Van, Sweet Van!

June 20, 2018

Well, I have just a few days left in Spain and then I’ll be flying home and back to my sweet little van. I’ll tell you - I cannot wait!

I’ve been living in hostels and albergues for the last five or six weeks and though all the spaces are small, it’s funny to hear myself say it, but they’re not small enough.  I miss my little cocoon.

 I am not sure yet what my plan will be when I get home. I know that there’s a meet up in Tillamook along the coast. I do need to check on my mother. I need to have a big yard sale and get rid of a garage full of stuff I’ve accumulated.  At some point I need to decide where I will spend the rest of the summer. I’m hoping to hook up with Merle or Vern or some of my other van friends before hitting south for the winter again.

 I let my friend Joe borrow my van while I was in Spain so he could take a trip to the coast. But he turned around and drove it back home after the traction light went on three times. This seems to be a major issue with Toyota sienna van and after doing some research online I think it could be a matter of having the rack and pinion replaced. If that’s the case it could be anywhere from $200-$1000. But it will make the van much safer to drive.  Right now, I’m worried about the van putting its own brakes on, which it has done twice. And I could see how that could cause a major accident if it happened on the freeway and I was rear ended. I was surprised to hear people say that Toyota won’t accept responsibility for this issue even though there are hundreds of complaints online for the exact same issue.  I suppose if someone is killed as a result it in there could be a big lawsuit and at that point maybe they will accept responsibility.   Anyway, I know that I will have a van repair expense upon returning and I’m happy that I have some energency cash set aside.

There are two things that I would love to do this year. One is to drive old route 66 as much as possible. The other is to take the LDS tour of Mormon sites.   When I get done will depend on my mother’s health more than anything else and whether or not I need to stay with her.

 So that’s it for now. I’m looking forward to being home and back in the van and will catch up when I get there.

 Happy trails!

Annie

Saddle Mountain 2/28/2018

When I arrived at Saddle Mountain, the sun was shining. I think this is one of the most beautiful places I have camped so far!  I drove up the road of the BLM campground and found a spot near the mountains. Upon looking at Google Maps, the road dead ends at another road that goes in both directions up ahead. If I had 4 wheel drive, I might go further, and today I’ll take a walk to explore.

I got set up just in time, because the clouds quickly rolled in and it began raining. I snugged up in the van and finished reading The Grapes of Wrath and slept with the sound of rain on the roof.

What a life!

Now this is more like it!  I counted only about 8 rigs out here. This must be a well-kept secret. Or maybe it’s just because it’s mid-week. Whatever… I’ll be back here next season for sure!  It’s so quiet out here, and the beauty is just stunning.

This morning, after the rain, there was that wonderful desert-smell of creosote in the air. One of the things I love about van-dwelling is how close I live to the earth. I’m just one step away from the ground, and when I open my side door each morning, I have a beautiful view of a backyard that constantly changes.

I feel healthier and happier out here in nature.  And though I’m sure there will be times I’ll want to be back in 4 walls, for now, this is a slice of heaven for me.

What a life!

Looking out my van door 

Cooking dinner and tomorrow's food, before the rain starts!

Those clouds rolled in FAST!

Bundled up in the van, listening to the rain

A beautiful morning!

You can see the fog in the valley

Thank you, Mr. Sun

Ajo to Why

I left the Casino lot about 6 am, dropping inside for a cup of coffee before heading onto Interstate 8 toward Gila Bend.  The drive was wonderful because I was about the only car on the road!  I watched as the sun came up over the desert and as always, it was beautiful!



Last night, I made contact with Blaize from the RTR Art Group. We met at a cool place called Roadrunner Java in Ajo and chatted over a cup of coffee and a donut. She gave me some great information about camping in this area. Her website can be seen at http://www.rubbertrampartist.com/

Before taking off, I used the restroom at Roadrunner, and this poster was up on the wall and I thought it was pretty funny, though probably politically incorrect these days?



I want to figure out one to post telling ladies who insist on standing up and peeing like a man to lift the damned seat like a man! I swear.... women can be more disgusting than men sometimes!

On my way out of Ajo, I was struck by the beauty of the historical section of town. This little place is worth spending more time visiting. The first thing that caught my attention was this gorgeous church building!



Then right next door, another church, a Catholic one, with a cool dome on top, and also whitewashed.



