We are now in northern California and the first campground we stopped at wanted $40. I just don’t understand it. I am bringing the room with me so why do I have to pay the same price as a hotel?

All I need is a place to park. I can park cheaper in the city than some people want at these places. After searching we found a place for $25. It got horrible reviews on a website, but it had what we needed.

We don’t have a $300,000 rig and we are not rich. I just can’t fathom paying the price of a nice apartment in Brooklyn for one night in the middle of nowhere.

KJ says it is supply and demand and I know she is right. I do feel there should be something more reasonable.

Overall, the Petrified Forest was alright. We were nearly out the door before we saw our first glimpse of petrified wood. You could see where the trees had fallen, but when you touched them the were stone. The kids really enjoyed running along the hiking trails.

At night we looked for a place to camp. Everywhere was pretty much too expensive. Either the site was expensive, but really nice, or expensive and really creepy. The pic at the top is of an RV campground we checked out last night. They wrote the price on the door and gave instructions to put the money in an envelope and slide it under the door. They didn’t ask for license plate numbers or give you any kind of receipt.

As we drove through the camp to check it out a guy kept staring at us and we were creeped out so we ended up boondocking for free at a Flying J gas station.

No post for a few days. Sorry it has just been really busy. So here is a long update.

We went to the lower ninth ward and then on to the French quarter while in New Orleans. There was a very stark contrast between the two areas. I am sure this has been true throughout most of New Orleans history, but today it is extreme.

The lower ninth is in shambles. Overgrowth covers many streets, and there are not that many signs that it is inhabited. As you have probably seen on TV there is an x in spray paint telling the story of what the rescuers found in the house 3 years ago. There are a few people there getting on with their life. I think they are very resilient to get through a disaster like this and come back to live. Their condition is not the greatest, it seems a poor existence, but they should be proud for not giving up on a part of the city that many would like to forget.

From there we went to the French quarter. There where tourist, hipsters, and other people all milling around. It seems to have recovered well; business is open and the trolley whizzes by Canal street. I would not have known about the destruction in N.O. if I had only visited there.

From there it was a trip to Dallas. The night before we tried to boondock on the Texas Louisiana border. Not a great idea. The night was like spending a night in a sauna. The air was so thick with humidity that it was very difficult to get comfortable. As soon as we woke up we turned on the RV and the AC. I am so spoiled by AC and I can’t imagine what it was like for people in this part of the country to grow up with no AC only a generation ago. Another thing about the border; It is not nice to give miles on a sign post saying that there is a city in the same state that is 890 miles away if you stay on this road. Seeing that it seems as if it will take forever to get through Texas.

The kids got to see their grandparents in Dallas. That was great for them, they really enjoyed it and now they keep playing monster with the new monster teeth they acquired. . We had dinner there and talked. The next morning we got up early to continue our journey.

We made it to the desert yesterday. What a difference. The trees are gone and there is sand and small bushes everywhere. In some places you can see so far it looks like you can see the curve of the Earth. The desert takes a toll on everything made by man. Anything more than a year old is sun-bleached. Everything looks worn and old. There are new things of course, but anything more than a few years old shows it’s age. The desert is so quiet, all you hear is the wind. It is both spooky and spiritual at the same time. The desert here is more green than I have seen desert in the past. I guess that it must be the time of year for this part of the desert to get rain.

We stopped in Midland Odessa Texas to camp. We stopped at a place with a pool so the kids could swim. They loved it; It was a great day for them. Swimming is great when it is over 100 degrees. It was a great time to rest for us while they played. They also enjoyed eating dinner outside. Us not so much because the flies attacked our food at every opportunity. I probably would do the same if food was as scarce as they have to deal with, but it was a lesson in why we will be eating inside while in the desert. I guess there is a trick to keep them at bay, but I don’t know it.

Next we are off to see White Sands New Mexico. I have never seen it and I think it will make for a great place to stop. The desert seems like an endless places to see. There is route 66, the Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, Monument Valley, and the list just goes on and on. There are just too many places for us to visit in a few months that we have before we have to be back in the city. What would you see?

Maybe boondocking (camping without electricity) isn’t as awesome as I originally thought it was. It was a long night and it made today more difficult. After leaving the truck stop we drove to Dallas to have dinner with CM’s family. It was short notice but everyone came to his dad’s house and they made a big dinner for us.

Tomorrow we are heading for White Sands, New Mexico. I promise to fill you in on what I saw at New Orleans tomorrow. For now I’m going to get some rest.

Based on our research and several calls to “311″ we learned that RV’s can be parked on city streets, just not in the same location for more than 24 hours.

What do you think about boondocking in the city?