MAR 30, Wednesday, Indio
It was a very warm evening and it is already 80*F at 9 am! Val went for her exercises and at 11 am the guy from “Pro-Shade” showed up and installed our new window sun screens on the back and dining room windows. They are black and keep the sun out while one still can enjoy the view from inside. It also affords extra privacy as one cannot see it through them from outside during daylight. I had a snooze in the afternoon while Val attended a show about the “Follies” then did some puzzles. At 4 pm, we went to Jackalope Ranch which was mostly a very fancy restaurant but we had heard they had cheap “Happy Hour”. Well, it turned out to be cheap IF you were rich with money! A beer was $4.50 and an order of fries with gravy was $5. So,,,, we had ONE beer and left as quickly as we could. We came home and had Happy Hour here.
MAR 31, Thursday, Drive to Slab City
Another month gone by and it is ending on a high...forecast of 96*F (33*C) for today! The four of us drove to Slab City today, a little RV community east of Niland, CA. We took Hwy 111 south to get there. We first stopped at “Fountain of Youth RV Resort” where there are mineral water swimming pools. A very nice place and I took a few pictures. Then we drove on to Niland where we had a bite to eat before heading to “Salvation Mountain” and “Slab City”. What a place! It is an area in the desert where this guy built and painted an area on the hill side that is totally dedicated to God. It was extremely colourful and nicely done. Hard to describe so I’ll ask you to check out our pictures in Picasa Folder # 75, California, to really get a feel of it. The man that built this was in the hospital when we were there but a young man was looking after the place and was very informative on the owner and the place. This place has actually been on National Geographic, Ripley’s believe or not and Discovery Channel. After this we drove on to next door where the “Slab City” is located: an old abandoned Army Base where the cement slabs are still existing and people have built themselves a place to live in their RV’s. It is totally boon-docking and there are all kinds of people living there. We saw rigs from Alberta, BC, Ontario and just about every States; an organized disorganized area, if that makes sense. After spending over an hour in the area in 105*F heat, we left to come home. We stopped for a beer in Bombay RV Park along the Salton Sea and had a beer at this really neat funky bar. Louise even left a signed dollar on the wall (see pictures). Fun we had then came home just in time for Happy Hour. We met a new neighbour, Linda and Jerry and had the pleasant surprise of Rudieger and Charlotte joining us. Val had gone over to invite them over but they weren’t home at the time so it was nice to see them. Happy Hour lasted almost three hours! R&C are leaving tomorrow so we said our goodbyes to them with promises to meet again. Now it’s time for dinner and relax with the A/C on. 7 pm and it is still 87*F ( 29*C) outside!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
March 27 to 29, 2011; indio & visit with T&G
MAR 27, Sunday, Surprise visitors
The wind has abated a bit but still blowing strong. I went to Lowe with Dave while the girls went for a walk with the dogs. Spent most of the day reading then around 4 pm, friends Rudieger and Charlotte showed up for Happy Hour along with L&D. We had a nice visit with them and caught up to their adventures in Mexico (San Felipe, Baja). After they left we had dinner then watched the tube.
MAR 28, Monday, Indio
Val went for her exercises first thing this morning. It is sunny again and yes, the wind is blowing but more like a breeze which is keeping things tenable. It went to 80*F (25C) today! We didn’t do much today; just sat around and read and played on the computer. I went to an RV store nearby with Dave to pick up a door hook as I broke the one on there now. Once home, I replace the door latch. We went for Happy Hour at Louise and Dave then it was dinner time. Pleasant evening, we sat out for a while.
MAR 29, Tuesday, to Desert Hot Spring
After Val’s exercises and showers, we went to visit Glenda and Terry in Desert Hot Springs. There was an accident on the road again and the traffic was backed up for almost 5 miles. We finally made it to our turn off and headed to Sands RV & Golf Resort. We played a nine holes golf game in which Val did very well and mine wasn’t bad but not great either. It was really hot but a cloud came over and covered the sun from time to time and we had a breeze of sort. Anyway, we still had a good time and went over to G&T’s place afterwards where we had a nice COLD beer to refresh ourselves. We chattered for a while and Glenda made these very delicious toasted cut bread with bruschetta sauce and fresh veggies with a dip. Glenda had cooked a Pork Roast which we had for dinner along with sweet potatoes, apple sauce, a salad and buns. It was delicious and we had it outside as it was still very warm. We visited some more after dinner but unfortunately time to come home came too soon. We said our goodbyes and came back to Indio. It was still so warm that we sat outside for a while more.
The wind has abated a bit but still blowing strong. I went to Lowe with Dave while the girls went for a walk with the dogs. Spent most of the day reading then around 4 pm, friends Rudieger and Charlotte showed up for Happy Hour along with L&D. We had a nice visit with them and caught up to their adventures in Mexico (San Felipe, Baja). After they left we had dinner then watched the tube.
MAR 28, Monday, Indio
Val went for her exercises first thing this morning. It is sunny again and yes, the wind is blowing but more like a breeze which is keeping things tenable. It went to 80*F (25C) today! We didn’t do much today; just sat around and read and played on the computer. I went to an RV store nearby with Dave to pick up a door hook as I broke the one on there now. Once home, I replace the door latch. We went for Happy Hour at Louise and Dave then it was dinner time. Pleasant evening, we sat out for a while.
