This is the latest in an occasional series of blogs commenting on impending retirement.

We’ve hit our first snag on our journey toward retirement.

It’s not a game-breaker, nor does it mean the end of the world as we know it.

We’ve run into the industrial and commercial might of the American economy, which has gotten into our way as we sought to plan a trip to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to visit our granddaughter … and her family.

My wife and I sought to reserve space at an RV park near the kids, who live in Allen. We looked up several of the nicer RV camps’ websites. We called. “We’d like to reserve some space in our park,” we would say. “Sorry. All booked up. Can’t guarantee we’ll have space when you arrive,” came the response. “What’s going on?” I would ask.

Seems that contractors have hogged all the sites to house construction crews working on oil and water pipeline construction jobs north of Dallas. We didn’t want to park our RV too far away and have to drive 60 or 70 miles each way to see the kids.

We threw in the towel.

We did not ever — not one time — anticipate this kind of issue when we began hauling our fifth wheel travel vehicle. But here it is. This construction might take years to complete.

My wife, always the strategic thinker, came up with a more-than-suitable Plan B.

Instead of going to D-FW for our planned visit, we’re heading the other way for a few nights. Plan B involves a trip to Balmorhea State Park, near the Davis Mountains southwest of Midland. We’ll have a first-cabin site — with water, electricity, sewer … and cable TV.

We’ll return home and then head to Allen a few days later for some serious grandbaby time.

Is there a lesson to all of this? Yes. We’ve learned that full-time retirement will require a great degree of flexibility.

I believe we’re going to pass this first test.