Hey, where you been??

Hmm… where has Joy been? Has anyone seen her? I have! She has been a busy little bee. I guess that’s why she hasn’t been blogging. Bees don’t blog all that much. After stopping in Elko, NV and having the truck looked at I sat down and did some serious thinking. I’ll go over it again in case you don’t remember from my last massive blog entry… They went something like this: Why am I fighting these hordes of tourists? Finding a room is getting dicey and it’s not that I am against sleeping in my truck but I like showering and I like feeling relatively civilized for the most part. So. Do I have any doubts about continuing? Yes. Does it matter if I continue right now? Since CA, the Canyon and Yellowstone isn’t going anywhere, no. Can I change the current situation? Unlikely. Okay then, back to AZ because I love it. Also, from AZ I can easily make it to the Canyon in half a day easy. That is the coolest I’m bored and want to do something this weekend trip ever, is it not?? Yeah, I thought so too. Also, I can take some time and do Yellowstone when I want to as well. And CA? Anytime I would like. It’s right next to me after all. Ha. I win. I am going back to the Hoover Dam. I went through it at night and I bet it’s awesome during the day considering how rad it was in the dark.

I took 93 S to get here just like I said I would. It is the loneliest, longest road over the most unforgiving terrain I have yet to drive over. There was lots of thinking time and good music to be had so I was just fine. It also allowed me to kill Nevada in just one day. Sweet.

Toward the end of the drive the coolest thing happens… For hours and hours and hours there is nothing but dry barren and unforgiving landscape. Then there is a corner and a slight hill and BLAM! Holy abundant green Batman! Pahranagat Valley was such a friendly live place to be greeted with after the long arid ride through the desert. There were huge trees, fields everywhere, cows and horses grazing (you knew there would be cows!) and I shit you not, lakes. Two of them if I am not mistaken. Oh, and by the way, I have no interest in knowing if I am, thank you very much. It was wild. Of course I stopped. For one, all that driving had left me seeing double and I needed a coffee like I have never needed it before. Second, my gas tank needed a fill. Lucky me, they had a gas station AND coffee. I also got one of the best apple turnovers I have ever tasted. What is it with all these little places in the middle of nowhere having the best tastiest treats EVER? What is that?? Anyway, stopping was worth it. Everyone who came in knew everyone else. Not me. I liked it that way. I wanted to ask the young girl behind the counter if she had ever been anywhere but that valley but I wasn’t sure how she would take it. At least she knew how far Las Vegas was from there. Knowledge makes up for a lot in my book. Especially when I am in need of that knowledge. She also knew the apple turnovers were scrumptious. She was dead on with that one man. Wow.

That’s right, I drove through Las Vegas. I was planning on staying the night and taking some pictures while walking through the lights and people. Um, I didn’t. I saw the mass of people and how large everything was, drove about, ooed and ahhed at the lightshow and promised myself I would come back with someone. I am just not into crowds that large without someone to have my back. I also had Jim with me and since I didn’t want to leave him in the truck my other option was to drag him with me through the crowds. Just yuck. I panicked and left. Ha ha.

I am back in Scottsdale. I am using here as my base camp as I set up my new life in Payson. I went and met the groomer that is hiring and she was just the nicest person ever. There is also an old cowboy that grooms for her. He knew he liked me when I said people that ranch on quads are cheaters. He has a miniature poodle and that cracks me up big time. Working with them should be a breeze. All I have to do is find somewhere to live now. I might have a chance to rent an efficiency but the woman hasn’t called me back yet. That would rule. Otherwise, the woman who owns the grooming store is renting out her home to another older woman and the house is set up in such a way that if we split it we’d both have our own bathroom and three rooms on opposite sides of the house. I can totally hang with older people; it’s the young ones I am not able to jive with. Also, the house is totally fenced with a big yard for the James! Score! Hopefully this pans out and I get in. JH cheer? Uh yeah. JH #1!

I know, I know, I said Cottonwood. I know. But Payson has hiking, fishing, horseback riding AND an off leash dog park. Yeah, that’s right I said it. Work is a big one as well and Cottonwood is not showing any results that I find favorable. Oh, also, the cost of living is CHEAP. I will be making over my rent in a week working four days a week. Holy shit huh?

So that’s it for now. There isn’t much else to tell you about as I have just been enjoying down time, calling people and scouring online and papers for a place to live. Rock on, go me, and all that nonsense you have come to expect.