Mmmmm, coffee…

Back when we were nomads we met up with a dozen or so other RVers in an Arizona desert for a little winter convergence. We boondocked (dry camped) for 6 weeks and spent our days sharing knowledge, trading skills and hanging out around a massive fire every night. My friend (and amazing solo female nomad), Jill, of Vespa and a Laptop, told me about a book I might enjoy because the author liked to make things. At the time I was making my own kombucha (yes, even while traveling in an RV fulltime), almond milk, deodorant, toothpaste, cleansers and had already done quite a few DIY projects in the RV (with Clark’s skills of course). That book, called The Good Life Lab: Radical Experiments in Hands-On Living by Wendy Tremayne, helped inspire many of the things we are doing at Mutiny Ranch. Granted, we were already on a path to get-off-the-road but the ideas presented and the attitude about unchecked consumerism sealed the deal on it all.

Our friend Marshall’s rig n the sunset…this is why we loved to RV

Coffee tasting party in Sue’s fifth-wheel during our KOFA convergence.

A few months after that convergence (and after I had read the book) we found ourselves in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, the town where Wendy Tremayne wrote The Good Life Lab and the home to her and her partner’s Green Acre mini-homestead. Cherie, of Technomadia, offered to message Wendy on our behalf and introduce us. Seems they met a few years prior and were still in contact. I attended Wendy’s yoga class the next morning and she graciously invited Clark and me to her home. And it was here we learned so much about sustainability, repurposing, thrift storing and expectations.

Wendy and Mikey are remarkable people with a fearless ability to learn new things…or at least try them. They traded high paying, stressed filled jobs in NYC for a more non-commodified life. They try to live in what Wendy calls the “waste stream”, reusing and repurposing things that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Their home, a 70’s model mobile home, is now tastefully renovated and furnished with thrift store finds. It turned out it was more cost-effective to remodel the home rather than pay to remove it (adding it to a landfill no doubt) and building another structure. Strangely. we find ourselves in the same situation.

Stalker…or just a fan??

These guys are inventive and inspiring. One of the craziest things I learned from Wendy and Mikey (Taylor, Beth and I had talked about this before but none of us had tried it at the time) is that you can roast your own coffee…in a popcorn popper. Specifically, an air popper. I know what your thinking…how does that even work?

Sampling a variety of coffees with The Learning Banks in Tucson.

Well, there are many, many tutorials to be found. Many blog post, YouTube videos and even forums for popcorn popper home roasting. I’ll share what I know but remember, I didn’t “invent” it and I’m no expert…I just know how to copy other people and follow directions (sometimes).

From my research the ideal popper to use is The Poppery and The Poppery II by West Bend (the Poppery II being the most prized). I had been on the lookout for either of these models for over a year when I finally spotted an original Poppery at the Habitat For Humanity ReStore here in our town. Thrilled, I handed over $4 for my treasure and headed home to source some unroasted (aka green) coffee beans.

I was a bit overwhelmed by all the choices of green coffee beans I found online…and a little surprised by the price. I was really hoping roasting my own beans would save me a few dollars and what I found on Amazon was not very encouraging. See, if you don’t already know, I love coffee. Like, really love it. And, after my dad’s passing, I find that it offers me some comfort and a connection to him. But I also love really good coffee, which often comes with a steeper price tag. I have two favorite roasters, one in Bisbee, AZ and one here in Mancos, CO. Both deserve to charge $16+ per pound but with my ability to drink a crap-ton of coffee I felt this experiment would be worth it if I could save a few bucks a month.

I scoured the internet, I re-read Mikey’s blog post, I hopped on forums and eventually found that eBay was the most recommended place to source beans. After a little more digging I decided to go with seller golforca. My first purchase was 5 Pounds Green Coffee Bean Guatemala El Vergel FECCEG CERTIFIED ORGANIC which I felt was a safe bet for my first time roasting (after reading reviews and spending way too much time trying to decide on a bean I went with the safe, and cheap, bet). At $28.00 for 5 pounds it worked out to just $5.60 per pound for a very good quality coffee that’s also organic and Fair Trade.

Green coffee beans from golforca on eBay.

A few short days later and my coffee arrived. It was time to put the popper to the test. I measured out 3 ounces of beans and headed outside. It’s recommended that you roast your beans outdoors for a few reasons. First, there will be a lot of chafe that comes off of the beans as they start to roast. This is the outer skin of the beans. It’s paper-thin and, with the air from the popper, will blow all over the place. Second, there’s going to be a lot of smoke. As coffee roasts, it releases its oils. Oil + heat = smoke. And third, that smoke smells strongly of coffee. Now, you already know how much I love coffee but even I can’t handle that smell for long. It’s different than the smell of freshly ground or brewed coffee (I now have images of that old Folgers commercial where the smell of freshly brewed coffee makes everyone in the house wake with a smile). No, this is much stronger and clings to everything…your clothes, your hair, your skin, your baby goats fur…everything. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.

My roasting arsenal

Tools I find handy for roasting:

Poppery II
Small bowls to hold my beans
Scale (I have this inexpensive model)
Wooden Spoon
Large Mesh Strainer(s)
Oven Mitt(s)
Timer (optional)

Here’s how it goes:

My Poppery II only hold 4 oz of popcorn so I knew not to put too many beans in it at one time. I experimented and found that 3 oz of green beans seemed to be ideal. I dumped the beans into the heating chamber of the popper and turned the unit on and started my timer. Tip: If your beans don’t move you have too many in the chamber if they dance and bounce like they’re trying to escape you might have too few. You’ll see the beans circling around the chamber as the hot air is forced in. Pretty quickly the chafe will start to blow off. I used my wooden spoon to stir the beans a little just to help all the chafe escape. Then I waited.

Within the first 2 minutes or so you’ll hear the first pop. It will almost sound like a popcorn kernel popping. Keep waiting. After several more minutes (around minute 5) you’ll hear the second pop or crack. This will become more of a crackling sound (like pine wood in a fire) and will indicate your roasting is almost complete. Depending on how dark (or light) you like your roast will determine how much longer you keep roasting. I prefer a darker roast. Edit 2020: Now that I’ve been roasting for a few years I’ve learned to appreciate lighter roasts. I no longer seek out the oily sheen as seen in the photo below. I prefer to keep the oils inside the beans. The beauty of roasting at home is that you can decide what roast level you prefer!

