Nel & Tim's Journey

2/11/10 Our first desert morning ! We stayed under the down until we were sure to not be too cold.

I woke up at first light to see a sliver of moon, Tim woke me up later to witness a thin layer of coral clouds. Then we slept more.

 We love our Box Turtle.

 We are actually, right now, sitting in the sun and fairly warm in layers of fleece clothing. I have just about finished my thermos of coffee. My yummy Café Mam Tango half decaf, ground by hand with my REI coffee grinder, compliments of Hannah; is waking and warming me.

For the time being, our visiting is over and we’ll just be hanging out in Death Valley. I looked at our original list of people to visit. There is no way we get to everyone on that list in the time we have allowed. I like the concept of getting close by people we want to visit, but staying in our turtle ( house on back) …. But for now, hiking and warming up and exploring.

 We have not yet had enough electrical power for computer work, except at Hannah’s, and that’s been nice.

I am learning to wash dishes with tiny amounts of water and use less dishes. We recently turned on the propane water heater fro awhile. Usually I just heat a little water on the stove for dishes,  so it felt great to have hot water to wash my face. We are still learning about the propane and consumption issues and are being pretty conservative. I like being more conscience of the energy we use. Even though I am fully aware that this is a luxury trip of sorts and we are using diesel fuel for traveling.

 I definitely need some stretching… it’s been a few days. We are hiking almost every day so far, that’s good.

 Drama ! Rockin landscape drama ! Upheaval

On the drive into Death Valley, we climbed from 2000’ at Red Rock Canyon, to 4000’, then back to 2000’ in Panamint Valley, to 4900’ and back to -180 feet in about 120 miles ……Geez, what a ride…….what a visual feast.

 We landed at Stovepipe Wells, tried for a long bike ride but got cut off at the pass on our steeds because of a rushing wash across the road. I bought some bags of rocks for  grandkids, and we tried to learn to play cribbage but didn’t have complete directions. We sat out under the stars wrapped up in blankets, and it was much warmer than last night.

Good night, sleep tight.

 2/12/10 Oh we are really in RV land now. The buggers are everywhere. Everyone is very friendly. I am reminded of a wagon train. We are not in a circle, but in long rows with ( some) electrical outlets. There are few fires, fires are discouraged here ( duh, no wood !). But for the most part, we are traveling in white wagons, with all our gear, not settling a new land, and not really traveling together, but actualizing as best we can that wonderlust spirit of this country. For what are we searching ? Do we not already hold it in our hearts ? Adventure ?

 We saw a lone coyote as we pulled in yesterday. He was sleuthing along the perimeters of the “parking lot”, scavenging for food. I’m thinking he was “old and in the way” in the pack.

 Speaking of adventures…..we can see the road to Mosaic Canyon, we can see the mouth of the canyon. We can ride our bikes there and then hike the canyon. Both distances and depth are deceiving here. We knew the road was 2 ½ miles long, and we could see the elevation rise…but alas, we did not comprehend the steepness. We cross trained ourselves to the top, alternating riding in low gear and walking those bikes up that grade. The road was graded into an alluvial fan that was pretty much straight and up. It was about the same as my old bike commute to downtown Eugene, only at a steady incline that never shifted.

Oh, and did I mention the sunshine ? Warmin our bodies as our hearts were beating like crazy.

 We made it to the mouth of the canyon, we had drinking water left, so we hiked. It was so worth the trip. Smooth marble on one side of the canyon and mosaic and colors on the other. Then back down the grade with the hand brakes on the whole time.

 We moved over to Furnace Creek for another “dry camp” as it is called. That means no electricity or water… just what we are carrying on board.

 It’s Friday night and we have been out of cell range since Wednesday evening. We may not get back in range until we are out of the mountains and into Arizona. Our families were, of course duly notified.

 I long to stay in one place for maybe 4 nights. In this amazing beauty of southwest desert.

 We are planning a nighttime starlit adventure, walking to dinner at a nearby restaurant.

 We will sleep tonight !

 2/13-23..soon to come……..

