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From a Crowded Campground to a Desk on the Rim
An after-dark arrival near Sedona, a carbon monoxide alarm scare, hot-air balloons, a quiet night near Pine, and a spectacular desk on the rim.
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Back on the Road: Joshua Tree, a Few Repairs, and the Long Way Home
Well, it’s been a little while since my last update. Not because nothing has been happening, but because quite a bit has been going on, and not all of it involved actually traveling. One thing I’m learning about this whole RV adventure is that making plans and actually following them are two very different things.…
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A Good Mechanic in the Middle of the Desert
If you’re ever in Joshua Tree and need a good mechanic, give Brass Knuckles Mobile Mechanic a call. He came out to my campsite on BLM land, right in the middle of the desert, and did all the work there. The camper’s wheel bearings needed to be re-greased, and I wanted both brakes checked. He…
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Pack It In, Pack It Out: I’m Not Here to Clean Up Your Trash
On this entire trip, I’ve been picking up other people’s trash at every parking spot. Beautiful areas, including places in the middle of the desert, with rubbish left behind by the people who were there before me. Everything from business cards and empty bottles to piles and piles of used packaging, trash bags, chip bags,…
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The Desk Is Out There
After an amazing trip across the United States, seeing some pretty incredible landscapes, parks, and places along the way, the night before reaching Joshua Tree brought another first: camping on BLM land. That stop was at the DW Ranch Road dispersed camping area off Blake Ranch Road, east of Kingman, Arizona. Finding the spot was…
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Does It Really Matter Where You Work?
The website is called The Desk Out There, but really, this is becoming as much about the traveling as it is about the work. The views I’m getting. The road trips I’m on now. I’m on an Indian reservation in Arizona right now, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. It’s some of the most beautiful land I’ve…
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Go Camping, Go Four-Wheel Driving, It’s Fun, They Said…..
I left early this morning to get ahead of the storm coming up from Mexico toward Santa Fe. The plan was to find somewhere safe to park and work East Coast hours. On the muddy road out of the campground, the F-150 and camper started sliding into the ditch. I tried the recovery boards for…
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From Knoxville to a Campsite in Arkansas
My first night on the road was at a Cracker Barrel in Knoxville, Tennessee, just off I-40. Other people were sleeping in their cars nearby. I was comfortable in the camper until about 3:30 in the morning, when the highway noise woke me up. Since I was awake, I packed up and headed west. While…
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Day One: Oh Crap
Day one on the road started with a forgotten bag, a tire sensor scare, mountain traffic, and the first state line of the trip.
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My Package Is Out West
Two days until I leave, and today I filled the truck for the trip: 34.356 gallons for $107.16. That included a dollar off per gallon. I’ve done the fuel calculations, but seeing the amount on the pump still got my attention. Holy crap. Then my air pump died while I was putting air in the…
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How I’m Preparing to Work Full-Time From an RV
My workday will remain eight to five Eastern while I’m traveling. Heading west means starting earlier in the local day, and travel will need to fit around those hours. I’ve worked from Europe for a month or more while keeping Eastern hours, so working away from home is familiar. Living and working from a trailer…
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Getting Ready to Get the Desk Out There
The trip is getting close, and I was too excited to wait another day to start getting the trailer ready.
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Why I’m Taking My Desk on the Road
The idea started in Joshua Tree with a phone signal, a laptop, and a chair in the desert. That small experiment changed how I thought about work, travel, time, and waiting for retirement.
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4:30 a.m., Wide Awake
I woke up at 4:30 this morning thinking about the trip. After watching so many videos of other people traveling across the country, I’m about to try it myself. I leave Thursday at noon. I’m excited, but I’m worried too. Will the truck make it across the country without problems? Will something break on the…
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Why I Started The Desk Out There
I started The Desk Out There to keep a journal of my first extended trip living and working from an RV. I’m 53, work remotely, and want to find out how well my regular workday fits with traveling. The trailer is bought, the gear is piling up, and I’m getting ready to head west. This…
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