A newly roasted batch using my $3 Poppery II.Once I’m satisfied with the look of the beans I turn off the machine and carefully remove the upper (yellow/orange) top. This thing is going to be super hot so be sure to use oven mitts! Dump the beans into your strainer and swirl around to help them cool. You can also use two strainers and toss them back and forth. The beans will be extremely hot and will actually keep roasting. If you look carefully you’ll probably see the surface oils bubbling. On that note, remember to not touch the beans! Don’t grab them, scoop them with your bare hands, drop them on your foot (or pets) or step on one with your barefoot. They are like lava.

It will take some time for the beans to cool enough to safely handle so find a safe spot (out of the reach of your baby goats!!) and let them cure. Opinions range from one to four days for curing (meaning you shouldn’t grind or brew these beans immediately). I generally go by smell. Freshly roasted coffee doesn’t smell like regular coffee…it’s a deeper, oilier smell. After 1-2 days they start to smell “normal” so that’s when I start to use them.

So far I’ve really liked roasting my own beans. I am eager to receive my next shipment from golforca. I ordered one of my very favorite beans…Timor-Leste for just $31.50 for 5 pounds. Quite a deal if you ask me. Golforca also has a website that might be of interest. You can check out their fabulous selection of green coffee beans at Only Coffee Beans.

Some resources you might like:
http://coffeegeek.com/forums/coffee/homeroast
https://forum.homeroasters.org/forum/viewforum.php?forum_id=13

Roasting Coffee in a Popcorn Popper

http://www.thegoodlifelab.com/search?q=roasting+coffee
https://legacy.sweetmarias.com/airpop/airpopmethod.php

Sourcing Green Coffee Beans:
https://www.delafincacoffee.com/shop
Green Coffee
https://happymugcoffee.com/

Home

https://legacyfarmscoffee.com/
http://www.onlycoffeebeans.com/home-page.html
https://www.sweetmarias.com/category/green-coffee?source=side

And here’s a YouTube video I made recently showing the entire process!

Note: I roast 3 oz at a time which is 85 grams. I use about 15 grams per cup of coffee so one roasted batch makes about 5 cups of coffee. I often roast a few batches at a time (each still 3 oz only) so I have a weeks worth of beans before needing to roast again. Obviously you can choose to roast as many consecutive batches as you want so you always have a supply handy.

Another note: My original thrift store find was the Poppery from West Bend ($4). It did a fantastic job of roasting until the goats knocked it off the table and on to the concrete. While it still seemed to work, it never reached a temperature hot enough to roast the beans. I was devastated since I still had over 4 pounds of green coffee beans. Fortunately, I came across a Poppery II at a different thrift store (for $3) just last week. It’s done a remarkable job on the last few roasts.

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The Cassiar Highway ended up being a fantastic decision decision for us. The road was completely paved with only a few areas that required us to take it slow. The further north you travel the narrower the road starts to get, but nothing terrifying. And, with hardly any traffic in either direction there’s really no pressure to go any faster than you’re comfortable. We found adequate fuel stations along the way, thanks to resources like The Milepost and a Stewart-Cassiar flyer we obtained at the Prince George Visitors Center. The other nice thing about The Milepost are the warnings, annotated in red lettering, throughout the Milepost. As we drove I could tell Clark miles ahead of time that there was a narrow bridge coming up or a rough patch of road or a gas station that we needed to slow down for and not pass (there aren’t many options for making u-turns on the Cassiar, it’s just too narrow).

Now, I know that some people are a little off-put by Visitors Centers. After all, they scream tourist to anyone who sees you entering or exiting the building. But in our travels, and not just to Alaska, they’ve more than proven their value time and time again. The Stewart-Cassiar flyer (aka The Highway 37 North/37A document) not only shows distances between points of interest and fuel stations (in miles so you don’t even have to do any math) but on the back it has a list of resources you might find handy (such as where to find repair shops, propane and groceries). That alone can buy some peace of mind as you head off to remote highway 37.

Our trip north on the Cassiar introduced to our first Black Bears (a momma and baby who were grazing on the side of the road, which is a favorite pastime).

The view out of our bedroom window at Milepost 298.7 on the Cassiar…hey, there’s Clark enjoying a morning cup of joe!

The Harlequin duck who visited.

We opted to stay in a pullout near Deas Lake. The spot (at milepost 298.7), which was right on the banks of the Tanzilla River, had trash cans and plenty of space for us to overnight without disconnecting the Jeep. It was also visited by a Harlequin Duck…making it even more beautiful.

The stages of raw jade becoming a bear.

 We made a quick stop by Jade City where we learned that 92% of the world’s jade comes from the Cassiar Mountains, and then overnighted at Baby Nugget RV Park (where the Cassiar and the Alcan meet). As cute as this place looks we found it to be one of the least friendly places we’ would end up encountering on this entire trip. At $39CAD per night it seemed a little steep for rude employees and crappy wifi (it only works in the clubhouse) but it did have a laundromat and full hookups so we could, once again, enjoy long, hot showers and clean duds.

That’s a mighty nice view for a free over-night spot. MP 828.7.

The next night, having officially crossed into the Yukon on the Alcan, we stopped at the rest stop at Milepost 828.7 for one night. This put us in Whitehorse on June 14…officially two weeks from our start date, where we stayed for 3 nights at Pioneer RV Park. They have a little used dry camping rate of $10CAD per night. This gives you access to a dump station and water but you’ll have to buy tokens for the showers and wifi. There’s a laundromat onsite and probably the best fuel prices in the area (plus propane).

Dry camping at Pioneer RV Park meant we had the entire upper area to ourselves…including a nice view.

We spotted a red fox, just back from a successful hunt or carrying kits (we can’t tell), on Tahkini Hot Springs Road near Whitehorse.

Lattes, brownies and 2 pounds of beans at Bean North Coffee. Life is good.

