Day 80

August 27, 2017                                                                                                        Day 80

Like I mentioned in my last post I did not sleep well at all last night and when I awoke this morning I was not in a good mood due to the lack of sleep.  So I blared some "angry" music whilst taking a hot shower to try and wash away my mood.  Getting out I got dressed and began the process of packing all my things up for today was the day we leave.  With everything packed up and the room picked up some we headed down for our last breakfast.  We ate what we could and by 09:00 we were outside in the parking lot saying our goodbyes. It seems like life is full of so many goodbyes and a promise to see another again in the future.  I find it interesting how there are those certain goodbyes that one knows are "true" goodbyes for one knows that person will no longer be a presence in their life again.  Don't worry though I know I will see Travis again the thought of the different types of goodbyes just popped in my head and I wanted to share it.

Though I did not want to leave the lodge I welcomed being back in my vehicle with my camper behind me.  To me it is home and I just feel complete when I am near it.  I started driving south of Tucson to the San Xavier del Bac Mission where I viewed a mass that was going on and then walked around the museum.  It was interesting and a beautiful mission but after an hour I had seen all that there was to see.  In my vehicle I sat with the AC going though I do not think it made a difference.  I ate some of the left over pizza while I called the ranger station near Mount Lemmon to get information on camping and hiking in the area.  The guy I spoke with was very nice and tried to be helpful but in the end couldn't offer up too much information so I planned to just drive in the general direction and hit up the Palisade Visitor Center.

Once I got on the Catalina Highway the drive got a lot better for the higher up I went the cooler it became and the views were spectacular!  I stopped at multiple overlooks and surprisingly my vehicle hauled my camper quite well unlike it has on other mountain roads.   It is so strange to see the saguaro cacti popping out of the landscape like tall green tubes!  Around 13:00 I had arrived at the visitor center and spoke to the woman there about camping and hiking.  With her suggestions and verification on the campground I was interested in I drove a mile up the road to the dispersed camping area.  Finding an open spot was a tad difficult and my camper did not enjoy the narrow and rough mountain road in the slightest.

At last I found a spot I would be able to get my little guy into and set up my living area. The temperature up here was twenty degrees cooler than below in Tucson and a sighed in relief at that.  Once I was set up, which takes maybe five minutes tops, I ate the last of the pizza and began catching up in my journal.  Then right before calling it a night I prepped everything for getting up early and going on a hike.

 

Day 79

August 26, 2017                                                                                                        Day 79

This morning I was not hungover or anything I was just lazy and did not feel like getting out of bed in the slightest.  Most importantly the thought of going back out to my camper into the 100 plus temperatures did not appeal to me at all.  Once we were both up we got dressed and headed down for breakfast and ate the same thing as the previous morning.  When we went back to the room we were both just sitting around and neither of us wanted to leave today.  Travis made some phone calls and thankfully we were able to stay another night!  I can not express how thankful I am for him doing this.

Now that we did not have to go out into the blaring heat we both decided a nap was in order.  A couple hours later we woke back up and headed into town for I wanted to find a journal at the Barnes and Noble.  Walking into that store is a really, really bad thing for me to do so I made sure I had my blinders on and went straight to the journal section.  I ended up paying way more than I should have but I know that I got the journal that I wanted.  One reason I am able to do the trip I am on is due to the fact that I am very efficient in saving money and at not spending it.  I will wait until my clothing and shoes are falling apart before going shopping, wait until I have no food left to buy some more and I want to think I know how to manage my money effectively.  Every once in awhile though I come across something I really want that is either expensive or just not worth the cost that is on it; however, I know that if I walk away and do not acquire the said object I would regret it.  So that is exactly what occurred with this journal.  It was not worth its' price but if I walked away without it I would not stop thinking about it and no other journal would be able to match up to it.

Now that I went on that little torrent about my new journal lets get back on track. Ha.  From Barnes and Noble we stopped at Walmart to acquire beer and ice cream to complete our day of doing not a fucking thing.  Back at the room, I played Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 on my computer and we sat there drinking and eating ice cream.  I am surprised I don't weigh 200 pounds with how much ice cream I can eat.  It is just so delicious especially Ben and Jerry's Phish Food. When the movie ended we jumped in the jacuzzi one more time.

At this point we were hungry again so we decided to order a pizza and while Travis ran out to pick that up and some more beer I laid around watching Horrible Bosses 2 that was on our one TV channel. Once he returned we mowed down the pizza and beer and finished watching the movie on TV.  Outside a storm was brewing and it was relaxing to hear the thunder and see the lightening off in the distance.  With our bellies full and the movie over we called it a night but I barely slept at all and when morning came I was cranky from lack of sleep.

Day 78

August 25, 2017                                                                                                        Day 78

We both woke around the same time but while he laid in bed I made both of us coffee to get the day going.  Once our cups of coffee were gone we headed downstairs and outside to catch breakfast before they stopped serving at 10:00.  Their breakfast was pretty decent and we both loaded our plates up with scrambled eggs, potatoes, some meat, bagels, muffins and fruit.

With breakfast out of they way we went back to the room and the drinking began!  I literally threw on the complimentary bathrobe which I fell in love with and sat down with a glass of wine, from the bottle Sal had given me, and updated my journal.  As I drank my wine and lounged about we got Pandora going in the background on the lil Wayne station.  Travis made the comment that we were living like rock-stars and I have to say it did feel like it and this is something I could easily get used to.

