Here are the posts for our  February Group Writing Project

Join us for our March Group Writing Project.  Click here for the details.

Margie of the Lundy5 discusses how they live a purposeful full time lifestyle in her post ‘Challenges Schmallenges’

Kimberly Travaglino examines the theory of deserving happiness in: You Get What You Deserve.

This month’s FtF Group Writing Project is all about what obstacles stand in your way and keep you from living the life you desire.
Do I deserve to be happy? Can you believe that’s the obstacle I had to overcome in order to move to a life of bliss? Where in the world did I get the concept of “deserve”???
Do I deserve my fabulous husband?
Do I deserve my beautiful children?
Do I deserve my wonderful family?
Do I deserve my fantastic friends?
No- Absolutely Not! But God gave them to me as the greatest gifts – second only to my life! God would not have lavished me with these riches if he didn’t want me to be happy.
The house was not making me happy, planting roots felt really foreign. I can remember when I lived in sticks and bricks, I would murmur to myself, “I want to go home” and I knew I had no clue where “home” was.
A common symptom of full time traveling families is that you realize you’ve changed your address so many times – you’re friends have used two whole pages in their address book to make sure you get your Christmas card every year.
Once I realized that I could forego the “deserved” issue, I knew that Chris and I could move on to living the life of our choice.
We could grab life by the horns and form it into the adventure we wanted for our family.
Life is too short to only go for what you think you deserve – or what others tell you you deserve.
Be free, be happy, be loving, be fulfilled – whatever hurdles you have to overcome – get over them – move on and LIVE!
If you’d like to join in the fun and be a part of our Group Writing Projects don’t let anything get in the way– start here!

During our Quartzsite Meet Up, Kent Butterfield hosted a Kid’s Gun Safety Class.  Please take a moment to sit down with your kids and watch this very informative 10 minute course.

No matter what your opinions about guns, its vital your kids know what to do if they ever come across a gun in your travels.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Kent also created for us a “Guns on the Road” article to help educate our readers about traveling safely with firearms.

Guns and Weapons on the Road

Part I

By Kent Butterfield

Reprinted from Fulltime Families Magazine

Nothing in this article is to be construed as legal advice.  You are responsible to ensure the legality of your actions and the means of transport and use of your weapons.

Have you ever made a wrong turn into a seedy neighborhood?   Ever been apprehensive about your surroundings and neighbors while camping?  Have you ever boondocked and heard noises around your campsite not knowing what was out there?  Any of these can be tense situations if you are not sure of the safety of your family.  To feel secure in these situations many RVers are carrying weapons for security and peace of mind, but there is much you should know before you decide to follow this path.  Before carrying a gun, taser or chemical spray as part of your RV inventory you need to understand the legalities, your capabilities  and the benefits and dangers of carrying weapons.

Legalities

The Supreme Court has recently ruled that individuals have the right to keep and bear arms for personal protection but not without restrictions.  In addition to federal gun laws imposed by the National Firearms Act (1934), Gun Control Act (1968), Firearms Owner`s Protection Act (1986), Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (1993), the 1994 Omnibus Crime Control Act and other laws, most states and some local jurisdictions have imposed their own firearms restrictions.  The significant points to remember:

1. No federal permit is required (or available) for the interstate transportation of personal firearms.  Many states and localities have laws governing the transportation of firearms. Travelers must be aware of these laws and comply with legal requirements in each jurisdiction.  If in doubt, a traveler should carry firearms unloaded, locked in a case, and stored in an area (such as a trunk or attached toolbox) where they are inaccessible from a vehicle’s passenger compartment and not visible from outside the vehicle. Any ammunition should be stored in a separate locked container.
2. A provision of the federal law known as the Firearms Owners’ Protection Act, protects those who are transporting firearms for lawful purposes from local restrictions which would otherwise prohibit passage.
3. As soon as any firearm is carried on or about the person, or placed loaded or readily accessible in a vehicle, state and local laws regarding the carrying of firearms apply.  Each state has the authority to control how weapons are legally carried within their boundaries.  When you are in a state the laws of that state apply to you regardless of what your state of residence is.  You are responsible to know the laws of the state you are in.  Every state’s laws are unique to that state.
4. If you travel with a trailer or camper that is hauled by an automobile, it is possible to transport the firearms in your camping vehicle. A better practice is to travel with the weapon unloaded, cased and locked in the trunk of the car. If your vehicle is of the type in which driving and living spaces are not separated, the problem becomes one of access. It is best to find a lockable compartment, one not accessible from the driver/passenger compartment, and store the unloaded weapons there in a locked case.

