Freedom

We've been busy with kids and grand-kids during the latter half of April. What with our planned trip to the Arctic this summer we have to ensure our "grand-kid tank" is completely full before excusing ourselves for the next four months. And we're glad to help out... give the little folk's parents a break from the rigors of raising sprouts. So it goes without saying much more that we've been doing little else worth reporting.

One day this week my sweetie and I took advantage of a gap between her yard projects and the kids (grand-kids) returning from school and did what most other self-respecting and outdoor-starved PNW'ers do on the first few really nice days of Spring... head for one of the scarce dining/drinking establishments with outdoor seating along the mighty Columbia to soak up some views, some rays, some snacks, and perhaps a craft beer. The experience really puts the mind (and body to some extent) into a proper receptive state in preparation for the warm days of summer.

Figuring there'd be crowds, we arrived at our chosen joint after the noon crush. The first clue this wasn't going to go as hoped was the lack of parking spaces... the lot was plumb full. I dropped Dar off to elbow her way to the front of the line and get the scoop, while I found a parking place a block and a half away.

Of course we were time-constrained -- had only a little more than an precious hour before our presence was required back at the house when the kiddies get home from school. So when we got the news that it'd be a minimum half-hour wait before an outdoor riverside table would be available we grudgingly accepted the offer of an inside table with a river-view... sort'a. It was OK but we both stared longingly at the tables out on the deck, in the sun, as we nursed our beer and humus plate. "Com'on... enjoy what we have and make the best of it."

It was then that it hit me just how much we take our personal freedom for granted. Almost any other time we have a notion to take an afternoon break like this, we would've had no problem waiting for that outside table. We're not used to dealing with schedules or other restrictions on our time any more. The day just flows and we just flow with it. But so many people, by necessity, have to deal with the notion of time... must get to work on time; get out of work in time to get kid to swimming lessons; pick up other kid from karate; rustle up dinner quickly so everyone's fed and happy before running off to PTA meeting; get home in time to let the dog out; meet kid's bus after school; then there's soccer practice, play dates with friends, family and school functions, and all the house-work and yard-work that must be done before the neighbors start talking. It's just all so overwhelming. We did it. We did it for many years... so many years ago. I think this, glorious freedom from time constraint, is perhaps the single biggest positive feature of our life right now.

A Seasonal Love Affair

As a Midwest boy, born and bred, I never anticipated this later-in-life attraction for the desert. It’s axiomatic that a person tends to prefer the surroundings that were imprinted on him during childhood, just as your parents religion tends to be yours, and your preferences for food are often right out of your mother’s cookbook. Like it or not, we’re indoctrinated during childhood and neither reason nor reality have much to do with most of our attitudes, preferences, and prejudices.

But my indoctrination to Midwest lush green summers and white frozen winters has faded away in the last few years. Driven by the invention of the wheel and the innovation of putting several of them under your house, adding a motor, and being able to move from one place to another at will, a nomad with a calendar can seek out an optimal environment for living. Perfect all-the-time places only exist in fiction, so to maximize enjoyment one must move once in a while.

Not yet strong or tough enough to sample the desert in the summer, I have fallen in love with her for the winter. The day-long low angle of sunlight and the resulting vistas of popping color, shapes, and shadows; varied landscape reliefs; cool dry air (but warm by Midwest winter standards); unusual interesting plant life; burrowed and sleeping snakes (not a fan of snakes); vast expanses of public lands; and a proper shortage of other people… these are the things I’ve come to love in her.

As so often happens to lovers, the affair is intense but short-lived. Flirtations from other temptresses are noticed… then felt… and eventually lure the fickle nomad to stray. That, and the knowledge that your seasonal desert mistress is going to turn into a hot bitch, too hot to handle, as she does every year, mean it’s time to move on.

But I know, deep down, I’ll be back again. That “feeling” never seems to dissipate completely.

Jan 4 - Cycles

Time advances. The winter holidays recede. Parties. Family time. Solstice. Christmas. New Years. Bowl games. Food... so much food. Binges of excess... in so many ways. But it's our way, our ritual, so don't mess with it. We can't wait for it to start; then we can't wait till it's over. What does it all say about us?

So much of our energy and time and money is spent during these holidays. Decorating. Shopping. Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Gifts. Wrapping. Christmas Cards. Hors d'oeuvres. Holiday dinners. Travel. Who's in? Who's out? Gatherings. Small talk. Run here. Run there. Sorry, can't think about it now - no time. After-Christmas sales. Un-decorate. More storage space for more stuff.

But January is when we reach the part of the craziness cycle when things slow down. Back to work. Back to school. Normal weeks again. Sol, our sun, has decided to halt it's southerly procession and head north for another cycle of seasons. A calm settles over the land. There's hope... primordial primitive hope. If we can hold out just a few more weeks life will return to the barren frozen-ness. We hope.

But fear not. There's another holiday... another celebration not far off... another big day to define and give meaning to our lives. Can't you feel the excitement? the anticipation?

It's our way, our ritual, so don't mess with it.

Facebook is Loosing Me

My first attempt at a post on my thoughts about Facebook has been discarded... wadded up and chucked in the virtual waste basket. It really wasn't very "friend"ly... actually came off rather mean-spirited. I'm not sure why. It's difficult to be critical of something that so many of my "friends" and relatives use... and, apparently, think highly of... without coming across as being critical of those using it. I don't want to do that... and I certainly don't want to come across as seeming to tell others what to do.

Let me just say this: I check in on my "friends" on Facebook to see what they're doing, where they are, why they are where they are, and to, maybe, see what they have to say, what they're thinking about, and how they feel. That's the reason I signed up for FB in the first place. I love reading about my Grand-kids, the family and extended family, seeing photos of them all... following the travels of nomadic friends... getting into their minds for just a few seconds. Quick efficient updates.

But, increasingly, it seems to me, my screen is filled with posters, signs, or e-chain letters (click "like" if you love Jesus, hate Obama, or think the world will end this year) written by someone unknown, that contain a message a "friend" wants to share with me. Often that message contains a political or religious agenda... an agenda I may not appreciate or agree with. Even if I am in sync with the message, I don't like having to wade through all this clutter to find out how my kids or grand-kids are doing. This evolution of FB might be fine for some, but it's not for me.

