NOV 28, Sunday, to Tucson, AZ; sunny, clouds, rain, 55*F
We left at 10 am; a late start but we only have to go to Tucson. The day began sunny and warm on I-8 but cooled off as we got nearer Tucson on I-10. We even had some rain but not much. We stopped in Gila Bend for lunch and I took on some fuel. We arrived at Desert Diamond, approx 10 miles south of Tucson on I-19, around 3:30 pm to a cold wind. Jackets and pants were the order of the day. We went to check out the casino after happy hour and had the buffet special for $8.89 each. We pigged out and now we are back in our respective home with bloated stomach. Louise stayed behind and played a few machines while the rest of us came back to our rigs. Took Tucker for his final walk, brought the blog to date and went to bed. Early rise tomorrow!
N 32* 06.914’
W 110* 57.720
Elevation: 2532 feet
We travelled 255 miles (412 Km) in 5.5 hrs at an average speed of 56 MPH
NOV 29, Tucson to Nogales, AZ; sunny, 50*F (feels like 40*F)
We got up at 6:30 and were on the road by 7:40am. We drove to Camping World only to find out the awning would not fit on our window because of the way it is set up. So, after getting a refund, it was back to Desert Diamond to pick up Louise & Dave and went back to Camping World for Dave to check out a couple things. While there, I bought another generator, a Honeywell 2000i which they had on sale at a very good price. From here, we drove I-10 to I-19 and headed for Nogales. We stopped to fuel in Green Valley and arrived at Nogales around 1:30 pm. We went directly to St-Xavier and bought our insurance then drove to Wal-Mart where we stocked up on last minute items then relaxed. We had D&L over for dinner; chili and hot dogs.
It is very cold here with a wind that makes it even worse. I got my generator going to charge up the batteries as we are using the furnace a lot.
Tomorrow we head for Mexico
NOV 30, Nogales to San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico; Sunny 24*F in the morning
What a cold night. We didn’t hang around. Dave and I got egg Mcmuffin from McDonald and were across the border by 8 a.m. There was no problems except that on the US side, they have something new in that we were stopped and check over. I guess they are trying to stop the flow of money, weapons and drugs going south.
Anyway, our drive south was uneventful and traffic was light. We stopped at KM 21 to pick up our visas which cost 58$ for both of us then drove south. We arrived in Totonaka around 3 pm, paid for a week to start with then set up across from Al and Brenda whom have been here for about two weeks now. It is a balmy 78*F (24*C) right now with a light wind.
After happy hour, we all went to Mariposa, just outside the gate, for dinner. We sat on the balcony. We were all tired so to bed early. Tomorrow the exploring and adventures begin.
N 27* 57.902’
W 111* 01.482’
Alt: 55 feet
We travelled 261 miles (420Km) in 7.5 hrs at an average 40 mph.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
November 23 to 27, 2010; Yuma and Algodones
NOV 23, Tuesday, Yuma, cloudy, 69*F
It’s been getting progressively cooler everyday this past week. Even the evenings are cool enough that one has to wear a jacket or sweater.
We went into town this afternoon to pick up some items for the trailer and food in preparation for our departure to Mexico. We also did a few caches along the way, of course. I made an appointment for tomorrow morning to get my windshield replaced as a crack is now all the way across it.
We met Louise and Dave for happy hour and Dave fried Pickerel fish in beer batter. Louise prepared a wonderful mixture of potatoes and green vegetables, little buns and we had a feast! This has got to be the best fish I’ve ever tasted. I just love it!
After dinner, we played a couple games of “Sequence” and let the girls win, of course.
NOV 24, Wednesday, to Algodones for dental work, sunny, 65*F
I had to get up at 6:30 this morning to make my appointment at 8 am. I now have a new windshield but lost all the stick-on in the process.
I came home, had a quick shower then the four of us went to Algodones for dental work. Louise had an appointment at 11 and ours were at 12:30 and 1 pm. We went across and after dropping off Louise, we went for breakfast. At first they (Mexicans) said that it was past 11 a, but the sign said 11 California time so Dave argued with the cook and finally got the OK to get breakfast. We ordered the $1.99 special! That’s probably why they didn’t want to honor it!?? Anyway, Louise joined us in time for her to get breakfast and afterwards we went to our appointments. It was a real disappointment! We sat there for 2 hours and finally called it quit. So much for appointments; we were double booked!?
We went to the street local pub and had a beer while we waited for Louise and Dave whom joined us after a while.
We crossed the border in no time and came home. We had happy hour then went to our respective homes. Val cooked shrimps and Caesar Salad for dinner!
NOV 25, Thursday, Happy Thanks-Giving; sunny and cool: 60*F
We had a strong wind storm overnight. It actually woke me up which says a lots about the noise. When I got up this morning, I found the satellite dish blown over. One of the legs on the tripod came undone and it crashed causing the dish to break at the LNB arm but the arm itself was OK. Now I have to find another dish and I know just where to look...the open air Yuma Market.
After taking Tucker for his walk and having breakfast, we loaded the truck with chairs, booze and buns then drove into town where we searched and found a few more caches. Around 2:30 pm, we drove to Jack and Mim’s place in the Foot Hills and celebrated Thanksgiving with them, Ed and Judy and another couple, friends of J&M.
We had a great time and lots of laughs and the dinner was delicious with all the trimmings: turkey cooked to perfection, mashed potatoes, green vegetables cooked in onions, and sweet yam mashed to perfection. There were lots left over even though everyone had second helpings. We came home around 9 pm after saying goodbye to all. A great day indeed!
NOV 26, Friday, Yuma; sunny, 65*F
We went to Yuma Market hoping to find a dish for our satellite but no such luck. We stopped at Albertson for some groceries and Pet Smart for some toothpaste for Tucker. We went geo-caching for a couple hours before heading to the Foothills to visit friends, John and Sue. They had us over for dinner and we had a very nice visit. We learned that they bought the park model they are presently in so no more rent for them. The park is very nice and clean with lots of amenities. As we discussed my dilemma about the satellite dish, John suggested looking in the “White paper”, a local paper, and I found an ad about a dish for sale. What luck! I called and he had one so after our visit we went to pick it up and came home.
