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[crofter]

@ maki
Of course you are right, the most cost effective cooling is the insulated structure with large shade porches on every side.  No basement, though they are using heat pumps for AC.

Adapting that to a van would be more insulation than most of us use.
-crofter

 

[maki2]

But as to building in sandy soil. Unless you are building in the area where there are sand dunes you will not be building in true deepn sand. What you encounter is varied by local terrains in Arizona. It could be a lot of clay in the soil, it could be rocky, there might be a lot of gravel.   Talk to the county and see if any soil surveys have been done in that area. Dig a test hole to see what you find, etc.

 

[1shemp]

good luck.

 

[NctryBen]

Wow Gypsy 108... that looks like the makings of a car tour with Bob. Haha! Your art is amazing.
I drove about a thousand miles yesterday and today... then my eyes went ballistic on me. Like a migraine. Can’t shake it... guess I’ll be doing Glacier Park in the day time. Just gotta wait for the drugs to kick in. But I better sleep some and settle them down good. Got another 600 or so tomorrow. My kids have been calling me as they keep an eye out for where I am. Dumb phones! Can’t get away with anything!

 

[nature lover]

The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. It’s a beautiful day in Pennsylvania but tomorrow (which is only four minutes away) is supposed to be heavy rains and flash flood warnings.
I’m not gonna complain about the rain because I know you folks in the west could really use it. it’s only about a week away from my Social Security and of course I’m out of money again. But I have plenty of food stockpiled, I’m camping in the yard of a family that have been friends of mine for years and I can eat with them. And I’ve got about a quarter of a tank a gas in the van so I can make it through again.

I did go to the post office to pick up my bills today. Notice I didn’t say pick up my mail I said pick up my bills because that’s the only kind of mail I get. Still looking forward to Florida this winter as the gas price keeps creeping up I wonder how I’m gonna survive it but as long as I’m alive I will strive.

And now the joke of the day: what do you get when you cross a centipede with a chicken? The answer is: drumsticks for everyone.

God bless the nomads everywhere.

 

[Cammalu]

Cammalu, that quilt is gorgeous!! And I'm sitting here with a stack of old saris catching dust. lol

Well let’s make more quilts! There is a quilting club in quartzsite that meet once a week and another meetup in one of the RV parks. Got a machine?

I’ll be out in November.

 

[maki2]

NcytryBeen, I had my eyes go ballistic on me on a long road trip a few yearrs ago. I found out a day and a half later the cause of it, that was the first warning sign that I was heading into a significant, near heat stroke. Got too hot and even drinking a lot of water could not off set it. My temperature went up close to 104 just before I started prrojectile vomiting.

Do not ignore that warning sign of vision issues, it is a very serious warning sign you must pay attention to. Stop and get a good quality body temperature thermometer. Check your temperature frquently to make sure it is not elevated. If it is stop and check into an air conditioned motel room. Take a long cool water bath and rest up until your temperature returns to normal before resuming your trip.

The older we get the more heat sensitive we become. So be careful on road trips, it can sneak up on you.

This goes for all of us nomads, travel with a thermometer in your first aid collection! Use it if you start to feel a bit odd or get sudden changes in vision, feel nauseated, dizzy. Etc. Those are early warning signs of heat exhaustion and a rise in your temperature helps confirm that is what is happening to you.

 

[maki2]

Accomplished a lot of work the last 2 days. My back was complaining about too much sitting and forward bending while doing those task. But all done now, and that particular set of chores won't come around again for several more months.

Going into town today, Amazon order to pick up at a locker, stuff to ship out at the post office. Buying various supplies for groceries, car, trailer and such. Normal kind of payday monthly shopping excursion. But it makes for a lot of running around town. Good thing Flagstaff it is not a large city. Just the right size, big enough to have pretty much everything I need but not great hordes of people. Lake Havasu City is much the same size and shopping situation but not nearly as good for lumberyards and hardware stores.

 

[jacqueg]

I drove about a thousand miles yesterday and today... then my eyes went ballistic on me. Like a migraine. Can’t shake it... guess I’ll be doing Glacier Park in the day time. Just gotta wait for the drugs to kick in. But I better sleep some and settle them down good. Got another 600 or so tomorrow. My kids have been calling me as they keep an eye out for where I am. Dumb phones! Can’t get away with anything!

I'm surprised it was only your eyes!

I'm in decent shape for my age (74), but driving 1000 miles in two days...well, those days are OVER. Will be heading for SoCal next week for a family thing. I am planning on 5 nights for the 1200-mile drive. 

I once did Oregon to SoCal in ONE long day. I could no more do that now than fly on my own power. And you know what? I have more fun now.