MAR 29, Tuesday, to Desert Hot Spring
After Val’s exercises and showers, we went to visit Glenda and Terry in Desert Hot Springs. There was an accident on the road again and the traffic was backed up for almost 5 miles. We finally made it to our turn off and headed to Sands RV & Golf Resort. We played a nine holes golf game in which Val did very well and mine wasn’t bad but not great either. It was really hot but a cloud came over and covered the sun from time to time and we had a breeze of sort. Anyway, we still had a good time and went over to G&T’s place afterwards where we had a nice COLD beer to refresh ourselves. We chattered for a while and Glenda made these very delicious toasted cut bread with bruschetta sauce and fresh veggies with a dip. Glenda had cooked a Pork Roast which we had for dinner along with sweet potatoes, apple sauce, a salad and buns. It was delicious and we had it outside as it was still very warm. We visited some more after dinner but unfortunately time to come home came too soon. We said our goodbyes and came back to Indio. It was still so warm that we sat outside for a while more.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
March 21 to 26/11; Family visit in Indio, CA
MAR 21, Monday, Indio
It was a windy night and still is this morning but the sun is showing its brilliant face! It is nice to have hook-ups again and Internet! Val for exercises first thing this morning and I downloaded new caches near here from geocache.com. After showering, we went to do the laundry at a laundry-mat a few blocks from here which was cheaper than here in the park. While she was doing that, I went to fill our propane tank then once those chores were done, we headed for the mall north of here to get some groceries and then made a stop at Target so I could buy new slipper and pyjama bottom. The afternoon turned quite cold and overcast; even got a few drops on our heads. We came home and put everything away then it was time for dinner. By the way, I forgot to mention that we encountered old friends we met in Pahrump last year and did some back-country four wheeling with, Jim and Janette but unfortunately they are leaving day after tomorrow. Rochelle called to say they were coming over after dinner so we had dinner, washed the dishes and just in time for Rochelle and Hayley to show up. We had a nice evening, showed some pictures, chatted and too soon, it was time to drive them back.
A very good day indeed!
MAR 22, Tuesday, Indio
We have blue sky today and warmer. I called AOR and made reservations for our resort in Desert Hot Spring for 7 nights starting Apr 2.
I spend the day fixing my scissor leg outside as it was damaged when I hit a piece of tire on the highway, then I fixed the coat hook that had come off. Fixing the leg cost me $10 which was pretty cheap. The girls are sun tanning at the pool so we are picking them up at 4:30pm. We took them to Red Robins, Hayley’s favourite, and then came to our place and we bored them with our pictures. Hihihihihihihi!
MAR 23, Wednesday; Indio
An early rise to a windy morning but it did calm down later in the day. We kept around here most of the day. This guy from “Pro-Shop” was in the park; I got an estimate and confirmed an order to have a black sun-screen installed on our dining room and back windows. We picked up Rochelle and Hayley at 4 pm and took them out for dinner but first, we found and showed them two Geo-Caches. I am not sure if Hayley was impressed or not...it’s so hard to read her!!!
We took them to the Cheese Factory (Hayley’s choice) in Rancho Mirage which is about 12 miles from here on the way to Palm Springs. We had a very nice time and celebrated Hayley’s 17th birthday (actually officially tomorrow)! She is such a beautiful young woman! The restaurant was very nice and our waitress superb! Prices were quite reasonable too. Afterwards, we walked the outside mall and Hayley bought her birthday present from us. It was nice taking her out again. Before our RV Life we used to take the girls on their birthday for dinner and shopping for their present and it was always so much fun. I missed it!
We came to our place for a nightcap then I drove them back to their Resort/hotel.
MAR 24, Thursday, Kids leaving; Happy Birthday to Hayley!
Rochelle and Hayley are flying back today so I got up early and drove to the airport. There was a major accident on I-10 and I was lucky to get caught in the early stage but Rochelle’s mom and Gord were a bit behind and were late arriving at the airport making it a rush for Rochelle and Hayley to check in their luggage and board the plane but they made it and left on time at 11 am. I came back home to find all our furniture outside; the carpets were cleaned this morning and Val had an appointment with his wife for a haircut. In the afternoon we went Geo-Caching and found the rest of the caches I had downloaded. Louise and Dave arrived today and are at site 187. When we came home, they came over for a quick visit then it was dinner time.
MAR 25, Friday, IndioA sunny and relaxing day! I called Glenda and Terry to make a golfing date next Tuesday then our club to set up reservations for Apr 10 to 15th in Ehrenberg, AZ. We went Geo-Caching in the afternoon and I filled up the truck @ $4.15. For the first time, I’ve hit $100 to fill the truck!!! Happy Hour with Louise and Dave then dinner, it was not pleasant BBQ’ing in the wind. The wind really picked up in the evening.
MAR 26, Saturday, College of the DesertThe wind blew all day, gusting to 35 MPH at times and rocking big Bear! We went to get some groceries then came home and read all day and/or watch TV. We were supposed to go out with Doreen and Gord but she was sick so it was cancelled; just as well because the College of the Desert was cancelled too due to high winds. It is now 10 pm and still blowing hard. What a day!
It was a windy night and still is this morning but the sun is showing its brilliant face! It is nice to have hook-ups again and Internet! Val for exercises first thing this morning and I downloaded new caches near here from geocache.com. After showering, we went to do the laundry at a laundry-mat a few blocks from here which was cheaper than here in the park. While she was doing that, I went to fill our propane tank then once those chores were done, we headed for the mall north of here to get some groceries and then made a stop at Target so I could buy new slipper and pyjama bottom. The afternoon turned quite cold and overcast; even got a few drops on our heads. We came home and put everything away then it was time for dinner. By the way, I forgot to mention that we encountered old friends we met in Pahrump last year and did some back-country four wheeling with, Jim and Janette but unfortunately they are leaving day after tomorrow. Rochelle called to say they were coming over after dinner so we had dinner, washed the dishes and just in time for Rochelle and Hayley to show up. We had a nice evening, showed some pictures, chatted and too soon, it was time to drive them back.
A very good day indeed!
MAR 22, Tuesday, Indio
We have blue sky today and warmer. I called AOR and made reservations for our resort in Desert Hot Spring for 7 nights starting Apr 2.
I spend the day fixing my scissor leg outside as it was damaged when I hit a piece of tire on the highway, then I fixed the coat hook that had come off. Fixing the leg cost me $10 which was pretty cheap. The girls are sun tanning at the pool so we are picking them up at 4:30pm. We took them to Red Robins, Hayley’s favourite, and then came to our place and we bored them with our pictures. Hihihihihihihi!
MAR 23, Wednesday; Indio
An early rise to a windy morning but it did calm down later in the day. We kept around here most of the day. This guy from “Pro-Shop” was in the park; I got an estimate and confirmed an order to have a black sun-screen installed on our dining room and back windows. We picked up Rochelle and Hayley at 4 pm and took them out for dinner but first, we found and showed them two Geo-Caches. I am not sure if Hayley was impressed or not...it’s so hard to read her!!!
