For “tRaVersing Thursday” or RV day:
Arizona Boondocking Tip, Arizona State Trust Lands
What are Arizona State Trust Lands and who manages them?
Arizona Boondocking
“For active boondockers the State of Arizona has it all. The sun shines nearly all year and you have multiple climate zones in which to camp from cool mountains to arid deserts. ATV use is permitted practically anywhere you would like to go from the grocery store to a remote outpost.
Then, there are the thousands of places to explore from old mining camps to lava tubes. Best of all are the miles and miles of available land on which to boondock and enjoy the solitude. Seasoned boondockers know that the federally controlled BLM (Bureau of Land Management) and the USFS (US Forest Service) allow boondocking on most of the lands they manage without fees or permits.
However, once you get to the state managed “Trust Lands” of Arizona the rules change a bit. What are Arizona State Trust Lands and who manages them? A search of the internet reveals the following:
“The Natural Resources Division administers all natural resource-related leases, Conservation Districts and any natural resource issue affecting State Trust Land. Leasing categories include grazing, agriculture, mineral, mineral material, exploration, and apiary. Other administrative areas include water sales, mineral material sales, water rights administration, dam safety, trespass, recreational permits, environmental contamination, and cultural resources.”
Exploring an old Mining Camp on AZ Trust Lands
Additionally, “Trust Land is land held in trust for the benefit of the public schools and 13 other public institutions. (See Trust Beneficiaries) Trust Land predates statehood but is now managed by the State Land Department under the provisions of the federal Enabling Act provided for Arizona’s Statehood in 1912. In FY 2008 the Arizona State Land Department collected $326 million in revenues for use of Trust Land.”
Continued reading reveals, “Arizona Trust Land is land managed by the State Land Department Trust Land is not public land!” Thankfully as you progress through their website there are some encouraging words:
“A recreation permit is required to camp, hike or travel on Trust Land that is designated as open for recreation. A recreation permit is an agreement between you (the responsible casual user) and the Department, to allow limited recreational activities conditional on your continued responsible behavior (see terms and conditions)
Recreational camping is limited to no more than 14 days per year. A campsite must be at least ¼ mile from any livestock or wildlife water catchments, tanks, drinkers, etc. Abandoned campsites are to be left clean.
Your recreation permit allows you to enjoy non-consumptive recreational activities including: hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, picnics, photography, bird watching, sightseeing, camping (limited to 14 days per year), and limited off highway vehicle use (restricted to designated roads and trails), for non-commercial and non-competitive purposes. An example of a Trust Lands hike can be viewed here.”
Pretty Serious Warning
My first experience with Arizona Trust Lands was on a ghost town expedition in the Arizona Outback when I came across a foreboding sign warning of entering State Trust Lands without a permit which threw a damper on my day. However, through my negative experience you can be prepared to explore and boondock Arizona Trust Lands by purchasing a nominally priced permit in advance of your travels. By logging on to this link you can purchase an Arizona Trust Lands permit for you or your family. Individual permits are $15 or $20 for the whole family.
Knowing what agency administers the area where you plan to camp and the related guidelines is a key essential of boondocking. I hope you have an opportunity to enjoy the State Trust Lands of Arizona on your next outing.” From: http://www.rvboondockingnews.com/2012/06/arizona-boondocking-tip.html
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Living-Camping On Public Land
Camping on BLM Desert land in Arizona.
Photo by Charlene Swankie
“The single most important thing you can do to increase the quality of your life is spend time in nature.
Dispersed Camping:
Fortunately, if you've moved into a small vehicle home, it is quite easy to live on the land, by dispersed camping on National Forest (NF) or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. All Federal lands in the U.S. are held in public trust for the best use of the people. One of the primary uses of public lands is recreation. So nearly all National Forest or BLM land is available for camping.
14 Day-Stay Land:
Nearly all public land has a limit of how long you may camp on it. That limit is most often 14 days, or two weeks. The idea is that it is public land, owned by all the people of the country for recreation and not for living on it.
Camping near Palmer, Alaska
That's quite reasonable, so when I say I live on public land, I don't mean to imply any ownership, nor do I stay for extended periods of time. Last year I camped on public land all 365 days of the year. Almost 6 months of that was in a NF campground where I am a campground host. The other 6 months was on BLM desert land in AZ, NV, and CA. The longest I spent in one spot was 2 months.
I've been on many freeways that didn't have ATT service, but I've never been on one that didn't have Verizon service. I camped in the desert once
so far from the freeway that it was just a dim line in the distance. I couldn't get any service, but when I walked up a small hill I got 3 bars.”
