THE SEASON IS ALMOST OVER AND WE'LL SOON BE ON THE ROAD AGAIN

The first Saturday in March, we went along with Rod and Ellen to Yuma. We dropped the guys off at the annual Yuma Car Show, and Ellen and I went in to Algodones Mexico to pick up some medications at the famous Purple Pharmacy, and to shop for some things for their new home. 

Rod & Ellen at Lutes Casino Restaurant in Yuma

YES, Rod and Ellen bought a home here in Salome. It's a hacienda-style home on a private road next to our resort. They plan to sell their motorhome and they'll fly back and forth to Maine. We'll miss having them for travelling companions; Ellen is the best trip planner. 


Rod and Ellen's new home
 

They just had time to settle and buy some furniture before getting ready to head back to Maine.










Last week, I drove in to Scottsdale to see my PA friend (turned AZ resident) Carol.   She took me to one of her favorite consignment shops, to the Hospice thrift shop where she volunteers, and then to a 'bead' supply store.  I can always find a few more beads that I need to have.  We had an awesome lunch at a Mexican restaurant where we sampled three of their specialty dishes.  Yum!


Prickly Pear & Peppers, Crab & Mango and Corn Cake Souffle' with a Mole Sauce

 

We had more rain this winter than last, and while I prefer sunny days, it's amazing how green the desert has gotten.  It looks like the desert floor is covered with grass, and the flowers and cactus are blooming more every day.   On the last Monday in March, we took a quad ride to see the flowers, and were surprised to see a desert turtle AND a snake (a little one thank goodness). 

Wednesday was full moon and we threw together a last minute 'wiener roast' at Picnic Point, about five miles from the park at the top of a mountain.  We didn't head out till around five and got back at eight so we had a great view of the sunset before the full moon started rising.  Riding the desert trails in the dark was a whole new experience!!  I was a little apprehensive but it was cool to see the headlights of about twelve quads weaving their way down the mountain.


Wiener Roast at Picnic Point
 

The month ended with Easter dinner outside our trailer with Rod and Ellen, and Terry and Jan Crown.  Terry and Jan were our 'next door' neighbors for the winter.  Terry is a Master Wood Carver and Jan is one of the best 'bead' instructors at the park.  They have two cute little Dachshunds, Dudley and Tucker that they rescued a few years ago.  They are full-timers also, spending their summers near Cascade, Idaho.

We're heading out on Tuesday, so I've begun securing everything inside the trailer, and Keith is double checking all of the mechanics outside and on the truck.  It's 2400 miles to Bowmansville and we don't want any 'surprises' along the way.

FEBRUARY WAS ANOTHER BUSY MONTH

February was another busy month; no one really sits still very long here.  It puts a whole new perspective on the term: RETIRED.

Early in the month, we were able to get to Wickenberg for their Goldrush Days Parade.  There are a lot of 'cowboys'  and retirement communities around Wickenberg and their parade is definately different than the local parades back in PA.  It's the first time I saw a steer riding in a car.  There were lots of horses, a couple of stagecoaches, and all of the 'girls' in the dance troups had white hair. 

Have you ever seen steers with horns this big??

No 'fast' stops!

Two of the couples from Montana that we got to know last year had decided to spend the winter at a campground in CA this year so they could explore ATV-ing in a different terrain.  The end of the month, we took Rod and Ellen and trailered our quads to spend the day with our friends and ride the dunes near their campground.  It's so interesting to see the landscape change.  They had no Saguaro cactus, but they had a huge Tamarisk tree in the middle of the dunes where we stopped for lunch.  We rode through some unique rock formations that the locals have named.

Tamarisk Tree

Skull Rock
 

Praying Nun

The weather here this winter has been all over the place; record highs, record lows, and several rainy days ( a lot more rain than last year).  There are signs along the roads warning against driving through if there is any water on the road, and this year we actually came to a flooded area and had to turn around.  It didn't look too deep and we probably could have driven through, but why take the chance.

JANUARY VISITS FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY

January has flown by with visits from our friends and family.  We've had so much fun sharing our favorite Arizona experiences with them.

On Jan 10, Bill and Marcia Novak, friends and neighbors from Sun Valley arrived for a week in "sunny warm" Arizona.  What they got was the the longest "cold snap" in twenty years...but it was sunny!   We recommended the Westward Motel which is only about a mile and a half from our RV park, and basically the only motel within miles.  The Westward is a quaint motel, having it's origins back in the 1960's.  I believe it sat vacant for years till Rande the current owner began restoring and renovating it.  There are four bright spacious rooms with Tempur-Pedic mattresses, and a well-equipped kitchen. 

