We took them to the Cheese Factory (Hayley’s choice) in Rancho Mirage which is about 12 miles from here on the way to Palm Springs. We had a very nice time and celebrated Hayley’s 17th birthday (actually officially tomorrow)! She is such a beautiful young woman! The restaurant was very nice and our waitress superb! Prices were quite reasonable too. Afterwards, we walked the outside mall and Hayley bought her birthday present from us. It was nice taking her out again. Before our RV Life we used to take the girls on their birthday for dinner and shopping for their present and it was always so much fun. I missed it!
We came to our place for a nightcap then I drove them back to their Resort/hotel.
MAR 24, Thursday, Kids leaving; Happy Birthday to Hayley!
Rochelle and Hayley are flying back today so I got up early and drove to the airport. There was a major accident on I-10 and I was lucky to get caught in the early stage but Rochelle’s mom and Gord were a bit behind and were late arriving at the airport making it a rush for Rochelle and Hayley to check in their luggage and board the plane but they made it and left on time at 11 am. I came back home to find all our furniture outside; the carpets were cleaned this morning and Val had an appointment with his wife for a haircut. In the afternoon we went Geo-Caching and found the rest of the caches I had downloaded. Louise and Dave arrived today and are at site 187. When we came home, they came over for a quick visit then it was dinner time.
MAR 25, Friday, IndioA sunny and relaxing day! I called Glenda and Terry to make a golfing date next Tuesday then our club to set up reservations for Apr 10 to 15th in Ehrenberg, AZ. We went Geo-Caching in the afternoon and I filled up the truck @ $4.15. For the first time, I’ve hit $100 to fill the truck!!! Happy Hour with Louise and Dave then dinner, it was not pleasant BBQ’ing in the wind. The wind really picked up in the evening.
MAR 26, Saturday, College of the DesertThe wind blew all day, gusting to 35 MPH at times and rocking big Bear! We went to get some groceries then came home and read all day and/or watch TV. We were supposed to go out with Doreen and Gord but she was sick so it was cancelled; just as well because the College of the Desert was cancelled too due to high winds. It is now 10 pm and still blowing hard. What a day!
Monday, March 21, 2011
March 17 to 20, 2011; Imperial Dam to Indio, California
MAR 17, Thursday; Imperial Dam
The sky is overcast this morning, high clouds but no rain in the forecast. It is 67*F (17*C) already at 8 am. We had a light wind all day which kept things cool.
Last night, Val saw and fed three burrows that were walking by our site. She said they were really cute and friendly; I guess so...carrots! Unfortunately, she didn’t take any pictures.
We went for a drive to the Army Base and looked around then had a hamburger and beer at their bowling alley and theatre building. It was good and cheap! We had our laptops with us so we all checked our e-mail and banking and I brought our blog to date. From here, we went to the museum but it was closed (after 4 pm) so we drove back, found a couple caches and stopped at the RV Resort to check their golf course...$4 for 9 holes and it is a very nice course.
Once home, Val and I went for a kayak ride for about an hour on Senator Wash/Lake which is the one we are staying on; then upon our return, we had happy hour which lasted until 10 pm. Our neighbour, Frank, joined us.
MAR 18, Friday; Imperial Dam
Our water is getting low so I think I will have to get some tomorrow. I had the generator on for about an hour to re-charge the batteries and let Val curl her hair after we went for a shower. We spent the morning reading and Val & Charlene went for their exercises at 9 am. In the afternoon, C&L went to check a few things and we did some geo-caching then we went to the Army Base to get some gas for the generator and see the museum. It was very interesting and well done...Yuma Proving Ground is a testing area for all of the Army’s weapons, and vehicles. It reminded me of my dad’s work as he used to do the same back in Quebec for the Federal Government.
At 4, we met L&C for a golf game at the HIDDEN VALLEY RV RESORT which cost us a whole $8 for both of us for nine holes. We had a good time then came home only to find some young people had set up camp nearby with Sea-Doo, loud bikes and it looks like they are here for the week-end. One of them even set up his/her tent in the middle of the roadway. Thank goodness it’s a wide driveway.
After a delicious dinner cooked by Val, we had a propane fire outside as we ran out of fire wood. We sat out until about 9 pm then called it quit. It has been a very nice week and it has come to an end. Tomorrow we pack and the next day we leave this area for good or at least for this year! The weather has been cooperating but it has been cooler today due to the wind which is OK by me! There has been a haze in the air which is like smoke or sand storm!?
MAR 19, Saturday; last day in Imperial Dam
The wind blew all night; now it has calm down a bit but not much. At least the sun is shining through the haze which is still in the air. I had to get some drinking water from above and siphoned it in our tank as we were out. We spent the morning reading and relaxing!
In the afternoon, I washed and stored all our toys and equipment then I took Tucker for a walk. It was windy most of the day so in the afternoon we played “Sequence” with the Kirkby’s. We let the girls win to keep peace.
For dinner we went out to the RV Park at their restaurant and had dinner there. It was very good and best of all, it was cheap. On the way home, we came across 3 burrows on the road so I took a couple pictures of them. It is now 8 pm and we are home and reading.
MAR 20, Sunday; to Indio, California
We got up at 7:30 and after a nice hot coffee, we went over to the shower rooms and had a vigorating warm/hot shower. Then, it was packing the last of the things still out, hooked up “Bear” to the “Beast”, said our goodbyes to the Kirkby’s then headed to the top of the hill to dump the tanks.
We left around 10:10 am and got on Imperial road west, Hwy 28 to I-8 and west to Hwy 111 North. We made one stop in El Centro for coffee, a bite to eat and fuel @ $4.29 then continued to Indio where we arrived at Indian Wells RV Resort, a WHR Resort. We booked in and are now at site 253 in the parking lot; figure of speech as it is quite nice and there is full hook-up except sewer which is dumped by the “honey wagon” three times a week for free and there are cement pads but gravel instead of grass. There was no room in the grassy area.
I called my daughter, Rochelle, and made arrangement with her to meet here. They, Rochelle, grand-daughter Hayley, Doreen (Rochelle’s mom) and her husband Gord showed up around 5:30 pm and we had a warm reunion and a Happy Hour then Rochelle, Hayley and we went for dinner at Red Robin, Hayley’s favourite. Afterwards, we drove them back to their place at World Mark Resort, a Time-Share resort and they gave us the grand tour. We had a nightcap then it was home after a wonderful day. AND...for the first time in 4 months, we had a light drizzle falling on us; the wind has picked up some too! Oh, and in my excitement of seeing my kids, I forgot to take pictures.
