Tucson, AZ to the New Mexico frontier in 30 days.

Janice and I were invited to care for two sweet doglets, Thelma and Louise, who live in the suburbs of Tucson; we accepted! As cities go, Tucson is a good one. The doglets were good ones, too. Their mom wanted to visit the Himalayas while resting her mind about the pups and her home. This is where Janice and I excel.

Thelma, looking more nervous than was warranted.

I have been in Tucson when I didn't eat at Govinda's, but those times filled me with regret. I was having no remorse this trip.

It was a rare treat to be in the Old Pueblo at the same time as Brenda and Karin. Thanks for making time to break naan with us!

Add caption

When the time came to leave town, we picked the most direct route back to Datil. That included breakfast in Mammoth, a town we agreed felt pretty interesting. Bookmark that for later exploration.

El Capitan Pass, AZ

Salt River Canyon was previously only a cautionary tale to me. But, traveling in a small car eliminates a lot of preparation that big-riggers must make. We just jauntily happened upon it.

Salt River Canyon. Photographer is a little terrified.

My lovely assistant, Janice, models the canyon.

The last time I felt such surprise and wonder was my first glimpse of the Grand Canyon. This one is pretty darn grand, too.

By the time we hit Springerville, snow plow operators seemed to know something we didn't. Later, we knew it, too.

Yesterday, I had fun working at the Datil food pantry. Food pantries do an amazing job of feeding people, but it's not easy, and food pantries are usually scrambling to meet expenses. Volunteers who run them are always looking for a way to stretch a dollar.

Now, we're relaxing in the cabin in Datil, discussing and Googling important topics:

• How are pasta and egg noodles different?
• What is the mailing address for the geographic center of the contiguous United States?
• Is "spatchcock" a sexually-transmitted disease?

Between us, we finessed three propane heaters into full functionality, so we're doing well in the winter temperatures. When the Sun isn't hidden, we get extra solar gain. Solar is everything.

Dogs, cats, and nihilism - an Arizona fairy tale

The new things that happen when I get up to use the bathroom.

This is a family show.

 

Zee bed you have requested eez not available. Try again later, sil vous plait. 

Jake enjoys long walks in the desert, kibble by lamplight, and cat food. Turn-offs include loud noises, noises of any kind, and sounds.

Where's your fancy accent now, Mac?

My life is only ennui.

Annie has left the country again, so my life is only ennui, too. Let me share cute things that other people do.

Sometimes I post extra things on Facebook. Little things that aren't enough for a blog post. I'm going to start letting people post pictures and videos there, because. Come join us, because life is too short to stare into the abyss all day long. By abyss, of course, I'm referring to Nietzsche's Facebook page, and you just know the gloomy bastard has one.

~~~~~

SHOPPING soothes pangs of existential angst. Thanks for using our AMAZON link!

Thawing out at Catalina State Park, Oro Valley, AZ

Our senior kitty disapproves of moving vehicles, but can't always tell when she's in one.

So nice I had to show you twice. 4X4 - oh yeah.

She ran through our campsite and past the small, fluffy dogs tied up next door.

We laughed at him. I hope that was the right thing to do.

Inviting a rodent for dinner.

This is a very pretty little park. It gets points off for tepid showers with cold air whipping in under the door. Points added for daytime coyotes (not applicable to small, fluffy dog-owners).

There seem to be no day-use capabilities, unless you're renting a pavilion. Camping only. That seems a shame, because there are several very easy-but-beautiful trails to enjoy here if you wanted to stop in for a hike.

I'll risk being Captain Obvious by reminding you that running off your onboard fresh water is a better bet than running a hose in very cold temperatures. Also, take a few pages from the Vandwelling book to stay warm in your RV. Reflectix, or even windshield sunscreens, go a long way to keep heat in. A Mr. Heater running while you're awake provides a comforting and cozy hot spot.

We can't extend our stay here, but we'll sweep off in a huff to another facility with electricity until Arizona decides to act like a lady. We hear she'll be done with finishing school by Wednesday.

~~~~~

Thanks for using our link as your Amazon shopping portal!

Why you should go to Cottonwood, Arizona

We had a date with bloggers Lisa and Hans! They are an active, lively pair - very young retirees - and it was a good time. The four of us had had similar mornings. Hans and Lisa hiked several miles while spotting, chasing, and catching white-tailed deer on foot. Annie and I got up.

We met at the Red Rooster Café, where I spotted this sign:

I love this sentiment! Except that it's in the ladies' room.

Old Town Cottonwood was having a Veterans' Day street fair, so it was a lot bustlier than usual. Old cars (token old car ⤵), live music, and a few vendors.

From here on out, it's just going to be sky.

Soon after we got home, a rancher-like dude stopped to tell us the Forest Service has been ticketing campers in this area. We checked the map: yep, we're in Motor Vehicle Use (MVU) -legal territory. We'll check tomorrow to be sure we're no more than 300 feet from the dotted road, and if we are, we'll fix it.

P.S. It snowed.

Camping on top of the world.

We're living the good life now. Close enough to town to see city lights at night, but seeing only earth and sky during the day. Earth, sky, and migratory animals.

I used to say that corn and cows get the best views. Now I'll add "boondockers."

These guys get pretty close.

You may say they're herbivores, but I don't care for the way they chew while they look at me.



We're on a rise, so our horizon is big. No, our HORIZON.


We can even get bad TV.


 

Sometimes people visit the wilderness without their potty. It happens. Some people who only use conventional toilets think that poop and toilet paper vanish magically when they flush. RVers can correct that notion. Toilet paper abides. The rain is not going to melt it. Wind and sun will not disintegrate it. Pulling up your pants and walking away does not dissolve it. You may as well be wiping with Tupperware.

  Desert-pooping doods: bury your dookie. Pack out the Charmin, or burn it, if conditions are safe. You know how you don't want to look at it or touch it when you're done? It's like that.

It's cold enough tonight for us to be in thermal pajamas and have Mr. Heaty on. Tomorrow night will require 10° more thermal protection and another log on Mr. Heaty.

Levonne Gaddy and her husband spent three years full-timing in their RV and volunteering at California state parks. Now Levonne is involved in a creative project around her experience, and she is making you a Decent Proposal. Read about it HERE.

Let me know if you have a shop or service you'd like me to mention in our RV holiday round-up. I keep calling it that, so I'll probably stick to it. I'll post it around Thanksgiving, either before or after Walmart employees have to get up from their turkey dinner and get to selling flat-screen TVs. 

Which boosts me onto my soapbox (grunt) to remind you that buying from artisans and independent vendors means that you're actually supporting a real person's efforts. They're taking that money to the Piggly Wiggly, or they're buying a few gallons of gasoline, or they're filling their propane tanks. In return, you're receiving a product that you will not see everywhere else. When someone admires it, you will say Thank you - it was handmade by an artist I found in _____. Which is 1000 X cooler than saying you got it at Walmart. And you won't have to get up at 4 AM to buy it.

~~~~~~~~~
Make our Amazon link your Amazon shortcut!   (Because sometimes you just can't find it on Etsy.)