The longest adventure yet. Big Bend, The Southwest and Baja Mexico.

8/30/22   Sometimes one must test the depth of water with both feet. What I had imagined, quite some time ago, the dream of this camper was to bug out, leave the Northeast in winter and roam where the temperatures were milder. It has been a real learning up over the last 12 years, learning by doing, succeeding and failing but also with the guidance of those who have also done this and were willing to share; In good nature where one is happy to help, laugh at the screwups, suggest great ideas and thoroughly enjoy Wandering the West (and north/south).

We started small, taking trips into the North Maine Woods. A wild, rough place that can toughen you up quick, From those great trips in our FWC Eagle on a Tacoma 4 cylinder manual transmission we somehow got home each time. Many things I would never try again that in our ignorance we survived. ( Driving the length on top of a beaver dam or canoe scouting the flooded road for a 1/4 mile to test the depths then give it a go... with a shot of Irish at the other end. Did I really think through the consequences of stalling half way? No. And maybe that was better I hadn't. 

Since that time of steep slope learning we drove to Alaska and across The Yukon and home again. We traveled the Canadian Maritimes through Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, across Labrador and northern Quebec. Some roads were pretty wild and some things happened that weren't so good but the adventure was terrific. 

And now a new chapter. Our pre-covid plan was to be roaming Mexico and northern Central America when Luann retired freeing us in the winter months to travel. This will happen soon but first a warm up to get our mojo working. The plan is to head south and west from wonderful western New England to the Natchez Trail starting in Nashville and ending 440 miles south in Natchez, Mississippi, Heading due west from there, across Louisiana and into Texas. We are staying off the 'slab' as much as possible and driving 'blue highways', though slower, are far superior for wandering and actually seeing where you are. Interstate highways (slab) are mind numbing and dangerous. You pay that price for speed.  That is not the coinage I am willing to pay in.  Though at times tedious and slow the blue highways offer small stops and interesting, most likely very old amusements to see. Like half buried cars as art or a 50 foot milk bottle. We are talking Americana. 

Our goal is general. Wander. We decided to structure the first three weeks with destinations by necessity. Even remote spots in National areas are being reserved online, something juxtaposed to the idea of venturing into the wild. I supposed if I was still a youth that is possible still with a backpack and tent. A Four Wheel Camper goes pretty much everywhere else. It allows one to leave, for the most part, the herd behind (Though Covid seems to have encouraged highly incompetent people to head out without a clue other than a YouTube education causing, in their enthusiastic ignorance, enormous damage to our beautiful lands).

Our initial destination is Big Bend, Texas. Both the National Park as well as the State Ranch Park: 3 days in the National and 9 days in the State.  Between these we will have a three day respite at the "Earth Bag House"; an off the grid cabin made from bags of dirt and then stuccoed to appear as a SW style home. It is solar powered, composing toilet and a quiet break to regroup and suss out any needed reconfigurations in the camper. Showers will be good too. 

Earth Bag House

 

Preparation and escape on the slab

10/19/23  Our FWC truck/camper has never been more prepared for a trip. All the mods thought up over the many trips have been completed, a purchase of a thermal liner (which insulates the pop-up soft vinyl sides) to make a winter trip more comfortable, and many truck service points addressed. Some of the mods: A diesel fuel rack which hold three, 2 gallon cans, GMRS radios, a Bose bluetooth speaker, more USB outlets, a bike rack for carrying our 2 eBikes, a second LiFePo4 battery, a 1000 Watt inverter to charge the eBike batteries, a new truck cab drawer shelving unit, a pop up screen tent, dog food storage bin, and  a pressurized cap for the 20 gallon water tank to blow out all water which could freeze and rupture the pipes. We will use 2.5 gallon water suitcases until we are far enough south to be able to fill the tank. 

That is not to say we have everything perfect. No trip allows one to get so smug that all bases are covered. Wonder where the phrase "all of a sudden things went south" came from!? One thing which we have been prepared for in the past but have not had to deal with is a flat tire. I have what is needed but pray that does not happen. Bad enough on a paved road but in remote rough areas it can be a real PITA. At least the rattle snakes should be hibernating!

