“On the longest night of the year, all quarrels were forgotten and the animals all gathered together to await the ever-mysterious return of the sun.” ~Unknown Monday was my “chore day.” Cosmo and I left The Magic Circle and dumped trash on the way out. The two big benefits of paying a small fee for …
“I am not some stone commission Like a statue in a park I am flesh and blood and vision I am howling in the dark Long blue shadows of the jackals Are falling on a pay phone by the road Oh, all I ever wanted Was just to come in from the cold.” ― Joni Mitchell …
“Oh, I’ve been smilin’ lately Dreaming about the world as one And I believe it could be Some day it’s going to come ‘Cause out on the edge of darkness There rides a peace train Oh, peace train take this country Come take me home again Get your bags together Come bring your good friends, …
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” ― Lao Tzu Lazy week. Monday and Tuesday were “inside days” due to the winds. Wednesday, I decided to go into Ehrenberg and pick up some items awaiting me at the Post office. On the way out of the Magic …
“Just tell yourself, Duckie, you’re really quite lucky.” ― Dr. Seuss Once again, the weather this week seemed to play a big role in how and where I spent my time. Monday was warm and sunny but so windy that we spent most of the day inside the van. We did manage a short walk, but …
“And I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered I don’t have a friend who feels at ease I don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered Or driven to its knees But it’s alright, we’re alright For we lived so well so long Still, when I think of the Road we’re traveling on …
“Woke up, it was a Chelsea morning And the first thing that I knew There was milk and toast and honey And a bowl of oranges, too And the sun poured in like butterscotch And stuck to all my senses\ Oh, won’t you stay? We’ll put on the day And we’ll talk in present tenses” …
“There’s a crow flying Black & ragged Tree to tree He’s black as the highway that’s leading me Now he’s diving down To pick up on something shiny I feel like that black crow Flying In a blue sky I looked at the morning After being up all night I looked at my haggard face …
“I fell in with some drifters Cast upon a beach town Winn Dixie cold cuts and highway hand me downs And I wound up fixing dinner For them and Boston Jim I well up with affection Thinking back down the roads to then ” -Joni Mitchell On Sunday I packed up and moved from New …
“I hear the drizzle of the rainLike a memory it fallsSoft and warm continuingTapping on my roof and walls” -Paul Simon I spent the weekend and early part of this week in Cordes Lake, off Bloody Basin Road. My “usual site” just feels like home, not only to me, but to Cosmo who is very …
“Adopt the pace of Nature; Her secret is patience.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson My weekend at Watson Lake Campground was pleasant. Friday and Saturday nights were busy and the campground filled up, but even though I was close to other people, I couldn’t see them due to the shrubs in between the sites. It was …
“To everything, there is a season.” – Ecclesiastes 3 (and The Byrds 😊) The “B & L Driveway” was an oasis in an otherwise blistering landscape. I really hesitated to head back north when my destination was to the south. Going back felt like retreating. It felt like admitting defeat. It turned out to possibly …
“Without a penny in my pocket, No place that I call home …
“Well, it’s a marvelous night for a Moondance With the stars up above in your eyes.” -Van Morrison My terrible neighbor who pulled in in the middle of the night last Friday was joined by his even more terrible relatives on Saturday. There was a young couple with two small girls, both under 6 years …
“If you have not foraged for your food, you have not yet fully lived on this earth” -John Slattery On Tuesday, I did my “Moving-to-the-next-spot” chores. I drove into town and got propane at Tractor Supply. They are always so friendly and efficient there. Then I drove to Walmart and picked up food for the …
“Old friends, old friendsSat on their park bench like bookendsA newspaper blown through the grassFalls on the round toesOf the high shoes of the old friends” -Paul Simon I left Camp Verde RV Park on Saturday morning, and headed toward Prescott Valley, AZ. I ran some errands and picked up a few things I needed …
“I pulled into the Cactus Tree Motel To shower off the dust And I slept on strange pillows of my wanderlust I dreamed of 747s Over geometric farms Dreams Amelia, dreams and false alarms.” -Joni Mitchell Saturday night I decided I’d move back to the forest in Flagstaff on Sunday morning. I’m at one …
“It was dark and silent late last night I think I might have heard the highway call.” -James Taylor The heat on Monday was nearly unbearable. With not a cloud in the sky, and the August Arizona sun beating down on us, there was no escaping the heat. I opened all the doors and windows, …
“Two of us riding nowhereSpending someone’s hard-earned payYou and me Sunday drivingNot arriving on our way back home.” -Lennon/McCartney Sunday I moved to Winslow. I stayed at the Visitor’s Center in their parking lot. In previous years there was a huge dirt lot next to the Center, but over the winter last year, they built …
“Every star is maybe a sun to someone.” – Carl Sagan” The weekend in Two Guns was uneventful. It got quite hot by noon each day, but then the sky darkened, and the wind picked up. With doors and windows open, I managed to not fry despite being parked in full sun in 97⁰ heat. …
“Some turn to Jesus and some turn to heroin Some turn to rambling round looking for a clean sky and a drinking stream Some watch the paint peel off some watch their kids grow up some watch their stocks and bonds waiting for that big deal American dream In the cookie I read: “Some get …
“Two men looked out from prison bars, one saw the mud, the other saw stars” ~ Dale Carnegie It turned out that my move to a grassier spot at Marshall Lake was a good, if not perfect choice. It was nice to step out on grass in the mornings. The monsoons were minimal the early …
“I’ve lost all taste for life I’m all complaints Tell me why do you starve the faithful? Why do you crucify the saints? And you let the wicked prosper You let their children frisk like deer And my loves are dead or dying Or they don’t come near” ~Joni Mitchell It’s been a very quiet …
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” –Lady Bird Johnson By noon on Sunday the last of the invading hordes packed up their shit and went back to whatever god-forsaken hell hole they came from. I know it is a hell hole, because they live there. These are people who have no respect for other humans …
“Where crows gaze vigilant on wires Where cattle graze the grasses Far from the digits of business hours The moon clock wanes and waxes.” ~ Joni Mitchell On Sunday, it rained all night long. I feared I’d awake to find I was in a lake or mud pit, but when we …
“The rain retreats Like troops to fall on other fields and streets.” ~ Joni Mitchell When I don’t move locations very often, time gets blurry. One day runs into the other. I lose all sense of what day it is, and sometimes have to think hard to remember what month it is. I almost always …
