Tag: armadillo tails

Lava Beds National Monument

I’m not sure why we didn’t see Lava Beds National Monument when researching our route. The only defense is that you see so many forests and monuments on the map that if you stopped for them all, you would never make it to your destination.

North from Carson City

Our destination after Carson City, Nevada was Bend, Oregon with an overnight stopover in Tulelake, California.  We researched our route and decided on Interstate 395 then across to State Road 139 at Alturas, California.  The thinking was to stay east of the greatest elevation changes until the last possible minute and thereby save on gas.  Our route choice was a good one and we made the very happy discovery of Lava Beds National Monument along the way.

map route to Tulelake, California near Lava Beds National Monument

I’m not sure why we didn’t see this park when researching our route.  The only defense is that you see so many forests and monuments on the map that if you stopped for them all, you would never make it to your destination.

We cruised up the highway, enjoying the sight of snow blanketing the forest floors.  In the back of my mind, though, I kept wondering, did we move into the mountains too early in the season?   And hoped that the answer was…it’s fine.   We were nearing our overnight stop in Tulelake when the sign for Lava Beds National Monument appeared on the side of the road in what seemed the middle of nowhere.

The sign indicated that it was 16 miles to the park and, as we were ahead of schedule, floated the idea of heading there to look.  We decided to continue to our overnight stop and try to include a quick visit before we pulled out for Bend.

Tulelake, California
View from campground at Tulelake-Butte County Fairgrounds near Lava Beds National Monument
Tulelake campground

Tulelake-Butte Valley Fairgrounds is a Passport America Park.  If offers full hookup campsites in a lush, green, grassy area that is off to the side of fairground buildings and backed up to farm fields.  This is a self-pay park and can still be used if you are a late arrival.  Although there are not a lot of dining options nearby, it is a lovely and peaceful place to rest for a couple of days.  There was a Visitor Center on the fairground property, though we didn’t go in.  Happy with our camping site in Tulelake, we decided to stay two nights and see what was nearby.

Tulelake National Wildlife Refuge
White pelican floating on water at Tule Lake Wildlife Refuge near Lava Beds National Monument
White Pelican

Our first stop was the Tulelake National Wildlife Refuge.  After driving around on dirt dyke roads, through acres of sweet potato farm fields, we decided that this place would be what we call “an armadillo roll”, as in, roll on by.  We did see our first ever pheasants with their beautiful plumage and, funny to us as Floridians, white pelicans.  If you are into birds, then you may love this place.  Various, huge flocks were floating, flying, and fishing in the waters.

Lava Beds National Monument

We used the second half of our day to drive into Lava Beds National Monument.  Ken and I figured to just do a quick drive through look.  Wow!  We are sorry that we didn’t skip the wildlife refuge and just go straight to Lava Beds.

Acres of diverse volcanic features vie for your attention in the Great Basin High Desert.  Hikes, wildlife and battle sites also abound but the show doesn’t stop above ground.  Of over 700 caves in the park, twenty five of them are marked and open to exploration. 

Caves
Ken hiking out from Skull Cave at Lava Beds National Monument
Skull Cave entrance

The caves are graded from easy to difficult and are yours to explore on your own.  Yes.  That’s right.  These caves are open for you to explore completely on your own.  To make sure that you have all the equipment necessary, you must first stop at the visitor center and obtain a pass.  There the rangers will brief you on safety and equipment, you will be screened for white nose syndrome and helped with what caves may be suitable for you.  You will need;

  • A helmet (bike helmet will do)
  • Flashlight (can be borrowed from visitor center)
  • Suitable warm clothing/boots
  • Gloves
  • Water

There is something otherworldly about being in a cave all alone.  It really isn’t for the faint of heart but is something that I feel privileged to have done.  We went into Skull Cave where you descend, down and further down, about eighty feet, until you reach the ice floor at bottom.    And the temperature change is dramatic.  We were freezing down there. 