Behind the motel is a courtyard with a fire pit and gas grill for guests to use.













After checking out the huge flea market in Quartsite, we drove north along the California side of the Colorado River to Lake Havasu City to show them the London Bridge.  This was the first time we drove the CA side and were pleasantly surprised to see several wild burros along the way.  We also enjoyed a day in Wickenburg and a drive through the Sonoran Desert to Alamo Lake stopping for lunch at the Wayside Inn.

Friday, we went to Dos Amigos for the "all you can eat fish fry," and Saturday we celebrated Ellen's 71st birthday at Buckeroos listening to the Highway 96 Band. 

On Sunday, Keith's cousin Dale (Rod's brother) from Fort Lauderdale arrived for a week-long visit with them, and on Tuesday, the four men headed to Scottsdale for the Barrett-Jackson car auction.  Marcia and I relaxed, vegging out for a few hours while the men were gone.   

On Wednesday, we drove into the Superstition Mountain east of Phoenix stopping at the Goldfield Ghost Town and then Tortilla Flat for lunch.  Since their flight home was at 7 a.m. the next morning, we had decided to have them stay at the Best Western Airport Inn overnight.  So, after a wonderful dinner in Phoenix, we said goodbye to our friends, looking forward to seeing them again in April.

Ironically, the week after Bill and Marcia left, our temperatures hit all time highs in the 80's.  I started getting a cold and hoped that it wasn't the flu which has been going around. 

Sunday, we took the other 'Bears' out to The Desert Bar.  There were hundreds of people there enjoying the the warm weather.  The food was great but the lines were long.

The Desert Bar

The Three Bear Boys

As the end of the month and my visit from Gwen and Mary Ellen approached, my cold worsened.  So, the day before their arrival, and after suffering for about 10 days, I went in to the clinic in Wickenberg.  They gave me a breathing treatment, a shot and antibiotic prescription...and asked why I waited so long???  And within two days I had no symthoms; amazing.

We picked up Gwen and Mare from the airport on Tuesday afternoon and headed for the Westward again.  I picked the girls up in the morning and after a leisurely brunch, we headed to Wickenburg to check out the shops and a Mexican dinner at Anita's Cocina.

Thursday, Mare's friends, Bob and Margo from Colorado, checked in to the motel.  (I'm thinking Rande needs to be giving me a commission on all the business I'm bringing to him :)  While they visited, Gwen and I shopped at Westergreen's Pottery before heading to Quartsite to check out the flea market.  Gwen bought a gorgeous silver and coral bracelet.  Later, Rande built a fire for us in the courtyard.  Rod and Ellen joined us there for happy hour and then we grilled burgers for supper.  Nice.

After Bob and Margo left Friday morning, the 'three amigos' headed to Los Algodones, Mexico.  We had lunch and margaritas at the open-air El Paraiso Cafe'.  It was fun watching Mare 'haggling' with the vendors; not sure who won but she got some nice things.  I found it interesting how differently the vendors treated us compared to how they treated me last year when I was with Keith.  (They don't wanna mess with these women!) 

We took it easy on Saturday, driving just a few miles into the desert to the old Harquahala Mine.  Ask Mare why you shouldn't wear canvas sneakers while walking near the "Jumping Cholla" cactus.  I did warn her!

After a week of beautiful sunny days, it was overcast as we drove to Sedona on Sunday.  But, it was a nice drive, and even having been there last year, it's still awesome to see the red rocks as you enter the area.  We took the Old Bear Wallow jeep tour climbing the early stagecoach route along Schnebly Hill Rd through Bear Wallow Canyon onto the Mogollon rim with stunning views of Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon 2,000 feet below.  We had the best jeep driver, Rocky, who was funny but had a wealth of information on the area.  Later, we had a good dinner at The Barking Frog, and spent the night at Kokopelli Suites.  In the morning, we stopped at Sedona's Tlaquepaque (pronounced Tla-keh-pah-keh) Arts & Crafts Village before heading to Scottsdale to meet with my friend Carol for lunch.  It was a nice relaxing time before dropping the girls off at the airport hotel and driving back to Salome.

We did a lot this month but we had the best time sharing our Arizona experience with our friends and family.