NOV 27, Saturday, last day in Yuma; sunny, low 70*F
Today is our last day here. We leave for Tucson tomorrow. I stored the dish as it’s not worth putting it up for one day.
The four of us went back to the open market to meet Sue and get Tucker’s leash that Val forgot to pick up last evening. We also stopped at another market; turns out it was not the one we were looking for but the Yuma Swap Meet also known as the Mexican Market. I bought a pair of sandals then we went geo-caching and visited the Old Historic Yuma Jail. It was interesting as you can see by the pictures in our Picasa link.
We came home around 4 pm, Val did a load of laundry and I started packing some of the stuff we have out. Dave and Louise came over for happy hour then we all retreated to our respective houses.
Tomorrow, we head for Tucson, Arizona.
It’s been getting progressively cooler everyday this past week. Even the evenings are cool enough that one has to wear a jacket or sweater.
We went into town this afternoon to pick up some items for the trailer and food in preparation for our departure to Mexico. We also did a few caches along the way, of course. I made an appointment for tomorrow morning to get my windshield replaced as a crack is now all the way across it.
We met Louise and Dave for happy hour and Dave fried Pickerel fish in beer batter. Louise prepared a wonderful mixture of potatoes and green vegetables, little buns and we had a feast! This has got to be the best fish I’ve ever tasted. I just love it!
After dinner, we played a couple games of “Sequence” and let the girls win, of course.
NOV 24, Wednesday, to Algodones for dental work, sunny, 65*F
I had to get up at 6:30 this morning to make my appointment at 8 am. I now have a new windshield but lost all the stick-on in the process.
I came home, had a quick shower then the four of us went to Algodones for dental work. Louise had an appointment at 11 and ours were at 12:30 and 1 pm. We went across and after dropping off Louise, we went for breakfast. At first they (Mexicans) said that it was past 11 a, but the sign said 11 California time so Dave argued with the cook and finally got the OK to get breakfast. We ordered the $1.99 special! That’s probably why they didn’t want to honor it!?? Anyway, Louise joined us in time for her to get breakfast and afterwards we went to our appointments. It was a real disappointment! We sat there for 2 hours and finally called it quit. So much for appointments; we were double booked!?
We went to the street local pub and had a beer while we waited for Louise and Dave whom joined us after a while.
We crossed the border in no time and came home. We had happy hour then went to our respective homes. Val cooked shrimps and Caesar Salad for dinner!
NOV 25, Thursday, Happy Thanks-Giving; sunny and cool: 60*F
We had a strong wind storm overnight. It actually woke me up which says a lots about the noise. When I got up this morning, I found the satellite dish blown over. One of the legs on the tripod came undone and it crashed causing the dish to break at the LNB arm but the arm itself was OK. Now I have to find another dish and I know just where to look...the open air Yuma Market.
After taking Tucker for his walk and having breakfast, we loaded the truck with chairs, booze and buns then drove into town where we searched and found a few more caches. Around 2:30 pm, we drove to Jack and Mim’s place in the Foot Hills and celebrated Thanksgiving with them, Ed and Judy and another couple, friends of J&M.
We had a great time and lots of laughs and the dinner was delicious with all the trimmings: turkey cooked to perfection, mashed potatoes, green vegetables cooked in onions, and sweet yam mashed to perfection. There were lots left over even though everyone had second helpings. We came home around 9 pm after saying goodbye to all. A great day indeed!
NOV 26, Friday, Yuma; sunny, 65*F
We went to Yuma Market hoping to find a dish for our satellite but no such luck. We stopped at Albertson for some groceries and Pet Smart for some toothpaste for Tucker. We went geo-caching for a couple hours before heading to the Foothills to visit friends, John and Sue. They had us over for dinner and we had a very nice visit. We learned that they bought the park model they are presently in so no more rent for them. The park is very nice and clean with lots of amenities. As we discussed my dilemma about the satellite dish, John suggested looking in the “White paper”, a local paper, and I found an ad about a dish for sale. What luck! I called and he had one so after our visit we went to pick it up and came home.
NOV 27, Saturday, last day in Yuma; sunny, low 70*F
Today is our last day here. We leave for Tucson tomorrow. I stored the dish as it’s not worth putting it up for one day.
The four of us went back to the open market to meet Sue and get Tucker’s leash that Val forgot to pick up last evening. We also stopped at another market; turns out it was not the one we were looking for but the Yuma Swap Meet also known as the Mexican Market. I bought a pair of sandals then we went geo-caching and visited the Old Historic Yuma Jail. It was interesting as you can see by the pictures in our Picasa link.
We came home around 4 pm, Val did a load of laundry and I started packing some of the stuff we have out. Dave and Louise came over for happy hour then we all retreated to our respective houses.
Tomorrow, we head for Tucson, Arizona.
Monday, November 22, 2010
November 17 to 22, 2010; Winterhaven, CA & Algodones, Mexico
NOV 17, Wednesday, to Algodones; Sunny, 85*F
We went to Algodones this morning to check out the dentist and made an appointment for next Wednesday. We also went to optical place where I bought 2 pairs of prescription glasses for $200. including Polaroid lenses and non-scratched. Pretty good prices considering it would have cost me close to $600 at home. We went for lunch at the same place we went last year where they play music outside. The same two guys were there again. As we were walking the sidewalks, we found and bought a bear and cub made of ceramic; one more thing to carry!!! It was a job and a half carrying over the border! Talking about the border, it took us a good half-hour to cross; there was quite a line-up!
We came home and enjoyed the warmth; 85*F by now (28*C)! I finally got my satellite dish to work and we watched the Canadian news once again.
