24/7 Chat About Anything

[nature lover]

I found the best camping spot here in South Florida right by a beautiful creek. Only the one of the neighbors doesn’t like me so I guess I’ll have to find somewhere else. Here’s a picture of the neighbor and he has a large family and friends with him.

 

[nature lover]

Darn I am stupid trying. The photo one last time, then taking a nap.

 

[crofter]

Here is a link for that, and there is also a thread on resizing the photo.    -crofter

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=13285

 

[maki2]

Just a quiet day, chores, a little bit of project eork. Packaing up some kits I cut the day I was in Salinas, Ca.

5 news orders for kits from my Etsy store came in this morning so I will get those labeled with postage while the sun is adding lots of power into my battery. Of course this being Sunday they wont get shipped until tomorrow.

A family I met when camping in WA is supposed to stop off to visit today. I will meet them in town. I want
to get a few supplies from the store while I am there.

I tried the food at the Quartzsite Cinese restaurant the other day. Not up to what I was hoping for. Spoiled by the fact that Seattle has a large Asian population and excellent Chinese food available all around the area plus some very large Asian grocery stores. All together it is a "foodie tonw" but it. Certainly was not that in 1969 when I first got there.

I have yet to try any Mexican food places in Quartzsite... maybe this next week. I am only doing takeout at present.

 

[abnorm]

We tried TAKEOUT at the Mexican food trailer at Rice Ranch next to Woodstock Firewood...............

Taco Tues.....Only tacos............Yummmmm..........Going back another day to try the rest of the menu !

We don't like Taco Mia in Town...........X3 has some decent Mex

I agree with the limited Chinese available in Q....No thanks........Parker has good Chinese located on 95 near the R/R tracks

 

[travelaround]

Thanks TX and Bullfrog for electrical advice. I'm feeling safe enough to risk it... after all, having a heater makes my vanlife merry. I should invest in Christmas decor I guess since I'm in the merry mood already. Or not. Hmmm.... anyhow, the Mexican and Chinese food options in Quartzsite sound amazing. Here in Happy Camp we find those things only in boxes in the frozen food section of the market. We do, however, have the best pizza in the universe and a very good deli. We used to have two "full service" restaurants but they both went under.

 

[travelaround]

Left Happy Camp today. First 2 rest areas were closed. I'm parked at a truck stop.

 

[crofter]

Thank goodness for the bucket, a true freedom tool for dwellers. Have safe travels, TA.

My uncle was a longshoreman and when they were unloading a ship, the four of them would camp together nearby in an alaskan truck camper - with a bucket. I can't imagine the smells between cooking, sweating, and other stuff. Makes solo dwelling seem like a breeze.  Blast from the past.  -crofter

 

[roller]

I found the best camping spot here in South Florida right by a beautiful creek. Only the one of the neighbors doesn’t like me so I guess I’ll have to find somewhere else. Here’s a picture of the neighbor and he has a large family and friends with him.

Mind sharing the location? I'd like to check it out.

 

[roller]

Hey Nature Loverhttps://vanlivingforum.com/member.php?action=profile&uid=26828
If you PM I will send you my cell number, will be easier to send you some location info. Ocala National forest is currently closed to dispersed camping I believe. General Gun (hunting season runs into mis-late December and therefore the restrictions) Hence I am in Northern Fl at a hunt camp. My current location normally has the 14 day rule but Im told that since so much is closed for hunting season that the 14 days is not being enforced.

That's interesting, thanks for sharing, I was curious about the hunting restrictions as I read about them too.

 

[travelaround]

We got the roses transplanted today and I carried all salvageable things to the back corner of the property which I hope will be left alone by heavy equipment that will soon be in the yard. Things I ordered for the children came today and they had fun opening the boxes.. an advent calendar magnet tree and children's nativity set and 2 books.

 

[travelaround]

Thank goodness for the bucket, a true freedom tool for dwellers. Have safe travels, TA.

Wasn't looking for a bathroom,  just a free place to sleep. I read the governor closed campgrounds in our state as part of his new lockdown. He wants us not to travel at all. When I passed the Forest Service campground on The River highway, I saw the gate was still open, but I know the state park campgrounds are all closed though the parks are open for day use. 

I'll call CalTrans today to find out why those rest areas were closed. It causes a big problem for sleepy truck drivers. They were lined up along the access road outside the Weed rest area and semis were parking in the parking area for cars here at the Pilot truck stop. I had to move because one parked next to me then left his motor on. I'm in a quiet space now.

In other news, my oldest son told me he is scheduled to have his kidney removed in January because of a tumor. He doesn't know if it is malignant or benign but tests show it has not metastasized.