  

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS...

I've always wanted to see Las Vegas, and since Salome is only about 230 miles to the southeast, we decided to spend our Christmas holiday there this year.

Never having been there, I went on the internet and randomly chose one of the hotels on the strip, Treasure Island, for our stay on December 24 and 25. Thankfully, we were able to check in early when we got there around 1pm.  We were on the 20th floor and had a fantastic view of the strip. At night, we could see the volcano erupting in front of The Mirage, and the many Christmas lights along the strip. 

 

 After resting a bit from the 4 hr drive we headed down to the casino to try our luck, or lack there of, on the slots.  I think we came away about even but we really didn't gamble a lot.  The hotel reservation included two dinners at their Buffet which turned out to be very good.  There was a 'make to order' pasta station and their lobster ravoli was very rich but very good.  We finished dinner just in time to take our seats at the Cirque du Soleil "Mystere" show that was playing inside our hotel. The show was really good; even Keith liked it.

On Christmas day, we took the "Hop On/Hop Off" sightseeing tour from 10 till 5:30. Unfortunately, several places that we would have liked to seen were not open (not that I blame them since it was Christmas Day).  One of the stops was the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, home of the reality TV show "Pawn Stars"  (another one of Keith's favorites). 

We watched as someone took the SkyJump, an 855 ft controlled free fall from the 108th floor of the Stratosphere Hotel Tower.  The tower is actually 1,149 ft tall and is the tallest freestanding observation tower in the US.  Two of their other rides are called 'Insanity' and 'X-Scream.'  Both have you hanging out over the edge at the top. Yikes!

Collage of Las Vegas sites
 

Glad I decided to wear sneakers cause we did a lot, a lot of walking...in and out of hotels and casinos and shops.  When we got back to the tour headquarters, we grabbed a quick bite and then returned at 6:30 for their Night tour. We sat on the top of the double decker bus and it was freezing. This was mainly a driving tour so we got to see everything again but this time it was in lights.  The fountain show at the Bellagio which was set to music reminded me of Longwood Gardens. 

We didn't get back to the room till 10 pm and we were both exhausted. The day tour driver gave us a complimentary pass to come back on Wed to see the places that had been closed, but we decided to skip it and leave because we really wanted to stop at Hoover Dam on the way home. 

Even though we left Las Vegas at 9 am, after stopping at the dam and for dinner, we didn't get back to Salome till 7pm...exhausted again. We ain't as young as we used to be!!  But, we had a great time. 

GETTING REAQUAINTED WITH LIFE IN SALOME

We arrived here Thanksgiving week and it didn't take long to get reacquainted with life in this desert town.  We chose a different site this year, along the walled perimeter of the park.  We like the site but miss the 'sunset' views from our window that we had last year.
  

Love the desert sunsets

 My goal this year was to get a little more organized than last winter; planning ahead so there are less trips to 'town' for essentials. The biggest boost to my effort is the addition of a Family Dollar store in Salome. It's like a mini Walmart, with a little bit of everything.

But, as I say this, we've already been to Quartsite, Parker, Wickenberg and Surprise on different occasions.  On one trip to Parker, we ventured out to find the "Nellie E Saloon" (Desert Bar) that is situated in the Buckskin Mountains on land that was an old mining camp.  The article I had read about the bar said that it was five miles off Rt 95...and it was...five miles of narrow dirt road with ruts and stones to navigate and the truck was covered with dust within minutes.  I felt really bad since Keith had just spent a few hours one day washing the 'travel' dirt off of it. 


Desert Bar in the distance

 


Narrow entrance to the Nellie E

The "Nellie E" was purchased in 1983 and completed 5 years later.  The inside of the saloon is unique.  It has windows that are old glass refrigerator doors, the bar stools are made of steel and they sway from side to side.  The top of the bar is brass and the ceiling is made of stamped tin.  The saloon is powered by solar energy and is stored in batteries and run through inverters.  Water was originally hauled in in a 50 gallon tank on the back of a truck, but they've since drilled a well on the grounds.  The bar is only open Sat and Sun from noon till 6, and on the day that we went, there was a band playing and quite a few patrons.

The covered walkway to the Desert Bar

Several of the friends we made last winter are here already but there are some who won't come till after Christmas, and some who have decided to check out RV resorts in the California desert this year. 

