Colorado–First Month (May 2012)

O.K. so much for the plans of mice and men and Swankie.  I don’t know when I will begin working… so will post when I can instead of monthly.  A training session is scheduled for Tues. 5/15 and maybe I will know something then.  Until then… here’s what has happened so far in the merry month of May.

This was the plan:  Get to Colorado the first week of May, get up the mountain to my campground about May 5-6 and begin acclimating to the altitude.  Attend a training session on 5/11 and then begin working.  So much for the plans of mice, men, and Swankie.
May 7.  The other day I stopped by the Forest Service office for an area map and any other free literature on the area so I could “study up.”  I was informed that the road was closed to my campground and that normally they can’t get up there until July, but with the light snowfall here this winter, we might be able to start in June.  JUNE? I screamed inside my head.  I’m very tired of hanging around Rifle with their limited stores and supplies.  I can’t even get Butane for my cooking stove here.  I can, however, get a free shower at the Fairgrounds.

Frustrated, I headed out of town and ended up going through Rifle Gap where some artist hung a huge drapery across the gap some years ago. Here it is…  http://www.overtheriverinfo.com/index.php/about-the-artists/valley-curtain/ .
I then drove on into Rifle Gap Falls State Park.  I was greeted by the hostess who told me to go ahead and “snoop.”  I had introduced myself and told her I couldn’t get to my camp… so I was just snooping around and could not afford to stay in their nice campground at $23 + a night.  She informed me that it was snowing at my camp today and the road up there was very very rough.  Ughhhhh!

		Rifle Falls State Park VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I hiked up to see the Waterfalls, 3 falls, and they are suppose to be #6 on the list of top 10 waterfalls to see.  It was really nice.  Limestone caves, a hike to the top of the falls and getting to look back down on the falls.  Weather was drizzly and a bit cold but it was an easy hike and very enjoyable. 
On the way back out of the Park the Host and Hostess came out to chat and gave me directions to free BLM land… so I am now boondocking there tonight… it’s 6pm and I don’t want to go back to town.  The silence is almost deafening.  I should sleep like a baby.
Ten miles away from Rifle… no cell or internet service.  The Host and Hostess of the Park said after several years of frustration over that, they finally got Satellite internet.  I’m going to have to think on that and plan for it since I will most likely spent the majority of my future doing remote boondocking.  I’m going to have “internet” withdrawal this summer.

May 8 – Slept like a baby, NOT so much.  Tossed and turned… but finally fell asleep only to wake a couple hours later, freezing.  Luckily, I had a nice big blanket nearby… so covered up and went back to sleep.
When I woke in the morning, I had that headache, loss of appetite, and general icky feeling you get with slight altitude sickness.  I’m probably 1500 ft higher than I was in Rifle.  Then I realized it was my son’s birthday and I couldn’t even call or email him.  (“Happy Birthday, Richard.  You will always be my “bouncing baby boy.”)”  More ickiness feelings.  I applied the Lavender Oil to my neck, forehead and temples and followed that up with a Migraine pill.  I don’t know which one worked but I began feeling better after about an hour.
Then I continued with the task of taking stock of my food stock.  Big job since food is in so many different places.  I couldn’t do this in town as it required pulling stuff out of the trailer and the van and swapping things around.  But here out in the open on BLM land… I can finish the task.  I have now gotten all food inside the van, rather than having some in the trailer.  If a bear comes snooping, the van will be a little harder to tear open than that thin-shelled trailer.
I am absolutely astounded at how much food I have on hand.  I have told everyone that I had at least a 3-month supply of food… and that could very well be true.  Short on veggies and fruit and I’m working on that.  My goal this year is to acquire a great store of dehydrated staples and organize the trailer so it’s all readily available… but maybe not.. there is that bear thing again.  But now I plan to put my inventory on a spreadsheet, and calculate what I need for a month to stay healthy and well-nourished and then make up the deficit next week on payday, and then head out for the mountains.
I only drink bottled water right now.  Figure it is not worth the risk of ever drinking local water in all the different places I go.  There will be no potable water at the camp, so I will have to make sure my needs are covered by me, myself and I, at least the first month.  I’ve made room under my bed for several cases of bottled water.  I have two 7-gallon water containers and may buy a 3rd one.  I’ll need them anyway whenever I do extended boondocking.