After the "slab run" of the first two days, we will be traveling southwest on the Natchez Trace Parkway which holds a ton of history. Here we will slow our travels and enjoy sightseeing. The parkway is 444 miles long from just south of Nashville, TN to Natchez, MS near the Mississippi River.  Parkways are wonderful. No trucks. Speed at best, 45-50 mph. No commercial structures nor residences. Just one long ride in the park. The Taconic Parkway in NY, The Blue Ridge and Skyline Parkways in the Appalachian mountains and others are the best old fashioned way to travel. Highways serve a purpose certainly but not for leisure wanderings. 

Evolving

12/4/23 Evolving... just gotta. Myself, probably like and probably worse than most; as a guy I get a direction and I hate to turn back or deviate. It is a trait of the Y chromosome group. It proves well in many adventures where giving up is simply not an option. But on a trip for fun it can be a bad attribute. I have had this idea of going to the southwest and being warm when the northeast is locked in the jaws of ice storms and cold wind. Just thinking of a warm sun trip in February was like a vacation. Then, I discovered the truth and no amount of will or stubbornness would alter the reality; that the southwest in winter above 3000 feet is not sandal weather. In fact I'd be better off staying home with the wood stove blasting. So age does finally help one to turn back or even change course when no amount of determination alters the fact that it is a stupid idea. 

So, sure, glad I was convinced of this now with time to investigate the new possibilities before heading out. Plan on coming back and doing the southwest in the fall months another year. (As we are planning on another AK trip in September (airplane) in 2023 it will have to wait until 2024. Getting out the other map books and even reevaluating crossing the border again to Mexico. We will probably first push west to Borrego Springs area in CA and then decide to either wander around lower elevations in California or turn south and have a real new adventure. 

But this does require some extra planning. Crossing the border requires insurance, visa, dog papers, and specific "T's" to cross ahead of time. More investigation into safer routes with clearer daily destinations until we are more experienced in winging it. My Spanish is passable as long as folks don't talk too fast. I screw up my verb tenses a lot too. But I feel okay in being able to ask for help or make myself understood in a situation requiring knowing what is going down. My Spanish education came from my two years living in Paraguay in the late 70's and early 80's. Then later in my classroom in the states I had many hispanic students who were patient enough to let me practice...though I had the trouble of mixing in Guarani words.  It got worse when I lived in Japan for a few years and came back and I mixed up three languages all at once at times. I figured at that rate if I kept traveling I'd be illiterate in no time, scrambling all the languages together like in the Sci-fi Blade Runner movie in the future. (though I was thankful the pronunciations in both of those languages was based on the Hepburn vowel sounds).

Sitting by the fire but my feet are moving.

With the storm clean up done and the temperatures low (-2 this morning) I'd rather sit by the wood stove and think about camping in the desert. I have only done a few nights long ago in the desert while riding my old motorcycle back from California in 1981 and I decided to make it a 6,000 mile trip by going across Death Valley and the Mojave then north to Montana and then east to NE. Luann and I camped in Arizona for a week as well but not in the boonies. It won't be the same. I am a person who likes woods and deserts kind of spook me. What I am mostly looking forward to is upward. Dark Sky star viewing. Big Bend is a dark sky designated spot. One of the three camp spots (each 3 days) is at the top of a bluff oriented south. It is a long drive in and so to describe it I thought it better to show a few maps and Google Earth shots at the spot. It is definitely a "get away from it all" camp spot. (where the yellow pin is on each photo and tent on map). This definitely is an example of me "taking a trip without leaving the farm". I think of it as coming attractions. 

Final Preparations

12/15/22  Two weeks to go. Yes of course a major winter storm, make that 2, lets you know who's boss. The fact that I gambled by not putting the logging chains on the rear wheels, nor even the snow blower on the tractor PTO, makes it just that much more stressful. How did I think I could get outta Dodge without a snowstorm hitting first?  Twenty-one inches of heavy wet snow predicted will require three sorties (AM, PM, AM) to clear it. This stuff is gonna be the concrete type snow that eats shear pins on the driveshaft and clogs the chute.  I am only asking that it doesn't also put rain in the mix. The snow blower was lubed and put on, the tractor relocated to by the house and tarp-ed. The Engine block heater plugged into a 50 ft extension and the Carhart one piece snowmobile suit hangs by the stove. I gotta a feeling I'll regret not putting those tire logging chains on...  logging chains weigh 75 lbs a wheel, a pita.

