We sold our McMansion the summer of 2017 and moved into a travel trailer. We reclaimed our time, money and mental space. Living debt-free we've had some great adventures and worked on developing our homestead. We've followed our bliss through homeschooling, homesteading, and traveling. We finished our cabin in the mountains in 2020 and are now able to split our time between the land and our trailer parked in the city.
Winter break offers us a nice change of pace when school is out. The kids and I took a plane to Michigan for a little over a week to visit my extended family. Husband stayed in AZ to work and cat sit. It was a great visit. It was also fun to stay with my siblings & see my nieces and nephews. It was the first time we have stayed in a house for quite some time. I am not sure Sister remembers living in a house, but she was very complimentary towards the homes we visited. My siblings have basements which serve as a play rooms/game rooms for the kids. My kids joined the fun and I remained with the adults upstairs for much of the time. When the kids would come upstairs and get rowdy we (adults) would tell them to go back into the basement. It was nice that the kids had a designated spot to play and to be loud. Certainly a downside of our tiny living is that there is no indoor space for rowdy kids. Thankfully the weather is good this time of year and we can send them outside! We visited various homes and they were all decked out with Christmas lights and trees. Ours is too, just on a much smaller scale!
I think Christmas in a tiny space is actually much more manageable. We can't buy too much because we won't have a place to put it. We can get the kids a few new enjoyable things that will travel well. We put up two strings of lights along the trim of the slides and our tree will ultimately be under the presents, but it is cute.
There were a number of years Husband and I celebrated a Buy-Nothing Christmas inspired by Buy-Nothing Day. I would embrace a return to that practice in future years.
Spending time in the homes of my siblings I note the various ways we have all sought to reproduce our own childhood experiences for our kids. I asked my mom to make cut-out cookies so that the grandkids could enjoy the experience of decorating them. This is something my nieces and nephews had done, but my kids had not. Clearly good memories from our pasts inspire us to make good memories for our kids, but I was reminded that we can't ignore the possibility that there may be even better and more meaningful ways to make happy memories with the next generation. Traditions are important when they remind us about our core values and our ancestors - traditions can also be suffocating when they stifle new ideas.
I know that my choices about how to celebrate Christmas have long been considered odd by my family. I am searching for the right balance of respecting the past and building the future. I can't allow myself or my kids' worth to be defined by our ability to purchase and consume. I want to pass on a sustainable way of life and that means living differently than what is normal. Our family lives with one foot in and one foot out of traditional American consumerism. One day I imagine shifting our weight more to the foot on the outside. In the meantime we are exploring. We continue to learn how to be comfortable with less than is expected by choice (not necessity). We continue to learn how to want what we have instead of experiencing an insatiable desire for more.
May this Holiday Season be filled with love and satisfaction!
When we last discussed Rancho Status Quo I shared the progress from phase one of transforming the metal building/garage into a tiny house. A loft, bathroom and kitchen were built. Now phase two is underway! As a reminder, we purchased this land way back in 1998 and have been very slowly developing it over time - the goal is an off grid, low cost, self-sufficient dwelling that we can (mostly) build ourselves.
Our last project included getting the water running from our solar well so that we are able to use our toilet and septic system. The project included using a handyman jack to lift the well cap and the associated weight of both the simple pump and our solar pump which both hang nearly 170' to the static water level. We then installed an air displacement valve after chipping off the seal we installed years ago which was sealed so tight it wouldn't allow any air in to displace the water.
This all happened back in August and we were able to spend a few more weekends there over the next couple months as we prepared for construction to begin on the second half of the building.
Just to remind you the front side of the building had a garage door and looked like this:
This month construction is underway to transform the front of the building into a more traditional entrance. The inside will be transformed as well with a second loft and a bedroom for the parents!
It's all quite exciting - this 500 square foot house will offer all the comforts and will be powered by solar and some propane.
On our last visit we enjoyed a full moon that lit up the night sky so much we could see our moon shadows. Here are a few pictures I took on that bright night - you can see the moon shadow of the tree on the building! These were taken without a flash on the night mode setting of my camera. The interior of the building is lit with candles (we don't yet have power).
Our plan is to use this land and this tiny house as a rural base of operations. City living is necessary due to our jobs, but rural living is our preference. We also hope to use this house during the hottest summer months to try and avoid the heat of the Phoenix area. The area is beautiful and I would love to live there during the growing season and cultivate a greenhouse full of produce....but one thing at a time! We also have no intention of abandoning RV life. RV living solves a lot of problems and gives us a ton of freedom.