Janet at lava tube opening in Lava Beds National Monument
Lava tube opening

We hiked back to another cave for an attempted entry but felt that it was too steep for our capabilities.   Even though we couldn’t go in that cave, it was a beautiful hike, late in the afternoon.  We were treated to deer foraging for their evening meal and some beautiful sunset colors in the sky.

We will be back

This is one of the places that we are kicking ourselves for not knowing about and planning more time to spend exploring.  There is a small campground at the park.  Although beautifully situated It does not provide hookups and only has a couple of spots suitable for RV’s over twenty-five feet.  However, the Tulelake-Butte County Fairgrounds was nearby and has full hookups.

Tule Lake Monument

In addition, after we left the area, we found out that Tulelake, California was also the site of a Japanese American internment camp and prisoner of war site.  This site is now memorialized at the Tule Lake Monument. This monument would be of particular interest to our family because Ken is half Japanese.  The only way to tour the buildings at this site is with a Park Ranger and can be arranged at the Park Visitor Center located at Tulelake-Butte County Fairgrounds.  The very place we stayed.

Klamath Falls Lake & Crater Lake National Park
Joey in the mud at Tulelake-Butte County Fairgrounds
Joey finds a mud puddle at Tulelake-Butte County Fairgrounds

The proximity of Klamath Falls Lake and Crater Lake National Park (about 1 ½ hours), makes Tulelake a great basecamp for exploring an activity rich area.  I’m really sorry that we didn’t research our stopover more fully but very happy to have stumbled on it.  Lava Beds National Monument alone is worth the visit but everything else is icing on the travel cake.

Always Grateful👫

Ten Things to Know Before You Go RVing

Are you considering the full time RV travel life?  The research and preparation can be overwhelming.  Read below for ten things to know before you go RVing.  Maybe you will find a pointer or some advice to make the transition a little easier, or what to expect when you get there.

1. You need a hobby
Cat in a crochet hat
Bitsy models crochet

And it has got to be one that doesn’t take up any space.  We arrived in Oregon earlier this year than last, which has been great!  We got to do some playing in the snow that Ken and I had never done before.  But what we did not know is that between the snow melting and the sunshine starting, it is cold rain.  Lots of cold rain.  When we started out, I envisioned constant motion, hiking, kayaking, sightseeing.  I did not envision being stuck in this teeny, tiny RV for one week solid.  With bad tv service.  And worse internet service.

I am rediscovering crochet now.

2. You will gain weight

Okay.  Obviously, some of you will be better about this than we are.  But Ken and I can’t resist a good restaurant and we are always on the lookout for our next awesome meal.  Staying on budget helps but unless you cook every meal at home, it’s difficult to stay on a healthy, well-balanced, diet.  There is just sooooo much good food out there.  Even the farmer’s market sparks my inner Julia Child.

This is a tough one for us and if you have any coping strategies, please comment and share.

3. The festival will be the week before or the week after you are there

We have the freedom to move and go wherever we would like.  But there is much to consider when you move on to a new location.  It takes research.  You research the roads, weather conditions, where you will stay, what is there to do, and last but not least, where will you resupply.  Oh!  And budget considerations too.

Janet and Ken sitting at tractor table
Oregon State Fair

It is great when a festival or fair, an event or celebration coincides with your visit.  But basing your travels on these events is difficult at best.  Most towns don’t do a very good job of marketing their events.  So, a search doesn’t necessarily bring them to your attention.  We have just missed tickets for events that we would have loved to attend, have been unable to get RV park reservations for a nearby event, or just didn’t know in time to make changes to our schedule.

We keep an event calendar of things we have stumbled upon and may want to return for in the following year.  There have been a few festivals that occurred while we were there.   But it isn’t easy.

Is there is something you have your heart set on?  My advice is to plan, plan, and plan well in advance.