While in Whitehorse we walked around the downtown area, enjoyed some coffee and used the free wifi at the Visitors Center. We took advantage of a beautiful day and hiked Miles Canyon, which is highly recommended. And we also took a drive out Takhini Hot Springs Road. Here you’ll not only find the hot springs, but also Bean North Coffee Roasters (one of my favorite coffee shops and roasters to date) and Rivendell Farm (an organic pick-your-own farm). The drive is beautiful, the coffee is some of the best I’ve had and the Takhini Hot Springs are tranquil and restorative…just what we needed after 14 days of *almost* non-stop travel. Note: the hot springs also runs a hostel and a small campground. It’s an idealistic location, especially since they have a restaurant and Bean North Coffee is a short walk down the road, but may have size restrictions so be sure to call ahead if you want to bring your rig.

The Yukon River at Miles Canyon. Yeah, it’s THAT blue.

Hiking with Nellie in Miles Canyon…super dog friendly.

Whitehorse is a huge hub for travelers. You can pretty much find anything you need in this little city. It seems most RVs take advantage of the free overnight offer at the local Walmart. We swung by there but it was packed…and not everyone was just there for one night…there appeared to be a few locals who moved in some time last year. We were able meet up with our friends The Learning Banks, who were caravanning with Ardent Camper, for lunch at The Gr8ful Spud in Whitehorse. These guys were making quick time of their Canadian crossing in hot pursuit of wifi for work. I think they crossed into Canada from Washington 6 days earlier. Although they headed out of town before we did we would eventually meet back up with them in Fairbanks for the Summer Solstice.

Some of you may know that I am a self-proclaimed coffee snob. I mean that in the kindest way though…I’ve never turned away a cup o’ joe offered from a friend and I still can be found drinking an occasional cup at a diner or even, get this, a gas station (gasp!). But on the whole, I really do like a good  an exquisite cup of coffee…often in the form of a latte or, better yet, a flat white. My habit has also rubbed off on Clark, although he’s not quite as picky selective as me. I love coffee. I love trying coffees everywhere I go. And I love sharing my love of coffee (here’s a photo glossary of espresso drinks for your viewing pleasure).

So, it dawned on me yesterday, as I was enjoying a homemade spiced flat white, made with some beans from Black Cup Roasters in Anchorage, that I’ve yet to do a “round up” kind of post about my love. Instead, you’d only find my favorites by perusing through Instagram or shuffling through the many scattered photos on Facebook. What a pain in the rear…I mean, even I don’t want to go through all that. But I did it anyway. And now I present a few of my favorite coffee shops and roasters we’ve encountered in our travels.

Top 10 Coffee Shops

10) Cafe Louisa (Montgomery, AL) ~ I have to admit, there’s not a lot I like about Montgomery. But my mom has decided to retire nearby so we find ourselves in the area every once in a while. I was determined to find something good about the place during our last visit, come hell or high water. I found it in the Cloverdale area and it’s called Cafe Louisa. I went there 3 times in one week. The coffee, Counter Culture, is very good. The lattes are made with care and the food (mostly sandwiches) are exceptional. So Waffle House isn’t the only place to get coffee in Alabama after all…

9) Java Joe’s (St. Ignace, MI) ~ Not only does Joe’s serve up a nice cup of coffee…they also make the best breakfasts in the area. This is the quintessential coffee shop…from the squeaky screen door to the logo coffee cups this place screams comfort and caffeine. The coffee is top-notch and the service makes it a pleasure to hang out for an undetermined amount of time. Just look for the pink wall with the unicorn on the side of the building and you can’t miss it.

8) Cafe Aquatica  (Jenner, CA) ~ This was the first coffee shop I visited when we hit the road. Perhaps that’s why it’s one of my favorites. I am a sentimental person after all. But it’s really a charming place. You literally sit on the edge of where the Russian River meets the Pacific Ocean. It’s stunning. The coffee is very good (and organic). The atmosphere is warm, artsy and relaxing…perfect for reflecting on life, writing in your journal or just enjoying the day.

7) Michael Thomas Coffee (Albuquerque, NM) ~ High points for ambiance at this cool coffee shop! It looks just like any other pueblo style home on the street (so you might think you’re lost when looking for this place since it’s in a neighborhood) but it’s awesome! There’s seating out front, on the side and in the back where there’s a small garden. Of course, there’s also seating inside and it’s comfy and adorable. The coffee is outstanding and roasted onsite. You won’t be disappointed.

6) Kiva Koffeehouse (Escalante, UT) ~ By far the most uniquely beautiful coffee shop we’ve been. Do yourself a favor and plan a trip to Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and Capital Reef National Park, two lesser visited parks in Southern Utah, and throw in Bryce for good measure. Then travel via Highway 12 so you can stop in at Kive Koffeehouse. It’s out in the middle nowhere but so worth the stop. The coffee is good but the scenery, the building, the rocks…man, oh man. It’s beyond description. There’s ample room to park your RV so this can be a fun pit stop along the way.

5) Bean North Coffee Company (Whitehorse, Yukon Territory) ~ So what if this place seems out of the way. It’s worth it. Besides, you can make a day of it by stopping in for some local, organic veggies at Rivendell Farms and then go for a soak in Takhini Hot Springs, both of which are right down the road. The coffee shop itself is adorable and surrounded by wilderness, wildlife and flowers. The beans are among the finest I’ve had and the drive is actually really nice (and worth it). The only reason I’m not including this place on my top coffee roasters is due to the fact that shipping costs to the U.S. are double the price of the beans. but if you’re in the area definitely buy some beans! Favorite bean: Guatamala Chajul and Sexy Mexy.

4) Grayt Grounds of Monet Monet (Grayton Beach, FL) ~ Built as a scaled down replica of Claude Monet’s home and garden, Monet Monet is worthy of a visit regardless of your coffee preference. The place is simply gorgeous. Peach trees, wind chimes, archways made of flowers and shrubbery all invite you to come and linger for a while. Inside you’ll find comfy, overstuffed chairs with side tables. A large, inviting couch is yours for the taking…put your feet up, lay back and relax. If you’re lucky the coffee shop owner’s little dog or adorable cross-eyed cat might snuggle up to you while you enjoy your locally roasted organic coffee, latte, tea or smoothie. Head out back to see the koi pond, outdoor art displays or to find a chair hidden in the garden so you can really get away from it all. This is a memorable coffee shop. I think I could live happily inside of it.