Call me old-fashioned, but I'd much rather hear from YOU... about YOU.

I think that's all I'll say about Facebook today.

Mar 8 - Screens and Journaling

In my last post I forgot to include a link to the post from November 2011 about creating our intaglio... so here's that link.

After reading that old post again, and after checking a dictionary source for assistance, I think the use of the word "intaglio" is really not appropriate for the rock art thing we created out in the desert. It looks like it might better be termed a "geoglyph". The dictionary says a "geoglyph" is a drawing on the ground made by arranging natural materials (stones, rocks, etc.) and the shade variations of the underlying ground. Hmm. But whether it's an intaglio, a geoglyph, just some crude desert graffiti, or something else... I'm impressed that it's still there.

I also discovered that it's visible on Google Maps. Link. (may have to zoom in) If any of the readers of this journal are ever in Q, feeling bored, and/or ambling around aimlessly in the desert... and you happen to stumble on this thing... whatever it is, take a photo and let us know how it's doing. For every report (with photo) we receive we'll credit your account with an additional year of free access to The RV Sabbatical Journal. How can you go wrong with a deal like that?

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We're having a cloudy stormy blustery day here at "The Quartz". A rare good day for nomads to work on inside jobs... or to at least sit inside without feeling guilty about it.

Have you noticed that screens tend to keep people inside? TV screens, computer screens, tablet screens, even smartphone screens... none of them are really usable in bright daylight or even bright cloudy days. Sure, if you really turn up the brightness, and you hunker-down deep into the shadows, swivel the device so as to minimize reflections, or sit in a chair and cover yourself, head and all, with a blanket (???)... and you squint and force the old eyes to work harder... you might be able to get something done. But it's clearly not ideal. And it's clearly not a long term solution. No, screens are a chain that keep us inside.

Sitting under a blanket?? Yes, I've recently seen a photo of someone doing just that. In the old days if you ran across someone laying there, completely covered with a sheet or blanket, you assumed the worst and started digging a hole. But not these days. No sir, not with our modern technology. These days it's a fashion statement. My-Oh-my... we've come a long way haven't we?.

Besides this blog, for years, I've tried to keep up another journal of sorts... one meant for my eyes only. I use it in the traditional way that people over the ages have recorded their personal thoughts, emotions, feelings, opinions, and other things they didn't want others to read. I use it as a place to develop topics for the blog, to record the events of the day, as well as those private thoughts and ideas. Over the years I've found this personal private journal beneficial, especially during high-stress and difficult times. It helps me straighten myself out, organize my jumbled thoughts, and can provide some much needed perspective. Googling "benefits of journaling" brings up dozens of articles on the subject.

In the past, I've kept my personal journal as a simple text file on my computer. The idea was that I can type much faster than I talk (and probably think too) and by using the keyboard I won't slow down the process of getting thoughts on "paper". At least that's what I thought. And besides, I'm a computer guy... I like PCs and all the other electric thing-ama-jigs... and keeping my personal journal on the computer just seemed to made sense.

But not so much anymore.

Back to screens. Besides keeping myself sequestered and confined while writing the blog, writing in my personal journal was, at times, keeping me "in the dark" for even more of my precious little remaining time. It had been until recently when I changed course and went back to the old tried and true medium of the past... pen and ink on paper. I bought one of those old-fashioned bound "composition books" (about 7" by 10", less than a single dollar on sale), a new pen, and started to write. Now I can sit outside, on a rock along a trail, at the edge of a grand canyon, on the top of a mountain... and spill my thoughts onto those pages with abandon. No more screen problems for me... well, at least when I'm in my personal journal.

I've also found that the act of putting thoughts on paper with ink doesn't hinder the process like I thought it would. In fact, in some ways, writing with pen and ink enhances it... organizes it. I find that instead of just punching keys as fast as I think, I'm actually composing the sentence, the thought, before I put it down. That alone was a remarkable discovery for me. And both my pen and ink writing, and my penmanship, have improved since I started.

I'm finding real enjoyment in keeping this personal journal. I look forward to sitting outside, perhaps with a delicious bitter IPA or other adult beverage, and guiding that pen over the smooth clean paper. How quaint. How satisfying.

Feb 27 - More Downsizing Details

nimble - moving quickly and lightly; sleek and agile...

At the risk of re-hashing thoughts I've written about before, I thought I'd write a summary of the key ideas driving the next chapter of our nomadic life. What we're calling "Sabbatical II" will be an evolution of our current fulltiming experience. Driven by our desire to be more nimble and flexible in our travels and explorations... it'll be a hybrid lifestyle that combines a couple of, what we're calling, "mooch-docks" (think mini-home-base or small apartment) coupled with a much smaller camper. These are a few of the key elements of Sabbatical II:

1. Two mini home-bases, one each in Wisconsin and the State of Washington, the two places our family is located.

2. No towing anything. Towing fosters "hub and spoke" exploration. We want to explore in a linear fashion during Sabbatical II.

3. A small Camper... at this point we're focused on either a truck camper or a Sprinter van conversion camper. The RV will serve as both our living quarters and our exploration vehicle.

4. Keep it simple... keep complexity and clutter to an absolute minimum.

Let me expound further on each of the elements above:

1. The mini-homebase: First some background: During our last 6 years of RV fulltiming we've developed a pattern... alternating periods of sitting and traveling. Most of our family is in either Wisconsin or the State of Washington and we find ourselves staying in each of those for long periods... a month or two at a shot. Between those periods of sitting, we travel and explore... usually for a couple months at a time, but perhaps longer if, like this year, we don't sit in one place during our southern escape from Winter. In total, we sit for about 6 months and we travel for about 6 months each year.

So an idea evolved as we talked about the future. If we could re-engineer things so that during the times we're visiting family we had a space we could call home... a place to find a little solitude, to sleep, a refuge... a place to keep extra clothes and stuff needed only rarely... if we could make that happen, our need for a big RV diminishes rapidly. You might think of it as glorified guest room or a studio apartment. In any case, we'd consider it a mini-homebase (or tongue-in-cheek... a "mooch-dock"). But there wouldn't be much mooching as, like most work-campers, we'd trade our services, brains, and brawn for the place to stay.