In the side yard of that Catholic Church was a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary. There were two benches where people could sit and meditate or pray.

Traveler, I am here.

The Masonic Lodge building was pretty cool.



I saw a sign directing people to a museum, so I followed the arrows and ended up on the top of a hill overlooking a copper mine.  There, I found another whitewashed building which was originally St. Catherine's Indian Mission.  The brief history of the mission went like this:  In 1973, James Griffith wrote that some kind of chapel was there since a bell had been purchased in 1922 for the sum of $46.00.  Father Schwarz' 1920 photograph showed that indeed, a sturdy wooden biulding was in place, but there was as yet, no bell.  The structure was replaced by a new chapel in 1942 an dedicated to St. Catherine. Fire destroyed that building a few years later when a dog kicked over some candles.  Soon afte rthe fire, Brother Robert Schuchert directed construction of a new complex of buildings on Indian Village Road, in Ajo, it occupied nearly the same location as the earlier chapel. The U-shaped building housed the church, the school, and the priest's quarters.  The Catholic Church abandoned the building in 1974. In 1976 the Ajo Historical Society established a museum in the complex, repairing and refurbishing the damage that occurred during the 8 years of vacancy.

Now, the little museum holds various antiques including a dentist and printer office, a kitchen, a bedroom, and more.



This kitchen reminded me so much of my grandmother Carvalho's kitchen when I was growing up. She had one of these cupboards in her kitchen, though it was green and white and in much better condition. It had bins in which she kept flour, sugar, and salt.



There was a bit of natural history displayed in the museum as well.

  

These were punishments issued for the breaking of rules. Children today have no idea how lucky they are!



And then, there were Teacher's Rules too!



Upon leaving, I stopped to take a look at the copper mine.



I ran across this cool art in someone's rock garden on the way out of town.



The headdress is made of iron implements. such as scissors.




Soon, I was at WHY, Arizona.

Cool fountain at WHY

It's a shame about the shadow, but these were some pretty nice murals.

I stopped to see if I could find a sticker for the inside wall of my van. No luck.
So I headed on to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

Stay tuned,
Annie

Trip to Algadones, Mexico

Photo by DeLange

Yesterday, Joe and I woke up early and drove to Algadones, Mexico for the day. I had a variety of goals, including new glasses, removal of some skin tags and moles, a lipoma, and another "old people thing" growing behind my knee.

The drive there was easy from Desert Hot Springs, and the traffic was light. It took about 3 hours. We decided that I would drive TO Algadones and Joe would drive back, because of all the work I wanted done. I didn't think I'd feel up to driving home, and I was right!

I never tire of seeing the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area when we drive to Algadones. The dunes are so surreal, just appearing out of nowhere. The dunes are located west of the Chocolate Mountains and are crossed by Interstate 8 and State Route 78. Though nobody is really sure how the dunes were formed, the most common theory is they were formed by windblown beach sands from Lake Cahuilla. However they were formed, they are beautiful!

Entering Algadones was simple. We parked in the Quechan Parking Lot for $6 per car, noted our parking area letter, and walked through the gates. 

We had an appointment with the Dermatologist at 11:30 but arrived at 10 am so we had plenty of time. First stop was the eye doctor. Joe needed a prescription for glasses. He is going to try buying glasses on the Zenni Optical site. But I have had good luck with the doctor we visited, so I wanted to drive home with new glasses in hand. Joe paid $20 for his exam and prescription. My exam was included in the price of my glasses. Just a straight prescription and inexpensive frames was $50. I needed those for distance. In addition, I wanted a pair of bifocals, and I chose a more expensive frame. Those were $100. So the total for two pair of prescription glasses was $150. I am very happy with both the quality and the price.

The little shop

There were 3 walls of frames offered

My new glasses!

After the eye exam and picking out frames, the doctor measured my eyes for the bifocals. Then we were told to return in 3 hours to pick up the glasses.

We had 15 minutes to get to the Dermatologist.

​Dr. Roberto Flores obtained his degree in Dermatology in 1990 from “El Centro Dermatologio Pascua” of Mexico City. He is certified by UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico) and by the Secretaria de Saud de Mexico (Health Secretary of Mexico).

Dr. Flores began his practice in Los Algodones after graduating and divides his time between Los Algodones and Mexicali.

His office and medical facilities offer a clean and safe place to attend to patients and meet the standard of international sanitary requirements.

