Riveting Rocks of Wonder

Before we took our Monday afternoon drive, we had some cleaning up to do from dinner last night. It's been windy since yesterday morning so it's keeping us inside (more than we're used to) it's a whole different world being self-contained. Last night, we had a little bit of a mess on our hands so we just filled our pan with water and stuck it outside to let it soak overnight. This morning, when I went to clean the pots and pans, we couldn't find our scrubbies (they are buried somewhere on top of Joon) so I had to resort to nature and use the sand and plants to do my scrubbing. Not a totally bad idea, I've done this before but I learned that this is not gritty sand out here, it's more like soft dirt...hence why I used some small plants. I got the job done and everything is shiny and clean again, that's what matters!

[caption id="attachment_2358" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Washing the Dishes[/caption]

We got on with our drive, down one of the many trail roads to see where it led. Why stay in one place when there are so many different roads, trails and other places to be? We got on one road that looked like it just kept going and going and going...maybe all the way into town!?

When we drive to find a new spot there are many things we are looking for and at. I have both the phone and wifi hotspot in hand watching the signal strength of both. We look for nice scenery, how close we are to the road and for anything that could make it difficult getting in or out of spots... and anything that could damage the vehicle. We drove around, down this road, that road and further back into the mountains. J' finally came around the bend of the road we were on and saw a hill...you know he's climbing that sucker!

[caption id="attachment_2360" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Comin' round the bend[/caption]

There would be a picture of the extremely slanted hill but 'someone' had her eyes closed! For some reason, I think if I close my eyes then no damage will be done if there ends up being a problem...haha

When we got all the way up the hill there was a plateau on the top! I think we found our new spot and the view here is much more incredible than the "Cross Spot". Wee hoo!

[caption id="attachment_2362" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The new view[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2363" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Joon looks so little![/caption]

So very awesome that this is all at our fingertips and you just never know it until you live this lifestyle. We are here 100% Free and Legal...you can't get much better than that! The rest of the day we just messed around, the wind is getting worse as the day goes on, so we sit, chit chat with each other, laugh at the stupid things we come up with...and Savannah of course! haha And just chill. I think Savannah thought she was being abused today because we made her sleep on the floor...gasp, the insanity!! She looked so defeated all day, but there was no room for her to lay where she usually does because all of our stuff was in those places. Savannah, sometimes you gotta suck it up and take one for the team! haha

[caption id="attachment_2364" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Ok, she still has a pillow![/caption]

I just went out and walked Nana, it was about 5:30 p.m. or so and everything outside was different. The sun changes the look of this place all the time, especially at sunset...WHOA!!! It only lasts about 10 minutes so you gotta be quick and precise with that camera!

[caption id="attachment_2365" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunny side up[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2366" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Is that rock giving us the finger?[/caption]

I can't say that I've ever slept in a place like this. There is so much beauty around us, it's simply amazing to me. I always think it's so cool to wake up and be surrounded in the nature that's been here for thousands of years, but yet we are in our little spaceship of the Joon Van.

Amazing...Wonderful...Spectacular...Marvelous???

Those words don't even start to describe the sensation of being here and to be able to do what we are doing.

How neat is that!?

Now, go and play in your neck of the woods, build a sandcastle out of dirt or roll down a grassy hill. Do something you wouldn't normally do because what's the fun of doing the same thing over and over again if you're not getting any joy out of it!?

Go play!

PEACE 

 

Dog Day Afternoon

I have been working so hard, trying to catch up on about two weeks worth of posts, that I barely even moved today. Plus, the heat was a little overbearing today (no wind), so it was actually nice to sit in the van. I usually don't sit in the van, but since we've moved I haven't gotten my chair out of Joon Van's ba-dunka-dunk (the big blob on top of the van).

[caption id="attachment_1273" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Alot of 'junk' in her 'trunk'[/caption]

 I think Savannah is trying to get used to the difference of things out here as well. The rocks aren't as soft on her feet...they're not soft like they look, the holes in the ground scare mama and even though you can see pretty far away she blends right in with the nature so even when she's 5 feet in front of me, I can't see her...so with that she has to be on a lead again...boooo. I wouldn't mind if she didn't let her nose run her body and mind half the time, she's just a little hunter and when she gets going, her selective hearing kicks in! She tried a few different spots during the day...

[caption id="attachment_1274" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 1[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1275" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 2[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1277" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 3[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1276" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 4...and yes, I'm a sucker for her![/caption]

And since I haven't really done anything else today but sit in the van, hang out with J' in between typing my little fingers away and making meals and snacks, the rest of the post will just be snapshots of the rest of the day.

Enjoy

[caption id="attachment_1278" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Savannamander[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1280" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Perfect Silhouette[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1281" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 6:02 p.m.[/caption]

Goodnight to All and to all a good night

 PEACE

 

 

We've got Bush!

There are times when even us vandwellers get a little stressed out...well I do anyway. J' always seems to handle himself pretty well in flustering moments...the same things send me into a catastrophic whirlwind of emotions and anxiety. Thank goodness we tend to balance each other out, haha! I think it may have been a handful of things that made me feel the way I felt today; being a dirty girl (no shower going on seven full stinky days), being at our destination but not knowing (quite yet) where we would be camping, things that happened to us once we found a spot and then having to deal with the rest of the day from then on. It started out a nice morning, we slept at Wal-mart last night. It wasn't too bad except I forgot how extremely bright those parking lot lights are...whoa! It's like someone shining a flashlight in your face all night...and the trucks coming in and out, but for some reason the noise didn't bother me. We got up, I walked the Bug and we got online trying to find where the B.L.M. land was that we had talked about a few times with Bob. We weren't really finding anything so we just hit the road and started watching paved to unpaved roads that went into the mountains and turned off on one and drove. After a few miles of driving on a not so great for your vehicle rocky, gravel road, we came to a conclusion this was not the road that Bob had been talking about.

