theboondork's RV blog

Look who just found me

1/26/2018

Fluffy the friendly coyote is still here

The first night I got here I didn't see Fluffy in the afternoon when he usually shows up but that night after I went to bed I heard him howling just outside the Arctic Fox so I knew he was still here. Late yesterday afternoon I went outside and saw him sitting in the road about 40 feet away and when he saw me he came walking up into my boondocking spot obviously remembering me.

He still looks healthy, and fluffy so he's obviously established a life for himself here and is doing better than just surviving. His back leg is the same, pretty much useless and I'm sure that's all it will ever be.

I rode the little Beta around some and found that the new seat is kind of narrow and uncomfortable but better than the Styrofoam and duct tape seat I made. I don't plan on riding this thing on long trips so it should be okay for what I'm going to use it for.

More troublesome is the location of the footpegs their set kind of far back in a place that's great if you're standing up but not so great if you're sitting down. I'm sure they can be moved forward but it will probably take some fabrication and welding.

A similar problem is the rear brake it's easy for your foot to reach if you're standing up but all but impossible if you're sitting down. So far I'm just not using the rear brake. Since the front wheel does most of the stopping anyway I'll just use that until I can relocate the rear brake.

The weather's been really great since I've been here, 50s at night 70s in the daytime, you really couldn't ask for more.

I did most of my laundry yesterday but I've still got a blanket I would like to wash. These pay washing machines are so tiny you can barely even get one normal blanket in them, so a blanket has to be washed separately. I'll get around to washing it before I leave... Maybe.

theboondork

Fluffy the friendly coyote

24 Comments

Linda Sand

1/26/2018 08:48:34 pm

Good to see Fluffy is alive and well. I hope you stay well, too.

theboondork

1/27/2018 10:11:41 am

I'm always happy to see Fluffy still alive and doing well myself, the life he lives is so tenuous I never know if he's going to be around when I come here or not.

I'm doing everything I can to take care of myself. I stay away from people, fortunately my lifestyle makes that fairly easy, I carry hand cleaner in my pocket, and use it regularly, and I keep my hands away from my face.

Those are all the things they tell you to do to lessen your chances so now it's just a matter of luck.

Tom

Barney Ward

1/27/2018 10:25:34 am

It seems to me I get sick a lot less often when I lived in the desert of Washington State than when I live on the saltwater coast. Lately even the mosquitoes are sneezing and coughing down here.

1/27/2018 11:46:24 am

Maybe it's got something to do with humidity, it's possible warm moist air is more appealing to germs than hot dry air. It's just the opposite for humans that's why so few people live in the desert.

LOL, I can just hear those mosquitoes coughing and sneezing now. There's so many of them where you live the noise probably keeps you awake at night.

Tom

Tim

1/27/2018 11:16:13 am

Good ole Fluffy - glad he's still doing well. I've been around lots of people over the last week in close spaces (especially on airplanes), so keeping my fingers crossed that I don't get sick. Hope you do fine as well.

BTW, was checking out some of the videos on Bob Wells YouTube channel (cheaprvliving.com) and saw something I recognized. Look about the 5 minute mark and see if you don't see something familiar (sorry if someone else already mentioned it): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlmMhrEqJOk

1/27/2018 06:36:20 pm

WOW! That was a great catch Tim, I had never seen that before, and yes that was me. I'm surprised you even recognized me after all I haven't got the only Arctic Fox in the world, almost but not quite.

I guess you're in the same position I am which is keeping your fingers crossed and hoping and you don't catch a wayward virus, although I would think that sitting on an airplane would be one of the better ways of catching anything.

Since I'm hardly ever around anyone at the moment probably the only way I'm gonna get the flu is when I go to the grocery store and then I guess it's just a matter of luck.

Tom

1/27/2018 07:14:38 pm

Hi Tom,

Still have my fingers crossed that I didn't catch anything - haven't felt 100% today, but I think it's just in my mind. At least (hopefully) I won't have to get on a plane for a little while (unless I head out to Oregon to look at Arctic Foxes).

I had just finished going through your whole blog and your miniaturized City of Rocks photos stuck in my mind. Then I saw the Arctic Fox in Bob's video and thought "Wow, an Arctic Fox 27-5L" and then "Hmm, that looks kind of familiar, could that be Boondork? How many other 27-5L's carrying motorcycles could there be at City of the Rocks". After a few rewinds and comparing to your blog, I was pretty sure that was you.

I didn't get a chance to look at RV's on my trip, but we did swing through a few campgrounds for places I might stay if I'm down visiting my Dad. He just moved and doesn't have enough room for driveway surfing; at his old place, I would have even had covered parking for a fifth wheel while visiting, but that place is history now. Not surprisingly, didn't see an Arctic Fox anywhere down there.

Tim

1/27/2018 08:52:25 pm

I can't believe you read the whole blog, so just to make sure.. There will be an essay test.

I do admire your tenacity but have serious questions about your common sense, however you did finish it, so it seems like there should be some kind of prize in order, although I'm not sure what that would be. Maybe relieving you of the responsibility of reading my blog from here on out, after all you've suffered enough.

I've been reading Bob Wells blog for a couple of years, and I've seen a lot of his videos but I hadn't seen that one so I'm glad you pointed that out to me. I had no idea that I was in the vicinity of a blogger with the stature of Bob Wells. Had I known he was going to drive by I would've washed and waxed the Arctic Fox.

I made a video myself driving around the city of rocks which is here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqFp19VAOVM

It looks like you're going to have to get out West to see an Arctic Fox, but the West is a great place to be and seeing an Arctic Fox will be a bonus.

Tom

1/28/2018 09:33:22 am

My common sense has been a matter of debate for many, many years, so why should I be any different now? I did learn a lot by reading through your blog, so maybe the public view of my common sense is slightly askew.

I should say that I read the blog up to the point where I had originally found it and started to follow you. So, I think I cheated and will have to return my prize. Maybe someone more deserving can claim it.

Well, now you'll have to get up every morning at 0 dark thirty to wash and wax your rig because you never know when Bob is going to drive by. It would also be a nice touch if you are out in front waving as he drives by. Just trying to help - you're welcome.

1/28/2018 12:43:45 pm

I gave up getting out of bed at 0 dark 30 when I stopped hunting. It was a common belief at the time that Elk liked getting shot at sunrise and I continued to ascribe to that philosophy, even though the last Elk I shot was around 3 o'clock in the afternoon, until I got older, wiser, and some would say lazier.

It would have been far easier and a lot less effort on my part to go over to Bob's Rubber Tramp Rendezvous which was about a mile away from where I was boondocked in Quartzsite and said hi.

I'm going back to Quartzsite tomorrow morning but I think his little gathering is all over now. But usually he goes over to Ehrenberg Arizona just down the road from Quartzsite and hangs out there for part of the winter.

I tried staying there once myself but found that, since it's so close to California there were a lot of bums hanging around there. And not bums like me, I'm talking about scary looking grocery cart type people. So I decided that with all the places to boondock in Arizona there was no need for me to have to deal with that.

But anyway, I appreciate you reading my entire blog, which technically you did, and even though you have refused to accept your well-earned prize don't think that will get you out of the final exam... You will need a number two pencil.

Tom

1/29/2018 08:40:53 am

I never carried for deer hunting (never been elk hunting), mainly because it was just a lot of sitting around in the cold, rain, snow, wind, and dark, but I do really like bird hunting. With bird hunting, even if we don't shoot anything, it's still fun to watch the dogs work a field. Plus, birds like to get shot any ole time of day.

I've watched several videos on the RTR and have considered going at some point in the future. I think they are moving to a bigger area next year.

So, I've been given a previous year's exam from the last graduating class, so thought I would make this process a little more efficient by just sending the answers (hope you don't take points off for spelling and that you grade on the curve):

1) Fluffy
2) Padre Island
3) Rust
4) Woodland Hills
5) Ben Avery's
6) Lake Amistad
7) Mice
8) Yes
9) 27-5L
10) Mesa
11) No
12) WR 450
13) Beta Evo
14) Sometimes
15) Eleven Mile Resovoir
16) Stovall Ranch
17) Always
18) Popcorn
19) Snow
20) Never
21) Lithium
22) Dust
23) Quartzsite
24) Del Rio
25) Denver

Whew, that was tough. I sure hope the last graduating class was playing a trick on me! That would be quite embarrassing!

