Camp Diary 1

A short diary of a few places we've traveled. Not in any sort of order...





March 28th- Agua Caliente
    We are in the most amazing spot in the middle of the dessert, near almost nothing. There are hot springs, 2 out door pools and a therapeutic indoor pool. Granite cliffs surround the area and desert cactus are flowering near a creek filled with frogs and cool breezes. Today we saw a road runner, a huge mountain goat and many lizards all from the comfort of the soaking pool. It is divine. We are staying an extra night.
 







Jalama beach- This was actually our first night officially camping out (in January). Not staying with family or in a friends driveway ( Which has been awesome AND thank you). It was right on the beach and was recommended to us by friends who had camped there. Some of the best places so far have been friends suggestions. There are amazing and friendly people camping all around and we have enjoyed meeting people and making friends along the way. Since it’s been about 6 weeks, I’ll just post some pictures. Details are becoming faded. I am well sunned, and tired from playing outside for hours each day.













Joshua Tree National Park,  last week of March
Its hard to believe it is only the beginning of spring. The heat we have been camping in the last couple of weeks has gotten a little intense at moments. Here though, it cools down at night and is a bit cooler then the surrounding dessert. This is the first time we’ve ever been to Joshua Tree,and I’m a bit hesitant to talk about how amazing it its. Camping spots are first come first served giving this place a feel of a secret well kept. And well...

I guess I’m blowing the secret. There are incredible landscapes her so unique  that they conjure the imagination and infuse you with a dream like sensation of your imagination playing a glorious deception. There are fields of cactus short and spiky and others gracefully standing erect with bright red flowers adoring there tops.
The best part however is the rocks. There are huge granite formations suitable for climbing. Childs level up to serious climbers challenge. We are camping right up against a pile of boulders so high it keeps us shaded into late morning. This was the first stop on our National Park tour and it is definitely a new favorite!

Q & A #1

Q&A part 1:

If I don’t answer your question, write me and you may find it on the next Q&A, oh! exciting!

On the road we get stopped, whenever we stop, and asked a lot of questions. Here are some answers to the most common.  

Most frequently asked questions:

1. Is that an old bus converted to a camper/ an old camper converted to a bus/ did you make that yourselves?

No. It’s a fiberglass fabrication that looks like an old bus. It’s called a Dub Box it’s light and has all of the basic things you need for living inside.

2)What’s the set up inside of there? Often paired with: Can I see the inside?

The set up is this: is has a fridge( about dorm room size), a sink, a 3 burner gas stove, a table a couch that folds into a large bed and a small loft bed for the little one. The roof pops up to about 6’7” so it is comfortable to stand in. There are LED lights and a stereo powered by a solar panel on the roof. There is a small outdoor shower and the type of toilet you would find on a small boat. I use all those things the way you do in your house, only in much less space.

If I know you then I will happily show you the inside. If we have never met before, no.

1. How long are you going to do this for? No really, how long?

I like to say until it stops being fun. Which is the complete truth and all I know.  But I get it, this is weird, you need some concrete information. You think I am too aloof and that we are going to be miserable when we realize what we are actually doing. So to you I say: about 2 years. That seems reasonable. Let’s regroup then and I’ll update you.

4)Where are you planning on going?

We plan a route about 2-6 weeks ahead with the expectation of work commitments. We plan on visiting all of the United States then continuing on, if we want (See Question #3). When we first started we had the First 2 months planed to a T. But you know what, there were some set backs, we didn’t get to fulfill those plans and we realized that maybe meticulously planning the trail ahead wasn’t going to be the easiest way for us to travel.

Getting cozy in the sunshine.

Here we go!

March 7th

I am sitting watching a hawk glide in the wind over a lush valley. When I happened upon this serene spot yesterday afternoon, I decided that I would spend two nights here...but really I’ve got almost nowhere to be by any certain time. So I am mostly persuaded by the cycle of the moon and the starts and when I get hungry, or tired.

I stayed with a friend who had wi-fi a couple of nights ago and when I logged onto my ipad I realized I was behind on my shows, like really behind. Where I’m camping right now has no cell service. So I made friends with some other campers. It dawns on me that I am further behind on keeping up with people and this is much more important then any show.

Wait! it’s been a few months and perhaps were only catching up now- and I don’t even know that your’e catching up with me ( Please let me know!). Our family has embarked on an adventure that was perhaps a long time coming and a short time planned. Many people  had many questions. Some of them thought provoking, some a little silly. I will address that in a few days on a Q&A post.

So how did this start? A dream? A conversation? The pull of the cosmos on my curiosity? Yes. It began with Walden, with Travels With Charlie, with On The Road and a hundred other books that sparked the imagination for places undiscovered. It began with a belief that experiences are the best thing you can own and a feeling that sitting at home researching preschools wasn’t really how I wanted to spend my time. It began with my husband saying, “ Ok lets do it!”

I mean that’s the gist of it and of course I’ll get existential in future post.

I’ll also post pictures and write about where the heck we happen to be. 

Good night and Safe Travels,

H

Coming soon...

Thanks for visiting! We are in the throws of packing and planning and will begin to post after we pick our camper up on November 20th.  We are looking forward to this adventure and all the exploration that will ensue! See you soon.