Once I had gotten caught up in my journal we started up the jacuzzi to take our rock-star lifestyle up a bit.  We sat in that jacuzzi finishing up the wine and then moving to beer, the lil wayne station blasted around us and we sat back and relaxed talking here and there about random things.  It was complete bliss and I was so beyond relaxed and happy.  After a couple hours, I was pretty much a sponge and our beer had ran out.  By this point, it was time for us to get ready to go for dinner so I jumped in the shower and started getting ready.  It felt so nice to be able to wear a dress and heels and go out on the town.

Travis had found us a sushi place and when we arrived we ordered some sake and a whole crap load of rolls!  Our appetizer of kalamari though was my favorite thing and I could have ate that all night long. The meal was amazing and when we left we were going to go to a comedy showing; however, the cops were all over the place so driving around probably was not a good idea and I was beyond stuffed from the sushi.  So we just headed back to the room and called it a night.  Today was hands down one of the best days I have had in quite some time and I can see how people can get used to being pampered!

I look pretty weird in this one!

 

Day 77

August 24, 2017                                                                                                     Day 77

By 05:30 I was wide awake.  I laid in bed for a few minutes until I just couldn't take it anymore and got up to brush my teeth, make the bed and head into the kitchen for a glass of water.  Last night, he had mentioned he might go biking in the morning so I was not sure if he did or not; however, within a few minutes of standing in the kitchen I received my answer when he emerged from his room.  I was sitting at the "bar" I do not know what it is called when its a kitchen counter but has chairs.  Can't you tell that I am probably the worst woman ever for when it comes to home things I have no clue!  Anyways, once again we just talked effortlessly and as he was making his oatmeal he offered to make me breakfast.  Everything he listed off to make sounded amazing and we finally settled on an omelette.  So as he went about making me breakfast I sipped on my hot tea whilst eating blueberries and when the omelette was finished I have to say that it was the best omelette I have ever had!  I pretty much devoured it.

After breakfast, he got ready for work and I just relaxed on the couch catching up with my emails that I have fallen behind on.  When he came back out we sat and talked some more until he had to leave for work.  At my vehicle, we said our goodbyes and I got in my vehicle to head south towards Tucson.  As I drove away I silently hoped that I would be able to see him again or at the very least that we would stay in touch. The drive was an interesting one for the landscape was dotted with the saguaro cacti and then there were the mountains all around me as I drove. By 12:00, I had arrived at my destination and messaged Travis to see what his ETA would be.  He was only a half hour out so I got our key and headed up to the room.

The place was absolutely amazing and huge!  All I have to say is thank you Travis for this!  Once he arrived we caught up with what was all going on in each others lives since last we saw each other.  We were both pretty hungry so we headed into town for Mexican food.  Along the way to the restaurant we stopped to acquire an oil change for his vehicle and so he could get a hair cut.  Then since it was so hot out we decided what better way to cool off then to go swim in the saltwater pool downstairs.  So there we spent a few hours swimming around, sipping on some beers and catching up some more.

At this point, I was full and somewhat exhausted which I contribute to the heat, swimming and of course the beers.  We had decided earlier that we were not going to go out and do anything tonight so we just turned on the TV (which we only received one channel) and although we were both full we ate our leftovers anyways. Ha.  At some point, we both passed out which for me is quite common when I drink beer.  It makes me so tired once I stop drinking or am not continuously doing anything.   This place that we are at though is pretty amazing and I have to say I am blessed to have the people in my life that I do.  Who would have thought that I would be where I am at today!

Day 76

August 23, 2017                                                                                       Day 76

The bed: it is huge, comfy and one can get lost in the depths of it if one is not too careful.  This morning, although I was becoming lost within the comfort of the blankets surrounding me, I was up by 04:00 though my alarm would not go off until 05:30.  When it did go off it was a like a fish in my hands for I have removed the life-proof case I had on it for that broke some time ago and I just have not gotten around to getting a new one; since I in fact need a new phone.  I got dressed to hike Camelback Mountain and stepped out into the living room to see him in the kitchen.  Within a matter of minutes, we were in the vehicle and on our way to the mountain.

I was excited for this 1.7 mile or so hike and the day was looking like it would be a beauty.  The day was a beauty that is for sure...my body just was not paying attention to the beauty of it for it was too focused on dying.  I am not sure if I am really that out of shape (which one would think that with all my hiking I would be fine) or what was going on.  I was not doing good at all though.  I had to keep making us stop every few steps for I felt so light headed and was completely out of breath.  This is the worst I have ever felt on a hike and I don't think it helped the situation that I was getting mad at myself for how I was handling the hike.  He was a trooper though and dealt with our prolonged hike in patience and worked on distracting me, from death, via pointing out buildings, mountains and such within our view.

I hate to admit it that there was a point where I was about to say that we should just turn around for I was feeling like crap and hated more than anything that I was making the hike last longer than we expected and possibly making him late for work.  I have never not finished a hike before and the huge stubborn part of me said I was going to make it to the peak one way or the other.  In the end, mostly due to his patience and assistance I made it to the top.  The view was spectacular and I was so relieved that I didn't give up.  On our way back down I vowed to myself that if it is the last thing I do I am hiking up this freaking mountain again and will do it in better fashion next time!

