This post is a mish-mash of the highlights from the beginning of my new year, much of which seems like an episode of the Twilight Zone.

I’m not able to post as frequently as I’d like since I’m on the road in remote locations. My internet is spotty and electrical hookups aren’t always available. That’s what boondocking is like. And you all know how I feel about the boondocking.

Ladies and Gentlemen, next stop The Twilight Zone…

A house guest, I have one.

For a few weeks. Holy Shatner! I can’t believe it, either. This one seems to be a very good one. One who cleans up, and helps around the rig with BBQs and hooking up the new toad. We are heading toward Arizona for a couple weeks before my house guest returns to their home state. [The name of said house guest is withheld to protect their reputation (notice I didn’t say ‘to protect the innocent’) because associating with me might, well, you know, not be good for someone’s reputation. Besides, we’re still trying to decide who is the Gypsy and who is the Tramp.]

Monterey, Calif. is beautiful.

It’s possibly one of the most beautiful places I’ve yet been to. The town itself is incredibly charming, and nearby Pacific Grove, Carmel, and Asilomar are on my short list of places to buy my beach house. I’ll post more photos later.

The Monterey Elks Lodge scored huge points with me. Unlike the lodge of which I am (currently) a member, Monterey has a gym for men and women. They do not discriminate. It was like pulling teeth at my local lodge to get them to comply with the law – and I got a lot of flack for it.

The new toad.

I got a vehicle to tow behind my rig! The great folks at San Jose Enterprise Car Sales could not have been more helpful. The sale was quick, haggle-free, and they have gone above and beyond in fulfilling my requests. This is the second car I’ve purchased from them and I highly recommend them. At this point I’ve towed it several hundred miles and it seems to be going well. I’m still nervous taking turns and going up or down big hills, but so far so good. The house guest is also good at keeping the blond lemming from jumping off the ledge of panic.

Someone tried to break into the toad in Tehachapi.

It was pitch black out, not a single street light where we were parked by a vacated building in Tehachapi, Calif. Luckily, that night I did something different: I showed my house guest where the weapons are stowed, and left one out near the door just ‘in case something happened’.

Around 10:30 at night I noticed there was light coming in the windows. Turning on the outside camera (yeah, cool, huh?), I saw someone standing behind my rig next to my hooked-up tow car.

What’s a gal do at a time like that? She yells to her house guest that someone is at her car, she grabs the loaded pistol, and runs out the door.

In her pajamas. Without a bra. Or shoes. (In case it’s not already obvious, the importance of the lack of shoes will become apparent in a moment.)

I could say my lack of appropriate clothing was an attempt to distract the would-be thief, but I wasn’t really thinking that far ahead.

And I was packing heat so it doesn’t really matter. *grin*

Seeing a crazed pistol-toting woman in her pajamas, the would-be thief decided he wanted to make it to his next birthday, immediately turned toward his car parked on the other side of mine and drove away.

I’m sure it was the bralessness that made him flee.

You may be wondering what my house guest was doing this whole time. And you would be right to wonder. It should be noted that this house guest was male, muscular, and in excellent shape. One might assume someone such as this would be the FIRST one out the door to defend the RV and the female occupant. Or at least stand next to her while she leveled the pistol at the would-be thief.

But one would be wrong in those assumptions. Said muscular male house guest was putting on his shoes while I was facing down the would-be thief. By. Myself.

The house guest arrived – with his boots on because everyone knows it’s oh so important to be wearing shoes when confronting criminals – as the thief was driving away.

I moved the rig to a well-lit, thief-free, albeit noisy truck stop.

Snow on the rig in Tehachapi.

Yup, the well-lit, thief-free truck stop came with a very light dusting of snow! My first snow in the rig.

Slab City has lost it’s appeal.

Back in Slab City again after a trip to Nor Cal for the holidays. After a run-in with a nasty neighbor who, incidentally, is named after a fruit, my old campsite isn’t what it once was. There are a few cool folks still there, and I will go back to visit them, but I won’t stay long. My golf partner is gone, the sober hangout isn’t so sober anymore, and the crime rate continues to be rather high for the small population.

Next up my new car is searched by the idiots in Border Patrol = Reno 911…