Tuesday, April 1 – Thursday, April 3
Creosote flowers and Weaver Mountains
Bridget, Spike, and I walk to another promontory that overlooks the washes.
We discover a campsite with a fire ring and splendid views. This makes me feel better after seeing that our former campsite of three years ago has been ruined. (Don’t get me started.) The new campsite is better!
Landscape photos are fun to take on a blue-sky-with-cotton-puff-clouds sort of day.
I wish I could report on my many accomplishments over the past few days.
That’s hard to do since I didn’t accomplish anything. Oh, yeah . . . I did get out the Windex and paper towels and cleaned all the windows of the Perfect Tow Vehicle. That took about ten minutes. Ten minutes of work over a span of three days. Sounds like a good balance to me!
The first three photos are views from the new campsite we found.
Wednesday the crew and I go to Wickenburg.
It’s a good day for this little excursion because the temperature has dropped from the 80s to the 60s. I don’t have to hurry out of the store before the crew gets hot in the PTV. Our mission is Safeway for groceries, of course. I could bring our laundry along but that would seriously upset this great work-to-days ratio I’ve got going!
This looks like the Not-So-Fab five with three black friends who often tag along with them. The cattle brand is “66.” More like “666,” I’d say.
The remaining photos show our return trip across the BLM land to home.
When I come out of Safeway, I see rain clouds in the direction of our camp. In these parts, that’s a welcome sight. We could use a good soaking. (“We” includes the livestock and wildlife.)
Here’s the new gate at the entrance to Bureau of Land Management Land. It’s set back further from the highway than the old gate, making entry safer. Gosh, look at that sky!
I open the gate, drive through, and shut the gate behind us. Wouldn’t want our 70+ new friends to run out onto the highway!
The sandy road to our camp . . . Clouds cast interesting shadows on the mountains.
Along the road a black-tailed jackrabbit disappears into the creosote.
When the crew and I go walking, I look for animal tracks. Tracks show up clearly on the sandy lanes. So far I’ve only seen one snake track. It’s my guess that all the heavy hooves around here make it an unpleasant home for snakes. That’s what I like to think anyway!
We pass the cow-poopy water tank area. The cows are hunkered down under gathering storm clouds.
We pass the gang hanging out at the water tank.
“Hey, no hard feelings, okay? Just like my privacy!” (Nothing against cattle, but it would be very exciting if 70+ horses showed up instead. I’ll never forget the fun I had photographing the small herd of horses that visited our camp in 2012.)
The rain clouds pass over our camp. We get a few drops. The rain falls on the mountains instead.
After our grocery run, I cook.
Seems like many of my favorite dishes begin with frying (“Fry” is the peasant word for “saute.”). More specifically, these dishes begin by frying a big o’l, soft-ball sized, yellow onion. Then whatever is thrown in afterward is bound to taste good, in my book. Speaking of books . . .
I’m thinking I’ll write a cookbook.
I’ve already come up with great titles. I can’t decide which is best. “Get Fat with RVSue” is catchy and to the point. I like “Cooking with Cans,” although that title will never get featured in Gourmet magazine.
Today I fry up a big ol’ yellow onion, add a can of lima beans and a can of kernal corn, throw in dried red pepper, garlic, and lemon pepper . . . and what do we have? Succotash!
Hmm . . . Perfect for my new book . . . “The Joy of Weight Gain with RVSue.”
Javalina! Javalina!
How’s THAT for a quick change of subject?
A cozy home under stormy skies
Yesterday I’m at my computer desk when I see out the window two javelina (or javelinas, take your pick.). It’s right before dark. They’re up toward Inspiration Point, not real close, but, dang, they look big!
I run outside to snap a zoomed photo, but the two of them take off before I can get a shot. Apparently javelina are good runners. They’re gone in a flash.
Now for a little lesson on javelina.
The baby is upset because the mother brushed him with the cholla stuck to her nose. — Photo by David Baker from the Arizona Daily Star photo gallery.
They aren’t pigs or hogs. They just look like them, which is always suspicious when it comes to heredity.
Kind of like the joke about the milkman. I heard that said more than once, as I stood with my blazing red hair next to my blonde mother and dark-haired father. It took a few years before I understood the joke. That joke never got a laugh.
Anyway . . .
(I look up javelina on Wikipedia and, sure enough, they are in the pig family.)
A javelina is a peccary. A peccary is from South America. They can weigh up to 80 pounds or more. They have hooves. They like to sneak around at night. (Hold that last thought.)
This morning, I wander around the campsite . . .
My second cup of coffee is in my hand, the morning sun is on my shoulders. Spike and Bridget wander around with me. I look at the ground and notice a new track. Hmm . . . what is this? Small, cloven hoof tracks go over to the outdoor mat. On the other side of the mat, the tracks lead away.
Well, well, well . . . Javelina visited our camp last night, right under our window.
I pause, contemplating the tracks, sipping my coffee until it catches in my throat . . .
Dear God! I hope they don’t show up with 70+ of their friends!
rvsue
THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AMAZON HERE!
Yep. 70+ Javelina would not be very much fun. I will assume that you spent the rest of your spare time doing your taxes.
Um…. About those taxes . .. I’m going to do them soon. Promise.
geez, i hope that javolina can get that cactus thing off her nose….poor thing
Yay, I got first again.
You’ve have got to get out more, John. LOL!
Guilty. The March picture on my calendar is a shot of some state park just north of Tucson. The desert in bloom. Hard to concentrate with that to look at!
Great Laugh!!! I hope 70 don’t show up either :). You are and have been an amazing inspiration to me since I was introduced to your blog about 3 weeks ago. Went back and read almost all from the beginning. I had just begin to prepare to start on a new journey and immediately fell in love with the Casita just after starting your blog. Found a 2010 Freedom just 2 hours from home and that was a rare find. It was immaculate and so well taken care of. I hope to start my journey soon after June 1. Still purging :). Jeez. Will be glad when this part is over :)))) I truly enjoy your adventures and thank you for being an amazing inspiration. Blessings, Robin
Blessings to you, too, Robin. Did you snag that Casita? What a fantastic find! Hope the price was right.
I’m tickled that you went back to the beginning of my blog. It’s great that you’re with us as you get ready for that special day in June!
I like the Cooking with Cans idea for a cookbook. Just my kind of cooking, love onions too. You may think I am kidding, but I am serious. That would be a cookbook that people could actually afford to cook from.
Love your pictures and the cows. I am going to miss them when you move on. I loved the horses when your camped near them also. The horses where gone the last time you camped there though weren’t they?
We have threat of tornatos here today, wish I was out your way. I am terrified of tornados, but love a good rain storm.
Hi, Jean,
I don’t blame you for being scared of tornadoes. I remember living under that threat in Georgia.
I haven’t seen the horses since we were here in 2012. That was lucky timing. It would’ve been fun to see that foal all grown up.
Hope you get the rain and nothing else with it . . .
