Into Thick Air by Jim Malusa
Instead of climbing the high point (thin air) of planet earth, Malusa bicycles to the low points of six continents. Hence the title of the book -- Into Thick Air. These low points are deserts and the lowest of the six is the Dead Sea at 1388 feet below sea level. Starting at some distance from the low points, the author traveled via bicycle and camped on the way to the low spots.
Malusa wrote a good book because he knows that adventure travel is only interesting because of people met, the unexpected, misadventures or facing Nature's usual indifference to humans -- or anything else.
Several quotes from the book:
"The spaces between tourist stops are not empty -- they just seem that way if you're in a car. Although we can move between points quicker than ever, the places between still exist, so the world is not shrinking after all."
Regarding planning of a journey: "Travel without surprise was merely an agenda."
"A lifeline is also a leash. Even when turned off, the presence of the phone blunts the tingle of self-reliance -- the feeling that if I screw up bad enough, the show is over."
Considering Malusa's remote travels in desert terrain, the author quotes John Van Dyke's 1901 book The Desert. "The joy of mere animal existence, the feeling that it is good to be alive and face to face with Nature's self, drives everything else into the background."
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
From The Archives
What's in a name.
With a different name, would this tavern/bar/saloon have survived.
Then you do have to wonder why
the property owner didn't remove the previous business name
before posting the site "for lease".
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Elimination Round One
Prescott has been crossed off the list of places to settle down. It's cold here. Any shopping requires a car. Too much traffic.
37 degrees this morning when I got up. There was snow on the distant hills. The forecast predicted a high of 50. The weather predictors were close. My thermometer read 52 degrees shortly after one. No shorts today. Strike one.
The eight/ten mile long retail corridor along Hwy 69 requires a car to get to my favorite stops -- Costco, Trader Joes and Starbucks. Strike two.
With two and three lanes of traffic congestion on Hwy 69, it is slow going most times up and down the hills. Strike three.
Comparing this experience to the three month stay in east Tucson last winter, I will take Tucson. Everything was within two miles and I could walk to a Sprouts or Fry's grocery store.
The one positive about the stay in Prescott was a visit with Allan. He and I met ten years ago when we were members of the Wandering Individuals Network. Allan has dual residency with a single wide in a Prescott Valley RV park for summers and a small trailer that he parks near Parker on the Colorado River for the winter months.
As Allan showed me his home, I began to consider alternatives to the apartment or condo.
It's not a perfect world. That ideal sticks and bricks place has yet to be found. Prescott would be a good place for summers, but it has been eliminated for a permanent settling place.
37 degrees this morning when I got up. There was snow on the distant hills. The forecast predicted a high of 50. The weather predictors were close. My thermometer read 52 degrees shortly after one. No shorts today. Strike one.
The eight/ten mile long retail corridor along Hwy 69 requires a car to get to my favorite stops -- Costco, Trader Joes and Starbucks. Strike two.
With two and three lanes of traffic congestion on Hwy 69, it is slow going most times up and down the hills. Strike three.
Comparing this experience to the three month stay in east Tucson last winter, I will take Tucson. Everything was within two miles and I could walk to a Sprouts or Fry's grocery store.
The one positive about the stay in Prescott was a visit with Allan. He and I met ten years ago when we were members of the Wandering Individuals Network. Allan has dual residency with a single wide in a Prescott Valley RV park for summers and a small trailer that he parks near Parker on the Colorado River for the winter months.
As Allan showed me his home, I began to consider alternatives to the apartment or condo.
It's not a perfect world. That ideal sticks and bricks place has yet to be found. Prescott would be a good place for summers, but it has been eliminated for a permanent settling place.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Retro Taxi
The Checker Car company manufactured this iconic taxi cab a long time ago. According to an internet search, the last taxis made by Checker was 1981. With some loving care, some paint and restoring the checkered band, this taxi is doing business in Prescott Arizona.
Don't recall seeing a taxi driver wearing a white shirt. However, this driver wore a white shirt -- and a bow tie. That was truly a retro sighting.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Next Stop South
The great part about nomadic life is that the scenery from my front door changes at each stop. This is the view south from the Prescott Valley Elks.
