Showing posts with label Desert Quail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Desert Quail. Show all posts

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Images and Memories of 2012

120600_co

Thought you might enjoy some of my favorite photos and memories.

120600_co2

Rainbow Trout (2,500 of them) being released into Meadow Lake, CO(where I Campground Hosted summer 2012).

121006_ok

The biggest lily pad I ever saw.  Vandweller/Member here… Joey told me the name of it the other day, but I have forgotten.

121012_ms2

The Biggest Catfish(or is that FATfish?)  I ever saw, though I understand they get much much bigger than this.

121013_al2121025_la

Some of the most beautiful wildflowers I’ve ever seen.

121025_la2

I got over my fear of alligators this year.  They are much much more afraid of us. Seriously folks, nothing to fear here.

121212b

After three years of stuff just falling all over the place, I built shelves in my trailer this winter.

0111121414 (2)

Made my first trip to Mexico and found it amazing how clean the plaza was and was amazed at the decorated trash cans.

gary_f

Photo by fellow rock club sawyer, Gary Fahrnback… we paddled the Bill Williams Wildlife Area together.

IMGA0011

Awesome.

IMGA0056 (2)

The quilt and the purple had were my Christmas gifts from my Florida sister (I got sisters everywhere – AK, CA, SD, MN).

IMGA0061

Strange tree formations.

IMGA0077

Eire sunsets.

IMGA0415

This fellow drove up, asked if I wanted some fish, went back to his freezer and brought enough for two people for two meals.  He fishes all over the country and fast freezers the fish to give away.

IMGA0426

Boy was that good.

IMGA0422

Gamble Quail walking through camp.

IMGA0434

Good ol’ SwankieWheels holding up well.

IMGA0593

My favorite vandweller and my favorite dog. 
It was cold and Tori was staying warm.

IMGA0615

Fisherman on the Gulf caught this little guy in his net,
I released it and hope it was o.k.  It swam away.

IMGA0643

The best part of RTR 2012 was running in to Peg, who had hired me to do five sketches for her when I needed money the most.  She was my first customer.  I had to drive back across town and grab my notebook to bring back and show everyone.  What a treat. She is a very special lady.

IMGA0661

IMGA0736IMGA0822

I camped with vandweller Liz for a time, and her pup… Boo Boo really took a shine to my kayak.  He got up there by himself.  Boo Boo at the helm.

IMGA0737IMGA0758

Very strange cloud formation.

IMGA0761IMGA0767

I invented a solar water heater.  A plastic water jug, spray painted black will heat water to 140 degrees.  You can have a delightful sponge bath with that ONE gallon of water.

IMGA0796

You never know what surprises you will get when walking alone in the desert. This guy nearly landed on me.

IMGA0811IMGA0812

IMGA0813

The Sun Oven easily gets to 350 degrees F, and bakes the best bread and cakes.  Maybe it’s my imagination, but I think they taste better.

IMGA0850

Got to meet Good Luck Ducks… what a treat.  And I had not noticed that mural before… at Carl Jr’s in Quartzsite.  Pretty cool.

IMGA0921

Had some amazing paddles and completed kayaking the lower 48 states (and I couldn’t walk in 2004!)  tee hee

IMGA0935IMGA0936

More goodies from the Sun Oven… brownies with pecans.

IMGA0965IMGA0968

IMGA0973

Out hiking with friend Pete from the Rock Club, he caught this Horney Toad.. neat guy to rock hound with… but darn if he didn’t sell his red truck, now we can rock hound on a motorcycle.

IMGA0977IMGA0978

The solar over and solar shower hard at work.

IMGA0993IMGA0994

Learning about rocks, becoming a Foreman in the Lapidary shop and a sawyer in the Saw Shop were the highlights of a great year.  It’s why I came to Quartzsite and I plan to return every winter.

Learning to use the Solar Oven was also a real bonus… you don’t have to suffer to live out of your van.  It was a great year.

IMGA0984

It doesn’t get any better than this, until 2013.  I expect as much or more from the New Year.  Thanks for riding along with me.  Please comment below… so I know people are still alive and tagging along.  But DON”T live vicariously through me, get up out of that chair and LIVE your life.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

A bittersweet day… leaving Quartzsite.

IMGA0357

Sorted the last of my rocks and buried those I will leave behind to work on next year. Selected a few specimens to carry along.  While doing that I noticed a ground squirrel approaching.  Too funny… it could smell the bread I was baking…while finishing up in camp… I had set up the Sun Oven to bake some Irish Soda Bread. 

IMGA0337

Odd thing that… instead of buying bread while I was in town, I decided to bake my own.  I just tossed out a loaf I bought which had gone bad! Hate that.  So, I just decided right then and there not to BUY any more bread.

IMGA0353

Hum, doesn’t look like food but it sure smells good!

IMGA0354

I know, I’ll push it home and let the kids help me
figure out what it is!

IMGA0343

No? O.K.so I’ll just get up here and get
some of it… whatever it is!

IMGA0344

This I know… it’s hot and slippery!

IMGA0350

Working hard here…need a drink!! 
(She is sipping the moisture that is dripping out off the gas lid.)

IMGA0355

OK, human!  Let’s talk.  I got a family to feed!!

Oh oh, here comes one mad ninja momma squirrel so I decided I’d better feed that squirrel before she climbs into the 300 degree F oven and I have roasted squirrel for dinner too.

IMGA0331

Then I finished spit-polishing SwankieWheels so not to embarrass any relatives when I show up at their gated community in Vegas.  But I just like to do that… start off the trip with my vehicle looking good.  Gonna buy some touchup paint for all those rock chips, and some buffing stuff for the Arizona pin-stripping.

Suddenly, I hear all kinds of critter sounds… and look up to see a gathering happening.  Wow… Rabbit, Quail, and Squirrel… all together at the same time and place.

IMGA0363IMGA0366IMGA0368IMGA0370

IMGA0365IMGA0371

Finishing up on the last wheel… I noticed the squirrel was still around trying to get into the oven.  It was a female and I could see she had been feeding babies.  No wonder she is grabbing all the food in sight.  But then I spotted a rabbit near her and next in comes a covey of Quail. I tip-toed around the van and got my camera… I can’t believe all these creatures came at the same time… to bid me adieu. I guess???  What a fitting farewell.  I’ve camped at this spot maybe seven weeks off and on and knew all these creatures were here but this was the first and only time I’ve seen them all at the same time. Very special.

IMGA0382

Quartzsite, I’ll be back!  (What’s wrong with those people who say there is nothing to do here and go off in a huff???)  Bittersweet?  Because I’m excited to be back on the road again.

Who is Swankie?

My photo
Anywhere, USA, Full-Time USA traveler, United States
In 2006, I was shopping for a wheelchair. By 2007, I had new knees, better health and by 2008 a kayak. In Aug 2013, I kayaked my 49th state, Alaska, at the Holgate Glacier and in May 2014, I kayaked Hawaii, my 50th state, to celebrate my 70th Birthday and the finale to the wonderful adventure of Kayaking America. Next up... Re-kayaking southwestern states.

Followers: