Swankie Wheels

GOOD RIDANCE TO 2025! This is the LAST day of a very long year!

2025-12-31T13:41:00.002-07:00

Summary of 2025- what a pissy year!

First, I must apologize to all my followers and people who have commented in the past. I just realized I had dozens of comments waiting for my approval. I am going through them now. I am so sorry I never noticed sooner. Now...

I woke this morning feeling motivated to write but by the time I sat down to do so, I had lost my train of thought. At 81, that seems to happen more frequently. I have lost not only that, but motivation and muscle strength. It is no wonder people give up and die. When you look back on what has been and what you wish had been, and what may be and what you wish would be… it can be depressing as hell. But why pretend it is not so? What is the point? My very long Bucket List seems somehow to have shortened itself to two items: Get the biography/autobiography done. Get the Genealogy preserved and shipped off to archives. Is that all there is? What happened to being the grandma to my grandchildren, like the Grandma I had? What happened to growing old with David Swankie and sharing our collective of a dozen or so grandkids? Is this all there is???? I guess so!

“To the people in my life who support me, make me smile and bring me joy, I am thankful for you.” (stolen from internet-The Cinchy Cowgirl)

On this last day of 2025, I am taking a deep breath and trying to continue to believe in myself, with grace. Maybe I am stronger than I think? Maybe the best chapters of my story are still waiting to be written… I know the older chapters are still waiting to be written. My “biographer” (my nephew Chris S. Beaty) and I are all the way up to 1973, with only six more decades to go! Turning 82 in 2026, I keep wondering if there is enough time left to accomplish that ONE single item on my Bucket List! Revised Bucket List on 12/31/2025 - Modified Bucket List : Rent kayak in Baja and on California Coast and other places, Make jewelry in Quartzsite, Ride horse on a beach, work on a Habitat for Humanity project, Visit Tuscany, Italy, Buy land, go watch wild horses and paint them, COMPLETE GENEALOGY.

Check out Chris' first book - http://www.csbeaty.com/loser .

In the past I have made the mistake of being so understanding and forgiving that I overlooked the fact that I was being disrespected… until I reached a point I could no longer… and I walked away. I walked out of the lives of the people I loved the most, because it hurt too much to stay. Maybe, I deserved to be disrespected? I am not sure I will ever know the answer to that question. I do know for some reason, at 81, I seem younger, more vital, more agile, than others my age AND I have outlived many folk younger. Genetics? I have nine living half-siblings, ranging in age from 9-21 years younger than me. They should all outlive me. But I can pretty well still keep up with even the youngest ones. This past summer, I kayaked a lake in Utah with one of them, 14 years younger than me… and I had no trouble holding my own, except the part of manhandling my kayak back to my truck. He had to give me a hand with that.

The kayaking is the major change in my Bucket List. Since having bilateral “reverse” total shoulder replacements, I have gradually lost muscle mass… and those surgeries do limit the amount and type of lifting you do. There is no way I want to risk damaging those prosthetics. I have almost full range of motion now and have few limitations, only as regards “lifting.” And that 53lb boat seems to weigh much much more now, than it did when I got it in 2009. It is time to set that aside, a fact that would have been heartbreaking before this moment, but I am at peace with it now, especially since my nephew/biographer, Chris Beaty, wants to “keep it in the family – because it was in the movie Nomadland.” He offered to buy it, but I am happy to gift it to him and honored that he wants it! I am humbled and even more honored that I can share it with his 3 lovely children! I hope they will all have many more adventures with my kayak, that has been on water in all the lower 48 states, plus been in an Oscar-winning movie (the swallows scene in Nomadland - my video footage by the way!).

So, in spite of the pissiness of 2025… there is that to look forward to in 2026… going to Nebraska to deliver the kayak to Chris, attending Beaty family gathering, getting to know my lovely great nieces and nephew, getting reacquainted with my half-siblings and all their kids and meeting some new in-laws… and who knows what after that!

I have no plans beyond that gathering… except to continue working with Chris to complete the biography. Hopefully, we can wrap it up in 2026. Then, I will move on to my last task in this life… securing and archiving my 6 decades of genealogical research. Then I am done.

Being DONE is not a bad thing. It does not make me sad, or happy, or afraid. I guess I don’t believe in an “after” only a “now!” I will strive to make the best of my NOW til I am done! And don’t any of you be sad when that day comes. Be happy with your NOW!

What is remembered, lives! (Fern (aka Frances McDormand) in Nomadland)

Next post - Utah 2025!

SWANKIE'S BACK - Returning to the Wilderness

2025-01-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

They offered me diamonds on loan at Oscars, but I chose to honor my friend,
Judy Crawford and wear the lovely hummingbird she made for me.

My apologies for my absence. 2022 was a difficult year and 2023 not much better. Had my second shoulder replacement surgery. Just prior to that I assisted my "last best friend forever" move back into a sticks and bricks as he, with declining health, was no longer able to boondock alone. I over-did it myself in breaking camp and helping him move and ended up on crutches due to hip pain. Then I had a long drive from AZ to CO (where my doctors and surgeons were located) and had to get past that big fire in New Mexico, the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires.

But finally got my surgery and while in recovery, I learned the camper trailer I was interested in was for sale, so I bought over the phone, with the understanding I could not take delivery until surgeon released me and I was able to drive again. The day came and I returned to AZ to get it... during a very very hot spell. While transferring things over from the old van, a task I had to pace myself on as I was still under lifting restrictions on the shoulder, I got Covid, Shingles and Vertigo. Eventually, I got moved in, gave my cargo trailer to HOWA and sold my old van and bought a truck. I felt I needed a 1Ton truck instead of the small cargo van. A few other health issues and tweaking of the trailer kept me grounded at my son's until Sept. 2024. At last, I was able to return to the wild, where I belong. I'll catch you up a little.

Earlier post from May 2024.

Once upon a time, long ago and far away, I thought I could not live without my husband, my children, or my grandchildren. I felt surely I would loose my mind. Then I decided I needed a goal/a dream bigger than life itself. I began a bucket list and put the wildest things on it, things that seemed impossible, hoping something would light my fire and motivate me to "go on living," a promise I made to my last-forever-husband, David Swankie, on his death bed! (He meant, to date and marry again, but once you have had the best, why bother with the rest?)

Finally, I started on the Bucket List, got a kayak (2009) and learned to paddle. Then I asked myself... now what? From somewhere, a voice said... "Kayak America" (you can Google that and probably find something). And so I did... took 5 years, finishing with Hawaii as my 50th state in my 70th Birthday (2014). Inadvertently, because of that... and camping full time all those years, movie producers/actors (Peter Spears/Francis McDormand) learned about me and recruited me for the movie Nomadland (ha ha, becoming an actor was NOT on my Bucket list) and I ended up on the Red Carpet at the Oscars in Hollywood in 2021. Nomadland won 3 Oscars, Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actress.

All true, I never could have dreamed up a scenario that crazy. Still pinching myself.

Now, after almost two years off the road, I am back out in the wild and hope to re-kayak the Western States and camp and travel the rest of my life, or until I can no longer drive, whichever comes first!

Dream big, find a goal or purpose bigger than life itself!

Last thought, a friend of mine who was considered for Nomadland, but turned down because producers felt she was too fragile... she was wheelchair bound in 2018, has since lost 100 pounds by 2024, is walking and jogging outside daily now and just bought a 2nd hand van to build out herself as a camper. She plans to buy a teardrop trailer for her adult handicapped son to use as "home" while she uses the van as her space... and they will hit the road when it is done, hopefully by 2025-26 winter AZ camping season. I would have thought that was impossible too. But she did it!

Dream Big! Go for it! And to all of you who have helped me along the way... your responses remind me of how many others have been a part of this journey! I kayaked with some, camped with others, hiked with a few. All of you matter! I love you all!

More stories to come. What was it like to be at the Oscars and be treated like a star? How did I feel after having my van broken into in Hollywood, in a "secure" parking lot, the night before the Oscars? What does it feel like to be in my 81st year with four bionic joints, 2 fake shoulders, 2 fake knees?? I will tell you all about it.

NEVER GIVE UP!

Swankie is back in the house...

2020-10-08T14:14:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends,

I began this blog over 10 years ago. Somehow last year... I got locked out of it... and with everything that was going on, I just could not find a way to get back in to edit or post new material. Today, Oct 8 2020... I did it... I managed to gain access once again.

I have just gone through and deleted all the SPAM comments. Now, there are some missing photo on some post. Need to fix that.

Will be creating a new HOME page that will be like an outline to the entire blog. And I have a new domain name I will be attaching to it once the updates and corrections are made.

Please forgive me for my absence. Ten plus years... lots can happen. Unexpected things can happen... things you never had on your bucket list. Along with Covid, 2020 has surprised me in ways that are nothing short of astrounding... I became an Actress... and am even being put up for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress to Frances McDormand???? WHAT??? Well, I can tell you that was never on my Bucket List. The day I met her on set, to begin filming with her the next day, was the first day I even knew her name. Having been on the road for a decade... I wasn't seeing a lot of movies and didn't know any of her's. I never saw any of her movies until after we wrapped filming Nomadland.

Since I began this blog I have lost track of some folk, a few have even passed away. But some are still in touch and in fact many of my nomad friends are in the movie with me. Linda May and Bob Wells and I were the main supporting non-actor actors in the movie. It will be out in a limited release on Dec 4, 2020.

Teaser Trailer... new longer trailer will be out soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVP7PNRx8Mw

Now that I am back in my blog, I will try to do a better job of keeping you all updated.

Swankie

P.S. Please note that my new domain name will be Swankie.actor.... well, why not?? LOL

Man you oughta see her fly…

2019-02-16T07:42:00.002-07:00

One of my all time favorite songs is “A Broken Wing” by Martina McBride. It speaks to my heart and soul. Early this morning it came to me that it seemed everyone in my life had been trying to break my spirit down, everyone but my beloved Grandmother, Olive Carlton and my one true love, David Swankie. They were the only ones who believed I could fly and encouraged me to do so. And they were right, I am flying now. Here are all the lyrics… and I will insert thoughts about my life.

She loved him like he was
The last man on Earth
Gave him everything she ever had
He'd break her spirit down
Then come lovin' up on her
Give a little then take it back

Yes, everyone (you define everyone) seemed to let me take a step forward but then push me back two steps. As a child, I always wanted to become a veterinarian but was told… “We don’t have money for college… learn to type, you can always get a job.” I was told, “you can’t wear horizontal strips… it makes you look fatter.” I was told “You can’t buy that white suit… it makes you look like an ice cream vendor.” The verbal abuse just never ended… and as a child and a teenager, I cried myself to sleep most nights. I cried for my absent father because surely life with him would be better. I felt suicidal… but could not tell anyone. I was not even allowed to take an aspirin for a headache and I suffered from migraines from a very early age. At 15, I walked into a doctors office right off the street, a doctor I didn’t know… and begged for help as the migraine made me feel like I was loosing my mind. Within my family, there was no help to be found… we were “Christian Scientists.”

She'd tell him 'bout her dreams
He'd just shoot 'em down
Lord he loved to make her cry
You're crazy for believin'
You'll ever leave the ground
He said only angels know how to fly

Yes, they made me feel like I would never leave the ground. As soon as I got out of high school… I was off to the Dakotas to find my absent father… because surely he would love me and let me fly. But once there, an in-law of his said… “Why don’t you go back where you belong, you are causing trouble here.” Go back where I belonged… where was that? I felt that surely I had been switched at birth. It never felt like I belonged anywhere, except at my Grandmother’s kitchen table… and she had her own family and her own life… I could not be a burden to her. So, broken-hearted once again, I left… keeping my eye over the sky. There must be a place for me… surely someone would love me.

And with a broken wing
She still sings
She keeps an eye over the sky
With a broken wing
She carries her dreams
Man you oughta see her fly

Dreams??? What dreams could I have? No money for college, no family support, no skills or training. I can’t even remember how, but I got a job (working for Layne Bryant as an inventory clerk) and began night school. I believed getting an education would turn things around for me. I rented a room near my school. I met a man in night school… and a few months later we were married in my Grandmother’s living room… cost $25 for the preacher, a sheet cake, my high school prom dress. Two years later, his job took us away from my hometown… we had our first child and began to travel the world… I was finally flying. From Indiana to Florida, to Europe, to Iran (where our second child was born), to the American West, to West Africa… I was flying.

One Sunday morning
She didn't go to church
He wondered why she didn't leave
He went up to the bedroom
Found a note by the window
With the curtains blowin' in the breeze

But something went wrong with my marriage and we broke up, and I crashed to the ground. Now I was uneducated, no skills, no training, no job… and the single mother of two little boys. I had a broken wing, my spirit felt crushed. Suicidal thoughts returned but I could not bear to leave my sons with such an image… so I kept flapping my wings.

