Navigating New Towns and Cities

One of the features of our Popup Pilgramage is that we stay in places for an extended time. Thus far that has varied from 2 weeks to 2 months (with the exception of when we are en route to our next 'place').

The cities and towns we've stayed in were places we had lived before and have family. That famiarity helps but there is still a period of getting to know these places because things change a lot over time.

One of the difficulties that M.E. Brings into our lives is that a multifaceted discovery process to locate places and services takes extended focus and a certain level of energy investment. Transient cognitive disruption and a small energy reserve makes the process for a seemingly simple task ardous.

Quadruple Backup Heat Sources

In reverse order:

#4

I haven't tried this but we have all the stuff so you can bet if I'm out of propane and have no electricity I will be trying this. 

(I borrowed this photo from a sustainable living forum I follow)

#1-3

Mr Heater Big Buddy Model MH18B propane heater with quick snap adapter for 20 lbs propane tank. Features low oxygen shut off and tip sensor. Has pilot light. 18,000 BTU

Two electric space heaters with rheostats and oscillating base. We have to run these on low or they trip our 30 amp bus.

Electric blankets. I know. I hate it but until we got them we suffered greatly when it got cold - to the point of almost forcing us out of the pilgrimage. With both of us being ill we decided we didn't need that kind of stress. And - they are awesome. We got 2 twins at Walmart just before the cold snap so they were cheaper. In houses I struggle with RF radiation from electrical lines. I'm not noticing a reaction with the electric blanket but I will be monitoring that. 

I've heard of people using heated mattress pads too. They were more expensive than the blankets.

We also have a low heater on our roof air conditioner but we don't use it because all the heat gets lost before it gets to the beds. 

When it is cold we sleep with jackets and hats on and warm Jammie's. 

We have found that fleece blankets make the best sheets because they repel water/condensation & it doesn't soak through to the foam mattresses. 

*This doll is on my bed on my 'woobie' that my mom made. It makes a great 'sheet' in the popup

We tuck our coats, sweaters and extra towels around the tent walls around the bed. This limits drafts and provides insulation. Our popup has vinyl around the bed so it gets cold!

I bought fleece blankets from the thrift stores to line the tent when it is cold. They are not the perfect solution. I think leather or even insulated curtains would be better. 

Other than the doll I'm not endorsing the products above. I do invite you to visit my advertisers. 

That gorgeous doll was my birthday present from Walt! I love her!! She was handcrafted by Janice Taylor at Milberry Cottage in Orem, Utah. 

Thank you for stopping in!

Popup Pros & Cons: Reality Check

So you're thinking about buying a camper? You are at the section where you are exploring the popup option? Welcome! 

Popup campers are a niche market. In a general sense I believe the niche is formed for 3 basic reasons:

1- Economic - this includes initial investment but also includes long term storage strategy

2- Trailering & Towing 

3- Light use expectations

I know there are more reasons but upon analysis I believe the bulk fall under these above. The reasons people keep popups long term are much different. If you venture into taking your popup into a wide variety of camping situations you will begin to understand why. There can be nothing but a sense of amazement as to the adaptibility of the popup concept and the sense of satisfaction when that fully functioning shelter situation transforms to a neat, compact box on wheels. 

The vast number of camper people I've run into owned a popup camper sometime in the past. It's interesting too that many appear to have fond memories of that time but they also don't hide for a second they love their current camper WAY more. 

Our decision to buy a popup was economic. Our decision to live in the popup has been economic - not that we MUST live in it because we have no other options - but what has evolved is that each experience layers itself one upon another and continues to weave itself

into a rich, complex, and interesting experience base. In the end though it comes down to one surprising benefit:

I sleep like a baby on that plywood bed with 3 eggshell mattress toppers on it. I lie down every night and the first thought is 'Damn this is Hard. I'm never going to fall asleep.' Over and over I wake up 4 hours later to pee absolutely surprised - shocked. When I climb back into bed I say the same thing and then I wake up 3-4 hours later. If sleep comes easy to you you won't get this. If it doesn't you will. 

The overall Pros:

-Much less exposure to RF radiation

-Being able to experience the transitions from light to dark to light in a complete way

-Being able to experience outside temperatures at a visceral level

(The sleep, light and temperature components are all factors that help my body remember how to function at an instinctual level)

-Forces many household activities outside 

Cons

-Difficulty handling extreme temperatures & weather - especially wind. 

-Upper storage inside is limited & must be able to be stowed & flattened

-Forces many outside activities outside

The lists are not complete because every day I learn something. If you have any you'd like to add please leave a comment!

Copyright (c) - Chardale Irvine 2015. All rights reserved. 

We Got The Power! Keeping Gracie's Lights On

My husband spent what seemed a ridiculous amount of time & effort calculating just what our wattage needs were for popup life. The tediousness of this made me crazy just to watch. But I've been repeatedly grateful in the 6 months since when our electrical needs were met, especially in harsh conditions for a popup. 

