RV Home Yet?

No cheese - ever.

That's on the menu at the Desert Bar - or should I say, what's not on the menu. You can get an short list of burgers, but no cheese. I was surprised to see a veggie burger- a concession to the non-beef eaters.

Friends Tom and Nancy invited us to visit the Desert Bar- way out in the desert north of Parker, AZ. We were expecting weird. It was different, though not quite what we expected. We knew it was off the grid- solar panels, their own well. It was much more elaborate than I had imagined. 

The "Nellie E. Saloon," named after the mining claim in the area, is an old mining camp. That's what it looks like. In addition, there is a church that is little more than a facade, though a tiny bit of room for a minister and bride and groom for weddings. The church is constructed of steel with its walls and ceiling made of stamped tin, same as in the bar. The owner's house first comes into view with two rectangular columns rising out of the house (below left). The bar has those too. Turns out they are giant cooling towers. Old antique cars, western paraphernalia and "art" made from old metal decorate the place. A covered bridge leads from the parking lot across the gully to the bar.

There are several outdoor sitting areas- in fact most of it is outdoors. A band plays on Saturdays and Sundays 1 to 5 October through March. The bar is only open Saturdays and  Sundays, with a few exceptions and is closed June, July and August.

We left the highway around 2. We met a lot of the "first wave" of customers heading back out. It attracts all sorts of people - RVers, families, locals of all ages. The week before, several carloads of Boomers, the RV group we are parked with, had come and had to wait for parking places and tables. Whether it was because we were a bit later or the storm had driven some folks out of the area, we easily found a place to park and a table.

Nancy said we had to be sure to visit the new ladies restroom. After that bouncy road, it was our first stop! It is made from old metal pieces and tucked under a cutout in the hill. The sinks are shallow metal basins with a  faucet that looks like a miniature handpump. Above the sinks is open air- looking out at the hills behind the bar.

It was quite an experience. The Desert Bar has a Web site but does not advertise. There is no sign at the turnoff, Cienaga Springs Road, which is just after an overpass about 5 miles north of Parker. You take a rough dirt road back, only a wide one-lane in places. Don't take an RV- not a good road and no room to park or to even maneuver. Plenty of people know where it is, so word of mouth works for them.

Put it on your list if your RV travels take you to Quartzsite, Parker or Lake Havasu. It's a one-of-a-kind place, that's for sure! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Photos by George Bruzenak

• Sign on road
• Looking at the Desert Bar
• Church
• Owners house
• Tom and Nancy on the covered walkway

Update on strange Tonopah RV

Reader Judie Ashford recognized the strange RV spotted in Tonopah, AZ and sent me a link. This is a boatorhome! It was manufactured in Ontario, Canada  by Highwave and made its debut at the 1996 Miami International Boat Show. It's a combination motor home cruiser. A hatch in the bow allows passengers to move between tow vehicle section or Hauler, which is a Ford Econoline Super Van with front wheel drive, and the 31-foot "Cruiser." The tires are eight Goodyear Wrangler Aquatreds. You can see some other designs at their Web site. 

While you are at it, you might also want to take a look at a converted Bluebird International school bus done by two fellows in Austin. I saw that article mentioned on RV Daily News. It's unique- it can run on vegetable oil, has a "penthouse," made of a bolted-down shell of a 1979 Volkswagen camper bus that piggybacks on top of the Bluebird.That opens up to a picket-fenced yard on the back half of the roof. Read their story and watch a video here.

Diversity and creativity are alive and well in the RV world!  Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Original post on strange RV

 

2010 census- will you be counted?

An article on The Daily News Online discusses the difficulty officials are anticipating this year in taking the census. It begins with "Where will you be on Census Day — living in your RV, couch surfing at your friends', squatting in your parents' basement?" Since there are so many people who have lost their homes, this year will present special challenges.

Census-takers will be looking in some unusual places for people including under bridges, along river banks - and for the first time - people living in cars. It sounds like they will be looking in RVs for the homeless too. I imagine that census takers in places like Venice, CA and other cities that have homeless populations will be knocking on RV doors.

According to the article, people will be counted wherever they are "living" on April 1, 2010 (January 25 if you are in Alaska). This could present challenges for RVers. Full-time RVers should receive their census form by mail by the first of April even if forwarded. I haven't seen the form, but I would think that we could put our domicile address down even if we are not there. Our domicile state will want to count us as their citizens. It will affect the dollars they receive from the federal government. If a census-taker knocks on the door of your RV, it should be enough to say you've already mailed your form in.

I'm sure it is a challenge to count all the people living in the United States, since some people want to stay under the radar. But I don't like the idea that the press makes it seem like those who live in RVs are there because they lost their homes without acknowledging that many of us live in RVs by choice. What do you think? Add your comment below. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Related posts:

• Venice aka "Muscle Beach" does not want RVers
• RVs for the homeless in affluent Santa Barbara
• RVs: the full range - from the homeless to millionaires

Firewalking and RVing- 2010

How are firewalking and RVing related? Both are stepping out into the unknown and trusting yourself.

