Monthly Archives: January 2018

California, Arizona – 2018

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As we did last year, we are planning to spend a couple months in California and Arizona to participate in a few rally’s and enjoy some of the Arizona weather. Our current plans are as follows:

 

 

The following is our planned route:

 

January 2, 2018 – Tuesday – On the Road
And we’re off! Left the storage unit just after 9:00. Mostly overcast with peaks of sun. No traffic or weather problems along the way. Arrived at Seven Feathers Casino in Canyonville, OR, about 4:30 and parked in their free dry-lot. Unpacked then went to the casino for the M-W $9.99 buffet special. The food was good but nothing exciting. After a long day we were in bed by 8:00.

January 3, 2018 – Wednesday – On the Road
Laurie was up at 4:15 and went to the casino/hotel to use their WiFi to do some Fluke work. Pat joined him later with her computer. Internet was slow but there was free juice and coffee to go with biscochos. Wednesday is Ladies Day at the casino and Pat got $10 in free slot play. (Thursdays seniors get $10 in free slot play.) Walked away with $7.50 but then bought earrings in the gift shop for $16! Headed out at 11:15. Mostly cloudy day with some sun and fog thrown in. Dry pavement so no problems in the mountains. Boondocked in the free truck lot at Rolling Hills Casino in Corning, CA. We couldn’t put any slides out but managed fine. It was quiet overnight despite being packed with trucks and RV’s. The casino had free coffee and fountain drinks. Their breakfast and dinner buffet looked very good but we didn’t eat there. Regular prices are $10.95 and $17.95, but T and TH seniors get half off. We’ll have try to it on the return trip!

January 4, 2018 – Thursday – On the Road
Sat at coffeee shop, and had free coffee in the casino, then filled our Thermos cups and hit the road at 8:00. A gray, rainy start to the day. The weather improved as we went south and by late morning we were in warm sunshine. Our stopping point for the day was at Tachi Palace Casino in Lemoore, CA, which is in the middle of nowhere. There are farms around and the scent of cows in the air. The casino was huge and surprisingly had a lot of people gambling given its location. There didn’t appear to be any great buffet deals and no free coffee or beverages.  We parked in the back lot with a few other RV’s and trucks.

January 5, 2018 – Friday – On the Road
It was quiet overnight. It was a sunny morning with a few scattered clouds. It only took about 2 ½ hours to get to our next stop, Orange Grove RV Park in Bakersfield, CA. It’s a well maintained park with

Oranges!

orange trees in-between each RV site as well as around the perimeter of the park. The trees were loaded with oranges and free for the picking. We picked a few to try. They were navel oranges and were very sweet and juicy. The park has a spot to park your RV or car to wash it which we did, although the water left lots of spots when it dried.

January 6, 2018 – Saturday – Orange Grove RV Park, Bakersfield, CA
Hazy morning. We walked around the park and enjoyed the free coffee and donuts that were available in the office. Since the oranges turned out to be so yummy we picked a couple bags worth. We then walked to a placed called California Fruit Depot about ½ mile away. They had lots of free samples of dried fruits and vegetables, nuts, olives, honey, etc. We bought some dates and dried mixed veggies. We turned in early since we want to leave around 6:00 am.

January 7, 2018 – Sunday – On the Road
Early start just after 6:00. It was pitch black out, foggy, and a bit rainy at times. It started clearing up after 1 ½ hours and the sun started coming up. It was a beautiful sunrise with a few clouds and wisps of fog wound around the mountains.  We arrived at the Indio Fairgrounds about 10:30. All the “Beaver” coaches were led to the same parking area, and we were settled in by 1:00. The Beavers had an appetizer pot luck (we brought deviled eggs) in the gathering spot a couple coaches away. All the food was delicious and we met some nice people. I think everyone was tired from a day of traveling because everyone started back to their coaches about 6:30. We spent some time reading but were in bed by 8:30.

January 8, 2018 – Monday – Indio, CA
A cloudy start with a few drops of rain. We went to Walmart and Costco, then did some things around the coach. We attended a 1:00 meeting for security volunteers. The sun peeked out briefly in the afternoon then went back to spotty rain.

It did make it into the low 70’s by mid-afternoon. Mom and Dad called to wish Pat a happy birthday and get updates on what we were up to. Pat made some tortellini pasta salad to take to the 5:30 Beaver lobster boil held in one of the buildings on the fairgrounds. In addition to the lobster everyone brought sides and desserts to share. The food was delicious and we had some nice conversations with the people around us. Back to the coach where we called Robin, Daniel, and Nicole. We relaxed a bit before turning in early, which seems to be the norm these days.

January 9, 2018 – Tuesday – Indio, CA
It rained most the night – heavy at times. A mixed bag today – scattered light showers in the morning, some sun in the early afternoon, back to clouds mid-afternoon, and then high winds late afternoon. We drove to Starbucks as we had some free deals that were expiring. We each got a coffee and then shared a breakfast sandwich along with oranges and cookies back at the coach. We didn’t have any volunteer assignments today so we just relaxed in the coach. Tonight the FMCA hosted a dinner (pulled pork sandwiches) for all volunteers so we went to that. There are hundreds of volunteers so it was a huge group. Back at the coach we started watching the series called “Fringe” which is sort of a sci-fi mystery. There are 99 episodes so that will be our go-to show to watch for a while.