We both have CPAP machines for sleep apnea so we knew we'd at least need a small battery bank for those. He bought 1 deep cycle marine battery and an 800 watt inverter. We later added another battery because one wouldn't run the CPAP's for a full night.

He also bought a 4000 watt gas powered generator. It was enough to run the air conditioner on high as well as the CPAP's, a couple of dehumidifiers and lights. I found I struggled to sleep with it running so when it wasn't super cold we ran silent on batteries at night and then turn the generator on during the day to recharge the batteries.

Then when it was cold we were on the generator all night and frankly when I was cold it was calming do you have the sound of that motor running knowing that it would be keeping me warm.

There is the sense in popup life that you're always on the edge of peril when it comes to weather. Of course you can always just get out of the popup and go sit in the truck and turn it on and run it but this is not really what you want to do in the middle of the night when you're cold and tired.

I do think that we gain something as far as in eight coping skills by experiencing the weather more personally. But part of my illness and part of Walt's too actually, is that we will struggle with chronic pain. Mine is severely affected by weather especially barometer changes that drop below 30. 

The basic messages that all of the legwork that Walt did before we left on our pilgrimage turned out to be the best time spent investing in planning. Moreso really than anything else that we did.

Our '93 Coleman Newport popup is a not quite 30 amp bus. 

Get busy living or get busy dying.

Copyright - (c) - Chardale Irvine - 2014. All rights reserved. 

Oh! I've Got A Cold Again: Bumping My PH To Speed Getting Over It

Out here on the road it's tougher to apply all the tricks with nutrition & healthy spices that our struggling immune systems require (thanks to M.E.). There are a few that have survived the road and bumping my PH is one of them. I'm not a doctor or trained anything. I DO have a compromised immune system so I do what I can to help it out.

Bumping PH

Apple cider vinegar

Baking soda

Water

Every 2 hours I drink a glass of water with either 1/2 tsp ACV or 1/2 tsp Baking soda.

I do this all the waking hours.

Why? A microbe found my existing PH just nifty to set up shop in. Changing the PH just mildly gives the immune system an opening to go after the microbe.

This strategy has worked wonders with viruses for me. Even when I do get sick now the duration is much less and severity too.

If you try it let me know how it works for you.

'Get busy living or get busy dying'

Copyright (c) - Chardale Irvine - 2014. All rights reserved. 

Chardale's Camp Artichoke-Spinach Dip Recipe

I just whipped this up after choking on how much the frozen stuff at the store. Oh my gosh it was SO easy! 

Here is the recipe:

2 jars artichoke hearts in water, drained 

8 oz Parmesan cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

2 cups baby spinach

2 cloves garlic

10 jalapeño slices 

Salt & pepper to taste

In 2 quart casserole dish add coursely chopped artichoke hearts, parm cheese, mayo, torn spinach leaves, chopped garlic and diced jalapeños. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Stir well. Heat 5 minutes in microwave or 15 minutes in oven at 350 degrees. Let sit 5 minutes then serve hot with pita chips.

Yum. Walt gives it thumbs up:)

The Adventures of Walt & Char: Luxury Living In A Popup

Many people, even those who know us, don't know that Walt & I have been living full-time in a 93 Coleman Newport popup camper for 6 months. What started as a health crisis driven pilgrimage to see family and meet grandbabies we hadn't met yet has ended up - at least through today - to be rather addictive. 

To make the trip we sold most everything we owned and bought a 1993 Coleman Newport popup camper - our bed on wheels. We name her Gracie. She is pulled by Stanley, our 1993 Nissan D21 Hardbody pickup. Stanley has a solid V-6 which has handled all challenges with ease except the 100 degree heat days. But we didn't handle those days too well either!

Stanley's paint job, formerly a dark green, is faded. His dash is cracked from heat damage. We write movie quotes on his paint job like 'Vote for me and all your wildest dreams will come true' from Napoleon Dynamite. And 'Get busy living or get busy dying.' from Shawshank Redemption. 

We flew my son Adam, who is a mechanic out to Florida from Utah and he did an under the hood makeover, reworked the suspension and brakes and installed new seats. With the tinted windows and crappy paint job we are pretty much ignored while enroute. In cognito has it's advantages. 

We've stayed in RV parks, in Walmart parking lots, in people's driveways, in the mountains above Boulder, CO for 3 weeks and in the mountains above Salina, UT for 2 months. 

During this time we flew back to Miami to see the first specialist ever (19 years for me & 5 years for Walt) for the severe mitochondrial NeuroImmune illness we both have called Myalgic Encephelomyelitis. So as we are out here moving to stay in the 'popup weather zone' we are also chipping away at testing and new, experimental treatments. Our bed on wheels works out great for this.

Some days are like this:

Some days are like this:

Some days are like this:

The cat? That is Bentley. He is our Himalayan/Persian roadie cat. He was totally declawed when we adopted him so he has some issues but he is the greatest cat for this journey. Contrary to the photos Bentley is Walt's cat.