Of course, with our situation we'd need two of them... one in Wisconsin and the other in Washington. Tentatively, we've got two spaces in mind and have already talked with the landlords. There's still some work to do putting this piece of the Sabbatical II puzzle together, but we're hopeful we'll have both mini-homebases ready by the end of the summer.

2. No Towing Allowed: For maximum nimbleness, we'd like to get away from towing anything. No trailer, no towed car, no utility trailer... no "toad" of any kind. The dictionary definition of nimble is moving quickly and lightly, which pretty much captures our thoughts on the matter. The part of our current lifestyle we really enjoy is the traveling and exploring... and our aim is to maximize that by traveling in a more linear fashion... exploring as we go and finding a campsite when we're tired at the end of the day. With the bus-house and our current system, we have to return to our starting point every night.

3. A Small Camper: Going hand in hand with my comments on towing, nimbleness will require a small camper. And once you take towing out of the equation, there are very few RVs to consider. What we're focused on in our search at this time are slide-in truck campers and class B van conversions based on the MB Sprinter van. What we like about truck campers is the go anywhere capability of the 4 wheel drive truck we'd put it on, the ability to separate the truck from the camper, and the full size queen size mattress we'd be sleeping on. On the Sprinter van side of the equation, we like the high fuel efficiency of the MB diesel (20mpg), the van's stealthiness (without splashy graphics and crazy paint jobs, it doesn't look like a camper), and the all-in-one, motorhome nature, of the van (no need to go outside to start driving). Like almost everything in RVing and the nomadic lifestyle, it's all a series of compromises.

4. Keep it Simple: Small is beautiful in other ways too. We want our next camper to be simple and uncomplicated. No slide-outs, easy to access systems, a 12v compressor fridge so being level isn't as important and no leveling system is needed, and no air conditioner. Instead of a generator, even a portable ultra-quiet Honda, we'll opt for a larger solar PV array coupled with a couple hefty deep cycle batteries... enough to power our simple needs and the 12v compressor fridge too.

As long as we can touch home-base every once in a while, we think we can live for extended periods of time in a very small camper. Remember those folks who live out of their backpacks for long periods of time while seeing the world? I think we'll be a little more comfortable than that. And if we really need a break from the camper during a longer excursion we can always check into a motel for a night or two.

We have a wonderful collection of friends, acquaintances, and adventure travelers who are already living like this. They've proven to us it can be done... that it is being done. And they're having a great time living another version of the nomadic RV lifestyle.

I think we'll join them.

Jan 16 - More on Blogs

Looks like I stirred up a minor ruckus with a couple folks out there in bloggerville with my January 2 post entitled Thoughts on the Journal... specifically my comment that "those doing what we're doing (living in a giant RV, going north in the summer, escaping south in the winter, staying at RV parks for long periods of time, etc) have universally boring blogs".  Considering how few people read this blog, it actually felt good to be the agent of some controversy for a change. And it caused a nice little bump in readership too.

But about all this I have two or three brief things to add. First, I was including myself in that comment and consider my blog to be a real bore too. Perhaps that wasn't clear enough. Second, my comment is my opinion, which, last I checked, I'm still entitled to. Just as I don't expect to agree with everything others have to say, I don't expect others to always agree with me.

And lastly... whatever happened to the free exchange of ideas that most of us in the USA used to subscribe to? Why do so many of us now read or listen only to those who don't upset our little worlds? Wouldn't it be better to seek out alternative views and opinions... to challenge ourselves... to use that wonderful reasoning ability that we have... to see that there might be another side to the story?

In a larger sense I'm struggling to keep things lively for myself, in both my writing and my reading. And perhaps if some of us become a little more concerned about the quality of our work as opposed to the volume or frequency of it, blogland might just become a tad more interesting for all of us.

Jan 2 - Thoughts on the Journal

This morning I looked at my task list in my blog editor and found that I'm behind by 8 posts now. 8! OMG! I think I'll be "heads down" on the computer for the next couple days.

Dar and I talked about our journal and blogging over breakfast and recalled why we keep this blog... this journal... in the first place: It's the record, our record, of our travels and adventures during the time we live in our RV and explore North America. Secondarily, it's an easy way for family, friends, and curious others to "follow along"... to see where we're at and what we're up to.

As of today I've done 937 posts to The RV Sabbatical Journal over the past 6 years. While I love writing, I think it's become routine, like a job. After 29 State Capitol buildings, many of which look alike, describing them becomes repetitive. Presidential Libraries are similarly laid out in timeline fashion and the task becomes finding the unusual so as to keep humdrum and repetition from overwhelming the reader -- even if that reader is me. Describing mountain vistas and grand holes in the ground... well, there are only so many superlatives in the English language. You'd think the more one writes the easier it would become. I haven't found that to be the case.

There's also an element of procrastination (I've always been a procrastinator) in my nature. My motto has been "always put off until tomorrow what should be done today... because it's often the case that you'll find  that the thing doesn't have to be done at all." OK, while that doesn't hold true in most cases, the trick is learning when it might. Unfortunately, those unfinished blog posts aren't going to go away.

I thought it might help if Dar would occasionally write a post. I set her up as an "author" for our blog years ago, but she's not done even a single post to this point. And I thought I had a motivation problem. Current score is 937 to 0.

I know, she's been handling the photos... and at that she's done a boffo job. But maybe if we mix things up a little we'll motivate each other.

When we first started this lifestyle in 2007, I'd consume vast amounts of time reading other fulltimer's blogs. There was a comfort in knowing there were others out there doing the same thing we were doing. But over the years it slowly dawned on me that it might be better to live my own life rather than reading about others living theirs. And, I gotta tell ya', those doing what we're doing (living in a giant RV, going north in the summer, escaping south in the winter, staying at RV parks for long periods of time, etc) have universally boring blogs. Sorry... that's how I feel. And I'm sure most people find our blog just as bad. And that's OK with me.

The few blogs I still read are about those doing something really "out there", unusual, unique, truly adventurous... driving or sailing around the world, RVing in other countries, living in tiny campers, philosophers, thinkers, and spys.

I don't know where this is going or what I'll do about it yet. I think I've got Dar a little excited about writing a post once in a while. And just reasoning and thinking through "down" periods like this help get me on track again.

The RV Sabbatical Journal will continue to be our record for 2013 and for as long as we'll be out exploring North America and the world.

