WHERE AM I (2010).....on the road?

In Cesar's and Maud's newsletter from the Appalachian Trail, they mentioned a book: Chained Dogs and Songbirds; The World's Slowest Traverse of the Appalachian Trail. Here is a quote from that book:

"To slackpack really means to attempt to backpack in a manner that is never trying, difficult, or tense, but in a slowly free-flowing way that drifts with whatever currents of interest, attraction, or stimulation are blowing at the moment. There is little emphasis on schedules, distance, or efficiency. Instead, the slackpacker focuses on more proper business, such as chatting with local people or other travellers, soaking in streams, gazing from overlooks, resting beneath trees. It has nothing to do with carrying a pack. Indeed, slackpackers may carry a heavier load than others, if the added contents are sufficiently useful or pleasing to them."

That's exactly the way I like to travel!.....gypsy jane

    Wednesday, 12/22/11 Laughlin, NV...I've been in Laughlin since Sunday. It's now Wednesday, and it's rained every day. The West is in the news every day, especially California,because of the torrential rain. Tonight I'm dancing for the first time since arriving. I'm at the Tropicana listening to Pat O'Brien, a great singer. I requested "A Time to say Goodbye" made famous by Andrea Bocelli -- about my favorite song, very opera like. I've danced one set and will stay for one more to work off the extra calories I'm consuming here. Not sure where I'll dance tomorrow night, probably the AVi, even though it's a ways out of town. Tomorrow is my last night at the Edgewater. It's a great deal: $12/night Sunday through Thursday. I do it every year to escape Chrstmas. I had a free night at the AVI and a complimentary Christmas buffet. The AVI hs the best music and buffet in Laughlin, plus a 99-cent breakfast eggs, toast, hashbrowns, and meat. It was a great get away.

    Thursday, 11/4/10 Lake Havasu, AZ....Hard to believe I have been home for more than two weeks. I know because I'm not into my daily exercise yet. Yesterday spent th whole day on snail mail received since June. Another day was spent on laundry. There's water the yard, and I have yet to do the pruning of summer growth. Then there's catching up on email, grocery shopping, and unloading my camper. I'm just about ready to vacuum and clean the house. The deck needs washing and so do the windows, but they can wait maybe one more week. WHEW!
    I have managed to dance a couple of weekends at the casino in Parker, and I'm here again this weekend. Right now I'm waiting for my yearly opthamologist appointment, having just finished my yearly dermatologist appointment to have red, rough spots frozen before they turn into cancer. One of the "joys" of aging!
    I talked to a friend yesterday who NEVER has yearly physicals. Her reason was "I'm never sick." This leaves me speechless because I believer that being proactive about one's health is so important. I know so many people who felt great when they went in for their yearly physical and found out they have problems which can be treated if caught early.
    It's great to be back in Quartzsite, sitting on my deck having a cup of tea, baking my own bread, dancing, and just enjoying the quiet beauty of it all.

    Monday, 9/1/10, Flagstaff, AZ....I went to the outdoor concert in a square downtown from 2-4. I wasn't sure what I would do afterward. It was tea time, and having it in the woods, just outside my camper, appealed to me. I leave Flagstaff day after tomorrow, and I haven't done nearly enough sitting in the forest. After tea, I made my salad then grabbed my hiking stick and walked about a mile on a forest trail which circled back to my camper. The wildflowers are holding on -- so many colors; yellow, white, lavender, etc. Tomorrow night will be my last night here, and I plan to walk a ways on the main trail which I've heard goes all the way to the San Franciso peak. I've heard these are very spiritual mountains to the Indians, continuing all the way south to Sedona, which has many vortexes.
    After I workout on the weight machines tomorrow morning, I have lot to do in preparation for leaving Flagstaff and moving on to Strawberry, AZ where I'll house sit for a few days before driving to Phoenix to catch a plane to Merida, Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula where I'll house sit for about a month. You can read about my trip on my web site under "Foreign Travels."

