Today the crew and I leave what I’m calling the Congress Acres Camp.
It’s 9 a.m. Arizona time and almost everything is packed up and secured for the road. All I have to do is hitch up, lock up, pack up the exercise pen, and throw the crew onto their bench seat for the ride.
Where are we going?
First we’re going south about nine miles toward Wickenburg, then we’ll turn onto Highway 93 and head northwest. I’m excited not only because I love a new camp, but also because Highway 93 is also known as the Joshua Tree Parkway. I’ll see my first Joshua Tree!
More later . . .
I hope. If you don’t hear from me right away, it’s because my internet signal is not strong enough. Maybe I’ll lose cellphone coverage. Not to worry!
Talk to you later. Time to have some fun. Goodby Congress Acres Camp! I’ll be looking for the horses on the way out. I’d love to see a newborn foal . . . . sigh . . .
rvsue
UPDATE:
The crew and I found a beautiful boondock site overlooking Wikieup, a tiny village in a river valley southeast of Kingman, AZ. Although our camp is close to town, we are all by ourselves on a bluff with a lovely view of the valley and the mountains.
I’m trying to prepare a full report of our trip on the scenic highway (93) through the Joshua Tree Forest and how we managed to discover this quiet, secluded place. The internet signal is three bars but it drops occasionally. Plus Spike keeps barking at me to sit outside with him. (I’m not leaving the crew outside alone, even in their pen, until I’ve sized up the critter situation.)
I have several photos I want to share with you. In case I can’t get the writing and pics posted for you today, you at least know where we are and that we are all safe. There’s so much to tell. It’s been a full, exciting day!
rvsue and her canine crew 
I can’t wait to see your new photographs! I don’t think I have ever seen a Joshua Tree either !
I’ve got those photos for you. I’ll post them tomorrow.
Can’t wait for you to find your new home. Hope all goes well and we will wait until you get settled again.
I’m anxious to tell you all about our new campsite and to show you some photos. Suddenly I’m very tired after a full day, so I’m not going to finish a new post tonight.
Spike and Bridget finally calmed down and have fallen asleep. Spike, especially, wanted to explore and kept pestering me for walks! He wore himself out. I can tell by the way he’s breathing in his sleep. Can’t help but love him!
Sue
I would love to see you do a post about the things you look for picking a spot ,and then all the things you do from pulling up there till you are settled in ,No item would be to small to explain,.buying food and what you buy, how much water, other things you buy.
I know that would be a lot of trouble but be very informative to the readers thinking about boondocking
Ron
I’d like to 2nd Ron’s request. I’m also curious how you pick the area where you’ll camp – according to a map, feedback from another boondocker, etc…?
Kristen,
On the way to my new camp, I was thinking exactly the same thing!
It’s not a lot of trouble at all, Ron! I think it’s a excellent idea for a post. Some of the information you ask for may pop up in the course of me telling another story, but it would be good to focus on these things in one post.
Excited to see where you land and what you learn next!! You and the commenters are sure a wealth of information!! THANK YOU again!! Have probably learned more from your blog in a short time than any other I have ever visited!!
PS…later when you get up farther north, we sure hope you will try out some of the neat camping areas in Idaho…hubby has been online today looking into some of them…very nice ones for very cheap prices even sometimes….
Idaho looks like a camper’s dream. I wish we could squeeze it in between Utah and Colorado.
Hi Elizabeth! Hope you don’t mind a suggestion about a great RV Park in Idaho! Tetonia Mountainview Lodge and RV Park. $15 a night FHU and it is on the west side of the Tetons in a small town called Tetonia! All the photos on this blog were taken from around the MotherShip! Beautiful panorama! We found a good restaurant there too… North End Grill! Amazing food! The campground was almost empty the whole 15 days we were there! It was a 30 minute drive over the mountains into the hoopla that is Jackson Hole!
http://phunnyfarm.blogspot.com/2010/08/stormy-tetons.html
OOOps! Forgot the link to Tetonia!