January 10, 2018 – Wednesday – Indio, CA
Today started coffee and donuts 7-9 each morning through Sunday.

Of course we went and enjoyed a donut, some good conversations with fellow Beavers, and filled our Thermos containers with coffee. Not much is open at the rally yet today but we wandered around before starting our volunteer shifts at 2:00 and 2:30 manning doors to make sure only authorized people entered. A sunny, warm afternoon. Dinner tonight was a crock pot potluck in the gathering area. It was our assigned night and we made ziti (pasta, sauce, and lots of cheese). There was salad, lots of crock pot main courses, several desserts, and ice cream. Back to the RV to watch some more Fringe.

January 11, 2018 – Thursday – Indio, CA
We got an early start on this sunny day and went over for coffee and donuts just after 7:00. Afternoon temperatures are in the 70’s and very pleasant but overnight into the early morning it’s very chilly in the lower to mid-50’s. We walked through the vendor booths today, shopping for a water de-ionizer and signing up to have our tow bar checked out by Blue Ox. After relaxing a bit we headed out to our volunteer jobs, which only ended up lasting 20 minutes due to the vendors closing up for the day. There was another crock pot potluck tonight for the second half of the alphabet. Again all the food was very good and we had some good conversations. We weren’t too interested in tonight’s entertainment so we went back to watch some Fringe episodes.

January 12, 2018 – Friday – Indio, CA
Started the morning with coffee and donuts where we had coffee with Curtis Coleman, founder of “RVillage“, a site where RVers can find out where other RVers are staying and connect with them. He had a lot of interesting information on various RV related subjects. Turns out that he used to be a singer with the New Christy Minstrels (“Green, Green” and “This Land is Your Land”), and he was also a guitar player for Carole King. We revisited some vendor booths, had lunch, and went to an ice cream social. Then Pat went to a Ladies Social where they had a guest speaker (boring), and Laurie went to a seminar on RV park operations (interesting). Today Blue Ox came to service our tow bar and make sure everything was working properly. Dinner at the Beaver gathering place was salad and pizza. We went to tonight’s entertainment which was Brad Zinn, a comedy impressionist. He was pretty good and imitated such people as Johnny Carson, George Burns, Groucho Marx, and Will Rogers.

January 13, 2018 – Saturday – Indio, CA
We grabbed coffee and quickly ate donuts then we were off to Home Depot and Walmart. We visited a couple of vendors at the show, then we did our volunteer security 11-2 manning a gate making sure that only people with badges came onto the fairgrounds. It was 80 degrees out and sunny but someone brought us some ice cream around noon. We decided to give In-n-Out Burger a try for dinner since the pot luck tonight was leftovers and snacks. The place was extremely busy inside and at the drive-up and it was only 4:00! They have a very limited menu of burgers, fries, milkshakes, and beverages. Despite the long lines it only took about 15 minutes to get our food. There was a large, fast-moving staff in the kitchen with each person assigned a specific task. The burgers were yummy but the fries were average. Every eat-in seat was filled. Two cheeseburgers and two generous orders of fries ran $9.90. Tonight’s entertainment was Raymond Michael, an Elvis tribute performer. His voice was wonderful, sounded a lot like Elvis, and he sang many outstanding songs – although is movements could use some work. In between songs he gave some background information about the songs and other interesting Elvis tidbits rather than staying in character as Elvis. This performance ended the rally. They said that almost 900 RV’s attended.

January 14, 2018 – Sunday – Indio, CA & Ehrenberg, AZ
Even though the rally is over, they provided coffee and donuts one last time. Laurie had some things to do around the RV and Pat took laundry to a laundromat about a block away. We were packed up and left the fairgrounds around noon then headed to Arizona. We arrived at River Breeze RV Park about 3:00 local time. (AZ is an hour ahead of the west coast so it was only a 2 hour drive). The park is nice. It’s right on the Colorado River which is the dividing line between AZ and CA. There are a lot of ATV’s at the park as there is a big ATV area nearby so it can get a little noisy at times. We have friendly neighbors from Calgary that we spent some time visiting with. It was a quiet evening and we watched some more Fringe episodes.

January 15, 2018 – Monday – Ehrenberg, AZ
A quiet but chilly morning. The temperature got down to the mid-40’s but then it warmed up to the low 70’s. Today is just a day to relax, do a little cleaning, and catch up online since we now have Internet (even though it’s very slooooooow). Better than nothing!

Stars over Quartzsite

January 16, 2018 – Tuesday – Ehrenberg, AZ & Quartzsite, AZ
In preparation for not having hook-ups starting later today, this morning we made an appetizer to bring this evening, dessert to bring tomorrow evening, and did a last load of laundry. Took off around 12:00 for Quartzsite which was only about 40 minutes away. Our “Beaver” group is parked about 8 miles outsides of town in the desert area called Road Runner. We’re parked facing south so we can see sunrises and sunsets out the sides of the coach. Today was spent getting settled in, registration, a “heavy” appetizer pot luck dinner, and sitting around a campfire. We can’t stress enough how wonderful all the people we meet are. Some are for the first time and others we’ve met at past rallies. People are from all over the country. Some from the next town over in Everett, WA, all the way to New Hampshire. We returned to our coach about 7:00 to watch a couple of episodes of Fringe before we turned in.

