High Chaparral

Gratuitous cat photo (Max).

We left the Flagstaff area for a while to try our luck at the Grand Canyon.  So far, so good!

On the side of a motel on Route 66, Flagstaff. I don't know the artist.

We spent fifteen days at a site further back in the woods: here. If you like knowing the coordinates, they are 35.070419,-111.662449. This was a good site, despite the freak paintballing incident. Very light ATV activity, and what there is seems to come from the nearby community of Mountainaire. Good hiking, good walking, good sitting. We saw one NFS truck. A guy jumped out, pulled up a numbered sign (officially decommissioning a road, I think), and drove off.

When we land in an area I like, I start fantasizing about a Tiny House on a Huge Piece of Land. But, I also want to keep boondocking full-time. I want it all.

Maybe down this road.

We're staying at Three Pines. I named it that.

These three in particular.

It's a flower, I guess.

Not a flower.

Maybe a flower?

You can call me Flower if you want to.

Along 64, from Williams to Tusayan, is a lot of empty land. To the east, someone has put up a sign that's just barely legible from the highway; it says "FREE TO BE ME by Vonshtain." It's a book, and I'm intrigued by why the sign would be there. A fan lives there? Vonshtain lives there? Any ideas?

It's your lucky day!

A cat twofer.

This is Lily. Her entire life, when she sees a camera she develops a palsy. I have 679 pictures of Lily, none in focus. Annie fooled her by using her phone. Lily was expecting a call, not a portrait.

I have a question for bloggers: how do you feel about a popular website whose main content is your blog, and who sells advertising based on your writing? In exchange for them "hosting" your articles, you provide advertising for them on your blog.

So I'm clearer, you are providing their content (for free). They feed your entire post to their site, and you pay them by putting their badge on your blog.

Your articles get much wider coverage than they might otherwise. However, none of the traffic moves to your blog, because the entire content is over there and there is no need for readers to click. You don't know how many people have read it there. I don't mean that the content is stolen, by any means. You have signed up for this arrangement.

I don't think I mean this nastily. *checks snarkometer* It's just a question that's been lingering around my lobes, and if I don't ask you, who am I gonna ask? Perspective check, please.

The Where We Were.

We've left our Mountainaire home. It was a good home, a fine home.

Exit 333 on Route 17, go east, make first right onto Forest Service Road 700. Take left that points to Lake Mary Meadows. Lots of level spots on both sides of the road.

We used eleven gallons of propane over the last 27 days, and all our water, plus what we could beg off family. I blame washing vegetables. From now on, if organic poo is good enough for my carrots, it's good enough for me.


Lori told me I should talk more about using my links. Over here. ↘ I'm going to address all your obstacles and concerns, so that you'll feel comfortable about using them, especially Amazon. You are feeling very comfortable. Your purchasing finger is feeling very heavy. You can barely keep your credit card in your wallet.

• I forget to use your link! 

I know. Click on the box over here (→) and when the page opens, make that your Amazon bookmark. You'll never have to think about it again.

• I have my own Amazon link!

I have no rebuttal for this. You should use your own link.

• I don't like people knowing what I'm buying!

I feel you. I can't tell who you are, but I feel you. If I go to great lengths, I can see things that someone has purchased, but I have no way of knowing who.

• I actively resist consumerism in all its forms, and I do not purchase from Amazon!

Fight the power! No rebuttal necessary; you're good.

• My good-for-nothing brother-in-law has an Amazon link!

No rebuttal needed. Use my link instead.

• I don't want to pay more for my stuff by using your link!

Who does? The good news is, you won't. Amazon kicks in my cut from its profit, not your cost.

• How do I know you won't use your commission on cheap liquor and fast ducks?

You don't. But, let me assure you that Ducks don't drink cheap liquor. And, feeding ducks is good karma.

Mountainaire is on the flight path. It's kinda cool, instead of annoying.

Elk hang out at tanks. [You're welcome]

Back when I talked about Schnebly Hill, I should have mentioned the great public dumpster there. I say "public," because no one hassled us about using it, and it's never locked. Actually, most dumpsters we've encountered around here have been accessible. 

After you've turned west off 17 at Exit 320, turn right toward the ADOT station. On the left is the dumpster. Right about here. Maybe I'll go back and mention it there, too.