As is our current routine, we are planning to  make our annual exodus to California and Arizona in Jan 2019. This year, we have the pleasure of Nicole joining us for the first couple weeks before she flies back to Seattle on Jan 2. Also, this year we are getting an earlier start – leaving on Fri Dec 21 to give us a chance to swing by the body shop (Chehalis Collision) to get an estimate to repair the scratches that were incurred when our neighbor at the storage facility backed into the side of our RV. Our current agenda is as follows:

This will allow a couple days at the Orange Grove RV Park followed by a couple days boondocking at Sawtooth Canyon BLM where Nicole is planning to meet with her friend Jen. We will then head over to Indian Waters RV Park for a week before Nicole heads back home on Jan 2. After this, the Rallies begin (7 days at Indio, followed by 4 days in Quartzsite). We are aiming to spend a few extra days in Quartzsite before heading to Sun Vista RV Resort in Yuma for a month. Then, on Feb 26, we head to Las Vegas to spend a week with mom/dad in Vegas before starting our return trip home.

December 21, 2018 – Friday
We’re off on our next big adventure with Nicole in tow! She plans to see some friends in California and fly out of Palm Springs back to Seattle on January 2^nd. We departed the RV storage unit at 9:15 to begin our long trek south. After stopping at Chehalis Collision to get an estimate to repair some minor damage our storage unit neighbor inflicted on our RV (when he backed his commercial truck into the side of our RV), we continued on. We had a little bit of rain at the start of our day, and a few more showers later in the afternoon but mostly it was sunny. Our travels were slowed by several traffic accidents but we made it to our first stop, Seven Feathers Casino/Hotel/Truck Stop/RV Park, in Canyonville, OR, just about 6:00pm. There was plenty of room in their dry lot (no hookups). Dinner was Trader Joe’s Chicken Fried Rice quickly heated up in a fry pan, then we headed off to the casino to show Nicole around. Being the good parents that we are we taught her how to gamble – we had her sign up for their Player’s Club and she got $10 in free slot play. You have to play the entire $10 which Nicole did 10₵ at a time on a “Wolf Run” machine. She then walked away with $16! We chatted for a bit back at the RV before turning in early.

December 22, 2018 – Saturday
We all woke up 7:30, got dressed, and had breakfast. We walked over to the casino to fill our Thermos’s with coffee and Nicole filled hers with hot water to make hot chocolate back at the RV. We hit the road just after 9:00, stopping at the truck stop for gas. It was a gorgeous drive through the Siskiyou Mountains into California with fog wound around the mountains and evergreens. The pavement was clear and dry although there were some beautiful areas of frost. Northern California’s Mount Shasta looms over the California landscape like Mount Rainier does back in the Seattle area, snow covered with clouds brushing across the summit. We arrived at Rolling Hills Casino/Hotel/Truck Stop/RV Park in Corning, CA, at 2:15 where we parked in the truck lot for free. We had a snack, rested for the afternoon, had a Trader Joe’s Broccoli & Beef dinner, then headed to the casino. Nicole signed up for their Player’s Club and got $10 of free slot play. Once again she played through the $10 but this time walked away with another $31 (we tried to convince her that this usually doesn’t happen)! After trying out some beverages from their complimentary soda machine, we retired to the RV to relax, chat, and read before turning in early so we can try for an early start tomorrow.

December 23, 2018 – Sunday
We actually hit the road 10 minutes earlier than our planned time of 7:00! A mostly cloudy day but periods of sunshine. We drove straight through arriving at Orange Grove RV Park in Bakersfield, CA, about 2:15. We had a nice pull-thru spot surrounded by loaded orange trees. After hooking up and settling in we samples the oranges and they were delicious! The office said they would get sweeter after a freeze which they haven’t had yet. It’s was very hazy but the temperature was in the low 60’s. We spent the afternoon in the RV and had a dinner of homemade stuffed spinach pizza which we brought from home. After dinner we watched the movie “The Shape of Water” which was very different but very good. We had an ice cream break in the middle. We turned in early but as early as on the road.

December 24, 2018 – Monday
Laurie was up early, Nicole and Pat followed about 7:00. We hung around the RV all day. Laurie was “equalizing” the RV batteries, we walked to the office for free donuts, did a load of laundry on the RV, started the crock pot with some white chicken chili, went for a walk, picked some more oranges, watched CNN, ate the chili, and watched “La La Land” which was great. It was mostly sunny and warm today.

December 25, 2018 – Tuesday
Mostly cloudy, a few early showers, and a temperature drop of about 20 degrees (down to 55) from yesterday. We spent the first part of the day relaxing, reading, and spending time on our computers. About 3:00pm we decided that rather than spend another night in Orange Grove for $50, we could drive 1 ½ hours to Antelope Valley RV Park located within fairgrounds in Lancaster, CA, and spend 2 nights with hookups for $30 a night. This is also the town where Nicole’s friend Gen lives so it makes it more convenient for her to visit. It was a short, beautiful drive through rolling hills. We starting out in Bakersfield with clouds, went through darker clouds and drizzle in the hills, and came out of the hills to bright sunshine. Had leftover chili for dinner.