NOV 18, Thursday, Yuma, sunny, 88*F
Back to Algodones this morning to pick up my glasses and Val found her purse so bought it. We came across in 20 minutes and drove to Yuma to pick up some groceries for tonight. I also stopped at a RV Centre to get a light cover for outside light. For some reason, it fell off on our way down here!???? We found Walmart then came home. Dave and Louise had just arrived and were settling in so we stopped to say hi and invited them to come over when they were all settled in.
We had happy hour at our place and then I cooked steaks and big shrimp that we bought in Mexico this morning. Val made a salad and preps the steaks and the garlic butter for the shrimps. We had a nice evening of catching up on news and discussing the values of flushing the black water immediately vs. letting it fill first then flush. Don’t ask me how we got on the subject but we had a few good laughs.
NOV 19, Friday, Yuma; Cloudy, 78*F
Well I guess it had to happen. We woke up to a cloudy day but still warm. We went to town with Dave and Louise to the Open Flea Market to take a look. A lot of the stalls were not open yet. The nice thing is that the dogs were able to come inside with us so Tucker was quite happy. He even got a new harness out of it.
We came home and just hung around for the rest of the day. We met for happy hour then it was dinner time and we all retired to our own home. Val called her daughter this evening and talked to her for a while. Val is now a Grand-Mother again!
NOV 20, Saturday, Yuma; Cloudy/sun, 75*F
After a late start, we drove back to Algodones about my sunglasses. They are making my eyes go funny at times. There were no problems having it re-done and while waiting, we went to find a couple of geo-caches. The first one, near the policia estacion was destroyed due to re-constructions. The second one was along the border fence and into a field. We walked up to it and Val decided to wait for me near a building. I didn’t find it and had to leave as the policia arrived and Val got really nervous. We said “Hola” to them and walked back to a little restaurant where we had a light snack then picked up my glasses which were now ready and went back across the border...NO line up!
We went to find more geo-caches on a side road along the freeway. We found all 5 of them. We are over 500 found caches now! In one year, WOW!!!!
We came home, had happy hour with Louise and Dave then the four of us went to the club for dinner: pork chops, mashed potatoes, corn and dessert. Very good for $4 each!
We ended up at our place where I put out our “buddy-burner” and sat around telling tall stories. We called it quit by 10 pm.
NOV 21, Sunday, surprise visit; Sunny & windy, 70*F
We spent the day at home today. Val did laundry and I put the new window in that we had bought in Algodones and did a few other little other repairs/maintenance.
At 4 pm Charlotte and Rudieger whom we had met in southern Mexico a couple years back and had visited in Chilliwack, came over for happy hour and dinner. We wanted to invite Louise and Dave but they were away. Anyway, we had a nice dinner together and proceeded to get a little bit drunk and happy. We had a marvellous visit and lots of fun.
NOV 22, Monday, back to Algodones & quiet day at home; sunny, windy, 69*F
Louise and Dave wanted to go to Algodones so I went with them. Val wanted to stay and do some chores here at home. I had to return my sunglasses once again and Louise wanted to see the dentist and Dave wanted a haircut which he got; Louise had to make an appointment for Wednesday. We walked around a while afterwards and Louise bought a new purse then we came home.
I dry-washed the truck and cleaned the windows on “Bear”. We had happy hour around 4 pm and everyone went home afterwards. It was much cooler today and the wind is biting!
We went to Algodones this morning to check out the dentist and made an appointment for next Wednesday. We also went to optical place where I bought 2 pairs of prescription glasses for $200. including Polaroid lenses and non-scratched. Pretty good prices considering it would have cost me close to $600 at home. We went for lunch at the same place we went last year where they play music outside. The same two guys were there again. As we were walking the sidewalks, we found and bought a bear and cub made of ceramic; one more thing to carry!!! It was a job and a half carrying over the border! Talking about the border, it took us a good half-hour to cross; there was quite a line-up!
We came home and enjoyed the warmth; 85*F by now (28*C)! I finally got my satellite dish to work and we watched the Canadian news once again.
NOV 18, Thursday, Yuma, sunny, 88*F
Back to Algodones this morning to pick up my glasses and Val found her purse so bought it. We came across in 20 minutes and drove to Yuma to pick up some groceries for tonight. I also stopped at a RV Centre to get a light cover for outside light. For some reason, it fell off on our way down here!???? We found Walmart then came home. Dave and Louise had just arrived and were settling in so we stopped to say hi and invited them to come over when they were all settled in.
We had happy hour at our place and then I cooked steaks and big shrimp that we bought in Mexico this morning. Val made a salad and preps the steaks and the garlic butter for the shrimps. We had a nice evening of catching up on news and discussing the values of flushing the black water immediately vs. letting it fill first then flush. Don’t ask me how we got on the subject but we had a few good laughs.
NOV 19, Friday, Yuma; Cloudy, 78*F
Well I guess it had to happen. We woke up to a cloudy day but still warm. We went to town with Dave and Louise to the Open Flea Market to take a look. A lot of the stalls were not open yet. The nice thing is that the dogs were able to come inside with us so Tucker was quite happy. He even got a new harness out of it.
We came home and just hung around for the rest of the day. We met for happy hour then it was dinner time and we all retired to our own home. Val called her daughter this evening and talked to her for a while. Val is now a Grand-Mother again!
NOV 20, Saturday, Yuma; Cloudy/sun, 75*F
After a late start, we drove back to Algodones about my sunglasses. They are making my eyes go funny at times. There were no problems having it re-done and while waiting, we went to find a couple of geo-caches. The first one, near the policia estacion was destroyed due to re-constructions. The second one was along the border fence and into a field. We walked up to it and Val decided to wait for me near a building. I didn’t find it and had to leave as the policia arrived and Val got really nervous. We said “Hola” to them and walked back to a little restaurant where we had a light snack then picked up my glasses which were now ready and went back across the border...NO line up!
We went to find more geo-caches on a side road along the freeway. We found all 5 of them. We are over 500 found caches now! In one year, WOW!!!!
