Adventure, Freedom and History in Death Valley and The Eastern Sierras.There’s so much to see and so many thoughts! Details in Adventure-Freedom-History-Bob Davis Podcast 1155.

Firstly my last podcast dealt with the Eastern part of Death Valley. Podcast 1155 deals with the Western Part of Death Valley and the Eastern Sierras.

Secondly I am doing this podcast as I exit the freezing northern reaches of Lone Pine California and head for warmer parts of Southern California.

Most importantly heavy winds and near freezing temperatures make it pretty cold up in the mountains.

That is to say given the elements I don’t know how the pioneers even considered trekking up the Sierras with their belongings and animals.

Certainly the Donner Party experience led to later western emigrants to seek a southern route.

This literally led through Death Valley.

Altogether I love the history in the west.

But the Death Valley Sierra area is jam packed with all kinds of historical stories.

Even more every view is packed with beauty.

With this in mind while I retreat to warmer climes I am doing this podcast in Mobile Podcast Command as I head south.

Above all this is a great time to discuss issues of freedom.

At the present time I am struck by the number of people I know who feel deeply constrained in their jobs,

Even more life seems also to be exerting a tremendous weight on shoulders ‘back in the world’.

All things considered I think this is one of the reasons people are so interested in nomad life.

Sponsored by 36LYN

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It’s time for a higher vibe to ring in the New Year and Death Valley is the place to do it. Details in 2025-High-Vibe-Death-Valley-Bob Davis Podcast 1154.

I came here to stay one or two nights and ended up extending to the maximum time.

As a matter of fact I could live here if they let me.

What a contrast to the Truck Stops of Las Vegas.

Especially the stars.

Of course this is the largest National Park in the Lower 48.

But at the holiday time of year I was surprised by the number of people camping up here.

Certainly it’s true that our end of year rituals rooted in primitive man.

So it’s fair to suggest Christmas and New Year’s celebrations precede the Christian Era.

And our commercial hustle and bustle suggests a return to pagan roots for some.

But I am still surprised at the number of people camping here for Christmas and New Years.

Accordingly this place has a lot of primitive history.

With this in mind the ghosts of Ancients, American Indians and Pioneers have a certain currency.

As well as the miners and entrepreneurs that built some of the best attractions in the Park as well as in the region around it.

Up to the present time this place has a lot of history.

Furthermore as a nomad I am grateful for the ability to enjoy places like this at length.

The first thing to remember is the vibe in the campgrounds is high.

Firstly every night there is a lot of talk around the campfire of where people camped and what they saw that day.

Crush Of Holiday Activities Back Home

Secondly and chiefly a huge relief and respite from the shopping and food and family intensity of Thanksgiving through the New Year.

Meanwhile the Winter Solstice is supposed to be for resting and refitting.

In addition for preparing our seeds to be planted in Spring.

In summary Death Valley is a special place with a lot of life!

Sponsored by 36 LYN

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It’s a Hella Truck Stop Nation. In this case “Hella” is used in the negative sense. Get the full scoop in Hella-Truck-Stop-Nation-Bob Davis Podcast 1153.

Firstly I am supposed to be enjoying a perfect Southwestern sunset in front of a warm campfire.

Instead I am in Las Vegas waiting for a heater I’ve ordered to arrive at Camping World.

And dealing with a strange noise and potential mechanical problem with Mobile Podcast Command.

Therefore I am rotating around Las Vegas.

From time to time visiting various truck stops both in the city and in surrounding areas along the freeway.

More importantly I have been doing this for a long time.

That is to say traveling around the country visiting towns and cities.

Certainly spending most of my time on the back roads and avoiding the major cities.

All things considered when most people come to Las Vegas they come to the shining hotels.

In essence to gamble, enjoy an expensive and delicious dinner and see a show.

Under those circumstances visitors never see the back streets of this city.

In particular the in town truck stops.

At the present time I don’t think I have seen this many desperate people.

And not just here in Las Vegas.

But all over the Southwest.

To explain we’re talking about people sleeping in cars and converted vans and utility trucks that fool no one.

Or the free campgrounds in the desert.

Therefore I certainly could have recorded a breezy and fun podcasts about how much I love truck stops.

On the other hand I decided to dig a little deeper and push a little harder.

There’s nothing like a trip to Vegas to emphasize the gap between the haves and the have nots,

As well as the unfortunates who have fallen off the last rung of the economic ladder…into the abyss. And sure there’s jobs for those with certain skills.

