The Jail Tree

We had such good luck with our first trip into the desert for dirt, we spent yesterday there too. Now we have buckets and buckets of dirt to pan. Keeps Doug busy!

Today we ran into Wickenburg for some groceries and discovered the Jail Tree.


This little piece of history was the method for detaining drunks and reprobates. Adobe jails were easy to escape from and because this was a gold mining area, the miners were too busy to build a normal jail. So, instead, they chained the bad guys to this old mesquite tree.


The whole town has figures like this guy to narrate the historical spots. He really looks real!

We finished our errands just as the black clouds started rolling in. The forecast is for more rain tomorrow so we'll probably just hang out at home.

There's Gold in Them Thar Hills

It's been a busy couple of days for Doug. On Sunday, he and Bill heard about a couple of mining claims that were for sale for a really great price. Since they weren't too far from here, the guys decided to take a look.

After 4 hours in the desert and through a major wash, they came to the conclusion that there was a reason that the price was so cheap. Inaccessible and not much evidence of gold! So, that idea was bagged.



But yesterday was really exciting! Doug finished panning (by machine) his dirt from our trip to Weaver's claim a few days ago. Lo and behold!


A nugget! Not a flake, not a picker.....but a real honest to goodness nugget! Our mentors Bill and Wanda were just as excited as we were. In fact, they told us that it is worth more as a nugget than it's value as gold weight. Yippee! We're on our way to being rich.....well, maybe.......lol.

We also found enough small flakes to fill the bottom of one of our little bottles. What a good bucket of dirt! Now we both have gold fever.

That was our excitement for the day. Now, we can hardly wait to go get some more dirt to pan. To the desert and beyond............

New Hobby

There's a class taught here at the park in wire wrapping jewelry. I thought it sounded interesting and Doug agreed. The only catch was.......it costs $25. So, since Doug is the meticulous perfectionist, we decided that he would learn and then teach me.


Here is his very first project. The lady provided everything needed......the cabachon, wire, tools and knowhow. I think it turned out gorgeous. It took a couple of hours for the beginning project but Doug feels confident that it could be done much quicker with a little practice.


Here's another shot of it. I hope you are as impressed as I was.

Now, we just have to get a few tools and some wire and we'll be in business. These sell really well here and I already have ideas for bracelets and rings too.

After spending the morning learning wire wrapping, Doug helped another neighbor repair the latch on her screen door. As a thank you, she gave him a couple of bottles of wine. Guess what! Doug doesn't drink wine........but I do.

Then, he spent the rest of the day working his gold dirt. A few more flakes in our gold vial!

Weavers Mining District

Another beautiful day!



Doug got his gold washing setup finished with the help of our neighbor Bill. He and his wife Wanda have been spending time in Arizona collecting gold for a number of years. They are fun people to be around and eager to share their knowledge.



With the sluice running perfectly, it was time to find some gold. First, we joined the Weaver Mining District and got a membership card. Then, the four of us drove out near the Weaver Mountains and climbed down into the wash.

While the guys dug the dirt from the sides of the wash, Wanda & I sifted the bigger rocks out of the soil and filled the buckets with dirt full of gold. (We hope) After a couple of hours, we headed back home to begin running the dirt through the sluice.

It was after dark by the time Doug finished one bucket. He brought the final black sand inside and panned it. Woohoo! We found several small flakes! There must be at least .01 worth.


The sky was beautiful as the Wolf Moon came up over the Weaver Mountains. The native Americans called the first full moon in January the Wolf Moon after the hungry wolves howling outside their village. It is sometimes known as the Old Moon or Moon After Yule. There, you've had your science lesson for the day.

Yarnell, AZ

This is a busy park with lots of activities. I went to the clubhouse to check out the library and discovered that it was time for a park jam session. The music was so good that I stayed for the entire two hours.

While I was doing that, Doug was busy with the neighbor figuring out how to make a high banker from his sluice. I think he has the gold fever!

He needed a submersible pump for the setup and we were told about a cool hardware store with excellent prices in the little town of Yarnell. So, off we went to take a ride up into the mountains to the little town of Yarnell.

