Roughing It - but surviving

Life here at Little Fort Montana is rough...

The desert is a harsh & unforgiving place and yet somehow

our hardy little band of travelers is managing to carve out

this manageable existence..  however so basic.

But before that - let's bring you up to date.

The photo above is of the Senators Wash Reservoir which is part of our

LTVA and a short 3/4 mi walk from our campsite.  

There are some seculuded pay sites on the far shore...  see the little camper?

We chose not to stay closer as there was many more people who wanted to be

in that same vicinity so it was more crowded...

Here we have our peace, quiet, and privacy.

Our early morning walk there yesterday morning yielded these photos:

The Reservoir in the early morning light is peaceful & colorful.

As the day progresses and the sun gets higher, the colors become more 

stark and washed out.  The desert takes on a more greyish hue.

It was the scene of todays Group Self Portrait.

From Left:

Kate, Rob, Pat, Jim, Kristy, John, Greg

It's been nice traveling in the group so that during the day while I'm working

Kate has had lots to do...

Yesterday they all went into Yuma for odds and ends.

Kate came back with some nice Indian rugs for the coach as well

as some Dates and fruit from a local farm stand.

This morning - I was up before the Roosters (as usual) and got some early

morning pictures of the sunrise as well as our camp.

At first - all is still.

Looking to the west behind the campers the mountains are

still dark- waiting for the morning light.

As the sky brightens...  eventually the

early morning light shines off the coaches.

As the sun - still below the horizon - creeps higher...

the focus changes from the campers to

the mountains, as the early morning light 

begins to splash them with color

Soon another day has dawned...

Everyone has risen and its time for the morning walk.

Today Rob & Pat went to the aerobics class

(yes they even have aerobics here in the desert).

Kate & I, Kristy, Jim, & the Doods went for a walk 

up towards the western mountains.

About a mile or so off of the main road we came across a couple of real asses...

The Burro kind that is.

They would come within about 20' or so of us but no closer.

We suspect that they could have been enticed with a carrot or  two but...

feeding the Wild Burros is a big NoNo...

Big Fine if you do.

Me & my Shadows..

The 4 ladies...

The Doodles are always so good around wild critters.

They watch but don't bark and scare or excite them.

Ebony & Ivory

Soon it was time to say goodbye and head back to camp and turn our thoughts

back to the more pressing issues like trying to survive out here.

Back at camp - our hunting and scavenging forays having been 

moderately successful - we were able to round up enough

vittles to feed our hungry gang.

Outside of Johns coach, the cooking tables were set up.

Inside John was busy whipping up his signature Sourdough Flapjacks...

Outside Chefs Jim was busy on the bacon,

Chef Rob was frying up some hens eggs he managed to score.

In our camper Kate was busy with Potato Pancakes and some

berries that she had gathered down by the Crick...

Topping it off was some fruit salad and more expressos

courtesy of Rob & Pats Java hut.

I'm not sure who scored the Mango but that was a real find as

I've never seen a mango tree out in the desert....

Good foraging gang!

So - you see...

Life is tough out here.

It's not for everybody.

But if you are the  rough & ready type - willing to forgo the creature comforts

and go many long hours between meals...

(sometimes as many as 6)

there is a basic subsistence living to be scraped out of this dry, barren,

and rocky hell that we call home.

Lastly - if you would like to see exactly where we are...

Copy and paste the following coordinates into google maps

and the satellite view will drop the arrow right where our camper is parked.

Our current coordinates for google maps:

32.894417,-114.501105

Soon,  when the next satellite picture is posted,
just below the road will be the BIG K
(for Kate)

Exact google coordinates for the
BIG K:

32.894165,-114.501207