The kitchen table and an additional 6 ft table have been designated as the drop for all things that the list says we need. One section for dog, one for food, one for gear, 6 soccer balls for kids en-route, beer, like provisions on a boat gotta all fit in their camper's dedicated spot. Six quarts special engine oil and filter for a change mid trip, same with diesel fuel filters. The clothes have been laid out upstairs ready for the stuff sack bags. The house propane was filed yesterday (on a fill-dongle tank gauge installed so to monitor the fuel level while on the road). Town hall notified about taxes paid while gone, banks and credit card companies notified we will be traveling. Post office notified that the mail delivery will stop. Checking out the dog radio collar works,  (Timer lights, security cameras, thermostats set to the house network allows real time monitoring and adjusting. The person to come and plow the driveway open only when it gets too deep (so the propane truck or fire dept. could get up to the house) set up. A fire needing to be set unlit in the wood stove so that when notified that the electricity (hence heat) is out a friend can come into the house and light the wood stove (and help themselves to the whiskey supply) keeping the water pipes from freezing and hoping they don't screw up and burn the house down due to whiskey. This is almost as challenging as organizing Middle school field trips with 120 students and 5 parents who don't want any actual duties as a chaperone; 28 years of that can cause brain damage. 

I wake at night thinking of things missed on the list or what to do when something's happened... yup Virgo. Can't help it without therapy and Irish don't do therapy, it's documented. So I wake at night thinking lists. Going down them while asleep something hits a bell saying "hold on there...what about"... the list for Mexico. As we are going to Baja there is less work and worry. Baja is like the hill-towns of western Mass compared to inside the route 128 metro area. It is easier in lots of ways but as it is rural, it requires foreknowledge. There are also the documents needed at the border. Three hard copies of everything and also kept on a phone file as well. There is the required Mexican vehicle insurance (as most US companies won't insure you anyway and it is mandatory) and the FMM which is a long form required so that you don't "import" your vehicle (sell it while there). The the passports and medical ...that is why it is good to get advice. We did and all is as it should be. 

One extra note out of nowhere. Something I never thought about as I traveled for 3 months in South America or same in Asia: being in contact. There was none. If I needed to contact home in the states I had to get to a Western Union in a large city to send a telegram. Did so twice. Once when I got caught in a coup in Bolivia and the other when the Sandinistas blew up Samosa in Paraguay where i was working. Otherwise one just went about their trip and took photos which one developed 3 months later and maybe made a few copies to mail (taking a few months to arrive, maybe). One would "tell all about your trip" at a quick get together where you had to sum up a huge life experience in a paragraph before moving on to the equally weighty description of their day at the mall.  But now we have instantaneous experiences. I will do my best not to do. Just musings about the day or rather what they made me think about. Gawd help you. 

And so there is this 'journal' a way I can remember what happened when and also keep contact with folks interested in where we are. I can't do individual stuff as I am busy with the dog chasing a coyote or the two methods of dealing with "the loo" functioning. Busy campers. I am chronologize-ing and in so doing whinging.... but I am excited... it doesn't come through but it's is there. This is so because I am too in the prep stage to remember I am actually going somewhere. When I get in  the truck and say sayonara Buckland.... it will hit me and the excitement will surface. 

 

Yes, chains had to be put on and no I won't try to get away next year without them.

Viva Mexico

 Decision made. Research as far as it needs to go is done and we will head south and explore the Baja peninsula. Down the Pacific side and up the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), maybe a few cross overs into the mountains. We are thinking the whole month of February and maybe some of March. The return to home by the end of March will be an unknown until be get there. The excitement of a whole new idea, one we had hoped to do one day, is sinking in. Getting all the right legal stuff done and making sure there aren’t any big surprises. We have been collecting map data for dispersed camping… beaches, fish tacos, water dispensers, low sulfur diesel, and interesting sights to see. No hurry though at all if we like where we are we stay and if not we roll on to somewhere else. Mostly we want quiet. Not the busy hot spots. The big variable is wild ass Lucy Rose. She went on our three week Newfoundland/Labrador trip and did very well but she was a pup then. This will require an adjustment. No freedom to run as there are coyotes, rattle snakes and other potential bad stuff to get into. Spoilt she is here with a few acres to her own and a dog door to come in and out all day. Now on leash but also in the truck and camper. I don’t find it cramped actually but it does take awhile to get into the rhythm of close quarters. 

