When we set off for Phoenix, Arizona we had just planned on staying in a RV park for our time there, we really had no expectation of an adventure planned for this leg of our trip. We headed to Phoenix to attend my business partner's #ToddStottlemyre "Relentless Success Summit" that started Friday morning.
We arrived to the Phoenix area early and had an opportunity to meet with the CEO, #benedson, of a new, up-and-coming social media company "Social Up". He presented the benefits of their services in the ever changing social media landscape. Very cool company run by people with HUGE VISION!!! Without hesitation we partnered with this company to utilize their services in our business advertising platform for our companies. If you are interested in Social Media Management (specializing in instagram) email me jason@stl-hq.com and I will get you the info you need.
After the meeting, Elizabeth & I headed to an RV park we anticipated staying at in Phoenix, and IMMEDIATELY decided that this location was maybe not the best choice. (rough part of town), so we started looking for alternative locations. What we didn't know is that the majority of RV parks in the Phoenix area prefer that you are 55+ year of age, and while some days I might wake up and feel 55+ just getting out of bed, LOL, my driver license says otherwise. So with the spirit of the Joshua Tree experience just under our belt, we decided to look for some BLM (boondocking) ground near the city. With intense research, we finally found a spot, about 35 miles north of us, in Table Mesa, AZ. It looked like a possible location and decided to go for it, we pulled in just as the sun was setting. It's surreal how everything just keeps working out, even though we are really just learning as we go at this point. We unhitched, jumped back in the truck ,and headed back to Phoenix to have dinner with some of our friends. (#ToddStottlemyre #EricaStottlemyre #StaceyLacroix #GerryDavidson #ChristineBrown)
The next day, I awoke with the excitement that I was able to find this remote boondocking spot here in Phoenix, and I called my buddy #Mark to tell him of this land we so proudly discovered., like I was Christopher Columbus or something. I just knew he would love it here, there were ATV trails everywhere and he's into that kinda thing. He then informed me that i was literally camping right next to another group of his fellow #Xscapers. Seems that this great big planet is actually a small world after all....#DanHeming, the guy who basically helped me get the electrical/solar system sketched out before I began this great adventure, was just 1,000 ft down the road from where we had just set up our camp. Dan immediately invited us down to join his group of #Xscapers and meet the crew he was there with... they immediately welcomed us and treated us as we have known them our entire lives. The #Xscapers community is absolutely awesome, as you can see, from my first blog post (Adventure #1 - Boondocking Joshua Tree South Entrance & Meeting "The Xscapers" ) I talk about a group of guys installing a solar system on a fellow campers rig.... That exact same thing was happening here in Table Mesa. I know there were at least 4 guys there helping #MarniePearlman and #JulieAxelson get there system installed, and they were so thankful and full of gratitude. Over the next few days we got to know this group as we had dinner together and told stories around the camp fires.
We learned on this trip was what people do out here for a living, and how they earn money from the road. I was impressed with one particular company #CampAddict. This company is owned by Kelly Beasly (#rvchivkadee) and Marshall Wendler (#Marshallinbreif). They review all types of products that are used in the #RVlife and #camping world. They give you their experiences using these products with both the pro and cons.They have created an amazing resource for their fellow campers and boondockers alike, just looking for those honest reviews. Check them out!!!
While a lot of people we met have learned to create income through the internet, we have also met Xscapers who create income with a skilled labor trade, one welder named #jasonmidgley, a welder from Fairbanks Alaska, practices his skill both in Alaska and while traveling all over the USA. There were so many great people we met along this trip that it would be impossible to mention them all. Some of the Xscapers are simply retired and are here just enjoying life. BOTTOM LINE IS, THEY ARE ALL AMAZING PEOPLE!!!
While our time on the road during this trip went by so fast, our experience was rich beyond what we could have ever imagined. What we learned is "We do not fear the unknown. We fear what we think we know about the unknown"
Stay nimble and be willing to adapt to flow of the wild...