“Makes more noise a tree that falls, than an entire forest that grows. “ …
“You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your …
” Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend – or a meaningful day.” ~Dali Lama “Or Both” ~Me I had a very low-key and enjoyable week. I started …
“In a highway service station Over the month of June Was a photograph of the earth Taken coming back from the moon And you couldn’t see a city On that marbled bowling ball Or a forest or a highway Or me here, least of all You couldn’t see these cold water restrooms Or this baggage …
“I want to be a human being rather than a human doing.” ~Kent Schoch I woke up Sunday morning in a dirt parking lot behind a Mexican Restaurant. (Haven’t done that since college days, LOL) I know that sounds like a horrible sentence, but I awoke feeling exhilarated and happy. Cows were mooing. Roosters …
“I was driving across the burning desertWhen I spotted six jet planesLeaving six white vapor trails across the bleak terrainIt was the hexagram of the heavensIt was the strings of my guitarAmelia, it was just a false alarm.” ~Joni Mitchell I had a nice visit with Carol and Penny. On Monday morning, I headed …
“The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time. Any fool can do it, there ain’t nothing to it. Nobody knows how we got to the top of the hill. But since we’re on our way down, we might as well enjoy the ride.” ~James Taylor Long Beach was jam-packed, and action filled. …
“Last night, I dreamed of the sea, which I often do when I am deciding between two things & I wake remembering there are always more than two things & I need to have the patience to wait for the others to rise from the deep.” ~The Story People My stay on the Viejo …
“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” ― Lao Tzu Over the weekend George picked me up several times (I was staying at another property his family owns, just down the road) to take me sightseeing. He drove me to two roads in the Forest that allow 14-day camping. One …
“Miles from nowhere Not a soul in sight Oh yeah, but it’s alright.” ~Cat Stevens Monday was my last day in Holtville Hot Springs. It was bittersweet to be leaving. I’d been there over three weeks, and it really felt like home to me. I enjoyed soaking in a hot tub every morning and …
“Some hope to take the easy way: Poisons, bombs. They think we need ’em. Don’t you know you can’t kill all the unbelievers? There’s no shortcut to freedom.” ~Pete Seeger This has been a truly weird week, mostly due to the strong contrasts in the people I’ve encountered. Many of the Canadians left …
“In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty.” ~Bob Marley Monday morning, I drove into town(s). I was running low on gas, propane, water, and a few food items. I could have made it another few days, maybe even a week, but when I’m running low on anything, it always feels like …
“Look at me. I am old, but I’m happy.” ~Cat Stevens I had intended to move to Mount Laguna on Sunday, but it snowed there, was freezing at night for the foreseeable future, and Holtville Hot Springs was mid-seventies during the day, and mostly the low was 50 at night. The choice was …
“If everyone would just sweep their own front steps, the world would be clean tomorrow morning.” ~Me-mom “Sometimes you need to sweep your neighbors steps if they can’t or won’t do it themselves.” ~Me I slept in on Sunday morning. It had been cold during the night and I left the …
“At night the stars put on their show for free.” ~James Taylor Monday morning Barry and Deb drove me to Nogales Mexico. We parked on the U.S. side, and walked across the border to a bright, school-bus yellow building that housed my new dentist. I’d lost a filling over a year ago, and …
“It was a lot more fun being 20 in the ‘70’s than it is being 70 in the ‘20’s.” ~Fran Lebowitz Monday morning, with some hesitation, I left my BLM spot and headed east to another BLM spot, closer to Tucson. I say with some hesitation, because I really enjoyed my prior spot. …
“What if this is what you are really here to do? To live these moments only you will live and to say thank you that you were the one they were offered to.” ~The Story People I stayed in Holtville, CA across from the Old Fogey Hot Springs (no wisecracks please) until Tuesday …
Marlena under Foster Grants She’s undercover from the dawn’s advance That girl is travel-drained And the neon-mercury vapor-stained Miami sky It’s red as meat It’s a cheap pink rose Otis in the driver’s seat Watches the streetlights fade away On louvered blocks in green sea air In fluorescent fossil yards Slippers are shuffling into folding …
If you find yourself having to tiptoe around others, you’re not walking amongst your tribe. ~Tanya Markul Good Morning All, The week flew by. Monday brought gorgeous weather, so Cosmo and I went to visit Bonnie across the “road.” We sat out in the sun, sometimes chatting, sometimes silent, just taking …
Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. ~Howard Thurman Monday morning I decided I was done with The Magic Circle. I definitely enjoyed my stay there, but after starting to map out my next moves, …
“The sky was the color of Edgar Alan Poe’s pajamas.” ~Tom Robbins I spent Sunday and Monday recovering from my Shingles Booster Vaccination. The injection site hurt, but the main discomfort seemed to be in my joints and muscles. I just ached all over. I laid low for a couple of days, recovering from the …
“We were so close, there was no roomWe bled inside each other’s woundsWe all had caught the same diseaseAnd we all sang the songs of peaceSome came to sing, some came to praySome came to keep the dark away.” ~Melanie Safka 1947 – 2024 What a wonderful reunion week. All sorts of friends from the …
“And maybe it’s just the time of year Or maybe it’s the time of man And I don’t know who I am But life is for learning We are stardust, we are golden We are billion-year-old carbon And we got to get ourselves Back to the garden.” ~Joni Mitchell Yay. Skoolie week(s). This year has …
“When they tell you to grow up, they mean stop growing.” ~ Tom Robbins Monday morning, I got up and got organized early. I drove into Blythe to meet my friend Jonah who was going to be visiting from the DC area. He had rented a Jeep and we’d hoped to spend the week out …
“When they tell you to grow up, they mean stop growing.” ~ Tom Robbins Good Morning All, Monday morning, I got up and got organized early. I drove into Blythe to meet my friend Jonah who was going to be visiting from the DC area. He had rented a Jeep and we’d hoped to spend …
Sunday was an absolutely gorgeous day. Chase left around noon to head to Joshua Tree, and I took advantage of the warm sun to have a hot shower outside. In the early afternoon, Marv, half of a gay couple I’d recently met, texted and asked if I’d been taking nude walks yet. I told him …
“Find the ones who see who you are and keep them close enough so you remember.“ ~The Story People The week started out with cooler weather. I guess I’d gotten spoiled because the “cooler weather” meant highs in the low to mid 60’s during the day. Being so close to Christmas, that didn’t seem like …