Here is the most recent picture from our contractor....it's very exciting!
One of the most fascinating statements he made was in response to a question about what choices he makes in response to his critique of our current way of life. He stated he has chosen to live with "one foot in and one foot out" of the current system - he lives in a van for half of the year! As I just mentioned in my last post we have been full-time for almost 2.5 years. Watching Dr. Ryan helped me really clarify the solutions I have realized through full-time RV living.
The premise of the book is anthropological. For the vast majority of our ancestors time on Earth we lived as hunter/gatherers in groups of less than 150, each working between 10-20 hours a week doing "work" that is generally considered to describe activities we do today while on vacation (fishing, hunting, harvesting food from plants, handcrafts, woodworking, cooking, being around families). In the modern era we have become slaves to our systems, objects, and stuff - our time is spent working to earn money to pay for and maintain our homes and other belongings. As we gain "success" we often feel trapped by our lives and rates of depression are high. Our cities are nothing more than zoos for humans forced to remain in one place. Some zoos are better in that they mimic our natural habitat better than others.
Selling our house and rentals was liberating in such a fundamental way - not only being able to live free of debt and having savings, but also living without the constant pressure and concerns about the "what if" worries (What if one of us lost a job? How long could we make payments on the house with an interruption in salary? What if we had a major unplanned expense related to one of our rentals?) These concerns weigh on the mind and use up valuable mental bandwidth that could be spent on solving problems and appreciating what one has today. Indeed, I spend much more of my time being thankful for what I have, that all of our needs are met, that we are all healthy and that we have each other. Certainly my mental health has improved since moving to the margins of society.
Redwood National Park, CA
Being able to explore the National Parks has connected us to the extraordinary majesty and beauty of what this Earth has to offer us as well as showing us how the traditional ancient peoples thrived in harmony with the natural resources. Dr. Ryan points out that generations after generations lived in hunter/gatherer communities and the problems faced by one generation were not all that different from the next generation's problems. Today my children navigate a digital world that is foreign to me and I am only 43! We face uncertainty each day because so much is new - but when you are in the woods, walking the path, sitting by a fire, putting your feet in the stream, looking at the stars, examining the trees, watching the wildlife, and practicing being present in the moment - this is where we are most alive and when we are connected to those that came before. We experience our connection to nature and to each other when we have the freedom to spend enough time outdoors in wild spaces.
The question we need to all ask ourselves is "how much is enough?" What do you need to live a fulfilling life? How much does your ideal life cost? When I really examined that question I realized I am pragmatic and not attached to any particular material standard. I am attached to the idea of owning my own dwelling (not renting) and spending as little as possible on shelter. I also realized that I want to experience the here and now with Husband and the kids as much as possible. With insatiable wants comes shortage in funds. I like to remember what Nietzche says, "He who possesseth little is so much the less possessed. Blessed be moderate poverty." I don't find myself in a perpetual state of want. I am content with what I have - in fact, I still think I have too much! Full-time RV'ing forces you to constantly evaluate your material accumulation and to manage it.
Jewel Cave National Monument, SD
Given the constant uncertainty of the future, especially in relation to climate change, I like being mobile in case there is a need to follow decent weather. Perhaps it seems strange to say that, but I personally know one family who was displaced due to a hurricane. Through the news I am aware of many climate migrants fleeing flooding, drought, hurricanes, and other extreme weather events across the globe. Arizona summers are hotter each year and while there are cooler areas in the mountains, those stuck in the valley are reliant on air conditioners in order to survive the blistering heat. With changes in weather comes changes in the range of various animals, insects and pathogens. Let's face it, just like our hunter/gatherer ancestors we all know there are better places to be depending on the time of year. Living in an RV allows a family to migrate, like our ancient ancestors, in search of climates that are more favorable throughout the year.
Speaking of climate - I am ever more hopeful that one day we will be able to pull a rig with a fully electric vehicle. This week Tesla released the Cybertruck and Ford has plans for a fully electric F150 in 2021. Solar systems are making off-grid living increasingly comfortable. All we need is a zero emission vehicle that can tow the rig around! Until then we have sized our rig so as to get as many miles per gallon as possible pulling a very lightweight trailer. With four of us living in a small space, using public transit in the city, and trying to remain (as much as possible) in climates that do not require heating/cooling we try to minimize our fossil fuel use throughout the year.
