Anza Borrego - Loving the Sunsets!

My Ma Cato loved to watch the sunrise and sunset, and I guess I got that gene from her.  I can't get enough of it.  There's just such a feeling of being grounded and of being a sacred part of the ALL that floods my soul during the time of the rising and setting sun.  They are my two favorite times of day.

My Ma Cato and I used to lie on our backs out on Sunset Rock at Sequoia National Park and watch the sunset. Or she'd toss a quilt on the grass and we'd watch the big fluffy clouds passing by. I miss these quiet, introspective times with that wise, open-hearted matriarch. I can only hope that with age, I might also lose my tendency to be judgmental and to inherit her ability to love.

And so, these times when I'm all alone in the quiet evening, watching the sun sink over a mountain, I can just hear her say, "Isn't God's good earth just a miracle, Sis?"

Yes, Ma, it is . . .

Here are some photos I took while camped on a plateau near Borrego Springs this past week. I could look east and see the moon rising, and at the same time turn west to see the sunset.

This is a pano shot showing the moon rising on the left and the sun setting on the right.

Sunrise over the flats

These photos don't do the colors justice. Right now I only have my iPhone for taking photos. If anyone has suggestions for lenses or apps to purchase for the iPhone that will do a better job of capturing color please comment below.

Cornelia White House Palm Springs

While in Palm Springs, I visited the Cornelia White House. This is the second oldest structure in Palm Springs. It was originally a bunglow from Palm Springs' first hotel and later the home of Miss Cornelia White, a New York Native who settled in Palm Springs with her sister, Sr. Florilla White, in 1913.

I loved loved LOVED this little house and would give anything to live in something like this today.  Perfect in every way!  But then, I grew up with all those grandparents and this felt "like home" to me.

Love this kitchen!

Cornelia White about a year before her death

Leaving DHS (February 2018)

This is why I love the desert. 

The sunrises are absolutely spectacular, as are the sunsets. 

 I can’t wait to get my watercolors out and try to capture the beauty. 

I have been here in Desert Hot Springs for a few days.

Joe has a desert house here and though it's nice,

I ache to get back on the road.

Today I leave Desert Hot Springs to move south. 

I’m not sure yet where I will stop. 

I am exploring two places; Anza Borrego and Ehrenberg. 

I’ll make my mind up after I do a little more digging. 

The winds are picking up this morning 

and I’d like to get down the road before they hit. 

The desert windstorms are known to take the paint right off of the car. 

So I don’t want to get stuck in it. 

I’m hoping the weather will be calmer down the road.

The further south I get, the more relaxed I feel. 

I’m looking forward to some quiet nights under the beautiful starlit sky. 

Stay tuned.

Love,

Annie

Curtains Round 1

Only 6 days until I leave for the California desert 

in my van.

I've been sleeping in my van, 

in my driveway, 

every night, 

and each night has been better than the night before. I'm amazed what a good night's sleep I get!

If you are planning on van-dwelling, 

I strongly suggest you sleep at least a week 

in your own driveway, if possible.  

You learn a lot of things 

that are much easily corrected 

when you have tools at your disposal. 

You learn what works and what does not work.  

You also learn what you DO and DO NOT need.

Here is an update 

on some of the things I've changed 

in the past few days:

1) Reflectix.  I've read several blogs that say reflectix does not help with cold. I disagree. Last night I tried sleeping with only the curtains up, and no reflectix in the window. I got up about 10 minutes later and put in the reflectix. It made a HUGE difference in the amount of cold air flowing down from the windows.

2) Covering the reflectix. The first time, I spray painted vinyl flat black onto some old reflectix window inserts I had made a few years ago for my Mercury Tracer. It flaked off continually and drove me nuts. My friend, however, says hers does not flake and I think it's because the reflectix I used was old and maybe had oils or whatever on it. Or maybe I got hold of an old can of vinyl spray.  