I am writing this 3 1/2 weeks before our departure because much of a trip is in the planning or just investigating: the regional foods to explore, I discovered Baja has a great wine region (Valley of Guadalupe) which we want to mosey through, old missions, hot springs, the list is long and, as a WTW friend named Frank told me before I made the jump to go to Alaska, "you'll enjoy the planning as much as the trip" and he was right. So it's 36 outside and raining... I'd rather think about fish tacos and cacti. 

The Weather Gift

 Last week it was -2.  Last week we had 20" of snow on the ground. Last week I was praying that I could actually head out the driveway, all sneaky-like, unnoticed by the weather demons who, if they'd seen me or knew my intentions of leaving would hit me with their ugly stick. They must be distracted as at this T-33 hour mark there is a high probability I will not be snowed in, not have to chainsaw downed limbs nor even lift a shovel. The weather prediction is for balmy 32º Monday morning. I even dared to (HA!) look at the 10 day forecast (which has got to be something of a joke in New England) but then thought who cares? I'm gone. So, why not look at what the weather will supposedly be like along the first week of the route. I did so for the first 7 nights general areas and lo and behold it showed there were no nights that the low went below 34. Many of the days highs were in the upper 60's !! 

What this sparked was the realization that I might be able to get away with taking water with me. This year was the first year I did not do the traditional antifreeze in the water tank/lines. I made a pressure cap with a compressor fitting so that I could blow out the camper water system and in so doing left the possibility open that I could use my 20 gallon water tank after I was far enough south that the lines would not freeze and rupture. Can you see now what's possible?! I can actually take 20 gallons of the sweetest well water on earth with me and not have to buy plastic jugs that have to be put in valuable free space. SO! The plan is to get up an hour earlier on the day of departure and fill the tank! It means opening up and thereafter draining the house exterior faucet (as that has to be done in NE). But hey, that is a small price to pay for the luxury.Yes small things can make a man happy. 

My poor dog Lucy Rose (5), who I am sure will feature large in this journal due to her enthusiasm, has been in the doldrums all week. She is recovered from her bout of some nasty intestinal thing but is on high alert sensing our patterns of movement indicates a trip and sure as hell she will not be anywhere else but in that vehicle when it leaves; underfoot at all times whenever one drifts towards the door. A lot of anxious inhaling around the equipment table for telltale indicators of a "dog bag". Why can't she find her favorite stuffed duck in her toy box? Something is UP! She hasn't a clue what she's getting into but in three months time she should be able to bark in Spanish! 

All over the Road again....

 This being day four, (1/5/23) I have some “splaning to do”. One does not leave the Northeast without paying for it. It’s like some industrial regional forcefield has this grip that say’s “uh uh you ain’t going nowhere”. Every insane aspect of highway travel is put in front of you.TRUCKS. We are talking (and I googled it so it is the same as Moses saying it).. 4.06 million trucks on the road daily carrying 1.9 billion tons of freight of “gotta have it” stuff across the US of A. These people are the good drivers… Then there are the preadolescent males who are actually 35 driving to prove their “manhood’ by replicating scenes from “Fast and Furious (#6)” on their way to work in vehicles that are … stupid… ok. Imagine spending your salary on a ‘dongle’ that goes into your exhaust pipe to make it sound like a formula 1. So I better stop on this or I will go off the edge. 

By the way, one can click on a photo to enlarge.

Our fabulous dog Miss Lucy Rose has been by far the best behaved of the exhibition. Trust, patience and downright “ok”, she just rises up and cooperates (with occasional catatonic bark sessions at deer…in the road!!). She has put up with a ton of restrictions for guaranteed bowl of kibble twice a day and some serious poop walks. Actually that has been my reward as well.

                                                                                Herself

Okay: Warning. The next four paragraphs are nitty gritty so if you want to just skip over or read the “topic sentence” from each it is allowed.

