The subject of today’s photos is a pleasant, streamside boondock on a spur road off Louis Lake Road in Shoshone National Forest near Atlantic City, Wyoming.
On the way to Slate Creek Camp from Lander, Route 28 passes Red Canyon Overlook (below).
The boondock is not far from historic South Pass and high enough to provide cool air in summer.
Autumn arrives early at this elevation. In September 2014, Bridget and I camp here for one night. Day temperatures are comfortable and we wake to a brisk morning.
Read more at “The trek south begins and how I find Slate Creek Camp.“
~ ~ ~
Reggie and Roger (my present canine crew) and I are off the road while we prepare for my sister, Nancy, and her dog, Marg, to join us in August. They will become our permanent housemates at our recently purchased home in southern Arizona. Boondocking will resume sometime in the future.
Monday, July 23 in Arizona
Mike the roofer comes by today. Instead of working on the roof in the intense heat which would be madness, he measures, cuts, and inserts new panels in our skylights. (The house didn’t have any panels when we purchased it.)
The panels, although transparent, have a texture that deflects the light and holds some of the heat out of the dining and kitchen area.
I didn’t ask Mike to do this. It’s something he wants to do for us.
“This is my housewarming gift for you and Nancy,” he explains.
They’re pretty!
High temperatures in southern Arizona yesterday were around the 108 degree mark.
Today is a hot one, too.
Between the time I spend talking with Mike and painting around the windows and floor moulding in my bedroom, it’s noon before I drive into town to buy a few groceries and to exchange DVDs at the library.
Without air conditioning in the Perfect Tow Vehicle, I rely on rushing air through open windows and sips from a bottle of drinking water.
I complete my errands quickly and hurry home.
As soon as I finish putting the groceries away, Reg and Rog sit at my feet to share a late lunch of warm rotisserie chicken with me.
That sets us up for a nice afternoon nap in our cool house. A while later a knock on the front door wakes us up. I rush to the door and find a box on the porch. A Fed Ex truck is pulling out of the driveway.
Our new weedeater!
When I finish this post, I’ll go offline, pop a DVD in the tv, push back in my lounger, and watch Harrison Ford in “Six Days Seven Nights.” If it’s not to my liking, I have a stack of nine other choices.
Tomorrow morning I’ll remove the weedeater from the box and take it for a spin around the yard.
rvsue
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Hi
Hi, Pam!
YOU’RE FIRST AGAIN! WELL DONE!
I’m going offline now. See y’all later!
I liked that movie – I like Harrison Ford, and a Beaver on floats is my absolute favorite airplane. What a nice thing for Mike to do as a housewarming. (Or maybe a house de-warming considering what the panels do. heh heh)
Good morning, Pat…. It’s the next day and I still haven’t watched the movie. I went offline and decided to take a big hunk of watermelon out to the front porch. After that, I got involved in other things, checking this blog, fussing around cleaning up the kitchen, getting the trash ready for pickup, etc.
Before I knew it, it was too late to start a movie. I should know not to write what I’m going to do on the blog. 🙂
Hi, Sue! Happy to see your post 🙂
Good morning, Pat! Happy to see you here. 🙂
Hi Sue,
Better open that box and charge up the battery if you want to eat weeds in the morning 😁. We are now on Hope, BC, Canada. We also had rottisere chicken for dinner. I have a new system for trimming Fonzy’s (labradoodle) toenails: One toenail, one bite of chicken.
Stay cool.
My dogs settle for one toenail, one bite of finger.
I’m glad I came back online to check the blog and saw your reminder. Thanks, Marilu. It’s charging. 🙂
Mike is a really good guy. But boy you sure picked the hottest time of the year to settle t9here! Guess if you get through this summer you’ll know it will all be fine!
I too, was going to suggest charging your weedeater overnight.
Thanks to you and Marilu, the weedeater will be ready to eat weeds in the morning. 🙂
Nice post, Sue. Well. All your posts are nice. Just dropped by to say hello. Your handyman is remarkable. The karma you possessed on the road endures, Sue.
