New Van Bed!

For my 69th birthday, Joe built a bed in my new van!

I'm SO happy!
Now I can escape every now and then ~
~ Hooray!

Here are photos of the process:

First, a piece of plywood over the carpet makes the floor

Cost was about $40.

Scraps of 2 x 2 from a construction site
Cost: FREE

I did buy 3 new bins. My old ones were shot.
These are deeper so I can pack more clothes.
Got these at Walmart on sale for $8 each = $24

Joe started by making the leg/braces out of 2 x 2

A closer look at the finished leg/braces

I cut out the old seat belts in the back
Haven't yet figure out how to remove this piece.

Next, Joe measured to be sure the leg/braces

were wide enough. And I wanted about an inch space at the top.

I don't use lids on the bins - 

I have found it easier just to slide them in and out

and let the bed be the lid.

Perfect fit!

Screwing the braces/legs to the plywood floor

All four braces/legs are in. 
The last section holds more than one bin.

Next, piecing the top.
We are just using scrap plywood,
but you COULD buy a whole piece.
It's just awful expensive right now.

I asked Joe to round the corner near the passenger seat.

In the future, I will be turning that passenger seat around,

but right now I need it for my mom to sit in.

Almost done!

Putting in the last piece.

There is a space in the front where Joe will put wood,

to make the floor completely flat.

I will go to Goodwill, nab some old clean yoga mats,

and cut them to fit. Then, I put a rug on top.

This gives me a LOT of insulation.

I really never got cold in my other van,

and this is the way I did the floor.

Here I am trying out my bed.
Bins are underneath.
Joe is working on filling in that little front piece.

I'm sooooo happy!

Come back in a few days to see how I organize the space.

Next month, I'm going to pay Joe to put in my kitchen.

It will be in the hatchback, just like my other van,

with a few small changes.

Life is so good!

Annie

Quartzsite and a Spectacular Sunset!

Generally, one would begin talking about the day in the morning, then end with the evening, but THIS was THE most spectacular sunset I've ever seen in my life.  This is a photo of our friends' brand new rig, parked next to us at the Hi Jolly Campground, in Quartzsite, Arzona.  It could be a Chamber of Commerce photo for the city!  This photo is not retouched at all, and I couldn't capture the true essence of the color with my iPhone. If only I'd had a "real" camera!

Hi Jolly Campground, Quartzsite, Arizona

Mind blowing! 

It was all we could do 

to stand with our mouths open 

and drink it all in.

Yesterday morning, my folding solar panels arrived!  I had been trying to charge my laptop on my car battery via an inverter, but it was really too much of a drain on my battery. So I ordered a 100 watt solar suitcase and an AGM battery.  I had them sent to a little shop in Quartzsite, Arizona that receives packages for snowbirds. Holy heck, that battery was heavy!  I had it placed it in the passenger seat floorboard, and hooked up the cables, and VOILA!  I had electricity from the sun, like magic!

My 100 watt and my 30 watt solar panels

The battery sits in the passenger floorboard along with my laundry bucket

Two of my favorite camping companions also showed up!

PICKLE

And Pickle's mom, Merle!

We hung out and waited like vultures for my favorite campspot in the Hi Jolly park to become vacant this morning, and moved right in!   Once we were settled in, it was laundry day!

The warm wind dried our clothes in no time!

We hung three clotheslines of paracord 

A girl can't have too much paracord! 

There was a warm gentle wind most of the day 

and it dried the clothes out quickly. 

While the clothes were drying, I had a light lunch of fruit and home-cured olives, a gift from Joe, who processed several gallons this year! Thanks Joe! They are mighty tasty!

The day ended with this gorgeous freaky sunset!

We stood out and watched it for a long time,

until it completely faded.

What a joy and a blessing

to live so close to Mother Earth!

It's now 1 am.

The wind outside is blowing like crazy,

rocking the van,

and it woke me up!

The dust from that wind

could be what caused the sunset...

though people all over the USA got the same gorgeous color tonight.

Whatever the cause,

it was amazing,

and

I'm happy to have experienced this!

Time now to try to get a few more hours of shut-eye.

Good night, world!

Love,

Annie

Rubber Tramp Rendezvous in Quartzsite, AZ

A few days before the RTR was to begin, our group traveled to Scaddan Wash and set up camp.  I really didn't take many photos of the RTR, because I figured there'd be hundreds posted by the other 3000 participants!  Days were spent attending workshops and making new friends. Nights were spent around the campfire, singing songs and laughing. I'll treasure the memories of this, my first Rubber Tramp Rendevous!

Here are a few of my favorites:

The sunrise and sunset at Scaddan were phenomenal!

Andrew directing traffic, "SLOW DOWN!"

Merle helped Nelda with the Welcome Table

Van Dwellers beginning to gather . . . 

Me with Merle

Me with the Woman Now Known as Betty

With some HUGE Amethyst Cathedrals at Tyson Wells

Jerry and Nelda "getting round"

We had a colorful camp, thanks to Joe W

Kimba, who lives out of her car with her cat

I love this photo of Jerry!

Me

Me with Merle - my "evil twin!"  lol! We have had so much fun!

Me, my friend who wishes to remain anonymous, and Merle

OH. MY. GOSH!  I laughed so much and had such a wonderful time with these two!  Never a dull moment!  We ended up leaving and going to Cibola together. I finally found two people who "get me!"  What a kick!  I don't know where the road will take us - or how long we'll hang out together - but my life has certainly been enriched by their friendship and love!

Some kind soul donated food for the staff and between us all and with Sassy's direction, our camp kept them fed.

Andrew - a gentle giant of a man who I came to love.

Peace, Dude!

I love the cozy way my van feels inside

 I put a note up on the bulletin board that I wanted someone to help me turn my passenger seat around so it would face the rear.  A couple of days before the end of the RTR, this cute-as-heck guy dropped by and offered to do it for FREE!  I couldn't believe it!  I have so much more room now and a chair to work in!

I offered to pay him. He declined, and then to top things off, he turned Merle's seat around too!  What a nice thing to do for us!

You can see his videos on flatbedtruckingsamrides on YouTube.  He brought  Sam by on his motorbike next day.

Sunset at camp was always gorgeous. 

  I don't think I will ever tire of these fantastic sunrises and sunsets.  One thing I love about this lifestyle is living so close to the earth. Each morning, I open the side door of my van, make a cup of coffee, sit in the doorway and watch the sunrise.

Once the RTR was over, the Women's RTR began. I decided not to attend. Vern, Merle, and I headed on over to Cibola to photograph the burrowing owls at the wildlife refuge there.