Today has been a very frustrating and somewhat scary day. We decided to set up our satellite internet. The internet here at the park is OK, but not very reliable. We picked a bad day to try and set up. We had storm fronts moving in, high wind, thunderstorm warnings and tornado watches. Needless to say try as we might, we just could not get the satellite to lock on to a signal. Oh well, at least it gave us something to do for the day.
The rest of the evening was spent in front of the tv. We were lucky and all the bad stuff was either northeast of us or southeast of us. Apparently the tornados that did touch down, did so in open areas. As far as I know, there was no property damage or injuries. Thank goodness for that.......
Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for both the weather and our satellite procedure.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
April 28, 2009
Nothing exciting to report today. The weather was chilly, damp, and windy. I decided to do some laundry. I think I counted two separate laundry areas plus the clubhouse. Right now, there is no charge for use of the machines. Once that was done, the rest of our day was spent watching tv or surfing the internet. Around 4pm there was knock on our door, the park manager was inviting everyone to a shredded pork dinner between 5pm and 7pm and the cost was $6.00. Since we had been fairly cooped up all day we decided to head to the clubhouse for dinner. The pork was excellent and the price also included potato salad, baked beans, and a soft drink----not bad! It was nice to sit and have a good meal and chat with some other rv-ing folks.
We are still waiting to hear from the repair folks on our landing gear. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer, but still another gloomy day. Sure do miss the desert sunshine......
We are still waiting to hear from the repair folks on our landing gear. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer, but still another gloomy day. Sure do miss the desert sunshine......
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
April 27, 2009
We arrived in Amarillo around 3pm--we lost an hour with the time change. We are staying at the RV Oasis. Very nice. Everything is concrete here and no great views, but the sites are level and the price is right. They do have some grass planted around the perimeter and that made the furballs very happy. They haven’t seen grass in months......just sand and those awful burrs. They actually almost ‘tiptoed’ out onto the grass, I think expecting the worse. It didn’t take them long to realize this was the real thing and then the fun began. Lots of running and jumping and general, “We can’t believe it’s grass”, excitement.
We plan on being here about 4 days. Unfortunately, we had a bit of bad luck. Upon leaving our last campsite, we could not get the left stabilizer leg to completely lift back into position. We were lucky, we did get the fiver hitched. DH managed to get enough pressure off the foot that he could at least retract the lower half manually. The motor was working, but the foot would not raise. Our second piece of luck, when we arrived here at the Oasis, there was already a RV repair van here. We inquired at the office and they highly recommended the guy. After registering, DH stopped and told the man our problem. He said he would stop by and take a look when he finished the current job. He did and he is going to get the part we need----not sure how long this is all going to take at this point. Hopefully, we will know more tomorrow. In the meantime, it is a good thing the sites are level cause we can’t unhitch. That also means we are ‘stuck’ here at the park---no sight seeing or anything else till we get this fixed and can unhitch. Well, I guess it all can’t be smooth sailing--especially if your last name is ‘Goode’......LOL
Interesting ‘small world’ moment.....we met the folks that are currently having their rv repaired. During the course of the conversation, the gentleman was telling us about a new type of electric stabilizer which a friend of his will be marketing soon. Turns out the ‘friend’ is someone we already know. In fact, his partner is a long time friend of the family. They are the folks that developed and sold us our Fifth AirBorne Sidewinder hitch. Now, it seems they are off on a new adventure. At any rate, our new friend, ED, got out his cell phone and called Sonny (one of the developers of our hitch) and DH was able to talked to him about the new stabilizers he is now developing. In fact, once we are back in Indiana, we are going to give him a call and set up a meeting. Ain’t life Grand.........
CORRECTION: DH has informed me that what I have been referring to as 'stabilizers' are actually called 'landing gear'......what would I do without him...LOL!
We plan on being here about 4 days. Unfortunately, we had a bit of bad luck. Upon leaving our last campsite, we could not get the left stabilizer leg to completely lift back into position. We were lucky, we did get the fiver hitched. DH managed to get enough pressure off the foot that he could at least retract the lower half manually. The motor was working, but the foot would not raise. Our second piece of luck, when we arrived here at the Oasis, there was already a RV repair van here. We inquired at the office and they highly recommended the guy. After registering, DH stopped and told the man our problem. He said he would stop by and take a look when he finished the current job. He did and he is going to get the part we need----not sure how long this is all going to take at this point. Hopefully, we will know more tomorrow. In the meantime, it is a good thing the sites are level cause we can’t unhitch. That also means we are ‘stuck’ here at the park---no sight seeing or anything else till we get this fixed and can unhitch. Well, I guess it all can’t be smooth sailing--especially if your last name is ‘Goode’......LOL
Interesting ‘small world’ moment.....we met the folks that are currently having their rv repaired. During the course of the conversation, the gentleman was telling us about a new type of electric stabilizer which a friend of his will be marketing soon. Turns out the ‘friend’ is someone we already know. In fact, his partner is a long time friend of the family. They are the folks that developed and sold us our Fifth AirBorne Sidewinder hitch. Now, it seems they are off on a new adventure. At any rate, our new friend, ED, got out his cell phone and called Sonny (one of the developers of our hitch) and DH was able to talked to him about the new stabilizers he is now developing. In fact, once we are back in Indiana, we are going to give him a call and set up a meeting. Ain’t life Grand.........
CORRECTION: DH has informed me that what I have been referring to as 'stabilizers' are actually called 'landing gear'......what would I do without him...LOL!
Monday, April 27, 2009
April 26, 2009
Here it is the Alien Zone in Roswell. The museum cost is $5.00 each and it is mostly made up of newspaper and radio reports. Lots of reading, but very interesting. They do have a really neat exhibit of an "alien" that was used in the Movie "Roswell". I took photos, but I won't spoil it for all of you who are planning a trip to Roswell. They also have quite a collection of art......done by various artists of different age and skill level, but it is all fun to look at and some of it is really well done.After our tour of the UFO museum we checked out the town. Many little shops selling all things "alien"...LOL
So, I'd say the whole trip to town took about 3 hrs. That included breakfast at IHOP and a grocery trip to Wally World and Albertsons.
Back at the fiver, I took the pups down to the water for some playtime and the rest of the day was spent just enjoying the park......tomorrow is travel day.
So, I'd say the whole trip to town took about 3 hrs. That included breakfast at IHOP and a grocery trip to Wally World and Albertsons.
Back at the fiver, I took the pups down to the water for some playtime and the rest of the day was spent just enjoying the park......tomorrow is travel day.
April 25, 2009
Been a bit on the lazy side, but here are some photos of Bottomless Lakes. The one above is of Lea Lake and there you see the bath house. There used to be a 'concrete' swimming pool nearby, but due to the collapse and opening of another sink hole they closed the pool and eventually filled it back in. Lea Lake is the only lake you are allowed to swim in.
I think this one is called Pasture Lake and it is kept stocked with fish.
