Simply, Lesa

Southwest Transmission 214 W Aero Dr, Payson, AZ 85541 (928) 474-8280 https://www.google.com/search?q=Southwest+Transmission&ludocid=8967765156801492863&hl=en-US

Vehicles. Incredible. Wonderful machines. My dear Vantucket is a classic van. She is beautiful. She takes very good care of me. We, Vantucket and I have had many conversations. Yes I talk to my van, probably more before Ozzie came to live with us. Classic vehicles can need a bit more maintenance, mostly because they are getting on in age. A few weeks ago, Vantucket's rear passenger side brake locked up and I had to have her towed to a shop. The wonderful, and now family like, mechanics at Southwest Tire and Auto did their best to figure out what the sticky gunk they found was. They cleaned it well though didn't feel right charging me only for the clean up.  We couldn't repeat the problem.  So off I went..and kept going until this morning. I was driving around town doing errands and felt the odd glitch in that same brake that I had felt just before the brake locked up the first time. ..sooooo I called Mel and had her tell Brian that I was on my way over to the shop. I...

We've been camped at Bear Flats this week. Cell signal can be sketchy here so I have been using the Wilson booster just to check in. The weather has been overcast so my little solar panel has not been very useful. I'm going to see if it will push power into the small trial house battery thing that Kirk (roosterpheasant.blogspot.com) asked me to test. There will be things that I will suggest that he tweek with the system.  Like making it lighter weight and with lighted on/off switches. We had a medium sized animal in camp  around 5 am Friday morning.  He messed around the fire pit some. Not sure what it was because I didn't get a good look. It was dark and had a fat butt...maybe a bear cub?! We have had a lot of visits from rangers because of Memorial Day weekend. Some pretty kewl guys who are trying to educate the public about safety. Tuesday they came around to check on fire pits. .. I had already been trying to put out two fires that other campers left flaming on Mon...

My birthday is coming up. June 29th ..and though it seems odd for me to do this, probably because I didn't keep birthdays growing up in the WWCG community. If someone asks me, and they have before, for once I know what I want this year: ¤ A mini Dutch Oven like this: Because sometimes it's only me that I am cooking for. ¤ help with the cost of my ticket to Winter Count or building my EM Fund back up would be welcome. Simply, Lesa

It feels as if it has been a busy week. What with rain and even some snow in this area. We moved back down to Rye to warm up and get in some practice hiking. Unfortunately Rye is a pretty prickly area, with all the cactus and burrs. Its a hard area for hairy dogs. We have spent a lot of time grooming and removing stickers from feet and fur. Though the scenery here is AMAZING!  Mountains, snow capped and not, sunrises and sunsets, wild flowers and blooming cactus. Its incredibly beautiful in this area. While out one day we saw this snake - between that and no shade we called the hiking here off while we finished up a couple projects. Ms.Cheri and Toni came up to hang out with us. Its been great visiting with them. Toni is a ball of energetic fluff who's cute and knows it! It's interesting to watch both Yorkies (Ozzie and Toni) react to each other. We aren't as ready for doggie class, which is in the morning, as I think that we should be.  We will go anyway and see what h...

Hiking a long distance on a trail is exciting. There are so many unknowns that can challenge and surprise you. Ozzie and I are practicing for the upcoming overnighter! The weather may insist that we adjust our timing. Especially since it snowed last night in the area we were going to. Brrr! My goal is to be able to put in a 10-15 mile hike day within a month. I don't know how right now because honestly starting over doesn't come complete with the abilities you left off with.  I have to re-learn how to carry a pack, and walk without getting bored. And it's all new learning to take and care for a dog. I'm such a gear head too! So Ozzie has boots that finally stay on and work! I want a hiking leash which is elasticized, and a fold up water bowl. I ordered him a sleeping bag (oh come on) well my new mummy bag doesn't open at the foot end where he likes to sleep and he gets cold. For once I am not wanting to spend my time fixing food. I'm creating simple meal pla...

Class was great today. If you have ever experienced a child's moment of getting it when learning to read, then you may understand how it felt to see Ozzie get it at class this morning. I had to make a few minor corrections early on and even Lori, the teacher, was surprised when he just relaxed and did what he was asked to. (She couldn't even get him to act up for a demonstration - teehee) He sat quietly at my side, occasionally laying down.  :) Yeah I'm a proud Fur Mom! We got in a good mile and a half walk after class. Then I got this picture while we were waiting for Brian to finish an inspection on the van. Simply Lesa Progress feels good!