Finally, and most importantly - we have the opportunity to raise our kids differently and thereby teach new lessons to the next generation. While we are making it up as we go along - not having patterns from our ancestors to follow - we build our decisions on the firm ground of critique. We have many examples of what does not work and we can trust ourselves in leading the kids towards those things that connect us to the world and each other. Together we have explored great depths and great heights and we've grown together in our journey.
Since Husband and I have been together we have lived in 10 different homes. That is an average of approx 2.5 years in each - of course we were in some places for a very short time and the longest 8 years. Nevertheless we've moved a lot. We've lived in 7 different cities and two states. We moved for jobs, for opportunities, for adventure and for dreams. We've moved for practical reasons and because of what we imagined was possible. Nearly 2.5 years ago we moved from a 4000 square foot house into a 200 square foot RV. It was much to small for our family, but because we were committed to making some significant changes to our way of life and wanted to test out RV living.
Our first house on wheels
Living area in the Hideout
We lived in our tiny, 200 square foot Hideout for a year and a half (Inside it was ~ 26' long by 8' wide). We traveled over 6,000 miles with it. In January of this year we bought a new truck and RV to substantially upsize our living space (to 315 square feet). The rig is longer, (just over 30') but it has two deep slides so we have an open area inside.
Extra width in our new place
Living area in the Mesa Ridge
Living in an RV has a number of advantages - most significantly we are debt-free and have been saving a significant portion of our income for 2.5 years. Secondly, moving is a breeze - We've been in situations when we needed to move for a job, but were unable to sell our house for what we paid. Like many Americans we have experienced being house poor. We have experience as landlords...forced into renting out a property because we couldn't sell. I am very content that I don't have the burden of home ownership weighing on me. I am also nervous about the housing market in 2020 and beyond - economists say the housing market has recovered from the 2008-09 financial crisis but there are reasons to think another large recession is coming soon. It seems working Americans can't get a break - we put all of our money into our homes only to have our homes fall in value as a result of the irresponsible actions of those motivated by greed in the financial sector. So, yeah, I am glad that I am not currently invested in a house. Third, we've been able to hit the road for two summers in a row to tour our National Parks and appreciate the beauty of this country. Our RV provides the comforts of home even off grid due to a solar system. Fourth, our whole interaction with the material world has been transformed - we cannot accumulate stuff like we used to. We have donated and sold a huge majority of our possessions. We are deliberate in our purchases and our things are practical. Lastly, though the space is easily cluttered, it is also easily cleaned!
Living in an RV has a few disadvantages as well. The biggest one I see in our future is that Brother and Sister will not want to share a tiny bunkhouse for too much longer. Brother has the larger (wider) bed above the cabinets and Sister has the longer (narrow) bed above the table. They each have one drawer, the space under one of the benches as well as a closet. Their possessions (other than stuffed animals which compete for bed space) fit in those spaces. As they grow, as their clothes get larger, this space will seemingly shrink.
Having friends over is challenging - it's not that we can't entertain, it's just not a very comfortable set up and we have to spend a good amount of tine outdoors as there are not enough seats inside. We've been invited more than we have invited and I dislike my failure to reciprocate. Lastly, and this is a big one....I miss my desk! I would love to have a home office....sitting here in my massage chair is awesome, but having two monitors and a desk would be amazing. Along those lines - we still have the problem of not being able to adequately spread out for school/work. We thought having the bunkhouse would help, but we still do school and work at the kitchen table. Perhaps if we had a house we would still do school at the kitchen table...that is where homework used to take place when we had a house and Brother went to school...
Yes, massage chairs!!!
There is a stigma that comes with this lifestyle choice because being frugal is not appreciated in this society. Most people are all wrapped up in identities associated with their consumption and purchases. Homes and cars make people feel successful (or not). If your identity is associated with home ownership and the type of car you drive you probably won't have many positive words for a family that lives in a travel trailer. Additionally, for a family in AZ, it is really hard to find a decent RV community since so many cater to the 55+ community. There are also more and more people/families pursuing the full-time parked life due to the low cost, so it is hard to find long-term lots. We've rented monthly lots in four parks and each has pros and cons (some parks only have cons). Good parks require criminal background checks and do some sort of screening prior to letting you move in. In bad parks your used tennis shoes may be stolen from your steps (yes, that happened to me).