Last night I walked on coals that were 1200 degrees Fahrenheit or more. My feet got black from soot but I did not get burned. Firefighters know that at 450 degrees it takes a fraction of a second to get a severe burn. Yet 40-plus people walked on these 1200 degree coals and no one was burned. How can that be? We were not hypnotized. Instead we focused intently on where we wanted to go - and we also had the knowledge that more than 25,000 people throughout history have done this before us. We also broke arrows and bent rebar with our throats and walked on broken glass. This Manifestation and Firewalk Seminar, put on by Marvin Allen of Phoenix Transformational Services of Las Cruces, NM, was about making the impossible possible. In other words, we limit ourselves by our beliefs. If we push through our fears, we can do things we thought were impossible. We open up our world.

Is stepping out into the unknown in an RV any different? We can let fears hold us back. If we push through our fears, we can live a life that is full of amazing adventures. We become new people, confident of our abilities because we tested them and succeeded. We could do it all along; we just let fears and doubts hold us back.

Back in 1992 when my late husband, Bill, and I took off in our RV we were apprehensive. We had to earn a living on the road and weren't sure if we could do that. We focused on finding jobs with the National Park Service and worked at seven national parks over the next ten years. We more than survived. We had amazing adventures and experiences. It was one of those decisions that changed our lives and put us on a different course.

You don't have to be rich to live the RV lifestyle. You can earn money. And, there are many free and low-cost things you can do. Walk, hike, bike on public lands is one. Many museums are low-cost or free. Visit state capitals, join local clubs for their meetings and activities. Attend church services where you travel- perhaps stay awhile and become more involved. Taking photos and exploring the history of an area are fascinating. Visit our national parks and forests; an annual America the Beautiful Pass makes each visit low-cost, or nearly free if you have an America Senior or Access Pass. The free programs available are excellent.

How about you? Is this your year or decade to begin the RV lifestyle? I promise you will have adventures and experiences you never would have in your stix 'n brix life. Many people have led the way. It is possible, if that's what you want. Set your intention, focus and go for it! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Road Map to Freedom- ezine

December, 2009 Part II of RV LIfestyles Ezine, "Road Map to Freedom," can be read here if you missed it.

• Link to the recording of "5 Insider Secrets to Living a Frugal Life of Freedom in an RV"
• RV Solar 101 - more on sizing your system
• RVing fun, resources and news

Today is the last day to take advantage of the three-pay option to sign up for the Webinar series, "Road Map to Living a Frugal Life of Freedom in an RV." Find out more about how to live a frugal RV lifestyle.This groundbreaking series is five sessions with bonuses.

You can also participate in our new poll, "How are you "getting together" with special people for the holidays? Hope it is a good one, wherever you are and whomever you are sharing it with! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Poll shows most RVers still read print books

In the poll that just ended at RVLIfestyleExperts.com, results show that most RVers still favor reading books in print over electronic methods.

A few left comments. Two mentioned using the iPod Touch and iPhone.

Says, Andy Baird:

"I get books from the same public-domain and commercial sources (in fact, Amazon's free "Kindle for iPhone" software turns my iPod touch into a Kindle)... but unlike a Kindle or Sony Reader, the iPod touch is always in my shirt pocket. If I get stuck in traffic, or a slow supermarket line, or I have time to kill while waiting for the laundry to dry, I pull it out and read a few chapters from any of the dozens of books I have stored on it. It even downloads and plays free audiobooks--I listen to those while driving."

J Osbourne says:

"I read books on my iPhone. The backlit screen means I don't have to wake my wife to fumble around for a book light (a shame the kindle or nook don't have them!). Like the iPod Touch it also is something I'll have with me if I end up having to wait somewhere that would otherwise be boring (like a bank, or checkout line in the supermarket)."

Two other comments mention using audio books. Kelli downloads them free from her library where she maintains a library card.

Here are the results:

What’s your style of reading in your RV?

11% - Mostly e-books with a Kindle
1% -  Mostly e-books with a Nook
8% - Mostly e-books on a computer
6% - Mostly e-books -variety or other
67% - Mostly print books
2% - I rarely read 
5% - Other 

RVers must be conscious of weight and space but that doesn't stop them from reading. Often RVers can swap books at RV parks where they have a book exchange, trade books with other RVers or sell books to a bookstore for credit for more books. One way or the other, most RVers read! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Recording for 5 Insider Secrets Webinar available

Webinar details: Have you dreamed of traveling in an RV yet wondered if you could afford it? If the answer is yes, then join RV lifestyle expert Jaimie Hall Bruzenak for “Five Insider Secrets for Living a Frugal Life of Freedom in an RV.” In this 60-minute Webinar, you will learn how to save BIG on your RV purchase, how to camp for almost free and other secrets for how to live the RV lifestyle for less than it costs to live in a stix ‘n brix house. The best part of RVing is that you have much more control of your budget and Jaimie will show you how!