The truth is the first three days are murderous. Not to be blogged about, 500 hundred mile slab days. Once out of the NE highways, things get better. But this being reality sometimes no matter how much one prepares and no matter for how long, stuff happens. I dropped a wad to be sure the truck was road worthy for this 10K trip, But what is going on inside an engine can never be for certain. A little of this or a smack on that… in this instance a check engine light. That my friend is a great concept…. like “Y’all got a problem”… could be your engine is about to die or an itty bitty wire has wiggled loose. That throws an OCD like me over the cliff. Of course it will be the former rather than latter, what else?! My truck is a mini diesel, a great engine that carries 1500 pounds and gets 22 mpg. (That is wonderful). I installed a diagnostic plug (like a repair shop has) that has bluetooth to the iPhone. All it gives you is the code number for what made the “idiot light” come on and an option to clear it. P1476. In my case an indication that the particulate air injector for the exhaust gas burner was not working correctly. That or the sensor has gone wacko (more likely). I do not want to be in the middle of god forsaken Texas outback and hope for a 300 mile tow truck). This sensor Is of course on a waiting list… months out but for some reason, I will not write which, one appeared on an auto store’s shelf stock…. and it is 20 minutes away. 

To put this in a similar light of absurd probabilities…. I will digress (because no one is here to stop me). My brother Michael will remember this. (HA!). Luann and I rode my R100 BMW motorcycle to Nova Scotia to visit my sister Frances, a long ride (in 1995?). In the last mile my bike started stuttering but made it up the driveway. Everything indicated (yes before internet) it was a small diode in the electrics. We were 150 miles from Halifax. I called a car BMW shop by mistake looking for motorcycle parts (rare as they are)… I got a salesman on the phone who was trying to tell me it was a car dealership when all of a sudden he says “wait a minute, I got this part in my desk drawer that was mailed here a couple years ago for some guy with a broken down bike…. wait a minute… he comes back and says ya I got this thing in a box… he never came to pick up the box mailed here. He read the part number and it was the diode. Okay I mean what? What is the mathematical probability of that… go through it, it is nuts. That brings us back to today. The part I need is back ordered for months, As Luann is driving I’m calling random dealerships and all are saying no. Then this one man in a Chevy dealer parts dept. says “huh” … we don’t got it either but this computer says there is one 20 minutes from you. I get there and they can’t find it (probably why it was still there on a back shelf. 20 minutes later the guy says “found it!” So now I have the part. Bad news is after install which I could do hopefully  someplace with my tools, The sensor needs to be programed after install. I know, just shut this blog off and go have a beer…. I mean is this a vacation? As Luann drives (at a Texas rate of speed) I’m on the phone calling dealerships to help out and do the programming. I called a lot of places but finally got a guy in San Marcos Texas, just south of Buda.  He heard my plea and would do the install on Monday morning (1/9) at 7:30 AM! As it is we are visited with friends of Luann’s when they all taught in Saudi Arabia, who now lives in Texas Saturday (1/7) This means we only lose a day’s reserved camp site in Big Bend if all goes well. Though we decided to not stay at their place… we got a B&B near the dealership. We need a break anyway.

Well that was a long read but frankly it is a Cliff Note version. We sit, as I type, with me in stress recovery mode, at a lake side Davy Crockett National Park, Ratcliff, TX; the place is nearly empty and it is 70 degrees! So yes you will think we have some cosmic good vibes happening here like in Halifax. What are the odds!?  I will get to the actual happy go lucky descriptions of our last 5 days’ travel shortly but I had to purge this part of the story. As JFK said “We do not go to the moon because it is easy, we go to the moon because it is hard”. There has gotta be a Moon, Texas. 

Got some pretty cool but never enough photos of stuff we’ve seen. But, at 70 mph it is hard to capture a house with 10,000 gnomes  in a yard with crosses and plastic flowers or “Save America Vote Republican” billboards. “Guns, Ammo, Beer and Groceries” (all the essentials) store. My Massachusetts license plate started to vibrate in fear of discovery. Would it become a trophy? 