December 26, 2018 – Wednesday
A lazy day for us while Nicole visited her friends. We read, went for a walk, watched some Planet Earth episodes, and ate leftover chili again. Nicole was out from 11:00 until about 8:00 and had a good time visiting with 5 friends, 3 of which she had only known online before.

December 27, 2018 – Thursday
A slow start to the morning but we fortified ourselves with some Malto-Meal and headed out by at 10:30. We drove about 3 ½ hours (due to construction traffic) to Sawtooth Canyon Campground outside of Barstow, CA.  The road into the area was about 1-1 ½ miles of washboard conditions. We had to go extremely slow but made it and found an unoccupied spot off by itself right next to a rock wall, although it took a 3 point turn in the RV to get in. There are only about 13 “official” spots scattered around. We were surrounded by low rocky mountains with flat sagebrush filled desert in the lowlands. This spot is popular with rock climbers and is also known as “New Jack City” to the climbing crowd. Laurie did a duct tape repair of a slide covering that was ripping. (There’s always something to fix or clean with an RV!) Except for a little climbing on the rocks right by us, we decided to leave exploring until tomorrow. We had an Italian skillet dinner and watched “The Theory of Everything” before going out to look at the night sky. There are absolutely no lights around so despite a few clouds we still had a wonderful view of the expanse of stars above us.

Study of Sawtooth Canyon – December 2018 (By Nicole)

• Dragon’s teeth of stone line the mouth of this basin, making it into the fossilized maw of some ancient beast. Despite the winds that have aged them, the teeth are still jagged and distinct, stark silhouettes against a sky of hazy blue. Shadows stretch long from their bases to create a checkerboard pattern all down the mountain wall. Here it is sheltered, an oasis nestled away from the rest of the world.
• The daring see the dragon’s teeth as a challenge to be scaled, and they come armed with ropes, harnesses, and belts laden with clips, markers, and spikes. They are flecks of color amidst the scattered browns of rock, rattles of sturdy metal into the open air, and calls of orders or cautions to their teammates yet on the ground. They come seeking adventure and glory, and what better place than the mouth of the dragon?
• Steam. Early morning, but the sun, though it lights the sky, has yet to crest the mountains. Me? I’m not among those particular adrenaline junkies. Bundled in blankets, I clasp a cup of tea and watch as steam swirls forth from it. Each plume is distinct, crystalized by the cold that makes the air here crisp and refreshing. Here, stress is like that breath of warmth curling placidly into the cool air and dissipating.
• Silence is everywhere here, though some might consider otherwise. Occasional puffs of wind, like a dragon’s breath, make the walls of our shelter creak and rattle. Coarse gravel crunches crisply underfoot with every step. The brush growth –greens, browns, and yellows– rustles and sighs every so gently. And yet, despite all that, it is a profound silence here. It is not as if the world has stopped –it is as if the rest of the world, for just a little a while, simply isn’t.
• Darkness. Here there are no streetlights, no lanterns, no fairy lights to fleck the ground. Here, when the sun disappears behind the hills, the purest darkness descends. Staring into the night is like coming face-to-face with the void itself, fellow campers disappearing into it should they venture more than a couple strides away, their voices floating back to you as if coming from the air itself.
• The stars. In the thickest of night, when the clouds are scarce, a million trillion pinpricks of light crowd out the sky. Some are as bright as diamonds, outshining others that can scarce be seen out of the corner of the eye. The sky positively teems with this gentle, glittering light such that even the most distinguishable of constellations are hard to pick out. Perhaps such gemstones are what all those climbers seek: a treasure trove unreachable –such is the night sky witnessed from the maw of the dragon.

December 28, 2018 – Friday
Despite getting down to freezing overnight, Laurie kept it nice and warm inside. Nicole is being a trooper and getting up earlier than we think she would like every day. We try to stay quiet as long as we can to give her a little more time. We each did our own thing in the RV during the morning, then had some lunch and headed out to explore. We are located at one end of the canyon and we walked to the other end which was active with several climbers on the rock walls. We walked up in between some rocks where we got a good look at the interesting rock formations as well as a view across the canyon and out to some distant mountains. It has gotten down to freezing overnight but made it up to 43 degrees by the time we went out. It was also windy so it was very cold in the shade but better in the sun. We are at around 3,300 feet in altitude, which is part of the reason for the cold. After returning to the RV we wrapped our hands around mugs of hot chocolate. Leftovers for dinner and then just relaxing. After dark, we went out briefly to get another glimpse of the stars.