http://www.nraila.org/gunlaws/federal/read.aspx?id=59

http://www.cjrpc.com/interstate_2.htm

Guns and Weapons on the Road

Part II

By Kent Butterfield

Reprinted from Fulltime Families Magazine

More legalities

Some definitions-

Transport is the movement of a weapon, unloaded and stowed so as to not be readily available.

Open carry means the carrying of a loaded weapon visible and holstered on your person or in your vehicle in plain sight.

Concealed Carry is the carrying of a loaded weapon on your person so that no part of it is visible at any time.

Transport of your weapon is legal in all 50 states, although some prescribe specific modes of storing your weapon and or ammunition for transport.  In all instances except, perhaps New York City, if your weapon is disassembled and locked in a case without any ammunition, and the ammunition is locked away separately, federal law allows you to transport your legally owned gun from one location to another.  There may also be other areas with extreme restrictions.  It is your responsibility to know before you go, what is and is not legal where you are travelling.

Open carry is currently illegal or highly restricted in 7 states and the District of Columbia.  It is licensed in 14 states and legal although possibly preempted locally or illegal in vehicles in 16 states.  One state has allowable open carry only in rural areas and in the remaining 13 states open carry is legal with the only restrictions being certain buildings and areas such as airport security areas, government buildings and schools.

See more information at http://www.opencarry.org/opencarry.html

Concealed carry is illegal in two states (Illinois and Wisconsin) and the District of Columbia.  The Wisconsin laws have been changing dramatically since the last Supreme Court decision and a concealed carry law is being discussed.

In 9 states, called “may issue states”, the granting authority can decide whether or not to issue a concealed carry permit based upon predetermined factors and at the whim of the issuing official, usually a county sheriff.

There are 36 states called “shall issue states.  Residents who apply for a license must be issued one if they fulfill the state requirements, usually no felony convict or domestic violence arrests, no DUI arrests, and most require some type of training prior to license issue.

Concealed carry is allowed without license in Arizona, Alaska and Vermont for anyone who can legally own a weapon.

Some states will issue a license to non residents and some will not.  Not all states recognize the license from another state.  Some states will only recognize a license if it is issued by the holder’s state of residence.  The following web sites have information to help you know who issues permits and who will recognize those permits.  The most popular non-resident permits are from Florida, and Utah.

More information on concealed carry laws is available at http://www.handgunlaw.us/

http://apps.carryconcealed.net/legal/index.php

http://www.nraila.org/gunlaws/

The legality of your carry of a concealed weapon in a given place is entirely dependent upon the laws of that state and frequently local laws.    Whether concealed or open carry it is illegal in all states to show a weapon (called brandishing)  or threaten to use a weapon without threat of death or serious bodily harm to you or another.  Weapons must never be used to sway an argument.  Doing so is a felony in most if not all states and can result in jail time for a conviction.  YOU are responsible for knowing the laws and following them.  The information in these articles is as up to date as possible at the time.  Before going anywhere with a weapon it is YOUR responsibility to do the research as to current laws in that area..