I appreciate anything people share here…we are not totally sure yet which plan we will do first, but full time RVing is one of the things we are investigating. Thank you!
Idaho is incredible. If it were summer (cool) there all year, I’d want to live up near the Sawtooths.
Although we are not exactly camping this time, we are headed to Sandpoint, Idaho for a whole month. Will be there May to June. Renting a bungalow on the Priest River, where it empties into Lake Pend Orielle. Son lives there and we love it. It is beautiful country!
Oh, yer killin’ me! Be sure to ride down to Stanley and surrounding area and McCall and Lewiston and Stites and…well just about everywhere–throw a stone and you’ll be surrounded by beauty. I’ve been all over Idaho and I can’t say enough about so many areas. Just beautiful. Have a wonderful time, Joan.
Safe travels…..will be waiting to hear more.
Thank you, Maribeth. I made it here safely!
Oh so sorry to see you leaving Congress Acres. Seems like you just got there. I guess I’m not paying enough attention to details. Hope you find another wonderful spot for you and the crew. Until then……………
The time at Congress Acres did go quickly for me, too. We were camped there over 14 days so it was imperative we get a move on before the rangers came back! I wanted to stay to see the new foals. I think two were in the works, so to speak!
You coulda’ told the ranger that there are a gazillion folks waiting to see pix of the foals, ya’ know, and he woulda’ let ya’ stay…betcha’, huh, huh???????? Chuckles
hi sue—-i am enjoying following your desert adventure…..but i wonder—what about snakes? and scorpions? are they something you chance seeing/dealing with daily or is it the “wrong time of year”? to me, you are a very brave woman…..although you have the security of your two babies, i know that they aren’t guard dogs….do you feel scared at times way out there, alone? i am very in awe of the way you have jumped into this solo trip.
Hello, Theresa,
I haven’t been scared for one minute “way out there alone.” Maybe it’s because I’m a loner and like being alone or maybe because I’m more comfortable in natural settings than manmade ones. Maybe I’m foolish and should be scared. But I’m not!
Nervous, yes, when driving on mountain roads.
We saw a tarantula cross in front of us while walking in NM. He scurried away, scared of us most likely.
Today we met one of those you mentioned, but I’ll save that for the next post!
Sue,
If you go to Colorado, you should consider the Cochetopa area out of Sauguache (pronounced saw-watch). Lots of BLM land, not many people, and lovely scenery, plus no high scary mountains roads.
Mary
Mary,
If you’re still reading my blog later this summer when I’m pointed in the direction of Colorado, please remind me of this Cochetopa area. BLM, not many people, lovely scenery, plus no high scary mountain roads . . . sounds perfect for me!
I love that area along Joshua Tree Highway. I’ll bet you’ve found another beautiful space. There is a campground by Burro Creek. Don’t know what kind of facilities. And do know you’d rather not be in a campground. Enjoy!
I passed Burro Creek on the way here. I heard from the locals it’s crowded right now. I’ll probably drive over there and check it out for myself.
Okay Sue- Just when you feel that ‘twinge’ about finding the right spot. WAHLA, you found it! But remember no good deed goes unpunished! (haha), or no, LOL. (I’m learning this lingo under you’re tutelage!)
K and I bought a new mini MH in 1987 and decided to drive it to Washington St to see my father. Driving down the Columbia River, we passed through Hood River and found a state campground. It was free and all of the campers were in the front part of the park. We noticed a bridge that lead to the back part of the campground and decided to pick a place back there. Campers smiled and waved as we made our way to an area where we could walk the dogs free from other campers. About 2 am., sound asleep, we found out why no one was camped back there!! We were 20 feet from RR tracks and a frieght train came by!!!!! Sleeping in the cabover bed,…well you guessed it!….my head hurted for several days! When we left the park, the same folks waved and smiled! We put that into the ‘dumb things you never talk about’ until now.
