Saturday, Nov 4 (continued)
From Lake Mead Recreation Area, the crew and I take Route 93 through Boulder City. We board Route 95 and travel south to Searchlight.
Further south, somewhere between Searchlight and Interstate 40, I pull over and park in a flat gravel area frequently used by vendors selling stuff like honey and jewelry. Today it’s deserted; only a few hand-painted signs and a flag remain.
Reggie and Roger are awake from a long nap. I take them on a short walk along a dirt road that winds among the creosote bushes before continuing our journey.
A few more miles and we board Interstate 40. We travel east nine miles to Needles (It’s 73 miles from Las Vegas to Needles).
South of Needles we reach the entrance to Turtle Mountain Wilderness.
Usually I choose the first campsite. This time I go further out toward the mountains and away from Route 95. Just for a change.
The second clearing is large, allowing me plenty of room to turn the BLT around and position her just so. At first I think, gee, why bother setting up an outdoor room, we’re only going to stay overnight.
I rethink that notion.
The reason one “bothers” to put out the blue mat and other stuff is in order to enjoy this day, to live fully in this day, rather than diminish this day because of what we plan to do tomorrow.
I have to be diligent about my behavior or I easily fall into laziness and inaction.
And that can take me down Depression Road.
Not good.
Once I have the room set up with my camp chair, the doggie beds, chew bones (made in the USA), and toys, the crew begins to play and I’m glad I went to the “bother.”
I plop down into the camp chair with a cup of tea.
It’s nice here.
The boys and I feel at home again.
Routines such as creating the outdoor room give security to a camp, not only for Reggie and Roger, but also for me and my feelings of well-being.
Later we walk the wash along Turtle Mountain Road.
We find in the sand various tracks of wildlife — coyotes, rabbits, rodents, and possibly kitfoxes. The crew inspects the scat, lifting a leg to leave their pee-mail, “Fair warning: We claim this territory!”
Well, I don’t really know the message. Maybe they leave jokes like, “A coyote, rabbit, and kitfox walk into a bar . . . . ”
One of these years I ought to drive up to Turtle Mountain.
This is the third time I’ve camped here and I’ve never gone to the mountains. See post of November 2015: “Flying against the wind, lounging in the sun.”
This is a way-station sort of camp. I don’t unhitch. Therefore, I don’t go into the Wilderness.
The road tends toward deep sand as you can see in the next photo.
The PTV with her all-terrain tires and super mightiness could venture to the mountains. If the road should become treacherous, I could turn the PTV around. With the BLT tagging along, however, a turn-around may not be possible.
Well, it probably would be possible by driving off the road, looping around, and returning to the road, leaving a scar of tracks and crushed plants. I try not to put us in a position of having to do that.
Good boondockers stay on established roads!
Typically the desert turns cool when the sun goes down.
I heat up a can of chicken and rice soup for supper. The 12-volt system still isn’t working but my laptop and jetpack air card are charged because I had them plugged into the PTV’s cigarette-lighter-type receptacle during this morning’s drive.
The internet signal is good here — not great — but good enough to blog, read comments, and catch up on the news.
It’s been a fine day, from hiking the rocks at Lake Mead to this quiet, secluded camp under a dome of bright stars.
Sunday, November 5
I pack up the outdoor room, secure the interior of our home, and the crew and I take off to our next camp!
rvsue
NOTE IN REAL TIME (Thanksgiving week): Thank you for your comments, compliments on photos, and wishes for our thanksgiving. Many of you are busy with preparations for the special day and may not have time to comment. If you do find the time, I hope you will write on a topic of your choice or ask a question or jot down a few words to let us know you’re here or what’s going on in your life. — Sue
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG!
If you’d like to browse and shop Amazon and see a few of the products recently purchased by readers, follow these links:
Metal Detector
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Turtle Mountain Camp, looking toward Route 95
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first?!
CONGRATULATIONS, DAWN IN NC! 🙂
Chicken and rice sounds good! It snowed today, first of the season.
Congratulations Pat! You are second today!
Hi Sue! It’s great to hear from you again in such a short amount of time. I just finished leaving a post on your previous blog. I hope that you stay depression free. Certain times of year can be hard. My mom is aging and I am just trying to appreciate that I have her for another holiday! As for Thanksgiving, my favorite things to eat are mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie! My mom makes home made rolls called potato buns. We all fight (in a nice way 😉 ) trying to get the rolls that were cooked in the middle, so there are no brown edges! Some years I do better at this than others.
OK Blogorinos, what are your favorite foods this time of year?
Sweet potato casserole (or pie, or BOTH!!), special gelatin salads, oh, and of course, turkey are my favorites.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!! Hard to believe it’s almost here.
Cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes and pecan pie aka Carbs & Sugar, lol!!!
I love turkey and cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes and lots of gravy! Hummingbird cake for dessert. YUMMY!
I’ve never heard of hummingbird cake. Sounds fun, I’ll have to look for it online.
Oh yum 😋! I’m going to try that. That may be my new favorite cake. I often bake the cakes for family birthdays.
Homemade egg noodles cooked in the turkey gravy and put on mashed potatoes. Cannot even imagine the calories.
Herb stuffing us the best! Pumpkin pie is pretty good, too.