Sue,
You visited Safeway without getting your Shingles shot again? If you get Shingles, I expect you to wear a post-it-not on your forehead saying “I could have avoided this!!” Haha. Happy Trails!!
Hi, Larry,
I thought of the shingles shot. Thanks for the reminder. I finally got my insurance card for Medicare Advantage with Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Now I need to charge up my phone so I can call and find out where I can get the shot. If I have to pay close to $200 at Safeway, I’ll do it. It’d be nice if I could get away paying less though.
I’ll try to get my procrastinating self to do this before our next trip into Wickenburg! That and taxes!
When I got my shingles shot 9 months ago, it cost me $26 with my Prescription D coverage/Medicare – or it was just Medicare, at Walgreens. Dang hope you don’t have to pay the $200+
In Canada it’s all paid for except the pharmacy dispensing fee of $6. 😉
Oops! That’s just under hubby’s medical plan at work. Anyway, we both got the vaccine for a total of $12. Good to get it done as many friends have suffered so with shingles.
Read recently that shingles shots are only 65% effective. Was shocked.
If you haven’t had shingles, believe me, you don’t want them! I had them in 2006. Yikes painfully. Even my hair follicles hurt. So to me even 65% effective is better than not getting the vaccine.
That’s a good point. Highly contagious, too.
Mine are showing up late too-if at all… but that is OK, I still check (you are on my homepage!).
Javalina, Javalina, Javalina (thinking about a good ole southern movie with hand clapping) — gosh I wish I could think… MABALEEEENE! MABALLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNE! MABALEEEENE! That’s it!
So cute! ???
Hi, Barb,
Sounds like you’re ready to get outdoors and run around in springtime!
Why does that feature have to mess up? I don’t know how to fix it.
Yes Sue! I and others (hopefully) could use some boondocking recipes..it is something I am concerned about already…what will I cook w/the limitations of a travel trailer style kitchen. I have one year to prepare for my new style of cooking. Anyway, in the mean time, all your gourmet dishes ( and how you create them) are very much appreciated. Thanks. Susan (I love your blog & have started at the beginning, but also get your up-do-date happenings too! Hope to help you with your “Amazon business” as I am sure we will be using them as a source for purchases!
Also, thank you for the update on the wildlife “pigs.”
Hi, Susan,
You’re welcome. I don’t know how cooking would be much different in a trailer kitchen than at your home, unless you are one heckuva a fancy chef. My dishes are a long, long road from “gourmet.” How about a packet of Fiesta Sides “Mexican Rice” with a can of black beans thrown in? Haha!
See Jool’s suggestion below for can recipes!
Thanks for letting me know you love my blog and are reading all those back posts. There are a lot of them! And thanks also for any purchases you make at Amazon through my blog. I appreciate that very much.
I cook much as I do at home, sometimes to my wife’s dismay as she always suggests “making it easy.” But since I like to cook, I see the RV kitchen as a challenge more than a limitation. 🙂 However, kitchen layout and prep space is usually a consideration when buying any rig unless you plan to eat out all the time, fix meals from a can or simply not eat.
The kitchen is usually one of the first things we critique when looking at an RV, and I start thinking about how to work around or overcome any possible space restrictions or limitations.
You have the right attitude, Walt. Living and cooking in an RV is different than living and cooking in a home. Adjustments can be made; the challenges aren’t insurmountable. I enjoy living well with less! Everything in my kitchen can be reached from the same spot. 🙂
I’ve never had succotash…hmm Lima beans were used as ammunition in the cafeteria in grammar school. They fly really far….and pretty accurate off a spork.
Your titles made me chuckle. I like cooking with cans!
Poor little javelina…..look at it’s face! Don’t let Spike see that picture.
Hi, Cinandjules,
I don’t think lima beans are served anymore in school cafeterias for that reason. Now it’s grapes for ammunition. We teachers hate seeing grapes on the school menu!
Oh my gosh–they serve grapes at my school at least twice a week!
Hello Sue, Please do not post. Thank you for your stories. I read them every day. If you are ever in the Ozarks of NW Arkansas, you can park at my place for free. I live on a 50 acre ridge top with a lot of trees and walking trails. My daughter lives upstairs and the dogs and I have the downstairs when we aren’t traveling. On the south part, there is a clearing with a fire ring and large black walnut trees. On the north ridge there is a nice site with trees and full hook-ups and verizon 4G three bars. It is private and we have a gate. You will not need to talk to me at all. Gary
Thank you, Sam, for that generous and thoughtful offer. Your place sounds lovely. What do you mean, don’t post?
Well,,,,,you get visitors of all kinds at nite down there, Timber says hi to all,,,,, Rusty
Hi, Rusty! See you and Timber soon! I’ll give you plenty of warning . . .
RVSue, have you ever wanted to have some motion-activated outdoor lights around the BLT? It would be interesting to see some of these critters that show up “right outside the window” or would it?
Or how about one of those night vision game cameras? That would be a lot of fun…..or maybe not!
We finely got the post the same day, we’ve been getting them a day later, that’s why we haven’t been commenting :~)
That’s strange. I wonder why that happened.
You’ve been missed, pal!
Off roading crowd,instead of just tearing up the desert, ends up helping you get a better site,that’s a nicer turn of events,now isn’t it?There’s really no end to how blessed you are,I’m loving it!”a cozy home under stormy skies”,nice photo,and nice title,describes parts of life,doesn’t it?Making the best of whatever comes along,sweet life isn’t it?
Hi, weather,
Well, yes, I guess it is “a nicer turn of events”. After looking at the damage in one year’s time, I can’t help but wonder what this place will look like in another year. I’ll hope for the best and focus on what I have, not what’s been lost.
It is a sweet life. I’ve been outside washing dishes in the sunshine. It makes that mundane task a pleasure!
Finally home again I got time and unlimited internet to catch up with your postings. What a story – all these cows!
I liked to read about how you found your way of living after retiring, and I was just today thinking again: why do we have a big house and property? After several month of boondocking it happens more often that I think that kind of thoughts. Just “stuff”. We didn’t need for month, we didn’t miss it, why do we have it in the first place? All we need is in our trailer.
But, I wasn’t ready to leave it all behind when we started out RV-ing in 2005. If I had known then what I know now I would have done FT right away.
Well, for some the process takes a little longer :))
By the way – we found out about RV-ing through a TV documentation. They showed Q with all the RV’s in the desert and I thought: “What a great idea. Look at all these happy retired people! Way better than sitting at home for the rest of your old days.” That TV program planted the seed in us.
And we tried it all: class C, 5-th wheel, class A, travel trailer, RV Parks and boondocking. Best for us turned out to be: travel trailer and boondocking!
Very interesting, Bea, how you discovered RVing and the process you went through to get to the point where the house and property don’t seem so important any more. A month on the road can do that to you!
Apparently we have some things in common… the best for us is a “travel trailer and boondocking!”
Yep!
We even tow it with a white van that has a solar panel on the roof. ;))
But our trailer is definitive longer. Matched for two adults and a big dog.