I did make the mistake of using the restroom when I was there. It was super-clean but they had one of those plug in fragrance things on the wall, and I quickly reacted with a headache.  DAMN!  I flushed my nose as best I could, and took some ibuprofen to try to head off the migraine. I went outside and gulped fresh air. I did get a headache, but thank the gods, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I wish they'd outlaw those things!

I was very happy with this doctor.  He took a look at my nose. For years, I've had two moles, one under my nose and one on the side of my nostril that bled a LOT when I had a cold or blew my nose. I was worried these were skin cancer, but Dr. Flores said no, they were just moles. I'm a big baby when it comes to pain. My MCS causes me to have a very low pain threshold, so I was really afraid of that needle, especially in the nose!  But he was quick and gentle and removed both moles completely. It never bled and this morning I can barely see where they were.

Next he froze off about 20 skin tags under both arms. These skin tags are something new for me, and they were tiny, but annoyed me. They just popped up in the past year, and I asked him the cause. He said it's just a result of age, and could have to do with my bra rubbing the skin. I think it's time I reverted to the 60's and burn those bras again. More pain as he froze each tag. 

The lipoma next to my spine also popped up in the past year. About the size of a walnut, it bugged me. It didn't hurt, but I didn't like it. He said he could inject it with something that would dissolve the fat, and I agreed without a lot of thought. 

Holy HELL!  Those injections were painful, and it quickly got hot and swelled up. I had a hard time sleeping last night because the area was so painful and this morning, though the swelling has gone down, it still hurts to move my arm or to touch it.  

Upon further investigation, I discovered that this may or may not work and it's not been approved by the FDA.  That doesn't bother me so much as the fact that with my MCS, I let him inject something I hadn't researched. But it's done. So now I can only cross my fingers and hope it works.  I've read the pain can last quite a while after these injections. I also read the negative side effects reported were in people who injected themselves, not in people who had the injections done by a dermatologist or other professional. 

After all this, I decided I wasn't up to having the growth removed from the back of my knee. That will have to wait for another visit.

Prices for these procedures were as follows:

Removal of 2 moles from nose:  $70

Freezing of skin tags:  $60

Lipoma injection:  $120

The price of surgery to remove the growth from the back of my knee will be $220 when I decide to have it done.

In the USA, prices to have moles removed ranged from $100-$200 PER MOLE.

So I'm pretty happy with the price as well as the results.

We stopped by the Pharmacy and I bought 2 bottles of 800 mg ibuprofen for $3.99 each, some opthmalic neosporin for $7, and a generic form of Voltaren called Volfenac Gel with Diclofenac 1.235%.  It is stronger and less expensive than what we buy in Spain for only $1.50.   

After all of this, I needed sustenance, so we found a little restaurant, Birrieria El Paisa, where they had Pollo Asado (grilled chicken).  We shared half a chicken and each had a beer.   Total for lunch was $7.

While eating, you must get used to the constant stream of people coming by your table wanting you to buy trinkets. You learn to just say a polite, "No, gracias," then ignore them. If you look them in the eye or engage in any way, they won't leave.

Mmmmmmm... CHICKEN!

The line to leave is the biggest detriment to visiting Algadones. 

You can stand in that line for hours in order to get back into the USA.

I went back to pick up my glasses after lunch, 

and sent Joe ahead to stand in the line.

When I arrived at the gate, 

Joe was right up at the front. 

HOORAY!

It's a little slow because each person much show their passport

and what they purchased.

Almost there!

Joe drove home, which made me VERY happy!

We got back to Desert Hot Springs by 5 pm, about 12 hours after leaving.

I'm a little sore this morning but glad we went.

Headed back to Desert Hot Springs

If you're visiting Southern California or Arizona, 

don't be afraid to go to Algadones.

Hundreds of retired people visit each day,

going there for dental work, eyeglasses, dermatology, and prescriptions.

It's absolutely safe and a great day trip. If you need to stay overnight, you can find hotels in Yuma or in Algadones itself. If you have an RV, you can boondock in Yuma at the Casinos or on BLM land.

Today I need to pack up the van and get ready to head out again tomorrow.

Not yet sure where I'm headed, but hopefully someplace warm

See you soon,

Annie

Foods For Van Dwelling

There are a few products I use that make my van life easier, 

and I'd like to share those with you.

I do not use a cooler regularly.

I use my cooler to hold tools, and do take it along, 

just in case.

