Tag Archives: Camping

Road Trip Chronicles: RV Life and Challenges

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My writing has been scattered lately and my posts show it. So…An Update.

I have been in San Diego for two weeks. The first week I was cat sitting for two pretty Tuxedo Kitties, Avril and Pete. They were very different personalities. Pete slept with me while Avril remained aloof. The best part of this sit besides the kitties…A Swimming Pool! On these warm summer days that pool was so refreshing.

I do not usually return to San Diego until November. By that time, the weather has cooled and being in San Diego is good. This year,….It Is HOT!!! Through the Labor Day weekend it is suppose to stay rather warm, even at the beach. Currently I am in Santee which is inland San Diego. It is close to 100 degrees. And, it has been humid. I am not used to this and I long to be back in the Pacific Northwest. Ah, alas, here I am.

I am in San Diego because I have a year long relationship with my dentist. I am having an implant put in and it takes almost a year to finish the process. Bone implant – Heal. Three months later in goes the screw which is really the implant – Heal. Three months later the crown goes on and I am done. This time I had the screw put in. That means in December I get crown on and I am done. Yay!!

Maintenance of my Rig, EmmyLou is important. Without her I have nowhere to live or sleep. On my drive south I met up with my friend Zee, who lives in southern Oregon. We planned a mini-trip to Mt Lassen National Park. On the third day of our camping trip, I tried to start my engine. It made a weird screeching noise, and then it stopped working. My roadside assistance, Coachnet, helped me get her where she needed to go. . She was safely taken to Weed, California. There, she got a new starter.

I was very thankful to have a friend with me. I stress out about Roadtrek issues when I am alone. I am always sure that I am to blame and my life comes to a screeching halt. Zee kept me from chastising myself too much. And I had somewhere to stay while the rig was fixed.

While she got a new starter Zee and I went back to her home. It is so good to have friends who open their homes to me. I am grateful each time this happens. Two days later I picked my rig up and returned to Medford, Oregon so Mercedes could check her out. A day later she was ready to go and I headed south.

Baby Needs New Shoes

Yesterday I spent the afternoon in the Tire Center at Costco because Baby needs new shoes. Michelins are on sale and EmmyLou has been traveling hard. She has 186,000 miles on her and her tires were looking worn. I knew it would take at least two hours. I brought my camp chair in from the rig. Now I am sitting in the air-conditioned tire shop, entertaining myself. It is great people watching.

My Campsite View

It is so common for me to be busy when I arrive in San Diego. I thought it would be a bit slower this time. I don’t even dive into my medical or dental appointments until I arrive in November. I have been busy. Now with Labor Day weekend arriving I am hoping to slow down for the weekend. Maybe I can get the kayak on the water. Maybe I can take a bike ride. Maybe, Maybe, Maybe.

Practicing Yoga free,in Donnelly, Idaho at the top of the Ski lift

There you have it an update. Since May I have been to the Pacific Northwest, Vancouver Island, British Columbia and back to the Pacific NW again. On the way south, I traveled east to Donnelly, Idaho. Where better to attend a free yoga class at the top of the ski lift? After spending a long weekend with good friends I returned to the west coast.

In mid-September, I travel north to Salinas, California (near Monterey). I will house sit for Woody the cat and Rocky the dog for a month. I will also kayak the Elkhorn Slough and bike around Monterey and enjoy my friend, Mandy’s lovely home.

Today I am thankful for my rig. It is good to keep her tuned up and in good working condition. I am truly thankful for air conditioning. I am thankful for good friends who open their homes and hearts to me.

Today I am Thankful.

Travel Stories of Change: My Unplanned Adventures

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This spring, summer, and fall of travel continues to be a year of flexibility and change.

I make plans, and they change. New plans are almost cemented in place; they change.

I hated planning. It would drive Jim, my husband, nuts. He would almost have to corner me before I would commit. Once a plan was implemented, moving forward and getting excited was easier. But committing to a plan? That was hard.

It began last winter with an itty-bitty infection that decided to hang around and hang around. Driving to Alaska was out, and I started waiting. Waiting to see if the infection would return. It did, more than once. One day, I decided that waiting was not how I wanted to spend my summer.

I made plans, and off I went to Vancouver Island, BC. I visited with friends, saw amazing things, and participated in fun activities. I also attended a workshop on Cortes Island for a week. Throughout the week, I hiked, sailed, kayaked, and learned about the rainforest. I will never see lichen, moss, and green things the same again.