4. You won’t have your favorite brand unless you stockpile it.

This is a tough one.  We do not like doing without our favorite products.  And we have discovered even more of them while living on the road. But you will not always find your favorites.  Thank goodness it is Walmart that stocks the best RV toilet paper on the market, as they are everywhere.

While we don’t have room to carry everything, we do add a little extra in some cases.  It makes me sad at times, frustrated at other times, but is a small price to pay for all we have gained.

If you must have it, make a place for plenty of it.

5. Cooking takes more organization in a tiny house

I used to love organizing the week’s meals in my stick-and-brick house.  In love with my refrigerator, my world was good when the vegies were prepped and ready to go on its shelves.  The pantry overflowed with any dry good or spice needed to express myself through cooking or trying a new recipe.

rv meal of steak salad with glasses of cider
Farm to Table Steak Salad & Hard Cider

Not so much anymore.  Each prep step is performed in a small space and must be cleaned before I can move on to the next step.  Each ingredient has been established to be a crucial item if placed onboard.  Each meal is planned and crafted for ingredients and time.  The meal planning and organization skills that I honed when living in a stick-and-brick are coming in handy.  It used to be a feeling of satisfaction, but now it is crucial to getting us fed a healthy, well-balanced meal.

If you are planning to move into a tiny home, start by putting away your pots and pans, your dishes and utensils, now.  Learn how to cook with less and how to organize more.  It will be great training.

6. You won’t need half the things you think you will

Releasing your possessions to move into a tiny home is hard.  If you have a vision about what your new life will be like, that is a good thing.  You need the visualization of your new life to help you through the process of letting go.  But be aware that what you visualized may not be what it’s like (see first item You need a hobby).  So, bring that blender along because you will be drinking margarita’s every night, take those fishing poles that you have never had time to use.  And tools, don’t forget all the tools you will need.  You know, to fix things and build things.

We still laugh about a few of the items that we brought along with us and continue to let go.  I’m not saying don’t bring them but be aware that you will have to figure out how to get rid of unwanted stuff on the road.

7. Everything you need will be in the outside storage
Ken removes storage box from basement storage of Bigfoot rv
Ken in the basement

Do you need pet meds?  They are in the outside storage, below.  Need those other boots?  Also, down below.  Extra fruit that won’t fit in the fridge, it is down below.  See what I mean?

This problem is directly proportional to the size of your RV, but I’m sure it is universal.  We just don’t have all the space that we would like.  It happened in our stick-and-brick home and it happens here.  All I can say is, try to remember what you need before ten ‘o’clock at night.

8. Personal standards will slip

I can hear you now, denying that you will let things start slipping.  But most of you will. 

RV Socks

I cannot count the number of women in RV parks who have decided to quit covering their grey.  A particularly scary sight was a woman pumping gas into her RV wearing pink fuzzy slippers and what looked to be a housecoat.  Shaving every night gets a little difficult when you have a tiny shower and limited hot water.  Personally, I am still trying to decide where loungewear is acceptable in public.  It is very comfortable in the RV, and I don’t want to take it off.

How about mealtime?  I hate paper plates but have been sorely tempted to use them just to make my cleanup a little easier.  And fresh is best,  but I find I am using more dried herbs because there just is not enough room to have it all.

But my biggest surprise… getting your hair done.  You are never in the same location. So, unless the plan is to keep coming back to your stylist every six to eight weeks, you are at the mercy of someone new.  I have had a couple of questionable stylists, which is why, I think, so many women in RV parks have given up and are letting their grey grow out.

9. People living in RV’s are strange

You will be the only normal ones.   But be prepared to meet some of the nicest people around.  Ken is an introvert and even he has come home with information or help gleaned from the other campers.  It’s a great group of people and most everyone loves to share what they know.  We have learned of great places to visit, to stay, and even had fresh trout given to us by a fellow camper who had extra.

Keep an open mind and remember that you too chose this lifestyle, so maybe normal is relative.