I love a cranberry and orange relish that I learned from my grandmother. So simple: a bag of washed and picked over cranberries, cup of sugar, 2 clementines with the peel still on. Pulse in a food processor until desired consistency. I eat this with leftovers, and when the turkey is all gone, just spread on toast. SO good!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Holidays are hard for many. I understand that and send you all big hugs. This will be the first year I will not be with my big family. Will be cooking at home for just 6 people- with lots of help from my daughter and boyfriend, since I am still recovering from surgery.
Yours in Gratitude,
Betsy
Betsy do you cook the cranberries first? Sounds great and EASY!
No- it is raw and totally delicious!
How are the diffusers working?
Hi Cin, so far, I have seen no sign of change. In fact, Bree attacked Sammy the other night. However, these things can take time. If they would just ignore each other (one cat is willing), then I would be happy. I used to have 6 cats and did not have these problems! Oh well, every cat is different. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Is Bree able to wear a collar?
Play with Sammy face and then without washing your hands play with Bree. We also realized if WE made a big fuss about them not getting along…it made it worse. So when they would meet on the stairs..we would immediately say “uh oh”…sure enough someone would start hissing! Out of eyesight…they were doing fine.
Woo-hoo! Pretty close to the top! I’m whiling away a
few minutes before a conference call and checked my email. Glad I did, and glad RV Sue and Crew are keeping me entertained.
Happy Thanksgiving week Sue and crew. Hope you have a nice and relaxing week.
I hope you and the crew have a nice Thanksgiving. I’ve enjoyed your blog and your pictures, all year long. Thank you!
Ginger
It appears as if you are close to your winter home–or probably by now you are probably ensconced in a nice site.
We came to Green Valley, AZ, in mid-October and although the locals have been griping about the warmer than normal temps, we are loving the weather. Since the forecast is for high 80s, we are looking forward to having our Thanksgiving dinner (probably BBQ’d steaks since we had a turkey last week) on the patio after our pool dip. And instead of the usual trimmings, we are having tamales from the Tamale Factory and sweet potato pie from Walmart.
Since you asked what’s going on with your readers, we’ve been scouting out places for a possible permanent move. We aren’t sure Green Valley is where we want to be–nothing wrong with it but we would like to be closer to areas for travel such as Utah, Nevada, California. We checked out areas around Phoenix and didn’t find anything that appealed, so in a few weeks we’ll be taking a trip to Las Vegas, Mesquite, and St. George. At least we have free rooms so it will be an inexpensive trip.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and the boys!
Robin
Hey Robin,
Are you looking for snow or no snow! Forest trees or desert? We are on the NW edge of Phx, Corte Bella CC in Sun City West. Far enough out of the rat race and close enough to travel either by car or plane. Vegas is 5 hours, Sedona, Prescott and Flagstaff 2.
110 degrees wasn’t so bad….
Housing in Vegas is plentiful and cheap due to the housing crash…ya just gotta know the neighborhood…as with any place. Not sure if you are aware but if you choose a “hot” place as your base….it runs (a/c) if you’re not there! Which can be costly. Sounds like I’m a seasoned zonie…trust me I’m still learning the ropes…so I’m NOT any any means!
Had to smile about the tamales…we scored at the Tamale Store! Oh my word! Having Tamales also for Thanksgiving!
Cinandjules – Thanks for letting me know about your area and how you like it. We do want the desert area and fairly sunny winters. Love Prescott but winters are too cold. Last week we did a circle trip, checking out Casa Grande, Maricopa, Buckeye, the Del Webb south of Surprise (too far out!), and the Sun City in the very NW corner of Surprise. Of all the places, we were “surprised” at Surprise and liked it. Also checked out Apache Junction, Mesa, Florence, and Oro Valley. In a few weeks we’ll go to Vegas, Mesquite, and St. George. We own a small condo in Green Valley and went home to Oregon over the summer so we knew we had to at least keep the AC on at 90, which we did. Also had someone come in and check as apparently the toilet will dry up and allow those pesky cockroaches in! Well worth the $ to not have to clean up the things. 🙂
90? We left ours at 78..guess it depends on which way the structure faces. Things you don’t realize dry up.
Have you checked out area vibes? Type in the city and then area vibes….it is a good reference.
A lot of folks here are snowbirds…same with Surprise. North Peoria is nice…that’s where we go to shop…less traffic hazards! The 303 actually makes travel (traffic wise) do able! It can be longer in miles but it beats rat race traffic!
How was Apache Junction? Not sure I like the road without guardrails!
Happy Area hunting…curious as to where you’ll end up!
The Apache Junction we checked was just east of Phoenix, the area that houses a couple of retirement communities & RV parks. The unguard-railed road is for another trip. 🙂
Our unit faces north, and is also brick & part of a duplex, so we found the 90 worked quite well.
I beg to differ. Prescott is perfect. A nice snow once in awhile which is gone by the next day in most cases 🙂 Not that I want more company. The place was way over populated when we left in 1998 but the kids moved back so it is perfect for us anyway.
Hmm, may need to rethink Prescott so it could be there will be two more new residents. 🙂 Also looking at Wickenburg.
Robin, If winter was too cold before it will probably continue to be that way and Gloria doesn’t want more company anyway. Go with what feels right for you.
