The Desert is scary and Water is wet -- Day 165

We made it to California! After blazing through Arizona and New Mexico in two weeks, we now have a month to make our way up to Northern California where we'll be spending the summer. This period of constant, rapid change is going to be put on hold for a while, and a new chapter of the adventure will begin.

Our first stop in California was in Needles, just over the border. We wanted a couple of days to charge up our spirits before braving the Mojave, having seen way too many Bugs Bunny cartoons as children. Anya is descended from forest dwellers, and I am of tropical stock -- so the desert is a scary place. We stayed three days at Fender's River Road Resort, right on the Colorado river in Needles. It was the perfect, peaceful respite before undertaking the Fury Road across Tatooine.

"You could not step twice into the same river" ~ Heraclitus

Being so close to the Colorado, I had to go down to it. It was really interesting to me to go down and touch the water. Imagining that this is the same river that had come from the Grand Canyon, and would eventually make its way to the Pacific. Some of it will evaporate and become the rain that feeds the crops that will eventually make their way to my plate. It's weird to think of the interconnectedness of it all. So I had to touch it. It was wet.

Maybe some of the water that I touched will make its way to you. I hope that when it finds you that it's particularly edifying. We are all in this thing together, you know?

I have made a lot of friends on the internet, recently. It it a reminder to me that I am not a rolling island on the highway, but there are real people out there whose lives are affected by my actions. And in turn, they are affecting me. It has been said, "Your vibe will attract your tribe." I think that I have found some of mine, and it feels pretty good.

Refreshed and recharged, we were ready to tackle the desert. Fingers, still wet from the Colorado, firmly grasped the steering wheel. "Let's do this!"

And then it was really uneventful. The desert is not nearly as bleak as we had thought, there were plenty of opportunities to stop for supplies (not that we needed it, since we were prepared to be stranded for a week, you know, just in case.) There was a lot of traffic, and it didn't really even get very hot. I'm sure it was the blessing of the Colorado River that moistened our way.

Our first stop, on the western edge of the desert, was in Newberry Springs. I'm not going to link to the place, because it was honestly one of the worst places that we've ever spent the night. (And that list includes Walmart parking lots.) To add insult to injury, it was also one of the most expensive places that we've ever stayed, so my advice to all travelers crossing the Mojave would be to get as far past the desert as you can, because they know you're coming. Everything near the desert is more expensive, since they are preying on your fears. It definitely worked on us.

Today is also "National Sibling Day" and my brother coincidentally called me. It was pretty cool, since he had no idea. He just hadn't talked to me in a while, and we got to catch up. He had big news: he is getting married, again. I'm super happy for him, because he seems really happy. Lots of things have changed for both of us through the years, so this is an exciting direction in which to see his life go. It seems like the changes in my life have accelerated over the last few years, and moreso over the last few months. But getting a call from my Big Bro reminds me that even though everything is in a constant state of change, there are some things that still remain true.

Water is still wet.

The Best Laid Plans -- Day 138

I had this entire entry written, but couldn't post it because we were not in a service area -- and then it got deleted. Which is particularly funny to me, since the title becomes more significant.

When we started this journey, there was no end destination in sight. The road was the goal, and we had accomplished it. The new plan was to figure out how to keep the vision going. I figured that with careful planning and budgeting, I could probably make our money last for a year.

Things that I didn't account for in our budget (that maybe I should have):

• Dad's birthday
• RV Bootcamp
• Losing a sideview mirror
• My birthday
• The brakes failing
• Christmas
• The Great Data Crisis
• Jason's 21st birthday

 Unexpected experiences are a part of life, and the lessons that we learn along the way make us who we are. I don't regret any of the things that we spent the money on, or the life lessons that we picked up along the way. But now, faced with depleted resources, we had a decision to make: was it time to draw this chapter of our life to a close?

"Flow like water" ~ Bruce Lee

When you are flowing like water, your path changes many times. This lesson applies so broadly in my life, from our financial situation to our travel itinerary.

Anya took on the task of finding us jobs, while I tried to rework the budget to stretch our dollars "until the eagle screams" (credit to my wise father for that turn of phrase.) Online searches for opportunities yielded lots of results, but not many that would work for us. We have some needs beyond the financial, and we believe that the perfect job will meet all of them. Encouraged by this initial foray, we planned to continue our westward trek, still chasing that warmer weather.