    Saturday 8/28/10 Flagstaff, AZ....In Heritage Square again listening to the outdoor concert 4:00-6:00 p.m. It gives me a chance to catch up on my journal.
    Flagstaff is alive with wildflowers! Outside my camper the forest is vibrant with color. The whole city is covered with small, sunflower-like blooms: yellow with brown center. Perhaps they are black-eyed Susans. The weight room at the Thorpe Center looks out on a field of yellow. It's a great way to start my workout!
    A couple of days ago, there was an email from Bank of America saying there was suspicious activity on my V"ISA. Turns out there were two frauds, one for $800 and one for $200. I was impressed that B of A caught them before they got into my account. Of course I spent the rest of the day canceling my credit card and getting a new one. It was a real challenge as I have no address in Flagstaff. It was a real Yin/Yang day.
    The good part was I received an offer to house sit in Merida, Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula for more than a month. So besides solving the bank dilemma, I had to start making foreign travel plans. YIKES!

    Saturday 8/20/10 Flagstaff, AZ.....Last night I danced to a great band at Charly's (Buckit). That's why I slept in until 8:00 this morning. It's such a great place to park in the forest -- quiet with the wonderful smell of the tall pine trees surrounding me. However, this morning when I opened my door, there were cars everywhere and bicycles. Apparently there is a bike marathon today.
    I was looking forward to a grand day! First, I stopped at Biff's Bagels on Beaver Street to see if they had my favorite green chili and cheese bagels. Nope. So I crossed the street to see what Macy's offered. They had a green chili and cheese quiche which was out of this world. And I couldn't resist their 99 cent espresso (even tho I don't drink coffee anymore), which they offered as a special because of the economy -- my kinda place. I love the 60's atmosphere. The owner, Tim Macy, is a photographer, and his spectacular photos grace the walls.
    I went to Heritage Square for the WE FEST, organized by a law firm in town. Many community organizations had booths there, and there was lots of live music. I stayed almost the whole time (until 2:00), bringing along my crossword puzzle, journal, and even newspapers to fill in the gaps. I sat in the Flagstaff Symphony booth a couple of times to relieve the Director, and it was fun! I asked each person to name two instruments in the orchestra, then two classical composers. I was pleased that most people were able to do that. The bonus question was naming two pieces of classical music; they didn't do so well with that one.
    I'm going to take a nap now in the park and hopefully do my dishes while I listen to Garrison Keillor on the radio. His live show is actually in Flagstaff now but is old out. I've seen his live show before, and I much prefer the radio version. With the live show at $45 a ticket, the radio version is a lot cheaper. There is a different band at Charly's tonight, and I plan to go. Then tomorrow, my favorite band "Cadillac Angels" is a the San Felipe Mexican Restaurant. So I've got a full weekend of dancin' ahead of me. YES!

    Tuesday, 8/17/10 Flagstaff, AZ.....After Prescott, I drove to Flagstaff through Chino Valley and Williams, Arizona, a new route I much prefer to Hwy 17. It was longer but much more scenic, especially the first part with the large boulders.
    I attended the Unitarian Congregation in Flagstaff and have been every week since. I spent a few rainy days in Flagstaff before driving the 74 miles to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. My reservation was for August 3, and I woke up to the very welcome sunshine. My five days at the canyon were lovely with sunshine every day. My time there was packed full, but I still need another few days to see it all. When the rain started up on Friday, I returned to Flagstaff. The night before I left I viewed the sun set over the canyon, making sure I arrived an hour early to enjoy the changing shadows which painted the canyon walls in shades of light green, tan, reddish brown, and a palette of other colors.
    I have fallen in LOVE with Flagstaff! I've driven through it a couple of times in the last 10 years, always to or from some place else, thinking it is too big. Now that I'm getting to know it, I realize it's just big enough to have some of the "big-city" advantages and little down side. Besides the Unitarian Congregation, there is a terrific Senior Center with lunch for $2.00, a weight room for $4.50/month, and a very friendly and helpful Director (Matt) who can answer ANY question. I do the machines on Tuesday and Thursday and do my own workout in beautiful Thorpe Park (right next door) on Monday and Wednesday. Dancing on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (when available) provides the aerobic part.
    I've sampled the exercise classes. They're good, but I'd much rather do my own routine outside, which includes warming up to music with a great beat. (My current favorite is The Doors, tape for a quarter at the thrift store.) Then stretching to calmer music like opera (especially Puccini), classical, chanting, or Indian flute. Third is about 100 crunches in different positions followed by squats, leg work, and other conditioning exercises. I conclude with stretching again. I miss doing hand weights, but one isn't supposed to do weights two days in a row; so while I have access to the machines, I'll do those instead. With three cleansing breaths facing the sun, between each segment, it's a great way to start the day!
    More good things about Flagstaff. There is a fairly large farmers' market where I discovered rhubarb turnovers and basil for $1.00 a bag. (I'm addicted to basil AND green chili! Also dancing and exercise!) Macy's on Beaver street is a throw back to the 60's. I want to try their tofu with green chili burrito. Then there's the New Frontiers Market which has an excellent hot deli, but is extremely expensive because of its emphasis on quality and organic foods. Flagstaff weather has been in the 70s lately, but the summer bring monsoon rains. The evenings are cold and great for sleeping. I'm camping in the woods in a free forest service area five miles from town with elk for neighbors. I even found a place for free showers, a challenge to every camper. Flagstaff is very green with tall pines all around. It's a great city for hiking and biking, and I'm sorry I didn't bring my bike. I've decided to stay here until I have to be in Strawberry, AZ to house sit before meandering back to Quartzsite, my desert paradise.
    This is a GREAT music town with lots of outdoor concerts. Unfortunately like most places, there are very few dancers, but that doesn't stop me from standing in the wings and dancing most every dance. YIPPIE!

