defroster, trailer saga, Bordeaux,story for tomorrow andnot gonna settle for less

M&M were checking out some ducks down below. Most days we climbed up the bluff for walks on top. Our camp was down at the level of the lake and a few hundred yards to the south.

This is SO cool. You have to check out, A Story for Tomorrow on Vimeo

I met a great couple at Bottomless, Judy and Larry from Illinois, traveling with a Casita. They stood out from the people I generally come across in the state parks in that, they were active. It’s more or less Slugsville down here in the winter. Larry and Judy were out hiking everyday and Judy was frequently out on here bike. One day she actually waded out a ways into one of the lakes. It was DECEMBER! No way could I do something like that. I would have died, literally. ‘Hey, is that a body floating out there?⁏ Yep.
They spent 7 years in Spain, and from what they told me, it was quite an experience. One evening they invited me over for wine and cheese and I had a thoroughly enjoyable time. I don’t get many chances to do that with this lifestyle so I probably appreciate it more than most. Yes, meeting Larry and Judy was definitely a treat. Reminded me of Rick and Linda whom I’ve gotten to know a bit the last couple winters down here. Hope they come out west this winter.

On cold mornings, I’ve found this type of defroster works best. Non-electric, no propane, powers up with simple, natural products. Very reliable, consistent performance, and lasts for years.

I continue to spend time researching trailers. Recently I looked into the: Evergreen Ascend; Forest River (Flagstaff, Rockwood, & others), Starcraft Star Stream, KZ (Sportsmen Classic & Spree Escape), Jayco, Holiday Rambler, Keystone, and Sunny Brook.
Some of the trailers are shorter than the Back Country and the Nash; a feature I prefer. Some also have windows similar to the 17K but their fresh water tanks are too small. They also, are not as well insulated, don’t have an off-road chassis or enclosed and heated holding tanks, nor do they seem to be as well built. They are typical RVs. Built for the asphalt and graded roads, and tied into hookups each night. Not geared for what I will be putting the trailer through. I do not want to have to buy another trailer. So it’s still between the Outdoors RV Back Country 18F and the Northwood Nash 17K. So far, they are the smallest well built 4-season trailers I’ve come across. I like the idea of their cambered chassis so the trailer rides flat when loaded as well as the heavier built construction for off-road use. The main drawback is probably that they are 2-3’ longer than what I want.
NuWa would make an awesome trailer but it would be too expensive and I’m sure they would not make a little one. NuWa uses Blue Dow foam for insulation. Blue Dow won’t lose its R factor over time like other types of insulation used in RVs. Batts/rolls, blown-in, as well as white bead foam all absorb moisture over time thus reducing the R factor. Also, the same thickness of Blue Dow foam has more than 25% greater strength and insulation than the white bead foam. Good stuff but too expensive if a manufacturing company is trying to keep down the price of their RVs.

I’m not looking forward to a rubber roof, since the roof is a favorite hangout for M&M. I’ll also have to be more careful of overhanging tree branches when driving up spur roads. Oh well, this year should be interesting.

I’ve talked with people who’ve had a hip replacement and heard about others. It might just be the ones I’ve come across but they mostly seem to have put one foot in the grave after the surgery and just live that way from then on. When my friend Janet told me she was going in for surgery, I was a bit concerned. She and Mauricio are always out hiking, walking their dogs, riding their horse, and camping. This could put a big damper on their lifestyle. After the surgery, Janet asked her doctor when she should start physical therapy. The doctor said she would not need it, just go out and walk. Janet was thinking, not bloody likely. The physical therapist told her, of course you need PT. You have to build up the muscles not only from the surgery but from the months of reduced activity prior to it. After surgery, if one spends a lot of time on the couch and not go for decent walks, that’s pretty much how the rest of their life will be. That would definitely not work for Janet; she can be pretty feisty. One week after surgery she grabbed her walker and hobbled down to the end of the block and back. She continued doing that 2 or 3 times a day and had PT three times a week. After two weeks she traded in the walker for a cane.

You might be wondering why I’m writing about this since it’s not me who had the surgery. I’m always impressed with those who don’t give up and just accept that their life will be less than what it was before their medical problem. They inspire me. We show how thankful we are for the body we have been provided with in this life by taking care of it. Unfortunately, all one has to do is look around and see that’s not the norm.

Janet was feeling pretty good after six weeks and went back to work, on her feet all day, working with kids, going up and down stairs, and whatnot. After 3 months she was up to walking 3 miles a day. There was still a balance problem so she started balancing on her surgery leg and doing leg lifts. After a focused week of exercise there was a vast improvement. Now at 7 months after surgery she is up to walking 6 miles a day and recently went for a 4 HOUR walk along the Jordan River in the Salt Lake valley. What’s even more impressive was a 1,500’ elevation gain/loss hike she did. She’s still building stamina and cardio strength but she doesn’t hurt after hiking. Janet is also getting near her regular 15-minute mile pace. It is WAY faster than my regular pace. One time I went walking with her and one of her dogs and she mentioned that she generally walks much faster. I think it was her way of telling me I was a wimp.
Way to go, friend!

Well, I had two glasses from the bottle of Bordeaux on the solstice, my favorite natural holiday, the Earth’s new year. Would have liked a glass of Pink, but that sure is hard to find in the areas I pass through. Oh well, life can be tough. I dug out my DVD of ‘Pulse – A Stomp Odyssey’ (presented by Honda). It’s been a couple of years since I’ve watched the dancing. Maybe I’ll make that a yearly treat for the solstice.

I went back to a state park that has wi-fi for another week. I love the web—knowledge, inspiration, motivation, humor, whatever. I learn something new every time I have access. I can’t relate to those who say they waste too much time on the web. I don’t go at it random like they seem to. Since I don’t have web access all that often, I always have a list of things I want to look up and pretty much stick to it. If I ever get back to a lifestyle with daily cellphone reception, I’ll get a Verizon plan. Living mostly off-the-grid I need satellite and I’m not willing to go to the expense.
I spent time rereading some of my entries. Good grief, I could probably make changes to every one. I rewrote a good deal of the February 2008 entries about the lifestyle and odd and ends one might want to have along.

I’m having an easier time with the Triple 18 challenge in the colder months. On cold mornings (teens & lower 20s), the first thing I do is 60 deep squats. This warms me up (don’t keep heat on during the night), gets the blood pumping, and gives me my 60 reps-for-the-day for legs. Not bad. After a mug or two of yerba mate, I make a mug of coffee. I get 60 pushups done while waiting for the water to filter through the single mug melitta filter (wish I could do them in 2 or 3 sets). That takes care of the pectoral/delt part of the daily challenge. 60 reps for the core muscles are easy to do mostly because I really enjoy all the new core exercises I’ve come across on the web. Some I can’t do yet but I love the challenge. Not bad, and this all started with looking at Diana’s sixty minutes for sixty years challenge site. THANKS AGAIN DIANA!

December sixty minutes sixty years—1850 minutes
December Triple 18—pecs/delts: 2220; core: 1800; legs: 1830

The moments we enjoy most as they unfold, and that we treasure
long afterward, are the ones we experience most deeply.
Depth roots us in the world, gives life substance and wholeness.
It enriches our work, our relationships, everything we do.
It’s the essential ingredient of a good life and
one of the qualities we admire most in others.
William Powers.

RVwest article ‘Following a Free Spirit’
FOR INDEX OF POSTINGS GO TO JULY 2006