In late July of 2014, the original canine crew and I reach Boulder Lake, southeast of Pinedale, Wyoming. The rustic campground at the lake doesn’t appeal to me. A drive-through reveals campsites are close together and the vegetation overgrown. It s a humid place with mosquitoes. That was then. Maybe it’s different now.
I look for an alternative and find a boondock only a short walk from the lake.
It happens when traveling across distances of the West that one doesn’t always secure a boondock at the optimum elevation for the time of year. This boondock is too low, relatively speaking, for a summer camp. I choose it because I’m ready to take a break from the road and it is a nice, free, lake camp not far from the town (with grocery store) of Boulder, Wyoming.
We manage the heat utilizing the Best Little Trailer’s awning and fans.
Also the private beach provides pleasant respites for Spike, Bridget, and me. Fortunately, after two hot days, the weather changes and we are blessed with cooler air.
One of my posts from this camp is “Living small and loving it.” (Posts previous to that one contain more info and photos of Boulder Lake camp and surrounding area.)
~ ~ ~
The crew and I aren’t traveling this summer. We’re awaiting the arrival of my recently retired sister, Nancy, and her canine pal, Marg, around August 18, from southern Florida to the home we will share in southern Arizona.
Saturday, July 21, in Arizona
On our walk to the mailboxes, Reggie, Roger and I come upon a neighbor weed-whacking his yard.
He’s a lean guy of retirement age.
“Excuse me,” I call out over the sound of the weedeater.
He turns it off.
“What can I do for ya?” he asks.
“Hi. I’m sorry to interrupt. Are you happy with that weedeater? I need to buy one.”
“Yes, I am. This is a good one. I’ve had it for three years and it works great.”
He holds out the trimmer for me to take a closer look.
“Black+Decker LST300, 20-volt
“Yeah, runs on battery. I got it at Wal-Mart.”
“Thanks. I think that’s what I’ll get. By the way, my name is Sue.”
I extend my hand and we shake. He doesn’t offer his name.
That’s okay. I can relate to that.
As I give Reg and Rog a slight tug to leave, my neighbor cautions,”Make sure you get the one without a cord.”
“I’ll do that. Thanks again!”
The boys and I walk further down the street.
I glance at the back corner of the man’s house and notice he has a rain barrel.
He also has a raised bed constructed with concrete blocks. A shade cloth on the west side of the bed prevents the Arizona sun from cooking his vegetables.
Well, this was a productive little stroll: a weedeater recommendation and a handful of junk mail.
I order the weed-eater online. It’s supposed to arrive at our door Tuesday. (The rain barrel is coming on Wednesday.)
~ ~ ~
Heat advisory in southern Arizona through Wednesday.
Mike the roofer planned to resume work on the house this morning, however, the heat nixed that. If it’s not raining, it’s too hot. Fortunately there are no leaks and no rush.
Hot afternoons are for watching movies!
The local library has an excellent selection of DVDs and one is allowed to check out a stack of ’em at a time. Yesterday I finished the last of an eight-DVD set of the Horatio Hornblower series. I had watched it before and enjoyed it just as much the second time (and I hardly ever watch a movie twice). I love British Royal Navy stories, whether in books, movies, or television series.
Reggie and Roger maintain their usual routine, although these days more time is spent inside snoozing in air conditioning than outside running around.
Sleepless in southern Arizona
A creature repeatedly wakes the crew and me with its pattering around on our roof.
We fall asleep, the footsteps start up, Roger and Reggie race around the house barking with alarm, back to bed, fall asleep, and it starts all over again.
Hmm . . . What could it be?
Four legged, too much noise for a cat. Possum maybe? A pine tree provides a way from ground to roof.
Oh well, no more nighttime roof noises since then. Maybe our visitor moved on.
~ ~ ~
Countdown!
Only four more weeks and Nancy and Marg will be here!
rvsue
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Checkin’ in to say HI
WOW! SANDY IS FIRST, ALL THE WAY FROM LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA!
