Monday, May 19
I awake to sunlight on my face. Without lifting my head from the pillow, I look up through the window of the Best Little Trailer. Light twinkles through the leaves above. Birds sing.
Spike jumps up, hits the floor, stretches, and trots to the door.
“Okay, Spike. Just a minute.” I talk out loud to Spike even though he can’t hear me.
I step outside. The travel trailer across the creek is quiet. Hmm. . . The truck is gone. They didn’t come back last night. Well, I’m not waiting for them to return and run that horrible generator. I can’t take it. It’s so nice to wake up to birds singing . . . .
After breakfast the crew and I take off in the Perfect Tow Vehicle.
We roll a short distance to another spur road. I want to move us to this private site which is further downstream. Great! No one’s here. That fifth wheel left!
Around noon I tuck the BLT into a shady place in the large campsite.
Bridget, Spike and I hurry down the bank to see the creek.
“Wow! This is better than the other campsite!”
The creek continues tumbling along (shown in the next photo) until it forms a quiet, shallow pool, ideal for Bridget and me to wade in and for Spike to soak in.
I unhitch the BLT and move the PTV to put the solar panel in the sun.
Setting out the blue rug and the lounger on an ordinary piece of ground transforms it into our home!
“Whattya’ think, Spike? Do you think you’ll like it here? . . . . Bridget! Get out from under there! I’m not taking any more pictures.” What IS it with that crazy dog? Yesterday she plopped herself into every photo she could.
Tuesday, May 20
A stay-at-home day. After a morning of puttering around, tidying up the inside of the BLT, working on the blog, raking up cigarette butts and picking up trash from our yard, I take my camp chair down to the creek to relax.
I walk into the creek with my waterproof Keen sandals on.
It seems very cold at first until I get used to it. Bridget comes in, too! Spike walks halfway down the bank, changes his mind, and goes back up. What’s with him today? Oh well, I guess he’d rather lie in the sun.
I relax in my camp chair with my feet in the water, watching and listening to the waterfalls.
Later I meet the man who owns the property adjacent to our campsite.
His private dirt road meanders near the fence. Further up the road is a chicken coop.
On the way back from checking on the chickens, he stops his white pick-up and hollers, “Hi!”
I walk over to stand at the fence, the crew at my feet.
“Pretty nice campsite you got there,” he states, smiling as he looks across the passenger seat at me. His pleasant face is crowned with thick, white hair.
We chat a little. I learn his name is Del and he’s retired from the Navy at the rank of Captain.
His wife passed on a little over a year ago, and now he lives alone in their big house in town.
“My son and I built a cabin over there,” he says, pointing to the woods. “I come out here a lot to the cabin and check on my son’s chickens. I’ve got a fifth wheel over there, too. Sometimes the grandkids come out.”
We discuss the chicken situation.
His son raises them for a hobby, not for eggs or meat.
“Lost two chickens last night,” Del reports. “I think a coyote got ’em. Did you hear anything last night?”
“No, nothing at all, just the creek.”
Del informs me that there’s a bounty on coyotes.
“Present the ears of a coyote to the Forest Service and they give you fifty dollars.”
Wednesday, May 21
I like to be outside a lot. Good thing . . . I have so much dirty laundry that there isn’t room inside to sort it anyway!
(Here I am, airing my dirty laundry in public!)
It’s around four o’clock when we motor into Salina.
I pull into the All Washed Up laundromat. Well, isn’t this nice. We have the place all to ourselves. No fights over machines. No new acquaintances to ignore . . . . Maybe I should do laundry at four from now on.
I’m feeling pretty good driving back to our lovely, private campsite with the laundry folded, fresh, and clean in the basket beside me. Let’s see . . . For supper I’ll cook those chicken breasts I thawed, along with potatoes, carrots, and beans. The crew can have chicken, too.
I drive down the driveway to our home, sweet home.
“Whoa! What the heck is that?”
Something dark is moving over by the fence!
“Oh my gosh, it’s a TURKEY!”
I fumble for my camera, and, unbeknownst to Bridget and Spike, take pictures through the open passenger window of our surprise guest.
This guy is in full display. He puffs himself up and turns one way and then another . . .
I catch a glimpse of the objects of his attraction. Two hens scurry into the open and quickly disappear into the brush before I can get a photo of them.
I love surprises like this . . . coming home from the laundromat to find a turkey strutting his stuff in the yard!
Later, Del and his son Reg invite me to see the cabin they built.
That’s the story for the next post!
rvsue
NOTE: Hey, blogorinos! I wasn’t going to tell you this, but I can’t wait!
Along with the spare tire cover (ho-hum), I ordered another pair of Keen sandals from Amazon (yippee!). These are slip-ons called “Rose Slide Sandals.” Slip-ons will be quick and easy when getting out of bed during the night to go outside with Spike. There. That’s my justification for the purchase.
Amazon is holding a sale on Keens over Memorial Day Weekend (see the temporary ad below comments). If you”re interested in Keens, choose the color you like and also your size and then the price will change!
HAPPY SHOPPING!
Thanks for the show, Big Tom. Bye!
AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AMAZON FROM MY BLOG.
I’m in love with that stream!
Hi, Crystal. . . It is a charming creek!
Wow, I won the blue ribbon?!
Congratulations, Crystal… You’re first AND second!
Boy, did I cash in!
It’s amazing the places you find. Neat.
Hi, Dave. . . I know. It amazes me, too.
Another beautiful campsite.
Thank you for sharing with us.
With those chickens so close it would be nice to get some farm fresh eggs. 🙂
Hi, Rhonda . . . You’re welcome. There’s more to come about the chickens.
What a great solution, Sue…seek peace…and you found it!! Plus I think as interesting and nice a campsite if not better!! When we lived those 5 months in VA last year, we came home to our barn apt one day to find 2 turkey roosters having a royal fight, and we honked our car horn, yelled, etc…they absolutely paid us no mind. So we went upstairs and continued watching the huge fight…it finally ended when one grabbed the other by someplace on his head and DRUG him off a great distance. Never did see the hen but must have been one or more nearby. Our landlord had hunted and lived on that land for decades and had NEVER seen a fight like that…said only on TV had he seen it and he thought we were very lucky to have been there. Interesting. Hope you are someplace where you won’t be pestered for however long you decide to stay.
