I finally took the time to research Internet and phone service in Alaska! As expected, there is not much service, except in the larger cities. Verizon told me yesterday that they have been in Alaska for only two years and provide service in Anchorage, Juneau and 2 other smaller cities (not Fairbanks). Further research on…
On May 1st, Tango and I begin our travel on the Alaska Marine Highway. I was planning on Alaska the summer after, but I figured out, after two years on the road, that if I can travel extensively in the RV relying only on my regular monthly income, then perhaps I could travel pay-as-I go via…
I love technology of all kinds, especially gadgets that make the nomadic lifestyle even more streamlined. In fact, this is the one area where I still buy without too much guilt despite my claim to simplicity. Afterall, technology products are usually small and, of course, new technology demands new acquisitions. Those are my excuses, anyway. I am…
Our logical mind tells us that material things do not appear out of thin air, just when we need them the most. So, how can I explain the phenomenon of the free table at the RV Ranch? The free table is in a common area, a breezeway between the laundry room and an indoor gathering area.…
A quick update: I am now at “winter camp” in the Chihuahuan Desert. I arrived in Southern New Mexico in late October and visited a number of the State Parks. I moved to the Low-Hi Ranch just before Christmas and will pull out Feb 20. I plan to roam around New Mexico another 6 weeks…
Southern New Mexico is now chilly at night and in the mornings. I add a wool blanket to the nighttime layers, but somehow Tango manages to pull it over to his side and make a little nest for himself. I open up a lightweight sleeping bag and that ends up in his corner as…
Below is a short story reprinted in High Country News titled “In Line at the Great Wall.” It is a quick read and puts family faces on the tradgedy that would be a (longer) border wall. I hope you enjoy it. Also, I decided to NOT do two blogs. It sounds too much like work. Instead,…
Somewhere, sometime while growing up in the Midwest I heard the poem “The Shooting of Dan McGrew.” A poem we studied in school? Anyway, a few years back I was looking into western writers and poets and rediscovered “The Shooting” along with other poems by Robert W. Service. I was excited to discover this…
Some people pass through the desert southwest on their travels without feeling the pull to explore. Zoom, right on by. I even heard one person say, “I drove through New Mexico. It is just wasteland.” Not me; I first felt the call of the desert 40+ years ago and it never left, even though I…
Each year, Michael Depraida creates limited numbers of beautiful, western-themed, beaded jewelry. He sells through existing clients and by word of mouth, which is how I discovered his work. However, he has also received awards for his work, which is featured in corporate collections and galleries around the world. As you can see…