“Life always reveals to me what I need to know at just the right moment.” …
“The trip was to be an odyssey in the fullest sense of the word, an epic journey that would change everything.” …
“The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” ~Christopher McCandless …
The week started out quite warm with temperatures in the upper 80’s. Kitty and I were supposed to meet up in off Cottonwood Springs Road outside of Joshua Tree National Park, but since the temps were so high, she wanted to wait until Wednesday when it would cool down considerably. Since Ehrenberg was having high …
“I flow, Magnetically, Through the Universe, And I wait, Patiently, For what may follow.” ~Jodi Pate I stayed in Q for the weekend, in the Magic Circle. It was sunny and warm, and so the few people who had already arrived for the season were mostly naked. I eased into it by wearing my gym …
I get the urge for going When the meadow grass is turning brown Summertime is falling down and winter is closing in ~Joni Mitchell Click here for a Sunday Morning Soundtrack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvSvTRhAJxg Good Morning All, Monday was a day of pure bliss. I slept in until almost 7:00 a.m. and Cosmo and …
“It was dark and silent late last night. I think I might have heard the highway call…” ~James Taylor Good Morning All, After being at my Bloody Basin site, I knew I was running low on fresh water, and although I had enough food to probably last me two weeks if I got …
Well, it’s a marvelous night for a moondanceWith the stars up above in your eyesA fantabulous night to make romance‘Neath the cover of October skies ~Van Morrison …
“You are the result of 4 billion years of evolution. Fucking act like it!” ~Anonymous I left Bloody Basin on Saturday and drove to Prescott Valley, AZ. I stopped at Tractor Supply and topped off my propane tank, then on to Fry’s Grocery Store to get some items to make dinner for Barbara …
“Got no mansion, got no yacht Still I’m happy with what I’ve got I’ve got the sun in the morning and the moon at night Sunshine gives me a lovely day Moonlight gives me the Milky Way” ~Irving Berlin Cosmo and I got up early on Sunday morning. After our walk we emptied …
Sometimes plans turn on a dime. I had planned on staying at Marshall Lake for another week. We had 3 straight days of cloud cover and intermittent rain. Fortunately, there was not enough rain to turn my campsite into a mud pit, but the forecast for the coming week was heavy thunderstorms. With the …
“If the rain comesThey run and hide their headsThey might as well be deadIf the rain comes” ~Lennon/McCartney Good Morning All, My friend Charlie lived in Rehoboth Beach, DE during the summer and in Key West during the winter months. One year I rented a small cottage in Dewey Beach, and he gave …
“Whenever you should doubt your self-worth, remember the lotus flower. Even though it plunges to life from beneath the mud, it does not allow the dirt that surrounds it to affect its growth or beauty.” …
“The stars do not stop singing just because you stopped listening.” ~ The Story People I like to move on Sunday mornings. I’ve found that often the “weekenders” pack up and go home by mid-morning, so if I can arrive at my new destination just before noon, I usually have lots of choices for a …
After a night in a full-service campground, Kent, Felix, Cosmo, and I drove north, through Monument Valley and got to Mexican Hat, Utah. There was boondocking adjacent to the “hat.” Unfortunately, I couldn’t get up the steep and rocky hill to get to the really good spots. Kent had rented a 4WD Sprinter, and he …
By Sunday morning I was ready to move. The weekend had brought two big groups of campers/off-roaders. I realize the National Forest is just made for driving quads over the rugged dirt roads, but they just annoy the hell out of me. I find them rude nearly to the point of terrorism. Two actually drove …
Weather has been a big factor in my life since I started living in a van. My first summer on the road, I drove through the northern U.S. believing that I’d find mostly temperatures in the mid-70’s. By the time I hit South Dakota it was 102 degrees. I feared for my and Cosmo’s …
By 7:00 a.m. it was already hot and muggy. I got a weather update on my phone, warning of possible heavy rains in the Flagstaff area. Cosmo and I went out for our morning walk around 10:00 and I heard thunder in the distance. By noon, the sky turned dark with clouds and the winds …
I didn’t sleep well my first night in Studio 6 Motel. I left the air conditioning on and it made a nice white noise to drown out anything going on outside, but actually, I think everything was quiet. In a strange place (and this motel was indeed a strange place) Cosmo barks at every noise. …
“We were told magic didn’t exist, but when the afternoon sun snuck through the branches to light everything up, we knew the magic had been hiding in the forest all along.” ― The Story People At the end of last week I suspected I was low on fresh water. I can never know for sure because …
“God, it was hot! Forget about frying an egg on the sidewalk; this kind of heat would fry an egg inside the chicken.” ― Rachel Caine The week got off to a rough start with temperatures exceeding 90 degrees and my internet going out. When I arrived at my new spot I had fairly good …
By Sunday, everyone I knew either left or was leaving Marshall Lake. I took the opportunity to settle in and just decompress. As much as I enjoyed having a multitude of friends, old and new staying nearby, I also enjoyed looking out and seeing no other campers or vehicles. I focused on Cosmo, took several …
“Just remember that you’re standing on a planet that’s evolving And revolving at 900 miles an hour. It’s orbiting at 19 miles a second, so it’s reckoned, The sun that is the source of all our power. Now the sun, and you and me, and all the stars that we can see, Are moving at …
Sunday was to be a travel day. I’d planned to pull out of Two Guns and head back to Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, but I woke to the rocking of the van due to high winds. I-40 often has wind that makes it unpleasant to drive a tall, heavy van, but this felt worse. …
After taking one final shower, I left the campground outside of Winslow Sunday morning. I enjoyed my brief stay there and met two guys traveling together (in separate rigs) from Florida. They were heading to Alaska! I said, “See you down the road” and sure enough in a few hours, after I got settled into …
I woke up Sunday morning at 5:30. Being so far east in AZ, the sun was already up. I rolled over, thinking I was going to sleep for another half hour, but Cosmo’s barking alerted me to something going on near the van. I looked out the window and saw a fleet of white trucks …
I continued my stay in Two Guns, AZ this week. All the camping apps show a photo of the dilapidated gas station as the main picture. I nearly crossed it off my list of possible sites to stay, but I got there early in the morning on Saturday and decided to pull in to check …
