On the road!!! Again!!

So, after my last post, and a day to think about things and reaching out to a friend in Quartzsite, I hooked up the trailer and jumped on I-10 and headed west!! Have stopped for the night just off exit 322 at an obviously old tourist trap called THE THING? It costs a buck to see THE THING? but not being interested in that stuff I grabbed a cup of coffee, got permission to overnight in their lot, and am posting this from the cab of my truck with a full wi-fi signal!! Sweet!!

And amazingly, I feel GREAT!! No anxiety since I left this afternoon!! There was just to much drama in that place I was workamping, he said/she said crap...I don't need that in my life at this point!!

Got enough cash to last 3 or 4 months, provided I camp on BLM lands. And my contact in Q-zite says she can point me in the direction for added income while there!!

So good readers, yours truly is on the road again! Don't know if I will have signal tomorrow or not, but will post when I do.

Time to roam............

This past week I have had more issues with anxiety than in the last year!! I think my mental system is telling me its time to hit the open road, and head west!! I was planning on going to Quartzsite to the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous in January anyway, but there really is no reason not to go ahead and go now. This will be the perfect opportunity to put that $500 a month budget to the test!!

The chances of finding work next spring/summer is great during the Big Tent RV Show in Q-zite in January, so why not just hook up and head that way?? Maybe my mental system has had enough of just setting still.....been here since mid August, and the internal drama is pushing me over the edge!! I know when I get there my friend Charlene will have room for me and my rig next to hers, and she will help me find my way around the town, so why not just go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In my budget I posted here last week, I allowed $150 for gas, and if lets say its $3.75 a gallon that would be 40 gallons a month. My truck loves gas, only getting maybe 12 miles to the gallon, and that translates out to 480 miles a month....so obviously I won't be doing a lot of needless driving when I get there!! Go to town once a week for supplies, and the rest of the time just sit and enjoy the solitude, which by the way is something I REALLY enjoy.....a guy can get a lot of thinking done setting in the desert!!! Maybe I will just hook up in the morning and head west.......stay tuned good readers.

Lingering anxiety issues

I have not posted this before, because I guess I just wanted to appear relatively normal to my good readers! But about 4 1/2 years ago, a doctor thought I was depressed and put me on Xanax---.50mg 3 times a day....but the Xanax backfired, and all I could do many days was set and cry.....the more I cried, the more Xanax I took!!! I slept good at night, but in the daytime when I was alone, all I did was cry!!! And take more Xanax...and cry some more....I drove my few friends nuts and my poor mother nuts worrying, because my father, who I never knew, committed suicide when I was just a baby. I think mom thought I was headed down that road as well.......then one day, I developed a shake in my hands...couldn't even drink coffee without spilling it down my shirt!! This went on for like 6 months. Then, I knew I had to do SOMETHING!!! Went to a good friend who told me of a shrink he trusted. Went to see him, and after telling him my story, and after he got my records from the M.D. he told me I was not depressed, but rather I was suffering ANXIETY attacks!!

He immediately put me on a drug called Vistaril, and gave me Trazadone to MAKE me sleep.....and in just 5 days, THE CRYING STOPPED!! But, he also told me I may have to take it the rest of my life, but a point would come where I would only need the pills when I FELT like I was going to start crying.....he also told me a few months later, that there was an over the counter pill that was almost identical to the prescription pill, and he wanted me to try it---guess what it is???? BENADRYL!!! I have Benadryl with me now all the time! And they work for the anxiety just as well as the Vistaril!

I hardly ever feel the need to take them anymore, but sometimes something will happen, (drama!) and I reach for the bottle of pills.....30 minutes later, I'm like brand new!

Thats how it was this evening.....I got off at 7:30pm, came to the camper and was watching TV and just taking it easy, and like a bolt out of the blue--BAM!! I started getting weepy just watching Family Guy!! Popped a pill and chased it with ice cold Dr. Pepper, and the weeping went away, but now its almost 1am and I can't sleep.......maybe I will go for a little walk and clear my head......

The other side of the mountain.....Part 2

So, if you go back to my post of 11/23, you'll see the monster solar panels I found on the other side of the mountain. After talking with some locals out here, which by the way there are not that many of, one of them told me I needed to walk another half mile on the other side of the hill and see what else was there......

