Indian Paintbrush is a remarkably hardy and adoptable plant. I have found it Everywhere I have gone, from 2000 feet in the desert to 10,400 feet in the Colorado Rockies. It’s always beautiful!
The National Forest is Wildly in Bloom:
One reason I love being a snowbird is that by chasing the cool weather in the spring and the warm weather in the fall it extends the two most beautiful times of the year: spring and fall. For example, we were in Yuma in March when it
was in full bloom and I really enjoyed it. Then I moved north and up in elevation to Wickenburg and enjoyed it in full bloom in April. Now I am in the Prescott National Forest in May, and it is in full springtime bloom. In June we will move up even higher and so it will just be coming into bloom and then in July I will take some trips into Colorado when the Rockies are just coming into peak bloom. The net effect is that spring isn’t a time that comes and goes like a flash in a few weeks; I get to enjoy it over a period of 5 months. All the photographs in this post are of the foliage that is coming in bloom since I got back from my moms two days ago. May is off to a very beautiful start!
And that will be true in the fall as well, depending on how far north I travel. If I go all the way up to Montana or the Canadian Rockies, the fall colors will start in early September and as I head south to avoid the snow and cold, I will continually run into fresh fall color. October is when Colorado hits its peak and then in November the lower elevations of Utah are at their peak. Again, fall colors don’t last for just a week or two, I get to enjoy them over a span of three months.Don’t Put Off Living!!
I wrote from Florida that I had to admire the way so many of the retired seniors were enjoying their retirement. They weren’t sitting around waiting to die, they were living very happy, busy lives enjoying the things they enjoyed. But something happened and I was very starkly reminded of why I have chosen to not follow that traditional path. While my mom and I were traveling back on the bus from the cruise ship, my step-father fell and broke his hip. We took him to the doctor, who sent us to get X-rays who sent him to the hospital. He has since had the surgery and is doing very well.
So the last few days I was in Florida I spent a lot of time in waiting rooms and there was just this constant flow of seniors in and out of them. It became crystal-clear to me that I made a very wise choice to take retirement as soon as I possibly could. Waiting to fully live until you are old is so risky. As I have said before, my father worked at a very stressful job he didn’t like all his life and then retired at 60 financially secure for life; he never had to worry about money again. Then he was diagnosed with cancer and was dead by 62. When that happened I made a commitment to myself to enjoy life NOW as much as I was able. None of us have a guaranteed tomorrow and so trading 40 years of unpleasant or mediocre life for the hopes of having a great life at 60 just seem ridiculous to me. My hope for each of you is to embrace and enjoy a wonderful life now while you are at the peak of your health and vitality instead of when it is in decline and at its worst.
The Summer Rubber Tramp Rendezvous is Just Around the Corner:I have numerous vandwelling friends who are camped over in the National Forest near a little town called Cottonwood, AZ. Its main advantage is that it is I very close to Sedona, AZ which I consider to be one of the most beautiful places anywhere!! So Steve and I are thinking about moving camp over there to be with more friends (Cheri moved there today). But we have to see it in the big picture especially since the summer RTR is coming up in 6 weeks. If we move now and a Ranger finds us we will have to move again in 14 days. We have been here for almost a month and have yet to see a Ranger. So what we might do is wait two weeks and move over there. Decisions, Decisions, life is so hard!!
I’ve seen lots and lots of Yuccas in bloom, but never anything like this! It’s got a a very tall purple stalk. I’m looking forward to seeing it in full bloom!! Thanks to Charlene Swankie for finding it and taking this picture.
- The dates are June 18, 2013 – July 2, 2013.
- Vandwelling is an attitude, not a choice of vehicle so no matter what you live in, you are welcome! Even if you are still living in a house you are welcome to join us and stay in a tent. It will be totally free and nothing will be provided, you need to be totally self-sufficient. I will choose a location that is easily reached so no matter what you are driving (from a Prius to a 40 foot diesel pusher) you can easily drive the road
- I can’t give you an exact location until just before it begins. The reason for that is that we are going to be on National Forest land and it has a 14 day time limit with fairly strict enforcement. If I arrive early, I risk being asked to move on before the event is over. Because of that I will arrive at the last minute and post the location at that time. You don’t have to wait till the last minute though, if you want to come early you can. My location is always posted here on my blog and you are welcome in my camp at any time before or after the RTR. I will probably be in the Sedona area from now till then. There is a map to my camp in the right-hand sidebar.
- While the winter RTR has a lot of people and is packed full of activities and classes, the summer RTR is smaller (about 20 people) and mainly a social time. Flagstaff is very close to Sedona, AZ and the Grand Canyon (two of the most beautiful places on the planet!!) so I expect us to make a group trip to those places.
I hope to see many of you there.
This is typical of Yucca.
The ability to prolong Spring is an excellent example of just one benefit of the nomadic life.
You are so right that life is short (and a healthy life shorter still).
I leave for my SD/WY/CO trip soon (maybe next week) and will miss the summer RTR but am really looking forward to meeting up with you all in the Fall!
I’m very glad you will be on the road, but I’m sorry to have to wait to see you again till fall. Have a great trip!
Bob
That’s actually an agave, not a yucca. I cannot tell from the picture which species it is as there are several that could be in the area you are. Yuccas will bloom repeatedly through their lifetimes. The agave is expending all of its energy into the bloom spike you see and will die after setting seed.