The time line:

So now the good stuff. Our first night was …. Harrisonburg, VA. First night was wonderful after a long day drive we stayed at a motel/inn, a splurge. AND honestly we found a sushi place that had the best I have eaten since Kobe, hands down. Off we go on day two to our destination of east of Nashville, Cedar of Lebanon State Park. We hit 2 hours of insane thunder and lightning torrential rain on crowded highway. Just toughen up. We got some take out and a six pack to stay at the camp grounds and it cleared for our arrival and a leisurely meal;. That night heaven opened up and we were snug in the camper but hard to sleep with the booms! (always have dog calming ‘special’ chews for such events). Next day THE NATCHEZ PARKWAY with breakfast first at the famous LOVELESS CAFE or not….. on arrival …. closed for the day for maintenance… yes you got it… THE  one day we wanted breakfast at the best in Tennessee. But, once on the parkway it was driving heaven. 50 MPH and all on a 2 lane road where we saw a car once every 30 minutes. It went on like that for pretty much the whole 440 miles. Lots of deer and lots of history Luann reading out loud, by milepost, the story of the incredible Trace history.

                                                            A 440 mile 'ride in the park'

                                                            Ancient mounds on the Trace

            A 40 mile canal c connecting gate Tennessee River and the Mississippi through this waterway.

            An Army Corp of Engineers Campsite on the huge Waterway midway on the Trace.

A view from my home security camera and below the temperature where we were. Ah.

We are now in a gorgeous little city of Natchez, Mississippi on the river where we had a southern breakfast at “The Little Easy” … oh my with biscuits. Crossing the Mississippi River into Louisiana … well,  ok then… more cultural “look at that!”… we crossed the state and arrived in TEXAS! Speed limit went from 50 to 75 MPH on a 2 lane road. My GAWD! 

I sit here after a load has been removed from my shoulders… our truck will be at a Chevy dealer on Monday. We will miss one night of remote camping of fifteen in TX. A small price to pay in the big scheme of things for a miraculous repair. (hopefully).

The Mississippi.

                                                        Davy Crockett National Forest, TX.

Night 3 (1/4) was in

Piney Grove Army Corp of Engineers Bay Springs Lake, Mississippi. Tennessee/Tombigbee Waterway.We camped at an incredible Army Corp of Engineers’ camp ground for 150 of which we were the 4th camper… we each had our own peninsula into the Lake, (part of the Mississippi waterway) that links the Tennessee River to Ole Miss. Lots of Ducks. Lucy continues her stellar performance and we had a glorious hot shower.

Night 4 (1/5) was in

Rocky Springs Nat. Park, Mississippi (unused) campground. There were three other boon dockers silently separated by a few hundred yards. This brought us on the Trace 2/3 of the way down. The shock the next day was returning to real traffic and things such as stop signs, lights and TRUCKS. 

Night 5 (1/6) was in 

Davy Crockett National Forest, Texas. Great place. lousy noise from a highway…what a shame. Seems Texans like loud vehicles and ones which pour out the smoke. Sad. Each day in Texas has been on the blue roads… not interstates…but the speed limit was still 75 MPH. So not enjoyable. Hyper sense driving. 

Night 6 &7 (1/7-1/8) Stopped in for a quick visit in Buda TX at old teaching friends of Luann's. We stay in a B&B prior to the appointment made 2 days ago at a Chevy place nearby… Truck needs a new exhaust sensor… unplanned but time for a day’s rest. Good chance to get this blog posted and long walks with the dog who has just now been elevated to Saint Lucy of the Fast-lane . 

As I publish this (1/8) we are in San Marcos, TX. Tomorrow's appointment at the dealer and the hoped for "Fix" so we can move on without worry. Fingers crossed. 

“Broke Down South of Dallas” (Junior Brown)

Big Bend National (Tuesday 1/9) 

And for a a bit of toe tapping: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3LK1Mt3CZA 

So a bit of catch up. High drama day was getting up at 5 AM (1/9) after we had to stay over in San Marcos TX  to get to a dealership who agreed to install a part (sensor) I found by luck along the way (outside of Jackson MS …yes the very same Johnny Cash song)…   we ain’t messing around. A few hours of hand wringing sitting in a dealership the size of Logan Airport (I’m the only one masked). Got the truck back at 10:30 and was back to pick up Luann and Lucy Rose. Off immediately to a nasty highway travel through San Antonio to a southern secondary road Route 90 west (still 75mph). Our goal was to get to Amistad Reservoir (Rio Grand) on Mexican US border where we could camp for the night a short 4 hour day’s drive (and after the anxiety of waiting for the check engine light to reappear, that is about as far as I could drive). Lucy again did great in arduous circumstances as there were 15 boon dock sites at the river and 12 had dogs: yes they all seemed to want to guard their turf. 