January 17, 2018 – Wednesday – Quartzsite, AZ

Tom & Linda from Redding, PA

A chilly but beautiful, sunny start to the day. It was our turn to help out with breakfast so we started early organizing then serving the food. Today was French toast, scrambled eggs, and ham. More good conversation until 10:00 when Laurie went off to a Maintenance Roundtable seminar and Pat headed back to the coach. We drove into town in the afternoon to wonder around the booths that were already set up across the street from the big tent which opens Saturday. Bought a step cover, a visor for Pat, and a coupon of small tools for Laurie. Relaxed at the coach a bit then headed over for dinner which started out as a salad bar then pulled pork sandwiches, cole slaw, and baked beans were served. There was also a dessert bar with a wide assortment of items from the people assigned to bring dessert today. We brought Nicole’s Cheese Bars. We’ve spent a lot of time chatting with our table neighbors, Tom and Linda Binder from Reading, PA. After dinner we sat around the campfire for a little while before going in to watch some more Fringe. Before turning in Laurie went out to take some pictures of the stars. It was a bit hazy but directly overhead you could see an amazing amount of stars.

January 18, 2018 – Thursday – Quartzsite, AZ
A repeat of yesterday’s chilly, sunny morning. It warms up nicely the higher the sun gets. Today’s breakfast was biscuits and sausage gravy, and scrambled eggs. Laurie and Tom (see above entry) headed into town about 9:30 to visit a fellow Beaver’s (Dave Atherton) diagnostic shop. He was holding a workshop on CAT engines. Laurie said it was interesting but after about 3 hours they decided to leave. Pat hung out at the RV reading, organizing recipes, etc. We were on our own for dinner so we relaxed in the coach then made some Trader Joe frozen paella for dinner. Tom and Linda came over for a tour of our coach then we headed out to the campfire for a while. It wasn’t as cold as it has been but we called it a night when the wind shifted and we started getting hit with smoke.

January 19, 2018 – Friday – Quartzsite, AZ
Not quite as chilly this morning – sunny and low 50’s. We had a filling breakfast of pancakes, sausage patties, and scrambled eggs. It tastes better outdoors in the sunshine, especially when you don’t have to prepare it! Today we drove to Parker, AZ, about 40 miles away to shop at Walmart and Safeway to stock up for tomorrow’s departure. We took a walk in the desert before dinner, which was a salad bar including grilled chicken, followed by a

dessert bar. There was a gospel singing entertainer after dinner but we opted to go back to the RV to relax and watch Fringe.

January 20, 2018 – Saturday – Quartzsite AZ, and Imperial Dam AZ/CA
Another beautiful morning after a very windy night. Breakfast consisted of leftovers from previous breakfasts. After breakfast we packed up the coach, then walked around to say our good-byes, mainly to Tom and Linda as well as Jeff and Kathy. We left about 10:30 heading south. After passing through the Yuma Proving Grounds, we arrived at the Imperial Dam area which is about 40 minutes from Yuma, AZ. This area has what is referred to as dispersed parking. You pay a fee and basically park wherever you want in the desert. Since a government shutdown started this morning we didn’t have to pay a fee, but may have to later. After much driving around in our tow car, we ended up in an area called the NW Territories where everyone is pretty spread out. We have a wonderful view of the desert and surrounding mountains. The area we are in (Winterhaven) is actually in California. It’s very windy today so we won’t have much of a chance to explore until tomorrow – although during our drive we saw 2 local residents, wild burros! During our travels and getting settled we exchanged texts and pictures with Tom and Linda of our respective locations. They are south of Palm Springs in Thermal in a nice looking park called Oasis Palms. A relaxing evening watching Fringe.

January 21, 2018 – Sunday – Imperial Dam AZ/CA
The day started out a chilly 44 degrees but made it into the low 60’s and was sunny but breezy. After all our travels and rally activities we must have been really tired because as soon as we had breakfast and stopped moving we both took long morning naps. In the afternoon we wondered around the open desert area in front of our RV. It mostly resembled a barren moonscape – brown, grey, dusty, and lots of rocks. There were areas of shrubs hanging on for dear life in areas you could tell water flows through occasionally. The outlines and shadowing of the surrounding mountains were very pretty, though. We saw signs that burros visited the area but a man we chatted with (from NE Washington) said if they come through it’s usually at night. We made fajitas for dinner then relaxed listening to music, watching the sunset, and watching some more Fringe.