I’m curious about your solar set-up, as I bet are some of my readers. What size panel do you have? How long have you had it mounted on your van? Are you pleased with the panel on the roof of your van? How is it mounted to the roof … on a rack?
Ooops! I didn’t think to check your blog. I saw a photo of your Chevy van with panel on top. Sweet! (Of course!)
Love javelinas! And I’ll take cows over horses any day. 😉
Really? You’d rather have cows than horses? That’s interesting. I’m glad they have their fans!
I like horses because they have graceful lines that make for good photos. Their long necks, the swoop of the back and over the rump, the switch of a tail, the shake of a head, and, oh, when they run! They represent freedom to me!
I bet cows were a part of your childhood or some other great memories. 🙂
You are right. My grandparents had a cattle ranch in Colorado. While I used to like to ride horses, if I have to be among a herd of something, I’d rather cows than wild horses. More predictable. Plus, cows seem so placid.
I agree with you, mockturtle… I like to watch a herd of horses from afar!
You better watch out with your variety of visitors, Bigfoot may have come down from the North for vacation. But seriously, Javelina can be dangerous to dogs and humans at times. Here is an interesting read on the subject: http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/urban_javelina.shtml
Read about dogs and Javelina….be safe.
Interesting article, Jim. Thanks for posting the link for us. Another reason never to feed wildlife!
However, if Bigfoot comes around I might give him a bowl of my succotash.
So glad that you are perfecting your work/days ratio. Yet another reason for me to be envious. As always thanks for the pics of the desert in bloom. Seems like this eternal winter is taking one last swipe with a bout of freezing rain today. Sigh,
Also I assume you noticed it but it seems as if George is out of the hospital and doing OK. Sad to say however it looks like Ms. Tioga may have gone to the big boondock in the sky. I feel as if I have lost an old friend, can’t imagine how hard it is on George, sending him many prayers.
Hi, Badger,
I didn’t know George had posted an update, so I clicked on over there. Thanks for letting us know. Poor Miss Tioga is dead!
I’m encouraged that George is posting. Maybe positive comments will keep him from sliding into a depression, a common occurrence after open heart surgery.
Sorry to hear you’re having freezing rain today . . .
I had always imagined that Ms. Tioga would last as long as George. How sad to lose her!
I didn’t get that George’s rig was lost. I thought it just ran off the road into a field. What happened it it?
Gayle … George is posting regularly these days. His latest post (4/3/14) is about his recovery. The one before that is about the damage to Miss Tioga.
Tioga George’s blog
Sue, I think your “cooking with cans” has already been published! In fact, I have it on my RV shelf. It is called, “A man, a can, a plan…..50 great meals”
A Man, a Can, a Plan: 50 Great Guy Meals Even You Can Make
(I replaced your link with one of mine. RVSue)
I am all for easy cooking, cans – grill (OK, like Awesome Travels’ George and Suzie – the Weber Q100) – and also slow cookers. I do not hear much about any slow cooker use while boondocking. I guess it takes too much solar?
Who the heck cares what we look like? (fat and happy or thin ?????) You are the most contented person I know; I am quite content as well, just don’t have the Casita right now. 🙂 Good food in the great outdoors. I am all about that.
PS: I agree, horses rule. We are surrounded by a 3,000 acre ranch that used to run several hundred head of horses. LOVED IT! Now it is empty (due to TX drought). And recently saw a pile of many javelina (deceased) – they are quite the nuisance here in TX even though I hate that they have to be hunted and killed……
Love your blog, I’ve been with you from the start.
–Jool in N. Texas
Hi, Jool,
Yeah, there are several “cooking with can” books out there. Thanks for suggesting one here. I’ll change that link to one of mine.
Food does taste wonderful outside. I eat almost all my meals sitting in my camp chair.
How disappointing to have all those horses replaced by javelinas. I would love seeing a large herd of horses like you had next door. There was a field of three horses next to my house in Georgia. In spring they were especially fun to watch, running and kicking up their back legs for the sheer joy of a beautiful day.
I know you’ve been with us a long time. You were one of my first, steady commenters. I credit you as part of the reason my blog became popular because people started coming here to read comments as much as any of the nonsense I put forth! Ha!
Thanks for the kind words. I’m so contented I can get fat from smiling.
Yeah Javelina have a way of letting you know they are around. I am surprised they didn’t wake you up, unless your window was closed. In the mountains SE of Wickenburg towards Lake Pleasant there is an old town named Constitution, should be on your map. Anyway, I was poking around it one day and explored a spur road off it going east. Found a nice scene of an old windmill and a grave site. Beside it was a deep ravine with a mine tunnel in the side. As I approached it I had to stop short, a whole pack of Javelina had taken it for a den. The stench was a 1000 times worse that the worst bar bathroom I have ever experienced.
Luv ya, take care and enjoy.
Oh, I am sending something to Rusty for you. So Rusty be forwarned, she knows.
Hi, Alan,
Sure, I know where Constitution is. Wow, I wouldn’t want to come upon a big pack of javelina, especially at their home. I wonder how territorial they are. At any rate, I’d be out of there fast! There are a lot of burros over that way, too.
Alan, what are you up to? Sending me something… hmm… This is kinda’ fun!
I can’t find Rusty’s address. I know it isn’t normal but can you get it to me. You can email it if you want. I promise to delete it and never send you an email.
Okay, Alan, I’ll make an exception. 🙂
No need, I found it. 🙂
Actually, I needed Rusty’s address, But I found it.
Duh, I wasn’t thinking.
Package is on its way, should take 4-5 days.
Good for you… tracking various varmints! I lived 15 years in Alaska… you would be good on the trapline. Are javelina aggressive? Headline… “RVer Found Starving, Trapped by Range Cattle & Javelina”.
Hi, Annette,
I don’t think javelina are aggressive unless they are cornered, according to Jim’s article linked to above.
Fifteen years in Alaska… I bet you have some stories to tell!
Hi Sue! Javelinas can be VERY dangerous if they have piglets with them. So be careful around them and keep the dogs on a leash. Miss the desert storms as the air changes so drastically and the clouds are beautiful. Emily is enjoying our ole views! Chuckles.
I was thinking about that today… how much I would miss the big skies and all their action if I were to go back East.
Haven’t seen the javelina again. I’ll look for their tracks in the morning.
LOL. Our friend and his brother pasture their cattle on that property. Enjoy your “friends.” Al taught Pheebs to smootch with the bovines.
Hi, Bev,
I remember those photos of Pheebs kissing the cows. Not going to see my crew doing that!
You know the owners of these cows? Are they worried about the drought? Do they know about the horses that were here? What’s all the earth-moving about? I’m just full of questions! This nosy person wants to know! 🙂
What drought? The summer monsoon rains were above average during 2013. The weather guessers are suggesting that another El Nino is coming in 2014 which if that happens will bring more rain this summer.
