RVing Across the U.S. with two Dogs: Part 2

We enjoyed our time in Flagstaff immensely. The people were as nice as I've ever met. We visited the Grand Canyon ( Alix's first time). It literally takes one's breath away. The park is wonderful, good signs, helpful staff and the food was good, very reasonable with several vegetarian options.

 Our visit to Sedona was somewhat spoiled... by the extreme commercialization. There were literally souvenir shop after souvenir shop... some selling the standard trinkets and some selling higher end trinkets. The folks who work there are forced to live 17 miles away in Cottonwood where it is affordable. Linda was literally in tears over this. We did love the drive through the Canyon!

We got to New Mexico a few days ago. Albuquerque is very nice.. new, clean air. This morning we went to services at the oldest Jewish congregation in New Mexico. We felt right at home with the Mishkan Tefillah prayer book. The highlight for us was Santa Fe. Besides the wonderful architecture, crafts and South Western cuisine, we were fortunate to meet some amazing people... a 72 year old English woman named Susan ( a definite New Age type )who invited us to her home... the whole adobe wonderfulness, a turban toting TJ's check out guy and a wonderful man who is a healer. Sounds like Mt. Shasta!

RVing across the U.S. with Two Dogs

This is the account of a cross-country trip that we took in the Fall of 2010  before making "aliyah", a term used to describe a Jew's returning to Israel. It is written in two voices.

Having been on the road for two whole weeks, this is the first time the stars have aligned so as to permit us to blog (it is a verb, isn't it?) Out of three computers none worked for most of the time we've been on the road.

We left Long Beach at 3:30pm on 10/22. Not long thereafter we saw a sign which said: Wilmington, NC 2554 miles. As we lived in Long Beach for four years and never saw said sign, this was more that a bit strange given that our final destination (or so we thought) was North Carolina. Sounded a bit far to say the least. In fact, downright discouraging.

As Alix has mentioned we did leave in the afternoon - we had planned on missing the morning traffic and totally forgot about the afternoon traffic. By 6pm we had gone 50 miles....Alix being Alix said "oh we can just park behind a hospital or something, or find an RV park... I on the other hand said "oh no..... we are staying in a motel.. if you think I am unpacking just when I packed you are nuts!!!!! "

So we stayed in a motel that did not allow dogs- sooo we just brought the dogs inside and pretended they were not there..... Amazing how one can delude oneself that one is following the rules. We arrived in Flagstaff on Alix's birthday and parked in a nice RV park. Unfortunately we did not do anything special for her birthday - we just took her along with us. We stayed in Flagstaff until Nov.1st. The people in Flagstaff are/were so friendly - really amazing.

 We did get very tired of 40 mile an hour winds.. over and over and over again. The first night we were there the winds were horrendous. I (naturally) sleep naked. There I am lying on the bed listening to the tornado like winds thinking if the winds increase just a little our van is going to be found several miles away with 1 naked women in it. Just the week before Flagstaff was the beneficiary of 3 tornadoes- very unusual for them. Jake, our Pekingese, did not like Arizona. He kept telling me that he was of royal lineage and should not have to walk on stones. Plus, there was NO grass on which to pee... trying to get Jake to pee on stones, rocks, weeds etc., was a great treat. Molly (our Border Collie Mix) was more mellow. She could be inspired by a weed or two. Great fun.

Water for Your Life

html>

Alkaline Water Benefits: Discover Powerful Natural Antioxidant
By Martin Riny

Water Is The Source of Life

Water remains to be the most important life-sustaining element on Earth. Not only is it important to human beings, but to every other organism known to be alive. Whether living on land or at sea, life depends on water. Can you imagine life without water? Many life-supporting chemical reactions happen in our bodies all the time, day and night. Water is the medium through which these reactions occur. In fact, about 60 percent of an adult human body is consisting of water! But should this mean that any kind of water is good for us since our bodies need water so much? The answer is no. Water generally exists in two forms: acidic and alkaline water. Pure water should be neutral and has pH value of 7. However, there are many impurities in the atmosphere that may cause the water to be acidic. Water, whether acidic or alkaline, is still important as each has its unique benefits. However, as we shall soon discover, the benefits of alkaline water are many.

