Data Diet And Cacti

I have been concerned with the amount of data we go through daily, so I called Verizon to discuss it. We use a MiFi Jetpack and have 20 GB per month, in addition to the 10 GB we share with our daughter and son-in-law.  Last month we used all 20 GB and most of the 10 GB, so we have been watching it closely.  I learned a lot from the call to Verizon.  Some ways to limit data drain include turning off Auto-play of videos on Facebook, turning off iCloud photo backups, closing tabs on the phone and iPad when not using them, turning off Windows automatic backups on the computer, and turning off WiFi and cellular data when we are not using the Internet. I'm sure this will help! We will still be able to make and receive phone calls with the data off. We also put our phones on "airplane mode" when we go to bed. Our Verizon tech was able to give us a $10 a month decrease in our monthly bill for the MiFi Jetpack, so I was happy about that. And he gave us a heads-up that Verizon usually offers promotional plans around Mothers Day and Fathers Day, so we will watch for those. 

Hopefully these measures will help to keep our data usage in check.

Here in Cattail Cove State Park we have fewer services than we have grown accustomed to.  Full hookups for our sized motorhome would be a 50 amp electrical hookup, plus water and sewer. Like most state parks we have seen, this one has no sewer hookups.  No problem! We have gone 8 days without dumping, and could actually go longer if needed. The electrical hookup here is only 30 amps, which means that we can only run two out of three of our air conditioners. Even with the temperatures in the 90's, as they have been this week, two ACs have been fine. 

Wednesday we head for Kingman, AZ, to visit a distillery and dry camp. This will be our first experience dry camping, also called "boondocking." I'm sure we will do fine. Kingman is at a higher elevation and temps have been ranging from highs in the 70's to lows in the upper 30's. Our furnace runs on propane, so we will have heat. 

I have been enjoying the gardens here at the State Park. Someone has lovingly labeled many of the cacti in the gardens, and here are some of my favorites.

Here is an Octopus Agave.

A Peruvian Apple Cactus

An Englemann Hedgehog

And a Teddy Bear Cholla. No cuddling up with this guy! Ouch!