Today's Flap-Jack Eells and his side-kick, Shirley, making their home in a modern-day "covered wagon" fifth-wheel parked for the summer at Denver North Campground, rise before 6:00 a.m. four days a week to heat up the griddle and brew fresh coffee. Instead of rugged men of the West, the Eells feed famished campers, highway workers, and the campground's neighbors, all following the mouth-watering scent of breakfast served up with a smile and a positive word.

Full-time RVers for two years, Jack and Shirley are no newcomers to the food service industry. Back in Meadville, Pennsylvania, the couple owned and managed a pizza restaurant where they invested twelve years of 16-hour days, preparing a daily menu from scratch. "We had the opportunity to sell out before retirement age. We opted to take it and go out and see the world," Shirley says. "But I still enjoy the kitchen. Getting into the Pancake Corral at Denver North is like being back in the restaurant business. Jack and I worked so long together that we function well as a team."

Shirley says the kitchen area is simple and compact. Their menu is limited to pancakes, French toast, biscuits and gravy, and eggs cooked to order. Guests, including a nearby church group that stops in every two weeks, dine on picnic tables under a covered patio brightened with hanging baskets overflowing with colorful flowers. Jack Eells clangs the old dinner bell at 7:00 a.m., alerting any camper who has not already followed his nose. Breakfast is served until 10:00 a.m. Then the Eells stay an extra hour to clean up. "But we found that twenty hours a week wasn't enough to keep us busy," Shirley continues, noting that the first 16 hours accrued each week cover their site and hook-ups.

"The owners, Steve and Chris Henning, are great employers," Jack interjects. "They offered us additional duties, totaling as many hours as we care to work." Generally, the Eells put in seven-hour days for an hourly wage. However, Jack points out that, except for their responsibility for the breakfasts, they basically set their own schedule. He helps with mowing, maintenance and filling propane tanks for campers. Shirley works in the office and store, registering guests and stocking shelves. Denver North provided her first computer experience.

"We often have guests come into the office and compliment our organization and efficiency," she says, crediting their teamwork with her employers' patient training. "Travelers think we're year-round employees, but the ten or twelve Workampers had never worked together before our season started."

Even with the additional hours, the Eells have time to sight-see and spend time with a granddaughter on a two-week visit. The couple is always up to a bit of adventure, seeking to discover as much of America as possible in their travels. In 1999, they took in their first rodeo, Cheyenne Frontier Days, only 90 miles north of their summer Workamping site. Another first was a trip to Black Hawk, Denver's well-known casino. "These are things we could not have experienced while rooted in Pennsylvania," Shirley states.

Like many RVers, the Eells started out moderately, spending winters at Orange Blossom RV Park in Apopka, Florida, where Jack worked in maintenance and activities to cover the cost of their site and utilities. Shirley took part-time work as a cashier/trainer at the local Win-Dixie Supermarket. "Soon we realized we were home only four months out of the year," Jack says. "Then it was even less. So we decided to sell our house and furniture and live full-time in our fifth-wheel. "Right now, we wouldn't think about buying a traditional home," he continues. "As long as our health is good, we have no desire to change our lifestyle."

The couple worked out their communications logistics with an agreement with Shirley' sister to exchange messages every other week via a paging service. The sister also forwards their mail from Pennsylvania. However, due to their longer stay in Florida, the Eells rent a post office box and have their mail transferred. Additionally, they have a personal phone at their Florida location, as well as their Denver site.

Outside his job description, Jack quickly developed a reputation as a handyman, helping some of the older gentlemen with their rigs. "They always wanted to pay me, but I refused because I enjoy helping people," he explains. "So they started knocking on our door and handing me beer. Not much of a drinker, I accumulated so much beer that I had to store it in the club house!" Subtly, good-natured Jack let his friends know he did not need more beer. The next day, they showed up with wine.

The Eells like to plan their Workamping jobs a year in advance, visiting locations whenever possible. Employers recognize immediately the reliability and integrity in Jack and Shirley. They landed their summer job at Denver North as they traveled the previous year to Montana to check out possible positions. Owner Steve Henning asked them to return and cook breakfasts for the park's guests. On their way to work in Denver in 1999, two other employers along the way offered them jobs. "But I had committed to Denver North," Jack says. "From being in business for myself, I know what happens when employees fail to show up for work!"

As Jack and Shirley travel cross-country between Colorado and Florida, with stops in between to visit their five children and four grandchildren, they advise "wanna-be" full-timers to not wait for retirement before hitting the road. "Workamping is a good way to go because it covers your expenses," Jack goes on. "We don't feel we are scrimping by or dipping into savings. Besides the enjoyment we get from working and staying busy, the extra money keeps us ahead of the game." The Eells buy their own healthcare insurance, which they had done as self-employed business owners. Additionally, they set up their own retirement fund. "Our only benefits in full-timing are being free and doing what we want to do where we want to do it," Shirley states. She adds, "I couldn't go out on the road, live in a camper, and not work. I enjoy meeting people and feeling productive. Workamping enhances our freedom."