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Life180

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Hi. I'm heading from the Atlanta area toward Santa Fe in the morning. Ive been sleeping in my packed car for a week here. I have no idea where in the SF area to go. Never been there. Also, I haven't camped since I was 10. I can pick up some basics at a Walmart when I get there. I've looked at freecampsites.net. I'm still clueless. Would anyone be on the area and willing to share their camp and tips with me? Yes it comes from a difficult situation, and this is what I must do. I'm intelligent, 52, at major upheaval, emotionally stable. Just need some guidance to get my mindset in a place where I will thrive. This is the wildest turn of events for me, and I'm open to making it become the best thing ever.  I hope there's someone out there I can connect with. I've always been fine alone and resilient. Now, though, Im feeling so alone and stepping into the unknown.
Thanks, k.
 
Well that is a radical change for sure.

Do you have connections in Santa Fe? I hope so. Santa Fe is a very ritzy place. Expensive and ritzy. And very cold in the winter. Not a place I personally enjoy, because of its exclusivity. There are friendlier places in NM for urban campers. If you can, please share a few more details about your needs. Many experienced car dwellers here who will help you!

The Dire Wolfess
 
The Caja del Rio area is on BLM/National Forest land just west of Santa Fe. It is just minutes from downtown SF. Please look it up on the free ioverlander app. Don't know if it is on freecampsites.net or Campendium.

When I was staying at Caja del Rio in May, I don't think stay limits were enforced. Hope this status hasn't changed. There is a vault toilet there.

If you need food, contact the folks at the Food Depot in SF. They don't deal directly with clients, but they can refer you to groups that do.

And it does get cold in SF, including snow. Southern AZ has a better winter climate than NM.

Wishing you the best in your search for a new beginning in life. If you have further questions, the folks on this forum are the resource to provide advice.
 
To follow up my recent posting, the free Caja Del Rio camping area, just west of Santa Fe, is listed as "Santa Fe National Forest" on the free ioverlander app. The listing does not mention the area's actual name, which is Caja del Rio. To find it on the ioverlander app, just click on the green crescent moon symbol to the west of Santa Fe.
 
Life180 said:
I've always been fine alone and resilient. Now, though, Im feeling so alone and stepping into the unknown.
Thanks, k.

Hi k,

You can do it! You'll be fine.

You can always post here and people will help you and keep communicating with you as you get started.

You are very brave. Congrats on your decision to embark on this adventure.

Carla
 
Thanks all. I don't know anyone in Santa Fe. It feels right, but that's really nebulous and I can't qualify it. I can go to AZ, but I don't know anyone there either. Id be fine visiting the Prescott area I think. So, I have some canned food. My cooler is a tiny hard cooler that could hold 6 cans. Really small and that's about all I have room for. I've put off getting a tent, stove, pots, chair, and sleeping pad. I do have a sleeping bag and long down jacket.

Geesh. Wtf am I doing? I sure couldnt stay where I was. I drove 775 miles today and I'm too tired to drive, too wired to sleep. More coffee today than in all of the last six months. Money is very tight, but I may come in to a hotel for one day to bathe and get some clarity if that's even possible. The weather is rainy too here now.. Still not nearly as humid as the southeast, thank God. I'm not panicked, but I have no idea where to go. I did see that camp area west of santa Fe. I'm not prepared for that obviously. I'll look at it again tomorrow. I think just getting out of there has been a relief. I feel better even though I'm fully aware of this unknown landing spot problem. At least my mind isn't racing. Thanks for the advice. Please let me know if there's a specific place in AZ I ought to consider. I do need WiFi. Thanks again, k.
 
Some vandwellers live on BLM land at Ehrenberg, Arizona for the winter months - that might be a good destination. Will you be going to the WRTR (Women's Rubber Tramp Rendezvous) in January? Those would be good places to meet others ... there will be other car-dwellers at the WRTR. I'm planning to go there in a car with a tent.
 
Holy crap it's cold in New Mexico!  AZ too but it's hot in Ehrenberg. Where's the just right spot?
K.
 
Arizona usually has great weather around Ehrenberg and Quartzsite during winter months. It would be way too hot there during the summer. Winter is a good time to visit the Grand Canyon.