1/29/2018 01:51:09 pm

When I'm staying at Ben Avery's Clay Center RV Park most of the people there are not only trap, sporting clay, and skeet shooters, their also bird hunters, and a lot of them have their bird dogs with them because their members of the family.

Right next to the RV Park is BLM and state land which you can hunt birds on, mostly doves, and I can see the dogs working out there and they are fun to watch.

I finally got around to grading your paper and you did quite well indeed. You even got the numbers right and that was part of the math quiz.

I did have to take a little off for misspelling "Reservoir" but since I do grade on the curve everyone misses that so it didn't hurt your 4.0 average.

So you have now officially graduated Summa cum laude, which gives you the right and the privilege to venture forth into the deepest forest, the driest desert, and the sandiest beach and loudly proclaim with pride and dignity that... I'M A BOONDORK!

Congratulations.

Tom

1/30/2018 07:13:41 am

Thanks Tom - my Dad will be so proud. I've always had the "Dork" part down, but hopefully soon will be able to use the full "Boondork" mantle in the proper settings.

I'm pretty sure that "resovoir" is just the sophisticated version of "reservoir" :) Whoops, I better be quiet or you'll realize the full degree of my dorkiness and start taking points away.

Bird hunting is one reason that I'm interested in the Arctic Foxes instead of cheaper RV's. I can see being up in Iowa, South Dakota, or Kansas in the fall and doing a little bird hunting before heading south (have a cousin that trains bird dogs). It sure would be nice to have the extra insulation that's in the Arctic Foxes.

1/30/2018 09:04:55 am

I can tell you're already starting to understand the meaning of the full-time RV lifestyle.

A sense of humor will go a long way towards enjoying your life on the road. Just like in a normal life things don't always go as planned, but when you're on the road you're not surrounded by friends and acquaintances that can help you out. And often you will be in new places where you don't know how to get to the Post Office or a hardware store so it helps to not only be self-reliant but to have a good sense of humor and take life as it comes.

Also your idea about bird hunting in the fall is exactly the kind of thing that full time RVing is all about. If you want to you can spend your whole life going from one fun thing to another. You could hunt birds in the fall, go down to the Texas coast and fish for a month, go to Albuquerque for the balloon festival, good luck finding a place to stay. Go to the Big Show in Quartzsite, spend a week at the shot show in Las Vegas, go to the Colorado high country in the summer and ride a mountain bike, there are endless possibilities when you're free to do what you want, when you want.

As you know from reading my blog that the Arctic Fox's insulation is one of the main reasons that I bought this particular fifth wheel. It really does hold the heat better than any RV I've ever had, although I hope I never have to stay in a cold place long enough to give that a thorough test.

Tom

1/31/2018 02:05:43 pm

I agree about staying in cold places. At times this year, it's been brutal here and whenever I hear of someone slipping on the ice and getting hurt, it makes me realize that I'm risking life and limb every year that I'm here (plus it's just plain miserable at times). Not that a rabid coyote or some other critter couldn't get me in the desert - actually, the thing I'm most nervous about is killer bees, but I'm guessing it's too cold in the winter and I hope to always stay ahead of them (hey, everyone has to have some irrational fear - killer bees is mine).

You are right - the possibilities are endless. I have lots of hobbies that would keep me busy going from one location to another. Just have to be careful, or I could easily spend a fortune and a lot of time crisscrossing from place to place for hobbies. Once out of that "vacation mode" and into "relaxing mode", I'm guessing it won't be much of an issue.

