Humphrey Tales

I have been reading and enjoying many full-time blogs. Nina of Wheelingit fame recently told how they got started rv'ing and asked how her readers got started and what they travel in. So I thought I would share.

For 35 years we have been hiking, backpacking or camping at every opportunity and on most of our vacations.

Early camping trip to Yosemite (late 70's)

Our first tent

My two favorie hikes of all time are the Garden Wall in Glacier NP and Angel's Landing in Zion NP.

Angel's Landing hike in  Zion National Park

Angel's Landing hike in Zion National Park

Garden Wall hike in Glacier National Park. Source: Wikipedia

In 2011 we bought a new Nissan NV hightop van (think FedEx truck) and built a camper. We are on our third design, which is one of the joys of homemade. First, we had double decker bunk beds. Second we had a king size hanging bed. The third iteration is in the works.

Our "kitchen" is a used scientific tray shelf. Works great. Notice the bunk bed cots behind Greg.

Next we had a hanging bed that secured to the roof when in route

Here was the bed in sleep position

I consider our van to be luxuriously primitive. We have a really quiet generator, a microwave, a great 4-day meg size ice chest, a camp stove, super awesome folding hammock and a camper toilet. All the comforts of home on wheels. We added an electric blanket for winter camping (coldest camp out was 16 degrees). The rig allows us to boondock easily. We have a solar lantern, solar flashlights and chargers. Greg is going to build us a solar panel or two which will make it much easier until we can head on the road FT

Our solar arsenal so far. A big panel will be added soon.

Tall Texan Campground in Colorado. The red and white screened room is ours.

Camping on the beach at Flaming Gorge in Utah

Parking Lot Camping at Blue Mesa Reservoir in Colorado

Above Ouray in Colorado

I am happiest when on a trail or at a campsite.

Molas Lake

Almost to the top of Mt. Baldy (Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico)

Kendall Mountain - above Silverton, Colorado

Great campfire at Grover Hot Springs in California

Bryce National Park

Between Durango and Silverton, Colorado

Nothing more relaxing than a hammock with a lake view

Hiking and camping at Joshua Tree National Park

Our van's nickname is Humphrey named after a whale that made its way up the delta in the Bay Area. He was called Humphrey the wrong way whale, but we thought he just wanted a little adventure. My favorite quote and philosophy is 'not all who wander are lost." Here's to lots more wandering!

Quartzsite Trial Run, White Sands, Alamogordo

Jan 18th we arrived at Quartzsite in the southwest side 14-day area. We found a nice spot and settled in for a short stay. The boondocking in our Nissan NV worked out just fine.

There were lots of RV all around us.  Our spot was at 33.6415382,-114.275098.  It was in the Dome Rock short term free camping BLM area. There are a few other free areas all around Quartzsite where you can stay free but we read other bloggers that said this was a good area that was a little less crazy and crowded.


We rode our bikes over to the big tent which was rather crazy.  Cars and people everywhere like a giant had disturbed an Ant hill which had it's opening coming out the big tent. 

We bought two expanding poles which Greg carried back on his bike. It was a blast walking around the short term camp area checking out the 5th wheelers and dreaming of our future full-time life.  It was nice to be warm in Arizona while our friends and family back in New Mexico where still in the chill zone.

At night campers where sending small candle powered hot air balloons up into the sky.  They were fun to watch as they slowly rose up and then finally died out.  Greg tried to hit them with his green laser.  Our neighbors were a large group and they had circled their RVs.  They projected a DVD movie projector against the white side of one of the Motor homes.

During a walk we saw a group with an outdoor big screen TV watching the big 49er playoff game.  We walked as close as we could without violating their space to see what the score was.

We really enjoyed our first real boondocking experience.

Free campsite at Quartzsite,AZ with our own tree!

We drove southeast back to our home state of New Mexico and the City of Rocks. Then we visited White Sands Nat'l Monument and the NM Museum of Space History in Alamogordo NM. The museum and IMAX movie of the Hubble Telescope were fascinating. We stayed at nearby Oliver Lee State Park with amazing views.

The views while driving is half the fun

White Sands National Monument

Space History Museum outside Alamogordo, New Mexico

 

Space History Museum outside Alamogordo, New Mexico

Hanging out at White Sands National Monument in NM

The Trek Begins

During our research on full time RVing, we discovered a large community of blogging full-time RVers. Some are retired and some are embracing an alternative life on the road while working. We have really enjoyed the many blog entries and decided to jump into the bloggosphere.
We plan to retire in just under eight years and hit the road as full-time fifth wheelers. We believe that life is meant to be lived with as much adventure as possible. In June 2011, we purchased a new Nissan NV2500 HD van and my husband converted it into a camper for getaways. We love our camper, but can't wait to live full time in a fifth wheel. We getaway as much as possible. We live in Northern New Mexico and are lucky to have access to amazing hiking trails and campgrounds in NM and Southern Colorado.

As you will see, we love to trek with sock monkeys.