N 33* 42.415
W 116* 12.806
Alt: minus 14 feet
We travelled 166 miles (268Km) @ an average of 48MPH in 3.5 hours. We stopped for an hour.
The sky is overcast this morning, high clouds but no rain in the forecast. It is 67*F (17*C) already at 8 am. We had a light wind all day which kept things cool.
Last night, Val saw and fed three burrows that were walking by our site. She said they were really cute and friendly; I guess so...carrots! Unfortunately, she didn’t take any pictures.
We went for a drive to the Army Base and looked around then had a hamburger and beer at their bowling alley and theatre building. It was good and cheap! We had our laptops with us so we all checked our e-mail and banking and I brought our blog to date. From here, we went to the museum but it was closed (after 4 pm) so we drove back, found a couple caches and stopped at the RV Resort to check their golf course...$4 for 9 holes and it is a very nice course.
Once home, Val and I went for a kayak ride for about an hour on Senator Wash/Lake which is the one we are staying on; then upon our return, we had happy hour which lasted until 10 pm. Our neighbour, Frank, joined us.
MAR 18, Friday; Imperial Dam
Our water is getting low so I think I will have to get some tomorrow. I had the generator on for about an hour to re-charge the batteries and let Val curl her hair after we went for a shower. We spent the morning reading and Val & Charlene went for their exercises at 9 am. In the afternoon, C&L went to check a few things and we did some geo-caching then we went to the Army Base to get some gas for the generator and see the museum. It was very interesting and well done...Yuma Proving Ground is a testing area for all of the Army’s weapons, and vehicles. It reminded me of my dad’s work as he used to do the same back in Quebec for the Federal Government.
At 4, we met L&C for a golf game at the HIDDEN VALLEY RV RESORT which cost us a whole $8 for both of us for nine holes. We had a good time then came home only to find some young people had set up camp nearby with Sea-Doo, loud bikes and it looks like they are here for the week-end. One of them even set up his/her tent in the middle of the roadway. Thank goodness it’s a wide driveway.
After a delicious dinner cooked by Val, we had a propane fire outside as we ran out of fire wood. We sat out until about 9 pm then called it quit. It has been a very nice week and it has come to an end. Tomorrow we pack and the next day we leave this area for good or at least for this year! The weather has been cooperating but it has been cooler today due to the wind which is OK by me! There has been a haze in the air which is like smoke or sand storm!?
MAR 19, Saturday; last day in Imperial Dam
The wind blew all night; now it has calm down a bit but not much. At least the sun is shining through the haze which is still in the air. I had to get some drinking water from above and siphoned it in our tank as we were out. We spent the morning reading and relaxing!
In the afternoon, I washed and stored all our toys and equipment then I took Tucker for a walk. It was windy most of the day so in the afternoon we played “Sequence” with the Kirkby’s. We let the girls win to keep peace.
For dinner we went out to the RV Park at their restaurant and had dinner there. It was very good and best of all, it was cheap. On the way home, we came across 3 burrows on the road so I took a couple pictures of them. It is now 8 pm and we are home and reading.
MAR 20, Sunday; to Indio, California
We got up at 7:30 and after a nice hot coffee, we went over to the shower rooms and had a vigorating warm/hot shower. Then, it was packing the last of the things still out, hooked up “Bear” to the “Beast”, said our goodbyes to the Kirkby’s then headed to the top of the hill to dump the tanks.
We left around 10:10 am and got on Imperial road west, Hwy 28 to I-8 and west to Hwy 111 North. We made one stop in El Centro for coffee, a bite to eat and fuel @ $4.29 then continued to Indio where we arrived at Indian Wells RV Resort, a WHR Resort. We booked in and are now at site 253 in the parking lot; figure of speech as it is quite nice and there is full hook-up except sewer which is dumped by the “honey wagon” three times a week for free and there are cement pads but gravel instead of grass. There was no room in the grassy area.
I called my daughter, Rochelle, and made arrangement with her to meet here. They, Rochelle, grand-daughter Hayley, Doreen (Rochelle’s mom) and her husband Gord showed up around 5:30 pm and we had a warm reunion and a Happy Hour then Rochelle, Hayley and we went for dinner at Red Robin, Hayley’s favourite. Afterwards, we drove them back to their place at World Mark Resort, a Time-Share resort and they gave us the grand tour. We had a nightcap then it was home after a wonderful day. AND...for the first time in 4 months, we had a light drizzle falling on us; the wind has picked up some too! Oh, and in my excitement of seeing my kids, I forgot to take pictures.
N 33* 42.415
W 116* 12.806
Alt: minus 14 feet
We travelled 166 miles (268Km) @ an average of 48MPH in 3.5 hours. We stopped for an hour.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
March 13 to 16, 2011; Welton AZ to Imperial Dam, CA
MAR 13, Sunday, Laundry and more Geo-caches, Welton, AZ
We went into town to the Laundromat as we won’t have a chance for that while at Imperial Dam, I don’t think!? After laundry, we went for lunch at a nearby restaurant that had attracted our attention. From here, we went to find our last 5 caches in this area then picked up some groceries at the local grocery store. We dropped everything at home, put it away then went to Ed and Judy’s place for Happy Hour. They are in a park about 2 minutes from here. We can actually their park from our site. Now it’s time for dinner then a relaxing evening.
MAR 14, Monday, stop in Yuma then onward to Imperial Dam, California
We left Welton at 9:30 am, and drove to Flying J Travel Centre in Yuma. I fuelled there at $3.87/gal then we went for breakfast. I called the technician to ensure he was still coming for 11 am. He showed up at 11:30 and proceeded to check the toilet. Low and behold if the blooming thing didn’t work just fine. We tried a few times and it worked fine so after paying $20 for his trouble, we went on Hwy 95 to the turn off for Imperial Dam. We drove through the Army Proving grounds to get there and stopped at the exhibits they had beside the road. We drove past the Army Base and finally arrived at our destination near a lake, on the California side, where we met the Kirkby’s and had a great reunion. We parked, set up and enjoyed a hot but beautiful afternoon. Kids nearby borrowed our kayaks and went to play on the lake. We caught up to all the news then it was time for dinner, cooked outside, and tried out my new table too! In the evening we had a fire and had visitors in the form of wild burrows, on the hill side. We used a flashlight to watch them. We are here for a week!