And with a broken wing
She still sings
She keeps an eye over the sky
With a broken wing
She carries her dreams
Man you oughta see her fly

I kept flapping wings, and singing and dreaming… I guess it was a bad time for my sons… they don’t have good memories of their childhood. But I kept going to college, got degrees… and somehow in the meantime… they grew up and left home. By the time I earned my master’s degree, they were married and off on their own. How did all that happen? Where did all the flowers go??? Where had my little boys gone? Suddenly, I was a Grandma… but not the kind I wanted to be… not the kind my Grandma was to me. It felt like ….I'd tell them 'bout my dreams and they would just shoot 'em down. I asked, “Can I come watch the child open presents Christmas morning?” I was told… “Christmas morning was only for family.” Lord they seemed to love to make me cry. But…

With a broken wing
She carries her dreams
Man you oughta see her fly

So, I flew away from them all… I could not bear anymore heartache… so I flew away. If you don’t have a reason to stay, you must have a reason to leave. The void left in my heart by not being a part of the lives of my children and grandchildren would take some huge larger-than-life-itself kind of goals to survive… so I got a van… and set out to kayak America. In the process, I regained my sanity (I think?), regained my health, and began finding my true self. I was learning what it really meant to fly and set my spirit free.

I found a new family… vandwellers, who do support my dreams and even cherish them. They even call me an Inspiration. My vanily (van-family) gives me all the love and support I always thought my bio-family should give. Many of us out on the road feel that way, estranged. I am NOT alone.

I reached one dream to kayak America, all 50 states, on my 70th birthday… Hawaii. It was a grand day but only one of my sons celebrated that day with me. Now at 75, I am recovering from a total reverse shoulder replacement (a real broken wing?) and I am seeking a new dream, yet to be defined.

In spite of the heartaches of the past, I have somehow… become a star!!!

First, I was only one of many people interviewed for Jessica Bruder’s book, NomadLand (https://www.amazon.com/Nomadland-Surviving-America-Twenty-First-Century/dp/039324931X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=).

I took that photo of Jess on top of her van, the year she interviewed me for her book.

Second, then magically, a major movie role fell in my lap, in the fictionalized movie version of Jessica’s book, to be released in probably 2020, NomadLand, the Movie. The first news releases refer to me as a “star.” I thought it was just going to be a bit part as I never had any aspirations to become an actor. I guess I have finally learned to fly. This is requiring a major re-evaluation of my self-image. Major.

The film follows McDormand’s Oscar-winning role in Searchlight’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” David Strathairn, Linda May, and Charlene Swankie also star.

Imagine that, my friend, Linda May and I, are sharing top billing with greats like Frances McDormand and David Strathairn??? What the heck? Will wonders never cease?

Frances McDormand on set in Quartzsite, AZ – January 2019.

Never give up. When one door shuts, maybe another will open.
If a door opens, go through it and set your spirit free.

Press Release Feb. 2019: https://variety.com/2019/film/news/frances-mcdormand-nomadland-fox-searchlight-1203137650/

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Songwriters: James House / Phil Barnhart / Sam Hogin

A Broken Wing lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Quartzsite Gatherings, Winter 2018-19

2018-12-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

Just a quick overview of the major vandweller gatherings this winter. What, where, when and how. Not all inclusive by any means, just links to where you can find more information. (bits and pieces borrowed from Bob and Suanne.)

Women’s Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (WRTR): Jan 4-8, 2019

What: WRTR is part of Bob Well's CheapRVLiving organization. An extension of the WRTR, this Facebook group of women collectively share wisdom, skills and practical knowledge about the nomadic lifestyle. It is a safe and inclusive space for women of all backgrounds and circumstances to participate in mentoring, networking, sharing information and developing skills. The goal of the group is to create a virtual classroom and networking avenue in which all are encouraged to be both teacher and student, mentor and mentee. This group is open to women who have attended a Women's RTR, or plan to attend in the future -- http://www.cheaprvliving.com/womensrtr/

Where: Bouse AZ
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10217858649037847&set=gm.303689560259475&type=3&theater

Description of each area:

1) Limited Mobility: If you are handicapped, disabled, or have a limited mobility, go here. If a man is a woman-participant's caregiver, then camp here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/295188741109557/

2) Allies: Where women who share their rig with a male will hang out and camp. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/295326797762418/

Camps 3-13 are intended to be for women only.

3) Smoke- and Fragrance-Free: For women who are chemically sensitive. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/295992521029179/

4) Healthy Living Activities: For the woman making healthy lifestyle choices, regardless of were she is in her journey. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/296507987644299/

5) Art: For any type of artistic activities, except audio art. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/296919827603115/

6) Rainbow: For LGBTQ and friends, a supportive place. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/297301050898326/

7) Tenders: For women who sleep in their tents, especially geared for newbies to support one another. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/297669084194856/

8) Quiet: The most popular camp selection in the poll. Women may camp at more of a distance from one another. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/298109444150820/

9) Pet Owners: Join this camp for camaraderie with other animal lovers. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/298524470775984/

10) Little Noise: For shorter-duration quieter sounds, less than an hour, less than 60db, including music a very quiet generators. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/298893624072402/

11) Generators: For women who want to run their loud (more than 60db) or long-running (more than 1 hour) generators or engines. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/299524434009321/

12) Music: This camp will be for folks who play and listen to music for longer lengths of time. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/299742170654214/

13) Nature: For women who enjoy the company of others who also love exploring and learning about nature. https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/permalink/300060407289057/

When: January 4-8, 2019

How: For details go to Facebook WRTR – currently 1,498 members.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/womensrtr/?ref=bookmarks

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Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR): Jan 9-20, 2019
https://www.cheaprvliving.com/rtr/ (almost anything you need to learn about this lifestyle can be found on his site.)

What: Bob Wells started the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (commonly called the RTR) in January 2010. There were 45 of us that first year and we all had a great time. It was so great that we’ve been holding it annually ever since and it has grown larger every year.

There will be many very experienced vandwellers at the RTR and an even larger number of newcomers. That creates a perfect opportunity for learning, so we put on seminars most days covering basic subjects of interest to vandwellers.

Schedule is a work in progress… not finalized.

Where: Quartzsite, AZ

33.649045, -114.145593

Video on location: Bob’s Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osAVB9svWl0

RVTV Video (with internet upload and download speeds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaK0Gm5Q4Wc&t=6s

When: Jan 9-20, 2019

How: Getting a Special Use Permit makes that person responsible for what goes during the event–at the RTR, that someone is Bob Wells! If you do something wrong, first BLM will talk to you, but then they will come talk to Bob and issue him a warning. If he can’t control the group, BLM won’t allow us to gather! IT IS BOB’s CAMP, AND HE DOES EXPECT YOU FOLLOW THE RULES. If you insist on breaking the rules, the Ranger will be glad to enforce BLM rules.

Main CheapRVLiving.com web site: https://www.cheaprvliving.com/ (tons of resources and how to do info.)

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Tiny Care Living Resources:

Suanne Carlson’s Prius: https://suanneonline.blogspot.com/p/why-prius-rv.html

David Swanson: Luxury Living in a Prius: https://priusdwelling.wordpress.com/

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Swankie Wheels Blog: http://swankiewheels.blogspot.com/

Swankie Wheels Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/swankiewhls/

Summary of Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement (in progress)

2018-09-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

This is a post in progress...

Not easy just yet to type a lot on the computer but I am improving by leaps and bounds. I wanted to at least share that... but want to write a more detailed post as I get better and better day by day. The absence of pain has had a huge impact on me and I want to share that fully.

More to come.

Thank you all for your continued support. I could not have made it without you all.

Shoulder Surgery is on for 8/21/18

2018-07-29T15:52:00.000-07:00

Finally, I have a date for surgery. The surgeon can not tell me if I will have a regular Total Shoulder Replacement or a Reverse Shoulder Replacement, said he would not know until he gets into my shoulder but he will be prepared for either. Said the recovery time was about the same for both.

Today, I found a power recliner for only $70, but I do not have the $70 to buy it. It is in good shape. I know I will be more comfortable in a recliner than flat in my bed. My van bed it rather hard to get up out of. I am seeking funds to buy the chair… immediately. I only have $100 left and that has to buy food and gas between now and Aug. 15 payday. Surgery is 8/21.

See donation button to the right of this page. PayPal to charlene.swankie@gmail.com… make sure to tag it as “Send $ to Friends” gift, or PayPal will keep a chunk of it.

To complicate my life, the mail forwarding service I have used for ten years (MyDakotaAddress) has just unexpectedly shut down and I have to find a new address… anyone in SD who will let me use an address temporarily until I can get new service somewhere else. My Medicare card was in transit, my auto tabs are due… I need to submit a new address to those two places. No mail will be coming to your address, it is just to have a real physical address on file. With $100 left, I have no way to sign up for a new service before my surgery.

HELP.

Thank you for any consideration. I promise to pay it forward.

Back To The Wilderness - Van Repairs Made

2018-05-29T10:12:00.001-07:00

READERS TAKE WARNING… this is a BOOK, not a blog post.

I have finally departed my friend’s place in southeast Arizona where I have spent the last three months making repairs and alterations to my rig, in anticipation of having shoulder surgery and maybe being unable to continue life as I have known for the past ten years.

There were a number of changes that were needed.

Very little room to work, to pry to old one loose, clean off the metal, and replace with the new one, less than 5”.

1) Most important of all, while in Washington state in September, my roof vent began leaking badly. You can get major mold and mildew problems inside a van if you allow such a thing. I would at the least have to recaulk it… a major project with the cargo rack on top of the van…
and only five inches of space to work in between roof and cargo rack. But it was raining too hard for me to tackle the problem there, and no inside shelter/garage to work in, so I put plastic over it and headed south to dry country, abandoning the idea of having shoulder surgery in Washington state.

As I drove, thinking about how much work that was going to be, I realized it made no sense to do all that and re-install a nine-year old fan, so I decided to find the money somehow to buy a new fan. It came while I was camped in Ehrenberg, AZ and I went on to join the GalVanNation group at the RTR where I tackled the problem, and solved it. Very challenging and I twisted and turned this old body in ways I did not know it would go… and challenged my bum shoulder in ways it did not appreciate.

Only way to fit suitcase on top was to have it overlap the vent fan hole. Vent lid only opens 1/2 way with panel down, but all the way when panel is tilted up. It works. Also, wind can not blow the vent cover off.

2) My suitcase solar panel weighed 45 pounds and was big and bulky… and getting more and more difficult to lift in and out of the van or trailer and set up and move around. Since I decided I could no longer lift the kayak on and off the top of the van, I decided to permanently mount the suitcase up there in the kayak parking space. I consulted with Solar Bill’s first to make sure there was nothing technically wrong with that concept. Then the challenge was, how to get it up there without help. Luckily a friend came by to assist with that… and I secured it in place, however, not nearly secure enough, and wind came along and blew it off and it went crashing to the ground (in the middle of the night). I don’t know why, but it did not break. I re-mounted it… this time alone… and using bolts, washers and nuts instead of screws. I must have gone up and down that ladder hundreds of times.

Another friend helped me figure out a way to better secure the legs when it was in a tilted-up position. This has been a real challenge indeed, but I think it is good-to-go now. Nice having 290 watts of solar up there instead of only 130 watts.

I had installed a plug on the outside of the passenger door where the suitcase plugged in when it sitting on the ground. Now with the panel on the roof, I temporarily ran the wires down over the roof and plugged them in the same way, but later drilled a new hole in the roof, right above my battery bank and re-ran and reconnected the wires.

So that gave me 290 watts of solar to charge 345 ah of battery… when I mentioned that to a friend, he said he had a 60 watt panel I could have. I ordered a controller for it, and installed it on the remaining space available on the roof, bringing my system to 350 watts of solar for 345 ah of battery bank. Pretty good ratio, but I think I have done some damage to my batteries by trying to keep them charged using only 130 watt panel plus what they get off the alternator while I am driving.

Sometimes they get pretty low overnight just keeping the refridge and freezer working. I need to find the 110 cords for those appliances and connect to shore power whenever I can.

I may be looking at having to buy new batteries before long but will first check with Solar Bill in Quartzsite to see what the warranty covers. During surgery and recovery, I won’t be using them much and maybe they can get charged back up??? But, me thinks, the damage could be irreversible. Maximum charge reading I am getting on my Controller during full sun is 14.02… and I think it should go higher than that (like 14.4) in full sun mid day??? Last night (5/28) it dropped to 11.7 by bedtime. I started the engine a couple times to charge it back up a bit, but worrying kept me from sleeping very well. I reset the range on both refridge and freezer so they were not trying to stay as cold. This is a problem I will have to address soon.