After several weeks of van repairs, visiting with friends, moving around from site to site, it took me a little bit of time to settle into the forest. Although I’d technically been in the Coconino National Forest on and off for several weeks, the part of the forest outside of Flagstaff is the first time …
“We are living through a vicious campaign of demonization and hostility toward the homeless.” ~Jamelle Bouie After all the craziness in our camping space Saturday afternoon, Chase and I built a fire in the makeshift fire ring at the northern edge of our site, or at least the part of “our site” that we’d managed …
On Monday I was preparing to go back to my driveway surfing in Prescott Valley, and was about to pack up when I got a phone call. It was from a man I met in Quartzsite this winter. He asked “Where are you?” At just about the same time, I saw a van I didn’t …
Cosmo and I said good-bye to Lark and Barbara on Sunday night. We left early Monday morning and headed to the Sun West Truck and RV repair to get some sensors replaced and have a safety check done before we head off into the wild again. They managed to get the “Check Engine” light reset …
“Old friends, old friends Sat on their park bench like bookends A newspaper blown through the grass Falls on the round toes Of the high shoes of the old friends Can you imagine us years from today Sharing a park bench quietly? How terribly strange to be 70.” ~Simon & Garfunkel On Sunday morning, …
My stay at El Dorado Hot Springs was cut short due to the weather. I reserved for a week, because they offered a discount—pay for five nights, stay two extra nights for free. Monday and Tuesday were to be my free nights, and I did manage to stay Monday, but Monday was miserably hot, and …
Last Sunday, I made the decision to leave Ehrenberg sooner rather than later. The extended forecast showed the temperatures for the following weekend to be in the triple digits. It was quite strange that it was chilly and very windy outside, so much so, that we stayed in all day. And yet, the following week …
“All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.” -Benjamin Franklin This week just blew by. The weather is the thing that seems to take up much of my attention these days. By all accounts, it won’t be long before I must leave the comfort …
Sunday was a day of sheer bliss. I was back in Ehrenberg. I felt like I just got home from a trip and although the trip was fun, it was nice to be home again. I visited with Bonnie briefly after I arrived back at my usual campsite, and I made lunch. My biggest dilemma …
I went back to Quartzsite, in order to meet up with some friends from the road. The weather was in the low 80’s and mostly sunny. It was a very nice change of pace and I was able to take outdoor showers most days. I parked near where my friends are staying in a clothing …
Kitty left Monday morning to go back home to Yucaipa. I stayed on at Joshua Tree National Park BLM land, south, which I now believe is correctly called Cottonwood Springs. {It’s a bit confusing. There is a town called Joshua Tree, northeast of Joshua Tree National Park, in Yucca Valley. Then, of course there is …
“All alone, I came into the world All alone, I will someday die Solid stone is just sand and water, baby Sand and water, and a million years gone by I will see you in the light of a thousand suns I will hear you in the sound of the waves I will know you …
I started the week in isolation, following the CDC guidelines for Covid. You’d think isolation is my preferred state, since I so often live off-grid, far from other humans. But forced isolation is somehow different and it was especially difficult for me after spending 10 days with good friends and all the people (infectious though …
I sure am enjoying my life these days. I started off the week with Chase and Kitty both staying on at the BLM land south of Joshua Tree National Park. Kitty is comfortable like an old pair of jeans. Good fit, worn in. No surprises. Chase is funny, smart, and very independent. We had a …
This past weekend I was with my friend Kitty and my newfound friend, Chase. He is smart, masculine, has a good sense of humor, and is very considerate and independent. We all sat out at the campfire Saturday night and had a delightful time. Kitty left Sunday before noon to go home and get some …
The last day of Skoolie Palooza I was awake at 5:00 a.m. I watched as the sky in the east became lighter, and then blazing red and then the sun came up like the sky was on fire. It was extremely quiet as most of the inhabitants of Skoolie were on a very different sleeping …
Late Sunday morning I drove up the road to get closer to SkooliePalooza. Bonnie followed me and we found a huge, open area to park. We settled in about three quarters of a mile up the road from the main gathering, which seemed ideal. We both wanted to be close enough to the main stage …
Happy Lunar New Year! The storms in California finally worked their way over to AZ. By the time they made their way over this far, they had lost some of their intensity, but Sunday was very cloudy and windy, and the rain started during the night and lasted throughout much of the day on Monday. …
I continued my stay in Ehrenberg, AZ, and with each passing week, I seem to settle in more and more. My friend Terry from Rehoboth Beach, DE, who I met about this time last year at a gay van gathering south of Quartzsite, is on the road again. He texted me that he was in …
It got dark and cloudy on New Year’s Eve. The wind picked up and there were spurts of rain. It had been a dreary week, with many days of partial cloud cover and combined with the short days and sun so low in the sky, my solar power was taking a hit. Without getting too …
On Christmas day, I stayed in bed long enough for a second cup of coffee. I perused news headlines, answered a couple e-mails, and listened to a podcast. It was warm and the sun was streaming through the van windows, and all seemed right with the world. Cosmo and I walked down to visit Bonnie. …
Happy Solstice, Happy Hannukah, and Merry Christmas. Cosmo and I moved to Quartzsite, AZ on Monday. I had ordered a couple things online and anticipating a visit to Quartzsite, had them shipped to a postal (copy center) place there. Quartzsite is an easy journey from Ehrenberg. It’s fewer than 20 minutes to the east. …
Another near-perfect week in Ehrenberg. We started off with some cooler temps and rain. I think that’s pretty rare in the desert especially at this time of year. But with the rain, comes beautiful rainbows. The AZ desert is such a study in opposites. The ground in many areas is like a moonscape. It is …
“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” — Dalai Lama.” I started the week with my water pump working intermittently and after a few days, it quit all together. It’s inconvenient as hell, but I have a 2-gallon cube of water and there was a water kiosk just down the road from where …
Cosmo and I spent most of the week on Joshua Tree BLM land. My friend Kitty joined me on Sunday and stayed until Wednesday. By the time she arrived I’d made friends with Rob, a young man who was staying in a pop-up camper up the road from me. He joined us several nights at …