December 29, 2018 – Saturday
We were up early but didn’t depart until 11:00ish for Indian Waters RV Resort in Indio. It was about a 3 hour drive. Our site, 32, is usually a handicapped spot which is very wide, and has a concrete patio as well as RV and car pad surrounded by grass. Our site is right across from the clubhouse and pool. After getting settled in we walked around the resort which has nicely landscaped grounds (no jackets needed!). A relaxing afternoon and evening doing our own thing. Salmon and broccoli rice for dinner.

December 30, 2018 – Sunday

Slowly started the morning but headed out by 11:00. We stopped at a Verizon store to purchase a pre-paid data plan and went to Walmart to food shop. By mid-afternoon it had warmed up enough for Nicole and Pat to go swimming in one of the two heated pools as well as the hot tub while Laurie sunned himself in a lounge chair. We had both pools to ourselves during the time we were there and it was really nice. Very cold feeling when we first got out but after sitting in the sun and drying off some we warmed up. It was sunny and warm so we grilled hamburgers which were yummy and had onion rings to go with. Tonight’s movie was “Birdman” which was entertaining but weird. It was still early so we relaxed until going to bed.

December 31, 2018 – Monday
We woke up to clouds and cool temperatures. Tried making a “Giant Pancake” in the Instant Pot which came out okay. It’s sort of a 3-4 inch high pancake-flavored cake. It took longer to cook then stated and was crunchy on the bottom but a bit gummy on top (maybe should have had a paper towel over the top of the pot as it cooked to catch moisture). However, we had bacon with it so all was good. We lazed around the RV. Nicole played some Dungeon and Dragons podcasts for us to listen to and she also made a cheesecake in the Instant Pot for dessert. We went for a walk around the RV park which was chilly, breezy, and cloudy. Back in the RV we had some Trader Joe’s French Onion Soup Bite appetizers for a snack. Dinner was grilled steak and seasoned oven roasted fries. Delicious! We watched “Leave No Trace” which was just okay. We were all in bed by about 10:15 but at midnight we could hear various fireworks going off.

January 1, 2019 – Tuesday
Happy New Year! Breakfast and a relaxing morning in the RV. In the afternoon we went for drive to Fantasy Springs Casino nearby to check it out as we plan to boondock there Saturday night before heading to our rally on Sunday. Free overnight parking in a big gravel lot that had plenty of parking. We drove around Indio/La Quinta and got the car washed as it was filthy from our adventures. Surprisingly the RV doesn’t look too bad. Must be that Laurie’s wax job makes the dust slide right off! When we got back we went and sat on the clubhouse terrace near the pool and enjoyed the sun and blue sky for a while. Had a nice chat with M&D who are in Las Vegas celebrating Mom’s birthday. Dinner tonight was potato soup made in the Instant Pot. Our movie tonight was the second “Jumanji” which was pretty good.

January 2, 2019 – Wednesday
Nicole’s departure day 🙁 . We had a great time and really loved having Nicole along. She’s fun, adventurous, and up for anything. We left for the airport on this bright, sunny morning just after 9:00. Palm Springs Airport is a beautiful, cute little airport. She had no problem finding her way and her flight left 4 minutes early and arrived in Seattle a little early where Robin was waiting to pick her up. They went back to Robin’s place where Daniel and Sijia joined them after work and Robin made pulled pork and macaroni salad for dinner. Then Nicole went home with Daniel to happily return to her cats. The RV felt a bit emptier without Nicole but we have happy memories of her time with us. We went out for a long walk in the afternoon and met another Beaver Monterey owner in the park, Dave Moore. It turned out that he bought his Beaver 3 months ago from Dean and Anita Johnson (other Beaver’s). Small world! Our dinner was leftover potato soup. We started the series “X Files” watching the pilot and second episode. We both dozed during the second show so we may have to re-watch it. Not sure yet if we’re going to like the series or not. It needs more time – and for us to stay awake! We also finished up the cheesecake Nicole had made which was yummy.

January 3, 2019 – Thursday
A calm, sunny morning. Today was shopping day: Home Depot, Walmart, and Costco. We split a Costco hot dog for lunch. Back at the RV we did some odds and ends and went for a walk before watching episodes of “X Files”. One more night of leftover potato soup. More “X Files” and early to bed.

January 4, 2019 – Friday
Another sunny day. Most of the morning we were in the RV, then headed out to Trader Joe’s and to Great Clips so Pat could get a haircut. Relaxed in the RV the rest of the afternoon. We had Chicken Gnocchi Soup made in the Instant Pot for dinner.