At any rate, I went to Joann's and bought some vinyl fabric in their drapery department. I got vinyl because it does not absorb water. I used no glue. I simply cut the vinyl to fit the reflectix ON ONE SIDE and used black duct tape to tape the edges.  Upon finishing, I wondered if maybe a person couldn't just use black duct tape and forget buying the vinyl?  The only difference is that tiny space between the reflectix and vinyl is dead air space and good insulation.   I didn't bother putting the tape on the backsides except for around the edges. I want to be able to put the silver side OUT during hot weather to reflect the sun 

(hence the name "reflectix.")

Here is what those inserts look like:

Note:  In the end, these did not work for me. They were WAY too heavy I ended up peeling it all off and now, almost 2 years later, just simply use reflectix. I don't have a need to be stealthy - so I just don't worry about it.

3) Curtains.

In addition to the reflectix inserts 

(which live under my mattress during the day), 

I made curtains. 

I bought a set of insulated curtains for $12 

at Goodwill and used my serger to cut them to size. For the two side windows where I sleep, 

I tried various ways of hanging them, 

none of which were comfortable. 

Finally, I went to the hardware store 

and told the guy my problem. 

He suggested I use crown molding hooks.

Crown molding is the molding that people hang around the top of their walls for decoration:

The hooks look like this:

They're also known as steel picture rail hooks.

I bought 3 packages and used 10 hooks 

(5 for each curtain).

When I began I simply sewed rings onto my curtains. 

I wanted to use regular plastic curtain rings 

but I could not find them 

without making a long drive back to Joann's.

So I bought 10 key ring hooks!

They worked great!

I sewed them on.

I began by putting the hooks in the ditch 

between the cloth headliner

and the plastic molded car body.

Then I simply hung the curtains on the hooks 

using the rings.

That worked fine the first night,

but it bugged me 

that the curtains would fall off the hooks

if I touched them wrong.

So last night, I took a pair of pliers

and I bent the hooks CLOSED onto the rings.

I also bent the hooks tighter on the end 

that inserts into the ditch.

Now, I just have to put them in and they stay.

In the morning, I take down the curtains and 

fold them up, rings, hooks, and all.

It's much more convenient.

I use a bungie cord 

across the bottom of the curtains on the bed side,

so the curtains don't touch me while I sleep.

I hung a bungie between the cab 

and the sleeping area,

using the hook in the ditch method again,

and strung a curtain onto it.

I can separate them and tuck them

into the backs of the seats when I'm driving 

Using the same method,

I hung a curtain across the back a few days ago,

but have discovered I do not need it.

Instead, I covered the back window 

with window film,

so nobody can see inside.

With my pillows stacked up at night,

it pretty much covers the back window.

If I DO want complete privacy,

I can still hang those curtains.

My Luci Lamp hangs from the handhold 

toward the back of the van,

where it also gets charged during the daylight hours.

4) Window Film

I took the darker stained glass film out of the passenger slide door window

and replaced it with the clear rainbow film.

It allows more daylight and I love it.

I put that same film in the back window:

I kept the darker stained glass in the window next to my bed:

5) Cab Windows

I bought reflectix and made covers 

for the driver and passenger window.

I bought a windshield sunshade for $10 

at the auto store.

It covers the entire windshield.

With that and the side windows covered, 

I have total privacy.

6) Lighting

I returned the fairy lights that didn't work,

bought a new brand,

and hung them.

I love them!

They give just enough light at night 

that I can undress and see my way around.

7)  Heat

My propane Buddy Heater works GREAT 

in that small space!

I only have to run it about 5 minutes 

to make the entire place toasty!

I ALWAYS crack the front windows 

when I run the heater.

8)  Carbon Monoxide

I bought a Carbon Monoxide detector/alarm

and mounted it near the floor.

9) Toilet

I've used the toilet the past week,

and learned that really,

all I need are double bags in the loo,

with a piece of paper toweling to collect

the liquids.

No need to take cat litter,

puppy pads,

or wood shavings.

I did buy some diaper pail bags

so I could double bag the loo remains

before disposing.

They have tight snap closures,

so should work pretty well.