But generally, I carry no food that needs refrigeration.

The only thing I use that COULD use a refrigerator

is yogurt,

and that seems to do just fine for 4 to 5 days 

without refrigeration.

After all, yogurt is fermented milk, 

and all it does is get stronger.

So far I've had no problems carrying it and using it,

although one container over a week old 

did manifest some mold

and had to be tossed.

I use the yogurt in my cereal

instead of milk.

I add a few big spoons of yogurt,

then add water and stir.

It's just like using kefir or milk

and works great!

I always carry boxed tofu.

I like Silken Tofu and I like the Firm texture.

I use this for curries, as well as for "scrambled eggs"

and "egg salad."

This particular tofu can be purchased in stores,

and also on Amazon by the case.

I love Curry and other East Indian foods,

and I particularly love these Curry pastes.

These come in a variety of types. 

Some are hot, some are medium, some are mild.

I prefer the mild, so this is the one I keep on stock.

It's perfect for whipping up a quick dinner,

using the vegetables you have at  hand.

I generally use it with potatoes, yams, and canned chicken.

I've also added celery, carrots, an zucchini.

It's awesome when you are pot-lucking too,

and has been a great hit!

I like coconut milk in my curry

and so I keep these on hand.

These are small single serving coconut milk boxes.

Since I have no way to refrigerate leftover milk,

these work great.

I pour one entire box into my curry.

It's about 1 cup.

I also love these Tasty Bite packages.

Single servings for less than $3 each,

they make a great quick meal when you really 

don't feel like cooking,

and they need no refrigeration.

They come in a great variety of flavors.

All of these items can be ordered on Amazon.com

and if you have PRIME,

shipping is free.

Ready to eat rice

makes dinner easy

those times you can't cook.

There is this Basmati Rice,

and Uncle Ben's makes another version

that is less costly.

As long as the weather is cool,

I can put leftovers in a tight-lidded container

and it holds over for a second night.

Another item I buy is bagged salad.

I particularly love the Asian salad.

I also like the kale salad,

and I have actually STIR FRIED this

and used it as a "wilted salad"

when the weather is cold.

I've held these salads up to 5 days 

in a cool space in my van

with no refrigeration and no problem.

Instead of bread, I carry crackers.

I like cracker bread like Lahvosh or WASA.

Or just organic crackers.

I hope some of these lightweight, easy foods

will give you ideas

of what might work for you.

Many can be ordered on Amazon 

and it's worth looking through

their Prime Pantry to see what's available.

Good luck and Bon Provecho!

Annie

We Have GOT to Stop Meeting Like This!

Headed out yesterday morning on my way to Oatman 

after saying a sad goodbye to Vern.  

I stopped to check the map between Ehrenberg and Parker 

and who should pull over in front of me but ... 

VERN!

Hahaha!

So... we drove together and parked about 8 miles out of Oatman 

in a really sweet part of the desert.   

We ate the leftover curry for dinner and went to bed early.

My first Route 66 Sign!

Got me a cowgirl hat!

Shadow on Vern's wall

Another beautiful sunset!

This morning, while I was getting dressed, a coyote came within 10 feet of the open door of my van. Vern called me to say, "Do you see that?!"  It was very cool. I got a video but don't have enough internet to load it.

Soon after, we headed to Oatman for breakfast.

What a beautiful drive!  If you plan on going that way, hold out to camp up closer to the mountains on mile marker 21 or 22. There are some VERY sweet parking spots at both mile markers.

Oatman is a funky little town on Route 66 - and turned out to be cute, but quite a tourist trap.  We were lucky to arrive early and see most of the town before the tourist buses rolled in!  There were burros EVERYWHERE, so Vern got his donkey fix!

We had bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, gravy and biscuits for breakfast at the Hotel Restaurant. Kowabunga, I ate a lot!  They had some pretty funny signs in there too!

After breakfast we walked all over the small town.  Lots to see and plenty of tourist shops to visit.

Burro just taking a rest!  lol!

Gimme a kiss!

Don't see these much anymore!

Sign says "Don't feed Me!"

The reason they don't want you to feed the baby burros is because they are still nursing and may choke on food like carrots.  MOST people follow the rules, but I guess last year, one baby died at Parker Strip when a stupid human decided they knew better and fed it a carrot.

Hmmmmmm??? 

We finished off the day with ICE CREAM!