2022 Chevy Tracker Travels - New Mexico

A few days ago I decided to drive to New Mexico to visit friends. I stopped in St Johns Arizona to see my mechanic Stan. I have him check out the tracker and had the oil changed.

It was an odd day for me emotionally, I just was off, I knew it was time to go but my processes were slow and for some reason I felt a little clumsy minded. I took my time getting to Springerville Arizona and decided to eat in the car and then take a nap before driving a longer stretch. That did turn out to be a good idea.

When I woke later in the evening I drove a number of miles and crossed the New Mexico state line.  In the dark cool night there were many herds of deer and elk along the road and it took a lot more energy to watch for them while driving in the dark. After I saw an owl swoop down and take some small animal from the side of the road for it s evening meal, I decided to find another place to rest. I pulled into a small gas station parking lot beside a a trucker with his engine running and  pulled my bed together, closed up the Tracker and fell asleep.

The next morning more refreshed and a little clearer minded I bought a gas station coffee and took off.  What a lovely drive at 5:00 in the morning as the sun was rising over the landscape. I drove through some beautiful mountainous areas and part of a national park. I realized that that short trip would allow for many opportunities to camp and explore in the future. I believe that I've never driven on that particular road before.

Before noon time I arrived at my friend's place. These friends are a couple who had become nomads during retirement by buying a school bus and converting it into what's commonly called a Skoolie. They've had quite a few struggles as they downsized their former home and then learned that building a rig was not an easy or inexpensive task. They struggled to learn basics of nomad processes for example bathroom and cooking processes including storing foods because they never had experience with camping and RVs. They found a lifestyle that they loved and a group of people that they enjoyed. Because they both are very generous caring souls they also found people who were needy and they never ran out of opportunity for giving and helping. When their engine died they found themselves along a road in New Mexico and decided to purchase a small lot of land where they could hopefully regroup and make a new plan. The process took longer than they expected and involved more expenses than they expected. They've been basically here on their property way longer than they intended and just surviving.

It was a wonderful reunion when I surprised them with a visit. Being responsible for my own self of course and being a full-time traveler, I arrived with my Chevy Tracker micro overlander rig. I was fully stocked with clothing and food and water, I understood that I would not become a burden while visiting. I intended to be here a couple of days. After some really busy days of running around with them on their schedule helping neighbors to get to laundromats pick up groceries visiting the senior center going to bingo nights and attending their churches 40th anniversary celebration we all were understandably tired. I decided to order a couple things online and stay here resting and reorganizing my my rig while waiting on packages.

The weather has been sunny and windy. Because of the wind I chose not to put out my rear tarp that creates My outdoor room. The winter temperatures dipped down into the teens at night one time and they were expecting another cold spell. So I was looking forward to moving south to warmer weather in a couple days and after my packages were to arrive. Unfortunately while we were out shopping, their property was robbed of two generators and my Amazon package.

I'm pissed. The wife is angry. The husband is calmly upset and would love to see karma or the police resolve the issue.

This is this couples first experience being robbed. It's not my first though, it's a good reminder for why I have made some of the decisions I have made. I'm glad that I can be here to help support this couple and listen as they talk out their feelings and their new opportunity to manage not only their lifestyle but the transitional days as new decisions and new opportunities present themselves. They've expressed feeling so violated and so no longer safe. Their processing their thoughts about their possessions and what's important and what might now no longer be important to them.

The police were called. Appropriate steps were taken. My package, however, Amazon has decided to process as theft. The process involves needing to provide a finalized police report - which can take 7-10 days and Amazon's processing time after that. I will be here a couple weeks more... and it's cold again at night.

Sometimes God has other plans and so here I am waking up in my Chevy Tracker on a chili winter New Mexico morning with frost on my windows. I go outside for my first bathroom trip and quickly return to turn on the engine put on a winter hat and sit under the covers to think, wake up and then write this blog post.

I've been considering returning to writing about one blog post a week again this could be the start of that. I don't know which pictures to attach to this post I'll find some. I do feel a little unsettled and yet I'm fine I trust that God will protect me and guide me for the next step. 

I find it interesting that I had just been sharing with the husband of this couple how I have had different levels of trusting the process and trusting God to have my back over my lifetime. I had recently been reminded that I may have been pushing or fighting the process a little bit. I was feeling anxious and unsettled with what to do and when to go and where to go rather than just sitting in that space of not knowing. Not knowing is perfectly fine and it's a good healthy human emotional space. At times, we just need to sit in that space where we don't know. When we're going with the flow or we're following the thing that is the better thing for us to be doing, the process feels simple. As simple as sitting in an inner tube and allowing a lazy river ride or the water to just slowly move you along your way with ease. There are bumps along the way but if you just relax into it God just takes you right where you need to go.  It's not hard and it's not challenging and it's not a struggle.  

For today, here I am sitting in the cold windy sunshine waiting for what will be next.

I hope you all have a wonderful week - perhaps sitting where you are trusting the process you are in as well! 

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