Two Years of Being Homeless...

I've come full circle.

It was two years ago today, that I drove away from my rental home in Tucson. An abode I occupied occasionally for four winter seasons. Now here I am in Tucson again, in a temporary rental apartment. 

I blame the whole life style change on my bicycle accident in July, 2011.

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2014/07/three-years-ago.html

In the summer of 2012, I had healed inside and out and decided to make up for the worst year of my life. I took off on a five month road trip in Barley the Van,  I spent a lot of time hiking in our Western National Parks. It was then that I was the happiest human on the planet. I felt incredibly free.

During those months, I hardly gave a passing thought to Tucson. When I did, the thought was usually negative. The Old Pueblo never came close to feeling like home to me. I was spending a lot of time and money being in a place I didn't particularly care for.

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2015/03/watching.html

So I had an epiphany. I have them now and then. What was keeping me from trying the wandering, wondering life for awhile? The answer was my stuff! My things were trapping me. 

In the winter of 12/13 I jettisoned most of my material possessions. It was an "Everything Must Go!" Craigslist Fire sale. 

I then entered a way of life a buddy described as such, "Jeffy! You are choosing a lifestyle most Americans are trying to avoid!"

It's been a learning experience. I found there are times to go overseas, times to sit still and a time to be on the road. http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2015/03/big-bend-epiphany.html

It's been different to say the least. My way of life creates interesting conversations when someone asked, "where do you live?" 

I haven't a clue to where this wandering and wondering will eventually end up. It won't be Kansas. 

If you are curious like I am, please follow along, 

Jeff

It Was a Hard Day's Night...

       

Not for me but for the three Boy Scout victims who fell prey to the chaotic whims of Mother Nature on Mount Wrightson (9,452') on November 15, 1958. 

It was a freak Arctic Express that snuffed out the lives of three youngsters. If you read between the lines, did these Boy Scouts follow the credo of "Be Prepared"? 

Probably not. However who would have ever imagined, a 72 degree morning turning into a White Death blizzard with seven foot drifts less than 24 hours later? 

They made a few fatal errors, but that's all it takes. Getting a late start. Inadequate clothing and worst of all, no real game plan for their summit bid on Wrightson. They got lost when they realized their youthful mistakes too. Not good.

Now there's a memorial on Josephine's Saddle commemorating the tragedy. I haven't seen the site in over a year. The monument seems to grow larger each time I visit. We can only hope they did "Pass to a better place" like the sign says. RIP guys.

I got an early start to avoid the heat. I never had to change into warmer gear and I didn't get lost. The weather forecast was correct too.

Be Prepared!

Jeff 

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A Blooming Desert...

Just add water.

I've heard it was a wet winter in Tucson. As you can see for yourself, the opportunistic plants concur. My itchy eyes and sneezing fits concur too. 

So Jeff, what's the names of these flowers? I think they are all called pretty.  One might have been named Harriet. 

The fern must have made a wrong turn somewhere in Florida to get on that hillside. 

Another reminder, saguaro cactus' make poor shade trees. 

My hiking advice: Get an early start to see these beauties, it's warming up and they won't last forever. 

The photogenic flowers were seen at Saguaro National Park on the Hugh Norris trail. Yes, it's uphill both ways.

I'm chillin' again,

Jeff