As I pulled out of my driveway, I could hardly believe I was doing this.  Four months in a mini van.  I had put so much planning into this journey and so much work into getting the “Red Raven” Mini Van ready for her maiden voyage.  I waved goodbye to the lovely women who would be renting my house while I was gone, and headed out.

I drove for nearly eight hours on only a few hours sleep, as I was way too excited to sleep the night before.

My first destination was Jemez Springs New Mexico.  I saw it in a video with other “van dwellers” and it looked like a beautiful place.  I realized I hadn’t been to New Mexico in a while and this would be a great place to start.  I was flying completely on faith as I didn’t make any campground reservations.  I wanted to remain open and allow myself the freedom to change my mind, or my direction.

I found myself in the midst of two steep canyon walls, much like the red rocks of Sedona, in Oak Creek Canyon.  The campground I selected ahead of time had an available site, so I pulled in and set up for the evening.  It was a long day of driving and I was ready to make some food and rest.  I opened a can of “vegan” chilli and tried out my new Coleman Cookstove.  Once I got it lit for the first time it worked like a charm.

I thought I would stay here for a couple nights and unwind but they say if you want to make God laugh, tell her your plans.  The next morning when I was preparing to escape the heat and sit by the creek, the camp host came by and told me she needed me to pack up right away and leave.  What?  I was being kicked out and I just got here?

Evidently the Santa Fe National Forest Shut Down due to fire hazard.

Time to move on…..

I headed towards Taos, stopping first at the Jemez Springs Cafe and Bakery for a coffee.  I took my time, sipped slowly, took in the surroundings, did some writing and even got connected to the Internet to check my email.  My Verizon Hotspot didn’t work here in the canyon, neither did my phone, so I used the cafe’s Internet.

After a leisurely morning I began my journey towards Taos, my next destination.