 

[maki2]

I talked to one of the guys from the group camp next to my site. They are from a couple of conservation corps groups out of Colorado. It is no wonder they are so quiet in the evening. They get up very early and are spending the whole day filling sand bags which is physically exhausting work. Those sand bags will most likely get used when snow falls come along and the thaws creater create flooding from melt water flowing  off the burned area on the neaby higher elevations. The same areas that have led to flooding from the heavy rains this summer.  It is pretty much impossible to fill sand bags in freezing winter weather so they have to begin stockpiling them now for later use.

I got most of my errands run today but still need to go to an auto parts store for new windshield wipers. I had to wait longer than I had hoped to at Walgreens to get my flu shot. Quuite a few people there were waiting on various vaccinations.

Most likely I will not break camp until Sunday. It is easier to find an empty nicer quality campsite on a Sunday afternoon  or on a  Monday than on Friday or Saturday. 

I see that the HOWA caravans are starting in Pahrump Nevada  on Octoer 6th. I think it will be too hot there for me that early in October but I might be wrong. I will likely join in one or more at least for a while this fall and winter. At present I am pretty content on my own living at my own slow moving pace. But I do want to go and check out Pahrump this fall.

 

[Cammalu]

Maki are you designing any more tiny houses?

 

[user 30781]

Tiny houses?? maki? I need to bring this subject back up when I get back from camping. My daughter bought a house south of Seattle a few years ago and her intent was to eventually put a tiny house in their very large backyard for me.

We're leaving for our camping trip now. I was so worried about being so loaded down and then I thought heck I took at least 200 pounds of back seats out of this thing I'll probably be okay.

 

[maki2]

Cammalu, most likely I will do some new designs next year. But not going to do anything new for this holiday season. Bussiness is already for 2021 than 2020 which was even better than 2019. The hobby market for holiday crafts has been very strong during the pandemic.

Wandering soul, no one could possibly live in the tiny houses I design. They are cardstock kits, realy, realy tiny ones. Basically buildings for use as Christmas Villages that can fit onto the fireplace mantel inside of a 1:12 scale dollhouse.

 

[maki2]

Wanderingsoul...here is a link showing exactly how tiny the tiny houses I design are.

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1llXeMov...U9L-4H3xw0MVWXH_ZUXTPoQCPcB/s1600/pencil1.jpg

 

[crofter]

Not even elves would fit.  -c

 

[maki2]

Just the itsy bitsy spider....

 

[maki2]

Looks like I am now back into mybcold season routine of firing up my diesel heater/ slash cookstove in the morning. It goes through a 10 minute warmup with the cover down over the ceramic cooktop before thevsurface is ready to cook on. The lowest heat setting makes perfect scrabled eggs. I put chopped vefetables in the skillet to saute before cracking eggs into it. I want those vitamins and the fiber in my breakfast meal. Most mornings it is diced red pepper, sweet onion, and zuccini. Somtimes if I have it mushrooms or celery, etc. Once in a while some diced sausage links, a chopped up pre-cooked meatball, ham or bacon goes intyo the scramble.

I have found that a pavkage of pre- cooked frozen meatballs is one of the very handy meat options for my on the road life. I do not like to put raw meats into my small 17 liter vompressor fridge. Raw meats being one of t he bigger health hazards. They do not need to stay frozen. Very handy for a quick protein snack for lunch . Right out of the bagwithout needing to do any cooking. Easy to crumble into pasta dishes or stir frys such as an egg scramble. Fuel saver and time which is good when cooking with butane camp stoves.

Speaking of butane the Walmarts in Flagstaff have been out of stock on it since before Labor day. A very popular item for camping trips and picnics. Walmart sells it for $2.97 per can, best price anywhere other than Asian discount grocery stores. I did find some at the Big 5 sporting goods store. Cost $1.50 more per can than at Walmart. You can find butane fuel cans at various places in the town of Quartzsite. But it is not all that easy to find in many of the small towns. So plan on always trying to have 4 or so cans on hand if for a while you are heading away from a town with a Walmart, 5 Five or other sporting goods stores. Tractor Supply in Flagstaff does not carry Butane cans that fit Butane stoves.

 

[NctryBen]

Boy maki2, if you could be an itsy bitsy spider and live in that, I’m thinking I’d avoid the daughters back yard there Wondering Soul. If the lawn mower don’t get ya, the weed whacker would... haha! That’s very impressive.
Gypsy108, anymore progress on the “house”? Have you tried the bed out? Last weekend I went to put my thermarest in my truck, wouldn’t hold air. I have these padded patio chairs and a pad was right there so I grabbed it. Works pretty good. Whew! Found myself making lists thanks to you. Time is winding down here too. Better make sure things get done.
Travelingaround your awful quiet... hope your fires are contained and out.
Off to a grandsons football game...

 

[NctryBen]

Maki2, ever try ordering butane online. Package comes pretty discrete as far as showing flammable stuff inside.

 

[VanFan]

Restaurant supply stores have been my source, but they are found mostly in cities.  Last time I bought some, they were $1.50/each.  Highest price I've seen was at a Bass Pro shop.  No way...