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Bob Wells is not going to feature unhappy people. His intention is to promote that you can live a good life full time while living in a vehicle. So it is always going to be happy smiling people on his channel. Do not take that as a criticism of Bob Wells because there is absolutely nothing wrong with focusing on the success stories. Those stories show what works for living in different vehicles and how to adapt as best you can with your available resources.
 
Bob Wells is not going to feature unhappy people. His intention is to promote that you can live a good life full time while living in a vehicle. So it is always going to be happy smiling people on his channel. Do not take that as a criticism of Bob Wells because there is absolutely nothing wrong with focusing on the success stories. Those stories show what works for living in different vehicles and how to adapt as best you can with your available resources.
It's hard for people to feel optimistic about an unknown such as living in a van unless they see it. It's about the builds, but equally it more important is the attitude projected. It gives people hope where maybe they couldn't see it without that type of video.

Everyone already knows you can be miserable in any situation in life. This gives a counterbalance.
 
Bob Wells is not going to feature unhappy people. His intention is to promote that you can live a good life full time while living in a vehicle. So it is always going to be happy smiling people on his channel. Do not take that as a criticism of Bob Wells because there is absolutely nothing wrong with focusing on the success stories. Those stories show what works for living in different vehicles and how to adapt as best you can with your available resources.
Really who wants to watch the guy/gal cussin up a storm because this is the third or forth time he has had to repair whatever this month. I'm sure everyone can understand that. We also understand that is the reality of any kind of life. I know you all don't want to see the look on my face as I for the third time this month have to unclog my bathtub. But you might not mind the video of my rose garden when in full bloom
 
I wonder how TravelAround is doing... haven’t heard a peep in a long time.
So I waited til mid March to return home only to return to the movie Ground hog day scenario... we’re shattering the all time snow amount records... ice would be normally off the lake a couple days ago...
So while your dodging 90 degree weather maki2... we’re praying for it to warm up to 40’s... haha.
 
Really who wants to watch the guy/gal cussin up a storm because this is the third or forth time he has had to repair whatever this month. I'm sure everyone can understand that. We also understand that is the reality of any kind of life. I know you all don't want to see the look on my face as I for the third time this month have to unclog my bathtub. But you might not mind the video of my rose garden when in full bloom
Haha... didn’t know clogs from bath tub made such good fertilizer. Haha. I know what your saying. I quit watching a number of you tubers because of that.
 
Sometimes people need to vent. Life is not always up beat with birds singing, etc.

Who here hasn't had a partner who needed to vent on occasion or had to vent to their partner.

Some people have no one physically there with them, then any audience will do.

Just showing the good times is misleading.
 
The upcoming forecast for my next campsite. I am heading there tomorrow. It is close to Flagstaff but not in the higher heavily forested areas. Those are too muddy. A girlfriend texted me from there this morning so I will be visiting with her for a while. Not warm in the early morning but warm enough at mid afternoon. Plus it is an easy drive into town for the post office, shopping, laundry etc. Having been full time for three or so years now I get plenty of invitations and request for camping companionship. I am very grateful this time to join her as I do not have to wander around hoping for access to a spot not plagued by mud. But today I had another girlfriend drop in where I am currently camped to join up with me my friend who she has camped with before.

So for those of you new to full time
life or hoping to do it you will grow an expanding circle of friends if you want to do so. It is pretty easy to do if you start off with spending winters in Arizona.
IMG_0839.jpeg
 
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100* forecast this week for the Colorado River / Parker Strip !........Still waiting for the mattress to ship to Q
You might need to start sleeping in that inner tube in the river. Just one degree away from triple digit weather 🥵

It got to 92 degrees this afternoon. I
soaked a micro fiber towel in water and draped around my head and shoulders.
I hung a piece of 90 % shade cloth between the top of my trailer and car a quick fix that was easy to set up and then take down. The ground here at Lone Tree BLM is a granite rock base and not at all easy to get stakes into. The breeze was fortunately the right direction for blowing right on through that space which made it reasonably tolerable in the hottest part of the day.

My two friends (one of them is in the photo below) and their dogs spent most of the day hanging at my camp in that shade as their own rigs are not set up to provide them with make your own shady place materials. There was a wading pool involved in part of the day’s activities.
IMG_0840.jpeg


But after sun down it was comfortable to be sitting near but not close to the campfire in tee shirt and jeans.

Another friend who left this morning found two scorpions under the landing pad he had set under the pull out steps on his faith wheel. A lot of foolish folks have been out walking dogs in the early evening wearing sandals. Guess they are rather oblivious to an understanding that hot weather in the desert means it is scorpion season.
 
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You might need to start sleeping in that inner tube in the river. Just one degree away from triple digit weather 🥵

It got to 92 degrees this afternoon. I
soaked a micro fiber towel in water and draped around my head and shoulders.
I hung a piece of 90 % shade cloth between the top of my trailer and car a quick fix that was easy to set up and then take down. The ground here at Lone Tree BLM is a granite rock base and not at all easy to get stakes into. The breeze was fortunately the right direction for blowing right on through that space which made it reasonably tolerable in the hottest part of the day.

