How to Deal with Car Troubles on the Road

Not everything goes perfectly on the road. While we may set off for the idealized adventure of picturesque road tripping - from the sun on our backs to confidences around a campfire - sometimes the road gets bumpy in between. Such was our case on the beautiful morning we wound through the breakneck elevations of the Gila Mountains in southeast New Mexico. Our Truth or Consequences hot springs and camping high was quickly dashed as our car welcomed the new day with a terribly pessimistic grinding noise.

Nothing quite raises the haunches of worry like car troubles - especially when you are 2,200 miles away from home - but these are the chances we take when we road trip. This isn't my first bout of car troubles while on a car-reliant vacation, and I doubt it will be my last. But the important thing about facing the potential loss of time and money on the road is to 1. be prepared and to 2. stay calm. These two maxims have always helped me turn my travel frowns upside down.

1. Be prepared for car troubles

Duh, right? Hopefully we are all prepared for car troubles on the daily with a reliable car, an active subscription to AAA, and a savings buffer that can cover repair costs. But when you are miles away from home, it's also important to have the necessary supplies in your car to help you survive your location comfortably and the extra time to play the waiting game.

For example, the grinding noise in our car that morning intensified as we tried to take it over the Gila Mountains toward Silver City, where the promise of a "city-like atmosphere" would provide choices for auto repair. Up in the mountains, we found ourselves predictably without cell service on an isolated stretch of 75 hairpin miles. Luckily, we had all our camping gear, so spending a spontaneous night in the car while waiting for help wouldn't have been a big deal. However, we were running low on food and water. If you are heading off to extreme areas, always have enough supplies to support your party through a night or so of accidental isolation.

Don't forget that if you have to wait for repairs on your car, you will most likely have to find additional and last minute lodging in the area that can also run you a few extra and unplanned for bucks.

Which also leads me to the ever-so-important budget of time. I, for one, and hopelessly guilty of over scheduling my trips, which leads to the heartbreak of losing precious travel time and having to give up much anticipated activities. Even simple car repairs in remote regions can take up to three days, not including weekends.This is not good news for the busy traveler.

2. Stay calm

It's not always easy, right? Especially when faced with budget woes and time loss. And believe me, I am not always one to hold true to this little nugget of advice. I barely remember anything about the Gila's beauty because I was so focused on the grinding noise and all possible, terrible outcomes. Not fun. But I was lucky enough to have my boyfriend by my side who balanced out the yin of my over-the-top worries with the yang of his zen. He had to nicely keep reminding me that mechanics exist for a reason.

And never forget that unscheduled delays may be the most exciting things to happen to us on our trips. In Silver City, we had our lunch paid for us by a friendly patron who took sympathy on our car woes and then we ended up biking around the city on free rentals a friendly bicycle shop owner loaned out to us! When my car broke down in Arkansas, where we ended up stranded for three days, I ended up meeting wonderful friends, hanging at a motorcycle club, and experiencing Hot Springs, Arkansas, in a way I never intended. I still consider that "layover" as one of the most fortuitous moments of traveling I have ever had!

Truthfully, unless you are traveling in a beater who on its best day is on its last legs, car repairs should not be too surprising. Some repairs are just the predictable maintenance and responsibilities of car ownsership. When we finally got my car checked out in Silver City, the problem was a simple broken pulley that took no more than three hours to repair. Anderson was completely right to stay calm. Some cases may require more due alarm, but we shouldn't let a little bump in the road prevent us from being aware of our surroundings.

There is magic in traveling; some of the best experiences lurk in the unscheduled ether. Embrace travel interruptions and let the road guide you! Besides, there isn't much a car rental agency can't fix!

Esty Faves No. 1

I am going to try something new today and share some of my favorite recent Etsy finds. I have been obsessed with browsing Etsy for Christmas presents, me presents, and for general inspiration lately. For whatever reason, I actually have a lot of Etsy followers. (That's a thing, right?) Now, if only I could get some followers on this blog, I would be a happy, happy lady!

Click the pics to get whisked back to the original Etsy listing. Tell them Zy sent you!

This bag is beautiful and affordable. I would rock this all summer long. (Hello Violeta)

Cat + Cactus = Yes, please! Where can I get one of these in real life? (Oh wait, Phyllis is rather prickly, so I guess that counts). I love all the linocuts by (minouette).

As a geologist, I super adore this tee shirt. People would be able to easily tell I am an awesome nerd with great taste. (Nonfictiontees)

Which would be better? A Canadian map with all the places I've been pinned, or with all the places I want to go? I know - both! (Cabin)

 

Vintage paintings remastered with mythical creatures would be the perfect addition to my collection of creature paintings. I would love to do this to a landscape we have downstairs, but (Artedits) does it way better than I could. This little monster's name is Norman, by the way. 