We came home, had happy hour with Louise and Dave then the four of us went to the club for dinner: pork chops, mashed potatoes, corn and dessert. Very good for $4 each!
We ended up at our place where I put out our “buddy-burner” and sat around telling tall stories. We called it quit by 10 pm.
NOV 21, Sunday, surprise visit; Sunny & windy, 70*F
We spent the day at home today. Val did laundry and I put the new window in that we had bought in Algodones and did a few other little other repairs/maintenance.
At 4 pm Charlotte and Rudieger whom we had met in southern Mexico a couple years back and had visited in Chilliwack, came over for happy hour and dinner. We wanted to invite Louise and Dave but they were away. Anyway, we had a nice dinner together and proceeded to get a little bit drunk and happy. We had a marvellous visit and lots of fun.
NOV 22, Monday, back to Algodones & quiet day at home; sunny, windy, 69*F
Louise and Dave wanted to go to Algodones so I went with them. Val wanted to stay and do some chores here at home. I had to return my sunglasses once again and Louise wanted to see the dentist and Dave wanted a haircut which he got; Louise had to make an appointment for Wednesday. We walked around a while afterwards and Louise bought a new purse then we came home.
I dry-washed the truck and cleaned the windows on “Bear”. We had happy hour around 4 pm and everyone went home afterwards. It was much cooler today and the wind is biting!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
November 12 to 16, 2010; Mesa to Winterhaven, California
NOV 12, Friday, Market Day & visit with Kim & Tim; Sunny 70*F
The four of us left around 8 am and made our way to Mesa Outdoor Market, about 15 minutes from here. This is a huge flea market covering a couple acres, if not more, and we had breakfast there for starter. Terry had coupons for the four of us so we had a cheap but very good breakfast then we walked the whole thing. I bought a couple items I needed for the rig and Val bought a beautiful metal bear scene and a metal partridge with mom, dad and 3 little ones. I will take pictures and post them as soon as they are set up.
We came back home and had lunch and a short break before heading to Tim and Kim’s place in Scottsdale. They used to live in Sierra Vista and we had visited them there last year but they wanted to be closer to their kids and grand-kids. We had a great visit with them. Kim made hamburgers for dinner and the six of us gorged ourselves. Their son and wife came over and dropped off the grand-kids for the night so we got to meet them and the two girls 4 and 2. Beautiful little ones! We left them around 7 pm so that they could enjoy their grandkids, said our goodbyes and came home.
A great day again!
NOV 13, Saturday, Val Vista; sunny, 71*F
It was a quiet day around the park today. We went cycling around checking all the yard sales happening then I put up our two new decorations on the wall. Val did a load of laundry in the morning. We had G&T over for dinner, Val made her famous meatballs and sauce, and then the four of us went to the dance. It was a lot of fun, lots of very friendly people and we danced our shoes away. We couldn’t seat together as the tickets were assigned tables but, still, a good time was had by all and we got to meet new people. The band was called the “Needham” and consisted of two twin brothers whom were very good. We were home by 10 pm and went to bed!
NOV 14, Sunday, Mesa; sunny, 75*F; HAPPY BIRTHDAY VANESSA!!
In the morning, we called Rochelle, Kevin and family and had a great chat with them; then we called grand-daughter Vanessa to wish her a Happy Birthday. Afterwards, we went to Costco as Val has been having problems with her eye lenses. They couldn’t resolve the problem so we came home but first stopped at Fry’s to get some groceries. Once home, we had happy hour with G&T and Dennis and Gloria, neighbours across the street. We had dinner then went to G&T to play some cards and let the girls win to keep things happy.
NOV 15, Monday, last day in Mesa, sunny, 73*F
We went cycling at 8 am with a group from the park, including Glenda and Terry of course. We went for about an hour and a half then stopped at this neat restaurant for breakfast and cycled back afterwards. It was fun and the people were great.
In the afternoon, I took the rig over to Camping World and had a fantastic fan installed then, upon my return, I spent the rest of the day packing gears and storing the kayaks on the truck’s roof. Val spent the day with Glenda and Terry while I was away.
For dinner, we went to Glenda and Terry who had invited all their friends and we had a marvellous evening filled of laughter, games and great food. Needless to say the booze was flowing plentiful. T&G had their buddy burner going keeping everyone cozy and warm. Everyone went home happy and feeling no pains!
NOV 16, Tuesday; Onwards to Winterhaven, California; sunny, 80*F
We left around 10 am after saying our goodbyes to Glenda and Terry and Dennis & Gloria. It has been a great park and will definitely be back.
We headed west on Hwy 60 then North on I-17 and west on I-10 to Quartzsite where we had lunch and took on fuel @ $3.19/Gal. We’ve done this route before so it was a bit monotonous. We took Hwy 95 south and arrived in Yuma then Winterhaven California, across the Colorado River. It is very warm here and I had to change as I sweating too much. Such a tough life!
N 32* 44.749'
W 114* 45.856'
Alt: 270 feet
We drove 243 miles (390Km) in 4,5hours @ an average 55 MPH. Total time= 5.5 hours
The four of us left around 8 am and made our way to Mesa Outdoor Market, about 15 minutes from here. This is a huge flea market covering a couple acres, if not more, and we had breakfast there for starter. Terry had coupons for the four of us so we had a cheap but very good breakfast then we walked the whole thing. I bought a couple items I needed for the rig and Val bought a beautiful metal bear scene and a metal partridge with mom, dad and 3 little ones. I will take pictures and post them as soon as they are set up.
We came back home and had lunch and a short break before heading to Tim and Kim’s place in Scottsdale. They used to live in Sierra Vista and we had visited them there last year but they wanted to be closer to their kids and grand-kids. We had a great visit with them. Kim made hamburgers for dinner and the six of us gorged ourselves. Their son and wife came over and dropped off the grand-kids for the night so we got to meet them and the two girls 4 and 2. Beautiful little ones! We left them around 7 pm so that they could enjoy their grandkids, said our goodbyes and came home.