Sunday morning I went into town. It is just a 5 minute drive down a rough dirt road. The town was quite dead. The laundromat was closed (I thought Sunday was the big day for everyone to do their wash) but the dollar store was open, so I got milk, dog treats and some snacks. …
Life on the Land Trust in Ehrenberg, AZ is easy. It’s been relatively warm (70-ish) during the days and gets down in the low 40’s at night. My heater issue resolved itself (air in the propane line?) and if I’m chilly when I wake up, I turn the heater on for a few minutes. But …
I left Joshua Tree BLM and moved to Ehrenberg, AZ, also BLM (or maybe AZ land trust? I’m not sure, but both are free places to stay). I decided to get all my chores done before I got to my camping spot. I filled up my fresh water at JTNP, and dumped my grey water …
I left Kitty’s Sunday morning and headed down the street to pick up some last-minute grocery items. We got on I-10 a block from her house and took it east all the way to the southern entrance of Joshua Tree National Park. It took just over an hour and a half, and we pulled off …
I had stayed in Long Beach an extra week so I could see my friend’s Barbara and Lark for dinner on Sunday. They were to arrive in town after I was leaving, but I stayed an extra week so our visits would overlap. I was really looking forward to seeing them, but when I drove …
I continued my “life in the empire” this week. Richard and I spent several days putting up shelves in what was the closet that once held my toilet. There was a lot of wasted space above my composting toilet, and now everything has a place. Not only did we get the shelves up, but a …
Being in a city is a little stressful to me. Living outside of my van (Steve and Richard have a very nice guest room for us) is disorienting. I bring things in from the van, and an hour later, I can’t find them. I can’t remember where I put stuff, or did I only think …
Cosmo and I stayed in Kitty’s driveway through the weekend and into Monday. It was such a pleasant and productive visit. Kitty, being a part-time nomad, is so often on the same wavelength as I am. We seemed to have worked out, without actually needing to discuss it, the exact right amount of time …
We had a great time in Fresno with Mary. We mostly just hung out and caught up, but we also went to dinner both nights I was there. Going out to eat is a rare treat for me. I seldom go to a restaurant when I’m on the road alone, and when I do, I …
It seemed to turn into autumn overnight. I was going through e-mails on my laptop and when I looked up, it was dark. I wondered what time it was. It couldn’t be that late. I looked at the clock and it was 7:30. Out in the forest, it was so black I couldn’t even see …
I had a very enjoyable two days at a campground in a National Forest near Mt. Shasta. With my “America the Beautiful” senior pass, I got the spot for half price, so it was just $5 a night to stay there. There were only 14 sites, and they were well spaced with lots of trees …
I woke up with my teeth chattering from the cold. It took me a minute to realize that I was naked with no covers and all the windows of the van were open. Cosmo was snuggled in his nest of the sleeping bag that once covered me, snoring gently. I got up and grabbed a …
I loved my stay in the Willamette National Forest. Being in such a dense forest is just indescribable. For one thing, the trees are HUGE. Not quite as tall as the redwoods, but pretty impressive, nonetheless. And the bark is brown. Raw Umber brown, with just that hint of red warmth. There was such a …
It is quite strange living in a forest. There are tall pines as far as the eye can see. There is a feeling of there being nothing else—that the trees just go on forever because I couldn’t see anything beyond them. There was nothing except tall pines, some scrub brush, and the sky. A …
I started my week at Chickahominy Reservoir in Riley, OR. It is listed as a very nice lakeside campground. The cost was $8 per night, half price for Golden Pass (old folks) holders, like me. I arrived yesterday. No lake. It’s totally dried up. Not even a swamp or mud puddle. I’ve been constantly reminded …
The “campground” where I stayed last night was quite interesting. I think it used to be a campground but is now officially just a “rest stop.” People came in during the day and ate fast food at the picnic tables scattered throughout the grounds, then left. Most of the time I was the only one …
I’ve been thinking for quite some time that one day, with the help of a good editor, I would take all these musings and gather them together into a book. A sort of travelogue. It may still happen but the book I REALLY want to write is Parking Lot People. I stayed at a Walmart …
This week started out stranger than most. I absolutely loved my spot on the Platte River. There was a big thunderstorm on Saturday night and by Sunday it was cool and overcast. The clouds were thick, and I had no internet or cell service. We went for lots of walks and I read outside (with …
Cosmo and I settled in at our spot in Prior Flats, just about 90 miles south of Casper, WY. There are only two other campers here and both are leaving today or tomorrow. I’m fine with that. Our spot has both full sun almost all day long which is not the best for keeping cool, …
This has been one of the most beautiful, restorative weeks I’ve had in a long time. Our stay at the city park in Douglas, WY was extremely pleasant. Large patches of grass, picnic tables, shade trees (one day it got to 102 degrees and the trees were such a blessing), next to a river …
I spent 4th of July weekend in South Dakota. Had I planned better, I would have gotten my residency stuff straightened out quickly and gotten my tags and license before the holiday. It was not to be. I hung out in Hot Springs, SD for a week. I stayed on ACE (Army Corps of Engineers) …
Our final days at Wheatland Reservoir were peaceful and uneventful. We stepped into the water a couple of times, but even though the water was pleasant, the air was cool and there was a breeze, so we both limited our lake exposure mainly to our feet. The last day it was around 65 so we …
I’m spending my final night in Colorado. The longer I stay in Colorado, the less I like it. I stayed in a pleasant, but expensive campground last night. The camp host went out of his way to be kind and accommodating, but I found out, he was not from Colorado. I had a nice …
We drove from the lush campground by the river and made it to our next home at Sacred White Shell Mountain. We were back in the desert once again. The BLM land was huge and there were many turnouts and large dirt areas. I took the spot that had been recommended. It was the first …
As is often the case, Sunday was a work day for me. “Work” for me at this point in my life means that I have to find and move to a new location, get gas, propane, water or food, or any combination of those things. I moved, got gas and went grocery shopping, but all …
When I entered the National Forest on the western border of NM, the gate was closed and locked. I noticed a red van parked right outside the gate and another bigger rig up on the hilltop. The red van was in a spot that I’d consider perfect. It was too small to even pretend that …