In Part III we will look at the why and why not of carrying

Guns and Weapons on the Road

Part III

By Kent Butterfield

Reprinted from Fulltime Families Magazine

Your Capabilities

Concerning carrying a weapon your first thought should be, “Why do I want to carry?”  Carrying a weapon is NOT an ego boost nor a call for vigilante justice.  The primary reason most people carry is for personal and family protection in dangerous situations.  Believe it or not police have no legal responsibility to protect individuals, and therefore judicial remedies are not available for their failure to protect any individual.  There are many court cases and Supreme Court decisions affirming this fact. (see http://www.firearmsandliberty.com/kasler-protection.html )  The bottom line is that individual citizens are responsible for their own personal protection.  The gun owner’s humor answers the question why carry a weapon with, “Because carrying a whole policeman would be too heavy.” or “Remember, when seconds count in an emergency, the police are only minutes away.”  The fact is that those are precisely the reasons why people carry a weapon.  Personal protection from injury or death, deterrence of felonies against you and your family, detention of felons, and denial of attempted crime are significant to personal survival and may answer your question as to why.

However the opposite question also needs to be answered, “Why I should not carry?”  There are some very good reasons to not carry a weapon.  If your temperament is such that your anger can get control of you, don’t carry. If you cannot effectively use a weapon then you definitely should not carry a weapon.  If the law precludes you from owning or carrying a weapon, usually because of a felony conviction, DUI, domestic violence conviction or other legal problem, then carrying a weapon would only further harm your record.  If you are addicted to drugs or alcohol you definitely should not carry.

The decision to carry a weapon is one to be taken seriously and to be done with much contemplation and self inspection.  Once you have decided to carry there even more considerations such as what shall I carry; shall I carry open or concealed; is it possible for me to carry a weapon without it becoming visible even accidentally; where am I travelling and what are the laws there; how capable and proficient am I with my weapon; when would it be wise to use my weapon; when would it be wise to avoid use, etc.

In order to be the safest, most capable carrier of a weapon it is critical that you train well and often.  You should find a qualified arms trainer (NRA certifies weapons instructors. Look for that in their qualifications).  The website http://publicsafety.utah.gov/bci/documents/TRANGUIDELINES_011.pdf is a list of training requirements for the Utah permit.  It is a minimum of what I would want for firearms classroom training.  Training often, going to a firing range regularly for practice, will keep your skills honed and give you more confidence.

Finally, you need to consider what situations would require you to use your weapon.  Rule number one is that your weapon is never your primary means of defense.  Avoidance, escape, reasoning, all come before use of a weapon.  If you feel your life or the life of another is threatened, or a felony is being committed on you or your property then use of a weapon MAY be proper.  Even then it is better to use your weapon to avoid the conflict that to use it and kill or injure someone.  It is never legal to display a weapon (called brandishing) or threaten use of a weapon for the purpose of threatening someone or to resolve a non lethal argument.

In the final installment of this series we will try to answer the questions what should I carry, how should I carry, how do I stay safe and legal, and what if I have to use my weapon.

Guns and Weapons on the Road

Part IV

By Kent Butterfield

Reprinted from Fulltime Families Magazine

So you looked at all the information, your situation and decided to carry a weapon.  What next?  More decisions of course.  Where do I want to get my concealed carry permit?  What do I carry?  How do I stay safe?  How do I stay legal?  What if I have to use my weapon?

If you have decided to carry a weapon only in your RV for when you are parked, then you need to make sure your weapon is legal in the state you are visiting and that you transport you weapon legally until you set up your RV on site.

If you have decided to carry your weapon on your person or in your vehicle then it would be wise to obtain a concealed carry permit valid in the states you will be visiting.  No permit is good in all states and some states do not allow anyone to carry concealed.  Therefore you need to obtain the permit that will give you the broadest coverage and supplement it if necessary.  Florida permits are good in 34 states if you are a Florida resident or 30 states if it is a non-resident permit.  Utah permits are good in 32 states for a resident permit or 28 for a non-resident.  Both states require handgun training prior to issuance of a permit. Permits can be obtained without visiting the state.

The most fun and the most difficult decision may be what to carry.  Here are some basics.  The bigger the gun is the harder to conceal.  The smaller the caliber is the less effective it generally will be.  The balancing act of big vs effective can be a difficult one. An easily concealed .22 cal pistol can be effective at short range if you are an excellent marksman.  A .45 cal pistol may be more effective but can be difficult to conceal and use.  Most concealed carry these days range from a .380 or a 9mm to a .40 cal or a small .45 cal.  Your personal preference will be the most significant factor.  A slightly larger caliber in a smaller frame is popular.  You may opt for a smaller caliber if that is more comfortable.  If you are open carrying you need a comfortable holster that fits your weapon.  If you are carrying concealed you need either shoulder holster with a jacket, a beltline holster, a pocket holster, a fanny pack or an ankle holster.  These all have pros and cons and you must do the homework to decide what best fits your situation.