January 22, 2018 – Monday – Imperial Dam AZ/CA
This morning we caught the tail end of a fiery sunrise. We also saw a lone burro off in the distance

Lupita’s Shrimp/Fish Tacos – Yummy!

wandering the area in front of the RV. Today’s adventure was a trip across the border to Los Algodones, Mexico. We paid $6 to park in a parking lot on the US side then walked into Mexico. The town is known for inexpensive dental work, medicines, liquor, vanilla, and eye glasses. There are also an incredible amount of locals selling their various wares including metal sculptures, leather goods, painted pottery and wood items, jewelry, and blankets. Walking by the shops was like walking a gauntlet with sellers trying to interest you in their items or hawkers trying to direct you to a particular business. Everyone had their spiel. Many sellers pointed out how nice Laurie’s camera was. Then when we passed them again they all remembered him by his camera and said something along the line of, “It’s you again!” We bought some inexpensive vanilla (34 ounces for $3.50) which we’ll give a try. We also bought tacos from a cart called “Lupita’s Shrimp & Fish Tacos”. We had one of each type and they were delicious and the ingredients were very fresh. There was a little enclosed courtyard nearby where we stopped to eat them. (Only $4 for the 2 tacos.) Right after we bought ours a long line formed of people waiting to order so it must be a well-known place. It was a very unique town to visit! We ended a wonderful day with some episodes of Fringe and ice cream.

January 23, 2018 – Tuesday – Imperial Dam AZ/CA
Another cold but sunny start to the day. A mostly lazy day mostly reading. We did drive around the desert this afternoon, stopping a couple of times to get out and explore the area, taking pictures and rock hunting. We watched more episodes of Fringe in the evening.

January 24, 2018 – Wednesday – Imperial Dam AZ/CA
It was sunny once again but just chilly rather than cold. It did make it to 75 degrees in the afternoon. On the way here from Quartzsite the tow car windshield was hit by a rock and got a small crack so the first order of the day was a visit to Safelite in Yuma for a new windshield. While that was being done we wandered around. Laurie got a haircut ($12) at a place called “Goodfellas” which had a gangster/Mob theme. Posters of movies/shows such as The God Father, Goodfellas, Sapranos, and Scarface lined the walls as well as a huge hand painted mural of various gangster. Then we had breakfast in an old fashioned diner-type restaurant called Bubba’s BBQ. Laurie had a sampler of eggs, hash browns, 3 kinds of meat, and an English muffin. Pat had Eggs Rancheros. Everything was delicious, the portions large, the coffee good, and it only came to just over $21. Once the car was ready we went to Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park in Yuma. The prison was open from 1876 until 1909 and held 3,069 prisoners. We went on a very interesting guided tour ($8 each). From everything we saw and learned, it sounded like an awful place to spend any amount of time. On the way back we stopped at Imperial Date Gardens and had our first date shakes, which are popular in southern AZ as well as CA. It was rich, extremely creamy, and delicious! At only $2.50 it was a bargain! Back to the RV for some downtime after a busy day.

Yuma Proving Grounds

January 25, 2018 – Thursday – Imperial Dam AZ/CA
A mostly sunny but hazy day with the temperature reaching the mid-70’s. We spent several hours exploring around the Yuma Proving Grounds (YPG). This area came about the necessity to train America’s rapidly expanding Army for WWII. After getting clearance for passes, we first visited an area called “The Big Guns”. It’s an outdoor are full of tanks, Howitzers, and rocket launchers, most from the WWII era, many having been tested at the YPG. Next we stopped to look at an odd looking helicopter but don’t have further information on it. While we were outside we could occasionally hear a distant boom from something being tested. Then we visited the U.S. Army YPG Heritage Center which had exhibit galleries guiding us through over 70 years of the YPG’s history. Some subjects covered were WWII (including the German and Japanese surrenders), the Vietnam War, concentration camps, 9/11, and lots of weapons and equipment. It was all very interesting and informative. We started getting the RV ready to depart early in the morning, then watched some more Fringe.

January 26, 2018 – Friday – Imperial Dam AZ/CA & Cochise Terrance RV Park, Benson, AZ
After a very windy night we departed as soon as it brightened up outside – about 7:30am. It was a long drive through desert with some scattered mountains. We stopped for gas and propane which put us in Benson about 2:00. It seems like a very nice park and all the staff are helpful and friendly. We have a wide gravel site (204) that backs to a natural wash area. They serve dinner 5 nights a week and breakfast on Saturdays in a building called “The Barn”. It’s a set menu with the price usually being $5 but since it’s our first night here we got coupons to eat for free. It was an Asian themed meal including drinks and dessert and was very good – especially for the price! We sat with a couple from Toronto but who are originally from Holland. In addition to RVing in the US they also go on a lot of cruises and it was interesting talking to them. Another evening watching Fringe.

January 27, 2018 – Saturday – Benson, AZ
A sunny, cloudless, cold (37 degrees) start to the morning but it warmed up to almost 70 by the afternoon. That is pretty much the forecast for the future except getting a little warmer each day. We’re sitting at 4,100 feet above sea level so the temperatures are a bit cooler than lower areas. Due to the higher altitude we noticed a few things on the RV that inflated a bit because of the air pressure – our adjustable Sleep Number bed and the bottles of laundry products so far. We spent most the day doing laundry, cleaning inside, planning some day outings, and doing odd jobs. More Fringe in the evening.

January 28, 2018 – Sunday – Benson, AZ
The blog may get a bit boring at times since the weather stays pretty much the same and many of our days will be spent hanging out at the RV, such as today. We did walk around the park but mainly did things inside the RV and ended the day with our usual Fringe watching. (Just finished the 2nd season.)

