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Category: New Year’s Eve

2024 So much more!

tie die t-shirtThough I started the new year with a head cold, I determined to make 2024 so much more.  Needed to turn around negative thoughts, get past the past, move on with life as it should be, and buy yet another RV.

Mc milkshakeAs usual, I didn’t greet 2024 at midnight.  Instead I spent the first couple days sniveling with a head cold and coughing with a sore throat.  Tim came back from town with a chocolate Mc milkshake that felt fine chilling down.

sunset Kofa Mts La Posa South BLM camp Quartzsite AZKofa Mts under crazy sunset clouds

Third day into 2024 I took my first (decent) photo of the new year.  Desert sunsets are often superb, and what better present for a tribe member’s birthday celebration around the campfire.  I went to the gathering but stayed away from people and left very early.

Tim & Gaelyn tie shirts La Posa South BLM camp Quartzsite AZTim and I modeling Christmas tie-dye

Felt well enough the next day to drive 45 minutes to Parker with Tim for supplies.  Grocery stores in Quartzsite are limited and pricey.  That night I saw an ad on the Facebook Quartzsite Marketplace for a Class C motorhome that seemed worthy of looking at.  Turns out, Tim knows the seller, Eric is known as the Nomadic Fanatic on his YouTube channel (check him out).

sunset window reflection 5er La Posa S BLM LTVA Quartzsite AZYes, I already had a 5th-wheel listed for sale.  And I recently bought a shuttlebus but it wasn’t really what I wanted other than an adequate bed on wheels.  January is the month of “all things RV” in Quartzsite, so it’s a good place to buy and sell.

sunset clouds La Posa South BLM LTVA Quartzsite AZFirst thing the next morning I contacted him, located about half a mile from me.  It’s the first wheelestate seen since the fire that I’ve gotten excited about and the price was right. It more than checked all my boxes. But, do I want to own three Rvs?

the rose at 3 wks3-week old rose

Over the weekend I worked on the fire video.  Very difficult to relive, yet felt like a necessity.  I’ll never forget, but time to move on.

Tioga Class C RV for sale La Posa South Quartzsite AZAfter waiting out the weekend, Erik and I took a 1 1/2 hour drive to Buckeye, the nearest bank we both use, to notarize the title and make the deal.  What a great way to make 2024 so much more!

Gaelyn new Tioga RV La Posa South BLM LTVA Quartzsite AZTour of new RV coming soon.

Arizona, New Year's Eve, Places I've been, Quartzsite, RV life, United States , , , 23 Comments

Choose Happy New Beginnings

desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZNew beginnings historically

Moving from one numerical year to another at an arbitrary time initially chosen by ancient Roman custom, the feast of the Roman god Janus.  He was the god of “beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, Gila Woodpecker bird Saguaro cactus Cemetery Rd Congress AZpassages, frames, and endings” according to Wiki.  This is also where the name for the month of January comes from, Janus was depicted as having two opposite faces.  One face looked back into the past, and the other peered forward to the future.  Seems like that would make living in the NOW difficult.  Some cultures and religions have different new year dates than January 1st.  New Year’s has also been celebrated at the vernal equinox in March and the autumnal equinox in September, typically warmish temperatures for a midnight celebration would help me choose happy for celebrating new beginnings.

Choose Happy welcome mat

I probably wouldn’t make special new resolutions on any of those specific days either.  But for me to choose happy, I will resolve to stay in the warmest winter Arizona climate I can find.  Keep in mind, even the Sonoran Desert is not HOT in winter but it’s certainly warmer than northern high elevations and no snow.  Sometimes rain which is a blessing.  Frequently hold on to your hat windy.  Arizonans wear down jackets and Minnesotans wear shorts.  It’s easier to choose happy when I’m not shivering.

ExplorerEducator

CrazyCold

Or laughing until my stomach hurts when Joann and I share stories.  I bundled up a bit for a fun photo shoot.  What do you think of my many hats.  I need a tea cup for the Mad-Hatter, and several tea cups to have a tea party.  Or perhaps you will bring your own, and wear a fun hat.