There wasn't much to see in the town but the road winding straight up the mountain was a fun trip.



From the top, we could look out over the valley where our park in located. Just spectacular, the pictures don't begin to do it justice.



Doug found what he was looking for and we started back down the hill when we found a pull-out that overlooked the area. Lots more photos!

Tomorrow, we search for gold.

North Ranch

Yup, we've moved. We arrived at North Ranch Escapee Park near Congress, Arizona. It was all blue skies when we arrived on Tuesday late afternoon and by nightfall we had rain. Yesterday it was very overcast and nasty looking all day. I meant to get pictures but it reminded me of Seattle weather which is depressing.

So, this morning I'll fill you in on the last couple days.

We left Quartzsite around noon and took I-10 to Hwy 60 east, passing numerous little towns that are still cleaning up from the storm last week. Mud everywhere!



After leaving the town of Hope we saw this sign that tickled us.


And this company that had Doug howling.



We arrived at North Ranch in the late afternoon and had our choice of sites. Usually this park is plumb full but this year there's tons of room. We chose this site because there is no one parked on either side of us. Lots of room.


This is the view out of our side window......



And this is the view out of the other side. Yuck. Basically this is a full hookup parking lot. But the majority of the people here are looking for gold. Everywhere you look are dry washers and high bankers. Of course, Doug is itching to go and find some. We'll make a good team. He'll find it and I'll spend it!

Shirt Sleeve Weather Again

The last couple of days have been gorgeous. Shirt sleeve and shorts weather! Eighteen of the one hundred coaches stayed here so we spent the entire day visiting. It's so much easier to get to know someone in a small group.



That was followed by one last campfire and a glorious sunset behind the tent. One couple brought their guitar and autoharp and entertained us all evening.



This morning, the tent came down for the last time and most of us started packing up.


Doug practiced the ancient, lost art of rock stacking during his break-down duties. He's having so much fun with it, we now have several monuments around our site.


Here's one last shot of our site in the desert before we crank up that diesel engine and head east.

Zip...Two More Days Gone

Wowser! Where have the last two days gone? We've been busy visiting, eating, touring the big tent in Quartzsite, eating, enjoying the campfire, eating and some more eating. The weather has gone back to warm and sunny which really makes visiting easy. We now have so many new friends to go see in the area that we may never get out of Arizona. (just kidding) It's nice when the invitations are sincere and heartfelt.

This morning people are pulling out of here like crazy. It's only 10 am and there are only a couple dozen coaches left. We are going to stay here again tonight with a few others, then head to Congress tomorrow. I'm not sure why everyone is in such a rush to leave. They are all retired with nowhere special to be, but they are hurrying.

Back tomorrow with more exciting stuff!

Just Visiting

Another cloudy, drizzly day but with little wind. The guys spent the morning reassembling the tent for the potluck dinner this evening and reinforced it against any weather. Then they gathered for a gearhead meeting. That's where they discuss mechanical and technical problems with their solutions as well as improvements that have been accomplished.

The rest of the day was spent visiting and relaxing with no exciting happenings. The potluck was a success with three tables full of food. No matter what the weather is, we manage to eat well!

And, best of all, the weather is supposed to start improving. We are ready for some blue sky!

Tornado Warnings

We woke to ugly skies but no rain and we were hoping that maybe the worst was behind us. No such luck.

After a quick meeting in the tent, Doug & I ran to Parker for groceries just as the rain started again. There was a little water on the road, but nothing too bad. It took us a couple of hours to finish our shopping since we were out of everything and we started home about 3pm. What a difference a couple of hours makes!

The rain was pouring across the highway in small streams and large rivers. We watched carefully to see if others were making it through the water ok, then continued ourselves. In a couple of spots, it was so deep, we were blinded by the water spraying up and over the windshield. Scary!

But, we made it back home in time for the hamburger and hot dog bbq in the big tent. Doug jumped right in to help with the cooking and the rain continued. Instead of a nice gathering of people, everyone filled their plates then headed back to their own coach. The wind kicked up, blowing rain under the sides of the tent making giant puddles inside.