January 29, 2018 – Monday – Benson, AZ
We drove around Benson, visiting the Walmart for a few things. There’s a Safeway, an Ace Hardware, some fast food places (McD’s, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, KFC, etc.), lots of small local businesses, and that’s about it. All surrounded by desert and pretty mountains. Another day that ended with Fringe episodes.

January 30, 2018 – Tuesday – Benson, AZ
We spent most of today washing the RV and car. A vey tiring project but they look so much better now without all the desert/travel grime. More Fringe.

January 31, 2018 – Wednesday – Benson, AZ
Up early to see the Super Blue Blood Moon Eclipse. It was amazing to see. The lighting made the moon look very three dimensional and foreign hanging in the dark sky. Laurie waxed half the RV and Pat investigated port activities for future cruises. Every day we spend some time reading, on computers, and watching Fringe.

February 1, 2018 – Thursday – Benson, AZ
The moon still looking amazing this morning but it was back to bright white instead of reddish. Today we visited Kartchner Caverns which is just a few minutes away. We chose to take the “Big Room” tour ($23 – there is also a Rotunda/Throne Room tour) at 8:45am. About 16 of us and 2 tour guides boarded a tram for a short drive uphill to the entrance of the cavern. You can’t bring anything into the caverns – purses, phones, cameras, water bottles, etc. (Note: due to these restrictions, the attached photos were not taken by us). As we enter the caverns, we went through an air lock area that blew moist air that was to remove any loose material that might be on us. Then we walked through another air lock with a spray mist that was supposedly to help make anything else that was still on us stay there. After another air lock we finally arrived at the cavern. The cavern is always about 72 degrees and 98-99% humidity so it is always very warm and sticky. Entering was like going into a fairyland that’s hard to take in because there are wondrous sights in all directions! So many different types of formations – tiny to huge! Our guide was James (assisted by Judy) and he gave tons of interesting information. The Big Room is actually closed mid-April through October when it becomes a bat nursery for 1,000-2,000 bats.

They clean the cavern before the April shutdown then again in October once the bats migrate south before they open again for tours. There’s just too much to cover here in the blog but you can find more information and pictures online. After the tour we hiked a trail that circles the caverns through the surrounding desert areas. We probably hiked 3+ miles over rough terrain with no shade. Pat’s recurring comment was “Oh my gosh” – voiced many times at the start of the uphill portions. It was very tiring but we made it!

February 2, 2018 – Friday – Benson, AZ
Just hung out at the RV today. Laurie finished waxing the RV and added in some LED lighting. Pat did laundry and made potato soup in the Instant Pot. It was a beautiful sunset this evening. The cloud formations made it look a bit like flames in the sky.

February 3, 2018 – Saturday – Benson, AZ
Another day at the RV. Laurie waxed the car and Pat investigated some cruise ports, and that’s about it. (Told you the blog would get boring at times!)

February 4, 2018 – Sunday – Benson, AZ
Today’s excitement was doing laundry and a trip to Safeway! Although we did buy frozen Gino’s East Deep Dish Pizza and Home Run Inn Pizza to try. A taste of Chicago! Finished season 3 of Fringe this evening. Two more seasons to go!

February 5, 2018 – Monday – Benson, AZ & Tucson, AZ
Today we traveled about 30 minutes away to the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tucson for an FMCA rally which runs through Thursday night. As we were checking in we saw our first Roadrunners! It’s beautiful, unique looking bird. We saw several more during the day. After settling in we walked around the fairgrounds and picked up our welcome bag with information about the rally. The grounds also has a horse barn, indoor and outdoor rodeo performance areas, and lots of corrals. We looked at the vendor booths and a few RVs on display. An early grilled hot dog dinner was provided and we found a picnic table where we could eat and watch horses being exercised. There was bingo in the evening but we went back to the RV to relax.

February 6, 2018 – Tuesday – Tucson, AZ
A hearty breakfast was served this morning – eggs, potatoes, pancakes, bacon, and coffee. A great way to start the day. We went on a long walk in search of Roadrunners to take pictures of, but of course now that Laurie had a camera ready they were nowhere to be seen! We went to an ice cream social in the afternoon where they had ice cream sundaes. We explored some of the new RV’s on display and saw a Holiday Rambler Endeavor that we really liked. Tonight we met Tom and Linda Binder for dinner. They are friends we made at the Beaver rally in Quartzsite, AZ. At their suggestion we went to El Charro Café in downtown Tucson. The food was delicious and it was a cute setting in an old house. We had some wonderful conversation and parted with hopes that our travels will take us to PA or their travels will take them to WA. For now it will be emails, texts, and Facebook.

February 7, 2018 – Wednesday – Tucson, AZ

“meep, meep!”

Another filling breakfast the same as yesterday but with French toast instead of pancakes. We took a long walk around the fairgrounds before returning to the RV. It’s the usual warm and sunny weather but it’s pretty windy today. Laurie went out to photograph a very cooperative Roadrunner that was in front of the RV. It wasn’t afraid at all and almost seemed like it was posing. What’s amazing is the variety of dogs here. Although most dogs are on the smaller side, we saw everything from a huge, black Newfoundland, to a couple that had 5 little mop-looking dogs. RVers are definitely dog lovers! We stayed in the RV the rest of the day napping, reading, and watching more Fringe episodes.

