They (who are they, anyway?) say that bad things happen in three's. We just had our three. Each was progressively worse, and we hope that this will be the end of it, for a long time.
Thing 1. Donna lost her cell phone when we were in the Tucson area. It was a real mystery: she talked to her sister one afternoon, and a while later, we couldn't find it. We searched the car, inch by inch, the coach, also inch by inch, and our RV site. Nada. So we searched again, and then several more times. I tried calling her number, but it immediately went to voicemail. Hmmm. I checked Verizon online for usage. There wasn't any after the call to her sister. All we can figure is that she got out of the Jeep and it fell under a tire. We ran over it and it was crushed and no longer worked. I disabled the phone online, then called Verizon. Next day, she had a replacement. Very very strange.
Thing 2. After we left Benson, AZ, we went to El Paso and did some visiting. Then we headed for Kerrville, TX, with an overnight stay in Fort Stockton, TX. We stayed at a terrible park, but it was just for one night, so no big deal. When we got there, the temp was in the high 70's. That night a storm came in, and the temp dropped to mid-30's, with drizzly, cold, yucky weather. I went out to stow the hoses and electric, while Donna buttoned up the inside. She decided to empty the trash. As she came out of the rig, you guessed it, she slipped on the step, which had iced over. Yes, a repeat of November 2007, when she slipped at our son's home in Colorado. This time she has a couple of cracked ribs. They take a while to heal, but she knows the drill, and is doing pretty good.
Thing 3. This is the big one. We left Kerrville after a week, and headed over to Canyon Lake, where we had a week booked at a Coast to Coast park. This is the same park we stayed at our first winter in 2007. The park where ants got into the 5th wheel. The park where I hurt my wrist cutting the branches off the roof of the rig. I'm not sure why we came back here. Anyway, the road into the park is a narrow 2-lane road, with a narrower bridge over the Guadalupe River. About 50' after the bridge, the road takes a sharp, blind, 90 turn to the right (the lanes on this curve are a measured 10'). The coach is 8-1/2 feet wide. You get the picture. As we finished the crossing, and I began the turn, two cars came around the corner. I had 3 choices: 1) jam on the brakes (we were going 10mph) and hope that the car tailgating me didn't hit the Jeep; 2) hit one of them; or 3) try and cut the corner and avoid them. I chose the latter. Unfortunately, the last 15' of the coach decided not to cooperate with my plan, and ended up scraping the guard rail. We were sick - neither Donna or I have had an accident in at least 25 years. The insurance adjuster came out, inspected the damage, and later put a check in the mail. Now we are up in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, and, the body shop has revised the amount - and it's 2-3 times the original estimate. Yow. The good news - other than our egos, no one was hurt. And it will take 4-6 weeks to get it done.
We also found out that the rally we were going to attend on Jekyll Island in Georgia in March was cancelled. So, we'll be hanging out in Texas for a while before heading back to Colorado.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Reunions
Almost 2 years ago, I retired from Great Southwestern Construction. Yes, "work" is but a faint memory now. While the daily grind is behind me, I do miss the friends and camaraderie that went with working (and the $$$). Fortunately, I know where some of my former co-workers live! I contacted Sal, who lives and works in El Paso, Texas. Since we were headed that way, and it was the right distance for a layover, we made plans to have dinner with he and his wife Margie. As fate would have it, there were two additional project managers working in El Paso - Mickey and Vern. And the safety manager was also around. Wow, it was going to turn into a festive event!
We decided upon Mexican food (duh, easy choice!), and met up at 6:30pm at one of Sal's favorite places. Donna and I really enjoyed reminiscing with Sal, Vern, Kurt, and Mickey. One person had a change of heart, leaving for Albuquerque earlier in the day, so we didn't get to visit with him. I think it was a Keno thing. Maybe next time Jerry! After dinner, we headed over to Sal and Margie's for some excellent homemade cherry and pecan pies!
