Friday, November 8
The crew and I leave our overnight camp on Box Canyon Road under sunny, clear skies. Interstate 10 takes us eastward about 75 miles to Blythe. We enter Arizona and a few miles past Blythe, we exit to a Flying J plaza. I want Bridget and Spike to have a chance to walk around a bit and do their business before I search for our next camp.
The two of them can be really annoying.
When we arrive at a new camp area, they yip and squeal and bark and hop around inside the Perfect Tow Vehicle. It’s very distracting while trying to find a level spot, gauge where the sun rises and sets, look for OHV tracks to avoid, figure whether vehicles are likely to drive by, and all the other items on my mental checklist for choosing a site. Okay, getting ahead of myself . . . We’re at Flying J . . . .
I park in the open area where truckers sleep in their rigs.
Spike and Bridget always get very intense because the variety and number of messages left by other canines is quite captivating. Their business done, I toss them back into the PTV and open up my laptop. I can depend on the air card showing at least three bars without putting up the antenna while parked at a Flying J. You can pay a few dollars to use their WiFi, but I don’t need that.
A quick check of the blog and we’re back on the road.
At another exit I see motor homes, truck campers, vans, and tents parked in a clear section of dirt right along the interstate. I don’t understand why people do that. The traffic noise would drive me nuts. Anyway . . . to each his own.
It’s still morning when I take the exit marked “Dome Rock Road.”
Very few campers are parked on this Bureau of Land Management area a few miles west of Quartzsite. I drive down one of the many roads of rocks and dust. Campsites are plentiful as marked by fire rings. I pass a Class A motorhome and make sure I am far beyond it before choosing our campsite.
Bridget and Spike are nuts to be let out so they can explore their new home, but they aren’t as bad as they would’ve been without the pit stop beforehand.
Our campsite is in a large, open, flat area.
The vegetation is creosote bushes with two saguaro cacti in view. What we lose in pretty landscaping, I gain in being able to watch from the windows where Spike will wander in all 360 degrees around the Best Little Trailer.
I’m always pleasantly surprised how an ordinary campsite can become quite livable and enjoyable, once camp is completely set up.
It’s very warm here.
In mid-afternoon it feels like we’re in the nineties. However, all I have to do is put the lounger in the shade and it feels like we’re in the seventies. A gentle breeze passes over us as I read and the crew relaxes in their beds on the ground next to me.
Inside the Best Little Trailer, the three large windows and open door allow a cooling breeze throughout. It’s remarkable how comfortable it is. I say that because a short walk in the desert here and I soon find myself running out of steam with two pooped puppies wanting to go home.
I can hear the traffic on the interstate.
It’s a constant sound and not loud, so it isn’t jarring, and I’m mostly unaware of it. That’s saying a lot because I’m noise-sensitive. After dark, when the desert temperatures drop, I lock the door and shut all the windows. Not only does that keep us comfortable all night long, it blocks the sound of the interstate.
I lie in bed looking up at the stars.
Hmm . . . We’re down to our last jug of drinking water. Tomorrow we’ll drive into Quartzsite, find the grocery, fill up gallon jugs with water, and scope out the town.
rvsue
THANKS FOR SHOPPING AMAZON HERE!
Here are a few samples of recent purchases by readers of this blog:
Essential Formulas Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics, Original Formula
Thermos Nissan Thermal Cookware
Natural Balance Canned Cat Food, Salmon and Green Pea Recipe
Flexi Explore Retractable Belt Dog Leash, 26-Feet Long, Supports up to 110-Pound
Cleanwaste GO anywhere Waste Kit (50-Kits)
“REAR VIEW MIRROR”
Two months before the crew and I started our vagabond life, Spike completed his co-pilot training. I posted a report on June 12, 2011.
“Photo Essay: Co-Pilot Training”
