And it’s a mans as well. I’m not being sexist here. 🙂
I want to go explore Sawtooth Canyon Campground. (Joy and Shiloh think it’s a good idea too!) Tuesday, November 1 we head out Hwy 247, about 15 miles past the city of Barstow. You won’t find any signs for this campground, which is a GOOD thing. The one mile dirt road that we turn on isn’t bad at all. Sadly the camp host site is empty. I wish Janet and Jim were here. I see a sign that says a camp host volunteer is needed for this location.
Two of the 16 sites are occupied, and there is a truck here also with two guys who are preparing to rock climb. The landscape is so different than Owl Canyons muted colors and rounded hills. Here the hills are dark and….well…sawtoothed!…even though the two campgrounds are only about 25 miles apart.
You can see where the canyon got its name!
There is no charge to camp here. The sites have covered picnic tables, grills, and there are pit toilets. No water. No trash.
I park at the site I stayed at when we last camped here almost 2 years ago. This would be my choice again, if we come here tomorrow.
See the kissing stones above? Turns out this was the same site RVSue camped in when she was here.
Another view. Can’t see the kiss from this angle.
We take a nice walk. 
I wonder how much the dogs remember?
The RV that is camped here, leaves. It feels really good here…no bad vibes, but none at Owl Canyon either. Where to go tomorrow? I know it will work itself out and I’ll start leaning towards….somewhere.
Tomorrow arrives, Wednesday, November 3. I’m preparing to break camp at the KOA. I close up the inside of WS and make it road-ready. That means shutting and locking the windows, raising the blinds, lowering the vent cover, making sure all the cupboards and inside doors are locked, put anything breakable or that might fly around in a safe spot, either in the dishpan in the sink, or on the bed among the pillows, or on the dog bed. Outside I sweep off the blue mat and fold it up, put away my chair and side table and whatever else is outside, disconnect hook-ups. I’ve gotten into a routine, but even so I double check everything. I get the ramp out so Joy and Shiloh can get into the back of the truck…up they go…and then disconnect their tie-outs from WS’s steps, fold up the steps and lock the door. I get into JR and with the use of my trusty back-up camera, get into the proper position to hook up. That usually takes at least a few tries.
I’ve previously decided to go to Owl Canyon…why, I don’t know. Both places are good. BUT….gosh….my heart isn’t in it….isn’t into boon docking right now! I thought I wanted to do it one more time before my home visit, but….I’m just not feeling it! Sooo…I don’t.
I get on I-15 and take the exit to Hwy 58 to Bakersfield, and end up 130 miles later at Orange Grove RV Park.
Odd. The reason I went to Barstow was to camp at either Owl or Sawtooth Canyon, but I’ve changed my mind. Again. Why? I don’t know. I find I’m tired of always second guessing myself…judging myself critically for every move I make. In your comments you all have helped me realize how often I do that. I am learning I need to accept me and my decisions at face value. It is what it is. It’s time for me to ease up on me. 🙂 Time to accept myself and love myself for who I am.
Funny how minor thoughts and choices can lead to major moments isn’t it? Funny how we grow.
Anyway here we are at Bakersfield, among the unripe oranges at Orange Grove RV Park, and I plan on heading home on Sunday.
These may look ripe but actually on most, there is more green than shows up in the picture.
Loving this life and how it guides, teaches, opens doors and my heart.
Loving the beauty of nature that I keep finding all around me.
Loving finding more understanding and different perspectives.
Loving that I am free to choose.
Wandering Spirit 
Happy holidays, Micky! Glad you qualified your header, lol. 😉😉 It is hard for anyone, I think, to not second guess oneself. This comes under multiple headings, like “If I only had all the money I’ve ever wasted” and “What if I had done X instead of Y?”, and “How did I get to this point in my life?” which can be due to choices in jobs, marriages, etc. Human nature, ending up with “If I only knew then what I know now!”, which is an impossibility. That’s LIFE! 🙂
Love your thought process here Maureen! And it all comes of having options, choices…making decisions. There’s a Dylan song called ‘Trust Yourself’, which would be nice to listen to right now.
And then of course a Stones song called ‘I’m Free’. I never felt free until I retired, and then I knew I was in my head but I’m still learning it in my heart!
Happy holidays to you too, Maureen!
Hi Micky, I really relate to that second guessing thing that we all seem to do. I’m still working, in my early 60’s, planning to buy my RV maybe around Feb or March when I have the down payment saved. For various and specific reasons, it will be bigger then what you have chosen and I love your Casita:). The thought is to get my rig and start using it while I qualify for financing while I’m still working, and ease into retirement a year early in March of 2018 (cause I need the health insurance that I’ll get through Medicare of course:). In my research, I came upon and am following RV Sue and found you that way. I’m on various forums to find out all of the stuff, technical and otherwise, I need to know and learn: (the biggest and funist research project of my life). More then anything in my following the two of you, I look out for how do you decide what next? How do you navigate, so to speak? I love that there doesn’t have to be a lot of complex considerations all of the time and you just get to follow your nose and proclivities in the moment; the very thing that you yourself seem to sometimes have doubts about:). My decision to even “do this” is along similar lines. I’m looking for a kind of freedom and being with myself that I don’t seem to entirely get to in the midst of my overwhelmed life as much as I try. Sometimes I think I’m fooling myself; why do I have to do something that seems somewhat extreme to accomplish this, isn’t there a way to find this peace in the midst of my actual, current life? I don’t really know the answer. I do know that I need to follow my nose, so to speak and see where it takes me and trust the journey along the way. I think that’s what you are Sue are doing and why I relish being connected with you. So, looking forward to continuing the journey in all respects of those words, and seeing where it takes me. Really appreciate being able to follow along with yours as well.
warmly,
– karen
Hi Karen, and welcome!
You are where I was a few short years ago. I found RVSue about the same way you did, and I so related. She was just starting out back then.
It really is a fun research project, isn’t it…preparing to change gears in life…to finally get to know ourselves, aside from our traditional roles, and the hectic pace we may have lived to carry them out.
For you the journey has already started. The preparation time you are in right now is precious and so important…and I think you realize that. Also, it takes time to let go of the lifestyle we have known….to just breath and let the peace we find in just being with ourselves and with nature, register in our hearts and minds!
The four days I’m spending here in Bakersfield is kind of a transition time for me….preparing mentally and emotionally to go back to my other life for awhile. I want to and I’m looking forward to seeing friends and family, but now I find that too, takes some changing of the gears.
So glad you found this blog Karen, and I hope you will keep me updated from time to time with how your progress is coming along!
I’m glad you feel free to choose too.
Hi Dawn. I think we take our freedom and independence for granted sometimes, even the little things. It’s easy to do because as adults in the USA we have had this throughout our lives, and then retirement might bring some extra ones. Reminding myself of late that any and all freedom and independence is precious. Even ‘should I go or should I stay’. 🙂
photos are wonderful as usual! All those rocks are really enticing to me. I am getting the camper brought up to snuff and Mindy and I are going to plan a trip for spring to the dessert in California. The wild flowers and weather are real attractions for us. I can’t help but be aware of all your personal growth over the last two years. yay for you! I am feeling encouraged by your willingness to love all your experiences (even the not so fun stuff).
Yes the flowers in the spring will be beautiful, and with any luck, there will be some green-ness about.
Do make sure your engine , tires, etc, are all in good condition.
It’s like a whole different life Elinor.