Despite the cons, it has been a great adventure and it's fun to reflect upon as we approach our 2.5 year anniversary. After the holidays my parents will snowbird (in their RV) to AZ from MI and we will enjoy having them around....then we will be planning summer 2020!
It's been a while since I have reflected upon our homeschooling adventure. To summarize the profound influence education has on our life let me recap where we all stand. I am a full-time lecturer at Arizona State University (I graduated with my doctorate in 2017). Husband is pursuing a second bachelors degree (one he started many years ago) in software engineering. Brother is in fifth grade and Sister started Kindergarten this year. Husband and I are lifelong learners - I can't imagine feeling like I have nothing else to learn. We are trying to promote that way of thinking with the kids and we have made choices (such as being full-time RV'ers) that have allowed us to structure our lives so that we are more available to our kids.
Clearly there is a most important member of this RV family (we only have one cat, but he is the most drawn animal ever!)
We've been through a number of iterations of homeschooling but we have a rather happy equilibrium right now thanks to the local (Mesa) public school system which offers a homeschool enrichment program that Brother started halfway through last year. Sister goes one day a week and they offer some traditional activities around learning to read as well as PE, computers, music, and art. Brother goes two days a week. On Mondays he gets to choose his classes and has enjoyed all of his classes including notable ones such as Lego robotics, sewing, PE, science, and handbells. The Monday classes are a mix of grade levels from 5-8th. Wednesday he is with a cohort of 5th graders and they stay together and move between classes. The rest of the week the kids are home with one or both of us. Husband and I go into work on opposite days and are usually both home on Fridays. Husband is home on TTH when both kids are here and I am gone. He has done a stellar job of moving them through a new curriculum IXL This curriculum is aligned with AZ state standards. Thanks to the enrichment program Brother took the AZ standardized test for 4th graders at the end of last year. It was a good feeling to receive his high marks and know that we have been "on grade" with our efforts. We like IXL for the flexibility and seeming unending practice questions, but we noticed that it is weak on literature for Brother. Last year we used Moving Beyond the Page and really liked the literature lesson. We decided to purchased a single literature unit to incorporate into Brother's curriculum in order to round it out. I think mixing and matching is the way to go.
Sister turned 5 over the summer. We were working on pre-school activities with her last year and she was very frustrated with reading. However, since she started Kindergarten she has really grown into her role as a student. She is trying, succeeding, and taking it very seriously. We are really proud of both of them.
The kids are each unique and at very different places in their education. It is nice to be an active part of their educational journey and to be a part of their successes (and failures). I have so much respect for teachers, but I also realize that kids learn more than reading, writing and arithmetic from often dysfunctional school environments. I recently heard a story from a friend about how their daughter was facing bullying and a whole lot of drama at school. The nice thing about sending the kids one or two days a week is that they can make a few friends and participate in activities we would not do at home, but they are not institutionalized. We have our own negative experiences with the institutions - most people do. It is extraordinary when kids are not treated like a number or member of a herd. It is interesting to be part of the homeschool community- the kids are not used to sitting in classrooms. The enrichment program teachers joke with the kids that there is a "blurting" problem in the school since at home the kids don't have to raise their hands!
It is all sunshine, kittens and flowers? No, certainly not. As parents we are harsh and unlike teachers in that we do not censor our disappointment or tone very well. As kids the students give us a hard time when they aren't in the mood or they don't like certain lessons. Sometimes they cry or whine and try to get out of it when they would never dream of acting that way in a classroom. We try to avoid the inevitable power struggles, but we fall into them despite our efforts. We end up spending a lot of time talking about what we could all do better and/or differently. Some evenings are entirely devoted to getting past the drama of the day. In doing so we grow together as a family. Our Mesa Ridge is a much larger rig than the Hideout and we are thankful for the extra bunkhouse room, but we have not used the space as we thought we would. School seems to still take place at the kitchen table and recreation/toys/games (mess) dominates the kids' room. On the days Husband or I work from home we have meetings and obligations that punctuate lessons and our work - it can become hectic depending on how much guidance the kids need. Sister pretty much needs us to sit with her throughout the lessons, but often times Brother is independent only requiring brief guidance and/or answers to questions. I often put off my work/grading/course building until the evening (when college students do their work), but Husband cannot so he has to find a balance when everyone needs to work at the same time.
