Missions....

These are photos Kit took while we were visiting together in Tucson...a great couple of days out catching some local history and beauty

Onward....and toward Jah....

After leaving the group at Wayne's camp in Pahrump, I visited Death Valley briefly again, then Organ Pipe Cactus Monument and had a camp in Coyote Howls Campground in Why, AZ where a couple of traveling monks live...Steve and Carny Buzz are two very dear friends of mine that I have met along the road and they camp in C.H. C.G. every winter. Neither would like to be called monks but that is how I think of them. Very active participants in their own lives and a pleasure to learn from.

So then to Tucson...

I had a visit with Kit there where she was teaching a dispatch class. We had a great time visiting old missions and re-connecting with each other. I also took a visit to the Pima Air Museum which was very rewarding, especially listening to an old WW II pilot's tales as he reminisced to me.... they were a tough breed...those who came before us.

I headed home to TorC to attend Leroy S.' s funeral. He was a very dear, old friend of mine and a wonderful example of humility in action. I spent some time with the various members of his family and friends that knew him and shared stories of his life...very healing.

I was able to attend to some vehicle upgrades and maintenance as well as yard maintenance at Rancho Cielo Azul...our TorC base camp. Also took care of some doctor stuff and got another 6 month reprieve from worry. I was told I'll see 80 by the PA there...yikes...that is not a little scary!!!

Now I am back in the Vandweller fold at Wayne's camp. Wow, these folks are so awesome! Love in action...total harmony as we live our separate but similar lives and share new tricks, treats and experience....the ego level is pretty low here...in fact so low that my ego has nothing to react to.. ;^) I love it....it really is something that cannot be planned or philosophized about but has to be lived....in the moment...just like life..;^) I will wait a bit and enjoy the days and see if my friend Jon will make it over from TorC and if not, will leave in a few days to continue the trip north...I have been kind of caught in the southwest vortex....

I think if I did not have family up north and want to see them quite badly, I would stay in the southwest regardless of the heat of summer...I do love the desert.... the heat in TorC is really not that bad....

Latcho Drom,
ManyWheels

Organ Pipe Cactus N.M.

Death Valley vista

Desert

Desert Southwest Flowers

Desert Southwest Flowers

Desert Southwest Flowers

Pahrumpus.....

Currently camped with 8 other VanDwellers on the BLM desert overlooking Pahrump, Nevada. A beautiful spot of pristine Desert Tortoise habitat with my vagabond family...and they are awesome. Ranging in age from low 30's to high 60's we are close to the temperature range these days here in the desert.
Friend Paul and I went over to Death Valley last week for a few days and checked out the wildflower bloom although it is a bit late and not as impressive as I was told other years have been.
Still gorgeous and I will load some photos in a while to show them.
I enjoyed my 66th birthday with this family yesterday. Wayne H., "desert chef supreme" made us all a dual crockpot Yankee Pot roast that was good enough to knock your socks off...onions, baby carrots, potatoes and lots of really good juices......mmmmm... then Brian G. one of out new arrivals, baked me a chocolate cake with vanilla icing that went perfectly with the French vanilla ice cream!
Sister Charlene presented me with a beautifully rendered pencil drawing of his nibs that I will have framed when anchored again and keep forever. I don't usually like photos of me (they show me way older and way fatter than I am)...ahem.. but this is a very, very complimentary rendering and well done. In fact I wish I could draw half as good as she can....Thank you sister Charlene...one more member of this amazing mobile family I am so grateful to be a member of.
Chinookie is broken, not terribly but enough so that I have an appointment with Mr. Goodwrench this morning to fix the power steering pump mounting bracket.
Paul and I were able to pull off a nice field fix near the top of Jubilee Pass on our way out of Death Valley. I thank my angels for reminding me to carry an extra serpentine belt and lots of mechanic's wire and tools. And traveling with a good friend to help figure out the threading of the belt with two bogus illustrations. Ah, those pesky engineers!
Be well and keep true to you,
ManyWheels