The storm got worse and soon someone told us that there was a tornado warning for the Quartzsite area! About that time, the tent started to give way. Straps were snapping and the whole thing was swaying. Per Doug's instructions, I hightailed it out of there and back to the coach while a few of the guys stayed to put out the bbq and take the tent down.

We never saw a tornado, but I've never been out in sustained winds like that. It was difficult to even walk (or run) back to the coach. And within 10 seconds our clothes were totally soaked.

Hopefully, tomorrow will dawn a little brighter.

Happy Late Birthday Bob!

Sorry it got away from us, but we're sending you hugs and wishes for many, many more. Who knows? Maybe next year we'll get it on the right day!

On a brighter note, there are no pictures today because I took a nose dive into the gravel and jammed my left arm pretty bad. Nothing's broken but it sure is swollen and sore. I scraped up both palms and my right knee while I was at it. Fortunately I am right handed so I can continue to type the blog! Just a little bit slower.

More and more coaches poured into the rally today. Maybe tomorrow I can get Doug to climb onto the top of the coach and get a picture of all of us. Quite a few people canceled but we still have over 100 Alpines here. It's quite a sight to see.

The weather held pretty well today. It was sunny all morning and afternoon. But the potluck broke up a little early as the clouds rolled in and a few raindrops splattered. The forecast is so bad that the potluck breakfast has been canceled in the morning. And it was announced at the happy hour that the 4 wheel jeep ride in the desert on Saturday is canceled because so many of the washes are running with water. And this is before the big storm hits tomorrow!

Still, we are having a great time seeing old friends again.

The Tent Goes Up

The day started a little brighter with a few glimpses of sunshine.


And when the guys arrived to set up the tent, the wind started blowing.


They persevered and managed to get the roof of the tent up as a few more coaches rolled in.

New people arrived all day long and Doug was busy greeting them and helping them park. By early evening, over 50 Alpines had arrived. It's still a day early and almost 1/3 of the group is here.


Then the skies opened up and the wind tried to take the tent into the next county. Fortunately, Doug and a couple of the guys were inside to add dozens of bungee type cords to batten it down. You can't tell from this picture, but by dark, the ground was covered with small lakes and the washes were looking like rivers.

Except for a short happy hour in the tent, everyone stayed in their rigs.

Change in the Weather

Holey Mackerel! The storm that hit southern California arrived last night and our blue skies disappeared. About bedtime, we heard the pitter pat of raindrops on the roof and then a downpour. For a minute I thought we were back in Seattle.

We woke to gray, cloudy skies and wild winds whipping at our outdoor carpet. Doug has it staked down but he made a trip farther into the desert to gather big rocks as anchors.

Several more Alpines arrived today and Doug had fun helping people get parked and making new friends. We are going to have fun in spite of this weather. There's some really hilarious people in this group.


One of Doug's favorite people set up his own power post along with sewer and water. It sure turns people's heads when they see that out here in the middle of nowhere. Doug can hardly wait to make one of his own.

Tonight, we found out several of the southern California people will not be able to make it to this rally. The storm has caused flooding problems all over the area. It's really too bad after all of the beautiful weather we've had for it to change this week.

Maybe tomorrow will be better.......tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow, you're only a day away. (Thanks Annie)

Back in the Desert Again

Our week at the Arizona Sunset RV Park was up today, so we filled the water tank and dumped the grey and black tanks and backtracked to Quartzsite.

We are out in the desert just a little ways away from where we were a week ago. Only the views are very different. The desert is absolutely loaded with rvs of every shape and size. We have seen two man pup tents and campers all the way up to a million dollar Prevost.


There are about a zillion rallies going on out here with some large groups. I don't think we would be here if it wasn't for our own rally. Too many people! And dust!



As you can see from the photo, the weather is still perfect. Since we are a couple days early for the gathering, we have no neighbors yet. But, by Wednesday, I'm sure we'll be surrounded by lots of Alpine Coaches.