I could definitely picture myself drinking coffee out of this handmade copper mug. From Mesopotamia, with love. (AnatolianGift)

Accidental Light Painting

I've been seeing a lot of light painting on the internet these days, popular among tech geeks with tripods and headlamps or newfangled LED light strips (which I super want, by the way). And don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of intentional light painting too, but I am more often amused by accidental light painting. You know, when you snap a picture of pretty lights in the dark and when the digital preview pops up, you think, Woah.

My history with digital photography has been pretty loosey goosey. I've mostly stuck with point-and-shoots because lugging around expensive, bulky equipment on my many adventures is not my favorite thing to do. I want something small, compact, and inexpensive so I can continue throwing it in my bag without worry.

(It's hard to get drunken, on the fly shots like this if you have to lug your camera bag around Reykjavik, Iceland at 4am.)

Shitty camera + nighttime settings + pretty lights + the flick of your wrist and you've got yourself some blurry, streaky, colorful art, creatively dashing across your friend's beautiful faces or lighting up the night sky. I tend to lean towards drunken whimsy, so these pictures actually end up capturing my memories more closely than boring old real life.

There are many ways to light paint without props. With cheap point-and-shoots that don't give you supreme control over your exposure lengths, you'll probably end up sticking with nighttime as the best time to paint. I usually find the Night Portrait Mode, or something similar, as the best setting because it features a long exposure and a timed flash that prevents your subject (should you choose one) from getting too blown out (not that I mind that look too much). But don't forget to play around with your settings to find the best one for you and your camera.

The best thing about the Night Portrait Mode is that it will capture your subject but still give you that beloved long exposure to play around with. It can get double exposure-y and I love it. That's why I like to get jiggy and call upon that desired light play.

Here are some of my favorites over the years and some interesting lights to play with:

The bar/venue scene is a great place to start with some fun light painting. You know you are going to be there anyway, surrounded by bright lights and dancing around. Plus, the blown out quality of night portraiture can end up painting your subject in a flattering light once you reach that not-so-flattering part of the night.

Fire is also a quick and easy light painting subject. You can really never tell what kind of paranormal, sentient flame work might be captured.

Also, try burning a piano some time. It's fun.

Ever try to photograph the moon? It almost never comes out in photographs the way our mind's eye perceives it. A long exposure gives the opportunity for spelling and shape making, almost like reverse light painting: instead of standing in front of the camera and waving a glow stick to draw something, you move the camera around the light subject. Except you have to do it backwards. The following two pictures were taken with the moon and a lot of paper lanterns at the Wakarusa Music Festival in Ozark, Arkansas.

The above picture was also taken in Arkansas at Woolly Lake State Park in Greenbrier; a different place, a different time. Boy, I love Arkansas!

And then there's Burning Man. I won't even elaborate on that here. There are pretty lights everywhere and if you aren't seeing them streaky to begin with than you're doing it wrong!! It may be hard to tell, but the next picture is of a 60ft tall rooster mutant vehicle.

I also love these whitewashed pictures I took one overcast evening just before dusk at the Devil's Hopyard State Park in Connecticut. They fall more into the realm of double exposure photography than light painting, but the spooky swirls light get me every time.

And then, of course, there are just the streaky, unformed free-for-alls I love so well. The recipe for these is simple: point, shoot, and wave your camera madly around until the frame is captured. Some times they are psychedelic and some times they are just plain spooky. Win-win.

Hooray for low budget light painting!

5: Swans-a-Swimming

 
Actually, it was more like ten swans-a-swimming. And to get even more technical, it was a Mute Swan mom and dad plus their very impressive brood of eight teenagers. So cute! Would you believe that this little familial unit lives in right in the heart of Boston, Massachusetts? 

These ten swans are very tenderly cared for by the man whose pond they live in. It's actually a really small pond, so he supplements their diet when the algae becomes thin and he even goes so far as to feed the resident snapping turtles as well so they don't become tempted to eat the cygnets in their vulnerable stages. And so eight healthy adult swans will enter the urban ecosystem because of him. That's love.

One

Mute Swans and are considered an exotic and introduced species to North America.

Two

Swans mate for life.

Three

This swan is "busking", which means that it is adopting a defensive stance with wings half-raised and hissing at me to go away so his family can eat peacefully.

Four

Mute Swans are known for being quieter than other species of swans. They whistle, snort, and grunt to communicate.

Five

Swans are very aggressive. They have knobby spurs in their wings called cobs which they will use to attack and defend their territory.

Bonus

Because swans are really epic creatures and when you see ten of them all together you can't stop taking pictures.

Butternuts Beer & Ale Brewery

There's nothing better than a family getaway that is held nearby to the Butternuts Beer & Ale brewery! That, I suppose, and the endless hors d'oeurves and peaceable fall weather; think hills of foie gras and foliage.

Having a steady supply of Butternuts Beer on hand to accompany a game of Catan is quite nice. Plus, the scant hour us youngsters spent sans adults sampling tasty brews on tap and talking smack was a necessary reprieve from this something-of-a family reunion that took us from Vermont to Boston to the Butternut Valley of New York in a whirlwind five days.