I grew bolder and planned a ten-day trip to Haida Gwaii, formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands. I traveled by long ferry rides to the land of totem poles, rainforests, and whales. I saw interesting things and left with a wealth of new information and a wish to return.

Upon my return to the mainland, I planned to take the ferry to Bella Coola, British Columbia, and drive “the hill” back to Washington state through BC. A landslide and flooding of the Chilcotin River stopped my plans. I returned to Vancouver Island and slowly headed south.

After returning to the United States, I volunteered with the Washington State Parks for three weeks. Well, that must have been planned. No, it was not. I applied for this position in June and never received a callback. As I was driving north into the wilds of Canada, I received a phone call. Someone had a “change of plans,” and the parks needed help with surveying. Doesn’t that sound familiar? I surveyed several state parks in the Seattle and western Washington state.

After volunteering, I planned to visit the Olympic Peninsula and slowly meander south. Did this happen? As you may well know by now, No, It Didn’t!

A good friend of mine, Mary, aka Zee, got in touch and was looking for a partner in fun to go on a few-week adventure along the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The Range of Light.

We hiked, camped, and kayaked through early fall. We spent time in Virginia City, NV, and Bodie State Historical Park in northern CA—ghost towns of the mining era. Heading down the 395, my kayak experienced high mountain lakes while the aspen quaked yellow. Some days, we only traveled 30 miles before we found our next campsite for a few days.

We continued our southerly journey stopping to visit Manzanar National Historic Site, a World War II Japanese Internment Camp.

 “One Camp, Ten Thousand Lives; One Camp, Ten Thousand Stories.”

It is in a rather desolate area with a constant wind. I am glad Manzanar is being preserved as a reminder of a moment in American History.

Our last southerly stop was the Alabama Hills. The hills are a formation of rounded rocks and eroded hills set between the jagged peaks of the Sierra Nevada and the geologically complex Inyo Mountains. The same uplifting 100 million years ago shaped both geologic features. The hills are located west of Lone Pine.

In 1920, Hollywood filmmakers became interested in the Alabama Hills for its natural scenery. Since then, over 400 movies have been filmed here. The first movies were the westerns; Gunga Din, How the West Was Won, Hopalong Cassidy, Rawhide, Wagon Train, Have Gun Will Travel were among many films shot in the Hills.

I kept expecting to see John Wayne come riding out of the hills. Did you know he had to be taught how to ride a horse? Who else came out of those hills? Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Gary Cooper, Gene Autry, and any of the Singing Cowboys. But wait…there is more. No movie would be complete without the army riding in to save the day. But wait…there is the Lone Ranger and his faithful sidekick, Tonto, coming in to save the day.

When the hills were not filled with westerns, parts of Star Trek and other sci-fi films were produced in the hills. Well isn’t that cool. I love Sci-fi movies.

After traveling with Zee it was hard to say goodbye and become a solo traveler again. I traveled west through Yosemite National Park, visiting the valley floor and the Hetch Hetchy area of the park.

Hetch Herchy

I had planned to visit friends in Sonora and Cool, California, when I got a text. Oh no, can my plans change again? Yes!

Those who have followed my adventures know I occasionally house-sit and pet-sit for friends. You might remember Woody the Cat. Woody, Rocky the Dog, and my friend Mandy live in Salinas,

California. Mandy needed some assistance. She needs to spend her days with her dad and could use some help with her animals. I truly believe all we can do is help when we are asked. Plans changed again, and here I am in Salinas. I have been here for a few days and will be here as long as needed.

“All we can do is walk each other home.”

Currently, I have no plans! Well, I do plan to get my bike out and ride the marvelous paths in the Monterey area. I plan to put that kayak out in the Elkhorn Slough. But I am not planning beyond that. Well, yes, I am. That will be for another post.

This has been a year of flexibility and change. I am not always comfortable with change yet I realize that change will happen whether I am ready for it or not. This is life. This is my life. This is your life.

Today I am thankful for adventure and change and the excitement it can bring as I find new places to explore and new people to meet. Today I am thankful for my friends near and far who when needed I can reach out and help. Today I am thankful when friends reach out and help me.

Today, I am Thankful.

Finding Campsites

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People ask me how I find my campsites. I am not a planner, I never know where to end my day. I usually settle in somewhere by three thirty in the afternoon so I have time to enjoy where I am camping.

