Archive for February, 2009

Made it to Branson

Friday, February 27th, 2009

So far the cheapest gas is $1.59 in Amarillo; the most expenisve $2.29 at Meteor Crater, AZ.  Yep we bought the $2.29 stuff! 

We drove 620 miles in 14 hours!  Paul gets into a mode of getting there and I can’t stop him.  I almost refused to go further when I heard on the radio in Arkansas there was severe weather warnings and then the lightening started but we were on the interstate and finding a place for two motorhomes and a tow car takes some planning.  There was no time cause we were heading right into the storm!  If I hadn’t been driving my house across the country I would have been really enjoying the storm!  It was amazing, the lightenng was behind the clouds and lighting the sky up like daylight!  It was truly beautiful although at one point we were slowed to about 35 miles per hour but no one except the occasional maniac truck driver would pass but no one else wanted to go any faster either.  We heard reports on the radio of 60 mile an hour winds and hail the size of nickels but we didn’t see either only lots of heavy rain, lightening and big thunder!  The storm lasted about 30 minutes and as soon as it ended we found a really nice truck stop to pull into!  Never mind, keep driving.

We got to our campground in Branson found our site, parked, and went to bed right after Paul hooked up the cable.  The cable didn’t work so no TV still!

This is the place where we will do our workamping until June and I was really nervous but after meeting 2 of the couples that have been here since September and checking out the location I think it is going to be really fun.  Starbucks is about 4 blocks away and we are right on the lake.  Duke and I wandered all around the campground and fed the ducks. 

I know I am going to like this place, one of the couples came over and invited us to wine tasting!!! We had to take a raincheck cause we are heading out this afternoon for New Hampshire.  We were told no rainchecks cause wine is on the menu everyday!!! Yeah!  I ‘m in.

Duke may not be as impressed because first thing we got him a hair appt and he spent the day getting groomed so we can head off to New Hampshire.

Amarillo by morning

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

Yep that is what we did.  We drove all day through Arizona, New Mexico and 1/2 way thru Texas and landed in Amarillo by about 12:30 am.  Driving the motorhome is becoming easier although I can’t wait to get back in the passenger seat.  There was one really hairy part thru New Mexico.  I was leading and they are working on the roads so it is dark and the Interstate narrows ot one lane each direction and then they put up a cement barrier and reduce the size of the lane to 10 feet!  We are 8.5 feet wide not counting the mirrors.  And the lane in the opposite direction is the same right on the other side of the barrier!!!! I was the lead car of anyone going East on Interstate 40 for about 10 miles; The trucks will just have to make up their time tomorrow.

Standin on a corner in Winslow Arizona

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

Our adventure is taking us in a new direction.  We left Apache Junction this morning and headed north!  We drove through beautiful mountains near Flagstaff where they had lots of snow.  This was a relocation day so we didn’t really stop except to give Duke a potty break.  I drove this segment because for the next few days I am going to be driving our RV alone following Paul who is picking another Motorhome up in Riverside, CA and we will be delivering it to New Hampshire next week.  We will be dropping our home off in Branson where we are going to be staying for awhile and heading east.

Driving was ok however I think that RV parks should impliment a new policy; when RV’ers arrive the park host should be waiting with cocktails!  I needed a drink after we arrived in Winslow.   I have two things to say about driving your home around the country on wheels; 1.  those white lines are way too close, and 2.  cruise control is the only way to go because there are way too many other things to be worrying about beside keeping your speed up to 55!!!  It really wasn’t too bad and Paul said I did fine.

So tonight Duke and I are hanging out in an RV park along Interstate 40 near Winslow AZ.  Remember the Eagles song, Take it Easy?  Standin on the corner in Winslow AZ.  Well hopefully tomorrow we get to go to the corner in Winslow Arizona.

Not much of a photo day although the sunset was one of the best so far but I didn’t have my camera handy while we were on our evening walk.  Here are a couple of pictures to entertain you.

superstitionview

Superstition Mountains

Duke heading out into the desert to chase his ball

Duke heading out into the desert to chase his ball

Going in for the catch

Going in for the catch

Bringing it back to start all over again!

Bringing it back to start all over again!

Last night at Winter Camp

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

Steak dinner was amazing.  We showed up for our seating time of 6 pm and immediately had a salad.  Then they start calling you for your 6 pm seating time for steak; they don’t call you by tables, they call you by how you want your steak cooked!  The steak was cooked perfectly on the bbq and big enough we should have saved 1/2 for another meal but we didn’t!  Paul and I have not had steak since probably sometime in December so we ate the whole thing and were looking for leftovers from others plates!  We sat with our hosts, Mike & Claudia and some Canadian friends of theirs that were so much fun.  We want to come back here next year just to see all the great people we have met so far.

Tomorrow we leave and head for Branson, MO.  We are going to miss Arizona and the amazing weather, it was 80 degrees at 6 pm today but are looking forward to a few months in Missiouri.

Winter Camp

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

I have decided that the people that come to the desert for the winter are reliving the times of their childhood or their childrens because this is just like summer camp!  Our friends Mike & Claudia are workamping at this amazing resort called Monte Vista Resort where the residents have so many choices of things to do for free!  There are the regular things like crafts, horseshoes, & games.  For the more active they have softball leagues, tennis, swimming, aerobics, dance lessons, jewelry making, stained glass,  putting greens, etc.  all within the confines of the property.  If you can’t find something to keep you from getting bored with the winter then you may as well go home and shovel snow!  The residents don’t just hang out in the resort either, they go out to karaoke, country dancing, golf, drinks, and site seeing.  The great part of all this is everyone is so interested in having fun that the more the merrier and Paul & I have gotten to enjoy many of their activities both in the resort and out.  The other night we went to a variety show after I got to do the jewelry making.  The show was kinda like the ones on cruise ships.  The entertainers were an older couple,  and they were so funny.  The wife’s name was Red so I knew she would be fun!!!  She did a routine about women using public bathrooms that was so funny I had to excuse myself to use the restroom.  Here in the desert during the winter we have found no shortage of things to do. 