Last year I traveled through New Mexico from Texas to Roswell to Santa Fe, to Albuquerque. I got hailed on just before reaching Roswell, and snowed over just east of Albuquerque... and there was a lot of snow on the ground in Santa Fe. That was in January. Then I entered Arizona and the weather was fantastic the entire time I was there.
 
I want to add - for good WIFI stay on high ground. Stay out of the washes as flash flooding happens sometimes in some areas of the desert. Just park on high ground if you're looking for a off-road camping site. Just a suggestion, but that's what I'd do.
 
Santa Fe is at an elevation of over 7,000 ft.

BTW, the Grand Canyon south rim is at 8,000 ft...not a place to visit in winter!

It's going to start to be to darn cold at higher elevations at this time of  year. Temperature varies by something around 4 degrees F for every thousand feet of elevation. So if it's 70 daytime temp at sea level it's going to be maybe 40 at 7,000 ft.

If Ehrenberg/Quartzite is still too warm for you then you want something at about 3,000 ft elevation. Which means a good place is around Cottonwood AZ.

Weather forecast for next couple of weeks is mid 70s day and low 50s at night - perfect sleeping weather IMO.

Both the Coconino and Prescott National Forests have easily available dispersed camping. The Welcome Center in Cottonwood usually has the MVUM (Motorized Vehicle Use Maps) available. Or better yet, head for the ranger station in Camp Verde (just south of town on highway) and get some advice.

Cottonwood has good shopping and once you've gotten your feet on the ground, some really interesting sightseeing to do.

Parker would be another good destination if you can tolerate 80 daytime, mid 60s night time temps. It's at 500' elevation.

Once you've gotten to either place, post in the 'Gatherings' section here. You should be able to link up with at least a few of our members in either area. You don't have to camp with them but picking their brains is allowed... :D
 
Life, at this time of year ("shoulder season"), you might consider Cottonwood, AZ, near Sedona. Free camping, nearby services, and there are plenty of others around that might be helpful. Very beautiful surroundings to help you relax and lots of cool places to visit!

Here is a link to one of the places to camp for free in the area. The link is from the freecampsites.net app, which you should get for your phone. It will help you find where to stay for free in your car!

https://freecampsites.net/#!3978&query=sitedetails

If you need help at any time, please reach out to one of us via PM. Don't suffer alone! Believe me, we have been there. Having a vehicle to sleep in is a great blessing. And to drive away from danger! Please remember to eat nutritious food along with your coffee ;-) A night in a motel might be wonderful, to take a long hot shower, stretch out in a bed, and recharge your batteries.

Blessings!

The Dire Wolfess
 
Yes, Santa Fe does get cold. And perhaps a sleeping pad should be high up on your list of purchases. Without one, a sleeping bag will not keep you warm. Searching thrift stores can offer big savings when seeking basic equipment.

And to save on expenses while figuring things out, there are alternatives to staying in a hotel. You could call the SF Food Depot for advice on where to find showers. And Starbucks & libraries offer a free, warm place to hang out while planning for the future.

Sounds like you could benefit from meeting fellow nomads. On Nov. 1 Jamie's van build begins in Parker, AZ. This event even offers free labor for renovations.

Bob Wells' new caravan project, especially valuable for newbies,  also begins in November. Details are on the Internet.

Again, best wishes as you plan for the future. When you travel to new locations on your crosscountry journey, an inquiry in the "gatherings" section of this forum could lead to meetups with other nomads. Personal contacts with experienced folks is a morale booster and a good source of information, not to mention the comaraderie of chatting while sitting around a campfire together.
 
Almost There said:
BTW, the Grand Canyon south rim is at 8,000 ft...not a place to visit in winter!

I hiked the Grand Canyon in winter ... it was January. There was snow at the top but further down into it the weather was perfect. In summer, it would be way too hot for me.
 
Moxadox said:
Blessings!

Oh man. I took a hot bath, got severely anxious, and slept 11 hours. I am still on the fence about staying one more night, but then why spend the money. Thanks for the link to Cottonwood. I'm going there. I'll pick up some camp stuff at Walmart. I've never felt so ... well, I'm on the edge of everything I ever thought I could handle. My cell signal is patchy here and I got really turned around. Totally unnerved me. Yes, I'll pm you. I would really like to meet up with someone just for a little while until I can get my rhythm and sense of security and confidence.  This is all so foreign to me, but I think if I can get that mindset back, then I'll be ok. It's just so terrifying feeling all alone right now.