You all know Pork Slap, right? It's that orange can of beer with the two pigs belly bumping on it that makes you want to buy it on design alone. Although, I can vouch for the crisp drink-ability of all of the varieties. My personal favorite is the Snapperhead IPA.

This brewery itself is low frills and super casual. Situated in an old dairy barn, you are more likely to be impressed sipping your brews outside whilst enjoying the sprawling vistas than inside the ad hoc taproom. However, inside = more beer faster. It's really a win-win.

Although it was a little chilly, you really couldn't beat the weather in the Butternuts. Or the scenery. Or the elegance. I love the patchwork fertility of the fields+farmhouses shaded with autumnal hues and tinged with that frosty sharpness of the solstitial pull. Perfect beer drinking weather. It figures that we didn't even have any leftover to take home with us.

Edible Mushrooms: Chanterelles

I love mushrooms. Whether they are growing on the forest floor or sauteed in garlic on my dinner plate, I am a fan of the fungal fruiting body. So it's only natural that once we found ourselves living a life amongst the trees that we would give mushroom foraging a try.

Disclaimer #1: Do not use any of the information in this post for the purpose of identification and never eat any wild mushrooms without the 100% identification of an expert. Be careful, be respectful, and if in doubt, don't eat or pick it. 

We decided to start out with a simple mushroom foraging goal: find our own Chanterelles, a mushroom from a complex and wide family with several edible varieties.

Chanterelles are most distinctively identified by their "false gills", which more resemble wrinkles than the gills most of us imagine when we think of traditional mushrooms. Chanterelles are sometimes vase, trumpet, or horn shaped and vary in color and ecology, and like most mycological curiosities, sit on the blurry lines of taxonomy.

Since I have a knack for keeping my nose to the ground and snuffling out the otherwise overlooked treasures of the mottled forest floor, we found several varieties of Chanterelles during this first year as newbie foragers, with tasty and passionate results. Almost every meal of wild mushrooms was ended with discussion on when and where we were going to find more.

When you mention the edible Chanterelle, the species of note is usually Cantharellus cibarius (lead photo & above) This is what you will most often find on your dinner plate when ordering seasonal wild mushrooms. It is a forager's delight - shining brightly like citrine gems amongst the hardwood forest leaf litter. It's hard to mistake the fleshy mushroom and it's sweet smelling apricot aroma once spotted from afar.

My favorite variety of Chanterelle is the Yellow Foot, Craterellus tubaeformis, and it's closely related ally, Craterellus aurora. I love them in their abundance, almost always frequenting the same mossy stream sides as I am. Their happy yellow stipes remind me that there is edible wonder afoot, sometimes inspiring me to pick dinner and other times just invoking that wonderful feeling of a positive identification.

I probably love them because I am so spoiled to have these fleshy beings throughout my local forest, including a tender patch just down on our riverside that I have anxiously watched grow from their young "button" form into the mature, edible form.

(It is sometimes a bit heavy to think about these secretive bodies, flushing so quietly under the protective canopy, just a stone's throw away from where we search)

But for me, the holy grail of Chanterelle hunting is Craterellus cornucopioide, the Horn of Plenty or Black Chanterelle. And lordy, are these ever hard to find. If not for my hawkish eyes, we would have walked right past these masters of camouflage (heck, we probably even did many times before), for in their purply-blackish design blend perfectly into the leaf litter. Decidedly different looking from its yellow footed and more famously available cousins, the Black Chanterelle wears its fruit in a velvety thin horn and is easily identified by its strong, sweet smell.

We cooked only a small amount of these babies up with a Yellow Foot harvest from the same day and unanimously decided they were not only the best variety we had ever tasted, but that the delightful aroma was absorbed into the rest of the more mild tasting mushrooms. Total culinary score, especially considering how hard they are to find.

Alas, Chanterelle hunting season here in Vermont is coming to an end. Soon winter will be upon us and we will return to our foraging books and field guides with our eyes towards spring and the bounties of a fresh season. So I'll leave you with my favorite picture of Phyllis wearing a Cantharellus cibarius as a hat and looking dashing:

You can read other posts where I gush over mushrooms and mushroom hunting here: 

Getting Rustic in Maine

Pond Life

A Girl, Her Cat, and a Mushroom Hike

Morel Hunting!

And finally, just to cover my ass, Disclaimer #2: Tread lightly in nature. When foraging, take less than 5% of the total patch, leaving the rest to their natural obligations. Understand that allergies and other food sensitivities make trying wild edibles the consumer's risk. Do not use this post as reference or in identification.

Many plants are poisonous some are deadly poisonous. In the end, the responsibility for eating any plant must rest with the individual; for instance there are people who are allergic to certain wild edible plants. - See more at: http://www.foragingcourses.com/disclaimer#sthash.hPPu4FbI.dpuf