10) Washing Clothes.

I bought a new washing machine.

I'll report back! 

11) Cooking.

The only thing I have NOT done in my van

is cook.

I do have both a propane and a butane stove,

but I'll save the cooking experimentation 

for when I get settled in the desert.

I've camped all my life, 

so I'm pretty sure I have taken what I need.

If not, Quartzsite is a camper's shopping paradise,

so I'm not too worried.

All in all, I'm very happy with my van!

Today I go pick up the Carfax 

so I have maintenance records,

and I pick up the registration.

Tomorrow, I will go through the kitchen at the back,

and rethink what I do and do not need to take.

I originally planned to use a car top carrier.

However, I got creative, and managed to store 

a folding table for cooking,

a folding table that sits next to my camp chair,

my camp chair,

and two poles for making a shade tarp

inside the van 

with hardly any noticeable loss of space.

I want to take a tent,

and most likely will put it

 in the passenger seat floorboard

while traveling. 

If necessary, I'll put an extra bin of groceries 

on the passenger seat.

And that should do it.

I just can't think of anything else.

Looking forward to being on the road again.

Love,

Annie

PS:  There have been some updates since writing this. Keep reading!

Van Bedding First Round

My new mattress arrived yesterday. 

It came all rolled up tight in a box 

and the instructions said to leave it unfolded flat 

for 24 hours so it could decompress.

The mattress is a cot mattress. 

It is a trifold so if I decide van life isn't for me, 

it will be perfect for company. 

It is 4 inches thick and this morning looks a lot different 

than in the photo below.

I used the time to cut the down comforter and duvet down to a manageable size.

 I cut a row off the side and a row off the end, and now it fits perfectly!

It was easy using my serger, 

and I thanked my grandmothers again for teaching me to sew!

(Note: A few months later, I bought a queen sized down comforter, doubled it, and put it into a twin sized sheet-type duvet. 

It has been PERFECT

and toasty warm in even freezing weather. 

I wash the duvet when I do my laundry,

maybe once a month.)

The mattress before decompressing.

I cut down the comforter AND the duvet to fit.

Once I get the bed made, I'll take another photo.

The van is coming along. 

Today the milkcrates arrive so I can organize the back end. 

I'm having a great time projecting, 

but a difficult time keeping what I take to a minimum.

I originally was going to use a round 5 gallon water bottle and pump. 

The pump arrived damaged, and in the meantime, 

I found a 5 gallon water jug that was rectangular in the basement. 

It will work a lot better!

My window film arrived today 

and I'll get some of it put up today and take photos.

Stay tuned.

Love,

Annie

*** Bedding and water are updated in later posts

Test Night in the Van - What I Learned

Last night I spent a test night in my van.

I put my keys and flashlight where I could find them. I hung my nighttime curtains and was cozy and warm. I thought I had everything figured out.

I didn't.

Here is what I learned last night:

1) Have all your mid-night pee gear together and in place. As usual, at about 3 am, my bladder woke me up. The suggested procedure is to have something like a yogurt or cottage cheese container as a pee pot, then you pour the urine into a laundry bottle 

and discard it later. 

For those not van-camping, sorry to be so graphic, 

but it's just the fact. 

So first I was hunting the pee-pot in the cold 3 am air. Then when I finished using it, 

I couldn't find my laundry bottle. 

Then couldn't find a place 

the yogurt container wouldn't tip over 

so ended up tossing the urine out the door 

onto my lawn rather than having it spill inside. (Luckily, it's raining!)

2) Learn to use the danged key fob! 

I've never had a car with a key fob. 

Opening the door was a comedy of errors. 

I thought I was locked in forever!

 No matter how many combinations I tried, 

that damned door wouldn't open! 

Then I got my flashlight and realized 

I'd been holding the fob upside down. 

Doh!

3) Find a pee pot that is shorter and won't tip over!

4) Move toilet. 

Put the toilet to the BACK of the van, 

so I do not have to trip over it in the morning 

to turn on the heat.

5) Better viewing. 