The Missing Weeks

Ok.....to backtrack a little in our travels. About the time that the computer refused to start, we were in Desert Hot Springs, CA. The park is a Western Horizons park and the pictures of it are on the dead computer. Hopefully I will be able to rescue them.

After a week at Desert Pools, we headed to Palm Springs Thousand Trails in Palm Desert, CA.


We have stayed at this park several times and while it is a little crowded, the price is right (free) and we always meet friends from the past.


This time, Doug spent an afternoon with our good friends Clyde and Jeri assembling their new bikes.

Following our week and a half there, the next stop was the Colorado River Oasis in Ehrenberg, AZ. It felt good to be back in Arizona!



This is a great park with lots of room in the ample sites. Plus, the park was less than half full.


A short walk took us right to the Colorado River.



We especially enjoyed this funny looking duck. I've never seen a duck with a top knot like this.

After our week in Ehrenberg, we decided to do some boondocking. One of our favorite spots is north of Quartzsite, just off of Plomosa Road.


When we arrived on December 29, we pretty much had the desert to ourselves. The days were sunny and warm.......



and the sunsets were spectacular. We spent our days relaxing with me reading every book in the coach (still no computer) and Doug picking up rocks. (surprise, surprise) The swap meets in Quartzsite caught our attention a couple of times and it was fun to wander through the sales pitches. We did end up buying a new water pump when ours quit working.

We also took a day trip to Bouse, which was a big nothing. And drove to Parker a couple of times for groceries. We even celebrated New Year's Eve in the middle of the desert.

One evening, we had a visit from my son Mick and his fiance Adrianna, along with their three boxers. That filled the coach!

Eleven days off the grid, we desperately needed to get back to civilization and a full hookup park. Unfortunately, this time of year, there are no vacancies on short notice at any park in the area. We finally found a park in Salome that is in our budget and acceptable.


Actually, it's a very small park in Salome with mostly semi-permanent rvs but the Arizona Sunset RV Park is perfect for our immediate needs. Those needs being...lots of water and electricity for laundry. At the two week mark in the desert, we are completely out of clean clothes and our water tank is empty as well as our black and gray tanks being full.

The residents here are friendly without being intrusive and we'll be ready to head back to the desert near Quartzsite for some more boondocking with our Alpine Coach Rally buddies.

We did take some time to get back into geocaching again.


We found the Sandstone Mushroom geocache .......



The founder of Salome, Dick Wick Hall memorial geocache.....


And the NRV (No Real Value) geocache near the Harquahala Gold Mine which is now defunct. We have managed to keep busy since Doug loves to drive in the desert.......where there aren't any roads.......and lots of deep washes.........to use the four wheel drive.

So, now you are caught up with us. We'll be leaving Salome soon and we'll keep you posted every day (almost) with our adventures. Happy trails!

My Apologies, Dear Friends

We haven't gone into hiding. Or fallen off the face of the earth. Or disappeared into the sunset. We aren't ignoring you. Or forgetting you. Or pretending you don't exist. We haven't quit caring. Or loving. Or being your family and friend.

We've just had a break, I guess you could say. Partly from the lack of a computer (now remedied), partly from not realizing how much you cared (definitely remedies) and partly from laziness. (no cure) Soooooo......

We promise to be more attentive to you! The blog will go on. Even when there isn't much to tell you and even when we are being boring and even when life gets in the way.

Later today I will play catch up with our travels along with pictures (a few) and an updated map. Stay tuned! We're baaaaaaaaaack!

The Black Screen of Death

I sat down to compose a blog post and without warning, my computer stopped. And, it won't turn on. We've tried everything and it's just gone. So, now, Doug and I are sharing his computer until I an afford a new one.

His computer runs Vista which I detest and haven't fully figured out yet, so it might be a few days before I can load pictures. It's funny how accustomed one becomes to a certain program or operating system and how diffiult it can be to start anew. But, we won't desert you. I will keep posting as best I can.

