Welcome to New Mexico

You're bundled up in sweaters and jackets in the morning, and in the afternoon you're running around in tank shirts and sundresses.

I never thought that I would see the beauty of the desert. I'm a Michigan girl...grass, trees, lakes, forest, snow.

Yesterday it was so hot that all i could do was lay there and breathe. This morning, I'm huddled up in my blankets with hot coffee.

On a big prickly catcus sits a single yellow flower. The tall thin octillos sport beautiful orange flowers.

Mesquite trees offer shade and almost always have a sticky sap running down the tree attracting tons of ants.

Acadia cats claw trees have really tough spiked thorns.

In the  desert, sunrises and sunsets are spectacular. I love the way you get sunset colors reflected off clouds and mountains.

It's a desert so there are rarely mosquitos. You do get mosquitos and gnats by the Rio Grande.

The mighty Rio Grande is often a slow trickle. The government has harnessed it into water for irrigation.

Alfalfa is a water intensive crop. There is a better natural method of agriculture here. You plant a ground cover. Trees or plants are built up in a dip with a natural earth basin around them to funnel and hold the water near the plant or roots. You plant things that are less water intensive. There is a lot of container gardening.

I've learned to be very conservative with water. Water can be used a couple of times for different purposes.

In the van, i do dishes with a spray bottle of vinegar and water. Water from cooking goes into my gray water (a folgers plastic coffee can.

Bathing can be very simple too. A soup pot half full of water is enough to wash hair and all of my body. That water then becomes part of the gray water.

In New Mexico, gray water can be poured on trees. Gray water is any water used except for human waste purpose.

My "pottie" doesn't flush...it's a large plastic coffee can with lid. It's taken to any portapotty or vault toilet and disposed of safely. Baking soda or a plain charcoal briquitte control any odor. 

Safe travels and Good Coffee to you
Lou

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Vanlog 20181219.925

Good morning. My daily routine is starting to get back in order.

It's important in VanLife to have a routine at times. It anchors you in the moment, gives a continuity to your day. 0 l l

I stayed in bed a bit later today. It was 32 degrees this morning...in southern New Mexico.

Since I'm in the city, I park at Wal-Mart or Cracker Barrel at night, pull into a park or a big shopping mall parking lot daytime.

I'm at the park. I've taken my trash out and made coffee. The buddy heater is on for a few minutes to take the chill out of the van. Wow. 5 minutes of the buddy heater and the van is toasty warm. I'm parked facing east to take advantage of passive solar and to use my small solar panels to charge things. I'll roll some cigarettes, make my bed, and empty my potty in a bit.

I've the whole van to rearrange after having the center seats removed. It's almost like starting over. Several things have new spaces. My 2hp generator is on the floor behind the front passenger seat. It has a small custom built table over it to protect the top. The auxiliary house battery is wired into the starter battery with just a cut off switch (manual).

As usual, I've a foot propped up on the dash and my phone/tablet holder on the steering wheel. The phone is charging off my platinum choice solar phone charger.

There is another dweller here. He's only been in town a couple of days. It's easy to spot another vandweller even though vehicle looks normal to others. It's a Ford, universal conversion van. It looks almost exactly like my old Ford e150 conversion van. 

It's time to get my day started

Good Coffee To You

See ya down the road

Lou

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Musings And Thoughts From My Van

I see so many rushing...
-get the van perfect
-power, Lots of power

So many people that turn vans into tiny tiny houses. There's nothing wrong with having all the conveniences. There's also nothing wrong with "roughing it".

I like simple. Real simple. Throwback style.

We've had several really bad hurricanes hit my friends in various places. I'm so glad that I wasn't there.

But, the recent headlines from Florida and Puerto Rico really got my to thinking.

Between old school skills and being optional when it comes to modern life...I'd manage ok if a major disaster hit and the infrastructure went down for a bit.

I've got a small generator and some batteries. I know how to clean water with materials at hand.  I carry several natural fire starters and a grate or two. A couple cast iron skillets, my pressure cooker, and a stock pot. I dehydrate foods and store in jars. I already have bags of rice and freeze dried foods.

I've also got over 1000 books in my old school kindle. No internet required. My external hard drive is approximately 1TB of movies and shows.

So, if I found myself in a no power no services situation...I'd be reasonably comfortable. I think I'd just start running an old skills school and pass on the ways...the ways people lived before running water, inside bathrooms, and unlimited electric.

So...the next time you see an oldtimer who doesn't have thousands if watts of solar and all the bells and whistles...maybe they are not as backward as you think

See ya down the road
Lou and the 1 pup crew

If you like and enjoy my blog, feel free to contribute $1 PayPal.me/LouBurgess

My van needs a new engine

As many know, my van broke down on I-10 in New Mexico as I was headed for Quartzsite and Yuma.

I had it towed back to Las Cruces

It needs more than we first thought. It needs engine replaced.

I've found a used engine at gotengines.com it is 77,000 original miles, 5.4L V8, and it's the OEM motor for this van. Price $1896 free shipping. Warrentee 3 year 36,000

My total income is minimum social security disability. I have MS. I've refunded unused PayPal $ and have a balance of $6.38 in my PayPal. I have no bank accounts.

We know I do a lot for the van community, much of it quietly in private.

I'm not asking for a free van. I'm asking for some help. The $1896 covers price of motor only. I've got some local help free to pull old engine and put new one in, including loans of engine hoist and such.

If you can help, my PayPal link is paypal.me/LouBurgesspaypal.me/LouBurgess or you can call Joe at got engines.com http://www.gotengines.com/m/and donate directly. When engine is paid for, they will ship.
http://www.gotengines.com/step-two.php?orderid=10028762http://www.gotengines.com/step-two.php?orderid=10028762

I'm parked in a safe place, Mona, me and my van. No risk of towing or impound

Thanks
Stephanie Lou Burgess