Notes from the Road Jan 27th 2023

Notes from the Road Jan 27th 2023 - Phoenix AZ

Hi Everybody!

So this time I am traveling in my Ford Transit Connect Van. It’s just a cargo van, no insulation, no conversion. You could say I’m roughing it, and that would be an understatement. After more that a few nights camping in various parking lots. (And getting “the knock” at midnight and having to move to a new spot) I was finally able to park in a real campground!!!

In Arizona in the winter it is nearly impossible to get a camping spot and if you do they range from $30 something to well over $50! (I have to sell a LOT of patterns each day to make that work)

So here is how it happened . . . I see this campground on an app and decide to just drive there rather than calling ahead. I figure it will be a pretty drive if nothing else. As I pull up I see the sign. Campground Full. No surprise. I stop at the check-in hut and say, “I see the campground is full”. The gal who’s voice is exactly like actress Zooey Deschanel, and I mean exactly says, “Let me check”. She comes back and says, “Yes, we are all booked”.

I ask her where else I can go and she goes back in the hut and brings out a list of other campgrounds. I thank her and mention it’s my first time in Arizona and that so far I’ve been sleeping in parking lots. She said, “hold on”. She came back and told me I could use one of the emergency spots! ($36)

Hallelujah, you can’t imagine how excited and thankful I was to hear those words, spoken from the young lady that sounds exactly like Zooey Deschanel! You are an angel!!!!

We had a blissful nights sleep.

Please enjoy some of Axel (my dog) and my experience camping in the desert for the first time via the photos and video below!

XO,

Jamie

PS I’m headed off to the quilt show in Phoenix next!