The weather here has turned awful. Yesterday, it rained (hard) all.....day......long. There was snow in the passes, including the one we traversed three days ago. And the Grapevine pass was totally closed due to snow and icy conditions. Then last night, the winds started shaking and rocking the coach. I know it's December, but I thought the weather was supposed to nice here in southern California.

Hopefully, we'll get a little break today so we can do some sightseeing.

Desert Hot Springs

It sure is easy to get moving early when we only spend the night at a park. The car is hooked up, very few items inside the coach need to be put away and we are both anxious to go.

So, we were on the road by 10am. Unfortunately, it was the wrong road. By the time we discovered it, we were halfway to California City and there was nowhere to turn around with a 40 foot coach hauling a car behind.

I quickly checked Google maps of the area and found that if we just continued through California City, the road would bend south back to highway 58, which is the one we wanted. Thanks to Google, I discovered that California City was intended to be bigger than Los Angeles when it was first developed. But, no one moved there and it never quite became the dream city that was intended. Still, it is the third largest city in California, geographically. The Google earth website shows miles and miles of crumbling roads that were never finished for developments that never happened.

After finally getting back on track, it was as easy drive to I-10 and then east to Desert Hot Springs. The sun was shining and it was 75 degrees. Nice!

Our reservations were at an ROD park called Desert Pools. It's a nice park but everyone is packed in like sardines.



The neighbors are really nice. On one side are Bob and Terry in their Teton Homes 5th wheel. Bob and Doug got to visiting and the next thing I knew, they were off to shoot pool in the clubhouse.

After their fun, Doug came back to take me for a tour of the facilities. Their are three small pools that are each heated from the natural hot springs in this area. Each is set at a different temperature and delightful. The big swimming pool is also heated and like bathwater.


Inside the clubhouse are the pool room, a terrific lending library with half finished puzzles on every table, an e-mail room for computers, a card room and a large dining room. There are activities and meals all day long at this park.


Every time we step out of the coach, people stop to visit. I can see Doug isn't going to get to any of our projects at this stop.

Sierra Trails in Mojave

Whew....that was a long day of driving. We left San Benito TT in Paicines, CA late in the morning and backtracked to I-5. From there it was 130 miles south on some boring, raggedy highway lanes. I suppose I-5 should be called a freeway but it has become so poorly maintained that I think the side roads would be safer.

We left I-5 at Buttonwillow and drove east through Bakersfield then across Tehachapi Pass to the outskirts of Mojave. All of the windmills were going full blast and the smog was almost choking us until we made it across the pass.

The park we chose for just one night was Sierra Trails RV Park. We had stayed there on our way back to Washington last spring and we knew it was not fancy, but was fine for overnighting. And the best part is it's part of the Passport America club which is half price camping.


The pull thru sites are located in the back of the park and are dirt. Still, they are level, have water and electric, picnic tables on a concrete pad and safe. Works for us!

It's still getting very cold at night (high 30's) so we will continue east in search of some heat tomorrow.

Reminders

After a quick run back to Paicines to pick up our mail, we took some time to start putting things away for our departure tomorrow. While Doug was outside emptying tanks and cleaning up, a neighbor stopped by to visit and invite us to an informal seminar called RV 101 that he does at each park where he and his wife stay.

Of course we agreed to join them at the clubhouse in the evening and what a pleasant surprise it turned out to be. Fred has obviously spent a lot of time and money preparing this rving seminar with handouts and booklets and door prizes. There were three couples and three singles in attendance, so it was laid back and comfortable.

Fred began with a discussion on the importance of checking electrical components starting with choosing a campsite to maximize your electrical power and minimize your electrical problems. He showed us the tools that he uses for testing and some of the disasters that have been averted.

Following the section on electricity, he spoke about fire safety and protection which lead into a warning about rv refrigerators being one of the major sources of fire.

It was well worth our time, even though we were aware of most of the information. But we came away with some new ideas as well as some reminders of how easy it is to become complacent with the equipment and lifestyle. Rving isn't all pretty sunsets and fun and games. There is a lot of maintenance and problems that constantly need to be addressed.

The other thing we came away with was.............a door prize! I won!