Good morning, Diann! Sending good thoughts your way…. to a state I love!
Hi! This came while I was on the phone. Real comment later.
I agree with Diann in MT! Your gypsy karma or as I called it, the angel on your shoulder didn’t leave you as you changed gears and became a home owner! The right people seem to flow to you when you need them! Mike is AMAZING! Now give those boys of yours a belly rub!
Good morning, Geri! Thanks for giving the angel on my shoulder the well-deserved credit. In hindsight I’m amazed (and grateful) at the goodness that we encountered when it could have gone another way.
Hope you Floridians are keeping cool and enjoying the summer… Love to you, Chuck, Radar and Tater!
💗
We really enjoy “Six Days, Seven Nights” — just good fun. I’m enjoying sharing this new life adventure with you and just want to say I think you’ve found a wonderful way to “blend” your new life in the house with remembering boondocking locations. Fun for all.
Thank you, Arden, for letting me know that!
Loving the memory lane about past boondocks. Love the pix.
I’m glad, Virginia. Love hearing from you!
Hi Sue,
I really like the way you’re reminiscing about previous boondocks while telling us about life as a homeowner. It makes for interesting reading especially for those of us who’ve followed you from the beginning and can remember (maybe) a little of those earlier posts.
You’ll note that I’ve changed my location in my name. Paul and I have moved northeast of Plano about 25 miles to be closer to the kids and grandkids. We’ve done the unthinkable at our age and UPsized instead of downsized. We now have a new house (I even got to pick out the colors, flooring, tile, etc) on acre of land on a private road just outside of town. We have to go to the mailbox at the end of the road because the mailman doesn’t deliver on private roads. But once the other five houses are completed the only folks on our road will be the 10 folks living on it or folks coming to see us. We’re slowly getting settled in and really enjoying being 5 and 7 miles from our grandkids instead of 22 and 25. As as we get older our kids are close by if we need them.
Keep on enjoying your new house. I know it will be fun for you and Nancy to get the furniture in and decorations up and all that stuff. I’m guessing that about the time you get really settled in you’ll be ready to head out somewhere in the Casita.
Hi, Reine,
I noticed your new address and recalled you mentioning you would have a new house. A great plan and your place sounds lovely (an acre!). I’m happy for you and Paul and your family closeby.
Thanks for keeping in touch and for the positive feedback on the format of recent posts.
Sounds like what we did, but main reason was to get out of Flint, MI! We love our “Modular Home”, it was fairly new when we moved in, prior owners only lived in it for two months…so, it was fairly new & well maintained. We’re on 3 acres of sparsely wooded land. We really enjoyed the 18 years we’ve lived here…it’s so quiet, most times…4th of July & New Year’s Eve gets a little rowdy. Doesn’t bother us humans too much, but drives our Jack Russel/Chihuahua mix into full-blown FRENZY mode!
We’re fairly lucky in that there’s only two other families living WAY down @ the end of our private road! There’s an unoccupied house down at the very end of the road. A man & his wife lived there…but the man, Butch, died quite suddenly & his wife wasn’t comfortable living alone down there. She made the decision to let the home go for delinquent taxes…and it’s still EMPTY! I should look into how much $$ is needed & get the word out about it. It has a large pole barn on it, but don’t know how much land it’s on.
We just got back from 6 days on Lake Huron! Beautiful! Weather was a bit warm, but Motel Huron had A/C & we were quite comfortable inside. Took long walks with Joe, our dog; ate too much junk food, & slept a lot! It was fun! This was our gift to each other for our 40th Anniversary which was June 3, but my Gall Bladder had other plans for me on the 4th, so we postponed our celebration until I was feeling a bit more recovered. It’s amazing how an uninvasive surgical procedure can strip you of ALL your energy for so long. I can see I’m not going to feel “normal” for quite some time. I sleep so much! I suppose that will improve as my body & mind improves, hopefully!