3) Biggest physical issue I had to solve, however, was how to keep my kayak accessible and manageable during recovery and not be frustrated (I.e. loose my mind) by being unable to kayak at all. Full recovery for the surgery I am probably having could be a year. A year without kayaking… hard to imagine. So I came up with this idea of rebuilding the inside of my trailer so that I could have a chute on the floor of the trailer that the kayak would just slide into right off it’s cart, with no lifting other than an inch or two which I could do with my good arm alone.

Once the concept was worked out in my mind, I needed a place to unload most of the contents and get to work. I am the luckiest woman in the world to have a friend like Linda May. I had barely arrived at her place to ask if it might be possible to tackle that there, when she just straight out offered… as if she were reading my mind. It was a long and difficult process, of unloading, sorting, downsizing, deconstructing, constructing, and then somehow making it all fit again, but I did it.

It was in real bad shape.

Other projects including resealing the roof rack with high quality Roof Coating, resealing the trailer roof with what was left, installing the old vent fan in the trailer, and fixing peeling paint on the van so it didn’t look trashy. (still a work in progress as wet sanding is needed and then a good clear coat) But it looks pretty good right now.

Masking a Chevy van with blue painters tape does not always work… as it will peal more of the crappy paint off when you remove it. Have had that happen in a couple spots… and need to fix them, again. Still have more work to do which I hope to complete prior to surgery.

There were many more smaller projects I took care of during that down time, mending clothes and getting a tooth pulled, donating my bike and giving my bike rack away. No point in having an old bike hanging out in the weather for a long long time, when I might not even be able to lift it on and off the rack again anyway, and also the bike rack itself is very heavy. Time to let go. One day, in the future, I may have to upgrade to an e-bike, and/or folding bike that can be stored inside the trailer.

But finally all the major projects were done, Southeast Arizona was getting really really hot and I was ready to hit the road again, back to the wilderness.

May 18, I headed into the Chiricahua Mountains, to explore a totally new-to-me area. Saw a coyote along the road but I was not fast enough to get a photo. Saw many Century Agave Plants, maybe dozens or hundreds. Also this plant??? Feels good to get away finally and just be thinking of nature.

Stopped at Leslie Canyon… walked a short distance but not the full 2 miles, as my van and trailer were parked on the road. I would like to hike it one day.

All that for those little bitty fish.

Continuing on the way, I also saw lots of deer and wild turkey.

I drove to the end of 74E and found Rucker Forest Camp Campground. I took the last spot at end of the road and was the only person in camp. Perfect. The air was good, it smelled of pine. I was enjoying hearing wind blow through the tree tops instead of just blowing against my van with nothing at all to buffer it. LOL I had no internet signal.

Wait, here comes Grandma and Grandpa with a small one in tow. They took the two spots next to me, reserving one for people to come later. Who knew setting up a small folding travel trailer would take so much banging or that one itty bitty little boy could holler so loud for so long? Well, at least no one can have fires.

By morning there were two more cars there. Being a Friday night when I arrived, I anticipated that might be the case, so I only paid for one night. So, I dropped the trailer there and went exploring, until 2pm checkout. There was suppose to be a lake nearby with dispersed camping… and I went it search of it. I took FS 628… which is “NOT maintained for passenger cars” but found I could not get through with the van and certainly not towing the trailer. I think the lake was up that way.

At this point, I decided against going farther. I walked a bit farther and turned back.
Later I found this information about the “lake.”

This camp is located at the end of a Forest road that wanders up Rucker Canyon into the Chiricahua high country. Campsites are situated on both sides of the road in a stand of big trees that include ponderosa pine, Apache pine and Arizona cypress. This is bear country, so you’ll want to take advantage of the bear proof food boxes for storing your cooler and any other odorous items. On the way to Rucker Forest Camp, you’ll pass old Rucker Lake bed, which silted in after the Rattlesnake Fire in 1994. Rucker Creek still runs nearby. Closer to the campground, a number of Forest trails offer opportunities to explore the Chiricahua Wilderness high on the upper slopes.

So I turned around, parked and had breakfast. At least I was getting some peace and quite which is what I was seeking. Then I decided to write awhile. I still had to tackle a very bad stretch of road to get out of there. Next I went on to scout out a couple more roads… FS 4243 and 4244, 4245… these too looked problematic.

I found a Fire Station, not on the map, near those roads. That lake I was looking for was also not on the map, but I think was up at the end of FS 628. I think there are places the F.S. no longer wants people to go. It is frustrating. I spotted some small yellow finches and heard woodpeckers nearby.

Returning to my campsite, I found no other campers in the campground before Rucker, or in Rucker itself, save the folks next to me???? WTF??? They could have stayed farther way from me. I hooked up the trailer and headed out to one of the boondocking spots I had just found. It was a good spot and I found these strange fungi.

But, I had this creepy feeling all night long… and thought I heard a vehicle pull up and doors close. Saw no one. Middle of night I heard two knocks on my van but no one was there. That happens each time I am parked somewhere that doesn’t feel right. I woke early and just decided to head out. Vandweller rule #1… if it feels creepy, leave. Drove to Sunnyzona… and parked there awhile at a restaurant… and wrote and caught up on internet and checked my bank balances, until finally the urge to head north and get to CO before I ran out of gas money overpowered me. I figured I might just have enough $ to get me there. At least I would be closer to surgeons for appointments and such and it was bound to be cooler.

I was being plagued by bug bites of unknown origin. I got several night before leaving Linda’s. I got a new one the next night. I believe I am going to have to tear my whole bed out and do a good cleaning and vacuuming. I have looked and looked, shook things out, etc. I can’t find anything. This, in itself, is a lot of work for this old shoulder. OK, as of 5/28, I have washed all my bedding, emptied the left wheel well storage box and vacuumed it as best I could, swept out the whole bed area, swept and vacuumed under the drivers seat as it seemed the last bite happened after I drove last time. I killed one bug, now identified as a Kissing Bug http://kissingbug.tamu.edu/found-a-bug/. I have had no other bites since. That is a bad bad bug.

I wrote the surgeon in Colorado Springs and requested an appointment as soon as possible. The letter was received in their office on 5/25. I mailed all my shoulder medical history. It might take a couple months to get an appointment but at least I am closer and cooler. I will follow-up with a phone call to surgeon’s office after Memorial Day.

Southeast Arizona is just too hot, although up in the Chiricahua Mountains it was only about 73f. But can I find a place I want to stay awhile? I had mail come after I left, and I need to get a dental spacer made for the tooth I had pulled, it is healing but needs more healing time. I was tempted to head north anyway, have the spacer made in CO and have someone get my mail and forward it on to me. I was ready to go… don’t want to go south again when I need to go north????

What to do? Explore? Think? Sleep? Kill bugs????? Well, it was too dammed hot in southeast Arizona to do any of that, so north won out.

First four bites I found, one on check bone… two on eye lid and one above eye brow. Later that day I found three more, one on that shoulder (imagine sleeping with your head leaning on that shoulder… areas are very close to each other) and one on that collar bone, and one on that elbow.

Now I have no idea how to get my birthday present or where to go next. I stopped to visit another shoulder patient who raises Icelandic ponies… and that has been cool. She kindly allowed me to camp on her ranch until after Memorial Day. Check out her website: Lough Arrow Icelandics - http://www.coloradoicelandics.com/. Hug a pony. LOL

I have begun reading Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey… boy can I relate to this book. I am not a reader… Abbey’s books are some of the few I bother trying to read. I tried to sit out at picnic table and read last night but bugs drove me back to the safety of my van. I don’t even know if they wanted to bite me, but I wasn’t waiting to find out. Guess all the bites I got had me feeling paranoid.

But, moral to the story is, don’t ever let them tell you old ladies can’t do stuff. I turned 74 this week. LOL

Hope to give a review of all of 2017 in my next post. Sorry for the delay, but I been kind of busy and challenged to the max. BUT, not bored, no, not bored.

Grateful for Help Received (3/24/2018)

2018-03-24T09:18:00.001-07:00

March 1, I found myself pretty far away from everyone I knew. I had budgeted just enough money for gas to reach the next location where I hoped to stay put and work on the van. Suddenly, I realized… I was BROKE. How can one not know that is about to happen??? Well, for me, it was stupidity. I had failed to make note of the re-occurring Amazon Prime annual fee of about $100…. and had not cancelled it. Now, taking into consideration the automatic Electronic Fund Transfers already set up for the rest of the month, I was left with only $40… and had no way of getting to the next destination.

Also, my shoulder pain was increasing to the point it was causing my Blood Pressure to be elevated and I needed to buy a blood pressure monitor to keep an eye on it. In addition, I had infections in both ears which began from allergies… and I had co-pays for meds to cure that problem, I did not feel I had the money for all that, so decided to sit in that drug store parking lot and try to figure it out. The itching was about to drive me mad.

I felt stuck, desperate. Was I going to have to sit in this parking lot and wait three weeks for my March 21 payday??? I felt like a trapped wild animal. I decided to ask for help, not an easy thing for me to do, as stubbornly independent as I am. So, I sent out a plea, asking only for $5 or $10, to the contacts in my Google email, trying carefully to eliminate people I didn’t know, or who I knew were not in a position to help, or businesses, etc. I didn’t do a perfect job of that I guess. LOL

The response was immediate and gratifying. Also a bit scary. Two people whose email addresses sounded familiar, came back at me with a lot of hate, calling me names and telling me to grow up. One said, it was the second time in seven years I had begged him for money. I forgot what the other said, but he was also hateful. All the others renewed my faith in humanity and gave me hope. One wrote me yesterday, saying she finally managed to get the service dog I helped her with financially. Friends help friends. That’s what we do.

First my regular budget update for the month.

Budget Update

Month / Pay Period	Fast Food	Meals Out	Gasoline	Groceries
Sep 20- Oct 17	51.87	34.92	432.27	164.72
Oct 18 Nov 14	76.04	53.89	144.70	175.81
Nov 15 – Dec 19	48.25	47.04	325.47	351.26
Dec 20 – Jan 17	28.02	36.35	182.40	262.24
Jan 18 - Feb 20	35.51	36.32	260.00	153.37
Feb 21 – Mar 20	48.89	14.23	233.10	131.06

These are not by any means my only budget items. My monthly Electronic Fund Transfers for bills come to: $295.00 monthly. I can’t change much of those right now. I tried to cancel my gym membership, but Planet Fitness said I could not, unless I paid for the remainder of the contract. This is not what they told me when I joined and I am planning to try and fight this as there are no gyms near where I boondock.

So, here is an accounting of my expenses since 3/1 when my plea went out.

Supplies - $100.00
Groceries/meals out – $105.00
Solar supplies – $13.75
Gasoline – $141.21
P.O. Box/postage – $43.00
Kayak Chute Supplies – $100.00

None of that would have been possible without the help I received. Thank you again.

Major changes to my rig:

Kayak Chute: For nine years I have loaded my kayak on top of my van. It was difficult at best. With pending shoulder surgery and a very long recovery, I had to find a better way to manage the 53-pound bulky boat. Building a box on the floor of my trailer in order to slide the kayak into the trailer without any overhead lifting is the only solution I could come up with. Lifting the kayak overhead may not be possible after the surgery, so I want to prepare for that possibility so I can continue to be independent and keep kayaking. This week I accomplished that due to financial assistance I received.

Once it was all helter-skelter in there, and whatever I needed was always under something else. Now things are compartmentalized, and the kayak slides easily in and out with only a couple inches of lifting, which I can do with one arm.

No more of this:

Still to do – Peeling van paint: Finish fixing peeling paint on the van. Hard to do with shoulder situation so I bought an oscillating sander to assist. My last major adaptation. I like to keep the van looking neat and clean. These Chevy vans were really bad about paint peeling off. I keep postponing this as it hurts a lot to do it.

New thought: I now carry 3 six gallon jugs of water… when I make camp. That is 48 pounds per jug. Most the places I buy water sell five gallons for $1.00, so I began just getting the five gallons instead of six. But even the 40 pounds is getting too hard to lift. I need to find a way to have a water supply on hand that does not involve me lifting those jugs. I just might not be able to do it after surgery. I am looking for affordable solutions now. A friend is going to share plans for her system.

Van work needed: I still need to replace the power steering fluid pump on the van and have the name of a trusted mechanic I will check with this week. I have the pump donated by a supporter. Big O tires also said I need a lot of front end work to keep my van from eating my front tires. I had to buy two cheap new ones a couple months ago to feel safe and get by. The estimate from Big O tires was over $2,000, for things like Pitman arm, etc. Same Big O gave a friend of mine the same estimate on his van… he said his van was not even worth that. I am going to see what this local mechanic thinks, as I think my van is worth that to me… it is my home, the only one I really ever want to have. If you wish to help with van work, you can use the donation button on the right.