    Friday 7/23/10 Prescott, AZ....My second time in Prescott this summer. It's an easy place to get to from Quartzsite, less than one-half day. Then it's less than 100 miles to Strawberry, AZ where I house sat for three weeks. I came back to Prescott to see "Always Patsy Cline," a stage show I've been chasing for the past ten years across the country. I finally saw it last night, and I LOVED it! The woman who played Patsy Cline was a great singer, and there were lots of Patsy's songs. The actress who played her friend Louise was also great. It's basically a two-person play with a live band. I'll probably stay in Prescott until I leave for my August 3 reservation at the south end of the Grand Canyon for seven days, the maximum allowed.
    It's been hot here since I arrived last Tuesday (stopping for delicious Thai food at Tara Thai in Prescott Valley on the way). Next time I'm having something called coconut princess. I hope it's as good as its name. Yesterday and today it rained hard, a welcome relief from the heat and great for sleeping.
    I'm looking forward to dancing tonight at the Jersey Lily and tomorrow night somewhere else on Whiskey Row where there is a big selection of bands. One of my favorite performers, Little Larry, plays 1-4 on Sunday too; so I'll be back at the Jersey Lily getting lots of aerobic exercise. I've been really good about doing weights and conditioning in Granite Peak Park on the other days.
    While I was in Strawberry house sitting, good friends Susan Frank and Chantal Pasquale came to dinner on separate occasions. Susan and I share the same birthday! We went for a walk overlooking the beautiful valley. Susan brought me home-made salsa and blue corn chips. Chantal brought me an earring/bracelet set which I love and have it on right now. It goes well with my Kokopelli shirt. It's amazing that I have two such great friends in Pine, and it's one reason I look forward to house sitting there each year.

    Saturday, June 5, 2010, Prescott, AZ......Even though I had completed everything I could the night before, it still took about three hours to finish up before leaving Quartzsite at 9:30 a.m. Much too hot! Phoenix was 100, and that means about 120 inside my truck with no air conditioning. I never needed it in Seattle, but it's a necessity here. I made a mental note to put "Leave before June 1st" on my calendar.
    I stopped just before Phoenix at Mimi's for lunch. It is my favorite chain restaurant with good home cookin'. They send frequent coupons, and I had one for a free dessert. I had the "Thanksgiving" dinner with enough turkey left for today's lunch in Granite Peak Park.
    Prescott is a lot cooler but still hot during the day. The saving grace is cool evenings. Sitting in the park now, it is comfortable with a nice breeze.
    I took a nap when I arrived in Prescott, ate a piece of fruit, and headed for Whiskey Row where there are about five places in one block with live music. I found one of my favorites Larry and the Drive. There was also a good country band and a blues band. I usually dance at one place 'til the break and then move on to another. I got lots of dancing in and got to bed in my camper about 1:00 a.m.
    This morning I headed to the Farmers' Market here where I had a delicious tamale for breakfast and enjoyed looking at all the stalls and listening to the woman singer. Tonight it's dancing again at 8:15 p.m. and speaking at the Unitarian Fellowship tomorrow.
    I'm always a bit apprehensive about starting out but quickly get in the groove of living in my camper "on the road" and all that entails.
    Prescott is a great town. I read the bulletin board at the health-food store (New Horizons) this morning, and there is a lot going on that I'm interested in. They have a YMCA here and two Unitarian churches. The summers are much cooler than the valley, and I believe the winters are pretty mile. I'll have to ask about snow....