Sue, have “fun” with your outdoor ‘toys’! Just be sure to take breaks often to hydrate yourself, Reggie & Roger. No heat strokes for dogs or human counterparts! That’s an ORDER!!!! Thanks for keeping up with your blog…I’m another one who’s voting for a “Canine Corner” soon.
Okay, Cheryl! I promise to take good care of us. You do that, too.
Congratulations on the 40 years and may your energy and stamina return soon!
Yep, one click and I get the “looks like you’ve already posted that”. I can press the “back” button and I see what I typed as if it hasn’t been posted. If I refresh the site, then I see the posted comment. Anyone else seeing this weird behavior?
It happens to me all the time, Reine. I press the back button when I get that “already posted that” message. When I’m back, I don’t see my comment. I refresh and it appears. I don’t know how to fix that.
Did I miss something? When did the PTV A/C stop working? That would be something I’d get fixed ASAP, in the mean time, early morning, or after dusk for shopping trip may be the way to survive. I’m really looking forward to your sister’s arrival…after reading all these posts I feel like I know you, but your sister is a mystery yet to be discovered 🙂
Hi, Elaine . . .I don’t want a/c in the PTV. 🙂 It hasn’t had a/c in years.
It was 115 here today, Missy… Were it not for AC I would not be here…
Good heavens, Jim, That Is Hot! I’m pretty sure it’s hotter where you are than at our house. I’m glad you and Detta have a/c!
I love your sites that are at the edge of the water…stream, lake, river or puddle!
Rotisserie chicken for dinner whoooooooee! Very nice of Mike to install the panels…a very thoughtful housewarming present to Nancy and you!
The weedwhacker has arrived….someone already mentioned to charge the battery overnight! Watch out horned toads…her she comes!
Stay cool!
Good morning, Cinandjules,
I’ll keep Horned Toad in mind when weedwacking. I’d hate to hurt the little fellow.
What did we do before rotisserie chicken in stores? I have an oven now in which I could roast a chicken, but with this heat? I keep the a/c set at 80 degrees unless I’m painting, then I drop it to 78.
You stay cool, too!
Oh no …so much easier to let someone else heat up their place.
And they are relatively cheap…and hassle free. The Frys store up here even cut it up and keep the backbone and whathaveyous! If I feel adventurous I’ll drive over to the Costco…dem suckers are a tad bit smaller than a turkey!
Pretty funny..we all associate rotisserie chicken with you and the crew. Happy Painting!
It is absolutely BLAZING hot up here!
Hi Sue!😃
That must be my Nutribullet on the list. It’s due to arrive Thursday 🎉 I can’t wait to try it out! ❗️
Good morning, Ronda!
Yay for you! May you discover many delicious, healthful recipes, whether your own or others, to enjoy. Here’s a tip, well, actually a correction. I wrote recently that I put spritzer water in smoothies. I found out one needs to be careful not to put too much in the “cup” because pressure builds up. So everyone who bought a smoothie maker, go easy on the carbonated water.
Thank you for shopping Amazon from my blog. Orders such as yours ease the pain of all the purchases for the house. Do get back with us about your smoothies!
Oh thank you. I’ll keep that in mind. I do like sparkling water. My new favorite is La Croix Key Lime.
Hi Sue! I have one word for you that will make you even more glad that your yard work is being done in AZ…….GNATS!!!!!!!! OMG! I was working outside yesterday and they were so bad that any time I wanted to turn around, I first had to lower the bill of my hat and then my head, so that the WALL of them would not slam into my face, eyes, nose and mouth! And the humidity was so high that it looked as if I’d been in a wet t-shirt contest when I was finished. I’m still working on my AZ dream and days like yesterday only make me more resolute! 🙂
Speaking of that dream….I have spent the last year learning a lot about myself and tweaking that dream. I was wondering if any of your readers live in 55-plus type communities out there. And if so, if they like it. I still want to boondock but I also see the need to build a community for myself. I have wonderful friends but all but one has husbands, kids, grands. My cousins and I love eachother but we don’t have all that much in common except for history and memories. I am thinking that it would be a lot of fun to live somewhere like one of those communities where there are opportunities to get together and hike, rock hound, bird watch, learn to make pottery and jewelry…..with people who like to do those things too. Then pack up and head for the hills when I need my alone time with nature and a change of scenery. Anyway….sorry for the rambling. But days like yesterday only cement the dream in place. Sooo….I’m doing all I can to make this sweet 6 acres something that would appeal to a nice family someday when I can sell it.