How interesting . . . That must’ve been quite a sight, Elizabeth! I bet the feathers were flying everywhere. You can’t find scenes like that. You have to be at the right place at the right time.
Yes, always surprises in life…some not so fun however…we were working in late afternoon painting the fence at daughter’s place…when hubby sees a few feet away this HUGE rat…18 inches from nose to tail. Said it was pretty. It was where I would be if I painted the other side of that fence. I have lost my motivation!!
Good golly, an 18-inch rat? That’s the stuff of nightmares.
What a great new campsite you found! Love the pics of Mr. Tom Turkey and
those of your new site too!
Sure hope the generator people don’t cozy up to you again! That was the
greatest irritant to me while boondocking…..
I would find a perfect place….. way out from anyone else…. then here would
come people with a generator….. that would run for hours….. grrrrrr….
If they got friendly….. I would tell them about my solar panels. They got
my message when I added that the panels provided all the electricity I
needed and without all that noise……
Keep on keeping on Sue.. You are doing great!
Hi, Elizabeth… I love how you Elizabeths are tacking on your locations!
I had the same thing happen in a very secluded boondock. Incredible! I like the way you gave them the message. Solar is great. I’d much rather plug in a panel than have to deal with fuel and all that.
Beauty abounds. You have a real talent for finding nice places to camp. I hope you properly posted a sign on the road in “NO GENERATORS ALLOWED DURING DAYLIGHT OR NIGHT!! Violators face a pissed off woman and her two attack dogs.”
Hi, Jim . . . This campsite can only be seen when one looks down the driveway and what one sees looking down the driveway is the PTV and BLT. Even though it’s a big area (mostly uneven), from the road it looks like this site is filled. Only the locals know better . . . As Spike would say, “heh-heh.”
What a beautiful place you are in! I haven’t commented in a while, but I eagerly anticipate your posts. My business has finally sold, so I WILL BE in Arizona this winter. Hooray!
We have the same taste in shoes, it seems. I bought the identical pair of the last Keen’s you purchased, and now these. Had to immediately order me a pair of the Rose Slide Sandals in purple/gray size 7. Thanks for the heads up.
Hi, Barb,
Congratulations on the sale of the business! You must feel like a massive door has opened with Arizona on the other side. 🙂 I’m happy for you.
I was going to ask you if you like the first pair of Keens you bought, but it’s obvious you do, if you ordered another pair of Keens. I’m always nervous about sizing. . . My trail shoes are 7.5, my Newport regular sandals are 7… I stayed with size 7 for the slip-ons. We have the same taste in shoes and the same size in shoes. (I sound like a middle-schooler. “We’re twins!”)
Thank you for ordering through my blog, Barb.
Ha Ha, funny you should mention twins. We also have the same taste in campsites (you’ve found some real beauties, and I can’t wait to check them out), same dislike for excess noise and large crowds, and same appreciation for all of nature.
I like the Keens because they have a wider toe box than other brands. I can wear a normal width 7 if the toe box is wide enough and not have to order a half size larger which can cause fit problems elsewhere. Yes, I’m very happy with the Keen hikers purchased earlier. I was looking for a waterproof pair, and your post was very timely.
Give those pups an ear scratch for me.
Oh, I just realized I ordered the Rose, not the Rose Slide. That’s why they were available in purple/gray. The Rose is what I wanted anyway. I need that strap around my heel to keep them in place. A happy mistake!
My pup was pretty much deaf his last three years or so. Of course I still talked to him all the time 🙂 Even though he couldn’t hear me, I enjoyed it and I feel that somehow, he could tell he was still included (probably he did associate various moves and gestures with actions, and they went along with speech of course). I did find that (until later when it got worse) he could hear a sharp hand clap, so I used that to get his attention during the hard-of-hearing days. But it could be infuriating (in a not-his-fault-of-course way) when he’d be running off and I’d be (doofily) calling him… to no avail.
I love how you put out that rug and make an instant home outside. I tend to spend all my time (when I’m at the RV) inside, “sheltered from people,” but I would like to stake a claim to some space outdoors too. Guess I need a rug and chair! I looked up your mat on Amazon – looks like the “Reversible Mat.” Can I ask… is it like a plastic mesh, or…?
I took the roof-mounted air-conditioner off my rig today. I never use it and now that space is earmarked for solar panels, which I will definitely use (plus the AC won’t shade the one I already have, as it used to, or the new one). If I had a tow vehicle/trailer, I would do as you do and mount the panels on the tow, then put the trailer in the shade. Since I can’t do that, I’m hoping that with enough solar panels (and frugal electricity usage) I can get charged up and then move into the shade (or park in a spot that is sunny part of the day and shady the rest). Guess we’ll see how it goes. There is a lot to figure out (voltage drop, etc.). I think I’m down to just figuring out what/where to fuse, and then I can start to order parts.
Then I want to find a burbling brook! Ah but that sounds nice (an appointment has kept me in the roasting SW….).
Hi, Pen,
You’ve been a busy lady lately! Yeah, ditch the A/C if you never use it. I wouldn’t have opted for an A/C if given a choice but it was standard on the 17-foot Liberty Deluxe Casita.
Before I had the 12-foot extension cord made to connect the PTV batteries with the BLT’s battery, I was limited in the ways I could position the solar panel. I had to keep the PTV closer to the BLT. I found the 200 watt panel with two storage batteries was enough when part of the day the PTV was shaded (but not dense shade).
Reader and friend and technical advisor Mick put together a list of solar set-up parts available on Amazon with links. I’m going to try to put that on the solar page today. (I want to change the links to my code-embedded links.) Maybe that will be helpful.