    Tuesday 5/25/10 Q....I am never gladder to be alive than on my daily walk in the desert, just at sunset until dark. There is something rejuvenating about being in nature: the wildlife, the plants, the open space, the fresh air, the sunsets. It makes me want to say YES to life!
I    is the time of year when the tall saguaro cactus bloom. The tallest of the three in my yard had only one blossom last year but now it has many. I saw one during my walk that had a crown of white blossoms at the tip of each of its five arms. Beautiful!

    Monday 5/24/10 Q.....My daily evening walks usually start about an hour before sunset. They are usually wonderful, sometimes better than that. I spotted a coyote this week, on a parallel route abut 20 feet away. I am always surprised and bemoan the fact that they travel so quickly, always at a fast trot on stilt-like legs, never a leisurely walk like me.
    And there seem to be more bunnies than ever, really tiny ones, always alone without their mamas. I wonder how they learn what is good to eat and how close to let me get to them before they run,
    Now, while having tea on my porch, before my sunset walk and dinner after dark, I finish my tea while first one then two rabbits chomp away at some stale corn cakes I've crumbled about eight feet away. Then the smallest bunny I've ever seen in my yard joined the feast. It was tentative and cautious but managed a couple bites before checking out the rest of the yard, each step an adventure. Right now it is investigating a fat, low-to-the-ground cactus, and suddenly the cactus had two tall ears. This wee one fascinates me, and although a sink full of dishes awaits, I cannot tear myself away for it has just discovered the water melon rinds. It nibbles away until a much larger rabbit approaches nose to nose. Intimidated, the tiny bunny scampers away. There are three large rabbits in my yard now, and I hear the faint crunch of corn cakes off to my right.

    Sunday, April 25, 2010 Q.....As I have breakfast on my deck, there is a cacophony of sound from the hanging bird feeder -- very busy and half gone since yesterday. A lone dove looks longingly from a close branch, then makes its move. It is perilous because the rim if very narrow, and it must hang on for dear life, teetering to and fro, and finally attaining some sort of uneasy balance. Usually doves don't attempt the bird feeder, seemingly satisfied with what the smaller birds scatter on the ground below.
    On a nearby bush, lots of mating going on. The female does a seductive shimmy, attracting a male who then mounts her, and in a manner of seconds flies away only to return again several times!

    April 24, 2010 Q....Even if the calendar didn't say April, I would know that spring is here. The aloe vera plants which line the front of my home have sprouted their tall spikes with greenish-yellow flowers at the top. There are not one but two bird nest on either side of my porch awning. I can hear the babies chirping away, but I can never see their first flight. Just all of a sudden there is quiet, and I know they have flown away. I haven't seen any quail with a doze or so babies following behind, but today I saw a very small bunny. Amazing that no matter how young, they are out by themselves. The cactus in my yard are sprouting new leaves, and some have magenta blooms. On a walk, I came across an Argentine Giant cactus with gorgeous white flowers the size of dinner plates. Each bloom lasts only one day. The days are hot now, but the evenings are oh so pleasant for porch sitting or walking in the desert. It cools off a lot more at night and is great for sleeping.
    On Thursday I drove to Alamo Lake State Park. I thought it was about 60 miles, but it is 80+ -- 38 miles from Wenden off Hwy 60. I wanted to go before it gets too hot. Alamo Lake is one of 13 Arizona state parks closing this year due to lack of funds. It's a little jewel of a lake. I planned to say overnight, but it was cold and rainy. To my surprise, they refunded my $15. It never hurts to ask. (I later learned that because of petitions to keep the park open, it will not be closed.)
    I made it to Parker just after dark, danced at the casino, and parked overnight there. On Friday, I ran errands in Parker and had a terrific chili relleno casserole lunch at the Senior Center for $3.00. After a nap and visit to the Parker Library, I headed back to Quartzsite. There's no place I'd rather be, especially right now at dusk, sitting on my porch, and writing to a chorus of birdsong.