We travelled 42 miles (67 Km) at an average 33MPH in one hour and 16 minutes and were stopped for a total of 2 hours.
N 32* 54.196
W 114* 29.574
Alt: 240 ft
MAR 15, Imperial Dam
This has to be the hottest day yet!? We could barely stand being in the sun; thank goodness there was a slight breeze and didn’t really help a lot but was still welcome. After cooking breakfast (me) for both of us, we lazed around for a while then it was time to go the “gravel pit” where there was an organized pot-luck lunch. We decided to go at the last minute and brought a noodle salad. It was a feast and the main thing was sauerkraut and sausage. It was delicious and lots of dessert too.
In the afternoon, Lynden and I went back to the “tank display” near Hwy 95 where we finally got a signal on our phones. He called his son Trenton and I called our mail service to have our mail forwarded and then Rochelle to see how to get a hold of her only to find out she is already in Palm Springs so we will see them next week.
We came back home to Happy Hour, everyone went for a soak except me (chicken) and Val decided to go for a paddle in the kayak then it was time for dinner and a fire afterwards. Our neighbours Frank and Lyn joined us and so did two others whose names escape me right now.
MAR 16, Imperial Dam
Val and Charlene went on the quad to the “gravel pit” where they were doing aerobics. They were gone for an hour. I had a shower and shave then brought the blog to date. The new generator is coming in pretty handy and is operating smoothly. We have it on for about an hour each day. Today was another hot but windy day. C&L went to Bart, a small village nearby to find a Post Office and we went exploring the area and found 4 Geo-Caches. We came home, had Happy Hour then dinner. We sat out in the evening but no fire tonight. The water level has come up quite a bit in the past three days and now the water is about 10 feet away from the trailer and is covering our fire pit
We went into town to the Laundromat as we won’t have a chance for that while at Imperial Dam, I don’t think!? After laundry, we went for lunch at a nearby restaurant that had attracted our attention. From here, we went to find our last 5 caches in this area then picked up some groceries at the local grocery store. We dropped everything at home, put it away then went to Ed and Judy’s place for Happy Hour. They are in a park about 2 minutes from here. We can actually their park from our site. Now it’s time for dinner then a relaxing evening.
MAR 14, Monday, stop in Yuma then onward to Imperial Dam, California
We left Welton at 9:30 am, and drove to Flying J Travel Centre in Yuma. I fuelled there at $3.87/gal then we went for breakfast. I called the technician to ensure he was still coming for 11 am. He showed up at 11:30 and proceeded to check the toilet. Low and behold if the blooming thing didn’t work just fine. We tried a few times and it worked fine so after paying $20 for his trouble, we went on Hwy 95 to the turn off for Imperial Dam. We drove through the Army Proving grounds to get there and stopped at the exhibits they had beside the road. We drove past the Army Base and finally arrived at our destination near a lake, on the California side, where we met the Kirkby’s and had a great reunion. We parked, set up and enjoyed a hot but beautiful afternoon. Kids nearby borrowed our kayaks and went to play on the lake. We caught up to all the news then it was time for dinner, cooked outside, and tried out my new table too! In the evening we had a fire and had visitors in the form of wild burrows, on the hill side. We used a flashlight to watch them. We are here for a week!
We travelled 42 miles (67 Km) at an average 33MPH in one hour and 16 minutes and were stopped for a total of 2 hours.
N 32* 54.196
W 114* 29.574
Alt: 240 ft
MAR 15, Imperial Dam
This has to be the hottest day yet!? We could barely stand being in the sun; thank goodness there was a slight breeze and didn’t really help a lot but was still welcome. After cooking breakfast (me) for both of us, we lazed around for a while then it was time to go the “gravel pit” where there was an organized pot-luck lunch. We decided to go at the last minute and brought a noodle salad. It was a feast and the main thing was sauerkraut and sausage. It was delicious and lots of dessert too.
In the afternoon, Lynden and I went back to the “tank display” near Hwy 95 where we finally got a signal on our phones. He called his son Trenton and I called our mail service to have our mail forwarded and then Rochelle to see how to get a hold of her only to find out she is already in Palm Springs so we will see them next week.
We came back home to Happy Hour, everyone went for a soak except me (chicken) and Val decided to go for a paddle in the kayak then it was time for dinner and a fire afterwards. Our neighbours Frank and Lyn joined us and so did two others whose names escape me right now.
MAR 16, Imperial Dam
Val and Charlene went on the quad to the “gravel pit” where they were doing aerobics. They were gone for an hour. I had a shower and shave then brought the blog to date. The new generator is coming in pretty handy and is operating smoothly. We have it on for about an hour each day. Today was another hot but windy day. C&L went to Bart, a small village nearby to find a Post Office and we went exploring the area and found 4 Geo-Caches. We came home, had Happy Hour then dinner. We sat out in the evening but no fire tonight. The water level has come up quite a bit in the past three days and now the water is about 10 feet away from the trailer and is covering our fire pit
Sunday, March 13, 2011
March 10 to 12, 2011; Casa Grande to Welton, AZ
MAR 10, Thursday, last day in Casa Grande
Another hot and dry day! I picked up my mud flap bar from the welder. Val defrosted the fridge and I organized the cupboards and fixed two chairs which bottom had fallen off. Val spoke to her daughter on Skype and saw her new grand-daughter...really cute; now Val is very happy and floating on cloud nine. We went out to find the last two geo-caches then fuelled the truck @ 3.77/gal at Fry’s. We stopped at the bank then at a local bar for a beer then home. It is HOT! 93*F, crazy! Tomorrow we leave for Welton, Arizona...getting closer to California! The Mourning Doves have sure been active and noisy around here, we even have one nesting on the roof; he’s in for big surprise tomorrow!