I’m talking about the drought that people who talk out their behinds perceive as existing.
It’s difficult to smooch while holding one’s cow bone.
Yes…one of the owners is a good friend. Jim hasn’t talked to him for about three weeks. We aren’t sure what the construction is all about unless it is for more water.The horses were most likely some of their riding stock. I’ll satisfy your curiosity when we learn more. BLM would worry more about the drought than the Ranchers to prevent over-grazing. Ranchers will supplemental feed with hay
Thanks for the laugh…herd of javalinas. I’ve never seen them but we’ve had problems with wild hogs around here…Neighbors took care of that and they are working on the over growth of Coyote. I finally saw a wild turkey on my property yesterday…it’d been years because of the ‘yote’s and I’ve recently seen a fox too! Several of my hunting neighbors have really worked hard to get the population of coyotes down around here and they are an invasive species and not indigenous to GA so I don’t feel bad about them trying to get the population under control.
I love horses of all shapes and sizes, in college we used to drive out into the high plans in Oregon and watch the mustang herds. Cow’s not so much but I’ve got a ton of neighbors with them and they are always getting out.
BTW Sue as a side note the pollen count is now over 2700…ugh, your not missing a thaing here in NE GA!
Oh,MK, I know you must be suffering in that pollen. I remember in Georgia you can tell who didn’t park their car in a garage or under a carport. Those cars are covered with yellow, pine pollen.
Interesting about the shift in animal population in your area. Reminds me of upstate NY when I was a kid… We’d have a few years of rabbits everywhere, then a few years of foxes, then back to rabbits and so on.
Today Friday the pollen count is now 5230 ugh. Last night while walking my dog with flashlight you could see the massive amount particles.
Hi, Sue,
I have been catching up with your last year’s posts. I read the corresponding month. Looks like you have made a very good decision to hang on in the desert for a few more weeks. Considering the snow storm you encountered last year after moving north too soon.
It’s pretty cold up here in Montana. Nighttime temps are still in the 20’s which are an improvement from a month ago. But, hey, it’s April. Our biggest threat this year appears to be the amount of snow in the mountains. A slow melt would be acceptable and pose little threat of severe flooding. A quick warm-up spells disaster. Every place on earth has its plusses and minuses. It’s how you approach it.
The javelina visits and their some of their habits appear to be similar to black bear, as in our country. Nighttime roamers, curious, will eat anything, won’t hurt you if you leave them alone, don’t like dogs nor being cornered. Same difference, different biome!
Take your time coming north. The Farmer’s Almanac, my gardening and most everything outdoors bible, claims that the spring will remain cool and wet.
High 40’s today in my backyard and I went outside and basked in the sun for a few minutes, thinking about you and the crew’s delicious days! Take care.
Great information, Diann. Well, it’s great to HAVE the information, the news isn’t so great. I don’t want a cool and wet spring, and, you know, I try very hard to get what I want!
The April snowstorm is still clear in my memory. We were camped not far from where Rusty lives.
I came inside a few minutes ago from basking in the sun, too. You take care, too.
Wow! You stated the title for your cookbook in a response:
” a long, long road from ‘gourmet’.”
HAHAHAHA))))
That is FUNNY!
Maybe to tweak it a little . . . . “A Long, Long Way from Gourmet.”
My vote is for “road” other than “way”. It combines your lifestyle with food for a much more interesting “dish”! After your recipe you could write where you were when you came up with it. Just my two cents. 🙂
Your last post had me laughing out loud though I didn’t have time to comment. I would’ve been reaching for the keys to the PTV instead of the camera! Your fearless lifestyle helps to keep me free from fear too. Thank you so much Sue!
You’re welcome, Carrie. ‘Free from fear” …. If my blog does that for you, I’m very happy!
By saying that, you make my point that a lot of fear is of our own making and has no (or very little) basis in our present reality.
I want a t-shirt that reads on the front “Free From Fear” on the back “Boondock Like You Really Mean It” 🙂
I’d wear it!
(Only my saying is “Boondock Like You Mean It”)
An obvious title: “RV Hungry Yet?”
One morning a few years back I woke up, looked out the window, and saw about a dozen deer grazing around my little camper on a mountain top overlooking Flaming Gorge Reservoir. But they are more skittish than cattle. I tried to tiptoe into my pants and crack the door for a picture, but they heard me and backed quite a ways off. I then tried sitting outside and looking inoffensive as bait, but they weren’t fooled. They didn’t run, but they kept moving away.
Cattle are generally phlegmatic about people laying about. Once when I was about half grown, my Dad and I showed up late one night at a camping spot in south Texas. Since it was clear and warm out, he decided it would be a good time to forgo setting up the tent and sleep out under the stars. The next morning I was awakened by a cow nearby and found a dozen or so placidly past us. One of them was standing right next to Dad. I didn’t want to warn him because I was afraid he might get trampled by the whole herd. I’ll also admit I thought it might be funny if he woke up to a shower of warm piss. So I just lay there and watched for a while and pretended to be asleep.
Nothing happened. The cow gradually moved on. When I called over to Dad, he claimed he also had been pretending to be asleep. The cows finally wandered off as we got up. But they didn’t get in any hurry.
It wasn’t magical, like the deer. Cows don’t do magic. Well, except maybe in the frying pan, with onions and mushrooms and maybe a side of gravy.
Oh, Bob, Bob, Bob . . . You need to get a blog going again so you can write and share stories. You know you want to! 🙂
Sweet memories of Dad. I enjoyed your writing very much.
That last paragraph is a riot, bobg!
LOL! and love “RV Hungry Yet?”!
Most can liners contain BPA, bisphenol A. Exposure to BPA has been associated with cancer, insulin resistance, and birth defects. Avoid cans as well as #7 plastics.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I don’t share recipes and should never write a cookbook. LOL!
Can’t you just see it…a man spends his life reading all warnings and labels and never eats anything that comes out of a can, avoids all veggies and fruits due to pesticide use and dutifully avoids anything in the food chain that can cause a problem but unfortunately dies of starvation (he was otherwise healthy though).
Hannah forgot to mention cash-register receipts, they are even a bigger potential killer than cans.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) found surprisingly high levels of BPA on the thermal printing paper used for some cash-register receipts – as much as 1,000 times the levels found in food cans. These include receipts from supermarkets, gas stations, restaurants and ATMs, along with airline, movie and lottery tickets.
A few companies – including Target, Starbucks and Bank of America – use receipts that are BPA-free or contain only trace amounts. But with 40% of receipts covered with the chemical, be careful:
Keep receipts in a separate part of your wallet, and don’t allow them to touch food. Avoid touching them with wet or greasy fingers – a 2010 Swiss study found that can increase exposure.
Don’t allow young children to handle receipts.
While it won’t completely reduce absorption of BPA, if you handle a receipt, wash your hands as soon as possible.
It truly is a very dangerous world we live in; there are hazards everywhere but if you read RVSue and Her Canine Crew everyday you will be on the bleeding edge of all those dangers.
