NEWS FLASH: Garbage disposal results in Road Trip.
What began as a one-agenda day (the agenda item being a trash can for my one bag of garbage) unfolded into quite a memorable day of meandering that met a number of my needs. It unfolded a little little like this…
The Question: Where will I deliver this bag of trash, for which I am responsible?
A quick review of my map suggests a small town by the name of “Salome” is likely to be my best bet; an hour away. There may, or may not, be a gas-station garbage can, or maybe a receptical outside a post office. I’m aware that it doesn’t even really matter. I’m happy to be taking some time away from camp, after almost a week here at the lake. Salome also means “peace” in Hebrew, so I’m inclined to head for it. When is it ever a bad idea to aim for peace?
A quick roadside stop to say hi to my neighbours, (who are heading back from their morning walk) results in receiving important information (much in the same way the biscuit day information was delivered). It arrives “under cover” as a quick confirmation between the two men that today was Tuesday. It sounded like this:
”Is it Tuesday?”
“It’s Tuesday.”
The conversation continued. The weather. The whereabouts of a grocery store. But my spidy senses tingled. So, I picked up that little Tuesday tidbit and squeezed.
“What happens on Tuesdays?” I ask.
Well, let me tell you what happens on Tuesdays!
THE FRUIT TRUCK COMES ON TUESDAYS! Cue bells and whistles and flashing red lights!! I’d hit the mother lode again 🙂 The truck doesn’t come to Salome, but to Aquila, not to far away from there. A town not even on my map. Off we go. Into our day, with our new and expanded agenda.
Pippa was happy to be back on the road.
Salome is so darn small I hadn’t even noticed it on my way to Alamo. But now it was the object of my attention, and I was going to overturn every stone while there. There were mysterious signs, requiring googling. Turns out Salome is the location of Western movie filmed back in the 40’s called “Salome. Where She Danced”. The town is still celebrating 🙂 The slow-learning frog remains a mystery…
A visit to a hidden info centre yielded a good Arizona road map that I can use to mark on for the next leg of my journey and I did a bit of reading about Sedona. Next, I made a trip to the Family Dollar, where the trash found it’s home just outside the front door. Finally, a trip to the grocery store, which led to a decision to skip groceries (I was uninspired, and they were out of bananas) and go on to Aquila.
Not only was the weekly fruit truck there, but a whole flea market at the side of the road. I enjoyed talking to a local knife maker – he makes the blades in a home-made forge, and then handcrafts all the leather sheathes for them himself… and poked through all the other the pickin’s before finally reaching the fruit and vegetable tent. “Real” groceries and other stores are 100 miles from camp, so these weekly gatherings of vendors are well attended and I imagine, very important.
I hadn’t bought groceries for almost two weeks and had eaten my last in-van fruit (a can of mangoes) a day ago, so I was VERY excited! I came home with 6 tomatoes, a cauliflower, 2 zucchini, 2 big onions, 2 red bell peppers, a huge honeydew melon, 6 apples, and a container of strawberries for only $17!!!! SCORE! Veggie stew on the menu for tomorrow night!
I found myself a little peckish by late afternoon and with an hour drive back to camp and the sun beginning to dip, dinner “in town” was in order. Choice was easy as there was only one cafe to choose from, but as providence would have it, I enjoyed marvellous authentic Mexican food and was one happy road-tripper at the end of the day.
Today’s adventure brought to you by my bag of trash 😉
Kit I have been to Sedona a few times. I never tire of the beautiful red rocks there. I don’t know what route you may take but another amazing place to visit is Montozuma’s Castle between Phoenix and Sedona. It is the ruins of Indians that used to live there. Definitely worth seeing.
Serendipity! Looks like an interesting little place to visit. Do you meet up with many Canadians? What do you do for Health insurance? Do you think you’ll do any boondocking in Canada/ Ontario?
I am delighted I just booked a wee camping trip to Mew Lake in Algonquin. I intend to go it alone in my Grand Caravan. I just got a roll up mattress from Amazon, & a portable Loo. Still waiting on the rechargable fan. I’m going to do a few shorter trips in my van & make lists of what else I’ll need. Hoping when I retire to spend 3 to 5 months being a snowbird- kind of what you’re doing. 🙂
Happy trails.
Cool beans Kit another great read!
Hi Kit! I really enjoy your blogs! I live in Canada British Columbia near Vancouver and I travel with my Pleasure way van (Ascent) in spring summer and fall. SO winter is at home and I live the travel trough others and you are one of my preferred readings!
Enjoy your sunshine and fruit and vegies you got today. Here we are having a very cold winter that is for vancouver maybe not that cold for Toronto people but we still have snow and ice on sides streets and sidewalks. My son in law fell from his bike hitting a piece of ice on the road and broke his wrist.
I went outside this morning and was freezing despite warm clothes. So I envy your sunshine and warmer travels.
This summer I am planning a trip to Alaska with a couple of women from GVN! Yeah!
anyway have fun and again thanks for writing your adventures in an interesting and lively way
Sunita