I scrolled through the pictures for a shot at first place. It looks like a nice, quiet boondock. Not spectacular, but peaceful all the same.
Peaceful is good. 🙂 CONGRATULATIONS ON TYING FIRST PLACE!
I read several of the Horatio Hornblower series quite a long time ago. (I rarely watch movies.) I mostly remember the British Navy correctness and the really good flow of the action.
I’m noting the weather, of course. (Weather-watching is a subset of being outdoorsy. Not Weather the blogorino, the conditions outside.) Weather Underground tells me the Southwest is having record highs. For July in the desert, that’s searing heat. I hope you are all well. We have been having a nice break here, and I’m enjoying it by bus and bicycle.
I read the Horatio Hornblowerbooks, too, before ever watching the series. Both are excellent.
Forecast is for temps possibly exceeding 105 degrees by Wednesday.
Well not first, but close! HI SUE!!! How do you do?!!!
I do great, Renee. Hope you do, too!
🙂
That was a great camp that you had on the water. Good to see it again along with Crew # 1.
Very hot and humid here also.
Hi, Val! Keep cool!
Thanks for another boondocking spot. I’ll be in the general direction but I’m trying to avoid yellowstone on my way to Salt Lake… Everything is out of my way cuz I will be heading south from great falls…yellowstone is due south… Oh well 7 or so weeks to get there.lol.
Corky wakes me like your guys… But its a real startling awakening… I sure dont like it… Glad your visitor moved on…
Have a great week….
Hi, Carlene and Corky,
When you have the time, nothing is “out of the way.” I wish you safe travel and pleasant camps. You have a great week, too!
Hey Sue. I can’t believe that Nancy and Marg will be there in four more weeks! This summer is FLYING by! It was so nice to visit with Bridget and Spike again! I’m so glad you’re finding lots of good books and movies at the library. I really like listening to audiobooks. Unfortunately, my library does not have a wide selection. Can’t wait to see pictures of your new weed wacker and to see you win the battle in your yard!
Hi, Dawn,
Maybe you can find audiobooks you’d like on the library system database and have them shipped in. I don’t care for audiobooks myself. I always get caught up in how the narrator speaks and it distracts me or puts me to sleep.
The battle of the yard is amost won. I want to tackle the fence line next.
Hey, it’s your friendly readers’ advisory librarian here. Saw your comment about enjoying the Hornblower series and wondered if you’ve read the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian. They were always very popular with library patrons. Here is a description from GoodReads:
“Patrick O’Brian’s acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin series of historical novels has been described as “a masterpiece” (David Mamet, New York Times), “addictively readable” (Patrick T. Reardon, Chicago Tribune), and “the best historical novels ever written” (Richard Snow, New York Times Book Review), which “should have been on those lists of the greatest novels of the 20th century” (George Will).
Set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, O’Brian’s twenty-volume series centers on the enduring friendship between naval officer Jack Aubrey and physician (and spy) Stephen Maturin. The Far Side of the World, the tenth book in the series, was adapted into a 2003 film directed by Peter Weir and starring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany. The film was nominated for ten Oscars, including Best Picture. The books are now available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book format.”
If you haven’t read them, perhaps something to keep you busy during the rest of the summer? Or for when you get back on the road?
I’m excited for Nancy to arrive at her new digs, and see the photos of the redecorated rooms and colors.
Robin
Thanks for the recommendation Robin!
No, I haven’t read those books. I’ll be sure to look for them because, if they’re good like you say, that gives me a lot of reading! Thank you, Robin!
Looking forward to hearing about the rain barrel. I have some plastic barrels and hope to someday convert one into a rain barrel and another into a composter.
Hi, Lynn… I’ll take photos as best I can without showing the house, and explain the set up.
This summer HAS flown by! Seems like the school kids just got their summer break and now they are gearing up for the new school year.
Have to go back and read the camp by the lake and visit with Spike and HRH Bridget!
We need to get a weedeater like yours! Will wait for your critique !
