Minnie Minerva

Don't Get Around Much Anymore

2012-02-08T15:29:00.000-08:00

I am feeling firmly planted. The land, sky and moon have captured me and all those places I thought I would go have not been visited.

I did get to the farmer's market last week, one of the best I have been to, but other than that I stay close to home reading, reading, reading. With each word I read my world changes until nothing I knew before is still relevant. Sometimes it happens that way, but this one feels to be immense in proportion.

It is all very, very good but it also means I don't get around much anymore.

TTRV

2012-01-31T14:20:00.000-08:00

I am back outside of Tombstone, AZ and settled in for a month's stay at Tombstone Territories. It is just what I wanted, lots of land and sky. The stars at night are spectacular and I only wish they would make it mandatory to turn off all outdoor lights at night. Now that would be something!

There are several hiking trails which lead nowhere, in the midst of nowhere.

I am nestled within this bowl that is surrounded by mountains.

Home Sweet Home

Life

2012-01-26T12:44:00.000-08:00

I am back to life as I know it.

This Sunday I am finally leaving Mesa and heading to Tombstone, AZ to stay for at least a month. I am looking forward to those big open spaces, sky and land. Oh, I have missed it!

I had the carpet cleaned and had a final meal with Priscilla and have begun all the preparations for the next chapter. Laundry, groceries, packing and cleaning.

While in Eugene I secured a job for the summer on the Oregon coast. I am ever so thankful I will not be back in the mountains and instead will be in Lincoln City at the Premier RV Resort.

So life goes on.

Memories of Sam

2012-01-22T22:38:00.000-08:00

Sam is the blond kneeling in front, I am behind him in the plaid shirt

I met him when I was 18 and he was still 17. He was a small town boy from Nebraska and I was a big city girl from New Orleans. We met our very first week in Boulder, Colorado during freshman orientation. Our lives would continue to interweave for the next 42 years.

Sam Without a Shirt

A college friend sent me these pictures. Sam was my Golden Boy during those years, full of sun and laughter. By the time I met him he had already experienced the death of both his parents and more painful experiences than most of us will know in our life times. But in those early years, life was full of possibilities and adventure. Or, at least, women:).

I was not a particularly easy woman to love. My soul demanded travel and independence and I could not be tied down. But Sam loved me anyway. In our early 20s he was devastated to learn that while in Greece I had met and married a Greek dancer. But Sam loved me anyway and waited out the years until I returned to his life. During our 23 years of marriage he allowed me more free rein than most men would find possible and all he ever asked is that I return.

Sam was also not an easy man to love. The pain and the hurt he had accumulated created emotional boundaries that could never be scaled. He was a sensitive soul and the world was a very harsh place. The walls became thicker and stronger and he became trapped with his demons. But I loved him anyway.

I will always love him and carry a piece of him within my heart. Although that is the last time I will see him in that particular form, I have no doubt we will find each other again.

Back At Aztec

2012-01-22T21:27:00.000-08:00

I finally made it back to the Aztec park. I had a very early flight and only briefly slept the night before but the flights were smooth and easy and I eventually found the shuttle bus that brought me back to the sacred womb of Minnie.

And so I am back, trying to plug back into my former life.

My world feels sadder than it was before. The residents of this park look older than they did before. I find myself tuning into a techno music station on Pandora. I look different when I see myself in the mirror. I feel young and excited, and old and weary.

The dust is still settling, but I know everything will be just fine.

Not Going Anywhere

2012-01-20T12:48:00.001-08:00

Flight was cancelled again. I have a very early flight tomorrow morning which may, or may not, be the one that takes me back to the sunshine.

Weather Delay

2012-01-19T19:08:00.000-08:00

I was supposed to leave today. The weather had other plans.An unusual storm blew into Seattle, stranding people, cars and planes. I was supposed to be on one of those planes.But here I still sit in my son's apartment, hanging with the twenty-somethings. I have been listening to techno trance/dance music, watching laser light shows and listening to interesting conversations. I have been sleeping on a lumpy sofa and fighting the urge to obsessively clean. I have been having a wonderful time.Maybe tomorrow my flight will leave. Maybe it won't. Maybe tomorrow night I will be back with the 55+ crowd. Maybe I won't.As the twenty-something crowd says, "No worries, it's all good".

Grief

2012-01-15T17:48:00.000-08:00

Grief can be so slippery. It will leave for five minutes, for an hour, even for an entire day. But then it finds it's way back. It comes back in so many forms that there can be no defense.It slithers in on words a dear friend has sent. It echoes through the phone call from a long forgotten friend. It wraps around my heart while looking at photos. It clutches my belly while discarding the remnants of a life. It never wanders too far.It slips in and out of my life.

Change of Plans

2012-01-11T12:40:00.000-08:00

I will not be going to Quartzsite. I will be going to Eugene instead. My former husband has passed and I need to be with my son to ease us through this process.

Quartzsite, AZ

2012-01-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

The tramps are gathering. Specifically, the Rubber Tramps. They are gathering in Quartzsite and I am going to be one of them.

I am leaving on Saturday and will stay as long as my comfort level lasts, a few days or a week. I am not set up for boon docking (dry camping) and am trying to figure out all the ways I will need to provide my own water, heat and electricity. Yesterday I checked my generator and it is working which will supply my electrical needs. I will fill up my propane tank before leaving which will be my cooking and heating supply and will keep my fridge cold. I always travel with an ample supply of water bottles and will make sure they are all full and will fill my water tank for additional water. What else, what else...?

If a Verizon signal is weak or nonexistent, I may not have phone or internet access and I will just have to deal with that. Even with a signal, I hope to spend more time in actual conversation than virtual.

A new adventure awaits!!!!!

(This is what I came across on an internet search)

Rubber Tramps is a unique documentary that explores the lives of people who savor the scenery of the open road, in search of an authentic life. These nomads and gypsies make their homes in converted buses, vans and cars. In his last major media appearance, counterculture icon Ken Kesey (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) comments throughout the film, linking today's rubber tramps with the famous bus trips he and the Merry Pranksters made during the bygone hippie era.

Ken Kesey on his farm

Grocery Stores

2012-01-08T13:19:00.000-08:00

When you live on the road, you take whatever grocery store the road gives you. When you walk for your groceries, your choices dwindle even further. And that is why I am so excited to have a new grocery store!

While traveling Walmart is my staple. They have everything you need, they carry RV supplies and they have very large parking lots. I have no problem patronizing these stores other than the fact that they have few organic products and it feels like I am shopping in a warehouse.

When I am stationary, sometimes I get a local grocery store and other times friends or family will take me shopping with them. Trader Joe's is one of my favorites. New Frontiers Natural Marketplace in Sedona, AZ is my absolute favorite. I want to live in that store. Whole Foods, Market of Choice are also top contenders. I drool just thinking about them. I love the shopping experience, the sights, smells and colors.

I miss variety. I spent the last several months with an Albertson's right across the street. It became my store and I appreciated its convenience. But by the end there was nothing new to excite or thrill me. I knew what they carried, which aisle held what item and it just became a boring process. I needed new stimulation.

At my current park I have a new grocery store just a short walk away, a Fry's Grocery Store. It has fresh food, fresh baked goods, beautiful meat and eye stimulation.

I am so excited to have a new grocery store!

Priscilla

2012-01-05T18:49:00.000-08:00

My aunt told me a woman might be calling me. She was a solo woman who had just begun living in an RV and might want some information and advice. Her name was Priscilla.

Priscilla did call, several times, and she told me about the good deal at my current park. She was going to be staying here the month of January and I was looking forward to spending some time with her and getting to know her better. We eventually met, went hiking together and spent some time chatting and shopping. Good having another solo woman to pal around with.

But soon enough Priscilla gave up the full timing and bought a house before I even moved over to this new park. Because her closing took longer than expected I did get a few days with her and yesterday went to see her new home. It is a very nice home in a very nice neighborhood in Tempe, AZ. It even has an RV gate into the large backyard where she can park her 29' motorhome.

All I could think of while viewing this wonderful house was how lonely it made me feel. I felt imprisoned, confined within this "box", within this street that had rows of other boxes.

I don't think I can ever live in a house again.

Priscilla Waiting for Moving Day

'Nother Park

2012-01-03T15:57:00.000-08:00

Aztec RV Park

Minnie and I have moved again, this time just a mile away. I have been swinging from deal to deal and for $407 (including tax) I get a month's site, electric, cable and wifi. It is still a concrete slab in Mesa, but the park is smaller, there are trees outside and I can hear the birds singing. The amenities are not as plush as the last park but it is fine for my wants and needs.

The main reason I am still even in Mesa is because I plan to attend a gathering in Quartsite, AZ this month for at least a few days. Dry camping pushes me waaaaaay out of my comfort zone but I am interested in meeting up with this group. I figure I will be good for at least a few days, maybe more if I can figure out electricity and my water holding tank. I like the comfort of plug-ins but want the freedom of open spaces. So it is a good time for a trial run and see what happens.

I also want to have Minnie cleaned inside and out this month, redo my much outdated website and actively pursue a summer job on the Oregon coast.

Right now the thought of all this makes me tired, but come tomorrow I hope to have more energy.

2012

2011-12-31T20:24:00.000-08:00

To all of you, may this be the year we have been waiting for, one of truly new beginnings. May it be a year full of surprises, love and bliss.

This year I am in Mesa, AZ. Last year I was in Truth or Consequences, NM and the year before in Navarre, FL.

How exciting to not know where I will be this time next year.

Slumber Party

2011-12-27T12:18:00.000-08:00

Day Two of the Slumber Party

Ralph the French Bulldog

Ben, Marisa and Ralph (the dog) came to visit. To spend time with these beautiful young adults was like walking in sunshine.

They are kind, thoughtful, playful, genuine and loving. Ben is everything a mother could want in a son and Marisa is the perfect complement. I have wondered and worried how my life choices have impacted my son's life, all those decisions I began making with his first breath into this world. I am spellbound by this person who is such a joy to be around and seems to have suffered no ill effects from my novice parenting. I can now lay all my doubts to rest.

