Heading West

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 my spot in a lot right outside of The Petrified Forest, I saw their two rigs pulling into the gift shop across the street.  I went over and they both went slack jawed when they saw me. I said, “I TOLD you I’d see you down the road.”  We chatted a bit and I went into the gift shop with them.  Inside, one of the women working struck up a conversation with me about my bracelets.  We talked for a while and when she found out I lived in a van, she said “I have been wanting to do that for years.”  She asked where I’ve been and where I was going and after I paid for a tiger’s eye stone, she said “hey, wait” and she filled a small bag with a variety of other stones—quartz, turquoise, hematite, etc., and then handed me a small piece of petrified wood too.

I saw my friends outside and once again said, “See you down the road.” I know they’ll never doubt that again.  They drove west and I got settled into my spot next to petrified logs surrounding the lot where I was staying.  It was a free campground, with no amenities, or hook-ups, but they do have picnic tables on slabs with a roof over them which came in handy. It was quite hot the days we were there, and Cosmo enjoyed being outside in the shade, on concrete as I sat at the picnic table. There was a nice breeze. 

Monday we drove through Petrified Forest National Park. We only spent about an hour. I’d been there last year and figured as long as I was adjacent, I should go in again. Last year I saw all the downed trees that had been turned to stone, but this time I was surprised at how many had crystals growing in the center.  They were wonderful. 

Back at the campsite, people came and went. Some pulled in for an afternoon rest; others stayed a night or two.  On Monday night, a Jeep pulling a small travel trailer pulled in next to me. The woman got out (her husband sat in the Jeep and was on the phone). She came out and struck up a conversation. She was originally from Israel but was on a trip from Pittsburg.  I’d been to Pittsburg and so we talked a little about Three Rivers, the Andy Warhol Museum, and the tram.  While we were yacking, a Roadtrek identical to mine pulled into the lot and the Asian woman driving started waving and jumping up and down in her seat like Bob Barker had just said “Come on down.”  I apologized to Paula (the woman from Israel) and said “You know us Roadtrek people have to swap notes.  She laughed and by that time the Asian woman (can’t remember her name) was already over asking what year my van was and could she see inside. I invited her in after she promised not to judge. I’d just had dinner and hadn’t yet done dishes or cleaned up. She seemed impressed that I’d gotten rid of my jump seats and installed extra kitchen cabinets. I told her I needed groceries more than I needed passengers and she concurred, inquiring about how I did it. I then got the tour of her van. It had only minor differences; she had taken out her microwave and added shelving. She had her bed set up permanently in the back and used the front driver and passenger seats as her dining room, with a tiny table in between them. We walked back toward my van and Paula came out and joined us and then a couple who had been parked in a van toward the back of the lot came out.  I just love a spontaneous gathering of nomads. So many stories to swap about where we came from, where we’re going, and tips on the best (free) places to boondock. The sun set, and the nearly full moon rose large and red. I went back to my van and realized my face was hurting from smiling so hard. That’s a hurt I always appreciate.

The sun came up just shortly after 5:00 on Tuesday morning. I raised my head just enough to see the orange and pink clouds in the east. I laid back down and dozed for a few minutes until a long tongue gently guided me awake (Yes, it was Cosmo in case you were wondering.) I made coffee and sat outside with Paula for a bit, and then I packed up and headed back toward Winslow. I stopped for gas on the way (Gas was much cheaper in Holbrook, AZ than it was in Winslow or Flagstaff). The gas station was having some repair work done to the parking lot out front, and as I was pumping gas, I noticed one of the workers kept looking at me.  He finally realized that I saw him looking and he said “I like your shirt.”  I had on a Joshua Tree National Park t-shirt that showed dark skies and a full moon and the Milky Way.  He asked if I’d been there, and I told him I spent a lot of time there.  He said he went there once but wants to go back. We chatted for as long as it took to fill up my tank.  As I pulled out of the lot he turned and gave a big smile and a wave.  Damn!  I was on a roll here meeting people.  My new mantra/affirmation is “Everywhere I go, people can’t wait to be my friend.”  The more I believe that, the more it becomes true for me.

I went back to the visitor’s parking lot next to the BNSF railroad tracks.  Dave, who lives up the street texted that he was going to walk his dog in the park that was next to me, so Cosmo and I went out and joined them.  I told him I wanted to go to breakfast at La Posada Hotel. Every time I’m in Winslow, someone mentions that I should really go to the hotel.  It is a gorgeous retreat built along old Route 66, and everyone raves about the restaurant.  I invited Dave to join me and he accepted. So, Wednesday morning he met me there and we went inside. It is indeed a gorgeous building, very upscale and the breakfast was first class. I had crepes filled with some sort of creamy cottage cheese and topped with an orange marmalade sauce and whipped cream.  I practically licked the plate clean. Dave had ham and eggs and we spent about an hour talking. I found out he moved to Flagstaff because his father worked on the Apollo moon landing program. He was a geologist and helped develop the moon rover and worked with the astronauts on dealing with the terrain they would likely find on the moon, and apparently Flagstaff offered such terrain. It was fascinating.  When I left, we promised to find a way to connect this summer since he goes between Winslow and Flagstaff often and I intend to do the same this summer.  I stopped and filled my propane tank and then headed back to Two Guns. I loved it there a couple weeks ago, and it felt like home when I pulled off the road and headed to my old spot.  With full tanks of gas, water and propane and a fully stocked fridge, all was right with the world.

After a walk around the ruins, Cosmo and I settled in for the night. Although I thought I’d adjusted well to the constant noise from the railroad switching station in Winslow, I was pleasantly surprised by how well I slept in the near silence of Two Guns.

Although there were many visitors coming and going, most just parked on the upper lot, came down with their phones, took a couple photos and left.  Last time I was here, I shared the spot with 3 other campers; this time, Cosmo and I were alone at night. Occasionally, I could see a semi pull into the abandoned gas station parking lot near the entrance, but mostly, the place was deserted. However, someone has been busy since I last visited here. Cosmo and I walked up to the swimming pool, now permanently empty and covered with graffiti and used by skateboarders. There has been a new “art installation.”  Someone built a person out of moss, bark, and even flowers next to the pool. My photos don’t do it justice.  When I came upon it, I was startled, and for a minute, I felt sure someone was playing a prank on me and I expected the moss covered person to jump up and try to scare me (and believe me, if it had happened, they would have succeeded.  It was quite eerie.) 

People came and went. I cooked and ate and walked. Cosmo enjoyed our hikes. It was an easy and relaxing week.

Lessons From The Road: I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of friendly people I’ve come across in the past month. Everywhere I go, I find people who strike up a conversation. Living in a van, I spend lots of time without human contact. When I come across other humans, I always appreciate it when they are friendly ones. There are kind people everywhere. Sometimes you have to look for them and other times they just find you.

Even though summer is not officially here, it feels like it’s been summer for a long, long time.  I had to leave El Dorado Hot Springs near Phoenix the first week in April because of extreme heat. I moved up through Arizona in April and May and have never had on long pants and for the most part, never a jacket or sweater, even at night. Throughout May, it’s been summertime weather.  As I prepare to move back to Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, I see the forecast is for temps down in the mid-30’s at night. That will be quite a change.  I have tentative plans for the rest of the summer, hoping to spend much time in the forest due to the lower temperatures.  I am hoping to get west of there into Williams and Cottonwood, but will have to keep an eye on the temperatures in order not to head into extreme heat.