I spent my final day in Flagstaff “doing the mapping thing.” I’m heading to Winslow tomorrow, and I not only mapped my way there, but found a place to stay. The visitor center allows you to park overnight in their parking lot. After that, we’re heading east through some forests and staying in the petrified …
Kitty and I continued to stay at our perfect little spot near Williams, AZ. It is BLM land, and it’s HUGE. We had parked in one of the closest spots from the entrance, but we went to the right and most people entered to the road on the left. We could see other campers “across …
Cosmo and I had a leisurely morning in bed. I was awake with the sun, slightly before 6:00 a.m. I was quite content to just lay there for another 15 minutes. Cosmo sensed I was awake and moved up closer and rolled onto his back so I could rub his belly. I gladly obliged. We …
I had a leisurely morning and then packed up to go to our new destination. The drive back to Tuba City, AZ was only supposed to take an hour, but the winds were atrocious, and I was having trouble keeping the van on the road if I exceeded 55 m.p.h. The weather report said …
I decided I needed a few more days near Bluff, UT, with a canyon full of hoodoos in my back yard. After exploring some, I relaxed a bit. The first night, I felt so removed from civilization and human beings. The rock formations are other-worldly and with the wind blowing at gale force for a …
As the week began, I continued to stay at Sunset View Campground on Navajo Mountain. It is a part of the National Park Service. There are 30 campsites, and each has a picnic table and a grill. There are no firepits and no hook-ups at the sites. There is a bathroom centrally located, though I …
I began my week in Navajo Mountain National Monument. It was relatively warm, but often in the afternoon, the wind picked up and sitting outside wasn’t an enjoyable option. So Cosmo and I spent some time in the van reading (me) and looking out the window hoping to spot another dog (Cosmo) and taking naps …
This week got off to a great start. I got up early Monday morning while it was still mostly dark outside. Cosmo had heard something and got up to investigate and after I called him back to bed, I realized I was not going back to sleep. The van had to go into the …
Last Sunday I had a restless night filled with strange dreams. I woke up before the sun as usual but didn’t want to get out of bed. It was still dark out and it didn’t take long for me to realize it was because the sky was filled with dark clouds. I shook the cobwebs …
A Giant Mantis Tries to Eat Me and Cosmo in Downtown Las Vegas I woke up by Lake Mead, AZ. The sunrise was soft pinks and oranges. It was overcast and the subtle colors on the still lake were comforting. And yet I still felt antsy. I needed to move that day, to head toward …
We left Table Mesa and headed north to Arcosanti. I learned about this place in 1972. My friend Chuck, who lived in the same college dorm as I did, a year younger than I, was a library/architecture/ecology buff. He found an article about Arcosanti, which they started to build with volunteers in 1970. He was …
Last Sunday after we left Ben and Lauren, Cosmo and I drove north to Tucson. It was a chore day. Our first stop was at Empire Ranch, just down the hill, to fill up with potable water, and then off to the grocery store, where we spent $100. Food is getting very expensive. I …
Cosmo and I got up today and I made my coffee and got us both breakfast. I looked at my apps and maps and headed toward coordinates that my friend Ben had supplied to Cieneguita BLM land/Wild Camping. (I just LOVE being WILD!!!) It was about an hour drive, and when we arrived, we followed …
I loved staying near Ben and Lauren and their two dogs. They are ideal neighbors. Both are quite independent. If Lauren wants to read, she just goes and gets her iPad and starts reading. If Ben wants a nap, or just some alone time, he goes into his van. It made it very easy …
“The desert, when the sun comes up. I couldn’t tell where heaven stopped and the Earth began.” ~ Tom Hanks Cosmo and I are heading out today to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. We’ve been here on BLM Land in Why, AZ for a couple days now. It’s quiet and warm and easy and …
So this happened: I left Joshua Tree to go to Quartzsite for a night or two. Marcos left with me (or maybe it was vice versa?) and Tim and Jennie headed up to Big Bear. Bridget was left with Heather and Rich. When I got to Quartzsite, Bridget texted me to tell me she had …
I left SkooliePalooza Sunday morning and headed for Quartzsite. I had a package arriving and I use a mail service (sometimes) in Quartzsite. I got to town late morning, did my laundry and while it washed, I got a shower (same place offers laundry and showers.) It was so nice to be clean and have …
Read more “Leaving My Friends (and about to make some new ones)”
I decided to attend SkooliePalooza this year. It is an annual event for people who live in converted school busses. This year they invited us van folk to join them. I arrived a week ago on Friday to the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land just outside Parker AZ on the CA side of the …
I am currently in the desert on BLM land near Quartzsite, AZ. When I first arrived, there were lots and lots of vans and skoolies already here. I picked a spot and set up camp. So many people nearby, and I did my best to connect with some of them and felt absolutely nothing back …
I’m currently staying on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land just outside Joshua Tree National Park. I’ve been here for about a week and while here, I met an amazing young man named Alex (and his dog Sky) Alex will be 25 later this month and he has a youthful exuberance and genuine warmth that …
When I used to live in a brick and mortar building, I took a bath nearly every day. I didn’t bathe to get clean–I used my shower for that. I took a bath for my mental and spiritual health–to meditate, relax, listen to an audio book or a podcast. I would turn the lights down …
People often ask me if I get lonely on the road. The short (and honest) answer is “No.” I keep in touch with friends via phone, text and e-mail. In my travels, I often stop and visit friends in different parts of the country. But a good 90% of my time is spent alone (with …
I’ve spent the last 10 days with friends who have been so accomodating. Cosmo and I had our own room with adjacent bathroom and a shower with so much water pressure, I never wanted to get out. It is always nice to visit friends. We left Berkely yesterday and moved back into the van. It’s …
Read more ““Home. Home Again. I Like to be Here When I Can…””
I’m currently staying with friends in the Bay Area (San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland) of California. After driving across the country, coast to coast, and staying in some pretty primative camping situations, I’m now living in the lap of luxury for a couple weeks. I was SO excited to get here, primarily to see my friends …
I had a nice chat with a friend this morning. She said she worried about me being on the road. I thanked her, knowing that worrying was caring. I reassured her that I’m safe. I made a half-assed attempt at explaining why I felt so safe and comfortable out in the middle of nowhere, …
