Author: Van-Tramp
I took the day off
This morning I finally left that great boondocking site where I spent four days and three nights relaxing and getting work done. I thought I may roll all the way into the Tucson area today but only made it 30 miles before doing some grocery shopping, then pulling into a...
A weekend at the slabs
Pat & Nancy told me about this great place to boondock (I will not mark this one as it their own secret hideaway) and had planned to stay only Friday night, but I was so comfortable that I stuck around for the entire weekend. With my long work days on...
Charleston, AZ ghost town
Charleston is a ghost town just north-east of Sierra Vista. It was occupied from the late-1870s through the late-1880s, and was located in what was then known as the Arizona Territory. Located on the west bank of the San Pedro River, Charleston’s economy was based on milling silver ore. Pat...
Zig-zagging Arizona, revisiting McCarrell Ranch
After leaving the Granite Gap BLM area I traveled south-west into Douglas, AZ where I restocked and stayed the night at the local Walmart. As I was nearing town it was clear as day to see that invisible line that is drawn across the desert. One side Douglas Arizona with...
Granite Gap
A planned stop before returning to Arizona, Granite Gap is only 11 miles south off the Interstate on Hwy 80. It is BLM land that I had heard of before as a great boondocking area, and Verizon says they offer a 3G signal too, so I came out to see...
Chicken and veggies over rice
After weeks of “van food” I had an urge to prepare a civilized meal for dinner. I was not going to do any shopping, but I would take the time to mix up a proper meal with what I had. Some instant brown rice laid the foundation for a half-can...
City of Rocks
City of Rocks State Park was born some 33 million years ago from a volcanic eruption (I’m sensing a trend) 1,000 times more powerful than Mount St. Helen’s. Over time erosion has created the rock ‘city’ we see today. I had read up on the park last year, in hopes...
Back in Deming, NM
I arrived in Deming on Thursday, two days ahead of schedule thanks to a lack of places I was willing to camp in the 100 miles between Truth or Consequences and here. I figure, since I drove the extra miles on Thursday, that just meant I had to sit still...
Lake Valley Townsite
The mining town of Lake Valley was founded in 1878 after silver was discovered. Almost overnight, the small frontier town blossomed into a major settlement with a population of 4,000 people. Today, silver mining has played out and all that remains is a ghost town. BLM has restored the schoolhouse...