This is our campsite and picnic shelter.Today we hiked the one and only trail here at Bottomless lakes called the Bluff Trail. It is only about 2 miles round trip, but it does take you by the lakes. Have to tell you though, that something nasty is in the air here. We had not walked very far, when both our heads started to itch, yes itch! We had been batting away some little gnats, but apparently they had been landing in our hair and biting. I have several little "itchy bumps" and so does DH. Next time we where hats...LOL!
The park does have some renovation currently going on.....they are restoring the wet lands surrounding the area to help prevent flooding. I would hope that they will also develop some more hiking trails. All in all, we have enjoyed our stay here and would definitely come back. The weather has been great temperature wise, but we have had our fair share of wind in the afternoons. We have enjoyed watching the "tent" campers come in and set up during these wind storms--LOL. Amazingly enough, no one has lost a tent yet. Tomorrow we see the aliens of Roswell.....
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Two Day Post April 23 and 24, 2009
We did make it to Roswell. We just didn’t get our internet satellite up till yesterday. We drove into Roswell around 3pm and headed to the Wally World. We really didn’t need a lot, but we had some time to kill before we could check in at the park. The Wally world has a flying saucer and an alien painted on the front of it and there is a whole section of alien souvenirs available inside. What a hoot!! After our “alien” experience at Wally World we headed to Bottomless Lakes. As we turned into the campsite area, the camp-host met us and checked us into our site. We have a nice large and fairly level site. Full hookups and mostly gravel. We also have a sheltered concrete pad with a concrete picnic table and free standing grill at our site. All very nice. There is not a lot of room between neighbors, but more than most rv parks. We are nestled in around the largest of the lakes....Lea Lake. We can see it through our dining window. The cost is around $20.00 per night for full hookups--that includes the tax. There are other sites with just electric and water for less around $14.00 plus tax. We got ourselves all set up and just “chilled” for the rest of the evening.
Today (April 24) we awoke to a beautiful sunny day with temps in the 60’s heading into the high 80’s today. After breakfast, we took the furballs down to the lake. I was really surprised when little Belle took the first plunge......she usually doesn’t care as much for the water as Cosmo. Today both furballs really seemed to enjoy their wadding....Cosmo even went out for a little swim. Don’t worry the lake has a large shallow area and it is crystal clear----but, it does go to a depth of about 90 feet. I was in the water with the pups and they were still on their leashes. After our little dip, we went back to the campsite. After the pups were dry and back in the fiver, we got on our bikes and headed to the visitor’s center. A really nice volunteer took us through the exhibits which explained the history of the park and wildlife. We enjoyed it very much. Back at the fiver, it was time to start the charcoal up for our pineapple burgers. We ended up taking the furballs back down to the lake for another swim. The temps were close to 90 by then so both pups were ready to cool off---by the way---the water was not that cold and I imagine by early summer it feels pretty good. They do have a large swimming area available at the lake for humans, with a bath house, life guards, and concession stand during the summer months. You can also put small boats or rafts out on the lake. Well, this post is getting long.....so I’ll close for now. More about the park and some photos in the next post.
Darn, almost forgot! Thanks to everyone who left names for our adopted Carlsbad Bat---no decision has been made yet, but we have lots of good names to choose from---thanks and I'll post her name once we make the decision.....
Today (April 24) we awoke to a beautiful sunny day with temps in the 60’s heading into the high 80’s today. After breakfast, we took the furballs down to the lake. I was really surprised when little Belle took the first plunge......she usually doesn’t care as much for the water as Cosmo. Today both furballs really seemed to enjoy their wadding....Cosmo even went out for a little swim. Don’t worry the lake has a large shallow area and it is crystal clear----but, it does go to a depth of about 90 feet. I was in the water with the pups and they were still on their leashes. After our little dip, we went back to the campsite. After the pups were dry and back in the fiver, we got on our bikes and headed to the visitor’s center. A really nice volunteer took us through the exhibits which explained the history of the park and wildlife. We enjoyed it very much. Back at the fiver, it was time to start the charcoal up for our pineapple burgers. We ended up taking the furballs back down to the lake for another swim. The temps were close to 90 by then so both pups were ready to cool off---by the way---the water was not that cold and I imagine by early summer it feels pretty good. They do have a large swimming area available at the lake for humans, with a bath house, life guards, and concession stand during the summer months. You can also put small boats or rafts out on the lake. Well, this post is getting long.....so I’ll close for now. More about the park and some photos in the next post.
Darn, almost forgot! Thanks to everyone who left names for our adopted Carlsbad Bat---no decision has been made yet, but we have lots of good names to choose from---thanks and I'll post her name once we make the decision.....
Thursday, April 23, 2009
April 22, 2009
We saw the bats at Carlsbad Caverns!! Boy are they BIG!! LOL! Just kidding......this is actually part of the nocturnal exhibit at the Living Desert Zoo. We did go to Carlsbad this evening and we really did see the bats fly from the cave around 7:35pm. It was not their full compliment, but there were a few thousand bats that spiralled out of the cave. It was exciting! We plan on coming back sometime in October because that is when the bats are usually at their highest number.
This is our adopted bat from Carlsbad Caverns. For a mere $5.00 you can adopt your very own bat. You get a certificate of adoption, bumper sticker, and photo. Now, I need a name for our newest member of the family. So, here is your chance......you can leave your suggestion in the 'comment' section of my blog. I'm pretty sure this is a female bat, but if you have a good male name go ahead and submit it.And that's about it for today. Tomorrow is travel day and we did our usual cleaning and laundry duty. We are heading to Bottomless Lakes State Park near Roswell. I know, going to make for a long travel day! LOL!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Carlsbad Caverns, April 21, 2009
I guess you can see by the photos that we went to Carlsbad Caverns today. We were up bright and early and on the road by 8am. We wanted to make sure we were back before the 'heat' of the day set in at the fiver. I took the furballs out for a nice walk before we left. We turned on the AC and made sure it cycled before we headed out the door. We really hate leaving the furballs for extended periods of time, but we didn't really have a choice today. 
We did the natural entrance and the BIG room self guided tour--and we did get the 'recorded' tour to listen to along the way. I can't put into words how awesome this cave is---We both want to see more. There is no doubt we will return at another time and do some of the guided tours to other parts of the cave. DH was able to purchase National Parks Senior Pass today and so neither one of us had to pay
for our tour. We did pay $4.00 each for the recorded guide of the cave, but that was well worth it.By the end of our 'cave' journey we were both tired and ready to head back to the fiver. When we arrived the furballs were cool as cucumbers and happy to see us. I took them out for a little walk and then DH and I both rested a bit.