I have thoughts of setting up a Patreon account to raise funds for the van work needed. In the nine years I have had the van (and 100,000 + miles), I have only replaced the water pump, and tires. I have driven places and gotten into situations I should probably not have gotten into… but I need to keep this machine working… and make it last me the rest of my life??? I would be selling notecards, reprints of my art work, maybe some original art and possibly some vandwelling mentoring sessions… where newbies could come camp with me for a week. Any thoughts?

Another new thought? Most likely the first few months after shoulder surgery, I will have to sleep in a recliner. I really don’t want to spend that time inside a nursing home or someone’s sticks and bricks house any longer than necessary, so I have begun thinking about getting a recliner inside my van. My bed is easily removed… and if a recliner will fit (it will have to be a power recliner or one with a left handed leaver)… I will find/get one… some way.

I CAN and I WILL do this. (And I have not given up my Arizona Trail hike dream… but all the rest of this has kind of put it on the back burner.)

Thanks go out to all the generous supporters and I pray the trolls get a life and find some happiness out there. (Don’t worry, Trolls, you have been removed from my Google Contacts.) I am humbled by the support I have received and will pay it forward.

Maybe I should buy land here… southeast Arizona????
(and call it home)
========================

HipStar™: The World's Best Hands-Free Travel Cart

2017-11-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Posted first by Igor Koshutin (Creator); re-posted by Swankie.

HipStar™ - Hands-Free Travel Cart
(watch video - https://youtu.be/VmQe0wY_U5g)

Hey Backers,

Today we have another great supporter - Charlene Swankie (AKA "SwankieWheels"). Charlene is living on Social Security, but she is living life to the fullest, camping full-time in a home built camper van. Here is a bit of her back story:

In 2005, Charlene could not walk and was shopping for a wheelchair. She then had bilateral knee replacements and two years of physical therapy. She has had to learn how to walk all over again. Soon, she began biking and running. In 2008, she was feeling so fit, got bored, bought a kayak, learned to kayak and set off to Kayak America. Charlene's goal was to kayak all 50 states, and she completed her 50th state, Hawaii, on her 70th birthday! She is now 74 and recently began looking for a new goal and decided on a solo hike of the 800-mile long Arizona National Scenic Trail (or Arizona Trail). She is working hard to prepare for that challenge. Charlene has wilderness and outdoor experience, having studied and hiked with Paul Petzoldt (founder of the National Outdoor Leadership School - NOLS) in the 1970s, but that was 40 years ago. A lot of retraining is required.

Here is what Charlene wrote:
“I struggle to get ready for the hike due to limited finances, and also a bad shoulder. That is why HipStar™would be so important to me. I am seeking a second opinion this month on the shoulder to determine what I need to do about it and how much recovery time will be required. My goal to hike the AZ Trail felt aimless... and I kept searching for a purpose for doing it. I wanted a goal that was bigger than life itself, like kayaking all 50 states was, but I couldn't find one until I connected with HipStar™. Needless to say, I am extremely excited about this new challenge... of working with HipStar™ to make the wilderness more accessible to seniors and those mildly physically challenged!

One problem I see is, the Arizona Trail Association doesn’t allow carts!!! Why??? They allow bikes, and horses, and unicycles? I know I could not use it on the ground through the Grand Canyon Angel Trail, but that's what is so great about your HipStar™ design, I can roll it where possible and backpack in other places. I intend to fight this with the AZ Trail Association and get permission to use HipStar™! I am going to contact the Americans With Disabilities group and get them behind me in fighting the park and trail systems, to allow these carts. ACCESSIBILITY is supposed to be provided for all and not allowing seniors to use the cart is discrimination! I might even fight them to the point of getting arrested and jailed for refusing to be forced off the trail for using the cart. And I certainly would bring in the press if that happened.”

Then we discussed this subject. I told her that I was also going to apply for special permission to use HipStar™ on restricted trails as soon as HipStar™'s design is completed, tested and first product rolls out production line. But, of course, I had no idea what stages I have to undertake. So, we agreed to join efforts and outline the plan. I am sure many of you would support us!

Then Charlene wrote:
“I am very excited about the idea of doing battle with the Park Service and other trail associations on behalf of all Seniors who wish to continue to enjoy the outdoors. I think this could be a wonderful partnership between HipStar™ and the senior community. Let’s continue to explore the possibilities!”

Charlene has written about her kayaking adventures and pre-visits to Arizona Trail trailheads, and also about life on the road for the past decade as a full-time vandweller.

Charlene Swankie : http://swankiewheels.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swankie.wheels

Please visit the HipStar™ website for more details.

Also support them on HipStar™. HipStar is a collapsible cart that makes it easy to move heavy items over any type of terrain and can be used as a backpack if needed. The HipStar™ is a project of our passion in striving to help people achieve full mobility with only the power of two legs and accomplish physical feats they never thought possible – no matter if they’re young or old. It will be an affordable way to make travels more enjoyable.

The Awakening of Swankie (being all I can be… to me)

2017-10-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself. If you want to eliminate the suffering of the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation. Lao-tzu

Left Monterey, CA yesterday morning arriving in Paso Robles, CA where I may stay a few days. Away from anyone I know, away from doctors, just away. Last night I parked in a large parking lot not far from Walmart. Used to be a Kohl’s store there but it is closed now. One other camper in lot. It was quiet and I rested and caught up on stuff. Got the ladder out and cleaned off my solar panel, and took the plastic off the roof vent, as I doubt I will get any rain here and I need the air flow. I will fix the leak soon, when I get out to open spaces.

So, I woke this morning thinking, I’m nobody to no one – no one’s mother, daughter, sister, wife, lover, friend. No one. OK, then so I need to be all that to and for myself.

The people I have loved the most, have hurt me the deepest. In some cases so deep that I can not to bear to think of them or be with them anymore. I could not be to them what I wanted to be to them or what they wanted me to be. I CAN be all that to me and if I work hard and fast I will be able to leave the second-best legacy behind for them – the genealogy I have spent 1/2 a century working to collect. Statistics say I have 15 years left, well, probably more as I’m a lot healthier than most living 73-year olds.

Feels good, fresh, starting over at will. No obligations to others, just me! Take the best care of me that I can. Be the best I can be. That felt hopeless before, but with the recent involuntary weight loss (caused by the removal of a hormone-secreting benign tumor in my right airway, blocking air flow to my right lung) I have hope that I can be all that – to me, for me. Yes, it is time to be selfish and it is o.k. to be selfish.

So, I better get busy. Today, I am working on genealogy notes laying around on my desk. Be gone, notes, be gone.

On the road again... heading to southern Califonia (Sept. 25, 2017)

2017-09-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

Have visited with family and friends in Washington State, Oregon and northern California. (Me with Lois Middleton)

My granddaughter and a Gypsy Vanner.

Now heading south to take care of health issues (follow-up with lung doctor and another bronchoscopy) for myself and get back to my plans for hiking the Arizona Trail.

More blog posts will follow soon. I hope you have not been too lonely in my absence.

Mayflower Ship to America

2017-08-05T12:10:00.002-07:00

In three years, one month and 11 days, the replica of the Mayflower ship will set sail to America. Three of my ancestors were on board the original: Richard Warren, James Chilton, and Mary Chilton.

http://www.mayflower400uk.org/

Some of my relatives have expressed interest in joining the Mayflower Society to commemorate the 400th Anniversary. I have complied the information I have on hand that may help Beaty relatives, descendants of Mary Chilton (suppose to have been the first female to step foot on Plymouth Rock), fill out their applications for membership. I have created a .pdf file of this information and will make it available to my relatives if they send their information to me at charlene.swankie@gmail.com.

I have only complied the lineage from James Chilton's daughter Mary and down. You must be a member of that line to get my file as it contains documents of more recent relatives.

You will still have some work to do. It has taken some people two years to get approved. I, personally, am not a member and have little interesting in "joining" groups of any kind. So you best get busy if that is your goal... to join by the 400th Anniversary.

Joining Mayflower Society: https://www.themayflowersociety.org/join/membership-information

Read more about the Mayflower Story - http://www.mayflower400uk.org/education/the-mayflower-story/

Getting My Kicks on Route 66

2017-06-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

Ha, I live on Route 66. I just got a P.O. Box and that is the address. HA! I just think that is funny. The story behind it, not so much.

I came to the mountains near Flagstaff AZ to escape the heat of lower elevations. I needed to get onto free boondocking lands where I could begin finalizing plans to hike the Arizona Trail, unloading my trailer, repairing gear, fixing stuff, etc., without having to do it in public area. Fine, found all that, now to get a place to receive packages since people are beginning to send me gear off my Amazon Backpacking Wish List (http://a.co/j7L6J5a ).

I had been told by another vandweller that some folks got mail in Parks. So, I went there and asked at the gas station near Exit 178 off I40, about receiving General Delivery and packages. I didn’t know there was another option at the time. One would think they would tell you if there were any restrictions as to the type of packages they could accept, USPS, UPS, FEDEX, etc., I asked, but they didn’t tell. So I got the proper wording for the address and got on line and put it in Amazon and sent it to my SD mail service. Two friends ordered gifts off Amazon, and immediately got word back there was a problem with the address. (WTF??? Excuse me.)

Well, I went back in at 10am Sat. (Mail counter only open til noon on Sat.) to pick up the 2 packages, but they were not there. But UPS tracking showed they were there, received on 6/15 and signed for by the owner. I left, double-checked the one UPS tracking number, and returned insisting that the owner signed for it on 6/15 at 4:57pm. They gave me ONE package then. Turns out it was not the one I was expecting and so I checked that tracking number and learned it was delivered the same day as the first one. So where was the first one??? I went back again... they had hid them from me, not putting a notice in General Delivery folder for me, until they could talk to me and tell me NOT to have packages delivered there, not even if I rented a P.O. Box from them. O.K., they been talking to me about this for two hours now, where is my other package??? Finally, after standing and staring at the owner for 15 minutes, she casually says to the gal in the mail room, will you get her other package for her???? Only USPS packages would be accepted for me there. Well, I had discussed that with them in advance too… that ordering from Amazon, you had no way to select which carriers would be used. One employee had even told me to call Amazon Customer Service and talk to them. I told them there was no phone number for that… and she insisted there was. I double-checked Amazon site and could not find one.

Altogether, I spent three hours going back and forth, getting on line, checking up on tracking numbers, only to find they could have given the packages to me at 10am and I would have been out of their hair. So by 1:30pm, I was finished with them and on down the road to the General Store to rent a box there.

Parks in the Pines General Store, an old photo from their Facebook page..
Established in 1906

That stove, neat thing… it’s a replica and it is electric.

So, back (I had had breakfast there after not finding my packages at the other place – a Super Burrito-made two meals of that) at Parks in the Pines General Store (Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ParksStoreandDeli/) I rented a box. This is a brand new service… they are now an official Postal Annex… and so new, that many of the boxes are still unrented and the software is still being learned by the people working there. I got to pick my own box number… just by looking to see which were empty. These folks, Cary and Susan Asel, are great and so very sweet. Susan even offered to let me leave my rig there free while I am section-hiking the Arizona Trail.

They also have a Deli there and the food is really very very good (got a Hawaiian Pizza last week to take back to camp and made four meals out of it.).

There is a sitting area inside and outside. And you can call in to order food in advance or to go. Great deli…. http://route66historicparksgeneralstore.com/deli-special-s.html … see their menu.

I asked it I could call in weekly to see if I had mail, since it’s over seven miles one way from camp, and Cary said I could call in anytime. By this time, he is using my first name, like he had known me forever. And they will also email me when mail comes in. What service! I think they are capitalizing on the lack of service and bad karma given out at the other place. I overheard men at the tables outside talking about how great it was to have this new Postal Annex run by caring people.

Oh, also, they have hitching racks outside for horses and do get riders. I also noticed a lot of motorcycles stopping by. This is my new home. I’m adopting all of them.

They even filled a six gallon water jug for me, and Susan carried it to my van because she saw I was having trouble with my shoulder. I offered to pay for the water since everyone in this area has to pay to have water hauled in, but they would not take my money. I am trilled to find such nice people here. I plan to hob-knob a bit with the locals and see if I can’t arrange shuttle service to trailheads in the area. I have a feeling some of these folk would love to help me with my goal to hike the entire 800 mile long Arizona Trail.

The other place gets NO MORE of my business. NOPE.

Yes, I am having my kicks on Route 66. So if ever you are out looking for your kicks on Route 66, don’t pass up Parks in the Pines General Store (http://route66historicparksgeneralstore.com/). It is a true treasure.

Return to the Water–Kayaking the Colorado River. (edited 5/25)

2017-05-24T11:57:00.000-07:00

Oh, my, returning to the water is a marvelous thing. I was immediately greeted by this duck couple at Willow Beach Marina. Lots of families hang out here and feed them so they expected me to also. Willow Beach was nice and a small cove off to the right was suggested by a kayak river guide as a good place for a beginner’s first lesson/experience. A little tame for me, be nice without a lot of people that day.

Leaving Willow Beach, I paddled upriver toward Hoover Dam. It was windy that day, and being my first day back on the water in months, I didn't want to do too much and it was already after 3pm. If it is windy, the weight of the kayak cart helps hold the front of the kayak down, otherwise, it slaps against each wave, making a very annoying sound. My brother had described (or tried to) these giant vessels... but I could not imagine – they are motorized rafts. There were maybe a dozen of them here in the Willow Beach Harbor. No people.

Also saw some Stand Up Paddle boarders. I like that sign. Even so, there was a boat heading out of the Harbor a little too fast. I guess south of the Harbor, they are allowed.

Lots of these little Black-Throated Grebes around, with bright red eyes. I had never seen one before. The photo below is one I borrowed from the internet. Wouldn’t that be something to see – with the baby on board???

Finally caught up with Bev again in Kingman and we went exploring for water nearby where she could have her Maiden Voyage of her brand new kayak. Water was difficult to get to, but we enjoyed exploring desert life along the way. A baby barrel cactus we spotted and there were many in the area… some very large.

Made it all the way down this long road and steep hill to the water's edge at Cottonwood Cove/Arizona Cove, only to find few places to park and a lot of people taking up those few campsites. There was about a six foot drop-off to the water, and no way to safely launch boats there. We kept exploring. Before leaving, Bev Schindler Wooley, just had to dip her toes in the Colorado River. Probably about 60 degrees or so.

Oh, wait, what’s that???? Wild burrows. There was another one off camera to the left. Cool. On the right is Cottonwood Road coming off Highway 93 north of Kingman. It was the road we had to go down to get to that water probably a drop of about 2,000 ft. in only a few minutes. Way too steep for me to take my van and trailer down and back up again. Linda May had camped down there somewhere, but I could not risk it in my rig. Bev Schindler Wooley had a little trouble getting her 4-wheel drive truck back up it, without a load. We stopped near the top for photos and went on to Topock Marsh.

Bev and I experimented around with loading both kayaks on top of her truck and finally worked it out. Her’s is the smaller dark boat, and that rack is difficult for one person to load a kayak on alone.

Photos by Bev Wooley.

Almost sunset and some great photo ops. Finally we made it to the Topock Marsh which is one of the larger bird watching sites found in the Lower Colorado River Valley, located south of Hoover Dam in the Colorado River Delta in Mohave County, Arizona. Still water and a great spot for Lesson #1. Bev Schindler Wooley

Two photos above by Bev Wooley. My favorite place, Swankie at home in the Toolies.

I sure do like the water, even this murky still water. We did not see a lot of birds, but heard them. Mostly Red-Winged Blackbirds. I got a little video footage I tried to load, but FB and Blogger do not like the format. I will try to figure out how to load it here.

Lesson #2 of kayaking for Bev Schindler Wooley, launching from Willow Beach, AZ, just south of Hoover Dam. There she goes... she is off on her first real kayaking adventure. I am proud to have been a part of this experience. Wonderful to find someone who appreciates this type of activity to the same degree I do. Along the way we saw a marker on the river for an Historic site, so we came ashore to go check it out. A short walk up the hill and we were there.

Taken from a National Park Service site:

From artifacts found along the Colorado River, Willow Beach might have been a prehistoric trading center. The Basket maker Indians from Lost City started camping at Willow Beach around 250 B.C. For a while, only the Amargosa people, from the areas to the west, came. Possibly by 750 A.D., the late Basket maker people were visiting the area again. Sea shells, steatite, and asphaltum from the Pacific Coast were traded for salt, pottery, textiles and other items from the interior. After 1150 A.D., the Shoshoneans mainly camped at Willow Beach.

Take Out Point to Hike Up to Historic Site

On top the hill we found a plaque saying this was a River Gauge Station, and the Gauge Masters house and garage. Neat.

Photos by Bev Wooley.

He had a cable that went across the river and several times a day he would have to pull himself out over the middle of the river and check the height/depth of the water. OK, sight-seeing done, we are headed to that gap. Bev Schindler Wooley had set that as her goal for the day.

Another duck. Probably has a nesting female on shore in those bushes. On the right was an rock overhang, maybe a cave? A whole group of kayakers on a tour had stopped in the shade there for lunch.

We rested a bit in this shade of this very tall rock wall. Bev Schindler Wooley in front of me. Such interesting rock formations and very clear water.

Photo of me (white hat) by Bev Wooley.

While I was enjoying taking photos this motorized touring raft went zipping by... and the wake almost caught me off guard. I was not even watching Bev Schindler Wooley as she handled her first experience with a large wake... she did it like a pro. She's a natural. We made it to the Willow Beach Gauging Station. We were told some goats should be right past it.

The last motorized Colorado River raft was empty, but this one was packed. A guide was giving a talk and I tried to get close enough to hear, but could not make much out. But the folks on board were having fun. No life jackets. I found that curious. Kayaking guide had told me north of Willow Beach you could get a ticket for not wearing one. Guess that doesn't apply to people who pay to be on the water.

Bev Schindler Wooley going past the Gauge Station. Yes, that is a big wall of rock.

And there they are. At least four goats in this photo if you can find them. One is in the center on top of the big rock.

Bev Schindler Wooley was like a kid in a candy store... she said she had accomplished all she hoped to for the day. Still in search of the Big Horned Sheep though.

Photos by Bev Wooley.

On the way back, I did a bit of kayak spelunking.

One of the goats come down to drink until a thoughtless kayaker got too close and scared it away. We are not suppose to disturb wildlife or interrupt what they are doing and where they are going. Getting a drink of water in the desert is key to survival. On the right, we are heading back south again.

But first we had to check out Emerald Cave or Cove. Really wasn't very big inside, I am up against the back wall, Bev Schindler Wooley was just inside a bit but I like the way the light was turning the water Emerald all around her. Lots of photos on line taken at this same location.

Photos by Bev Wooley.

Now, I am brave, but would not walk on that overhanging walkway. Nope. Not in this lifetime. But the walkway was fascinating and some Barrel cactus were hanging off the side of the mountain. Bev Schindler Wooley had to get a photo of them.

As we got back near our take out point, we saw this mama with six babies.

I can’t really express how very much I enjoyed being back on the water again. I had been told the paddle from base of Hoover Dam to Willow Beach was about 12 miles and an easy paddle. I was concerned the current might be too strong for a beginner, but now I wish we had taken that route. Arizona Hot Springs is inside a cave, on the River, at about mile marker 3. I would like to have gone there. We might have to do this next week. Here is what one blogger posted about the hot springs.

Now preparing my gear list for the Arizona Trail Hike and hope to begin it a little later this summer when I have everything all together. Also working on the logistics of where to leave the trailer, where to park the van (hoping for maybe six key locations along the route), and where to resupply or send mail drops. Once I have all that, I will post specifics in case anyone can help with out with gear or ground support.

Back Home Again... in the DESERT (May 2017)

2017-05-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

Joshua Trees at Sunrise

After four months living in sticks and bricks helping a friend and a small medical scare that turned out to be a little benign tumor in my airway, I am back home again where I belong. I am a very happy camper. (turns out that thing was what was making me cough all the time) Doctors have advised me to keep away from campfires and forest fires so I will not be allowed to return to campground hosting work. And I will not be able to grind and polish anymore rocks without a professional respirator/filter. SOOOO... sometimes our lives take a surprising turn, but it's all good.

Caught up with van dweller/now sticks and Bricks dweller, Bryce. He has a great little place north of town... and has tamed it... note green grass and his rose bushes.

We walked downhill into this Wheeler Canyon... then along the canyon past a slot, then back up another road to a ridge and along the ridge returning to the car. It was a long hike, 3 hrs??? Loved it. Bryce is great company and a good hiking buddy.

Bryce heading down Wheeler Canyon

Sometimes nature is a little gross. A rabbit head.

Then, on the other hand, nature gives you this wild beauty.

Look, a slot canyon.

There is this BFR (Archaeology speak for "Big F_ _ _ ing Rock")
wedged in the slot. Neat.

Bryce inside the slot canyon.

Looking straight up from inside the slot.

Looking straight down on Google Earth.

I came, I saw, I conquered. Well it almost conquered me, but after a one-hour nap, I bounced back.

People sometimes bury ashes in the desert and leave memorials. A little farther on we found a recent one for some one's dog. In the slot canyon there were a couple more up inside a hole in the wall of the slot.

I love horses and wild horses especially. Found traces, this dung was fresh, but no horses. Oh, I would so love to have them visit my camp.

In spite of the wind, wind almost blew my heavy suitcase solar panels away, I was able to cook my supper in the solar oven once. Gosh I love the solar oven. I am so happy to be back in the wilderness, and even happier that Bryce showed me some other spots farther up the mountain where I could camp. There was even fresh wild horse dung up there... so I may move up there for a couple nights in hopes of seeing them. I'll be spending more time here in the future.

Horse tracks and dung everywhere, but no horses. One camper told me he had not seen any in three weeks. As it gets hotter and dryer, they go higher in the mountains where there is more water. Here is one I saw a few years ago when I camped here, pre-RTR days.

Wild horse near Pahrump, 2010.

Awesome flowers everywhere. Some folk see the desert as boring and dab and brown. You have to get out and walk around to find these colorful little treasures.

I am always intrigued to find mushrooms in the desert.

My grandmother had Pussy-Willow bushes in her yard. These blooming Creosote bushes remind me of Pussy-Willows. In the background off the the left you can see my white rig.

I love camping among the Joshua Trees.

Sometimes the most amazing things are very small. You have to get out there and walk about slowly to see them.

Thanks for hiking with me, Bryce.

I do so love being back in the desert wilderness. I can never live in a city again.

So, now I am making final preparations for hiking the Arizona Trail, trying to work out all the logistics, where to store the trailer, where to leave the van, if I will leave it at various points along the way, so that it's not far away should plans change, or whatever. Lots of details. Still need some gear... i.e. trekking poles, a better side-opening tent, better rain gear, and a few other things. Just this week there was a large fire in Passage 5 area... closing 45,000 acres, and closing the trail. So, all that needs to be taken into consideration as well. But being unable to go to the camphosting job I had accepted for this season, gives me time to do all this planning and get it all worked out, and to train. This is going to happen.

If you have offered to help be ground support and are available this fall for that, please email me and tell me what areas you can assist with. Charlene.swankie@gmail.com (Stalkers need not apply. LOL)

Finding My Mojo, Again: Return to the Desert.

2017-04-20T12:38:00.002-07:00

After several months helping a friend on the California Coast, I have returned to the desert.

My natural bio-clock says wake with the sun, live a full productive day, and retire with the sun. That's been out of whack since December visiting my friend, but I am slowly returning to my natural rhythm. Doing otherwise will make you ill and drive you mad. We all should have been taught to take better care of ourselves than that.

I wasn't taught to take care of myself. Only my grandmother had any sense about this... she would say things like... we should not eat any white foods, white flour, and especially white sugar. I'm learning how right she was about that. She had a lot of wisdom about such things but tried not to interfere in my Mom raising us. Too bad. I wish I could go back and pick her brain now.

Anyway, I'm on my way from CA to Vegas to see my brother and from there to Arizona where I will finish prepping to hike the 800-mile long AZ Trail. Due to my lung situation, doctors are not permitting me to return to working in campfire/forest fire environments, so I can now pursue other "bucket list" items. LOL

It was still 67% humidity in the van yesterday... but today it is only 40%. Believe I will just curl up and watch some more t.v. I have cleaned my strawberries, had a good salad, washed my hair and had a bath... all is well and my brain is feeling happy. Freedom is a wonderful thing.

The best pizza in the world didn't hurt any either. On my way through Paso Robles where I had stayed a few months in the past, I stopped at the Pizza Planet. "Mo" is the owner. He began making pizza with his father when he was 14 years old. He clearly loves what he does.

Gourmet Shrimp Lover's Pizza

So, if every you are near Paso Robles, CA, make sure to stop and see Mo at Pizza Planet, 717 6th Street, Across from the Post Office. You won't regret it. Tell him the crazy kayaking lady sent you.

