Fall Adventure 2023 - Part One

Where to begin...

I guess September 12, 2023. Writing this almost two years later from memory may prove to be challenging but I will do my best.

My plan was to leave bright and early that morning so I could get as far north and east as possible. I was going to head toward Cleveland to visit the R&R Hall of Fame, then go east, visit some friends in Pennsylvania before heading to Newport. My plans always seem to be flighty and change like the wind. 

Needless to say, it was almost noon when I finally had everything packed up and Penny and I pulled out of the driveway. I decided I would take I-20 east and then eventually make my way north. I was about an hour and a half from home with my mind doing a mental inventory of what I brought, what I forgot and what I should have left at home. Then it hit me! The night before while getting my clothes together I realized a lot of my T-shirts were wrinkled as usual because I never hang things up or fold laundry right after I finish a load. I routinely throw things in the dryer with a damp cloth to get wrinkles out, so I took all my T-shirts and tossed them in the dryer. Then put the rest of my clothes in the drawers in the van. So here I am in the middle of Louisiana, and I realize I have no T-shirts except the one I was wearing.

There was no way I was turning around at that point so I decided I would just buy a new T-shirt at all the tourist shops I stopped at along the way. While talking to my daughter Cari on the phone and telling her my dilemma she said she would go by my house and get my T-s out of the dryer and take them with her, as she was going to Newport later that week and I could get them when I met her there. 

Along the way I drove through Ruston, LA to see the Louisiana Tech University campus where my grandson attended. He was working in Monroe at that time so I couldn't pay him a visit. It was a nice campus, and I was glad to get a glimpse of where he lived.

I was a little giddy with anticipation as I prepared to cross the mighty Mississippi River, the bridge was huge, and my feeling of wanderlust really soared. Once on the other side and in the state of Mississipi for the first time I stopped at the visitor center and overlook. 

Looking at my map I realized that I20 intersected with The Natchez Trace Parkway in Jackson. I had always wanted to check that out so I plotted my route to use the Trace to go North. I love just going where the wind takes me. So glad I did not miss this drive. It is a two-lane road with the speed limit 40mph in some places and 50 in others. No rushing here. It was beautifully tree lined with a few meadows in between.

I decide I would try to make it to the first of several free campgrounds along the way. Unfortunately it was after dark when I arrived. I just pulled into the first site I found. When I awoke in the morning I was pleasantly surprised. I made coffee and some oatmeal then Penny and I went for a little walk.

The rest of the way was just more beautiful and peaceful scenery. We stopped at a few historic sites.

When we reached Tupelo, MS I knew I had to get off and visit Elvis's birthplace. It was a beautiful park where several buildings from Elvis's youth had been moved. The home he was born in and the church where he started singing Gospel music. I purchased my first T-shirt at the gift shop.

Continuing on the Parkway we crossed a corner of Alabama which was my first time in that state. We spent the night in another Trace campground in Tennessee. 

I decided not to continue to the end of the Parkway and instead turned east to pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway in NC.

To Be Continued...

A Lot of Catching Up to Do

Winter 2023 Big Adventure

I thought when I made my last entry, I was going to come back with part two and well... I didn't. So here it is.

On my Birthday, January 8, 2023, I left on my second big adventure. Another trip to Quartzite for the WRTR and RTR. I arrived early morning on the 10th. Stopped in at the WRTR for a short time and then headed out to the desert and set up camp. There is designated BLM land which is free to camp with a 14-day limit, then you need to move to a different area. I posted in one of the Women Vanlife groups on FB asking if anyone was staying out in the Plomosa Rd. area. One of the women, Cat, replied that she and her friend V were out there so they stopped by the next morning to say hi. They invited me to come to their campfire later that night. 

After they left a man who was camped near me stopped by and offered me an old, popped ball that had been his dog's before he passed a few months back. He saw Bailey and Penny and thought they may like to have it. His name was Stan, and he was 93 years old!!!! He was traveling full time now in a big travel trailer with a truck.  I think he had lost his wife too because he said they had traveled for years but then didn't say anything else about her and she wasn't with him. He teared up telling me about his dog. It was such a treasure to meet and talk with him.

After packing up camp I went to a class at the WRTR on tire maintenance and how to change a tire. I really needed that one. I went out to find Cat and V at their campsite way off the beaten path. deep in the desert. There I met a very interesting character named Luis of the YouTube channel Rolling Earthship. I had seen his videos before. The girls had known Luis for a while and had camped with him a bunch. He was quiet, not like his videos at all. I stayed with Cat and V and Luis for two nights then decided to head to California so I could see the Pacific Ocean.