                                75MPH and the boat was shaking! Worth the risk of passing. 

Today, ah today, might seem like a lifetime ago we left our home in snowy Buckland, but it has been only eight days. The real vacation, ya know the kind you pay for… arriving and getting a rental and seeing the sights… well this is that day for us. It was worth it. It's really starts now. What was in my head (not the drive here) but being here. It is QUIET….  loud quiet. Stars…. lots of them until your neck hurts. And best of all, the feeling of being actually in touch with the planet one is walking on. In the raw. My feet, the ground, the sky. Be where your feet are. You can’t imagine what you start thinking about. 

My sister Elizabeth had been to Big Bend last year and gave us some good insights as to what to expect. Also she had taken a tour of the very “Off Grid Earth Bag House”  (a link to which is in the first few posts) that we will stay in for a few days between our stay in BB National and The BBSRP (TX) for 9 days remote. This will be a great resting up and regrouping time. But that is in a couple days. Another shout out is to another two WTW FWC fellows who actually live two towns over in Conway, MA. Jack and Dani. Thank you for all your foreknowledge of the Big Bend, your pointers and advice. Gave us a real place to base how to plan. I am now in awe of your EV trip out here as well. A lot of planning must have happened before. 

Right now as I type my view:

I sit in my Kermit chair watching how the light/shadows change in this incredible desert with mountains all around. We are at the remote campsite (Pine Canyon 4) where it is as quiet as our home but way different. We can see forever it seems. DRY. 4,137 feet elevation. Vegetation to be careful of and thankful for no Rattlesnakes as they should be hibernating (tarantulas…not sure). The day is hot to my standard, 75. Makes a fair skinned man get out the big hat. Lucy is so glad to be able to spend the last few hours laying on a sand mat fast asleep. Her vacation starts now too.

Rob's 'beer decanter' .. have to take the fizz out.... aging not so gracefully.

I can see the geology all around and it is crazy different from what I am used to, I wish I knew more. I am so out of my clime and place that I have to dig into those guide books. I have seen two big birds I can’t name and strangely happy I can’t look it up on the internet. Gawd help us we are cut off from BIG brother!!!! So I’ll peck away at this when it is dark and I’m not wasting valuable looking around time stuck with a keyboard. This is when it is nice having the Eagle Four Wheel Camper on the truck. Compared to the road barns we see being hauled into the wild so folks can watch a big screen video at night, it is tiny. But it is packed with battery power, fridge, heater, solar, lights and a queen sized bed to sleep on. 

I must also venture into the descriptions of outback camping in desert. Gone are the days of “scratch-holes” and leaving “Charmin Lillies” that quite frankly are soooo not communitarianism in action. What one does not want is to show up in a spectacular earth location, probably unique in the universe, only to find the above unmentionables. LEAVE NO TRACE., Pack it out. That also means no piling of rocks into some spiritual tower. What that does is to be invasive. Those who do it are putting themselves into the place. When they leave what does that say to the next person. Let that person see what was naturally there not what someone else left behind. Leave it cleaner than you found it and not rearranged. 

So back to the nuts and bolts. Toiletry. All earth creatures have a daily part of the life cycle. Humans though are somewhat unique. We concentrate our waste (as do porcupines). So in our little Camper we have currently two systems to be hopefully upgraded to a composting toilet next year.  Currently we have the marine ports potty inside. This would give us a 7-10 day’s use. It is only for emergency situations where we are in a ‘peoplely’ areas or it is raining heavily. Where we are now there are strict Fed standards (good) that do not allow scratch-holes, one must carry out (like a spelunker) all waste. We have a fold up seat that separates the liquid from solids. Solids in a ‘wag bag’ (corn plastic so as to dissolve fast) and the liquid into a sealable plastic container. Both are sealed and brought out to the area center and disposed of in a way that does not screw up what we came here to see. A good idea and only curmudgeons would resist on stupid grounds. We are many; twice as many as when I was born. Saw stupid, now see two! Gotta protect our planet’s gems from our humanly destructive ways. So sayeth the (Rob) Lord.