I’ve been on the road just under two months now. It was quite daunting at first, but now, I’ve become comfortable with the van lifestyle. And it IS a lifestyle. I live a tiny life, leaving a tiny footprint. I have my routines, like prepping coffee in my little percolator before I go to bed …
If you recall my last post, I was struggling just a bit. The road was rough, both figuratively and literally. The start of my journey was not as simple and easy as I’d hoped. I was on my way to Badlands National Park, when I looked at the weather report. It was going to be …
At the beginning of my drive west, I traveled through some mountains in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. I found a website called “Flattest Route” which will show you the flattest route between any two cities. I used that. I felt good about the road ahead. Then I hit construction. Then a detour. I got off …
It’s been a little over a month since I sold my property in Milford, DE, and just under a month since I left there for good. I originally travelled in Delaware, somehow feeling reassured by “staying close to home.” That of course, was a psychological trick I played on myself, since my only home was …
It’s been one week since I have been on the road. I’m struggling to find the right words to describe it. It doesn’t feel “normal” or “routine” yet. Things change every day, and location changes often. I wake up with the familiarity of being in my own bed, in my own van, with Cosmo, but …
I’ve only been on the road for 2 days and already I feel like I could write a book on my experiences traveling. Living in the van hasn’t changed. It doesn’t matter whether I’m parked in my back parking lot, or in someone’s driveway, or at a campground. I still wake up and make coffee, …
My building finally sold. It had been on and off the market since 2008. I went to closing last Friday. I spent the weekend finishing up clearing out the few things that were left, madea place for some in the van, while other items went to Goodwill or friends. Some landed in my dumpster. It’s …
I watched the film Nomadland for the second time this week. I saw it the day it was released because I was so looking forward to it that I couldn’t wait. I loved it. It seemed to me that it was a triumph. Widowed woman against the system, corporate greed, societal prejudices. Woman wins. The …
As a kid, my dad or mom read us a bedtime story every night. One of my favorite ones was “The boy who cried wolf.” My dad told us this one from memory, and on nights when we were very sleepy, the story would be shorter; other nights he embellished more. The basic lesson (all …
Moving right along! This past week my Titan 500 solar generator and solar panels arrived. After some testing and measuring, my friend Lenny and I climbed up on the van and tried our our arrangement of panels. We decided on a pattern that got us 400 watts of solar on the tiny roof, and then …
I had, what seemed at the time, a major setback. I woke up in my van, and started my usual morning routine of taking Cosmo out to pee, making coffee, and getting back in bed to read the NY Times headlines. About 5 minutes in, there was a smell, and I panicked. It was the …
Good news. I have an offer on my building and I’ve accepted it. I expect to be moving out at the end of March. Of course, when I say “moving out” I mean I will empty everything I own that is still in the building, and take final inventory of my van (which I’ve been …
First things first: Happy Solstice! I always take time on the Winter Solstice to take stock of the past year and plan for the one ahead. I always make a list of things I no longer need, or no longer want in my life, and throw that list into the fire to be gone from …
The view from my van window at sunset The weather has been cold and often rainy here. My business has been slow, so I need to take whatever clients I can, whenever I can. Therefore, I haven’t been able to plan a trip that involved two or more days off. I have friends sort of …
I am continuing to “move into” my van. I thought I was just about done, and then the fall weather kicked in. My ultimate goal is to live in places during their warmer seasons, so that I won’t ever really live in “winter” again. But I’m still tied to my building (hasn’t sold yet) so …
Cosmo and I took our first road trip in our new (to us) Roadtrek van. I’d spent the weeks since I purchased this van remodeling, taking out the jump seats, putting in extra cabinets and cupboards. We’ve been living in it (in my back parking lot) for over a week now and decided it was …
For a year and a half, I’ve watched YouTube videos of couples living in vans I did research, read articles, even rented a Class B (Van) RV to take out for a test “live.” I knew I was going to have to downsize drastically when I moved from 4500 square feet into a van that …
Yup. I FINALLY FUCKING DID IT. I got my van. Last Tuesday, the seller took it in for inspection and it went well . I called Tuesday night and spoke with the mechanic. There are a few small maintenance items that will need to be done over the next 6 months or so, but the …
When I was in massage school, I chose as my mentor and study partner, a woman who lived in Ocean City, MD. She was one of the few adults in the class, and one of the very few who, like me, had taken out a student loan to pay for the schooling. She had a …
I’ve just made an agreement to purchase my New-to-Me 1998 Roadtrek Versatile. Since I’ve decided to buy one before I am able to fully retire, I have found several that I thought would be right for me. The first one had a new paint job and looked like a brand new vehicle. A friend suggested …
I know. I’ve been quiet for a long time. I had nothing to say. I became stagnant. This site is all about being on the road in my tiny RV. I’d written about all I could write about the search for a van, what I want, where I want to go, how it might look. …
I bought my first real camera in 1976. It was a Canon FTb. It took 35 mm FILM! From the first day I got it, I was hooked. I decided that I was going to get good at it and do it for a living. And so, after taking on several minimum-wage darkroom jobs, I …
I haven’t made a new post in a couple weeks. Not much is going on. The days are noticeably shorter, and a million years of evolution is telling me to eat lots of fat, dig a hole and hibernate until spring thaw. I’m fighting mother nature to eat healthier, keep moving and don’t let the …
When I took Driver’s Ed in high school, my instructor would always emphasize “Aim high at the wheel.” I have to admit, I didn’t get it for the first several months, until one day I got behind the wheel and he explained. I was looking down the hood, at the first few feet in front …
I really jumped the gun. I decided in January that I was going to buy a Class B RV and travel the country visiting friends, and seeing sites I’ve not seen before. I have been on a mission every since to reach that goal. I think I peaked when, in July, I rented the van …