I took my first truck stop shower at a Pilot. It was really very nice. I went to Joshua Tree National Park just off Interstate 10. It was evening and I camped on BLM land and made dinner. I forgot to bring my Senior Parks Pass and ended up buying an annual pass for $25 the next day but turns out I could have driven through and not even had one.  I wanted to hike a few trails, but dogs were not allowed, even on leash. I wasn't about to leave them in the van. 

Took a ride around Joshua Tree. It was so beautiful there. Then I drove through Palm Springs since it was close by. Not much to see but lot of walled and gated communities, Golf courses, fancy shops. Definitely felt out of place there. Spent another night at Joshua Tree and Bailey was sick. Really sick. I thought I may have to find an emergency vet clinic. Apparently while I was cooking dinner, she tipped over her bowl of food. I didn't notice it until I saw her eating it off the ground along with the sand and gravel it had spilled on. That night she vomited, and I figured she would be okay after she got it out of her system. She drank water but couldn't eat.  I just kept watching her, but she remained lethargic and just overall puny that day as we made our way west to visit and have lunch with my niece Chrissy just outside of L.A. It was wonderful to have a delicious seafood lunch at her home and see her family. Her kids were all grown up since the last time I saw them when they visited Texas. and a pleasant surprise was her mom Sue was there. I hadn't seen her in probably 40 years, since we moved from RI. Chrissy insisted I spend the night, so I did, and she was so sweet to let me wash my bedding that Bailey had vomited on. That was a relief as I thought I would be searching for a laundromat. 

Monday morning, I got up and said goodbye to my hosts and headed to Santa Monica. As soon as I saw the ocean I started to cry. It was something I had dreamed about my whole life. Oh yeah, I even cried when I crossed the border from Arizona to California. Just Two of many checks off the Bucket List. At the end of I-10 I turned north on Route 1, the Pacific Coast Highway. Words cannot describe the exhilaration I felt seeing this magnificent coastline. I drove north for a bit and stopped at El Matador Beach so I could stick my tootsies in the Pacific. It was so cold and windy, I decided I would just  take a picture of my hand in the water, but a wave came and got my shoes wet all the way to my ankles. I didn't care. 

Baily seemed to be feeling a little better and ate a little food. I felt like she would be okay in a day or two.

We continued North until the highway started to go inland around Oxnard. I knew I wanted to go to Griffith Park and see the Hollywood sign before it got dark, so I turned around, GPS had me heading east and it was a steep winding road up a mountain. The view from near the top looking down on Malibu was breathtaking.

I got to Griffith Park but was a little disappointed that the Hollywood sign was so far away and very small looking. I actually saw a better view of it from the street on the way before heading up the steep road to the Observatory. anyway, I got some pictures and then drove along Ventura Highway to the 10 heading back to Arizona.

Spent the night at Pilot in Quartzite. That morning Baily had the "shits" it had a bunch of gravel in it. But she was still improving each day. I needed to find a laundromat as I needed clean clothes and had to wash her bed. While there I saw and spoke with Sueann from Cheap RV Living and Homes on Wheels Alliance. I was a little starstruck. She was actually the one who inspired me to want to travel the country as she started out living in a Prius.

 Our FB group was to have a meetup at one of the LTVA camp areas that afternoon. I got to meet a few of the ladies from the group. Several of them had some really nice rigs. Cat was there and told me she and V had moved down by the river just south of Ehrenberg and invited me to join them. What an awesome campsite. There was a nice big fire ring. They saw a herd of wild horses come down out of the hills to cool off and get water from the river before I had arrived. Airplanes from an Airforce base flew training runs down the river. We waved at them, and they dipped their wings to us. It was so cool. At night we heard a pack of coyotes that seemed not too far off, and we heard then saw a pack of wild burros silhouetted going up a hill. We enjoyed getting to know one another around the campfire. Cat really took a liking to Penny and felt sorry for her because she always seemed to be cold, so she crocheted her a sweater. She is so sweet. Cat and V were both from Florida and had been traveling in their separate rigs since December. V had recently moved there from Colorado and according to her blog she recently moved back. 