Saturday morning, Sal, Mickey and I met for an authentic Huevos Rancheros breakfast. Afterwards, Sal took us on a tour of two properties he fondly calls "Money Pits 1 & 2". Don't worry Sal, they'll be finished "soon".
Later in the day, Donna and I did a little sight-seeing in El Paso. Sal had told us several times not to cross over the border into Juarez. Evidently the drug-cartels are doing battle with each other and the Federales, and the crime level is up significantly.
Tomorrow we're heading northeast, back into New Mexico, to visit Carlsbad Caverns. After that, we'll head southeast back into Texas.
We decided upon Mexican food (duh, easy choice!), and met up at 6:30pm at one of Sal's favorite places. Donna and I really enjoyed reminiscing with Sal, Vern, Kurt, and Mickey. One person had a change of heart, leaving for Albuquerque earlier in the day, so we didn't get to visit with him. I think it was a Keno thing. Maybe next time Jerry! After dinner, we headed over to Sal and Margie's for some excellent homemade cherry and pecan pies!
Saturday morning, Sal, Mickey and I met for an authentic Huevos Rancheros breakfast. Afterwards, Sal took us on a tour of two properties he fondly calls "Money Pits 1 & 2". Don't worry Sal, they'll be finished "soon".
Later in the day, Donna and I did a little sight-seeing in El Paso. Sal had told us several times not to cross over the border into Juarez. Evidently the drug-cartels are doing battle with each other and the Federales, and the crime level is up significantly.
Tomorrow we're heading northeast, back into New Mexico, to visit Carlsbad Caverns. After that, we'll head southeast back into Texas.
More Arizona
I forgot to mention in the last post, that a benefit of staying at Beaudry RV in Tucson is citrus! Every site had some kind of citrus tree planted, and they told us to take as much as we wanted. We had a grapefruit tree on our site, but due to certain medications we take, we can't eat them. But, there were lemons and oranges galore! We hadn't had fresh squeezed OJ since we wintered in Florida last year. The ol' juicer got a workout, and we brought a bag to Leroy and Carol.
Upon arriving in Benson, we got settled in next to L & C, then headed off to a potluck. I know, it's tough, but someone has to do it! Also, Emma the Yorkie got to meet Daisy Mae the Chihuahua, L & C's new dog. They became fast friends, and played and walked together a lot.
"
Emma and Daisy Mae "sharing"
While there, L & C took us on a couple of excursions so that we could take in some of the southern Arizona beauty. One day, we took a leisurely drive down to Coronado National Monument, where we had picnic lunch and did some hiking and picture taking. From the summit, you can see far into Mexico. We also took a tour at Kartchner Caverns, just south of Benson. This cave was discovered back in the 1970's, but was kept a secret by it's discovers until the late 1980's, when it was sold to the State. They wanted to ensure that it remained in pristine condition. Extraordinary measures have been taken to preserve it. Unlike most caves we have visited, this cave is horizontal, staying close to the surface. Because of that, it's warm inside, with an average temperature inside of 70F and humidity in the 98-99% range. Sorry I don't have any pictures, as cameras of any kind are not allowed. We also visited a very quaint bookstore, miles from anywhere.
Coronado summit looking towards Mexico
Coronado summit looking east (Arizona)
Stay away from the banditos!
Emma is growing up!
After 11 days, it was time to say goodbye to our friends. Texas is a-callin'!
Upon arriving in Benson, we got settled in next to L & C, then headed off to a potluck. I know, it's tough, but someone has to do it! Also, Emma the Yorkie got to meet Daisy Mae the Chihuahua, L & C's new dog. They became fast friends, and played and walked together a lot.