I have been traveling across big states. Most states look big for this gal from Delaware. I have been driving through Oklahoma forever. Well, not really but it feels that way. This is the heartland country. There are miles and miles of fields broken up by cattle yards. It is often a flat and unbroken country. Similar to the TransLabrador Highway it is a big, lonely country. More people and traffic are in these states than on the highways in Canada.

Often I try to find somewhere to camp that can break up the monotony of the day’s drive. One way to find a campsite is to look for water on a map. If there is a lake or large river often campgrounds are close by. In Oklahoma, I found a lovely state park, Salt Plains State Park. This state park was a relief after a day’s drive.

Salt Plains State Park is one of Oklahoma’s most unique state parks. The barren landscape of the nearby Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge is comprised of salt leftover from an ocean that covered Oklahoma in prehistoric times, and the saltwater lake in the park, Great Salt Plains Lake, is about half as salty as the ocean.

A selenite crystal dig area is open for a limited season nearby. Located just under the surface of the salt plains, these crystals usually form into an hourglass shape. Oklahoma is the only place in the world where the hourglass-shaped selenite crystal can be found.

There were campsites available near the lake and below the dam on a park on the North Fork of the Arkansas River. I chose the river and am glad I did. The sites were right on the water and the view was marvelous. There was shade and my neighbors were nice and helpful. I could easily take my bike out for a ride and enjoy the prairie in a different way.

Before I pointed EmmyLou west I took time to do the driving tour of the refuge. It was a bit early for the migratory bird population. It was quiet on the refuge.

Currently, I am bird watching and photographing birds. When I decide to indulge in one of my passions I look for camping nearby. I spent three nights at the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge, about two hours south of Albuquerque, New Mexico. There is an RV park a mile outside the Refuge, Bird Watchers RV Park. Billy wants to sell it and there have been rumors that it is closed but each time I visit the Bosques it remains open and convenient for wildlife viewing on the refuge. Nature certainly overflows the refuge and I had many quail come visit me during my stay.

At the Bosque

The sandhill cranes are migrating south. I love these birds. By winter the Bosque will have thousands of cranes, snow geese, and many varieties of ducks that winter on the refuge. It was early in the season so the large amounts of birds had yet to arrive but I saw enough cranes to make me and my camera happy.

Whitewater Draw

Now I am camped at Whitewater Draw Wildlife Refuge in southcentral Arizona. One of the many nice things about this refuge is that I can camp right in the parking lot. Since the cranes often depart before sunrise it is a quick walk to observe these marvelous birds. Again, it is early in the migration here. At the moment there are about 400 cranes on the refuge, by winter there will be over seven thousand in the refuge and twenty-three thousand in the Wilcox Valley.

From here it will be a few days drive to San Diego and settling into a campground for a few months. It is time to say hello to good and dear friends, the Pacific Ocean and get all things medical and dental done.

Finding unique and interesting places to camp and visiting Wildlife refuges along the way helps to break up the drive across this vast country. I especially like State, County, City, and Federal Lands to camp on. They are often interesting places for me to explore.

Today I am thankful that our Governments have set aside interesting places for me to visit and camp. Today I am thankful that I can feel safe traveling and camping.

Today I am thankful.

A Different Winter in the Desert.

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With daylight savings time arriving this weekend, I have been reflecting on my winter and the arrival of spring. This winter has been a very different winter than the previous two.

The first two winters after I went full time,  I went solo into the desert, in my RV. I saw a few friends along the way, and even traveled with a few for a short time. Those first two winters were solo winters for me. I withdrew from too much “people” interaction and contemplated life, my existence, what had happened with Jim and more. I call these two winters my existential winters.

It is not easy to delve into the depths of myself and work my way out the other side of some dark and truthful moments. Since then I have discovered that it is not unusual for people in their mid-sixty’s to go through this self evaluation and reflective time. It was very reassuring to discover that I was not alone and that it is a process that others might be going through as well.

And I thought I should be done growing by the time I arrived at this age. Ha!!!

This winter was very different. I chose to stay close to San Diego as I was truly hoping that my thyroid surgery would be behind me, by now, and I would be in the recovery stage. Well, guess what?, I am still waiting. The surgeons must be very busy.

I went to the desert about two hours east of San Diego and spent the winter. The Anza Borrego desert is an amazing place. It is alive and usually dry. It is a good place to be solo, yet my time there, over the past few months has been delightfully active with other people. I camped near a good friend of mine, Peggy, for almost two months. I enjoyed meeting her new beau and spending time hiking and exploring the area with them.