Running Ourselves Ragged

Wow, what a busy day we had! We are leaving this park on Thursday and decided to run all of our errands in one trip.

Our first stop was in the big city of Salinas. It's actually a good size city and had just about anything we could need. We found the UPS office where we picked up some packages that couldn't be delivered, then headed to the nearby Jeep dealership that we had spotted.

Doug has been having trouble with his key fob and we needed to check the prices on having the oil changed and the blower for the heater/air conditioner quit working too. The quote we were given in the service shop took our breath away. So, we drove to a Kragens Auto Parts on the other side of town and bought a couple quarts of oil. We'll worry about the rest when our ship comes in................still waiting..........

A smoke shop was next on the list, followed by a recycling center to get rid of a sack of smashed pop cans. (Recycling pays very well in California if you can find some place that takes them.)

Finally, we headed to Gilroy where our favorite Super Walmart is located. Groceries are always on our errands list, but Doug was looking for a swim noodle that he could cut up and use to steady the speakers that are mounted above the dashboard in the coach. Well, there aren't too many swim toys in the stores in December.

But, across the street was a Lowes. There we found some foam pipe wrap which will work perfectly.

We were still a half hour drive away from home and needed to get to the Paicines post office to pick up our mail from South Dakota. Then we saw a roadside fruit stand with some really good prices posted on handmade signs. Of course we had to stop. Doug found mushrooms for $1.99 a pound and they had a terrific selection of garlic related spices, rubs and sauces. Gilroy is the garlic capital of the world.

At 5 minutes to 5, we arrived at the post office to see a closed sign. This little tiny post office behind the grocery store/restaurant is the entire town of Paicines. And they close at 3:30 in the afternoon. Oh well, we'll get our mail tomorrow.

I love it when we are so efficient and attend to all our errands in one day. (almost)

Late, But Online

I'm a little late posting today because I have been online following the Cyber Monday sales. And what I've found is, unless you are shopping for computers and high end stuff, there aren't a lot of bargains.

I'm hoping that most of the stores will be extending their sales throughout the month of December and offering free shipping because I don't do mall shopping anymore.

And, it's difficult having items shipped when you move every week or so. It's important to know where you are going or how long you will be in one spot. I guess if that's the worst thing we have to worry about, our life is pretty good.

Life in the Fast Lane

Life in the fast lane sure doesn't apply to us! In fact, it's been totally opposite. Blogging becomes difficult when the days sort of run together.

The park is very quiet with an occasional dog walker passing by and a glimpse of the local bobcat.


We've been playing on the computers, watching a little tv, reading and working on a few small projects. It's very easy to be lazy.


Doug found some time to sort rocks and get them ready for the tumbler while the turkey carcass is boiling. I'm about turkeyed out for a few days. Turkey pot pies, turkey sandwiches, turkey with pasta........please no more turkey for a while.

I guess that's our wild and crazy life in the fast lane.

The Aftermath

Mmmmm.....we had a good dinner yesterday. After I thawed our turkey all night, Doug carved off the legs, wings, and thighs. They are in the freezer for another day. So, we just cooked the turkey breast in the convection oven....covered in bacon.


Does that look good or what? Then the real mess started. Doug made turkey pot pies from scratch as well as a huge mess. There was flour everywhere and I think every kitchen utensil and bowl and pan was used.


But the finished product was so tasty, I didn't even mind cleaning up after him. And we have tons of leftovers too!


Now.....on to Christmas!

Happy Turkey Day

A very happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

We took a trip to the local Safeway in search of a small turkey. Ha! There's no such thing as a small turkey.

But, Safeway had their turkeys, up to 16 pounds, for $6.77. Since we were paying the same for a large bird versus a small one, guess which one we opted for. Yup the big one.


We ended up with one that is almost 15 pounds and frozen. If we want to eat turkey, he better take a cold bath.


Sure hope it fits in the convection oven!

We hope you all have a fine day filled with friends, loved ones and hungry people. Thank you for being our friends and loved ones. And if you're in the neighborhood.....stop by for dinner!