Can’t wait for Nancy and Marg to arrive. Have a good day every body!
Tummy rubs all around!
Hi, Geri,
Isn’t it great that we don’t have to go back to school? Haha! I’m anxious for Nancy and Marg to arrive, too. Been emailing back and forth with moving plans and that makes it real!
Tiny ants are my nemesis at the moment. I’m collecting little bodies in a small cup next to my sink in the Casita. Same issue last year. I think they are coming from the overhanging tree limbs. It could be worse. 😁 Stay cool.
Pamela…. If you’re hooked up to water and/or electric, ants can come in on the lines. Happened to us one year. Spray or, as blogorino Chuck suggests, grease the line with vaseline.
You could also try wrapping the lines with fly paper. It worked well keeping ants out of our humming bird feeder.
Thanks, Marilu –
I will try the fly paper if the vaseline doesn’t do it. Good idea!
Great idea! I was thinking of duct tape, sticky side out, but that would be a mess to get off. I’ll try the Vaseline.
You don’t have to grease the whole thing, just a ring around it. Good luck!
Thanks, Sue –
I’ll take a look. I have the hose and electric propped up on a bush, but they could go from the bush. How could something so small have a brain for all this problem-solving?! Probably the strong instinct to live. These Blogorinos of yours sure do have some good ideas!
Hi, Sue,
Glad you are getting to meet a few neighbors, especially ones with helpful information. Please share the rain barrel setup when you get everything in place. Stay cool out there.
Hi, Joe,
The product reviews online are very helpful, yet talking with a neighbor who has the product and with whom I can ask questions is more valuable.
Yes, I will be sure to post about the rain barrel, how it is constructed, how it is set up, and, in a later post, how well it works.
Sue, did you order the rain barrels from Amazon? If yes, would you put the item info up at the top where you list other items that blogerinos have ordered? Hugs to the boys. Can’t wait for Nancy/Marge to get there.
Good suggestion, Cat Lady. I’ll do that once I receive it and find I like it. 🙂
Have you seen “The Camomile Lawn”? You can get it on dvd from Amazon. (You’ll need to do the link.) It’s a bit racy in spots so not a family film, but we liked it. Felicity Kendal and Paul Eddington are in it. We like those actors. We are big fans of “Good Neighbors” (aka The Good Life) and “Rosemary and Thyme” however those aren’t war themed.
The Camomile Lawn was a book first by Mary Wesley
Thanks for the suggestions, Ronda. I’m writing those on my list. I don’t especially require war themes. I usually fast forward through battle scenes. 🙂
😃
The Good Life is a British sitcom about Tom and Barbara Good. Tom quits his executive job and turns their suburban home into a self sufficient farm.
Rosemary & Thyme is about a couple landscapers who find a mystery at every garden they are hired to transform.
Both are wonderful British series! 🙂
Yes, Rosemary and Thyme is a good British show. Miss the good ones having giving up my dish years ago but may try one of those little antennas that you put on the wall and see what happens.
The shopping queen! Have fun with the weed whacker!
Yep it’s supposed to be a scorcher for the next couple of days. I can’t even imagine being a roofer, landscaper, mail carrier or any outdoor type of career in this 110-118heat! Back in my working days 😉 our vests used to cook us from the inside out on 100plus days!
Stay cool!
I’m guessing raccoon! Ya’ll don’t want roof rats! 😳
Nothing cooking on the griddle lately? Enjoy!
Too hot to cook outside. There’s no air conditioning out there! 🙂
Order a mister from Amazon and that should help.
Hi, Sue, I’m writing this on my smart phone and it’s tiny keyboard is hard to use. I like the photos in this post, so nice to see a nice lakeside camp, Spike and Bridget again. I will leave a full comment at another time . For now, if you use the weed trimmer it will be loud, maybe using some type of earplugs would help you to keep being able to hear gentle bird songs.
Hi, weather,
I noticed that the weedeater in use by The Neighbor With No Name wasn’t too bad. I think the bird songs will have to wait though. 🙂 Thanks for the suggestion and for writing a comment with your phone. Not easy, at least not for me!