No, Spike doesn’t hear clapping. I notice Bridget is losing her hearing, too. Sometimes I have to yell her name a couple of times to get her attention or clap my hands. *sigh* I prefer white dogs but this is what happens when they age.
Yes, the mat is “like a plastic mesh” which sounds inferior but it’s not. It’s reversible but I don’t like the other side. It’s made out of polypropheline or something like that.
Best of luck with your solar work, Pen. Try to stay cool!
I don’t think it is the color of the dog, but the age. At least, it seems that all my friends’ dogs of all colors have gone deaf if they lived long enough. Either that or they learn to ignore us. Mom’s last two Pugs were both deaf by about age 11 or so (and blind)… and dumb as stumps. LOL I always called them dumb and dumber. Mugsy is a Pug/Bichon mix and very smart, but I doubt that she will live long enough to go deaf.
😉
🙂
That is one big honking turkey. I’ve seen females before, but never a male in full display. Your new campsite looks wonderful, the sound from the stream cascading over the rocks has to be very soothing. Is Spike totally deaf? Could he still hear a dog whistle?
I saw a male turkey for the first time last summer at a farm/museum. Wow, if you didn’t know they were something “normal and every day”….. well you’d almost think they were from science fiction or a horror movie — or at least an exotic jungle. I mean not that they are horrible, but just so unusual looking! So many wild details.
You’re right, Pen. They are very weird-looking! Up close the feather patterns are pretty.
Hi, Allison,
Spike might be able to hear a dog whistle. I haven’t purchased one because I know myself pretty well. I wouldn’t have it with me when I needed it.
Yeah, that’s a big turkey. I guess size matters in the world of turkeys!
No wonder you like that camp area. It’s gorgeous! One of the prettiest yet. I’m hoping all these areas will be still available in a couple years when we cut loose.
I’m in the throes of 600+ watts of solar installation. Finally got all the bits. Putting them in as I get time. Work interferes a lot with this stuff.
I can sympathize with Spike. I have found that soaking in cool water helps my arthritis and he probably feels the same way.
Stay safe. Love your blog. 🙂
And I love hearing from you, wa desert rat!
Wow, you’re going to be solared-up with 600 watts. That’s a great investment in your money and labor.
Yeah, work tends to interfere with a lot of stuff… You would like soaking in this creek. The photos don’t show the water as clean and clear as it really is. I’m sitting in my camp chair, soaking my feet, watching the waterfalls, and I’m thinking… people go to all sorts of hassle and expense for what I have here, a relaxing spa experience!
Good luck finishing up the solar!
I like those rose slides. I may have to take the plunge although I am very broke. Decisions decisions!
Hi, Ginger,
I don’t know why they call them “rose” slides. There are three color choices and none of them are what I’d call rose.
There probably will be another sale further along in the season. Amazon notifies me of sales. I’ll put out another alert to readers when that happens.
I think the pattern on the top of the shoe is supposed to be ‘rose’ shaped?
Ohhhhh…. That’s probably it. Still… what a misleading name. There are women who wouldn’t be caught dead in anything even close to pink. 🙂
Hey folks, I was looking at the Keens on Amazon and noticed that the price changes depending on which color you choose so if you’re looking for a bargain, you might check prices on different colors. When it comes to sandals, if lime green is $40 cheaper than a more “subdued” color, I’m buying lime green. Guess I get to pay a visit to REI tomorrow to see which any of the Keens styles will work with my feet. THEN I can order from Sue’s Amazon link.
Hi, Reine,
Thanks for explaining the weirdness of shopping Keens. The choices are black, burnt henna, and rose (which is closer to taupe, I believe). I chose the burnt henna simply because in my size that color is cheapest. Go figure.
Keen Women’s Rose Slide Sandal,Burnt Henna/Neutral Gray
Color doesn’t matter much to me. Price does! All my footwear eventually ends up desert brown. 🙂
Good idea to check the fit first, if you can. My feet are easy to fit. I know some people have to be more careful.
Thank you for supporting my little commercial enterprise, Reine!
:~D
:>O
The turkey is spectacular! The girls must be impressed (not not)! Feathers make the man, eh? Looks quite different than the one in my oven last November!
Isn’t he sumpthin’! This is the first male-in-display turkey I’ve ever seen. As for the girls, they took off down Del’s road with Tom chasing after.
We have oilseed bird feeders in our backyard, so every day we get turkeys and within the last month we had a couple males strutting their stuff. One looked like a juvenile, so no fights.
Gorgeous campsite. Trees, water and singing birds. Does it get any better than that? Throw in a campfire and coffee in the a.m. and I’m happy.
Sounds like the crew are mixing things up a bit. No soak for Spike, but Bridget becomes water dog.
I’ll have to check out the Keens. I like something I can easily slip into and off.
Hi, Marsha,
Sounds like you have a turkey show in your yard. Del and Reg have a turkey feeder. I think that’s where the turkeys went after leaving our campsite. I hear them over there sometimes.
Besides the style sandal I chose, Keens has another slide called Bali which comes in a wider variety of colors. Both styles don’t have that between-the-toes thingy that I hate.
I’ve given the soaking situation a lot of thought… Why did Spike not come in the creek with us? I think I’ve come upon the answer.
That bank is steep. He’s climbed up it once, when we first arrived at this site. I wonder if he doesn’t want to face that climb again. He did soak later, further upstream where it’s flatter. I think I’ll carry him down to the creek, give him a chance to soak if he wants to, and then carry him up the bank.
Wow, just WOW, spectacular pictures and a happy ending!
I could picture myself sitting in that creek with my newly purchased waterproof Keens. LOL
You do have a knack for finding the most wonderful campsites, thank you so much for sharing.
You are an inspiration to sooo many…can’t wait for the next episode!
Hi, Patti,
I was interested to see how my sandals would react to a soak in the creek. They dried quickly and still look in good shape. (Mine are labeled waterproof.)
I guess I do have a knack for finding wonderful campsites. I hope I never lose my touch!
