More Boondocking

Invested in a GoPhone from AT&T so I now have a portable router (read: portable hotspot) so I can have affordable internet access, compared to the ridiculous  roaming packages that Telus offers ($25 for 50 min of phone, 150 emails, and 50MB of data). Only $50 a month for 5GB of data, and when I downloaded the Whatsapp app for free international texting for a year (thanks Jen), I can keep in touch with everyone.

Found another spot to boondock and took another journey into the surrounding landscape. Pics of the rig for you Carol.

Everything is sooo different – from the substrate which is very soft, loose and made up of mostly gravel that wants to slide underfoot, to the weather and the flora and fauna. Added two new species on this walk: a black throated sparrow and a Phainopepla.

Next day woke up to FOG!! I didn’t know that this happened in the desert. Learning a lot these days, whether I want to or not. :{o

December 23rd my Son and I went to see The Battle of Five Armies, the final episode in “Peter Jackson’s” interpretation of The Hobbit by Tolkien, although we were hundreds of miles apart. We saw all six movies together so I couldn’t miss this one. We spent some time texting our impressions of the movie and sharing suggestions of how we would have interpreted this segment of the book.

Christmas Eve I moved on to Parker, AZ and the Parker Dam, Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Museum, the ghost town Swansea and other adventures. Staying at a BLM campground where it only costs $2.50 per night, compared to $30 and up at state and private campgrounds, although there are no hookups for electricity or water. I made a quick visit to the refuge to get maps and brochures to help plan my exploration of this unique ecological area. I’m adding new birds to my life list almost daily. I was able to Skype with my brothers and sister at Bill & Sheila’s, a holiday tradition, and then Skyped Dave and Laurel at their home in Victor, NY. Special time that is never long enough to reconnect with all. I then indulged in some prawns, sausage rolls, and a glass of Merlot. I completed the day by making a new recipe I adapted from one I found in an AARP magazine. I made a turkey, spinach, and shiitake mushroom stroganoff that I served over handmade spinach noodles along with steamed broccoli and, of course, another glass of Merlot and then finished with some pumpkin pie (not as good as Mom’s or Bonnie’s, but I’ve had worse). It may have been the Merlot that I consumed while preparing it, but I sure did enjoy the meal!

 Roughing it easy!

More to follow (sooner Dar. :{o