A great day again!
NOV 13, Saturday, Val Vista; sunny, 71*F
It was a quiet day around the park today. We went cycling around checking all the yard sales happening then I put up our two new decorations on the wall. Val did a load of laundry in the morning. We had G&T over for dinner, Val made her famous meatballs and sauce, and then the four of us went to the dance. It was a lot of fun, lots of very friendly people and we danced our shoes away. We couldn’t seat together as the tickets were assigned tables but, still, a good time was had by all and we got to meet new people. The band was called the “Needham” and consisted of two twin brothers whom were very good. We were home by 10 pm and went to bed!
NOV 14, Sunday, Mesa; sunny, 75*F; HAPPY BIRTHDAY VANESSA!!
In the morning, we called Rochelle, Kevin and family and had a great chat with them; then we called grand-daughter Vanessa to wish her a Happy Birthday. Afterwards, we went to Costco as Val has been having problems with her eye lenses. They couldn’t resolve the problem so we came home but first stopped at Fry’s to get some groceries. Once home, we had happy hour with G&T and Dennis and Gloria, neighbours across the street. We had dinner then went to G&T to play some cards and let the girls win to keep things happy.
NOV 15, Monday, last day in Mesa, sunny, 73*F
We went cycling at 8 am with a group from the park, including Glenda and Terry of course. We went for about an hour and a half then stopped at this neat restaurant for breakfast and cycled back afterwards. It was fun and the people were great.
In the afternoon, I took the rig over to Camping World and had a fantastic fan installed then, upon my return, I spent the rest of the day packing gears and storing the kayaks on the truck’s roof. Val spent the day with Glenda and Terry while I was away.
For dinner, we went to Glenda and Terry who had invited all their friends and we had a marvellous evening filled of laughter, games and great food. Needless to say the booze was flowing plentiful. T&G had their buddy burner going keeping everyone cozy and warm. Everyone went home happy and feeling no pains!
NOV 16, Tuesday; Onwards to Winterhaven, California; sunny, 80*F
We left around 10 am after saying our goodbyes to Glenda and Terry and Dennis & Gloria. It has been a great park and will definitely be back.
We headed west on Hwy 60 then North on I-17 and west on I-10 to Quartzsite where we had lunch and took on fuel @ $3.19/Gal. We’ve done this route before so it was a bit monotonous. We took Hwy 95 south and arrived in Yuma then Winterhaven California, across the Colorado River. It is very warm here and I had to change as I sweating too much. Such a tough life!
N 32* 44.749'
W 114* 45.856'
Alt: 270 feet
We drove 243 miles (390Km) in 4,5hours @ an average 55 MPH. Total time= 5.5 hours
Thursday, November 11, 2010
November 9 to 11, 2010; Mesa, Arizona
NOV 9, Tuesday, To Mesa, AZ.; Sunny and warm 70*F
We got up our usual time as we don’t have far to go this morning. As I was taking the garbage out, I heard this voice calling for a fellow geo-cacher; I turned around to find Reg standing there with a big smile on his face. We shook hands and caught up to news. We met Reg and Pat last year in Desert Pool, California and geo-cached with them a while. They had arrived last night. Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye!
We left around 10:15 am and got on I-17 south. About an hour and a half later, we came upon a little rest area called Rock Springs, founded in 1909, so we stopped for a bite to eat. It was a really neat place and we bought a pecan pie for tonight. We got back on I-17; the scenery was really nice with small bushes and fields of tall grass. Eventually we began to see Saguaro cactus telling us that we were in the Sonora desert. We turn east and south on 202 then east on 60 and finally arrived at our destination, Val Vista Village RV Resort off Val Vista Street of course. We booked in for a week under Passport America and set up at site 255. We are three lots away from Terry and Glenda.
After setting up, we got together with them and had a marvellous visit and got a tour of their new rig and truck of course. At 3 pm we walked over to the club house where they had live music: Fall River, Country & Rock music. They have various entertainment activities every day almost and music every Wednesday with a wet bar. Afterwards, we went back to G&T rig and got dinner ready. Glenda cooked us baby back ribs with salad, sweet potatoes and the pecan pie for dessert. We also learned that our friends Rick & Pat bought a diesel GM truck.
It’s good to be here with good friends!
N 33* 25.205
W 111* 45.013
Alt; 1287 feet
We travelled 116 miles (288 km) in 2.5 hrs (4 hrs total) @ an average 52 MPH
NOV 10, Wednesday, Mesa; Sunny and warm 72*F
The mornings are a bit cooler now but it warms up quickly. Val went with Glenda to the gym then swim exercises. I called Bob and Gail and made arrangements to meet tomorrow at 3 pm; I also called Tim & Kim and left a message. The four of us went for a bike ride around the park which is huge; it’s 4 parks side by side and all belonging to Cal-Am. There’s even a pool with salt water and lots to do for everyone. Later in the morning, we took a drive to Camping World where I bought a few things that I couldn’t do without. I am also getting a quote on an awning for our dining room window. From here we went to a local pub and had beer and nachos & wings then went home.
Val had a roast in the slow cooker so we shared it with Glenda & Terry.
NOV 11, Thursday, Veterans Day. Sunny, 70*F
After Val and Glenda did their exercises, we went to the Queen Creek Olive Mill where they make olive oil. We took the tour for $10 for both of us and were explained the method of making olive oil and the different types. It was really interesting and we got to taste different ones. We had lunch there then came back home but first, we stopped at BEVMO, a beverage store for all kinds of wine and hard liquor. After that, we stopped at Costco and got a couple things then came home.
We, Val and I, drove to Apache Junction, about 15 minutes from here and had a very nice visit with Bob and Gail, our neighbours at Gateway in BC. They have a park model down here and spend their winters here. We met Gail’s sister and her husband, Sherry and Doug who had come over for happy hour. We came home around 6:30 pm and just watched TV for the rest of the evening.