One of the significant considerations for concealed carry is how do I carry so that no one accidentally sees the weapon?  This is a critical question since a concealed weapon must be invisible to the public. Even the shape of the weapon on your clothing (called imprint) is not to be visible.  This requires either bulky clothing, a covering jacket, an inside the pants holster or a fanny pack.  Once again your personal use requirements and preferences will contribute to your decision.

Staying legal also requires you to do some homework regularly since laws change frequently.  Legal references should be checked frequently.  The official sites of many states may also have update information that should be checked prior to entering that jurisdiction.

Carrying a weapon for protection is not for everyone.  It is a serious decision that needs to be made only after serious consideration of the requirements, the individual’s capabilities, temperament and the laws of the area.  It requires persistence of research, training, maintenance, and awareness.   Do your homework, be thoughtful, focused and aware of yourself and your surroundings and you will be much better prepared to carry.  Remember, YOU are responsible for knowing the laws and YOU are responsible for what happens with your weapon.  Neither these articles or nor any training can absolve you of the personal responsibility to know what is and is not legal, safe and responsible.

Kent Butterfield is a husband, father of 7 and grandfather of 12.  He and his wife Dana have been camping and RVing since 1992 and homeschooling since 1988.  Kent’s grandkids call him Goom which is short for goomba which appropriately enough means partner in crime.  They have camped in a pop-up, tents, a class C, a fifth wheel and recently went back to a short class C.

Kent traveled with the Navy for 9 years, as an Army civilian for 22 years and as fun for the last 8 years. A few of his varied interests include writing, guns, golf, photography, conservative politics, collecting and selling old books, and Bible studies particularly concerning the Kingdom of God in the New Testament.  He is a member of Good Sam, Families on the Road, a member of the Board of Directors of RV Site Surfers and a Life Member of Fulltime Families.  He says he knows he has a dry sense of humor because “every time I tell a joke Dana coughs on the dust.”  His current favorite quote is, “There are two ways to argue with a woman.  Neither works,”  anonymous

You can follow Kent’s adventures at: http://morethanthedestination.blogspot.com/

I hate laundromats.  To me they are a hassle. I have to separate all my clothes ahead of time, load them all up, drive to the laundromat, unload, and sit for at least an hour and wait…, then fold them all, load them up again, drive “home”, and unload. Or if I’m using the park’s laundry room I inevitably forget to get quarters before the office closes and I’m trying to quick do a load of laundry at night because everyone is out of clean underwear! I love the convenience of being able to throw a load of laundry in the washer while I’m cooking dinner or whatever.

When we bought our motorhome it came with a stackable apartment size washer and dryer, but the washer never worked. For Christmas this year my parents gave us money to have it fixed. However, in doing the research we found that we could buy a new washer for about the same price, so we opted for that route. We bought a portable Haier HLP23E Electronic washer and absolutely love it! With outside dimensions of 24.8”x16.73”x26.97”, it fits perfectly in the closet. It has a 1.46 cubic foot tub size and has an 8.8lb capacity which for us can fit two pair of my husband’s jeans, two pair of our son’s or my jeans, and a few t-shirts in one load. Some other features include:

• 4 wash cycles, 4 water-level settings, and six programs
• lid folds in half as it opens to allow room for a dryer above it
• runs quiet
• can be hooked up to either a washer hook-up or to any faucet
• installs in a couple minutes

There are a couple of things we don’t like about the washer

• It only has one water hose, so when hooking it up to a washer hook-up you have to choose between hot or cold. You would be able to use warm water when hooking it up to a faucet.
• The manual states that the washer has a built-in water heater, but we don’t think it actually does.