 

February 8, 2018 – Thursday – Tucson, AZ
Today was even windier today than yesterday. We went over for the donuts and coffee provided this morning. Then we walked through the vendors again, buying an adjustable height step to use for getting in and out of the RV when it’s a larger than normal step to the ground (like here). The price was less than the lowest we found online and tax was only 6.1%. There was a BBQ picnic lunch today in a nice grassy area. It was a perfect day to be sitting outside. It was closer to 2:30 when we ate so it took care of dinner, too. BBQ pork sandwiches, cole slaw, salad, and beverages were served. We didn’t know it until we started talking but we sat with some fellow Beaver Ambassador Club members (Jim and Lynn Edwards from New Hampshire). After returning to the RV we just relaxed and watched Fringe.

February 9, 2018 – Friday – Tucson, AZ & Benson, AZ
Left the fairgrounds mid-morning to head back to Cochise Terrace RV Resort. We’re in a new spot that’s very wide, backs to the fenced in dog park and pool, has a pine tree for a little shade, and has mountain views out the front window. We settled in and proceeded to be lazy for the rest of the day.

February 10, 2018 – Saturday – Benson, AZ
More clouds than usual today but still lots of sun. It got very windy in the afternoon so we stayed inside cleaning and doing projects. After dark we went in the street out front of the RV where we could see the Knob Hill fire burning in the Dragoon Mountains to the east. The only info we have so far is that it start in the morning, grew to 2,000 acres, 20 homes were evacuated, and it’s believed to be caused by humans. The winds were out of the west so no smoke was blown our way.

February 11, 2018 – Sunday – Benson, AZ
Laurie looked out before sunrise but didn’t see any signs of the fire. We spent the day around the RV doing projects and reading. Laurie grilled some yummy brats for dinner.

February 12, 2018 – Monday – Benson, AZ

Our obligatory selfie…

A wonderful day spent at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson.

Javelina (larger than it looks )

The museum is all about things native to Arizona and included a zoo, many gardens, an aquarium, natural history museum, and hummingbird aviary. We saw a raptor free flight demonstration which was interesting – especially since it was a very windy day but the birds seemed to enjoy it. 85% of the museum is outside but it was a beautiful, sunny day. We never knew so many types of cacti existed and now we can put names to some of the ones we see. Some of the animal life we saw were  Javalinas (look like wild boars), coyotes, a mountain lion, a gray fox, gila monsters, snakes, various insects, and many hummingbirds including one sitting in a nest. Online it said you could go through the museum in 2 hours but we spent 4 ½ hours there without taking a break and still realized we missed some exhibits and animal demonstrations! We were beat after spending so much time hiking and relaxed when we returned to the RV, watching more Fringe in the evening.

Coyote

Owl from Raptor show

More Hummingbirds…

Hummingbirds…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 13, 2018 – Tuesday – Benson, AZ
This morning was partly sunny but towards afternoon the clouds increased. It still made it to 70 degrees. Pat sat out for a little while and Laurie grilled burgers for dinner – otherwise it was another day in the RV. We finished season 4 of Fringe. One more season of 13 episodes to go!

February 14-21, 2018 – Benson, AZ
A low-key stretch including 3 days of rain, light to heavy at times, and cooler/colder temperatures.The rain sounds nice on the RV, especially at night, but enough is enough. From what we hear the rain was very welcomed in this area. We spent the days doing laundry, reading, spending time on our computers, grocery shopping, and watching TV – CNN, Olympics, Fringe episodes (finally finished the 5 seasons!), and a couple of movies. It’s been getting down near freezing at night. Tuesday morning we even had snow flurries!

Mi Casa

We already decided we need to find some place warmer next year, possible near Yuma. We did head out for dinner at a well-rated local Mexican restaurant called Mi Casa. It’s a tiny, hole-in-the-wall type place with seating for 26. The food, service, and prices were very good but not worth the hype of the reviews. We’d eat there again, though.

February 22, 2018 – Thursday – Benson, AZ

Dr Jay w/Wife

Still experiencing nearly freezing temperatures overnight. Today we headed to Tombstone (40 minute drive) where we did a 90 minute walking tour with Dr. Jay and his wife Linda. They provided a lot of historical information and were entertaining, but not sure it was worth $20 each. Tombstone is HIGHLY commercialized with a fee to get into the main highlights, and lots of gift shops. The horse-drawn carriages around town were cute to see and there were characters in period dress throughout the small town area. It’s a place to visit once but that’s about it. A stop at Walmart on the way back then time to relax and watch TV.

February 23-25, 2018 Friday-Sunday – Benson, AZ
Nothing exciting these days. We went grocery shopping, did laundry, and cleaned inside the RV. The rest of the time we went for walks, read, went on our computers, watched TV/movies, and relaxed. The weather was still too chilly to sit outside but it has been sunny. Of course it’s supposed to finally hit 70 degrees again tomorrow when we leave for Las Vegas!