I am aware of Jamie's build out gathering, and of the caravans and the WRTR. Those are all at least several weeks away. I need something right now to be honest.
K.
 
I'm jealous k:) You are doing what many of us are champing at the bit to do. You are actually doing it!

I'd be scared, too. But it sure sounds exciting. Scary/exciting. Keep us posted. Maybe share some pics?
 
This has been what I've wanted since my husband died. Each year I've taken to the road for maybe 7 or 8 months. I had no apprehension. No fear. Far better than being at home without my husband. But now that I've decided to sell our home, which really I must do, the beast is set before me. I want to love it but I'm a little afraid of it. I think I have to redirect. I have to see this as an adventure, again and not a final decision I have little power over.

Best wishes to you. AZ is good.


Looking forward to WRTR and RTR.
 
Instead of a motel, the New Mexico State parks are all over the state.  Most have showers and bathrooms.  Quite a bit cheaper than a motel.  Just do web search for NM state parks and pick a location.   There is a reservation but don’t do that, it costs more.
 
Thanks for the tip about NM state parks showers. I didn't know that. It's really cold here at night. There's snow on the mountain top. I can't stretch out fully in my car and have to sleep in the driver's seat, which was ok in the southeast because I had to turn on the AC periodically to get some relief. Two days out of the humidity - thank God. My hair finally dried out. I slept through rainstorms one night in my car in OK, and I swear it was nowhere near as humid as Georgia. I'm drying up and getting minor nosebleeds from the dryness. I heated up a tube of gold bond and my skin soaked it in. That's ok. I'll adapt. The trade off is totally worth it. I drink a lot of water in any case, almost a gallon a day. I can't imagine drinking more. I feel ok at truck stops, but you can't really live like that. Going off some unknown dirt road and pitching a tent alone is unnerving to me. I've watched so many videos of women doing it and really feeling safe and loving it. Those videos really give me something to lean on when overwhelming feelings of fear and doubt come up. The upcoming caravans will be so good. It would be cool to have something like that always ongoing. You know, how the Green Angels patrol the toll highways in Mexico for stranded motorists, it would be so amazing if we could have a thing like that where one could get their bearings while doing it. A roving RTR. The RTR and periodic buildouts are really great. It seems that a lot of people get pushed out of their comfy life and into this unknown. If I hadn't been curious and intrigued, and horrified too at times, and hadn't continued to watch Bob's and others' videos from the comfort of home, I'd be in a mental ward for sure. It's such a radical shift for the mind to make because it challenges beliefs and assumptions about oneself and life, some you knew you had, and lots of others that you never knew about. It doesn't matter how smart you are. Has nothing to do with that. It unravels you. And that's not a bad thing at all, just an intense thing. Good to have a guide through it. If I had a larger vehicle and a reliable income, however small, that would make a big difference. I've decided to stick around a bit and see if I can make that happen. I still want the freedom to move about at will, and I can always leave now knowing that I can handle these fears and come here to get practical answers and sympathetic ears. I'm mastering myself by mastering my fear, and I've really come so far with miles to go. I don't know if it ever ends or not, but I'm sure willing to extend my hand to others coming along behind me. I don't want things at all anymore except what would be very useful in this regard. I do want connection and community, and while I doubt that's really possible in the traditional sense because I've never really found it, it is possible in other ways, and this forum is a really great facet of it. Home is interior, and community has it's roots there too inside each of us. It's that place you live from that has no room for anything less than an uncompromised love for life greater than I could ever imagine and caring for others. It's where creativity/generativity/life vitality flourishes. Well Carla618 and LivGolden, looks like you are both ready in more ways than you think. I dug in my heels until conditions pushed me out. There is no true ready, except that in that feeling unready state and you have that calling, then you're probably at your most ready. It's getting really present with the moment you are in, sitting and staying and breathing with all the emotions that come up, allowing them to be and then to pass, and there's no going back to that old way of thinking that you are breaking out from. I think it's good and necessary to be able to find periodic places to sleep deeply, even if only for a few hours, but to sleep soundly. It's restorative. When I'm stressed, I isolate myself. It's important to extend oneself because you never know what new opportunities might arise and the journey takes on a new, unexpected turn.
K.
 
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