Moonlanding & Beyond...

 I've been living out of bags for about a month. 

I left on a Sunday. I returned on a Sunday at almost the exact time I left (not intentionally). The time in between changed me forever. 

I had just been informed by my ever so gracious & courteous employer that "my services were no longer required" after working a grueling hot summer with hundreds of thousands of (mostly happy, but sometimes impatient & trying) tourists gracing our patio & well known location, just outside of Aspen, Colorado made infamous by Johnny Depp in a film from 1994. Never late, never called out, ALWAYS showed up sober (not something I can say for other currently employed there people). I know? MODEL EMPLOYEE. Especially in this day in age. Citing that they were keeping only senior people through the off season and then telling me that they're keeping someone I helped train. "You're welcome to apply again next spring" YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY.

But I digress....
I left about a week & a half later to go camping for a few days...
A FEW DAYS.

My intention was to be back by Wednesday for my pizza shift (a job I still have & hold dear to my heart. One of my most favorite jobs & people I've ever worked with. <3 )

Good intentions...

I left with a friend & her boyfriend who have a van. I'm in a 2019 Buick Encore. A mini-suv they call it. Ha.
We left from beautiful Glenwood Springs, CO & headed toward beautiful Moab, Utah. If you've never been there, WOW, drop everything & go. NOW. Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, dinosaurs, atv's a cliff side restaurant & great tacos await you in this quaint charming town & the general vicinity of.

We met up with a caravan of van lifers who call themselves, the Van Camp Hooligans. 

We arrived after dark to their gps dropped pin location that my friend had. I knew NOTHING of this specific group or really about the society & COMMUNITY this lifestyle brings out in people who choose to explore, discover, hike, live where ever they park it. It is truly a magnificent lifestyle. These people work remotely at a great variety of jobs, careers & passions to meagerly, but completely sustainably, live on the road full time. Some of the folks were full time & some part time, hunkering down for the winter at a relative or friend's pad. Each individuals' rig was uniquely their own. Supplied with electricity, stoves, dish washing sinks, bathrooms, showers & starlink! Some had poop tents & full cocktail bars & made waffles out of their Prius. Some only had a one burner propane stove, extra sleeping bags & lived out of their car.

So we arrived after dark to their fearless leader, Presidente' Helen's, greeting and parked our homes, situated the bedding situation, and meandered over to the campfire where there were 6-7 people I had never met before & knew absolutely nothing about. My friend I was traveling with had chatted online via the FB group with a few of them & had also never met them, but were at least vaguely familiar with names and few odd details about their life. I'm the type who is very social once comfortable, but upon initial meeting, I like to suss everyone out & observe & listen to get a feel if these are my people or not, I admit i made a few early misguided judgements about almost everyone - I'm delighted to discover I was phenomenally wrong about every single one. 

Several hours later, I had everyone left at the fire playing a repeating game my younger brother taught me when he was in high school. I'm not going to type it out, but I will say this,,,
YOU BET YOUR SWEET ASS I'M A TURTLE!

The next morning, everyone at the camp spot gathered & had coffee & tried to remember the silly words to the game we played the night before. This would be ongoing for the next 4-5 days, where various members of this little mini-sub-tribe I had inadvertently created through the unifying of the game, would see me and start shouting the limerick at me. lol I loved it.

After everyone had packed up their rigs, we were ready to go. Onto Durango we were headed for "warmer" weather. HA! Hilarious about the plans you make & what actually transpires. But I digress... 

We caravanned out of Willow Springs SE with 6 rigs in tow. Helen leading the way. We drove through some gorgeous scenery and approximately 3 hours later arrived at our home for the evening, to 41° weather. YIKES!

Most of us still exhausted from the night before's festivities, or because of the cold,  we all kind of stayed in our vehicles.My friend made us some grub & she & her boyfriend, my angel face Bella & myself piled in her van & hunkered down to watch Beetlejuice.