Back at the vehicle, we drove back to his condo and both proceeded to shower and as he got ready for work I gathered my things.  Before heading our separate ways we decided that we would meet up later to hang out one more night.  As he left for work I drove around and eventually found a Starbucks that had enough parking for my vehicle and camper.  I was lucky enough to find a table to set up shop and begin working on updating this blog.  I literally sat there until 14:00 working on my blog and updating my Instagram/Facebook and updating my fiance excel sheets.  During that time, I jammed out to music via my head phones, drank a very tasty iced coconut-milk macchiato and then I ordered a spinach, feta cheese and egg white wrap.

With everything caught up I went outside and was blasted with heat!  It was so hot out that I could barely breathe and was honestly worried that my poor camper would spontaneously com-bust. As I climbed into my vehicle it hurt to touch my steering wheel or anything in my car.   I have now learned to put up that sun blocker thing anytime I leave my vehicle.  Since it was only 14:00 and I had nothing else to really do I decided to drive around to try and find a new journal.  I stopped first at a Walmart, then attempted to find a Barnes and Noble but failed with that so I went to a Target.  Inside the store, I wandered around and found the book section where I proceeded to stand there for about thirty minutes reading the backs of books.  I did not find a journal I wanted though.  It was during this time that he texted me and I would head over around 18:00.

When I arrived back at his place we sat on his sofa and watched the HGTV channel whilst talking about a variety of topics ranging from birds to travel.  At some point, he went to make some food and asked if I was hungry.  Honestly, I do tend to forget about food when I am around people so it is a good thing he mentioned something.  Since I still had my prime rib from the other night I heated that up and ate that with a glass of red wine. We ate together and continued talking about an assortment of things.  After dinner, we moved back to the sofa to talk some more and by 20:00 we called it a night for he had to work in the morning.  

I have noticed that although I love and thoroughly enjoy being in a normal bed I find it difficult to fall asleep right away for there is so much space.  I have come to get used to my small living quarters and with all the extra room I am not sure how to act!  Another thing I have noticed is that if I am away from my camper for too long I become anxious and actually miss it.  At times I become cranky and can not relax until I am in it and in the woods.  So it will be interesting on what will happen when my journey ends.  Maybe there is a tiny house in my future??

Day 75

August 22, 2017                                                                                                           Day 75

It is so nice not having to wake up to an alarm and worry about all the things that need to get accomplished in a day.  I wake up most days well rested and content without a worry in the world.  As I woke up this morning that was exactly how I felt.  I stretched out and slowly crawled out from under the covers and pushed open my door.  Stepping out I opened up my back hatch and made a cup of coffee.

As I drank my coffee I sat curled up in my chair watching the sun come up thru the trees.  I had a really difficult decision to make today.  Do I lay in the sun all day or do I drive into town to update my blog?  I tell you, such difficult decision I have to make now days!  In the end, I decided to lay out in the sun all day and work on my horrible tan lines.  After I cleaned up my galley and washed all my water bottles out with baking soda I decided I would shave my legs and wash my hair.  I set up my shower tent and climbed on in it.  The water was cold so I quickly shaved my hairy legs and washed my hair with only shampoo.  Afterwards, I dressed and since the shower was dry in a matter of minutes I put that away.

Now it was time to lay out in the sun.  My yoga mat was already out for I had did some exercises on it earlier.  I added my beach towel to it, placed my computer on the ground and got out my umbrella to cover my computer from the sun.  Then I laid on my stomach and went about typing more of my blog into a word document to be copied and pasted later to the blog.  As I lay out I put multiple applications of sunscreen on but to no avail for I still burnt my white ass.  Did I mention I was laying out in just a thong to try to even out my tan a little bit?

While typing my blog I texted my friend Chris and spoke to him for awhile and also made plans to meet up with someone later on in the day. Once my blog was updated I was bored so I did some more cleaning and packed a bag for staying at a friends place for the night. At 16:00, I was about to leave to drive to Scottsdale when my mom answered my phone call and talked to me for about a half hour.  I gave her all the information on where I would be for the night and who I was going to be with.  Then I had to get going for I was now a half hour behind schedule.

The drive to Scottsdale was two hours long and as I started out my best friend Stacie called me and we spoke for about an hour while I drove talking about what was going on in our lives.  The view outside my window was spectacular with mountains all around me which I was not expecting to see in Arizona. Then out of nowhere the tall saguaro cactus appeared.  They are absolutely amazing and seeing the landscape dotted with them is so fascinating! I literally could not get over the beauty of the area for it was so unexpected.  Another thing that was unexpected was the gradual temperature change.  Where I was camped the temperature was in the high 80's but as I drove the two hours to Scottsdale it climbed up to a heavy 107 degrees! That is just way too hot for this woman.

At 18:30, I arrived at my destination and as I parked my camper on the road I called my mother to let her know that I made it.  I proceeded thru the gate and was greeted by Sal who was gracious enough to allow me stay with him for the night and make use of a hot shower and though I did not have any laundry to do he also offered that up to me. I can not explain how amazing it feels to be able to take a hot shower and not worry about how much water one is using and to be able to look into a mirror.   With my shower out of the way I got dressed up to go out to dinner and I will have to say I am shocked I could one walk in heels still and two that I remembered how to apply makeup! HaHa.