Thanks for the compliments . . . I don’t think of myself as inspiring and I don’t try to inspire. It just happens!
Nice turkey!
Hi, Rob… He is a handsome fellow!
Hi Sue … another great camp site! The question I was going to ask a few days ago, when I asked you to email me, is about food. With your fridgerator size, how often do you shop for fresh veggies, that need to be cooled? Do you carry another cooler or portable fridge in your van?
How often to you need to go to the store to replenish your food supply? On average how many miles away from your camp site are the stores you shop for food?
Thanks
Hi, Steve,
Thanks for asking your questions here, rather than requiring an email. It’s a lot easier for me and I bet some readers are interested in the same questions.
First off, you have to realize that I’m not a healthy-eating fanatic, not even close. I don’t include fresh fruits and veggies in every day. I go for a few weeks craving fresh veggies and then I’ll go for a few weeks not wanting any. Having said that . . .
No, I never carry a cooler or portable fridge in my van. I have a small cooler on wheels that I purchased for toting a picnic, but I hardly ever use it, and never for food storage.
I go to the grocery store more than I have to, at least before the crew went on this raw meat diet. As far as distance, there’s usually a grocery within 20 minutes of my camps. However, often those grocery stores are small and pricey. That’s why I stock up whenever I can get to a Wal-Mart.
I store only canned or bottled goods in the PTV’s “pantry” (milk crates). I don’t want to attract rodents. It’s amazing how helpful and handy it is to have that storage. I also have a deep storage drawer (among the drawers I installed on one side of the BLT) devoted to things like pasta, rice, popcorn, etc. that can’t go in the PTV. (I could put that stuff in containers, but I’m lazy.)
Fresh veggies? With the green bags Cinandjules told me about, a head of romaine, for instance, will last more than a week. It’s hard for me to be specific on this topic. I typically buy one kind of greens (romaine, spinach, leaf lettuce), a pack of radishes, a cuke, 2 or 3 squash, 3 or 4 peppers. a head of broccoli. When I purchase all of these things, the fridge is packed with only a little room for eggs, milk, condiments, etc.
The fridge, of course, is small, but it’s manageable. Food has never been a problem in my travels… Keeping supplied with the crew’s raw meat has been the only real inconvenience.
Hope this is helpful! If I didn’t answer completely, let me know.
I have a tip for you. When you get your fresh produce, if you give it a ‘hot shock’ it will keep much longer. How I do it is I fill a big bowl or pan with the hottest tap water I’ve got,then throw the stuff in. Belt sit for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain. Store. If I do a bunch of things I replenish the water so it stays as hot as possible. I have kept berries for 10 days, greens for two weeks or even longer.
Gee, wouldn’t that wilt the life right out of the lettuce?
Nope, and it will keep much longer. Give it try, you’ll be surprised. Try it with a small amount. You can thank me later!
Thanks for your answer. That information is helpful, just what I was looking for. I should probably plan on more rice, pasta, beans in sealed containers. I have those now at my house because I do have a mice problem at times, not all the time. That’s part of living in the rural area I guess.
What a glorious place you’ve found there (at both campsites plus the valley.) This whole area has gone onto my bucket list thanks to your pictures, that’s for sure.
I’m with you on landscapes, and it’s something I’ve only recently realized. The spectacularly rugged scenery we see in the west can be breathtakingly beautiful, but it’s the lush rolling fields and tidy green pastures and shady bucolic streams which can soothe the soul in a more breathgiving way.
Which leads me to a question, Sue. If you were forced – purely hypothetically – to put down stakes somewhere you’ve been on your travels since you pulled them up and left your old life, where would it be?
Hi, leilani . . . Love all these questions this morning!
I’ve been asking myself the same question you asked. If I were to have a home base, what location would I choose?
A warm-in-the-winter home would make the most sense, probably Arizona. However, Arizona is popular in the winter and I’m afraid I’d have visitors, plus the taxes. . .
So far the place that would suit me best is right here in the Sevier River valley. Unfortunately it is cost-prohibitive to buy here.
While at the laundromat I saw an ad on the notice board for a two bedroom apartment in Salina for $500 a month, all utilities paid. It struck my curiosity because here in Morman land, people rarely allow their properties to be dumpy. In other words, one rarely encounters a slum in these small towns. That’s pretty cheap rent. The board also had a number for seniors to call for transportation services.
Del told me that the snow can get deep here but they have many winters when it is very light. If I ever want to slow down, I’d love to spend spring and fall here, travel to AZ in the winter and go wherever my heart leads me during the summer.
Thanks for stopping by!
Really like your blog. Been following along for a while.
How are you getting your Amazon orders shipped to a UPS Customer Center? I just started full timing and thought the only way is to ship General Delivery to a nearby Post Office. Thanks for any tips regarding receiving shipments while on the road.
Great question, gofaster!
Okay. If one is ‘on the road’, I recommend putting a UPS Customer Center (a hub) as the shipping address. General Delivery at the post office doesn’t always work.
There is a UPS map of their “hubs.” I’d post a link but my connection is slow right now. Look up “UPS Customer Center locations” and you’ll find it. Find the nearest hub and use that address. I start the address like this:
Full Name/UPS Customer Center
then their address
Do not make the mistake of using the address of a UPS “store” because they charge up to $15 PER PACKAGE received.
I didn’t mention this in a post. One of the many reasons I decided to come back to Salina is the presence of a UPS Customer Center. Oh, BTW, check their hours when it comes time to pick up your package. This UPS hub is only open weekdays for a few hours after 4:30 p.m.
Nice hearing from you!
Thanks so much for the UPS info.
Safe travels!
– Felix “currently boondocking in the Lincoln NF”
My pleasure, Felix. I can’t remember where Lincoln NF is… Wherever it is, enjoy! Love that boondockin’…
Just a note so you are aware: I have been having packages shipped to a UPS Customer Center via my Amazon Prime account. Been on a bit of a “roll” since I don’t often get to a place with a center. I’d say about 80% of the packages have shipped via UPS, which of course works out great. The other 20% went via Fedex, which can be a headache (they also have a customer center in this town). Some of them were accepted by UPS (for which I thanked them profusely – they understand the problem); some were sent up to the FedEx customer center; and one was refused and returned the same day it arrived (but Amazon helped me out by sending another one to a specific address where it didn’t matter what service it was shipped by).