When I was a kid, I was very good at sprinting but didn’t have the lungs for endurance racing. Well, it struck me the other day that this is a “cross country race”…..literally…..and there are lots of ways in which I can train for it right now. Then one day I’ll sprint across the finish line in AZ. BTW…..have you ever seen the movie, McFarland USA? If not, I think you’d like it.
Have a great day…..and tell Mike that he has a fan in VA!
Love from muggy VA!
MB, Wyndy and Bella
Hi MB! I admire the fact that although your dream is delayed, you don’t give up on it. I definitely think that life is a cross country race. The sucky thing for me is I can’t run 😉 But I do limp along! LOL! You might not hear it much, but you are a great person for delaying your dreams to take care of family!
Hi Dawn! Limping along here too but gaining some ground. 🙂
Have a great day neighbor!
MB
Thank you, MB. I wish you a great day, too. I like how your dream is evolving to suit you. Great ideas! I don’t have any suggestions other than to say there are a lot of places that you describe in Yuma, AZ. You might want to investigate the Escapees organization which has communities in different states. There’s one in southern AZ, in Benson, I think.
Blogorinos: MB is interested in “one of those communities where there are opportunities to get together and hike, rock hound, bird watch, learn to make pottery and jewelry…..with people who like to do those things too.” Do you have any suggestions and/or experience to share?
Thanks Sue!
Many 55+ communities have those “outings and craft” as part of their HOA. Any Del Webb Community, I know Sun City West has it…google 55+ community in whatever area and go from there.
Thanks! And I have been spending some time looking at those sites. Some of them look like so much fun! Just wondering if anyone here had personal experience with them.
Have a good evening Cinandjules!
My dearest friend lives at Sun City Del Webb in Lincoln CA…about an hour from Sacramento. She is single, 72 years old..acts like a teenager with all the functions…maj jonge, rummy cube, pickleball, crafts, fiddle lessons, water aerobics, trips to the casino, trips to see plays….endless activities. They have dedicated golf cart lanes that most take advantage of….everything is close. Golf cart parking spots. She absolutely loves it and wished we had returned to CA.
As for us, we don’t take advantage of what there is to offer….personal choice.
The Villages in Florida is a popular spot as well. We don’t do hurricanes, tornados etc…so here we are in AZ!
Thank you for your follow-up message! I think I would take advantage of some of the amenities and some….not so much. And I’m with you as far as FL goes. Beautiful state but I’m over humidity. Plus here, if I drive several hours, it looks basically the same unless I go to the coast. But out there….several hours takes you to a whole new world. I love the 4 corners states! I’ve visited many times and would like to try living there. I can just see that AZ plate on my truck! 🙂
Hi MB: We don’t leave in a 55 plus community but we have three separate sets of friends who live in three different 55 plus communities. All of them love it. There seem to be a variety of people – married, widowed, and never married, and lots of different interests and activities. All have said it’s very quiet because there are few children around, so if you treasure quiet that’s a good thing.
Thank you for the response Cynthia! That’s just the kind of info I was looking for. They look like so much fun on the websites. Lots to do but privacy too. And if I want to pack my tent in my truck and get even more privacy, I can do it! It’s nice to hear from an unbiased source what it’s like to live in these communities.
Have a good evening and thank you again.
Your purchase of a battery weed wacker finally made me take the plunge and purchase a small battery chainsaw for clearing small branches at home. We have a gas chainsaw but I hate trying to get it started when I just need to cut a couple of limbs that came down in a storm. I hope this solves my problem and hopefully, I purchased correctly thru your link so you get the credit. I’m always forgetting to do that.