You can cover your toilet bowl with plastic wrap to keep the water from evaporating. I learned that from some other RVers. I poured mineral oil in my RV’s toilet since it doesn’t evaporate.
Robin, don’t know what you are looking for but Pahrump, Nv. is 45. minutes to an hour SW of Las Vegas. Henderson Nv. is close to Pahrump but way more built up & busy where Pahrump is spread out more. For what it’s worth.
I appreciate your depression resistance scheme, Sue. It takes a lot of self observations to know what triggers the sadness.
You are definitely my idea of a “pillar of strength”. It’s really interesting to understand that every seemingly good life requires maintenance, regardless of the depth of the blessings and riches.
Good sunny days to you and the crew!
Oh! Top Ten again!
Sue, your words about living in the day, being diligent so as to not go down Depression Road are words I needed to hear today, right now. As always your blog is good medicine 😀
Jool in N. Texas
Hey, Jool!
Wishing you a smile on your face, a sparkle in your eyes, and a gladness in your heart….
G’day Sue and boys, and fellow blogorinos,
Yes, Happy Thanksgiving week to all! Our plans fell through to go down the Oregon Coast to visit friends, so we will have to wing it on our own at the last minute. I think a rotisserie chicken might be in order. You and the boys are welcome to join us! 😉
I so enjoy reading your stories and seeing your photos of your ramblings Sue. Thank you so much for being such an enjoyable storyteller! Cheers!
Suzi xo
You’re welcome, suzicruzi. That rotisserie chicken plan sounds like a good one! 🙂
Hello Everyone! We woke up to snow on the ground here in Upstate NY, as Pat in Rochester noted. It melted by noon, but still, it was our first snow (No snickering CinandJules and all the rest of you who are clever enough to be somewhere else – that includes you, Sue). Anyways, it turned out to be a beautiful sunny day.
Last Friday my oldest son got married to a wonderful, beautiful young woman. They are so happy and adorable. It was nice to have something to celebrate. The last year has had many ups and downs. We are grateful, thankful and blessed.
Sue, I really enjoyed the last few camps. Nice to see those desert pictures again. No one shows off our beautiful country like you do.
I agree, her pictures are beautiful. They really show off the areas where she is located to the max. Thanks for taking such care
Snickering? We looked at the webcam and we were ROLLING! So far 8 inches of lake effect..that’s NOT melting! Our neighbor strategically placed cans of beer on their driveway…so when shoveling activities commenced it would be a game with a reward! Hah…it’s called NorthCountry humor! Nuthin better than a cold beer or Pepsi in a snowbank!
LOL. We love a cold one around the fire and the snowbanks. But not months of it!!!!
Hoping Ole man winter is nice to you and weather this year!
Snowfall is pretty late….not sure what that means as in total amount!
Stay warm!
I will have to remember the next time we are on an extended trip to put out the “blue mat”. I tend to not do it because it is a lot of work and then it is not a cozy home it is just a camp spot and not our home away from home. Thank you for that reminder. I hope you and the boys have a wonderful thanks giving and can not wait to hear about your winter home.
Helen
Thank you, Helen. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.
Funny thing about putting out the mat and the stuff. It seems like a lot of work until I go ahead and do it. Then I think, what was the big deal? Ha!
hi sue, i got the larry mc murty books form our library and will start them soon.
if you might be interested in a fun historical mystery series, i a really enjoying elizabeth peter’s novels set in the late 1890’s egypt during the time of tomb discoveries before king tut. i am learning a lot about egyptian ancient history and mythology, and elizabeth sets a merry pace. and luckily she has written many many books.
this Thanksgiving time finds Barry and me cozy in our home with the prospect of a happy celebration of a big harvest. and gratitude for all the good in our lives. you are a good in my life! bess
Thanks for the book recommendation, bess. I’m thankful for you, too!
🙂
Yes, thank you for the book recommendation! I love mysteries and these sound wonderful!
Happy Thanksgiving all. I went plant based 6 yrs ago so we make our own traditions. Pumpkin pie, sun dried tomato, butternut squash bisque with tempeh Rubens.
Hi Sue. I was reading about the tires for the PTV and that got me to thinking. Have you bought tires for the BLT and if so, did you go with a radial or bias-ply tire? I have to get new tires for my boat trailer and one place suggested that I NOT go with radials. I thought that was weird as I have radials on my dual axle travel trailer and they are great. They said radials are not best for a single axle trailer. I thought I would ask you since the BLT (like my boat trailer) is a single axle model and you probably have more experience with a single axle trailer than anyone that I know. Thanks for any info or opinion you can offer.
Hi Ken,
I had Vanguard Standard Radials put on the BLT.
I’m flattered that you think I “have more experience with a single axle trailer” than anyone you know. That doesn’t mean I know anything about what is the best tire to buy.
As for radials or not radials… I don’t know. Did the place that suggested you NOT buy radials for your trailer give a reason why?
Radials or not? In my opinion what is vastly more important is HOW you tow your trailer. From what I’ve seen on the roads and highways, people tend to drive way faster than I do, and from what I hear, they drive long distances and during the heat of the day.
I keep my speed no higher than 58-60 mph which is the top limit recommended for trailer tires. I almost always tow before 2 p.m., usually before noon, and keep distances under 120 miles. This means less heat for the tire. And, of course, proper tire inflation is important. You know all this. 🙂
Thank you and I have a couple more questions for you. How long did your first set of BLT tires last? And were they radials too? I know you take good care of your equipment, so I would expect you to get a lot of use from them.