I took a lunch break and fixed a burrito with fresh onions, chopped zucchini and a new product… Kroger brand, mini turkey pepperoni.  It does not need to be refrigerated until opened.  It’s a 4 oz. package in a zip-lock bag… and I found them very good.  I recommend vandwellers give them a try if they can find the product.  I won’t consider it a “staple” only a treat. 

The burrito was delicious and I have enough of the stuffing to make another burrito for supper.  Sealed the leftovers in a small snack zip-lock bad.  Very handy.
It’s 2:30pm now.  The inventory is done.  Think it’s time for a walk and then to begin on the spreadsheet.  Finally got a chart made and a spreadsheet ready… to record what I consume in camp, and will resupply based only on what I use up, or what I haven’t thought of yet.  Might be a good plan.  (July 2, 2012... o.k. that "recording" is not working... too busy!)
Curious to see if I have another headache in the morning… then I may go explore a little bit more, but can’t do much without spare gas money.  Have a sketch to finish up as well.  It’s been a good day.  First day without internet and it makes me feel a little squirrelly but sure got a lot done.

Harvey Gap State Park – I really really wanted to kayak and will go back there soon.

May 10 – My income tax refund is in the bank.  I can buy gas.  Wednesday, May 16 is not only my birthday, but payday.  I’m heading out someplace to kill some time away from Rifle.


And cowboys here too… getting ready to move a herd across the road to greener pastures.  I really wanted to get on a horse and help.

Monthly Blog Posts (May 1, 2012)

Next to the Forest Service Office in Rifle, CO.

I am announcing that beginning in May 2012, I will only have ONE post per month.  It will run a little like a letter to home… and I will be printing and mailing it out to a few people who don’t do internet or email (very well if at all).  It is very likely that I WILL NOT have internet or cell service at the remote campground I am hosting this summer.  I won’t know that for sure until I get there, which could be two more weeks as the road is impassible at this time.  Hurry up and wait… that’s what it was like getting here.
Also, I will not be posting the location of the remote camp on my blog but if you feel you want to come to visit, contact me via email: charlene.swankie@gmail.com . Camping is not free and it costs $17 per night unless you have an Access Pass and then it is only $8.50 per night.  I don’t know if I will be able to give anyone free camping.  And I don’t know how long a guest of mine could stay either.  There could be limits.
I do have a personal satellite tracking device (SPOT) which will notify ten key people/contacts that I am O.K.  I will be sending out that notice on a weekly basic.  It also has a 911 button and will dispatch the first responders to my location in the event that I (or anyone else I’m with) is injured.  That will work without internet/cell service.
Email, I don’t get a great deal of email anymore and so should be able to reply to any I do receive while I am in town monthly to resupply.
USPS mail:  My mail will go to my SD address and be forwarded here on a regular weekly or monthly schedule.  If anyone chooses to mail something (money, photos, photo retouching work, etc.) to me in Colorado… that would be to:
Charlene Swankie
32201 County Road 8
Meeker, CO 81641
Mail will be brought up to me by co-workers.

My Colorado Welcoming Committee.

That’s my plan, and I’m sticking to it… maybe! 
Have a great summer everyone.
Charlene

Thank you for helping me get to Colorado job.

My new pet (or dinner?).  Do you know what it is?  Landed on the hood of my van as if to welcome me to Colorado.  NeatO.

The view outside my van doors:

Thanks to the folks who helped me get to Colorado, now I am here and the road is not opened and I can’t get to the campground where I will be working.  I could have up to two weeks wait time (that means two weeks without pay).  So I’m looking for more work in the meantime.  Here are the two sketches I just finished today.

