Almost made it.

Yesterday I attempted to hike Q Mountain. It really is just a big hill with a big quartz Q on it. Probably a pile of stuff hauled out from the mines. I made it almost to the very tippy top where the flag is, but without a walking stick, it was just a little too steep for me.  I’m thinking there might be another path to try on another day. I started out on the left side, followed the four wheeler trail until it veered off into a narrow walking path. I basically circled the hill until I came to the straight up part. Made it more than half way up that. I could see the flag, but couldn’t get there. I had maybe 20 feet to go. Oh well, it was a good attempt. My knee is very unhappy with me, and I had forgotten how much my feet hurt when I am not walking on level ground.

https://plus.google.com/photos/118406578374225960662/albums/6092445505323489761?banner=pwa   Photos...

On the way back I stopped at the post office and discovered that it isn’t open on Saturdays. And the Monday through Friday hours are 9 to 4. God forbid anyone that works would have to go to the post office.

I did another walk around one of the shopping areas before coming back. I bought an aluminum telescoping walking stick for the next attempt of Q Mtn, and some pemmican from one of the vendors. Another tent had opened since the last time I was there, so I checked it out. I ended up buying some red beads. Coral and magnesite. They are quite pretty. I am hoping they will inspire me to make something.

When I got back, I had some lunch, put air in the scooter tires and headed out towards the hills. I did seven miles on the scooter. I did ok, didn’t dump it, but it doesn’t like the loose gravel roads. I had a couple of scary moments. I didn’t go as far as I had wanted, but I did pretty good. But it also wasn’t the warmest of days and the wind had picked up so the ride back was pretty chilly. I did much better on the tar road than the dirt road, and better on the dirt road than the gravel. So I should be able to do some exploring without having to leave La Posa South. I need the practice if I am going to use it on a regular basis. I am still pretty unsteady on it.

I got my little tree out yesterday. I have it on the road side of my camp. It is weighed down with rocks. It looks really pretty in the sunshine. Not sure what will happen to it if it rains, but for now, it sparkles nicely. I just don’t have the space for it inside. I only lost one of the glass balls on it.

The rest of the day, the TV was on and I processed pictures. The new camera is great, just like my old one but with a different lens, just exactly what I wanted.

While I was digging around yesterday I found the second electric heater. I will have both of those going this morning when it comes time to fire up the generator. I will have one in the front, and one in the back. I have my little butane heater going at the moment, but it really doesn’t give out a lot of heat. It is 38 degrees outside and 57 in. I have manage to bring the indoor temp up 6 degrees in the last hour or so. Kali Cat hasn’t moved far from the heat. If I had a bigger propane tank, I would run the furnace. But I don’t so I can’t. Will just have to deal with the cold until 6 AM when I can fire up the generator. Although, I have heard other generators during “quiet time”. So if worse comes to worse, I can fire it up. The indoor part of the thermometer is right over the outside door, so I imagine it is cooler where it is reading than it really is elsewhere.

Update: Only one heater at a time, I just popped the circuit breaker....

We did have sunshine for most of the day, so my solar got charged up. I have used the 12v plug that I wired up several times since I put it in. Glad I thought of that. Could really use another. Might just wire one into the light over the table for convenience.

Since today is Sunday, I don’t have much on the agenda. A little cleaning, and I should walk since I missed several days this week. But if I do, it will just be here in the park. It is going to be a sweats day. It is only supposed to be in the 60’s again today, and with the wind, that is cold. I should spend some time on the stuff in the screen house too. Need to get it gone. With the scooter and the bike in there now, it is too crowded to use it, and it gets the sunshine all day, so with the cooler temps, I need to make it useable. I’m also thinking about making a burger soup. I would make a stew, but I don’t think I have any flour. Although I do have arrowroot. It will have to be on the stove because I don’t have the juice to use the crock pot and I haven’t made my solar cooker yet.

My fresh water tank is getting close to empty so I can pull that out and try to figure out what is going on. Get it fixed if I can. I need to find my 5 gallon solar shower so I can have water for dish washing, etc. while this is going on. I think I know where that is. I can take that over with the car and fill that up. And if I leave it out in the sun, will have hot water. Maybe I will even figure out a way to setup an outdoor shower so I can shower a little more often.

I just ordered a pop up shower enclosure and a battery operated hand shower. With the five gallon sun shower, or just a bucket of hot water, I will be able to take a shower a couple more times a week without having to worry about filling my tanks. Should have thought about that sooner. I will have to have night showers instead of morning showers if I use the solar, but if I use the water heater, I can shower any time. I will get it all figured out at some point. :) I'm looking forward to more showers. 

Well, time to fire up the generator and have some heat!