We do toss around a lot of scary stuff here, don’t we! Hahaha! Thanks for joining the panic, Ed.
No, you need to keep the ‘road’ in the title, Miss RVer! 😉
And be careful what you wish for…..might turn up a pack of wild rhinos or something. But I think you’re safe from the javelina bringing friends-after all, you didn’t shoo them away like you did the cows! 😀
Hi, Ladybug . . . I don’t get it — I need to keep the road in the title?
I raked the sandy spots around the campsite. In the morning I’ll check for tracks. Then I’ll know who’s been sneaking around my front door.
Sure, keep ‘road’ in the cookbook title! You’re on the road as an RVer; a cookbook would be on the ‘road’ to food. 😀
Maybe it only works in my mind….lol.
OK, Sue, here is your chance to make this a teachable moment. Seventy cattle or cows make a herd. Seventy javelina make a what? Or … here is Sue’s opportunity to add to the English language and coin a word!
Oh that’s easy, Bob. Seventy javelina (or peccaries) make a peck! Peter Piper saw a peck of peccaries!
Hi Sue,
…just catching up on your exploits and saw the picture of the herd. Weren’t you unnerved? I know they are docile creatures, but the mass looked pretty threatening… as Spike would obviously attest! The picture is freaky even! You were brave to chase them off. Do you really have an air horn? For sure, a coffee can will me accompany me on my travels.
Illinois Jane
Hi, Jane,
No, I wasn’t unnerved. I’m a country girl and faced herds of cows when I was eight years old, give or take a year or so. I agree, the picture is freaky. They do look like they have evil on their minds.
Yes, I have an air horn. It was part of a collection of gifts given to me by a friend and former colleague (the one who adopted the dog Janie) upon my retirement.
I agree with Jane. Menacing. In fact, I closed the computer and went to bed, hoping that when I woke up, the cattle would be gone. Checked your blog over breakfast, and they weren’t gone!
You forgot the bacon grease!! Be safe
Hmm . . . which begs the question — Do people eat javelina?
Yes Sue, people eat Javelina. Usually cooked in ground like goat over slloooooww fire, at least overnight. I had it served Mexican style, sorta’ like pulled pork with salsa and it was very good. Javelinas can be mean and will charge you and they do not like dogs. Hunted them in West Texas.
Gee, Chuck.. I didn’t know you were a javelina hunter!
I never hunted javelina. But I may have been hunted by them once. It was in the fall of 2005, at the Rio Grande Village campground in Big Bend, the one down near the springs.
I decided to walk over to the camp store and buy some snacks. Maybe a quarter mile. Probably less. Uneventful walk. When I started back, there was a group of Javelinas across the road, just past the gas pumps. Sort of cute, I guess, snuffling around. If you ignored the tusks, and the mean little eyes.
Maybe 30 feet away.
When I walked off to the right, past them, a couple moved in behind me, and others lined up to the left. They just followed along until we got well away from the building. I stopped. Going back would mean moving through the mass of them behind. Then one on the left ran around in front and planted himself, facing me directly.
Making a statement, so to speak.
Eerie. And a little comical. After all, I was 5 or 6 times his size, and undoubtedly one of the Masters of the Universe. But there were eight of them. Amazing how quickly and accurately I could count, under the circumstances. And they looked to be all gristle and teeth.
I kept moving forward, in fits and starts, away to the right. They moved with me, stopping only when I stopped, gradually crowding in from the left and behind, subtly moving me toward the tangle of bushes by the river. Or maybe not so subtly. They were pretty darn light on those fast little feet.
Suddenly it seemed like a long way home.
Ridiculous. I could see the trailer, right up there. Well, way up there. I was standing at the front edge of a busy campground, in full view of a number of people sitting around calmly outside, drinking coffee and talking. Not that they were paying any attention to me. Cars were littered up and down the road ahead. Low, spindly mesquites were dotted around. It was a park.
Civilization, just a hundred feet away. Too far.
I stared at the animal in front of me. It looked right back. Unmoved. Like a bad dream. Then another one trotted around to his left, again closing the angle in front. Maybe 10 feet away.
It was clear to me I couldn’t move as fast as they could. Maybe when I was a kid. If they got me by the leg, or if for any reason I fell down, I probably wasn’t getting back up unless they wanted me to.
What the hell. There weren’t a lot of good choices. And I could swear the two in front were gathering themselves. Just something in the air. So I charged right at them, waving my arms and screaming.
“HAAAAAHHHH!!!!”
Apparently he wasn’t expecting that. He broke and ran off a few feet. Not far. So did his buddy. I threw the bag of chips at them. Then I made a sharp right and moved straight and quick for the nearest car.
See the USA in your Chevrolet.
When I got there a moment later and looked back, the scene seemed harmless enough. They hadn’t followed. A couple were watching at me, but the rest were just nosing around in the dirt. And in the chips. Innocent. Desultory. Unimpressive.
The moment passed. Maybe I just imagined the whole thing. Yeah. Anyhow, the next time I went to the store, I drove. Of course, there was not a pig in sight.
and that’s why I always carry a Smith 38 hammerless in my front pocket…never know when you might get attacked by a hog!!
Sue, I would think you’d like the visiting cows and Javelina. They’re just the kind of company you enjoy. They recognize you but don’t knock on your door or disrupt your privacy. You always say you’re not a social woman, don’t enjoy people coming by for a visit, so they knew enough to stay at a respectful distance!
Sue
Hi, Sue,
As I told the herd of cows today when they returned to our campsite (about 30 of them this time)… “Sorry, you can’t stay until you learn not to poop on our campsite.” I let them stare at us. I didn’t have to run them off. After about ten minutes, they walked away.
I was once tent camping all alone up at Chama (NM) in a primitive campsite by the river. Horses used to come across the river at that point. One early morning I woke up in my tiny tent and heard snuffle-snuffle noises and camp stuff being moved about. When I looked there were several (maybe six or so) horses just shopping around in my campsite, knocking stuff over, helping themselves to whatever. Without even stopping to remember that horses can kick and horses can bite, I charged out of the tent, slapping and pushing horse butts, shouting, “Get out of here! Shoo!” They walked off, but not before one of them pooped in my campfire as a goodbye gesture. Gotta love that wildlife.
Javelina/peccary are very good company! They love to eat rattlesnakes and scorpions!
You don’t say! Is that true, Johnny? Every day the crew and I go on a long walk so we’ve covered a lot of ground around here. We haven’t come across any snakes or scorpions. I figured it was the cattle.
That would explain why there are so many in parts of Texas.
BTW, if I’ve never welcomed you to my blog, I do so now…. Welcome!
Watch out for those javalinas – they have tusks! Although, you have to feel sorry for any animal that gets a cholla stuck on its nose – ouch!
I would never think to go beyond a gate – how did you know it was public land there?
Hi, Anne H.,
I learned about this BLM area from Al and Kelly of Travel with the Bayfield Bunch. In fact, Al opened the gate for me the first time we came here.