This road would be way too rough to come in and out on a daily basis, so we turned around and went back toward the Albertsons. Since we were in town again, we figured we would look for water. We stopped at a couple of gas stations and saw they have air and water but for a fee. We thought we might as well get some here just in case we can't find a spicket or anywhere else to get it. It cost us .75 cents for 3 gallons of water. I guess we're not in California anymore Toto...we started looking for a better solution.

[caption id="attachment_1250" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cheap Gas, Expensive Water[/caption]

We drove back over to the grocery store and as we drove by the front of Albertsons we saw three Glacier water stands...perfect. The cost of the water there was .20 cents for 1 gallon and $1.00 for 5 gallons, much better. After we filled up our empties, we drove around the side of CVS where all the shade was and got on the computers to try to find where "this place" was. We searched and searched, I sent an email out to a friend and we found a place that we were going to go but it was still a good 28 miles away. Everyone that has been to Pahrump and stayed on public land said that it's only about 4 miles to the Wal-mart..we were missing something. My friend, twoknives, got back to me almost instantly and told us from memory where to go. Thank you girl!! We followed her directions and within minutes we were on B.L.M. land. When we were driving on that rocky road, we were about two miles away from the main road into the desert...only we were parallel to it. Finally we were in the land of the free! There looks like there's only one other person/group here (so far) but they are outfitted more with tents and forts, looks like they've been here for a while. We drove in off of the main road into the desert a few miles and found a great pull-off spot. To be further off of the road we pulled more into the desert then just the clearing that we pulled into. To get to where we were we had to drive over a couple of pretty small bushes...we thought we had done this so many times in Shaver with bigger bushes, it wouldn't be any problem. We parked and got out to take in our new view. As I got out, I heard a noise kind of like hot air releasing, so I listened at the hood of the van...nope not there. I walked to the back of the van and heard it even louder, looked down at the tire spitting out all of its air. We learned at that point that these "small, innocent" bushes were nothing to be messed with.

[caption id="attachment_1251" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Mean little bush[/caption]

We were both glad that before we left 'home' we spent the money on a new pump, due to our older other one not really working that well anymore...good thing we were thinking with our noggins back then! This van and her tires, I tell you what!!

[caption id="attachment_1252" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Pump, pump, pump it up![/caption]

 We thought we would try to drive on the regular tire to the tire place that was only 2.1 miles away but by the time we got back on the main dirt road it had already spewed all the air back out. That's when J' realized that we had not only one, but two splits in the sidewall, so he put the spare on...and off we go to the tire store.

[caption id="attachment_1253" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cheap tires, cheap water next door![/caption]

We already knew the answer but asked them if they would patch the holes (most places will not patch sidewalls). We didn't want to pay for a "new" used tire so he pointed us down the road to another tire place...they were pretty much the same thing so we bit the bullet and drove over to Wal-mart for a brand new tire. We discussed that it would be better off down the road (literally) if we just got a new tire, with all of the driving we do or would be doing. We treat the van how any other 'normal' person would treat something breaking in their home. This is our home so we have to treat her with the respect she deserves, she takes real good care of us and keeps us safe. Cringing, we got a new tire and road hazard for it...wasn't expecting that $100 bill, but since we budget on the things we spend...we had it!

[caption id="attachment_1254" align="aligncenter" width="300"] ...meh[/caption]

 I think at this point the two of us just want to take showers and call it a day! We drove back to the same spot...only stopping in the clearing instead of driving back off the road more, a much better idea! The good thing is...now we know not to trust the flora! We were finally able to take our very much overdue showers and it was a perfect day for it: No wind, sunny & warm, and no one is around...and if they were (with 'nocs) they got themselves a nudey show! haha

[caption id="attachment_1255" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Just call me Mentos[/caption]

 Now it's time to just sit back, eat something and for me, update my posts I've been slacking on due to travel and the chill the F* out already! I know Savannah won't have a problem with that... lazy girl!

[caption id="attachment_1256" align="aligncenter" width="225"] The definition of not a care in the world[/caption]

 Our new spot in the desert sure is different than anywhere else we've been or camped as of yet, but it's different in the most beautiful ways. It's a tad scary to me as well due to these holes in the ground...don't know if they are from rattlesnakes or chipmunks or both???

[caption id="attachment_1257" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Tons of them, everywhere[/caption]

We took a very small walk but with the sun setting and not really being able to see where I was stepping I wasn't really into it...maybe tomorrow. And let me tell you about the sky tonight.....Holy Sunset Batman!!! I think it was Pahrumps' way of welcoming us because whoa, it was amazing!

And remember that one "red night sky" that I was showing you a couple of weeks ago??? That was child's play compared to tonight. Look at this true Sailor's Red Sky...

[caption id="attachment_1262" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Where are the Sailors?[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1263" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Amazing[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1264" align="aligncenter" width="300"] It's all good[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1265" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Crazy clouds[/caption]

I could add about 20 more pictures but I'm sure you get the point, haha. Isn't that the most incredible thing? Well it was amazing to us and I can't wait to see what the sky will hold for us tomorrow...as well as the rest of the day. I have a feeling Pahrump will be a nice home to us for however long we decide to stay here. I hope your day was not as eventful as ours but your night was just as beautiful.

PEACE