We decided to go into Artesia for a nice steak dinner and then we went to Wally World to stock up on a few essentials before we leave on Thursday. One last note, I did adopt a bat at Carlsbad Caverns. I will have to get the photo scanned so I can share that with you next time.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
April 20, 2009 Living Desert and Zoo
Today we went to the Living Desert and Zoo in Carlsbad. I have to say we both really enjoyed the visit. The photos are just two out of the 80 shots I took. It took us about an hour and a half to walk the path by and through all the exhibits. My favorites were the prairie dogs and the Avery. The birds in the Avery were so used to humans that you could really get close to them and the prairie dogs were just plain fun to watch. I don't think I have ever been this close to a buffalo. The cost for all this is a mere $5.00. After the zoo, we ended up dining at the local Furr's cafeteria and guess what? I got my first 'senior discount'. Now, don't laugh--I know most folks, especially women, might be insulted to receive a senior discount (60 and over) when they are but a mere 51. But Hey, God gave me all this grey and white hair for a reason and I say USE IT to the best advantage. After all, don't I look maaarrrvelous for a 60 year old. LOL!
Well these two 'seniors' took themselves back to the fiver and after receiving many, many wet kisses from our furballs.......we decided it was nap time. Tomorrow should be another great adventure. We are heading to Calsbad Caverns--I love caves and we have heard so many great things from all of you out there who have seen them.....we are really looking forward to the adventure. My only disappointment is that the bats are not back yet and I would have loved to have seen them leaving at dusk. Hopefull we will be able to see that at some point in our travels.I did get our reservations for Bottomless Lakes state park and we will be heading there on Thursday.
Monday, April 20, 2009
April 19,2009
Today is our ‘day of rest’. We pretty much did nothing all day. I think around noon we did go up to the clubhouse and trade some paperback books. They also keep a frig stocked with ice cream and candy which is available to us ‘ranch hands’. It is run on the honor system. The prices are listed on the front of the frig, you just drop your coin in the money box, and pick out your treat. The freezer is stocked full of Swan’s drumsticks and ice cream bars. I had not had a Swan’s Silver Mint bar in years and it tasted mighty fine. The bad news is that it is all to easy to go up and raid the frig at all times of the day or night. Out here in the middle of nowhere, they don’t even lock the doors to the clubhouse. So, if you want a midnight snack--it is available.
We did talk about our travel plans from here. We have decided to stay here at the Ranch until Thursday. Then we will be heading toward Roswell and a state park known as the ‘Bottomless Lakes’. We would like to stay there through the weekend, if I can get reservations. I have tried unsuccessfully to do so by internet, so tomorrow I will call the 800 number and hopefully get it done. From the Bottomless Lakes we will head through the Texas panhandle and then Oklahoma. We were going to try and be home by the first week of May, but we seem to be moving slower than expected......LOL! I guess time will tell.......
After supper, we settled into our recliners for some television. Turns out television was a bust for the night---absolutely nothing on. DH hit the computer to work on his diesel fuel spreadsheet and I tried to start a book. For some reason, I just was not into reading so I ended up turning in early. Tomorrow we plan to check out an attraction known as the ‘Living Desert and Zoo’. I hope I get some good ‘critter’ photos to share.......
We did talk about our travel plans from here. We have decided to stay here at the Ranch until Thursday. Then we will be heading toward Roswell and a state park known as the ‘Bottomless Lakes’. We would like to stay there through the weekend, if I can get reservations. I have tried unsuccessfully to do so by internet, so tomorrow I will call the 800 number and hopefully get it done. From the Bottomless Lakes we will head through the Texas panhandle and then Oklahoma. We were going to try and be home by the first week of May, but we seem to be moving slower than expected......LOL! I guess time will tell.......
After supper, we settled into our recliners for some television. Turns out television was a bust for the night---absolutely nothing on. DH hit the computer to work on his diesel fuel spreadsheet and I tried to start a book. For some reason, I just was not into reading so I ended up turning in early. Tomorrow we plan to check out an attraction known as the ‘Living Desert and Zoo’. I hope I get some good ‘critter’ photos to share.......
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Catching Up
I know been awhile, things have been hectic.....always are in travel mode. We made it to Las Cruces and found a great State Park to spend the night. You can find info here Leasburg Dam. They have a nice level concrete pad for you to park your rv on and you have your own private little picnic shelter as well. I really liked how they had the rvs all facing away from one another toward the desert, gives you a sense of privacy.
We had electric and water for 14.00 per night. There were lots of birds and other wildlife to enjoy and great little walking paths with comfort stations along the way. We arrived here late Thursday afternoon, the wind was blowing something fierce. The camp host came out and greeted us and told us she had one spot left---lucky us! We would have liked to have stayed a couple of days, but they were full for the weekend. So, Friday morning we were up and headed toward Carlsbad by 10am. The route we took turned out to be a dozy!! We headed west on 70 out of Las Cruses. Then at Alamogordo we picked up highway 82. Little did we know that 82 took us through the Lincoln National Forest and Sacramento Mts. I guess we weren't paying attention. We rose to over 5000 feet in 16 miles and it didn't stop there. I think we were somewhere around 8000 when we finally started our journey down. Once again, we are on a small windy road going ever upward.....at the top we find road construction. The road gets even more narrow and you should have seen the look on the construction workers' faces when they saw us!! There was lots of whistling and yelling---telling one another, "heads up, look what is coming your way!". They were all using hand signals to tell DH to slow down--he just waved back--said he was already going 5 miles under their marked speed limit. DH also noticed our outside temp gauge, it had dropped to 32 degrees. Ok, so as usual, I have been using my "oh sh-t" handles to see me through the journey. I'm not feeling to well--I think the altitude is making me a little queasy. Now, we start our dissent back down the mountain. DH says it is not too bad---easy for him to say. I didn't think we were ever going to see flat ground again. By the time we did, you could see my hand imprints on the "oh sh-t" handles. LOL! Finally on flat terrain and headed to Artesia, we decided to stop at a road side park to 'potty' the dogs and water them. What a mistake! The place was loaded with those little 'sand burs' and the poor dogs were limping in no time. Spent the next 2o minutes picking them out from their paws and off the bottom of my sandals. By this time, DH and I are both tired and REALLY CRANKY!! We finally make it to Artesia and start looking for a place to get some dinner---no where can we find a restaurant with a parking lot large enough for our fiver---ever onward we go. Finally, arrive at the SKP park in Lakewood. We stop at check in and they start ringing the 'new arrival' bell. We were welcomed with open arms and lots of hugging. Boy did we need that!! We got settled, fed and watered the pups. Now it was our turn, we had passed a nice little steakhouse in Artesia and the folks here at the 'Ranch' said it was excellent. We headed back, only about 10 miles or so, and indeed did have a great dinner. By the way, the pups were wiped out too. They took up residence in our recliners and didn't even look up when we headed out the door to dinner.Needless to say, we plan to spend at least 3 or 4 days here at the 'Ranch' to rest up and take in some of the sights. More on that a little later.....