3) Back Porch Coffee Roasters and Looney Bean Roasting Company (Bend, OR) ~ Clark and I had a “discussion” about this one. We both love Bend. It has so much to offer including several great coffee shops. He felt Loony Bean deserved this spot because the place is funky, quirky, cute and has a great outdoor space that’s dog friendly. It overlooks the river and it really is quite lovely. However, we both agree that Back Porch had better coffee. Back Porch has a more modern feel and therefore, isn’t quite as comfy and homey feeling. But they pay attention to detail. They’re foam is perfect and…they make my favorite…the Cardamom Latte. Get there early enough and treat yourself to the “world famous” Ocean Rolls (ask around…people who know Bend know about Ocean Rolls). We’ll let you decide which coffee shop is better…

2) Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters (Mancos, CO) ~ I’ll admit it now…one of the reasons Mancos is on my short-list of places we might settle down in is because of this coffee shop and roaster. The town is small so you can guarantee that a good portion of the locals will eventually mosey in and grab their morning, or late afternoon, java. It’s a hub. And it’s cozy and comfy and the coffee is out of this world.

1) Bisbee Coffee Company (Bisbee, AZ) ~ Don’t do like I did and confuse this place with Old Bisbee Roasters…they are not the same. The Coffee Company is the place across from the library where you can hang out and enjoy lattes, real macchiatos and the best Mexican Hot Chocolate I’ve ever tasted. It seems that every time we’ve visited Bisbee it’s been cold out and Bisbee Coffee Company is the right place to go to warm up and enjoy a fantastic cup of coffee. I tell everyone to go here…even the people I like!

Top Coffee Roasters

5)  Black Sheep Coffee Roaster (Bishop, CA) ~ What Black Sheep lacks in ambiance (I’m not a big fan of the interior of their cafe in Bishop…sorry) they make up in fantastic coffee. They roast their own beans and this stuff is good. Good enough that it’s one of the few roasters I buy from online. Although I personally don’t feel the cafe is a comfy, cozy place to hang out they do have outdoor seating that is pet friendly…a big plus for those of us who travel with our furbabies. Black Sheep is a gem along one of our most favorite byways…Highway 395. My top pick Yirgacheffe Konga.

4) Alaska Coffee Roasting Company (Fairbanks, AK) ~ Yes, I’m just as shocked as you that an Alaskan roaster would make this list…and from Fairbanks no less. Well, it seems that Alaska isn’t as far behind the rest of the country as it was when I went to school here (20+ years ago if you must know). This is another nice (maybe upscale feeling) coffee shop that also roasts their own beans. They’re lattes were the good but their beans are highly recommended. I especially loved the Timor L’Este (organic) and will ordering some as soon as they have stock again (hurry please!).

3) Back Porch Coffee Roasters (Bend, OR) ~ These guys know coffee. Just watch them as they make the perfect latte…they put real care in their cups. This place seems to have a steady stream of customers, many of whom are picking up their locally roasted beans. And they do not disappoint. My top pick: Peloton.

2) Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters (Mancos, CO) ~ I can’t say enough good stuff about this place. Maybe I’m just too in love with the town, and therefore biased, but the beans still haunt my dreams. I’ll be sure to do a double taste test to ensure they belong in such a high spot on both the of my lists the next time we pass through. It’s just too bad they don’t offer online shopping.

1) Old Bisbee Roasters* (Bisbee, AZ) ~ My absolute favorite coffee roaster is Old Bisbee Roasters. Seth, the owner, is a riot and he knows his stuff. You’ll either find him at his store front on Naco Road or on Peddler’s Alley (where you’ll find the fabulous vegan restaurant Poco) on the weekends. There isn’t a coffee shop per se, but Seth will gladly make you an espresso (or three) while you decide what to order. My recommendations: you can’t go wrong but my personal favorites are the Sumatra and Mexico Loxicha Pluma Real. Stock rotates frequently so these aren’t always available so I recommend getting the coffee sampler (4 different half pound selections) and/or joining the coffee club for you folks who don’t travel.

So there you have it…my favorites. The lesson I learned compiling this list is that it’s almost impossible to narrow down the “best” after 3 years on the road. I should have thought about doing this as an annual post. There are so many places I know I’ve missed (like Red Cup on Washington Island in Wisconsin and Luna Rana in Cosmopolis, WA and even the New Sheridan Hotel Parlor’s classic coffee served with a simple sugar cube) but of the ones listed, I can assure you they’re all great.

*This is an affiliate link. There’s a chance I might one day earn enough money from this link that I’ll be able to get a “free” pound of coffee. It’s never happened before but one can still hope. Being an affiliate does not mean I’ve over-inflated my recommendation…quite the opposite…I became an affiliate because Old Bisbee Roasters is simply my favorite.

We often find ourselves in uncharted territory. That is, after all, the whole reason for hitting the road…to see new things, go new places, meet new people. But it often means we have no idea what’s out there. We rely, like most RVers, on a collection of websites, blogs, FB pages and word-of mouth recommendations from fellow fulltimers to steer us in the right direction. Of course, we sometimes go places without Internet and then we are left to own devices. It’s hit or miss sometimes (like out train experience in Eastern Washington, which was a miss). But our stop at Artic RV Park on the outskirts of Cosmopolis, Washington was a big, unexpected, hit.

We (and by “we” I mean “I” {Lynn}) found this place on a whim. Truth be told, it could have been that the end of the month was approaching and this was the cheapest place within our preferred driving distance. Either way it was one of my favorite private campgrounds to date.

I don’t really write RV Park reviews but instead, I like to mention our personal experiences. Reviews are time consuming and I rarely have the desire to inspect bathrooms and laundry facilities unless I have to use them. Also, so many people have different expectations, needs and tastes. We have friends who love to stay in full on resorts (price is no concern) with cement pads and decks at each site while others would love nothing more than to wake up each morning surrounded by dirt, trees, wildlife and no one else for miles. A camping site we love might be someone else’s worst nightmare.

Red huckleberries.

But, I have to tell you about Artic RV Park and the surrounding areas. The parks is right off Highway 101 but, once you pull in, it feels much more private. All of the sites are nestled in the trees and many of them have either blackberry bushes, huckleberry trees or rhododendrons offering privacy (and snacks). Some sites are huge and some are small. Some take a bit of creativity to maneuver into and when we first pulled in we weren’t sure we even wanted to stay because the road looked pretty tight (obviously we managed). They offer electric and water sites, and a handful of full hookup sites and two on-site dump stations…which are on hills and in awkward places. But still…

Our beautiful site…so secluded and serene.

