The Bob Davis Podcasts

Mega Road Trip California 2025 I am on a Mega Road Trip for 2025. Most importantly this podcast covers my trip from the desert, mountains and beaches. Details in Mega-Road-Trip-2025-Bob Davis Podcast 1159. Take Your Your Time On A Roadtrip In the first place I’ve learned doing Roadtrips with hell bent for leather travel isn’t so great. Low and Slow Most importantly if the traveler has the time low and slow is the way to go. 2 Months From California to Oregon For example I plan on taking almost two months to get to the California-Oregon border. Furthermore I plan on taking the same approach to Oregon and Washington if possible. Desert Mountain Beaches Generally this podcast covers my trip for the deserts in Eastern California, to the mountains about thirty miles from San Diego and ultimately to the beaches south of Los Angeles. History Certainly there is history involved. Spanish California That is to say that the purpose I’ve selected for this trip is to learn more about the Mission System in California dating back to the Spanish. Jedediah Smith Even more one of the historical figures I am interested in is Jedediah Smith. By all means Smith blazed many trails in his life. Southern Route But perhaps the most important exploration he accomplished was to find the southern route to California. With this purpose in mind Smith was both saved and incarcerated by the Spanish at the mission at San Gabriel and at the Presidio in San Diego. In Mega-Road-Trip-2025-Bob Davis Podcast 1159 I tell that story. But there’s more. Mountain and Beach Campgrounds All in all I got to spend some time at superb mountain campgrounds and on the Beach at Carlsbad, California. Just The Beginning Finally it’s amazing to me that I am only a short way into this Mega Roadtrip for 2025. Follow My Progress So follow my progress as I head north and eventually east to Wisconsin. Subscribe and See Above all subscribe to my YouTube channel and watch as well. Mega-Road-Trip-2025-Bob Davis Podcast 1159  

Life at an Off Grid BLM Camp near Yuma is an acquired taste. Details in Off-Grid-Yuma-BLM-Bob Davis Podcast 1157 . Firstly I have been traveling and camping at some spectacular National Forest campgrounds, And National Parks. Even more at some amazing Bureau Of Land Management campgrounds which are well maintained and fantastic. But the so called Long Term Visitor Areas are a different story. Certainly my listeners and subscribers have followed my tribulations through the LTVA experience in Quartzsite, Arizona. Above all Yuma isn’t much better. By the same token the vibe in at Yuma is a little more chill than a hundred miles to the North in Quartzsite. Basically I ran into some first time RV people; the other day and they expressed their displeasure with these LTVA’s run by the Department of The Interior. Overall this is a great place to wait out the final few weeks of what we call cold weather down here. In fact with temperatures in the 80’s as I write… It won’t be long until I start spring travel into the higher elevations. Undoubtedly first time RV people have their concerns. It’s important to realize that these places have no power or water hook ups. Nevertheless there is garbage service and fresh water. In the same fashion bathrooms are provided. Unfortunately sometimes they don’t work. Another point overlooked is the BLM isn’t very good at fixing things… Or cleaning things up. In contrast to nearby military bases with five bars of 5G…the US Department of the Interior cannot seem to figure out how to get cell service into these LTVA’s. On the other hand once you accept all those drawbacks life can be pleasant here. Secondly one of the things about this environment is it tends to be more social. All things considered I am changing my requirements when it comes to camping. In fact these days I prefer more solitude and emptiness. For that reason I will generally avoid these kinds of places. For the time being though this is a good place to wait out the final few cold nights and plan for future travel. On this occasion one takes the good with the bad. Sponsored by 36 LYN Off-Grid-Yuma-BLM-Bob Davis Podcast 1157

