I'm sitting on the back patio, watching the dusk gather on Los Angeles. I put on a long-sleeve shirt when it dropped below 70f, and I'm sipping a Malbec. Today I went to Whole Foods and found some good bread and cheese, and they happened to have a wine section. Later I walked to a Farmer's Market that occurs every Wednesday, and found a seafood stand that had fresh flounder and calamari. A few minutes ago I made a aioli with egg yolk, olive oil, garlic and a chili from the garden bordering the backyard. The calamari is going to be flash-fried till crisp and tender. Then I'll watch Cal try to beat Texas. I've parked the truck and camper on a street where it looks out of place, cleaned out the fridge and turned off the gas.
I left South Texas over a week ago, spent Christmas in Bisbee at the great RV campground Double Adobe, then drove here in two days. My good friend L. has offered the hospitality of her house, and I am planning on staying here while she goes to Europe in a couple weeks for a month. It's a fine neighborhood, two blocks away a view of the Pacific is available, and walking distance from stores. The backyard has a lemon and fig tree, and a palm tree in the distance. The front yard has a pomegranate tree, and a green groomed lawn.
Here's the deal: I'm tired of life in my camper, as fun as it has been. I begin to understand why those RV-ers I've occasionally mocked with their satellite tv and sound systems have them. I'm not inclined that way, but I now understand it: there's nothing to do in RV campgrounds in the winter when it gets dark at 5:30pm. And, if it's nippy outside, one isn't inclined to go out at look at the stars. I've read in the evenings, listened to music, and watch movies on my dvd player. There is only so much of that I can do. I actually miss having to go out and shovel the snow, and walking around my house.
My stated goal for this trip was to see new places, avoid the snow, and perhaps do some fishing and meet new people. Mission accomplished on all counts. I actually have done more fishing than I had anticipated, the fishing was at times excellent in Port Mansfield. I met new people, some of whom I hope to continue to have contact with, and I saw places previously unseen.
I had thought I could find a place that was warm and had something to do, like fishing. I could simply hang out, read, and contemplate my navel at other times. I did that, for the most part; turns out finding a warm place in the winter is not that easy, unless you're willing to put up with south Florida. Even a mile from Mexico in south Arizona can get quite nippy. But, my capacity to simply hang out turns out to have limits. Mine was a couple months. And, the confining space of my camper eventually got to be a bit much.
So....I think I'll be here for a month or more longer, and eventually go home near the end of February, after a visit with my kids in the NW. The camper will stay on the truck through the fall, there's plenty of camping and fishing to be done this summer back in Montana. I miss Montana.
I'll probably post a few times while here, but this is the last post on this blog. I'm not on a Road Trip any more. It was fun, and instructive. But it's time for something else. My daughter Kate had some good advise for things I can do when home to better occupy myself. I also didn't care for being so far from my kids, and I want to be able to drive for a day and see them if I want or need arises.
So, thanks all for your support and comments.
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