An 8 x 10 pencil portrait of ONE face, or ONE pet for about $40. Send scanned (high resolution) photo to me for advanced approval and qoute. Once I accept the photo I'll doctor it in Photoshop to crop out  unwanted things and send you a photo mock-up of how I envision the sketch. When you approve of the mock-up, you can deposit funds to my PayPal account... using charlene.swankie@gmail.com. My PayPal account.  See samples of my work on last post.

I have still not been able to replace those two bad tires but at least they did not blow on the road.  However, I’m not so sure what will happen when I head up that mountain road to my job site.

Bad planning on my part. I am endeavoring now to set money aside each month into an emergency fund... and will be able to contribute almost all my income to that fund from May-October.

Also, I do excellent photo restoration work.  If you have an old photos you want restored, send me a high resolution scanned image for a free QUOTE.  SAMPLES.

Thank you in advance.

Charlene (aka SwankieWheels)

Payday… two days away.

I’ve been camping around Elko NV at various store parking lots… just waiting out the two weeks before payday… and day after tomorrow is it.  Yahooooooo!  I think I gotta go over those mountains to get to Salt Lake City, UT.  It’s been so cold here.  Uggghhh!

A couple of days ago, I splurged and bought Frosted Flakes (see photos below). Last night I splurged and got dinner from a Chinese place… rice, sesame chicken, and seafood combo, and two egg rolls.  Oh boy, did that hit the spot.  And I got a couple fortune cookies:

1) You’ll accomplish more later if you have a little fun this weekend.

OK that fits.  I had fun this weekend, sleeping in each day, doing two sketches for pay (total $100.00), listening to music, watching some t.v. shows, and going to bed early.

I’m ready for MORE accomplishments.

2) Next full moon brings an enchanting evening. 

Gotta go look that up, just so I don’t miss it.  Hum, May 5 will be the next full moon.  That is the day I am suppose to arrive at my summer job/home.. at the campground.  Ya think I’m a’gonna meet a fella????  Maybe not.  Maybe I’m just going to feel really enchanted when I reach my summer home.

Today I will finish the two sketches I’m working on and then do an inventory of all the food on board.  My plan for Colorado is to only come down off the mountain about once a month.  That takes a bit of careful planning.  Anyone interested in seeing the food inventory and the one-month plan for food purchases???

Today is my eldest son’s birthday… he is 46.  WHAT?  How can that be?  Happy Birthday, Chris.

Chris in 1966, Teheran, Iran.

Chris’ daughter, Zoey in 2008, Wenatchee, WA.

Chris in Tehran Iran, 1966.  So that made me hungry for Frosted Flakes… something I haven’t had for years.

Chris and his girlfriend, Jenelle, hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail together… this at Crater Lake.

When I got my Master’s Degree, Chris drove back to Indiana from Maryland with me for my commencement.  Thanks, Chris, that meant the world to me.  Wish your brother and Tori had come too.

Chris and Jenelle hiked the whole Pacific Crest Trail in five months.  Guess they figured they were compatible after all that and so they got married by Elvis in Vegas.

Once a backpacker, always a backpacker. 
This is their first child, Zoey.  Too cute.

Zoey and mom on left,
Mom and Dad with son Will and daughter Zoey on right.

Beautiful Zoey at Christmas.  Reading and books are their favorite activities.  They get two stories read to them each night before bedtime.  They’ve asked me to only send books as gifts.

This is the first time I ever saw Will… and isn’t that the greatest smile.

Will and I had matching haircuts.

Zoey really loves her baby brother and is so gentle with him.

Grandma really loves Zoey’s little brother too, but wasn’t so gentle with him… first time I picked him up out of his car seat, I caught his finger in the buckle and made him cry.  Made him cry???  I made myself cry!  Thank goodness he won’t remember it.

It doesn’t get any better than this.  Not even tomorrow.  Chris and Jenelle, you are beautiful and are great parents.  Thank you for the wonderful gifts you have given me… Will and Zoey.