Last night was my first night sleeping back in the desert. Took a walk, enjoyed lots of blooming desert flowers and found a perfectly good skillet. Wind is warm and blowing. I would like to be farther into the boondocks, but am not yet far enough off the beaten trail. Maybe tomorrow I will get me some wilderness (ha ha). Sleeping last night was comfortable, even close to divine... and there were the stars... lots of stars.

Very windy now, so I am not driving. Dry warm air is nice. I got a couple of t.v. channels last night, then I watched some of my new Beauty and Beast DVDs. Much enjoying my rest and peace.

I only get pleasure from giving, not from receiving... and if I can't make another happy with my presence and efforts, then there is no reason for me to be around them. I make myself smile each day by being in nature and enjoying God's works in person... you don't have to be a church-goer to know good works.

The journey continues, back into my SwankieLife.

Stalkers and Stalking: Protect Yourself

2016-12-18T19:21:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 2016, I worked as a campground host and my job was to greet campers, make them feel welcome, give them important information about the campground and the surrounding area, etc. Be nice. Register the number of people in a site. That is how innocently this all began… being nice as part of my job. In the process, I met a man who seemed nice on the surface and for whom I honestly felt some attraction. We visited and chatted on a number of occasions as I made my rounds and one day when I was somewhat under the weather, he invited me for lunch. I never should have accepted. Being nice to me I guess gave him some feeling of “entitlement” he was indeed NOT entitled to.

I sincerely thought a relationship might be developing until 1) I learned he lied to me about his marital status that first day when I registered him in camp, saying “I am alone, I lost my wife a year ago to Alzheimer's.” and 2) he later forcefully restrained me in his camper after lunch telling me my job was cutting into “his time” (later when I told him that scared me, he made fun of me), and 3) he refused to go away and leave me alone when I told him I was not interested in seeing him anymore and did not want him to contact me again. That was September 2016. After that, some days I would get as many as 20 or more text and phone messages from him.

In October I wrote this on a private Facebook group: Stalker is still stalking. Today I reported him to the local police as I am still in transit. They advised that I immediately call 911 if he is ever physically in my vicinity. He would then be warned and I could get "an order of protection" and if he came near me again, he would be arrested. The local police called him, but he did not answer. They called back again and left a message for him that he needs to keep away from me and stop contacting me or he would be getting himself into a lot of trouble. I don't understand. IF someone told me, "I don't want to see your again, don't contact me again" I'd be gone so fast they would not know which way I went. What the heck makes a man act this way? Should I fight or flee?

Later in October, he wrote me again online saying he would be in the same area where I was on Nov. 14, but said he was not stalking me, he was just traveling to some of the same places. I did not hear anything again until Nov. 13 when he contacted me again and I engaged in a conversation online so that I could try to find out where he was. He texted me on phone 11/14/16… and I replied in order to try and learn if he was in my area or not. It ended with him typing: “You are all bent out of shape for nothing. Gez don’t leave on my account. I wouldn’t want to see you any where. You let me know what I wanted. Thanks.”

That didn’t go well, so I left the area and began hiding from him in hopes he would tire and go away. Hopefully, that is the end of it. I am saving that message for police, just in case. Luckily, he has left me alone since. But it was very unsettling to say the least.

So, what is Stalking? (from http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Stalking )
Criminal activity consisting of the repeated following and harassing of another person.Stalking is a distinctive form of criminal activity composed of a series of actions that taken individually might constitute legal behavior. For example, sending flowers, writing love notes, and waiting for someone outside her place of work are actions that, on their own, are not criminal. When these actions are coupled with an intent to instill fear or injury, however, they may constitute a pattern of behavior that is illegal.

Though anti-stalking laws are gender neutral, most stalkers are men and most victims are women.

Stalking first attracted widespread public concern when a young actress named Rebecca Shaeffer, who was living in California, was shot to death by an obsessed fan who had stalked her for two years. The case drew extensive media coverage and revealed how widespread a problem stalking was to both celebrity and noncelebrity victims. Until the enactment of anti-stalking laws, police had little power to arrest someone who behaved in a threatening but legal way. Even when the suspect had followed his victim, sent her hate mail, or behaved in a threatening manner, the police were without legal recourse. Law enforcement could not take action until the suspect acted on his threats and assaulted or injured the victim.

How to Stop a Stalker
Although antistalking laws give police and prosecutors the tools to arrest and charge stalkers with serious criminal offenses, victims of stalking have an important role to play in making these laws work. Law enforcement officials, Domestic Violence counselors, and mental health professionals offer the following advice to victims on how to stop a stalker:· now the law. Because antistalking laws are new, some police officers may not know how the laws work. A stalking victim should visit the public library or a county law library and obtain a copy of the state's antistalking law. Victims should show the police the law when filing the stalking complaint and ask whether they should first seek a protective order against the stalker.

In some states a violation of a protective order converts a stalking charge from a misdemeanor to a felony.

· Cooperate with prosecutors. Many stalking victims refuse to prosecute the stalker, thereby leaving themselves vulnerable to continued threats and violence. Some victims fear that prosecution will provoke worse behavior from the perpetrator. Nevertheless, victims should use the legal system and break any bond that may exist between themselves and the stalker.

· Protect yourself. Persons who are stalked should take steps to protect themselves and those around them. Neighbors and coworkers should be informed about the stalker, be given a photograph of the suspect, and be instructed on what to do if the stalker is sighted. Security officers at the victim's workplace should be provided with this information. Caller ID, which identifies telephone callers, should be installed on the victim's telephone. If the stalker makes repeated phone calls, the victim should ask the police to set up a phone tap.

· Collect evidence. A stalking victim should collect and preserve evidence that can be used to prosecute and convict the stalker. Police suggest that the victim keep a diary of stalking and other crimes committed by the perpetrator. It is also a good idea to photograph property destroyed by the stalker and any injuries inflicted by the stalker. The victim should keep all letters or notes written by the stalker and all answering machine tapes that contain messages from the perpetrator.

Here is a summary of comments made to me on a private Facebook Group.
I had wanted to share the entire thread as I felt there was some valuable information. I was only going to use people’s initials, but the Group asked me not to do that. So I am compiling and highlighting the key points instead.

Stalking can be either in-person or cyber-stalking. Stalkers can be either men or women. Don’t think for a moment that cyber-stalking is innocent and not a crime. It IS a crime. It is also a crime to follow/stalk a person across state lines. Having a STALKER follow you at all hours, and lurk near your home, work, or camp is far scarier and more dangerous, most everyone agrees with that. But cyber-stalking via phone, texting, computer email, is also dangerous, but easier to end. Remember, they get off on control, your anger,and all seem to have a feeling of entitlement to their stalkee.

Keep Aware. Stay aware of your surroundings. Take photos of his license plates and vehicle so that if you need to report them to police, you have this information. Also, if you are contemplating ending a relationship, try to get the Social Security number, Driver’s License # and expiration date, place of employment and address, before you part ways. This information will be needed if you file an Order of Protection, or Injunction Against Harassment. There is a difference, but same form is used. There are other types of orders. An Order of Protection is for those who have been married or living together. An Injunction Against Harassment is what I would have filed… the petition arises out of a dating relationship. There are other types of orders as well.

Call Police. I reported my Stalker in one town as I travelled through… and after hearing me out at great length, over the phone, they asked if I wanted them to call the Stalker and warn him to leave me alone. They called me back to say they didn’t get him in person but left a message that he could get himself in a lot of trouble unless he did leave me alone. He called once to see if he could get around that. I refused to talk on phone, but kept the text message from him. He begged to see me, talk to me, etc. When I refused, he said he had found out what he called to find out… and that’s the last I have heard. I don’t believe it yet. Once I got to a winter location, I went to local police and reported the situation to them. They sent me to the Justice Court to pick up the Guide Sheet for Protective Orders, which I have filled out and keep on hand ready to file if he shows up here. All states seem to be cooperating now with each other and these orders once filed locally, will be faxed to the Stalkers location and served there. Some FB commenters said the Order of Protection is a joke and that police can only do so much, but both police departments I spoke to seemed to have a lot of compassion for the situation.

Call family members if you know them. Unfortunately, my Stalker’s wife was in a nursing home and has dementia (he had led me to believe he was a widower), but I did notify his daughter to stop enabling him to contact me via computer/phone techniques. He was not very computer literate and was using skills he did not himself possess. Things slowed way down after that and I had blocked many of the tools he used but he could still send me Verizon Text message and according to Verizon, there is no way I can block that on a Samsung phone. I also unfriended and blocked his children.

Adjust your schedule/trip/location where STALKER expects you to be. Pretend publically that you are somewhere else. Only post where you have been, not were you are or where you are going. Remember, your safety is more important than your plans.

Facebook. Many commenters told me to lock down my Facebook. Learn about Privacy settings. Use them.
This should help: https://m.facebook.com/help/325807937506242

Basic Privacy Settings & Tools

If using Facebook, Blogs, or any other social media, consider unfriending and blocking anyone you don’t know well. The Stalker could be using a fake account, masquerading as someone else. If you have many photo albums like I do, each one will have to have privacy settings changed. This is difficult for me, as I am basically such an open and honest person. I have never been shy about sharing with strangers, not even as a toddler. (oh, I used to get in so much trouble for talking to strangers.) Remember this, no matter how PRIVATE you make your settings, your Profile Photo and Cover Photo will remain Public. You may want to change them. Some commenters told me to set up a new Facebook page, and close the one down that the Stalker knows about. I don’t care to do all that, so am just hoping blocking him and his family is enough. If not, I will consider other options. If you are blogging, put little information on your blog about your current location.

And the fact that I am also publishing a blog complicates matters, but I will not get rid of it or stop writing a blog. One commenter said: to publicize stalker on my page.” Name him and say what he's doing. Not sure of the legalities of that though.” I’m not either, but it had crossed my mind. I did do that with a dentist who refused to give me a refund on blotched dental work he did. It got me a $900 refund.

There is a View As option so you can see how your Facebook looks to the general public. Check that out. Commenter said: on a computer, when you're on your own Facebook page, there is a "view as" option. You can see how the public sees your page, and how friends see your page. Very useful. I'm not sure if there's a way from a phone.

Also in being a part of FB Groups, be careful of new people who ask too many questions about you, where you are, or ask for your phone number.

Facebook Places and Events. I avoid using these two aps on Facebook as I don’t care to pin down my location. I use a SPOT device for that purpose so key people will always know where I am. I think you can go in Facebook Settings and turn off the “LOCATION” option.

Email / Phone. Commenters said to get a new email and new phone number. They said only notify family and close friends of changes and why. I have set up an email filter for my Stalker, so that if he contacts me that way, it will skip my inbox and go into a folder. Once in a while I glace at the folder list to see if it is in bold, indicating there is new mail there. Then I can decide if and when I want to look at it. OK, changing my email address and phone number is just something I don’t want to do. I will reconsider those options if this should ever escalate again. All I can do with the Samsung Smart Phone is add his number to the Auto Reject List.

Last Resort. If I did have an “in-person” stalker, I would consider these options as a last resort. 1) Get a Dog (I have COPD, so this is not a good option for me) Some said Poodles would be safe for me. 2) Get a Taser. It was suggested to check with local police about regulations. 3) Get Pepper Spray and also check with Police about their source, as theirs are stronger than others. 4) Get a Gun and know how to use it. Learn what “Castle Domain” means and if it is legal in your situation.

Humor. A few Commenters used Humor to deal with the situation. One suggested wearing ratty clothes and doing your make up awful, and having critter pee on your clothes. Destroy their fantasy about you. Go from being demure to Goth or Rocker Chick. (Well, I have never been “demure” but I get the point.)

Here is another comment I really liked and may make such a sign for my vehicle:

“This house(camper) is protected by a shotgun 4 days a week.
Do you feel lucky???”

In summary, go “NO CONTACT” as soon as possible. Each text or call you accept will encourage your STALKER. Be invisible. A STALKER will be smiling at your attempts to evade them. Don’t give them the satisfaction.

Yes, folks, I had changed my winter plans because of this fool, but I have resumed some of them and decided to fight back. I am now in a community of friends, many former military and many hunters. They are aware of him and have his photos and license plate numbers and photos of his rig. Local police are well aware of the situation as well and I have legal papers in hand to file should he show up here. I am not the kind of person to run and hide or to be bullied. And I have never been described at petite, mild mannered, weak, demure, afraid, etc. Ya need to find better words to describe me.

I apologize to the folks on the above FB group whose comments got edited, condensed and combined after your admin advised against any direct quotes, even though I removed names and any identifiers. You all gave very good feedback. Thank you for helping me find my courage and voice again.

For help with a stalking problem see these two sites: http://victimsofcrime.org/our-programs/stalking-resource-center
https://www.unh.edu/sharpp/stalking From this site:

Know what stalking is.