February 26, 2018 – Monday – Benson, AZ & Las Vegas, NV
We were up early, closed up the RV, hooked up the tow car, and left Cochise Terrace about 6:30. We took the “road-less-traveled” (via I60, I93) arrived about 3:00 local time so overall, we spent about 9 ½ hours on the road.

Joshua Trees

Rock Formations

Joshua Trees

We stopped for lunch and gas, and also the GPS decided to play with us and give us a tour of Surprise, AZ, before putting us back on the highway we had just gotten off of! Along the way we saw some outstanding scenery during our drive north on I93 but, unfortunately, it wasn’t easy to pull over with the RV and tow car to take pictures (the attached photos are samples of what we saw). One area was the Joshua Forest Scenic Road which went on for 54 miles. At times there were beautiful Joshua Trees here and there, and other times the whole prairie was covered with them. Another stretch was littered with rocks and boulders – some in massive piles, some precariously stacked on top of each other. There were mountains all around including some with some snow. All of the mountains and rock formations we saw were in a wide variety of colors, some with layers of colors and some with perfectly flat tops. All the gorgeous scenery and amazing rock formations made the long drive worth it. We’re now settled in our site at Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort (nose-in site). It’s a huge park with lots of amenities. The sites in our area are a bit tight and we have some occasional noise from the nearby airport, but it’s still a great park. Looking forward to the start of our visit with M&D/G&G tomorrow.

February 27, 2018 – Tuesday – Las Vegas, NV

Caesar’s Palace meeting place

We picked M&D/G&G up at the airport with no problems this morning then headed to their hotel, Caesar’s Palace. It’s a humongous, ornately Roman-theme decorated complex. We got them settled in their room, wandered around the hotel, hung out in the casino, and had free dinner and drinks in the “Diamond Lounge.” (M&D/G&G each have Diamond Status at the group of Caesar Entertainment hotels so we also will benefit from their status as it allows one guest each for access to the Diamond Lounge.) We relaxed and visited in their room for a while before heading back to the RV. So wonderful to see M&D/G&G – they looked great!

February 28, 2018 – Wednesday – Las Vegas, NV
We headed over to Caesar’s about 9:00 to walk the north end of the strip exploring and taking pictures. So much of Vegas is big, bright, flashing lights, and over-the-top architecture. We walked north for almost an hour then headed back to meet M&D/G&G at the hotel for brunch at 11:00. The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar’s Palace was amazing! It was the largest, most diverse buffet we’ve ever seen! There were food selections from many different nationalities, a huge selection of sliced-to-order meats, outstanding seafood including large shrimp and crab claws, made-to-order tacos with every topping you could think of, made-to-order omelets, and a good variety of sushi. A large separate area was devoted to dessert items such as fresh made crepes with various fillings and toppings, ice cream (fabulous pistachio), mini cakes, and pastries. We were so full that we went up to M&D/G&G’s room to rest and nap!

Penn and…

Teller

Late afternoon we drove over to the Rio Hotel & Casino. M&D/G&G’s status applied here so we took advantage of the Diamond Lounge for beverages before playing the slots. M&D/G&G earned the points they needed for a promotion they were doing (25 points per Casino for 250+ bonus points each) but we all had fun. Then it was show time – as in Penn & Teller! The pre-show entertainment was Jazz piano music by Mike Jones accompanied by Penn Jillette on the base. The main show was a fantastic assortment of acts, tricks, and sleight of hand that seemed to go by fast and end too soon. Penn and Teller hung out in the lobby afterwards and we were able to get selfies with each of them! What nice guys! Take all the adjectives from above to describe the day we had courtesy of M&D/G&G!

 

March 1, 2018 – Thursday – Las Vegas, NV

The Forum at Caesar’s Palace

We went to Caesar’s before meeting with M&D/G&G to explore the Caesar Palace property (which is huge). The rewards promotion that M&D/G&G are participating in requires them to earn 25 points at as many Caesar Entertainment casinos as possible so today we hit more casinos. We are getting our exercise through lots of walking, on the strip as well as inside the huge hotels. We had cocktail hour in Harrah’s Diamond Club today, then M&D/G&G took us to dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse for a fabulous steak dinner that we still dream about. We all had filets that melted in our mouths along with a delicious chopped salad, loaded baked potatoes, and au gratin potatoes. We fudged a little and said it was Laurie’s birthday and we got a small, beautifully presented cheesecake that was also yummy.

March 2, 2018 – Friday – Las Vegas, NV
We got an early start parking at the Tropicana Hotel at the south end of the strip to explore that area and take pictures. We met M&D/G&G at 11:00, then we walked over to the Flamingo for a light brunch and coffee at the Diamond Club which opened at noon today. After that it was time to earn points and M&D/G&G did so at 3 hotels today! We ended up at the Diamond Club at Paris for cocktails and dinner. Pat and Mom went back to the hotel while Laurie and Dad went to the Linq Hotel which Dad had missed earning his points at.

March 3, 2018 – Saturday – Las Vegas, NV

Flamingos!