I've started to formulate a plan, based on comments we've traded back and forth: There is a Northwood dealership in Minnesota that a lot of people on forums rave about. I'm thinking about buying the truck here, getting a bed topper for it (that would be able to go over the hitch), take whatever I can load up in the truck under the bed topper (sell the rest), drive to Minnesota and buy the RV, and work my way down to Texas to register everything, and then go enjoy the rest of my life. I looked at renting a U-Haul trailer, but I think it would be cheaper just to sell stuff, bring what will fit in the truck, and buy what I need at the time. Now have to figure out the exact timing, but I'm hoping soon. When it warms up some, I think I might fly out to Minnesota and take a look (depending on their inventory).

Fun stuff to think and plan.

Tim

1/31/2018 05:52:28 pm

As you get older the viability of living in a cold, snowy, icy place gets less and less and eventually gets to the point where it makes no sense to live like that unless you absolutely have to. And I would say, since I came from a cold, icy, snowy place, that your odds of getting injured slipping on the ice or having a heart attack shoveling snow are a 1000 times greater than ever even seeing a rabid coyote or a killer bee. I personally have never seen either one.

I know a little bit about irrational fears because I have a fear of heights, but heights are real and they can kill you, so my fears aren't irrational.

Your plan sounds like a good one. The idea of the U-Haul was an assumption that you, like most people, would be unable to get all of your possessions down to a size that would fit in a truck. But if you're able to do that, that's without a doubt the best way to start your new life. Less is more when it comes to living in an RV, and you can always buy the things that you don't have but REALLY need.

Making plans to go full time is just the beginning of the fun stuff, and an important start to your full timing lifestyle. It's the foundation that everything else is going to be built on. If the truck you choose and the RV you choose are both strong and solid then your foundation will be as well which will make your roads smooth and your life stress-free.

Tom

2/1/2018 08:52:02 am

My stuff is pared down quite a bit (got rid of about ~98% of my stuff when I sold my house), but will need to get rid of more before getting it all in the truck. The plan is to sell or give away what little furniture that's left and give all my work clothes to Goodwill, as well as a lot of my casual clothes. My cooking utensils are down to the bare minimum as well. That would just leave a few hobbies and one of them would need to be pared down a lot (if it wasn't for that one hobby, there would be no doubt about getting it all in the truck).

Luckily, I went through the pain of downsizing most of my hobbies last year; for example, I play guitar (poorly) and had over a dozen guitars (and related musical instruments, with amps, cords, etc).
Got it down to three guitars and only kept two of those because a friend convinced me to keep them (regret not selling them when on a roll). In the next downsizing, going down to just one acoustic guitar.

Some tough decisions still need to be made, that you and I have discussed previously. Such as, should the big desktop computer come along? It will be tough to leave it behind, but will probably be happier without it. Partly, it's an emotional decision to bring it, since I've put so much time and money into it, but it would greatly simplify life to go to a laptop Have to give that one a lot of thought.

The U-Haul was a great idea. But, depending on the destination, the quotes were between $400 (Minnesota) to $1,000 (New Mexico). For that price, it might make more sense to just buy whatever is needed, since I would probably bring too much stuff for the RV anyway and would have to get a storage unit, which would be another cost (luckily, didn't have to get a storage unit when moving into the apartment).

The funny thing is that I don't miss anything that that was disposed of in the last downsizing; just regret not getting rid of more.

BTW, just found out that a co-worker who had moved away a few years ago has terminal cancer (he's in his early sixties) and is in hospice. Also, don't think I've mentioned this, but my ex-mother-in-law died of West Nile Virus late last year (she lived in the southern US)! Just keep getting these messages over and over again that our time on this planet is finite, so need to make the most of what time we have left.

2/1/2018 11:30:33 am

You've done a far better job of divesting yourself of things you probably will never need than I did, and my lack of ruthlessness when deciding what must go is still costing me money to this day.

It's funny you mention guitars because I have a guitar that I need to get rid of and I don't even play guitars. Back in the early 1970s I ended up with a brand-new Martin 12 string acoustic guitar in a factory case and have had it laying in a closet for all these years for one reason or another I didn't get rid of it when I sold the house so it is still laying in a closet back in Denver its one of the first things on my list to put on eBay this summer.

Hardly a day goes by that I don't look under the dining room table at my huge desktop and wish it wasn't there. My new Asus laptop is so powerful that I seldom turn on my desktop and other than my emotional attachment to it there's absolutely no justifiable reason to have it here in the trailer with me.