'scuse me... but I've got some writin' to do.

Dec 16 - Weather Delay and News Commentary

Originally we had planned to move today. However, a 100% chance of rain held us back and caused a delay in our westward trek. Not that we needed a reason to slow down... after all, we're in meandering mode. But with a complete set of hookups, a new solid concrete pad, and a wonderful setting next to an arm of the R.E. "Bob" Woodruff Lake in central Alabama, we decided to just chill  out here until the rain stops. Looks like Tuesday will be moving day.

We went to visit the Alabama State Capitol on Thursday. I owe the journal a post for that day and it will be forthcoming when I get around to it in the next day or two. I have made some progress with a couple other posts in the last day or two.

In the news, we see the President and Speaker of the House (Obama and Boehner) are, as of this moment, still miles apart, playing the roles of Thelma and Louise in a sick remake of the original movie of the same name. Unfortunately, they'll be pulling a trailer loaded with all 300 million of us as they drive off the "fiscal cliff" at the end of the year.

Then on Friday we all learned of the tragedy at the elementary school in Newtown Connecticut. 20 young children and 6 or 7 adults were gunned down in a senseless crazy act. Like most people, I could rant and yell and make assumptions and say what we need to do to stop this. But I won't. I don't think you can stop someone from doing crazy stupid things when they're planning their own suicide as the final act in a horrific play. The solutions are much more complicated than gun control, disarming the population, locking everyone in armored rooms, and turning the USA into a police state. Unfortunately, the people we have running the joint don't have the ability to think deeply or long term (or at all), so it's anybody's guess what we're going to do about it. In all likelihood, very little.

And, looking at the calendar, I see this coming Friday is the end of the world.

What?

That's right. Some people think this because the Mayan Calendar just ends on December 21, 2012. Hmmm.  I looked at my calendar and it looks like I've got the same problem... only my calendar ends on December 31. But then I remembered that when confronted by the same problem last year I came up with what I thought was a creative solution... I got a new calendar. You'd think one of these gullible people would have thought of this before they assume the end of a calendar means the end of the world and get everyone so riled up.

Oct 22 - A Huge Personal Dilemma

Early voting in Wisconsin starts tomorrow and I'm facing a huge personal dilemma. Do I vote or not?

Consider the puppets we refer to as our Presidential candidates. Both of them are lying to us. They're both saying whatever their organizations calculate will produce the most votes and the best chance of winning. They are NOT saying what they'll actually do, what they actually believe, or which power groups are controlling them. It's really a sham. I have no way to determine which of them is the bigger liar. And the same goes for the Senate race here in Wisconsin. Liars all.

If I vote, I'll be buying into the game devised by those pulling the strings on these characters. I'll become a supporting cast member of the fictional play they've scripted in the name of democracy and the founding principles of this nation. Sounds good but it's all a sham. And it just doesn't feel right.

If I don't vote, I'm a bum in the eyes of many who believe voting for the lesser liar is better than not voting at all. That doesn't feel right either, especially when I can't determine who's the lesser liar.

I could vote by writing in the name of someone I respect. But the reality is that this just becomes background noise to those in power, and has the same effect as not voting at all.

In the end, it won't matter either way, as the ones pulling the strings are in control of both candidates. The ones pulling the strings have crafted this fiction to keep the population divided. Regardless of who wins, we'll still be involved in meaningless wars in the Middle East, concentration of income and wealth at the top will continue to increase, the old middle class will be on the hook for continued deficit spending for as far into the future as we can see. And most people won't give a rat's ass as long as there's a little food on the table, a roof over their heads, and their cable TV is still connected.

What do I do?

May 9 - Daily Posts to the Journal

Since April 2nd, the day we left Rockport and began this current travel leg of our RV Sabbatical, I've been posting an update to the online journal (our blog) every day. It's the first extended period of daily posting I've done in the 5 years the RV Sabbatical Journal has existed.

In the past I've said, and written, that I don't want to be forced into a daily schedule... which implies a deadline... and a routine... which are exactly the kind of things we're trying to get away from by simplifying our life.

But, for the sake of the experience, I wanted to give daily posting a try. I wanted to learn how I'd handle it, how I'd feel, how it affected my life.

So how did it go?  Not so fast... first, a little background: The main intended audience for this journal is (in this order) 1) us, Dar and me, as a record of our travels and experiences during this chapter of our life, 2) family and friends who may want see where we are and what we're up to, and 3) curious others who might get something from reading it (but it's a mystery to me what that might be).

I don't want to generalize, but I believe many people would be better off by living their own life than by reading about us living ours. It might be better to read a book instead of trying to get something out of the mumblings of this stumblebum writer. Go for a walk... or just a drive... see something new... find a piece of history in your neighborhood or town and dig into it a little further... learn to play the 5-string banjo (ouch, now that's getting personal!)... visit a museum... ponder the mysteries of the universe. Do neat things that will improve your mind, your body, and the depth of your life.

Back to the topic at hand... daily posting.  Here's what I think after doing it for a month and a half. For me, daily posts are taking too much of my time, my meager mental energy, and giving me an easy excuse for sitting inside, feet up with the PC on my lap. It's taking time away from being outside or reading or learning or pondering the big issues of my day. I want more of my own time (out of the little I have left) to live for today.

So I'm going back to my old haphazard schedule of posting... best summed up by the banner on our "About" page...

"New posts to The RV Sabbatical Journal are
published punctually, precisely on-time,
whenever I get around to it... unless something comes up."

 Starting next week, we'll be in "sitting mode" for about a month, and the updates would naturally drop off anyway. But my experiment with daily posting is over at the end of this week, and I'm going to try my best to put that extra time toward doing something neat.

Feb 27 - Spheres of Education

One of the newer attractions here in the Rockport/Fulton area is the Bay Education Center. Completed just over a year ago, it's the facility at which the public connects up with something called The Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

From their website:

The mission of the Mission-Aransas Reserve is to develop and facilitate partnerships that enhance coastal decision making through an integrated program of research, education, and stewardship. This mission allows us to achieve our vision of forming a center of excellence that creates and disseminates knowledge necessary to maintain healthy Texas coasts. The Reserve has three primary goals: (1)to improve knowledge of Texas coastal zone ecosystems structure and function, (2) to promote understanding of coastal ecosystems by diverse audiences, and (3) to promote public appreciation and support for stewardship of coastal resources.