Adventure Freedom History Adventure, Freedom and History in Death Valley and The Eastern Sierras.There’s so much to see and so many thoughts! Details in Adventure-Freedom-History-Bob Davis Podcast 1155. Death Valley Eastern Sierras Firstly my last podcast dealt with the Eastern part of Death Valley. Podcast 1155 deals with the Western Part of Death Valley and the Eastern Sierras. Freezing In Lone Pine California Secondly I am doing this podcast as I exit the freezing northern reaches of Lone Pine California and head for warmer parts of Southern California. Most importantly heavy winds and near freezing temperatures make it pretty cold up in the mountains. Pioneers That is to say given the elements I don’t know how the pioneers even considered trekking up the Sierras with their belongings and animals. Donner Party Certainly the Donner Party experience led to later western emigrants to seek a southern route. Death Valley Days This literally led through Death Valley. History Altogether I love the history in the west. Western History But the Death Valley Sierra area is jam packed with all kinds of historical stories. Beauty Even more every view is packed with beauty. Heading South With this in mind while I retreat to warmer climes I am doing this podcast in Mobile Podcast Command as I head south. Freedom Above all this is a great time to discuss issues of freedom. At the present time I am struck by the number of people I know who feel deeply constrained in their jobs, Pressure Even more life seems also to be exerting a tremendous weight on shoulders ‘back in the world’. Nomad All things considered I think this is one of the reasons people are so interested in nomad life. Sponsored by 36LYN Adventure-Freedom-History-Bob Davis Podcast 1155

Hella Truck Stop Nation It’s a Hella Truck Stop Nation. In this case “Hella” is used in the negative sense. Get the full scoop in Hella-Truck-Stop-Nation-Bob Davis Podcast 1153. Las Vegas Firstly I am supposed to be enjoying a perfect Southwestern sunset in front of a warm campfire. Instead I am in Las Vegas waiting for a heater I’ve ordered to arrive at Camping World. And dealing with a strange noise and potential mechanical problem with Mobile Podcast Command. Therefore I am rotating around Las Vegas. Truck Stops From time to time visiting various truck stops both in the city and in surrounding areas along the freeway. Long Time Traveler More importantly I have been doing this for a long time. That is to say traveling around the country visiting towns and cities. Certainly spending most of my time on the back roads and avoiding the major cities. Shiny Hotels Of Las Vegas All things considered when most people come to Las Vegas they come to the shining hotels. In essence to gamble, enjoy an expensive and delicious dinner and see a show. Miss The Back Streets Under those circumstances visitors never see the back streets of this city. Desperation In particular the in town truck stops. At the present time I don’t think I have seen this many desperate people. And not just here in Las Vegas. But all over the Southwest. Fool No One To explain we’re talking about people sleeping in cars and converted vans and utility trucks that fool no one. Or the free campgrounds in the desert. Digging A Little Deeper This Time Therefore I certainly could have recorded a breezy and fun podcasts about how much I love truck stops. On the other hand I decided to dig a little deeper and push a little harder. Haves And Have Nots There’s nothing like a trip to Vegas to emphasize the gap between the haves and the have nots, The Abyss As well as the unfortunates who have fallen off the last rung of the economic ladder…into the abyss. And sure there’s jobs for those with certain skills. And of course there are those who I describe as useless. Sharecroppers Thirdly about 90 years ago hundreds of thousands of Oklahoma Sharecroppers headed west. Grapes of Wrath For the purposes of illustrating our current situation I spend some time discussing “The Grapes of Wrath”. There Is No Plan Finally the difference between today’s desperate and the Okies is a plan. In conclusion there is no plan. Word To The Wise In fact if you’re a nomad or want to be one you have to be able to identify this situation and the places you don’t want to stay. Sponsored by 36 LYN Hella-Truck-Stop-Nation-Bob Davis Podcast 1153  

MoochDocking Thanksgiving In LA MoochDocking Thanksgiving in LA has been a lot of fun. When we hang out at someone’s house and use their electric we call it ‘Moochdocking‘. Details in MoochDocking-Thanksgiving-LA-Bob Davis Podcast 1151. Not Home For The Holidays Firstly most of the time we nomads don’t go home for the holidays. Certainly distance is usually an issue. Secondly for many family is also an issue. 100 Miles Away However I was 100 miles away from my brother in law’s house in LA. So what the hell. Driveway With Hook Ups Accordingly the driveway with an electric hookup is a far cry from the dry lake bed at Joshua Tree… Or Joshua Tree National Park. Judgements Another key point is the fact that we nomads have judgements about life “back in the world”. Longer Equals Less Judgement Although the longer I do this the less judgmental I become. After all some people prefer a house and a car… and some people prefer the road. Raising Kids Finally I have come to appreciate how difficult it is for people to raise three kids and keep it together in the suburbs or anywhere else. Big Screen TV All in all it has been great to see my nieces and watch TV on a big screen. Group Cooking Effort By all means the group effort Thanksgiving Dinner was also a hit. Pure Luxury In addition I must say having electricity 24/7 is pure luxury. Difficult Nomad Life All of this is a tremendous contrast to the unquestionably difficult experience nomad life can sometimes be. Lessons Learned To begin with when I hit the road I did not realize the lessons I would learn in the next four years. Harsh Judgements But sometimes I think we judge too harshly when it comes to life ‘back in the world’. Not Going Back While this may be true I certainly am not about to go back to my old life. Choose The Road Up against one or the other I would choose the road for sure. For example I don’t think too much about the day of the week. And am therefore free to spend as much time as I want in a place like Joshua Tree National Park … The Gift We Give Ourselves To enumerate this is the gift we nomads give ourselves when we take the plunge. Appreciate As a result as I begin the fifth year of this adventure I have learned to appreciate my friends and family ‘back in the world’. Not Running A Campground While that may be true I also don’t lean as much on friends and family across the country to stay in their driveways. After all they aren’t running campgrounds, However when I do it is a great glimpse at another life. MoochDocking-Thanksgiving-LA-Bob Davis Podcast 1151 is a free wheeling podcast about the differences between nomad life and so called ‘normal’ life. Sponsored by 36/LYN MoochDocking-Thanksgiving-LA-Bob Davis Podcast 1151    

Values and Principles are All In The Family Firstly this is a personal and heartfelt podcast about Values and Principles and It’s All In The Family. Details in Values-Principles-All In The Family-Bob Davis Podcast 1149. Suggested By A YouTube Viewer Secondly the idea for this podcast came from a YouTube viewer. Principles To begin with this viewer suggested I talk about the principles of Mountain Men and how I have adopted them. Of course I don’t follow someone else’s principles. I follow my own. Source But where do they come from. Great Idea So that’s a great idea for a podcast. My Family Accordingly I delve deeply into my own family for clues. Personal Therefore this became a rather personal and heartfelt podcast. Four Generations Because I went back four generations sharing what I know about my ancestors and what they were like. That is to say what they might have believed in when it came to principles… And how they lived their lives. Where Did You Find These Stories Because I’m going so far back you might wonder about the source. With this is mind much of the stories come from my Grandfather. All in all my mom as well. Not only these… But my own memories too. Confuse Values and Principles Above all I think people confuse values with principles. Of course principles can come from values. On the other hand I find principles more like hard and fast rules… And values to be more flexible. Hard To Adopt Principles Given these points it’s difficult to see how this nomad could have adapted or adopted the principles of an historical figure. Channeling In spite of the feeling you might get from watching a movie about some figure or character that results in a feeling like you can almost channel the them… Eventually you’re left with your own history and family story. Everyone Has A Different Story Lastly of course these are different for everyone. Certainly some of us would rather not follow principles of certain family members. Nevertheless we learn our family’s principles in early childhoods. Accordingly that makes Values-Principles-All In The Family-Bob Davis Podcast 1149 a very personal and emotional podcast. Follow Along In conclusion it’s my hope the listener will follow along as I tell my story. Think About Your Own Family and Principles And accordingly remember your own childhood for ideas that apply. Sponsored by 36 LYN Values-Principles-All In The Family-Bob Davis Podcast 1149    