Saguaro ridge line Date Crk Mts Cemetery Rd Congress AZMade it through the holiday weekend below 50° day and night that meant running heat that uses propane.  So after a delicious pancake with fruit and bacon breakfast made by Joann we drive the ten minutes to fill propane tanks.  I even tried not to cuss at the tanks.  I’m getting better, honest.  I do believe in new beginnings.

desert Date Crk Mts clouds Cemetery Rd Congress AZA mostly cloudy day.  We enjoyed an early campfire as it was predicted to rain and be cold the next couple nights.

desert mts sunset clouds Cemetery Rd Congress AZ

desert mts sunset clouds Cemetery Rd Congress AZEnded the day with a sensational sunset as the clouds finally thinned enough.  Then I reheated the last of Christmas dinner leftovers for us.

desert Date Crk Mts storm clouds sunrays Cemetery Rd Congress AZDate Creek Mts looking east

Awaking to another cold morning had me thinking about a move further south and 10° warmer.

desert Date Crk Mts storm clouds Stanton Rd Congress AZDate Creek Mts looking west

Joann had taken a drive to charge her phone after several days of low solar.  She came back to get me and showed a possible new camp with great signal within sight of the Weaver Mountains to the east and Date Creek Mountains to the west.

RVs clouds Stanton Rd Congress AZ

desert Vulture Pk storm clouds Stanton Rd Congress AZVulture Peak in the far distance south

And so we moved the few miles to #campcongress2 with a big view.

desert two-track Weaver Mts storm clouds Stanton Rd Congress AZWeaver Mts looking east

Low clouds hung around most of the day but little rain came with the cold wind.

tree sunset clouds Stanton Rd Congress AZ

desert sunset Stanton Rd Congress AZ

desert sunset clouds Stanton Rd Congress AZThe clouds did make for a nice sunset.

desert Weaver Mts low clouds Stanton Rd Congress AZCould see my breath in the camper the next morning.  I laid in my warm bed thinking of moving south to Kofa.  Takes about 30 minutes to warm the camper to a doable 60°.

desert two-track late light Weaver Mts storm clouds Stanton Rd Congress AZ

desert two-track last light Weaver Mts dark clouds rainbow Stanton Rd Congress AZJoann left in the afternoon headed north for work in the cold and ice and snow.  I worked online and watched the low clouds and a little rain with a brief rainbow at the end of the day.  I also plotted to head south the next day.

4 lbs fudge from BashasI hit the road at 9am in the low 40s and headed to Wickenburg first to shop.  Scored when Bashas had their annual holiday fudge, with no nuts, so I stocked up a little.  Fueled at just under $4/gallon followed by a quick stop at the thrift store.  Then too many groceries including a pizza I cooked for lunch in the parking lot.  Darn pizzas are too big for the freezer.

bus conversion Quartzsite AZAlways something interesting to see in Quartzsite

Two hours later I rolled through Quartzsite which is looking a little busy but not quite the crazy it will be soon.

truckcamper desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ

desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZBy 3pm I was parked in my new place, not far from a previous camp, enjoying the view with only one white van in sight.

desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ

desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ

desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZKofa Mts

I watched the clouds dance around the Kofa Mountains.

Saguaro desert Chocolate Mts sunset clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ

desert Chocolate Mts sunrays clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZChocolate Mts

Of course I took way too many photos.

grass Palo Verde tree Saguaro cactus mt sunset clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZFelt like coming home where I choose happy.

desert Saguaro Chocolate Mts sunset clouds Virga BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZThough still windy, it was a little warmer.

Ocotillo desert Chocolate Mts sunset clouds crepuscular rays BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ

desert New Water Mts sunset clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ

Ocotillo desert Chocolate Mts sunset clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZEven a nice sunset.

desert dew Kofa Mts low clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZRained gently all night and smelled of desert petrichor in the morning with dew sparkles on every branch.  Reached almost 60° with only a little wind.

desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ

rock funnel spider web BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZFunnel spiderweb

I ended the year with two lovely walks from camp, three miles total.  There’s a huge van gathering up the road on the other side. Looks like they are circled and there was rather loud music. Glad I’m not too near that.

desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ

desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ

Saguaro desert Kofa Mts clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZClouds dancing all day and took hundreds of photos making it more difficult to choose which ones to share even out of the small percentage that are keepers.  No wonder I never catch up labeling photos.

desert sunset clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZAccidentally stayed up past midnight working on a book idea about my first experience as a Forest Ranger at Mt St Helens.  Went to bed and didn’t even realize I’d made it to a new year where I will choose happy new beginnings.

desert Chocolate Mts sunset clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ

desert Chocolate Mts sunset clouds BLM Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZYet 2022 still seems an arbitrary number when the Earth itself is 4.543 billion years old hosting humanoids for about six million years and more modern humans a mere 200,000 years (according to recent scientific evidence).  Sorry I got sidetracked doing a little research.

bumper rocks BLM Palm Canyon Rd AZI am happy to be someplace a little bit warmer.  Maybe that’s because the daylight hours last longer every day and it’s Earth’s perihelion, or closest point to the sun, yesterday and today. Whatever, I am more than ready for some new beginnings.  How about you?