Wow! I had no idea a U-Haul cost that much money I don't think I could justify hauling something across the country for that price.

I too don't regret getting rid of anything and if I wasn't so lazy I would've gotten rid of the rest of it by now. When it comes to those clothes you're going to be getting rid of remember you going to be in warm places most of the time. And even though I was well aware of this I still brought too many warm clothes. But its no big deal you can always get rid of them as you go.

RVing is a very casual lifestyle. Everyone dresses in comfortable, easy to care for warm weather clothing. And if it gets a little chilly they put on a light jacket and continue to wear their sneakers and shorts. I don't think it's possible to under dress while boondocking. I myself am frequently mistaken for a pitiful homeless bum, which doesn't bother me in the least because it supplements my meager income.

Our time on this earth is very limited and the older we get the more important this bit of information becomes. So in my life I see no reason why I should live my life in any way other than a way that makes me happy. Now if I was 25 years old and I said that it would be very selfish, but at 71 I feel that I've earned the right to live the remainder my life the way I please which doesn't include being found at my desk, face down in a stack of papers trying to make a few extra dollars.

Tom

2/1/2018 12:02:18 pm

That's my thoughts exactly on clothing - planning to get rid of all my cold weather gear except for a light fleece jacket that's really warm, but takes up no space, a light fleece pull over, and a couple of pairs of jeans. I also have a rain jacket that folds down to nothing (goes into a little bag), so will bring that as well. Other than that, it'll be shorts and t-shirts.

If I hadn't had professional help (an estate sale company), I never would have got rid of most of it. I did sell quite a bit myself, but they are the ones that really moved stuff out for me. I had to split the proceeds with them, but I would have been renting a storage unit for 8 months already at about $100 a month, so think it was worth it.

I have a feeling it will be the same way with my desktop. It's funny that sometimes it's so hard to let go of stuff, but once it's gone, it's no big deal.

The one guitar that I plan to keep is my Martin; it's really the only one played on a regular basis. I thought about a twelve string at one point, but have enough trouble with 6 strings. I've been to some Bluegrass festivals over the years and people just sit around and jam; many times they bring their campers and camp right at the festival - another thing that I could do (now I'm starting to think that I'll be so busy going full-time that I'll need a vacation :)).

Just got notified that our former co-worker passed away last night. It always amazes me that we are here and healthy one minute and gone the next. Don't mean to be depressing, but think it just highlights that you have the right approach - we need to do what we love doing while we can.

2/1/2018 01:36:18 pm

The amount of clothes I carry is based on how often I want to do the laundry so I carry enough clothes to last a month. Clean, inexpensive, uncrowded laundromats sometimes are not that easy to find so a months worth of clothes gives me some options. By the way that probably won't work if you feel the need to change clothes every day.

In the past I've looked up Martin guitars on the Internet and unfortunately for me even though the 12 strings cost more to purchase they apparently went out of style about the same time Peter Paul and Mary fell out of favor and so the 6 strings are worth more than the 12's.

I've been fortunate enough to be camped next to bluegrass groups twice since I've been RVing and was able to sit around the campfire with them and listen to them pick and sing, both times were thoroughly enjoyable.

It's funny you mentioned vacations as if that's not possible, but actually I still take vacations. I consider last summer's trip up to Montana and staying at the Stovall Ranch a vacation. To me whenever I go somewhere that has nothing to do with my normal summer and winter areas I call it a vacation. After all if you're not working at a job a vacation does not have to be a location, it's a state of mind. But then again so is everything else in life.

Having people pass away that are your age and younger always makes folks think of their own mortality and how there's not much you can do about it except to keep on keeping on, so you might as well enjoy it.

Sometimes I like to listen to the Garth Brooks song "The Dance" and if I remove the concept of the girl in the song and substitute her with just living your life, it makes life and death a little more tolerable.

Tom

2/1/2018 12:13:11 pm

Oh a lark, just checked out gaming laptops. Surprisingly, there are now laptops that are every bit as powerful (if not more so) than my desktop. Not cheap and probably energy hogs, but they are an option. You've mentioned this, but I didn't realize how powerful they've become.