And from the Bay Education Center website:

Whether you live in the area or are just visiting, this new addition to South Texas is a ‘must see’ and is free and open to the public, Tuesday through Saturday, 1-4 pm, with daily presentations at 2 and 3 pm. So many of us are drawn to the local estuaries, but know little about the important role they play in our ecology. The Bay Education Center provides the visitor with an innovative way of exploring and learning about these important bodies of water and the life they support. Step inside the exhibit hall to be serenaded by the sounds of an estuary, and greeted by a life-sized Whooping Crane and giant oyster. Stroll at your leisure to enjoy our hands-on exhibits and check out the current water quality in our bays. An added attraction is Science On a Sphere®, a spherical display system created by NOAA to illustrate Earth science concepts to people of all ages. Stop by for a visit and it will be an experience that will inspire new appreciation and knowledge of the world around you.

We found the "Science On a Sphere" presentations particularly interesting as we've never seen this projection technology in use before. The center of the room is dominated by a 6 foot sphere hanging from the ceiling. It's painted white, doesn't move, and serves as a screen. Four projectors, controlled by a computer, project images, onto the sphere making it come alive as the earth, the moon, or any other celestial orb. The images are specially processed photos or "data-sets" that can be static or they can move, making the object appear to be spinning just as if the observer is in orbit above the surface of a planet. As mentioned in the paragraph above, the Center puts together hour long public presentations that focus on various aspects of the planets, and the earth's atmosphere, oceans, or land. Perhaps because it's something new and different, we found it a good way to spend an hour learning a little more about our world.

There are only 80 of these "Science On a Sphere" systems installed worldwide... about 50 of them in the United States. I'm not sure how they did it, but little old sleepy Rockport Texas was somehow able to snag one of them.

The Big Blue Marble... Earth... seen from space. All history, good and bad times, happiness, wars, empathy, and hatred are contained on the surface of this spaceship earth. You'd think we'd figure out how to live together peacefully... since this is all we've got. If we screw this up, there are no alternatives.

Egg Problems

I have a problem with hard boiled eggs (the ones that come from chickens, not the dear old folks who need Fox News to help them make sense of the world these days). Or would it be more accurate to say the eggs have a problem with me? Perhaps. But either way, this problem is really two problems. The first, correctly cooking the hard boiled egg.  The second, peeling the shell from the hard boiled egg. And, to make this even more complicated... I wouldn't be surprised if the cooking problem is related to the peeling problem.

There are about as many formulas for cooking the perfect hard boiled egg as there are cooks. (Just look, they're scattered all over the internet... Google's 69th most popular search!!) I've tried many but just never quite found the one that works consistently for me. Sometimes the egg is overcooked and it's hard and rubbery. And often, if overcooked, there's this strange green-ish layer of some unknown substance around the yoke which recent research has indicated, that while unsightly and disgusting, is safe to eat.  I think I've been mostly overcooking my eggs in the past.

But I have good news on the cooking front. I've found a system for boiling eggs to perfection.

• Combine a little salt and vinegar with water in a large pot. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. (that's right... get the water boiling first.)
• Add the eggs one at a time, being careful not to crack them. (I use a set of kitchen tongs to slip the eggs into the water, one at a time... gently)
• Reduce the heat to a gentle boil, and cook for 15 minutes. (adjust for size of egg and elevation)
• Once the eggs have cooked immediately remove them from the hot water and place into a container of ice water or cold, running water. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• Store in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

The biggest change from what I was doing in the past is placing the eggs in already boiling water, and continuing the boiling action going during the entire cooking time. It makes sense that "time at cooking temperature" is more precisely controlled with this method.

I once heard that hard-boiled eggs are a "negative food"... that is, your body burns more calories in peeling and digesting the egg than there are contained in the egg. I highly doubt that's true for most people but considering the extreme problem I have in peeling the hard boiled egg, it may well be the case for me. Nay, I dare say, for me, it's far more than a problem... it's an absolute inability... probably stemming from some congenital defect in my thumbs. Dar has proven it to me time and time again.

With the same batch of cooked eggs we both start peeling at the same moment. I shatter the shell... a few small shards yield, a glimmer of hope, I might get lucky with this one... but no, the process devolves into 10 minutes of increasingly smaller shell fragments being pried off with increasing difficulty and larger attached pieces of egg white. Heart pounding, sweating profusely, hands shaking with frustration, microscopic shell fragments scattered all over the counter, the wall, the floor, my result is a mottled scarred mis-shapen blob that more resembles a cratered moon of Uranus (or an AMC Pacer) than the glistening sleek smooth orb that Dar liberated from just two (two!!) shell halves 10 minutes earlier. She's a egg peeling superstar.

So, in the spirit of the egg (chicken?.. egg?.. which came first?...), we've once again found harmony and balance. I cook. She peels. We're happy.

Feb. 2, 2012 addendum:  It's been suggested that older (aged) eggs probably will peel easier. Also, with the cooking process I defined above, it's best to get the eggs out of the refrigerator early, and let them warm closer to room temperature before cooking.  This will reduce the number of eggs that crack while cooking from thermal shock. I'm still all ears if you have other suggestions.

June 19, 2012 addendum:  Here's an idea that does work. My daughter Andi found it. Instead of boiling water at all, just bake the eggs in an oven. Use a muffin pan to keep them separated and under your control. Warm the eggs to near room temperature, place in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Cool quickly in cold water when done. Adjust time for oven variation and size of eggs.  It worked great.

Jan 16 - Turds, Birds, and a few Words

And now, for this week, something completely different...

If you're tuning in to get your usual dose of RV happy-blather, this might be a good time to step along to the next blog on your list. Instead, all I have to offer is a series of disjointed comments and observations... all of which were done during the Packers-Giants play-off game Sunday evening. Like I said above... something completely different.

The Giants just opened up scoring in this big play-off game with a field goal. The Packer defense held them to 3 points after a nice drive. OK... game on!