This was our second boondock. Our first boondock was also one that Al and Kelly helped me find. It was on Darby Well Road, Ajo, AZ.
Now I know if my map shows land as BLM land and there’s a gate, I can open it and go through. Usually the gates have a sign on them that says “Keep Gate Closed,” (rather than “No Trespassing”) because the BLM leases the land to ranchers and livestock are ranging there.
Sue,
You could have a cookbook and then a cooking show. It would be so entertaining with all the “guests”. LOL
The Javelina are very odd looking. The cows were very intimidating to me. Sorry to hear about the much needed rain by passing you.
-Libby
Hi, Libby,
I was disappointed we didn’t get any rain. I was outside looking around… rain coming down to the east, north, and south. Blue sky overhead. Wind had blown the clouds right over us and beyond. That might be a typical pattern here.
Sufferin’ Succotash! We go camping with another couple about twice a year and they have very limited fresh food storage because they camp in the back of a VW Eurovan. She gets very creative with the packaged mashed potatoes, pasta, canned vegetables and canned tuna, salmon or chicken. Her husband refers to the concoctions that she whips up as “prison food” and makes comments like, “The warden is being really good to us tonight!” He’s not being mean because he actually likes it. She’ll use a package of flavored pasta, add tuna or salmon and a can of peas. I don’t eat fish, so I haven’t tried it but my husband thought that it was pretty tasty. Those dried mashed potatoes are nothing like the old Potato Buds that tasted like a combination of cardboard and dehydrated potatoes.
Hi Chris,
The thing about camping — as you know — is food tastes great after a day outside and when eating outside, too, even if it’s prison food!
And all this time outdoors I find I yearn for good, ol’ fashioned comfort food. You know, like mashed potatoes, peas, etc. Somehow a salad doesn’t cut it!
I can see where your friend’s concoctions would be tasty at the campsite (if not quite as successful at a white tablecloth dinner!).
Love the new camp. As always, the photos are beautiful. I am still researching RV vehicles. The Oliver’s look like a very nice trailer. Since they are located in Hohenwald, TN which is about an hour to 1 1/2 hour from where I live and a very scenic drive down the Natchez Trace. They usually have one on the lot and one or more in the pipeline. I can’t wait to go see it. They said give them a call when I am ready to find the status. They are more expensive than other fiberglass TT’s but they are double walled and a 4-season trailer. Plus they are a lot lighter weight than the Artic Fox or Nash, which are very nice, but didn’t want to have to get a pickup.
OOP’S! battery is running out, Got to run.
Hi, Barbara,
You are going to have so much fun visiting the factory! I remember reading about and looking at photos posted by Technomadia of their tour of the factory when they ordered an Oliver. As you know from reading a previous post, I almost made the trip to Hohenwald myself, but they shut down temporarily.
Have a great time. The visit surely will help you make that important decision.
Stop at the General Cafe in Hohenwald while you are in town. But, it might not exist anymore. I had a couple of dinners there in 1992 when I was bicycling the Natches Trace. Since I went back it must have been good at the time.
Those baby Javelina/s are just too cute though!
I cleaned one window so I could watch the snow fall… OK half a window and only the inside… of the trailer.
Those cows might be having a sit in, heheee.
Sue, you’d probably laugh if you saw inside this little TT. “Goodnight, you going to bed?” he says. I reply “yeah, just want to relax for a minute and catch up with RVSue”.
Happy travels to ya’ll always! 🙂
I am laughing,Carrie! “RVSue and her canine crew” replaces sex!!!! Another milestone for “the little blog that could!”
You started my day off right with that comment .. . . oh, my . . .
When I lived in Tucson we used to sing the javelina song which we made up. It wasn’t much but went like this:
Jorge the javelina
The javelina Jorge
(Repeat those two lines as often as needed)
Told you it wasn’t much! Stinky things! Standing down wind from them one would always know they were there even if they weren’t visible. Whew!
I lived in my house over three years before I moved. I had never seen a javi there and was quite disappointed. Just weeks before I moved, Jorge and family showed up and allowed me to take a bunch of photos of them. I liked to believe that they knew I was leaving and wanted to say goodbye but I kinda think the leak in the irrigation system, providing them a great oasis, might have had more to do with it!
Stay safe! Mostly they attack only when cornered, as you know, but sometimes they aren’t so predictable!
Are you still doing raw for the crew? My boy is still loving it. We’ve had no negative effects at all. In fact it is clearly the high point of his day and it makes me so happy to see his joy!
Hi, Deborah,
You do what I’ve always done… make up little songs and rhymes about things we see or do. Then whenever we see or do it again, the song is a part of it (silly, I know, which is the whole point!). I like your javelina ditty. 🙂
The crew is still eating raw and loving it, of course. I don’t know how I’ll keep it going once we are traveling through areas where the meat selection isn’t as favorable for finding food for dogs (all premium, too expensive). Oh yes, mealtime is joyful here!
Sue and Crew, got this in todays SKPs news. Hope it won’t affect you…
Escapees News Bulletin
from James Koca, Escapees RV Advocate Director
The Escapees family of RVers, as well as other travelers, has enjoyed the benefits of staying on Bureau of Land Management land free or at a low cost all across the United States. The BLM mission statement is “It is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.”
Escapees has been notified by concerned members that BLM is looking at transferring the Empire Landing Campground on the Parker Strip, which is north of Parker, Arizona, on the California side, to a private concessionaire. This would cause the campground to no longer be available for low-cost camping along the Colorado River. We feel that this goes against the mission of the Bureau of Land Management as well as the Parker Strip Recreational Area Management Plan.
If the campground goes under the concessionaire, 20 tent sites would be eliminated, and the cost to stay at the campground would increase. We have filed a letter of protest to request that the proposed plan be denied in order to keep the Empire Landing Campground under BLM control. This will allow the campground to provide a camping facility for a variety of camping styles at an economic fee.
The information we obtained is rather long and complicated, but if you are interested in learning more, you can go to the BLM NEPA page at: https://www.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/projectSummary.do?methodName=renderDefaultProjectSummary&projectId=36700. The NEPA document number is: #DOI-BLM-AZ-C030-2013-0021-EA. The comment period ends on April 21, 2014. If you would like to express your own opinion, you may write to:
Bureau of Land Management
Lake Havasu Field Office
2610 Sweetwater Avenue
Lake Havasu City, Arizona 86406
Thank you, CatLady, for going to the effort of posting this information with a link. It is disheartening to those who appreciate the economy of camping on our public lands.
I am not familiar with this particular area or campground. Will electric hookups replace the 20 tent sites? If so, that’s because that is where the money lies. As the number of RVs requiring hookups increases, provision will be made for them.
This is similar to the complaint I had about several of the state parks in Washington. No room for people “living small.”
BORING…Spike wants to go somewhere other than the desert!