Gave Up My Bed to the Kids and Dog

Me and Ben

Ben and Marisa

The best Christmas ever.

Solstice

2011-12-21T17:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Winter Solstice!

Welcome to the darkest day of the year.

12-20-2011

2011-12-21T11:50:00.000-08:00

December 20th is my actual birth date. I was very busy and missed too many phone calls. But I want to thank everyone for their phone calls, emails, comments, singing voice mails and thoughts that were sent my way.

It was one of my best birthdays.

Happy 60th Birthday

2011-12-19T15:34:00.000-08:00

So. This is 60.

I have used these years enjoying food, drink, friends and laughter.

I have traveled far and wide and met thousands upon my journeys.

I have danced in Greek tavernas, upon bar tops and to the beat of African drums.

I have married two men, and been a lover to many more.

I have born a son and known the joys of motherhood.

I have walked upon the earth in my bare feet and stood within ancient stone circles.

I have heard songs and music of such beauty it has caused me to weep.

I have seen much and long to see more.

My life has been one of remembering my Being and the wisdom that I hold.

I have lived a large and full life, filled with adventure and experience.

On the inside I feel 20 years old, and ancient with what I now know.

I don't miss my youth and embrace being an Elder.

But still wonder who that old woman could possibly be:).

Celtic Blessing

2011-12-19T12:56:00.000-08:00

Deep peace of the running wave to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the infinite peace to you.

Goldendoodles

2011-12-13T20:26:00.000-08:00

Maria says she got me one for my birthday:).

Line Dancin'

2011-12-12T19:42:00.000-08:00

As my one social event I have been going to line dancing on Monday nights. It is the beginner's class. This is what I have learned:

Electric Slide - got it
Tennessee Waltz - got it....FINALLY!
Various other dances that I have forgotten the names to, but the latest one was danced to Hey Good Lookin'

I am now feeling so confident and perky that I think I will go to the advanced class tomorrow night.

Tombstone Territories

2011-12-09T17:51:00.001-08:00

If you ever see this cover, be sure and honk!

After Bisbee I went to visit my friends Harold and Sue in Tombstone Territories RV Park (http://www.tombstoneterritories.com/site/Home.html). The minute I drove in I knew I wanted to stay there for at least a month.

These are the reasons I love the park:
1. Out in the middle of nowhere with wide open sky and large sites.
2. Even though it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, you are within easy driving distance of Tombstone, Bisbee, Benson, St. David's, and Sierra Vista, AZ.

Although there is no outdoor swimming pool (they have an indoor pool as well as a hot tub), the stunning scenery makes up for it, plus the extra large sites (40' x 80') are a bonus. Booked a site for the month of February.

I am glad I was able to revisit Tombstone without the slew of tourists and could see it though Harold's eyes. Harold is a history buff as well as a ghost hunter and after a stagecoach tour I understand its appeal. Sometimes you just need to pass to that layer that is beneath the tourist level. I told Harold that if he wants to contact ghosts, go to the hanging gallows at 3:00 AM and skip those guided ghost tours. Oh, gawd, I think he wants me to actually go with him!

My draw was to the building where China Mary resided. Not surprisingly, it is now the home of a metaphysical store, the only such store in the town. The Land remembers:).

I found it fascinating that there are those that continue to recreate this time period. A man dressed like Doc Holiday was drinking out of the same style cup that was portrayed in the movie Tombstone. Of course I did not get the significance until Sue and Harold sent me home with the Tombstone movie to watch.

And now I am wondering, what the heck does "I'll be your huckleberry mean"?????

Bisbee, AZ

2011-12-07T15:32:00.000-08:00

I needed a getaway so I am now in Bisbee for the night.

I have been hearing about Bisbee for awhile and wanted to check it out as a possible home for the month of February. I like the town, lots of artisans, but not sure if I want to stay in this particular park for a month (http://queenminervpark.parks.officelive.com/default.aspx). Not much of a park, the best thing going for it is that it is within walking distance of the town. Bisbee is also situated at over 5,000 feet so it is colder here, snow still on the mountains, which is another consideration.

Whether I want to stay here for a month has yet to be determined.

Bear Time

2011-12-01T11:50:00.001-08:00

Lately it has been difficult to write. Each year the dwindling light pulls me deep into the depths of my psyche, into the Bear cycle, this time of hibernation.

As the world careens into a frenzy of consumerism I retreat further into my inner world and the dark waters of solitude. I love this time of inner exploration and mysticism. So much information pours through me that there is not much time or space for external output.

It is Bear Time.

GPS

2011-11-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

I have been traveling with my garmin GPS since first purchasing Minnie. The Lady Garmin has been my constant companion and she has gotten me to places far and wide. Sometimes when traveling in the middle of nowhere with no radio stations I have used her to count down the miles as my sole source of amusement.

She started behaving strangely and eventually could no longer keep a charge. I had to find my way back to Mesa twice without the benefit of my beloved GPS. Thankfully I now know the Phoenix route fairly well so with only a minor detour when I found myself on the way to Tucson, I have been able to navigate my way back home. But I knew it was time to purchase a new garmin and I now have a new one.

Will this new garmin be as good as my old one? Will the voice be the same? Will we be able to bond the same as the last one? Can I trust this new garmin?

Only time and a road trip will have the answer. I am thinking about a trip next month to Tombstone to check out a park and see how this new garmin performs.

Things may never be the same without my lovely Lady.

11-11-11

2011-11-14T12:30:00.000-08:00

My travels have now taken me back to Mesa.

My last few days in Sedona found me once again in Jerome, in a saloon drinking whiskey and shooting pool, followed by a full moon drumming circle on Cathedral Rock.

Scout left early on Friday morning, along with neighbor Chris. They had made a connection and had plans to rendezvous at Joshua Tree. Haven't heard from Scout, but my guess is they spent a pleasant evening amidst spectacular scenery. 'Nuff said about that:).

On 11-11-11 I also made a connection in the form of a woman named Crystal. I found myself the only person in the store (http://www.angelsofenlightenment.com/) and within a few minutes we had connected, knew one another and I found myself channeling a message to her. Within another few minutes it was over, people entered the store and Crystal and I hugged, knowing it was a precious moment in time where hearts connect.

It was a day of connections and isn't that what 11-11-11 was all about?

Scout

2011-11-09T15:18:00.000-08:00

Everyday I send Many Faces out into the world as my scout. She is up early and reports back on the weather conditions, the energy of the day and the general vibe. I never get out of bed until she gives me the report of the day.

She is also the scout on our hikes as she goes ahead of me and warns me of any conditions on the path that may need extra attention.

She is fearless, knows no stranger and is a great gatherer of information. She is my Scout.

Magic

2011-11-09T15:10:00.000-08:00

'Nother Day, 'Nother Face

Yesterday was a relatively quite day for me. I think I was just on energy overload and needed a day to integrate. Many Faces road her bike to and from yoga, went for a hike and then went for a bike ride with our neighbor Chris. I went for the hike, and that was enough, other than a shower.

For dinner we all congregated in Minnie for pizza and conversation but even then I just stayed at home and allowed the pizza to be brought to me. Odd day, even odder evening.

Today I went for the one of the most magical hikes of my life, and I have been on some magical hikes. We started toward Steamboat Rock but got side tracked to Grasshopper Point in the Coconino National Forest. In a world where it is hard to find a parking place, we arrived and found we were the only car. The hike was mystical, magical and many dimensional. We passed through Boulder Land, Fairy Land, Sunny Vale and Pinon Forest, all names we made up as we passed from one dimension to another. We ended up at a creek with Three Sisters, three majestic trees that had grown around a boulder and was the perfect place to sit and meditate. If, or when, I live here, it is the place I would return to time and time again.

I would happily live in these woods for the rest of my life.

Boars Gone Wild

2011-11-07T20:35:00.000-08:00

Another Day, Another Face, Same Clothes

The day started cold with a wintry mix. We started the day with massages and eventually made our way to the Sedona Meditation Center (http://www.sedonameditationcenter.org/). We stayed to enjoy the public meditation room with a huge quartz crystal in the center of the room. Absolute bliss.

When we could finally pull ourselves away from our meditations we drove to Jerome but because of the lateness of the day we didn't stay and explore as long as we would have liked. It's that whole thing about not being able to drive at night and we made it back to the rv site just as it was turning very dark.

After dinner we heard a loud ruckus outside and when we turned on the light, there they were, a family of boars looting the cooler. They made off with coffee, bread and an ice pack and nothing we did could scare them off. Not shouting, not the outdoor light, not the light of the camera's flash.

Strangest experience I have ever had at an rv park.

Sedona, AZ

2011-11-06T21:20:00.000-08:00


Just One of Many Faces

I am now in Sedona for the week sharing Minnie with my gypsy soul sister, who has now been renamed Woman of a Thousand Faces. I have never met anyone whose face so constantly changes! She recently left Crested Butte, CO and has been living in her car until her next "home" shows up. I have invited her to sleep inside Minnie since the nights have been so cold in Sedona. We have hiked, shopped and eaten and are struck by how similar we are to one another. Unfortunately that means neither of us has a sense of direction, neither of us drive well at night, neither of us cooks and our Venus in Scorpio makes for some very interesting male encounters.

The Crystal Skulls (http://crystalskulls.com/13-crystal-skulls.html) ceremony is tomorrow but it is not as public as I originally thought and only a limited amount of the "public" are allowed to attend with a price of $150. I will not be in attendance. I could rant, but I will just let it pass.

What will be public are many 11-11-11 ceremonies. This has been another added bonus to this trip to Sedona.

I love Sedona. I want to move to Sedona. I have not felt so at home since Glastonbury.

Gifts

2011-10-29T19:41:00.000-07:00

I still don't have my laptop back so no pictures until I do. I plan to pick up the new and improved version next week on my way to Sedona.