Names:
So many people in our culture are fixated on fruit-cake "celebrities", most of whom are not normal people, to say the least. Proof? Well, here's a list of celebrity baby names (and their celeb parent) that have recently been reported in the popular press:

Apple (Gwineth, of course)
Pilot Inspektor (Jason Lee... whoever that is)
Kal-El (Nic Cage) (Sounds like an airline, but it's not.)
Track / Trig  (Tea Party Sweetheart Sara, of course)
Spec / Hud  (John Mellencamp)
Jermajesty (Jermaine Jackson)
Sparrow (Nicole Richie) (I liked it more when I thought it was a girls name. That's right, it was hung on a boy. Brings to mind the song "A Boy Named Sue". Think he's in for a tough time of it.)
Bronx Mowgli  (Ashlee Simpson??)

In our "it's all about ME" culture, I guess these are attempts to bestow unique, one of a kind, names on kids... so they'll get off on the right foot in life. "You're so special!"

But this guy, from a recent news article from Madison Wisconsin, beats 'em all. Not sure what motivated this, but it does surely provide evidence that, just perhaps, we should consider re-opening some of our shuttered mental institutions.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Authorities in southern Wisconsin are facing a tongue twister thanks to the arrest of Beezow Doo-Doo Zopittybop-Bop-Bop. The unusually named 30-year-old man was in jail Sunday in Madison. Police say he violated his bail conditions from a previous run-in with the law. Court records show that his name used to be Jeffrey Drew Wilschke. He legally changed it in October.

The Capital Times reports that Zopittybop-Bop-Bop was arrested last week after residents complained of excessive drinking and drug use near Reynolds Park in Madison. Authorities say he was arrested in another local park last April after police found a loaded handgun in his backpack. He’s tentatively charged with carrying a concealed knife, and possession of drug paraphernalia and marijuana.

Packers answered with a field goal... and then they exchanged TDs... game tied 10-10.

Candidates for President
A few years ago, during my days in corporate America, I had an old boss that used to use a phrase that pretty well sums up the way I feel about this year's crop of candidates for the office of president. I'm talking about the lot of them... both parties... anyone who could conceivably be on the ballot in November.

"No matter how much you polish and rub and shine a turd, what you end up with is still a turd. It might have a little slick sheen to it, but it's still a turd."

I'm truly offended that we'll have to choose between two of any of them. What a zoo. To call this a rigged system is an understatement.

What if they held an election and NO ONE voted??? Well, I will no longer vote for the brightest turd. 

The Giants capitalized on a turnover with more points... but again, the defense held em to a field goal.  Giants 13, Pack 10... two minutes left in the first half.

Pet Peeves
Is it possible that the poor economy is resulting in the poor condition of the fleet of shopping carts in grocery stores? I've noticed a rash of shopping carts lately that pull to one side, thump and squeak down the isles due to square, bent, or sticky wheels, hard to push, dirty.  And why is the previous user's shopping list usually left in the bottom of the cart?  The other day I used the wrong list and came home with the makings for a 7 layer cake.
 
WTF... hail mary pass results in a TD for the Giants just seconds before half time.... 20-10. Comon' Pack! Sheesh!

More Pet Peeves
Tables in restaurants... always have one leg shorter than the others... tippy... drinks spilling all over the place... Why? Can't restaurant tables have legs that can be easily adjusted? I'd really rather spin an adjustment ring instead of jamming a pile of folded napkins under the short leg. I mean... com'on, this has been going on for years... maybe forever.

The Packers managed a field goal in the third quarter... now 20-13 Giants. The Pack is certainly not in championship form. And the Giants are playing tough.

Whooping Cranes
We did find some rare Whooping Cranes a few miles north of our camp the other day. They were a long way off, and the photos we took were taken through a wire mesh fence (and not so good), but we were happy to see them regardless.

click on photo to enlarge

Giants score again... a field goal in the fourth quarter... now 23-13 Giants.

Giants score yet again... capitalizing on a Packer fumble... now 30-13 Giants.

Pack scores a TD! WhooHooo! Not much time left... Giants 30-20 

Giants drive the nail in the coffin, scoring a TD with 2:36 remaining in the game... Giants 37-20.

Oh well...there's always next year!

Turds, Birds, and a few Words. That's it.  OK, I'm done bitching. And remember, Dar, it's just a game.

Have a great week.

Jan 2 - Hope

Yesterday, Dar and I said good-bye to the SKP Lone Star Corral RV Park near Hondo TX, our home for the past 16 days, and made the drive down to Sandollar Resort near Rockport TX. Sandollar has been our winter home for the past few years. This will be our third year of spending three months here.

Like last year, Dar is going to put in a little time at the local hospital... exercising her RN nursing skills and making a little money to help offset the cost of health insurance. I've got a list of projects as long as my arm and will be brushing up on my domestic skills... cleaning, laundry, dishes, etc. in addition to my regular chores on the bus-house... washing, waxing, lubing, etc.

There are no New Years resolutions here... just hope. I hope we all remain healthy, vibrant, and active. I hope our travels and explorations come off safely and without serious problems. I hope we can add a few days on the travel/explore side of the ledger while reducing a few days on the sitting side. And I hope the US Congress... the lot of them... find a way to set petty politics aside and get this experiment in democracy back on track, for the benefit of ALL it's citizens and not just the top 1%.

I can hope. Can't I?

Nov 7 - Kings Canyon - Another View

With the bus-house safely parked at SKP Park of the Sierras, where we've been based for the past two weeks or so, we packed up the toad and headed toward Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. We planned to spend two nights in the John Muir Lodge in the Grants Grove area of Kings Canyon NP... our first foray away from the bus-house since our trip from Wisconsin to South Carolina this past April. We're beginning to realize that the expense and hassle associated with moving the bus-house is, at times, hard to justify, especially when the object of the exploration is remote and with few if any facilities for a huge camper. In this case, it wouldn't be possible for us to drive the bus-house through the Parks as a number of roads have 22 foot maximum length restrictions. Additionally, a recent snowfall has made tire chains mandatory on many of the roads throughout the Parks... and tire chains will never be put on this rig while we have it. It became clear that if we were going to add these two Parks to our list of visited National Parks, the only way to do it this year would be with the toad.

The drive was 90 miles, through Fresno on CA-41, then east on CA-180 to Grants Grove. From the 1800 foot elevation at Park of the Sierras we drop to just a couple hundred feet at Fresno in the San Joaquin Valley, and then climb back to 6600 feet at Grants Grove. There are no roads that go east/west through this region as the highest and most rugged portion of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, including Mt. Whitney (14,494'), the highest point in the lower 48, is along the eastern edge of the Parks.