12 DSC_8294hdrlerwfbwtxtr Kofa Mts moon rise Kofa NWR AZ fb gfb azp npm 500 g g-HDR-1-3 (960x643)

Arizona, Congress, Kofa NWR, New Year's Eve, Places I've been, United States , , 32 Comments

Goodbye 2020…and good riddance

mt lion 6 ft distancing stickers Bryce Canyon National Park UtahJust about every person in the world, on this planet we call home, Earth, a mixed bag of species and environments, with all the differences and similarities, yes just about every human is ready to say goodbye 2020.

Let us all welcome and embrace the new decade, bringing the positive change we’d like to live into reality.  As a rather young species on this rock, a mere 200,000 years or more, we have so much to learn about self and surroundings and each person might get 100 years, if we’re lucky.  When I quit learning I’m dead, or at least not paying attention to my spirit.  Makes me sad, lost, confused, frustrated, and depressed even.  Any of those sound familiar?  Feel free to add to the list.  I don’t like living in this haze, nothing to do with dust as I have a tiny house full of that.

talks cancelled signs view S hoodoos clouds Sunset Pt Bryce Canyon National Park UtahAs a claimed intelligent species, we—including myself—are not taking care of our planet and selves in the healthiest ways possible.  Do I have all the answers?  No.  But sometimes looking back helps me learn.  So this is a look back at the craziest year of my life, and probably yours too.  Are we ready for goodbye 2020?

Saguaro cactus Palo Verde desert Palm Canyon Rd BLM Kofa NWR AZI wrapped up 2019 after almost three months of PT (physical therapy) so my broken wrists would move and do what they should at 70-80%, it got better.  This also included RV parks, spoiled with hookups, and all the noise that goes with being parked, IMHO, too close to the neighbors.  And so on the second day of the new year I ran away to the healing desert apricity south of Quartzsite, Arizona, the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).  Yup, been there more than a few times.  I looked forward to continued personal healing in 2020.  I had never been so broken and learned to be more mindful about my physical movement.

Before continuing further south I went to Parker, and back to Congress dealing with a propane tank problem.  I note that because it took so long to resolve and I am still unimpressed with the entire design as a 5-gal tank will NEVER take more than 3 gallons though should take 4.6.  Manchester blew this newest model to meet new legal requirements about something that wasn’t broken and didn’t need fixing.  Except the old tanks couldn’t be recertified, so no choice.  I really should write to them.  Was this a sign of 2020 to come?

trees Saguaro cactus mt drk clouds Darby Well Rd BLM camp Ajo AZBy the end of January I was settled in to a favorite piece of BLM Sonoran Desert sandwiched between Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Cabeza Prieta NWR, Tohono O’Odaham Nation Reservation, and the town of Ajo.  The density and diversity of this environment continues to absorb me, draw me in, and blow me away.  I attended activities in Ajo, art gallery and fiddle music, lunch at restaurants with friends.  Remember those kinds of public entertainment?  I will try not to take these things for granted so much in the future.

Saguaro cactus desert last light Kofa Mts full moon rise Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZ

trees CO R sunset clouds reflection Ox Bow Rd Ehrenberg AZ

desert Kofa Mts Palm Canyon Rd Kofa NWR AZA call from the February full moon rise drew me back to Kofa once again.  Stayed at Shady Lane RV Court more than once, had the refrigerator repaired, and a meetup with Sue and Mo in Quartzsite.  Then back to boondocking not far west of Quartzsite before stocking up in Blythe and trying a new location along the Colorado River, south of Ehrenberg, Arizona for a few days.  And then back to the Kofa once again, this time further up the road and I moved around a bit over a couple weeks and into March.  Travel was still happening and I wasn’t alone.

late light yellow Brittlebush flowers Mohawk Valley AZLupine & Brittlebush flowers desert mt Puerto Blanco Dr ORPI NM AZ

water drops Ocotillo leaves BLM Darby Well Rd Ajo AZThis time, after a little rain woke the desert growth, the earliest of wildflowers called me back to the Ajo area desert.  March, a time when we Americans started thinking more seriously about COVID19, or at least that’s when it really dawned on me how many people were affected and dyeing.  Isolating is something I do very well during winter in the desert, then add distancing and masking when in buildings to shop.  Plus, the end of March is when I start thinking of returning to work in the spring.  And with all the flowers blooming I knew it was spring.  I might have still been in denial about what 2020 would bring.

Poppies Vulture Mine Rd AZ

desert Date Crk Mts sunset clouds crespuscular rays BLM Ghost Town Rd Congress AZInto April as I started a slow journey northward to Wickenburg and Congress.

trees mt sunset Walnut Grove AZI could feel the warming temps of summer before the end of the month so moved up in elevation to visit Mary and Jerry in Walnut Grove, north of Yarnell.  They put up with me and extended hospitality into May as I continued to wait for the back to work date.  Not even sure if the park would be open, to the public.