There is a larger conversation that can be had about our willingness as a society to allow institutions to raise our kids. When we were living the "traditional" life we had to rely on before/after school programs and LONG days of day care in order to make it work. It was depressing to leave the kids each day and it was frustrating to be home for such a short time together in the evening doing homework, making a rushed dinner and then ensuring everyone is clean and in bed to be ready for the next marathon day. I am so thankful that we have such flexible schedules and are able to be with our kids. Brother will turn 10 next month and I am reminded that I have more time parenting him behind me than I have in front of me. These moments are precious and I want to hold them near to me now because one day they will fly from this tiny nest to their next adventure.
We arrived back in Mesa, AZ the weekend of August 10 and it was a hellish 100-teens degrees. I was not looking forward to this aspect of our adventure. I questioned whether our Mesa Ridge would be able to keep us cool even with the two air conditioners because of the huge slides. Thankfully we already had our custom window shades made and we added insulation by sliding reflectix behind the shades on the outside of the window (we had already cut the pieces prior to leaving and they were all numbered for quick installation). We left two windows without the reflectix so that I could look out of the window looking towards the front of the trailer and the one by the kitchen sink. Being able to look out of a couple of windows helps my mental health - otherwise I feel like I am all boxed up. Some people put the reflectix on the inside of the trailer, but this allows the windows to get hot - ours were cool to the touch from the inside. I have also heard of the molding around the windows on the outside getting so hot that they melt or cause problems. By having the reflectix on the outside between the window and the solar shades we protected the windows from the sun.
We had placed some orders through Amazon and one of our two packages was waiting at our lot when we returned (the other never showed up and we ended up getting refund). We then spent a great deal of time at Lowe's purchasing the rest of the items we needed to build our shade structure. The slide side of our trailer faces the afternoon sun and we wanted to put that side of the trailer in the shade. I knew the first shade cloth I bought was not long enough, but I wasn't sure how much more to buy prior to building the frame. We were up half of the night of the 11th putting this together...
We ended up pounding six fence posts into the ground and then sliding the 1" galvanized chain-link fence posts over the pounded ones. We connected the corners with PVC fittings. I don't think we would have been able to stay cool without the shade structure. The difference in temperature between the shaded and unshaded siding was significant. Also, before I put up the second shade cloth, I could feel the temperature difference inside the trailer along the top molding of the large slide between the shaded and unshaded portions.
A couple of weeks later we also added bracing between the 3 sets of two vertical posts after the wind of a monsoon storm wreaked havoc on the structure.... It has held up much better since then...
The last piece of our shade structure was shade canopy from Shade RV. They took forever to produce it and mail it to us...it took about 45 days from when we ordered until we received it, but we finally got it up in September for the last couple weeks of extreme heat.
The shade canopy was expensive ($700) - but it is something we can put up and take down depending on the weather. It certainly keeps the blazing sun off of the roof. We have two skylights in our unit and having the shade over them keeps them much cooler. I am not sure if we realized any cost savings in terms of running the air conditioner less....I don't think so - but it is hard to say. One thing I can say is that it was a pain in the butt to put up without our ladder! We had left it up at the Rancho. The canopy has been through a few storms and the straps hold it well to the trailer. I am glad we have all of the components of our shade structure for next summer. Our small cargo trailer serves as a shed where we can store everything while we are traveling.
Thankfully we were able to keep our indoor temperature at 78-80 degrees even when it 100-high teens degrees. This is a huge win because as a general rule RV air conditioners can only bring the temp down 20 degrees from the outside temp. Consider that when it was 115, 30 degrees cooler is 85 degrees! So we were doing better than 30 degrees cooler on the hottest days. There are a few caveats and actions we needed to take as well.
Lessen the time and frequency of the front door being open. We line up. "Is everyone ready?" Then we make a mad dash in or out of the trailer.
No heating up the place. No cooking on the stove or in the oven when both ACs are working overtime. We could use the microwave and, when brave, cook outside. (I admit that we mostly ate out)
The RV fridge had a hard time keeping cool in extreme heat. We used the outdoor electric fridge to supplement.
Run a fan all the time. The rear AC for the bunkhouse has a smaller area to cool and we blew the air from the bunkhouse into the main living area all summer.