POSTED NEW PICTURES IN FOLDER # 68
We got up our usual time as we don’t have far to go this morning. As I was taking the garbage out, I heard this voice calling for a fellow geo-cacher; I turned around to find Reg standing there with a big smile on his face. We shook hands and caught up to news. We met Reg and Pat last year in Desert Pool, California and geo-cached with them a while. They had arrived last night. Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye!
We left around 10:15 am and got on I-17 south. About an hour and a half later, we came upon a little rest area called Rock Springs, founded in 1909, so we stopped for a bite to eat. It was a really neat place and we bought a pecan pie for tonight. We got back on I-17; the scenery was really nice with small bushes and fields of tall grass. Eventually we began to see Saguaro cactus telling us that we were in the Sonora desert. We turn east and south on 202 then east on 60 and finally arrived at our destination, Val Vista Village RV Resort off Val Vista Street of course. We booked in for a week under Passport America and set up at site 255. We are three lots away from Terry and Glenda.
After setting up, we got together with them and had a marvellous visit and got a tour of their new rig and truck of course. At 3 pm we walked over to the club house where they had live music: Fall River, Country & Rock music. They have various entertainment activities every day almost and music every Wednesday with a wet bar. Afterwards, we went back to G&T rig and got dinner ready. Glenda cooked us baby back ribs with salad, sweet potatoes and the pecan pie for dessert. We also learned that our friends Rick & Pat bought a diesel GM truck.
It’s good to be here with good friends!
N 33* 25.205
W 111* 45.013
Alt; 1287 feet
We travelled 116 miles (288 km) in 2.5 hrs (4 hrs total) @ an average 52 MPH
NOV 10, Wednesday, Mesa; Sunny and warm 72*F
The mornings are a bit cooler now but it warms up quickly. Val went with Glenda to the gym then swim exercises. I called Bob and Gail and made arrangements to meet tomorrow at 3 pm; I also called Tim & Kim and left a message. The four of us went for a bike ride around the park which is huge; it’s 4 parks side by side and all belonging to Cal-Am. There’s even a pool with salt water and lots to do for everyone. Later in the morning, we took a drive to Camping World where I bought a few things that I couldn’t do without. I am also getting a quote on an awning for our dining room window. From here we went to a local pub and had beer and nachos & wings then went home.
Val had a roast in the slow cooker so we shared it with Glenda & Terry.
NOV 11, Thursday, Veterans Day. Sunny, 70*F
After Val and Glenda did their exercises, we went to the Queen Creek Olive Mill where they make olive oil. We took the tour for $10 for both of us and were explained the method of making olive oil and the different types. It was really interesting and we got to taste different ones. We had lunch there then came back home but first, we stopped at BEVMO, a beverage store for all kinds of wine and hard liquor. After that, we stopped at Costco and got a couple things then came home.
We, Val and I, drove to Apache Junction, about 15 minutes from here and had a very nice visit with Bob and Gail, our neighbours at Gateway in BC. They have a park model down here and spend their winters here. We met Gail’s sister and her husband, Sherry and Doug who had come over for happy hour. We came home around 6:30 pm and just watched TV for the rest of the evening.
POSTED NEW PICTURES IN FOLDER # 68
Monday, November 08, 2010
November 6 to 8, 2010: Camp Verde
NOV 6, Saturday, Camp Verde
This was a slow and easy day! The morning was spent doing little chores and I washed windows on the rig and truck, did a few minor repairs that were on the list and in the afternoon, we went chasing a few geo-caches.
For dinner, we went to the club house where they had spaghetti and meat balls then afterwards, they had live music and we even had a few dances. It was fun!
NOV 7, Sunday, to Sedona
We left early and drove to the town of Sedona, famous for its red rock cliffs. We took a loop and went to the State Park but were not allowed to go in because of Tucker, no dogs allowed, even in the truck! Oh well! We continued on, found a few caches and arrived in Sedona where we had a late lunch. We walked the Historic town and drove to the bridge on the North side of Hwy 89A then came back and after another stop to find a couple caches, we went home.
It was a good day and we had fun. The sun shone and it was very comfortable temperature wise. It is wonderful to walk around in shorts and short sleeve! Sedona is a touristy town, very rich and pretty town. It is situated at 4400 feet, a thousand feet higher then Camp Verde. We took a few pictures and posted them in Folder # 68
NOV 8, Monday, Last day in Camp Verde
I spent the morning greasing the wheel bearings, moisturizing the rubber on the slides and just other little maintenance jobs. Val did a laundry chore. In the afternoon, we went to pick up our bikes which weren’t ready of course so we had to wait. We went for lunch at a local pub in the old town then picked up our bikes and came home. Yes, we did a cache but didn’t find it! Anyway, once home I loaded the bikes on their respective rack, loaded the kayaks and put away some of the toys. In the evening, we had rain but only for about 5 minutes then it quit. It was a bit windy too!
Tomorrow, we head for Mesa, just outside of Phoenix, Arizona.
This was a slow and easy day! The morning was spent doing little chores and I washed windows on the rig and truck, did a few minor repairs that were on the list and in the afternoon, we went chasing a few geo-caches.
For dinner, we went to the club house where they had spaghetti and meat balls then afterwards, they had live music and we even had a few dances. It was fun!
NOV 7, Sunday, to Sedona
We left early and drove to the town of Sedona, famous for its red rock cliffs. We took a loop and went to the State Park but were not allowed to go in because of Tucker, no dogs allowed, even in the truck! Oh well! We continued on, found a few caches and arrived in Sedona where we had a late lunch. We walked the Historic town and drove to the bridge on the North side of Hwy 89A then came back and after another stop to find a couple caches, we went home.