10. One cellphone provider will not be enough

This point is simple enough.  One provider is not enough.  It does not matter if you have Verizon.  Or AT&T, or T-mobile, or, fill-in-the-blank.  Ken and I have different phone providers, and a third hot-spot provider.  Even then, we sometimes have no service and must go to Starbucks, or McDonald’s, or other establishment offering wifi. 

Research this one thoroughly, as it can have a huge impact on your budget.

You’ve got this

These are the ten things you should know before you go rving.  We understand it is hard to process, figuring everything out before you move onto your RV.  But relax, give yourself plenty of time to make the transition, and do not worry too much.  There is always a store to buy it in, always a friendly person to help you, businesses that are catering to this lifestyle and, if all else fails, the internet to help you figure it out. And the reward is worth it.

Always Grateful. 👫

RV Relationship Survival

The most often heard remark when people find out about our RV life is something like – My wife/husband and I would kill each other.

The most often heard remark when people find out about our RV life is something like: My wife/husband and I would kill each other.

Bigfoot 29G
Our Tiny Home

Well, I cannot say the thought has not occasionally crossed my mind, but it crossed my mind long before we moved onto an RV. An RV hasn’t changed that we occasionally get aggravated with each other. We live in about two hundred and forty square feet. With a large dog. And with two cats. There is no way to do that without there sometimes being friction.

It’s been over a year we have been together practically twenty-four seven. So, I thought now would be a good time to share some of what we have learned about getting along in close quarters or our RV relationship Survival methods.

Remember why you picked each other.

When you are crammed together, and your companion starts to get on your nerves, it is time to remember all the wonderful qualities you originally saw in them. Are they kind? Thoughtful? Loyal? Or funny? Now is the time to remember what made you so excited to be with this person. It is also the time to remember, this, most likely is not worth getting angry about. If it truly is a problem for you, wait until later, then kindly explain how their habit or behavior affects you.

Have clear tasks or jobs that you each do.

In other words…stay out of the other person’s lane. If it is their job, then let them do it, however they like — okay, admittedly this one is difficult for me. Clearly you should be cross-trained. Either person should know what to do in an emergency, or if the other person can use a hand (after you ask). But let each person do their tasks their own way.

Make sure that you each get to do something you wanted.

It sounds silly. But sometimes you are so excited about a new location you end up running around, trying to do everything, except what each of you truly wanted to. Take your time. Make sure you get to do the thing or activity that is most important to each of you. There is no guarantee that the opportunity will come around again.

No Screaming.

You just would not believe what we have heard other couples yell at each other. It’s actually a great lesson in what not to do. You will encounter stressful situations at some point in your RV travels. Slow down. Be patient with each other. We find it helps to speak face -to-to face if we are having a problem, say, ummm like…parking the RV. Find out what the stressed person needs to relieve their pressure.

Say “you rock” sometimes

You are the only source of support for each other out there. Make sure to tell the other person when they do something awesome.

Always remember you are doing this to have fun.

Selfie of Janet and Ken at Sea Lion Caves
Elevator selfie
at Sea Lion Caves, Oregon

I suspect this type of togetherness is similar to having children. A bad or weak relationship is made worse but a good relationship grows stronger. Ken and I have survived the children and for us, the RV life is making our relationship stronger than ever.

And….

If all fails, and you need a little alone time, here is my favorite tip. Unhitch the tow and drive alone for a while. Turn up your favorite music. Sing as loud as you want. Dance in the seat. Do it for however many miles it takes but usually about sixty is good for me.

These are some of our coping strategies. Do you have others? Leave a comment and share your RV relationship survival tips.

Always Grateful. 👫

The RV Laundry Experiment

Always a pet peeve of mine, laundromats are not where you want to spend your time and money.

Laundry is a difficult task when you live in an RV. Some of the large RVs have a washer and dryer on board, but when you want to stay small and manageable as possible, you don’t get that option. So, laundromats are the de facto option. Sigh… This prompted the RV laundry experiment.