MAR 11, Friday, to Welton, AZ
First thing I did was pick up my mud flaps bar which had to be re-welded. After packing, we left at 10 am for Welton, AZ. Took hwy 84 west then I-8. We made one stop for lunch on the hwy and arrived in Welton around 1:15 pm. It is HOT here. 85*F (24*C), very dry! We are in M&M RV Park; we paid half price due to our memberships. We are here for the week-end only, leaving Monday for Yuma to get the toilet fixed. After a few phone calls, I found someone who can do it Monday morning. We have the A/C on and Val is out doing a puzzle in the club house. We also called Jack and Mim in Yuma and we went to Ed & Judy for happy hour, they are only a mile away from us. We had a nice visit for about 2 hours then came home, had dinner, talked to Louise and Dave on Skype then it was relax time.
N 32* 40.187
W 114* 08.962
Alt: 243 Ft
We travelled 148 miles (238Km) in 2hrs, 45 minutes, driving time, @ an average speed of 53 MPH. We stopped for a half hour lunch break.
MAR 12, Saturday, Welton and Yuma
Another hot day! We went Geo-Caching in the morning until noon and found 6 caches. We stopped at a local pub and had a snack and beer then came home to pick up Tucker; we went to Yuma and stopped at Fry’s only to run into Jack & Mim and Ed & Judy. I bought some wine and beer then we went to the Flea Market where I bought a small table for the BBQ. At 4 pm, we drove to Jack & Mim’s place and had happy hour with them and Ed & Judy. It was really nice to see the gang from home. We had a good time but like all good things, it had to come to an end and we drove home, about a 20 minutes drive. Good day overall!
Another hot and dry day! I picked up my mud flap bar from the welder. Val defrosted the fridge and I organized the cupboards and fixed two chairs which bottom had fallen off. Val spoke to her daughter on Skype and saw her new grand-daughter...really cute; now Val is very happy and floating on cloud nine. We went out to find the last two geo-caches then fuelled the truck @ 3.77/gal at Fry’s. We stopped at the bank then at a local bar for a beer then home. It is HOT! 93*F, crazy! Tomorrow we leave for Welton, Arizona...getting closer to California! The Mourning Doves have sure been active and noisy around here, we even have one nesting on the roof; he’s in for big surprise tomorrow!
MAR 11, Friday, to Welton, AZ
First thing I did was pick up my mud flaps bar which had to be re-welded. After packing, we left at 10 am for Welton, AZ. Took hwy 84 west then I-8. We made one stop for lunch on the hwy and arrived in Welton around 1:15 pm. It is HOT here. 85*F (24*C), very dry! We are in M&M RV Park; we paid half price due to our memberships. We are here for the week-end only, leaving Monday for Yuma to get the toilet fixed. After a few phone calls, I found someone who can do it Monday morning. We have the A/C on and Val is out doing a puzzle in the club house. We also called Jack and Mim in Yuma and we went to Ed & Judy for happy hour, they are only a mile away from us. We had a nice visit for about 2 hours then came home, had dinner, talked to Louise and Dave on Skype then it was relax time.
N 32* 40.187
W 114* 08.962
Alt: 243 Ft
We travelled 148 miles (238Km) in 2hrs, 45 minutes, driving time, @ an average speed of 53 MPH. We stopped for a half hour lunch break.
MAR 12, Saturday, Welton and Yuma
Another hot day! We went Geo-Caching in the morning until noon and found 6 caches. We stopped at a local pub and had a snack and beer then came home to pick up Tucker; we went to Yuma and stopped at Fry’s only to run into Jack & Mim and Ed & Judy. I bought some wine and beer then we went to the Flea Market where I bought a small table for the BBQ. At 4 pm, we drove to Jack & Mim’s place and had happy hour with them and Ed & Judy. It was really nice to see the gang from home. We had a good time but like all good things, it had to come to an end and we drove home, about a 20 minutes drive. Good day overall!
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
March 6 to 9, 2011; Casa Grande, AZ
MAR 6, Sunday, Casa Grande AZ
10 AM and it is 72*F (21*C) already! The sun is shining but there is also a thin layer of clouds blocking the sun form time to time. Val did laundry this morning and then we went shopping in town. After buying groceries at Fry’s, we went to BIG 5 Sporting store where I bought a needed pair of running shoes. From there it was Walmart where I got a seat for my bike and a horn for Val’s; we also picked up a couple movies for tonight. We stopped for fuel at Fry’s for 3.77/gal, stopped at Jiffy\s Lube to get an oil & lube change then came home, put the groceries away and had a drink. We phone our friends and neighbours, Bob and Gail and made arrangement to see them tomorrow.
MAR 7, Monday, Casa Grande; clouds & strong winds but warm
We were to go to Phoenix today but cancelled due to high winds and sand in the air. Val went for the “walk the pounds” exercise this morning and I fixed the cupboard door which hinge had come undone; I fixed my bike seat and installed the bell on Val’s bike. I also changed the air and fuel filter on the truck
We went to Walmart to return a couple items then went geo-caching for the rest of the afternoon. We found 6 of them!
MAR 8, Tuesday, Phoenix; Sunny & warm
After Val had her exercises and shower, we drove to Phoenix to Costco, Camping World and Walmart. We then headed to Bob and Gail in Mesa for a visit and dinner. We had a very nice visit and came home around 8:30 pm.
MAR 9, Wednesday, Casa Grande
This was a hot day! I took my back mud flap bar to the welder as it has a crack and is ready to break. In the afternoon, we went geo-caching for a couple hours then it was pub time to wash all that dust from the desert. We also went to the movie place to return the movies we had rented and then to Fry’s to pick up milk. Came home and had a drink before dinner.
10 AM and it is 72*F (21*C) already! The sun is shining but there is also a thin layer of clouds blocking the sun form time to time. Val did laundry this morning and then we went shopping in town. After buying groceries at Fry’s, we went to BIG 5 Sporting store where I bought a needed pair of running shoes. From there it was Walmart where I got a seat for my bike and a horn for Val’s; we also picked up a couple movies for tonight. We stopped for fuel at Fry’s for 3.77/gal, stopped at Jiffy\s Lube to get an oil & lube change then came home, put the groceries away and had a drink. We phone our friends and neighbours, Bob and Gail and made arrangement to see them tomorrow.