January 5, 2019 – Saturday
After packing up we left Indian Waters late morning and drove a short distance to Fantasy Springs Casino where there is a free overnight parking lot, no hookups. We ventured over to the casino which is much larger than the other two casino’s we went to on the way down. Of course we joined their player’s club. They had a deal for new members – play $20 in the slots and get $60 slot play credit. So the next couple of hours we wandered around playing $10 here and $10 there. In the end the two of us walked out with $98 ($40 of which was our initial investment)! We also bought Starbucks and sat in an area away from the casino (and smoke) for a while. Back at the RV there wasn’t much to do since we were conserving power so we hung out and read some. Dinner was leftover gnocchi soup. We were in bed just after 8:00 and made it through the night without turning on the heat.

January 6, 2019 – Sunday
After seeing that the batteries fared well overnight Laurie had the living area warmed up by the time Pat got up. About 10:30 we headed to the Riverside Fairgrounds for our first rally – a Beaver rally within an FMCA rally. The coaches lined up in a staging area and they took us 5 at a time to our sites. The area is a huge paved parking lot with room for RV’s and their tow cars which had 35 AMP electric hookups. We settled in and Pat made ham and Swiss sliders for a Beaver social gathering at 4:30. As usually there was a ton of delicious food. We saw quite a few people we knew from previous rallies. Despite a small fire pit in the middle of the group, it still was very cold and everyone left shortly after the announcements were done about 6:00. The warmth of our RV felt soooo good!

January 7, 2019 – Monday
On today’s agenda is a 1:00 security training meeting and a 5:30 lobster boil. Made tortellini pasta salad in the morning to bring to dinner. Picked up our welcome bag with all the FMCA rally information, then went to our security meeting. The lobster boil was messy but delicious. We decided that next year we’d take the $50 we spent on 2 whole lobsters and buy 2 lobsters tails to throw on our grill at some point during our travels. There was also a big spread of sides, salads, and desserts. More than enough to make a big meal out of which is what a lot of people do. After dinner there was a singer from Branson, MO, named Chuck Crain. He sang some country songs and then gospel. We didn’t know most of the songs but he did have a good voice.

January 8, 2019 – Tuesday
Pat’s birthday! Our morning started with working a security shift from 8:00-11:00 at the vendor tent. There wasn’t a lot going on yet so we just sat in the sun and chatted with whoever came by. It started out chilly but once the sun got higher in the sky it was warm. Mandy stopped by with donuts and coffee. We had lunch in the RV then walked about a mile to Starbucks to get Pat’s free b-day drink. She got a venti size iced drink and an extra cup so we could share it. On our way back we stopped and chatted with others that were doing their security shifts. We relaxed a bit and had a beverage before heading over to the main building for the FMCA volunteer dinner of BBQ beef or pork (not sure which it was)! We sat with other Beavers but mainly talked with Sherry and Jerry Pattison from Las Vegas whose coach happens to be parked next to ours. Laurie and Jerry had a lot in common as Jerry used to work at Tektronics so they talked electronics and former business. Back at the RV we talked to the kids and relaxed some more.

January 9, 2019 – Wednesday
A gorgeous, sunny day! Started our morning with coffee and donuts provided by FMCA in the main building, then we walked over to Indian Waters to pick up a package that was delivered there after we left. We really didn’t do much until our 2:00 volunteer time. Tonight half of the Beavers brought a Crock Pot dinner to the gathering area. Everything was yummy. We didn’t feel like playing Bingo in the evening so we watched some “X Files”.

January 10, 2019 – Thursday
Another beautiful morning. Coffee and donuts. Pat put a tortellini dish in the Crock Pot for tonight’s pot luck dinner. We did volunteer security duty from 11-2 (our final shift). In the afternoon we relaxed in the coach before going to dinner at our gathering spot which was more Crock Pot dishes. After the dinner they served ice cream with toppings. We were tired and decided not to go see the singer who sang Glen Campbell songs tonight. Instead we hung out in the RV doing our own thing.

January 11, 2019 – Friday
Usual start: sunshine, donuts, and coffee. We hung out at the RV in the morning so we could have the Hydro Hot serviced – just routine maintenance. In the afternoon we headed over to walk through the vendors and get an ice cream bar at the ice cream social. At tonight’s dinner gathering salad, Costco pizza, and ice cream was provided. After dinner we went to see the entertainment which was a comedian, Ken Kaz. He was just okay. We were seated near someone with a hilarious laugh and his laugh was way funnier than the comedian.

January 12, 2019 – Saturday
It was starting to drizzle early morning so we hurried over to get our coffee and donuts. Not too long after we got back to the RV the rain got heavier. It rained most the morning so we stayed put. In the afternoon the sun peaked out now and then. We went to Walmart and Costco, picking up a salad and a turkey sandwich in the food court for our dinner. It rained a little more after our return. (We had great timing today!)

January 13, 2019 – Sunday
We drove over the laundromat ½ block away very early and started two large loads of laundry. Then we walked backed over to the fairgrounds to have our morning coffee and donuts. Once we finished up the laundry we hung out in our spot until late morning and most of the other RV had already left. We then headed over to the Fantasy Springs Casino free parking lot to spend the night. Leftover white chicken chili from the freezer tonight.

