Paco

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Quick check in while I have signal. @punkypaco and I are doing great. I must admit, I feel pretty safe being holed up in my van and not having a signal to know what's going onin the world. I know enough to stay away from people and keep my hands washed. I am very grateful for this opportunity. The simplicity of living in a van has allowed me to slow down (finally). I can go for a hike, read a book, or just sit and stare at the sunlight as it moves across giant rock formations and be perfectly content. I’d gone overboard on food preparation, as well as packing plenty of toilet paper, so we’re set for a few more weeks without the need to resupply. Water is the only thing that requires me to dip back into a community from time to time, but once stocked, I’m good for fifteen days or so. Thankfully BLM Offices and most park headquarters have external spigots of drinking water, so I don’t even have to talk to anyone or be concerned with cooties when I refill! These first few weeks have been great. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit there have been some down times too, but I anticipated that. The frantic hysteria of the world certainly creates a strange energy in the air, as I’m sure it does for all of you too, and not having access to information is both good and bad. I’ll try to do better with my updates when I hit signals. I’ve taken so many photographs I don’t even know which to share, but here are a few from the last couple of spots. I posted some more on my website last week, if you want to see more of the Utah landscape we’ve called home. I hope everyone is staying healthy and doing well! We’ll continue on this journey, bypassing all the big parks and popular spots. ❤🐶🏕🤗🌲
Tonight's view ain't so bad.
I haven't been reading or listening to much news lately, but what I've gathered is I'm pretty grateful to be out in the middle of a forest and away from crowds right now. 🤷🏼‍♀️😷🏕🌲🌳
Last night we watched the full moon rise over the giant sandstone faces of San Lorenzo Canyon, NM. What a remarkable place to camp, despite miles of washboard roads. Today we stopped by the Very Large Array Observatory and boy was that interesting. I tried to do my best Jodi Foster impersonation to recreate 'Contact', but Paco was not impressed. 🤷🏼‍♀️🐶 Now we're at Lyman Lake State Park in Arizona, where both Paco and I can take showers. We're the only beach campers, so it feels like we've got the place to ourselves - and I have a signal, so I can catch up on all the messages I've missed these past few days. 🤣 Tomorrow we're off to the Petrified Forest National Park!
I spent the past three nights in the Cibola National Forest in New Mexico, and it was absolutely perfect. I found a great little BLM campground and had the entire place to myself. There was no phone signal, except for when I hiked up a high peak, at which point my phone started sounding off with all the notification chimes I'd missed while offline. ⁣ ⁣ Yesterday it rained most of the day, and I was just fine with that. It was nice to have a lazy day, and I finally finished a book I'd started months ago. ⁣ ⁣ Now I'm pulled over on the side of the road to post this while I have signal, then we'll be headed to another BLM spot closer to the Arizona border. ⁣ Onward!
Mabel isn't allowed on the table at her new retirement home, so she sits at the table and stares at me like this during every meal. 😾😼
This tree has something to declare. 🌳📢
Oklahoma welcoming committee. 🐮
I cut this Rob Brezsny horoscope out of the Austin Chronicle last October. It spoke to me then because I’d just that week finally decided to begin this process of uprooting myself. I have peeled off all the layers, some tougher than others, and these past two weeks have left me knee deep in the vulnerable and tender phase. Thank you to everyone who has met me in this space, and handled my raw heart and overwhelmed brain with care and kindness. Three more days in Austin...