Tag: boondocking

12 November 2019

Time to coddiwomple southward

Coddiwomple (v.) to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination. I typically live like this during winter while making a plan for where to next.

I paid too much rent to stay for another week in Cedar City for three more PT appointments on my slowly improving wrists. Very nice that daytime highs in the 60s makes a pleasant two block walk to PT. The time here has been well spent. Although honestly it doesn’t feel like I’ve done much else besides waste a lot of time online.

I have another doctor visit and PT assessment on my last day in town, the 15th. Then I’ll coddiwomple southward probably just out of Utah to Black Rock Road on free BLM for the night. Will be my first stay in this location. That’s only a little over an hour driving. Long enough for my first major drive in 2 1/2 months.

Even the clouds at sunset were windblown

Then the next day, two hours to Snowbird Mesa, aka Poverty Flats, Nevada. Last I stayed there in March 2017 the wind almost blew me away.

From November 2017

And another hour to Boulder City and free camping by the casino.

Also November 2017

Followed by a two hour drive to Burro Creek campground with a stop along the way in Wikeup for Chicago style Italian Beef sandwiches, to eat and to go.

And a final hour to Wickenburg. About 450 miles total. I used to drive that in a day instead of five.

I have PT set up in Wickenburg starting November 25th, the soonest I could get in. And that means a week with only at home PT, something I’m not really good at.

There is some desert boondocking not far out of Wickenburg.

Congress at base of far mountains, Yarnell on top

Another option is a RV Park with the most affordable in Congress, North Ranch, about 10 miles to PT. Guess I won’t be walking that.

Other than that I don’t have a plan except changing my mailing address as I no longer live in Yarnell. For now I’m going to pay for a mail service in Wickenburg, Arizona that will give me a physical address and make the few government offices that still use snail-mail happy. Plus I love receiving postcards from people/travelers. Yes that’s still a thing.

I am desperately hoping after more PT I’ll be closer to normal mobility. Then I can properly go coddiwomple in the desert for the rest of the winter.

RV lifestyle boondocking, coddiwomple, moving, RV, travel 29 Comments

02 January 2019

An invitation to a Lunar eclipse meetup

This is an invitation to watch, and photograph, the January 20th lunar eclipse at the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. I was there last year, I’m going back, and hope others will join me.

One of the challenges I’ve set myself this year is to improve my night photography. First that means dragging myself, and the tripod, outside after dark. That in itself might be a huge challenge especially when the temperatures are below my ideal. I guess wearing more layers will help.

Last year only a partial lunar eclipse was visible in Arizona and that required getting up in the wee hours of the morning. This time we can see the entire eclipse from 7:35pm to 12:48am, depending on how late you want to stay up.

Here in Arizona, and I think most of the USA, no other eclipses, lunar or solar, will be visible this year.

Look how bright our world is at night

To take full advantage of seeing the eclipse a dark place is needed with the least amount of surrounding light pollution. I know Palm Canyon Road on the Kofa fits that bill. It is situated between Yuma to the south and Quartzsite to the north. Not only dark but also quiet in the wide open spaces of the Sonoran Desert with mountains around. This is also a great place for sunrise and sunset.

Camping is free on the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. However, campsites cannot be located within ¼ mile of water sources and vehicles must remain within 100 feet of the road. Campfires are permitted. You’ll have to bring your own wood. Please remember fire light would be an issue for night sky viewing.

Although this is the desert nights get cold so come prepared. Red lights for after dark so night vision isn’t impaired. A chair or lounger for comfort and maybe wrapped in a blanket depending on what happens with the weather. Maybe bring a snack to share for the evening of the eclipse. Otherwise, this is a BYO everything else event.

Services are limited in Quartzsite. Yuma has most anything.

The big tent RV show is in Quartzsite from January 19th through the 27th. Plus lots of other events and ‘stuff’ for sale. If you have a RV want list it’s a good time to shop.

Then there’s the nearby Palm Canyon trail that I’ve hiked before and plan to hike again. Plus many other places to explore in the area.

We can hope for clear skies. And maybe try some new ideas with our photography like light-painting a saguaro cactus, or setting up people for a silhouette against the full moon. Maybe video or how about some vlogging?

I need to study the PhotoPills app videos to learn about the set up for this eclipse.

After a few days around Quartzsite and Kofa I’m hoping to head further south to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and or the BLM just south of Ajo.

Of course I’m excited about this. Haven’t had a vacation since July. So today I’m getting the camper propane tanks refit and certified. And soon I’ll be packing. Hope you can join me. Let’s howl at the moon!