It was a good day and we had fun. The sun shone and it was very comfortable temperature wise. It is wonderful to walk around in shorts and short sleeve! Sedona is a touristy town, very rich and pretty town. It is situated at 4400 feet, a thousand feet higher then Camp Verde. We took a few pictures and posted them in Folder # 68
NOV 8, Monday, Last day in Camp Verde
I spent the morning greasing the wheel bearings, moisturizing the rubber on the slides and just other little maintenance jobs. Val did a laundry chore. In the afternoon, we went to pick up our bikes which weren’t ready of course so we had to wait. We went for lunch at a local pub in the old town then picked up our bikes and came home. Yes, we did a cache but didn’t find it! Anyway, once home I loaded the bikes on their respective rack, loaded the kayaks and put away some of the toys. In the evening, we had rain but only for about 5 minutes then it quit. It was a bit windy too!
Tomorrow, we head for Mesa, just outside of Phoenix, Arizona.
Saturday, November 06, 2010
November 3 to 5, 2010; Camp Verde
Nov 3, Wednesday, Camp Verde
It was another hot day, 88*F ( 29*C)! We went to Cottonwood, approx. 10 miles from here and had an oil change done on the truck then we walked the old historic town and had lunch. Afterwards, we drove back to the city of Camp Verde and looked around there. We found a place to have Tucker groomed and made an appointment for tomorrow. We also visited the Fort Verde then geo-cached for about an hour and came home, had happy hour, dinner and retreated inside. The evenings are cool which makes it easy to sleep
NOV 4, Thursday, Sightseeing!
Made a reservation for Mesa this morning, updated our blog and uploaded pictures. I hooked up our Cdn satellite and got that working fine. At 1 pm, we dropped off Tucker for his grooming appointment then we went to Ace to pick up a couple things including a humming bird feeder that sticks to the window, the previous one broke. We then went to Montezuma Castle near here. Our National Pass got us in again for free and we walked the trail to the cliff dwellings. We were not allowed to go up to them but we still got a good view. From here, we went to Montezuma Well, another National Monument. This was really interesting with a round Well created by underground water springs and dwelling surrounding the rim. Over one million gallons flows in the Well per day and it flows out through the limestone to a creek below and the far side of the hill; an incredible amount! The water is a constant 76*F (23*C). We walked up above it then down to its level looking up. Needless to say, we took lots of pictures (Folder # 68). We followed the path out and stopped at the creek where the Well water comes out from the limestone. It was a very pretty place, peaceful and intimate! We sat there a good 20 minutes where we met people from BC and a young Apache lady with lots of knowledge of the area and the State.
We picked up Tucker at 3:30 and came home. We sat outside for a drink then had dinner.
NOV 5, Friday, Chores
A quiet day doing chores was most of our day. I washed the “Bear” and the “Beast” (truck), chatted with neighbours while Val did the laundry and a puzzle at the club house. As I was inflating the back tire on Val’s bike, the inner tube blew. IT was so loud that all our neighbours thought I shot a gun! Hihihihiihi! I also found that my bike’s rear tire had a flat so we took a drive to Cottonwood and found a bike shop to have them fixed and a new tube put in Val’s. We stopped at Walmart and picked up a couple things then came home. BBQ’ed hamburger for dinner and Val made a potato salad.
It was another hot day, 88*F ( 29*C)! We went to Cottonwood, approx. 10 miles from here and had an oil change done on the truck then we walked the old historic town and had lunch. Afterwards, we drove back to the city of Camp Verde and looked around there. We found a place to have Tucker groomed and made an appointment for tomorrow. We also visited the Fort Verde then geo-cached for about an hour and came home, had happy hour, dinner and retreated inside. The evenings are cool which makes it easy to sleep
NOV 4, Thursday, Sightseeing!
Made a reservation for Mesa this morning, updated our blog and uploaded pictures. I hooked up our Cdn satellite and got that working fine. At 1 pm, we dropped off Tucker for his grooming appointment then we went to Ace to pick up a couple things including a humming bird feeder that sticks to the window, the previous one broke. We then went to Montezuma Castle near here. Our National Pass got us in again for free and we walked the trail to the cliff dwellings. We were not allowed to go up to them but we still got a good view. From here, we went to Montezuma Well, another National Monument. This was really interesting with a round Well created by underground water springs and dwelling surrounding the rim. Over one million gallons flows in the Well per day and it flows out through the limestone to a creek below and the far side of the hill; an incredible amount! The water is a constant 76*F (23*C). We walked up above it then down to its level looking up. Needless to say, we took lots of pictures (Folder # 68). We followed the path out and stopped at the creek where the Well water comes out from the limestone. It was a very pretty place, peaceful and intimate! We sat there a good 20 minutes where we met people from BC and a young Apache lady with lots of knowledge of the area and the State.
We picked up Tucker at 3:30 and came home. We sat outside for a drink then had dinner.
NOV 5, Friday, Chores
A quiet day doing chores was most of our day. I washed the “Bear” and the “Beast” (truck), chatted with neighbours while Val did the laundry and a puzzle at the club house. As I was inflating the back tire on Val’s bike, the inner tube blew. IT was so loud that all our neighbours thought I shot a gun! Hihihihiihi! I also found that my bike’s rear tire had a flat so we took a drive to Cottonwood and found a bike shop to have them fixed and a new tube put in Val’s. We stopped at Walmart and picked up a couple things then came home. BBQ’ed hamburger for dinner and Val made a potato salad.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Nove 1 & 2, 2010; Monument Valley, Utah to Camp Verde Arizona
NOV 1/10, Monday, to Monument Valley and Bike rack mishap
We left at 9 am under a sunny sky. We drove 160 south to the “Four Corners” where we stopped to take a few pictures. We had to pay $3 each to get in. I was a bit disappointed in the whole area, but overall it was neat and I don’t regret paying to see it. We bought a souvenir for our wall and a pin for my hat!