Las Vegas To Joshua Tree Firstly Las Vegas-Joshua Tree-Bob Davis Podcast 1147 is about a computer meltdown forcing the nomad back on the road. Secondly I am not mad about it. Thinking About More Travel Most importantly I have been thinking about traveling more lately. Roll With The Punches Altogether sometimes you just have to roll with the punches. Water and PC’s Don’t Mix Although this may be true when you spill water on your PC unexpectedly it stirs the pot to say the least. But if we’re speaking the truth… Done With Quartzsite For Now With this in mind I was about done with Quartzsite Arizona anyway. YouTube Certainly I had just finished a YouTube video about how we can’t predict the future. Changes In Mecca And in that video I talked a little about how the experience in the so called nomad Mecca has changed over the past few years. New Adventure Therefore I have been looking for a new adventure. Rather than just sit there and be unhappy I took the opportunity to do something new. As much as I love my friends in Quartzsite during the winter months. Bloom Is Off The Rose While this may be true the bloom is off the rose. Heading North To Las Vegas Even though goodbyes are difficult it was great to get back on 95 and head up to Havasu City, Searchlight Nevada and ultimately Las Vegas. Afterward while I am not a gambler and have not been a fan of Las Vegas lately… Surprisingly Easy Navigating to Town Square Mall and the Apple Store was surprisingly easy. New Mac Straightaway I was negotiating for new Mac Pro. All in all this is an opportunity to finally have the IT juice to do some video editing as well as improved quality for the podcast. Learning Curve However there will be a bit of a learning curve since I can’t access all the data on the old Mac Pro currently. And you have to learn all new ins and outs of updated software, so no music in this podcast. Solving Problems At any rate the thing about problems is you get to solve them. Searchlight To I-40 Lastly coming back the way I came through Searchlight I happened upon on of my reference points in my travels. Truck Stop Time In other words a cluster of truck stops at I-40 and 95. Coupled with a new digital lease on life I had a chance to chill out to the sound of semis and reset my plans. In conclusion some of these plans are discussed in this podcast. More About This Next Podcast But I’ll talk more about the journey in my next podcast to celebrate four years as a nomad full time and start out the fifth year of travel. Sponsored by 36/Lyn The Independent Refueling Station Las Vegas-Joshua Tree-Bob Davis Podcast 1147      

Montana Yellowstone Idaho Firstly I’m on another big trip from Wisconsin through to Montana, Yellowstone and Idaho. Ultimately I’ll be pulling into Quartzsite, Arizona earlier than planned. But this is a great route south. Details in Montana-Yellowstone-Idaho-Bob Davis Podcast 1145. Custer National Battlefield Monument Secondly my Montana visit was punctuated with a visit to the Custer National Battlefield Monument. For details on that experience check out my YouTube channel here. Soul Happy Above all when I am traveling my soul is happy. Juices Flowing That is to say when the wheels are turning the creative juices are flowing. Much To See Also there are always amazing things to see. Observations Another key point is my observations on what I have experienced on the trip so far. Old Story From Yellowstone Certainly a ‘pass-through’ this year was a lot different from a old story about pushing a VW Bug through the park in the middle of the night. This experience differed markedly from the VW experience so many years go. What’s With The Bison? For one thing people these days seem to be mad to get through the park so they can get pictures of Bison. I’ve witnessed behavior in the same fashion at the Grand Canyon. Jewels As much as it is important to celebrate the fact that we Americans have these wilderness jewels to marvel over… On the negative side I’m not sure people are actually experiencing these parks. Selfies They are too busy taking selfies. Camping Booked On the other hand I am glad the park was too busy for camping. Pass Through Because a pass through was just what the doctor ordered at this point in the trip. Land Of Sky Blue Waters Because I camped all summer as I like to say on the shores of a lake in the ‘Land of Sky Blue Waters’… After that I am not so keen to camp. Truck Stops All in all truck stops are my go to these days. Recording In Flying J’s Lot Basically it’s pretty hard to miss in this podcast since I recorded in a Flying J Parking Lot. Oil Cheaper Overall oil is getting cheaper… Winter Travel Therefore the winter looks promising for more travel and adventure. By all means getting down to Quartzite is my priority… 115 Degrees But when I last checked the weather it was 115 degrees in the desert out there. By all means the subject for my next podcast. Sponsored By 36/LYN The Independently Owned And Operated Refueling Station Montana-Yellowstone-Idaho-Bob Davis Podcast 1145