Hiking the trail through Bull Canyon.
Posted by Anya Phenix on Monday, March 7, 2016

We left Lake Arrowhead in high spirits, spent a couple of amazing nights at Copper Breaks State Park, and got refreshed by nature and rejuvenated during our time of being unplugged. We had planned to hit up Caprock Canyon and then stay at Palo Duro Canyon for a week, where we were going to really delve deep into nature, and commune with the buffalo. However, having disconnected so completely from society, I was unaware that we were running into Texas Spring Break crowds, and both of the campgrounds that we were going to visit were full. So much for my careful planning!

I love the silhouettes of the branches against the sunset sky.
Posted by Anya Phenix on Monday, February 29, 2016

My hours of meticulously planning out the trip, mileage, driving conditions, and budget all went out the window. When am I going to learn that on this journey, when you wake up you may not know where you are going to sleep that night? Gazing into my crystal ball (Samsung Galaxy S6) I sought the answer to our dilemma.

For anyone that is going to take a trip in an RV, or anyone that likes to go camping, I highly recommend the AllStays app. Using it, we traced a new route, still westerly (albeit more northerly than before) and found a few places that would offset the extra gas by actually being cheaper (a couple were even FREE.) The silver lining in this cloud and the confirmation that we were on the right path: three of the four new stops featured 18-hole disc golf courses!

Gone were the canyons, but say hello to small town Texas!

We spent three nights in Childress, which had a beautiful city park with a great disc golf course, a playground, and great LTE coverage. This facilitated the job search, and we actually got to do a phone interview while we were there.

Posted by Anya Phenix on Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Our next stop was the McClellan National Grassland, balancing our nature needs after three days in town. Serene in the extreme. Also had just enough cell service to get a job offer email, which we accepted. We now had an actual destination!

Posted by Anya Phenix on Thursday, March 10, 2016

Disc golf stop in Pampa, on our way to camp out in Borger. Free camping in Borger, with water and electric hookups, is a deal that can't be beaten. They also had one of the most exciting disc golf courses that I have ever played. This is a picture of me walking along hole #9, what you can't see is the canyon drop off just to the right.

Disc golfing in Borger, TX. Some of the terrain was rough, but it was also beautiful.
Posted by Anya Phenix on Saturday, March 12, 2016

After Borger, we stopped in Dumas for a night, and then Dalhart for disc golf and our final night in Texas. Having a deadline and a destination is a bit foreign to our style, but we are flowing with it. Figuring out the budget for the rest of this chapter of the trip was an interesting endeavor, trying again to balance what we had with what we need. But, as always, we know that we will always have enough, because that is the Way of Things.

Of course, this is still just more of the Best Laid Plans that are subject to change. :)

Unplugged -- Day 121

I’m a pretty smart guy. I have managed to survive on this planet for over four decades and have created a couple miniature versions of myself (one male, one female -- just to see what that would be like), but I will still never understand the wizardry that is cellphones. Between the science and the economics, it is a mystery that just makes me want to move to a cabin in the woods on the edge of a lake and talk to the trees. (If you haven’t noticed, I’m halfway there already.)

We like to stay connected as much as anyone else. Maybe a little more. Okay, truth be told, my daughter and I are constantly online. It is one of our basic needs and it is her key to happiness. I have disc golf as my happy place, Anya recharges with the energy of the trees, but Zoe needs her virtual friends to find her center. When we were living in our last apartment, I paid a premium for super fast internet, opening up the entire world with a few mouse clicks. No questions went unanswered, no topic went undiscussed. We felt superior to our TV watching friends, because we didn’t have to sit through commercials -- we were the commanders of our own entertainment. Movies, TV shows, and music, all in glorious High Definition. Researching how to take this experience with us on the road led to frustration.

There are people out there that are full-time RVers that make thier living via the internet. Not just because they publish a travel blog that has advertising on it (although there are dozens of those -- you probably can’t live on those residuals alone.) They run a business of some kind, and always have a good connection. The secret? They have unlimited internet on a “grandfathered” Verizon plan. That is not helpful! What we needed was something that was going to be attainable NOW, not something that we should have done three years ago. Through trial and error, we did finally come to a solution. Remember the Great Data Crisis? Now we are online as much as we need to be. As long as we stay in the coverage area.

Trip planning has become an interesting project, as we now are trying to follow the Sprint data coverage map with stops along the way for disc golf. Online coverage maps are notoriously inaccurate, as illustrated by our experience here at Lake Mineral Wells State Park. The map says that we’re within a good coverage zone, but it doesn’t reach our actual campsite. We’re about a half mile outside the range of the tower, making for an excellent example of a First World Problem. I like to imagine Zoe telling her kids in the future about the days back when she had to hike up a mountain to get cell service.