We arrived at Grants Grove about noon, did our usual Visitor Center thing, including the orientation video, checked into a room at the John Muir Lodge (winter deal... only $79 per night... almost half of what they go for during high season), grabbed a quick lunch, and then headed out and down into Kings Canyon just to the north of Grants Grove.

Once described by John Muir as even more spectacular than Yosemite Valley, Kings Canyon is certainly someplace anyone in awe of nature must visit. The road from Grants Grove descends more than 3000 feet to the valley floor. Many "turn-outs" on the way down provided stunning views... on this day illuminated by a low afternoon sun and bright blue skies. Once on the valley floor and alongside the flowing South Fork of the Kings River, you're at first in a "V" shaped canyon -- the signature of a canyon cut by flowing water. But further up-canyon, as you get toward the end of the road (literally called the "Roads End" area) the canyon takes on a "U" shape, with a wider flatter floor -- the distinctive shape of a canyon cut by flowing ice... glaciers, perhaps thousands of feet thick. This is the same process that cut Yosemite Canyon, about 70 miles to the northwest. Recent snowfall was being melted by relatively warm temps while we were there, so the streams and waterfalls were flowing nicely.

The entire trip into the canyon was about 35 miles each way. As referred to above, it's a dead end so the return trip provides the opposite view of that seen on the way in. We pretty much killed the afternoon along this stretch of road... and more time would have been nice. But days are short this time of the year, and even shorter in a deep canyon. So we bowed to the inevitable and returned to the Lodge before night fully arrived.

The Fireplace in the Lodge
Both nights during our stay at John Muir Lodge we warmed ourselves in front of the fireplace in the lodge. We met some interesting people, some of whom we could even communicate with in our native language. (Had some trouble with a foursome from near Paris, France). But the crackling glowing fire did more than our warm toes... the scent of glowing oak embers, the flickering illumination from low flames, the sounds... the pops and crackles that only a real fire emits... it warmed our spirits, it made us feel that we were really home despite never having been here before.

Disaster Ponderings

Life is tenuous... society and civilization too. The earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear problem in Japan this past week remind me, once again, of the fragile nature of our existence on this planet. The natural history of the earth is one of long periods of relative calm interrupted by short bursts of chaos and upheaval which are dramatic... often life-threatening if not life-extinguishing. Natural disasters are a normal part of the life-cycle of the planet: earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes, meteor or asteroid impacts, solar flares, and more. To these we should probably add man-made disasters to the mix as well.  And the only thing we can do about it all, in our built-in drive to survive, is to take reasonable measures to NOT become victims in the event things come un-glued and life as we know it falls apart for some period of time.

Waiting for water. Sendai, Japan

 Being lulled into a sense of complacency and dependency during the calm periods is a sure way to insure you'll be a victim if, and when, law and order collapses during times of chaos. What happens during these times of stress?... Just start with store shelves that are cleaned bare either by legal buyers and hoarders, or by illegal looters... in either case, food and supplies evaporate quickly. Electricity... the power grid... goes dark and simple things like gassing up the car, charging your cell phone, getting clean potable water, or switching on lights at night become impossible. Public safety becomes dubious as the police and fire protection capabilities that are sufficient during peaceful orderly times are quickly overwhelmed during disasters.

So what's a person to do? I'm certainly not an expert on this subject, but it seems that a common-sense approach to solutions could be a good starting point. Here's a short list of what I came up with while pondering the subject:

1) Attitude: Be flexible and have a pro-active and self-reliant mindset. Be ready to do something rather than waiting around for someone to help. Often, during disasters, people are their own worst enemy... frozen in inaction, unable to know what to do or make a decision to do it, and thinking help will be coming soon. Assume help won't be coming.

2) Transportation: Keep the fuel tank of your car, truck, or RV as full as possible. Consider the top half of your tank the fuel you use on a day to day basis, and the bottom half of the tank your emergency supply. With fuel you have a chance to escape the problem in your personal vehicle.

3) Warmth & Shelter: Extra clothing, tarps, tents, para-cord, rain gear, etc. may be critical depending on the situation. Have it available, know how it works, and know where it is. For warmth and cooking, have a means to start a fire and to make the wood to keep it going.

4) Fresh Potable Water:  Have water purification tablets, bleach, water filtration systems, etc. available and know how to use them. Clean water is the most critical item a body needs every day and is always in short supply or non-existent during disasters.

5) Food: Have enough high-calorie and energy-dense food available for the survival period so you don't have to put yourself at risk trying to procure food you, and everybody else, needs. It should be canned so it has a long shelf life and doesn't require refrigeration. Besides keeping your energy and strength level up, it'll keep you away from crowds of desperate people at the store.

6) Bug-Out-Bag:  Consider having a B.O.B. that contains key elements from the list above and some other tools, etc., that may come in handy. These could also include a basic first aid kit, flashlights and spare batteries, GPS, Leatherman tool, Swiss Army knife, compact saw, hatchet, handgun, radio, two-way radios, cell phone, a supply of cash... You get the idea.

I'm sure this isn't a complete list and uber-survivalists would have a lot to criticize or add. But it's a start. The key to this thinking is to take responsibility for yourself and to NOT leave your survival up to someone else. Like a good first aid kit, you hope you never need to use it. But if you do it's really important to have.

It could make you a survivor.

Inescapably Sexagenarian

This week I turn 60.  I haven't thought about it much... actually not at all until the last few days. It certainly isn't "bothering" me... well, at least it wasn't until the recent spate of emails, cards, and comments with various geriatric themes... all meant, I think, in good humor.  But I now feel a need to say something about this milestone... I mean, it's just the kind of thing that belongs in a journal, isn't it?.. a report on the "state of the sexagenarian self" that belongs in the permanent record? Perhaps it will give some future descendant a little insight into old crazy Thom from back in the early 21st century. Or maybe someone will stumble across this post and it might be the reason they decide to pause for a few moments, put down their latest electronic distraction device, and ponder their own existence for a while. That would make me smile.