The Mayan Elders are traveling the US with the sacred Crystal Skulls and one of the planned stops is Sedona. Two years ago I was in Sedona for the Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, now I will be there for the Thirteen Crystal Skulls. It has been an interesting two years since I was last in the presence of the Skulls and I am pleased and surprised that this is my next "mission". I am meeting up with the gypsy soul sister I met while in Truth or Consequences and looking forward to the magic the two of us create.

The new iPad was on my birthday wish list so I gave myself an early present and that is what I have been using until the return of my laptop. I love it, but it does not replace my laptop. The main problem is I can't get Espn3 so I missed all football games today (go Big Red!), I can't get Adobe Flash, copy and paste functions seem to be a real hassle and I can't download pictures from my camera. What I love is that I can read a book, watch a movie, browse the Internet and listen to Pandora with such a small, portable devise and when there is no wi-fi available I can connect through Verizon on a month to month basis.

Happy early birthday to me:).

Transition

2011-10-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

For 10 years I was a childbirth educator and for a few years I was a labor and delivery doula. During that time I was present for many women during their labors and the birth of their babies. It was during those years that I became intimate with the phase in childbirth known as transition.

It is during this phase that labor becomes the most challenging, women ask for drugs and feel they can no longer endure. Contractions become very intense, very close together. This is usually what is shown on tv when women become she-devils, lashing out at anyone in their path. Sometimes it is the only way they know to get them through their pain.

That has been my experience lately as we humans are transiting to the next level. From earthquakes, floods, droughts and Occupy Wall Street, we are all undergoing a birthing process and are in the transition phase and it can feel daunting.

I have been in the birthing phase for 10 years, the same amount of time I taught Lamaze, and I will be glad when I can finally push this baby into a new world.

Should Be

2011-10-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

Just back from my sister's wedding in North Carolina.

Computer should be back from its repairs this week.

Should be back in Mesa soon.

Should be blogging soon.....

99 Degrees

2011-10-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

I know it is not in the triple digits, but 99 can still feel a lot like 100. After the cooler climates of the higher elevations I am not prepared for these hot days.

I get to the pool everyday, but an hour is about all I can stand before I retreat back into my air conditioned motor home. Thankfully the sun sets around 6:00 PM and around 9 or 10 PM I can turn off the air and open the windows. I don't do the heat very well and this morning I turned the air on before 10:00 AM. That is how hot it is.

It is no wonder I have no concept of the seasons. The calendar says mid-October, my inner sense believes it is August. July in Oregon felt like October.

By November it should feel like June. If this all makes you dizzy, imagine how I feel!

What I Wouldn't Do

2011-10-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

My sister is in love. She has reconnected with a high school sweetheart and they are so in love that they have decided to celebrate this love through marriage. What started as a small event has now grown to include all the family members as well as first cousins. And with that, I needed to find clothes to get me through four days of festivities.

My recent shopping sprees gave me a good start but now I needed to put everything together. I went through my entire wardrobe mixing and matching, throwing things on the bed, trying on multiple outfits with multiple accessories. With limited space and no full length mirror, this was not as easy as it used to be, took several hours and left Minnie in a state of total disorder.

But the decisions have been made, the packing has begun and I am looking forward to this most blessed of events.

What I wouldn't do for my sister.....

Back in Arizona

2011-10-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

I am back in Mesa, Arizona at Val Vista Village. They had a special offer of 3+ months for a total of $695 which was too good to pass up since I need to be in the area. Next week I am catching a flight to North Carolina for my sister's wedding and I can also be here for the family gatherings at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Nothing compares to City of Rocks, but it meets my needs at the moment.

Last year I was here during the peak season and it feels quite empty in comparison. Yesterday I was the only one in the swimming pool. The only other people were a man and a woman sitting at a shaded table. Soon after I entered the pool the woman joined me and started up some conversation. Very quickly she asked me if I wanted to go to Rocky Point, Mexico the next day with her and her male friend. They would only be spending the one night. I thought this invitation a bit odd and it got even stranger when she continued to tell me stories of women sharing men. Ok, enough of that, thanks but no thanks.

I do believe I was propositioned in the swimming pool.

Rally

2011-10-11T12:51:00.000-07:00


Steve's Dog Bridget

It was my first rally. There were four humans and four dogs. Minnie managed to accommodate four humans and two dogs for our first evening meal together and I loved every moment I spent with this wonderful group of kindred souls.

Brian

Dina, Brian's Traveling Companion

Brian (http://manywheelsbrian.blogspot.com/) traveled in from Truth or Consequences and reaffirmed why I love that town so much. We had some wonderful conversations while surrounded by the towering Standing Stones at City of Rocks. He only stayed two nights but I hope to meet him again somewhere in our travels.

My Favorite Camp Site


Another Camp Site

It was a challenge to choose a favorite site since they were all spectacular and had names such as Perseus, Andromeda, Cetus, Cepheus and Cassiopeia. In the end the clear winner was Cassiopeia which had a massive oracle stone within the circle and I spent some time just sitting within this group of rocks.

On Saturday Steve drove Robi (http://tumbleweedsandlemonade.blogspot.com/) and I to Pinos Altos which is a funky Old West town. I liked it much more than Tombstone, AZ which had too many tourists, too many stores and basically, just too much. What Pinos Altos also had was a saloon with some of the best food your money can buy. We were all surprised by the quality chef that works here and Robi thought he should go up against Bobby Flay while I thought he should go on Chopped. What we were most impressed with was what he managed to do with the green chilis from Hatch, NM but I am sure all of his food is exceptional. If ever in the area, check out Buckhorn Saloon (http://www.pinosaltos.org/great_businesses_and_destinations_in_Pinos_Altos.php?r=11,re5gy)
Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of Steve or Robi, too busy enjoying their company to make it a kodak moment. But I am sure we will gather again and I will try to get photos next time around.

Sunset at City of Rocks

I was in City of Rocks for four days. It was too short but long enough to let me know I will be back.

City of Rocks State Park, NM

2011-10-05T17:35:00.000-07:00

Inside the Stonehenge Circle

Lately I have been thinking a lot about standing stone circles. I have visited the famous circles of Stonehenge, Avebury and Stanton Drew and numerous unnamed circles in Scotland. But nothing quite compares to the HUGE stones I have found at City of Rocks. They are everywhere and I have only begun to explore and experience the energy and history they hold.

And I find it quite fitting that the name of the site which will be my home until I decide to leave is Xena.

Hopefully I will get some pictures taken tomorrow but until then, thank you Steve (http://haven106.blogspot.com/) for this most delicious of invitations.

Roller Coaster

2011-10-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

My life has been a roller coaster after that evening of perfection.

I spent several days in Elephant Butte and when my pain body started sending stabs of pain through my body, it was back to Riverbend for another night of soaking. Amazing how those healing waters can soothe away all my aches and pains.

While there I met a woman who claimed herself a Medicine Woman. I appreciated her honesty but it was another example of what I fear, an assumption that somehow that knowledge makes one superior to others. It is that fear I continue to struggle with and keeps me riding in the back of the bus. Maybe some day I will get the balance just right.

My ex-husband continues to slide further into a bottomless pit of alcoholism and I wonder daily if today will be the day I will be called back to Eugene to help my son through that process. I have no familiarity with death and hope I will have the strength needed to see us to the other side.

I wish life were always those moments of perfection, but life is an adventure to be experienced and I bought my ticket for the roller coaster, with all its ups and downs.

Perfection

2011-09-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I feel my life with such perfection that it takes my breath away. Tonight was one of those times.

The sky was huge, wide and dark, with an endless array of stars and other worldly ships that I do not believe were satellites. They glided through the sky with silence and splendor and I watched them until they blinked out of sight.

I sat in hot mineral springs that soothed my body and looked out upon the Rio Grande as I watched a man paddle by standing upon his surf board.

I listened to achingly beautiful music as a father and son shared their love of music with the small crowd gathered outdoors and reveled in the perfect evening.

It was a night of perfection. It was a night where I felt like I was 20 years old again and the world offered endless possibilities.

It was a night where I remembered my love of this land called New Mexico.

T or C Revisited

2011-09-28T17:12:00.000-07:00

After a week of swimming in the perfect outdoor pool in Albuquerque I am now back in Truth or Consequences. Specifically, I am parked in an RV site across from Riverbend Hot Springs (http://www.riverbendhotsprings.com/) and somehow I am shocked at the heat of these hot springs. After the cool waters of Albuquerque my body was quite confused when I stepped into these outdoor waters and found them too hot to handle. I don't remember them being so hot, or maybe it's because the last time I sat in these springs it was January and barely 20 degrees outside and today it is close to 90. What a difference.

It feels good to be back and see the latest changes that have been made and reconnect with friends. Another big bonus is that there is an outdoor concert on the deck this evening so while I soak and gaze into the stars I can also listen to live music. Bo-Nus! The RV sites have been de-weeded and new gravel have made them more level so I am even more pleased to be back for a short visit.

It is also new moon time so the skies should be glorious for night viewing. Wishing and hoping to catch a falling star.

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

2011-09-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

No, I am not in Florida, but it is the last time I can remember that I had a swimming pool right outside my front door. So, yes, I have decided to stay a week.

The weather has been perfect, highs in the low 80s and night time temperatures in the high 40s to low 50s. I don't need to run my air conditioner or my heater. My windows remain open at all times as I enjoy the cool breeze and the song of the birds and what I think are cicadas. I am a bit close to the highway so I get the freeway noises but with a certain adjustment to my hearing I can imagine it is the sound of ocean waves.

I settled in a bit more today by putting up my curtains, cleaning windows, emptying tanks and cleaning sinks and counters.

Now off to read a good book....