Hi, Sue–I use that weedeater and like it because I bought a few other Black & Decker tools that use the same battery (20V). Makes it easy to keep a few batteries charged to use on any of the tools. I bought the weedeater and blower combo and like them both. Also have the hedge trimmer and the small chainsaw–all using the same type of battery and charger. Very handy. Good luck with your home ownership. We bought a house the first of April and have been going through the yard clean up issues also. I figure this summer is just for cleaning up and making things tidy. Next spring is when we’ll start planting. OK, we cheated and planted a tree out front because my daughter was dying to have a cherry blossom tree. 🙂
Hi, Kriti & Jim,
Interesting point about multiple tools using the same type charger. I saw the weedeater and blower combo which was a very good buy and decided against it. In the past I’ve grumbled about the noise of blowers, so it wouldn’t be right for me to start using one. Haha!
Thanks for the good luck wish. Same to you for your new house! I’m anxious to plant trees, too. Waiting for Nancy. Choosing and planting will be a joint effort.
WOW…LOTS of good natural pest control ideas here…thanks everyone!! I am excited FOR YOU Sue…I suppose when you began to RV you had no idea your sister might want to share a house with you there. Last night the best friend I still have alive, and I were talking…our husbands have health issues, not that we are doing perfectly either…but we may well be left widows. When we discussed our “ideal” location to live, in our minds at least…the locations are only 35 miles apart…with some other small towns inbetween…so one never knows what the future might hold. I have another friend from the town I like, who is married to an older man and would also love to relocate back “home” someday…told hubby if we all end up widows maybe we should have a kind of “boarding house”. Never hurts to have some ideas floating around. We are nearing the move-in date for our daughter and family in the house she bought (REPO with lots of repairs…most of the necessary ones are done or almost now…it is a GOOD feeling…you never know what needs to be done until you buy anyway).
Hi, Elizabeth,
Life can take some unexpected, unplanned turns. Keeps it interesting! It helps to keep an open mind, to think creatively, to explore one’s options.
You’re right. During the period of time I was planning to buy a Casita to travel the West, Nancy was working and we never discussed sharing a house. It never occurred to me and I don’t think Nancy considered it either.
When the idea popped into my head and I mentioned it to her, she didn’t take long to say, “Yeah! Let’s do it!” I admire her for taking this big leap into the unknown.
I can understand you being pleased that your daughter’s house is fixed up enough for her to move in. An important goal reached!
I wish her well in her “new” home.
If the original battery for your string trimmer conks out you can order generic ones from Amazon. They work just as well, my husband thinks better.
Good to know, Joyce. Thanks to you and to your husband for the tip on generic batteries.
The neighbor’s battery works just as well after 3 years as when he first got it. Yet, as we all know with products we buy, it’s often “the luck of the draw.”
Hi Sue – my first time commenting, I think! We have that same weed eater and really like it. Have had it 4-5 years. Used to “whack” weeds at my MIL’s 2-acre property, as well as our own home. I love it because it’s light and starts every time!
Hi, Tracy! Welcome to Blogorinoville! Glad to have you join us.
Love the feedback on the weed eater. Thanks!
Next time you comment, maybe you could let us know what state you’re in. That helps us remember you and we want to do that. 🙂
Welcome, Tracy! 🙂
Tracy, what is the brand of weed whacker you have that is light, The ones I used to use were all heavy so went to a push one from Sears, much easier but cannot get into to those hard to reach places. Thanks
Jazzlover… If you look up weedeaters or string trimmers on Amazon and scroll down at one of the pages, often there is a comparison chart where you can read how much each trimmer weighs.
Oh I will need to check out that series… I love British TV.
You seem to be settling in so well! So glad!
I feel rotten not writing more.. I do read. My job went from part time/temporary to FULL TIME and Permanent! This means, after 14 yrs of brain injury crud, I am gainfully employed and actually a crying VACATION and qualify for BENEFITS! My insurance has been so high… Gratitude is my middle name, hyphenated with TIRED. Oldest person in the office…
But I am there!!!!
