First day in the desert

We have arrived. Finally arrived at our destination. After years of planning and months of traveling. To a patch of rock and hardened soil in the Arizona desert. Quartzite.

Camped along the northern border of short term camping on federal BLM land. Across a groove in the land created by flash floods one see nothing man-made in sight. Just scrub brush, scraggly trees, flitting birds, butterflies. Hills in the distance, also carved by precious rushing water. Peaceful, lush, beautiful in an alien way. Alien to recent inhabitants of the Pacific NW. No hint of ocean, tho it covered this region eons ago. No tall evergreens. Nothing at all to the casual observer.

We hope to observe more closely.

Tomorrow we will tow our home south to the Imperial Dam LTVA, just north of Yuma. To meet our email pals, Gene and Joyce Shea, with whom we hope to travel on to San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. Before then we will join Escapees who have also plunged into this full-time adventure this year. And attend the Rock and Gem show, as well as the RV show in mid-January.

We know to expect the unexpected.

Bruce

Preparing to live in the boonies

We’re getting ready for our first “boondocking” adventure…spending the month of January in the SW AZ desert without regular utilities or Costco nearby. [Shudder]

Well, actually, our first two weeks we’ll spend 15 miles from Yuma, AZ, at Imperial Dam Long Term Visitor Area. So we’re working into this slowly. Then two weeks at the big Quartzite gathering, among fellow Escapee fulltimers.

Which means laying in a month of food and other supplies, to avoid long trips to town later in the month. Takes some planning, particularly given limited storage. We expect to share our living room with cases of bottled water. They better behave when we entertain.

Thinking about battery capacity, techniques to reduce the fresh to waste water cycle, cooking cleanly. Stuff they didn’t teach us in college.

The adventure continues.


Bruce

The Road to Hell Was Paved Without Urination

We took a vote. Our trip from the Bakersfield area to Desert Hot Springs CA was the worst day of our fulltiming adventure so far. Worse than several torrential rains in Oregon, worse than boondocking next to an all night filling station in Eugene OR, worse than the army of boisterous banana slugs.

Allow me to explain.

We departed on our 242 mile journey with a half tank of fuel. Which should have lasted almost the entire trip. We figured to fill up after a while and take a break.

Started looking for fuel after an hour on the road. Then we climbed several mountains along I5 and the fuel gauge slipped down quickly.

We looked for diesel fuel along I5 and I210 for 74 miles. Took exits that yielded nothing. And you don’t just go anywhere with a 50’ long 12’ tall vehicle.

Coupled with these events was Bruce’s EEE…Extreme Excretory Emergency. “Gotta go, but can’t stop.” Which impeded rational thinking somewhat.

We finally took an exit in Arcadia, CA, searched in vain and came to rest at the entrance to the Santa Anita Racetrack. Can’t go no further without risking a breakdown in city traffic, maybe in an intersection! Bruce resolved his EEE. Whew! We waited over an hour for 5 gallons of petrol from the Ford emergency road service - blessed are they.

On to a truck stop Ontario, CA. After fueling up, we try for some lunch. Park in the trucking lot, since we can’t fit in the car lot. The lot gate ticket machine runs out of tickets and wouldn’t open. 18 wheelers lining up behind us. Stuck again. Bruce finds the manager, who says, “You can’t park in there.” No kidding. After another long wait at the broken ticket machine, we drive thru the lot and leave.

Now we’re 2 hours behind schedule on our 242 mi trip and arrive in SoCal traffic at the beginning of the rush hour(s). Bumper to bumper for 60 miles in the rain and failing light. Pass the last of the walnuts please.

Arrive at Sam’s Family Spa and Resort in the dark. Uh oh, the electrical service keeps going out. This can be fixed.

Time for dinner – all the restaurants are closed. Get out the spaghetti.

Next day, we see this beautiful park and setting. All is well again.



Bruce

Shafter, CA

Today we reached Shafter, CA, at this campground.
Don’t judge a park by its web site. Near a highway, train tracks, and local airport. Gee, we're part of a transportation hub! Maybe I can get a job as a truck driver. Might as well make use of this towing experience.

So we’ll stay till our mail arrives. Snow and other bad stuff in parts east have likely hampered delivery. At least we outran another storm, tho yesterday Fresno (and us) had a record setting rain day.

Bakersfield, CA, 14 miles south, boasts high levels of growth now. Also the worst ozone levels in the nation, likely from that growth and the petro industry. We will drive straight thru to the CA desert once we can leave.

Bruce

On the list for the Sierra SKP

Today we applied for a lot at this SKP 55+ RV park. Then drove to the nearby casino for the lunch buffet with the senior discount.

Geezers at last.

Prospects dim for a trip to Yosemite tomorrow. The recording says they require chains throughout the park. I’m not crawling under that truck with chains for any scenery.

Bruce

Like this SKP park a lot (Get it? "Lot" Hee hee. Great RV humor)

We really like this Escapee RV park. Beautiful setting and lots (snicker), wonderful facilities, and a very friendly coop community. Tomorrow we intend to place our names on the waiting list for a site here. The four to five year wait suits us fine as new full timers. If we change our minds, we get a full refund on our deposit. No worries.

We plan to drive into Yosemite National Park on Friday, up to the western entrance where you don’t need snow tires, as least as of today. Expect some pictures.

Bruce

More rain