Albuquerque, New Mexico

2011-09-21T15:01:00.000-07:00

I love this park. I stayed here for three days last year and like it even more this year. These are the reasons why I love this park:

1. The friendliest people work here.
2. They escort you to your site and helped me back-in, total bonus.
3. They have a free continental breakfast each morning.
4. They have the best gift shop ever. I spent lots of money last year and looks like I will be spending more this time around.
5. The outdoor swimming pool, ahhhh, the outdoor swimming pool! The temperature is perfect (I like it cool enough to be refreshing), it is never too crowded and if there are people in the pool they are likely to also be the friendliest people.
6. I have a shaded spot right across from the swimming pool and sparkling shower facilities.
7. Good wifi and 48 cable channels.
8. It feels like I am staying at a resort.

I am thinking about staying a week.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

2011-09-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

Nice Site

With a Nice Side Yard

Santa Fe is a bit of a let down. Maybe it is because after shopping in Manitou Springs, Colorado and Taos I have no desire to do more shopping and Santa Fe is just a much bigger city.

I am in a 55+ community park (http://www.trailerranch.com/) because the benefit was that it is on the city bus line. I was able to take the bus into downtown Santa Fe and explore to my heart's content, which didn't take long. I found it very expensive and without the charm of Taos. But, I did eat some fabulous Mexican food so was glad I made the trip into town.

It has been an odd sort of day. Future plans seem to have no alignment and I am still not certain of my next direction.

I take it one day at a time but that is as far as I can see.

Taos, New Mexico

2011-09-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

Taos Valley RV Park

My plans changed once again and with a strong pull to New Mexico, I found myself in Taos instead of Crested Butte, Colorado.

Yesterday I replenished supplies and walked to a Mexican restaurant and today I spent time visiting all the art galleries Taos has to offer. The very first gallery I was drawn into had spell binding canvases of an artist's interpretation of the Divine Feminine. They were stunning and I have now replaced my previous art work with the works of Kimberly Webber (http://www.kimberlywebber.com/gallery.html). This is the poster I purchased:

Welcome, Isis, to my travels with Minnie.

Peyton, Colorado

2011-09-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

I have been staying at Maria's house for a few days. The land is stunning and between the four dogs, two cats, two birds and one horse, it is a full house. She took this picture of a double rainbow that appeared just as I was preparing to do a clearing for a friend of hers. I couldn't figure out how to make the picture larger so it will just have to suffice. Trust me, it was amazing.

Cheyenne, Wyoming

2011-09-14T14:55:00.000-07:00

Made it across Wyoming today, most of it beautiful and glorious, until I saw those dark clouds coming in. After that it was wind, rain and fog. Seems I drove right into a cold front.

It may have been a mistake to drive past Laramie and on into Cheyenne as the weather continued to worsen but I am at the KOA in Cheyenne and settled in for the night. The pool is drained and closed and the weather at 4:00 PM is 48 degrees. Looks to be 37 degrees tonight. I have my heater on so I am warm and dry as I look outside at the blowing wind and fog that keeps getting thicker. Just a few days ago I was sweltering in 90 degree weather.

Should be interesting to see what tomorrow brings.

(As an aside, no more pictures until my computer gets fixed).

Still In Evanston

2011-09-13T16:29:00.000-07:00

I decided to stay another night. It's not much of a park, but it is peaceful and I have grass and trees and no hurry to get anywhere anytime soon. Just having fun watching all the RVs pull in for the night.

Back on the road tomorrow.

Evanston, Wyoming

2011-09-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

I drove over 400 miles today and am now in Evanston, WY. It was one of those days that just feels really good to be out on the open road and the scenery was spectacular. I had forgotten how beautiful Utah is and am looking forward to driving across Wyoming. Not sure if I will stay at this park one or two nights. It has yet to be decided.

My tanks were getting a bit full so yesterday I wanted to dump the grey and the black. I had put it off when I first arrived figuring I could do it later in the day when the temperature cooled down. While I was waiting a neighbor pulled up in the site next to me which meant my dumping valve was now in his front yard and the sites were relatively close. I sat in Minnie and listened to him on his cell phone, hoping he would soon go into his RV and I could come out and dump. No such luck. He drank a beer, smoked his cigar and chatted with the man with the monkey who was parked across the street.

I noticed this man with the monkey when I pulled in as he was doing one of those "check you out" looks. Subtle, but noticeable. Ugh, for sure I am not going out to dump while this guy is still around. Eventually man with the monkey left, it was getting late and it was now or never so out I went.

From my experience, there is always a bit of an odor when you attach your sewage hose and dump. I try to keep my hose as clean as possible but when you open up the RV and ground pipes, there is just gonna be some odor. I apologized to my neighbor if there was some odor but he has been RVing for 25 years and was very understanding. We kept chatting as I was trying to get my gloves on, hook up the hose and open the valves. With all this chatting it was taking some time and next thing I knew monkey man is back for more conversation. Ugh again, but here he is, man with a monkey on his back.

Man With The Monkey

You never know what sights you will see from your RV site.

Caldwell, Idaho

2011-09-11T17:13:00.000-07:00

Minnie looks a little tilted, kinda the same way her driver has been. But I am back on the road and stopped for the night just outside of Boise, ID.

My two hour massage while in Eugene turned into a three hour massage and moved massive chunks of energy. The River of Life that flows through our bodies had numerous log jams and my masseuse, Lilly Crowheart, helped me breathe new life into all those stuck areas. I walked out calm, peaceful and shifted. Nothing felt the same and all my previous plans no longer seemed to fit. I am still not sure what the "plan" is, but I am moving and hopefully things will fall into place.

I spent the last two nights in Bend, OR and put in a six hour drive today crossing the eastern section of Oregon and then into Idaho. Wide open spaces, good tunes and beautiful scenery, just the way I like it.
Outdoor swimming pools the past two days have been an added bonus in this hot weather.

It feels good to be back on the wide open road.

After the Hood

2011-09-07T11:41:00.000-07:00

Minnie has been power cleaned and a small chip in the windshield has been repaired thanks to Safelite.

Aaron, my slave boy of the day, cleaned my windshield and even vacuumed the entryway. It is not often you get that kind of service, with a smile:).

Now it is my turn as I have an appointment for a two hour massage this afternoon.

It is all good after the Hood.

Fire

2011-09-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

Dollar Lake Fire

Saturday morning I was sitting outside enjoying my coffee and the sunshine when suddenly the day light took on a golden hue. At first I thought it was the sun reflecting off a nearby vehicle but I soon realized it was a huge cloud of smoke that was billowing in off the mountain. The air became thick with smoke and the mountain ridges that surround the Hood became increasing harder to view. As the day and evening wore on my eyes started to burn and there was a thick smell of smoke.

During the day campers started to show up that had been evacuated further up the mountain and I was starting to get a bit concerned with every new piece of information. My main concern was the thought of evacuating 300 RV sites with only one road leading down the mountain. A fellow workamper came to give me a heads-up to be prepared as the fire was spreading. Add to this the non-stop phone calls and inquiries from the campers in the park as to updates on the fire and you have a fairly hectic day. Matters got even worse as the heat and fire added fuel to an already exhausted staff and one woman's anger came blasting out at me. It was the first time in my two summers at the Hood that I felt so unsafe that I locked my door before going to sleep.

The heat continued on into Sunday but the smoke was starting to lessen. By now I was weary of the angry woman's drama and wanted to leave what now felt like an inferno of fire, heat and emotions. As she stomped and shrilled and pouted, my last and only words to her were a joyful "Yee-haw!". No sense in adding any more fuel to her fire.

I finished work at 2:00 PM, packed everything up and said some tearful good-byes. By 3:30 PM I was on the road and back in Eugene by 6:30 PM, back at the Deerwood RV Park and back enjoying Maria's company who is parked across from me.

It feels so good to be back.

High

2011-09-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning with an energetic high. It feels like I have been waiting for this energy for a long time. It is this high that gets me excited, motivated and buzzing.

I have made reservations for the first two nights after I leave the Hood and reservations for the few months I will be in Mesa, AZ. I have hired someone to wash Minnie, cooked food and cleaned the grill. Three more work days and I will be released from my commitment, confinement.

Getting excited, excited, excited. I am ready for the next adventure.

It's Been Good In The Hood

2011-08-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

My summer job is almost over as there are only two weeks left. In retrospect it has been a good summer, much better than last year's experience. I have kept more to myself this year and maybe that has helped, or it may be because I knew what to expect this time around and let it slide over my head instead of wallowing in the experience. It has been good in the Hood, but I will also be ready to move on down the road when the time comes.

Jan of Jan and Peter

Since moving to my third site of the summer I have been doing more socializing. I visit with my neighbors Jan and Peter several times a week and accepted an invitation to dinner with the "full-time" employees of the park. They are starting to feel like family and made me think I might want to come back again next year. Time will tell.

This coming week-end is Huckleberry Festival, my favorite weekend of the summer. There will be flutes playing, salmon baking, buffalo burgers cooking and merchandise selling. My eight hour shift on Friday will be split between Thursday and Friday to accommodate the 98 RVs coming in on Thursday. Although it means I will be working four days in a row it will also give me most of the day on Friday to enjoy the festival before I go on shift at 5:30 PM.

After Huckleberry there is just Labor Day and then a quick exit. Colorado is next on the agenda with visits to Maria and my gypsy soul sister. After that.....who knows.

Dragonfly

2011-08-10T12:23:00.000-07:00

I can't remember the last time I saw a Dragonfly but there it was this morning, sitting on the fire pit grill showing off its beautiful iridescent colors and wowing me with it spectacular beauty. I sat with the Dragonfly while I had my morning coffee but as soon as I grabbed my camera to take a picture it flew away.

It flew off to dance with a Butterfly.

I love my new site:).

Third Time's The Charm

2011-08-09T14:53:00.000-07:00

I have changed sites again. I was growing weary of the cold, dark site I have been in since August lst so decided to try another site that is much sunnier. So I took my heels and moved.

Profitable Day

2011-08-04T19:22:00.000-07:00

I was up early and down the road to Sandy. I had a dental appointment so while in Sandy took the opportunity to renew my Oregon driver's license which is due to expire in December. The only thing I really needed to accomplish while in Oregon this summer has now been accomplished.