Couch Ranger badgeAs I continued northward from there traffic was limited to almost exclusively semi-trucks, presumably delivering essentials.  Not so much toilet paper (TP).  Who knew there would be such a run on TP in 2020.

masked Ranger Gaelyn Sunset Pt BRCA NP UT

Rangers pointing at me VC plaza BRCA NP UTFinally back to work in May, or at least masked training outdoors while otherwise going through 14 days of quarantine.  And June, we’re open for business, mostly providing information outside the visitor center and starting a few Ranger programs, the first park in the nation to do so.  Procedures changed almost daily as we all learned on the go.

light & shadow hoodoos valley Earth Shadow moon Navajo Loop trl BRCA NP UTJune

hoodoos full moon Navajo Lp Trl BRCA NP UTJuly

hoodoo moon Navajo Trl BRCA NP UTAugust

That also included photographing the monthly full moon for me.

smoke Mangum fire from Yovimpa Pt BRCA NP UTNo wild fires in Bryce, yet we watched the smoke and haze change almost daily from fires all around.

Wall St Navajo Lp Trl BRCA NP UTThe peak summer months were weirdly wonderful, and not overly busy.  No international visitors meant the numbers were way down, and many Americans were still staying home.  I didn’t travel far from Bryce for most of the summer other than to shop in Cedar City.  It’s unusual for me not to explore the surrounding area over the summer.  But even though I was in a national park I felt guilty about traveling away from ‘home’.  Those with a travel bug will be more than ready to say goodbye 2020 and hope we can get moving again in 2021.

highlighted hoodoos BRCA NP UTAfter a couple pay checks in the bank I splurged on a new camera body that fits my old lenses.  I am happy with the D5600 but now wondering if the lens is bad or my eyes are out of focus.  Actually, I know my eyes need checking, new glasses, and it might be time for cataracts to be taken care of.  But 2020 is not a great time for any doctor appointments.

hoodoos rainbow storm clouds light BRCA NP UTIt was mostly a nonsoon summer with barely a measurable amount of rain.

Astro Rangers lazer lights milkyway stars BRCA NP UT by Valerie FazenDid make for a lot of clear skies for star gazing.  And although we didn’t bring out telescopes the Dark Rangers put on constellation tours with laser lights that were booked four nights a week.

light shadow hoodoos BRCA NP UTWe all survived summer one way or another masked and in some cases gloved, using buckets full of hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol.  I hope nobody was drinking that stuff, but there were days…  We held on tight to get through Labor Day weekend knowing visitation would slow down afterwards, but it didn’t.  It just got busier and busier.  Minus the people just not traveling at all, it was time for my tribe of retired folks in RVs and young people without children.  But many children didn’t physically return to school.  And many families piled into the (often new) RV to travel national parks while home-schooling.  I might have done that too.  But the crowds were crazy with lots of people new to national parks and somehow lacking the understanding and respect for the parks.  We need to talk Leave No Trace in 2021.

Thors Hammer hoodoos valley full moon rise Earth Shadow Navajo Lp Trl BRCA NP UTWell, I survived September and the countdown past the middle of October.  Even lead my first full moon hike into the hoodoos.  Managed to stick around long enough to see the Aspen go gold.  And left before the snow fell.

trees Pink Cliffs valley Navajo Mt sunset clouds BRCA NP UTGoodbye 2020 summer season at Bryce Canyon National Park.  See ya’ in 2021!

Palo Verde tree shadow Ghost Town Rd BLM Congress AZ I then began my winter journey southward like the warm weather migrator I am.  I hung around the Congress area in November and got the calendar done.

Saguaro cactus desert last light Kofa Mts clouds Palm Canyon Rd BLM Kofa NWR AZAnd in December, I haven’t journeyed far from the Quartzsite area of southwestern Arizona.  The last month of the year. I am feeling a little guilty traveling at all with the current lockdown stay at home.  But I am at home.

Saguaro cactus moon Palm Canyon Rd BLM Kofa NWR AZYes, I, like most of us, am more than ready to say goodbye 2020, and good riddance.  Yet even though I will look for positive change in 2021, I will be realistic, with no huge expectations that change will come overnight, because change is the slowest thing I know.  Just ask this procrastinator.

So what’s on my 2021 list?  Well, pretty much the same things as were on my 2020 list with more mindfulness, they just haven’t happened yet.  What kind of change would you like to be part of?

 

Goodbye 2020

Happy New Year!

life, memories, New Year's Eve 21 Comments

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