We went to a steakhouse and the food there was absolutely amazing and the only thing better than the food and drinks was the company.  We spent the majority of the evening swapping stories and talking with him only makes me want to travel more.  Once I am done with the USA I will work on hitting other countries!  When dinner was over we walked down the road and acquired a vanilla ice cream waffle cone and talked some more.  It was truly an amazing evening and a welcomed change from being alone on the road.  Since starting my journey I definitely enjoy the company of others a lot more than I used to and appreciate the little things.

My outdoor work space

Day 74

August 21, 2017                                                                                                               Day 74

Solar Eclipse Day!!  Okay so that was way more excitement then I actually had over the eclipse.   It was dead quiet this morning when I woke up and the same went for last night.  There were no birds singing, no insects making noise and no vehicles. It was oddly eerie.   I laid there in bed listening to the silence debating whether to get up now or not but I knew I wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep so I just got up.  I put on the pants I wore the day before and I slept in my top from yesterday so no need to change that.  Stepping outside, it was a windy day but bright out with not a cloud in the sky.  I made a cup of coffee and sat down in my chair and put my headphones in to listen to some music for the silence was bothering me.  Since I had until 08:00 when the visitor center opened I called up my grandmother in Wisconsin and talked to her for a little bit. 

When 08:00 hit I left where I was staying and drove the three minutes to the entrance station where I got my special "free" solar eclipse glasses.  I stopped at the visitor center again to use the restroom and to fill up my solar shower bag and bottles with water.  Then I drove within the park to Jasper Forest to watch the eclipse.  While I waited I sat in my vehicle and read out of my Dummies book.  At 09:35, in whatever time zone I am in, the eclipse started so I put on my fancy glasses to watch the eclipse.  Where I was I would only being seeing a partial eclipse, about 75%.  It took until 10:45 to be at its maximum and it was actually pretty cool.  I think I found the fact that someone created glasses to allow people to look at the sun to be the fascinating part.  I kept wanting to look with just my eyes because I hate glasses but I prefer to not be blind. By 11:00, the eclipse was receding and I couldn't sit still any longer.  I stopped to use the restroom one last time on my way out and headed in the direction of Phoenix, AZ.

The drive was really relaxing and I listened to country music the whole way.  When I stopped to fill up my fuel tank I was craving chocolate so I bought two king size candy bars: butterfingers and twix.  Shortly after purchasing fuel I found free camping on Globe-Young Hwy 288 just north of Colcord Ridge Campground on USFS land.  I was going to eat and then lay out in the sun; however the weather had a different plan.  Instead I heated up a small can of baked beans, which I ate the entire thing, and finished cleaning up my mess right when the rain started.  As I moved to inside my camper Travis and I messaged back and forth about our plans for Thursday and Friday.  During our messaging I typed up my blog into a Word Document since my hotspot on my phone would not work and I couldn't connect to the internet.

While typing away I noticed my camper started to leak inside again so I  used my pants to catch the water while I got out the silicone gun.  I was only able to get out two shots before it started to not work again but thankfully that was just enough to stop the leaking.  Once that crisis was diverted I was over being on my computer and moved to coloring in my adult coloring book. At this point, I was thinking it had to be almost time for bed...it was only 16:00!  Today was going by so slowly and being idle is not for me.  

As I laid in bed, with the rain coming down outside, coloring in my adult coloring book my mom called me and we talked for a little bit before she left to go to bed.  At this point, I didn't really know what to do so I decided to make some hot tea since it was getting cold outside.  While the tea was steeping I put on sweatpants, two long-sleeved shirts, my jacket and a pair of socks to try to keep warm.  With my tea by my side I sat on my bed and cleaned my gun and then called it a day.  

Day 73

August 20, 2017                                                                                                          Day 73

This morning I woke up without an alarm clock around 06:00 and was well rested and at a perfect temperature for once.  Moving about I made a cup of coffee, packed up my camper, got dressed in clean clothes might I add and was on the road by 06:30.  This morning was perfect!  I was in a wonderful mood and so completely happy that I almost started to cry from the emotion of it all.  Driving away from my camping location I spotted a double rainbow and as I looked behind me I saw another rainbow off in the distance.  I could tell today was going to be a great one!

As I sang along with the country station on the radio and drank my coffee I was ready for anything life decided to throw at me today.  For we all know I can’t go a day without approaching some obstacle.  I needed some fuel before I got back on the interstate so I stopped off at a Flying J's to fill up and clean my windshield.  Damn! I was feeling like I was on top of the world for some reason today and it only got worse when I noticed how all the men stared at me as I walked by….though as I think about they were probably staring not because I thought I looked great but because I was dressed like I just came out from being in the woods for a week! HaHa.   On the interstate, I had about an hour’s drive until I reached the Petrified Forest National Park so I passed the time singing to the radio and day dreaming.  Don’t worry I was still paying attention to the road…multi-tasking people.

Arriving at the visitor center I was the only vehicle there so I used the restroom and then filled up all my water bottles at the fill up station.  Then I walked inside to annoy the girl at the front desk with all my questions about hiking, the eclipse and activities in the park.  I do feel bad for all the people at the parks I go to for I ask a million questions.  Leaving the visitor center, I passed through the entrance station and proceeded to hit every stop along the drive.  The views were pretty unique for the sand was a variety of blues, greens, purples, reds and whites.  The colors of the landscape made it seem like I was on another planet.  Then there is the petrified wood!  Over time it has turned into crystals and resembles rocks for than the trees they once were.  It is definitely something one should experience if given the opportunity. 