   Tuesday, March 30, 2010 Q......Ahhh, breakfast on my porch. Sunny skies; cool breeze in the early morning before the heat hits in the afternoon. The open desert in front of me; distant mountains; fresh air. Quiet except for the happy, bird song coming from the tree by my porch. A little respite before the daily chores. I am SO GLAD to be back home after my trip to Egypt.

    Egypt Trip March 11-25....Check Table of Contents "Foreign Travel"

    3/7/10 Quartzsite, AZ......The next few days will be spent packing and finalizing things for my trip to Egypt. I leave for Phoenix on Wednesday, stay at a "park, sleep, fly" motel and fly on Thursday evening. I have been working on getting ready for oversea's travel for the past year. I will have spent about $300 before even leaving the ground! And that doesn't even include the tour. Oversea's travel is very expensive and time consuming: passport, five hepatitis A & B shots, oral typhoid pills, motel, parking while gone, driving to Phoenix, where to go and researching tours, travel insurance, notifying friends, flights, what I can and cannot take on a plane, on-line airline check-in, baggage allowances, what to wear in certain countries (Egypt is Muslim), packing, weather, what time of year to travel, and that's not all. I tell myself it will be much easier next time because a lot of the above will be completed.

    3/6/10 Quartzsite, AZ......Just finished eating breakfast on my porch. Beautiful sunny day with a mild breeze -- almost shorts weather. As I look out, I once again realize why I think of this as my desert paradise. In the near distance to my left is Q Mountain and further on, straight ahead, are distant taller mountains with the familiar "notch" which I love for some reason. In between are a variety of low-growing bushes. There is an oasis of taller trees close by on my left and one right by my porch. A small bird, the kind that builds nests every year in my porch rafters, sits on a branch. They often sing to me, but this one has three twigs in its mouth: nest-building time. Then, of course, there's my own yard with its three stately saguaros and tall, crimson-tipped ocotillo, two of my favorite desert plants. One of my saguaros bloomed last year for the first time, just one perfect white blossom. They are still tall columns, not old enough to sprout their famous "arms" yet. I am reminded that the view and the yard are the reasons I bought this house --those plus the open space and the lovely quiet of the desert. BLISS!

    2/12/10 Quartzsite, AZ......"On the road" 10 years today! What an amazing adventure! I see I haven't written in this journal since Christmas; so I have a lot of catching up to do.
    Right now, before the music starts at Silly Al's at 7:00, I have a few minutes to start catching up on 1-1/2 months. It's THE season in Quartzsite, and as Donnie, the guitar player in the band Hot Country, says: "If you can't have fun in Quartzsite, you can't have fun anywhere." How true it is!
    Let's see...after a wonderful nine days in Laughlin, NV at Christmas, I returned to my major clean out of my home. I'm down to my last room now and have a six-foot high pile for the group yard sale the end of the month. It feels SO good to get rid of all that stuff. Today, when I spoke at the Parker Library for the third year, and one of the men told me his granddaughter says, "The best things in life are not things," an amazing thing for one so young,
    I just danced the first set and can probably finish writing during the break. I love that the music starts so early (7:00) because I can dance two sets and still have time to watch a video before bed.
Between Christmas and today, I have attended three concerts at the Blue Water Casino in Parker: Three-Dog Night, which still has two of its original members (Two Dog Night?); a trio of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper, who were great at impersonating the real singers. The Big Bopper was portrayed by his son; and Elvis. The tickets are $20, a lot cheaper than the big city. Other than that I've been dancing four nights a week in Q at Silly Al's and The Yacht Club, getting lots of exercise and having lots of fun. I always look forward to the season here (January and February) and hate to see it end.
    At the Parker Library today, I read my Quartzsite stories and my poems from the road. I usually speak in Q too, but the library budget has been severely cut and so have the programs. With tht out of the way, I'm getting ready for the big yard sale, and then my trip to Egypt March 11-25. FINALLY some foreign travel.