The tire place I inquired was Big-O and they told me that the sidewall was stiffer on the bias-ply tire, making it tougher for off road conditions and it was less likely to track along the grooves in the pavement which could result in trailer sway. I know that you use a sway control bar. Have you had any issues with trailer sway? Radial tires advantages are longer tread life and the ability to dissipate heat better – they say.
The reason I ask, is that my boat and trailer are only 1.5 years old. I normally only make the occasional trip to the lake within 30 minutes of my house, but a couple of times per year, I will make a longer trip – like – to Lake Powell with it. I noticed some wear on the way home from Lake Powell, but what really did them in was a trip to Roosevelt Lake on a scalding hot 4th of July last summer. The tread all but disappeared off my bias ply tires that were only about a year old and now must be replaced.
So, maybe some of you blogorinos can chime in here and tell me your experience with trailer tires.
To me, it seems like radials are the best to deal with my heat problem and not much more cost-wise. At the same time, I don’t need to introduce any sway issues.
Happy Thanksgiving, Sue and Crew. I really enjoy the blog.
Thanks for adding that info, Ken. See what I mean about the effect of heat on tires?
I don’t remember if the original tires on the BLT were radials or not. All I remember is they were Marathons. I replaced them after approx. 5 years, not because they looked like they needed replacement, but rather because of their age and a nagging intuition — sense of foreboding, if you will — about heading out for another year of towing with those tires.
I haven’t had any issues with sway. The BLT follows like she’s part of the PTV. 🙂
Blogorinos: What say you about trailer tires?
here’s what i say about a sway bar—do it!! my little 15footer never sways not that i had one put on.
last month at the Coast, we met family, pulling a 15 foot trailer, who had hit a patch of ice coming across the Cascades. they slid across the 2 lanes like about 10 other vehicles which were stopped in the highway. the family didn’t have a sway bar and their trailer jacknifed into their car a little bit, and the trailer got a small dent from the car. they were going 5 miles per hour. the rest of the 10 cars had no damage and one of these was pulling a bigger trailer with a sway bar.
The turkey is in the fridge thawing but other than Turkey and Dressing, I haven’t completed the menu yet. This is a bittersweet time for me. As many of you know, my mom went home to be with Jesus last summer so this holiday season is our first without her. Our kids and grandkids will gather round and we’ll have a wonderful time and probably eat too much but it will be different.
Just a thought to pass on. Everyone say a prayer and have a hug or a kind word for folks you know who have lost loved ones (or had other major life changes) in the past year. The holiday season can be a challenge for the emotions when loved ones are no longer here or life is a lot different than you expected it to be.
Reine, We’ve had great losses within the last 12 months as well. My mother – who I took care of in our home for the last 15 years, my father-in-law, and a dear friend, as well as a beloved pup. Sometimes, I’m tired of being sad. On the other hand, they went home to be with the Lord, so this is a temporary parting. We have much to be grateful for this year. A wedding added a new daughter for us.
Sending blessings and prayers of encouragement to you and your family during the holidays.
You are so right Reine … we went to a memorial service this week for a dear friend who just passed away. Her husband passed away in April. I can’t even imagine how their two children are going to get through this holiday season. Memories are wonderful, but the first few years they can be really raw. My mother has been gone 16 years and some memories (like polishing silver for Thanksgiving dinner) still trigger tears.
Reine, I hope you see this tho I know I’m late to the blog. I just emailed my granddaughter by marriage who lost her Dad a few months ago. She is in her 30’s, has a beautiful 9 year old daughter and told her to remember the small things that we tend to forget, those silly things that don’t stick in our mind at the time but pop up every once in a while. Some are more beautiful that we thought. May you not be too sad today.
Happy Thanksgiving to Sue and the crew, and all the blogerinos. Question for Sue – how did you make the decision to live the full time RV life; was it primarily driven by desire or need, or maybe both. Has it been all you hoped? Would you have done anything differently, such as maybe kept a base home somewhere to which you returned? Followed your blog for several years & did look back to the very beginning. Was not able to locate a specific post.
Hi, Laura,
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.
Your questions: I made the decision to full-time RV the minute I saw Tioga George’s blog. I knew it was the solution to my concern that I’d have to spend my retirement stuck in a house, worried about maintaining it, and not having enough money to go on vacations. Then I saw that my life could be a vacation!
Is it all I hoped? Much more than I hoped! I didn’t know how far my retirement income would stretch so my expectations were much lower than the reality that appeared. The past 6+ years have been beyond anything I imagined.
One of the best decisions I made — best for ME — was to get rid of the house and all the stuff. I didn’t want to rent my house. I’ve been a landlord before. Ugh. Even the thought of having a storage unit was averse to me. I wanted to chuck it all and GO!
Sue – you are living the retirement dream that is right for you. It comes through in your comments and blog. As the junk gypsies like to say…”All who wander are not lost”. Thanks for the insights. Best to you and the crew for continued success and joy……..