I hope you like the battery powered chainsaw. It hasn’t appeared on any orders report as I type this. What is the date of your order?
Thanks, Kim, for thinking of us when shopping Amazon!
We have a battery-powered chainsaw and it works quite nice for the little bit we do around our place. I didn’t want to mess with another combustion engine. The lawnmower is enough! We have the hedge trimmer, weed eater, and blower that all share the same type of battery as the chainsaw so we seem to have plenty of batteries to go around for whatever we are using.
Good morning! What stands out to me in this post is the contrast between South Pass (Slate Creek Camp) in September and Southern Arizona in July, and also your ability to find people who go “above and beyond” their work for you.
The difference between a “brisk” morning at Slate Creek and “only go out in the morning” summer weather in Southern Arizona jumped out at me. You even got a shot of Bridget coming toward the camera! It seems to me that if I go West for my health, I’ll almost have to be nomadic to do well year round.
I have been surprised at all the excellent tradespeople you have found over the years. Now you have Mike, putting in skylight panels (good ones!) as a gift. You have a knack or technique for finding the best available workers. I have found many who were good, but few great ones. I think most of us have that kind of “percentage,” but you do really well.
Thank you, Calvin, about me doing well finding good people. Yes, there have been some. The mechanic in Ephraim, UT, who checked my brakes on a Sunday when his business was closed. The mechanic in Nephi, UT, who let us camp at his shop for an early appt. the next day and gave us excellent service (wheel bearings) at a very reasonable price.
And some find me: “The Screwdriver Angel” when the PTV wouldn’t start at Las Cienegas, the couple who jacked up the BLT when she jumped off the hitch ball, and others.
Mike the roofer was recommended by my realtor, who was a fortunate “find.” 🙂
Being able to move for optimum weather is high on the list of reasons to RV. If you need to change your elevation/temperature often, there are areas, such as AZ, that allow for this due to varied topography within short distances.
I like how you noted the contrast between Slate Creek in Sept. and southern Arizona in July. Our “brisk” mornings in AZ are 75 degrees… and climbing. 🙂
Thanks for the positive, thoughtful comment. Roaming from a base is the most appealing option. I like Tucson for many reasons and the entire State of New Mexico also has plenty of attractions, including an unbeatable pass for the State Parks. However, it’s difficult to envision both a fixed address and a motor vehicle fitting into my budget. Some of that will change with a birthday next year, and many other factors affect all of this, but in the meantime research is a sort of hobby for me.
You’re welcome, Calvin. Your research may lead to a way in which to make it happen. That’s my hope for you! 🙂
I’m really enjoying these little memory pockets.
Somehow, I missed the fact that the PTV doesn’t have air conditioning! Yikes! When I was younger and stronger, I had a car without AC. In Texas. During the 1980 heat wave. Thought I was going to die! I totally sympathize. That’s not fun. I hope you’re able to get that issue ironed out.
I will be on vacation (out of the country, I’m thrilled to say) when Nancy arrives, but I hope I’ll be able to check in from time to time. I’ll be cheering you on from afar, nevertheless. It’s getting close!
Hi, Suzette,
The no-air-conditioning situation is not an issue. I prefer not to have it in the PTV, mainly for health reasons. Notice how I’m rarely sick? I don’t remember the last time I had a cold. My chronic bronchitis of my pre-nomadic life is gone.
While having other work done on the PTV some time ago, the mechanic suggested it was a good time to fix the a/c since he had access to it. I told him no. Later, when the PTV developed a strange noise, I had the a/c belt removed which solved that. I like windows down with air rushing through the PTV. Usually I plan better when it’s hot and do my errands earlier in the day.
