camping spots

Hello everyone I'm new here. I was searching the internet for places in arizona and newmexico to camp. I'm looking for free places which kind of limits me to national forests, I would also like to find a place that others with a hippie mentality tend to congregate. I plan on leaving here in a couple of weeks and would appreciate any advice, thanks

 

I haven't introduced myself properly, my name is Rich. Currently I am struggling with things mainly alcohol abuse. I went to rehab twice and tried to get involved in AA. That didn't work out as a support group many of the things they teach revolve around religeon, I don't need another addiction. Is there anyone that has kicked the habit without AA? Any advice? Alcohol really makes me feel good while I'm drinking, but it's wrecking my life.

 

hey camper,
this is my story and i'm stickin to it, lol. for about 25 years i was sideways. came from a very sick ass alcoholic family alot of abusers and used me mainly for their scapegoat, so i had very low self-esteem. went through the 70's and part of the 80's raising three children, totally out of control, drank, smoked too much pot and partied too much. i was on a downhill slope to destruction. then something happened to me that woke me up, i guess you could say i hit the bottom of the barrell and had to take a really good look at myself. i went into therapy and found out i was severly suffering from all the abuse that was done to me by a sick family and my lst husband that was an abusive alcoholic. stayed in counseling and went to support groups and worked like hell on my self. mainly i faced the demons of my childhood, man, i slowly started to become the person that i had always been. reading john bradshaw's book "the wounded child" and "family secrets" really helped me. john bradshaw is a recovered alcoholic too. i stopped drinking and stopped smoking pot or doing drugs and found who i really was inside, stopped sleeping around, in other words got my shit together. then i was lucky to meet my husband of ll years. he taught me how to do things in moderation, i had always overdone everything, including drugs, drink and partying. i started working out at the gym 6 days a week, walking or hiking two miles a day, went pretty much vegetarian, except for some turkey and chicken once in a while and just started feeling good again. took some assertiveness classes, got a degree in psychology and worked as a counselor for 15 years helping other abuse victims. now i smoke a little pot once in a while, but i don't use it to hide from my problems or myself, don't do hard drugs, can't drink anymore cause i am diabetic, the hard life caught up with me. but i'm 58 years old and never happier, got so much to look forward to. oh and the other thing i did was apologize to anyone and everyone i ever hurt when i was a drinker and drug user. some forgave me, some didn't but mainly i forgave myself. good luck brother just remember you are a child of the universe and you deserve to be happy and healthy.
hippiewise angel

 

It's great to hear from you two, gives me some hope. I am in therapy now, I guess my problems go back along way, anxiety over just about everything. Alcohol was my medication, works great for a couple hours. There was a period of sobriety where I felt pretty good, I was running 5 miles a day, definately a good anxiety buster. I do find peace in the woods, not many people out there. Thanks for the encouragement.

 

Hey Steve I got you're message, glad you like my ideas. I'm trying to figure out this web site, this is the first time I've ever used a forum, I am starting to feel comfortable using it, still trying to figure out abbreviations people use, took me awhile to figure out PM's. Like I was telling you I want to build a "stitch and glue" camper for my pickup. My truck gets 30 mpg, and of the commercially available campers the lightest one I found weighed over 1000lbs and cost $9000. That would kill my gas mileage and my budget. With the stitch and glue method the shell would weigh whatever 5 sheets of quarter inch plywood weigh. Boats are built this way, 17 ft kayaks weigh less than 40 pounds. I'm going to look for a junk camper so I can scavenge windows, vents, doors and such. I usually camp in a tent, but I think Walmart wouldn't let me set that up in their parking lot, I've read on their web site that they encourage RV'ers to use their parking lots. I guess i'm just getting used to creature comforts too.

 

welcome happy camper

 

Pot definately a good medicine, wish my doctor would prescribe me some, Ha. I saw somewhere that Colorado or at least Denver decriminalized posession of less than an ounce, maybe the tide is turning. Sounds like you've been through alot and have learned from it, I haven't givin up hope, people that have been addicted and seek help seem to me to be the most genuine people I've run into. It's definately a battle with self, people are the key, we are social beings, isolation is a killer. This forum is great, ought to have a forum get together, I guess we're doing that.

 

Steve, I hope you're doing alright, illness sucks. What a crazy world we live in. I wish nobody had to suffer. What is the meaning? I wish there was an all knowing God taking care of us working towards the assurance of our survival. The way I see it she or he doesn't exsist. What I do see is that we are unique in that we have the capacity to wonder about our existance and contemplate what is going on around us and to change it, as much as we are capable of. The million dollar question; how much are we capable of? From my mind it almost seems limitless, words can affect our future, especially the words we say to each other. When we see past our own self interest this becomes a better place. I appreciate your care for me, it makes my want to spread it. Can't we all just get along? Ain't reality now, but it can be if we convert ourselves, your encouragement is priceless. Made me want to be a better person.