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. We plan to have family for the week. My grand daughter and her husband, my son and his wife and my husband and my father. My daughter in law is cooking the turkey, potatoes, rolls and deserts. I get to make the “side’s…amborsia, stuffing, gravy and my mother in laws “famous” canned french green beans, with velveta cheese, butter and green chilies” My dad wants a honey baked ham so I will indulge him. More left overs! I remember my first thanksgiving as a new mom. We lived in Coronado CA. My husband was in the navy and we lived in a small apartment complex. So all of the other tenents (also navy) got together and had thanksgiving out doors (unheard of in Colorado). My parents came from Colorado and left my sister and two brothers at home. So after dinner we called my siblings (ages 18, 16 and 14) and asked how was their dinner. My sister said we had tomato soup. I hope you all have what you need for a great day.
Ruthie, how about sharing that “famous” green bean recipe of you MIL’s. Sounds unusual. I’d like to try it.
I am out here in blogorino land. I am not cooking everything for Thanksgiving this year. We are going to my son’s house . He is cooking for the first time. He is single and has custody of his five kids. It will be interesting to see how he does. We then are heading down to Hattiesburg, MS to be with our granddaughter who is in college there at the University of Southern Mississippi. She works at Baskin Robbins and has to go back early Friday morning, so we are going to take her back and stay the weekend with her when she is not working. We are on the count down to retirement. May 31 is the last day of work for both of us. We plan on hitting the road part-time for the winter somewhere it is warm. We will probably not ever be full timers. We have 5 kids and 11 grandkids that we would find hard to leave. But you never know, plans change. Hope everyone has a good holiday and be safe. Happy Thanksgiving Sue and crew.
Hi, Everybody!
I can see that I’m not going to keep up with comments and giving responses to all the happy thanksgiving wishes. (Nice problem to have, eh?) I’ll be replying with a Thanksgiving Day post instead. I may drop in from time to time. Reggie and Roger are laying on the guilt with big, round eyes and pawing at my arm.
Please answer any questions that fellow blogorinos may have. Reports on Thanksgiving plans, as well as plans for camping and retirement, are fun to read. Keep ’em coming!
Love y’all,
Sue
Sue, Happy Thanksgiving to you and the two little fur babies. They are so cute. Love you pics as always. Stay well. Cranberries (cooked my way) are my favorite
My menu: elk steaks,roasted veggies,baked potatoes,coleslaw and chocolate mousse. Just my husband myself and our 4 little dogs.A quiet time for us. We are happy being by ourselves.
As I mentioned in a reply to Robin, we are having Tamales instead of the usual Turkey. Jules loves her turkey, meh I rather eat the skin and the green bean casserole. Cuz it’s just the two of us..we normally get the JennieO breast with the bone in the bag. Comes out very moist..
Changing it up this year….For Tamales we chose the poblano chile and cheese, south west veggie (mushroom spinach and corn) and corn with cream cheese.
I’m particularly interested in your ‘dome of stars’ because I spent last weekend at a night sky photography workshop. Unfortunately for us we had high wind and sleet on the night we were supposed to go out to shoot the stars. It was pretty miserable. But I did learn a lot and if I’m ever in a dark place again I’ll see what I can do. Sounds like I need to venture out that way!
Happy Thanksgiving this week to you Sue and crew and everyone else!
We are just doing our thing here in Iowa. Rick is continuing to recover from his heart attack. Still wearing the Zoll Life Vest. Will be in that until at least Jan. as they try to determine if he has to have something internal placed.
I am still recovering from my fall and laceration to my forehead and eyebrow when I blacked out after a reaction to a multitude of things after a dental procedure the first part of Nov. Deep laceration, all the way to my skull. The 12 external stitches were removed but there were 3 layers of stitches needed.
Here is hoping you all are doing well! 🙂
Very nice living room!
Spent today doing last minute shopping for Thanksgiving dinner. Have 12 family & extended family coming for dinner. Love cooking for a crowd twice a year. Will do it again for Christmas. Have a great Thanksgiving, Sue, Reg, & Roger. I imagine you are in your winter home by now. Love reading your blog!
You are wise to not diminish a day, Sue, any day. There’s always good to be found if one takes the time to look for it. I can understand how setting up your outdoor room gives not only the boys, but you, a secure at home feeling. I imagine you sitting outside in your camp chair, enjoying a cup a tea, gazing at and past the lovely palo verde tree…then under a dome of bright stars thinking about what a fine day it’s been…ah-h, contentment, all’s well in your world.
You mentioned in the last post that after a hike the crew would nap while you drove. Is Roger getting better about riding in the PTV, less whining, more relaxed ?
Yes, Roger is better at riding quietly with only a little jumping on a long drive. He does nap after a while of staring at me. I think the staring is his way of communicating “Take us to the red beach where we can run by the water. Take us to the red beach, take us to the red beach, take us to . . . . . . . . ”
When we’re in stop-and-go traffic he gets excited and vocal. I think he’s anxious to get out and have fun since that’s what usually happens when we go into town. 🙂
I’m happy to share our outdoor room with you!
It would be a very long drive to Horseshoe Bend, though the pups don’t know that, so Roger really might be having those thoughts. It’s a rare treat for them to run free and untethered, one I’m sure you wish you could give them more often. It’d be nice for you, too, to have your hands free for a change during a walk, and still know the boys were safely restricted by the lay of the land like they were at that beach.