I wish you a wonderful vacation, Suzette. The anticipation is part of the thrill! 🙂
Sue, I am a chronic bronchitis sufferer…big time 🙁 Please explain your no air condition solution. Thank you, Bulverde Pat
There isn’t much to explain, Pat. Driving with cold air blowing at me, then getting out into the heat, returning to the cold air… Sometimes I’d feel a sore throat and suspected it was the air conditioning in my car. Probably several factors contributed to a bout of bronchitis every year. Days inside classrooms with recycled air couldn’t have helped. The stress of teaching… Living a life I hated.
I retired in June and hit the road in Aug. When the PTV’s a/c went out once or twice — I don’t remember exactly — I finally decided not to have it fixed. Never had bronchitis after that. It’s hard to say that’s entirely from no a/c in the PTV because living a life I love, stress gone, may have a lot to do with improved health.
However, having cold air blown into one’s lungs on humid days can’t be good for anyone susceptible to bronchitis. I hope you conquer yours, Pat.
Ahhh…rotisserie chicken! Glad to see that you are carrying on tradition, even while in a sticks and brick! 😉 My hats off to you driving in a Arizona summer with no A/C. I don’t have A/C in my car, either, but it doesn’t get past the hundreds here! My car is getting older and I do secretly wish for A/C in the next car!
OMGosh! Where do you find such wonderful trades people? Mike is a GEM! I know that you must communicate that to him as well. I am glad that your having such a good experience in getting work done in your new house.
What would RVSue and her canine crew be without rotisserie chicken?
I don’t know what part of NC you are in — it’s such a varied state from ocean to mountains — yet I do know you can have very high humidity. That’s what makes it tough to go without a/c when driving.
Thanks for another nice note, Dawn. Have a great day, whatever you do.
Slate Creek Camp was another nice find. I got a kick out of your seeing the bridge and guessing a forest road might be next to the stream. It’s fun driving through unfamiliar areas and finding pretty places we didn’t know were there. After Nancy settles in and the cooler days arrive I think you’d enjoy doing that for day trips not too far from where you live. It’s likely fortunate timing that she will be there with only a few weeks left of the summers heat . Getting to see how great the rest of the year is there will make her even happier that you chose that house.
What a thoughtful house warming gift Mike gave you. I imagine the room looks even lovelier with the extra sunlight it has now. Did you like the movie you watched? I remember your saying you despised romance novels. Is that how you feel about love stories in movies, too?
Hi, weather,
You mention one of the joys of the boondocker — finding pretty camps in unfamiliar places. 🙂
It’s hard to explain the gift from Mike. The skylights, without the panels, were chutes in the ceiling going up to the skylight. The sunshine and moonshine came in but during the day it was a harsh light and I could feel the heat. The panels hold the heat while letting the light through.
Yes, I don’t care for romance novels. Love stories in movies are a different matter when they include adventure or history or something other than the usual love story formula. The best love stories, in my opinion, are woven through historical events. Watching or reading about people’s emotions without more substance than that doesn’t hold my interest. It’s not my age; I never liked sappy stories.
How about you, weather? 🙂
My preference is that a story about a couple involve more than just their emotions, or be part of bigger story than just their own, too. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, both the book and film was one I really enjoyed. I also liked trying to solve the mystery in that one. I enjoy trying to figure out who did whatever in a story. I liked the whole series of Jesse Stone movies with Tom Selleck as the main character.
Romance as part of a bigger story… That’s it. 🙂
Will we ever get to see pictures of the actual house in or out?
Hi, Toni,
I’ll post photos of the interior when we have it furnished. No, I’ll never post the exterior of the house. Too much to lose.
The very first house we built in Salem, Or. in 1980 had a sky lite in it as you described. Too much energy loss for us and we never put one in again.
We’ll see how it goes. The way the house is designed, the dining room/kitchen area would be dark without those skylights. Mixed blessing.