No hot water! It may be hard to believe but we didn't turn on our hot water heater for about 6 weeks after being back in the valley. When it is that hot outside the tap water is hot too - plenty hot for showers/baths and dishes. In fact, when you are using a hose you have to be careful not to scald yourself when you first turn on the water during the heat of the day. The water in the hose gets really hot.
Our electric bill for dealing with a month of AZ heat was $200.
We stayed at Putters Paradise RV Park for six weeks total. First for a month at the beginning of the summer and two more weeks at the end. The majority of spaces seem occupied by full-timers and/or seasonal residents. There is a friendly, albeit older, vibe - meaning that kids are tolerated, but certainly not encouraged or catered to.
There were a few manufactured units like the one next to our site in the park.
Clubhouse
This may be my biggest complaint - how they handle and talk to visitors with kids. On the issue of kids - we were told that we could not stay more than a month due to the kdis, but then realized that some children who were there at the beginning of the summer were also there at the end of the summer and clearly lived there full-time. Secondly, there is a very nice clubhouse, with a ping-pong table, games, exercise equipment, theater seating and large TV, but I was told a number of times that the kids need to be supervised at all times. Such repeated warnings and directions are unnecessary because I would never let my kids hang out there unattended! There is a pool, but kids are only allowed in it during certain times of the day. When we returned to the park for the second time and we were parking the rig Brother went to the clubhouse to use the restroom and was asked where his parents were. There is a general uneasiness about kids at this park. This gave me the sense that our presence was not welcome despite the fact that many of the neighbors were pleasant and friendly. Also, as this location marked the beginning and end of our trip I wanted the kids to enjoy the place and play outside, but there is little for them to do.
Upstairs at the clubhouse
The facilities including the laundry, public restrooms and the rest of the clubhouse are very nice. It is clear that a lot of care has been put into the place and I understand the desire to keep it in good shape. I was especially happy with the reasonably priced laundry facilities.
We will likely be back given the reasonable proximity to Rancho Status Quo. This is a nice park and Snowflake-Taylor has decent shopping, restaurants, and parks! It would be great if Putters Paradise had a small playground for the kiddos.
From Santa Fe, NM we drove back to Snowflake, AZ completing our approximately 3000 mile trip through five states (AZ, UT, WY, CO, NM). We stayed at the same park, Putter's Paradise, that we stayed at during the start of the summer (review forthcoming). Our road trip took 7 weeks and we stayed at nine unique overnight locations. We avoided the heat of Mesa, AZ for a total of 13 weeks staying in Snowflake for a month at the beginning of the summer and two weeks more at the end.
The Ford F150 paired with the Mesa Ridge 3110BH by Highland Ridge rig was the perfect balance of interior trailer space, lightweight for towing by a F150, and gas efficiency. We were able to average 12-13 miles per gallon when towing and the truck gets up to 25 mpg when not hitched (when touring the parks). We drove some very mountainous paths with the rig and the Ford performed beautifully. The amazing thing is that last summer when we used our Toyota Tacoma to pull the much smaller Keystone Hideout, we got around the same mpg when towing. It is amazing that we were able to upgrade our interior space 57%, from 200 square feet to 315 square feet, and not spend more on gas while towing. We had hoped for this outcome when purchasing this rig and when put to the test we were really happy with the results.
The other thing that went really well this summer was that, on average, we stayed longer in each place and we didn't drive as many miles as last summer. Being out the first year and wanting to see everything we headed west and then east when we should have probably just done one or the other so as not to wear ourselves (and the kids) out with all the driving. This year, the plan to make a loop worked out great and we visited some of the most National Park dense parts of the country!
We returned to Snowflake in large part to check out the construction that had taken place at Rancho Status Quo as we had worked with a contractor at the beginning of the summer to sketch out the plans for building a bathroom, kitchen and loft in our quonset hut building. We are really happy with the progress that was made. Here is a before and after picture:
I will share more about our progress at Rancho Status Quo in future posts, but suffice it to say that being able to live/work out of Snowflake for six weeks this summer really helped us move our project forward. This "tiny house" quonset is 500 square feet (plus the loft) and seems absolutely enormous when compared to our primary residence of 315 square feet!