My two friends (one of them is in the photo below) and their dogs spent most of the day hanging at my camp in that shade as their own rigs are not set up to provide them with make your own shady place materials. There was a wading pool involved in part of the day’s activities.
View attachment 33843


But after sun down it was comfortable to be sitting near but not close to the campfire in tee shirt and jeans.

Another friend who left this morning found two scorpions under the landing pad he had set under the pull out steps on his faith wheel. A lot of foolish folks have been out walking dogs in the early evening wearing sandals. Guess they are rather oblivious to an understanding that hot weather in the desert means it is scorpion season.
Yep, too hot down there. Moved up to where I could see snow and ended up helping someone who ran out of gas just 8 miles from Ely NV. The day before I was down to 10 miles left per the onboard computer. I put 18.2 gallons in my 18 gallon gas tank. Gas stations are few and far between on US50. But now, after giving the stranded couple some gas, I have three gallons left in my 5 gallon Jerry can.
 
This week it will get into the high 80’s hitting 96 by Sat. We did have a breeze the last few days which made it very comfortable. Q friends found me and stayed for a few days, I think Bella enjoyed having a friend around. My campground is still buried in snow so taking my time heading north. My iPhone 6 bit the dust so I had to buy a new one, my oldest said I might sell the old one as an antique Lol!
 
Woke up in Lake Havasu area at 2:40 am from feeling way overheated. Got hooked up by 9:00 am and headed north Az 95 to Interstate 40 and began driving East to Flagstaff. I made only two 2 quick stops for gas, my Honda Element gas tank is a small one at just over 13 gallons. So I keep it topped up at reasonable priced truck stops.

Intestate 40 was a brutal drive, the pavement is a hundred mile drive of elevation climbs, consisting of nearly constant bone shaking, tire shredding, very rough road conditions after that harsh, snowy winter. I did the same drive the last two late Aprils when the road was in very good overall condition with only a few sections undergoing resurfacing. The tire shredding description was literal, I have never seen so much shedded tire debris on the shoulders along any stretch of highway ever before. So if you are planning to take that route from Kingman AZ headed east just be aware it is not going to be a pleasant or fast drive.

My friend who was traveling over to Flagstaff to camp near me bailed out at Williams AZ. Both she and most especially her dog were exhausted by the road conditions by the time they got that far. I just pushed on through and found that last section between Williams and Flagstaff to be in pretty good shape.

There is still snow on the mountain peaks and some patches of it left on the ground along I-40’in the woods at the west end of Flagstaff area near Bellemont. But none over here at the East end just past Flagstaff. The mud has dried up at Walnut Canyon but the branching off NFS roads along the graveled Cosonino County RD are very deeply rutted from the mud season runoff of snow melt and campers spinning out and getting stuck. So not a very good place for low clearance, small cars, this year. The forest service does not come in and fix those access roads. So just be aware that campsite access is limited this year. I suspect that’s much of the currently open NFS roads in the high elevation areas in northern AZ are in similar shape as it was a record breaking snowfall year.

I slept through the whole afternoon on past dinner time. That is a hazard of waking up at 2:30am. It will take a few days to get back to a normal wake and sleep cycle.

Lake Havasu City has triple digit highs of up to 103 for the end of this week. I will remember that when waking up to very some very chilly but not quite freezing mornings on those same days. One of my friends I was camped with there has had to remain behind. He has a large 5th wheel and the internal steel structure at the nose end where the cantilever begins broke apart. Fortunately he found a repair yard that will take on the dismantling and welding and putting back together job and he has friends who offered him a place to stay in a little casita space that has a swamp cooler. But with waiting on insurance estimates and repairs he will likely be stuck there at least a month.
 
Yes the interstate is on the news as vehicle accidents and damage is severe this year on I 40 around Kingman. The right lane holes and bridge seams will damage or severely wear tire and suspension parts if hit especially at speed.
 
Yes the interstate is on the news as vehicle accidents and damage is severe this year on I 40 around Kingman. The right lane holes and bridge seams will damage or severely wear tire and suspension parts if hit especially at speed.
Good reason to get off the main thoroughfare and try some alternative roads...
 
The Kingman area road damage was not even close to being the worst of it. Of course with a smaller vehicle towing a trailer I am never traveling up at that 75mph speed limit.

They are already at work on the road repairs in Kingman.

From what I have read in the Flagstaff news hwy 17 that goes from Phoenix to Flagstaff is also in bad shape but they are out working on the repairs. HWY 89 is always in rough shape.
 
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NctryBen there is no alternate route in good shape going in or out of Flagstaff. The damage is on all the roads, I would suspect it has much to do with the soil type in the area being prone to heaving in freezing weather.
 

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