Most people reading your blog probably think of you as having a life of freedom, at least when comparing it to their own present circumstances. In many ways that’s true, yet you have a lot of responsibilities with all that you take care of – the crew, this blog, keeping your supplies, home, transportation and self in fit condition.
Considering all of that I imagine you are happy for everyone that’s looking forward to the holiday spent COOKING and being with a BUNCH of other people as they celebrate, yet you don’t envy them or wish you were going to do what they are, ha!
My plans don’t involve my own stove or oven, thank God! Today I’m going to pick up a fresh turkey I’d placed an order for at a nearby store, and drop it off at my friends’ home where we spend holiday mealtimes together. We four live as a family in many ways, a few others will join us as guests, their contribution will be the festive feeling all the chairs being full gives.
So from around 10-4 on Thanksgiving day I’ll be away from my laptop, and will come to visit you and any blogorinos that may be here before and after that.
It happened again, weather. A few minutes ago, while I was reading elsewhere online, I thought of you and wondered if you’d be sharing Thanksgiving with your friends who are family. And, yes, you are! I’m happy about that. Thanks for another thoughtful comment.
Uncanny timing,again,love that!
I’m so thankful Roger came to live with you and I’ll bet Reggie is too! They just seem perfect together and perfect companions for you. Enjoyed your post as always and then on to the comments section which was great too.
We are going to our older son’s for Thanksgiving this year and celebrating with our daughter-in-law’s family as well. Our son is smoking a turkey and it sounds like the “girls” have everything else covered. I’m bringing cranberry-orange relish and another cranberry dish. How’s that for easy? We’ll be celebrating our 54th wedding anniversary that day also. Happy Thanksgiving!
Congratulations, Joyce!
Sue and crew, our BLT (Betty) is snuggled in for a short winter’s nap until we leave for FL after the holidays and I cannot wait. I’m loving your journey and agree that your decision to go full time was an excellent choice and you have made the most of it. Keep sending the reports and we’ll keep reading them.
The road up to the Turtle Mountains is rough and rocky, even for a vehicle with high clearance. We love that area!
We’re off to Fresno for the Thanksgiving holiday with Bill’s family of cousins – 34 for dinner!!
I just solved one of my Class C beefs.My Sunseeker has a very small propane tank and having a small attention span I have run out of propane on a number of occasions while boondocking.
I just installed an Extend A Stay “Tee” between my Class C tank and my regulator.Takes 5 minutes and now I carry an external propane tank from a gas grill that can be hooked up to provide additional propane to the RV.It also has a fitting that allows me to hook up my Coleman propane stove directly to the RV.
Just remember that gas fittings tighten counterclockwise and loosen clockwise so you do not strip the threads.
I have a lot to be thankful for with all the ups and downs of 2017. Thanksgiving menu: roasted turkey (juniper berry brine tomorrow), mashed taters, gravy, snapped green beans, roasted pumpkin boats, cranberry sauce, dressing with walnut, cranberry and green apples and green chilies. For dessert, pumpkin pie, blueberry pie and jello. Oh, I’m also baking pumpkin pound cake. Making the pumpkin puree tomorrow. I’ll throw in a green salad and potato, leek and pumpkin soup. Also baking yeast rolls. So, we are going to feast at the Mizell house 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving to you and crew and many more. Safe travels and stay healthy.
Hi to Sue, crew and fellow blogerinos. I really got a giggle out of your guys racing up the rocks at your last camp. I could hear them saying “race you to the top!” They looked like they were having fun. As you can see, we are in Florida (trumpets fanfare). I convinced Dad to leave town for Thanksgiving, and I think he is liking it. Wearing shorts and sitting outside in the evening is certainly preferable to snow and cold. Dad got an enthusiastic welcome from my church family and I am proud of them. After all that we have been through this year, this Thanksgiving may be the easiest transition of all. I wish you all a joyful holiday.
Wishing you and the crew a happy Thanksgiving, Sue! I’ll be hosting my best friend and his husband this year. It’ll be fun to cook Thanksgiving dinner, and I want to appreciate it, since it may be my last time for awhile, as I intend to be on the road in my brand new-to-me Casita Liberty next year at this time. Woo hoo!
Take care and blessings!
Hi Sue-I too wish you and the crew a Happy Thanksgiving. It also have found myself not wanting to set up outside but am always happier if I do. I guess it is kind of like home is where the rug is or something:)) Feels that way anyway. Since I was so close to Austin TX, I am going to spend Thanksgiving here with my in laws and get some time with my nephews two little boys. Adorable beyond words. I plan to eat a lot, laugh a lot and dream a lot! Sounds good to me. Wishing you and the crew all the best!
Always read but rarely post. Just wanted to wish you and the boys a very Happy Thanksgiving! Hoping you spend with those you love in a space that’s welcoming and warm.
As for me, I will be working and I’m perfectly fine with that. Sitting alone without family on holidays will transport one down depression road as well, so I prefer to work, hopefully letting those with families spend the holiday together.
I had some great holiday times in the with family and friends, ate fabulous food, and had some great laughs. Now it’s time for others to enjoy. Plus, it’s time and a half 😊
Great attitude, Ramona! 🙂
God bless you Ramona for being willing to work so others can enjoy time with family. Many years ago, I was a police dispatcher and had to work on holidays. I actually liked it because it gave me the feeling of taking care of people, knowing they were safe while some of us kept watch.