How to get there

East side of US Highway 95 approximately 63 miles north of Yuma and 18 miles south of Quartzsite, Arizona near milepost 85. Sign reads Palm Canyon and the gravel road is usually in pretty good shape, a little rough, but could be nasty after rain. Seven miles to parking for Palm Canyon Trailhead. I’ll be somewhere along that road. Now is when it would be nice to have a GPS unit so I could give exact coordinates for my location. Yet I’ve always found cell signal out there. And you know what my truck and camper look like. Give me a shout.

Although the government shutdown closes some public lands this area shouldn’t be affected. Plus we can hope the shutdown is over by then.

Arizona, eclipse, Kofa NWR, Places I've been, United States boondocking, camping, full lunar eclipse, moon, photography, Sonoran Desert 20 Comments

01 March 2017

On my way home the slow route

February 22-28, 2017

I really am on my way home, but there’s no hurry.

For almost three weeks I’ve been moving back and forth between Darby Well Road free camping on BLM and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument at $8/night with my Greezer discount, which I’ll take thank you. So when I left the monument for the second time it was back to Darby again, just for one night. Bill and Emily, who I just recently met, had discovered another double crested organ pipe cactus and I just had to see it, and them. Off a little side road, you really have to just wander the desert like Bill does to almost, but not quite I hope, trip on these anomalies.

I donated some fresh frozen Canadian salmon for dinner, given to me by a friend back in the Kofa, and Emily BBQed it to perfection. Stayed so long chatting after walking over that Bill had to drive me home in the dark.

Before I left in the morning Bill wanted to show me something he couldn’t explain not far from their site. So we walked across the road, scrambled through some dense brush and found some softball-sized what could only be dried gourds wedged into bush branches. Four of them, plus one on the ground—the only one I took a photo of. That’s it. Haven’t seen gourds growing anywhere nearby. I have to guess the wind brought them in.

Thursday I drove to Quartzsite and found a whole different and almost empty desert to camp in only six miles south of town off La Paz Valley Road within sight of where I’d been a month before but this time without 1000s of my new best friends. That night I finally figured out and downloaded “Google Now” so I can talk and search, talk and text, talk and comment on FB, and could maybe even talk a post which I haven’t tried yet. You all probably do this, but sometimes I resist the tech.

Because of this tech I was able to request a map from google to my desert location and email it to Berta. Neither of us do GPS (don’t rush me). With a few extra phone instructions I guided her in to my off road location and we played in Quartzsite Friday after brunch. Did I buy anything? Of course, that’s why I stay away from there. All but one strand of beads is NOT turquoise. The cabochon is Sonoran Sunrise Jasper from Mexico, a blend of bright aqua-green chrysocolla, red cuprite and black tenorite. Plus an obsidian blank for a friend who knaps arrowheads.

Then after Berta left for home I moved my location north of Quartzsite on BLM Plomosa Road not far from Kim, another friend met through blogging. She’s kind of let her blog go but was at Blogger-Fest 2017 where we ran into each other again this year. As usual, I forgot to take pics of Kim but she took one of me.

Saturday I finally had the pleasure of meeting Jodee, Bill, and Tessa the fluffy dog. Been following these three since before they hit the road, was it almost two years ago. Deja vu. Like the new/old friends we are conversation rolled along faster than our RVs do. Of course I liked them instantly. They took me to lunch at Taco Mio where I took one not so good photo of Bill and Jodee in the restaurant. But Jodee got the best selfie at their RV park after lunch and I took the shot of Tessa.

Returned to the Plomosa Road camp and went for a short walk with Kim and Barb. So much amazing rock I find myself staring down all the time. Found, quartz, chalcedony almost roses, jasper, and more I don’t know or look so much alike because of the dark desert varnish.

Then Solar Johnny showed up to swap out my old readout panel for a brand new digital model because he collects all things old solar.

Sunday I was finally on my way home. Didn’t leave early because of possible morning rain which didn’t happen and it’s only a two drive. Stopped at Berta’s for a hug and to pick up mail. Was a pretty sunset in Kirkland but I was too tired after unloading to go out and take photos. Monday gray and rainy all day and Tuesday more of the same with late afternoon clearing.

And rain brings flowers. But clear for Wednesday when I leave again for Valley of Fire State Park to meet up with some more new, and old friends.

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Arizona, Quartzsite boondocking, desert, road trip 15 Comments

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Tag: boondocking

Time to coddiwomple southward

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An invitation to a Lunar eclipse meetup

How to get there

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On my way home the slow route

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Tag: boondocking

Push my buttons!

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How to get there

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Push my buttons!

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