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
April 15, 2009
Today was laundry day and I had quite a few loads to do. The manager of the park was cleaning the restrooms which are adjacent to the laundry. We were chatting back and forth and she was complaining about the men’s restroom. It brought back a childhood memory, which I shared with her and I thought you all might get a kick out of it too. I was about 5 yrs old and visiting my Great Grandparents. Every Saturday my Great Grandparents cleaned the local Moose Lodge. I always got to go and sit at the bar and my Great Grandfather would fix me Shirley Temples. I thought I was ‘big’ stuff. At one point, I decided to follow my Great Grandmother around and see what see was up too. She headed into the men’s restrooms to clean and I followed. I had never been in a men’s restroom before and when I came upon the urinals.....well, looked like the perfect place to wash my hands--so, I did. Oh my goodness, I remember to this day my Great Grandmother screaming and rushing across the room. She quickly grabbed me and took me into the women’s restroom where she scrubbed my hands for what seemed a very long time. All the while, telling me to never, never do that again. She never explained why, but I never went into the men’s restroom again. I don’t remember the exact day that I realized what I had done---but I will never forget my poor Great Grandmother screaming and all that hand washing that followed. LOL!
We are having another very windy day here, but we did manage to go down and see Shady Dell RV Park. Shady Dell is a trailer park which features old, or maybe vintage is a better word, travel trailers that one can rent and stay in. You don’t ‘travel’ anywhere with them, you stay right there at the park. It was fun taking a look at them, but I would have loved to had been able to see the inside of one or two. There was one there that reminded me of the ‘Long, Long, Long Trailer’ movie with Desi and Lucy.
After our short sight seeing trip it was back to the fiver. I decided I’d better do a little cleaning cause tomorrow is travel day. I’ll let you know where we end up---somewhere in New Mexico.........most likely Las Cruces
We are having another very windy day here, but we did manage to go down and see Shady Dell RV Park. Shady Dell is a trailer park which features old, or maybe vintage is a better word, travel trailers that one can rent and stay in. You don’t ‘travel’ anywhere with them, you stay right there at the park. It was fun taking a look at them, but I would have loved to had been able to see the inside of one or two. There was one there that reminded me of the ‘Long, Long, Long Trailer’ movie with Desi and Lucy.
After our short sight seeing trip it was back to the fiver. I decided I’d better do a little cleaning cause tomorrow is travel day. I’ll let you know where we end up---somewhere in New Mexico.........most likely Las Cruces
April 14 2009
Today we headed over to Douglas--about 25 miles away. In Douglas we got our propane tank filled. We also spied a wal-mart and stocked up on some essentials.
Our next stop was a Greek Pizzeria. It has been a long time since we had pizza and it tasted mighty good. While we were waiting for our pizza, DH was reading a newspaper clipping about the restaurant displayed on the wall. It spoke of an incident where the owner had prepared a pizza for a husband and wife. Upon presentation of the pizza, the wife stated she was not sure her husband would like it. The owner made them a promise. He said, “If your husband doesn’t like my pizza, you don’t have to pay and......I’ll cut off my head!” Well, the husband must have liked the pizza cause he still had his head! LOL
Back at the fiver, we decided some napping was in order before our big night of television viewing........what a life we lead......
Our next stop was a Greek Pizzeria. It has been a long time since we had pizza and it tasted mighty good. While we were waiting for our pizza, DH was reading a newspaper clipping about the restaurant displayed on the wall. It spoke of an incident where the owner had prepared a pizza for a husband and wife. Upon presentation of the pizza, the wife stated she was not sure her husband would like it. The owner made them a promise. He said, “If your husband doesn’t like my pizza, you don’t have to pay and......I’ll cut off my head!” Well, the husband must have liked the pizza cause he still had his head! LOL
Back at the fiver, we decided some napping was in order before our big night of television viewing........what a life we lead......
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
April 13, 2009
Another lazy day here in Bisbee, not to much to report. We did make it over to the Breakfast Club. It was around 11:30 when we walked through their door and we were hoping for an early lunch. Unfortunately the Breakfast Club only serves breakfast on Mondays and they close at noon. Then don’t open again until Thursday---we be gone by then. So, we had breakfast for the second time today. It was good, but we were disappointed at not being able to choose off the lunch menu.
After our second breakfast we went back to the fiver and did absolutely nothing! I finally decided I needed to get out and about so around 2pm I took a walk in downtown Bisbee. I had an ulterior motive, I had spied a chocolate shop and I thought I might stop by and have a little taste. Once again, the dining gods were not smiling......The chocolate shop was closed and will not be open again till Friday......we be gone by then. Oh well, at least my waistline let out a hugh sigh of relief. Back up the hill I went to the fiver.
We ate supper in----we had homemade vegetable soup. DH had put it together in the crock pot earlier in the day and by 6pm is was tasting very good. Even the furballs had some---vegetables are good for them too ya know!
Tomorrow we will be off in search of propane and who knows what else we might stumble across.........
After our second breakfast we went back to the fiver and did absolutely nothing! I finally decided I needed to get out and about so around 2pm I took a walk in downtown Bisbee. I had an ulterior motive, I had spied a chocolate shop and I thought I might stop by and have a little taste. Once again, the dining gods were not smiling......The chocolate shop was closed and will not be open again till Friday......we be gone by then. Oh well, at least my waistline let out a hugh sigh of relief. Back up the hill I went to the fiver.
We ate supper in----we had homemade vegetable soup. DH had put it together in the crock pot earlier in the day and by 6pm is was tasting very good. Even the furballs had some---vegetables are good for them too ya know!
Tomorrow we will be off in search of propane and who knows what else we might stumble across.........
Monday, April 13, 2009
April 12, 2009
Easter Sunday........HOPPY DAY EVERYONE!
We had a pretty slow day, nothing much to do with most things being closed for the Holiday. We did venture downtown late afternoon. I had been to the Ghost Tour website and it looked like they were going to have a tour tonight, so we thought we’d see if we could get a bit more info downtown. Unfortunately, no one was around and with the weather being cold and windy it did not take long for me to talk myself out of the whole thing. They only do the tours on the weekends, we will be leaving on Thursday. BOO-HOO no ghost for me---big sigh of relief for DH.....
Back at the fiver, we jumped in the truck and took a little ride around Bisbee and explored some of the surrounding area. Great scenery and colorful houses......it was a pleasant afternoon.
After the drive, we did our usual recliner/tv evening till bedtime. Tomorrow the wind is supposed to finally stop blowing and the temps should be in the mid 70’s. We will probably do a little more ‘hiking’ in downtown Bisbee. There is so much to explore and I know lots more photos to be taken.
We had a pretty slow day, nothing much to do with most things being closed for the Holiday. We did venture downtown late afternoon. I had been to the Ghost Tour website and it looked like they were going to have a tour tonight, so we thought we’d see if we could get a bit more info downtown. Unfortunately, no one was around and with the weather being cold and windy it did not take long for me to talk myself out of the whole thing. They only do the tours on the weekends, we will be leaving on Thursday. BOO-HOO no ghost for me---big sigh of relief for DH.....
Back at the fiver, we jumped in the truck and took a little ride around Bisbee and explored some of the surrounding area. Great scenery and colorful houses......it was a pleasant afternoon.