So I still just cross my fingers (and it hasn’t slowed my shopping down… ahem), but just something to be aware of.
Maybe someday the glitches will be ”’poof!!!”’ gone!
Sue has much better knowledge of Amazon shipping policy and practices than I do but I will offer up what little I know. First, Amazon will select the shipper you do not have a choice. Second, if they chose UPS and you want delivery made to a US Post Office they may or may not accept it – some do some don’t, there does not seem to be an overall USPS policy in place. Third, there are vendors on Amazon.com that are independent of Amazon and their shipping can be different and they will select the shipper.
Sue will probable confirm this or correct me if I am wrong but a UPS Customer Center will accept and Hold for Pick Up from any shipper. Therefor, if you lack a permanent physical address where shippers can deliver this is your best option.
I have it a little easier than Sue since I can arrange for shippers to make delivery to RV Parks where I am staying for a month at a time. Again, some RV Parks will accept shipments and some don’t.
The ‘homeless’ lifestyle is not all that simple at times! Good Luck.
Excellent addition to my reply, Ed. My experience is in agreement with yours. Thank you.
The turkey is awesome!! What a super cool guest:)
I, also, am a Keen fanatic. My favorite are my red ones. I still need purple but they don’t have a good purple color in the style I like. Darn! I have the slip on ones, too. You will love them for quick trips for sure. Keen made easy!
Hi…. I assume this is Pam, unless John has a fondness for purple shoes.
I chuckled at your use of the word ‘need’ in the statement, “I still need purple…” Pam, you are such a girl! 🙂
Haha! Yes, I “need” purple Keens!! John has two pairs…a slop around pair and a “dress” pair. He figures that’s enough. Men! He just doesn’t understand the need for all the colors. Someday I will get a orange pair, too. I love the bright colors. So southwest:)
What a great new site you got. After my hike yesterday I added one question to your previous post. With busy writing comments to everyone’s statements I know you don’t have time to go back to your old post. Anyway, below is my question.
Is the campground you’re staying in suitable for tent camping? Are all sites numbered? Which one would you recommend?
Hi, R.,
Thanks for repeating the question. Makes it easier and faster for me…
We aren’t in a campground. These are established sites (meaning in use for a long time, have fire rings). It is dispersed camping with no man-made perimeters or numbers or anything like that. That pretty, rail fence is misleading. I don’t know why it’s there or who put it up.
Usually the Forest Service does not allow camping within 3 miles or so of an established campground like Maple Grove which is less than one mile up the road. They allow it here so I’m not going to argue. Ha!
Yes, you can tent camp. Just be sure to set up your tent in an established site. In other words (I say this for the benefit of anyone reading this.. you probably know this)… don’t put a tent anywhere along the creek. Someone might complain and then this lenient, look-the-other-way practice of the rangers might end.
Since it’s first come-first served, my recommendations don’t mean anything. Come here and look on both sides of the creek.
Here’s an idea! The road that crosses the creek continues toward the mountains away from Maple Grove Campground. It goes all the way to another creek which joins Ivie Creek further downstream. I wouldn’t suggest taking an RV up there, but a tenter would do fine. There are several fire-ring sites. The road is a bit rutted, but I made it up there with the PTV, taking it slow. I’ll be showing some pics of that area in a future post.
Although more woodsy and not as postcard-perfect, up there you aren’t going to deal with RVs and neighbors, if you like being alone.
You could tent in our site or any of the other sites along here.
If you’re interested in MG Campground sites, let me know and I’ll take a look.
Yes, please. I would greatly appreciate if you can do that and thank you for all very helpful details. Maple Grove sounds so peaceful. I hope to stay there in the next 2-3 weeks. Is it raining yet? We had some rain here in the high desert. Clouds are low, hiking trails are still wet. This is a perfect day for staying in and taking care of things I should take care of some time ago.
It was rainy yesterday.
Oh, I forgot. You need restrooms…
Maple Grove Campground has restrooms and water spigots (shared). Sites are paved and cost $15 reg/$7.50 with senior pass. There isn’t a discount or a special area for tenters.
I’ll be back with you on the tent sites. I don’t know if you can reserve sites. Search online for that info.
I usually don’t reserve a site in advance since I don’t have to arrive on Fridays. I try to be in a campground on Thursday before weekenders get there. I also have a plan B if a campground is full. There is always another one somewhere and hopefully no too far away. I definitely need a toilet. I don’t want to travel with my private loo. I love camping but there is a limit to everything.
Sue, I posted two of your pictures today on Facebook. I know you don’t need more readers, but I told them where to go to see the other pictures. You have some of the best ones I have seen you post. I think we all travel vicariously through your blog. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome. And thank you, Marg, for the compliment on my photos and for promoting my blog on Facebook. I appreciate both.
I don’t do FB and don’t take advantage of “site-optimization” techniques, relying mostly on word-of-mouth and my “tags” at the bottom of each post to keep my blog popular.
I love how people today are letting us know locations. I find it very interesting. 🙂
I thought I was only one without Facebook page.
Well, we do not intend to ever have FB…it causes a lot of problems in many ways…we are content to NOT have it. So you are not alone. We do not have a blog yet either. Maybe one day if we have more time and get into RVing.
Glad to see your serendipitous relationship with Mother Nature continues! You don’t use a loud and stinky generator and you clean up trash – she offers you beautiful locations and guard-turkeys to keep you safe. Seems like a good deal to me!
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That’s a great way to look at it, Jodee! Camping quietly and cleaning up camp areas is a small price to pay for what we get in return.
You find such nice spots. I’m going to need to follow you around. In a non-stalker way, of course. 😉
Awww, Al… Not only will you camp in the “nice spots,” you won’t have to pick up trash!