Avi approved.

The owners of the park make you feel like invited guests. They helped us get situated in our site and then immediately wanted to show us their garden. They have a small house onsite which doubles as the office. Behind the house is a huge garden full of fruits, vegetables and flowers…specifically dahlias. And all of it is available to the guests of the RV park. Yes, you can pick to your hearts content (just be sure to not be wasteful). You are encouraged to cut some flowers and create a beautiful bouquet for your RV (flowers always brighten up a place). There’s also a pub. Yep, you read that right…a pub. It’s nothing fancy but they offer several kinds of bottled beer and have a few on tap. Seeing as Clark is a fan of beer flavored beer, like Pacifico, Stella, Coors Light and an occasional Shady, this was right up his alley. They also have a few wines available. It’s kinda nice when you can walk a few hundred feet to grab a burger and a couple of beers and walk home afterward.

The Garden.

Cosmos…

The owners have also spent quite a bit of time carefully tending to a mile and half long trail that skirts along the river and through the rain forest. You can stop to fish for crawdads or make it a loop and pick several pounds of blackberries on your return trip. Pure nirvana.

The owner’s cat acted as our trail guide and accompanied us for the entire hike. He put on quite a show too…running like crazy, climbing trees and jumping out to surprise us.

Speaking of Nirvana (see what I did there) we made the drive to nearby Aberdeen (whose welcome sign says “Come As You Are”) to see Kurt Cobain’s childhood home and the Kurt Cobain Riverfront Park…a small area dedicated to the late singer/songwriter’s life in the area. Apparently, the town isn’t too keen on celebrating their most famous resident due to his drug addiction and eventual suicide but, we’ve honored others for the same (I believe even Elvis Presley wasn’t immune for the rock-n-roll drug culture). Regardless of anyone’s personal beliefs and aversions to the potential glorification of sex, drugs and rock’n’roll, Cobain had a huge influence on music, lyrics and the lives of a lot of us Gen Xers. I’m glad they’ve at least made a small memorial.

Although the actual value of the home is around $67,000 it’s currently on the market for just under $400,000 (down from the original asking price of $500,00). There is talk of private investors buying it and converting it to a museum.

On our way back to Artic we stopped at Luna Rana in Cosmopolis for a much deserved afternoon latte (you can read my Yelp! review here). These are quite possibly the nicest coffee shop owners I’ve ever met. First, they welcomed us into their cozy establishment like we were long lost friends. Then they chatted with us regarding our order so we would get the best drink possible. Next, we were presented with beautiful lattes…sometimes these touches really matter. Finally, we sat for a good hour or two conversing with the husband and wife team while they homeschooled their son. The coffees were delicious and they refused to take payment. Be sure to stop here even if you’re just passing through the area. They offer whole bean local coffee, loose teas, and locally made arts and craft. They also serve food.

There were several local excursions that were recommended to us…fresh seafood, beaches, picturesque drives and a trip to Greater Gray Harbor, home of the Hawaiian Chieftain and Lady Washington, two of the tall ships used in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, where you can tour the ships or even go sailing on them. Unfortunately, since we didn’t know all of this was available when we passed through we didn’t have time to enjoy it all. It is, however, on the short list of places to return.

When we first started discussing this whole “let’s live in an RV” thing there were two primary goals we wanted to achieve (eventually). One was to travel throughout this great country and see what we could see. As vast as the United States is, it offers the diversity that no other place on Earth can without crossing into other countries. No passports or visas needed, no exchanging of money, no learning of foreign languages or worries about insurance issues. There’s a lot to see right here…trust me, it will blow your mind.

The second goal was to find that place where we might want to eventually settle down. Wait…calm down, we’re not planning on getting off the road just yet…but we are keeping our minds open to creating a home base. There’s a certain thrill to being registered nomads but there’s also a lack of grounding…sometimes I long for a summer garden and Clark wants a chunk of property where he can have a pack of rescued dogs happily running amok. And while we are no where near ready to end our travels we did find one exceptional place we could picture ourselves staying long term. As a matter of fact, we ended up staying put for 5 weeks last summer because we loved the place so much.

As soon as we hung a right onto Highway 160 in Montezuma County, Colorado I immediately felt a sense of home. It was unmistakable. Although the city of Cortez was nice it was when we were coming out of Mesa Verde National Park that we were both struck by the beauty of the Mancos Valley. I believe I said something like, “Holy $hit…this place is beautiful.”  And Clark appeased me by making a slight detour to drive through the small town to their coffee shop, Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters. At this point I was completely sold.

While we were waiting for our perfectly brewed lattes one of the local characters came in, ordered coffee and struck up a conversation with us (since it was obvious we were “new”). As soon as he heard we were traveling the country in an RV he invited us to “see something cool” just across the street. Yay for spontaneous adventure (or a hold up…jk).

Will Stone and his dog Charlie,

Clark and Charlie inside one of the Gypsy Wagons.

The man turned out to be Will Stone, a stage coach builder and owner of the Mancos Livery. We toured the coaches he had built and even hung out, drinking our coffee, inside one of the Gypsy Wagons he was remodeling into rentals. But the really cool part was that Will was also teaching a calf his granddaughter insisted not be eaten into a cart steer…seriously…(by the way, check out the link above for some new photos of Crash and some video of him being trained to ride).

Me and Crash.

Crash pulling his cart with Charlie on board.

Already this town was earning major points…it was beautiful, it had an excellent coffee roaster (#1 might still be Old Bisbee Roasters in Bisbee but this one has the added benefit of a full coffee shop, not just roasted beans), there were yoga classes in town and, the pièce de résistance, there was a freakin’ cow pulling a cart down Main Street! Come on man!! What more could a person want?

Although a small town, the yoga here was very, very good.

We drove to a campground we had seen listed in Passport America to check it out. When we pulled into the property we were greeted by Bill, the campground host who seemed pretty happy to talk to us. What we found out was that the campground was just reopening (they close over winter) and were in desperate need of workcampers. Bill offered us a job on the spot…20 hours a week (between the two of us) for a free, full hookup, 50 amp site with free wifi (monthly rates there run $630). We thought about it for a couple of days, said “why not?” and then moved from La Mesa RV Park in Cortez to Echo Basin Ranch in Mancos for our very first workcamping stint.