After the drive, we did our usual recliner/tv evening till bedtime. Tomorrow the wind is supposed to finally stop blowing and the temps should be in the mid 70’s. We will probably do a little more ‘hiking’ in downtown Bisbee. There is so much to explore and I know lots more photos to be taken.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
April 11, 2009
Here we are, all set to go on our Queen Ann's Mine tour. Deep within the Mule Mountains......to unforeseen dangers and delights all round.....LOLIt was a good day for the Mine tour. Cloudy, cold and rainy---someone said it even snowed a little while we were in the mine. Course, it is not exactly warm down in the mine ( a balmy 47 degrees), but it was dry and no wind. We do recommend this tour, we learned a lot and it was fun!!
After the tour, we decided to head down the road to find the infamous Bisbee Breakfast Club. We hear they have great food, but alas they were closed.......don't dis pare----down the road a little further was the infamous Jimmy's Hot Dog Stand. They welcomed us with open arms. I had the Chicago Dog with all the fixens while DH had a "Sea Dog"---as you might have guessed this was a foot long fish stick. Oh, don't ask........I have no idea why a hot dog place is selling a fish stick. DH said it was delicious! We topped off our dinners by sharing a piece of homemade pecan pie! Oops! There goes that waistline again.
Back at the fiver, we settled in for the night. Since it was a chilly evening, DH fired up the oven and did a batch of dog cookies for the furballs. I curled up in the recliner and read a book. Tomorrow------well, we shall see what the day brings......
Saturday, April 11, 2009
April 10, 2009
Here we are at the Queen's Mine Rv Park.
This is the view out our back window.Thought you might enjoying seeing some photos of our location. We have decided to stay a week, so we can thoroughly explore the area. Today we headed down to Bisbee to explore the shops and architecture. It sure is good exercise as everything seems to be 'uphill' in this neck of the woods. We stopped at the visitor's center and got some info on some sight seeing activities. One I'm especially interested in, is the Ghost Tour. They take you through the town after dark telling you all about the ghost that are still roaming Bisbee to this very day.........eerie huh? DH is really excited about that....LOL! We are also considering a jeep tour of Bisbee and the surrounding mines to learn about the history of the place and we are definitely going to tour the Queen Ann Mine.
I wish I could say we had a quiet evening back at the fiver after a day of sight seeing, but another storm front hit the area with a vengeance. Not much rain to speak of, but oh man that wind was strong. Here we are on the side of this mountain, with nothing between us and the valley below but a small fence. I'll sure be glad when this weather pattern clears. It seems like every other day we see another front coming our way. We survived, but the temps are taking a nose dive. Looking at a high in the 50's for tomorrow and possibly rain. Good day to go underground and check out the mine......
I wish I could say we had a quiet evening back at the fiver after a day of sight seeing, but another storm front hit the area with a vengeance. Not much rain to speak of, but oh man that wind was strong. Here we are on the side of this mountain, with nothing between us and the valley below but a small fence. I'll sure be glad when this weather pattern clears. It seems like every other day we see another front coming our way. We survived, but the temps are taking a nose dive. Looking at a high in the 50's for tomorrow and possibly rain. Good day to go underground and check out the mine......
Friday, April 10, 2009
April 9, 2009
Travel Day.......we got up and at it early this am, but we still managed a late pull-out. It was around 11:30 when we finally pulled out of Congress. We just don’t get in a hurry to do anything these days. Folks came by and said there goodbyes and gave us their well-wishes for a safe journey. One gentleman stopped by and had never seen an Americana, but had heard of them. So, of course, we had to tell him all about our rv and give him a tour.
We had a fairly uneventful trip and the scenery was beautiful. Just passed Sierra Vista, we were traveling on 80 when we crested the top of a hill.......and......at the top we were looking down a looooonnnngggg way to the bottom. At the bottom, was a heavy grove of trees on either side of the road with their canopy of tree tops spreading across the highway. It looked like you were going to plunge right into the tree tops. Reminded me of a ride at Disney World called splash mountain, where you dive head first into what looks like a thicket of brambles. Down the hill we went and swoosh under the tree tops we flew......somewhere on our dissent our Garmin announced she lost her satellite connection. She then started asking questions---was she inside or outside, was she still in Arizona, was it still the 9th of April. We think she must have passed out at the sight of that downward dive and was disoriented upon waking.....LOL......hope she has not been drinking......
Finally arrived at the little town of Bisbee. What a neat place---nestled in the side of the mile high Mule Mountains. It was founded in 1880 and the architecture is wonderful. We did have a little problem finding the road to the Queen Mine Rv Park. It is a little confusing and we passed right by it the first time. Turning around on the side of a mountain is not the easiest thing to do, but DH found a scenic overlook and manage to get us turned on a dime----yes, I was holding tightly to my “oh sh-t” handles. Now, we know exactly where the road is....right? OOPS! Missed it again. Another hair pin turn, and the next time we had it. Sharp turn to the right, then left and up, up, up, the hill to the park. Sigh!! We are here!
The park consist of 25 sights arranged in somewhat of a wagon-wheel fashion--each spoke of the wheel being an rv spot. The park is opposite the downtown and our site backs up to this fabulous overlook. We love it!! At night, the town just sparkles! Don’t worry I’ll post some photos soon. Tomorrow we go exploring----
We had a fairly uneventful trip and the scenery was beautiful. Just passed Sierra Vista, we were traveling on 80 when we crested the top of a hill.......and......at the top we were looking down a looooonnnngggg way to the bottom. At the bottom, was a heavy grove of trees on either side of the road with their canopy of tree tops spreading across the highway. It looked like you were going to plunge right into the tree tops. Reminded me of a ride at Disney World called splash mountain, where you dive head first into what looks like a thicket of brambles. Down the hill we went and swoosh under the tree tops we flew......somewhere on our dissent our Garmin announced she lost her satellite connection. She then started asking questions---was she inside or outside, was she still in Arizona, was it still the 9th of April. We think she must have passed out at the sight of that downward dive and was disoriented upon waking.....LOL......hope she has not been drinking......
Finally arrived at the little town of Bisbee. What a neat place---nestled in the side of the mile high Mule Mountains. It was founded in 1880 and the architecture is wonderful. We did have a little problem finding the road to the Queen Mine Rv Park. It is a little confusing and we passed right by it the first time. Turning around on the side of a mountain is not the easiest thing to do, but DH found a scenic overlook and manage to get us turned on a dime----yes, I was holding tightly to my “oh sh-t” handles. Now, we know exactly where the road is....right? OOPS! Missed it again. Another hair pin turn, and the next time we had it. Sharp turn to the right, then left and up, up, up, the hill to the park. Sigh!! We are here!
The park consist of 25 sights arranged in somewhat of a wagon-wheel fashion--each spoke of the wheel being an rv spot. The park is opposite the downtown and our site backs up to this fabulous overlook. We love it!! At night, the town just sparkles! Don’t worry I’ll post some photos soon. Tomorrow we go exploring----
Thursday, April 9, 2009
April 8, 2009
Today was no day of rest for either of us. Tomorrow is travel day so there is bunches to do to prepare for departure. I did my cleaning thing--and made sure all the cabinets are in travel mode. DH had the more difficult job. He decided to rotate the tires on the truck. No easy job considering there are six of them, but he got it done. I also took some photos of the garden here at the park. I’ll try to post some photos soon---there were some hugh Easter cactus in bloom.