Hugs to all for Hoquiam!
Hooray for you, Barb! That’s quite an accomplishment and what a relief to have those benefits! As for the blog, you have a valid excuse so there’s no point in feeling rotten about not writing more. 🙂
Best wishes on your new job. I very happily send you HUGS FROM ARIZONA! 🙂
Congratulations Barb! That’s wonderful news on the job, and the benefits too. Very happy for you.
Congrats Barb.
Congratulations, Barb! 🙂
Hi Barb!!! So happy you are doing sooooo well. Things are going well here in Vermont. xxoo
Hi, Krystina! Remember me? Haha!
I’m glad your Vermont life is “going well.” I bet you’re enjoying being a gramma to your two precious granddaughters.
Hi Krystina, Glad all is well and goo to see you here.
HI SUE!! For a very long time now I have not been able to get reply’s after I reply to one of your posts. So this morning I went back to this post to see if my post actually got to you and IT DID!! I found out that when I put in my email address at the bottom of the reply it will not take it. Any ideas?
Hi, Krystina! I was wondering if you were mad at me. Good to see you here again. I’m sorry about the difficulty you’ve had with commenting. A comment with an email may be caught by the spam filter. What is odd… Spam or anything caught as spam is put in a folder that I review before permanently deleting or approving. I haven’t seen any of your attempts. It isn’t a good idea to post your email here anyway. If you saw some of the degenerates who get caught by the spam filter, you’d agree.
However, if for some reason you want to give your email to a fellow blogorino, use this form: “blogorino at email dot com”
Hi Sue, your writing about your library having a great selection of dvds and watching the British series made me think of one of my favorite British tv series that was on PBS – As Time Goes By, starring Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer. Palmer is the straight guy for Judi’s humor. It was a very funny show but also very touching in many ways. If you haven’t seen it, you might check if your library has it. Judi Dench is one of my favorite actresses.
It sounds like you are making good use of your library and really enjoying it 😀. I think I have posted before that there are only two things I miss from my s&b life – the awesome library where I lived and unlimited high speed internet!
Four weeks until Nancy arrives wow! I bet she is getting excited although she is probably too busy with preparations to spend too much time daydreaming, haha!
Hi, Debra & Misty,
You’re right about Nancy. She is occupied with get-togethers with friends “one last time,” sorting and purging and packing stuff.
Thank you for the suggestion on the Brit tv series. No, I haven’t seen that one. I’ll check at the library for it.
Hi Sue, good to get the things you need to keep your home beautiful and pleasant to be around. The library reminds me of the time I sent my boys to their Granny’s house for about a three week summer visit. My mom loved to go to the library and about every other day they would take a walk to the library. Then if they needed anything at the store she would walk them there, also to the bank and post office. After the second week my son said “Granny when are we going to drive the car”! (Smart woman)
Hi, Ruthie…. Yes, very smart Granny…
I love that series, Debra! I watch it every time it is on PBS. 🙂
Yes, keep those weeds trimmed cuz rattle snake season now. Rattlers eat desert horn toads. Don’t leave doors and windows open unless they have a tight screens. I have security screens on my doors & windows have screen but stay shut in summer). One nephew, who lives in Casa Grande, AZ, has been bitten twice by rattle snake…one got in the house and onto crouch where nephew got bit. Nephew was stepping out his front door and again (years later) got bit. The rattler was laying next to front door step. Just yesterday, my other nephew in Tucson posted pictures of a huge rattle snake that had crawled into his laundry room next to car port. Luckily he had put down sticky tape trap down for mice but caught the snake instead. When we had our house built, we had the door open for paint to dry for about an hour & in that hour a snake entered and we found him among the paint cans inside the house. OMG I couldn’t sleep for days. We installed security screens on all our doors since. So, if I open the door, the security screen door is tightly shut and allows me to see what’s out my door before stepping out. When getting out of car, look before you step down too. I almost stepped on a rattle snake at Dairy Queen. I screamed and nearly had a heart attack. The snake was coiled and ready to strike but I slammed the truck door close in the nick of time. Whew…gives me the bee gees even now. Doggies can be snake trained at Pets Mart.