Friends in the Desert

Roger & Peggy
Pat & Sandy
Jim, Rhonda & me
Mary, karen & Larry

Sandy and Pat arrived. They are fellow Roadtrekers and delightful people. I am happy to be friends with them. More hiking ensued, including a climb to the top of Coyote Mountain. The three of us met two winters back at the White Water Draw Wildlife Refuge (AZ) and we are friends. I cherish them.

More friends arrived, Karen, Larry and Joni. I had the opportunity to hike and camp with them in a different part of the park. Karen and Larry arrange private river raft trips. I met them when I became a swamper for Zee on the North Fork of the Flathead River, over a year ago. They are fellow desert hounds, hikers and explorers. 

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I took time to meet new friends on the east side of the Salton Sea. Rhonda and Jim are more fellow Roadtrekers. They spend part of their winter running away from Michigan, seeking the warmer weather of Southern California. I spent two nights at The Fountain of Youth RV Resort. For two days I enjoyed the hot springs and getting to know this delightful couple. They took me on a tour of Slab City, East Jesus, and Salvation Mountain. I might suggest a visit to this unique spot.

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A few days later Mary, (Zee) arrived after she traveled for two months in Mexico. After spending time on the east side of the Salton Sea and getting some serious bird watching in, oh those cute burrowing owls, we met up with Karen and Larry in Joshua Tree National Park. We arrived in time to witness a Superbloom on the south side of the park.

Being stationary near Borrego Springs gave me the opportunity to become involved in the town, meet the locals and check out small town life. It was a seven mile ride to town from my campsite. This is a small town in the desert and a hub of activity. I attended the theater, an Independent Film Festival, saw the San Diego Ballet Company perform, went to yoga, and enjoyed playing bingo. Their new library is also an amazing place to sit and work, read or ponder. Oh, and the best place in town for goodies is the Fudge Store. Yummy. (try their Maple Fudge-trust me it is to die for.)

fullsizeoutput_2921The desert has always been magic to me. This year was a very different experience. It was wild and rainy and flash floods became common. I have never seen the desert so green or so wet. On the intense rainy days, my favorite activity was to go see the flash floods. It was a very cool thing to watch. I hiked into waterfalls that usually are dry. Not this year. I love seeing nature at its wildest. This winter was the desert’s turn.

My winter was different. I felt ready to be more social. It was fun interacting with everyone and yet, I could still find time alone to contemplate and breath and just be. It was a good winter in the desert.

I have returned to San Diego. Currently I am staying with my friend Phyllis. We are intensively planning our trip to Africa this summer. There is work to be done, reservations to be made and much to discuss. We are doing well. We have not gotten into arguments yet. It bodes well for a two month trip to somewhere very different.

I enjoy San Diego. I am more of a tourist now in this city. I take the time to go see things that I would have put off, while I was still living here. Though I am enjoying my time here, my mind often wanders to those wide open vistas and a bit of longing fills my soul. I know that I will return to those wild open spaces as often as I can.

The world awaits— Out there awaits. 

I am on my way.

 

 

Tough Love & Hiking

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I love to hike. I have been hiking since I was in my twenties. I have marched over hill and dale, sometimes carrying a loaded back-pack with me. I have camped in gorgeous places and seen amazing things. I have enjoyed the company of good friends and also being solo in nature.

Many years ago I did a nineteen day trek in the Himalayas. After this trip my enthusiasm for carrying a back-pack waned. These days I find I enjoy day hikes and carrying a much lighter pack. I also like coming back to my Roadtrek, to a comfortable bed and satisfying food in the evening.

When I am out on the trail and the going gets tough, steep ascents, too long of a day and I am weary, I get whiny. I don’t usually whine where others can hear me I just whine as I march along. I am very good at this. Sometimes it helps me reach my destination.

I used to hike and back pack with my friend Diane. We camped and hiked throughout the western United States. She may not know this, until now, but I used to march along behind her when there was that one more mile to go and whine to myself. “I don’t know why we can’t just camp here.” “God how much longer is she going to hike?” “Maybe I will just stop here and camp and she can just go on by herself.” Yet I would make it that final mile. The camp sights and the view were often the reward for that final mile.

I used to whine when Jim and I hiked. I was often a bit more verbal to him about this. “You just go on alone, I will wait here.” “Let’s make this your hike and mine, you go ahead and leave me behind.” he never did. Whine, whine, whine. One time after I was diagnosed with breast cancer I told him to just leave me in the desert and let me die. I got a major eye roll from him on this one.

