All is well!

Been in Tucson since just before the Thanksgiving. Introducing Ginger to her winter life, which involves cats, fences, and casino parking lots. Happy to report that no cats have been eaten yet, but shes still doesn't understand the furry little creatures that smack her repeatedly in the face. Casino parking lots are a different story goes a lil banana's after being cooped up for a short time, and doesn't have much area to run. So we are in search of some boondocking areas, after the holidays. Ginger got spayed on Tuesday, and is recovering well.

 Roosevelt Lake

Heres a few pics of my stay at Roosevelt lake on my migration to Tucson.

 My site rarely pay for camping, but for $6 dollars a day hot showers and running water is always a bonus. $3 a day for seniors and there is no stay limit between November 15th to March 15th. Was quiet my whole stay here.

Beach camping is also avail is $95 for the inter-agency pass, which last a year and is free for seniors. There is a 14 day limit on the beach.

Looking across lake on full zoom. Thats a truck camper, or class C parked up there. Plenty of boondocking in the area will be doing lots more exploring of the area on my journey north.

 Ginger making friends.

Gingy enjoying water bison horn a plush couch. Happy Holidays! Thanks for visiting. Good Day!

Riff Raff!

Camp

 KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! Anybody Home? Was the sound I awoke too from my siesta "Yep be there in a minute!" As I peeked my head out the Turtle door noticing a Arizona Ranger with hand placed firmly upon his gun. I asked  "Can I help you?" To which he replied. "There's been some complaints of some Riff Raff living out here in van" Hmmmm I said that's weird I been out here almost a week and haven't seen any? Apparently we didn't share the same sense of humor, because that's the point where he told me to lock up the dog cause he didn't wanna have to shoot it!

Then the interrogation begin. How long yah been here? Where yah going? Where yah coming from? I answered all honestly. "He declared you know its illegal to even drive into a national forest if your living in the vehicle.(Fourth time Fourth forest Ive gotten the speech in)"I said Well I don't live in the forest I live at my residence up near Show Low, and travel often" Then was called a liar, and was told I would just be receiving a warning today. Welcome to your National Forest! Nice to see my tax dollars harassing me. I've moved on, but did enjoy the rest of my 14 days without any hassle. Heres a few more pics of camp.....

 Right up the road from camp.

Interesting history, but not very well preserved. Thanks for visiting! Good day!

Da Rim

 The Mogollon Rim my humble home for the past 4 weeks. Weather's been dipping into the 20's at night, and day time highs in the mid 40's to low 50's. Time to make the trip 30 minutes west. Ill drop almost 3000ft and gain about 20 degrees. Coming from Minnesota I'm always amazed by what a difference just a few miles can make. Heres a few more pic of camp...

 Only received about 5 hours of good sun in the tall pines, which required me to break out the generator. Bringing my electric bill up to about 11 bucks for the year, but was worth the 4 weeks in the biggest ponderosa pine forest in the world.

 Ginger chasing squirrels on the hike to Forest Lake's. which really isn't much more then a over exaggerated puddle.

Fossilized shells at 8000 ft?  

Ginger keeping guard. Heres a few more links to some adventures on the rim. Living on the edge, Nomadic beginings, Riding the storm out, The new neighbors, and The Shepard. Thank's for visiting! Good Day!

Mesa Beaver

Moved off  "The Mesa" a lil less then 2 weeks ago to rim country. Where I shall remain until old man winter chases me into the valley below. This is the same area I was in a few springs ago when we got 17 inches of snow. Although I don't mind the spring time snowstorm I really don't feel like get stranded in a fall one. May take a tad bit longer to melt! Rumor has it they got 14ft up here 5 years ago. Crushing houses, and Ponderosa pines were tipping over due to ground being saturated. Here is a few pics of my time on The Mesa.

Had another 25 yards of cinders hauled in. Took a few weekends but finally got them spread out. Turned out great will upload a walk around video soon.

The Fam Damily been to the visit the Mesa frequently 

The Mesa Beaver lodge located under a juniper. Turned out to be a pack rat, but Ill still call it the Mesa Beaver for entertainment purposes. This explains all my stuff going missing overnight. You can see the dog leash it stole and through on top.

The entrance

Jumping Gingy! Enjoying the good life!

Ill get some pics from rim country soon. Thanks for visiting! Good Day!

New dishwasher

 Meet Ginger! For 6 months I been waiting for a sign to get another pooch, so a few weeks back while in town I ran across this lil Sh#t head. Pondered it for quite sometime, then the lady told me her birthday March 22nd, which was the same day that Candy had passed :(    Figured that was a good enough sign from the Universe to take her home.

