Learning to Pivot

Beginning Trip Thirteen

This reminds me of my basketball days and Dad teaching us the fundamentals of a pivot. The trick is to stay solid on the ground with one foot, while improving your position with the other. I’m still learning to pivot, and it’s an important skill to have when your environment changes.

So, pivoting is the theme of today’s post. What started off as a planned route (Las Vegas to Flagstaff to Santa Fe down the chimney of Texas to Austin) became a pivot around cold weather. Why, you ask, because, frankly, a high of the mid-thirties and a low in single digits shrinks the amount of time we spend outdoors and thereby shrinks our living space considerably. I do love my husband, but spending 24/7 in a space the size of a shoebox can create friction even in the best relationship. I like avoiding conflict (yes, brother Jim, contrary to your opinion, I do). So, in the middle of the night (really it was 8 pm and we were already under the covers in bed to stay warm) we decided to pivot from an easterly route to a southern one.

We did have a short opportunity to hike around Lake Mead on our overnight stop at the Boulder Beach Campground. Some pics of the scenery.

Next morning it was off to warmer pastures, pastures we have known, Craggy Wash near Lake Havasu City, AZ. Craggy Wash is off the grid campers’/squatters’ mecca. It’s designated as Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands, so a lot is tolerated. ATVs, hunting, mining, and extended camping. We had some experience here, so knew that going deeper into Craggy Wash, would distance us from the the rumble of ATV exhausts and confederate flag flying homesteaders. Found a great spot to call home for a few days, not too far from some protected trails (SARA Park) that supported Matt’s addiction of mountain biking and my addiction to hiking.

The only downside of our pivot to Lake Havasu is that it got us no closer to Austin. Going to have to make up some miles in the next week so that we don’t miss out on Jim’s and Holly’s Thanksgiving extravaganza. Next stop? Still pondering the options. Flagstaff is getting warmer and more attractive. Oh… also found out that New Mexico is requiring any visitor from a “high-risk” state to quarantine. What states do they list as high risk? ALL of them. So, will have to plan ahead and decide if we are going to camp somewhere along that 373.5 mile stretch.

Stay tuned…