Monday, September 29
The rain returned shortly after I took the clear-blue-sky photo which is at the bottom of the previous post. It rained all night last night and most of this morning.
Ominous clouds hover around us.
By mid-afternoon Bridget and I are going stir-crazy.
Pelican Lake Campground under a stormy sky
“We need some fresh air and exercise, Bridge. Let’s walk over to the boat dock.”
Bridget busts out of the Best Little Trailer and scampers around with excitement. A breeze adds more chill to the damp air. We walk briskly on the campground road which cuts through the rabbit brush, sage, and desert flowers.
Not surprisingly, no one is at the day use area.
Bridget and I venture out on the fishing dock. A flock of coots skitters across the water at our arrival. Well, there’s some blue sky. Not the way we’re going though . . . .
Maybe tomorrow it will be clear enough for us to break camp and move on . . . .
“Well, little girl. You’re in a hurry to take a walk and in a hurry to go home.”
It does feel good to return to our cozy abode. I turn on the inverter and air card, and open up the laptop.
I find an email from Rusty . . .
If you’ve read my blog posts over the past few years, you know that Rusty is the man I met while camping in the Ash Fork area of Arizona. At that time Rusty was living full-time in his truck camper with his malamute-mix dog, Timber.
Timber made national news when he became lost in Utah.
He was found by a stranger and transported to California, then all the way to Canada, and eventually to Colorado. While being cared for by the family in Colorado, a reader of this blog who lives in New York state found an on-line notice about Timber, notified me in Oregon, and I notified Rusty in Arizona.
News purveyors, both local and national, jumped on the story.
Followers of this blog, as well as other people across the nation, rejoiced when Rusty drove to Colorado, picked up his beloved Timber, and happily brought him home to where they camp in Arizona.
Rusty and Timber, “Juniper Camp” near Prescott Valley, Arizona — April 2013
After a time Rusty and Timber move into a regular home in Chino Valley, Arizona.
This is made possible through a Veteran’s Administration program for homeless vets. The generous outpouring of housewarming gifts from readers of this blog furnishes and equips the home. Rusty is able to take advantage of VA medical services, obtaining new glasses, for example. He and Timber enjoy watching television together with air conditioning and heat at the flip of a thermostat, as well as running water and other amenities of residential living.
Everything is fine until a few months ago.
Rusty begins to suffer from headaches and other ailments which continually worsen. Rusty’s complaints regarding leaks and other urgent home repairs do not receive attention and the situation becomes intolerable.
I learn all this from a previous email in which Rusty explains the situation:
“. . . . Well, our house has black mold in it and it has been making me sick. AZ HUD, Puroclean, and the health department came and inspected it and failed it last week.
“In the meantime, friends and myself have been building a new cab-over camper that I can stand up in and Timber ‘n I can sleep over the cab of the truck. Soon it will have a stove n’ a heater.
“It has so far, on top, 73 watts solar with a 7 amp charge controller for lights, radio, phone and our 8.1 HP laptop and soon all the other neat stuff a cab-over has.
“I put all the housewarming gifts to good use . . . . The things I’m unable to take with us are going to veterans who could use them. The love is being passed on . . . . “
In a reply email I ask Rusty if that’s a new truck I see in the photos he sent.
I’m also curious how Timber manages to get up into the cab-over bed.
Rusty sends me another email.
“It’s the same truck. I painted her by hand. . . . Timber gets on the backwards ‘L’ seat with no table and jumps right up there with no problems . . . He can look out all the windows there and he sleeps up there with me. We’ll be moving on towards Lake Havasu City Tuesday . . . . “
Tuesday, September 30
I immediately look out the window to check the sky. It’s still overcast but the stormy clouds are gone.
While the coffee pot heats, I find another email from Rusty. He and Timber traveled part of the way to Lake Havasu City yesterday. Hmm . . . . Eager to get back on the road. Typical vagabond . . . . I know that feeling . . . .
As for Bridget and me, we’re back on the road today, too.
As soon as I post this, I’ll break camp!
rvsue
THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AMAZON FROM MY BLOG!
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Decal Eraser Wheel
SALAD/DESSERT PLATE CRADLE
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Motorola 23-Mile Range 22-Channel Two-Way Radio (Pair)
Wrangler Men’s Big Rugged Wear Relaxed Fit Jean ,Overdyed Black
Camping With the Corps of Engineers: The Complete Guide to Campgrounds Built and Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