Knowing it was a 5 1/2 mile walk, I tried to get the guy to tell me what else was there, but no luck, however he did offer me the use of his 4WD atv to go check it out!! So, I grabbed my camera and hopped on and took off. I passed the solar farm, and sure enough after about half a mile going upthe hill I crested and there it was-----

Wind turbines!!! Dozens and dozens of them!! Monsters turning in the winds between the mountains!! The way they were laid out it was hard to count them all, but I got to 112 before I lost track!! Obviously, alternative energy production technology is alive and well in New Mexico!!

Turkey frying!!!!!!!

Here where I am workamping, the company gave us all turkeys for Thanksgiving! A fellow workamper parked next to me in a 42' Mountain Aire motorhome has one of those oil fryers that is fired by propane. He and I were up at 6am drinking coffee together and getting the setup ready, and at 7am we started in with the first bird!

At a temp of 350 degrees, and an average weight of 14 pounds, we left each bird in for right at 4 minutes per pound=cooking time of 56 minutes, then gave each bird 4 minutes extra for good measure! Heres te 1st one after cooking being pulled out!

Doesn't that look good??????? It was great!! We injected each one with herb/butter seasoning on Tuesday morning after they had thawed out, and they were DEEEEEEEEEEEEE---LICIOUS!!

Am I thankful?? You know it!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.....Thanksgiving Day! A day to reflect, and see what we have in our lives to be thankful for. And I have SO MUCH!! A list would take to long to put on here, so I will just rattle some off here....hmmmmm, lets see, where to start?? Living parents, 90 plus years old.....my health, pretty good for 57 despite the fact I've smoked for 40 years! Old friends--few and scattered...new friends--all around the country, some I've never met, some I may NEVER meet, but friends just the same!! A roof over my head, when many are homeless....food to eat, when many go to sleep hungry! A bed to sleep in, while others are sleeping on park benches--some of them military veterans that fought for my freedom AND yours! Money to spend, clothes to wear, a vehicle to take me wherever I want to go.....a job, which thousands upon thousands are unable to find today! Freedom to go where I choose, and the means to do absolutely nothing if I choose, or get a job and save my money only to take off again and travel somewhere else if the urge hits me! WOW huh? Yeah, life is good!!

Sooooo.....good readers....what are YOU thankful for today???

The other side of the mountain.....

Ever since I got here outside of Deming, NM have been seeing tractor trailers go by down a dirt road from El Paso Power and BP Solar...then one day they just stopped.......so did some exploring in front of where the dirt road ends, at the base of a mountain...

Had to do some exploring to see where the trucks were going from there, and after 5 hours of walking I found where they were going and what they were doing!! This is the view from the other side of the mountain.....glad I had my camera with me!!

HUGE solar panels, 194 in all, each one on trackers to follow the sun across the sky!! These things are enormous!!! At least 90' by 120' each! These things ave to be producing a lot of electricity, in the middle the desert, exposed to full sun all day long!! Going to have to do some research.....

Pics of the new wind turbine....

OK, think I have my photo upload problem solved! So, here are pics of the new 550 watt Air-X Wind Turbine......

The mast is in down position to get a better scope.....

But, when its up in the air 15', this bird is really rockin!! And charging right around 14.4 volts!!

Looking for some wind!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas came early for me!! My new 550 watt Air-X 12 volt wind turbine arrived yesterday afternoon, and its a real beauty!!! Very lightweight poly carb body with graphite wings, shiny white and all hooked up to my custom built air actuated telescoping mast that puts it up 15' in the air. Tied in direct to a new AGM Lifeline battery with 225 amp hours of storage.....only problem is---theres no wind today at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course, why would nature cooperate with me!!

Oh well, its ready when the winds return, and it looks great up on the mast!! Got pics, but as usual can't get tem from my desktop to the blog, very poor signal, and they drag and drag until the program just gives up!! Such is life.....

Living on $500 a month!!

So there was recently an article on Yahoo about a guy living the RV life full time on $11k a year. His name is Glenn, he travels full time in a Chinook motorhome, and has a blog--:tosimplify.net where he now has a loyal following of others interested in doing the same thing!

If Yahoo was to see this post, and how I propose living on $500 a month, I suspect I would have an influx of new followers as well, plus many naysayers stating I'm full of crap!!

Oh yeah? Well, check out this site:www.cheaprvliving.com where a budget of $500. or $1000. a month is outlined. Is it possible? To live in an RV for $500. a month?? I say it absolutely IS!!

