More Arizona Meanderings: The Wildlife Tour

March 31, 2026 I drove from Carlsbad Caverns through New Mexico, Texas, and back to the corner of New Mexico along highway 9 which runs along the Mexican border. I could see the "Wall". I'd never seen it before! Border Patrol all over mostly in pickups, some on ATVs, blimps tied to the stations floating high above in the air. Lots of dead rattlesnakes on the highway. I camped just east of Animas out in the desert. So very quiet especially at night with no one on the highway and the stars bright in the sky.

The next morning I headed to Bisbee through Portal and Douglas. You know when you are in Arizona by the condition of the roads. No other state is this bad! Even Texas has awesome roads and they are a Republican state. WTF, Arizona?

But the weather has cooled to high 70s - low 80s and the prickly pears are blooming which makes up for it!

And then there are the rats...see him bottom of the photo? I think this is a pack rat? Not sure. I was told they are rather cute like chipmunks when they aren't eating your vehicles, but they are more like vampires coming out at night and not in the sunlight so I'm not sure. He does look like the pack rat photos online. Now I know I'm back in Arizona!! I have my rat beepers and blinking solar lights in the engine. I'm ready for them!

But what about the scorpions, giant spiders, and

RATTLESNAKES?

The news is warning there have been an increase in rattlesnake bites this spring. I've been trained by people who have lived here all their lives. When the nighttime temperatures are above 50 degrees, the rattlers are out in full force. In the spring they are aggressive, probably because they just got out of hibernation and are hungry. I enjoy hiking or walking since I'm sitting a lot when I'm driving or even when I'm not traveling I spend a lot of time on the computer. I like to get out of the van, exercise, and stretch especially now that I'm still trying to recouperate from the ankle fracture and trying to break in my new hiking boots. However, I am now nervous about hiking in the desert. My eyes are constantly scanning the landscape. Last night was 64 degrees. The rattlers should be out now regardless of whether I see them or not. I've only seen one on the highway to Arizona, but it was slithering off the road into the bushes so I only saw his tail.

One life-long local told me avoid walking near piles of rocks, bushes, or piles of sticks as that's where they are usually camouflaged or curled up. Don't reach for anything and be aware of your surroundings. OK. That doesn't help my stress and paranoia. Maybe I can avoid hiking until I leave Arizona? 

Another van woman said when you walk, walk hard, the vibration will warn them, and they will slither in the opposite direction (sometimes). They will usually start rattling about five feet away and this woman said, "It is unmistakable...the rattle of death!" I told her I'd seen rattlesnakes on TV and in the movies. She said, "No, up close and personal, the rattle is much more traumatizing! You know you are going to die if you don't get the hell away."

This morning I encountered my first rattlesnake...ever!!! Walking cautiously down the middle of the drive, watching my steps, watching the side bushes, rocks and sticks (Is that a snake? No it's just a stick! Whew!), and there he is about fifteen feet ahead sunning his whole three (?) foot long body across the dirt drive. OMG!

He's kind of flat and skinny. I wondered if someone ran him over, but no one has been driving around here and I hike this drive a lot. He's just hungry. Maybe he's a baby? He's shiny, unlike a stick. I threw some rocks that came close to him, but didn't hit him. I wanted to see him curl up and hear the rattle. He didn't move. No aggression that I could determine. I gave up and backed away. No need to tempt him. I imagined he'd slither after me out of spite. Hike over. Now everytime I hear a noise I'm jumping out of my skin. LOL!

OMG! I saw a gila monster! Sluggishly making his way across the dirt road in the desert! This camping location is great for wildlife which might not be a good thing, but it's definitely an adventure! This guy was about a foot and a half long. I stopped driving, turned off my van, and attempted to take photos before noticing he headed for under my van! I couldn't drive away for fear of running him over so I got a fly swatter and swatted his tail. He continued to the other side. They are venomous, bites can make one sick or dead (rare), but so beautiful! I kept my distance. I remember hearing stories of big ones that would attack pets and small children, but I think those are just urban legends. Arizona is adventure land!!