We drove back north for about 5 miles and turned west on Hwy 41. It was not the best of road, very bumpy. It became 162 once we entered in Utah. We turned left on hwy 163 and stopped near Mexican Hat for a geo-cache. It’s a good thing too; I found our bikes leaning against the back of the rig and once we took the cover off, noticed the upright bar holding the bikes down had broken. We took the bikes off, put them in the truck box and backseat and drove into town where I found a welder and $30 later; we were back on the road. I’ll have to get that fortified later! Part of the cause was the bolt that holds the hitch tight had come loose allowing the whole thing to bounce up and down and creating too much stress on the rack.
The scenery really changed in this area. We were now looking at sandstone rocks, red cliffs and sand and eventually saw our first glimpse of the Monuments. We stopped for lunch, checked the bike rack and took a few pictures.
We continued and arrived at the Navajo Monument Park where we had to pay $5 each to get in to get to the visiting centre. We found everything just too expensive here so decided to leave. We went across the highway to Gouldings where we spent the night at a Good Sam Park for $25. At least that was cheap and we have full hook-up, WI-FI and Cable! Beautiful area surrounded by huge boulders and hill side made of red/orange sandstone. Later in teh evening, the furnace wasn’t giving any heat so I checked the tank and found both of them showing empty!??? It was dark so we turned on the electric heater and we went to bed.
Tomorrow, we head to Camp Verde, Arizona where I’ve made reservation for a week. This is a Western Horizon Park!
N 37* 00.420’
W 110* 12.914’
Alt: 5319 feet
We drove 144 miles (232KM) in 6.5 hrs (3.5 driving) @ an average 44 MPH
Nov 2, Tuesday, to Camp Verde, Arizona
We left at 9 am after I fixed our problem with the propane. It was a loose connection and I got it fixed so we were able to have coffee. (I can’t remember if I mentioned it but our coffee pot gave up and refuse to be turned on, even though it’s only a year old! Black Decker?????)
Anyway, we went south-west on 163 and stopped in Kayenta, a small Navajo town where I fuelled up at $3.09 and we had breakfast in a small restaurant built like a tepee or round house, depending on how you looked at it. It was very nice and the food was good and plentiful. Here, we turned on hwy 160 and headed south-west again to hwy 89 where we turned left and went south to Cameron. We stopped here to stretch our legs, let Tucker out and find a Geo-Cache (what can I say!?).
We finally arrived in Flagstaff after going the Coconito Pass @ 7200 feet then it was west on I-40 and south on I-17 to Camp Verde. It was a very good day and an enjoyable drive. We are now in Verde River RV Park, a WHR campground and we paid $35 for 7 nights. We are set up and it is really HOT here, especially compare to what we’ve been used to; it’s 89*F (30*C)
N 34* 36.042
W 111* 52.864
Alt: 3117 feet
We travelled 231 miles (371 Km) in 6 hrs (4.5 driving time) @ an average 53 MPH
We left at 9 am under a sunny sky. We drove 160 south to the “Four Corners” where we stopped to take a few pictures. We had to pay $3 each to get in. I was a bit disappointed in the whole area, but overall it was neat and I don’t regret paying to see it. We bought a souvenir for our wall and a pin for my hat!
We drove back north for about 5 miles and turned west on Hwy 41. It was not the best of road, very bumpy. It became 162 once we entered in Utah. We turned left on hwy 163 and stopped near Mexican Hat for a geo-cache. It’s a good thing too; I found our bikes leaning against the back of the rig and once we took the cover off, noticed the upright bar holding the bikes down had broken. We took the bikes off, put them in the truck box and backseat and drove into town where I found a welder and $30 later; we were back on the road. I’ll have to get that fortified later! Part of the cause was the bolt that holds the hitch tight had come loose allowing the whole thing to bounce up and down and creating too much stress on the rack.
The scenery really changed in this area. We were now looking at sandstone rocks, red cliffs and sand and eventually saw our first glimpse of the Monuments. We stopped for lunch, checked the bike rack and took a few pictures.
We continued and arrived at the Navajo Monument Park where we had to pay $5 each to get in to get to the visiting centre. We found everything just too expensive here so decided to leave. We went across the highway to Gouldings where we spent the night at a Good Sam Park for $25. At least that was cheap and we have full hook-up, WI-FI and Cable! Beautiful area surrounded by huge boulders and hill side made of red/orange sandstone. Later in teh evening, the furnace wasn’t giving any heat so I checked the tank and found both of them showing empty!??? It was dark so we turned on the electric heater and we went to bed.
Tomorrow, we head to Camp Verde, Arizona where I’ve made reservation for a week. This is a Western Horizon Park!
N 37* 00.420’
W 110* 12.914’
Alt: 5319 feet
We drove 144 miles (232KM) in 6.5 hrs (3.5 driving) @ an average 44 MPH
Nov 2, Tuesday, to Camp Verde, Arizona
We left at 9 am after I fixed our problem with the propane. It was a loose connection and I got it fixed so we were able to have coffee. (I can’t remember if I mentioned it but our coffee pot gave up and refuse to be turned on, even though it’s only a year old! Black Decker?????)
Anyway, we went south-west on 163 and stopped in Kayenta, a small Navajo town where I fuelled up at $3.09 and we had breakfast in a small restaurant built like a tepee or round house, depending on how you looked at it. It was very nice and the food was good and plentiful. Here, we turned on hwy 160 and headed south-west again to hwy 89 where we turned left and went south to Cameron. We stopped here to stretch our legs, let Tucker out and find a Geo-Cache (what can I say!?).
We finally arrived in Flagstaff after going the Coconito Pass @ 7200 feet then it was west on I-40 and south on I-17 to Camp Verde. It was a very good day and an enjoyable drive. We are now in Verde River RV Park, a WHR campground and we paid $35 for 7 nights. We are set up and it is really HOT here, especially compare to what we’ve been used to; it’s 89*F (30*C)
N 34* 36.042
W 111* 52.864
Alt: 3117 feet
We travelled 231 miles (371 Km) in 6 hrs (4.5 driving time) @ an average 53 MPH
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)