During our years of commuting and carpools in Southern California, Nick used to joke that LA stood for life in auto. It was not funny then, and still not funny but now it is actually true. The joke is on us.
The Olympics last 17 days, but we condensed our time as Olympians into 9 days before heading south in our new home, Santiago Van Hovel.
Brief stops for flu vaccines (Portland), plant pick up (Eugene) and overnight in Yreka (why not), and we were back in LA.
Our pilgrimage began in East Hollywood, in the shadow of the massive Scientology building on Fountain Avenue. This is where we spent our first night in our new hovel, in front of Marika & Trevor’s house.
Despite the constant sound of cars zipping by playing snippets of songs, the brevity and variety were like player walk up songs at a baseball game, we had the best night’s sleep we had had in months. Ignoring the risk of someone crashing into us on this fairly major thoroughfare, we slept there 4 times during our three weeks in LA. Bette Davis knew the value of Fountain Ave.
We definitely saw LA- the hills, the oaks, the woods, the dales, the point and the creek. We cat sat, we dog sat.
We visited, camped or parked in front of houses in Beverly Hills, West Hills, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Thousand Oaks, East Hollywood, West Hollywood, Glendale, Point Magu and Malibu Creek.
We enjoyed seeing long-not seen friends, family, dogs, cats, and Pacific Ocean (with porpoises & pelicans)
We left LA to begin our cross-country voyage on the first day of the World Series, and we had a few rookie mistakes.
We entered into Joshua Tree National Park as the sun was setting, the horizon turning blue to pink, the mountains glowing purple. We touched base at each “no reservations needed campgrounds” but consistently struck out. We thought we spotted an empty spot, but then the Reservee showed up, pointed out the reserve placard in the pitch black night and hurried us along.
By the time we exited the park, fully striking out after visiting all the completely full “no reservation needed” campgrounds, all was dark, but on the horizon, the bright lights of Tortoise Rock casino. Those obnoxious flood lights, never looked so good. Using the iOverlander App, which details free overnight parking spots, as our guide (we apparently need one), Nick walked into the casino to get an overnight parking pass from security. Apparently he appeared a bit dazed, delirious, or maybe even drunk; more likely he was dazzled by the minor league casino since he was completely sober. The security team asked if he was all right and what was he driving. Not realizing that RVs were welcomed but car dwellers not, Nick minimized our amenities ( is a luggable loo an amenity?) so the security officer asked to see our rig. Nick, still seemingly disoriented, at first couldn’t find the van, and worried that Patricia would be using the loo when he opened the door for the officer. Fortunately, not the case. Officer McG loved the van, even gave us an unsolicited extra 24 hours to stay. But, as he left he made sure we understood no alcohol drinking in the parking lot.
Conclusion, we got a two night pass to stay in the parking lot, even a choice of EAST or WEST parking lots. Talk about opportunity!
After Joshua Tree, inspired by the movie Nomadland (no, we are NOT nomads like the movie), we stopped in Quartzite, AZ, the home of the winter nomad rendezvous as well as at the grave of Hi Jolly, the most visited site in Quartzite. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi_Jolly
Reflecting on our good fortune of the Tortoise Rock Casino, and trying to behave like the veterans we pretended to be, Nick consulted the iOverlander App to find our next night’s spot. Nick considered another casino, or maybe a parking lot at Cracker Barrel or Walmart, but we settled on Westworld- the city of Scottsdale’s vision of camping.
We turned off Frank Lloyd Wright Dr, past a giant horse sculpture, past a cyclone fence on to a huge dirt lot radiating Arizona heat. The RV lot was adjacent to an equestrian center, under three enormous major power lines that audibly hummed and crackled. The field was dotted with posts in a grid pattern, like speakers at a drive in theater with electric outlets and water for the camping spaces.
There were clean bathrooms and showers a slight hike across a barren field out the cyclone fence enclosure next to the horse stalls. There were 4 other RV’s on the premises, management having grouped us close together despite the acres of dirt and rocks. We were greeted by a barefoot 4 year old who wandered over fully costumed in pagan mask and harlequin pants (it was 4 days before Halloween). The RV next to us held two cats that stared out at us as we set up. But, soon the woman in that RV packed up and abruptly left at 5 in the afternoon, which was great as it gave us double the number of outlets to charge up and be out at there at 6 am to go anywhere but here.
Chosen Fugue 
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