SOSO, you are free to make some of those momentous decisions! We have many…so much for ‘OUR’ RV experiences!. I’m still reliving a disabled MH in Benson! Thank God for GOOD SAMS and an honest repair shop in Tucson. GOOD NIGHT, Cheers, love you from K, kids and the great thinker (sometimes, well opinions vary)!
Hey, Bill . . .
Thanks for the lesson in how not to get away from it all!
Hey Sue, I recall you posting about Azon not shipping something to you like they were supposed to. I want to order one of those cool rugs like you have, but they won’t ship to a PO box and I won’t have a physical address after a few days. How do you deal with Fedex or UPS shipping w/ no address. Pick it up at the shipping place? Thanks.
So far I’ve managed to get what I want from Amazon through General Delivery at the post office. If I had to have them ship UPS, I guess I’d try to find one of those mailing outlets. … you know what I mean? They ship stuff for you and have copy machines you can use and such. I think you probably could have it shipped to a UPS depot. Call UPS and see what they say. Good luck!
I hope you like the rug. I can’t verify how long it will last because I haven’t had mine very long to test it. There are several color choices. Which did you choose?
I’m getting the blue like yours. They aren’t that expensive, so if it doesn’t last, c’est la vie. But it’s a great idea to keep the sand out and let the dogs laze around. We do have a mailbox thingy here in Moab – I also have friends here who I can borrow their addresses, but not elsewhere, so will call UPS next time to see.
All the best in your travels Sue. Sometimes kinda hard for we loner boondockers to set us a spell for a chat, but it’s nice to know we are fellow travelers sharing a very special bond. And remember, we arel just one short email away….A:))
Hi, Al,
Thanks for the best wishes . . . same to you for your trip back to Bayfield. I don’t think I have to say how much I enjoyed the Congress camping. I continue to check your blog every day and enjoy seeing your progress on the house. It’s coming along nicely.
I made friends with another loner back in Georgia. We met at the dog park. We both talked about being loners. She invited me to her house for Thanksgiving dinner, since she had no family. Although I enjoyed her company very much, as the day approached I was getting lonerish and didn’t feel like going. The day before Thanksgiving she called me and apologetically begged off. I said, “Oh, good. That’s a relief.” We both laughed our heads off! It’s hard for two loners to get together!
Remember, I’m a short email away,too! Love you guys, including Pheebs and Cora, of course! Stay safe and good luck with the medical junk . . .
Remember, a cowboy ain’t happy without lonesome. 🙂
I feel about people and civilization the same way – prefer both at a safe distance. LOL
Sue, I try to read every post but sometimes you get comments after I read your post and I miss some answers to questions…so you may have already addressed the question I have but I’m going to ask anyway. I know you intended to take advantange of the Annual Permit for New Mexico State Parks when you started, What caused you to move over entirely to Arizona BLM lands instead? Were the NM State Parks too crowded or expensive? I have a 33 ft Class A motorhome & tow a old VW Bug and sure have NM State Parks in my sights for when my home in Arkansas finally sells. Thanks And I Love your posts & photos!!! Can’t believe no snakes Yet!!!!
Hi, Ernest! So good to see you commenting. It’s been a while . . .
Keep NM state parks in your sights. I think they’re great! The $225 annual pass giving you $4 elec. hookups is a good value. The parks are in a variety of settings from desert to mountains and they’re well-maintained. I stayed at NM parks in the fall and they weren’t crowded, except for holidays. I don’t know how they are at other times of the year. I got my money’s worth in the 3 1/2 months I camped at NM state parks. New Mexico has a lot to offer the traveller. Go for it!
I left NM to escape the cold and snow last Dec. At the same time my solar equipment was installed. I went to southern AZ for warmth and now I take advantage of free campsites.
Thanks for the enthusiastic compliments! Good luck selling your house and getting on the road. Sounds like you’ve got yourself a nice start already with that motorhome and bug!
Great to see you landed safely, looking forward to pics! Chuckles