Stalking is defined as threats, along with repeated harassing behavior that cause a person to fear for his or her personal safety. It can include the use of regular mail, e-mail, instant messaging, text messages, posting on social websites and/or faxes. Stalking and cyber stalking are behaviors prohibited by University policy and New Hampshire law and are a crime.
Stalking is unpredictable and dangerous. No two stalking situations are alike. Although women are more likely to be stalked than men, anyone can be a victim of stalking, including college students from any economic, ethnic, or religious group.
The vast majority of stalking victims know their stalker, usually because they have had a relationship with him or her. The stalker can be an intimate partner or former partner, classmate, roommate, or other acquaintance. A victim can be stalked for several days or for many years. The stalker’s actions also can affect family, friends, and coworkers. Stalking can be difficult to distinguish, which contributes to a lack of public awareness about the crime of stalking.

===========================

Fight or Flight???? Standing my ground. I will FIGHT! Carry pepper spray, etc.

Another important thing I learned during all this was the definition of a Narcissist. I think everyone should understand this disorder and be able to identify people who have it. My stalker is also a Narcissist. That will be my next post.

A Treasure Chest for Vandwellers (reposting)

2016-11-27T13:43:00.002-07:00

Great Information written by a friend in Australia.

This little web site http://vandwellers.org written by a friend of mine, sees very little traffic.

ALL the information there for vehicle dwellers and homeless people, including the Vandwellers guide (http://www.vandwellers.org/vandwellersguide.pdf),

Homeless Guide (http://vandwellers.org/guide/ozhomelessguide.pdf) and (there is a password for this one, contact charlene.swankie@gmail.com for password),

and a 2-page "living in your vehicle flyer" (http://www.vandwellers.org/guide/quickguide.pdf) is free.

Please help get the word out by sharing the link - http://vandwellers.org on your blog or Facebook page.

Valley Repair, Inc.–Meeker, Colorado

2016-11-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

Worst of Times & Best of Times.

If you are ever in the Meeker, Colorado area and need help, I can not say enough good things about Valley Repair, Inc. 24 hr. towing and mechanic service. 431 East Market St., PO Box 292, Meeker, CO 81641. Phone (970) 878-3316, email: vrepairmeeker@yahoo.com.

August 2016 found me working as a Camp Host at Nortfork Campground 35 miles east of Meeker CO. I spent most of that month coughing uncontrollable, each day off I was back to doctor, E.R. or Urgent Care. None of my normal cures for COPD were working. Later I learned it was most likely an allergy to blooming sagebrush, but that is beside the subject of this post. I knew my job would be coming to an end early in September and I was concerned about the way my van was running. It seemed to have no power and I seldom was able drive over 40 mph. I got to Meeker pulling a heavy cargo trailer and going mostly uphill (or I should say up-mountain), generally unable to go over 25 mph and having to stop often to let the engine cool down. I knew I could not hit to road again, pulling that same load without fixing my van. But what was wrong and what would it cost? (I was working to save money for my AZ Trail hike… but would it take my last penny just to fix the van???)

In the Spring 2016, before leaving my desert winter home, I took it to a Chevy dealer to have “Check Engine” light diagnosed. They found Bank 2 O2 Sensor 1 had failed causing van to run very rich on right side. This was creating a rough running and engine and mis-firing. Recommended replacing Bank 2, 02 sensor to correct. They noted Truck Operates Normally. This knowledge cost me $300.54. And that was only for diagnostics and replacing the 02 sensor, not the catalytic converter.

At that time I decided to go ahead with a tune up in hopes that would help improve how the van was running. Spark plugs, spark plug wires so they checked compression, replaced spark plugs, and adjusted ignition timing and idle speed. That cost another $650.00 (get this $118.72 for spark plugs, $121.48 for plug wires and $307 for labor, plus other shop supplies and hazardous materials fees.) Geez, this van is getting expensive.

I left Quartzsite and headed out to begin inspecting sections of the Arizona trail, but the van was still running rough. Visiting with friends in the Tucson area, I got a recommendation to go to Exhaust Works. They confirmed that the front Catalytic Converter on Bank 2 was bad and so it was replaced with an after market converter. Cost $290.80 (parts and labor). He said ALL he does anymore is exhaust systems, no other mechanical work… he just specialized in exhaust systems. I felt good about him and his work, until a little later. That was April 2016.

I drove on to Meeker Colorado the next month…. as stated above, having a very rough time gaining that altitude, but I didn’t have the funds to get any more work done on the van. During the summer, I used it only when I had to and saved my money. Check engine light kept coming on, sometimes flashing, sometimes staying on solid, sometimes staying off all together. Finally, Aug. 29, I took it in to Northwest Auto in Meeker, a GMC dealer for diagnosis… they found Bank 2 rear catalytic converter was plugged and charged me $46.77 for that knowledge. Throwing codes of P0101, P0300, and P0171. I asked for an estimate. Lee told me it would be $628.44… to replace the Bank 2 rear catalytic converter. He insisted that my van had 3 cat converters, when the man in Tucson had taken me under the van while it was on the rack and showed my the four converters on my van. Lee insisted that ONLY federal vehicles had four converters, and he even sketched out the 3 he insisted I had on the back of the estimate. See below sketch by Lee at GMC, Meeker, CO.

Wow… $628.44… is a big chunk of what I had been saving all summer to buy my AZ Trail hiking gear. I felt crushed. I even asked Lee how accurate his estimate was and he assured me of how careful he is in pricing things out and he would be surprised it is was more than $40 off. Well, I had to think about that and crunch some numbers.

Two days later Lee called me back saying they sent him the wrong part (which he had said would take him five days to get as it had to come from Virginia, but he had it in two days????) and that the price was actually $1,080.00. My boss actually took this message and turned out there was a misunderstanding in the way he said things and what he meant was it was an additional $1,080.00 on top of the $628.44. I did not learn this until I stopped by GMC to pick up a copy of the estimate… and the grand Total was $1,780.64. WHAT???? Well, Lee, that is a bit off on his $40 guess. Things came to a screeching haul for me. I had coughed the entire month of August and was exhausted. Then I fell and cracked 3 ribs that week and was in a great deal of pain. This was just too much. I was devastated and ready to give up. I thought I might be stranded in a wintery cold snowy Meeker. Now GMC was insisted that my van has four catalytic converters (like I told them in the beginning), but the estimate is for more than just the rear cat converter, it is the front and rear converters and the entire manifold pipe on the passenger side. The front converter was only five months old????

I questioned them why I needed to replace the front catalytic converter when I had just done that in April… and they gave me some line about the van being registered in CA and CA emissions requires that factory parts be used. I explained it was no longer registered in CA but in SD which had no such requirements. They argued with me that it didn’t matter, I still had to met CA requirements and use factory parts, not after market parts. I said it already had an after market converter on it… so what did it matter? They held their ground. They were also now arguing with me that they never said it had 3 converters (who made the sketch?). I was really sickened by all the lies and the fact the were trying to take advantage of a woman. I walked away and didn’t even cancel the work they had schedule. I left them hanging and I didn’t feel bad about it either.

I was in too much pain to want to deal with it all, but my job would be ending the next week, and I would have to leave the campground soon after that… and snow was in the air. Someone had given me the business card for Valley Repair, Inc. and at the insistence of a friend, I called them for a second estimate. I gave them none of the history, other than that the front converter had been replaced in April. I asked them to check the check engine lite. They charged $20 for that, which my friend paid. They understood that my funds were limited but that I urgently needed my HOME fixed so I could leave soon.

They thought that a tune up could fix the problem… at that time I had forgotten that I got a tune-up in the spring … so they did that Sep. 15… ($206.31… compared to the $650 I paid for the same job in AZ six months earlier). They charged me $32 for spark plugs, and $42 for wires, compared to $118.72 for spark plugs, $121.48 for wires charged by Bradley Chevy in Parker AZ. Wow. I could have skipped this work had I remembered the spring tune-up. I just didn’t remember that tune-up until later… thinking I had never had a tune-up in the seven years I had the van, and I thought it still had original spark plugs. I think it was the pain meds affecting my brain! LOL But anyway, I had a comfort level with these guys at Valley Repair in Meeker… and trusted them.

But, the tune up did not help… and on the way back to camp, the check engine light came right back on. Sept. 19, I took it back in… and they begin checking everything over and found exhaust leaks all round the front catalytic converter that Tucson put on in April. The gasket was leaking too. The previous converter was not welded without leaks and it did not look like Tucson had replaced the gasket. I actually was allowed under the van and helped the mechanic by holding a flashlight. I felt the leaks all around the old weld. Felt like a very hot very strong hair dryer blowing on my hand. They plugged up the tailpipe and ran the engine, and you would feel all the air coming out all around the Tucson welds.

So they welded all that (left photo), replaced a gasket ($6.50) went in the joint (right photo). One of the nuts got cross-threaded and had to be cut off and the bolt re-threaded. I helped with all that. Total came to $176.92. And off I went down the road… 15 whole miles. I was loosing pressure and power mile after mile. By mile 17, I was stopped on the shoulder with zero power and the van would not move. I called them to tow me back to the shop ($150.00 for the tow, 100% refundable by my auto insurance).

By this time, my motley crew at Valley Repair had adopted me and were invested in getting me back on the road at the least additional cost possible. I slept in the van all night in their lot – my ribs killing me. Next morning they came out and got the van, with me still in bed, and drove it into the garage and up on the lift we went… me still in bed. They were still puzzled, but thought they would have to cut the rear catalytic converter off and replace it. They already had the new one ($129 for after market… when GMC wanted to charge me $1,450 for parts). I was in a great deal of pain from the ribs… so even turning over hurt. I could not think. The guys were right under my bed talking about what might be wrong when I suddenly I hear the buzz of a saw cutting through the pipe. I thought, “guess we are cutting the old one out.” I hurt too bad to move. A few minutes later they call me to driver window and hold up the old one… full of gung that that blow out of the front converter that Tucson replaced… and had slowly been clogging up the rear converter and once the welds were fixed, it blew the rest of the gunk in the pipe into the rear converter, TOTALLY clogging it.

Within 1/2 hour, they had the new part in place and I was on my way back to camp. Cost $222.39. So all total, for all the work they did, I spent $605.62 at Valley Repair in Meeker, CO. I drove from there to camp, got my trailer and hauled it back to Valley Repair dropped the trailer (where they stored it for free for 10 days), drove to Dakotas and back… picked up trailer, drove around Colorado some more, up and down mountains, and then on to Arizona. Check engine light has not come back on once, not once… and van is running better than it has in a couple years. I can’t be more pleased with Luke Pelloni, owner, and his mechanic Joe. Great guys, great new family… I love these guys. I trust them. If you are ever in the Meeker, Colorado area and need help, I can not say enough good things about Valley Repair, Inc. 24 hr. towing and mechanic service. 431 East Market St., PO Box 292, Meeker, CO 81641. Phone (970) 878-3316, email: vrepairmeeker@yahoo.com.

Owner Luke Pelloni on right, Joe in middle, and young Justin on left. My new family.

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Coming soon: Have you ever been stalked? Do you know what to do about it?

Getting lost to find myself... No worries.

2016-10-10T08:23:00.001-07:00

With all that has happened to me the past couple of months, a failed relationship, a real bad episode of COPD, 3 cracks ribs, and a whole lot of driving, I feel the need to drastically change my plans. I believe I will skip Quartzsite this year, and wander... maybe see grandkids, maybe just hide out in the boondocks. I don't know yet what changes will happen, just know I am safe, I will continue to use my SPOT tracking device so the key people in my life will know I am O.K. Just need some serious down time to take care of Swankie.

Beautiful Colorado–enroute to Colorado Springs

2016-10-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

After a very rough season of Camp hosting, I am having some much deserved down time, all to myself. Time to enjoy nature, and find my wits again. The last month on the job, I suffered a severe case of RAD (never even heard it before – Reactive Airway Disease). I knew I had COPD, but none of the normal cures were helping me. I could not stop coughing. The last six days on the job, I finally found a cure. Fell and cracked 3 ribs… let me tell you, you WILL stop coughing. And Lordy, I think it hurts worse than having a baby… sure takes longer for the pain to stop. LOL

So, it’s off to enjoy some wide open spaces, and I am loving every mile.

I have friends and family in Colorado Springs… so I am SLOWLY heading that way. Brother, and sister-in-law, nephew, great niece and great nephew, good friend from “vandwellers” tribe, and who else????

And on the way, this….

Swankie’s wits… where are you?????

Winter Plan (Quartzsite AZ via Colorado Springs, CO)

2016-07-17T10:42:00.001-07:00

Made it to SD, ND, But had to cancel WA due to mechanical issues with my van. I have family and friends to visit now in Colorado before continuing on to Quartzsite, AZ. The summer was fabulous and as time permits I will post more photos.