Overall, the washer was a great buy. Having a washer and dryer in our motorhome is saving us time and money. The best part is that our clothes are actually getting cleaner with this washer than they did using park washers or laundromats. Our socks are getting white and spots we thought were stains are coming out!

A wall-mountable dryer is available to go with the washer. However, I can’t tell you how well it works since the washer was all we needed.  The reviews it is getting are just as good as the ones for the washer.

This is a reprint from the February 2012 Issue of Fulltime Families Magazine.  Photo Credits: Renee Seeley

But as many travelers know, not all wrong turns lead to a detour.

As we left the Lizard Tree Library, we headed in the general direction of our RV clan, but missed the turn.  We decided to see where this road led (it should be noted, that much to my husband’s delight, I prefer to drive miles out of my way rather than make a u-turn) and no sooner had we made that choice, that I recognized a URL on a rig.

I just about threw the kidlets out of the truck’s bed, as I swerved into the driveway.  “It’s LIVE WORK DREAM!”, I exclaimed, to which Darla said… “Who’s that?”… Well, in real life, I have never met them before, so I can’t really tell you, but – if you have ever been to their website – you’ll know they are definitely super cool people you want to meet!

Thankfully, they wanted to meet us too!  Remember, we don’t run a low profile (big white truck with Fulltime Families Stickers all over it).

Jim and Rene’ and Wyatt came out to hug and chat and fill us in on the slabs and some exciting news about what’s going on at Live Work Dream.

They’ve developed a system that anyone can follow to create a location independant lifestyle for themselves / their family.  A system to set yourself free!

Jim and Rene’ were even gracious enough to let us film them for an upcoming episode of “The Real Housewives of FtF” where we will be discussing their latest project.

Meeting Jim and Rene’ and their neighbor Sam, completely changed my perception of the Slabs.

I realized, that like everywhere, you have to take the bad with the good, and make your experience count.

So, the bottom line… I’ll leave that to “Sam, who has a grown family of his own, put it best:

“Would I bring kids here and stay a while? Definitely not.”

This wacky, offbeat community with its somewhat seedy-underbelly isn’t the best environment for kids.

“Would I come here for a few days to see it with kids? Definitely!” he said.

Families can skip the local watering holes like the Oasis Club, but taking a trip out to the East Jesus art installations, the mud pots and of course Salvation Mountain, are a one-of-a-kind, eye-opening, unforgettable experience found only here at the Slabs.”

Excerpt from the Live Work Dream blog!

and so, another big ticket item has been checked off my “Must See” list and its time to head to San Diego with the McCloskey’s, the Garrisons and the Gardeners, to see what life is like ‘down by the border’!

Photo Credit: Renee Seeley of LivinOurDash

Want to see the whole Slab City Adventure?

Part 1 – Salvation Mountain

Part 2 – A Slap in the face at the Slabs

Part 3 – There’s a body at the library

Pardon the pun, but a Library in the middle of Slab City speaks volumes to me.  It means to me, that even in the barren, desert waste land, there is a bigger thirst for knowledge than water.  So it was important to me that I see it with my own eyes.

The first thing we noticed was a head stone.  We deliberated for a few minutes – was this really the final resting place of Rosalie, the founder of the Lizard Tree Library? or just a shrine of some type?  The rational part of me went with the later conclusion… but as was a running theme in my visit… 1. I was wrong yet again and 2. there’s nothing rational in the slabs.

The library is well catergorized and works on the honor system.  I have heard, in its heyday it was a beautiful, relaxing place to lounge and get lost in a book.  Unfortunately, it’s definitely not like that anymore.

It’s obvious from the condition of the books, that the slabs get little to no rain.  There is very limited cover over the books and no water damage to speak of.

The current librarian lives in a trailer adjacent to the ‘facility’, but either he was not home, or not in the mood to socialize, because we never did see him.

I did notice that he has great taste in travel books;)

After perusing the library, and leaving a stone for peace for Rosalie – as was suggested on one of the many signs that extolled her virtues, we headed back out to find our way back to our RVs.

Would you believe a wrong turn led us to the discovery of online friends????