January 14, 2019 – Monday
Mid-morning we departed for River Breeze RV Resort in Ehrenberg, AZ, and arrived around 2:00 local time. (We are now 1 hour ahead of WA time until March.) We are mainly here to dump our gray and black tanks and fill up our fresh water tank after nine days of boondocking and before we start another 11 days of boondocking in Quartzsite. We enjoined our full hook-ups (long showers!) and got in some computer time. Used the oven to cook Chicken Cordon Bleu, and then watched some X-Files. It started raining in the evening.

January 15, 2019 – Tuesday
A very rainy morning after a very rainy night. We took off from River Breeze late morning and arrived at the desert in Quartzsite early afternoon for our Beaver rally. Disconnected the tow car, parked, put out our slides, and we were settled for the week. It’s still raining off and on making it very mucky. There are over 60 coaches in our rally so there are 110+ Beavers attending. We registered and relaxed until 4:00 at which time we had duty prepping and serving dinner. Luckily the rain had stopped and the sun came out shortly before. Each night social time is at 4:30 with dinner served at 5:00. Different people are assigned to help prepare or clean up after each meal. Tonight’s dinner consisted of yummy pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, and coleslaw. Those assigned to help with meals also brought desserts for that day. After dinner there is a campfire but we aren’t big fans of getting all smoky smelling so we returned to the coach to watch some X-Files.

January 16, 2019 – Wednesday
A bright, sunny morning with a beautiful sunrise. Breakfast at 8:30 was French toast, scrambled eggs, and sliced ham. Another delicious meal – especially since we didn’t have to make it! This morning Laurie did some odds and ends around the RV while Pat played bingo. She won the first game but that was it. It was fun and a nice morning to be outside. Later in the afternoon it was time for beanbag baseball – men vs the ladies (who had won last year). This year it was the men who won. There is a board with holes representing: home run, out, single, double, triple, foul. You toss beanbags at it until you get something or until you get three strikes. Pat got a home run her first time up! We relaxed a bit until dinner. Tonight they served salad and enchilada stew which had ground beef and lots of different beans and vegetables. We watched more X-Files in the evening.

January 17, 2019 – Thursday
Another gorgeous sunrise and a delicious breakfast of biscuits and gravy along with scrambled eggs. Steve Huber introduced us to Wes and Evana who he thought might be helpful with the BAC website. In the late morning we headed into town to explore the vendor tents that were open already (the big show tent doesn’t open until Saturday). Pat bought a couple a sun visors for a total of $5. Upon our return it was time was for the Beaver races. Six Beaver markers named for different Beaver RV models, are moved along a marked mat with throws of dice. Dollar bets can be placed on any Beaver model. We were not lucky in our choices but it was fun and the weather was warm and sunny.  Dinner tonight was a salad bar with grilled chicken, rolls, and dessert. They were showing a movie tonight related to Quartzsite and the use of camels to transport supplies in the late 1800’s (Hawmps!) but we chose to watch more X-Files since it was very cold once the sun went down.

January 18, 2019 – Friday
This morning’s lovely sunrise was followed by a filling breakfast of pancakes, sausage patties, and scrambled eggs. Laurie attended a discussion on RV maintenance with some of the group “experts” while Pat played bingo again (and won one game). We relaxed in the coach then walked over to chat with our neighbors who were having their RV tested by Dave Atherton, and arranged for Dave to come by when he was done. Everything tested out good on our coach which is nice to know and gives us a baseline of test results for the future. We enjoyed the afternoon sun by going for a walk in the desert. We visited “Schoolie Palooza” which is a gathering of people who have converted old school buses of various sizes into RV’s. Most of them were decorated with some type of painting or nature scene. We were ready for the rally dinner of Angus burgers, baked beans, chips, and dessert. By the campfire tonight they had karaoke but we stayed in where it was warm and smoke-free to watch X-Files.