-M
Actually, I think it’s Agave palmeri as can be seen on this page: http://www.succulent-plant.com/families/agavaceae.html
-M
An Agave, ah so!!! That one is about 13′ tall right now. There is a dead plant with a standing stalk about 18′ tall about 1/2 mile away. Amazing. I can’t wait to see it bloom. Wonderful photos Bob. Thanks for the Photo Credit.
Thank you for pointing it out to me Charlene, and for taking the photo!
Bob
Michael, thanks for pointing that out. I’m no expert on plants by any means.
Bob
Gorgeous pictures Bob. I am just starting out in vandwelling and am gleaning much information from your blog. Thank you! I have never been out west except 2 quick trips to Texas so I am looking forward to the seasons out west. Nothing wrong with an extended fall and spring 🙂
Thanks Ellen, it’s easy when you have a beautiful subject! When you get out here, please stop by and say hello!
Bob
Bob, I bet homer has been a handful since you have been back. Dogs love their master and best friend. No matter how long your gone, they don’t forget. Nice pics. B
Homer is never a handful, always a regal gentledog. Best dog on earth. (I think he is a re-incarnated KING!)
Charlene, I’m not sure what he was in his previous lives, but I know I treat him like royalty! He is a truly great dog!
Bob
Brian, he is a strange dog! If I am gone for a few days he loses his mind when I come home. If I am gone for 2 weeks, he is very glad to see me again but it is a much lower key reaction. I think he adapts to me not being there and the loss becomes less real so the reunion is not as important. But we are back togehter now and that is what is important.
Bob
Enjoyed the contrasting posts of the cruise versus nomadic living…your posts reaffirm my philosophy that indeed finding a balance is the key (at least for me)…I am lucky in that I have a job I love…but at 53, I am using every second of vacation time and weekend time to use our fifth wheel, go on cruises, and play golf…I have many friends at work who are “banking” the vacation time, hoping for a big check at the end…that is incomprehensible to me. Keep the reports coming!
Pauly, there are very few people (probably none) who on their death-beds say they wish they spent more time at work, but there are many who wish they had played more!! I think you have made the better choice.
Playing more is something I just learned about and one of these days I will do a post on it.
Bob
I thought that plant was a yucca too! We have them up here in Montana, but I had never seen one more than a few feet tall.
Excellent points too about not waiting for “later” to really live.
Robert, I think it is in the same broad family but you can see some obvious differences. Its “needles” are very broad and flat while the Yucca is thin and long. But otherwise it looks a lot like a Yucca, I just thought it was one of the many varieties. I knew eastern Montana was very arid, but I didn’t know it had Yuccas. I guess we all learn something new every day!
Bob
Well, the Universe seems to have other plans for me… no RTR this year!
I missed the Winter RTR because my fur baby was very sick; and, now I will miss the Summer RTR because I have a friend that needs help moving from Georgia back to Texas.
When the student is ready, the teacher will arrive. I guess, when it is time for me to get to the RTR everything will work out.
Until then… much love to all and keep posting your great musings from the road. I will try to keep my envy in check.
Peace,
Bodhi
Bodhi, you must be a very good friend to help them with such a huge project! I’m sorry you won’t make it, maybe this January in Quartzsite–third time must be a charm!
Bob
Hey Bob.
Chasing all these blooms sounds fun and it’s probably a good thing ya don’t have allergies. Bet Homer couldn’t wait to see you.
Rick, I hadn’t even thought about that, many people have to avoid the spring bloom and here I am chasing after it. I am very grateful to have zero breathing issues. So many people have allergies and it just makes them miserable. It’s just luck I was born without any.
Cheri, Steven and Charlene took such great care of Homer that he does really well here without me. They said he was upset and moped around the first week, but then he started to settle down and go back to his normal self. We like to think they will never be the same without us, but they are very adaptable and will go on just fine. But, no doubt he is glad I am back!
Bob
We did that on the East Coast one year–traveled at the same rate as fall so got to have a vey long one. It was beautiful. All those very colorful trees they have there.
That sounds wonderful Linda! There’s nothing like fall in New England and to extend it as you move south is even better. You were very fortunate to have that opportunity.
Bob
Bob,
I do have some problems with allergies, but I think it would be worth putting up with them in order to experience some of what you are seeing. Perhaps one of these years soon. . . .
Walt
I’m sorry to hear you have allergies Walt. Fighting for air is a terrible thing. Medicine has really advanced in that area so hopefully you are finding some relief. Good for you to not let it stand in your way!
Bob
hope to make summer RTR, timing might be rough.
any ideas on time frame for fall?
It will be great so see you again Dan! I’ll be in the area all summer so even if you can’t make the actual RTR stop by and say hello. I don’t know what you mean for fall? The next RTR will in January at Quartzsite. My plans for fall are pretty murky. I love the wildflower bloom in Colorado in July and the fall colors there in October. So i will probably take week long trips there in the van to shoot photos. I would leave the trailer with friends in Arizona. I love Zion in November so there is a real good chance I will take the trailer there then. I might do the Wave again on the way but Homer is too old to go so I may not. In December I am sure to be in Arizona somewhere in the Yuma-Blyth-Quartzsite-Parker area. December is the cold month in the desert so I might be in Yuma then, its the warmest place in Arizona, but not the best camping. Of course January is in Quartzsite. Next summer may see a BIG trip maybe Alaska for the summer. Too far away to know for sure but I am considering it.
You and everyone else on the blog are welcome to join me at any time in any of those locations.
Bob