3/3/10 Yesterday we moved out to McKinney Falls State Park. It is so close to Austin it may be in the city limits. The last time we were here, in the fall of 2008, there were no falls, just rocks and a dry creek bed. This time the water is flowing in Onion Creek. Miranda and Andy came out for one last dinner together. We drank the BRV San Andreas for the birthday girl ( thanks Jeremy). We had a nice campfire and looked at their wedding album, which had finally just arrived before we left town. We also took a couple of bike rides around the lovely park. We saw many butterflies, watched a cardinal singing up a storm and Tim got some good camera shots of a pair of raptors in a tree.

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 I treated myself today to a spirit guide reading from Georgia O’Connor.

www.meetthemedium.com  

I am happy to talk about that with folks and maybe already have. All I will say here is that it felt like someone was reading my mind as Georgia was giving me information from my guide, talking to me about personal things as if she knew me from inside me…..I completely know it sounds crazy. I just experienced it though.

This morning is relaxed and warm sunny yoga under the trees. HB Miranda. So sorry for the loss of Andy’s dear dog, Tela, who succumbed to an age related illness a the exact moment that Miranda was born, 28 years previously.  She actually fell over walking down the hall at the vet’s, and just died. Andy will grieve the loss of his dear friend.

 We are off to Conroe, home of the infamous actor of stage and New Hope workshop, Adam O’Connnor; and his devoted momma Barbara. We are on a birthday mission week, it seems. Adam will be 24 tomorrow and we get to hang out with him to celebrate.

3/5/10 HB Erin… I love you.

  “Strange travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God” Kurt Vonnegut via Dennis O’Connor.

We are leaving Texas today with some good memories.

 When we got to Barbara’s, there was a branch hanging over the driveway, which prevented our entry. Barbara drove up right behind us from her day at work. Within 30 minutes, she had found a neighbor with a chain saw on a pole and the branch was on the ground and we were tucked up into the drive. Good Work ! We need 11′ clearance, FYI.  

 Adam has texting ability on his Vanguard, alternative communication device. It was fun making plans with him using the technology.

 It was nice sitting in the backyard in the sun and seeing the daffodils blooming and also the first few bluebonnets. I was intrigued by the cypress knees in the flower beds and the crawdad castles in the grass. The water table here is pretty high. The cypress trees send up knobby looking roots above the ground to compensate for the high water. They have grown in her garden to look like statues almost. Very cool. The crawdads also have to get out of the water apparently to breathe, so create these little sand castles in the soil. Biology lesson for today.

 We had the accidental tourist adventure of being in Texas at the same time Adam’s daddio, Dennis, flew in from New York for the birthday.  We all went to the Bush ( HW not W) Intercontinental Airport. Adam was so excited as he hadn’t seen Dad since moving back to Texas a year ago. He got to spend his birthday with both parents.  That was so nice for him. And of course, we all had fun laughing and being seriously silly with Dennis.

I also had the extreme pleasure to visit with nephew Christopher, who called me his hippy aunt, of all things ! His vocation is the sensitive work with adolescents who are trying to recover from alcohol abuse, and offer them some skills to move into adulthood. Thanks Chris, I love you.

Wow, up late two nights in a row is taking a toll on me. Nap on the road today, first one.

 I don’t really know how we missed both the blooming cactus in Arizona and the wildflowers in Texas. I so remember the wildflowers exploding in February and was a major highlight of Texas living for me.

 Driving into Louisiana, we spied some long horn cattle. One guy had horns so big I do not know if he could even stand up !

We are now staying in Holly Beach, La, a small community that was devastated in Katrina. There are a few new homes, lots for sale along the beach and as you will see in the pictures, an overabundance of stop signs. It’s a quiet little place with few lights and several oil wells off the coast in the distance. There are still signs of the destruction, including a small mountain of sand mixed with black plastic shreds and probably more trash embedded within.

 On a beach walk, we saw no logs washed ashore or no volcanic rocks as in the northwest, but another delightful attraction; sea shells, big and little and white and pink and brown and beautiful. Shells somehow landed in our pockets as we walked.  A most excellent sunset was followed by a pile of rice and veggies and eggs. Good night.