And of course there are those who I describe as useless.

Thirdly about 90 years ago hundreds of thousands of Oklahoma Sharecroppers headed west.

For the purposes of illustrating our current situation I spend some time discussing “The Grapes of Wrath”.

Finally the difference between today’s desperate and the Okies is a plan.

In conclusion there is no plan.

In fact if you’re a nomad or want to be one you have to be able to identify this situation and the places you don’t want to stay.

Sponsored by 36 LYN

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Freezing my ass in Big Bear California. Not really. From Los Angeles to Big Bear in Freezing-My-Ass-Big-Bear-California-Bob Davis Podcast 1152. It’s a little cooler at seven thousand feet than it is down in the desert.

Firstly after trying several mechanics in LA I discovered no one wants to take the big old ambulance on for an oil change..

Secondly I called in an audible.

As a matter of fact my Brother and Sister in Law have a place in Big Bear. We came up last week after Thanksgiving.

And we planned to come back up this weekend anyway.

So I decided to take a chance and find someone to do an oil change up at Big Bear.

By the same token it is not only fun but really good for me to spend some time with family up here.

Furthermore the mooch-docking continues.

Basically what’s not to like.

To begin with Freezing-My-Ass-Big-Bear-California-Bob Davis Podcast 1152 takes a very surface look at the history of this area.

From Native Americans to Miners and later Settlers. And Grizzlies.

In fact I am fascinated these days with the history of the American West.

Even more one of my conclusions is that the history of the settlement of the American West is in many ways the real history of the United States.

That is to say that the real test of the legal institutions of the new country back in the day was the push west starting with the Ohio River Valley.

Significantly I think it’s fair too suggest that the people led the way during the decades before the Continental United States became a reality.

Of course controversy is and has always been a factor in this part of the country.

Therefore I am not taking a position on any of these historical realities.

In addition California continues to amaze me with its natural beauty.

Accordingly the drive up to Big Bear from LA starts with the usual traffic jams.

Giving way to breathtaking mountain views afterward.

All in all there is a lot to talk about in this podcast.

in like manner I take a little time to talk about future plans.

Equally impressive was the experience of getting buzzed by my pilot nephew and the audio I was able to capture.

To sum up being able to travel short distances and have a complete change of point of view is just what the doctor ordered for this nomad.

Details in Freezing-My-Ass-Big-Bear-California-Bob Davis Podcast 1152.

Sponsored by 36LYN Now With Healthy Snacks

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MoochDocking Thanksgiving in LA has been a lot of fun. When we hang out at someone’s house and use their electric we call it ‘Moochdocking‘. Details in MoochDocking-Thanksgiving-LA-Bob Davis Podcast 1151.

Firstly most of the time we nomads don’t go home for the holidays.

Certainly distance is usually an issue.

Secondly for many family is also an issue.

However I was 100 miles away from my brother in law’s house in LA.

So what the hell.

Accordingly the driveway with an electric hookup is a far cry from the dry lake bed at Joshua Tree…

Or Joshua Tree National Park.

Another key point is the fact that we nomads have judgements about life “back in the world”.

Although the longer I do this the less judgmental I become.

After all some people prefer a house and a car…

and some people prefer the road.

Finally I have come to appreciate how difficult it is for people to raise three kids and keep it together in the suburbs or anywhere else.

All in all it has been great to see my nieces and watch TV on a big screen.

By all means the group effort Thanksgiving Dinner was also a hit.

In addition I must say having electricity 24/7 is pure luxury.

All of this is a tremendous contrast to the unquestionably difficult experience nomad life can sometimes be.

To begin with when I hit the road I did not realize the lessons I would learn in the next four years.

But sometimes I think we judge too harshly when it comes to life ‘back in the world’.

While this may be true I certainly am not about to go back to my old life.

Up against one or the other I would choose the road for sure.

For example I don’t think too much about the day of the week.

And am therefore free to spend as much time as I want in a place like Joshua Tree National Park …

To enumerate this is the gift we nomads give ourselves when we take the plunge.

As a result as I begin the fifth year of this adventure I have learned to appreciate my friends and family ‘back in the world’.

While that may be true I also don’t lean as much on friends and family across the country to stay in their driveways.

After all they aren’t running campgrounds,

However when I do it is a great glimpse at another life.