Long Term Visitor Areas (LTVA): Winter LTVAs
Summer LTVAs: Slab City: Close-In or Remote?
For more info read the complete article at: http://cheapgreenrvliving.com/Living_On_Public_Land.html
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Stay on government land for less than $1 a day
“Did you know you can stay in your RV on federal government lands of the Southwest for up to seven months for a total fee of $180? That's less than $1 a day. LTVA's (Long Term Visitor Areas) are located on the desert lands of Arizona and Southern California -- near the RV snowbird hubs of Quartzsite and Yuma, Arizona. A short term pass, good for up to 14 days, is $40.” More info at: http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/recreation/camping/LTVA.html
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Tips for mastering 12 volt repairs
“For RVers, especially boondocks, the best thing about the RV lifestyle is enjoying all the creature comforts of home without the need for shore power. They can do it all with the 12 volts supplied by their batteries -- powering lights, TV, heater fan, radio, water pump and the electronics that keep the refrigerator and water heater operating. In fact, boondocks could lose their entire 120 volt system in their RV and get along just fine.” Read more at: http://www.rvboondockingnews.com/2012/05/tips-for-mastering-12-volt-repairs.html
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Loading your RV: Be careful
“Most RVs these days come with a lot of storage space. But as Walter Cannon of the RV Safety and Education Foundation explains, you must be careful how much you load to avoid a dangerous situation. Here, he offers some do's and don'ts about loading a recreational vehicle. http://RVsafety.com .
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Curling RV Decals Posted by RV Doctor
“I own a 2004 Flagstaff fifth-wheel which, as far I know, has always been outside with no protective covering. The decals on all sides have started to curl up during the last couple of years. Is there any way to restore (re-glue) or replace the decals? I have had some people tell to take them off and go "au natural." I'm not sure I want to do that but will if need be.” Richard W., (Boniare, GA)
“Richard, a sad fact to realize is that constant exposure to the elements and the changes of seasons, RV exteriors take a lot of abuse. Even when properly cared for, UV bombardment and ozone contamination simply happens. At some point, all decal-type graphics on RVs will have to be replaced. You are apparently at that point now. The glue backing has simply lost its inherent sticking ability and there is virtually nothing that can be done except look for some replacement striping. Perhaps your dealer can order something of the original size and color for you.
Extended life can be realized for decals and other graphics by always using a full-coach cover when the RV is not in use. And by cleaning and protecting the finish regularly, two or three times a year. More often if you live in areas of high ultra-violet radiation or ozone producing zones. A more expensive alternative is to opt for all-paint graphics.”
Here's another related question that might also provide some insight.
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RV Tips:
"Tip # 1: I forgot we plugged into 30 Amps rather than the 50 Amps we enjoyed on our trip north. You guessed it… I blew our power. Although we checked the post and flipped all the fuses inside we either had power to the batteries OR power from the Inverter – but never both. The dealer reminded us about the RESET BUTTON ON OUR INVERTER. We knew this, but without use for awhile we forgot about it.
Tip # 2 is also a “Been there, Done that” experience. On our way home from the dealer, the headwind was sooooo strong. I was driving the car behind the motor home when all of a sudden our awning fabric began to furl above the roof. Our tight awning arms had worked loose thanks to the intense wind. Lesson learned – ADD SEPARATE SUPPORT SUCH AS 1-2 BUNGEES TO THE ARMS before departure. For sure the climate can change in a hurry.
Tip # 3: About an erratic water heater. The dealer added a NEW ECO-T-stat kit ($19.) A first for us but it is working now.
They also RE-CAULKED OUR FRONT WINDSHIELD with a tube of Urethane windshield adhesive ($14.). It rained all night – so far the dash is dry.
Other repairs included reattaching the 4” INSULATION UNDER OUR ENGINE COVER. Techs used steel strips and long screws, so this time it should stay in place longer than our glue repair did."
Wet wipes! How did travelers manage without these little conveniences? Great for quick clean-ups on people, pets, and property.
Use your detergent to heavily treat dirty collars and stains on your laundry before you leave the RV to head to the laundromat. When you get to the laundromat, dump your clothes in the washer and you are good to go. No extra detergent or stain treatments needed.
Mount a small white board near the door of your RV. You'll find it handy for all sorts of notes.
If you are looking for a travel guide or campground directory, check the book exchange shelves at the campgrounds you visit.”