Here are some other little known facts about Slab City:

1. There is a heated shower – heated by geo thermal activity.

2. There is a golf course.

3. There are multiple cultural venues including The Range and The Stage Door.  (We were told, should you go to a live event…sit in hard seats, as opposed to upholstered ones).

4.  There is a skate park and a bmx track.

5. There’s a pet cemetary.

6. There is a Burning Man-esque public art display called East Jesus (east of Salvation Mountain)

7.  This writer believes Rosalie is not the person buried at the slabs. :0

Tomorrow, I will conclude this series and let you know how a chance encounter changed my whole perception of the place!

Part 1- Salvation Mountain

Part 2- A Slap in the face at the Slabs

It’s been exactly a week since our visit to the Slabs and I think I’m finally ready to recount the tale.  Not that there was any one incident I can point to, to fully paint the picture of how Slab City affected me.  It might have been this Welcome Sign that started it all.  Can I tell you if outsiders / rving families are in fact, welcome in Slab City… maybe.  Can I clearly illustrate to you, dear reader, what fueled my desire to go in the first place, probably not.

The Why

Maybe it was curiousity.  Maybe it was the opportunity to get a glimpse of an apocalyptic future.  Maybe it was just because we could.  I’m not sure what pushed my wheels to Niland, CA – but the force was definitely too great to resist.

I knew when we pulled in, we were parked in No Man’s Land. Even though we were surrounded by homesteads that looked more like hovels, I knew we had not yet reached the epicenter of the Slab City Community.  The big clue was there were no cement slabs anywhere in sight! If you are interested in more background information about Slab City – click here… If you are interested to know if you should take your family… keep reading.

We (+the Garrisons, the Seeleys, the McCloskeys, and the Nierenbergers (aka Renee Seeley’s parents)) circled the wagons in the shadow of Salvation Mountain, toured Leonard Knight’s folk art monument, cooked dinner, and headed to bed.

As the sun rose, and the shadow of Salvation Mountain’s wooden cross lay in the middle of our communal circle, we packed up the FtF Mobile with myself, Darla, Renee and a gaggle of kids – and headed across the desert wasteland and ‘into the city’.

The first thing we saw was this shoe tree.  Interesting.

The next thing we saw was what Blaise (the 7yo) discerned must be ‘the dump’.  But wait… there was also a dump directly across the street… and yet another dump further up Low Street (as it was marked).  In fact, there were a great deal of dumps – giant piles of garbage.  There is A LOT of junk, garbage, refuse, in the slabs.  There is a Pack in Pack out policy… but it seems that it is not being enforced.

In fact, the theme of the slabs is that nothing shall be enforced.  The slabbers (as they call themselves) have established a law that there is no law!  hmmmm – ironic.

We pulled up to the Oasis Club and parked the truck… you know the one with all the Fulltime Families Stickers and the pile of kids in the bed… we DID NOT blend…

First Impressions

and as I exited the vehicle to meet and mingle, I realized my fatal mistake… although I was essentially wearing what I had slept in the night before (just like everyone else there)… I was in fact wearing a velour warm-up suit with a sparkly blue t-shirt.  I don’t do suburban mom well – but some how I had really nailed it today!  All I needed was a fresh manicure and a purse pooch! Yikes!

To add to my look, I was also carrying my camera, a digital recorder, a pen and a book… I was immediately warned by a sleepy eyed, bearded resident that people with notebooks and cameras “get shot”.  Terrific!  This is definitely going well.

Mistake #2

The coffee clutch loosened up a bit when I fired back some quip from the hip and didn’t run screaming that they had threatened my life.  A youngish girl with dread locks asked humoringly… “Where are you from?”  For some reason, this question always causes me to pause… where I am from?  Am I from Jersey, where I was born and lived until I was 28?  Was I from Florida, where I raised my family for the past 6 years prior to heading out on the road?  Was I now from everywhere since I had no brick house to return to?  What is it that people are really asking when they ask, “where are you from?”

