Hello from the road dear readers,
It’s been a bit difficult to keep up with this blog as we’re finding out that we’re almost constantly having to regroup, reorganize, and replan. Trouble is, Will and I are planners. Like down the smallest detail, with everything in place, meaning that we’re not always the best at doing things on the fly. Case in point, Lilly having to go into the vet to have those foxtails removed from her mouth. We’d already had to regroup in Texas and forgo more deserts in favor of the dogs. While we we’re sitting in Socorro, NM, letting Lilly rest a bit after her surgery, we decided to regroup again.
So, with a new plan in place we struck out from New Mexico and made our way into Arizona for a few easy days of dispersed camping in the Apace Sitgrieves National Forest and then a few more days in the Coconino National Forest. We didn’t get up to anything too exciting in Apace Sitgrieves, mostly enjoyed the warm summer days (not too hot) and simply sat around camp. The Coconino National Forest was, however, in a perfect location for us to do some exploring during the day. We were able to unhitch the teardrop and drive a bit south into the small town of Jerome, Arizona. Like many of our adventures into towns, it was met by a bit of organized chaos in that businesses weren’t quite sure to be open or not. This ended in a slightly disappointing experience, but also taking these factors into consideration along with the current state of Arizona due to COVID-19, and the fact that Will had been to this town before, we have to chalk it up to the current state of the country in regards to the pandemic. We would definitely like to go back to explore this town in more depth once things are relatively normal again (probably in the fall rather than in the summer again) and would really like to stay in the haunted hotel here. The main place we were hoping to stop by, Caduceus Cellars, was closed for COVID-19, but we were able to find their wine available at a wine store in Sedona.
On our way back from Jerome we also stopped in Sedona for a quick bite. The red rock area of Sedona will never cease to amaze. The scenic drive from Sedona back to Flagstaff is also quite incredible. The road follows the river for almost the entire drive, with Sliding Rock State Park right in the middle of it all. We weren’t able to stop to get experience the state park for a number of reasons, but if you know Will and I, you know how much we love a good sliding rock. This area of Arizona is absolutely incredible, and we will definitely be back.
Flagstaff, AZ was only about 15 minutes from our campsite in the Coconino National Forest and we were able to see quite a bit of the town just by driving through. We did make a point to stop in and get some lunch one day from a really great joint called Pizzicletta. They weren’t entirely open back up yet but were very accommodating. They allowed us to eat at their outdoor area and even brought out water for the dogs. Would highly recommend if you’re ever passing through.
Other than the little bit of exploring we did we’ve been sitting around camp again enjoying the summer away from NC. We’re playing a lot of cards and a bit of chess and the dogs are just hanging around. Life on the road can seem really glamorous from a distance, but it definitely is never as easy and spectacular as it might seem. We’ve struggled a bit and have once again had to make some really tough decisions. After talking with our parents and some great friends we’ve ultimately decided to ditch California, Oregon, and Washington altogether. We’ve also met some people on the road from these states and so far everyone has shared that it’s not worth going into those states right now. We’re really, really bummed that we won’t be getting to experience Death Valley, Mojave, the Sequoias and Redwoods, and the list goes on. But ultimately, we’ve decided that sticking to our plans just because we planned it in such great detail and for so long would ultimately be doing this trip a disservice. (Thank you for helping us figure out that Meagan). Instead, we’re focusing on trimming the fat, figuring out where we can come back to one day so that we can do it properly, and ultimately we’re focusing on making the decisions that will allow us to actually enjoy this trip, enjoy the outdoors, and enjoy America.
Stick with us everyone. We’re excited about where this journey is taking us. Planned or not.
Life in the right lane,
Rachel
DMG Exploration 
I notice in the pictures, there are tarps spread on the ground. Is this a common thing to do at every campsite. Is it to keep the area and teardrop cleaner or squelch the mud if it rains. If it rains, do you fold up the tarps wet? I loved catching up on your blog.
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The tarps are really a combination of all of the above. We noticed in New Mexico that the ultra-dry conditions created a lot of dust in highly used campsites. We found that the dogs were getting filthy and we would need to use what little water we had to clean them before putting them into the teardrop. We also found out that most of the county has foxtails, which we had to have removed from Lilly’s gums. If you do a quick google search of foxtails, you’ll be surprised at how devastating these things are for dogs. So the tarps have really helped to keep the dogs out of the dust and those foxtails. In the event of any kind of precipitation the tarps help provide a cleaner surface for us to be on so that we don’t track in mud. If they are wet, we shake them out as best we can and fold them up wet. They’re stored in the rear of the truck where everything is sort of dirty anyways and we usually have time to dry them out within the following days. We don’t use them at every site but they’re definitely handy for lots of things. Glad to hear you’re enjoying the blog! I’m still behind but should have some time to post more tomorrow. Needing to blog Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming before I’m caught up!
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