The second day there I decided to go to town for some firewood and water. On the way I punctured my right front tire on a rock. I was able to air it up a bit with my little pump, but it was coming out really fast. I called a tire shop, but they wouldn't come off pavement down the gravel road, so I got to the truck stop and filled it up then drove to another shop across the border in Blythe, California. They couldn't repair it and didn't have a tire to replace it so they put my spare on for me and I spent the night at the truck stop, went back to Blythe first thing the next morning and went to a Good Year tire shop and got a new tire. 

After I filled up with water, I picked up a bunch of firewood and headed back to camp. That night I cooked grilled shrimp, chicken thighs and country style ribs to share with my friends. I wanted to cook all the frozen food I had brought as it was thawing because my fridge kept turning off.

The next morning, Friday, I left my new friends, we exchanged contact info and I still keep in touch with them. I just stayed in truck stops and arrived home Sunday afternoon. The girls were so glad to be home. 

So now I'm caught up to my next trip.

In a few days I will be leaving on my next Adventure. New England by way of Natchez Trace, Great Smokie Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway and more.

And of course I am back and will report on that soon.

Did You Miss Me?

I kind of forgot I had a BLOG. Well, I didn't really forget. I just kept telling myself I need to update my blog and like everything else I need to do I put it off. 

I have been writing in my journals. Yes, journals. As in more than one. Some of them have 6-month gaps, others yearlong gaps. Maybe one day I'll rewrite them all in chronological order. 

Yeah, that'll never happen.

I am here today to resurrect and update my blog. Not that anyone ever reads it but more of a record for after I am dead and gone.

My travels in my van have slowly taken place over the last two, almost three years. I have been on some fun short camping trips alone and with some friends. I went out to Quartzite Arizona in January 2021 as my first long distance adventure. That year the RTR was cancelled due to COVID but they had an unofficial gathering out in the desert and I met some seasoned nomads and camped with them for several days. It took almost three days to get there. I overnighted in truck stops and rest areas. It was so much fun.

My plan for the trip back was to take the northern route so I could go through Amarillo and visit with Nichole and Trent. I traveled north of Phoenix through Scottsdale and through the Tonto National Forest which would take me to Winslow Arizona so I could stand on the corner. Well, it started raining as I left Scottsdale after filling up with gas. The snowcapped mountains in front of me were beautiful but for some reason I thought I was going through them not over them. As Big Dog and I climbed in elevation the light rain turned to freezing rain and snow. I must admit I was a bit nervous but according to the GPS I would be on the other side in a little over an hour, so I figured no big deal. I stopped in Payson which was a small town high up in the mountains and I got a sandwich at Wendy's. The snow was definitely beginning to stick, and it was getting dark. I continued on the road that would take me to Winslow. The snow was accumulating on my wiper blades. The defroster couldn't adequately keep the windshield warm enough to melt the snow on the wipers. I was driving very slowly and was pretty sure the line of cars behind me were not too happy. Whenever there was a pull-out lane, I would pull over and let them pass. I was beginning to think I was going to have to just camp there overnight. The snow was so deep you couldn't even see the lines in the road. After people passed me, I would use their tracks as a guide. eventually those tracks would fill in with snow and I was driving blind again. a snowplow came up on the opposite side of the road. I was wondering if he would eventually turn around and come back to our side. Finally, I was pulled over to let cars pass me and debating what to do and another plow came by. I jumped in line behind two other cars and followed it the rest of the way. At the bottom I cheered and waved a hardy thank you to the driver as he turned around to head back up. The road at the bottom was dry and I thanked the Lord for his protection and guidance.

In Winslow I found the statue on the corner and the flat bed Ford. It was dark thirty. There was a guy there taking pictures so I offered to take his picture with his phone if he would take mine. So much better than a selfie. 

I made it to Amarillo, it wasn't by morning, more like late afternoon, after a night in a truck stop in West Gallup, New Mexico.

I had a very nice visit with Nichole and Trent. Went to see Kelly play in a basketball game and got to see Caitlyn, Riley, and Wyatt.

On the way home I drove along I40 through Groom Texas and stopped at a really cool Giant cross that had bronze sculpture of stations to the cross and a Lord's Last Supper sculpture. It was very cold and windy, so I hope to revisit one day when the weather is better. 

I will close this entry with some pictures from the first two years of travel and pic up with my most recent trip on the next one.

My Van #gettingreal

Slowly, slowly, slowly. I am inching my way to beginning my BIG Adventure. News of late is I found my van. I call him Big Dog. That was my late husband Phillip's nickname in high school. It is a Ford Transit cargo van. Empty shell just waiting for me to make it my tiny home on wheels.