Oh, and snakes can climb too. Sister found one climbing her screen door. I have a whirly fan on my house to keep attic cool…I had the exterminator guy check my attic to make sure no snakes in attic but you never know. Snakes like to hide in cool places in summer…hates those critters.
Don’t know what to reply, rita, except I think it’s safe to say you and your family have had an unusually high number of snake encounters.
LOL yes we sure do…
Let me second the Aubrey/Maturin series. They spend a lot of time eating and there is even a cookbook someone wrote based upon the dishes served on the ships. The only problem is the author uses all the appropriate naval terms which takes time getting used to or looking up.
Hi, Rhodium!
Hi, Sue,
Four more weeks until Nancy and Marg arrive! The time will fly by! I am sure you ar both excited to set up housekeeping and your garden. 🙂
I agree with your neighbor’s advice about getting the weed whacker without the cord. I had one with the cord. Darn cord kept popping out, despite having it fed properly through the loop meant to keep it in place. It was a piece of junk! May your whacker be easy to work with, and hold it’s charge as long as needed. Is the battery removable? If so, you may want to consider a spare battery so you have more juice available to complete a job.
Have a good night, Sue. Sending you, Reggie, and Roger lots of love and hugs from me and Gracie pup! 🙂
Hi, Denise,
Yes, the closer we get to the time of Nancy’s arrival, the faster the time goes by. It was like that right before I launched from GA. Seemed like the day would never come and then the last week went by so fast I was scrambling to get ready.
I do think the battery on the trimmer is removable. I’ve read where the battery holds a charge for an hour. Of course, other reviewers had different experiences. If it lasts for an hour, that’s about all I want to do at one time anyway. I will go ahead and buy another battery if having only one is inconvenient. That would be ideal.
You have a good night, too… Cuddle Gracie pup for me! 🙂
xo N’nite! 🙂
I enjoyed reminiscing over the campsite photos. It was so pretty there.
I am excited for you and Nancy and the impending arrival.
Things are about the same here. Hubby still has issues and I am still working from home.
I loved that Hornblower series. It was on PBS here a few years ago. Wish they would run it again. They also had a mini-series called Poldark with Barry Bostwick, that we enjoyed. They have re-made it with new people and it just doesn’t seem as good to me.
I want to check out the Aubrey/Maturin stories.
Hi, Barbara,
I LOVE POLDARK! That’s what I watched before watching the Hornblower series and I hated when it ended. I read the book, too. I think the one I watched was the newer one.
Thank you for sharing my excitement at Nancy coming to AZ soon.
You are so steady in your care of your husband while working, too. Warm wishes to you both.
The newer series is not bad, but I think I just get hung up on originals and newer doesn’t measure up. I have the same issues with the remakes of TV shows, like MacGyver, Magnum PI and a couple of others. I am looking forward to the new Murphy Brown series so hope that is good.
Thanks for the kind words in caring for DH. I do my best, but sometimes I get so frustrated and angry with him. Then I feel awful. I know he doesn’t do stuff on purpose, but I still lose it once in a while.
Hugs to you and R & R.
It’s understandable that you wuold “lose it” from time to time. Rather than feeling awful about those times, realize that you’re like a steam engine and you remain powerful and strong by releasing steam. You’re only human, dear one. 🙂
here’s another British TV series available on DVD — “Detectorists”
a comedy about “the lives, loves and detecting ambitions of Andy and Lance, members of the Danebury Metal Detecting Club”
there are 3 seasons available, there won’t be a 4th
Thanks, Lisa!
I so enjoy reading these posts, looking at pictures of past boondocks as I read about your present activities. And only you could make buying a weed whacker so interesting!!! Thanks for keeping us in your life.