At one stop, two men had asked if I built my trailer to which I responded I did and then asked if they wanted to see it.  So I showed it to them and then we proceeded to talk for a little bit and I found out that they were from Michigan.  After they left, I continued to see the rest of the park and headed down the road, out of the park, to the Crystal Forest Museum and Gift Shop that had free camping.  It was there that I decided I would camp for the night since any other camping areas were at least forty miles away and I wanted to be back at the park in the morning for the solar eclipse. 

The only bad thing about the camping spot was that it was only 15:30 and there was absolutely nothing to do nearby.  I wasn’t going to go thru the park again for I had already seen everything there was to see and though it was spectacular, seeing it once was good enough.  I guess luckily it started to rain some so even if there was something to do I wouldn’t have been able to do it in the rain.  So I just planned on heading back into the park tomorrow to acquire a free pair of glasses and watch the partial eclipse.  To pass the rest of the night away I made some Ramon noodles, spoke to my mother and then Travis and by 20:00 I was in bed.

Painted desert

I literally took over a hundred pictures of this guy

Day 72

August 19, 2017                                                                                                                 Day 72

My alarm went off at 03:30 and then again at 04:00 at which point I threw my clothes on with a pair of sweatpants over my shorts and climbed out into the darkness.  Sunrise is at 05:25 am and I wanted to be at Cathedral Rock around that time.  This early in the morning the moon and stars were still out and the landscape around me is peaceful with only the earliest of birds out singing a tune every once in a while. By the glow of my galley light I boiled some water to make a cup of fresh tea.  The light above my camper door was throwing a party for every moth within the vicinity and I played a game of opening and shutting my door as fast as possible to not let any of them inside while prepping my camper for the drive.  With tea in hand I headed towards Sedona in the dark jamming out to the radio.

Pulling into the trail head parking lot I was relieved to discover that I didn’t have to pay the $5.00 fee since I had an Access Pass.  The hike was only 0.7 miles to the top but a difficult hike for it was all uphill and one had to use their hands to climb up some of it.  In all honesty, it should not have been as difficult for me as it was.  I was breathing like I had asthma or was missing a lung; which I just don’t understand how that can be possible after all the hiking and activities I do every day!   Once I reached the top the view was worth every bit of sweat.  Sitting up there I was able to watch the sun peak up over a distant mountain/hill and then when I turned around I could see the sun creeping over the valley behind me where air balloons were taking off in the distance.  Eventually, I climbed back down and at my camper I made a protein shake for my drive.

I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do today so I settled on driving back to Flagstaff to do some laundry and would figure it from there.  The laundromat was a nice one; however, it cost me over $9.00 to do two loads of laundry and dry them.  My blue blanket was practically brown so it had to be washed no matter the cost.  While I waited for my clothes to be done I called my mom to talk to her to pass the time and ask her if she would be willing to get me a legit copy of my birth certificate so I could get a new passport; since mine was stolen back in South Carolina.    We talked until my clothes were washed, dried and folded.  I wish more than anything that she would be able to join me on my trip for I think she would benefit greatly from it and she deserves to take a break and treat herself for once in her life. 

With my laundry done I brought it back out to my vehicle and climbed in to go get some food.  Before I could leave though an older gentleman knocked on my window and wanted to see my camper.  So I shut off my vehicle and gave him the grand tour!  We talked for at least twenty minutes about the camper and how it was built etc.  He was a very sweet man and I love showing off my camper so I don’t mind taking the time to talk to people about it.  One thing though that I find over and over again which bothers me, I get it (somewhat) though, is how everyone is stunned and questions the fact that I am a single woman doing this adventure alone.   I just don’t get it.  To me a man could be raped, attacked and fail just as easily as a woman can.  So although it frustrates me it also only strengthens my resolve in doing this trip and verifies that this is something I have to do and see to the end. 

Once I left him I decided to break down and actually buy some fast food to eat for lunch.  So I stopped at Wendy’s and got the number 8 chicken sandwich with a vanilla frosty which was so divine.  Unfortunately, my body did not think it was so divine and was assaulted by the new food in my body and once I had finished it all off I felt like crap and like I just gained about 15 pounds.  While I was eating the said heart attack I drove to Meteor Crater National Monument; however, upon arriving I found out that it was not covered under the Access Pass and they wanted $18.00 for me to look at a hole in the ground!  I think not.  So I got back on the interstate and headed to the Coconino National Forest to camp for the evening.  I originally wanted to camp near Long Lake but the road to the lake was barely suitable for a truck let alone my poor little camper.  So I just pulled off to the side of the road and camped there for the night. 

I had arrived at the above location around 14:00 was planning on going into a food coma but it was so hot inside my camper that I only fell asleep for thirty minutes at the most when I was woken by the heat.  I gave up after a while and put my clothes away and made my bed which in itself took at least fifteen minutes.  Making a bed in a confined space and being a perfectionist is not a good combo. When it was as neat as it was going to get I wrote a letter to my grandparents back in Wisconsin, studied up on my GRE flashcards, spoke to my friend Travis and called it a night.