Make a tiny place on all 3 sides of the back of the van where I can peek out if I hear a suspicious noise. Maybe I don't need that, but for now, 

it would make me feel better.

6) Buy a small trashcan or trash bag for the van.

7) Organize sleepwear. 

Thought I slept warm enough, 

it's COLD in the mornings! 

Have a packet (one of those zippered pillows) with nighttime gear in it. 

Pajamas, hat, gloves, socks.

8) Hook up the Buddy Heater the night before. 

The heater was right in front of me 

but the propane was in the back of the van 

where I couldn't get to it.

9) Check fuses.

 Figure out how to get the heat on 

in the BACK of the van. 

When I turned on the van heater, 

there was heat coming out of the front vents, 

but not into the back.

10) Shorter curtains are better. 

Cut the curtains between the cab/back shorter. 

I thought it was a good idea to leave them long 

so I could fold them under 

(to keep cold air from the cab 

out of the back of the van.) 

It's not. 

I need to be able to easily flip them into the cab 

in the morning so I can get to my 

back-of-passenger-seat storage.

11) Buy a better mattress. 

My old foam mattress that I thought would work... won't. 

I woke up with my back hurting. 

Since I'll be sleeping on it every night, 

I will invest in a good mattress 

to go on top of the foam. 

I am looking at this mattress from Amazon, 

because it is the right size, 

it has a removable cover I can wash, 

has sheets that fit it, 

and it has great reviews:

So that's what I learned.

Advice and suggestions will be appreciated! 

It was fun, and for the most part, comfortable. 

I felt snug as a bug in a rug, perfectly safe, and happy. Just a few minor adjustments, I think, 

and this will be a great adventure!

Van Update February 19, 2018

I'll take a break from posts about the Camino for a moment to update those who are following my van adventure.

I came back to Desert Hot Springs a few days ago when the weather turned cold in Quartzsite. I wanted to take the opportunity to hire Joe to build out the hatchback area of my 2002 Toyota Sienna van.  I found the hitch rack in front of the kitchen area too complicated to try to work over with that big bin in the way. The bin had to be removed in order to open the hatchback and things just felt very unorganized. Here is a photo of BEFORE:

I wanted something built into the back of the van that would allow me to organize my food and cooking tools so I could find them without digging. Something along the lines of what they do in the back of a teardrop trailer.

I drew up a preliminary plan and we decided to just "play it by ear" and build the cubbies around each item as we went up each layer. We began at the bottom:

We began at the bottom shelf.  I wanted a designated home for my propane tank. When I posted this on Facebook there were quite a few naysayers. "What will happen if you get rear-ended" was the comment I heard most. 

After stopping and doing quite a bit of research on this issue, I couldn't find one single instance where a van had exploded after being rear-ended simply because of a propane tank. There were cases where people had been driving with the gas turned on and lit a cigarette, or where giant trucks full of propane had exploded, but no small vehicle accidents that I could find. I decided this was probably a non-issue and that if someone hit me hard enough to break this tank, I'd have other problems besides an exploding propane tank.  I like the idea that the tank is out of my sleeping area. It will always be turned off when traveling and when camped, it will be removed from the back of the van and will sit under my camping table.  Also, if I do decide it's an issue, my little round cooler also fits nicely in this space, which you will see in later photos.

To the left of the propane, I divided the space into 4 cubbies; 2 for food and 2 for water. It will hold 8 gallons of water; one gallon less than I've carried since Thanksgiving.

In this next photo, you can see the bottom space finished out on the water side (left) with my kitchen stuff set on top to try to figure out the next layer up. We put one more shelf in the food space, splitting it up.

I used birch colored plywood for this build. With the wood, screws, nails, and stain, the price of materials was just around $100.

Finished rack being stained.

Joe is putting the back onto the rack.

It fits perfectly!

I love it!