Our backyard

Posted by Anya Phenix on Friday, February 26, 2016

We have now been here for four days, and I have learned to accept the separation. Letting questions go unaswered, trusting in my prior trip planning for the route to our next stop. I have discovered that my constant connection is a crutch that has been preventing me from finding the inner peace that I have been seeking. I have to let go of the worries of the outside world, and accept that what I have is all I need.

Learn to be content in your present situation. Where you are right now is exactly where you are supposed to be. Savor each moment as perfect. Live in the right now. When you can do that, you will find eternal peace and happiness.

I am not yet there, but I’m working on it.

The First 100 Days

So here we are. 100 Days on the road, and counting. Sometimes I didn’t think that we would even make it this far, and I’m really proud of my family for the flexibility they have exhibited to make this all possible. We’ve had our share of ups and downs, and the learning curve was rather steep, considering we had ZERO experience in RVing prior to this adventure. People all the time tell me, “Wow, I wish I could do that!” And I think to myself, “I know why you don’t!”

Pilgrim, life is short. Dream big and then have the gall to chase those dreams. There will always be people that are going to tell you why you can’t do something. And you know what? They might even be right! But there is something to be said about TRYING. The great Yoda once said, “Do or do not, there is no try.” I feel like some people internalized that as a message about giving up before you even start. But that is NOT the point at all! The message is actually along the lines of the famous Nike slogan, “Just DO it.” So what if you fail? You will have learned something amazing in the process.

Sometimes along the journey, you have some hardships. I think that if I had the ability to read this blog prior to starting out, 100 days ago, I might not have even wanted to do it. But you know what? That would have been a colossal mistake. Sure, there are days when I don’t really like this life. There are times when I miss being able to call up a few friends and meet to split a bottle of expensive wine. I miss being able to play Call of Duty with my brother via the magic of the internet. I miss being recognized as a regular at my favorite restaurant, and getting phenomenal service as a result.

This life now has indelible memories for which I have happily traded those past comforts. Yesterday, we hiked down to the Lower McKinney Falls and skipped rocks in Onion Creek. We talked about geology and erosion. We watched local fishermen below the falls, patiently waiting for signs of life. We laid back on the bedrock and soaked up the power of the earth and the azure sky above. It was an amazing day. And that was just day 99, by itself!

Today we’re going to try something that we have never done before, which is pack a bunch into a travel day. We’re planning to hit up a disc golf course, the grocery store, and still drive to another State Park. Because life is short, and you should get out and do something today! Don’t let anything hold you back, because you will end up spending you whole life in preparation and die with too many dreams unfulfilled.

That thing that you have been getting ready to do? Go do it. When someone asks, tell them that you had the Sensei's permission.

Lake Corpus Christi State Park -- Day 44

After the very stressful saga of replacing the sideview mirror, we needed some serenity. Checking my atlas, I found a state park within our 150 mile travel radius, and plotted our course. What’s that you say? Why am I using a printed atlas? Where’s my sextant? Hardy-har, you! Let me backtrack a bit …

So we were in Alamo, stranded with a busted mirror. The guy said that he would have it no later than 3 pm the next day, so we looked around for a place to hang out. Fortunately, there was a Walmart about six blocks away that allowed overnight parking. Now, you may remember that we hate overnight parking at Walmart, because we had issues with our generator last time, but this time we were confident that it would be different. We had been running the genny off and on all day already, so we thought this would be a great time to use the free WiFi, get some much needed groceries, and save the cost of a camping spot.

After lunch at Carl’s Jr, and a huge shopping trip in Walmart, we settled in for the night. Genny was running good, air conditioning was pumping, WiFi was sketchy -- but better than nothing -- and everybody was happy.  We even had neighbors a few spots away in an old rig that looked like they were doing the same thing. Out of courtesy, and to save fuel, we turned off our generator when we went to bed.

In the morning, the sun was shining, the people were happy, and it was already starting to get warm. Figuring a little AC to cool off the rig was in order, I went to turn on the generator. No joy. Spinning, whining, and then a sick winding down sound was all I got. With no generator, we can’t charge our phones, which we were using heavily last night because of the WiFi. No genny also means no AC and the morning temp was already 70 climbing toward a promised 85. We now have 7 hours to kill in the black-topped, heat radiating Walmart parking lot before our mirror is due to arrive, with nothing electronic to entertain ourselves! Fortunately, we do have books and games, and with the open windows it wasn’t too bad until about one o’clock when we decided that we had to get the air moving to cool off -- for the animals. Gotta keep the pets cool, too.