MoochDocking-Thanksgiving-LA-Bob Davis Podcast 1151 is a free wheeling podcast about the differences between nomad life and so called ‘normal’ life.

Sponsored by 36/LYN

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Joshua Tree National Park is certainly one of the best National Parks in the US. Some rate it the best. I am live from Joshua Tree in Joshua-Tree-National-Park-Bob Davis Podcast 1150.

Of course it is a far dry from the dry lake bed I’ve been staying at for over a month.

Although the dry lake bed has its charms.

Equally important is the fact that I am growing partial to National Parks.

Of course getting stuck for a month in the Grand Canyon is pretty great. Listen to the Grand Canyon Podcast here.

It’s important to realize the difference between the Bureau Of Land Management ‘camp’ sites…

As well as the National Forests, State Parks and of course the National Parks.

Although you have to pay in a national park…and most forests and of course state parks.

And you have a fourteen day limited stay…

Altogether it’s worth it.

Especially if you take the time to investigate various discount passes you can get.

In addition I spend a little time in this podcast talking about recent issues with the Bureau of Land Management’s stewardship of the land.

In the same fashion while I know many nomads consider it a badge of honor of they never pay camp fees.

To be sure free is good.

However balanced against the state of some ‘free’ campgrounds I wonder whether ‘free’ is actually worth it.

Furthermore Joshua Tree National Park has a special vibe.

For one thing two deserts come together in the park.

Therefore one part of a stay in the park might be completely different from another part.

Equally important are the hiking options throughout the park.

Finally I don’t really do travel tips and I talk about this a fair amount in this podcast.

Presently there are plenty of travel tip and advice videos available on YouTube.

But I think the real juice of travel is discovering it on our own.

Now I have certainly gotten myself into more than one mess with this attitude,

On the other hand in the end, it has been worth it.

Grateful for the sponsorship of 36/LYN

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Firstly this is a personal and heartfelt podcast about Values and Principles and It’s All In The Family. Details in Values-Principles-All In The Family-Bob Davis Podcast 1149.

Secondly the idea for this podcast came from a YouTube viewer.

To begin with this viewer suggested I talk about the principles of Mountain Men and how I have adopted them.

Of course I don’t follow someone else’s principles. I follow my own.

But where do they come from.

So that’s a great idea for a podcast.

Accordingly I delve deeply into my own family for clues.

Therefore this became a rather personal and heartfelt podcast.

Because I went back four generations sharing what I know about my ancestors and what they were like.

That is to say what they might have believed in when it came to principles…

And how they lived their lives.

Because I’m going so far back you might wonder about the source.

With this is mind much of the stories come from my Grandfather.

All in all my mom as well.

Not only these…

But my own memories too.

Above all I think people confuse values with principles.

Of course principles can come from values.

On the other hand I find principles more like hard and fast rules…

And values to be more flexible.

Given these points it’s difficult to see how this nomad could have adapted or adopted the principles of an historical figure.

In spite of the feeling you might get from watching a movie about some figure or character that results in a feeling like you can almost channel the them…

Eventually you’re left with your own history and family story.

Lastly of course these are different for everyone.

Certainly some of us would rather not follow principles of certain family members.

Nevertheless we learn our family’s principles in early childhoods.

Accordingly that makes Values-Principles-All In The Family-Bob Davis Podcast 1149 a very personal and emotional podcast.

In conclusion it’s my hope the listener will follow along as I tell my story.

And accordingly remember your own childhood for ideas that apply.

Sponsored by 36 LYN

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Four years on the road full time as a nomad is pretty hard for me to believe. Details in Four-Years-On-The-Road-The-Bob Davis Podcast 1148.

Four Years ago on Halloween I left my emptied duplex in Minnesota for a life on the road.

In nomad and RV parlance it’s called ‘full time’.

I certainly put my time in as a part time nomad from 2015 until 2020.

But full time is something else again.

By all means I am grateful for the support friends, family, listeners and subscribers have given me.

However there won’t be a lot of thank you’s in this podcast because I usually save that for New Year’s Eve.

Additionally this fourth year was a year of change.

In fact I did not know my ideas about nomad life were changing at the same time Nomad Life in general was changing.

For one thing while I love Quartzsite and have enjoyed at least two years there in the winter.

There has been a change in the air and I feel it is time to seek out new adventures.

I’ll explain in Four-Years-On-The-Road-The-Bob Davis Podcast 1148.

Equally important to me is the idea of new adventure.

Now, adventure means different things to different people.