Got to meet my Great niece, Brooklyn and her wonderful big brother, Levi (the photo bomber). Wish it could have been a longer visit. I just know this, my niece, Amber, is a wonderful mother and her kids are great.

Returned to Meeker to pick up my trailer. Prior to going to ND, I had to replace this catalytic converter. The GMC dealer in Meeker wanted $1,700 for the job.... Valley Repair did it for less than $400... leaving me the funds to make the ND trip. The old converter was full of crumbled pieces. I will write more about these wonderful mechanics at Valley Repair in Meeker. They have adopted me now and consider me "family."

And now I need to take care of pealing paint that is coming off the van in sheets. I had already had the hood repainted in FL a few years ago. Expensive job... one quote was $1,000 just to patch these two places... and a two week wait before they could do the job. Uggghhhh.

The Profile of George Washington at Mt. Rushmore. I saw many interesting things, but I am not much of a tourist. I take the road less traveled. More on that later.

I am safe, happy, and healing from a month-long COPD episode, falling and cracking 3 ribs, worry over the cost of repairing my van so I could be on the road again, and then the paint coming off, plus the stress of saying goodbye to all the people I met at Northfork campground this season. I have been offered another job at a different campground and am considering it... but it will depend on how the AZ Trail goes... and when I finish it, and if I survive it. LOL

Exploring Colorado–days off from Camp hosting.

2016-06-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

Monday and Tuesday were my days off this week, and come Sunday evening, I was ready to go adventuring. As I pulled out of the Campground, ol’ SwankieWheels said…
Hey, lets go to Steamboat Springs over Ripple Creek Pass… and we were off. I felt certain that with the days being so long, that I still had enough daylight to make it there before dark.

At the top of the pass are interpretive exhibits and a interpretive trail… nicely done I must say.

Great view also looking back down on North Fork Canyon of the Upper White River Country… toward my Campground.

I liked this exhibit as it names the surrounding peaks.

When we went to Trappers Lake, we where between the Amphitheater and Himes Peak.

Yah think? I am reading the a book by Ricki Buckles right now… A History of The Upper White River Country and it says some of the people had private Elk Herds… and that they had learned to jump seven foot high fences, so they had to add 3’ more on top to contain their herd.

This the public rest room there… oh, yuk. Since I spend a lot of my work day checking and cleaning the six similar bathrooms to this one… I can tell you OURS never look like this. I just turned and went back out again.

Starting down the other side, the road was pretty good but as I got closer to civilization again, it go very wash-boardy. I spotted a group of horses resting in the shade of the Aspen trees.

I’m not sure the name of this mountain, but it’s impressive. Soon, large houses or lodges begin to come into view.

I liked this one a lot. Notice how the geological feathers have changed completely.

The road flattens out and seems to stretch on forever.

That’s the Yampa River and I was checking it out and wanting to put my kayak in there. Need to research it and see what kind of shuttle services are available. I really want to paddle it.

Wanted to pop in here and check it out, but would have to pay to do so. I did like the picnic table shelters. Very nice. I will have to go back one day and explore more.

Monday morning I popped into a local café and had a big breakfast, while watching the weather news on T.V. The décor was rather down-homey. I especially like the photo of this fawn…. it’s called a Calico deer. I googled “calico deer” and found lots of photos of other Calico Deer, but did not see this one. The waitress told me that people are still seeing it out there… and have taken photos of it full grown. Hope no one ever shoots it, it is just too beautiful..

I continued on to Hayden and Craig, CO because I did not like Steamboat Springs at all. When I got to Steamboat after going up and over the mountains, I was very hungry so stopped at McDonalds for fast food. When I came out, my left rear tire was almost flat. Walmart in Steamboat does not have a Tire Department, so I drove a block and spotted a Tire Store… and though they were closed, I pulled in to their lot for the night. next morning they got my tire fixed in less than 15 min, for $15. This was the screw I picked up coming over those mountains. I could have changed my tire and put my spare on, but I hate the task so much.

Did some shopping in Craig, CO before heading south on Rt. 13 into Meeker. Checked out more of the Parks in Meeker and there is no place to stay free. I have spotted a few side streets where stealth parking is safe and picked one of them. Got a good nights sleep and it was very quiet.

Tuesday, I did laundry, caught up on internet stuff, tried to get my Western Digital Ext. Hard Drive working (without success). It wants my disk. I don’t know where it is. Finally got to the Rec Center and got a long hot shower, then more computer work, before heading back to North Fork Campground.

It was good time off and fun exploring places I have never been before. I bought a new printer (cheap one), I bought more magnetic screen doors to use in camp. I got 3 cases of water. I stopped and got some Chinese food to go and 1/2 of it after I got back to camp. Yum.

Days off are a good thing.

Back Home Again in Colorado????

2016-06-21T16:11:00.000-07:00

Colorado was never really my home, except for one year, 1974-75, when I attended Western State College in Gunnison, CO. After my divorce, I decided my boys and I needed a real change of pace and environment. As a child, I always dreamed of the West, and horses, cowboys, prairies, mountains and valleys. So, with hardly a penny to our names, we headed for Colorado. We lived in a trailer court. I think the boys had mixed emotions. I can not find the photos I am looking for and think they have not yet been digitized.

I had been studying Parks and Recreation at a junior college in Maryland at the time of my divorce. I had heard Western State had a good Recreation degree program and I thought such training as a single mother of two boys would be a good career choice. (I was wrong, as I was wrong about many things back then.) After a year, I was disappointed in the program in Colorado and in discussing this with my Fencing instructor, she commented that Indiana University in Bloomington, IN had the best Recreation program in the country. What? 45 min from my beloved Grandmother and the boys could grow up with cousins and other relatives. Was it a sign? It didn’t take long for me to decide we were going to Indiana. And so we did that, had relatives around, I got my B.S. degree… and life went on and on… for decades, and I still didn’t have a penny to my name. Now the boys are grown and have pennies, my youngest just listed his house for sale at 1.5 million. (pinch me)

In 2011, I returned to Colorado to kayak Jackson Lake, near Orchard, CO, the 39th state I had kayaked to date. I paddled there on my granddaughter’s 20th birthday. Hard to believe my kids are all grown and that she turned 20 that day. Best surprise of that paddle was a flock of white pelicans coming in over my head very low, and landing on the lake. Read all about it… very exciting. Leaving that location I saw Pheasants and Wild turkeys. It was a very special day for me.

At some point after I decided to vandwell fulltime, about 2008, I began to visit and camp near Quartzsite, AZ in the winter. There Bob Wells (of CheapRVLiving.com) talked a lot about his camp hosting jobs. We have a vandweller gathering there each winter, timed with the Big Tent event in Quartzsite. Quartzsite is a haven for Snowbirds who flock there by the thousands. Vendors who manage all kinds of campgrounds and recreation facilities come to the Big Tent to recruit camp hosts and other workers. Bob took me and introduced me to his CLM contacts and I was hired for the summer of 2012 to camp host in the remote Meadow Lake Complex, White River National Forest.

Independence Day Week, 2012. Overall, the 2012 experience was very good. I wrote about it in my blog post of July 24, 2012 titled Another Break from the Wild.

So, thirty-seven years after I first came to live in Colorado, I found myself back in Colorado working for California Land Management (CLM) in the White River Forest near Rifle, CO. Read about the first month there (Colorado-First Month).

My children were grown up and gone, and I needed to do something. I blogged about that experience. It was mostly a good experience, especially working with my supervisor, Judith Cottrell. There were some management issues with the company and the Forest Service that I was not happy about, but overall, the experience of being high in the mountains in a remote area made for some very good memories.

Meadow Lake… it took me 11 min to kayak from one end to the other, not a huge lake.

There was National Feed Charlene Day. There were the flocks of thousands of sheep being tended my Columbian Shepherds and watched over by magnificent white Guardian dogs and sometimes just plain old sheepdogs, and then there was the day that “Smokey Ate Lamb Chop.”

A young Guardian dog in training. He was tied near the horses at this point.

And cattle, herds of cattle coming through the campsites, pooping on everything and eating all our signs.

There was the black bear that came out of one campground, swam across the lake and when up the other side. I didn’t get a photo of that.

Swankie Camp, 2012

And there were the campers, good, bad and indifferent. Unfortunately, my time there was cut short by a forest fire (250 acres burned in 24 hrs.) which caused the Forest Service to close the campgrounds and evacuate everyone.

The biggest downside of the remote location was the lack of communications with the outside world and with my supervisor. I could not even tell her I was being evacuated, all I could do was drive to her location and give an update. The lack of communications was the BIGGEST issue I had with the job as the promised “satellite phone” never happened. If not for the fact that I had in my possession the SPOT device, I would not have stayed after the first week. I knew I could get help for myself if I was hurt, but I was not sure if I could call for help if a camper was hurt. (SPOT fines you $250 an hour for up to 2 hrs. if you use the 911 feature erroneously.) It worried me a lot especially when an older camper began having breathing problems. But he was with friends, I helped them break camp, and they got him down to a lower elevation quickly. He was o.k. Two days later after the fire evacuation, the company terminated my employment and decided to close the two campgrounds I was taking care of early. By the way, after the fact, I did check with SPOT and learned if anyone I am with is in a life-threatening situation, I can use my device to call 911. Good to know.

So, there I was laid off and back on the road again. One of the main reasons I took the job was to be able to draw unemployment when they laid me off. Turns out I could not do that as I had not worked enough quarters prior to this job. Darn.

My Swankie Camp in 2016

Each year, since 2012, CLM has asked me to return. I kept asking about the communications situation, and finding it the same, I declined. 10,000 ft. elevation and over an hour to drive down 20 miles of mountain road and then another 1/2 to a hospital, nope, not doing it. I told them, if someone died up there on my watch, even through that is not our responsibility, it is something I would have to live with the rest of my life, and I just wasn’t willing to do it.

This spring I was working on my newest adventure, that of planning to hike the 800 mile long Arizona Trail. I was struggling to get funds for gear and equipment and posted that on my Facebook. Next thing I knew, my ol’ supervisor from CLM was calling to offer me a job again, but this time, I would be camped at her camp and helping her. I would have internet and access to a phone land line if need be. I would not be alone in the wilderness. And so, I came back home to Colorado.

When the suitcase solar comes out, you are home again.

Now, in 2016, I am located at North Fork campground. I don’t like the location as well as the Meadows Lake Complex, but am enjoying the wildlife here. Moose, deer, chipmunks (millions of them), a tiny little weasel, and a coyote (that might be having young soon).

I have the use of a refrigerator and freezer. And I have a brand new truck at my disposal. (In 2012, I had two campgrounds over a mile apart to take care of and no vehicle at all. We had to fight for CLM to get me a used golf cart so I could haul cleaning supplies and trash between the two locations, and service seven bathrooms, empty about 10 bear trash cans, clean out 30 fire pits, and pick up and rake 30 campsites, plus all the paper work that goes with registering all those campers. At first I was expected to use my personal vehicle to do that…. camper trash in my living van??? Nope, not happening.) But now I have that same golf cart, 28 campsites, and a brand new truck and I am not alone and only 30 minutes from a hospital on good mostly level roads. It’s all good.

First day driving my new truck, it is the last one in line to gas up. Ken’s first, then Judy’s, and lastly mine. Tee hee.

Lake Avery, Meeker, CO

And best of all, I found a lake 10 miles from North Fork, that I am paddling today. I am most at home on water and it will feel good to be home again today.

OK, time to launch my boat. After: I had a good paddle, saw some large birds (Crane or Great Blue Herons? I could not get a close-up photo of them, saw Red-Winged Blackbirds, and a herd of sheep. Also saw some horse-back riders, and I believe one of the horses was spooked by my big yellow boat and did not want to came any closer to the shore. When I realized this, I began to back paddle away from the shore. Not sure I was the problem, but he sure was spooky.

The Western End. I tried to get upstream but it was impassible.

A happy kayaker. A happy kayak.

A Red-wing Blackbird. A lamb calling for mama.

A flock of sheep on the shore. The Spillway of Lake Avery.

A critter lodge of some sort???

My time off ended with a trip to Meeker to wash the sap and pollen off the van, wash my clothes and uniforms, and hit the Rec Center for a nice long hot shower. It was very hot outside so I spent the rest of the afternoon in the Rec Center lounge, finishing this blog post.

This week, we (the rest of the CLM crew here) return to the Meadows to open those two campgrounds for the season. So glad it is the crew and not me alone. I am eager to see my old home again. I wonder what it will be like, what will be different?

I believe the summer of 2016 will surpass 2012 and I look forward to every minute of being “back home again in Colorado.”

If you follow me on Facebook, there are photo albums there too of my Summer of 2012.