 

 

Day 71

August 18, 2017                                                                                                               Day 71

Though I woke up freezing again I actually got some sleep last night.  When I opened my door it was already bright outside and since it was still really cold out I made coffee and oatmeal in my sweatpants and jacket.  As I sat in my chair, eating the oatmeal out of the pot and sipping on my coffee, I was really content and just happy.  When the oatmeal was gone and I had cleaned out the pot I began doing my exercises again on my yoga mat.

When my workouts were over and I had everything packed and locked up I sat in my vehicle, turned on the ignition and the low tire pressure warning light was back on.  So I got out and checked the tire pressure on all my tires and the rear passenger tire was low again.  I made some phone calls and was directed to Discount Tires in Flagstaff, AZ which was only an hour and a half away.  So I changed the route in my maps on my phone from Red Rock to Discount Tires.  The drive there was beautiful and I was in great spirits listening to the country radio station and watching the world fly by me.  Around 10:00, I arrived at Discount Tires and the guy there was super nice as I gave him my keys.  In less than an hour they diagnosed the problem as a nail in my tire, removed the nail, patched it up and put it back on my vehicle all for free!

From there I drove to Home Depot to buy wire crimpers and the plugs for attaching my grounding wire for my trailer lights.  Then I drove to the UPS store to drop of someone’s belongings that I no longer needed.  Finally, once I had refilled my tank I was headed to Red Rock State Park that my older brother told me was a neat place to visit in Arizona.

Passing thru Sedona, it was a nice town and I would have loved to stop and investigate it but parking was limited for my camper and I knew everything would cost money and I didn’t want to be tempted.  Also, it was getting to be late afternoon so I wanted to get to Red Rock to hike.  Pulling in I had to pay $7.00, which I would come to find out was not worth it.  The hikes were small and the entire loop was only 2.5 miles but the lady at the center was very sweet and the center did have a cute hummingbird patio area. 

While I was out on the loop I called my older brother to ask if he was sure it was Red Rock State Park but then he said he wasn’t really sure.  So I will have to call him back later to find out for sure.  When I left the park I went and found free camping at Loy Butte Dispersed USFS land.  Pulling into the dusty, open landscape I called my mom and dad to tell them where I was located and to ask a question about my battery.  While we spoke I fixed the wiring for my trailer and prepared some food.

The earth here is a deep red and so dry that with every step dust billows up and covers my legs with a layer of dirt.  When I remove my shoes there is a pile of sand in them and removing my socks reveals even more sand!  I would take a shower but I don’t want to use my drinking water to fill up my solar shower nor do I feel like setting up the shower tent just to take it back down again especially since I will be hiking some more in the morning.

Day 70

August 17, 2017                                                                                                                Day 70

Like I said, during the night the pain in my foot kept me up for most of it and I had decided that I was not going to be able to do the six mile hike I wanted to do.  So I was pretty irritated with the fact that my feet are preventing me from experiencing things and not allowing me to do the hikes I want.  However, though I was irritated I was not mad and would not let it ruin my day or put me in a sour mood.  The couple that was three from me last night was up at the same time I was and as I was making a cup of coffee they took off.  For the first time that I can remember I decided to go into public in my comfy black workout pants that I wore to bed and my coat  and didn’t put any real clothes on.  I just went in what I wore to bed.  I just did not care one bit and walked around in my comfy clothes with my cup of coffee. 

I arrived at the visitor center on the west side of the park over an hour before they opened so I proceeded to make use of the restrooms and fill up all my water bottles including my five gallon jug.  Then I walked a little ways down the rim path and stepped off the path and sat down on the edge of the cliff.  There I looked out as the sun rose in the sky and threw shadows against the landscape. It was so peaceful out there and I felt like I could have sat there forever but I knew the crowds were not far away.  After over an hour, it was finally 08:00 am so I walked back to the visitor center and walked thru the doors.  As I entered the center, the woman who was working behind the counter started talking to me and we spoke for about fifteen minutes and with her assistance I picked out a sticker for my cooler.  I also purchased a Christmas present for my little brother.

Leaving there I headed back to my camper where I spent at least an hour cleaning and reorganizing my entire vehicle.  Afterwards, I began working on uploading all my pictures to Instagram and Facebook.  While I waited for them to load I took out my yoga mat and did a few rounds of exercises followed by reading my Dummies book for my camera.  I also went thru some of the GRE flashcards I brought with me to try to increase my vocabulary.   Once Instagram and Facebook were updated I then updated my blog and my journal.  Finally, I could get off the computer and move about my day without having to worry about going back on any sort of technology. 

I opted to take a shower but since the water was so hot from being left out all day I had to add some cool water to bring the temperature down to something that was more bearable.  Once I was squeaky clean, I started putting my shower away but then my friend Josh called so I started to talk to him but I had to let him go for my dad in Florida was calling me.   So I caught my dad up with what I had been doing and where I was at currently and vice versa.  We talked for a solid hour and then I told him I had to get going for I was starving and wanted to heat up some of my pasta from the previous night and make some new garlic toast.  While I did that though and ate I called my friend Josh back and we talked until I was done eating.   After saying good bye to him I started planning the next leg of my journey.