Keith's cousin Rod and his wife Ellen had hoped to be here by now but hip surgery has postponed their arrival till January.  We really enjoy their company and are glad that they will be able to make the trip.  Tony and Donna, our friends from Maine, will not head west this winter.  We'll miss the sound of their 'downeast' accent and the fun we shared with them.

So, we are excited that our Sun Valley friends, Bill and Marcia, are flying out to spend a week with us in January.  And, my BFF's Gwen and Mare are also flying out for a week later in January.  We're anxious to share some of the sights and experiences with them.  Surprisingly, Salome does have a motel, the Westward, about a mile from our park.  It has just four rooms but it's another little oasis in this desert area.

Keith and I both agree that we enjoyed the time we spent sightseeing on our trip out on Rt 40 this year.  There's so much to see in our country.  Checking off another place we haven't seen, we plan to go to Las Vegas over the Christmas holiday.   It'll make a very HAPPY NEW YEAR if we hit the jackpot!    

WE'RE HOME...HOME AWAY FROM HOME, THAT IS

We drove the final leg of our journey West yesterday, from Williams to Salome.  I tried to document our three days in Williams while we were there but our computers just weren't responding.  Williams is a quaint little town about 65 miles south of the Grand Canyon and the last Route 66 town to be bypassed with Interstate 40.  It was from here that we boarded the Grand Canyon Railway train on Saturday morning.  It was supposed to be warm, sunny and little wind.  Actually, it was cool, cloudy and windy.  But even with that said, the Canyon was majestic and beyond description.  We took the bus tour which made three stops along the South Rim.  At the last stop, we saw three long-horned sheep sitting on a narrow ledge; I have no idea how they got there.



Hopi Point
 



Mohavi Point

The hostess on our train car said that she likes to see the Canyon when the clouds pass over because it gives a different dimension to it; sometimes when the sun is very bright, the Canyon colors appear washed out.  

My thought is that we'll just have to come back again sometime.  I'd like to drive to the Canyon and use their free shuttle to visit more of the viewpoints.  But, after seeing the 'trail,' I have no desire to ride anything to the base of the Canyon!  One benefit of going in November is that it was not crowded at all.

Sunday was 'race day' again.  The last race of the season so a sad day for Mr. Bear...but the good news is 'it's only 96 days till Daytona!'  I drove to Flagstaff to see the last movie of the Twilight saga, and get what will probably be my last pedicure for the winter (a sad day for me).

Keith and Cousin Smokey in Williams
 

Our GPS has been so good throughtout our trip...until yesterday.  Don't know what it was thinking but we were on Rt 89 going in to Prescott when it told us to turn onto what appeared to be a country road.  Then another and another until we were finally on a back road that was being 'refurbished' and was scrapped down to the dirt for about a mile.  And then, we're at the top of a mountain with a one-lane switch-back road to the bottom, and a "watch for falling rocks" sign on the right...yikes!  Finally, it brought us back onto Rt 89.  I guess it was a little GPS humor, but we were even more thankful to get to Salome.



WE'RE IN ARIZONA!

We're in Holbrook, AZ in the northeastern corner, still travelling on Rt 40.  The weather has gotten warmer; in the 70's yesterday afternoon.  We took the 70 mile loop through the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest National Park.  It was a nice day for a leisurely drive through the park.


Tiponi Point in Painted Desert

Blue Mesa in Petrified Forest

At the one overlook, we stopped and got out and these two ravens came and acted like we weren't even there.  I was able to sit down within about two feet of the one before he decided that I was too close and he took off.

Today, we drove to Canyon De Chelly National Monument, 125 miles to our north.  Well, Keith actually drove and he made some remark about driving my butt across the country so what's another 250 miles (but he was smiling when he said it).  Afterward, we both agreed that it was worth the drive.

Tsegi Overlook

White House Overlook (ancient pueblos built in canyon wall and on ground)

Sliding House Overlook

Spider Rock is an 800 ft. sandstone spire

This was the first time that I've used my father's binoculars.  I was amazed at how good they are; they allowed me to see clearly to the 1000 ft canyon floor.

Tomorrow, we move on to Williams and the Grand Canyon.  Since it's about the same elevation as here, we're expecting similar cool weather.  The news is reporting temps in the 80's for the next week in the Phoenix and Salome areas.  We're both anxious to get there, settle down and enjoy the heat.






COLD FRONT IN NEW MEXICO

We've been in New Mexico since last Thursday but we really didn't get to enjoy the area because of the weather.  We're staying at Santa Fe Skies RV park that sits on a hill where you can see the city in the distance. 


