22 January continued…it’s mid afternoon now…the storms have created a curtain between e and the mountains…so beautiful during nice weather now unseen behind sheets of rain and cold…and wind…the movie Band of Brothers has kept me company as I watched the rain come across the valley…diesel fuel is burning quietly in the heater and my feet are warm…when I’m going to be parked for a few days or weeks I turn the driver seat around so it faces towards the back of the camper…the seat is level with the couch and makes for a comfortable recliner…I spent many hours in it’s arms…salad, apple, a handful of chocolate cookies for lunch…I’ll not be able to stay awake as the rain tapping on the camper is like a baby’s pacifier.
I’m the blue dot…the yellow and red stuff is headed my way…what fun
1549 hours…rain is steady…batteries are down to 56%…not bad…last charge was yesterday morning…I run a fridge, freezer, lights, air purifier, induction cook top, coffee maker, and any things that need charging….fired up the Honda 2200 generator…it’s nice and weather resistant and runs very well in the rain…the plastic case keeps the water from getting inside and the rubber flap over the outlets works well…humming along now putting over 60 amps into the battery bank…life is good.
Parked up on top of the knoll is perfect in storms…all the water runs away from me…the folks in the area that are camped on the lower flats are now in running streams as the storm gets bigger…not good.
23 January Tuesday…pretty lazy day today…rain and cool…got a nice walk in between the storms…the shower tent is all set up…will be a bit warmer tomorrow and no rain forecast so it’s time for a proper shower…still nobody camping near me…nice and quiet…been watching lots of documentaries about the end of World War 2…I would have not enjoyed living through that…love the banana nut muffins from Walmart…coffee and a warm muffin are two of life’s joys…speaking of joy…grabbed a screen shot from a cute video my sister sent me…it’s my beautiful niece playing on her rope swing…I don’t care that the photo is not sharp…her unbridled joy of being a child makes the image one of my favorites.
A couple of photos of the shower tent…I may get the Nemo Shower Tent…this one is a PITA to set up.
No, those towels drying on the ladder are not the ones I dry off with after a shower…they’re the ones I used to clean the van…I use a light pink microfiber towel that’s warmed with the breath of Angels to dry off cause my skin is precious.
After my shower I got a text from Vee…Kathy and her were at the Escapee’s party a few miles away and told me to come down for a bit…stayed about 30 minutes then headed back to my camp…music was nice but I don’t really like crowds…Vee is headed to Baja and Kathy is going home to Phoenix…wished them safe travels.
26 January Friday….time flys…strapped a bag of laundry to the bike and headed up to Bouse…found an little laundry in town…pretty old but clean and open 24 hours a day….nice lady at the attached thrift stop made quarters for me to use in the washer…. only did clothes today, no bedding as the washers are small…I’ll go into Quartzsite in a day or so to wash my bedding in a larger front loader….weather was great…gentle wind and temps in the mid sixtys…took a ride south along Plomosa Road…the south end near Hwy 95 is where all the chaos is…thousands of campers…some small…some as big a a house…is it really camping when you drag a house out into the desert?…:)
Usual walk for a mile or so…I feel really well…a bit lonely sometimes but that soon passes as I walk in the quietness of the desert…every job I’ve ever had delt with people and their problems…some I fixed, others I tried to ignore…was hard…these days I savor the times alone with myself…I practice remembering good things and people…my life so far has been blessed…the older I become the more empathy I feel for others…especially those less fortunate…life is not fair…never will be.
27 Jaunuary Saturday…The sun is just now taking over the day….I wonder how many children will enjoy this new day….they are the ones we need to protect and educate…afterall, they’ll be in charge when we’re sitting in the rocking chair at the nursing home trying to find our teeth that have fallen in our lap…I have a photo of two wonderful people….mom and my niece together….one brought me into this world…the other I’m sure will make the world a better place…both are kind…and gentle.
1 February Thursday…I never get tired of sunrises here in the desert
windy today…took the shower tent down to keep it from blowing away…temps are supposed to cool this week so I’ll drive into town when a shower calls my name…overcast…rain on the way tonight….love hanging out in the van during storms…something comforting knowing Petunia is keeping me warm and dry…yes I named the camper Petunia after one of my favorite human units…I readjusted the angle of the left solar panel so rainwater will run off the front or back…the way it was the rainwater ran down the side of the van causing the usual black streaks…I will soon see if my efforts were worth it.
Talked to mom yesterday…she seems to be doing well…my niece and sister were there when I called…my niece is growing fast and is in her own world…we don’t talk much anymore…that’s ok…I know she’s well taken care of and enjoying life more and more…lots of new friends and things she likes to do…so pleased for her.
The bug screen on the side door is wonderful…so nice to keep the door open and the bugs out…it’s not perfect as the occasional flying pest gets in but I have a nice bug zapper that dispatched them easily…what fun to watch them explode.
1402 hours…the rains are on there way…all the hatches are battened down and the ducks are getting ready to party…luv it.