January 20-24, 2019 – Sunday-Thursday
The sunrises aren’t as colorful this week because it’s been clear blue skies without any clouds. The sun rising over the rocky mountains in the east makes a unique profile all along the horizon. When the sun gets up above the mountains it’s rays hit the mountains to the west highlighting all the ridges and folds making interesting shadows. Sunday, ToughTop Shades came over about 2:30 to replace one of our slide toppers that had torn (we scheduled this with them before we left home). Monday and Tuesday were windy days with lots of blowing dust. Other afternoons we took desert walks collecting stones along the way and relaxed out in the sun. Tuesday morning we ventured into town. After finally finding a parking spot we visited the big tent where lots of vendors have booths. It was very busy and it was a reminder of why we usually don’t bother going into the big tent. There are also booths with vendors set up in a wide area all around the tent but we had enough after a short time looking. Next up was the Hi Jolly Monument in the local cemetery. Before the civil war, the government had the idea to use camels to carry supplies in the Quartzsite area. A Middle Eastern man named Hadji Ali (nicknamed “Hi Jolly”) was a local character who was the caretaker and driver of the camels. The camels didn’t work out but Hi Jolly was endeared and remembered by the townsfolk with a stone pyramid memorial serving as a tombstone in the cemetery. The “pioneer section” of the cemetery we walked through had graves dating back to the late 1800’s with some of the remnants of the original wood tombstones in place. We then went to a huge store called Gem World that had aisles of rough and polished rocks/stones of all sizes and everything needed to make a wide variety of jewelry. It was interesting to explore before driving back to the RV. Over these five days, we ate various easy-to-fix leftovers from the freezer – chili, hamburgers, and steak – since we’re still boondocking. Evenings we enjoyed watching X-File episodes while the generator was on charging up the batteries for the night.

January 19, 2019 – Saturday
Our last meal provided by the rally was leftovers from the previous breakfasts which was still yummy. The rally is officially over with some people leaving already today. With no planned activities we hung out in the RV, went for a walk, ate sandwiches, and watched X-Files.

January 25-26, 2019 – Friday-Saturday
Yuma! After about an 1½ hour drive south of Quartzsite we arrived at our home away from home for the next month at Sun Vista RV Resort. Our site faces east and there is one row of park models in front of us then we look out over an open field. The models partially obstruct our views of mountains off to the east but it’s still pretty. We have a patio on the south side so it gets lots of daytime sun and a little orange tree at the front (but it’s been picked clean). This resort is huge with 1,200+ sites, indoor and outdoor pools and spas, workout room, ceramics room, wood workshop, pickle ball courts, shuffleboard courts, a café, large laundry room, plus many scheduled activities and probably somethings we haven’t discovered yet. We spent these 2 days getting settled in, doing some errands, doing some cleaning/laundry, grilling brats, and watching X-Files. The weather is fantastic here – sunny or mostly sunny and mid-70’s with a nice breeze. It does get chilly at night but it’s nice for sleeping.

January 27-February 10, 2019
Now that we’re settled in here in Yuma,our lives have become a bit less exciting. We mostly hang out at the RV watching CNN and X-Files, reading, using our computers, and sitting out on our patio in the afternoon sun. We go on walks around the park and played shuffleboard one afternoon. We were terrible but improved the more we played. It’s a lot harder than it looks to get points! A couple of times we went to Walmart for supplies and checked out what other shopping is available in different parts of Yuma. We also checked out some of the other RV parks in Yuma for next year. The Palms RV Resort next door looks wonderful but is expensive. However, they said that they might have a “pay for one month get another month free” offer which would make it more reasonable. We’ll have to wait and see if they have that sale. The grill is set up on a table on the patio and we’ve grilled brats, chicken, and burgers which were all yummy. The weather has been a little cool at times (60-65) but is supposed to improve. We have plans for some activities coming up so we should have something more exciting to write about.

February 11, 2019 – Monday
A chilly but sunny morning. Today we are heading to the Imperial Wildlife Refuge about an hour away. There is a visitor’s center that has exhibits showing some of the wildlife in the area and information about different hikes. We came to do a hike called the Painted Desert Trail. It was only a 1.3 mile loop but was very rocky and had a few ups and downs. The scenery was ruggedly gorgeous with different shades of rock color including rusty red, chocolate brown (the mountains there are called the Chocolate Mountains), and many shades in between from almost white to golden. Aside from some cute little 5 inch lizards the only wildlife we saw were insects – lots of little butterflies, caterpillars, and beetles. We did see droppings from burros and there’s supposed to be bighorn sheep but the animals themselves remained out of sight. It was comfortable hiking weather and a good length – not too long or too short. On the way back we stopped at Martha’s Date Gardens and had extremely delicious date shakes. We think they are just made with vanilla ice cream blended with bits of dates but they were thick, rich, and very creamy. After our outing we just relaxed, napped, ate leftover grilled burgers, and watch X-Files.