These bitches were snoring in less than 15 minutes into the movie. I stayed until the end & then left their cosy warm comfy mattress with my Bella & went to my car to turn on the heat & go to bed.

Next morning, coffee, bfast, pack, go.

After a quick stop at Walmart for any needed supplies,  another beautiful drive towards the moon. We ended  poaching up Bluewater state park just outside Thoreau, NM. Now I think there were 7-8 of us by the morning. Picked up a few more hooligans along the way. Next morning, Wednesday. We're headed to a van life event called Moonlanding I, located near Sky View, NM. Helen has an "in" with the promoters & our little caravan has been invited to come into the event a couple days early & join the property owners at their home for a pot-luck. We stopped at another Walmart to regroup & meet a few others & to assess the monsoon rain road washed out to event situation. Word was, road had been attended to, & it was safe to enter. A decision wa,s made to continue on. 11 of us now in the caravan, we followed blindly to the destination. I was 6th in the line, my friend (who incidentally had all my bedding in her van) was 3rd. Pulling into the event, at 3:30pm,  there were 2 roads. 1....2.....3....4....rigs get trough the thick wet sticky mud....the 5th van (the one directly in front of me) gets stuck halfway thru. Then, the 7th one, behind me, also gets stuck. 4 hours later, after confusion, frustration, an abandoned tractor & one of our group saving the day, the vans are towed out of the mud and I am free!

Van #7 & I retreat to a satellite location we jokingly named Saturn Rising, it was a safe FS Rd spot that others who were headed towards the Moonlanding event could take refuge in since the road was unpassable. There were 4 of us that night. Next morning, rig by rig started showing up, totalling 12 in all by nightfall. We had our tribes, & we dined with them, and a few of us gathered by a small fire at one end of the encampment.Next day - 260 TONS of gravel in 13 tractor trailers arrived at the scene to save the Moonlanding from being a total washout! YAY ROCKS!

I finally arrive at the moon, reunited with my friends who made it through. The road was now easily passable, even though I did suffer just a smidge of ptsd pulling in. The event was separated by different zones. Ours was called Mare Vaporum, I still have no idea what that means but I made up the moniker "marijuana vape" as the basic root of it to help me remember. There was a Zen Zone & a Quiet Zone, far away from any of the fun & excitement for those who needed shelter. There was a WUZABUS - dj light show & PA equipment all in one. Let's not forget to mention the dope top of the WUZABUS complete with rooftop fire.

The Foggy Memory Boys graced us with their fine bluegrass into the night which was then followed by the  dance party supplied by the Electric Mayhem inspired WUZABUS.

Van Camp Hooligans closed the night out around 3am...

Saturday. 7:30am. Awake. It's cold, I gotta pee & I'm sleeping in my car.. causes one to wake up earlier than one might be used to in their own bed at home. I might still be drunk too...

There is a message sent out about an espresso bar in the zen zone - I wrangle myself out & seek it out... only to find, great value brand freeze dried coffee crystals and lukewarm water. The guy peddling this free swill doesn't even know how to make coffee. Espresso, IT IS NOT. He spoons one measly teaspoon into my cup & asks if that's enough? I tell him yes because I am trying with all my might not to be a rude asshole, and dump a packet of hot cocoa into the swill. I thank him, walk away, take a sip, but it's still undrinkable. On my way back to my people, I pass by the Wyoming Whiskey tent & decide that I can in fact improve upon the freeze dried swill. I dump about 4-5 oz of double cask whiskey into my unassuming paper Mc Cafe cup I've had since I left that Sunday...  

10AM: I'm a litle buzzed from the night before & a little buzzed from the Irish coffee - someone is smoking a joint when I return & I happily imbibe in that too. Nap time. Yesssssssssss

12:30 - still sleepy, but famished. Helen & Cookie are making tortilla pizza - I grab a couple triangles & decide to see if I can get a massage from Shamane. During this amazing massage it pours rain, but inside her safe candlelit, warm, incensed sanctuary, I am experiencing total bliss. 

