This recurring line from Doctor Who now applies to me, except I do like it. The temperature has finally dropped to the 70s for the foreseeable future, making shade less of a critical need. At the same time, the wind has picked up. So I rearranged my campsite into an L-shape, using the trailer to help block the wind rather than the sun. This is how I was set up last spring before leaving for my big loop of the US. I’ve also moved farther away from the fire pit, since I ended up too close to be comfortable using it in my previous setup. Once the wind fades a bit, I may play with the shade cloth or tarp to see if I can still set up a covered area for myself, supporting the loose corner with ropes and a long tent pole.
Since I can receive things from Amazon, I’ve ordered a couple of odds and ends. One of them is this mounting bracket for the small propane bottles I use with my stove. Though intended for much larger gas cylinders, it works fine to hold this in place. I’ll still disconnect the propane from the stove before driving anywhere, but now it can just travel there instead of having to go back into storage. It makes me feel a bit better than having it hanging out loosely on top of one of my sets of drawers.
I also picked up a cheap magnetic work light. I haven’t installed any scene lights like I did in my last van, nor do I want to because they were way too bright and annoying to my neighbors. At Wayne’s, I saw Yellow Wolf did something like this, and liked the idea so much I got a light of my own. I can just stick it to the side of the van when I’m parked and have an outside light, without having to go inside the trailer and turn on the BougeRV power station before turning on its outside light. I can just reach up and press a button, with no wiring at all. When it runs out of juice, I can recharge it by USB. I just have to remember to take it down when I’m going to drive, or if it’s going to rain.
I haven’t had any real adventures since getting back to Quartzsite, other than Vulture City ghost town. Today is the first day I haven’t been buried in work since I got back, so I’ve been relaxing and enjoying the cooler weather. I still need to set up my new mail forwarding service and get my van registration transferred from Florida to Arizona, but that takes time and brainpower I haven’t had, so I’m hoping work continues to be a dull roar and allows me to work on those over the next week or two. I’m most likely staying in Quartzsite at least through the end of November so I can get stuff done. After that, who knows?
Smokey Da Van 