Families, Boondocking, and Surge Protectors

So here I sit among the saguaro cactus with just a handful of fiberglass trailers left from 2016 Quartzsite Fiberglass rally.

Female cactus waking on air

Monday, after the rally

I'll sit here to watch the rotating shadows for another day while quiet sun rays send power to my solar panel as the cool Arizona afternoon breeze caresses my Casita.

I hear that over 180 fiberglass trailers registered their presence at the rally. A mini-community established for a week filled with smiles, laughter, and hugs and where new friends were made and old acquaintances re-established.

Climbed a nearby mountain/hill get this shot

So we were a family for a week or less where fiberglass was the connecting bloodline.

Families are (or should be) those who are there to support you, cheer you on, be your gauge. As our cities and populations grow larger, we disperse across grand distances, we sometimes lose that needed touch, that needed support. While Facebook has helped to fill in the gaps of miles to replenish our primal need of community connection; gatherings like this are also essential for a more personal contact.

As I arrived, arms went up in the air to wave a welcome at my entrance onto the rocky bed. This was done to all no matter from what manufacturer you decided to buy. All the fiberglass trailers were accepted. Admiration given to each little home on wheels as each has it's own perks and onlookers figuring out how they could make that mod to their own little habitat.

This is a community with a wealth of advice of how-to's and assistance. Today, five of us guided someone to hitch the truck to the trailer (side-note: he didn't need it). A nearby Casita owner laughed, seeing the joke appear before his eyes, "How many people does it take to hook up a Casita?" Music wafted through the campground at night as the talented gathered around fire rings to enter themselves and those around.

By the way, that Talented with a capital "T". They even let me sing along! I played in my first ladder-ball tournament. Thank goodness I was partnered up with mild-mannered Mark who did not pin his enjoyment to the need of winning but saw it for the fun of playing the game. I say thank goodness, because I was not very good. A little girl missed the tournament and was extremely sad, so some did an extra game just for her. Of course there was food. There is always food with family.

I am so happy that I was able to put faces with people I have 'talked' with on the various fiberglass internet channels (Casita Forum, The Casita Club, Fiberglass RV, and the Facebook Casita Owners group. It was also so nice to meet people who read my blog. I don't want to forget that the famous AZ Eileen was here as well..

Lance, and his puppet friend

My new friend and great neighbor

I am parked on BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) and it's free. So this desert landscape fills with snow birds escaping the harsh winters of the north. The camping permit allows for two weeks per location. But there are many BLM spots around, so winterers will meander from campground to campground. This will be my eigth night as I write this. I've had no need to pull out my generator. My 100-watt solar panel bought from Ebay for $115 begins charging my battery at the first light of day. The self-sufficiency of this trailer proves itself over and over.

If anyone is wondering about whatever happened about my electrical conundrum, I believe it was the surge protector. I remember hooking it up without the surge protector to test to see if it was the problem, but in my exasperation, I must not have given enough time for the current to flow through to the refrigerator or the electrical strip I watch. I bought a new surge protector and on my way here, the electricity hooked up just fine. I do want to thank the Facebook Casita Owner's group for assisting me in my problem-solving quest. Great minds put together is an infinite wealth of wisdom.

I will be changing my blog name this coming summer. I will have a redirect on this one so you can bookmark the new location. Thanks for buying from Amazon using the link from my blog. Every little bit helps.

The above photos were taken by my little cameras. For more fantastic photos, go see Jon Vermilye's blog lakeshoreimages.com. He was quite busy with his camera!

After note--I realize now that I cannot type the blog on a word processor then copy and paste to blogger. While the desktop version looks alright, it messes up for the mobile version. So I sat here this morning February 21st re-typing this entry. You are my editors. If you see a mistake, please let me know!