Things we had not known prior to agreeing to workcamping:

1. This was no longer a real ranch. The horses we saw were not owned by Echo Basin which meant we would not be tasked to tend to the livestock, clean stalls or lead trail rides. All things we really wanted to do since, as a child, Clark had spent every single summer on a Dude Ranch and I had owned horses of my own and led trail rides in the Poconos after high school. 
2. The restaurant and bar mentioned in the ads (including the large billboard posted along the highway) were no longer in use except for the wedding. We had hoped we could belly up to the bar after a day of leading trail rides to kick back and relax but that would not be the case.
3. No concerts, no golf course, no love for the campers. Echo Basin was owned by a man who had dreams. Back in the day it hosted many well known performers who put on amazing outdoor concerts. There was also the beginnings of a nice (turf) golf course which has since been abandoned. When he passed away from cancer his wife had to sell off a good portion of the property and her sole focus became the wedding venue. That meant the campground was treated like a red-headed step-child. It was still well maintained by the workcampers but most of the attention was to the comfort and care of the wedding parties.
4. There was never enough staff. Way too much work for the handful of us to tackle, especially since a few of the workcampers were dictating what they would and would not do, which ended up being a lot of would not…but we did our best and the place look amazing when we left.

The work required was mostly geared toward getting the ranch ready for the many weddings it holds over the summer months. I was very happy to hang out in the garden in the morning to pull weeds and clear old leaves so that the spring shoots could flourish. Clark spent his days making handyman repairs and getting the pool ready for summer (something he used to pay other people to do back when had a house). Sometimes I would help the housekeeping staff change out bedding and ensure the cabins were clean for the next guests. All-in-all it wasn’t difficult work but there was a lot of it…as a matter of fact when we left Echo Basin we still had 40 hours of overtime (to be used for a free 2 week stay some time in the future). Admittedly, even though we technically didn’t need to workcamp it was a great experience and we liked the structure it gave of having something to do.

Putting up the tarps.

Union Break.

Lots of weeding…

Ready for the wedding…

Columbine  in bloom.

Hydrangeas waking up.

More Columbine…

 I’m going to let the photos tell the rest of the story about why we loved this place…

Our Site:

It snowed on us once but man, it was beautiful.

Our backyard…

Our side yard…

Sunset reflection…

Around the ranch…our views every.single.day…

Neighboring horses.

The horse farm across the little dirt road.

Horse Farm.

Our neighbors.

The view from the road coming into Echo Basin Ranch.

Mating or fighting? I’m not sure but either way these two put on quite a show both in the air and on the ground.

Even though it snowed on us it was still beautiful…and not really all that cold:

Echo Basin was about 8 miles from town so we were able to enjoy a lot that it has to offer like a natural food store:

A pretty good Mexican Food joint (our weekly treat to ourselves):

A local bakery:

 And frequent visits to the coffee shop and to see Crash and Will at the Livery:

Some visitors stopping by the livery for a tune up.

Clark and Crash bonding.

And Cortez was still close enough for essentials like groceries, a brewery and a variety of other restaurants:

The Farm Bistro serves all locally grown foods and support local businesses. Their menu includes local wines, beer and coffee from Fahrenheit Roaster and everyone, from vegans to omnivores, can find something delicious here.

The City of Mancos is home to only 1500 people (there’s about 3000 residents in Mancos Valley) yet it has the key things we love…a great local coffee shop where people love to hang out and catch up with each other, a variety of good restaurants, a brand new library, yoga classes, a farmer’s market, a nice art community, horses, sunshine, rivers, mountains, no humidity and it totally emits a huge “get outside” vibe.

Durango is only a 30 minute drive away and there’s plenty to do there (theater, movies, shopping, specialty stores). And about 15 minutes away is a small ski hill (with plenty of cross-country skiing available right in the valley).

We loved this area and it’s on our “short list” of places we will consider if and when we are ready to settle down. It’s also on our short list of favorite places we’ve been…along with Bisbee, AZ, New Harmony, IN, Traverse City, MI and the entire Upper Penninsula.

If you like a small town, old west feel with stunning vistas, access to one of the greatest National Parks and lots of local flavor then check out Mancos, Colorado.

Lilacs in bloom.

In an effort to save money and get the most ‘bang for our buck’ (after purchasing an annual Texas State Parks Pass…which saved us a bunch of money) we opted to stay at McKinney Falls State Park outside of Austin, Texas.  We both love music but Clarks has a much more refined appreciation for singers and songwriters (while I am happy to put on some Marilyn Manson while cleaning the RV). But I’m learning…so we were both eager to find some good live music and Austin has no shortages.

McKinney Falls

With this being our first year of RVing we knew there were going to be plenty of lessons to learn (one being not to drive up roads with big signs that say “No RV’s”). Well, Austin provided us another learning opportunity and one I hope my fellow RVer’s can appreciate. We have a fixed income (and opt to not work at this time) so we often look for the cheapest RV park in the area. We do take into consideration park reviews, location, hookups, amenities but it has become our habit to immediately rule out anything over $28 per night and always strive to keep it at or under $20 per night on average. This is why we stayed at McKinney Falls State Park (plus we had purchased a Texas State Park Pass and intended to get our use out of it).

The falls were gorgeous!

 What we learned was that we were at least 30 minutes drive to any thing we wanted to do.  Now double that because you have to drive back. An hour of our day would be spent on the road just driving back and forth from any of the sights we wanted to see. Couple that with the fact that we want to go out and bar-hop while listening to live music and you immediately see the problem.

We toured the capital building…

Enjoyed some libations…

Shopped some quirky stores…

Checked out some cool food trucks…

Experienced 6th Street…

 Our Jeep gets about the same gas mileage as the RV (okay, so maybe it’s slightly better but you get the point). This means that we are spending way too much on gas for the Jeep just to shuttle ourselves to the Points-of-Interest in our area. If you really want to get all anal…{I mean} analytical, add that fuel cost to the camping rate and see what it’s really costing per night. My point is, sometimes it is more cost effective to stay at a more expensive RV park if it means you are using less (or no) fuel to commute. Had I actually thought about this we would have stayed right in the heart of Austin and walked, biked or took public transportation to get around.

Went to a bar…

And then a few more bars…

Found it necessary to try the street vendor foods…

And found a photo-booth to document the night.