Husband was able to work remotely for eight full weeks. Although he did not get to visit all of the National Parks with us, he was able to see a lot and we were together every day. In a few cases we knew internet connectivity was going to be a problem (like at Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site in WY) and in other cases the crappy connection was an unfortunate surprise we had to deal with (like in Estes Park, CO). The weBoost was used during the week we were at Ancient Cedars RV Park in Mancos, CO - without it he would not have been able to work from home. Despite the challenges we were able to find a suitable location from which he could work no matter where we were. Libraries worked well. I also worked from the road and needed internet for participating in meetings and teaching an online class. I was also able to work around poor connectivity in some locations - though I will say it can be stressful at times. The lesson learned is that Verizon lies about its 4G coverage, so you can't rely on the map. Estes Park was a prime example. But with a little flexibility and creativity we adapted and found service, albeit less convenient.
We celebrated two years of full-time RV living in June and I have to say that we are really happy with our current situation. The biggest plus is the fact that we are growing together and learning together every day. Small spaces bring people closer, both literally and figuratively. We educate our kids, we live with minimalist values, we save our money. I want to devote some future posts to our homeschooling adventures, but that aspect of our life is really going well for everyone. The kids completed 19 Junior Ranger books (a mixture of science, social studies, and history lessons) during the 7 week trip and they never once considered it work. They love doing them and collecting the badges. This summer we collected hiking medallions and a few patches (their vests were very full from last summer but I did manage to sew a few new ones on).
Petroglyph National Monument was established in 1990 after many years and previous efforts to preserve the cultural history of the area. The park is divided into four areas that are not connected and require a visitor to drive through and around the city to find the trails. For us, as the last National Park stop on our adventure it was a return to the desert in a real way - it was the end of July and even early in the morning the temperatures were reaching near 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Here (above) you can see how the city reaches into one protected are where untold numbers of volcanic basalt rock, dark with a desert patina are carved with ancient images.
The trails here in the Boca Negra Canyon snaked up and down the hills taking you by some really amazing artwork. The meanings are lost to time, but the images are stunning and stand out brightly on the dark rocks. The visitor center had an excellent movie about the history of the park, efforts to protect the petroglyphs, and contemporary perspectives from native people about the meanings of the pictures.
There were some obvious signs of vandalism and destruction. It is so disappointing to see initials or other modern things carved in the rocks.
The weather was against us the day we visited as it was difficult to be outdoors for long due to the heat. We had avoided the heat so well during the summer - even playing in snow and using our heater many nights - we had not adapted as one does when they spend the summer in the Phoenix area. Being in Albuquerque, we found a great restaurant and enjoyed a wonderful lunch before heading back to Sante Fe, but we were only able to see one of the four areas in this spread out park.
At the height of the pueblo's use probably 2,000 people lived and thrived. Pecos was a cultural center and there was a sophisticated trade network extending far and wide. For visitors there are a couple of rebuilt kivas that provided a special look into the architecture used by the puebloans.
When the Spaniards came they recognized the importance of the place and this is probably why they decided to settle right next to the compound. It is astonishing that despite the vast expanse of land surrounding the pueblo how close to the pueblo the mission was built.
Unfortunately, like many missionaries before and after the religious settlers did not believe in cultural relativism and instead insisted that the puebloans adopt a Christian view of the world. This caused a great deal of conflict and eventually the puebloan people rebelled and burnt down the mission and drove the Spaniards away for a period of around 8 years. Ultimately the Spaniard missionaries returned (probably with force) and rebuilt the mission over the ruins of the previous one. To this day the ancestors of the place include adherents of both Christian and traditional faiths and they hold festivals and ceremonies at the site.
The legacy of powerful forces imposing their will upon native people would be a curiosity of the past if it were not continuing today. I kept thinking of Standing Rock and the Lakota Tribe's efforts to stop a pipeline through their land in order to preserve the natural resources. Their efforts failed and their worries about oil spills were not unfounded. We like to think imperialism is a thing of the past, but the facts clearly point to the fact that the Empire building is the business of America.
These sites tell an important story and they are a warning to us. There are other ways of living and thriving in nature, but these ways and understandings continue to be relegated to the past in favor of an approach that favors force, technology, and dogmatic understandings. Climate change is the result of our current approach and we need to uncover the methods and understandings of the past in order to bring balance to our world on fire. Perhaps there is a middle road, but we can't act like the knowledge of the past is worthless. Civilizations were built and thrived before Europeans destroyed them. I hope we can learn some lessons from the past instead of continually repeating mistakes.