"
Emma and Daisy Mae "sharing"
While there, L & C took us on a couple of excursions so that we could take in some of the southern Arizona beauty. One day, we took a leisurely drive down to Coronado National Monument, where we had picnic lunch and did some hiking and picture taking. From the summit, you can see far into Mexico. We also took a tour at Kartchner Caverns, just south of Benson. This cave was discovered back in the 1970's, but was kept a secret by it's discovers until the late 1980's, when it was sold to the State. They wanted to ensure that it remained in pristine condition. Extraordinary measures have been taken to preserve it. Unlike most caves we have visited, this cave is horizontal, staying close to the surface. Because of that, it's warm inside, with an average temperature inside of 70F and humidity in the 98-99% range. Sorry I don't have any pictures, as cameras of any kind are not allowed. We also visited a very quaint bookstore, miles from anywhere.
Coronado summit looking towards Mexico
Coronado summit looking east (Arizona)
Stay away from the banditos!
Manly men with their manly dogs!
While we were staying in Benson, Emma had a vet visit. As she was 6-1/2 months old, she was due to be spayed. We had been in contact with a Yorkie breeder in Tucson, who recommended a vet who specialized in small breeds. We met with him 2 days before surgery to make sure we were comfortable (we were!). The Friday surgery was a success - besides the spay, she had 4 baby teeth pulled, and got a microchip. Poor Emma was down and out the day of surgery, but the following day, was almost back to normal. By Sunday, there was no holding her back. So much for limited activities for a week. Now we have one more week to go before she can have a bath...as I am fond of saying: "you stinkah"!
Emma is growing up!
After 11 days, it was time to say goodbye to our friends. Texas is a-callin'!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Happy New Year!
Leaving SoCal after for 11 days was pretty easy for us. We had great visits with family and friends, but were anxious to find warmer weather and new scenery. We took a leisurely drive from Huntington Beach to El Centro, where we stayed one night. We stayed at a very nice RV park, but found the town of El Centro to be less than desirable. It's doubtful that we'll stay there again.
We headed east on I-8 the next day, arriving in Winterhaven, CA, our home for the next week. Winterhaven is the last city in California before you cross the border into Yuma, Arizona. Our first year out, we had stayed 2 weeks in Yuma. This time, the Yuma resort was booked solid, which is why we opted for Winterhaven. The park is on the west side of town, so it was about a 10 mile ride to Yuma and all of it's amenities. We basically hung out for a week, going to the movies once (Marley and Me), and doing some shopping at Sam's Club (exciting, eh?). We did venture across the border into Algodones, Baja, did some window shopping, and had a nice lunch at a very local cafe.
Would you eat here? We did, and it was good!
Donna and I have a game called "check-out-the-casino". We find the local casinos, sign up for the Players Club, get whatever free gifts available, and try out the buffet if it looks good. Sometimes they give you $5 or $10 free play, which is perfect for us, since we aren't big gamblers. We did this at 2 casinos in the Yuma area. We took our free play money, worked the video poker machines, and walked out with $16. Since there wasn't a buffet, we went to In-N-Out and splurged!
By the way, the weather, while mostly sunny, remained cool in the high 50's and low 60's.
After a week, we headed further east, to Casa Grande, AZ. This town is a mecca for snowbirds looking to escape the snow in the northern states and Canada. We had another peaceful week, and even got to have lunch with some of our Country Coach friends, Tom and Lynne, who live in the Scottsdale area. We also took in another movie (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). It's rare we go to the movies, but twice in the same month? The weather was still cool, but the temperatures were getting close to "shorts" weather. Another week, time to move on!
Almost a year and a half ago, we purchased our motor home from Beaudry RV in Tucson. We didn't go to AZ, we actually ordered it at a rally in Redmond, OR. They had given us a certificate for 3 free nights at their RV Park, so we headed off to Tucson. We have never stayed in the Tucson area. Our impression is that Tucson is a very spread out city! Not highly populated, but spread out over many, many miles.