Dan,
My blog is a positive place. If you are at a place in your life where you cannot comment without being a “downer” for me and my readers, please don’t comment until you can radiate some sunshine. Maybe you don’t realize the dark cloud you bring to my blog lately.
This is the second morning in a row I’ve opened my blog to read a complaint from you. Do you go to a party at someone’s house and complain about the canapes to the host?
Believe me, if I could control the weather, the crew and I would be traveling to places that you might find less “boring.” I work very hard trying to keep my blog entertaining during the months we wait out the weather in Arizona.
Best wishes to you on your journey. Go find some sunshine!
Dan is the boring one. Needs to get a life. Send him packing.
Sue your blog is wonderful, amazing and DEFINITELY not boring.
Thanks, Edie. Maybe Dan’s depressed. I’ll take your advice if the negativity appears again.
Holy moly! Did that mama javelina really have a cholla attached to her nose? I was really afraid you were going to tell us you removed it, Sue! SO glad imagination got the better of me!
Hi, Dawn,
I had wondered about wildlife and cholla. Poor things have to live with any cholla that sticks to them. When I saw this photo, I thought it interesting for that reason. Plus the cute babies, of course. 🙂
No, I’m not going to remove cholla from the nose of a javelina. I’m an animal lover but there’s a limit to what I’ll do for them!
I knew you had very good sense, Sue! Sometimes my mind wanders!
And you’re right–the babies are cute! I hope Momma got that thing off her nose.
Hi, Sue! I recently discovered your blog. What a joy! I love reading about your adventures. I am a teacher in Georgia hoping to retire in the next couple of years. My husband and I enjoy short camping trips whenever we can, but look forward to longer excursions after we retire. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photography and great stories!
You’re very welcome, SheriB. I’m glad you discovered my blog. It’s great to have you with me and my crew as we seek more adventures this year! Feel welcome to drop in here any time.
I appreciate the compliments on my photos and posts. 🙂
hey! I didn’t know you were a redhead. so am I.
haven’t been to your blog for awhile since we’ve been home, now I’m wanting to be back in Arizona! Can’t wait for November!!!!!
You’re anxious to return to Arizona and I’m anxious to return to Washington!
E Ray Sees!!!
That did not come out right. Just throw that one out, Sue, if you would, please.
Here is the main site and follow the links through to Public Campgrounds. Lists all the FS, State and BLM sites and more.
http://visitmt.com/places_to_stay/
This is for all the people who are jumpin’ to get a head start on going north.
That’s a fantastic resource, Diann! I like the way the public campgrounds are listed as links next to a map. Thanks for posting it here.
Have you ever camped in the Mad River area in eastern WA? There is a tiny national forest campground at Pine Flats but plenty of other sites for no fee “primitive” camping. When we finish building our camper we will probably test it out there (we live in WA and are going to sell our home and travel just like you in a RV).
Hi, Roland,
Isn’t the Mad River in central WA? No, I haven’t camped along it. Last summer was our first trip to Washington. We camped along the Tieton River. You have a wonderful state to explore.
Best wishes building your camper, selling your home, and hitting the road!
For any of you who used to read Ms. Tioga and George – he is in California. Around the first of March he had a heart attack while driving Ms tioga near Bakersfield. He had open heart surgery and is now recovering in a hotel in Bakersfield. Ms Tioga was destroyed. He is posting to his old blog again you can read about it here http://blog.vagabonders-supreme.net
Thanks, Wickedlady, for the link!
Off subject here, but just have to tell you, I’ve been reading from the start. It’s like a mini-series I can’t wait to get back to. Still very early into it, but a couple of things…the Casita factory…less than an hour from where I live. I did not know! And some of your first nights out…Hords Creek and Lake Colorado City…both about an hour from my hometown. Kinda cool.
Hi, Cindy,
It must be fun for you to read those back posts that are set in familiar places. I wasn’t too kind in my description of Lake Colorado City. In fairness, I was there in August and you know Texas in August. I think it was 112 degrees F. (and that F stands for more than Fahrenheit!). 🙂
We are still off Vulture Mine Road and just love it BUT next week is getting warm..going up to Cottonwood or toward Lake Mead..any suggestions on other boondocking. This was our very first and has been so wonderful. Know you guys are having fun!
I’m happy you enjoyed your first boondock! I don’t have any suggestions for the Cottonwood or Lake Mead area. (Try “Wheeling It.” They camped at Lake Mead recently.)
The crew and I camped at a higher elevation at Williard Springs, south of Flagstaff on Hwy 17 and it was very pretty and cool. However, I don’t feel confident about giving it a recommendation for you right now because (1) spring rains make it muddy and (2) the off-roaders were in the process of tearing up the ground and road, so I don’t know if it’s wise to drive or desirable to camp there any more.
Do an online search along the lines of “boondock near (name of town)” or check freecampsites.com. Good luck!
Your desert looks so green! Here at Anza Borrego, everything has gone dormant due to the drought.
Opps! Something just passed our window!….low to the ground, looks too small to be coyote, but coyote looking. Hummm. I’m sure glad we are all inside. Yikes…
Hi, Nan,
Maybe that “something” is a kit fox?
There’s a lot of brown here,too. Anza doesn’t have the trees like here. They provide the green.
I just researched kit fox and by george, you are right! Thanks, Sue.
Last year, when we were here we had so much more green. The drought is terrible this year. The header on my blog shows what it was like last year.
Hi Sue. I had a quick, non related question. Hope you don’t mind. When you went through The Valley of the Gods in UT, you did not take the trailer, correct? I am going back and forth as to slide in vs trailer. I seemed to remember that you did not take it on that road. I have been through there and loved it! If you did not take the trailer because of the way it lays, I understand and that would be good to know. Hope you are having a great day! Love to the crew. MB
Chuck and I have been thru valley of the gods several times and I can tell you NO TRAILERS! There are several signs along the road warning not to take trailers or motorhomes on this road! Lots of deep gullys and sharp turns!
Yep. That’s what I thought. I had a F150 when I went through. I am just thinking of the places I want to go and which options would be best for me. Thanks for taking time to reply.
Hi, MB.
I didn’t take the BLT when we went through Valley of the Gods. I didn’t have any reason to.
We had a private boondock (free) at Goosenecks State Park at the time. I unhitched and drove the PTV to the Valley. It made a wonderful day trip, one of my favorites!
I loved seeing the babies…. funny how all babies can look so sweet and grow up to be so mean! Great post!
Thanks, Geri.
DeAnne the Blogorina’s Motivation for the Day
“Your life does not get better by chance. It gets better by change.”
–Author unknown
The Unknown Author has written an amphibolous sentence which permits a double interpretation, one view of which may be true and the other false.
It can be interpreted as ‘true’ or motivational if you assume that all chance will lead to a lesser life and all change will lead to a better one. However, it may also be interpreted as false because I think we have all experienced a better life through chance and had our life lessened by change.
Nice! 🙂 Thanks DeAnne.