Here are photos of the finished rack.  We attached it to the bed to stabilize it. I decided I only needed 3 cubbies in the middle; one for my skillets and bowls, one for my breakfast stuff (because I need to get to that each morning), and the third for plates, tools, and paper towels.  I had him add a small top shelf for canned goods and to add privacy in the sleeping area.  He added a lip and holes for bungie cords to hold the goods in while driving. The stove lives on the left and if you look, you'll see it standing up on it's edge. We did this so I could still get to my jack. The blue folded thing is my large area rug that I put in front of my door when I'm camped.  As you can see, my round white cooler also fits in the propane space.  There will be 4 more jugs of water in that empty space. 

When I'm driving, the table fits right up against the grocery shelves to hold them in. Also, the door closes very tightly against all of this. Nothing moves when I travel.

The table holds in all the small groceries. The closed door holds in the rest.

The inside of the van is very organized and cozy. I hung a shoe holder on the wall to hold my bath items and things I use daily. My toilet sits next to the bed and I put a cover on it and use it as a nightstand. I have a bowl inside the toilet to catch urine since it's best not to mix liquids and solids in this type of toilet to keep down the smell. I haven't put chemical in it yet, and so far only had one "smelly" day when the weather was over 90 degrees. But I did purchase an organic odor eater this week to try out.

Under my bed are 4 bins; 2 large and 2 stacking smaller ones. In bin1, I keep my clothes. In bin 2 I keep my office and shower supplies. In bin 3, I keep my watercolor supplies and in bin 4 I keep medicines, an emergency propane bottle, and bungie cords.  My solar suitcase slides right into the space to the left of the toilet when I travel.

I had my passenger seat turned around at RTR, and so now I can sit there to work on my computer or read if the weather is not nice enough to be outdoors.

I use a Luci Light at night, along with the screwed off tops of inexpensive solar lights I picked up at Walmart 12 for $10.  My friend Sandra taught me this trick. You just buy these cheap solar lights and the tops screw right off!  Then you turn them upside down and you have solar tealights!  The only thing is they can't be turned off so you have to stuff them under something if you want complete darkness. But I use mine every night and between about 3 of those and the Luci Light, I have plenty of light at night in my van.

I had Joe build a box over my battery so nothing could fall on it and short it out.  It lives behind the turned passenger seat in the floorboard where a passenger's feet used to go.  Next to it is my laundry bucket (you can't see it in the photo).

I bought this solar suitcase last week and I love it.

Here is the description from the Renogy Site. I suggest you purchase directly from them. If you ask for it, you can get a 10% discount on the package if you are a first time buyer. But you must ask; they won't offer the information.

***

Renogy 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Foldable Solar Suitcase, 

If you're looking for a convenient and portable power solution, the Renogy 100W Monocrystalline Foldable Solar Suitcase is an ideal choice.

The Renogy 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Portable Solar Suitcase is an entire solar power system incorporated into one small package. Weighing in at about 27.60 lbs, this lightweight suitcase includes two 50 Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panels, one 30 Amp Adventurer Charge Controller with an LCD Screen for power regulation, one 10ft tray cable with alligator clips for easy connection to the battery, one temperature sensor, one battery voltage sensor, and a protective casing for safe portability. The Renogy 100 Watt Solar Suitcase will make charging on the go as easy as 1-2-3!

Please Note: The Charge Controller is Not Waterproof.

***

I wasn't concerned about the charge controller not being waterproof as I'd never put it out in the rain. In the winters, I will stay in sunny areas.

Here is the battery I purchased:

Today, our plan was to go to Algadones, Mexico. We both had appointments with a dermatologist there. But we woke up to high winds and in the desert, you don't drive in these winds unless you want the paint stripped off your car and your windshields etched.  So we've called to reschedule our appointments and it looks like I'll be here in Desert Hot Springs at least two or three more days before heading out on my next adventure. I still haven't decided where I'll go, though I'm leaning toward both Joshua Tree and The Slabs. I'll probably do both.

So that's my update. 

I hope you're all staying warm and dry this winter.

I'm looking forward to my Camino in May,

and to seeing my family again.

I'm having fun but admit I'm a little homesick.

Love,

Annie