Quebradas

When Phoebe was in the shop I'd use Schvoogie, our 2008 Honda FIT. The Schvoogr's a bit low for off-roading, but we're gettin' tuh know each other. Last night's setup was easier than ever and this morning's packing went smoothly.

Front seat unbolted & moved to enable full-length recline

Ready for bed

From near to far: my fleece-lined vest covers my pillow, a stuffsack of down and polartec vestments.

On the left are a couple of books and reading glasses. ($1.00 a pair at Dollar Tree. Check it out!)

Dopp kit - in the Einstein Bagels lunchbox

Headphones - in the bright yellow bag

To left of headphones - loaf of french bread, cheese and onion.

Behind headphones - cardboard box with oddments incl dirty dishes, bags of organic dried fruit, cables for charging phone and laptop.

Right side - sleeping bag

Not shown - Driver's seat holds bag of electronics incl remote hard-drive for backing up, external DVD player, binoculars, inverter for converting DC to AC (need to be able to run the Hitachi Magic Wand dontchya know). Morning bidness bag w roll of T.P., 13 gallon bags for use w bidet and bags for used t.p.  Box of crackers. Clean laundry in bag on floor in front of seat.

In my teens, when I was hitch-hiking aroumd, I speny two weeks helping a Mayflower mover.

He taught me how to pack.

Water jugs froze solid last night. I was cozy warm.  

Ready to Ride

Architecture

Note turquoise trim

Schvoogie

Awaiting Phoebe's return from her pre-Winter spa treatment, I took Schvoogie (so-named cuz Michelle thinks he looks like a house-slipper) out for a jaunt. He's not really of overlanding material. 

I once pulled off his lower lip when traversing a teensie arroyo. Fortunately, we found two young dudes who, with impressive skill and speed, reattached it...and asked a mere $20.00. This was das hinterlands of Utah. I gave $50. I 'splained to them "Ya'll should charge twenty-five fur der hammer und ein hundred fur knowin' how tuh use hit.")

He's perennially shod with snow-tires; ready at a moments notice to take over for Snoball, the 2015 FIT, whenever inclement weather strikes and cat-sitting duty calls.

When not awaiting snows, the tires work quite well for off-roading; it's his low-slung, low-rider (lots of hyphens in this post, eh?) lineage that impedes him from realizing his potential.

But we're exploring...and finding some decent enough roads to take us away from the rolling-roar that is Interstate 25. 

The fog creates photo-ops on the mountains and provides visual respite to the usual: a flat, contrast-lacking brown. 

It's from that transpiration I've mentioned.

Chiricahua Natl Monument

Perfect weather. Boondocking 4 miles from the Y where left goes to Natl Mon & right goes to Natl Forest.


Rhyolite.

Patina

Creekside Tableau

Balanced

Among the oaks.

We Made It

Normally a two-day trip with an overnight at the Chinle C.G. (dogs! noisy mufflers, and always a few shots, which sometimes quiet the dogs, from atop the hill).

THIS time I took a diff route. In the throes it seemed fine, but this morning I'm recognizing the sound -- analogously (fortunately, not the REAL thing) -- of a battery in need of replacement or charge......uuuuUUUUUGGGggg; uuuuuuuUUUGGGGgggh.

Comb Ridge in morning shadow with the La Sals (still sans snow thank god!) in back.

Schvoogie, or, The Schvoog (2008 Honda FIT), so named because for-all-the-world he looked, to Ms. Cook, like a house-slipper. He's perennially shod with snow tires so he's at the ready when the skies of Albuq let loose and the cats (she's a cat-sitter) MUST BE FED.

Aired down to 15 pds, we skimmed acroost the grasping sands chortling in mad delight. He's a lo-hangin' chariot tho and bumped ass as we leapt the two-inch berm betwixt the main road and the two-trak that leads to the Stationwagon camp - named for the time when - in our early Spring trip - she loaned the truck and was forced to get by.

But here we are again. At least we think we are. She arrived several days ago and is camped up the road somewhere. We're within texting range tho!

Looking Back....

is always fun. And it's one of the reasons I blog...to be able to recall what happened, and when.

In 2016, after six years of travel in Eggbert, my 1999 Geo Metro hatchback, I turned in front of the Arizona State Parks & Rec Supervisor. We were in a residential area, going slow, so neither of us was hurt, but Eggbert took it hard.

In May, eager to explore the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, I set out in Schvoogie, (so-named because he looks, to her, like a house-slipper) one of Double El's Honda FITs. (Seen here in November, 2019 near Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona.)

Although far less dramatic than 2016's, I'm at another phase shift. I can hardly wait!

Here's the post describing my departure....

https://newmexnomad.blogspot.com/2016/05/yuh-gotta-wait-around-and-see.html  

Best Laid Plans...

At 1.9 million acres or 3,000 square miles, the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument offers enough to keep one busy for a lifetime...except for the heat. It's already getting warm, but I figured it'd be a week before it got hot. Route determined, herring, gin and lox acquired, I stopped to check email. A serendipitous Craigslist search for a Geo Tracker turned up a mighty pretty face in Weiser, Idaho. After a lengthy conversation with the owner, I went off to sleep on it. 

The road into The Grand Staircase is well-hidden. Although shown in the Delorme, it wasn't on the GPS and the location on the map wasn't clear. I stopped at the gas station to ask.

Peggy, managing the place, and Mark, a horse wrangler, were on the veranda discussing the weather. I'd barely settled muhse'f when a car pulled up...stopping mere inches from my knee and equidistant from Schvoogie's fender. (Double El thinks he, Schvoogie, looks like a house slipper, thus his name.) While remonstrating the driver I noticed the word Sheriff on the side of the car. Cop humor "Where yuh from and where yuh goin'?" has never hit my funny-bone. I offered to arm wrestle. He gave good directions and left.


Crossing Waweap Creek.

Dispersed camping is allowed everywhere...you can get to. But with NO cross-country travel and zero side-roads, at least in the five miles I traveled, it meant this song was echoing. I chose a wide spot. (Oh, BTW, overnight camping permits are required. To give him credit, when I copt some 'tude with the fellow staffing the Visitor Center about the reg, he said to relax, there's only one enforcement officer and he lives in Cedar City.

                           A Wider Place

German Flag Suspenders and After-dinner Coffee

The Schvoog isn't cuttin' it tho'. He's several inches too short for comfortable reclinement. Fortunately, it's warm enough to sleep out. (That thar's muh bedroll behind me.) But with just ten gallons on board his belly rubs at the least protrusion; the 20 for this trip had him really hunkered. Not good.

In the morning I called the guy (in Weiser) and said I'd be right up.