Na - not for Vantucket!  For me <grin>! I'm a little less than a week away from another kewl step in my hiking passion life. There is a short overnight circuit hike planned for early next week. Especially if the weather cooperates. So hiking boots come and go. They wear out. On my 2011attempted AT ThruHike I wore Keen sandals and SmartWool trekker socks . Arizona is very different and I wanted a little more protection.  You know from cactus thorns and rocks. So being the budget shopping goddess that I am. I did some online research and then went shopping.  At Payson's Big 5 store, I found these sturdy, well soled boots on sale. I do love a sale. Crazy or not I paid around $40 for my new treads. I got a few miles on them today with Ozzie's class and a mile and a half walk back to the van which was at the auto shop for one more check. I'm so excited about next weeks hike! Simply, Lesa PS I used to take and post pictures of my feet similar to this picture wh...

It's not the area I like it here. what I'm tired of is the constantly needing to move. one of my favorite campsites has a new no camping sign darn. and so each week I'm in town on Wednesday and I find a new campsite and it's getting old really old. I've been camping in an area of Tonto National Forest called Bear Flats . this is bear country  so I have faithfully been careful with food and trash. We were pleasantly surprised by a flock of turkeys this morning. and we have a nice view of her pasture full of cattle. I don't know if my tiredness or anxiousness to go somewhere else is my need for adventure  Or what. I as well kind of miss the companionship I had the last couple of weeks with the RTR friend in this area. I do not miss some of the other little curve balls that life threw at me the last few weeks. yes that is my van on a tow truck. yes it seems to be ok now. and Ozzy's class was cancelled last week which is the whole reason I'm here and th...

It's chilly here today! My new sleeping bag, which compresses smaller than my current sleeping gear and has a lower temperature rating than what is in the van will get a work out as I test it tonight.  Ozzie seems to approve already as he is snoring away while napping on top of it. Anything soft, squishy and warm! I took the opportunity to make a FBC (Freezer Bag Cooked) meal for lunch. It wasn't anything to really get excited about. I warmed water on the Magic Heat mini stove that I have been testing. I made a cup of Raspberry Zinger tea. Then I put dehydrated vegetables into a freezer zip bag and added some dried cheese powder that I had.  I then added boiling water and gave it a good stir, zipped the top and set it inside my fleece hat.  I waited twenty minutes to a half hour. Then got my long handled Sea to Summit spoon stired, and ate. It's nice to have a hot meal and warm your head up with a warm hat all in one step! Oh yes and washing dishes - easy peasy! Toss t...

Na it's not what you may be thinking! (Wink) A few posts back I mentioned that I was bumping up against another passion of mine. I do have a passion for healthy food and natural medicines and sharing that of course. I also love being creative, learning primitive living skills and being outside in nature.  Some of you who have been following me know that I hiked for three months on the Appalachian Trail . I attempted a thru hike in 2011 upon my first return to the US. Sickness took me off the trail and it became a back burner bucket list item to finish that hike. I often wondered if it would be possible to long-distance hike again, given my health issues, lack of hiking partner and of course my budget. While at the RTR this winter some conversations about hiking and living on foot came up. I was pleasantly surprised to find at least one person who was interested in the idea of hiking and living minimally for a time. They were thinking about a trail that I was not familiar with. Y...

Have you ever been afraid to dream? To use your imagination and create a new adventure? To imagine another you? Perhaps the situation is right in front of you. The doorway is practically in sight. Yet you are afraid. You may ask yourself if you are afraid of change and you know that is not so. You question your thoughts. Your growth. Your possible future. Yet you are paralyzed by the possibilities. It's as if the new white canvas that your inner artist has chosen is too large - it is the size of a three story wall this time. Remember when they were the tiny palm sized canvases or perhaps they were just pieces of paper or napkins in a restaurant. 'What ifs' wait around every thoughtfilled corner. Your sleep disturbed by the frustrations of your lifetime of hopes as well as disappointments. I've been there. More than one time. I may be there now as I feel the tiredness of using my imagination over the years, the dissapointment of dashed dreams and the tearing up of my...

I've got too much stuff! What the heck - if I had to walk away from the van. ...again I have too much stuff to manage in an emergency situation. I am feeling so happy and wonderfully tired after my five day adventure. Which I took with only my backpack, tent and what I could carry. Upon returning to the van, I felt overwhelmed. I, immediately, realized my need to just wait. We unpacked the truck and I put our things into the front seat of the van. Then I sat down on a step, not clear about anything except my need to simply BE. Ozzie, familiar now with the location where we had left the van made his way around re-marking the general territory. We did spend the night in a great campsite off 260E near Little Green Valley AZ.

Okay folks, I just want you to know that I am okay. Just after Ozzie's class Wednesday, we took off for some time off grid! We are enjoying being on the top of a ridge watching sunrises and sunsets as the twinkling of the nearest neighboring lights come on  - 30 miles away! My phone does get signal though the battery is not staying charged. So I am choosing to just check for important messages once a day and then turn the phone off. Talk to you soon Hugs Simply Lesa