Isn't he cute?

I have had it a little over a month. I have purchased a few things for the build. I mainly need to have my electrical wiring done first before I cover up the walls. I found an RV Shop that will be able to do that for me. I am going tomorrow to have them give me an estimate. I will have solar panels to charge two 100 Ah batteries which will run/charge my small electronics, refrigerator and an air vent. I also have bought a liner for the floor for insulating and will cover with plywood and sheet vinyl flooring for easy cleaning. It will have a porta potty, a sink and water tanks. I will use a camp stove for now. I plane to build the platform bed with storage underneath and other storage cabinets, It will be simple and cheap. I have learned a lot from Cheap RV Living and Creativity RV on You Tube. 

My last day of work is officially April 29. 8WEEKS!!! I may not be ready to hit the road for the BIG trip then but I plan to do practice trips in Texas to get used to it. I have a State Park pass for free entry and discounts on camping fees and I bought a Senior Lifetime National Parks pass which does the same. I am stoked to camp my way across the country meeting other nomads. Keep watching my blog it's getting real.

Today is Amazon Prime Day. There are lot's of cool gadgets and supplies on sale that I will need for my adventures a la camper van but I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. It is so tempting to start stockpiling but my first order of business is to get rid of a BUNCH of STUFF.

I have been researching vans and campers and I think I am going to go with a high top cargo van and do my own van build. That way I can have just what I need and customize as I go. Of course now everywhere I go I see cargo vans. Never noticed them before but I must have seen ten of them while out running an errand this morning. Granted they were not campers but they were the size and body type that I am leaning toward.

Another project I am about to embark on is conserving water. Carrying water on the road is limited. I am so mindful now while washing dishes of how much water I waste.  Not to mention showers. Fortunately with all the rain we have had this summer I have not needed to water my lawn much. So I have decided starting tomorrow morning I am going to time my shower and then try each day to make it shorter and shorter. Rethinking the need to fill the dishwasher, too. Even though I only run it every three days, the water I used to rinse the dishes before I put them in there can just as easily be used to just wash them at that time. I can't wait to see my  water bill over the next few months.

My son gave up drinking Dr. Pepper. He said I should give up the Diet Coke, too. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! We are doing it until Christmas. But hopefully will have broke free of the addiction to not want it anyway. I have not had a DC since Saturday. So far, so good. Removed the remaining six pack from the house yesterday. Still having my coffee in the morning but will gradually cut back on that as well.

So that is it for today. Need to get back to loading boxes for Goodwill. I plan to have an indoor garage sale before long. Can't stand the heat outside. Hopefully cooler customers may look longer and buy more.

Blessing to all!

To New Beginnings

Today marks the beginning of my quest for a nomadic life. Having been thoroughly mesmerized for the past year or so by YouTube videos on RV life and how to actually do it, I have decided that this is the life for me. For any goal to succeed it must start with a plan. I can honestly say I have never been a goal setter or plan maker. I have always just taken life as it comes, only acting on what I need to as situations present themselves.

I have also always been a procrastinator. Fear of failure seems to be my nemesis. But what I have finally realized is that I am not getting any younger. I don't want my life to end with everyone saying, what a shame she never got to live her dream of traveling the country in an RV.

I have been doing research and learning a lot thanks to Robin with Creativity RV and her book, Be A Nomad Change Your Life.  And perhaps the thing that Robin said which opened my eyes to fulfilling my dream instead of just wishing for it was when her sister asked her "If you knew you only had 2 years to live..." WOW! That did the same thing for me.

My husband and I talked of RVing around the country one day when we retired. Would we have actually made it happen? I like to think we would have. He decided he didn't want to retire at age 65 and since he was fifteen months older, I said "okay wait for me and we will retire together and start traveling." But one week shy of his 65th birthday The Lord decided to call him Home. That was 21 months ago. I still grieve but having been to grief share classes, I have learned that to move on doesn't mean I am leaving him behind but that my new normal is life on my own and I must continue to live. So now that I know it is possible for me to carry out our dream as a solo traveler, I am going to make it happen so when I go home to meet him in our Father's house, I can tell him all about it.

Armed with knowledge, I feel like my new journey begins tonight. From this point on all that I do will advance me to my goal of heading out into this great country that I live in and seeing in all her glory God's magnificent creation.

The purpose of this Blog is for me to record my progress and plot my course. One of my favorite quotes is from Mark Twain. I think this one makes a great mantra for me.