I haven’t posted much this week because, between a windstorm and unusually cold temperatures (the coldest I’ve ever experienced in Quartzsite), I haven’t really done anything except work and hide in my heated van. That seems to have come to an end, so I’m spending today getting ready to begin my long road trip east. I’d originally planned to leave today, but I just wasn’t getting things done because of the weather. Fortunately, the next definite date in my travel plans is a month from now, so a day’s delay isn’t a problem at all.
Actually, I did get a few things done this week. I picked up the last of my mail and packages that I’m expecting for a while. I stocked up on cheap food at the Used Food Store that I won’t be able to get as affordably after I leave. I made a list of other food to get at a real grocery store once I’m back in civilization.
I painted my “new” window covers I made a while back to replace the ones that were falling apart. While camping in Quartzsite stealth was completely unnecessary, but now that I’m about to get back on the road, it’s nice to blend in if I have to. It’s been so windy that I ended up turning my trailer into a paint booth, the only way I could get out of the wind to complete this job.
I’m writing this in the parking lot at the Main Street Laundromat. It’s good to start my next journey with a hot shower and a full load of clean laundry. I had to walk across the street to Roadrunner Market to get cash from the ATM since the laundromat’s was out of order. While waiting to cross the street, a guy in a van who was also waiting to pull out yelled to me how much he loves my videos and how helpful they’d been to him. What a random, wonderful encounter. When I get frustrated with YouTube, I have to remember that people like this are out there. Even if my analytics are low, people seem to find value in my videos. I need to make sure my GoPro is charged before I hit the road tomorrow.
Speaking of people, I passed Jenn on my way out of La Posa South, saw Christie at the trash AND the laundromat (she asked if I was stalking her), and also Misty at the laundromat. I don’t think I’ve ever randomly run into so many people in one trip before. It’s a good reminder of the extended community I have in Quartzsite, which is one of the reasons I enjoy it here. This week’s weather had me feeling pretty down about it, even though it’s far from normal.
The one last thing I want to do before leaving is taking the V-Strom to Blythe and hose it down at a car wash. There’s no getting around the dust here, and it’s dirty, even though I stashed it inside the trailer for the wind and rain storm earlier this week. The van and trailer also need a wash, but I’ll do that while I’m on my way east. It’s finally warm enough to hit the highway on a motorcycle, so I’ll take care of that later this afternoon when temperatures are at their warmest. Then I’ll immediately strap the bike into the trailer before it gets dirty again.
Then it’s just a matter of emptying the grey water and toilet tanks, filling up my water, hitching up the trailer, and I’m ready to go. I’ll do all that today so I can just roll out of here in the morning. I have lunch plans in Phoenix and plan to get to Tucson, which will be the farthest east I’ve ever been in Arizona. I may be a legal resident, but there’s a lot of this state I haven’t seen. I’ll be sticking to the south part where it’s warmest on this journey.
Smokey Da Van 