A day in the life: relocating from Wickenburg to Wickenburg

I woke up yesterday morning with a singular goal, get outside.  The forecast was calling for 40mph winds beginning at noon, followed by overcast skies, cool temps, and on and off rain for the next three days.  This meant all the doors and windows of our RV would not be open for several days and so getting outside and soaking up the sun was imperative.

I hiked a few miles around camp feeling grateful for this beautiful place we’ve gotten to call home for the last 10 days.  When I returned to camp there was a note on the truck “Must park 440 yards from the drinker, thank you.”  We were on Arizona State Trust Land that was leased by a rancher to free-range their cattle.  We had no idea, until now, that we’d parked too close to their water source or that these rules even existed.  While we had no intention of moving yesterday, it turned out that’s what we’d be doing.

Originally, the plan was to move two hours north of here three days from now.  While the easiest decision would have been to just go there now, we had a lot of factors to consider and that particular destination didn’t feel like the right choice right now.  So Mark began researching where to go.  The considerations we had to make that would limit are options were…

• It was a Saturday, a day we never relocate on because weekend campers make it harder to find available spots.
• We were only an hour outside of Phoenix meaning campsites would become more limited, more congested, and more trashed as we got closer to the city.  That meant traveling in an easterly direction was out of the question.
• It’s supposed to rain the next three days so we didn’t want to venture too deep into the desert where we could get stuck in the mud.

With all these things to consider, Mark wasn’t finding many options.  The rain was really throwing a wrench in things.  Our preference is to camp on public lands which are always accessed by dirt roads and the dirt in this area is likely to turn into a soupy mess when wet.  It was time to consider RV parks and campgrounds, places we rarely frequent.  That’s when Mark found a campground 20 minutes away that had available spots.   Satellite imagery showed us that it was located off of a paved road and the sites looked spacious and well-spread out.  Perfect.  

We packed up, hitched up, and got on the road.  There was a dump and water fill station along the way so Mark took care of those chores while I stopped to do laundry and pick up a few groceries.  (We have a car in addition to our truck which has proven to be useful for many reasons). 

Come sunset we were all settled at our new spot.  While it’s not quite as scenic as our last spot, it’s pretty good given all the things we had to consider and the fact that a few hours earlier we had no plans to move.  Moving days, no matter when or to where, are always my favorite.  Cleaning up and organizing our home is mandatory in order for everything to be secure during the drive.  So anytime we get settled somewhere new it feels like a fresh start and I absolutely love that.  

This slight inconvenience worked out fine in the end.  I love the way full-time RV living hones our adaptability and inspires creative thinking.  It keeps us from getting stuck in a rut or getting too comfortable.  And it offers us new experiences on a weekly, if not daily, basis.  My most favorite thing about this unconventional lifestyle.