A few days back my friends Sandy and Pat met me in the desert. I spent time with them before I went back to San Diego and met up with them upon my return to the desert. The last day they were here Pat came into their rig and said “we are climbing Coyote Peak”. I never thought to say, I am not coming, so off I went.

Sandy, Me & Pat at the peak.

Coyote Peak is not a long hike, approximately five miles round trip. It is however, straight up and straight back down. it starts at about 600 feet and ascends to 3165 feet in 2.5 miles. About three quarters of the way up I was tired and I began to whine. “Maybe I will just stop here. “I don’t need to see the top.” “This is really really steep.” “I know I will just stop here.” “Why are they so far ahead of me? I need to tell them that I am stopping.” Whine, whine, whine.

After we made it to the top I told them I had been thinking of stopping and waiting for them to return. Sandy said she thought I was thinking that way. She decided she was going to stay far enough ahead of me so that I could not stop them and tell them I was going to wait below the summit for them. Her idea was that if I couldn’t tell them I was stopping I would march my way to the summit. And I did.

Tough love is often used to describe a direct and up front approach in regard to helping someone addicted to drugs or alcohol. Tough love can have a broader context among friends or a teacher or someone who loves and cares about me. People who know and care about me, often can see when I really do have that extra half mile in me to reach the top. These same friends would also know when I had reached my limit and could go no further.

When I arrived at the summit of Coyote Peak, I could still smile and laugh. The view was amazing. There was even snow on the peaks of the Santa Rosa Mountains. It was a beautiful day on the summit. I was glad to be there. I felt accomplished and weary. Then we had to hike back down. On those steep ascents it is often much harder going down than up. I was glad when we reached relatively flat country once again. I was tired and happy and glad I had pushed myself to the top. 

I am very thankful for my tough love hiking friends. Today I am grateful for Sandy and Pat.

 

 

 

Assumptions

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Lately I have become aware of the common assumptions many of us make. As an example, “I didn’t invite you because I didn’t think you would be interested”. This is a very common one, one that, I am so sure, I have made many times over the years, without considering what I have done. Why we make assumptions about others appears to be a very human condition. Is it a good idea to make these assumptions? I am beginning to think that it is not. It short changes me and it short changes others.

An assumption directed at me, recently,  is that Christmas and the holiday season is not a big deal to me. When Jim was alive we usually spent the Christmas holiday with his family. I enjoyed the company and fun day we all had together. It was good to be with family and friends. I love gatherings.

Since Jim’s death I have been wading around in uncharted territories. I don’t know what to do with myself. I mean, I would love to spend the holiday with others, however,  it is a time for family and often family forgets that there are those of us who are single and alone. I find myself hesitant to invite myself to other’s homes. I don’t want them to think they have to say yes. It becomes a trap for both sides. Instead I buck it up for another year, find things to do to keep myself occupied and move on.

Our society has become more and more insular. As it has become so, many people, such as myself, are trying to figure out what to do with ourselves. I find the holidays to be a lonely time for me. My family is 3000 miles away. Friends who are involved with their church or others are busy and often don’t remember to include solo friends in their plans. Do I let everyone know I am sad, or I have no-one to celebrate with or do I buck up and tell everyone that the holidays are no big deal to me? It is a conundrum. I don’t feel comfortable with either statement

Jim and I loved to include others. We invited our single friends to go on vacation with us. Our hosted dinners were an inclusive affair, everyone was invited. You didn’t have to be a member of a certain group of people. Singles and couples were invited. I know I tried my best to include everyone. I love my friends in all their forms, single, married, living alone, living with others. I find it easier to be inclusive than exclusive. It sure makes for a more animated and fun event when others get together.

Before I met Jim I was single for my whole adult life. I was also working as a nurse. I often would work the holiday shifts, money was good, and it allowed others with family to have the time off to enjoy their holiday. If I wasn’t working I went back east to my family’s for the holidays. Now I am many years older and still trying to figure it out.

I love adding events to my calendar. So far there are two and I look forward to both of these parties with anticipation and joy. I have decided to go see the Nutcracker. I know it is a bit of a cliché but I love the ballet. I would have gone to the Nutcracker with Jim, but he was somewhat of a bah humbug when it came to this holiday. I believe I need to find the events that speak to me and take action on them.

Today I left my house and chicken sitting job for the last time. Elsie and I have moved in and are in east county San Diego, to camp and enjoy some time at Santee Lakes. I will remain there through the holidays. I am looking forward to being back in my small home on wheels. I am gradually looking forward to the Christmas season. I may stumble my way through it ,yet, I will seek out those moments of joy and fun.

And, for the coming year I am going to attempt to be aware of the assumptions I make regarding myself and others. I would like to stop assuming. If I want to include others in my adventures, I will out right ask them to come along. If they say no, I will try to remember it is not personal. Sometimes others may have other things to do or they just aren’t interested. And, just maybe, when I invite others along, one of them may say yes. Oh what fun will ensue.

Working my way into December. Feeling thankful.

 

 

The Life of a Swamper

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As many of you may know, I am spending a part of my summer in Donnelly, Idaho. It is up in the mountains and is, simply, a delightful place to be. I came into the area late in May and have been spending time, first, in Boise (a great medium size town) and now here in Donnelly.

I interrupted my stay for two weeks, so I could travel to northern Montana and join a group of people and raft down the North Fork of the Flathead River. I have never been on a private multi-day raft trip before. It has a very different flavor than a commercial trip. It is work!!! The rafts have to be hauled to the put in, blown up and outfitted. It takes approximately 3 hours to complete this project. It is not easy work. Many items are heavy.  Team effort is a definite must and this group of sixteen excelled in helping others.

I was the swamper of my friend, Mary’s, raft. What, you may ask, is a swamper? Originally the term was used in the logging industry but when it comes to rafting, well, it is a whole different story. Swampers help with everything. Loading the raft?  Yep. Unloading the raft? Yep. Hauling stuff from point A to point B? Yep. Now those tasks sound easy but there is a lot involved. Each item on a raft has a certain place. Everything is double checked to be sure it is strapped down and locks, locked. Does the raft need to be pumped up? Here, let me do that. If anyone needs help in and around the campsite, well there is another job to be done. I decided early on I wanted to make Mary’s and my life easier. I chose to learn quickly so she had less to do with the boat as each day progressed. She could, then, focus on other tasks. By the end of the week, I was pretty much responsible for packing the raft for the day. Mary and I worked well together and made quite a team. I am proud to be called a swamper.  Next trip, if there is one,  I want to learn to row.

At the end of the floating day, my fun began. I set up my tent and took off exploring with my camera. We camped mainly on sand or rock bars on the non-National Park side of the river. Glacier National Park was our east river backdrop. Each day was a beautiful ride. There was always something interesting to explore. I found bear tracks, Sandhill Crane tracks, and we think, wolf tracks. Now how cool is that? One night I camped near a Spotted Sandpiper’s nest. We made good room-mates for a night. I felt honored.

 

I found that the moments of alone time, helped me balance living for a week with sixteen other people. For those of you who have been following my blog, you may recall that being around large groups of people has been an issue for me since Jim’s death from cancer. I enjoyed all of the people I traveled with for the week. It was interesting and fun to watch the group dynamics unfold. Please remember that the majority of this group had already been traveling together for about a week. Some of these folks have been traveling together for many years. They were like one big happy family with all their quirks and fun. I enjoyed getting to know all of them. I enjoyed the stories and laughter. It was fun to join in.

Beaver

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I am back in Donnelly, Idaho. I am recovering. I am healing sun burned lips. I have an infection in my big toe. It has given me the opportunity to soak my foot and relax a little. It is a good time to write blog posts.✍🏻 Soak and Write.

I am getting to know the area I am staying in for the next month plus. I take long walks, am hoping to rent a kayak and explore the lakes. I am also catching up on some much needed chores. Daily chores do not go away just because I am leading a gypsy kind of life.

My closest lake.

Sunset not too far from my door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As this swamper rests and heals, I can look out the door at the mountains and get ready to hike. Life is an adventure I am glad to take on.

 

It’s All About Water

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Payette River

I am about water. We are all about water. We are made of water. Without water we and this planet would not exist as we know it today.

I love bodies of water great and small. This spring is about water in the west. There has been an abundant supply of snow this past winter and spring runoff is happening, in the lakes, rivers and streams. I have heard several comments from the locals here in Idaho regarding the amount of water in the rivers this spring. “I have never seen the Payette River this high.” “There is usually a beach here.” “Wow!”

Since Jim’s death the ocean has been my friend. I sent his ashes into the Pacific and I have found some comfort in being close to the ocean since then. Leaving the ocean behind was hard for me and I was wondering how much I would miss it. When I discovered these wild flowing bodies of water, I find, I have not missed the ocean one bit.

Pacific Ocean in all it’s Glory

I love water. I love it when it is quiet and meandering. I am attracted to weather at it’s worst. I think many of us are. There is something about nature in all it’s fury that beckons me to go outside, climb the mountain, stand on the sand and witness the un-tameness of it all. Big waves? You bet. Wild surf and bad storms? Yep. I once had to crawl under a boulder on a mountain peak while lightening struck and hail was coming down, fast and furious (it was a surprise storm). At these moments, when nature is in it’s full fury I am reminded that I am a speck in this universe. It is a good reminder and humbling.

Spring is a juicy time of the year. Water abounds and is usually at it’s most prevalent. There is still snow on the mountains, more water is still to come. This year I am going rafting for six days on the Flathead River in Montana. Ah, more water. I love to put my feet in water and if it is warm enough I love swimming in it. In San Diego, the summer is boogie-boarding season. There is a quiet joy in kayaking or paddle-boarding a peaceful lake. It is fun to  meander the shore-lines and see what I can see. There is nothing better than the sound of a loon on a quiet lake.

Fields near Donnelly

Since I have arrived in Donnelly, Idaho, I have been surrounded by large bodies of water, Cascade Lake and Payette Lake. As a nature photographer I really enjoy all this water. It attracts birds and all sorts of wildlife. If I want a chance to photograph, all I have to do is put on some mosquito repellant and sit by a lake or stream and wait. Right now the open fields have quite a bit of water in them. I can stop almost anywhere and wait. If I am quiet and patient enough the animals and birds will come. My favorites this spring are grebes and sandhill cranes. They are my current favorites until something else attracts my attention.

Greebe

Greater Sandhill Crane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cascade Lake

Ponderosa State Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water attracts all of nature, People, animals, birds, bugs-the list could go on. Water is a part of my life and I am happy to have it there. I like to camp next to it. Fishing is fun. There are times that I enjoy renting a hotel room right on the beach and sit and contemplate life, as the waves gently or not so gently crash onto the sand. When evening falls and a lake is still, the sunset is awe inspiring. It quiets my spirit before sleep.

Today and every day I celebrate water in all of it’s wondrous forms.

 

Breezes of the Desert

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75ccc72e53440b46961e7776d2add1faimagesEarly this morning I awoke around 1:30 am, windows open in my Roadtrek and the gentlest of breezes was beginning to blow. I love the desert. When the night breezes begin, the desert is beginning to cool down from the heat of the day. My RV begins to cool off and now it is a time where snuggling into the blankets begins to feel really good.

Coyotes are howling out in the countryside. Despite how I worry about coyotes and Elsie the cat, I love them. They remind me of the wild country before we had big cities. They remind me of Jim, (one of his major spirit animals) and they give me comfort. I embrace the wild-around me and in me. It gives me the will and desire to wander into uncharted territory.

Instead of worrying about not being able to sleep through the night, I accept the waking and explore the dark, welcoming the moon and the moonless nights. I listen to the wind. Reaching over I open another window so I can get a cross-breeze. I love the feel of the coolness on my face, arms and hands.

Sonoran Desert

Sonoran Desert

Before I arrived on the outskirts of Tucson, where I am for the next few days, I was in the desert north of Ajo, AZ. I was boondocking(dry camping). I had driven about a half mile off the main road into the desert. Each day I would go on my own short walk-about, exploring my temporary home. For two days I sat in silence. My only conversation was with Elsie the cat. In the distance I could hear the occasional braying of the local wild burro population and the occasional coyote. Silence is hard to get used to at first. Then it becomes familiar. Then I embrace it. It is hard to let it go, when I go back into the city or even the small town. I hope that some of the silence follows me back into the noise of the everyday world.

Wild Burros

Wild Burros

In the quiet I can begin to hear and feel in a deeper and clearer way. I feel the gentlest of breezes and welcome it’s whisper, quieting my heart and mind.  The sky becomes clearer and the world around me brightens. Sitting out after dark I begin to hear the scurrying of little critters and have a passing hope that a pack rat is not setting up home in my engine, they do that.

When I first moved west I thought I was going to see sand and dirt and nothing.  The desert is so alive. There are plants big and small and so many different cactus. The birds and wildlife are varied. In Suguarjo National Park there are over 200 species of birds. They all have their own unique way of surviving in the hot summer months and cold winter months.

Late Afternoon Hike, near Gilbert Ray Campground

Late Afternoon Hike, near Gilbert Ray Campground

I would like to consider that I may also have my own unique way of surviving. This is why I sold my home last July. This is why I moved into my RT. This is why I accept my questioning spirit. This is why I know it is OK to grieve. This is why I know it is OK to roam and wonder what is next. Maybe just maybe when the wind whispers, I will hear the answer I am seeking.

 

 

 

 

Elsie, My Mini-Adventure

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my latest favorite spot to hang and sleep

my latest favorite spot to hang and sleep

Hi everyone, Elsie the Cat here. Lately I have been quiet and let Janet write all the postings. Mainly it is because I haven’t had much to say. I have been spending my days doing what I do best: sleeping, eating, getting petted and going outside where I enjoy the chase of the lizard. They are one of my favorite preys. I hardly ever catch them but the chase is fun and entertaining.

I digress. On Monday, I am happily laying in my favorite window, watching Janet go in and out of the house & in and out of the house, again and again. Now I was suspicious she was going somewhere but I had no idea that what she was doing would involve me. She has gone places since our big outing over the spring and summer but they have not involved me. I am happy about this as I like my routine. You should try the above sometime. Living is good.

Around noon she comes back in the house, picks me up, puts my halter on and the “short leash”. Oh No, the leash is never a good sign. Next thing I know I am in the little house on wheels and we are going somewhere. What??? Janet could have said something.She didn’t even give me a chance to hide or protest.

This house looks familiar and there are all my comfy items; the sheepskin, my litter pan, my food and water bowls, and one of my favorite toys, Miss Piggy. Okay then, let me crawl under the sheepskin and I am ready to roll.

We travel over hill and dale (I am not sure what that means but it sounds good). For a while we drive quietly and then all of a sudden I am bouncing all over the place. I am not sure what that is about but I am hanging on for dear life, under my sheepskin. When we stop and I look outside I know I am not in San Diego anymore.

the desert

the Desert

There are miles of nothing, just shrubs and the wind and one of my most favorite things in the whole world “DIRT”!!! I love dirt, I love rolling in it and becoming one with it’s color. Janet took me to the desert. The wild ride was riding on sandy roads to a perfect camp site. Okay I am good with this.

She hooks me up to the short leash and we go walking. She tells me that the short leash is important because there are coyotes here and I would make a tasty little snack. I don’t like the sound of that. I thought all animals got their food from cans. I certainly don’t want to be anyone’s snack. NOPE!!! I am not sure if I remember what coyotes are but if they will eat me, I am good with the short leash.

My climb up the hill and way down there is the RT

My climb up the hill and way down there is the RT

We climbed a hill. The wind was blowing a lot and it was kind of chilly. I thought the desert was hot. Not this time. And there were clouds and did I mention the wind? I could not find one lizard. I thought with all these rocks there would be lizards everywhere. Not one. Where do they go?

After our walk, I was ready to snuggle in and look out at the big wide world from my small home. After Janet fed me I snuggled up on the bed and pretended I was in my favorite window at home.

We stayed there all night. The wind blew and it rained. I was very happy to be inside this little house sleeping next to and on top of Janet. There is even heat here so I could be comfortable all night long. It was snuggly and fun.

I like that this little house on wheels is familiar to me. I don’t have to go through it being a first time thing any more. I am becoming a pro. I am glad Janet takes the time to make sure I am comfortable. The one thing I like about being in this little house and on-the-road is that I have Janet all to myself. We bond. When we are in our “sticks and bricks” house, Janet is often busy and goes out a lot. She hasn’t learned to sleep in the window yet. When we are in the little house, she is all mine. She does go out for hikes and stuff but mostly we hang. I like that.

IMG_7094Because the wind was wicked, we headed to the mountains. This morning we are camped in the oaks. Late yesterday afternoon we heard all this howling. Janet said they were coyotes. They sounded like the neighborhood dogs when the fire engines go by. There seemed to be a lot of them. I was glad to be inside. I have decided short leash walks are better than no walks at all.

I remember that sound they make from this summer. I thought and thought and then I remembered that coyote on the land in Colorado. He was just a little thing. I guess what looks harmless is not always true.

Now I am back home and in my favorite window. I am dreaming of that big land of dirt. Even though I don’t mind my routine, well, sometimes it is OK to jump out of the routine and do something adventurous and fun. I am glad Janet helps me do this.

A rainbow kind of morning

A rainbow kind of morning

I think I will go to sleep now and dream of the next big adventure in this very small cat’s life.