For what it's worth, I don't feel 60. Many years ago I came across a thought... a question really... that I've carried with me ever since: If you didn't know your age, and you didn't know how you physically appear to others, how old would you say you are? In other words, how old do you feel? Don't answer too quick... think about it a while. My current response to this question is 42 (which, coincidentally, we all know is also the answer to the ultimate question of life). I genuinely feel like I'm 20 years younger than I actually am.

This 60 year old body is doing quite well, thank you, with no chronic aches or pains (knock on wood... fingers crossed). I do have some hypertension and a higher than ideal cholesterol level that need to be chemically managed, but while these issues can be life-threatening they don't typically effect the way you feel. And I honestly feel great.  If I have weaker muscles, less flexibility, or less endurance than an earlier time, I believe it has more to do with my lack of physical activity and exercise than it has to do with age. For most of my life, I've kept my weight under control too. And finally, my genes are pretty darn good -- both my Mom and Dad are still around and going strong. Just imagine how they feel... to have a kid that's 60!

So having that particular mix of good genes, good fortune, and a measure of good self-control, I think I'm in pretty good shape physically. Of course, another way to look at this... maybe the realistic way... is that it's all downhill from here. The ravages of time will inevitably take hold and this is as good as it gets. In that case, damn the torpedoes... full speed ahead.

And how about the other part of my human duality... the mind? Here again, I don't think my mind feels or acts like it's 60 years old. I enjoy intellectual pursuits and make an ongoing study of various topics in social, scientific, and political realms. I'd like to think I still have an open mind... one that seeks to understand all sides of an issue before forming an opinion.... willing to listen. In my humble opinion, old codgers sometimes suffer from brain calcification (hardening of the mind), and I actively work to keep that from happening to me.

I've had the good fortune to inherit my Dad's (and a long line of his ancestor's) sense of humor. I love looking for and finding humor anywhere I can find it... to twist words for humorous effect... to make others smile or laugh with puns or ridiculous stories... to stay as much as possible on the light side of life. And my memory is still quite good despite some noticable "extra effort" needed at times to recall some facts or events.

One thing I am loosing is some of that "filter" that kept me "in check" during certain social situations. In the past, a lot of effort went into "fitting in" with the group... the way they think, what they say, how they dress. But the older I get the less I care what others think. Increasingly I say whats on my mind and let the cards fall where they may. I have less fear of putting the real me out there and having "them" deal with it.. take it or leave it. As far as I'm concerned, this as one of the positive effects of aging. It's nice to just be me.

In the past few days I've pondered some about all those years I've been a part of.  I wondered if I've done my best in my relationships with others?..  in my marriage to Dar?.. in raising my kids?.. in my career?.. in living life to the fullest? Certainly there are things I might strive to do better... if there was another chance. But there isn't another chance. And I think that's the lesson. Whether it's your first year or last or any in between... you've only one opportunity to make it what it will be. There are no do-overs.

Trying to touch my toes, but still about 6 inches away...
T

Blogging and Other Thoughts

Whenever I fall behind with the blog, it's a real chore for me to get back at it. Whether initially caused by laziness or busyness or whatever, there's a certain momentum that accompanies stepping away from the routine of regular posting. I mean "if I haven't posted for the past 5 days, what's one or two more?" And so it goes.

I write this blog for two reasons: first, to keep family, friends, and curious others informed about our location and adventures. This reason has an element of selfishness to it as it's much easier for me to write one blog entry instead of a whole bunch of individual emails and phone calls. But it also means that those who are interested in our whereabouts can do so at their convenience. The second reason I write is for a permanent record of our travels during this fulltime RV lifestyle phase of our lives. Ultimately the permanent record takes the form of a book that I have printed each year with all the entries from that particular year's blog. If I had no regular readers at all I'd still write for the permanent record. But I must say that having a few readers adds another dimension... another level of enjoyment to the whole process.

We all need a purpose for our life. That purpose can, and does, change over time... whether it's raising your kids, a craft or hobby or talent that you're passionate about, your work or profession, or any number of other interests that occupy your mind and your time. I suppose one can have multiple concurrent purposes, but for the most part, I think one will dominate at any single point in time. For me, right now, blogging and other writing projects I'm working on provide me with my purpose.

Some incessant bloggers may carry this need for a purpose into the realm of addiction. That's probably also the case with many who live on facebook or other social networking sites for hours each day. I'm working hard to keep that from happening with me... savoring the days I don't blog but still enjoying the days when I do "fall back ON the blogging wagon".

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Tough Question for the Day: Efficiency and productivity have exploded in the past few years. Is it possible that we can now satisfy the demand for goods and services in the USA without employing most of the nearly 20% of the population that are either out of work or vastly under-employed? Put another way... Do we now have a permanent under-class that neither earns nor consumes anything beyond the basics... and will be a net cost to society for the foreseeable future? How do we deal with this... as a society?

Rockport Musings

The weather this week certainly didn't disappoint anyone who likes it dreary, cold, and wet. No sir... the electric meters here at Sandollar Resort are all spinning like tops and the propane delivery crew has been pulling overtime for sure. I'm writing this weather stuff into the Journal as a record... not to elicit sympathy. I'm well aware that as crummy as it's been here, it's still far better than most of the rest of the lower 48.

And the propane guys aren't the only ones with bigger paychecks these days. Dar's been working hard at the hospital and putting in more hours than she signed up for. I think they were testing her stamina the first couple weeks (almost 70 hours in 7 calendar days) as it looks like her schedule relaxes some for the next couple. Maybe it was some kind of initiation ritual? She's doing fine... still has the spunk and stamina of a 25 year old.

The weather has kept most of our fellow Sandollar denizens inside their fiberglass boxes this week... huddled around heaters and TVs. In the old days, TVs put out much more heat than the new ones... remember vacuum tubes... the ever-present TV repair guy... vertical hold? New electronics work cooly and flawlessly... until they don't. And then you just throw them into the landfill and buy a new one. That's what you call progress Bunkie. Oh, and vertical hold??  These days I've heard they've got a little blue pill for that.

As I write this, rain is pouring down and I'm thinking about space. Not the space above where the shuttle and space station fly, but the space we have inside the RV. As much as I long for a smaller RV in order to explore more remote and primitive areas, I do like the amount of space we have when we're confined to quarters on days like this. I wonder how we'd do with a lot less space... if we'd let it bother us or if we'd adapt. I'd like to think the latter.

T