Things I Learned-So far- In Quartzsite

In spite of all appearances, this boon-docking thing is harder than I thought it would be. I've hiked some and so far, have not encountered any snakes.
While putting normal systems in place, I've learned a bunch of things.

To keep it simple, let me innumerate them here.

1-Getting the best possible campsite is a toss up. Do I want to kill the car by driving over rugged roads to the best off grid view ever?
Or do I want to locate someplace convenient to town so I can utilize the library, stores and host of fun activities.
Yesterday, I chose the later. Its working much better.

2-Its all about water. Wash dishes in a small bucket in the sink, then wash the car with that water Wash the hair and be shocked by how much dust it collected in three days. Wash the counters daily, and be shocked by the film of dirt. Hummm. Forgo soap, as much as possible. And, use jugs to transport water rather than unhooking the home (RV) very often.

3-Sunset comes fast. Always bring a flash light and water.

4-Adjust the solar panels and keep them free of dirt. No house power also means all the water in the holding tank is unavailable. It means the propane frig won't run, either.

5-Use the silver insulating panels on the outside of the windshield, not inside. This prevents heat from entering in the first place.

6-Sit with feet in a bucket of water to cool off, then use that bucket of water to wash the layers of dust off the fender of the car.

Below, you'll see some activities that were performed way back in the last campsite possible in the South La Posa Campground. The batteries turned out to be fine. They just needed overnight power-charging, which was done at a local mechanic's shop.
After they were reinstalled, the generator started from the outside switch. The switch on the dash, however, refused to start the generator. The air now works, as before, but the outlets still do not.




7- Locate every town resource and ask questions. I found the post office, community center, QIA (a public building used for all sorts of fun activities) two dollar stores, and library. Everyone here seems quite friendly and helpful.

And lastly, as most women know, beware of new friends. They can seem nice until you disagree with them. True colors come out when you least expect it.
But all is well. I'm not called the female-survivalist for nothing.

Back On Track

I left Boise for Atlanta on March 23, 2016, determined to do another thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. On August 3, I summitted Katahdin. It was my second successful thru hike. Why a second hike? To figure some things out. Sometimes you need to get off the grid to get your life back in focus.

A bit overkill, you might say. And you're right. There are a ton of adages that should help a gal figure things out without having to resort to living in the mountains, hiking alone doing twenty mile days, then sleeping on ground after a supper of ramen and gorp.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks. Stick with what you know. Live the life you've imagined. Jump and the net will appear.

What? Seems contradictory.

Bottom line, all I knew for sure was that I was a burnt out seasonal cook/adventure writer who wasn't ready to retire and had no idea where to call home.  So, after a two stop flight and subsequent shuttle to the trail head, I totted my pack (a base weight of 12.5 pounds plus 6 pounds of food) up to Springer Mountain. I signed in and headed north.

Now, I'm back and feel the urge to write again. Over the last five  months, I met a host of great people, gained a vast array of insights and decided this rolling stone indeed gathers no moss.

Next adventure? Arizona winter. A snowbirder's paradise of  eccentrics, crazy trails and desert living. Check out my friend's video of the great expansive Mojave at:

Mojave Road by Mobiltec

That's going to be my seasonal back yard.

Google Quartzite, Arizona and you'll see my target zone.