Over the past 12 years, I have enjoyed the changing scenery and views where ever I had parked. Will I miss those changing views when I make the decision to give up the wandering life in favor of sticks and bricks. Sure I will.
Crossing paths with other full timers is also part of this roaming life style. When parked at the Thousand Trails boon docking, Randy was there. When Randy and I were taking an evening stroll we met John K. walking his dog Amy (?). John's destination is the Benson AZ Saguaro SKP park.
Bob and Donna were parked at the Thousand Trails park and came up to visit Randy and me.
Another day Oland and Cathy left the Thousand Trails park to visit me for a social hour where we caught up on each others lives since our last visit over a year ago.
More familiar faces were met at the Prescott Valley Elks. After a summer exploring the mountain west, Art and Connie are headed to their lot at the Benson SKP park.
After a summer of work camping, Ken and Debbie stopped here for a few days to visit Debbie's sister before heading to their lot at the Benson SKP park.
Considering my winter travel plans, I may not visit my lot at the Benson SKP park. No doubt that will make some winter traveler happy when they can park on my lot for several months.
Over the past 12 years, I have enjoyed the changing scenery and views where ever I had parked. Will I miss those changing views when I make the decision to give up the wandering life in favor of sticks and bricks. Sure I will.
Crossing paths with other full timers is also part of this roaming life style. When parked at the Thousand Trails boon docking, Randy was there. When Randy and I were taking an evening stroll we met John K. walking his dog Amy (?). John's destination is the Benson AZ Saguaro SKP park.
Bob and Donna were parked at the Thousand Trails park and came up to visit Randy and me.
Another day Oland and Cathy left the Thousand Trails park to visit me for a social hour where we caught up on each others lives since our last visit over a year ago.
More familiar faces were met at the Prescott Valley Elks. After a summer exploring the mountain west, Art and Connie are headed to their lot at the Benson SKP park.
After a summer of work camping, Ken and Debbie stopped here for a few days to visit Debbie's sister before heading to their lot at the Benson SKP park.
Considering my winter travel plans, I may not visit my lot at the Benson SKP park. No doubt that will make some winter traveler happy when they can park on my lot for several months.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Friday, October 4, 2013
An Inspiration
When recently looking at my archive of photos, I was scanning photos from my 1998 trip to Australia. The photos jogged my memory as I recalled the experiences: camping; hiking; kayaking; urban exploring; rain forest; Great Barrier Reef snorkeling and more.
One bus tour was of Kangaroo Island. Bus tours are for the older generation. At the age of 58, I wasn't the youngest on the bus of about 20 people. There was one couple younger than me -- other than the tour bus driver. The tour included a visit to what is called the Sahara of Australia. With constant winds, the sand dunes are in motion.
As we arrived at the parking lot, the tour bus driver explained the geology of the area and the formation of the dunes. The bus was parked and we had the chance to join the driver on a walk to the top of the dunes. Looking at the group standing there, I decided that it might be the young couple, the bus driver and me that would be headed up. How wrong I was.
Standing next to an older gentleman, he wondered if I was going. Sure. Let's go. We chatted a bit as we walked in the loose sand. Soon we were walking up the slope of the highest dune talking less. Two steps up and one back is the way it was going. I slanted to the side avoiding the steepest part of the dune and the gentleman followed me. Soon we were standing side by side at the dune summit taking in the view.
As we stood there I realized from comments he made that he was about the age of my father. I wondered if he didn't mind sharing his age. No problem. He was 82. I looked at him and told him that he was an inspiration to me.
And that conversation and scene remains an inspiration to me. I hope to be walking and climbing sand dunes when I'm 82.
One bus tour was of Kangaroo Island. Bus tours are for the older generation. At the age of 58, I wasn't the youngest on the bus of about 20 people. There was one couple younger than me -- other than the tour bus driver. The tour included a visit to what is called the Sahara of Australia. With constant winds, the sand dunes are in motion.
As we arrived at the parking lot, the tour bus driver explained the geology of the area and the formation of the dunes. The bus was parked and we had the chance to join the driver on a walk to the top of the dunes. Looking at the group standing there, I decided that it might be the young couple, the bus driver and me that would be headed up. How wrong I was.