Instead of climbing mountains and jumping out of airplanes just the idea of movement and seeing new places is adventure for me.

For example following my departure from Quartzsite this fall I am now in Joshua Tree.

Although by the time you read this I might be somewhere else in the Southwest.

All in all one of the great things about these Halloween Anniversary podcasts is a chance to do a little travelogue.

First thing to remember about nomad life is we’re on a different timeline.

Given that we travel around a lot sometimes it’s hard to remember where we were and when we were in one place or another.

After all life is about the experience. Not always the dates and times.

As a result I often have to go back and consult the list at The Bob Davis Podcasts to see where I was and when I was! You can do the same thing by clicking here.

Henceforth we begin the fifth year.

At this point it’s all about figuring out just want I want from this experience.

One thing’s for sure.

I don’t think I could ever go back to the old life.

Sponsored By 36th LYN The Independent Refueling Station

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Firstly Las Vegas-Joshua Tree-Bob Davis Podcast 1147 is about a computer meltdown forcing the nomad back on the road.

Secondly I am not mad about it.

Most importantly I have been thinking about traveling more lately.

Altogether sometimes you just have to roll with the punches.

Although this may be true when you spill water on your PC unexpectedly it stirs the pot to say the least.

But if we’re speaking the truth…

With this in mind I was about done with Quartzsite Arizona anyway.

Certainly I had just finished a YouTube video about how we can’t predict the future.

And in that video I talked a little about how the experience in the so called nomad Mecca has changed over the past few years.

Therefore I have been looking for a new adventure.

Rather than just sit there and be unhappy I took the opportunity to do something new.

As much as I love my friends in Quartzsite during the winter months.

While this may be true the bloom is off the rose.

Even though goodbyes are difficult it was great to get back on 95 and head up to Havasu City, Searchlight Nevada and ultimately Las Vegas.

Afterward while I am not a gambler and have not been a fan of Las Vegas lately…

Navigating to Town Square Mall and the Apple Store was surprisingly easy.

Straightaway I was negotiating for new Mac Pro.

All in all this is an opportunity to finally have the IT juice to do some video editing as well as improved quality for the podcast.

However there will be a bit of a learning curve since I can’t access all the data on the old Mac Pro currently.

And you have to learn all new ins and outs of updated software, so no music in this podcast.

At any rate the thing about problems is you get to solve them.

Lastly coming back the way I came through Searchlight I happened upon on of my reference points in my travels.

In other words a cluster of truck stops at I-40 and 95.

Coupled with a new digital lease on life I had a chance to chill out to the sound of semis and reset my plans.

In conclusion some of these plans are discussed in this podcast.

But I’ll talk more about the journey in my next podcast to celebrate four years as a nomad full time and start out the fifth year of travel.

Sponsored by 36/Lyn The Independent Refueling Station

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What’s a Quartzsite Bullseye. Check out Quartzsite-Bullseye-Bob Davis Podcast 1146 for all the details.

But I’ll fill you in.

To begin with content creators thrive on active audiences that watch and listen to their content…

And subscribe.

Above all we are grateful for the listens, views and subscriptions.

In short anything that can help our fledgling channels grow.

Significantly every now and then we stumble onto a small and active demographic which for some unknown reason our content “was made for”.

The result can often be tens of thousands of views and a boon to all the other platforms we’re on. This just happened to me and if you want to see the video click here.

This happened to me here in Quartzsite, Arizona this fall.

So my code word for this phenomenon is “Quartzsite Bullseye”.

On the other hand fleeting success suddenly changes to gangbusters.

Surprising the content creator.

Hence he or she begins to chase something called an algorithm.

After that known as the carrot.

All of the sudden our content creator is sucked into painting himself into a corner…

In the final analysis, with the same content over and over.

Because that kind of content gets views, shares, likes and subscriptions.

All in all is this good for the content creator?

I’ll take the views.

But in the long term I refuse to fall into that trap.

In detail I’m down here in Arizona.

Where in fact there is quite a controversy underway about a proposed fee increase of over 300 percent for seasonal fees to use Bureau Of Land Management Long Term Visitor Areas.

Furthermore as I watch this situation unfold let’s say I have fielded hundreds of comments as well, most of which haven’t been very enlightening.

By all means this is discussed in Quartzsite-Bullseye-Bob Davis Podcast 1146.

Afterward we’ll talk about the state of nomad life.

Sponsored by 36LYN

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