As private as you are, Sue, I’m amazed how easily you make friends everywhere you go. I am friendly too, but, honestly, I just find myself hiding from people when I’m at my camp. In fact, I rarely am outside for fear someone will see me and know I’m by myself, so, it’s for safety reasons too. I do wish I could feel more comfortable and enjoy more than just morning walks outdoors. All I want is complete privacy and peace and quiet when I’m at camp.
Speaking of the tranquility I’ve so enjoyed at my current camp, it was broken with an annoyingly VERY BUSY holiday Saturday yesterday! I must have had at least 20 people coming up here between campers and ATV’s kicking up dust. It was difficult to focus on my work because I had to know what was going on and who was passing my camp. LOL. It really stressed me out and I was quite cranky as the last ATVers flew by my camp FINALLY around 9 pm. Geeesh! THANK GOODNESS no one was out buzzing around after dark or I may have just left. I’ve had that experience were the ATV crowd will be out until midnight and sometimes beyond. That happened in Ehrenbergh. Ug.
My friend is coming, so, I’m justifying holding the site across the way for her. Whew! Good thing because there were some really rough looking characters with giant ATV’s ogling that campsite yesterday. I would rather have left then share too close for comfort space with obviously big, loud families with ATV’s and loose dogs running around. NO WAY!
I’ve only had two ATV’s pass me this morning as of 8 am. The weekend should be winding down and it should be back to peace, quiet and tranquility in time for my friend’s arrival….I hope and pray!
I LOVE your turkey photos! He’s absolutely GORGEOUS! I wonder if he’ll pay you a visit again! I wonder what Spike and Bridget think of him….real live, raw meat, indeed, perhaps good for chasing and eating? I know my dog Rochelle would have had a hay day with him and his gals! She would have been fit to be tied and I would have had to tie her up or else there would be one turkey with a heart attack from the chase!
Hi, Gloria,
About feeling more comfortable outside at your camp.. It’s a shame you feel like you should hide. Granted, you are younger than I am and more likely to attract the wrong kind of attention. You have a right to enjoy the outdoors. It infuriates me how women alter their lives to protect themselves from impulse-driven, dominant males.
This is the way I look at it. If a creepy man comes around and sees me scurry to hide in the BLT, his predator instincts are going to fire up. He thinks, “Oh boy, she’s afraid.. I think I’ll go take advantage of that.” (Think Bear chasing Jogger.)
I haven’t come across any creepy characters in my travels. If I do, I’m ready.
If the creepy man sees me and he gets on my dirt-bag radar, I’ll give him a “get lost, creep — You don’t want to mess with me” look and go about my business. I won’t let down my guard and I’ll keep my body language in alert-and-confident mode. I’m sure you’ve heard this advice before….
I’m sorry you were inundated with the crazed ATV crowd. It’s enough to drive a person to tears. Their noise and inconsiderate behaviors, like racing and damaging things, is more than I can bear. I feel your pain!
I hope they have left and you are enjoying a peaceful camp.
The crew never knew there was a turkey at our camp. They don’t think to look where the lens is pointing. Ha! Good thing… Bridget and Spike have very little predator instinct. Spike tries to make friends and Bridget sits down and barks.
Sue, actually, I’m grateful for your advice. I will think more on it and try to push myself to be outside more. It’s why I’m out here, so I can be in nature more! Another much bigger reason, I didn’t mention earlier, is that my current camp chair is not much comfy for my daily hours of work on the computer. The lounger like you had probably would work, so, maybe I should get one, but it needs to be super lightweight (the one I saw on sale in Quartzsite was just too big and heavy and hard to stowe away between the front seats and I new I just wouldn’t use it). I have a makeshift lounge chair on my bed in the van with pillows propped up against the wall. It allows me to work in comfort for hours and hours.
I just had a ranger come see me. Do you get a lot of rangers coming to see you too? It can be a bit unnerving at first, but, then I think it’s good that they know I’m all the way out here by myself. Not that they could do anything to help if something went wrong. Well, the 14-day clock starts officially now. Sigh. I love this spot and it’s been 90% better today with less traffic. Plus the wind is kicked up a lot and I can’t hear much. Heck! I was taking a rare and much needed nap when the ranger came a few minutes ago and neither the dog or I heard him show up with all this wind. He says he hasn’t seen bears in this part of the mountain but he’s seen mountain lions. Hmmm.
Oh, is your lounge chair real light weight and easy to stowe away? Maybe I can find it on Amazon or something.
If you’re actually working on your computer, then you may actually be much better inside where there are fewer distractions. My thought is that folks seeing you outside normally don’t have a clue whether you’re “all by yourself” or there’s someone else close by. I try to be reasonable but not blow my fears out of proportion.
I had an aunt that lived in southern Arkansas without air conditioning and sweltered in the summer because she wouldn’t have a tree close enough to the house for shade because it “might” get blown over on the house. That kind of fear is going way too far.
I think Sue (and most of us) have a very acute “creep meter”. When it sounds we move to a different location. Even though I camp with my husband, if my creep meter goes off, we change sites – or campgrounds. I know on one trip a couple of years ago we checked out three or four places to camp before we found one that didn’t activate my creep meter. It happens sometimes.
Gloria, the stats are on our side. There are thousands of us solo women RVers out on the highways and rarely, if ever, do I hear of harm coming to one because she’s a women traveling and camping alone. For goodness sake, don’t stay in the RV. Get out and enjoy your travels. The only time I’m inside my camper is to sleep or take cover from the weather. Has something happened that makes you fearful? If so, I hope you can overcome and move forward.
Crystal, I can appreciate your motivation to give me advice, however, I don’t appreciate being told how to live this lifestyle, or be asked about why I might have the fear I do from someone I don’t know, as I’m sure you wouldn’t.
On a different note, it sounds like you have a great life and I can admire and respect the freedom and fearlessness you experience being out and about in this lifestyle. That’s wonderful and I wish you the continued best with all that. In the future, I’d appreciate just hearing from Sue unless I ask for other bloggers advice. Thank you.