February 12-13, 2019 – Tuesday-Wednesday
Tuesday was a relaxing day around the RV spending time inside and out following our usual routine. On Wednesday we ventured across the border into Los Algodones, Mexico, about 20 minutes away. We parked in a lot for $6 on the US side and then just walked across the border. The town is a crazy place visited by many people staying in Arizona and Southern California. They peddle many products – the most common businesses being inexpensive dental care, prescription medicine, eye care and many knick-knacks for sale. Street hawkers try to chat up everyone to direct them to their particular business. Good dental care can be had here but you have to do your homework and schedule appointments beforehand. There are endless souvenir stores/booths selling art, clothes, tiles, jewelry, blankets, leather goods, etc. We came away with a small metal roadrunner sculpture ($10), silver and blue opal (maybe not) hummingbird earrings ($12), a large bottle of vanilla (almost certainly imitation but still good) for $4, and a liter bottle of Kahlua that was only $7.50. We also were daring and we each got haircuts at a little shop in an enclosed square with shops and food. Our haircuts were $3.99 (men) and $5.99 (women) and were pretty good for the price – $10 for the two of us! We were both due to try some place before we left Yuma so this was as good as any to try and was less than half the price of Yuma barber shops. The day was overcast but mid-60’s so comfortable for walking around. There was a huge line waiting to go back through customs but we made it through in about 45 minutes. The weather wasn’t good for sitting out so we stayed in, had Instant Pot Bang Bang Shrimp for dinner, and watched X-Files. A very nice day!

February 13-20, 2019
Many of our days are similar to those mentioned previously. The weather here has been in the 60’s (running about 10 degrees below average) and with the often brisk wind it’s tended to be a little chilly most days. There were a few things we did that varied from our usual routine. One was attending the Sun Vista Showcase Open House here at our RV park. It was an event to promote the park and everything they have to offer. There were demonstrations and entertainment, a couple of raffles, radio-controlled car racing on the large outdoor track, and free tacos and soda. We discovered workshops we didn’t know about: a woodworking shop, ceramics studio, and lapidary workshop. We were impressed and decided if we can’t get a deal on our first choice of parks for next year (The Palms), we’ll stay here again.

Pat, with her new friend. (We need to get a new hummingbird feeder…)

We went to the Tuesday morning Farmers Market in Downtown Yuma. There were many booths with a wide variety of items. Some had produce that not only was priced well but also looked excellent. There were also a lot of craft booths and we bought a small hummingbird screen decoration which is now on our RV window. We sampled some dates and there were also tacos and ice cream to purchase as well as homemade goodies. We will definitely go again next year earlier in our stay so we can make use of the fresh produce.

The Colorado River is very narrow in this area

On Wednesday we hiked the East Wetlands Trail near old downtown Yuma. Part of the trail runs along the Colorado River. With the tall, grassy wetlands around the water, the variety of trees/shrubs, and the mountains off in the distance, it made for some beautiful scenery. Horses are allowed on the trail and we saw a couple of them. There was also a paved trail along an aqua duct that we walked on. It was a pleasant, breezy day for hiking and we covered about 5 miles!

February 21-24 – Thursday-Sunday
More below average temperatures and some rain. We understand that this is unusual for this time of year. (Of course as soon as we depart for Las Vegas the weather is forecasted to be sunny and mid-70’s!) We continue to follow our usual relaxing routine hanging around the RV, going to Walmart, walks, shuffleboard, happy hour, X-Files, and absorbing sun when possible.

February 24 – Monday
Monday we departed Sun Vista mid-morning on a beautiful, sunny, warm day to head north. The drive along I-95 was extremely scenic at times with wide expanses of desert backed by mountains in the distance that were varying colors and heights – some far off with snow on top! We spent Monday night at a rest stop about 1½ hours south of Las Vegas. The rest area was pristine and looked new. There were bathrooms in a building with car parking on one side, 2 large well-lit truck parking lots on the other side, and a huge level gravel lot at a far end where we parked. We had plenty of light from the truck lot and felt very safe. At least when we were there the rest stop wasn’t heavily used. Overnight there were 3 other RV’s, a couple of trucks, and maybe some cars at the other end.

February 25-March 4 –Tuesday-Monday
We arrived at Las Vegas Oasis RV Resort just before 9:00 Tuesday morning and were able to get into our site (171) since no one was in the site. We immediately headed out to meet up with M&D at Harrah’s where they are staying the week. It was fantastic to see them and they looked wonderful! We chatted while they unpacked and settled in. Since they have Diamond status with the Caesar’s group of hotels they get some great benefits. One of which is the Diamond Lounge each day and the one at Harrah’s has hot food along with salads, nacho chips with toppings, and pastries so we could make dinner out of it. They also get free drinks in the lounge. Other benefits are priority seating at restaurants, restaurant credits, and free valet parking which we took advantage of everyday.