Instead, we spent less time in Austin than we intended. We also didn’t get to experience 6th Street the same way others had (drinking a lot, peeing in the alley and waking up hung-over…otherwise known as having a great time).  Don’t get me wrong…we still had a blast, heard some great singing, met some cool people and even had our portrait secretly drawn by a local street artist while we ate our Valentine’s Day in downtown.

We also made the most of our stay at the state park by biking and hiking. The falls were very cool and I’m glad we had a chance to see it. The RV sights are great…secluded and private and well shaded.  It was beautiful but a bit farther than we really wanted to driver every day to see Austin.

Limestone and water create beauty in nature…

Even with out leaves the trees were stunning.

More Valentine’s from nature.

Since I’m a bit of a coffee addict…er, connoisseur, we tracked down the ever wonderful and hip Flipnotics for a latte. If there is one place in Austin you don’t want to miss it’s Flipnotics (okay, so I could be biased because at about 2 pm every afternoon something happens inside of me that demands a little kick of caffeine…call it a weakness if you want but I call it an opportunity to find the coolest coffee shops in the country). Not only do they serve pretty outstanding java but they also have beer and wine and LIVE MUSIC. Their patio seems more like a multi-level tree house with nooks and crannies suitable for those who like to mingle or those who want privacy. 

If you like coffee (or beer or wine or live music) go here!!

Just a couple of Flipnotics decks.

It may seem odd that with all that Austin has to offer I suggest a coffee shop but if you’re like me you will find Austin a strange yet interesting town. It’s defines amalgam to a T. It blends a tiny bit of Texas charm with pinch of trendy city and a huge splash of hipster. You’re more likely to see a group of young 20 somethings that look like they’ve stepped right out of a glossy Benetton  ad (in pastel jeans, polo shirts and dock-siders) than you are to see someone in a cowboy hat and regular old blue jeans. It’s more hipster than San Francisco and seems to work really hard at being so.

Now, I don’t mean to offend anyone from the Austin area. I like it just fine. It just doesn’t fit the mold of being a Texas city. Perhaps that’s the charm…a break from the norm, which it does quite well. I’d certainly go back but I’d be sure to stay at the RV park right in the middle of town.  There’s some killer food and great mixologists and certainly a lot of great music. But don’t forget to try the coffee!

January 21, 2013 we finally made it to Las Cruces, New Mexico after having exhausted all of the sight seeing activities near Benson, Az. It was nice to push on…and cross another State Line. We set up camp at Leasburg Dam State Park, which is technically in Radium Springs, and rests right along the Rio Grande. Even without full hook-ups (no sewer) this has been, by far, one of the nicest State Parks we’ve seen especially when you factor in the price of $14 per night.

Our camp site at Leasburg Dam. It even had killer wifi!

Camp site at sunset.

Clark and Cleo hiking near the Rio Grande.

Hiking around.

The Rio Grande

Our first night we realized how much we loved the area and decided to extend our stay 5 additional days (instead of the 2 we had planned). The views from the campground were stunning and after 3 weeks in the Arizona desert we were enchanted with this different kind of desert living. There were trees and farm lands and horses at pasture, yet the naked and desolate mountains reminded us we were still in the desert.

What a great view!

Our campground was right next to Fort Selden which was established in 1865 to help protect settlers from the Native Americas…which in itself is a whole ‘nother discussion…but saw very little action and was ultimately abandoned less than 30 years later. There’s a really good display of artifacts and ruins which shouldn’t be missed because…this is where Douglas MacArthur lived between the age of 4 and 6 (his father, Capt. Arthur MacArthur, Jr. was the post commander). It’s also where he learned to ride and shoot.

Some of the ruins of Fort Shelden. There is a small visitors center which is nicely done.

Although Las Cruces has all of the normal conveniences one would want in a city like a bicycle repair shop (for the flat tires Clark collected after we rode our bikes to Fort Shelden…on a thorn riddled path…) and normal grocery stores it was Old Mesilla that captured our hearts.

Basilica of San Albino

This little bit of town has done an amazing job keeping with the history and tradition of it’s founding in 1848. Entering any of the small shops you will see remnants of the original architecture of these adobe structures. I can’t really get into all of the history of this town (I’m on my second drink this evening) but it’s fascinating. I mean, everyone loves the folklore of Old West and I’m a sucker for anything that involves Billy the Kid (who was here…in Mesilla…on trial for murder!!) but combine that with the Gadsden Purchase (trust me, it’s way more interesting when your standing there looking at the land rather than reading it in a history book in the 8th grade), the Civil War and the Butterfield Stage Coach good ol’ cowboy history and you have yourself a good time.

Strangely enough this is right outside of a children’s daycare.

There’s also a lot of art. Really good art. Affordable art. And it’s got good food. We ate at the Double Eagle (thank you Yelp!) which looks like a hole in the wall until you walk through the front door. Trust me, even if you aren’t hungry at least walk through the restaurant and bar, they won’t mind, and you will be in awe. You could host anything from a boys night of poker to a ladies book club meeting to a lavish wedding to a simple lunch after a day of sight-seeing to grabbing a cocktail with your friends after work.

Go here…really…GO!

We also enjoyed some great coffee at Milagro y Espresso in Las Cruces. It’s a great alternative to your corporate Starbucks type coffee shops but still gets as crowded due to its proximity to the college and the fact that their coffee really is that good (we went twice…the second time because Clark liked it so much…and that’s saying a lot).

Latte Love

 Another area to visit is the little town of Hatch, which just happens to be the Chile Capital of the World. It’s a small farming community that would be easy to miss had it not been for the colorful chiles hanging every where.

We ate at Sparky’s, home of the World Famous Green Chile Burger. Truth be told, I think Clark still dreams about this burger. You can get a green chile anything here (pretty much) including Green Chile Lemonade and Green Chile Milkshake. It’s a fun spot with a lot of character. And of course we stocked up on Green Chile Salsa, jelly and chips.

Overall I absolutely loved the area with it’s dry desert air, interesting history and culture and the fact there is a lot of farmland and orchards. A strange blend but so inviting.

