Reggie and I move our camp up to the top of a mesa!
We’re at Poverty Flats, a vast area of rocky mesas sticking out like fingers, where you can choose to camp with other RVers or move further out to make your home in peaceful seclusion surrounded by vast and “empty” desert of dramatic land forms.
At this time of year snowbirds stop for a day or two on their way to places further south, like Lake Havasu City, Quartzsite, and Yuma. They tend to cluster closer to the main road than the RV shown in the next photo (below).
Some RVers settle in for months of free camping.
There are no facilities so one needs a self-contained rig. Verizon signal is excellent, Valley of Fire State Park is a short drive to the south, and groceries and services are only three miles up the road in Overton.
Poverty Flats has three entrance roads which branch into several side roads to promontories.
The Perfect Tow Vehicle carries us to the top of the mesa and immediately I know I’ll love camping here. The further you drive, the more remote and private one’s camp.
I choose a site about halfway “out” where the closest neighbors are very far away.
The next photo shows our front yard.
In the foreground a grey bush perches on the edge of the mesa. From that edge the ground plunges to what I call badlands.
Beyond the badlands is another mesa. Beyond that mesa is Muddy River (not shown in this pic) and another mesa, a huge one called Mormon Mesa. Black Ridge is in the distance. At the upper left of the photo (above) is part of the town of Overton, Nevada.
I know what you’re thinking.
“UGH! What a desolate place! Drab and dreary! Empty! Too brown! No green!”
Well, if it were up to me, I’d rename Poverty Flats. I’d name it Magnificent Mesa!
While Reggie waits patiently in the passenger seat, I maneuver the Best Little Trailer onto a level spot at just the right angle for sun, shade, and views.
Once I have the Best Little Trailer perfectly positioned . . .
I commence turning our bare piece of rocky ground into a comfortable home for Reggie and me.
I chock the wheels and unhitch, because I know I want to stay here for several days. I retrieve the blue mats from the back of the PTV. The large mat goes along the door side with the half-mat (the remains of the first mat I purchased five years ago) at the back of the BLT.
With this set-up, as the sun and shade change throughout the day, I can place my lounger on the mat where it’s the most comfortable.
I put out Reggie’s things — his bed, toys, and water dish. Oh yeah, I also lift Reggie out of the passenger seat and set him on the mat. Ha! I almost forgot to mention that important “detail.”
I pull the white, folding table out of the back of the PTV and set it up near the door.
This will be the washing station. I like to spend a lot of time outdoors. The table will provide a pleasant and handy place to wash up, wash my hair, wash dishes, wash vegetables, etc.
I put my lounger out, of course, and also my camp chair with side table which is where I’ll sit to eat most of my meals.
Reggie is on 50 feet of tether, allowing him lots of roaming, but not so far as to reach the huge, deep ravine next to our camp!
After camp is set up, I relax in my lounger, enjoying the view.
Two black birds arrive and circle our camp!
Here’s our bird welcome!
They float on the air currents, rising above us and falling below us, throaty calls breaking the silence. They settle on the edge of a small promontory, much like Reggie and I have settled in our camp. (Scroll up to see the birds in the first photo of this post.)
I zoom in for a close-up.
After lunch, Reggie and I go to town!
The photo below shows a vehicle on Route 169, the road we take to Overton.
Down from the mesa we go!
We stop at the post office where I fill out a form for mail forwarding.
Remember we stopped in Littlefield on our way here so I could pick up my mail? Well, it wasn’t there yet. (Long story short, tracking number screw-up so I couldn’t check online in advance.) Anyway . . . .
At the Overton post office I arrange for the Littlefield post office to forward my mail. I’m told this process could take two weeks, even though Littlefield is only about 50 miles from Overton by car. I’ll wait. I don’t want to backtrack up the interstate.
Reggie and I cruise around Overton in the PTV.
Hmm… There’s a NAPA auto parts store . . . . Family Dollar . . . . Lin’s Grocery . . . . ACE Hardware. . . . McDonald’s . . . .
“Well, Reg, I think we will be very happy here. One of these days we’ll go to McD’s so you can have a burger. . . . ”
rvsue
THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AMAZON FROM MY BLOG!
Follow any of the links or ads you see on my blog and any Amazon purchase you make will help defray the cost of presenting “RVSue and her canine crew.” I appreciate every order, large or small. Thanks! — Sue
CLICK LINK TO SHOP AMAZON NOW!