I parked Minnie on the street and eventually found the dental office. Whoa, this is some state of the art facility! The waiting room was gorgeous and soon after signing in I was given a tour of the various rooms, all the time thinking, "this is going to cost me". There were large screen TVs on the ceilings, in house restoration services and all the other bells and whistles that go along with the new age of dentistry.

I liked the dentist, he explained in detail what needed to be done and assured me nothing else looked to be a problem. That was all good news and since I already anticipated the need for a crown there were no real surprises.

I was escorted from the exam room to the appointment office with a parting gift of a boutique bag filled with tissue paper, toothbrush, toothpaste, lip gloss, coffee mug, etc. and once again I thought, "this is going to cost me".

And sure enough, it is going to cost me. The medical bills I just paid off will now be replaced with a dental bill. Another 2 1/2 hours at the dentist next week and my mouth should be good to go and my credit card bill will rise once again.

Yes, it was a profitable day, just not for me.

It's Been A Rough One

2011-08-01T16:12:00.000-07:00

Banshee

I got through the emotional well of missing my son.

Through a little help from friends I scored some antibiotics which is getting me through a marauding infection that started to cruise through my body.

I experienced the most chaotic work day of the last two years where it felt like the rafters were shaking and energetic darts were flying through the store. I believe it was the Irish woman who brought this energy in and stirred it up even further when she returned to the store. There was no stopping this energy even though I firmly announced "Mothers, get control of your children!". When the Irish woman left, so did the energy.

Just when I thought things were starting to settle down I lost a portion of a tooth.

And today I pulled up camp and moved to my new site for the next month.

Laughter seems to be the only way of moving through this current imbalance.

I Miss My Son

2011-07-26T19:35:00.000-07:00

I miss my son. I miss him so much my heart hurts.

I wonder if it is different when the child leaves instead of the mother leaving. I wonder if there are times when he needs me and I am not there. I wonder if this is a natural process that all mothers go through when their children become adults and lead independent lives. I wonder if I would feel less guilt if he were the one that came back home to visit instead of me traveling the roads back to Oregon. I wonder how a divorced mother and father will affect his life. I wonder what the world will hold for him and what it will offer in the way of sadness and happiness. I wonder if some day he will find a woman to share his life with and if someday he too will have a son that he will miss.

All I know is that today, I miss my son.

Maps

2011-07-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

I spent some time with a fellow workamper last night. He was already starting to plan his route after his stint here is over and wanted to show me the route. My first instinct was "please, DON'T bring out the map!", but his enthusiasm was catching and I relented. I knew it was waaaay too soon for me to think about the next journey.

There is nothing like a road atlas. The thrill of all the unexplored states, roads and scenery gets to me every time. And it did this time as well. I started to share his route with him, where will the road take him, what roads have I already traveled and what information can I share. He and his wife are heading for Mississippi and Florida and I have sent him to Peg Leg Pete's in Pensacola, FL for oysters and Navarre Beach, FL for a great RV park, remembering the wonderful time I had my first winter on the road.

It was then that I started to look at the map for my own route come September. It will be a route I have traveled before but not with Minnie. The route takes me to Boise, ID, Cheyenne, WY and down through Colorado and into New Mexico. My heart starts to beat a little faster with excitement.

It is too soon, too soon and I have to reel myself back in to stay in the present moment. I knew I shouldn't have looked at that map!

Blistering Heat Wave

2011-07-20T19:06:00.000-07:00

No, there is no blistering heat wave up in the Oregon mountains, I merely use it to remind myself that things could be worse, so much worse.

Yesterday I drove to Sandy and for a brief moment all I could think of was driving until I met with the Sun. I had to remind myself that I did not have my water or sewer hose with me and I had no clue as to which direction the elusive Sun was hiding. It is now the middle of July and it remains cool and rainy.

The pattern has been that on the weekends it turns warm and sunny, just in time for me to go to work, and as soon as my work week ends, the clouds and cool weather returns. Good for the weekend campers, not so good for me.

T-shirt

2011-07-20T18:54:00.000-07:00

Ok, here is the t-shirt, although I am not wearing it. Couldn't quite figure out how to take a picture of myself wearing the tee, but thought the tree might look good:). Bear in mind there are few of these in existence.

Wish I could wear this during my shift instead of the gawd awful polo shirt.

Wild Wild West

2011-07-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

I have tried to enjoy myself as much as possible the last two weekends. There is an activities' theme each weekend and last weekend was Wild Wild West. The weekend before was Hawaiian. I wore flowers in my hair and adorned myself with shells for Hawaiian weekend and wore denim and a cowboy hat for Wild Wild West. Add some karaoke music into the mix and I danced and sang my way through my Saturday shifts. It was great entertainment for everyone who came into the office. The good thing about having these themes is that if I wear some type of costume it gets me out of my dreaded polo shirt.

I also entered a coloring contest and won the T-shirt I have coveted since last year. This T-shirt is not for sale and no matter how much I tried to woo the manager into giving me one, the only way to score one of these T-shirts is through a "win". Every time I would see someone wearing this T-shirt I would go green with envy. Jean, my co-worker, also coveted one of these shirts and when she wore her Native American wardrobe she finally won one for best costume.

It was a Yippee Ka Yea kind of weekend and it finally feels like I am working at a resort instead of the Hood.

Fooled Again

2011-07-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

I was fooled again. I thought summer had arrived with the 1st of July, but once again the rain and cool weather has returned. I am glad I am not suffering through the heat wave of the Plains or the humidity of the South, but I am rethinking my love of Oregon summers.

I try to keep myself busy with reading, sewing and mahjong but today was bad enough that I finally went to the fitness center to get some much needed physical exercise. A couple of miles on the bike and a mile on the treadmill showed me just how out of shape I have become. How did this happen!?? Not that long ago 25 miles on my bike was nothing more than a pleasant experience. Is it age or this particular life style?

Tomorrow it is back to the fitness center.

Repairs

2011-07-07T18:28:00.000-07:00

The light over my vanity sink went out. Seemed like an easy fix, just put in a new bulb. That didn't work even though I tried two different bulbs so it looked like I might need a new light switch. I needed some other work done as well so I called in the mobile repair service.

I am embarrassed to say that it actually was just a new light bulb that was needed but who whoulda thought there were two nipple and one nipple bulbs that look exactly alike?? Looks like I have a supply of incorrect bulbs so that is now on my list of things to buy. Even though I felt like a fool when the light came on with a new bulb, it was good to learn something new.

He also replaced the electric board in my heater and put in a new thermostat so I am ready for winter when it rolls around again. The last thing on my list was to re-caulk around my kitchen sink where the caulking had started to peel away.

He was here for an hour, completed my list of repairs and charged me less than $200. The heater board was used, not new, but I am still thinking it was not a bad deal. After all, gaining new knowledge is priceless.

4th of July

2011-07-05T13:33:00.000-07:00


Donna with her July 4th Hair

Summer finally arrived with the first of July. It is warm with a cool breeze and the skies are a brilliant blue. There is nothing like an Oregon summer and it feels wonderful to at long last sleep with the windows open and be able to sit outside to blog.

Along with the warm weather and holiday weekend came kids, kids and more kids to the park. And there is nothing kids love more than candy! Between selling ice, firewood and candy, I barely had a moments rest the three days I worked. All the workers felt the strain of our busiest weekend this summer and we breathed a sigh of relief when the park thinned out and we could once again enjoy some peace. But, I must say, it was one of my more enjoyable 4ths. Because no fireworks are allowed in the park, I did not have to suffer the usual war noises that make me cringe when this particular holiday passes my way. The worst of it was the smoke that permeated the air due to fires built with wet wood.

Neighbor Jeff always makes sure he has dry wood and because he does love his fires, another load was delivered. The entertainment for the adults was watching the younger men split large rounds of wood until their young bodies had enough. It didn't take too long:).


Lots Of Splitting Left To Do


Nothing Like A Bark Fire

My other entertainment was live music on Saturday evening and karaoke on Sunday. There is not enough alcohol in the world to make me take up the microphone but I finally understand its appeal. It is the thrill of never knowing what voice will come out of the person taking the stand and the joy of listening to someone who can really sing after so many who can't. And I caught a brief glimpse of why people do this. After listening for awhile, even I thought I could sing better:).

I'm Not Ready

2011-06-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

I relish my four days off. I spend time with the trees, the birds and the squirrels, rarely having human conversation. I meditate and remain as still and peaceful as possible. I need those days to prepare me for the bedlam that awaits me come my Friday work day.

It doesn't matter whether 30 or 200 people are checking in on Friday. I know as soon as I walk in the door I will be slammed with swirling chaos. Part of it is because it is Friday and some of the full time staff are making sure all their work is done for the weekend. It is a Friday frenzy so they can be worry free over the weekend.

A larger part is because there are too many people trying to work in too small a space. The office/store is set up with two phones, two chairs and two computers. The space behind these work stations barely allows for one person to move back and forth as needed. When I come to work I make a third person and an hour later another employee clocks in which makes for four people. Do the math, and there are two people with their fingers up their butts (as Jean would say).

Now, the reasoning behind the four employees at the same time, and overlapping for several hours, is that this is the busiest time of the week. Because it is so busy, two people will be working the outside booth for check-ins and two people will be in the store answering the phones and taking care of store purchases. This is reasonable and logical.

However, I must always remember that this is the Hood, aka the Fun House. It is the craziest of crazy places and if people don't want to work in the booth, why then of course, don't open the booth. To my knowledge management does not question why the booth is not open and there are two extra employees milling around the store, underfoot and idle. It makes no sense but what it does do is add to the general air of confusion and disorganization. The seasonal help see this happen week after week, but the full time employees rule the work place and they are the ones that say when and if this magical booth opens. I have learned to keep my mouth shut and stay out of the way. But that is why I know that on any given Friday, chaos will reign.