I didn’t make a blog post last week. A little discouraged, a tad down, I was feeling helpless to move forward. I spent a lot of the week, looking at every option I could think of to get a tiny home on wheels NOW. I looked at cargo vans, and tried to figure out if …
I’ve spent the week weighing all my options. There are too many. Should I buy a cargo van and convert it into my dream home or should I buy an already functional Class B RV? Should I buy it now before I sell my building? Or wait until I have money in hand? Am I …
My brain has been reeling the entire week. I’ve watched a hundred YouTube videos about building a conversion van. I’ve downloaded schematics for solar panel installation. I’ve printed out floor plans I like. I’ve contacted private sellers and dealerships searching for a Dodge Ram Promaster 2500 high roof van with 159 inch wheel base. I’ve …
I’ve continued to check out all my options for buying/building a van. It is sometimes hard for me not to become frustrated. I had hoped to be on the road by now, but my building has not sold and I don’t have an RV yet. I’ve decided that I should use this time wisely. I …
I can’t remember which of my friends taught me this acronym, but it is appropriate this week–Another Fucking Growth Opportunity! They (growth opportunities) always seem to come when least expected and always when unwanted. Just as plans are going along swimmingly, here comes AFGO! I blame this one on my friend Kent. He pointed out …
It occurred to me this week that I talk to a lot of people about what I’m going to do once I sell my property, or tell them that I’m looking forward to starting my journey once I sell my building, or saying “When I get my van…” Everything seems to be future tense. I’ll …
I was driving the other day and my GPS had a brain fart. It just suddenly refused to tell me where to turn. I had no idea where I was going without it, so I pulled over, re-booted, and tried again. GPS gave me an “alternative route.” I have no idea why or what had …
I read an article today in the N.Y. Times. A man whose wife was killed in the recent massacre in El Paso is now left without any family at all. His wife was his only relative, and now she’s dead. He didn’t want to be the only one at his wife’s memorial service, so he …
I got Cosmo when he was 8 weeks old. He just turned 2 last month. Recently, I was telling a client about my plans to get a van and see the country, and he said “It sounds good. Now all you need is a partner to see it with.” I said “I already HAVE a …
Since returning from our trial run in the rented van, I’ve found myself quite antsy. I fidget. I pace. I walk around my big building and look for something to throw out or give away. I am ready to get on the road mentally, but for now at least, the Universe has different plans. I …
In preparing for my trial run in the rental RV last week, I spent days packing up everything I thought I needed, or wanted, or believed I would use. I packed clothing, pots, pans, Insta-Pot, Vita-Mix. I packed canned food, dry beans, brown rice, pasta. I bought fresh fruits and veggies. I brought bedding, pillows, …
The test run in the rented van couldn’t have gone much better. My goals were to: A) See if I could actually live in a tiny metal box B) See if COSMO could actually live in a tiny metal box with ME! C) Try out a variety of experiences that I expect to encounter along …
Dress Rehearsal: noun. a rehearsal of a play or other performance in costume and with scenery, properties,and lights arranged and operated as for a performance: often the final rehearsal. This is it! I pick up the rental van on Saturday and Cosmo and I will head out for 4 days. The goal is to live …
I dealt with this issue very briefly when I first decided i wanted to buy a van and travel the country. Early on in the process, I worried “What if something happens and I need to get home?” Then I realized “You won’t HAVE a home!” because I am selling everything I own to …
I had my auction last weekend. It went well. I did a lot of soul-searching as I watched items that I’ve had for many, many years be sold for next to nothing. I saw items that I had to save up to buy, be sold for $5. It was all OK. My goal was to …
Today is the Summer Solstice. As I sometimes do on auspicious dates, I reached out to my Shaman for some guidance and input. He offered me a number of things to consider during the upcoming 6 months, and all of them were very helpful. But most important to me was his final conclusion. He …
I booked it today. It’s all paid for, the dates are set and in one month, I’ll be living the van life…well, at least for a few days. I decided that before I commit to living in a van permanently, it might be a really good idea to lease the one I like and take …
I I went up to Pennsylvania shopping for my new van on Tuesday (Thank you Mike, at Fretz RV). It was a fun and productive trip. My friend Kent drove up with me and we spent several hours poring over different makes, models and floor plans. The one I’d picked out online as meeting my …
I’ve been feeling pretty stuck this week. I seem to be in a holding pattern. I am (I think) mentally ready to sell this place, buy my van and get on the road. I’m waiting for some paperwork before putting my building on the market, and it doesn’t seem there is much I can do …
I’ve been thinking all week about conspicuous consumption. I guess that is a relative term, depending on your income and your living circumstances. I started thinking about this when I cleaned out my kitchen cupboards. I found I had three jars of soy sauce, two tins of Hershey’s Cocoa, four jars of nutritional yeast. Really? …
When I pulled up to the dog park yesterday (Cosmo and I go every morning), there was a man in a flack jacket standing next to his car, talking on the phone. As I passed, he made a point to say “Good morning” and I said “good morning” and smiled. Cosmo and I went into …
I say this to myself nearly every day. On a good day I say “Imagine waking up every morning, in the desert, or by the ocean, or in the mountains and seeing the sunrise from the bed in the back of my van!” On a less optimistic day I may catch myself saying “Imagine the …
There seems to be so many parts to getting my buildings sold, my stuff gone, and buying my new van and getting on the road. I’m about to put the building I live in on the market. I live (for now) in a huge warehouse. I moved out of my home a few years back …
I’ve watched countless YouTube channels about life in a van, and read numerous articles. At some point, I will need to pull up roots and get on the road. It is a daunting task for me. I will be downsizing in quite an extreme way. I currently live in a warehouse that is approximately 4,500 …
This is one of the vans I’m considering buying Yesterday, I started my search for the right van for me. I drove to a dealership just outside Baltimore. It was a Tuesday, so I figured they wouldn’t be busy. I wanted some time to see lots of vans, lots of different makes and models and …
The Cosmic Shift happened in Peru. I went last October to fulfill a lifelong dream of seeing Machu Picchu. I actually tried to go to Machu Picchu when I was 30 and living in Long Beach, CA. I saw a documentary on Machu Picchu, and at that time Shirley McLain’s book “Out on a Limb” …