Laundrymats

Always a pet peeve of mine, laundromats are not where you want to spend your time and money. The equipment does a poor job, it’s often dirty, and can cost $20.00 and up just to do a few loads. At hundreds of dollars annually, this is an expense the budget conscious can avoid.

Last year, we were learning the ins and outs of this RV lifestyle. This year, with a little experience under our belt, we are learning how to economize.

Portable washing machines
Washer used in the RV laundry experiment

Ken and I did a little research and for about one hundred twenty dollars, found a small washing machine. Made from plastic and light weight, it agitates in one compartment and then you transfer to a spinner compartment. It’s a lot like doing wash in an old time wringer machine. (Which I have had the great fortune of doing when I was newly liberated from my parents home. Thank you, Grandma.). The process isn’t hard. You fill the tub. Agitate the desired amount. Transfer to the spinner. Then repeat for the rinse.

It Works!

I am overjoyed with the results. The portable washer is able to do about one-third to one-half of a regular size load, and takes about half an hour to complete all the steps. The agitator is strong enough to get my clothes completely clean, and I even have the choice of normal or gentle agitation. Currently using it outdoors, but if necessary, the washer can be placed in the bathtub and used inside.

Clothesline
Portable clothes rack mounted on RV ladder

We added a portable collapsible clothes hanger for about eighty dollars. It will hold two loads of laundry for drying.

So, it looks like the RV laundry experiment is a success. The portable washer has been used for three weeks now. The water and electric are provided by the RV park for the wash, and we use solar power for the dry. After about a ten week payoff for our initial investment, our laundry will be free.

What a sweet word that is.

Always grateful. 👫

RV Repair Failure

Pull off the road NOW! The tire is about to go.”

This is not what you want to be screaming into a radio as you start the last leg of your itinerary. And this wasn’t simply a flat tire. No, nothing as simple as that. We had the flat tire the day before. This was much worse. This was a serious RV repair failure that left us shaking in our boots.

One of the problems with RV travel is finding reputable companies when you need work done on your home. This incident was a hard lesson. We are safe. Thank goodness. But we will never let anyone touch the wheels of The Burrow again without checking their work before we pull out. This RV repair failure nearly cost us our home, our pets and our lives.

A rear tire sheared off the lug bolts of the Bigfoot as we were traveling down a busy Interstate 15 between Barstow, California and Las Vegas. We think but cannot prove it happened because of loose lug nuts. We had just had a tire replaced and pulled out of the shop. Had only traveled about 15 miles down the road.

Our Lucky Day

Had just a couple of things been different, we might have had a different outcome. We were not towing Armadillo, which was fortunate. And, we were using two-way radios that allowed rapid communication. Ken was able to move off the road as the first wheel came off — that went flying into the desert — and stopped just before the second one could come off the axle. The tow truck driver suggested, since we had been so lucky that day, that we run out and buy lotto tickets.

We will learn from this very frightening experience and I hope that by sharing, you will too. Check the torque on the lug nuts. Check tire pressures. We are considering installing cameras inside and out for when we must leave our home in someone else’s care. We have to live always on guard. Or, as in this case, guard against putting our lives in danger from malfeasance. Unfortunately, that reality continues even with our new RV lifestyle.

Be aware

This blog post is not meant to frighten you but to make you aware and help you to avoid a serious roadside emergency.

Bitsy and Butter were incredibly frightened but settled down after we moved into a hotel. And, after I quit shaking like a leaf, it was nice to be pampered for a few days with unlimited hot water, breakfast every morning and someone else to clean the room.

We found a couple of quirky little things to do in Barstow while we waited for parts from Los Angeles. Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch on Route 66 was pretty neat and Calico Ghost Town was well, eerie.

We are especially today….Always grateful. 👫

Rusted Jeep surrounded by bottle trees