We got our rv back this morning. She still has a few problems to address, just because she is an old girl. We had so much trouble finding someone willing to work on her that I thought we were going to just sell her and forget it. This guy we found sounds a lot like your roof guy. He fixed somethings for us just because and did not charge us. I just saw where it was 127 yesterday in Death Valley. I cannot image that kind of hot. Thirty-five years ago I moved to Tuscan and it was 117. My car had no air conditioning, I had a 3 year old, a 5 year old and a cat with me. The poor cat passed out before we arrived. I had to pull off the interstate and give him ice water on my finger and wet him down. He came back around and was fine. It did pass through my mind that I was crazy for moving to Tuscan. The military says this is were you go and you go, no matter how crazy though.
Love your memory lane in this blog today. I enjoyed very much. Hope the weed eating went well.
Well, Jean, that’s good news, you got your RV back with some repairs done. It must be a relief to find someone willing to do the work.
No a/c in the car in Tucson in summer with children and a cat… That’s worse than uncomfortable. It’s dangerous! Tucson is hotter than other areas in southern AZ. I suppose it’s because of city surfaces.
Hello to Sue, Crew and everyone,
It’s been a while since I commented but I’ve been keeping up. I learned so much from all the blog entries when you were boondocking and now I’m learning so very much from being in a non-mobile base “camp”. Always learning.
I have a very funny story though a bit late. I was mindlessly reading on the internet recently and found a story that fit your blog perfectly. A man, quite well known for his connections to national politics therefore I will call him “John Smith” was recently put in jail. It must have been a really, really slow day in the newsroom and all the experienced reporters were out to lunch that this writing assigment must have been given to a newby just out of journ. school. The headline was something like,
“John Smith, in jail, between bagel and bisquit”. Clickbait for sure, so I clicked.
Yeah, I’m that easy. Well, the “bagel” turned out to be the paint color on the lower 2/3 of the jail walls and “bisquit” was the top 1/3 of the wall color. Poor John. How that must add to his suffering imprisonment. 🙀 😂
And thank you for the Southpass, Wyoming pics. I’m putting them on my wallpaper area of my iPAD. I love, LOVE reading Louis L’Amour books about the old west. Last fall, I was out west with my daughter and on my way back “home”, stopped by Mobeetie, TX, drove and experienced as much of the Chisolm Trail as I could find and other such places. In his book, “Bendigo Shafter”, L’Amour places the center of the story in South Pass. So I can use your pics to look at while I read it next time. Thank you. When he mentions Mobeetie, i have visual memories (though the original town is gone and everything there was moved there for tourists), etc.
I too, love the mixed blog – former campsites/travels and current homesite. However, I had hoped fervently that you would not only show us pics of the interior after Nancy is done with her artistry but also the “before” pics of how much it was changed after paint, etc. I love that photo of the huge shade of, I think it was the manzanita tree. Can’t wait til the grapes are ripe. Taste descriptions????? washed, separated and frozen – uuummmmm – tasty cold treat. I used to freeze blue berries, grapes, chopped strawberries when my daughter was little for us to cool down with in summer in Portland, OR. I still love my frozen grapes.
Sorry, didn’t mean to run on so.
Anne – sweltering in the deep south.
Hi, Anne,
No need to apologize for a long comment… an interesting read for us. 🙂
It’s fun to read a story and be able to visualize the setting. That’s one of the benefits of travel. I read a bunch of mountain man books after camping in the mountains and along several different rivers of the West. I’d read along and think, “Hey! I know that place! I was there!” Fun!
The big shade tree is a mesquite. We have four mesquites, two pecan trees, and three pines. I don’t know what kind of pine they are. I love the way their branches go out from the trunks and then toward the end bend downward with a drape of needles that sway in the breeze.
I won’t be eating grapes, from what I see happening. Something is sucking the juice out of the grapes, leaving what looks like raisins hanging in clusters. Birds? Lattice Lizard? I don’t see any worms. I did eat one ripe grape and it was sweet and good. Whoever is eating the grapes, they need them more than I do.