With somewhat of a plan started I opened my computer back up to update my Excel spreadsheets that I keep track of all my fiancés on.  That didn’t take long to update since I have been keeping up with it and so now it was time to get ready for bed.  I brushed my teeth and since I am trying to make this blog as real as possible I should probably mention some not too lovely information.  For a while now I have had to use the restroom quite badly but there are people everywhere and nowhere to walk off to and dig a hole.  So I only had one option which was not at all pleasant.  I grabbed a zip-lock bag and yes I went the restroom in that bag and placed it next to my vehicle to throw out tomorrow.  It may be gross but one has to do what they can when there are no other options.  It comes with the camping life.  Before I got under the covers, I took a cleansing wipe and wiped down my legs and feet and then bandaged up both my feet.   Crawling under the covers I was oddly not tired and I really wanted to watch Bambi but alas Netflix does not have Bambi so instead I watched Pocahontas II.

Day 69

August 16, 2017                                                                                                            Day 69

Freezing cold...that is what I woke up to in the middle of the night.  I quickly grabbed my jacket and threw it on but that didn’t offer much assistance so I proceeded to spend the rest of the night curled up in a ball, shivering from the cold and getting no rest at all.  When morning finally came, the first thing I did was make a hot cup of coffee to warm me up.  Then I decided that I would make some oatmeal for the first time in quite awhile.  When I opened the container of oatmeal I could see the exoskeletons of little bugs on the side of the container.  The oatmeal itself looked fine and since I had nothing else to eat for breakfast I figured I am boiling it anyway so what harm could come from it.  Once it was cooked, I added some cinnamon and sugar to it and it actually tasted pretty good as I ate it straight from the pot.

 

With breakfast done and the dishes cleaned up I unhooked my camper planning to leave it behind as I drove to the park.  However, I did not get far at all for as soon as I started up my vehicle the low tire pressure light came on and did not go off.  So I got out my tire gauge and checking all my tires I found out that the rear passenger tire was lower than all the others.  At the entrance gate to the park I asked if there was a garage that had an air hose and I was relieved to find out that there was indeed one.  Finding the said garage was a challenge in itself for it was concealed and had no sign at all.  Eventually, I found it and had one of the guys there add air to my tire. 

Finally, by 08:15 I was on my way to sight see the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  The day turned out to not be that exciting at all.  The South Rim is nowhere near as amazing and breathtaking as the North Rim.  The South Rim is way more busy, crowded, has less enjoyable hikes, it is warmer but not by much and the entire environment and atmosphere is different.   In either case, I stopped at Grandview Point, Moran Point, the Tusayan Museum and Ruin, Lipan Point, Navajo Point and the Desert View Watchtower.  None of my stops had anything to report and each only lasted a few minutes.  The watch tower was packed but was my favorite part just because it was unique. 

Leaving the watchtower I drove back to the main visitor center but all the parking lots were full so I had to park at the Yavopai Point and Geology Museum.  I went into the museum but quickly turned around and left for one could barely move inside it was so crowded and there was no way I could get to any  of the plaques to read the information.  Instead I left and walked along the rim trail to the main visitor center and then back to my vehicle.  At this point in the day I was tired of driving around and navigating the crowds of people so by 14:00 I headed back to my camper; which thankfully was still there.

Back at my camper, I was finally able to relax and began updating my blog. That in itself took quite some time and when I moved to uploading my camera pictures to my computer, so I could add them to my blog, I made dinner.  Dinner consisted of some very spicy and delicious bowtie pasta with garlic toast.  As I was cleaning up my mess from cooking you would not believe what happened!  So I am squatting down on the ground to check the progress of my uploads when a car slows down and decides to pull in.  Okay so I am thinking they are probably just heading to one of the many available and visible campsites near me…hell no.  They fucking back up and park literally three feet from me!  Now for some background information my vehicle is no longer attached to my camper and is parked off to the side but behind my camper.  Right in front of my camper where my vehicle would go to hook up are two very large trees.  This couple literally backs right between the two trees to my camper; I actually had to ask them if they were leaving tomorrow which when I asked they gave me a look like why the hell do I want to know but answered that they were indeed leaving tomorrow.  So I responded to their questionable looks by saying that the reason I ask is because I have to put my vehicle there in order to hook up my camper.  Now one would think that most people would be like oh wow yeah okay we will just move now so that you can access your camper…nope not these people.  They just continued setting up camp and it was so awkward for they didn’t even talk to me or anything.  I’m sorry but to me that is just plain rude, uncomfortable and where is the camping etiquette?? I can literally see at least six different camping sites around me that they could have gone to instead of being three feet from me!

So let’s just say I wasn't in a decent mood the rest of the evening and felt so uncomfortable having them right on top of me which probably explains why I didn’t get any sleep at all.  I was so irate that I called my mom to talk to her about it and since she does not own a cell phone I had her get on Skype so I could message her the situation.   Let’s just say I absolutely love my mom she is so hilarious.   She came up with three scenarios to explain why they camped right on top of me the last of which is my favorite one.  First, she said that maybe they were scared to be alone.  Second, maybe I look like I know what I am doing.  Third, this is the best one, maybe they are going to ask me for a threesome!  HaHa. Oh mom!  We were literally both in tears laughing over all of this.  Then my dad put in his two sense and all three of us were laughing so hard and just coming up with crazy ideas and pretty much spent the entire 1.5 hour conversation discussing my situation.

