By maintaining a list of questions, he makes sure important issues are not overlooked during the interview.

To connect with Charlie, feel free to email him at cnp7qr@me.com. He has a Facebook account as well, but admits he isn’t too active on that platform.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Workamper News. Much more than just a job-listing website, when you put the tools of this professional service into action, you’ll find out just how easy it can be to turn your Workamping dreams into reality.

A Workamper membership opens the door to a one-stop-shop for all-things Workamping. Being the original resource for Workamping, you’ll find the largest number of job listings, be able to connect with a community of Workampers, and view resources compiled by experts who have been enjoying the RV lifestyle for many years.

If you’re serious about leading a successful and enjoyable Workamping lifestyle, then membership is for you. Join today at www.workamper.com  Embark on new adventures today with the support of Workamper News behind you!

That’s all for this week’s show. We have a series of employer interviews coming up as companies start staffing up for a new season. I’ll have one of those interviews on the next episode of The Workamper Show. Thanks for listening and if you like this show please consider leaving a review wherever you download the episodes.