Hi Sue & blogerinos
Just returned home from long trip. Always think of you as I pass through rogerson. Roger is a lucky hound. Spent several nights in Alabama hills. What a magical place. I learned about it through your blog so thanks & have a peaceful thanksgiving.
Good for you, Sue, for setting up your outdoor room. Your words are food for thought. As I age and deal with medical concerns and challenges, I tend to let a lot of things go. Usually, that has proven to be a wise decision. There is a great danger of going too far with that and sometimes I do.
I will go to a potluck Thanksgiving and am bringing a dessert. I expect it to be enjoyable, but I miss a home family Thanksgiving. I’m feeling unmoored and somewhat weary these days.
I hope you, the boys and all you Blogorinos have a wonderful, happy Thanksgiving wherever you are. I am thankful to you, Sue, for creating this blog and for all the comments from the Blogorinos.
“A coyote, rabbit, and kitfox walk into a bar . . . . ” I love your sense of humor. LOL
It was good to get new tires even if they didn’t look bad. Sometimes they look good and aren’t. You don’t have to worry about taking a chance with them.
You and the boys have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Howdy everyone, nice to read some upbeat messages… much better than the tv has to offer… all negative… so I am thankful there are happy RV people all over!
Question for everyone while we are talking and sharing on tires. How often do you pack your wheel bearings? Or should I say, have them packed… I have heard 3000 miles, never, 10k… thoughts??? Experience?
I have spent my week planning our Nevada, Utah trip… can’t wait… I am tired of snow, as Sue we live by Beaver lodge campground. One of your Red Lodge stays… I hiked there today….
Enjoy the thankful holiday everyone!
So, does one turn on Turtle Mountain Road to get where you were? If so, what’s its condition and how far along it did you go? Google Earth doesn’t tell me much.
HOW TO FIND TURTLE MOUNTAIN ROAD BOONDOCK:
South of Needles Rte. 95 goes past and between rock hills. Look for the sign for Chemehuevi Mountains Wilderness. It’s easy to spot. Further beyond the sign the rocks open up to a large plain of creosote. Look carefully to your right for a kiosk. You’ll see the kiosk before you see where you turn off onto Turtle Mtn Road. Slow down.
Looking at Google… There’s a large wash that crosses TMtn Rd. (Chemehuevi Wash). The campsites are less than halfway to that wash. Maybe less than a fourth of the way (desert distances measured by eye are difficult). The campsites are on the left side of TMtn Rd. On the right are palo verde trees. The first campsite is near the first group (not single) of palo verde. The second large area of campsites is near the second group of palo verde.
CONDITION OF ROAD:
The road up to the first campsite is firm gravel with some washboard, not bad at the time of this last visit. On the way to the second, large area of campsites you will encounter the loose gravel/sand shown in the photo with Roger. That coarse sand covers firm road. You only have to drive through it about 3-4 car lengths (going by memory here, it’s not far). Drive through it without stopping and you won’t have a problem. It’s not as bad as it looks in the pic.
Of course, you know . . . . when in doubt, walk it. 🙂
In fact you can use the appearance of loose sand as a marker for the campsite just up ahead on the left. I’ve never driven further than that.
Thank you.
How fun to get another post so soon. They make me feel connected to something I hope for. Thank You for a wonderful year of adventures.
I’m pretty much a loner but this year accepted an invitation to dear friends big family dinner and I’m looking forward to it! And I only have to bring the cranberry sauce which is great since I’m hating to cook now days. Love to all!
Looks like we will go over to daughter with her 2 little kids and she is inviting a friend who is close in age to me, who seems to have no place to go…and who also needs to avoid much of the same foods as most of us do…so hopefully she will have a better meal than she would have!! It is a sad time for us too, due to the other troubles in our family, but we will do our best to have good food and give the kids a fun time too!! I am making some sides (tsimmes…a sweet potato, carrot, prune, apple dish; green beans with some turkey bacon cooked awhile for flavors to marry, the gluten free pumpkin pie (no dairy either…but it tastes good folks!!), some nice pickled stuff I have on hand and olives and beets etc). Daughter is doing the main stuff. Oh I am going to experiment making my grandma’s unusual dressing…except ours has to be gluten free and from scratch to avoid tapioca starch for me. We are thankful to be able to be as well as we are and for other blessings we have. Love this holiday with its focus on being thankful for what we do have. Wish I could bring you some good food, Sue…but times being by ourselves can also be good…hubby and I have had those times too…glad you have the “boys”. Been looking at photos of the new mixed breeds online today…quite interesting and some are SO CUTE!! Hope you get things working well before colder weather arrives. Happy Thanksgiving!
We are going to hubby’s sister’s house for Thanksgiving. Hubby makes pumpkin pies and I make deviled eggs. I won’t know what else we are having until we get there. There will be 14 of us this year but I’m not sure which 14–I only know 8 for sure so the rest will also be a surprise.
Hi Sue, Crew and Blogorinos,
I don’t post much but read the adventures every week.
Three months post Hurricane Harvey and things are looking better here in Rockport, Tx.
I finally got a new roof last week and interior work to be done hopefully soon.
Heading to San Antonio for Thanksgiving with family.