Do keep in touch, Anne. 🙂
Sounds like fruit flies. Not good…
Your comment about getting out and getting your errands done early in the day because of the heat is interesting. I’m sure our forefathers (and mothers) ordered their lives much more by the “seasons” of the day as well as the seasons of the year in order to be comfortable, efficient, and productive. I remember my mother always ironed in the evening (we didn’t have A/C where I grew up) because it was easier than ironing in the heat of the day. When it’s hot I love to get up early and get my housework done so I don’t have to crank the A/C up too high, and then sit in the shade and read in the afternoon. Of course, with the way summer is racing by (it does go faster each year, doesn’t it?) it won’t be long before we will all be putting on our warm slippers and flannels to get cozy this fall.
Hi, Cynthia,
Your mention of your mother ironing early in the morning reminded me of my grandmother. She used to get up at 3 a.m. during the summer when she had bedsheets to iron. She had to fire up the big kitchen woodstove in order to heat the iron. At the time I thought she was crazy.
Good afternoon Sue and boys. Looks like two people bought mattresses through your blog. Saw it and said, “that was fast, I just bought it yesterday”. Turns out it was a different brand, mine was a Lucid. No matter so long as you can get some more income to buy all the goodies that a homeowner needs.
My retirement present to myself was to remodel the storage room on the side of the living room that I’d been trying to get done for the past eight or nine years. Building a Murphy bed is the last big thing to be done and it will become my den. I bartered my full size pick up truck and plow for the carpenter to do the work. The only way it could get done and I no longer need the truck but he does. A good deal for us both.
I also enjoy your mixing older posts from the past with what you are doing at your home to get it ready for Nancy and Marg. You indeed have a gem in Mike. You have always been good and generous in your dealings with people you have encountered during your RV journey and you evoke the same in others. A suggestion for the house, if you have any windows that get direct sun from noon on maybe Mike could make you some awnings from sunscreen/sun shade you can get at home depot, just checked Amazon carries it as well under several names. I did this to our home in Benson and it made a noticeable difference. I also put a film on the inside of the bedroom windows to deflect the sun and heat, altho you may not want to do that. Thanks for keeping us utd with your progress. Stay cool, and always be well.
Thanks for the suggestions for the house, JazzLover. Also thank you for the mattress order. I saw two mattresses on my report. 🙂
Smart bartering! I hope you like the results in your den.
Looks like lots of us are in heat and getting more…hope everyone is careful!! We are slowing down here…even though we are cool by some standards… It sure takes all the energy out of a person!!
Hi, Elizabeth,
Forgive me while I chuckle at “lots of us are in heat.” 🙂
I know what you mean. We do need to be careful not to overexert or become dehydrated.
Hi Sue,
Just checking in to say: “I drove the big rig today”. I was ready and I told Larry it was my turn and he happily turned over the wheel. However, I suck at backing up. So how long does it take to figure that whole thing out? I practiced this morning as we headed out because the CG was empty and I didn’t mind making mistakes all alone out there. I know the theory of ”hands at the bottom of the wheel, and move them in the direction you want the trailer to go”. That works, but I guess I just need more practice!
I’ve been right there with Larr the whole time hitching and unhitching, and doing all the leveling and set up, so I’m good there. 🙂
HaHa! I’m so proud. We’ll get there!
18 more days till Nancy arrives. ( Well, 17 now ). Happy dance! Please take a group photo with you two and all the pups together! Family reunion style!
Take good care, Suzi, Larry, and Kitty.
Hi, Suzi!
Congratulations on driving your tow vehicle and Casita! It wasn’t hard, was it. 🙂
You’ll learn how to back up. Two hints I hope are helpful: 1) Back up slowly. 2) Banish onlookers, and that includes Larry, even though he’s a nice guy and all. The reason you want no one around is to eliminate self-consciousness which makes it difficult to follow hint #1. Never let anyone give you directions when backing. Be totally independent when backing up. Others undoubtedly will disagree with those last two statements. I stand by them. I believe it very important to be able to position your rig all by yourself when backing or going forward in case you’re in a situation where you have to do that.
Good luck! You have a great can-do attitude, Suzi!
We will be sure to take group photos of Nancy, her son Frank, me, Reg, Rog and Marg. However fun it would be to post such a photo, I can’t do that.