Standing next to an older gentleman, he wondered if I was going. Sure. Let's go. We chatted a bit as we walked in the loose sand. Soon we were walking up the slope of the highest dune talking less. Two steps up and one back is the way it was going. I slanted to the side avoiding the steepest part of the dune and the gentleman followed me. Soon we were standing side by side at the dune summit taking in the view.
As we stood there I realized from comments he made that he was about the age of my father. I wondered if he didn't mind sharing his age. No problem. He was 82. I looked at him and told him that he was an inspiration to me.
And that conversation and scene remains an inspiration to me. I hope to be walking and climbing sand dunes when I'm 82.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Dispersed Camping
Since this is dispersed camping on National Forest land, there is no one to enforce the fourteen day limit with no Fed employees.
That won't be a problem for me since I will hitch up this coming Sunday after seven days here.
That won't be a problem for me since I will hitch up this coming Sunday after seven days here.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Insects And A Snake
There is lots of flora to see in the desert and it is easy enough to spot. It doesn't move. However, the fauna is more elusive, but I did manage to capture photos of some in the last two days.
On yesterday's hike, there was something brown moving across the gravel. Proved to be a tarantula. About four inches long it headed into the grass on the trails edge to avoid me.
Last evening when I was sitting on the shady side of my home enjoying my social hour with a brandy in hand (for medicinal purposes), I spotted this walking stick (body was about four inches long) on the tire of the trailer. As a vegetarian, I wonder why he was there. Didn't look like it had wings. Did it walk from nearby greenery -- about twenty feet away.
This evening as I stepped out to go for a walk about 15 minutes before the sun dropped over the mountains on the horizon, I spotted this rattlesnake. The last rays of the sun gave the snake a greenish yellow cast. I cropped the photo for a close up of the danger end of the snake.
Always a good day when I can spot some creatures in the desert terrain.
On yesterday's hike, there was something brown moving across the gravel. Proved to be a tarantula. About four inches long it headed into the grass on the trails edge to avoid me.
Last evening when I was sitting on the shady side of my home enjoying my social hour with a brandy in hand (for medicinal purposes), I spotted this walking stick (body was about four inches long) on the tire of the trailer. As a vegetarian, I wonder why he was there. Didn't look like it had wings. Did it walk from nearby greenery -- about twenty feet away.
This evening as I stepped out to go for a walk about 15 minutes before the sun dropped over the mountains on the horizon, I spotted this rattlesnake. The last rays of the sun gave the snake a greenish yellow cast. I cropped the photo for a close up of the danger end of the snake.
Always a good day when I can spot some creatures in the desert terrain.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Here We Go Again
Have to wonder why the only people objecting to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act -- aka Obama Care -- are some members of the House of Representatives. The usual push back for new laws are the corporations. Not so this time. Since the Act was created by lobbyists for the health insurance and the medical industries, there are no complaints. The lobbyists created a law which will make sure their sponsors don't lose any money and in effect will be able to make more money -- and the government made it a law.
Not sure what the numbers of millions of people that will benefit from the Act, but sociopaths have no sympathy/empathy for other people -- even those in their own districts who would benefit from the Act.
So what is the problem with those who are voting against the Act. What the Republican party is voting for is the repeal -- or defunding -- of anything that could be construed as a victory for the Democratic party. That is even more true for a legislation that has become known as ObamaCare. Make no mistake, the Republicans in office are voting against an Act that is called ObamaCare. It has little or nothing to do with their district constituency or their lobbyists. It has to do with the Obama tag. It's a personal thing.
Not sure what the numbers of millions of people that will benefit from the Act, but sociopaths have no sympathy/empathy for other people -- even those in their own districts who would benefit from the Act.
So what is the problem with those who are voting against the Act. What the Republican party is voting for is the repeal -- or defunding -- of anything that could be construed as a victory for the Democratic party. That is even more true for a legislation that has become known as ObamaCare. Make no mistake, the Republicans in office are voting against an Act that is called ObamaCare. It has little or nothing to do with their district constituency or their lobbyists. It has to do with the Obama tag. It's a personal thing.
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