And because I know this, I rest as much as possible on my four days off. But this week has been particularly busy. There was the trip to Sandy on Tuesday which ate up a big chunk of the day and then Wednesday I had to deal with the multiple steps of straightening out my pay check's direct deposit. My cell phone has died so I am dealing with getting a new battery and then there was the extra laundry since rugs needed to be washed and on and on and on. Just one of those weeks.

I deal with whatever comes my way, nothing else to do, but I do not feel as rested as I usually do on my Thursdays. But come tomorrow I will once again enter the bedlam.

Oh, I am so not ready.

Places, So Many Places

2011-06-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

I have traveled far and wide. I have been through every State except for Alaska. I have lived in Iowa, North Carolina, Washington, Louisiana, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Florida, Arkansas, Nebraska and Oregon.

I have traveled to Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, England, Cornwall, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Spain. I have also lived in Greece.

I am from many places. Where I call "home", I can't say. As my friend Maria just emailed, I am a Woman of Many Lands.

Summer Solstice

2011-06-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

The sun and warm weather came with the Solstice. In celebration I drove to Sandy to replenish supplies and was treated to a glorious view of Mt. Hood. I tend to forget that I reside just a few miles from this mountain where olympiads train because snow remains throughout the year.

Similar to my view while driving

Elsewhere, the weather ranges from fires to flooding to tornadoes. Having lived in so many states, it hits home when I see pictures of flooded bridges in Nebraska and fires in Arizona and New Mexico. I know those bridges, know the land that is ravaged by fires. . I know the reactor in Fort Calhoun, NE that is now surrounded by water. I know the infamous soda fountain in Iowa that may now be completely flooded. I know the stadium in Omaha where a tornado forced the college world series spectators to flee as the sirens blared. I have boated on the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and have seen some of the dams which have now become overloaded.

I sit in awe at these extremes in weather, knowing there is more to come and wondering what shape the earth will take after this massive cleansing.

My daily concerns seem so small when viewed from such a large perspective.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

2011-06-19T18:06:00.000-07:00

I feel like I am getting webbed feet. The rain has been relentless and everyone is getting weary of so few dry and sunny days. The weather says next week will be sunny and warm.

One can only hope.

Neff

2011-06-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

This is my new neighbor, the Neff truck.

Understandably, I thought they were an ice cream truck. But no, they sell snowboard and skateboard head wear and other paraphernalia and will be my neighbors for the next month. My plan is to get some freebies, including ice cream, from the back of that truck.

Other than that, the work weekend was as exhausting as usual. Friday felt like one of those days where you are spinning plates as fast as you can, and plates are constantly being added. Made the day go by very quickly, but two more days on top of that left me feeling very drained.

The highlight was an amazing meal of stuffed grilled jalapeno peppers and a cheeseburger for my Saturday dinner. It is always so wonderful to come to a fire, friends and good food and all I have to do is plop down and enjoy. Thank you so much Jan and Kerri!

Rally

2011-06-08T17:50:00.000-07:00

A rally has come to the park. They started pulling in on Sunday and by Tuesday, these Allegro buses filled the vast majority of the park.

Approximately 160 of these big rigs came to rally and despite the cold and rain, the energy of the park picked up considerably. I was so glad I only worked 4 hours on Sunday as it was the busiest day I have worked this summer. By the time I go back to work on Friday, they should mostly all be gone.

I took a tour of these Allegros which range in size from 30 to 40 feet and feel massive compared to my 25 foot Minnie. They are gorgeous inside and out, with large bathrooms, TV screens and floor space. They even come equipped with washers and dryers.

But, I am always happy to retreat to my beloved Minnie Winnie and the comfort I find within my smaller confines.

The Week in Review

2011-06-02T15:36:00.000-07:00

Tent Going Down

It was cold and wet Memorial weekend and I was happy to go to work on Friday. By Saturday I was totally exhausted and could barely function. It is always a bit tough for me to get back into those 8 hour shifts. But I managed and at one point was pulled from the office to work in the check-in booth which was fast and furious and lots of fun. The numbers are down this year so it actually felt much easier than last year but it may just be because I feel more comfortable with the job this year.

The park and my back yard changed dramatically while I was at work and I came home to a totally changed neighborhood. I still did not have neighbors on my right or left, but the RVs behind me made it more of a trek to visit my weekend neighbors. Jeff and Colleen fed me brats, corn on the cob, potato salad and beans as we all huddled under the big tent for warmth. We were dry and Jeff had a roaring fire going at all times, but this cold weather has been very unusual.


Even Young Ben Looks Cold

I filled up with propane when I left New Mexico on January 15th. I did not need to fill my propane again until I arrived at the Hood on May 13th. Now, only a few weeks later, I need propane again. Because I can buy propane at a discount, I have been using my heater instead of the small electric heater I normally use. It has been so cold I have run the heat more consistently than I have in over a year and a half. Yep, it has been cold and damp.

The sun is supposed to return this weekend with temperatures possibly hitting the 80 degree mark and I am sure I won't be the only one happy to dry out and warm up.

I made a trip to Sandy, 17 miles away, on Tuesday to replenish supplies. I had to make my move when there was a break in the rain so even though I thought later in the week would be better and give me more time to prepare, everything was accomplished within a few hours time. Unhooked, outdoor furniture moved, inside prepared, down the road to Sandy, shop shop shop, back to the Hood, re-hook and re-situate.
After that out to dinner with co-workers as pizza and drinks were being paid for.

Wednesday rained all day so a good day to rest, read, clean the fridge and do some minor housekeeping. I did my laundry on Monday so today my only chores are roasting up a batch of veggies and taking a shower. And then it is back to work on Friday and a weekend that looks to be sunny and warm with not too many people checking in.

Life is good and my new puppy, Peaches, who really isn't mine but belongs to Jeff and Colleen, will be up to visit again in a few weeks times. Life is even better when a puppy is licking your face:).

Off Road

2011-05-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

Mary Ann, Sherita and Greg are now off road. What that means in RV lingo is that they are no longer living the RV life. Mary Ann has sold her beautiful Trek and Sherita and Greg are living in a large house re-accumulating all the possessions they rid themselves of to live in their RV home. RV life is just not for everyone.

Recently a few people have asked me if I am ready to be done with this lifestyle. I just look at them and laugh and say "No Way!". To date, this has been the lifestyle that suits me best.

I love living with the elements. I love waking up amongst the trees, listening to the birds, while at the same time savoring my inner sanctum. It offers all the joys of camping with all the amenities of home. I have always loved to travel but found it a challenge to be away from home. Now I travel with my home.

I don't mind walking to the laundry to wash my clothes. I don't mind using whatever facilities are available for my showers. I don't mind having a small kitchen to cook in and I don't mind emptying my sewage. I have learned to deal with whatever weather comes my way and I don't mind that sometimes I am cold, and sometimes I am hot.

I love not knowing where I will be after I leave wherever I am. I love the excitement of the next adventure, of the unknown that awaits. I love living within communities that constantly change and I love meeting new people. My life is temporary and I love how that feels.

I love that I am finally living my life.

One Down

2011-05-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

Just finished my first 20 hour week. I am exhausted but glad I had those first few days where it was quiet so I could start to remember all the things I have forgotten. Next weekend I will need to actually work.

My weekend neighbors have packed up and left for the week and it is once again quiet. I came home Saturday night to a gourmet meal of prime rib, shrimp, new potatoes, veggies, pie and a roaring fire. Such fabulous neighbors that I wish I had more time to spend with them during the weekends. I work 8 hours on Friday and Saturday so by the time I come home on Saturday night I feel somewhat drained with another 4 hours to work on Sunday. Not only am I working on Sundays this year, but I am working an earlier shift, 10 AM - 2 PM, so that may prove to be a bit of a challenge. Other than that, I do not regret coming back for another summer at the Hood as it feels comfortable and much calmer than last year.

One 20 hour shift done, more to come.

Sun, Glorious Sun

2011-05-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful last day of my vacation and the sun looks to be shining for a few more days. Glorious!

Jan, my neighbor from last year, pulled her RV over today so although I have a new site, she is right behind me and I look forward to our many conversations.

And so happy to have Hershey back as "my dog". He has grown up quite a bit since last summer and at three years old, is the sweetest and most beautiful dog.

I start work tomorrow and am actually looking forward to it. I have not worked in four months, which was wonderful, but am eager to work in an office once again and meet and greet all the people coming during the summer months.

Wonder how long it will last before I have had my fill.....

Say It Isn't So

2011-05-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

New Site

After much resistance, yes, it is true, I am back at Mt. Hood for the summer. For a brief moment I thought I might take a position in San Jose, CA, but the pull of the Mountain was much stronger and so I find myself back at the craziest of crazy places.

I chose a different site this time, one which gets much more sun (for when it finally stops raining!) and really like this site. A tree needed to have a bit of a haircut so my awning could fully extend and with a gift of firewood, I feel somewhat set up for the next few months.

Before

After

I know the neighbors behind me, will never have a neighbor to the left of me and am enjoying this sweet time before the park starts to fill up. I came in on Friday before the rain came back and was able to have a fire in the fire pit. Several workers quickly showed up to share the fire and stories I have missed in my absence. Looks like nothing much has changed:).

Welcome back to the Fun House!

The Party's Over

2011-05-11T12:27:00.000-07:00

Me and Maria Wearing Our Tie-Dye

Maria left on Monday. In her absence it is very quiet and at the same time very peaceful.

The time we spent together was some of the best I have had in years. It was wonderful to have a girlfriend to go shopping with, have our nails done and just have fun. I loved being able to open my window each morning knowing Maria would be right outside with all her dogs and some type of activity planned for the day. It is rare and wonderful when each moment of life is so savored. Todd even came back for a return visit, bringing his parents with him. Now the three of us are scattered in different parts of the world, but I doubt we will soon forget this time we spent together.