Santa Fe at sunset

 They were calling for a cold front to blow in sometime on Friday but the sun was shining in the morning so we decided to drive up to Taos.  It was a nice drive with the road paralleling the Rio Grande River for part of the way. 

Rio Grande River

Picturesque country

Our first stop was the visitors center where we found out that the Taos Pueblos that we had planned to see first was closed for a funeral.  We back-tracked a little to stop at the San Francisco de Asis Church, built in 1772 and reported to be one of the most photographed and painted churches in the world.  (so naturally I had to take a picture!) 

The wind was picking up so we headed to the Rio Grande Gorge and Bridge, the second highest cantilever bridge in the U.S.  It towers 650 ft. above the river and I wasn't sure that I could walk out onto the bridge to look down but we did.

View from the bridge

We walked around the Historic District for a while but by mid afternoon the skies were getting dark and when we felt rain drops, we headed for the truck and home.

We woke Saturday morning to cold temps with 20 mph wind and 60 mph gusts...a good 'pajama day.'  They're calling for the winds to continue till Sunday afternoon.  Since Sunday is 'race day' we really didn't plan to go anywhere, and there are still strong gusts.  

We decided to stay another day so that we could go in to Santa Fe.  It's Veterans Day but I had talked with someone who said that they thought the museums would be open...wrong!  It is sunny and not to windy, and again our first stop was the visitor's center but...it was closed, as well as the New Mexico History Museum.  We decided to walk around the Historic District and get some lunch.  We walked through the Cathedral Basilica of St Frances of Assisi, established in 1610; the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum; and many of the Indian Art Galleries around the plaza. 

It definately seems that we got to New Mexico too late in the season, but one of the gallery owners told us that it was in the 60's just a week ago and this is the best time to come to miss the crowds...still a little disappointing.

EVERYTHING'S BIGGER IN TEXAS!

We pulled into the Amarillo Ranch RV Park on Wednesday afternoon.  After driving for five hours, Keith still agreed to drive another half hour to take us to Palo Duro Canyon.  This immense and wildly colorful canyon is 1000 ft deep and exposes geological formations more than 250 million years old, revealing colorful strata of red clay stone, white gypsum and yellow mudstone as well as layers of limestone and sandstone.  There are a number of these rock wall formations called Spanish skirts. 

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

'Spanish Skirt' rock formation

 

And while I don't do any of the driving, being the passenger can also be tiring sometimes.  I had planned to make dinner and relax for the evening because we will be on the road again for another five hours tomorrow.  But, when we got back from the canyon around 6 pm, I suggested that we try the local restaurant that the campground staff had suggested called "The Big Western Steak Ranch."  It's one of those places that promotes a free dinner if you can eat their 72oz. steak dinner in an hour or less.  (If you fail, you have to pay $72 for the dinner...ouch!)  We took advantage of their other promotion where they send a limo to pick you up and take you back afterward...this one's FREE!

Dining Room decorated for Christmas

 



Our limo complete with longhorn hood ornament

It was a full day but I love seeing and doing something new every day.

BLOWING THROUGH OKLAHOMA

Three hundred thirty miles west of Little Rock on I40 is Oklahoma City, OK.  As we were travelling west, the winds were blowing northeast; not good for the gas mileage (we were getting 3 to 4 miles per gallon less than normal).  We decided to spend two nights in OC to have a day to tour the area a little.

Tuesday morning we walked through the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum that takes you through the story of April 19, 1995, and the days that followed the bombing of Oklahoma City's Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. 168 people were killed in the bombing and aftermath.  Very moving.

Chairs for the dead sit on a knoll beyond the reflection pool

 

 



Bronze and glass chairs with the names of the dead

 

Later, we drove south of town to the Oklahoma National Stockyards.  As we were looking for it, Keith said that we just needed to look for train yard.  When we got there...no train yard...only trucks.  There really wasn't much to see; a lot of animal pens.  But, a friendly lady at the Stockyard Assn next door suggested that we could 'go out back, across the catwalk, and into the auction arena' since there was a live auction going on.  We did and it was fun to watch.  We could barely discern what the auctioneer was saying, and you could not tell who was bidding??

 

 

Auction

We had lunch at the local Cattlemen's Steakhouse.  This restaurant was opened in 1910, making it the city's oldest continuously operating restaurant, as well as a cultural icon.