Favorite foods will be oyster casserole, turkey, dressing and raw cranberry relish.
Everyone have a happy Thanksgiving and safe travels to those on the road.
Sharon
Sue, your observation about “bothering” to put out the blue mat – to live fully in this day and not diminish it – is so important. Sometimes as I make a nice dinner and set the table, as I smooth and fold t-shirts carefully, as I plump the pillows on the bed, I wonder if I will still want to do those things when I am alone. I wonder if there is any reason to do those things when there is no one there to know you’ve done it. (My husband is 8 years older than I and I’ve always assumed I’ll be a widow some day). But I know that kind of thinking is a short trip to inactivity and depression.
It is important to treat each day as a gift from God – 24 hours to enjoy and celebrate the people, the puppy kisses, the sunrises and sunsets that fill that day. I think life is like a conveyor belt – if you’re always looking at the day that has gone by you (regretting the past) or always looking at the day that is coming at you (worrying about the future), you lose the gift of the day that is right in front of you. One reason (and there are others) I love your blog is you make me ponder these things.
Happy Thanksgiving to all the Blogarinos!
Love your comment, Cynthia. Thank you. 🙂
Wishing you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
Hi, Sue,
I hope you and the boys are in a comfy spot, all settled for the Thanksgiving holiday! 🙂
Unfortunately, my turkey day dinner has been cancelled. I had been looking so forward to hosting dinner for one of my sisters, her husband, their dog, and my #2 nephew if his work schedule allowed. Since last Wednesday night, I have been sick with fever, chills, and a severe sore throat (think of swallowing a few razor blades). Turns out I have the throat infection and the start of a upper respiratory infection. Started an antibiotic last night and “should” be feeeling better by Thursday. That being said, even if I am feeling better, I don’t have the energy to get everything cleaned/cooked as I had intended to this past weekend. The fresh turkey breast will be wrapped well and put into the freezer for our Christmas dinner. As I write this note, I am snuggled under two throws, with a jacket over a sweater, jeans, socks, and slippers, sipping a cup of decaf Red Rose tea – trying to get warm. Looking forward to feeling normal (what is that?!) soon. 🙂 A truly minor inconvenience in the big picture…
Sue, I count you and the Crew, and your blogorino family as one of my many blessings. Thank you for sharing your great adventure with us. The time and effort you put into the blog is greatly appreciated! I do hope you get to enjoy a piece of pumpkin pie! Sending you, Reggie, and Roger love and hugs from me and Gracie pup! 🙂
Oh, drats! I’m so sorry, Denise. I know how you love to cook and you were looking forward to having family over for dinner. I’m glad you’re feeling better and on your way to being over what ails you.
Gracie pup: Be a good girl and take care of momma. Give her lots of kissy-licks on her legs — I know you do that! Also snuggles when she needs them. 🙂
Well, you will have stuff already prepared for Christmas. Thanks for the report, Denise. I’ll understand if you don’t feel like commenting for a while.
Well that’s a bummer! Take good care!
Thank you, Sue and Cinandjules. 🙂
Denise, hope that you are feeling better now than when you wrote this post. Throat infection is bad enough without adding a URI. Only thing I found to stay warm was an electric throw, worked wonders. Take care of yourself.
What a great reminder to appreciate and celebrate each day on its own. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your pups.
Hi All.
Well, we opted to stay at home this weekend and be by ourselves, just the two of us. My favorite Thanksgiving dinner is no longer available, as my Mom passed away some time ago. However, I try to make her recipes, especially her yummy cornbread stuffing, with varying degrees of success.
But, all that will be at Christmas. For this Thursday we will be having grilled, marinated fajitas with all the trimmings- sauted red bell pepper, and onions with grated cheese, sour cream and tortillas. A side of Mexican rice with an iced cold beer should do the trick with apple pie and ice cream for dessert later. If it stays cool, we will go out when it gets dark and have a bonfire. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it! Lots to be thankful for!
Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!!
Yo Sue!
You are right about the busy time before Thanksgiving! I cook and cart the entire meal to my 92 year old moms house about 2 hours away (and I don’t know why!). And we did another 2 weeks of tests/Dr. appts. before that, and before that…..yep! Other stuff!
Through your links to Amazon we ordered Karlington X-mas lights, Qunol, Defunkify Active Wash, and “The Obesity Code” (book recommended by our cardiologist) on various days; we hope you are getting the credits! What I love about your blog and life is that I can transport myself away to what I would rather be doing. It is like going to a mini movie! And…NO commercials!
We continue to work on this house we bought a year ago, and are near the point that we call time-out and will start traveling in our Lil Snoozy camper this spring. Don’t know how long or how far…would like to go from Louisiana, Smokies, up through New Hampshire (friends), Port Crane NY, (first and great 12 years of my life!), PA (cousins), over through KY, MO, CO (friends and cousin) and Wyoming to Washington just for me (us). I have 2% chance of doing this all in one trip, tho! IN the meantime we are busy living life, taking care of business and enjoying your blog and life! This is my wish that I imagine doing ‘when we can’!
My best take away line today is your line paraphrased as ‘live fully in today and do not diminish this day by what you plan to do tomorrow’. I need that!!! Thanx for that! MB
Thanks, MB! I see the items you ordered! 🙂