I did a little baking. We had bought a large batch of strawberries the other day. DH decided he wanted some strawberry shortcake. So, being the 'goode' little wife that I am, I made him a low sugar pound cake.
Today was supposed to be a very windy day, that is why we postponed our leaving till tomorrow. The wind, however, for most of the day was not bad at all. The temps were dropping and by late afternoon I had to grab a jacket. We went over to Mike and Pat’s to say our farewells. We enjoyed our visit and are looking forward to meeting them ‘down the road’ again sometime soon. And don’t forget---if you need a pressure pro system (www.pressureprosystem.com)---Mike and Pat are your ‘go to’ folks---great product and great folks to deal with, it don’t get any better in my book!
Back at the fiver, we decided a good bowl of chili was in order for supper this evening. Then about 8 or 9pm it hit. The wind came with a vengeance, shaking and rattling the trailer. We even got a few sprinkles of rain. The good new is that it didn’t last very long---I think a couple of hours and it was all over with :-)
So, tomorrow we roll.....after the chill I felt in the air today, I think we shall head back south to Bisbee. We will probably hang out there through the weekend.
I did a little baking. We had bought a large batch of strawberries the other day. DH decided he wanted some strawberry shortcake. So, being the 'goode' little wife that I am, I made him a low sugar pound cake.
Today was supposed to be a very windy day, that is why we postponed our leaving till tomorrow. The wind, however, for most of the day was not bad at all. The temps were dropping and by late afternoon I had to grab a jacket. We went over to Mike and Pat’s to say our farewells. We enjoyed our visit and are looking forward to meeting them ‘down the road’ again sometime soon. And don’t forget---if you need a pressure pro system (www.pressureprosystem.com)---Mike and Pat are your ‘go to’ folks---great product and great folks to deal with, it don’t get any better in my book!
Back at the fiver, we decided a good bowl of chili was in order for supper this evening. Then about 8 or 9pm it hit. The wind came with a vengeance, shaking and rattling the trailer. We even got a few sprinkles of rain. The good new is that it didn’t last very long---I think a couple of hours and it was all over with :-)
So, tomorrow we roll.....after the chill I felt in the air today, I think we shall head back south to Bisbee. We will probably hang out there through the weekend.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
April 7, 2009
Thanks for all the well-wishes from yesterdays post. I was tired most of the day, but feeling better. Not much to report today. We had planned on leaving yesterday, but DH was waiting on a delivery. After the incident with our satellite, he decided to purchase “The Claw”. Sounds ominous doesn’t it, like something out of an old horror movie. I love those old movies, but I digress. You can check out “The Claw” here www.theclaw.com. It arrived late morning and DH had it installed shortly after. Once it was installed, he started up the internet and even though it showed everything was working---we could not connect. It seems our router has given up. I had noticed our internet speeds had seemed much lower of late, but I just figured it was a hughes net problem since both computers were effected. When I disconnected the router and plugged direct into the hughes modem, we were back in business and traveling at the speed of light---well, maybe not the speed of light--but pretty good for a satellite connection. I’m sorry to see the router go, but we have gotten many years of use and it is probably time for an upgrade at this point anyway.
We are mac people as many of you know. I love my MAC!! So, naturally we are looking at the new Time Capsule. This thing is way cool. Not only does it work as a wireless network, but it is also a 500GB hard drive. That allows you to wirelessly back up your files. You can also add printers to it and make them wireless as well. Now, I don’t know much about the PC world so maybe you guys already have something similar---but I“m looking forward to this purchase. If you want all the details you can access the Apple Site. If your PC will allow that sort of thing. LOL!
DH took pity on my poor tired body today and fixed supper. We had Steak sandwiches and he even cleaned up the dishes. He is such a ”goode“ guy. Of course, he always likes to point out that he was BORN ”Goode“, while I was not ”Goode“ until he married me. Silly man! I may be a Goode by marriage, but I’m a Knight by birth. As in Knights of the Round Table--fearless, noble, adventurerous ---he’s lucky to have me...LOL! I try to point that out whenever I can..... :-)
We are mac people as many of you know. I love my MAC!! So, naturally we are looking at the new Time Capsule. This thing is way cool. Not only does it work as a wireless network, but it is also a 500GB hard drive. That allows you to wirelessly back up your files. You can also add printers to it and make them wireless as well. Now, I don’t know much about the PC world so maybe you guys already have something similar---but I“m looking forward to this purchase. If you want all the details you can access the Apple Site. If your PC will allow that sort of thing. LOL!
DH took pity on my poor tired body today and fixed supper. We had Steak sandwiches and he even cleaned up the dishes. He is such a ”goode“ guy. Of course, he always likes to point out that he was BORN ”Goode“, while I was not ”Goode“ until he married me. Silly man! I may be a Goode by marriage, but I’m a Knight by birth. As in Knights of the Round Table--fearless, noble, adventurerous ---he’s lucky to have me...LOL! I try to point that out whenever I can..... :-)
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
April 6, 2009
Today is DH’s B-day!! Happy B-day sweetie!!
I made the suggestion that we should go over to Vulture Peak Trail and try to climb the “mountain” today to celebrate. DH was game for it, so we headed that way bout 11am. That was our first mistake, we should have gotten an earlier start. The trail is about 2 miles long one way. We felt capable of that. What we didn’t realize was how many of those foothills we would have to climb over before we actually got to the base of Vulture Peak. At that point, you have about a 1000 feet almost straight up. At least that is what a couple of hikers told us on their way back down. I’m not sure how far we got, when I became sick. I was sick to my stomach and light headed. At first I thought it was just one of those “going through change moments” (as my grandmother used to say), I ate a cracker, rested a bit, had a little water and felt ok to continue. I didn’t get very far when I became sick again. This time is was worse, I thought for a moment I might pass out. I tried to get DH to continue the climb without me. I told him I would just sit and wait for his return, but he was not about to leave me. We made the decision to start back down. Turned out to be one long trip back.....I kept having my “episodes” every time we went up a hill. I know I’m outta a shape, but I have never had a problem like this before. I might get a little winded, but a little rest and I was back on my way. I really began to think I was not going to make it back to the truck. I know DH was just as worried, he held onto me almost the whole time we were hiking back. We finally made it back to the shelter area and DH retrieved the truck and we headed back to the fiver. Needless to say I spent the rest of the day and evening resting in the recliner. I didn’t have any more problems and by evening I was tired, but feeling much better. And yes, I will definitely speak with my doctor about this when we are back in Indiana. Poor DH, what a way to spend his B-day. He is now referring to Vulture’s Peak as “Death Mountain”! LOL
What a day! But, thanks to my “hero” I made it back to tell the tale.........Thanks again, honey.......and I promise, no more hikes to “death mountain” .........at least till next year, anyway.....