Since ‘from’ indicates a ‘return to’ in the future, I feel the only way to answer is… “we are full time on the road” and that has been my response for a great many months… but I forgot to consider my audience, veterans of the road.  To them, my mere 19 months of nomadic existence barely counts as ‘preschool OTR’.  I’m still attached to my luxuries like electricity, and walls and I have yet to shake my addiction to water.

The heckling was instant and fierce: “Congratulations!” someone exclaimed!  Grumble, grumble, murmur, murmur – a smattering of mockery rolled through the smoking section.

Again, I held my ground.  They may live at the slabs for long periods of time, but the sign said, “This is the Last Free Place in America” and I had just as much right to be there as they did.

So I singled a few people out and asked them how they answered that question.  The responses I got varied:

From Everywhere.

From the road.

Where my family still lives in Vermont.

Oasis Club Ambassadors

About that time, Beryl joined the conversation.  She was a slight woman, covered head to toe in camo.  She as affable and friendly and quirky and fit exactly the image I had in my mind of a full time slabs resident – which she confirmed she was.

We exchanged some information and then Sage came into the conversation.  Sage appeared to be in her 50s or 60s and like Beryl, was very friendly and helpful.  She told me about their upcoming weekly dinner ($4 for Oasis Members / $6 for guests / free if you wash dishes) and about their other weekly events.  She told me it was $20 a year to join the club, but we’d have at least a month to participate in the activities before we had to make the financial commitment.

Both Sage and Beryl were welcoming and inclusive.  When I told them I was interested in seeing the Library, they pointed me in the direction, again invited me to their upcoming dinner and sent me on my way.

To be continued…

“No, this is Definitely NOT the way!”.

“How can you be sure?” I asked.

“Because, there is nothing but farm land as far as the eye can see – and there’s supposed to be a mountain here, right?” he said.

“Well, the ‘moutain’ isn’t really a MOUNTAIN per se’, its more like an art exhibit in the shape of a large mound of painted hay.”

“What! I thought Salvation Moutain was a MOUNTAIN! Do the people behind us know it’s not a MOUNTAIN?”

I glanced in the rearview… 4 varieties of RVs were parading behind us, down this agriculture path, flanked on both sides by irrigation ravines.  Anyone who has ever driven an rv knows this means… there’s no place to turn around.

We are all now committed to this path, which will ultimately take us 3 left turns and 25 minutes to get back on the right path.

We are a mere 5 miles from Salvation Mountain, but some how we missed the itty bitty multi colored scribbled sign that pointed us east and headed west instead.

After we cross over the railroad tracks, we are awarded our first view of Leonard Knight’s monument to God’s Love for Us!

We only drove a few more feet, and set up camp within walking distance of the mountain.  Then we headed back on foot with dogs and babies and kids to summit it!

Salvation Mountain is a techno-color wonderland.  As I planted my first foot on the painted yellow brick road, I was charged with the electricity that comes from realizing a life long goal.  I was finally here!  I could finally touch it, feel it, smell it – I skipped tasting it.

If you’re interested in hearing me discuss my thoughts on visiting Salvation Mountain and Slab City, you can listen to this week’s episodes of The Real Housewives of FtF – otherwise you can read on…

I was sad to find that just a mere weeks prior to our arrival, Leonard had been moved to a nursing home.  This leaves the fate of his project on shaky ground.  I had heard through the Slab City grapevine that there were individuals who would continue to maintain it – but the gut consensus of the families I traveled with was that… If Salvation Mountain is on your bucket list.. make haste to Niland, CA.

Igloos, trophies, pictures, prayers, well wishes – even a mail box.  There was so much to explore and see and take in.  I am so glad to have been able to have seen Salvation Mountain and shared the experience with all my children.  It’s a testament to what one person can achieve.  The joy it brings to the people who see it is an amazing accomplishment in and of itself.

This Sunday night, we came to you live with our Blog Talk Radio Show… The Real Housewives of FtF from BLM land in Quartzsite.

We had an awesome show with Darla Garrison, who’s family of four is touring full time in a Super C.

Click here to listen to the show..

and then join us for a tour of her RV and see how she was able to decorate without losing any potential resale value.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]