It is also time for me to prepare for my own departure. Originally I was going to leave on Saturday, but looking at the weather I am now planning on Friday. I have said all my good-byes, shared a last meal with my son and started packing.

Time to head on down the road.

Oops, I Did It Again

2011-05-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

Dang! I knew better, but I left my GPS plugged into the cigarette lighter and when I went to check Minnie for the next leg down the road, the battery was dead.

I purchased a new battery within the last year and should have learned my lesson, but seems I needed to repeat it one more time. So this time I paid to have an RV repairman come and got some much needed education as to what drains my motor battery and how to prevent it in the future. In came Manny to the rescue.

Yes, leaving the GPS plugged in will drain the battery. There are a few other things in the coach that will also pull from the motor battery. Lesson learned.

So I now have a battery charger that will stay connected to the car battery whenever I am stationary and I will never again loose my "power".

Manny also checked my house battery and the good news is that it is fine so no more added expense for now. Whew! It feels so good to have a bit more knowledge under my belt.

My new battery charger

The Party's Almost Over

2011-05-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

Maria has started to pack up her car in preparation for her return to Colorado. I can't remember when I have had two months of so much fun and I will miss her when we are both back on the road, traveling in different directions. It feels like I have already spent an entire glorious summer camping out with friends and yet summer has not yet begun. I hope the rest of the summer months will be as entertaining.

Because Maria has too many plants to take back, I ended up with my own special pot of flowers, in just the right colors.

Yep, the party is almost over and soon it will be time to pack up the chairs and take the memories down the road.

Sai Baba

2011-04-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

The exact picture I have

A Hindu holy man passed today. His name was Sathya Sai Baba. I was never a devotee of Sai Baba, but I did meet a man who was.

Several years ago, maybe 2005-2006, a friend and I had set up a table on the Portland, OR streets to do akashic clearings. We were both very new in this field, eager to clear past life energies, and took the opportunity to join the hundreds of people who swarmed the streets for Last Thursday on Alberta Street. It was a beautiful summer evening, the party had begun and we had staked out a prime corner spot.

We smiled at everyone that passed by, swung our pendulums and chatted and cleared anyone who stopped and sat with us, taking only donations. We probably talked to more people than we cleared but it was a profound experience for those that did stop long enough for a clearing. It was good for us to clear for people we had never met and see their reactions as we honed in on their exact patterns. I remember smiling a lot.

At one point my friend left the table to go and get something to eat. It was during that brief time period that I met him, this devotee of Sai Baba.

I saw him as he was crossing the street, an odd looking man with a monk's haircut, the kind where the top of the head is shaved. He smiled, said he was a monk and had no money and wondered what it was that I was doing. I told him we were donation only, no money required, and asked if he would like me to do a clearing for him. He sat down and told me his name was Hanuman, after the monkey god. This got me grinning because when I was a child my father called me Zippy the Monkey and here was this strange monkey god man sitting at my table. We chatted awhile and then he said Sai Baba was also with him. At the time I had never heard of Sai Baba and laughingly told him I would clear Sai Baba as well. There are many times I am naive, and this was a classic example. Yep, I am happy to clear this Hindu holy man!

I don't remember anything about that clearing, I rarely do, but when it was time for him to leave he wanted to gift me a picture of Sai Baba in return for the clearing. I took one look at that picture, this man with a halo of dark frizzy hair and dark piercing eyes, and said thanks, but no thanks. Plus, I was already up to my ears working with different entities. It wasn't until his third attempt to get me to take this picture that I finally relented and accepted a business card size picture of Sai Baba. It must have come from some type of calendar because on the back is the year 2001 and the months along with a listing of the holy days. I found out who Sai Baba was by asking other people if they had heard of him and those that knew him were shocked that I did not. Even after I became more familiar with who this man was, I never became a follower.

I still have that picture. This is odd because when I cleared the possessions of my previous life I discarded, gifted and sold countless items that meant more to me than this picture. And yet, it has been a traveling companion. I don't take very good track of it and will only stumble upon it when trying to find something else. Today I found it tucked amongst some business cards.

I felt a sense of joy at his passing and wonder at the timing, a day when so many are celebrating a resurrection. I felt the need to talk to him, to ask him how I might celebrate this day, his Passing Day. I wanted to celebrate by lighting candles, the same way we do to celebrate Birth Days.

So today his picture is prominently displayed and there are candles burning. It was he that came to me, for whatever reason, and I want to honor this strange union and the man who touched millions of lives. Mine was just one of those.

Back in School

2011-04-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

At the present moment I am immersed in five different books, with more on the way. I lie in bed for hours riding waves of consciousness and philosophizing with myself. It feels as though my understanding of the world is undergoing a dramatic shift and I will soon arrive within a different wave band.

I am reading Not in His Image (John Lamb Lash), The Morning of the Magicians (Louis Pauwels), The Divine Matrix (Gregg Braden), Archetypes of the Zodiac (Kathleen Burt) and for a little light reading, Dragonfly in Amber (Diana Gabaldon). I flit back and forth between books while also reading and watching videos on the internet of various subjects. I listen to Barbara Hand Clow, Drumvalo Melchizedek and watch videos of ECETI in Mt. Adams, WA. So much going on, who and what resonates....

I love these times of expansion, this quickening that is upon our planet. And then just as easily, I flip back and watch American Idol.

And Then There Were Two

2011-04-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Todd left, leaving Maria and I to look longingly at the space he once occupied. All that remains are the memories.

Getting Ready For One Last Meal Together

Bringing in the Food

Todd with Bruschetta


Maria and Todd

Goodbye Todd, and thanks for all the memories.

Just the Three of Us

2011-04-16T02:03:00.000-07:00

I laughed until tears ran down my face. And then I did it again. And again. And again.

Maria, Todd and I have been spending a lot of time together. There is something about this combination that brings out the child in us and makes us giddy with laughter. Part of it is Maria's quick wit, part of it is Todd's boyish charm and the rest is just three youngest born children enjoying the moment to the fullest. I have not had this much fun since college when the trio consisted of my best friends Lindy and Fauver.

The thing about RV life is that the moments are fleeting. Someone always leaves. I don't believe it will ever get easier for me, but I have come to appreciate the moments that become the present time and to savor how precious that time can be.

If laughter prolongs your life, the three of us are now well into our thousandth year.

Benny

2011-04-16T01:43:00.000-07:00

Last night, for the first time, I entered my son's world.

My son spins music and was playing at a local venue. Even though he didn't start playing until 10:45 PM, I didn't want to miss this opportunity to ride the vibrations of his music and so my friend Pamela and I put in a very late night.

It was as if I was allowed to hear and know the planet that he comes from, on a level that I never expected to experience. And having been allowed entry, I will never see him the same way again. I just don't know how to explain it. Thankfully my friend Pamela could experience it in the same way I did. None of the other music seemed to compare.

I watched him dance and interact with his peers. This child of mine who for a brief moment I did not recognize, and now know so fully.

I feel honored to have played a part in the being he has become.

Todd

2011-04-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

I have grown so accustomed to having Maria as my full time playmate that I miss her today when she is off busy with other things. So I call in on Todd, my new neighbor.

Maria and I had a good laugh when the Airstream we thought had left actually pulled into a site right across from us. Todd lives in that Airstream.

He is as kind as he is cute and tolerant of how obnoxious I can be after three Bass Ales in my belly. I am disappointed to learn he has a girlfriend that lives in China. I learned a lot about him when he spent time in Minnie tethering my new Droid phone to my computer. We have a few more weeks together and then he is off to Singapore.

So happy to have Maria and this man as my neighbors. Life is good.

Love Fest

2011-04-05T01:26:00.000-07:00

I love being back in Eugene. I love the sights, smells and spices of life that feed all my senses. I love being able to hug my son and reconnect with dear friends. I love that Maria is once again my neighbor and that she is forever exploring back roads in search of a perfect parcel of land to call home.

I love the field of consciousness that has settled over me and the luxury of time that allows me to drift and float to my heart's content.

I love the woods, the birds and the Beings that are my backyard.

Creature of the Woods

My Backyard

I love the Saturday Market, organic food and fresh salmon. I love being able to drink such fine coffee and have fresh honey with my tea.

I love being back in Eugene. Especially when it isn't raining.

Anaconda

2011-04-01T12:44:00.000-07:00

The small figure on the right is me, the human. The large, black anaconda on the left is the energy I am currently trying to process and integrate.

I know this anaconda. During my first cranial touch session several years ago this energy came through and threatened to turn me inside out. It was a sensation of such enormity and power, so alien, that I shut it down. It was too much, too soon. Later, when I tried to describe the experience, the only words that came close were that of an anaconda surging through the lower half of my body and if I allowed it full entry I would die.

I have thought about this anaconda many times over the years, wondering what would have happened if my fear had not shown up and halted the process. I wanted to call it back and ingest it in bite size pieces, I wanted to be the one in control. But I also wanted to once again experience that power surge, this time relaxing instead of fighting.

And so it is back. I am working with it this time, knowing that I can handle the integration process. I can rest when needed, walk when needed and ride this anaconda wherever it takes me.

The Way

2011-03-28T11:59:00.001-07:00

Today, this said it all for me.

http://www.wayseermanifesto.com/

Tehachapi, CA

2011-03-26T20:44:00.000-07:00

I spent six months living with the desert. Time enough so that it takes some time getting used to the rainy northwest. Haven't quite adjusted.

I had become so accustomed to the look and feel of the desert that when I left the Mojave Desert and drove through Tehachapi, CA I thought I had passed into a different dimension and was now driving through Ireland. The hills, the stones and the varying shades of green were mesmerizing and I was once again drawn into the land of Tehachapi.

My first visit to Tehachapi was when I was riding with my friend Vicky in a Penske truck. She was moving from Eugene to Ocala, FL and I hitched a ride with her to Baton Rouge, LA to visit my brother. It was that trip that planted the wanderlust seed so deeply that I knew the road had called me and I would do whatever it took to begin the journey of these many roads.

We pulled off to get gas in Tehachapi and ended up at a gas station/mini mart unlike anything I have ever experienced. This mini mart had an array of alcohol to rival the biggest of liquor stores. And not just that, but it sold those small, airline size bottles of just about every liquor that was sold in the large bottles. I couldn't get over the vast array! Must be a lot of drinking going on in that town.

Just outside of Tehachapi was a pass with thousands of wind turbines spinning in the wind. Very impressive.

I passed through Tehachapi again on my first, long voyage to Phoenix. I was still filled with fear at the time and hoped and prayed the wind turbines would not be blowing. The pass was gentle with me that day and the turbines were quiet and I eased through the mountains.

But this land continues to call to me, each time showing me a different face. Something awaits me here and I know I must return some day and spend more time.

Bye Bye Rose Bud

2011-03-24T19:39:00.000-07:00

I kept Rose Bud for over 25 hours, long enough to be able to make a definite decision.

And for a variety of reasons, I decided sharing my RV life with a dog was not a good option for me and so I said goody-bye to Rose Bud. With no regrets.

Rose Bud

2011-03-23T18:24:00.000-07:00

I went to lunch with my son. It was so good to see him after six months and I love spending time with him. There is nothing in the world like one of his hugs.

As we pulled back into the RV park we were still having idle conversation when I mentioned I had been thinking about getting a dog, and more specifically, a shitzu. "Well", says Ben, "I have some friends who have one for sale. Should I call them?".

Next thing I know I am having a sleep over with a 4 month old female shitzu to see how we get on. She is really quite lovely. Smart, playful, sweet...everything you could want in a dog. She immediately made herself at home in the RV and seems to have no plans on leaving.

On the other hand, I am still not quite sure. My moon sign is in Virgo which means I like things very clean and organized. I have struggled to overcome the "clean gene" but it has served me well in these small spaces. After a walk, Rosie came back wet and muddy and I had that moment of anxiety of a wet, dirty dog invading the premises.

But she is sitting behind me as I type this, softly snoring, and I wonder which will win out. If it is not this most perfect of dogs, there will be no dog in my future. And I am not sure I can let her go.

Ben and Rose Bud

How Can I Say No To That Face?

Dogtown

2011-03-23T13:27:00.000-07:00

Back in Eugene, back at Deerwood RV Park, back next to Maria.

It was sunny and beautiful yesterday when I arrived but the weather is now more typical and it is cool and overcast. For now it feels wonderful to be nestled in amongst the trees, next to a good friend, safe and warm in Minnie and waiting to have lunch with my son.

Maria is here in her recently purchased motorhome and is traveling with four dogs. And they are not tiny dogs, but three are quite LARGE. I can't even manage one dog and here she is with a whole brood.

Lola was just a puppy last time I saw her

Maria tosses the frisbee....

And Lola brings it back

Good Dog Lola!


Earl chases tennis balls

Home Sweet Home (Lola, Caesar and Earl)


Maggie and Cesar

It is wonderful to have my choice of dogs:).

Oregon

2011-03-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

I went into the office this morning to check on routes. We checked....checked....and checked. I was looking for perfect reassurance that there would be no wind, no snow, no rain, no fog. Neither of the routes could offer such assurance so after much discussion and a spin of my pendulum, I opted for I-5.
And I am glad I did.

This is the view from a rest stop just outside of Weed, CA. But other than that, I-5 proved to be fast, free of any snow or ice and somehow I don't remember much mountain climbing, although I know this route takes you up to 5,000 feet. I do remember having a wonderful day driving, blissed out with the beautiful mountains and scenery. Mt. Shasta was completely covered in clouds as I drove by but at some point I looked back in my rear view mirror and caught a brief glimpse as the clouds parted and she showed me her beautiful face. She is one powerful mountain.

Kinda What I Saw Looking Back

I was having such a good day driving I decided to continue on until Canyonville, OR so tonight I am back at Seven Feathers. Took a shower and did my laundry while dodging in between rain showers. But who can complain when you are treated to such spectacular sights.

It feels good to be home.

Single Rainbow

Minnie from the Side

Minnie from the Front

Double Rainbow Outside my Window

Wind

2011-03-20T18:54:00.000-07:00

There were forceful winds all night long and my internet connection completely collapsed. I was off the road and had a good book to read and very thankful to be safe and sound.

This morning I thought to call and make a reservation at my favorite park in Red Bluff, CA. When I called at 9:00 AM I was told they were completely full and weren't sure if anyone would be leaving because of the strong winds. I gave them a credit card number and my phone number in case they did have availability after check-out time and then called Maria to help me check road conditions.

Maria is a new friend I made the last time I stayed in Eugene and she is back at the same RV park. Our plan has been to spend some time together once I arrive in Eugene and hopefully we will have sites very close to one another. She had internet access, I did not, so she checked to see what the wind looked like heading north on I-5. Didn't look too bad at least to Sacramento, so even though that was only 100 miles away, I knew I could make it at least that far.

Traveling was wonderful. It was cloudy, a few showers, no wind to speak of and light traffic. Immensely enjoyed the driving and spending time with the energies of the Spring Equinox. It was during this time period seven years ago that my life was forever altered and it was good to have hours of time to reflect and remember all that has transpired since then. I also received a message on my phone that there was an available site so come on in to the Red Bluff RV Park.

Wait a minute...did he say RED BLUFF RV PARK???? I listened to the message again, checked the phone number against the park I thought I had called, and yep, I had made a reservation at the wrong RV park. I wanted the Durango RV Resort where I stayed before. I loved it there, it is on the list of my top 5 favorite resorts! Red Bluff already had my credit card information so unless I wanted to do some fancy dancing and try to get out of the reservation, it was once again going to cost me to switch RV parks. Grrrrr...why do I keep doing this???

So I am at Red Bluff. It is a perfectly fine park, has great internet and a good Mexican restaurant within walking distance that fed me tonight and will feed me again tomorrow.

Wonder what park I will end up at tomorrow?

Not exactly where I thought I would be

Spring Storm

2011-03-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

Seems I am in the middle of a big, bad storm. I guess I should have been paying more attention.

It is cold and very windy outside but the rain has now stopped. I got in just ahead of the powerful, gusty winds that are now blowing across the Mohave and am safely ensconced in Minnie. It is warm inside, I have plenty to eat and drink, wi-fi and books to read and a good day's drive under my belt. Not much more I could ask for. Yesterday I was running the AC, today the heater.

Looks like I won't be passing over any mountain ranges anytime soon so the new plan is to head to the coast and slide back into Oregon from that direction. I am actually excited about this new change in plans and hope the weather will allow for this new strategy. I think I can make it to Red Bluff, CA tomorrow and then will adjust accordingly.

Tonight I am in Santa Nella, CA at the Santa Nella RV Park. It is perfectly fine for an overnight stay and is costing me less than $24.

I would post a picture of my site but I am feeling too "snug as a bug" to go outside in this weather.

Barstow/Calico KOA

2011-03-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

I seem to have lost my traveling mojo. Between yesterday and today, I have yet to get my bearings and although the actual traveling has been fine and good, finding an overnight spot continues to be a challenge.

View out my front window

My site for the night


Yep, that is how close I am to the traffic

I didn't make reservations and arrived at 2:00 PM thinking how booked could they be?? Turns out, very!. I got the last available site so it will just have to be good enough.

I took a tour of the Calico Ghost Town which also had RV parking up in the hills but all the sites were reserved. Must be some kind of destination point but although the land felt really good, none of the buildings were authentic and it had a plastic feel to it. I also went to Peggy Sue's 50s Diner which also had that odd feel to it.

This is my third time across the Mojave Desert and my first time to stop mid-way across. I wonder, what am I missing??? Maybe this is just how it feels when you are in the middle of nowhere and you do your best to entice people to stop and stay awhile.

For me, I hope to be on the road early tomorrow morning.

Parker, AZ

2011-03-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

Floating Dock Bar - made me feel kinda sea sick so didn't spend much time there

I am in Parker, AZ, about 30 miles south of Lake Havasu. And I am tired.

After my scheduled oil change I did not get on the road until 1:00 PM and didn't arrive at my final destination until after 5:00 P.M. Part of that was because I could not decide where to stay. I had reservations already made at Fox's but when I pulled in I couldn't find the check-in office and I just thought there might be something better. So I drove down the road, found another place, paid for the site and then decided I didn't want to stay there! So I drove back to Fox's and ended up with a site right across from the Colorado River, free internet and cable TV. I dunno, just one of those days where my indecision cost me a lot of money. Got to get back into my traveling groove.

View outside my window. There was a St. Paddy's day party and that is why all the golf carts are lined up.

Countdown - Thursday

2011-03-17T10:16:00.000-07:00


Minnie almost ready to go

Up at 7:30 this morning with a list of things to do.

Off to the office to turn in my name tag (I wore it twice while here), mail box key and to pay my electric bill. Got coffee and a doughnut for the first, and last, time since I was up so early.

Took off the windshield cover and cleaned it the best I could. It was dusty, as was the inside of the cab, but I was glad I purchased a new cover. The new cover has netting on the side so I can leave my windows open and still keep bugs out. However, it doesn't keep dirt out so it ended up being more of a chore than I had wanted.

Did the last of the dishes. Turned off the propane (never travel with it on), cleaned the sewer hose and closed all the water vents.

Pushed the button and retracted the power awning. Started the engine to make sure it still runs. Took a picture of Minnie in her "travel attire". Next will be turning off the water and electricity. Then plugging in my next destination on my GPS and away we go!

Ready.....Set.....GO!

Countdown - Wednesday Evening

2011-03-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

Packed the overhead cab.

Packed the outdoor table, chairs and mat.

Vacuumed, cleaned the vacuum and recharged the vacuum.

Said good-bye to Ken, Gloria and their dog Duffy. I was hoping to avoid this good-bye but Ken came by and then Gloria came by with Duffy. I will miss them but hopefully we will meet up again in the winter.

Almost ready....