MAR 7, Monday, Casa Grande; clouds & strong winds but warm
We were to go to Phoenix today but cancelled due to high winds and sand in the air. Val went for the “walk the pounds” exercise this morning and I fixed the cupboard door which hinge had come undone; I fixed my bike seat and installed the bell on Val’s bike. I also changed the air and fuel filter on the truck
We went to Walmart to return a couple items then went geo-caching for the rest of the afternoon. We found 6 of them!
MAR 8, Tuesday, Phoenix; Sunny & warm
After Val had her exercises and shower, we drove to Phoenix to Costco, Camping World and Walmart. We then headed to Bob and Gail in Mesa for a visit and dinner. We had a very nice visit and came home around 8:30 pm.
MAR 9, Wednesday, Casa Grande
This was a hot day! I took my back mud flap bar to the welder as it has a crack and is ready to break. In the afternoon, we went geo-caching for a couple hours then it was pub time to wash all that dust from the desert. We also went to the movie place to return the movies we had rented and then to Fry’s to pick up milk. Came home and had a drink before dinner.
Saturday, March 05, 2011
March 3 to 5, 2011; Tubac to Casa Grande, AZ
MAR 3, Thursday, Tubac; sunny and warm
I got up this morning to find the toilet bowl overflowing! It even got the carpet on the stairs wet. I cleaned it and check the valve but all seemed OK. Now the water barely comes out when flushing the toilet so will have to get a new valve I think.
We left around 11 am for Tubac but first, we had to pick up two geo-caches. We eventually made it to the Info Centre and got some pamphlets then went to the “Presidio”, the original site of Tubac. Tubac was first populated by Piman Indians. In 1691, Jesuit Francisco Kino came to the area and built a mission. Colonist (Spanish and Mexican) began settling the area but the Apache gave them a run for their money and the area was abandoned a couple times over the next century. Tubac was the first European settlement in Western North America and played a major role in the Anza Trail to what was to become San Francisco, California. Now Tubac is a tourist attraction and full of art and craft shops. There is a trail nearby which goes from the Mission to Tubac, a four miles walk. We had lunch at the “Old Tubac Inn” then walked the village with all its shops (very expensive by the way). At the end of the day, we went to find two more caches, stopped at this neat place with a huge bed, took a couple pictures, stopped at a side road pub then came home.
We had a quick Happy Hour then it was dinner time and relax evening catching up to all the pictures and the blog.
MAR 4, Friday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY VAL!
The day began with a drive to the Tumacacori Mission, a National historical Park. We were in time for the guided tour of the Mission dating back to the late 1600’s. It was built first by the Jesuit and finally partially completed by the Franciscans in 1828 when they were forced to leave due to the area sold to the US. The history in this region is quite vivid with Apache war.
Dave and Louise had to go back to get new shoes so we walked the Anza Trail to Tubac, a 4.5 miles hike. It took us two hours and we met D&L at the pub where I downed two beers quickly to quench my thirst. Then it was time to find a cache in the old cemetery. IT consisted of finding 8 grave stone and figure out a puzzle. Then the resulting coordinate take you to the actual cache. We completed it but unfortunately we ended up with the wrong numbers and didn’t have time to redo it. We did find one that we couldn’t find yesterday though
At 6 pm, Dave and Louise took us to a local restaurant and we had a marvellous dinner at their expense to celebrate Val and my birthday and to thank us for the last 3 months in Mexico. Live music was being played and we had a lot of laughs reminiscing over the last months. We came home and had a nightcap at their place then it was time to say goodnight.
Tomorrow, we separate and go each our way but will meet again in Indio California
MAR 5, Saturday, MY BIRTHDAY! And to Casa Grande, Arizona
We got up around 8 am to sunny warm and forecast of 77 to 82*F! We said our final goodbyes to Dave and Louise then we began our own packing. We left at 10 am and stopped at Camping World to get the toilet fix but no service on Saturday. I consoled myself by buying a couple items. We went to Denny’s for a quick bite to eat. I got a surprise call from our neighbours back at home who are presently in Mesa so we will try to see them before we move on. We then got on I-10 and drove to Casa Grande. We arrived here at 2:30pm, booked in under AOR and set up at site 109. It’s warm out there and we are content! Oh, and we got all our mail and the new GPS so now I have a few magazines to read and all the paper work for my income tax on line. We got a call from our friends Louise and Ron whom we had met in the Baja a couple years back. They are in southern California and just came out of Mexico where they spent a few months in the Baja.
N 32* 55.270
W 111* 45.222
Alt 1386
We travelled 115 miles (185 Km) in 2 hrs and 20 minutes at an average speed of 49 MPH and were stopped for 2 hours.
I got up this morning to find the toilet bowl overflowing! It even got the carpet on the stairs wet. I cleaned it and check the valve but all seemed OK. Now the water barely comes out when flushing the toilet so will have to get a new valve I think.
We left around 11 am for Tubac but first, we had to pick up two geo-caches. We eventually made it to the Info Centre and got some pamphlets then went to the “Presidio”, the original site of Tubac. Tubac was first populated by Piman Indians. In 1691, Jesuit Francisco Kino came to the area and built a mission. Colonist (Spanish and Mexican) began settling the area but the Apache gave them a run for their money and the area was abandoned a couple times over the next century. Tubac was the first European settlement in Western North America and played a major role in the Anza Trail to what was to become San Francisco, California. Now Tubac is a tourist attraction and full of art and craft shops. There is a trail nearby which goes from the Mission to Tubac, a four miles walk. We had lunch at the “Old Tubac Inn” then walked the village with all its shops (very expensive by the way). At the end of the day, we went to find two more caches, stopped at this neat place with a huge bed, took a couple pictures, stopped at a side road pub then came home.
We had a quick Happy Hour then it was dinner time and relax evening catching up to all the pictures and the blog.
MAR 4, Friday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY VAL!
The day began with a drive to the Tumacacori Mission, a National historical Park. We were in time for the guided tour of the Mission dating back to the late 1600’s. It was built first by the Jesuit and finally partially completed by the Franciscans in 1828 when they were forced to leave due to the area sold to the US. The history in this region is quite vivid with Apache war.
