Sunset on 1-5-15
It’s just a 35 mile drive from our RV park to the area I choose to camp in. I find a spot without too much deliberation, but I’m thinking…what’s so good about this place? I level, but don’t unhook. We walk, mostly I’m looking to see if there is somewhere else that I like better. There is not.
Well, I don’t know what happened, but somewhere between lunch and dinner, I fell in love. I love the spot I’m in! I love the surrounding mountains, the blue sky, and my neighbor, sweet Virginia (obStones:-) who came over and brought me tangelos. They are local and you can buy them at a stand near here, she tells me. Virginia also tells me where the snake is. If you’ve heard about this boon dock area you have probably heard about the snake too. Some say it’s hard to find up there in the hills, but she points out exactly where it is…near a white pole. She put the pole there herself. She and her husband and their dog Chip, live here all winter times four years, and so many people ask her where the snake is, she finally decided to mark the spot.
Joy, Shiloh and I go for a hike this morning. I have in mind to look for the snake but the trail I choose gets too steep and I change the goal of our hike. There are other trails for other days.
Up in the hills I pan the area with binoculars. Oh! I see where Technomadia and Wheelingit are parked, somewhere between 1/4 to 1/2 mile from me, I’d guess. Will I go say hello? I don’t know yet. I’m kinda shy. I think The Bayfield Bunch is here too. (These are all blogs I follow, in case you wonder what I’m talking about.)
Back from our hike, I finally unhitched. I’ll stay awhile!
I’d like to post more pictures, but I’m almost out of data and I still have 10 days to go before it renews. It seems like when I post pictures here I use up an unreasonable amount of it. Maybe I’m doing it wrong? If anyone has any hints about posting pictures and using less data, I’d love to hear them. (I know, I know, Technomadia would have that info, but they are so WAY over my head, I doubt if I’d ever understand!)
Wandering Spirit 
OK – I know it’s kind of against your wonderful way of seeing all things as beautiful – and that’s why we love you – BUT please just stay away from the snake. Sorry for transferring personal phobia!
Well it’s ok because it’s HUGE and it’s made out of rocks! 🙂 Sorry not to have explained that part!
We have snowbird friends who go to the Anza-Borrego desert almost every winter, pulling their fifth wheel from Alberta. It seems like a place that’s easy to love!
I can certainly understand why they would do that Maureen…besides it being much warmer than Alberta. 🙂 it’s beautiful, it’s free, there is no time limit (it’s not BLM land), and less than 10 miles away there is a little town, Borrago Springs, with many amenities. You really need to be self contained however since there is no water, toilets, or electric. It’s a definite boondock experience!
Just a observation, I know NOTHING about blogging but the photos you post seem to be a larger files size than I see on other sites. (I can click on your photos and they enlarge to more than what fits on my screen.) Perhaps setting your camera to a smaller size or once you have decided which photos you want to post you can resize them to something more compatible with your data restraints.
Glad you found a boondocking spot you love. I’m betting that you might fall in love with this type of camping and only hit the parks on occasion. Really enjoying your blog even if I don’t comment, thanks for letting me tag along.
That really must be the key then Rick…I didn’t know the pictures were coming through that big. Now I just need to figure out how to make them smaller.
Yes RV parks have their place and can be very helpful, (when it’s cold, when it’s hot, when I have laundry to do, etc), but I don’t particularly feel close to nature at most of them. It’s a whole different story living out on the land like this.
I’m so glad you are enjoying the blog Rick, and thanks for tagging along!
So, explain the snake thing — it’s NOT a real snake but some rocks?
Hi Marsha. Yes, it’s a big, long, curvy snake made out of big rocks by a couple of guys about 4 years ago. Technomadia had a picture of it on their site a couple of blogs ago, if you want to take a look at it. Just google them.
I agree that pictures must be under 200k in size, closer to 100k the better. I use Adobe Photoshop Elements to adjust my pictures. “IF” you use an online photo adjustment, that is also going to use up your data. When they are small in “Bits and Bytes” they will use less “Bits and Bytes” for us who view them too….so it is a win-win situation. Don’t know if you use Windows Live Writer, but when I am on our AirCard, I will make the blog in live writer, then go to a free WiFi to post it. Most McDonald’s and many other eating establishments, along with Public Libraries and sometimes even rest areas (I have seen them in Texas for instance) offer free WiFi….of course, that is hard to find out there in the “Boondocks” where you are right now. But you could post a few “non picture blogs” and then when you go into town for something, find a free WiFi and post a picture blog that you already have made up in Live Writer. –Dave (GoingRvWay.com)
ps: If you are using Firefox as your browser, you can download an extension called “ImageBlock” which puts an icon in the upper-right corner of your browser. You click it, it puts an “X” through that icon, and any images on websites you visit will not automatically load. When I am looking at news sites, and even reading a few blogs, I put an X in the ImageBlock icon so that I use less “Bits and Bytes”. “IF” I really want to see an image, I unblock, use the right mouse button to reload the image I want to see, then block all other images automatically again. Once you use it a few times, you get use to it. Between the wife and I we can burn through 40gig of data within a month if we are not careful.
Actually Dave, I use Safari and I don’t really know how to use anything else. Yeah I know, ‘duh’. Something’s gotta give though. I’m going to have to figure this out, and yes, use free wifi when I can find it. I have 10 gigs a month, which as I understand it, is supposed to be plenty if I don’t watch movies with it, which I don’t. I’m always monitoring though, because for every 1 gig I go over, or part thereof, it’s another $15 and that can add up real fast.
Don’t know much about safari….but try this:
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Open Safari and go to Preferences, then click on the Advanced tab. There’s a checkbox at the bottom titled “Show Develop menu in menu bar”. Check that then close the Preferences window.
You’ll notice that in your menu bar between Bookmarks and Window you have a menu called Develop. Near the bottom of that menu list is Disable Images — click it. Now your browsing experience is image free!
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Then you can turn it on and off as needed now that it in the “menu” structure. Not as easy as clicking an icon as I do in Firefox, but still a way to save data on aircard when you need to.
Thanks Dave, I’ll work on this!
Love that you’re loving it…and have to admit I’m jealous. Surrounding mountains, open sky, and sweet neighbors…what’s not to love!
It sure is wonderful! But wait till you hear my Coyote story…and this one wasn’t made of rocks! We’re ok, but had a scare. Next post…