Sifting through the plethora of digital photos takes time after shooting too many. But in the evening when the sun has gone down but the  stars aren’t out yet one can peck away at them. Then there is cribbage and rummicube (one of my mom’s favorites). They are the only small games to bring along for those rainy days or boring camp sites. Weight of everything is an issue. Wine bottles for instance… all that glass weight for 4 portions of wine. Beer only in cans which is ok as long as there are beers worth drinking in cans (Hence the Lagunitas in bottles). Frightening to go into a beer store and it is all BUD light etc. 

                            A hot one in the sun, 80 in the shade.... 5 minutes after sunset 60!

Great day waking up and stepping out of the camper into ga ga here you are. Wander about and BTW did you know it cold in the desert before sunup? Well yes it is. Routines: Up, pants/shoes on...harness on Lucy. Back out the camper door so she does not bolt past you after that Javalina right outside. Once down she is thrilled to be free again and a short walk of 15 minutes works for here to do her business (also picked up) Back to the camper where the other has started the pre setup coffee pot!! and Lucy's bowl ready...with water. Then we separate into duties if traveling that day, prepping the breakdown of the queen bed(!), and storing the gear while the other starts prepping the camper top down. Lucy tied outside to something and in no time, if it is a moving on day we are ready to go. Luxury is a campsite for a few days, where next we go.

Our following night was in a camp spot a few miles along the same canyon. Again jaw drop views. Easy set up and "take two". Great star viewing and just enjoying being away from the noise. So much noise that folks don't even think of it as noise. My neighbor once told me his friends came to stay and could not sleep because it was "too" quiet; they were scared. We even saw a "noise machine" on the bedside table in a place we stayed (waiting to have truck fixed). A "noise machine"... that is a scarier concept than quiet. What must one be imagining in quiet that noise will protect you? It isn't protecting you it is distracting you. We are a too distracted people. 

                        Rio Grande Santa Elena Gorge Mexico/Us border (the bluff is Mexico)

Then 'Oh Boy' day. I won't deny it has been a bit of a tough haul to get here but as Buddha said: Judge your accomplishments by what you had to give up to achieve them". Well heck we should be in party central right now! And we are. Every moment is a great new view. Every hour the light changes the same view. I feel full. Oh Boy day is a break in the rapid pace of things and a slowing down. Again a fortunate 3 day rental at the Off the Grid Earth Bag House. We arrived this afternoon after wonderful day of seeing Big Bend splendor, an settled in to what some folks would love and others feel a hardship. An off the grid house where one is expected to be somewhat a minimalist. Solar/battery powered. Rain tank for water, composting toilet, just living mindfully in a harsh environment. (no frills). It is beautiful and comfortable and the sky is still starry! We rest here but also regroup: clean out camper and prep for the next nine days in a 3 remote spots in the Big Bend Ranch State park. I will post this after reviewing the last few days photos sometime while here air the Earth Bag house. And then post. 

                            Arrival at the Off Grid Earth Bag House (link in previous post)

Friday the 13th... and all is well. A good day at the Earth Bag house. Was able to arrange the Mexican Truck/camper insurance (required) and to wire an LED bar light in front receiver hitch. A temp solution for this trip. But where traveling outback roads at night that amount of light is essential to see the road sharp rocks, holes, or worser to avoid. Cleaned the camper and reorganized now we know. Oil added to truck and tightened the turn buckles that holds the camper in place.... a good day. Luann made Tacos in our Omni stove top Oven. Lucy loves being at a house ...on the couch. But on leash outside for her... she wants to run!

Last note: we are off for 9 days into boonies with no cell ...so no blog. but maybe (we get back out 24th) soon thereafter I'll update the 3: 3/day camps in BBRSP.  The map for this was posted (Google Earth shots) in a previous post. Our 20 gallon on board water tank will be just about right for the stay. When we come out we will be in Fort Davis for 3 days to recover and be back on line. (1/24). Stay Safe everybody!