Now my days are filled with GET OVER HERE! NO! and GOOD GIRL! spoken 100s of times daily. Were still working on the rules of her new lifestyle. She seems to be catching on more and more each day, and then forgets by morning :)

 Chewing on a box her first night figured it was better then my shoes.

 Treats from a stranger. A day in town, and not one thing was destroyed or eaten. knock on wood.

Another sign from above she enjoys her barley soda's. Any hue been on "The Mesa" for the passed month staying still enjoying the weather for the most part been getting some heavy rains here for this time of year.

 The whole families been up to visit a couple times, and had another 25 yards of rock hauled in, so Ill get some pics of that when completed. Good Day!

4 weeks in hiding

 No News is Good News! The above picture is of my forest hideout for the past four weeks. Had the occasional weekend passerbyers, but other then that was very quiet up until the holiday weekend.

During my stay not one drop of gas was used, about $130 of food was consumed, and the wobbly pop intake may have been a tad bit greater then that. Temps have been in the mid 60's to low 70's, and nights dropped into the low 40's. Elevation is about 9400ft, not a bad way to spend August in AZ.

 Fattening up camp buddies for winter.

Big Mama circling the Turtle her daily ritual not sure if she had found a great fondness for, or she just enjoyed scratching her ass on him? Whatever the case waking up at 5am with the van shaking can be a bit frightening the first few times. Off to the Mesa for a few weeks, then time to start a southern migration.

Thanks for visiting! Good Day!

Old Buddy's

Not exactly how I wanted to leave New Mexico, but at least I got a free ride back to AZ. Well kinda free Richard the tow truck driver says it would have cost about $500. Thats the 3rd time AAA has saved my butt over the years.

Finally unloaded at the mechanics. Dave the mechanic, and I took a short joy ride, and the Turtle spat, and sputtered. Then after running several test to diagnose the problem. None could be found. Decided it was time to pull it around back for the night, and lo and behold it starting running just fine, so off I went!

Dave's done work on the Turtle before, and always gave a great rate,and if a overnight stay is needed you can be accommodated. 

Jone's Auto Repair

928-297-0276

2425 Navajo Blvd. Holbrook, AZ

Determining the problem was electrical issue when it rains. Thanks for all the emails, and comments! As of today all grounds have been redone, so hopefully the Turtle, and I can put this behind us, but until I know for sure I'll be staying in the area.

Stopped by the Mesa for a brief visit. Yep its still there! Sign was still up, and my belonging were still there as well. Will be revisiting in the fall.

Finally after a couple nights in town I had enough supplies for a 4 to 5 week excursion to one of my favorite hideouts in the mountains, and was immediately greeted by my old buddy's. Thanks for visiting! Good day!

Bluewater Canyon Hike

 Hikes like these always make wonder if I could just through on a backpack, and disappear into the pristine wilderness not to return for months on end. Here's a few more pics of the canyon hike......

 Swallow homes under the cliff

Good Day!

Bluewater State Park

 View from the bluff

No luck fixing the Turtle as of yet. Only a few days left here at blueweater, so like like he maybe getting a ride out of here. Good thing he broke down here cause its close to my property in AZ, and towing will be covered.

 My camp

 Camp pet

 Wild Horses

 Interesting rig

From above the dam

Brother stopped by for a visit from Tucson

Video from Storrie Lake I forgot to post Thanks for visiting. Good Day!

Storrie Lake State Park (Turtle Troubles)

 Campsite at Storrie Lake

Already left Storrie Lake for a rendezvous with my brother whose been on a week like motorcycle. This will cut about 6 hours off his trip and gave me a good excuse to head to Bluewater Lake. Havent been here before cause its always been a bit out of the way.

Unfortunately this may be my last New Mexico park for a bit. The Turtle is still a bit upset me looking at a new home, even after several apologies , and pats on the hood. He basically just quits running every time it rains, and with the monsoons in full effect he hardly runs at all. .

So far I've replaced plugs, and wire. New distributor cap, and rotor, fuel filter, and have a ignition coil on the way. If anyone has any tips or clues help would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to Email me, or comment below. Email is over there -------> Back to the Storrie

 Turtle

 The garbage service at Storrie is impeccable twice daily they come right to your site to get your trash.

Got to meet Roxy from The Good Luck Duck (middle) Annie from Annie and the furballs (not pictured), and ran into Jeannie from On the Road with Riley, (right), and Barbara From Me, My Dog, and My R.V. (not pictured) again. Sorry cell phone camera :( Thanks for visiting! Good Day!