Good Morning COVID-19 Warriors! Day 345 for me today. Closing in on a year! And it’s not getting much better, but now I’m trying to determine about getting the vaccine. Still not sure about it. More will be revealed!
So, I changed the name of the blog. Perhaps the title will bring in more readers starting with RV Life. Who knows! I did have 18 comments this morning when I logged on, but they were from foreign countries or trying to sell me CBD.
Today, I’m taking Mama & Papa to Kartchner Caverns State Park, right here in Benson. There is an RVW rally there this weekend. I kept vacillating back and forth about getting a site and finally decided to get one for one night and it opened up on the website. I’ll be in Site 43. It’s a back in site from the blind side. So that will be an experience. I drove out there yesterday to scope it out. Let me see if I can get a copy of the campground showing the site:
The good news is that it is at the end of the road and there is plenty of space to work with. So it will be my first solo trip without the help of Bill and Cathy. I’m even thinking I can bring Mama out of her parking space here at home on my own. I need to make myself do that or else I won’t be using her as much as I want to. Update: I did bring her out of the parking place at my house. No problem. Now the thing is to put her back in her space when I get home tomorrow. I’m going to try it.
I tested the MiFi at the park too yesterday because I’m bringing my computer because the site has electric and I am chairing the Daily Reflections meeting on Sunday morning and it is also the business meeting so I would like to be there. I think I’ll send out a reminder to everyone now that I’m thinking about it. I’ll be back! Okay – done!
So this popped up from 2 years ago on my pictures today.
It is a picture of Olivi@ at Highlands Hammock in mid Florida. It was a camping trip with Bette & Suzan. This was the place where wild turkeys ran through the camp and where I put up the huge Pahakie (I can’t remember how to spell it and it isn’t on Amazon so it may be out of business) anyway, it was a tent that was supposed to attach to the door of the TAG. I got it up, but there was a big wind and rain event that night and the tent collapsed and the awning bent. Not the last time that awning failed. I remember replacing the tent poles twice in the year that I had her! There is a young woman here at Kartchner with and “OLIVI@”. She said it was her first rig. I told her it was my first rig too – now I’m on number 3. I think this will be the last though – since it’s a brand new 2021 – I think I’ll have it for the rest of my camping lifetime!
So the other day, I had a session with B & C about what to put in a “day pack” for survival in the wilderness:
This is the stuff that Bill has in his pack. I got myself a super pack from REI in Tucson. I also got hiking socks – light wool liner and outside sock and my total was $200. But the pack is made for hiking and the weight stays on your hips. It is very comfortable. I have a big first aid kit in in – too big, but it fits. A soft puffy jacket for warmth that fits into a tiny bag. A compass even though I’m not sure how it works. I have a sun hat and a windbreaker. Fire starter and lighters. Water shoes. Survival blanket which is the tiniest thing ever but is supposed to keep you warm. A poncho that is also tiny. A bag of Keto Bars. A multi tool. A very, very sharp knife. And other things I can’t remember. I’m going to weigh it now: only 9 pounds! I’m glad about that. I thought it was a LOT more! But it doesn’t include any water and I’d need to carry extra water too & Bear Spray!
I really like this pack and I’m going to have it “live” in the back seat of Papa Bear so I have access to all of the “survival” stuff I need whether I’m with Mama Bear or not. I think that is a good plan. Here is a picture of the knife I got:
It is the sharpest knife I’ve ever had and it flips out like a switch blade. Danger, danger! I also need to get this stuff:
I’m hoping I never need to use any of this stuff on a day trip since I think I’ll stick to well marked trails. I’m going to test my app I have for telling me where I am on my phone today – but then again, you need to have cell power in order for it to work. Can by spotty. So I went to AMAZON and ordered the fire starter. Amazon now has a security layer – they send a link to approve the purchase to my phone and once I activate the link, the sale will go through. I like that!
Gonna go to the trash and mailbox. I may have my Bomba slippers – so excited. Will check back in a bit. Got ’em:
I got “small” ones and I probably should have gotten mediums. But I am putting them on with socks. The other slippers I LOVE for their comfort, a gift from Suzee. She said she got them at Aldi’s so they were probably pretty cheap. Bombas are not cheap but they are environmentally conscience and they support various charities.
Going to the IWC in Charlotte, NC – it’s all virtual. The meeting on “depression” has 640 women on the call! AMAZING! Love this! 27 screens of women! We are up to 705! 750 now!
Gonna close down now and get ready to depart. Will continue once I’m settled at Kartchner. Here I am: “waiting”:
I got here at 12 Noon. The guy who was in my site last night was in no hurry to leave. SO at 12:15 the Camp Host reminded him that he had to leave. So it is now 1:45 and I’m eating lunch in Mama and working on the blog. Here we are backed in and all settled:
We fit in snug as a bug in a rug! Another view – similar, but LOOK at my VIEW!!!!!
It is REALLY Windy. It’s 72 out today – but will get down to 37 at 6AM tomorrow. So right now we are supposed to have a group meeting about technology. I think I’ll take my Waggle. I’ll be back!
The meeting was really good. I learned that I need to get saddle bags for my sewer hose. They weigh down the hose into the dumping spot. I should get a “quick connect” for my water hose. She showed us a “Flexzilla” hose to use for drinking water. It is made of a material that is better for adding drinking water into the fresh water tank. It has some other items that makes it better for that purpose. My white hose is fine for now – it’s practically new. But the saddle bags are important. Let me see if I can find them on AMAZON. Got it – only $10 – I have to supply the gravel or sand. I think I can just use the rocks in the pile next to my house. I’ll ask first – I promise!
Here are pictures from the rig at the campground:
This is the emergency exit window.
This is of my picnic table and fire ring. No fires tonight – although it seems the wind has stopped. Still to be determined.
This one is from my doorway:
This one shows the temperature being the same inside as outside:
Here is another picture of Mama & Papa in our site:
I think they look so great together! I’m going to stop now for a while. I want to go see if the sunset gets good over the mountain. Be back with more pictures. Oh, by the way, I almost won the air compressor. I should have walked up there to the auction to put in another bid. I could have had it for $25. Oh well. They are only $85 new and I guess I should get one new – it will last me longer.
Look a Born Free!
Look a TA@!
Love my Mama Bear! Look at these SUNSET pictures:
Just incredible!!!! Time to cook dinner! Lasagna!
The microwave works GREAT!
I think that is about enough for this blog. It’s the first one for Mama & Papa! I may add a few things in tomorrow – not really in a rush to leave in the morning. I’ll probably stay until the last minute. I’ll be going to the 8AM meeting and then going for a walk around here. Love this campground and State Park!
Decided to add some more about my trip this weekend. I took off this morning around 11 and got back home and did this:
I backed her up into her spot. Bill came up with a great idea to measure the right angle to get her in and we put tape on the driveway for the trailer tire to follow:
So to prove how difficult this is – here is another view of what I’m contending with, not to mention the top of the awning:
You can see that we’ve hit that stupid telephone post a few times. And look, I only have about 6 inches to work with. I didn’t hit the post today with either Mama or Papa Bear. That was a miracle!
Here is the last look at my backing in to the spot:
Anyway, I’m pretty proud of myself. I even feel that I’ll practice on my own now. I can do it around the neighborhood. So now Bill and Cathy can be out of it altogether which will make them feel pretty good about it. So here we go. Lot’s of camping on my own with Mama & Papa! Now to decide about bringing Metaxa – my next hurdle! Oh yes, I took a video of the beautiful trail at the campground:
Thanks for visiting my site today. See you next time!