Our arrival at the repair shop happened to coincide with the parts delivery truck, so we were able to get our mirror and fix it in a jiffy. Then we broke out the atlas to figure out how far we could get before we needed to camp out for the night. I have a Rand McNally Road Atlas with an index card that has 150 miles marked off, and I know that I can make that drive in one day. I realize that 150 miles may not sound like much, but for us that is the perfect amount of travel for a day. Fortunately, Corpus Christi State Park fell within our radius.

This place is magical! Not quite as serene as Inks (see my post), but also much less popular; therefore, more private. We enjoyed two gorgeous sunsets, some hiking, and a little geocaching while we were here. They even have a little WiFi that is just enough to get some emails, and let people know that we’re still alive. We liked it so much that we opted to stay for another day, just to fully recharge our soul batteries (and hopefully the genny’s battery, too.) If you ever find yourself down in Mathis, Tx, I would highly recommend a stopover at this place.

We’re leaving today to head toward Livingston, but it’s going to be two days to get there. We’d like to stop somewhere this side of Houston, because if you don’t have to drive in rush hour, you shouldn’t. My atlas says Stephen F Austin state park, or Brazos Bend state park is within reach. Or we may splurge and get a place with actual wifi.

The beauty of the decision making process is that we get to make decisions. No pressure. Do what you like, and follow your heart. (And the WiFi.)

Life, the Universe and Everything -- Day 38

I have been looking forward to this particular birthday for a very long time. For those of you that don’t get why, I encourage you to read the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams.  It would take far too long for me to explain the significance in an eloquent way, so suffice it to say that the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything is 42.

Little did I know that when I reached that magical number in my life, I will have understood the meaning so much better!

This latest adventure is just another chapter in the much larger epic that has been my life. Each experience teaching important things, shaping my worldview, and making me the person that I am today. The path that I am on has been daunting, and exhilarating, and magical, and depressing, and wonderful, and frustrating, and ultimately mine alone.

Here’s some of what works for me:

1. There are no mistakes.  Everything in life boils down to choices. Should I eat this? Should I go there? Should I say that? Every choice that we make shapes the world that we live in. Sometimes I make a choice that has consequences that make me uncomfortable, and I wish I could go back and make a different choice. But if I had made a different choice, I’d be a different person. I like who I am.
2. Perception is reality. I’m not breaking any new ground here, but this concept has a real depth of meaning for me. I have seen firsthand the difference in how I am treated based on what people know (or at least perceive) about me. But it is so much deeper than that! The geopolitical landscape, our entire Western culture is shaped by master manipulators that work on the public perception to influence the flow of global power. **puts tin foil hat away** But seriously, there are a lot of things that we accept as fact that are just concepts that we have been taught and accept as true.
3. Love yourself. Do no accept the external message that we are presented with on all sides about who and how you should be/act/do/say. You are the only one that can make choices for you. You are the only one that can determine what is right or wrong for you. You are the only one that can effectively change your circumstances. Love yourself enough to make choices that are going to make you happy within yourself. When you are making the choice to be happy, you are changing your perception/reality to one that is happy and you will have a much better life.
4. Time is meaningless. I used to rush around from appointment to appointment, trying to maximize my time, my work, my money = my life. Then I experienced spending five minutes with the most amazing person and it felt like hours, and I sat through an amazing epic movie and it felt like it was over in minutes. The passage of time is related to our perception, and that perception becomes reality. So rather than rushing around and feeling like I was always running out of time, I made the choice to enjoy the moments of my life. The individual scenarios and scenes that made up my epic saga. I began choosing those moments over the need for fancier toys, or a nicer car. We still only have the same number of years on this earth, but you can choose to spend them in a way that makes you happy.

One of the most common comments that I hear from people when I tell them that we are living full-time in an RV and travelling around is, “Man, I wish I could do that.”  Do you? Do you really? Because I am betting that if you really wanted to, you could. I didn’t think that we could do it, and I wasn’t sure how it was going to work, but I can tell that I’m the happiest that I’ve ever been in my life. I feel more freedom and excitement every day when I wake up than ever before. Make the choices that make you happy, spend your years wisely. Change your perception, change your world.

See you on the road.