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On This Day:
A mail car explodes in a train robbery, Oct 11, 1923:
“Three men blow up the mail car of a Southern Pacific train carrying passengers through southern Oregon in a botched robbery attempt. Just as the train entered a tunnel, two armed men jumped the engineer. A third man appeared with a bomb that the thieves intended to use to open the mail car. However, the explosives were too powerful and the entire mail car was blown to bits, killing the clerk inside. In the ensuing chaos, the train robbers shot the train's engineer, fireman, and brakeman, and then fled. They left behind the detonator and some clothes, but bloodhounds were unable to track them.
Southern Pacific decided to bring in Edward O. Heinrich, the "The Edison of Crime Detection," to solve the crime. He immediately asked to examine the clothes that the gang had discarded at the crime scene. Within a day, Heinrich produced a profile that led to the capture of the train robbers.
Heinrich noted that what the police had thought were grease stains were actually created by pitch from fir trees, commonly found on clothing worn by lumberjacks of the region. He also found a strand of hair that helped him peg the age of one of the robbers. Heinrich also noticed that the wear and tear on the buttons of one shirt indicated that its owner was left-handed. Most important, he found a scrap of paper that turned out to be part of a mail receipt. He tracked the mail receipt, and the identities of the three men were soon known.
In March 1927, twins Ray and Roy D'Autremont and their teenage brother, Hugh, were finally brought to justice. One was found in the Philippines and the other two in Ohio. They all pleaded guilty and were sentenced to life in prison. It was only one of the estimated 2,000 cases that Edward O. Heinrich was credited with solving before his death in 1953.”
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Jimmy Carter wins Nobel Prize, Oct 11, 2002:
“On this day in 2002, former President Jimmy Carter wins the Nobel Peace Prize "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development."
Carter, a peanut farmer from Georgia, served one term as U.S. president between 1977 and 1981. One of his key achievements as president was mediating the peace talks between Israel and Egypt in 1978. The Nobel Committee had wanted to give Carter (1924- ) the prize that year for his efforts, along with Anwar Sadat and Menachim Begin, but was prevented from doing so by a technicality--he had not been nominated by the official deadline.
After he left office, Carter and his wife Rosalynn created the Atlanta-based Carter Center in 1982 to advance human rights and alleviate human suffering. Since 1984, they have worked with Habitat for Humanity to build homes and raise awareness of homelessness. Among his many accomplishments, Carter has helped to fight disease and improve economic growth in developing nations and has served as an observer at numerous political elections around the world.
The first Nobel Prizes--awards established by Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel (1833-1896) in his will--were handed out in Sweden in 1901 in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. The Nobel Prize in economics was first awarded in 1969. Carter was the third U.S. president to receive the award, worth $1 million, following Theodore Roosevelt (1906) and Woodrow Wilson (1919).”
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Yesterday:
The little kitten, who I have named “Prissy", for now anyway, just wouldn’t settle down, and cried a lot during the night. I even tried putting a little baby cereal in her bottle. When the kitten cries, Misty barks, and the two of them were driving me batty. When I weighed the kitten again, she had even lost a bit, so my first priority was to get her some better kitten milk.
The brand I have usually used is called KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) and it is made by the same company as Esbilac, which has been the standard for feeding orphan puppies for generations. Having called around to see who had the small cans of that milk, I found out that our local feed store had started stocking them. Previously, all they had were the large cans, and as it’s only good for three days once opened, I didn’t want them.
As soon as I was dressed, I shut Misty up in my bedroom, to stop her from barking at the kitten, and called Jay to tell him that I was going to run to the feed store to get some kitten milk. I buy my eggs there, too, as they are free range eggs, brought in by the local farmers. Jay said, OK, pick me up on your way back. As usual he wasn’t ready, but I waited for him, and he knew that we were going to do stuff for me, and not work on his projects.
When the kitten is crying she is wobbling around the cage, all upset, and trying to get out to find her Mama. She knows something is missing. She had even been sucking her thumb, see how pink it is, and would suck on my finger, too. But didn’t want her bottle.
She is so tiny that she had been getting her head out between the 1¼” bars of the cage.
If she found out that you have to have BOTH feet in the same slot, she would be out of there.
As soon as she had some of her KMR she settled down in a cardboard box, while Jay and I worked on the cage.
The first thing that we did was find some plastic tub surround, cut it, sanitize it, and attach the barrier with little zip-ties, all around the inside of the cage.
Prissy was so happy to be getting some real nourishment, that she fell asleep in her little den inside the 2’x 3’ cage.
I had to shine a flashlight in her den, or she wouldn’t have shown up in the picture.
Then before I took Jay home, he worked on a shelf in the workshop that he attached badly years ago, so it was now falling down after 10 years. He often says, “I can’t believe I did that!”, and yesterday was one of those days.
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