The entire place to yourself!
What??? No soaks for Spike? That’s not like him. Or perhaps he didn’t think it was “his” spot since your chair was in the water! Heh heh
Can’t wait to see the cabin. That was a ton of laundry!
Hope your weekend is peaceful!
Having a super weekend… Hope you are, too! You’re still in CA . . .
I took some photos of the cabin. To use a cliche… I love what they’ve done to the place!
Oh I forgot the turkey! We have turkeys running around at home. But I’ve never seen the tail fanned out like that! Wonder if he was mad?
My work is done here in CA. Headed back Tues nite..the trip takes 16 hours doorstep to doorstep in the woods and I didn’t want to drive half asleep during the Memorial Day chaotic traffic.
Both houses will be sold…the real estate market right now…is off the hook with cash buyers who overbid 33% of the asking price. CA is truly over rated, over priced and over populated!
Time to go back to the boonies!
The turkey fanning his tale… That’s not anger, that’s passion!
You’re wise to wait for holiday traffic to be gone. Have a safe and pleasant (as possible!) trip home.
Hi RV Sue – love the most excellent turkey shots. Great camping spot. We were at GreatBasin and now are passing north of you and soon to be east of you heading through Colorado back to Northern New Mexico. Have a great week.
Karen, did you camp at Great Basin NP? Is all snow gone? I’m trying to decide when to go there to tent camp. My main purpose is to hike. From what I see there is still lots of snow on some trails I would like to hike. Thanks
We did camp in our van at upper Lehman campground. But the high campground just below Wheeler Peak at 10,000 feet was closed because of the snow. It is our favorite campground at Great Bason. We still had a nice walk, but higher trails still have snow.
Just passed through Green River Utah on 70 and there is on and off light rain.
Thanks, Karen. Have a safe trip back to New Mexico . . .
Thank you Karen. That’s what I thought. I kind of knew I won’t be able to get there before mid-July. Yes, have a safe trip to NM
Karen , I don’t know which way you’re traveling to New Mexico but keep in mid Telluride and the area around got some snow. Once again, have a safe trip.
Great photos of a great camp site! Love the Tom Turkey photos – what luck! I saw a small group of females recently but we’ve got coyote issues around here.
Those slides look comfy, but I can’t buy shoes like that here in fire ant country.
Enjoy your new camp area!
Oh, fire ants. I had forgotten all about that feature of Georgia. 🙁 Hope you are feeling better today, MK.
Beautiful campsite! And you got the perfect shot of the turkey – great camera work! Don’t you just love Utah?
Yes, I do love Utah. I’m glad it’s next to Arizona, my winter home. I may return to Utah in the fall. It must be incredibly beautiful here at that time of year.
Hey there Miss Sue,
I think the Tommy turkey has a thing for you, or maybe the camera……..thought you were the Poparazzi photographing for Playbird magazine.
But I do have a question about your solar, does it have a cover so a hail storm wont break the glass or does it have a tilt down so the back side is facing up while in transit? And what about cloudy days? Does it produce anything at all or just a reduction in power?……….yeah I know I can read the manufactures web sites, but it’s like my dad told me or maybe it was a commercial………..go ask the man that owns one or in your case the blond chick. lol…..
Just so you know, im a guy that has not only a quad runner and a generator, im also a guy that really likes to boondock…..no neighbors at all, I really like solitude and I hate bothering others. My quad runner is just a cheaper way of getting things done like gathering firewood, getting further in to tight spots without tearing up the ground, making a water run…….you name it, in other words it’s a tool not a toy.
Not to mention Shorty my mini Aussie loves to ride in my lap…ears a flappin in the breeze, sort of like a dogs Harley. We will ride a dirt road and then maybe a trail, park it and then hike the rest and go fishing, or caving, rock hounding…….you name it.
I run a reefer in my trucking and I get tired of the noise, so my generator would be just to keep the lights on during an extended stay in one area. That’s why I ask the questions of the owner of solar and maybe wind generator, you would be able to tell me the down sides to the solar from an owners point of view, not from the comments section of a manufactures web site where guys that made mistakes wont admit it. I trust your realistic plain way of talking, it’s cash talks and BS walks type of thinking when you get torqued and it cracks me up…..totally old school…..WAY TO GO!
I especially like your ventures into towns along the way and your comments about what you see in Laundromats and grocery stores when getting supplies and the interaction from a womans point of view…….we as men have always wondered what the hell are they thinking?……….now we know!…..lol….but im sure it’s just it’s just a small sample of what lurks in the mind of a woman…….
Keep up the good work and enjoy life.
Hi, Robert,
That turkey didn’t care that we came along. He was too involved in courtship, if you know what I mean. 😉
No, my solar panel does not have a cover. Panels can withstand a lot. After all, many of them end up on the roofs of houses and withstand all sorts of weather.
When in transit, the solar panel rests totally flat with the cells facing up. Since it’s mounted on a roof rack, the air passes over and under it. Due to the ingenious design and mounts provided by my engineering friend, Mick, the panel does not rattle, whistle or whine as we go down the highway. The panel can be tilted. I only do that during the winter months.
Mick told me that those UV rays get to the panel on cloudy days. I always have enough power for my light usage — computer, LED lights, occasional TV, radio. It’s important to have good batteries. I admit I don’t hover over a voltage meter every day. I park the PTV, plug it in, and don’t give the batteries any thought. If I wear them out sooner than someone else would, so what. I don’t want to think about batteries. I’ve got a creek to sit in.
The down side of solar? To be perfectly honest I can only think of one thing and that’s not important enough to me to care about. I can’t run a toaster oven. A crockpot maybe. . . but I don’t try it. Some would say not being able to run the A/C off solar is a downside. Not me. A 12-volt fan is enough, along with higher elevation. I don’t need the fan very often.