 

[maki2]

Travel around, come on into Arizona. there are Sunday services, open air pavillion, bring your own chair here at La Posa South BLM.. You dont have to pay to camp here to come to the services. There are sevral free BLM camping areas in the vicinity.  several of the towns in the area have free municipal dumps for trash. drinking water is pretty inexpensive at machnes. But you could also stay at the LTVA sites until April 15 for $180. Lots of people here to help with your build and with advice too. There. are quite a few used book sellers in Quartzsite.

 

[travelaround]

Thanks Maki, you make it sound like paradise. I'm still having to stay here a while for property cleanup...then will be able to move south. Seems like they're nearly ready to start. I phoned the Office of Emergency Services yesterday and they said they don't have a schedule but my neighborhood is first priority when cleanup starts. They surveyed my property a few days ago. I have to stay here for stage two of the cleanup.

 

[maki2]

Sounds like you are pretty much there for the winter then. Once cleanup is done you will be able to get utilities started towards being hooked up. Plus septic too if possible.

 

[nature lover]

To roller and others who might want to know. — That post about a great place to camp at a creek was supposed to be part of my humor because I was going to put a picture I took of the creek with six large alligators along the bank. But I screwed up and have to re-learn how to do the pictures and people have sent me the information so I’ll do it sometime. I do have a great place to camp in South Florida it’s about 20 miles in land from Sarasota on a farm that belongs to a friend and I’m paying him $20 a week. I’m in the middle of citrus groves and cattle ranches and only a few miles from Myakka state park to which I bought an annual pass and I’m taking bird and gator and other pictures. My friend isn’t interested in having others he doesn’t know camping here because he is raising kids here and doesn’t want the neighbors and the county government to get all ticked off about renting campsites. But I am blessed to have good friends like this couple. The lady here is the daughter of one of my best friends in PA and members of our church. I camped at her fathers pond for a great deal of the summer in fact put a picture on one of the post of that beautiful little pond. This family is good to me, better than my own. God bless the nomads wherever they camp.

 

[travelaround]

Glad to hear you are among friends now, Nature Lover!

I'm spending the night at a Comfort Inn where I can use the laundry machines and get a shower. Well worth 90 dollars to have a warm room with amenities once a week. You could just call me spoiled, but the other 6 days a week I'm in a rather primitive kind of vanlife situation. I have to admit I'm feeling more comfortable in my van these days. I have my routines and am happy enough with the space right now though it isn't finished in any respect.

The tribe just phoned me to say they have a trailer for me! I have to decide now how to do this. I'd kind of like to have the trailer next spring rather than right now... because my heart is into traveling. But then there's that covid thing happening, and to be honest, one could not ask for a safer place to avoid an epidemic than in a remote mountain town. And during the winter I always look outside the windows there and think, "murky dismal" ... "another murky dismal day here" . . . and Arizona sounds so much more glorious and pleasant for winter living. I have a big decision to make, and it is a hard one for me. I want the trailer, but I want to travel, and no... I cannot travel with their trailer. It is a loan for emergency housing.

Today I went to the Veteran's Memorial Sculpture Garden on Highway 97. Weather was wonderful... and I took photos and filmed. It has been a long time since I've been there.

Here's "The Flute Player"


Yes, nice day, and a long-time friend phoned to talk for the first time in a couple of years so that was fun. We were thinking of camping near Joshua Tree... but he just got given a fifth wheel in the Sierra foothills so I think he will over-winter there instead and I have no idea what I'll do next. So wishing I felt more decisive and certain about my future.

Does anyone else have problems getting things from Amazon because they won't send things to a PO Box? Like... I need a new portable power station. Was thinking about getting a Jackery this time although I wonder if Goal Zero would last longer and be therefore worth the extra price. Anyhow, these things are not sold at Home Depot and I have to order online, but Amazon can't send to my PO Box and I don't really have a firm physical address. Does anyone have a solution?

 

[maki2]

Buy it from someone besides Amazon.

 

[travelaround]

Good idea, thanks Maki - I will look around... since I'm in a hotel room with a real computer tonight. (rather than just my phone.)

 

[maki2]

Went to Parker AZ this morning and filled up several 2 gallon gas cans with premioum non ethanol fuel. Did some shopping at Walmart for groceries and business supplies. W ent back to Quartzsite. Next I tackled installing the brand new genuine Honda carburetor in my little Honda eu1000i genetator. Very simple to do once I got the fuel line slid off the metal fitting. Took 7 pulls to get the gas into the carb and it fired up andis now running smoothly just like it was designed to do.

Now I can cut kits for my Etsy store without running out of power...unless I forget to buy gas. It is going to be a busy week and holefully a productive one. Of course if I change camp locations that will eat up a whole day just getting ready for it and then moving and putting the tent back up, unpacikingn the car etc. It wont be nearly as much work once all the build materials are attached to their final locations. Someday the dome tent will be replaced by a Clam that is mucvh faster to setup and take down. But for the time being the tent is better because it has a floor in it.