The recording of this event is now available.If you missed the original presentation, click on this link to watch the recording. It is a wmv file and will play in Windows Media Player or similar player. You can go to this page to download and print out the handout beforehand to take notes. (You will be taken to GoToMeeting.com where you will need to enter your email address. Then it will open.) https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/344482746

After you watch, be sure to go to RoadMapToRVing.com and find out what is coming next! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Frugal RV Retirement - what brings happiness?

Steve Butler, financial columnist, reviewed How Remarkable Women Lead, by Susie Cranston and Joanna Barsh. He was struck by the chapter on happiness. We may think that money and buying things bring happiness, but in reality, beyond a certain point, it doesn't. Having more money beyond a middle class lifestyle doesn't make us happier, he says.

Real happiness comes from the experience of how we live from day to day. "Take joy in the endeavor." As many have said, "It's not the destination, it's the journey."

The RV retirement lifestyle can give you rich experiences that are free or cost little. Our national parks are a bargain. Ranger talks and walks, hikes, interpretive displays all take us deeper into the experience yet are free. Walking on historic trails like Lewis and Clark or the Oregon trail gives one a sense of what our pioneer ancestors went through and brings history alive. You can also volunteer and be part of a state or national park, forest or wildlife refuge. Not only does it bring the satisfaction of contributing to something important, you will probably get a free RV site as well. These RV volunteer stints often bring experiences you could never have as an ordinary visitor, that you couldn't pay for, and all they cost is your donation of time.

We have to meet our survival needs, but we may need less money than we think. We can still have wonderful, rich experiences without spending a lot of money. Whatever thrills you, you can most likely find in this lifestyle. If you can't afford it, you may be able to get creative and still have the experience, perhaps as a Workamper or a volunteer. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Related posts:

• How you might spend your time in RV retirement
• Advance preparations for hanging up the keys
• Get your RV - go on a debt diet

An RV Kitchen Addition That Makes Sense

I love kitchen gadgets, but there's one hard and fast rule that each must comply with: It must have more than one use. The drawers in our fifth-wheel are already crammed with single-use gadgets and we don't need more. So the cooking dish we were gifted with will be a welcome addition to our RV lifestyle.

It's a collapsible cooking and storage dish that can be used in a microwave, oven and even a dishwasher if you have one. It's freezer safe and air tight with the cover on. It's made of a material the manufacturer calls "Ceramber," and is marketed by www.foldtuk.com .

The one we have is a 4-cup, rectangular dish. Collapsed, it's about 1 1/4 inch in height, but opens to  2 3/4 inches. It can be stored either opened or closed.  The photo shows it in the expanded form. FoldTuk makes several additional sizes of Bakeware products and a roaster.

As a test, I baked an egg omelet in our convection toaster oven, and it came out perfectly. The dish, as you would expect, stayed hot for some time after removing it from the oven.

So here's an addition that allows for cooking, storage, freezing of foods, and when collapsed wouldn't take up as much room in your RV cabinets as all those flimsy plastic containers you now have. George Bruzenak

RV retirement - are you ready?

I came across an article in the personal finance section of U.S. News & World Report, "10 Resolutions for Retirement Readiness." Depending where you are in getting ready for retirement, some of the tips may apply.

If you are still working and plan to do so, the first few will help you build your retirement savings. Page 2 offers tips for those closer or who are at retirement's door. The last three tips, particularly, apply to RV retirement. Tip 8 is to downsize your lifestyle. Living the full-time RV lifestyle can be one way to do that. Depending on your choices, the RV lifestyle can be less expensive than staying in a stix 'n brix house, especially if you have no RV payments.

Tip 9 is to delay your retirement date. Working on the road or even volunteering accomplishes this. While you are not adding as much to your funds as you would had you stayed in your regular job (if that is even a choice), but you are either avoiding or minimizing the amounts taken out of savings. And, you are reducing your expenditures.

For some of my most effective ways to reduce RV expenses, come to the f/ree Webinar on Wednesday, December 16 at 8 ET/5PT, "Five Insider Secrets to Living a Frugal Life of Freedom in an RV." 

The last tip, #10, is to develop a nonfinancial plan of how you will spend your time. Many activities and hobbies work with the RV retirement lifestyle. Here are just a few:

• Visiting friends and relatives - you may even have more frequent visits yet still have the privacy of your own "home."
• Genealogy- find those family sites as you travel.
• Geocaching- this can be good exercise depending on how strenuous a geocache you pick. (George searching for treasure)
• Volunteering - from building houses with Habitat for Humanity to helping at a national park or other government agency or helping with disaster relief, opportunities abound.
• Beading - or other craft or art work.
• Writing and photography- start a blog, write your family history or work on that novel you always wanted to publish.
• Gold prospecting- Join Gold Prospectors of America or stake your own claim!
• Run your own part-time business from the RV road. Internet via Wi-Fi is available in many RV parks and places we travel so we can stay in touch.

These are just a drop in the bucket but can give you structure, exercise and fun things to do in your RV retirement.

Are you ready? If not, you have some direction. Hope to see you out on the RV road! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak