East of ABSDP

Sunday, January 21st, 2007

And the Journey continues… I have been waiting a long time to get out of campgrounds, weather mostly have stopped me… the regions also, much free land here and we have finally made it this morning. About 10 miles East of Borrego Springs, maybe more, till Wednesday when I head out to Death Valley for an annual motorcycle get together… where I don’t know anyone… yet! So this is it, it was a hot day… a one T Shirt day for a short time! We even had a chance to ride to Salton Sea, without even being able to take a glimpse at it as the haze did not allow it today.

I miss the simplicity of camping with just a tent. This is all new to me and much, it seems, attention has to be paid to make sure all is in working order. It is about 4:30am right now and the propane bottle ran out of juice!
Of course it can never happen when I am cooking indoor or making coffee… that is Murphy’s law. I am getting good at doing the exchange quickly as heat is good!… the furnace is roaring again, Spirit will stay warm too… next is the camper’s battery… wonder how long that will last?
Have to find a gadget that will show me its charge… I had one on the sailboat but I don’t remember what it is called!

It is pitch black outside, the crescent moon had gone away and the stars are lined up like a giant map , wish I remembered how to read it. The power pack is my friend now it seems… running my laptop… coffee grinder… without having to run the generator. How long will it’s power last? I guess I will need to run that generator everyday plugged right into the camper, recharging its battery and the power pack all at the same time… It feels like too much stuff and then again…
if I want to continue communication through this Blog… this is the only way!

I have planned to be self sufficient for a week… but only staying here 3 or 4 more days this time. Besides the fuel in the truck I have about an extra 20 gallons… besides the 10 gallons of water in the camper I have an extra 15 gallons plus 2 full 5 gallon each sun showers… I guess I will find out soon enough some day it I can truly last a week… plenty of food… If I start the week with two full bottles of propane that should also be enough, of course that will depend on the weather.

Early afternoon, after a short nap in the nicely heated camper we decided to take a run to Salton Sea. We had only gone as far Fonts Wash… and I had a pleasant discovery on our way.
I have been a little down about riding around by now. Too much sand… the rig is just not suited for it… a foot of sugar sand and I am done it seems like, the weight sinking the rig in, it happened twice already, it is limiting me, I dream of gravel and rocky roads!… Please… give me anything but sand!
Going East, right and left, small RV villages seem like have been erected for the weekend…
Even parked in circles they evoke me of the old times when the wood wagons lined themselves up in the same fashion… But the day of horses and buggies are long gone… They are the giant metal structures now with all the comforts of home… the horses have been replaced by the noisy two wheelers and even noisier dune buggies… kids, grown ups… they are all here it seems like for the weekend… will be calm again starting Monday.

The upside was… much less sand!… A welcome sight… and it gave me hope to be able to ride those canyons with less anticipation of being stuck… miles and miles of trails… with different rock formations… and even coming back as we stopped a couple times, more hiking trails, narrowed between walls, shaded by the height of the rocks… it will be great to take Spirit along.
As all this area was at one time under water, I figured that the center of it, where the sugar sand lays must have been the deepest part with much erosion of the centuries… The southern and northern parts, less sandy must have been the shores…

I think I saw a real motorcycle gang when I stopped in Salton Sea, at the only store available, across the street from a, named, “Cocktail Bar”… all Harley’s… suicide shifter on the side…
I am not trying to be judgmental, but as I read people fairly well… they looked mean… not a glance toward me, likewise here… much leathers, corduroy… tough looking, probably were… and bright green colors… unusual colors… with one member’s patch which said ‘prospect’… I thought about a picture or two… but… I thought better after my vibes just said… ‘not right now Ara!…”. Just go… that might not be the right move!!! What a movie!!!
Seems like I have more time here… was a campground keeping me busier? There is a nonchalant
aspect about it all camping here… not the first go around, that’s for sure… with wishes that the whole Journey was as such…probably will be as spring gets around… 3 more months?…

You be well…

Ara & Spirit

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One Response to “East of ABSDP”

  1. Macrobe Says:

    Ara, have you read John Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charley” where he travels around the country in his truck and camper, his poodle Charley as his buddy?

    That is exactly what blossomed in my mind when I read this post.

    You are the modern-day ‘Steinbeck’ and Spirit is ‘Charley’ 🙂

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