Afterwards, I meander back to Mare Vaporum & take another nap. Later I take another nap in my friends van - and then because of FOMO, I wander back to the WUZABUS to hear the jazz band scheduled for that night. I don't much feel like drinking tonight but then someone offers me some red wine & I decide that's exactly what I do want. Sitting amoungst people I barely know, we sit around the huge firepits & chin wag the night away.

Sunday morning. My friend & her man decide they want to head to Santa Fe to go check out Meow Wolf.I had been the past April & I wanted nothing to do with packing up & leaving. I had been on the move night after night with only this time staying 2 nights in a row & I just wanted to plant. Plus there were more festivities to be experienced. They left. I stayed. I made new friends. We enjoyed a joint rolling contest, a film festival & the subdued musical stylings of Dennis, followed by some chill house from the WUZABUS. 

The group around the fire that night was smaller, and it was nice to connect with those that remained.

Monday A.M. - took me about 2 hours to pack up my tent & get organized in my car. Everyone in our Mare Vaporum group had moved onto greener pastures, so I moved my home closer to those who decided they weren't ready to leave. The owners came by & invited the 11 of us left to a lasagna dinner at their home, they took us over in groups in their mini van & ATV - 3 - 4 t a time. At sunset, Amanda took 2 of us & 3 dogs on a ATV tour of the 656 acres they purchased only 5 months earlier. She described to us her grand vision for the property, including cabins, future festival events camping sites & a bike path. 

The last night around the fire was intimate & relaxed with the 11 of us either deepening our newly found connections, or still striking up new ones.

TUES: 10AM - I'm out. I say my goodbyes and head towards warmer weather. Helen is just outside of Sedona, so I decide to head there, detouring through  the Petrified Forest. I arrive just about sunset & we make a fire - Wyoming Whiskey to warm our insides & the fire to warm our outsides. I am happy to not be completely alone after such a life altering event.It's just the transition I need. 

WED: I explore Bell Rock in Sedona that day & take my first pseudo bath at Sliding Rock State Park just North of Sedona. I arrive back at camp again around sunset & we are now trying to coerce another Van Hooligan, who isn't far, to come join us. She arrives the next afternoon (THURSDAY) & we are now 3. We have a nice fire and go to bed talking of spam & eggs for breakfast...

FRIDAY: Helen has an emergency at work  & has to dip. He's gone by 9am & we are without breakfast. Boo. c'est la vie 

Willow & I explore Montezuma Well, a mere 5 miles from our campsite and then I head south to Scottsdale to see some friends from Florida I haven't seen in over 4 years. It's 99 there and I swim in their apartment pool, bask in their hot tub.After some delicious Chinese take out & hours pf playing with their 4,6 & 10 year old girls, I bid my adieu & head back to camp.

SAT: I am determined to get to the Grand Canyon by tomorrow - so today I must travel. I pack up, say good bye to Willow & head up 89A to 40 W towards the GC. I camp just off the hwy a few miles outside Wiliiams. It is rainy and muddy & cold. YUCK. I already miss warm beautiful Sedona...

SUN: 6:24AM: I find a diner for breakfast & have an amazing morning. I'm finished by 8 and head towards the GC, a short 50 minute drive. I'm in the par by 9AM and have an amazing day taking pictures & hiking part of the South Rim trail.

I enjoy a delicious vanilla cherry porter at one of the hotel bars in the market village with a bowl of chili & take a few more pictures. Willow, in the meantime, is driving towards the Gc - I meet her at a FS Rd free campsite just outside of the park. We have a fire while she works. I break out the whiskey again, It's a another beautiful relaxing night.

8AM - MONDAY - Helicopters start roaring by RIGHT OVER OUR CAMP. One after another, about every 1-2 minutes for at least AN HOUR! I thought there was an emergency or fire or something awful happenine gin the GC. NOPE. Just tourists in their heli-tours. Good for them, I don't wanna camp there ever again tho.