Another slightly early start and we went to the outdoor habitat area at the Flamingo to take pictures of the birds in this area which included, you guessed it, flamingos! There was also a pelican, a swan, a large variety of ducks, and hummingbirds. The ponds in the habitat were filled with many huge koi. After meeting up with M&D/G&G we headed out to start earning points at Planet Hollywood, and then had brunch in the Diamond Lounge there. Then it was time to play and earn points at the Paris Hotel. From there we headed to Harrah’s Diamond Lounge to sit and rest and have an early cocktail hour until it was time for their hot buffet dinner. Once again we headed back to Flamingo to play some slots and people watch until it was show time for the Legends in Concert show. It was a fantastic show with tribute artists performing as Sting, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Elvis, with wonderful background dancers. Overall it was a really fun show!

March 4, 2018 – Sunday – Las Vegas, NV
Our last day in Las Vegas – with absolutely nothing planned. We went to Caesar’s about 11:00 to meet up with G&G. We watched them play slots for a while then strolled through the Forum Shops to watch an animatronic show called “Atlantis” in one of the fountains in the shopping area which depicts the supposed fall of Atlantis. We strolled through the shopping area some more and relaxed on a bench chatting and people watching. We decided to head up to G&G’s room for a bit until the Diamond Lounge opened at 4:00. Once again we had wonderful complimentary food and drinks with G&G’s status. After dinner we went by the slot machines again for a short time. We then headed back to the RV a little early so we could stop at the grocery store and start packing up for our departure in the morning.

March 5, 2018 – Monday – Las Vegas, NV & Bakersfield, CA
We picked up G&G about 9:00, went back to the RV, and were on the road before 10:00. It was an uneventful 5 ½ hour drive to Orange Grove RV Resort, stopping at a rest stop for coffee and a nosh. We then hooked up and got settled into our site. We walked around the park for a bit and picked a few oranges. It’s near the end of the season so the oranges weren’t quite as good as back in early January, and most of the lower oranges had been picked so we had to use a special pole to reach up high on the trees. After cocktail hour we went to In-N-Out Burger (about 20 minutes away but still in Bakersfield). It was well worth the drive as the burgers and fries were delicious. We watched some TV before turning in.

March 6, 2018 – Tuesday – Bakersfield, CA
G&G said they slept pretty well and the bed was comfortable. It was a warm, sunny, relaxing day in the RV park. We showered, did laundry, used our computers, read, and watched TV. After cocktail hour Pat made paella with chicken and shrimp for dinner that would be worth making again. We packed up what we could for leaving early the next morning.

March 7, 2018 – Wednesday – Bakersfield, CA & Corning, CA
Unbelievably everyone was up by 6:00 and we were on the road shortly after 7:00! It’s an overcast but bright day which is good for driving. More sun came out as we headed north. We stopped for brunch at a rest stop at about the halfway point. We arrived at the Rolling Hills Casino RV Park about 2:30 and settled in. After cocktail hour and dinner we headed over to check out the casino. We all signed up for the players cards and received $25-$35 credit for free slot play – most of us walked away with some winnings. Back at the RV we watched some Planet Earth episodes before turning in for the night.

March 8, 2018 – Thursday – Corning, CA
We spent the day at Rolling Hill Casino. Today senior player’s club card holders get 50% off the buffet so we started our day at the wonderful breakfast buffet for only $5.50 each. Everything was delicious. Breakfast was followed by walking to the hotel attached to the casino, and then some slot play. We spent the afternoon relaxing and visiting (no cable TV here). Late afternoon we went back to the hotel where M&D/G&G were able to take showers in the hotel pool area. The shower in the RV can be a little challenging to use because of the small size, sensitivity when trying to adjust the water temperature, and bumping into the faucet knob while showering. After showers, it was time again for of slot play. Dinner was back at the buffet (half off at $8.50 each). The long waiting line moved pretty fast. Again the assortment was extensive and Greek themed. Almost everything was fantastic. A little more slot play then back for another episode of Planet Earth.

March 9, 2018 – Friday – Corning, CA & Canyonville, OR
We departed after 8:00 to head to Seven Feathers Casino and RV Park, about a 6 hour drive including stopping for brunch. The RV park is beautiful with spacious pull-through sites that have grass in between. The park is surrounded by mountains, some with a bit of snow on top. We took a short walk around the park before cocktail hour and dinner (leftover paella and white chicken chili). After dinner we had the shuttle pick us up at our site to go to the casino. M&D/G&G signed up for the players card and each received $15 in free slot play. After the slot play, we walked around the casino check out what they had to offer before catching the shuttle back to the RV. We have cable here so we watched some CNN before turning in.

March 10, 2018 – Saturday – Canyonville, OR & HOME!
Everyone was up about 6:00 again so we could get on the road about 7:00. A chilly (42 degrees) and foggy start to the drive but some of the fog wound around the mountains we saw which was very scenic. We stopped at a rest stop for brunch, then continued on arriving at the storage unit about 2:30. It was great to see Daniel and Nicole (and Robin and Sijia the next day). They did a great job “holding down the fort” while we were gone, and even prepared dinner     of BBQ hot dogs, cole slaw, and homemade macaroni and cheese for our return. It was all very yummy! Next up, a rally at Ft. Flagler in early June.