====== April 2026 ======

===== Tuesday, April 7, 2026  =====

I am writing this from a campsite near Mesquite, Nevada. Today marks the third week since my departure from home. Things are going great and I have seen no signs yet that I wish to return. I had a largely uneventful week since my last post. The huge highlight was the Easter event at the church I like in Caliente. It was fun and I got to hang out with them all day! I'm super jazzed about it. I also had the pleasure to have a discussion with an employee at the local public land management office. We talked a lot about the area and things I can do.

Did I do those things? Not really! I really did let laziness take over me this week. It's time for me to go hiking again. I've got my access to GPS tracking and topographical maps via my phone all sorted out. So I am technically quite ready to start blazing some paths into the mountains. But I have neglected to do so yet. It doesn't help that I'm really conserving my finances and doing nothing is super cheap.

I have not given up on making music! This week I've had a few moments of good inspiration. I was tinkering with it most days, last night, and will again today. I still think I suck at it but practice is the only way I will ever learn.

I vacated my spot near Alamo yesterday and arrived at a warmer section of the Mojave desert. I was able to pick up a new 7 gallon water container at the store, upping my water capacity to 21 gallons. This will help me stay out longer without needing to make a supply run to civilization. Where I slept last night and will again tonight, I have cell service for the first time in a week! So I'm finally able to update my blog and chat on tilde.town. I will also be diving into some online videos about writing music.

Tomorrow I'm getting my adventure back on after a lazy week. I'm going into Gold Butte National Monument. I am going down a new access road I have not seen before, so what comes ahead will be a surprise. I'm excited to explore more of the desert of southern Nevada, and in the coming weeks will continue to bop around down here and see what's up. The weather at this time of the year is perfect!

===== Wednesday, April 1, 2026 =====

I am writing this from a campsite near Alamo, Nevada. The weather here is fair, a bit cold at night but nothing I can't handle. The views of the nearby mountains and the valley are quite nice. I have no cell service, and there is no service much of anywhere around here. There are a couple small grocery stores nearby that I can restock food and water at.

I don't have a lot of money to work with this month, but it's not a lost cause. I think I'm going to have to scrap the idea of going to Oregon and Washington any time soon. Gas is just too expensive. With some modesty I think I can handle myself this month. I'll stick to Nevada and western Utah. Long distance travel will have to be infrequent, so I must choose my destinations carefully.

I love Nevada! I think it's beautiful and fun to explore. Somehow it's even more beautiful than I remembered it. But it's hard to convey just how serious the lack of services are in the parts of the state I like to hang out in. It works out that my favorite places are the most remote. Cell service is pretty much a definite no aside from the immediate vicinity of some (some!) towns. And those towns are very far apart. There's also very few developed hiking trails, so I foresee myself hiking up a lot of jeep roads and washes. Laundromats are few and far in between. But the remoteness is still worth it to me. I love the solitude, and the lack of tourism. I suppose you could say that I'm territorial towards other tourists. Here, it's just me and the lovely desert. It is mine, and nobody can take it away from me.

There is one small town I gravitate towards, because there is a church there I really like. I will be able to join them this Sunday for their special Easter service, which will be outdoors (my favorite!) and lunch will be served (free food!). The people there are very nice and I'm always super excited to see them. I might even be able to score another ride out into the mountains with a guy there that owns a lovely off-roading vehicle.

There is much to look forward to in the future, but for now I need to conserve gasoline and lay low for a while. The campsite I have located is superb, so I will be here as long as possible.