Dave and Louise had to go back to get new shoes so we walked the Anza Trail to Tubac, a 4.5 miles hike. It took us two hours and we met D&L at the pub where I downed two beers quickly to quench my thirst. Then it was time to find a cache in the old cemetery. IT consisted of finding 8 grave stone and figure out a puzzle. Then the resulting coordinate take you to the actual cache. We completed it but unfortunately we ended up with the wrong numbers and didn’t have time to redo it. We did find one that we couldn’t find yesterday though
At 6 pm, Dave and Louise took us to a local restaurant and we had a marvellous dinner at their expense to celebrate Val and my birthday and to thank us for the last 3 months in Mexico. Live music was being played and we had a lot of laughs reminiscing over the last months. We came home and had a nightcap at their place then it was time to say goodnight.
Tomorrow, we separate and go each our way but will meet again in Indio California
MAR 5, Saturday, MY BIRTHDAY! And to Casa Grande, Arizona
We got up around 8 am to sunny warm and forecast of 77 to 82*F! We said our final goodbyes to Dave and Louise then we began our own packing. We left at 10 am and stopped at Camping World to get the toilet fix but no service on Saturday. I consoled myself by buying a couple items. We went to Denny’s for a quick bite to eat. I got a surprise call from our neighbours back at home who are presently in Mesa so we will try to see them before we move on. We then got on I-10 and drove to Casa Grande. We arrived here at 2:30pm, booked in under AOR and set up at site 109. It’s warm out there and we are content! Oh, and we got all our mail and the new GPS so now I have a few magazines to read and all the paper work for my income tax on line. We got a call from our friends Louise and Ron whom we had met in the Baja a couple years back. They are in southern California and just came out of Mexico where they spent a few months in the Baja.
N 32* 55.270
W 111* 45.222
Alt 1386
We travelled 115 miles (185 Km) in 2 hrs and 20 minutes at an average speed of 49 MPH and were stopped for 2 hours.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
MArch 1/2, 2011; San Carlos, Mexico to Tubac, Arizona
MAR 1, Tuesday, Last day in San Carlos, Mexico
What a busy day! It began with Val going to Tai-Chi and me showering early then going out to put the rest of the stuff away. We had the rig washed and then went for lunch at El Cheque for a hot dog. While there, we got a call from the dentist for an appointment at 1 pm so drove directly there. Val got her new plate then it was driving back to San Carlos to fuel and put air in the tires and air bags then home to move the “bear” on the street. Once that was done, we un-hooked and drove to Peter and Marg’s place for a beer and a visit. We left around 5:45 pm and drove back to Totonaka to meet the rest of the gang for dinner. Craig and Cathy were there to meet us and the 8 of us walked to “Los Aboritos” to have dinner. It was a great time and we had fun. We were there until 9 pm then came home and met at Dave and Louise house for a nightcap. Val and I went over to Bill, Roger and Mike to say our goodbyes then we joined Dave& Louise, Joyce & Bill for a final nightcap. We got home at 10:30pm!
MAR 2, Wednesday; to Tubac, Arizona, USA
A sunny day and very warm! I was up at 6:30 and put the coffee on then shower and got dress. Val was up at 7 am. We were on the road by 8:15 after saying goodbye to Joyce and Bill. We headed north on hwy 15, through Hermosillo around 11 am and stopped in Benny’s Hill for fuel and lunch. We continued north to Km 21 where we turned in our truck permit and tourist card. I kept the trailer permit as it is good for ten years and we are coming back down next fall.
At the US border, it took us an hour to cross but had no hassles with the mandatory checks. We were in the US by 2 pm! We stopped at Walmart and got necessary groceries. From here, it was an easy drive on I-19 to Amado(just north of Tubac) where our RV Park was located. We paid $87 for 3 nights. We set up, had a drink with Louise and Dave then it was home for dinner and a relaxing evening from a long day of driving. It is still very warm at 10 pm!
We drove 284 miles (465 Km) in 9 hrs and 30 minutes @ an average speed of 47 MPH. We were stopped for 3 hrs and 15 minutes (Lunch, Km 21 and Border crossing). We fuelled in Benny’s Hill and Km 21 @ $0.90/litre.
N 31* 42.230
W 111* 03.760
Elev: 3079 feet
What a busy day! It began with Val going to Tai-Chi and me showering early then going out to put the rest of the stuff away. We had the rig washed and then went for lunch at El Cheque for a hot dog. While there, we got a call from the dentist for an appointment at 1 pm so drove directly there. Val got her new plate then it was driving back to San Carlos to fuel and put air in the tires and air bags then home to move the “bear” on the street. Once that was done, we un-hooked and drove to Peter and Marg’s place for a beer and a visit. We left around 5:45 pm and drove back to Totonaka to meet the rest of the gang for dinner. Craig and Cathy were there to meet us and the 8 of us walked to “Los Aboritos” to have dinner. It was a great time and we had fun. We were there until 9 pm then came home and met at Dave and Louise house for a nightcap. Val and I went over to Bill, Roger and Mike to say our goodbyes then we joined Dave& Louise, Joyce & Bill for a final nightcap. We got home at 10:30pm!
MAR 2, Wednesday; to Tubac, Arizona, USA
A sunny day and very warm! I was up at 6:30 and put the coffee on then shower and got dress. Val was up at 7 am. We were on the road by 8:15 after saying goodbye to Joyce and Bill. We headed north on hwy 15, through Hermosillo around 11 am and stopped in Benny’s Hill for fuel and lunch. We continued north to Km 21 where we turned in our truck permit and tourist card. I kept the trailer permit as it is good for ten years and we are coming back down next fall.
At the US border, it took us an hour to cross but had no hassles with the mandatory checks. We were in the US by 2 pm! We stopped at Walmart and got necessary groceries. From here, it was an easy drive on I-19 to Amado(just north of Tubac) where our RV Park was located. We paid $87 for 3 nights. We set up, had a drink with Louise and Dave then it was home for dinner and a relaxing evening from a long day of driving. It is still very warm at 10 pm!
We drove 284 miles (465 Km) in 9 hrs and 30 minutes @ an average speed of 47 MPH. We were stopped for 3 hrs and 15 minutes (Lunch, Km 21 and Border crossing). We fuelled in Benny’s Hill and Km 21 @ $0.90/litre.
N 31* 42.230
W 111* 03.760
Elev: 3079 feet
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