Waxings

The past two months have been an incredible experience.  I'm thankful that I've been able to explore the van life once more, as a seasoned vet.  I've found beautiful places to park, and I've been reminded about what I love (and hate) about this lifestyle.  I missed the freedom to explore whatever I want, whenever I want.  I missed the low overhead.  But now I miss access to a shower whenever I want, or a bathroom that doesn't take planning.  I miss having the ability to charge all of my devices.  I miss the companionship of people in the house.  I miss the disruption of my solitude.

The past few weekends have been incredible.  I've gone everywhere from Settler's Cove and Lunch Creek to Coast Guard Beach and then up to Harriet Hunt, Perseverance Lake, and into the quaint little town that has become my home more than any place in Colorado.  Here I am recognized, and I have friends.  Here, people say hello when I walk down the street.  It's not like Salida.  My parents haven't called me once since I've been here.  I haven't heard from my brother at all, save one text.  I am apparently an outcast.  It's fine.  I have friends here who haven't let that happen yet.  The best part is that, here in Ketchikan, Dash is royalty.  People fight over who gets to watch him in my absence.  I'm pretty sure when he dies, I'm going to have to put an obituary in the paper here.

Memorial Day.  Remember those that died for this moment.

The Moot Points

I'm pretty sure that needs to be the name of a band somewhere. 

Anyway, I'm calling my posts that because I've been posting like crazy, but when I try to post a picture with these rants, Blogger decides they don't need to be seen at all. It's disappointing, as I've taken hundreds of pictures in the last 45 days or so. Terribly frustrating.

At any rate, van living in my 40s has been educational. For example, not having a van with a high roof is not optional. Doing everything either on my knees or hunched over is tiring and demotivating. It works, and the price is right, but not a long term solution.

I've also learned that the little Buddy heater, the one that screws on top of a little propane canister, is awesome and can run with only two windows cracked. It's really nice when the temperature dips into the 30s. If you let it run all night, you'll use about a whole canister. Plan on that.

Also, plan your bathroom. I'm a guy, so number 1 is easy. I try to pick spots to camp where I can have a short walk to some privacy or, in the middle of the night, just a short walk in general. For more dedicated morning constitutionals, I try to camp near free public toilets, like pit toilets at parks and campgrounds and day use areas. I have a big ziplock bag with a roll of good toilet paper and a pack of dude wipes. I started using that when I left Colorado at pretty much every rest stop I needed, and boy, was I thankful. I also have a big pee jug, but I don't use it. I think if I were a woman or anyone that has not-standing-friendly plumbing, I would invest in a porta-potty- not the bucket and bag type, but the cassette toilet with the chemicals and black water tank you can dump at any RV park.

I've got a two cooler system going. One is a seat, part of my bed, and a dry foods storage locker. Crackers, bread, raisins, jerky, chips, instant coffee, and cookies live in here. Then I have my cold storage, which holds a full bag of ice, coffee creamer, and a few different juices. This really is just so I can have coffee creamer, because I'm an insufferable prick if I don't get my morning coffee.

I go through about a gallon of water every day. I drink about a quart, make coffee, brush my teeth, wash my coffee stuff, and keep my dogs water bowl full. It doesn't quite use a whole gallon, but I've been trying to keep a full unopened jug at all times just in case.

I've found that the parking brake turns the running lights off, which is nice if I need to idle the van and don't want to be obnoxious, although that doesn't really happen often. Only when I run out of propane, honestly, which has only happened once.

Beyond all that, make sure that whatever you're sleeping on is comfy. If you can't sleep safely and soundly, you're going to have a truly miserable experience. I have an air mattress that I keep on my seats in the back, which I've taken out of their normal spots and put facing each other. It's given me storage underneath, but I've had to stuff things under one side to keep it level, which is fine. I've also got scented wood wick candles turn burn at night, both for a night light, for helping the old dog smell, and for making a nice crackle sound while I sleep. 

That's all I got. I want to post pictures and stuff, but someday. We will get there someday.

Catching Itches

Today, I made the 5 mile out and back trek to Perseverance Lake. It was a beautiful hike, absolutely stunning. Lush and green with no shortage of forest to climb through. I was on the trail by 7, and saw one other person on before I got back to the van at 9:15. It was incredible.