The entire week in Las Vegas was a blast and days tended to blend together with mostly warm, pleasant weather. Each day some time was spent visiting in M&D’s room, watching some CNN, cheering M&D on at the slots, and visiting the Diamond Lounge. These activities were interspersed with other outstanding highlights:

• M&D treated us to the brunch buffet at the Flamingo hotel. The food was all amazing with an egg station, lox and accouterments, an elaborate salad bar, many hot options, a taco bar, made-to-order crepes, and beautiful pastries that looked as good as they tasted. One of our favorite things on the buffet were the fried sesame balls filled with bean paste. While we ate we had a nice view of the hotel’s wildlife habitat that included pink Flamingos, a black swan, ducks, and many huge koi. Entertainment while we ate!
• We saw “Menopause, the Musical” at Harrah’s thanks to M&D’s Diamond benefits. It was a very entertaining, funny show about the title topic. The show only consisted of 4 women but they were wonderful singing and moving around the stage. Women “of a certain age” can easily relate to the subject but so can men who have to endure women “of a certain age”.
• Mom had a restaurant voucher which we used at Guy Fieri’s restaurant in the Linq Hotel next door for a huge, delicious lunch. Each couple got a large ½ pound burger and fries to share, and we also had yummy trash can nachos and BBQ chicken wings. Too much food but we enjoyed it all – well, we did leave a little bit!
• M&D took us to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse for dinner celebrating Pat’s past birthday. We started with an ahi tuna appetizer that was a very tasty way to start the meal. The filets we had were about the best we could remember ever having – tender, melt-in-the mouth beef perfectly seasoned and cooked. Each couple got a loaded baked potato to share and that was memorable as well. For Pat’s b-day they brought out a little cheesecake with chocolate-almond bark on the side. A great way to end the meal.
• Dad had a crown come loose so we found a local highly rated dentist online. He was able to temporarily put the crown back on but said it may not last long. Dad will have to watch what he eats and be careful when he chews until he can have it looked at by his regular dentist back in Skokie.
• Dad’s turn with a restaurant voucher: There were only 6 restaurant options and we enjoyed Guy Fieri’s so much the other day we went back again for lunch. They have a menu item called “Pork Emporium” consisting of 4 meaty BBQ ribs, 3 thick strips of candied maple bacon, a pile of sliced andouille sausage, a slice of Texas toast with a mound of pulled pork topped with sliced dill pickles, coleslaw, and macaroni and cheese. We ordered 2 of these along with a side of fries. Everything was sooooo good. We had lots leftovers which we saved for appetizers during happy hour for our trip home.
• We also made a return visit to the buffet at the Flamingo. (See above.) We enjoyed it as much as we did the first time.
• M&D once again used their Diamond benefits to take us to the Mat Franco magic show at the Linq. It was an extremely entertaining show and Mat Franco is a great showman with a quick sense of humor. He didn’t use any major props – lots of cards, cups and balls, a $100 bill from audience, coins, etc. He really punched up some classic tricks. It was a great way to spend our last evening in Las Vegas!

March 5, 2019 – Tuesday
Time to hit the road and begin our journey home. After prepping what we could at the RV we went and picked up M&D at Harrah’s at 9:30. We got them settled in, hooked up the tow car, and headed out by 11:00. It was a relaxing, uneventful drive although it got cloudier and rainy the closer we got to the Orange Grove RV Park in Bakersfield, CA. We ventured out in the rain to the laundry room a short distance away to do a couple loads, then warmed up the Guy Fieri leftovers to have with happy hour. Still yummy! Dinner was White Chicken Chili that had been slow cooking all day as we traveled. It pretty much rained all night, very heavy at times with some lightning and thunder thrown in. (Sadly, no chance to pick oranges due to the constant rain!)

March 6, 2019 – Wednesday
Everyone was up early fr an early start on the drive. It stopped raining but everything was soaked. The remaining oranges were at the tops of the very wet trees and we decided it wasn’t worth it to use the picking poles and get drenched. We had coffee, walked over to the office to pick up free donuts, and were on our way by about 7:15. It rained off and on, heavy at times, as we made our way to Rolling Hills Casino RV Park in Corning, CA. We arrived mid-afternoon, relaxing with a happy hour, leftover chili, and some TV.

March 7, 2019 – Thursday
Today we headed to Seven Feathers Casino and RV Park in Canyonville, OR, where we plan to stay 2 nights. Since it wasn’t as long a drive we didn’t leave until mid-morning. Again we ran into some rain with the temperature getting cooler as we continued north. We welcomed our arrival with a happy hour before taking the free shuttle over to the casino for dinner. Tonight they had a $9.99 special on their International Buffet and all the food was very good. M&D had a quick run at the slots before we headed back to the RV. We started watching a 6 episode series called “The Night Manager” based on a John Le Carre book. It’s off to an interesting start.

March 8, 2019 – Friday
A day spent enjoying time together in the coach, after everyone had showers (M&D used the park showers -large private bathrooms with showers). We watched another episode of “The Night Manager” in the afternoon, had some yummy Instant Pot Italian Pasta for dinner, and watched another episode in the evening.

March 9, 2019 – Saturday
Homeward bound on a very cold, foggy morning. It was a long day so we got an early start, stopping for brunch at a rest stop. We arrived home around 3:00 extremely happy to see the kids and be home. They welcomed us by helping unpack everything and Nicole made a delicious Jambalaya dinner. Looking forward to another week and a half with M&D at home!

Now to plan for next year…