Planning a Migration

Planning kind of has to happen in the middle of everything else happening.

Back in early February, I still considered how to make Havasu a permanent reality with an apartment or some property, but with housing prices still out of control, I knew I'd better make plans for flight. I like Havasu and would love to retire here, but not without a solid adobe structure for shelter. With summer temps in the "hundred teens and sometimes twenties," staying in Havasu in an RV is incomprehensible. On an 87-degree day, the thermometer inside the RV reads at over 100 degrees.

So, I drew a diagram, explaining the process to super-fun Steve. "See? I just need another car to pick me up in Utah and bring me back here."

"I've never been in that area," he said.

"It's beautiful and worth seeing," I said, convincing him to be the mystery car that would pick me up.

So he looked at the super-fun things he had listed on his calendar and said, "The first weekend in March would work. I've got super-fun plans all these other weekends."

Soon after that conversation, I quit the job at the resort, got hired on at the health food store, bought a trailer, and started projects on the RV. I only had a short while to make the roof repairs and add the new solar panels.

Super-sensible Cheryl found out about my plans and sent me a text: "Why don't you just tow your Xterra with your RV?"

I explained to her what had been explained to me: "It has something to do with the transfer case on the four-wheel drive. Something that can't be disabled. If I kept the car running and in neutral while I towed it, it would be fine. I can't risk it shutting off and locking up, though. I like my car."

She replied: "I just read you can tow it." She gave me a bunch of information about towing the Xterra. Then, she asked, "Did you see what your owner's manual says?"

Well, no...of course not. I realized that while asking my expert mechanic friends for advice, I'd never actually sought the advice for myself. I jumped up and went to the Xterra's glovebox. And...there it was: How to Tow the Xterra. There were also pictures. The previous owner (?) must have made the marks in the book, but it was clear that whoever made the marks figured flatbed towing was the way to go; otherwise, I'd need a tow dolly and a lift-y thing on the back of the RV. It seemed like a lot of hullabaloo. Just driving an extra car seemed much simpler.

But by the end of February, the job at the health food store was in full swing. I recognized I was needed in that place and felt like I made a difference with my contributions. Between that job and teaching online, I was working 75+ hours a week and kind of lost track of time. Between organizing the vitamins and minerals, inputting inventory into the POS, and grading 80ish papers a week, I couldn't get up to Utah the first week in March. In addition, super-fun Steve had to possibly go out of town for work that week and wouldn't be able to shuttle me back.

Life became complicated. I loved the work I was doing, but I couldn't afford a place to live in Havasu. With rents starting at $800 for a hole in the wall and going up to $1200 - $1400 for a semi-comfortable apartment, it didn't make sense. I'd have to continue to work just to afford rent. And the heat of a Havasu summer lurked just around the corner. Very soon, temperatures would be in the hundreds and hundred teens. I didn't have time to waste. I either had to prep for a migration or get serious about finding housing.

Frankly, I didn't see the sense in working so much just to afford to keep a roof over my head, pay utilities, upkeep, etc. Then, I'd have to buy furniture, curtains, and a toaster. It seemed like a lot of mayhem.

In addition, I'd have to put the RV in storage because I couldn't leave it out in the Havasu sun and expose it to that kind of deterioration. The way the heat out here was explained to me is this: "It eats your tires from the inside out because the inside of the tire gets hot. This makes it rot from the inside out, even if your tire tread looks good." Brenda simply pointed to the paint and dashboards of cars that have been exposed to the heat summer-after-summer. That alone is evidence of destructive heat in the Mohave. I priced storage. I could put the Godspeed into storage for $200 a month.

Rent + Storage = Why?

Work to pay a landlord? I didn't think so.

So how would I get back to Utah?

Or should I go to Utah?

Colorado has been calling my name. Rushing rivers, mountain meadows, and Palisade peaches...

Around early March, Captain Lou texted me to see if I needed help in any way. Captain Lou might be an old scoundrel of a sailor, but underneath it all, I think he's actually an angel. He has an uncanny way of knowing when I need help and have nowhere to turn. Maybe Jesus talks to him directly. I don't know. All I know is that he was ready to help if I needed it.

So, we discussed driving my car to Albuquerque or Santa Fe. I could take the Amtrak back to Kingman to get back to Havasu for the RV. That wouldn't be hard.

Captain Lou said he could help with that.

But then...

I was reminded of the dream.

(I'll write more about THE DREAM at another time or you'll have to read about it in the book. I don't know which, but there's deep stuff going on with an old recurring dream and the knitting together or my life. I don't know what it all means, so I'm writing and trying to make sense of it all.)

I'd have to go back to Escalante. I wasn't done there.

So then I contacted Laura about helping me move the Xterra to Utah. She and Jacob would be able to shuttle me back if I rented a car for them. That seemed like the way to go. I'd been wanting her to see that part of the world, and I got a great deal on a rental car.

That plan was in place until three days before we were to leave.

"I can't go," Laura texted. It was something to do with her work and who would be available to take care of her place while she was away. She just couldn't go.

I went to the back yard to voice my frustration to Brenda, who was engaged in another home project and moving tools around. When she heard my situation, she said simply, "Then it's clear. I'll shuttle you back after I take my kids to the airport in Vegas."

It's like it was meant to be!

And, so...

Just last week...

The first part of the plan happened. The Xterra is now sitting at my new parking space in Escalante. Brenda was such a blessing to me in coming up to Escalante to pick me up.

Returning to Havasu, everything was rush-rush-rush. Install new solar panels? Check. New water pump for the house water? Check. New tires? Check.

There's lots more I should have done on the rig, but after running out of time and money, the new radiator and muffler would be put on hold. They aren't emergencies yet. The radiator is a little more on the nearing-emergency side of things, but it seems to hold fluid okay enough. I just have to keep checking it.

On Tuesday evening, I took Brenda and Merry out to dinner at a favorite Mexican restaurant in Havasu: El Paraiso. I'm really going to miss those two...and all the dogs. So, it was with a heavy heart that I left her and Merry on Wednesday afternoon and headed north.

So, now...with a new URL for this site and the Godspeed as in shape as money can afford, I set off for adventure! Stick with me. I've got some stuff coming up that's a little scary to have to face, and I have a grand plan for what I'd like to do over the course of this year. But...of course...the whole thing in life is that plans go awry and are subject to change. Or, the Lord might direct my steps elsewhere. I don't know. All I know is that it's going to be good. :)