I made the suggestion that we should go over to Vulture Peak Trail and try to climb the “mountain” today to celebrate. DH was game for it, so we headed that way bout 11am. That was our first mistake, we should have gotten an earlier start. The trail is about 2 miles long one way. We felt capable of that. What we didn’t realize was how many of those foothills we would have to climb over before we actually got to the base of Vulture Peak. At that point, you have about a 1000 feet almost straight up. At least that is what a couple of hikers told us on their way back down. I’m not sure how far we got, when I became sick. I was sick to my stomach and light headed. At first I thought it was just one of those “going through change moments” (as my grandmother used to say), I ate a cracker, rested a bit, had a little water and felt ok to continue. I didn’t get very far when I became sick again. This time is was worse, I thought for a moment I might pass out. I tried to get DH to continue the climb without me. I told him I would just sit and wait for his return, but he was not about to leave me. We made the decision to start back down. Turned out to be one long trip back.....I kept having my “episodes” every time we went up a hill. I know I’m outta a shape, but I have never had a problem like this before. I might get a little winded, but a little rest and I was back on my way. I really began to think I was not going to make it back to the truck. I know DH was just as worried, he held onto me almost the whole time we were hiking back. We finally made it back to the shelter area and DH retrieved the truck and we headed back to the fiver. Needless to say I spent the rest of the day and evening resting in the recliner. I didn’t have any more problems and by evening I was tired, but feeling much better. And yes, I will definitely speak with my doctor about this when we are back in Indiana. Poor DH, what a way to spend his B-day. He is now referring to Vulture’s Peak as “Death Mountain”! LOL
What a day! But, thanks to my “hero” I made it back to tell the tale.........Thanks again, honey.......and I promise, no more hikes to “death mountain” .........at least till next year, anyway.....
April 5, 2009
Not much to report this day. One of those do-nothing days. I had my nose in a book for most of the day. DH was a little more ambitious. He decided to work on the nose of the fiver a little more. We will soon be on the move again. Still not sure if we are heading north or south........waiting to see what the weather decides to.....
We did managed to take a nice bike ride all around the park. Of course, that resulted in about a 2 hour nap back at the fiver....LOL
We did managed to take a nice bike ride all around the park. Of course, that resulted in about a 2 hour nap back at the fiver....LOL
Sunday, April 5, 2009
April 4, 2009
Not much happening today. The wind is a little calmer, but there is more of a 'chill' in the air. Here to the left are the photos of my 'treasures' I brought home yesterday.We did have a nice chat with some of our neighbors yesterday. We even toured each others rigs---the guys sharing technical info and the gals sharing decorating tips and such. We are all members of Escapees so we talked a little about the SKP parks. One comment that we all agreed on was about the SKP park in Benson AZ. We all felt it was certainly a very nice park with some
friendly folks, but none of us really ever felt welcome there. We all feel there is a real line of division between the folks that lease and those of us just 'renting'. It is almost like there is a different set of rules for the haves and the have nots if you know what I mean. While we might spend a night or two there, most of us would not enjoy a long term visit. We stayed there one month and would have stayed for another if not for that "unwelcome" feeling settling in. We have had none of that at our current spot here at North Ranch. We will definitely come back here again....After our neighborly chat, I decided to work on the furballs a little. It is that time again and they are both in need of combing and eventually a bath. I think the bath will have to wait til the temps warm a little as we use the outside shower for that job.....
Saturday, April 4, 2009
April 3, 2009
Today we knew it was going to be a high wind day. They are predicting wind gust up to 50 mile an hour. We secured all the outside gear and even took the dish off the tripod and stored it in the basement---just to be safe. We closed all the windows, cause we knew there would be sand blowing around, and turned on the air for the furballs. Then.......
Surprise, Surprise, Surprise...............Gomer Pyle.....remember that! We headed down the road to Surprise AZ. Wow, what a busy place. Wally World was our first stop to stock up some essentials. I just could not believe all the people shopping. I see no signs of an economic slow down in this town, the consumer is alive and well.
We finished our shopping and headed to the Credit Union ATM that is located in Wal Mart. We have had a small check we have needed to deposit for some time and had not been able to find a credit union ATM capable of taking a deposit. That is probably our biggest issue with fulltiming. We do most everything on line, but we can’t make deposits. As I said, this place is an absolute zoo! There were people standing in line for a teller at the bank, but fortunately we were able to walk right up to the ATM. You know the drill....slide the card, punch the password, tell the machine you want to make a deposit and.........BEEP, BEEP, BEEP! I swear the thing was sounding an alarm. I’m sure folks are thinking we are doing something very bad by now--so I hit the cancel button. DH and I regroup and decide to try this one more time. The stupid machine still beeps, but apparently that is the machines way of letting you know you may slide your deposit into the “deposit slot’. As soon as we did that it stopped beeping- huge sigh of relief! We wanted to make a withdrawal next and it did the same thing. This time the loud beep is to remind you to remove your cash--I swear we are starting to feel like fish in a fish bowl. You know when you use an ATM, you are trying to be discreet and not draw attention to yourself. This stupid thing announces to the world that you have cash in hand. Fortunately, we made it out to the truck without being robbed.
After the traumatic event at the ATM, we headed to the nearest RED ROBIN restaurant for lunch. You may recall in an earlier post that we had our first Red Robin meal on a trip to Prescott. DH enjoyed the meal so much that he signed up for their B-day club. DH B-day is April 6th and Red Robin had already emailed him his coupon for a free burger of his choice. Free is always a good deal and he even got a free ice cream sundae to boot! Again, this place was full of folks--no sign of economic distress here either.
On the way back to Congress, I spied a neat looking shop along the side of the highway. It had a lot of mexican pottery and metal sculptures. I have been looking for something to decorate the outside area of the fiver. I found the cutest metal sculpture of a bird. I’ll have to get a photo for you. It rocks back and forth in the breeze. I also found a ceramic frog--it hangs on the wall---not quite sure which wall as of yet :-)
We arrived back at the fiver late in the afternoon. The furballs were glad to see us and I took them out for a walk before settling down for the evening. The wind had really started to kick in by this time and we were a rocking and a rolling till mid evening. No matter though, we were snug as little bugs in a rug here in the fiver. Watched a little tv and then off to bed....zzzzzzzzzzzz
Surprise, Surprise, Surprise...............Gomer Pyle.....remember that! We headed down the road to Surprise AZ. Wow, what a busy place. Wally World was our first stop to stock up some essentials. I just could not believe all the people shopping. I see no signs of an economic slow down in this town, the consumer is alive and well.