4 February Sunday…lazy morning…slow to make coffee and breakfast…all good…I packed up yesterday and headed into Quartzsite for a shower and a few groceries…I have a nice shower set up with the camper but when the wind is blowing it’s a PIA…I’ve been learning to cook with my InstaPot…got beef stew down good and it’s one of my favorite meals…simple and I freeze small portions to have later….I put beef (sautéed), potatoes, onions, green beans, and squash in the pot, hit the “stew” button and 35 minutes later I’m full…easy…sometimes I add some boil in the bag brown rice…went back to Plomosa Road and stopped at a new spot I thought might be nice for a few days…nope…just didn’t like it…so…off I went back to my favorite spot back up on the hill…I feel really comfortable there….nice views, not crowded, and quiet…for me those are good things….been looking at other camping areas but I’m so comfortable here it may a while before I head out…I do think I’m going to take all back roads when I start heading back to Florida in a few weeks…we will see.
The weather today is beautiful but the wind is a PIA…Petunia is rockin and rollin so it’s a Youtube kinda day…love watching history stuff and interviews with senior folks who live on the road…I pick up tips and tricks.
5 February Monday…woke to a blustery and overcast morning…the huge storm in southern californicatioin is starting to affect my area…winds today will be from the south at 15 mph with gust up to 30…got everything put away that could blow away and now warm and cozy in my lounge area…all good…I love stormy weather cause I know I’ll be comfortable…I’m well stocked with food and water…days like these are really relaxing as I spend the hours reading, watching videos (99.999999999999999999999 % of what’s on the internet is crap), napping, trying to cook slightly healthy food, and doing my stretching exercises to keep me moving comfortably.
Rains are forecast to be here tomorrow…will give Petunia and the trailer a nice rinse 🙂
7 February Wednesday…really good rain last night….Petunia is looking good…I’ve been having a cup of tea in the afternoons these days…if I don’t put a K-Cup in my Kuerig coffee machine it makes a perfect cup of hot water…throw a teabag in the cup and I’m good to go…easy like me 🙂
I think I’m gonna head down to Tombstone in a couple of days…love the town and it’s history….dry camping for $10 a night right near downtown….the weather north of me sucks so south it is.
I have two projects planned for this summer…install a 12 volt A/C unit so I can have cool air while only running the battery bank…and two…want to take out the couch I made and replace it with a 62 inch jack knife sofa that converts to a small bed
8000BTU VELIT 2000R Rooftop Air Conditioner
9 February Friday…been on the road two days now headed east…enjoyed my time in the desert…stopped tonight on the north side of El Paso at a Cracker Barrel…the Cracker Barrel is nice as usual but the El Paso area is a crap hole…I would say it’s a shit hole but I didn’t want to disrespect the word shit.
Petunia is running along great…averaging around 18mph pulling the trailer…all good…gonna miss my visit with my friends in Meno Oklahoma but am planning on seeing them some time in May…hopefully.
17 February Saturday….after a five day slog across the country I’m back at my sister’s place in Florida….I’m surrounded by family and friends…nice feeling….I’m loving the joy my little niece brings to my life…she is doing so well…growing, learning…being a child.
Several years ago I came across a video that made me think…and think hard about how much is enough…enjoy….“How Much Is Enough?”
23 March….not much going on…just enjoying family and friends here in the south…was looking at my phone and all of a sudden I had an epiphany….I thought about all the hours I’ve spent scrolling endlessly looking at things I don’t remember….things that have no importance in my life…things that are stupid, ignorant, boring, insulting, ugly….wasted hours where I could have been helping someone who needed help….
29 March….a few years ago I had a nice side-by-side and spent many hours exploring the mountains and deserts of the southwest…absolutely loved it…always regretted selling the thing…so…I just got a new 2024 Honda Talon 1000X…I love the mat black color…compliments the camper well….starting the build and know what I want from the previous SXS….I’m going to have it plated in North Carolina as it will be street legal there…looking forward to many hours and miles of exploring Appalachia this summer….hope otoget back out west in the fall…can’t wait to go over some of the beautiful mountain passes in Colorado and Utah.
13 April…about to go to my niece’s birthday party…it’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since the little bundle of joy arrived in this world.
I came across an old Pueblo Indian prayer as I was enjoying the morning coffee.
Hold on to what is good, even if it’s a handful of dirt.
Hold on to what you believe, even if you have to stand by yourself.
Hold on to what you must do, even it it’s a long way from here.
Hold on to your life, even if it’s easier to let go.
Hold on to my hand, even if some day I’l be gone from you.
Hold on.
22 April…after a really nice visit with my sister in Augusta I’m back in Maggie Valley NC for a few weeks….all set up at my buddy’s place.
And…took about 15 minutes at the tag office to get my plate…the Talon is now street legal…can’t wait to get the new wheels and tires mounted this afternoon…then it’s time to enjoy the beautiful paved and unpaved roads here in western north carolina…life is good.
I’ll post photos of everything I did to the buggy in a day or so…more after the break.
23 April….Took a nice drive out to the Trust General Store for coffee and rocking chairs…here’s a few more views of the buggy showing some of the things I’ve done to her.
Method Race wheels and 30 inch tall BFGoodrich KM3 all terrain tires
Met my buddy Patrick at Daves Cafe on the flats just past the store…after a nice meal Patrick grabbed the passenger seat and off we went up and over Max Patch on some nice gravel roads…he said he may be interested in getting a side-by-side as it would give him and his wife a nice way to explore together…hope it works out…would be nice to have another buggy along on some of my drives.
I’m always amazed at how cool I look…must be the boots
timstravelingcircus.com 