We had decided to move to a new campground slightly closer to the ghost town. We found a great spot at Valley Vista RV Resort in Benson Arizona through our Passport America membership for only $12.50 per night. We stayed 12 days and although the limit for the P.A. discount was supposed to be for 7 days only, the staff was more than accommodating and honored the discount for the additional days. Although there isn’t a ton of ‘stuff’ in Benson, it was a fantastic park with huge sites and closer than Tucson to some of the other areas we wanted to explore.

The Mutiny at Valley Vista RV Resort.

 But it was still bitterly cold…so cold that one night our water pump froze (it dropped to 11 degrees Fahrenheit). That lead to an hour long side trip to the local hardware store to buy supplies and half a day rigging up the RV bays to stay above freezing. Thanks to Gone With the Wynns blog post How To Prepare Your RV for a Winter Adventure we knew exactly what to do. We followed their advise to a T and had no further issues despite the below freezing temperatures.

Cold weather supplies.

After making sure the rig wouldn’t freeze up we felt it was safe to go adventure around the area. Of course the first stop was Tombstone. It was cold…and the place was quite touristy…and most of the buildings had been turned into stores that sold t-shirts. But it was still cool to take a walk in the footsteps of history and try to image life back then.

We watched a pretty interesting reenactment of the Gun Fight at the OK Corral.

and visited some historic sites.

I had read some Yelp reviews and so we decided to take the long drive (about an hour one way) to Bisbee…and fell in love. Bisbee was founded in the 1880’s and produced about 3 million ounces of gold and 8 billion ounces of copper. As a matter of fact, if you have time you should definitely take a tour of the Copper Queen Mine. We didn’t and regret it to this day (but that just means we will have to go back, right?). The town is nestled in the Mule Mountains and although it is practically in Mexico it gets snow in the winter.

Bisbee hosts a great race through the city that covers 1000 stairs scattered throughout the historical town.

The town still holds it Old West charm and is home to many local artists.

The Dog Park.

The always awesome Copper Queen Hotel

Anyone who knows me also knows that I love coffee…let me clarify…I love good coffee, so when I read the rave reviews of Old Bisbee Roasters I knew that we would have to give it a try. Turns out it lives up to the hype. I now order whole beans from them (they have very fast and free shipping) whenever we are somewhere we can receive mail. Seth Appell roasts small lots and is dedicated not only to fine coffee but responsible farming, clean water and reforestation efforts efforts. Even if you never make it to Bisbee I highly recommend ordering a sampler package from Old Bisbee Roasters…you won’t be disappointed.

Is this really a coffee shop or did we just enter Heaven??

Another surprise we found in Benson was Singing Wind Bookshop run by a lovely lady named Winn. The place is utterly overwhelming yet still has a homey feel…and it should since it’s actually located inside Winn’s house. If you can find this little sweet shop you might want to block off a couple of hours from your schedule because you won’t want to leave. No one but Winn understands the cataloging so be sure to ask her for the tour. And trust me, she knows every.single.book inside that store. You’ll find everything from South West History (one of the best collections around) to Shakespeare, Hindu religion, Presidential biographies, loads of fiction as well as children’s books. There is also a great collection by local authors.

Literally.

If you find this house you are in the right place…go on in!

You’ll need a map…or at least a tour from Winn.

Clark saying hello to Winn’s donkey…bring her some carrots or apples and she’ll love you forever!

If your in the area it only makes sense to stop at the lovely Holy Trinity Monastery. Even those without religion can appreciate the tranquil gardens and peaceful setting. The grounds are beautiful and very inviting for meditation and reflection (and great photo ops). Look for the little signs around the cemetery that are actually markers for a short and informative hike. The monastery hosts retreats through out the year (some of which are silent) so be sure to be respectful and leave your beer in the car.

Holy Trinity Monastery

Frozen pond behind the Monastery.

Interior.

I’ll save the other adventures around the are for another post…in the meantime, I hope you enjoy the photos here.

One lesson I hope to learn sooner rather than later, is how to make the perfect cup of coffee with my French Press. See, what happens when you camping without hook-ups is you no longer get to enjoy a freshly brewed cup of coffee made by your Keurig. Well, at least not when you wake up at 8 am and your husband sleeps til 11 am. Sure, I could have started the generator anyway, waking him up and risking his wrath, just to savor my cherished cup of Italian Roast {probably with a smirk on my face}. But instead, for 6 mornings I tried my hand at making coffee the old fashioned way. It was not good.

Source

What it reminded me of was “Cowboy Coffee”, which may be related to Turkish Coffee {which may be responsible for chin hairs on older, Mediterranean women…I’m Slavic so I can relate}…in that it coats the tongue with a bitterness that is all but impossible to scrape away. It also raises one’s heart rate to dangerous levels…at least in my case. But it was coffee…right? {ack}

I’ll admit, being surrounded by such magnificence as Yosemite provides, I began to find that I no longer missed the Internet or even my cell phone. I missed a good cup of coffee {a little} but not so much that I wanted to get up early and venture to Camp Curry to pay for a cup of Peet’s. The crisp mornings, combined with the sunrise reflecting off of Half Dome and Sentinel Peak, were enough to wake me up.

Between my shitty coffee, the sunrise and the crisp air there was also the scenery and hikes and bike rides to look forward to each day. All 6 days we were graced with beautiful weather, lots of sunshine, and cloudless nights (perfect for looking at the night’s sky).

We hiked the Mist Trail to the top of Vernal Falls…

Rainbow at Vernal Falls

It about killed us, but we over came the obstacles…



These, quite possibly, were worse climbing down than the were going up…

We saw some wildlife…

Bobcat, Squirrel and Mule Deer

Yosemite Village, Camp Curry and the Ahwahnee…cheers!

We rode the Yosemite Valley Loop (all 13 miles) on our bikes {twice}, watched climbers on El Capitan, laid in the middle of a meadow in the dark to star gaze and viewed the valley from Glacier Point…nearly 7200 feet in elevation, making life seem so small yet intertwined with nature.

Glacier Point marker

View from Glacier Point

Climbers on El Capitan

Although we spent some time being tourists we made sure to spend most of our time in nature contimplating our wants versus needs and how to make this RV adventure work. Living without electricity (save for that replenished in our deep cycle batteries via the generator), social media outlets and Keurig coffee while marvelling at the natural beauty surrounding us certainly helped put things into perspective.

We have a lot to learn…and not just how to make a good cup of coffee…but we are learning as we go.

~Lynn