We finished our shopping and headed to the Credit Union ATM that is located in Wal Mart. We have had a small check we have needed to deposit for some time and had not been able to find a credit union ATM capable of taking a deposit. That is probably our biggest issue with fulltiming. We do most everything on line, but we can’t make deposits. As I said, this place is an absolute zoo! There were people standing in line for a teller at the bank, but fortunately we were able to walk right up to the ATM. You know the drill....slide the card, punch the password, tell the machine you want to make a deposit and.........BEEP, BEEP, BEEP! I swear the thing was sounding an alarm. I’m sure folks are thinking we are doing something very bad by now--so I hit the cancel button. DH and I regroup and decide to try this one more time. The stupid machine still beeps, but apparently that is the machines way of letting you know you may slide your deposit into the “deposit slot’. As soon as we did that it stopped beeping- huge sigh of relief! We wanted to make a withdrawal next and it did the same thing. This time the loud beep is to remind you to remove your cash--I swear we are starting to feel like fish in a fish bowl. You know when you use an ATM, you are trying to be discreet and not draw attention to yourself. This stupid thing announces to the world that you have cash in hand. Fortunately, we made it out to the truck without being robbed.
After the traumatic event at the ATM, we headed to the nearest RED ROBIN restaurant for lunch. You may recall in an earlier post that we had our first Red Robin meal on a trip to Prescott. DH enjoyed the meal so much that he signed up for their B-day club. DH B-day is April 6th and Red Robin had already emailed him his coupon for a free burger of his choice. Free is always a good deal and he even got a free ice cream sundae to boot! Again, this place was full of folks--no sign of economic distress here either.
On the way back to Congress, I spied a neat looking shop along the side of the highway. It had a lot of mexican pottery and metal sculptures. I have been looking for something to decorate the outside area of the fiver. I found the cutest metal sculpture of a bird. I’ll have to get a photo for you. It rocks back and forth in the breeze. I also found a ceramic frog--it hangs on the wall---not quite sure which wall as of yet :-)
We arrived back at the fiver late in the afternoon. The furballs were glad to see us and I took them out for a walk before settling down for the evening. The wind had really started to kick in by this time and we were a rocking and a rolling till mid evening. No matter though, we were snug as little bugs in a rug here in the fiver. Watched a little tv and then off to bed....zzzzzzzzzzzz
Friday, April 3, 2009
April 2, 2009 Hassayampa River Preserve
Today was our day to visit the Hassayampa River Preserve. You can click on the link to learn all about it. We enjoyed our hiking, but were disappointed in the wild life. This area is supposed to be known for its great birding opportunities. We could hear them, but we sure could not see them. Even when we stopped and sat on the benches in the observation area, we just could not zone in on them. I think we took all but one of the trails. The most strenuous trail is a rocky climb up to the top of the hill where you can look down over the treetops across the river valley. That was the highlight of our hiking day. The remaining trails are pretty much a level easy walk through the trees. There is a small pond, where we sat and watched the ducks for awhile.
Back at the fiver, I decided we would go down and visit with Mike and Pat during happy hour (4:30pm). We had a nice visit and found out the closest Wally World location :-) I think that will be our road trip for tomorrow. Time to stock up!
We plan on leaving here on Tuesday. Heading, well, we are not quite sure yet. We think we may go to Cottonwood and spend a few days at the Dead Horse Ranch State Park. Originally we thought we might go northeast from there and over to Santa Fe and spend some time, but the weather sure do look COLD there. I think we may turn back south and go down to Carlsbad and check out the caverns instead--we also missed the town of Bisbee when we were in Benson and I would like to check that out as well. Which ever direction we go, it is time. Got that 'hitch-itch' once again...........
We have decided we will definitely head west again in the near future, but this time we would like to make a late summer and early autumn trip and spend some time in the north west. We had hoped to do some of that this trip, but spring don't come early there---they are still seeing the 20's and 30's up north and we have decided life is to short to be COLD if you can help it!! I am also hoping this is our last "early" journey back to Indiana as we need to be back by May. As my Daddy says, "It's just too damn cold there!!"
Back at the fiver, I decided we would go down and visit with Mike and Pat during happy hour (4:30pm). We had a nice visit and found out the closest Wally World location :-) I think that will be our road trip for tomorrow. Time to stock up!
We plan on leaving here on Tuesday. Heading, well, we are not quite sure yet. We think we may go to Cottonwood and spend a few days at the Dead Horse Ranch State Park. Originally we thought we might go northeast from there and over to Santa Fe and spend some time, but the weather sure do look COLD there. I think we may turn back south and go down to Carlsbad and check out the caverns instead--we also missed the town of Bisbee when we were in Benson and I would like to check that out as well. Which ever direction we go, it is time. Got that 'hitch-itch' once again...........
We have decided we will definitely head west again in the near future, but this time we would like to make a late summer and early autumn trip and spend some time in the north west. We had hoped to do some of that this trip, but spring don't come early there---they are still seeing the 20's and 30's up north and we have decided life is to short to be COLD if you can help it!! I am also hoping this is our last "early" journey back to Indiana as we need to be back by May. As my Daddy says, "It's just too damn cold there!!"
Thursday, April 2, 2009
April 1, 2009 Pressure Pro
Today was a sit back and relax day. After a late breakfast, I took the furballs up to the doggie area and let them run a little bit. Once back at the fiver, I suggested to DH we get on the bikes and see if we could find Mike and Pat McFall at home. We knew they were here at the park, they own a lot. DH was also interested in talking with them about the Pressure Pro System. Off we went and sure enough it didn't take long to spot that big maroon truck. The door to the fiver was open so we gave a holler and out they both popped. We sat outside and had a very nice chat. Then they showed us the inside of their truck and explained all about the Pressure Pro System. We absolutely fell in love with the truck and Pressure Pro. Sooner or later and I hope sooner, we will have to have our own heavy duty truck. We did purchase the system and DH was able to easily install it later that same day. We also had a taste of some of Mike's Swampwater.....not to bad. Click on the McFall link (blog) above to learn how you can have your very own taste of Swampwater.
We had a nice salad for dinner and then it was off to the recliners for a little tv before bed......Tomorrow we are planning a trip to the Hassayampa River Preserve.
We had a nice salad for dinner and then it was off to the recliners for a little tv before bed......Tomorrow we are planning a trip to the Hassayampa River Preserve.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
March 31, 2009 Vulture Mine
Here we are, about to enter into the realm of the Vulture Mine. They take this photo of you for your loved ones--case you don't come back!!
They send you out with a small map and tell you to follow the 'gold nuggets'. Wow! Wonder if we can smuggle any of these out?
Here is the mess house---bet there was some good old country boy cook-in done here
The Hanging Tree. MMMMM, bet that is where those that smuggle out gold nuggets might end up?
This little guy just happened by, stopped, and posed for the camera.We really enjoyed out afternoon at the Vulture Mine. It was great fun and I took over 170 photos--an artist paradise for textures and lighting. Check out the link above for the history and some photos of the mine. I hear it is also for sale---a cool 6.5 million--and I hear there is still 'gold in them thar hills'!! It is quite an experience and they let you walk around by yourself in and out of all the old buildings. Yeah, you can touch it, climb on it, you just can't actually go down into the mine. We were quite surprised--some of the buildings are in really bad shape, but you are still free to roam. The bad news is the place is continuing to decay and it won't belong before nothing but dust and rusted machinery are left. I hope some one some where steps in and preserves this piece of history. I would, but I just don't happen to have an extra 6.5 million lying around.......
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