Lets break it down.....$150. for FOOD....No, you are NOT going to eat out much, but you can eat well! I'm not talking about water and oatmeal cookies all the time either! That translates to $5 a day.....then because you are mobile, we throw in $150 for gas. You are staying on BLM lands, so no rent. Every 2 weeks, you move 25 miles to a new location, and set there 2 weeks---RENT FREE. Want to travel some? OK, no sweat!! Hook up and hit the road and stay in the local Walmart/Target/Lowes/Home Depot/Kmart lot.....just make sure its not posted NO RV PARKING! Or pull into a rest area...I have spent many nights in interstate rest ares and have yet to be told I have to move on!! Pilot and Flying J truck stops are great to spend a night as well. Nothing like getting in between two reefers and being lulled to sleep!! Fresh coffee and a shower in the morning, for a price of course.

Throw in $50 for vehicle insurance. Add another $50 for cell/internet. And since problems are inevitable, throw in $50 for savings for repairs, just save it away for when you need it.....gotta change the oil and rotate the tires sooner or later!! And $25 for miscellaneous, i.e. laundry...and the last $25. for entertainment, maybe a movie and a Big Mac!

Sooooo, add it all up and you get?? Yup!! $500 bucks!! And, if you are doing it right in your RV, it is equipped with solar power and a wind turbine, so you are generating free power from Mother Nature! As mine is!

Still don't believe I can get by on $500 a month? Actually, I can pare these figures down, to $380 a month!! My cell is only $30 a month, and I can get email on it to boot!! A cell with email for $30 a month?? This guy is nuts?? Go to :www.straighttalk.com and see the proof good readers! Yeah, it works, just like your cell phone works!! Have had mine for 18 months and wouldn't go back to any of those big carriers! And guess what else---my phone runs thru Verizon towers, and I have yet to not get a signal!

I charge my cell/laptop thru the inverter in my truck every few days. I have a solar oven that lets me fix many fine and tasty meals. I can watch DVDs thru my inverter in my trailer. I even shave thru my inverter!! I have a small washing machine which requires no electricity!! I recharge my cameras batteries thru a solar charger that sets on my truck dash. And my backyard--anything from wide open desert of Arizona to the presidents on Mt. Rushmore to the expanse of the Grand Canyon.....its all out there to enjoy!! Have spent many hours in local libraries reading the paper or browsing magazines, in air conditioned or heated comfort, and have never been asked to leave.....if you look presentable, you can go in anywhere!

Oh Yahoo, I have a great story for you!!

A new follower!!

So, this past week, on another blog I follow regularly, tosimplify.net there was a reply to a post from a gal that I ended up emailing and she is now following my blog, and I am following hers as well, plus emailing each other.She has a goal to get her own RV and hit the open road while having a mobile income doing writing and photography and speaking engagements.

The great thing is that she is doing her research and planning the steps and isn't likely to risk everything by jumping into the lifestyle unprepared! I applaud her for that, and I know someday she WILL be out here with the rest of us who are making this lifestyle work for us, despite the fact that most people just don't understand why we do what we choose to do, and the way we choose to do it! Sad thing is, those people will never get it!

Stalled ---AGAIN!!

Sorry I haven't taken the time to update lately, have not had a good signal last week or so. Am presently northwest of Quartzite, on BLM land, just hanging out for a couple weeks, but will be back to work outside Deming in a few more days. Then in mid January, heading back to Quartzite to go to the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous and just hang for a few months in the desert close to SwankieWheels. Its so nice out here, wish I could just stay indefinitely....

Time just flies by!!!!!!!!!

Wow!! These last 2 weeks have just flown by it seems! My new friend I mentioned in my last post arrived and stayed overnight back in the attached campground and headed out the next morning for Quartzite, AZ where she will be for the winter. Charlene showed me her Chevy Express van where she sleeps and eats and works on her laptop...it was ideal for her, though she admitted that it could be a little wider and have more interior height, but its home to her. Personally, I don't think I could do it the way she does. But she does have stealth with the van, and the way her roof is set up the van looks like just another contractor pulling a cargo trailer! I hope to meet up with her again come January at the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous....more on that later.

Meanwhile, back at my place, the new bed is working out GREAT!!! I sleep so good now! And I hardly even hear the trains anymore! The nights are getting cooler, and I still need to get the trailer insulated.....about a $300 job.

Not much going on here, still getting 40 hours a week, but business has dropped off substantially!! Am considering job opportunities for spring up in SD at Crazy Horse Memorial...as well as Mount Rushmore and Bryce Canyon. Nothing definite, just considering possibilities to see more of the country!

The new camera takes great pics, but I am still having trouble getting them to upload to the laptop!!! Will get it figured out one of these days......everyone take care!