You’re welcome, Barbara. I’m thankful you read and write here. 🙂
Something I noticed that I didn’t see the first time you published the Boulder Lake photos … in the 5th photo down, it looks like Bridget is perched and balancing on top of those rocks. I know it’s just an illusion, but it made me smile. And love the previous photo of her hiney – I think you have more hiney photos of that girl than you do front-faced!!
It has been warm here too – there is yard work I should be doing but I just can’t get motivated until it cools down. We leave on Friday for four days up at Mammoth Lakes – it will be our last family vacation together before our oldest grandson heads off to college at Fort Collins, CO. Makes me sad 🙁 but thankful too.
Good morning, Cynthia,
I have a large collection of Bridget hiney photos and also her hiding under the BLT. Her facial expressions were priceless. I’ll never forget her disdainful looks in reaction to me or Spike.
Your four days at Mammoth Lakes with family sound wonderful, Cynthia. Enjoy each precious moment!
You know, I still can’t get over how many waterfront camps you have stayed at that were free. Also how many beautiful inland ones you found, and the great ones like Poverty Flats that cost next to nothing. Before I began reading your blog I thought most places just cost a lot and one simply had to pay to enjoy being where they enjoyed what surrounded them. I didn’t know anything about the pass for seniors to pay only half the fees on public lands. And I likely wouldn’t have thought about (and found out ) that the seniors in NY state can go to state parks for free.
Though many of my family and friends like to camp and travel, none of them knew about any of that before, either. Thank you, Sue, for giving all of us a world of possibilities we wouldn’t have access to if you hadn’t been willing to tell everyone your story. I know keeping this blog going has cost you, the work, time, risks of losing your privacy, and expense that involves. I hope you have a wonderful day. It’s a perfect summer’s day here, 80 degrees with a cool refreshing steady breeze by the lake.
Another lovely, relective comment, weather. You uplift me so! Thank you. You renew my sense of purpose in maintaining this blog when I read how it has helped others reach for new experiences in our beautiful public lands.
Are you saying that any seniors can stay at NY state parks for free? You mean resident seniors, right?
Yes, the Golden pass is for residents of this state. However, it can only be used for day use of state parks, boat launches, and arboretums , not for the campgrounds. Most of our good sized lakes, wildlife preserves, historic attractions or scenic areas have state parks in or near them. One doesn’t need to apply for the pass, or have a tag that indicates having one. We just show our driver’s license to the person at the entrance and go in for free, on foot, bicycle or in any motor vehicle, including every kind of rv.
Younger residents can purchase an Empire pass for day use of our state’s parks that costs $80 per year, or $750 for a lifetime pass. Currently if one buy’s the lifetime pass they receive a $100 gift certificate that among other things, can be used to stay in the campsites, cabins or cottages.
Thanks for writing up this info for all of us.
Howdy Everybody!!
Okay, which one of you blogerinos is messing with my thermostat! Stop it!! Yesterday was absolutely miserable with excessive heat and moisture laden air due to the monsoon time of year. My patio saw 109 and humidity in the 60 percent tile. Not pleasant. And actually, quite dangerous conditions. The moist air cannot evaporate the sweat from our bodies enough to cool our bodies and before you know it our core temperatures are higher than what is safe. When I checked my thermostat this morning someone had set it for 112 today. I’ve hired a bounty hunter for the thermostat bandit so the guilty one better head for the high country, literally!
I was reading last night that the heat is hard on our aviary friends, particularly the hummingbirds. It was suggested that if you feed the hummers to change the food daily and also keep a feeder with water near the food. The hummers need to stay super hydrated during these excessive heat spells. Like us humans, they will figure out which is food and which is water. The water should be changed twice a day. I hung an additional feeder with water in the same mesquite tree as their food this morning. Sure enough, I’ve seen heavy use of the plain water this morning. I just always figured that they could get enough water from ground sources or drip irrigation sites, but I guess they feel safer using a hanging water source. Interesting.