It's April and the temperatures are fluctuating between 68 and 85 degrees. Tolerable, not too bad. Like last year I'm waiting for the temperatures up north to get into the 50s at night. Right now they are in the 30s which seems so odd when it's so warm here. I also keep having mechanical problems. Of course. It might be a long wait. I feel like I'm at a starting gate, posed for take off, waiting to hear the magic word, "GO!"

Nomads and the Residential Address Conundrum

During this whole van life experience I've been constantly in a state of worry. I try not to, but it's just my normal state of mind. One directly-related van life worry is lack of a residential address. This is a topic common with nomads. Many use the adddresses of friends or relatives, but I never wanted to impose mail management on anyone. The fear is without a residential address the government could take away one's driver's license. As someone who lives in their vehicle, that would be really bad! How do you register to vote if you don't actually live anywhere? How do you become a resident in any state if you don't have a permanent, residential address?

Domicile. One can have various residences in different states, but only one domicile. Snowbirds do this. My first step was to research my chosen state to find out their criteria and definition. In Arizona you must be able to verify one of these: 1) you work in the state, 2) you live at least seven months a year in the state, 3) you pay state taxes, 4) you are registered to vote in the state. As added evidence, it helps to switch all your business relationships to the state: doctor, dentist, lawyer, bank, insurance, mailing address, etc. I've done all of this, however, my bank pulled out of Arizona recently so I am bankless. Other than that I am a legal resident with my domicile in Arizona and I can use these facts to my advantage as proof.

Voter registration. I attempted four times in the last six months to register to vote using my new virtual mailbox. The first three times were online and ignored. It felt like voter suppression and I make sure on my applications I do not claim a political party! I called the recorder's office and asked. Their only offer was to send me another application. I told her I already filled out applications both paper and online. She informed me there will be a representative at a library in March who will be assisting with registration and early voting. OK! 

I arrived, waited in line and filled out another application. I asked, "If I live in a van, am I not allowed to vote?" They had me get in a different line. I think it was the "troublemaker" line. I really had no hope.

My turn came and I once again stressfully asked, "Can I vote if I don't have a residential address?" 

She asked, "When you are staying in the city, what are the nearest cross streets?" I told her and she wrote it down on my application. She looked up the address for the nearest post office to those cross streets.  OK! It seems I am officially living on the streets! I know I'm houseless, but I think now I am considered homeless! (Later I checked my voter registration online and they changed that address to the post office nearest my virtual mailbox address!??? I have no idea....)

Driver's License. This one was the scariest. I've heard all kinds of bad stories about the government demanding your driver's license back. I attempted to change from my UPS address to my new virtual address. It accepted it but the little clause at the bottom threatening me with jail time if any of my information was a lie gave me pause. I avoided ordering a new driver's license with my new virtual address, but then voter registration people said if I don't have my voter registration card with me, the address on my driver's license needs to match the address in the voter registration records. Really? Cross streets? What do I do? I tried ordering a new license anyway and I got the message, "Please contact the MVD directly." OH JEEZ! I'm flagged. I'm so in trouble!

I decided I needed to figure this out. I went to one of the third-party MVD offices, but their computers were down. I stressed all night and the next morning I went to the main MVD office and their computers were down! Third time is a charm and I went back, no line which I saw as a good omen. The woman looked at me like I was stupid when I told her I don't have a residential address and I live in a van. Finally she said, go through that door. I was placed at a computer and one of their staff members came on after a very short wait. I explained (for the fifth time) my predicament and babbled all kinds of worry about voter's registration assigning me cross streets and post office addresses. 

He looked at my record and said, "Do you want to use your mailing address as your residential address?" 

I replied, "That would make my life a lot easier as long as I don't go to jail for lying about the mailing address being my residential address."

He said, "Your mailing address is now your residential address and that's the address that will be on your license." They didn't care! 

I asked, "Why did the website make me come in when I tried to order another license."

He said, "To update your photo. They like having recent photos." 

Jeez! My new photo makes me look like a troll.

Why was I in such a panic thinking not only they would take my current driver's license away and then throw me in jail for driving without a license? Heck, why did I worry about this for over a year? I really need to stop worrying so much!!

So bottom line...nomads are homeless. American citizens who are homeless can get driver's licenses and they can vote even without a residential address!