Alone Again

I felt a sense of loss when I woke up to find Jeanne gone.  We’d said good-bye last night, so it was not unexpected.  So today I leave this great spot right on Lake Superior and head to a free national forest campsite near Bruce Crossing.  I have not been there so don’t know wat to expect, aside from the fact that I’ll be doing without my microwave and toaster again!  And maybe heat.  I’ve ordered a tiny 200 watt electric heater and a larger power inverter from Amazon, to be sent to General Delivery (the post office) in Ontonagon.  I followed the directions another full-timer gave for having it sent that way, but I think it did not work. It looks like it’s being delivered via UPS, who will NOT deliver to post offices.  A guy from UPS in Ironwood called this morning and said they would not deliver to the P.O. so I said I’d pick it up at UPS in Ironwood on Monday. But I also just got an email that said it was delivered and is awaiting my pickup at Ontonagon!!    Could I be that lucky??  I’ll be going to check the P.O.  next!

In Munising I met a lady in an ALiner Classic who’d been living in it for 6 years!! She said she had one of those little $20 Lasko MyHeat 200 watt heaters that she used when she did not have electric hook-ups; she just aims it at her face. It makes perfect sense to me; my alpaca blankets keep most of me warm, it’s just my face that gets cold!  And if it only draws 2 amps per hour (even if it ran continuously), my battery should be able to handle it easily as long as I get sun during the day for the solar panel.  If it works well maybe I won’t have to buy the $250 propane heater I was planning on for going out west this winter!

NEXT DAY

There was a nice older couple at the campground when I arrived yesterday, (they left soon after) and they came over to chat..curious about me camping alone in such an out of the way spot. They asked me what I used for protection,  and I thought it was intrusive.  I wanted to say “Poise Pads” but I just said that I was well-protected, hoping they thought I had a gun.

The campground is nice, just 3 sites. I got a nice sunny one so the solar will work well.  It went down to 44 last night and 54 inside. A tad chilly; I could sure use that little heater!  This morning it was rainy and I was glad I’d gotten the 100 watt solar panel, as it does work in the light, even if it’s not sunny.  It topped up the battery nicely by mid-morning, where a smaller panel may not have done so well.  It turned sunny by noon, but today’s high is only 55.  I’m hoping the camper is warming up in the sun!  Tonight’s low 37….gulp….that’s the coldest I’ve camped without electricity.  I sure could use that little heater!!

I’ think I’m going to try to make a SMALL batch of chili.  It’s really hard to not make a big pot of it, but I don’t have fridge space for much in the way of leftovers.  It sure is good chili weather though.

The campground gets pretty decent phone signal (Verizon) but no ATT signal for the mobile wifi hotspot.  😦  However, I just have to drive 4 or 5 miles to get it.