As observed above, water will generally be acidic, neutral or alkaline. Water is said to be acidic if it has a pH value below 7 and alkaline if it has a pH value greater than 7. The benefits of alkaline water hinge on the fact that it helps the body to expel waste and other toxins. The food we eat, drinks, we take and even environmental pollution are some of the causes of the presence of toxins and acidic wastes in our bodies. Alkaline water will help keep the body at alkaline levels by neutralizing excess acids. This will help in defending against common conditions associated with high acid levels such as obesity and high blood pressure.

Antioxidant Water for Your Health

Ionized alkaline water is also known to be a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants help in preventing damage to body cells and repairing damaged ones. On the outside, this may be manifest as a healthier and younger-looking skin.

Improved hydration is another benefit of alkaline water. This will not only ensure efficient regulation of body temperature, but will also enhance metabolism. A well hydrated body will ensure prompt delivery of vitamins and nutrients to body cells, tissues and organs and facilitate quick removal of body waste.

Using appliances known as water ionizers, water can be separated into alkaline and acid streams. Alkaline water contains minerals - though in lower quantities - such as potassium, magnesium and calcium. These minerals, present in alkaline water are easier for the body to absorb than those contained in food such as fruits and vegetables. Drinking the recommended amount of ionized water will generally result in improved health and higher-energy levels.

In conclusion, the benefits of drinking alkaline water in relation to your health are many. Besides satisfying your natural need for water (thirst), your improved health will generally mean that you will see the doctor less often and therefore save on your medical expenses. It's something worth considering.

Ionized Water FAQ is a useful resource of information about alkaline ionized water. You can visit the website to find out more about ionized water benefits.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Riny
http://EzineArticles.com/?Alkaline-Water-Benefits:-Discover-Powerful-Natural-Antioxidant&id=6970756

Full Time Camping Lifestyle
By ChihHo Chen
What does it mean when some people say that they camp full time, or RVing full time? My wife and I wondered about that and discussed with no clear and satisfactory answer, even after we tried it for six months in 1988. How do we qualify as full-timers? Our home is wherever we park and spend the night, so does that mean we have no other home except our camper or RV? Do we have to travel? How about the people who park and live in their "home" without ever going anywhere yet their "home" is a camper or RV. There are many articles, even a few books written by people who lived that lifestyle and love it. During our camping trips to various parts of the country we met many full-timers. Each time we ask our most important question, how do they like this unusual lifestyle. Of course they loved it, if they didn't, they could have stopped doing it at any time. That opened our eyes to the fact that we wouldn't be stuck in this lifestyle if it didn't suit us.
Since we camped so often and always loved it we decided to go full-timing after our retirement. To become full-timer necessitates some changes. First was the size of the RV since full-time means a lot of time inside as well as outside, we needed more space. Secondly, what kind of "home"? Motor home or towable? Most of the full-timers we met had good sized motor homes with a tow car. We ended up getting a 34ft 5th wheel with a slide out, fully equipped with all sorts of amenities so it was big enough and very comfortable to live in.
We lived that way and traveled mostly in the eastern part of the country. From Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana to Illinois. After six months on the road we stopped in Illinois where we rented a campsite and parked the trailer there. Then we went visiting our children and grandchildren in three nearby states. As we went from one home to another we realized that a momentous part of all our camping trips was returning home, where we sort of have roots, to really relax and rest in a stick house.
Were we full-timers, yes, for six months, even our friends called us Nomads. Maybe we didn't give it enough time, had we continued- - -who knows? However, maybe, just by having too much of a good thing is too much. We really did not want to take a chance on getting tired of camping. Now we still camp for short or long (6 to 7 weeks) trips every summer. Camping in various rigs continues to be our favorite activity, with family, friends or just by ourselves.
Since it is already the month of April, spring is here! Now is the time to plan a summer vacation, I I strongly urge you to go camping for your next vacation. Please go to my web site http://www.gocampinggo.com for more information on this subject. Go full-timing or not, I have experience and information on key considerations to tell you on my web site.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=ChihHo_Chen
http://EzineArticles.com/?Full-Time-Camping-Lifestyle&id=7010726

About Me

Just retired and loving it! I worked as a librarian for
over thirty years and am now living abroad. My interests
include (but are not limited to) books, travel, tech gadgets,
exercise, nutrition and baby paraphernalia and the BIG
 QUESTIONS.