And another…
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~ Anais Nin
Love that quote, Carrie–thanks for sharing. Yours is definitely a keeper for me. I just like to include a quote every now and then that makes me think and say “hmmm…” I’m not trying to force any opinions on anyone, but as I search for what I want from my life, these little sentences are thought provoking. I might include one some day that makes a difference for someone, you never know.
DeAnne, I think you will and have made a difference for people. You never know when something you write, or say, or do will change someone’s life for the better. I was thankful today that you reminded me to keep changing. I easily get in a rut and like inspirational quotes too! 🙂
Thanks DeAnne. Encouragement is very helpful at this point as I prepare for a big change– selling my house and going on the road.
Good post DeAnne!
Ed…Yes….It comes down to how one interprets what is written. Take it for face value. Is the glass half empty or half full?
Most people live in their comfort zone and don’t want a change. There is nothing “lesser” either way. You’ll never know unless you try…a change is just that…something different…with no standard of “success” per se ….of greater or less!
All one has to accomplish in life is to live with the decisions they’ve made.
Just my two cents
Ooo, that’s good, too, Cj!
I think you need more protein and less carbohydrates Sue. This will balance you out and make you feel better. Beans give you protein and carbs, this is why they say you can live on Beans & Rice (no white rice). When you are getting cranky…drink water. Our food is being tampered with by companies like Monsanto. Stay away from genetically modified foods.
I agree, Joe. I do eat too many carbs (because I LOVE THEM). 🙂
research shows that every health issue’s healing is hastened by laughter!I enjoy astonishingly youthful health and vigor because if I know something makes me smile I eat and enjoy it.As balance,certain herbs, supplements and lots of water have been some of my daily enhancements for decades. We are harmed,not so much by what we do as by what we don’t do.Deliberately,therefore,I expect and proclaim robust life now and in the future,having faith in that,produces it.
Long story to say,Sue,just enjoy yourself,you’re doing great and always will
I agree with you, weather. I do a few things right re: what I eat and my health. And I probably eat and drink stuff I shouldn’t, but that’s to keep the enjoyment factor healthy! 🙂
Looks like Wheeling It are staying in the warm Southwest, too! Good call, Sue!
It’s doesn’t make sense to leave when one is enjoying perfect weather and lovely surroundings. Why hurry to hurt? (or freeze)
Sorry I could not ask this when you were talking about choosing your trailer. We are considering a 30 foot arctic fox model (there has to be some room for quilting fabric) and I was wondering in the BLM areas you have camped does it look like such a thing could often fit (perhaps not in quite as nice a place as you find)? The national forest campgrounds and such are usually fairly precise about what can get in. I don’t want to turn this into 1-800-Ask-rvsue but you are so kind. I am making a spreadsheet with interesting camp areas you and other bloggers have found and curated so eventually I may have something worthwhile to barter.
I want to help, but it’s difficult to make a general statement whether or not a 30-ft. trailer will fit in the BLM boondocks the crew and I have enjoyed. It’s not simply a matter of big enough campsites, of course. One has to consider the road to those campsites. For instance, there’s room for a 30-footer in our present site, but the road is narrow with deep dips. (I have no experience with bigger trailers).
Some boondocks, like Sidewinder Road, Anza Borrego (Clark dry lake), Sore Finger Road, Mittry Lake, and Dome Rock would accomodate that size trailer easily. You’d find BLM boondocks in the Southwest. There aren’t as many BLM boondock opportunities in the northern states… much more National Forests. You might not want to pull that big a trailer up to 9,000 feet or more. (I don’t know the pulling power of your tow vehicle or your threshold for twisty, steep grades). National Forest roads can be narrow and deeply rutted,too.
I’m floundering trying to answer your question. I really don’t know offhand. I’m much more confident giving this advice for anyone wanting to boondock frequently: Figure out the LEAST amount of space you’ll be happy with and don’t get enticed into buying something larger than that. Obviously, the smaller the rig, the more boondocks you can fit into.
The newer Arctic Fox TT don’t have a front window. They are not made as well as they use to be. The Depression has them putting on front caps as this is cost effective for the manufacturer but leaves us RV’ers in a lurch. I want to be able to see out the front window when I hear a noise at 3AM. The AF 30U is nice but too long for boondocking and getting into forest service campgrounds. The AF 27T is a little shorter. Try and get the Silver Fox Edition as it has aluminum framing for the walls and stands up well over the years. Plenty of room for quilting with the 27T.
Thanks so much R. Joe and Sue. My students will attest I have a history of asking questions that cannot be answered. I agree smaller is better, if it were just me a truck camper would be ideal (although some need a 1 ton dual rear wheel truck, which is a lot of truck). I think a good diesel will pull me up high altitude hills ok.
I agree, a good diesel will! We have a 3/4 ton Ford F250 pulling a 30′ Coachmen Freedom Express and it does a great job! We used to have a Suburban that struggled while towing uphill. We traded it in and drove from just outside of Houston, TX to Salt Lake City, UT and Todd said he couldn’t even tell the trailer was back there. As a passenger, believe me, I could tell too.
Congratulations on your new endeavor! 🙂
The title could be ..You start with a big ol’ onion…Vada in Tx.
Love it, love it, love it!
Good blog ! Someone at Bob Wells’ cheaprvliving.com site mentioned your blog and I skipped on over to take a look. The first post I read, you were driving on a back road, thinking you might get stuck unable to turn around and voila ! you came upon the camping area. Well… what an adventure you were having. After a little bit of trouble looking for it… I found your first blog post, and have read thru your three years of adventures.
And it has been an adventure just reading this blog. There are moments of great hilarity and then of concern… mixed in with good information and traveling tips. I’ve even pictured Bridget and Spike in their own dog movie… what drama ! … and you aren’t far off with your interpretations. So hilarious !! — So, I just have to say thanks.
Also: I came across something I wanted to share. (re: the ATV/OHV problems etc)
http://www.wilderness.net/NWPS/wildView?WID=529&tab=Area%20Management
“Use of the equipment listed as prohibited in wilderness is inconsistent with the provision in the Wilderness Act which mandates opportunities for solitude or primitive recreation and that wilderness is a place that is in contrast with areas where people and their works are dominant.”
Hi, Starlight,
I’ve very pleased to see you here and to learn that you’ve gone back to the beginning of my blog to catch up on the adventures of me and the crew. Your summary of my blog is lovely. Thank you!
And thanks, too, for the link and the quote. As you know, I fear the destruction being inflicted on our public lands by irresponsible, immature people on motorized vehicles.
“Ten minutes of work over a span of three days. Sounds like a good balance to me!”
Does to me too!
” I could bring our laundry along but that would seriously upset this great work-to-days ratio I’ve got going!” –Wouldn’t want to upset the apple cart now.
(PS this is THE Kent you met near Alabama Hills and 2 yrs ago in New Mexico). I retired 12/31/13. Yahooooooo! Full time now. We are camping at moment in SE Arizona in a National Forest Campground. Lovin’ it.