This video was a talent show at the resort that we missed but thought it was so funny we wanted to share.  Claudia is the blonde one on the right.  Keep watching the whole video until she cry’s and you will see Mike.

Click here to see the video

 

Friends Butch & Mike sing their hearts out

Friends Butch & Mike sing their hearts out

This guy was great on the Steel Guitar.

This guy was great on the Steel Guitar.

 

I made these two pieces for free in about 1 hour. Thanks Claudia

I made these two pieces for free in about 1 hour. Thanks Claudia

Tonight we are off to a Steak Dinner for $8 at the resort that sounds fabulous.  I will let you know tomorrow just how good it was.  We have had so much fun this week in Mesa, AZ that we are asking to come back next winter and work with Mike & Claudia.

Day trip

Saturday, February 21st, 2009

Today we drove 136 ½ miles in six hours along the Apache Trail. This trip takes you past 3 man made lakes that were created by the Roosevelt Dam. 22 miles of the trip is a dirt road, from Tortilla Flats to Roosevelt Dam.  There is only 1 town along the route we chose and that is Tortilla Flats which is where we drove to last Sunday. We thought driving through the river was so much fun we had to go again.

Watch the Video Requires Apple Quicktime Player

This is a map of the route we took.

This is a map of the route we took.

The scenery was amazing, very rugged and green which surprises me.  Paul is experimenting with the video part of my camera and I have to admit the video shows the landscape much better than photos can. 

 

Standing near the dam overlooking the Bridge

Standing near the dam overlooking the Bridge

 

We arrived back into the city of Apache Junction about 5 pm and saw this really cute setup!  I am sure the biker doesn’t like me calling it cute but it was.

motorcycletrailer1

Pizza Arizona Style

Monday, February 16th, 2009

organstop

The picture does it no justice.  This was an amazing instrument and really fun to watch being played.  The place is called Organ Stop Pizza and we got a private showing in the middle of the afternoon for $7.25 each and that included pizza and salad.  Old people do know how to negotiate a bargain.  It is very similar to a place that was in San Jose years ago, Pizza & Pipes.  The music was pretty amazing.  I kept wondering what Stairway to Heaven would sound like!!!  He did do an amazing job with the Phantom.

pauldog

Happy Hour Arizona style starts at about 3 pm.  It seems way too early to me but I think Paul is starting to get the hang of this semi-retirement thing, sipping a cocktail at 3:30 pm on a Monday.

No water shortage here

Sunday, February 15th, 2009
Canyon Lake

Canyon Lake

Mike & Claudia took us for a drive to the Superstition Mountains in the Tonto National Forest.  Now I see why people say the desert is beautiful.  This lake was full to capacity and so are most of the lakes in the area.  We drove down to the lake and across a 1 lane bridge to the little road stop called Tortilla Flat where we ate Prickly Pear Ice Cream.  I can’t say it was my favorite flavor of ice cream but it was fun to order it and try it.  This was definitely a destination for weekend tourists as the place was hopping and it is only a patio bar with entertainment, a gift shop and the little museum in what was a one room school at one time.  We thought about looking for the mine of the Lost Dutchman but had a beer instead.

The sign says Don't

The sign says Don't

 It was just too tempting to not go! and so much fun to watch others follow the sign!

tortillaflats

Of course I had to get a closer look

Of course I had to get a closer look

 The scenery was beautiful and the mountains are so rugged I would love to stay longer and do some hiking, but then again you can see a lot from the roads.  We completed the day with a feast of fish & chips overlooking Saguaro Lake which was excellent and the view was wonderful.

Mike, Claudia & Paul enjoying the lake

Mike, Claudia & Paul enjoying the lake

Happy Valentine’s Day

Saturday, February 14th, 2009

Golf and Dancing is how we spent our day.  We played a very nice course in Mesa called Sunland Village East. It was unusually green and lush for being in the desert. They water it with treated wastewater.  That evening we danced the night away to a great 2 piece band at Monte Vista RV Resort where our friends Mike & Claudia are workamping.

Contemplating the flag

Contemplating the flag

Yes, the ball went into the pond!

Yes, the ball went into the pond!

Mike, your swing looks just like a pro!

Mike, your swing looks just like a pro!

Thinking of a Book Club

Friday, February 13th, 2009

Today was my kind of day!  Paul left early to see dealers and work on some computers.  Duke and I stayed home, relaxed and did a lot of walking.  Duke is always ready for a walk.  I spent a good part of my day reading a great book given to me by my friend Barb before we left California, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wrodlewski.  A great book.

I’ve wanted to join a book club since I did it once when the girls were little. It was hard then since someone always needed something and when it was time to relax I found the TV much easier than reading!!!! Now, I have plenty of time to read but finding a book club in an RV park could turn out to be a problem since we only stay at each place a short time.  So I was thinking lots of you read good books or belong to book clubs.  Tell me about books you are reading and I will try to read them also!  Send me an email when you find one you think I might like, I will pick it up, read it and write my thoughts here. So send me a title!!!