Good news for anyone who uses the national forests in AZ as a playground. Last Wednesday, they lifted one of the fire restrictions and opened the forests for use again. There still is a stage one alert in some forests, which means that an open flame is permitted provided that it is kept within a regulation fire pit within a developed campground and that open flame devices (ie stoves) have an on/off regulator to extinguish the flame. Campfires in the back country are prohibited, period. Campgrounds, trails, and fishing sites can be used under these restrictions. In case you are wondering, a stage two ban means positively no open flame outside, must be contained in a permanent structure (ie cabin). With exception of the southern tier, all of New Mexico’s forests remain in a stage two restriction and forest recreation is prohibited. Colorado NF has lifted some bans and campgrounds are starting to open with limited amenities. These restrictions seem to change hourly so if you’re planning on using any forest playground, check with the managing ranger district office for it’s current status and hope it doesn’t change before you get there. Do not trust what info you find online.
My plans to go tenting and exploring along the Coronado Trail in eastern AZ was thwarted when the forests closed down due to extreme fire risks. The minute I learned that things had opened up, I began dragging out the car camping stuff. It now sits in a corner just waiting. With the onset of this excessive heat, I have lost interest in doing anything out of the A/C. What a wimp, huh? Even in the high country of AZ there are temps of 90+ where recordings of 85 are rare and considered extreme. October can’t come soon enough for me. By then our triple digit temps should be only a memory and once again I will be glad I live on the desert.
What a wealth of information from the blogorinos! Everything from what to cook on the outdoor griddle, to what string trimmer to buy, to enjoyable reads and memorable boondocks. Who needs Wikipedia when you’ve got RVSue’s blog at your fingertips. Just search the comment section of Sue’s blog and you will probably find it there!
If I should happen to disappear for a time, it is likely that I’ve decided to brave the weather conditions and taken off on a tenting adventure. Sometimes the pull to play explorer is stronger than any common sense I may have. I shall return since I’ll need to learn all about the life that Sue and Crew build with Nancy and Marge. Exciting times ahead, from many perspectives.
Rusty, hello-o-o-o-o. Are you out there? Is all well with you and Piper? Haven’t heard from you recently-or maybe I just missed you checking in.
Everyone, stay cool and beware of the thermostat bandit. There may be a reward for that low down varmint’s capture if he continues to wreak havoc in my world—Audrey
I always enjoy your comments, Audrey. Thanks for the information and entertainment. Keep cool!
Thank You Sue!! We did NOT stay in the Gillette area after all. We pushed further West to Buffalo, then down Hwy 16 as you suggested. We found an amazing spot to camp at the Middle Fork CG, which has water, trash, and clean toilets, but no hookups. It was 8.50 a night w/pass, which was totally worth it for what we got! We had spot #3 with total privacy, and the creek ran through our side yard. Very forested, shady and cool. There were beautiful canyon walls to gaze at on the road-side, and about 7 other sites all along the creek, just a bit away, but not within our sight. At the dead end, there is a FS owned road with a few cabins along it, and a happy group of talking cows. We took a nice long evening walk back there, and had some interesting conversation with a few of the cows. :-). What a lovely night spent there. One more thing: there was fresh Spring water available from a hand pump, and boy was it cold and delicious. We filled all our jugs before we left, and that alone was worth the 8.50 to stay the night. Well that, and having a Creek to lull us to sleep with no neighbors.
There was also a huge backyard area (private) with nice big table, fire pit, and seperate BBQ Grill. The CG was spotless, and roads in were good. We are bookmarking this spot for the future.
We are headed to a dispersed area outside of Dayton, WY, in the Tongue Canyon area to drop the trailer, and then proceed up into MT for the day. We will spend a night or two here. Then? Who knows. Thank you again Sue. You are so good at solid recommendations. 🙂
It’s such fun reading your reports, Suzi. You and Larry know how to enjoy your camps and travels. Thanks for the review of Middle Fork cg. I may go there someday, too. 🙂 Looking forward to hearing more!
Enjoy your beautiful camp!