Nomad Life. A retirement age woman happily continues into her 30th+ year living on the road in her wheelestate. Probably not jazzy enough, sad enough, or filled with dramatic hype. Just truth, filled with ups and downs like everybody’s life.
A rare for me sunrise
To be honest I relish long stretches of smooth pavement offering distant views, approachable or not, changing along the way. I often feel a contrasting pull to stop and stay, enjoying and learning a new place verses the drive to get there, somewhere, wherever that is. I watch contrasts in light and shadow for photography. I recognize in my writing the contrast of “but/however” that shows up with much frequency. You’ll be paying more attention to that now, but that’s OK.
Nomadland movie review
Many of you may know my nomad life doesn’t include TV, movies, or even much music. I’m way behind on the arts—which I do admire—other than writing and photography with a heavy lean towards science. However, “Hello, my name is Gaelyn and I am an internet junkie.” I rarely signup pay for online entertainment. There’s so much free. Plus you folks are more interesting and real. Yet I fell for all the hype advertising on FB for the award winning movie Nomadland and signed up for a free 30-day trial of Hulu just so I could watch someone’s interpretation of nomad life.
The timing was right because the camper needed its bi-monthly dump and fill at Shady Lane where I also enjoy electricity and a fast internet signal. It’s a good movie. However, I’m glad I didn’t pay to watch it. (I hadn’t seen a new release since The Hobbit.) It truly is a good story to share, there are folks out here on the road who absolutely have no other choice. However, a lot of nomads live in all different kinds of house-on-wheels by choice. Like me.
Times have been crazy for decades with people in this country who slip through the cracks, for whatever many reasons. Sometimes, society simply overwhelms the psyche and can cause a shut-down of sorts. Major financial changes can strip away all security. Sometimes choice is to stealthily slip into a self made crack in an effort to stay away from the “normal” society. I’ve found myself in all those camps. Aren’t we all dodging potholes along the way?
I wanted to see more varied views of nomad life and community in this movie, like from the real nomads, Swanky, Linda Mae, and Bob Wells. Oh those darn expectations. This was Fern’s story, one-sided, her-sided. Glad to see archival film of Paul the Quartzsite naked bookseller who passed in 2019. I almost didn’t recognize him wearing too many clothes. Of course I love the landscapes, many I know more intimately than others. I had to watch it a second time because I couldn’t remember how it ended. What does that say? OK, Fern drove away from her defunct town. I couldn’t tell if she’d come to grips with it all, and her new life.
I won’t give it away any more than that. I’ve heard the book tells a different story regarding seasonal work. Having not read the book, I can’t speak any more about that either.
IMHO, this movie is about grieving. Many have a version of that story. I feel like movie watchers unfamiliar with nomad life could get a misrepresented version of the lifestyle as truly lost and houseless. And yet, as it’s getting more crowded out here that could be OK too.
Nomad life for the last week
After shopping in Parker I spent not one but two nights at Shady Lane RV Court. Heavy wind was predicted for my second night. Although that didn’t happen I got a lot done staying inside with power. Downloaded the Affinity app 90-day free trial for photo processing. I regularly use Lightroom and like it, except for its power demand and $10.62/month. Haven’t played with Affinity yet.
Experienced a little “speed bump” before leaving the park in the morning. Site 06’s sewer connection is too close to the ground. My hose jumped out, thank goodness gray water. Then the hose connector wouldn’t come off their PVC pipe and I had to ask for help. Someone with more strength than I got it apart and I was on my way. Propane fill went much easier chatting with a young (44) man about life.
Friday I drove back to the MST&T Road a little further along than the previous camp, closer to the New Water Mountains on the northeast.
I’m in the best spot ever with lots of Saguaro, ocotillo, a few cholla, and neighbors who are basically out of sight in the distance and behind vegetation.
Staying the extra night in town threw me off a bit for scoping out where the full moon would actually rise from the new camp. Even planning with PhotoPills, ephemeris, and compass the moon snuck over the horizon before I was ready to shoot. I hurried, and got several shots zoomed in but out of focus, my bad eyes.
Then started to play around, but not too close to, the saguaros. In order to get both the cactus and moon in focus I took two photos and fused them in Photo Gallery, a new trick for me. I did find out from the next night’s shots the images have to be taken almost side-by-side to make it work. Maybe PhotoShop, or Affinity, could layer also.
Saturday morning I saw first light but missed the setting moon. A chill wind kept me in for the day busily labeling photos. I am just over one year behind and am anal about labeling every photo I keep, which is just about every photo I take.
The next night for actual Full Snow moon rise came enough after sunset I had to use a tripod and even set it up ahead of time.
It’s tricky. These shots are heavily cropped. Wanted some foreground but too dark to photograph by the time the brilliant moon breaks over the horizon. I just don’t have that figured out, yet. As I headed inside I heard the soft distant sound of drumming.
Morning Moon set over Chocolate Mts
I’m in a perfect place in the Sonoran Desert where nature rejuvenates my spirit. I share my story, as it’s the only one I can really tell with honesty.
My nomad life includes stretches of smooth pavement, dodging potholes, following the speed limit, looking for wide shoulders, slowing down on gravel, respecting the views along the way, and treating others on their journey with courtesy and kindness. Most important, nomad life puts me in my happy place.
I now have 25 free days to watch Hulu and no idea really what to watch. Feel free to make suggestions. And if you don’t hear from me until the end of the month, I got good signal and am hooked.