 

bu at boulder and surrounding areas ...herb is now treated as a drunk in public

 

cu at boulder and surrounding areas ...herb is now treated as a drunk in public

 

How did the people do it? Was it like a ballot initiative carried forward by the citizens?

 

yes and its a straight hippie community up there about 3 hours from me

 

Howdy Rich,

Been teetering on the edge of acoholism myself since I can remember, done just about every substance there is with no addictions, yet this one's insidious, I love my booze, but I stick to beer, and I always try to see if I can just have one, maybe even two, but I give myself pause in between to monitor the effect, and I rarely drink the hard stuff, though once in a while I'll sip a good whiskey if I'm in a mellow mood, which isn't often, ironically.

The only thing that's kept me away from losing complete control is the other stuff in my life, I'm a complete outdoor junkie crazed athlete (I can run circles around most guys half my age), but the bottle is still a concern. I guess it's the distractions that keep me on the path, so I must agree you've got the right approach.

I do, however, love the weed, keeps me in line and chill 'cause I might be a basket case otherwise, and I've never had a problem with it...

To answer your initial question about where to go in Arizona, I've been just about all over this country and the world, but one of the coolest places I've ever been is the Havasu Canyon in Arizona. You gotta get a permit, it's not free, but if you can swing it, do it. There's a sweet camping area below the Havasu Indian Reservation, it's about 10 miles hike down into the canyon from the parking area, and you gotta hike in, but it's worth it. You could hire a chopper to fly you in (big bucks) or hire a horse to carry you and your gear down (that'll cost ya too), but the hike's not too bad. Camp below Havasu Falls, and hike up the brim for an intense view during the day (don't forget yer water), or hike down to the top of Mooney Falls at night, the view of the canyon from the top of the falls at night is nothing short of earth-moving. Ironically the Indian town of Havasu is alcohol free, which may be just what you need, and the camping area is supposed to be too, but some folks sneak it in. I found I didn't need any booze in there, though I did burn a bit every night before bed to prepare myself to absorb the intense spirituality from atop Mooney Falls, not that I needed it, but I was glad I had it.

Good luck,

Mark

 

Hey Mark,

Thanks for the reply, fell off the wagon, again. My knees are so skinned up, got to let them heal. Just smoked yesterday, truly weed is a gift to mankind.

Havasu Canyon sounds beautiful, I'll search the internet and found out more about getting a permit and whether pets are allowed etc. My Aunt gets Arizona Highways magazine, filled with scenes of Arizona, I want to go there every time she gives me a new issue.

 

Rich,

Don't sweat it, Man, my mom was an alcoholic for years (still is, but she's dry now, thank God), she fell off the wagon many times before she kicked it for good, her famous slogan being "one day at a time", set easy attainable goals for yourself and don't be too hard on yourself when you fail.

I hope you make it to Havasu, I'd sure love to go back, but since 911 I don't have any desire to step foot on a plane, so I'm sorta confined to the Northeast, not that that's too shabby, I've discovered beautiful things here I never knew existed, and I keep finding more...

Best time to visit the Havasu is in the Spring, I think I was there in March, it's the rainy season and the cacti are blooming. Havasu falls is the one you see in all the pictures, it's really cool, but it's kinda a zoo cause everyone hangs out there. Mooney is, at most, 1/2 mile down into the canyon from Havasu, it's twice as tall (200'), and, as I mentioned, amazing at night. What's so cool about the view over the falls is that a bunch of canyons converge right there, so you get this intense feeling of being in a huge ampitheater (the vertical cliff walls are 800 feet high!), and I swear the spirits of the Havasu Indian tribe who resided there for thousands(?) of years still occupy the canyon, you can feel 'em all around you, yet they're friendly. The Havasu Indians themselves seem really cool, but they're kinda standoffish, and I can't blame 'em, since the white man has invaded their land for centuries, they can't be too happy about that. They've rejected the government's attempts to build a road and modern day facilities on their Reservation, which adds to the magic of the place. If you're real ambitious you can hike all the way down the Havasu Canyon till it meets the Grand Canyon. The confluence is really cool, worth the hike in my opinion.

Peace,

Mark

 

I feel the spirits around here. Not too many human. You're right spring be the time to visit the Southwest.

 

Steve, Angel, wooden bead necklace, The Golden String and Mark, if I forgot anybody I deserve a punch,

This has been the first experience I've had with internet chatting. It is a real trip! Contacting others I've never seen. I'm trying to wrap my head around that! You've all made it a pleasurable experience! I wish to continue communicating with you all and will continue with my thread. Are you all used to communicating over wires? What the hell is this world coming to. Seems better than what it was.

 

thanx,
the trip is ... we will meet someday

 

You think?

 

Just have to say, I saw Havasu on a map once and somehow it calls to me in some mysterious way...I'll be there one day...this is a great thread.