I appreciate your attitude re your use of the generator and quad. I wish everyone thought like you do. ATVs/quads/OHVs/whatever are a great help when needing to cover distance over rough country or haul stuff across a farm for instance. You summed it up well with “It’s a tool, not a toy.” Love that!
Your summary of my nature gave me a laugh. Yes, I can be the sweet ol’ granny in a hat, ready to lend a helping hand and all that, but, with enough reason, I can cut your legs right out from under you with a few choice words. Haha!
Nice talkin’ with ya’ Robert!
Sue,
Thanks for the response, im now looking into solar because the price has come down a lot and you can make your own system and really cut the cost down and looking outside at my camp trailer I would have room on top or could even make some panels that set out by themselves and just move them with the sun. Simple energy for simple people, but I think I will take the generator along as a back up just in case aliens land in the desert and need a jump start to return to Alpha Centauri. We have to be neighborly ya know. I find that with all the goodies my trailer comes with I really don’t use them, just the stove, heat and lights and ability to charge devices that could save your bacon………..oh yes and the hot tub of course!…….just kidding!! lmao. I had to poke a little fun at you.
Keep doing what you do, your an inspiration to us all and your posts make my day as well as a lot of others, word travels fast and ive told some of my buddies in trucking about you and it makes theirs as well.
Yay! Welcome all truckers! Thanks for telling your buddies about my blog. Best wishes with the solar project, Robert.
Okay, anticipating next chapter. Want to see the cabin, chicken house, etc.
Marg! You know I can’t stand pressure! 🙂
I tried to post this from a smartphone but it wasn’t that smart. Sue and I have a JR Terrier, Teka, who had come deaf these past 3 or 4 years. We discovered that she can hear the sound of a whistle; the kind a lifeguard would blow when she caught you running at the swimming pool when you were a kid. Bought one at Walmart for a couple bucks and she perks up when she hears it and turns around. Then we can use hand signals to tell her to come back. She doesn’t go far anyway but sometimes she gets carried away.
Craig
Ya know? That’s a pretty good idea. I might pick up a whistle like that, or maybe two or three to have them lying around. Spike already knows a few hand signals, like “come here” and “don’t you dare you sneaky little renegade.”
I just have to visit Utah!
Seeing that fluffed up turkey gave me a chuckle, then Gloria’s comment about her dog reminded me of a funny. I just had one of my hens get all broody and she raised the cutest little black chick. The first day she had the chick out walking around, one of my little Silky Terriers, Zoe, decided to check out this potential meal…..that old hen let her get about six feet away, then she decided that was close enough and she tore out after that dog with all her feathers fluffed, she looked about twice her normal size, she was screaming at that dog…Zoe took off screaming, the chicken was screaming..dust was flying..when it was over, Zoe had the fear of chicken firmly embedded in the little noggin.
The chick is still tiny, this was just a week ago, but Zoe knows exactly where she/he is at all times, especially where mama is too! I just love that old hen, she has raised babies for herself for the past four years and never lost a single chick!
I am off in the Casita next Wednesday for my first solo trip with her, going up to Columbia Historic State Park for a four day annual event called Columbia Diggins 1852.
I am a docent at the park, at this event I cook for folks , in costume, at the hotel, all over an open fire, or in a horno, feed about 30 a noon meal. We are expecting 1200 fourth grade students on Thursday and Friday and the general public all four days. It is an amazing experience, have been doing it six years now…
Hi, Lee,
Cute story about the mother hen. I can see Zoe taking off, running for her life.
Wow, that’s quite an event!. I got a major crick in my neck when I got to the part about 1200 fourth grade students. Good heavens. Better you than me! 🙂
Seriously, you perform a good service to the public and to history. I hope your costume is comfortable for you to cook in.
By now I’ve come to expect your affinity with birds to sprinkle your life with their visits to you.Yet,from hummingbirds to finches to orioles,and now THIS-
the size thing is progressing so much I half expect you to walk up to a condor perched on your lounge chair next.
Your new neighbors sound like someone you enjoy,little buildings and chickens
to enhance the land in place of noise to ruin the experience,yippee,enjoy.
That’s funny, weather. I do seem to attract birds. I didn’t realize they are getting bigger… condors are next, haha!
Talking about affinity… That’s me and the man and son next to us. We speak the same language only I say creeeek and they say crick!
A ruly beautiful camp you’ve got there! You are getting a real knack for finding the good ones! Loved the Tom and yeah, he had something else on his mind…it is spring after all! The dog whistle idea is a real good one, try it, they are not very expensive.
Hot, muggy and HAIL here….A/C runs almost 24/7 but that’s Floridah!
Hail and muggy. Only Florida can pull that off. Thank God for air conditioning!
Those last few post of the campsites alone the creek have been extremely nice. What a nice area. Loved the photos of the Ranch Family Moving Their Cattle & of course the Tom Turkey. What a treat you have been having & to top it off seeing a Tom Displaying. Wow!
What a shame some folks care so little about others, running a generator, especially a loud one, is down right RUDE! Maybe they had to run a CPAP machine, but no excuse for that.
Had a similar experience many years ago camping at Chiricahua National Monument in AZ in a Class C, some one next to us in a Class A ran his generator most of the night. It would stop at times, then fire back up. It was cold at the time, I guess he wanted to use an electric heater???? Even with every thing buttoned up & closed, it was hard to get to sleep & stay asleep.
Felt like walking over & putting a potato in the exhaust pipe, but didn’t. Ha!
A potato in the exhaust pipe…. That’s rich!
Great seeing you here again, Adrian. Hope all is well with you. Thanks for the good words about my recent posts.
Wonderful photos, Sue. I love being camped to a river, rapids, waterfalls — whatever kind of moving water. I’m definitely more of a stream person than a lake person. You have a primo site, yet again!
You did it again! Another better campsite than the previous one comeplete with strutting Tom Turkey in your yard! When things like that happen to me I call them blessings! Today Chuck and I were blessed with a red shouldered hawk that followed us to each of the 4 cabins as we cleaned! Never had that happen before!