Once our conversation ended I tried to go to sleep but to no avail.  At first it was because I felt so uncomfortable that these people were right on top of me but then it moved to pain.  My big toe on my left foot, whose nail is completely black, had a small blister on it which was no big deal but now it was throbbing and shooting pain up my foot that kept me up all night. I was going to wake up at 04:00 am to go hiking but due to this pain I decided that it would be best not to push it and let my foot rest up some.  I should have taken some aspirin or pain reliever; however, I try not to take medicine and the said pills were outside in my vehicle and I was way to cold to go get it.  I just dealt with the pain and at some point during the night sleep came to me. 

Who says camping food has to suck.

Freezing cold but this jacket is amazing!

 

Day 68

August 15, 2017                                                                                                      Day 68

I was awake by 06:00 and before I got dressed I grabbed my clothes and laid on top of them to warm them up.  Once I determined they were to the temperature of my liking I put them on under all the covers and stepped outside.  It was a cool 51 degrees and the sky was overcast.  The last time I looked at the radar, which was a couple days ago, it said there would be no rain but one never knows with the weather.  After I made a protein shake I unhooked my camper to leave it behind once more while I went off to explore.

As I drove to Point Imperial (where I would be hiking six miles) I drank my shake and listened to the same six songs that were on my phone.  The drive didn't take long and by 07:20 I pulled into the parking area.  When I went to step out of my vehicle I was almost blown back inside by the strength of the wind; it definitely had a lot to say today!  Although the wind was howling something awful and the temps were in the low 50's I had already decided I was going to go on this hike today and usually once I make my mind up on something it takes a lot to persuade me otherwise. So dressed in multiple layers and for the first time wearing both a sweater and a jacket I put my pack on and set off on the trail.

The trail went up and down constantly following the ridge and then winding into the forest.  Once could easily see where the fire in 2000 had hit and affected the landscape but to me that only added to the beauty.  The hike was slow going due to my foot but I refused to turn back which maybe if I was wiser I would have.  In my young state though I act like I can conquer the world and can push my body to do whatever my mind decides it should  and can do.  Though the sky was overcast and the wind never took a break the birds were out in full swing.  So I switched my landscape photography to wildlife and before I knew it I would be standing in one area for fifteen minutes to try and get a photo.  It was at one such moment that I realized I should probably keep going for I don't have all day and if it does decide to rain I should be further on then where I was currently positioned.

Near the end of the hike I had to stop and eat something for I could tell me body was slowing down and it wasn't just due to the pain in my foot.  Within a couple minutes, after some trail mix and a piece of hard candy, I was back on the trail.  I finished the hike around 10:00 and though I was not hot nor cold the entire hike I was completely soaked from sweat.  I changed quickly into something dry and then headed back down the road to acquire my camper.

With coffee in one hand (well okay in the cup holder), a peanut butter sandwich in the other and my camper now behind me I drove away from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  My next destination is the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and approximately four hours.  Before I got on the main highway, I acquired some cell service so I pulled over to the side of the road to make some calls.  First, I called my mom and dad in Wisconsin to let them know I was okay and what my plan was. Second, I called and left a voicemail with my dad in Florida. Third, I called Travis and talked to him about some ideas that popped in my head and then we acquired some possible plans for the future.  Possibly a trip to the Virgin Islands and a meet up in Arizona??  After that I texted a couple other friends and family members to let them know I was all good.

Around 17:00 I had arrived at the visitor center and acquired the maps that I usually get so that I could plan my hikes and activities for  the following day.  From there I drove south to free camping within the Kaibab National Forest.  There I set up my camper, shower, and called my mom back to tell her where I was located.  We talked for some time, during which I boiled some water and poured in into my solar shower for I had not showered in four days and was in desperate need of one.  Let me tell you that that water was pretty nasty and the hair on my legs was the longest I have ever let it get before.  Afterwards though I felt like a million bucks.

While I was organizing my vehicle out, after my shower, I noticed that a mouse had gotten into my trail mix and decided to haul it all and make a nest where my spare tire is kept!  So I had to clean that all up and remove all my food from my vehicle.  I couldn't even get mad about the situation especially when I tell my mom and she informs me in her sarcastic voice that one is not suppose to transport animals across state lines! HaHa. Oh man I love that woman.  Once all that was taken care of I made a tomato bisque and sat in my camper eating that and coming up with a plan for tomorrow.

Sigh....lets just say I was not too thrilled about the reality of my situation when it came to planning the hikes.  Once I spoke with Travis I really wanted to do the twenty mile hike down into the canyon, camp for a night and hike back out; however, he didn't think it wise for me to do that with the shape my feet were in.  Though I didn't want to agree with him and admit that I was not capable of doing that sort of hike in my condition, he was right.  Due to hiking over 22 miles in two days and I believe not wearing boots that properly fit my feet my feet were suffering.  My right foot now had a blister on top of my old blister, I lost my toe nail on my third toe and I have a blister on my heel.  On my left foot my big toe nail is completely black and blue and also has a blister on it and the nail on my fourth toe in is also black and blue.

Irritated that I can not do that hike I settled on sight seeing tomorrow and then do a six mile hike the following day.  With my plan finally laid out I put away all my maps, washed my dishes, wiped my feet off again with a cleansing wipe before climbing into bed and then said good night to everyone I was talking to.