Willow has to log in to work again by 6pm that evening - my friend who went home to work - is planning on meeting us late that night - I find us a comparable meeting place at Mexican Hat Rock in Utah. Willow heads towards the location, I dawdle leaving the GC from the desert side, stopping to take photos & end up arriving after dark, only to find that Willow hasn't chosen a camp spot. I find us one that I had seen earlier while searching for her 1994 Van with a circle window & we set up for the night. We stay up until 1am waiting for my friend to arrive and we are 3 again. 15 minutes later we are all going to sleep. Tomorrow Bryce Canyon!

From Mexican Hat Rock, 261, to 95, then left on 24 after Hanksville. The most beautiful gorgeous scenic drive you could ever hope to enjoy. We camped about 2 hours out from Bryce. It was cold cold cold. Woke up at 4am - drove to get into Bryce before they started charging (Hooligans, remember?) and we get to Sunrise Point in time to see the sun rise. It was majestic.It was COLD AF - but it was majestic.

Went our separate ways during the day, my friend accidentally left the park looking for a Fairyland hiking trail so she found us a sweet spot just outside & set up camp. I poached a free shower on the way & met up with the others around 4. We built a fire, listened to music & laughed the night away. 

THURSDAY: My friend had to book it back to work so she left by 8am and Willow & I left a few hours later. After a gas up, ice up & food up, she decided she needed to head back towards Phoenix so she could get her stuff in order & catch a flight by Sunday to Florida.

I was on my own for the 1st time. 

I headed towards Monroe, Utah - there's some free hot springs (according to Roadtrippers) there I wanted to find & it seemed like there was some close BLM land according to iOverlander.

I bathed in the magnificent hot springs & then found my way to a place labeled The Flats on iOverlander. it took me a tumultuous & precarious way, but I made it up Thompson Basin & I was the only one out there watching a mountain burn - a prescribed burn - and absolutely stunning. 
FRI: I chilled in 75 degree weather topless all day, reading a book & playing catch with Bella.

I fell asleep with my back hatch opened watching it burn the last night with 70 degree weather allowing me to do so.

SAT: people have invaded my camp. It's cloudy & I'm ready to head towards Moab, a near 3 hours from home & what I thought would be also warm. Another hooligan is around that area so I am hoping to meet up with her, but she's gone to Canyonlands & will be out of service most of the day, so I m hopeful, but not married to the spots recommended on iOverlander, but most seem too crowded or too hard to get to (high clearance vehicles & 4x4 required) - I checkout Behind the Rocks, a spot about 15 miles east, it's beautiful, but it's so windy, no service at all - I decide to leave.I try again to communicate with my fellow hooligan - no response. It's getting to be 5;30 & I know I don't have much daylight left. I decide to venture behind the McDonalds - Kane Canyon Rd - and end up way deep in a beautiful established campground called The Ledge.

It's $20 a night. I haven't paid for one night thus far. This would be the 1st, I don't want to look anywhere else. I find spot 28, next to some nice looking boys who waved at me on the way in, and unload. I wander up towards the front to pay, and talk with the boys for a few minutes. They said no one had been by since they were there so I walked up to the fee station, took an envelope, ripped off the receipt side, stuck the other in the box & pinned it to my campsite. All blank.

Bella made friends with the boys before I did, and we ended up hanging out together for a little while - another mountain biker (SO HOT btw), stopped by and it was really lovely, spontaneous & fun until the rain ruined the night. 

SUN: it rained all night. I had to pack up wet muddy gear while it continued to rain on & off all morning and decided I'd had enough of cold wet muddyness & headed home back to GWS.

That drive was the most stressful rainy, snowy, sleety, scary, drive. I arrived back in GWS at 2pm on the 1st snowfall of the year for the Roaring Fork Valley. It was weird being home after being gone for that length of time. It was also very nice to sleep in my own bed and have a proper shower. 

I am so thankful that I had this time to explore and be free and meet all the wonderful people I met along this spontaneous journey. I cannot wait to see you all again, on down the road....

For pictures of this journey, please see my IG: https://www.instagram.com/emilyblueblue/