“Start where you are. Do what you can. It will be enough.”
― Unknown
On Sunday, I decided to head into town and get propane, drinking water and a few groceries. I had also been told by a neighbor that there were some great spots on BLM land on the other side of town, near a river. I pulled into a ‘50’s diner/motel/RV park where I could not only get propane and water, but I discovered that I could also get a hot shower for jut $10. I took advantage of all three and then headed across the road to Family Dollar where I got milk, eggs, cheese, snacks and drinks-enough to hold me until I left on Thursday.
I drove over to the opposite side of town, and went down a dirt road where the great camping spots were supposed to be. I got to the end of the road where there was a gate with a keypad. I wasn’t going to get any farther, so I backtracked and explored several side roads. I found a couple clearings, level enough for me to camp, but they seemed pretty trashed. One had the remnants of a Lazy Boy recliner, and the other was littered with shotgun casings. The sky in the south was black, and a huge storm was heading toward us and I could hear a combination of gunshots and thunder nearby. I decided to not risk getting washed away or shot, and headed back to my safe place off Bloody Basin Road.
We got settled into our original spot just as the torrential rain hit.
I watched a movie and Cosmo lay at my feet, hiding from the lightning. It was an uneventful week until we headed up to see Barbara and Lark on Thursday.
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We arrived at Barbara and Lark’s driveway just before noon on Thursday. Cosmo did his happy dance, spinning in the living room, I suspect showing off for Molly, or anyone who would watch. I got leveled and set out my solar panels and then we went to a Japanese restaurant for lunch. I had 3 different veggie sushi rolls. Delicious.
I spent much of the next couple days doing minor repair projects and cleaning. I washed all my seat cushions which is a huge chore since they have to be done in pairs. Several of the cushions are similar, but different enough that if you take the cover off the foam and don’t remember exactly which cover goes on which foam, it is a nightmare, as they look similar but are actually quite different in size and shape. At least different enough to make it not workable to put the wrong cover on the right cushion. I managed to get them done, but broke two zippers in the process. The seats and covers are 27 years old, so it’s not surprising some are coming apart at the seams. I did some sewing repairs and ordered a zipper repair kit from Amazon. Wish me luck.
I spent much of Saturday painting my van. For whatever reason, after I washed and waxed it last winter, the paint started peeling off in a few spots. Once there was a tiny patch of grey undercoating showing through, it seemed each time it rained, water would seep under the paint nearby, and form a bubble. The sun came out and the bubble would burst and I’d have yet another, bigger patch of grey undercoating showing. It made the van look really ragged, so I got some steel wool, painter’s tape and a can of white Rustoleum paint. I did a lot of the smaller spots, hoping to use them to practice before I masked and painted the entire hood and the driver’s side door. Not perfect, but it sure looks much better than seeing the undercoating.
I’ve still got a few projects to take care of before moving on. And I’m not sure exactly when I’m moving on. I planned on leaving Monday to head south, but the next two places I’m heading will reach triple digits again on Wednesday and Thursday this week, so I’m definitely going to wait for what I hope will be the final heat wave to pass.
Lessons From The Road: My lesson this week is: Be patient. Go with the Flow. The places you want to get to will still be there next week.