Also, I was looking at kayaks. How to carry a kayak with a fifth wheel? But now they make these great inflatable kayaks that are getting fantastic reviews, are quick to inflate, and no hauling on top of the truck. Again, the good ones aren't cheap, but still a good alternative down the road if I want to kayak again (going to give that one some time though and see what my lifestyle is like).

Hmm, seems like whenever there is an obstacle to the RV way of life, a solution presents itself.

2/1/2018 03:26:58 pm

I think the only reason I'm still carrying this desktop around is I just don't know what else to do with it. I think in the end it might be better to sell the parts of it on eBay than to try to sell the whole thing.

You can't imagine how long I studied, and pondered over kayaks before I went full-time thinking it would be the cat's pajamas. But in the end I decided not to do it and will regale you with the reasons why.

First of all I wanted one I could fish in and the ones that are suitable for fishing were pretty heavy and difficult for an old geezer like me to handle by himself. I looked deeply into the ones you have to blow up or have to assemble, and yes their way smaller than a real kayak but they still take up a lot of space for something that may not get very much use. And the inflatable ones, and I'm talking about the high quality ones not some Walmart junk, I wasn't sure I could trust them around a bunch of fishhooks.

Another problem for me would be getting into the thing. Even the ones that are sit on top "SOT" were going to require getting wet getting in and out, and the ones that you sit inside of were out of the question with my bad back.

I see kayaks on the tops of trailers but getting it up there by myself would be difficult in the best of times and downright dangerous in the wind. Not only that but it's taking up precious solar panel space that will be far more useful than a kayak.

I have found, and I believe I've mentioned this before, that the more difficult something is to get to and use the less chance there is that I will use it. I face that all the time with my little motorcycle, I feel like going for a little ride, but do I feel like uncovering it, unlocking it, removing all the straps and taking it off the rack. And reversing all that a little later. Often the answer is no.

Now I'm very lazy so this may not apply to you at all.
But if I have to build or inflate a kayak after retrieving it from it's difficult to get to location it's far less likely that I will use it when the opportunity arises.

Your thought is the best. Before you spend money on a hobby spend a year on the road and see what you enjoy doing. I predict you will be amazed at how much you've changed.

Tom

2/1/2018 02:38:27 pm

My understanding is that twelve strings put a lot of pressure on the neck, since there are double the number of strings under tension, so you have to be careful when buying. Not sure if that's true, since I've never owned one.

Yeah, but now you get to take your house with you when you vacation. That sounds amazing. I'm good with wearing clothes multiple days and do that now on the weekends when I'm not working.

So, I went to a Bluegrass school that ran right before a Bluegrass festival years ago (Pete Wernick, aka "Dr. Banjo" classes). One night we were jamming after class at a barbecue. At one point, everyone looked at me and said "You're the singer, pick another song" (to be fair, I think I was the "singer" because I wasn't as talented as other guitar players). I picked some songs, we played them, and the next day Pete said "Who was that singing that one particular song last night". Everyone turned to me and said "It was Tim" - Pete then said "Great, we're opening tomorrow for the Bluegrass Festival and you're singing". To say I was mortified was an understatement. Pete said it was the opening of the festival so no one would be there, but the place was packed. Luckily, I only had to sing one verse (had trouble remembering the words for that one verse). Alison Krause was the headliner that weekend, so now I like to say I opened for Alison Krause (be it true or not, I'm sticking with it). BTW, she was phenomenal.

Yep, good message in the "The Dance". It's like Aristotle said "Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life . . . " or something like that - to be honest, I wasn't there when he said it.

2/1/2018 04:18:08 pm

I will probably take my old Martin to a repair place when I get back to Colorado and have them look it over because I've got a 100 percent rating on eBay and I wouldn't want to endanger that by selling something that I don't know anything about.

That's a great story and I would definitely use opening for Alison Krause on my resume. That woman has a voice that must have been given by God because I don't think you can be trained to sing like that.

I not only remember when Aristotle said that, I was one that gave him the idea.

Tom

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