We managed to do one touristy thing - we visited the Biosphere2, north of town. This facility was built in the late 80's and early 90's. In 1991, several scientists were sealed in Biosphere2 for a couple of years. Our memories recalled that it was an experiment to see if man could create an environment and sustain themselves. Our memories were wrong. The purpose of the Biosphere2 was to study 5 distinct environments (biomes) to see how plants and animals behaved in controlled conditions. The scientists were sealed in to monitor and record the plant and animal behaviors. Our tour included a walk through the various environments, labs, and housing. The tour was fascinating, and we learned a lot. In case you're wondering, Biosphere1 is The Earth. The facility has had a few owners, and now the University of Arizona is the caretaker/operator. We are unclear as to the owner is, but they told us that the facility is up for sale. Experiments continue, and a new study is being launched to study the effects of VOC's (volatile organic compounds) on the environment. VOC's are things like paint fumes.
Our 3 night stint over at Beaudry, we headed east to Benson, AZ, where we are visiting with friends Leroy and Carol. We will be here about 2 weeks, before heading towards our home state of Texas.
We headed east on I-8 the next day, arriving in Winterhaven, CA, our home for the next week. Winterhaven is the last city in California before you cross the border into Yuma, Arizona. Our first year out, we had stayed 2 weeks in Yuma. This time, the Yuma resort was booked solid, which is why we opted for Winterhaven. The park is on the west side of town, so it was about a 10 mile ride to Yuma and all of it's amenities. We basically hung out for a week, going to the movies once (Marley and Me), and doing some shopping at Sam's Club (exciting, eh?). We did venture across the border into Algodones, Baja, did some window shopping, and had a nice lunch at a very local cafe.
Would you eat here? We did, and it was good!
Donna and I have a game called "check-out-the-casino". We find the local casinos, sign up for the Players Club, get whatever free gifts available, and try out the buffet if it looks good. Sometimes they give you $5 or $10 free play, which is perfect for us, since we aren't big gamblers. We did this at 2 casinos in the Yuma area. We took our free play money, worked the video poker machines, and walked out with $16. Since there wasn't a buffet, we went to In-N-Out and splurged!
By the way, the weather, while mostly sunny, remained cool in the high 50's and low 60's.
After a week, we headed further east, to Casa Grande, AZ. This town is a mecca for snowbirds looking to escape the snow in the northern states and Canada. We had another peaceful week, and even got to have lunch with some of our Country Coach friends, Tom and Lynne, who live in the Scottsdale area. We also took in another movie (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). It's rare we go to the movies, but twice in the same month? The weather was still cool, but the temperatures were getting close to "shorts" weather. Another week, time to move on!
Almost a year and a half ago, we purchased our motor home from Beaudry RV in Tucson. We didn't go to AZ, we actually ordered it at a rally in Redmond, OR. They had given us a certificate for 3 free nights at their RV Park, so we headed off to Tucson. We have never stayed in the Tucson area. Our impression is that Tucson is a very spread out city! Not highly populated, but spread out over many, many miles.
We managed to do one touristy thing - we visited the Biosphere2, north of town. This facility was built in the late 80's and early 90's. In 1991, several scientists were sealed in Biosphere2 for a couple of years. Our memories recalled that it was an experiment to see if man could create an environment and sustain themselves. Our memories were wrong. The purpose of the Biosphere2 was to study 5 distinct environments (biomes) to see how plants and animals behaved in controlled conditions. The scientists were sealed in to monitor and record the plant and animal behaviors. Our tour included a walk through the various environments, labs, and housing. The tour was fascinating, and we learned a lot. In case you're wondering, Biosphere1 is The Earth. The facility has had a few owners, and now the University of Arizona is the caretaker/operator. We are unclear as to the owner is, but they told us that the facility is up for sale. Experiments continue, and a new study is being launched to study the effects of VOC's (volatile organic compounds) on the environment. VOC's are things like paint fumes.
Our 3 night stint over at Beaudry, we headed east to Benson, AZ, where we are visiting with friends Leroy and Carol. We will be here about 2 weeks, before heading towards our home state of Texas.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Blogging Blues
With the new year, I decided to change the format of our blog. It's easy to do: you just find a template you like, click on it, and you're done. One minor problem: the template I chose did not have coding to allow a "comments" section at the end of the post. I've spent 2 weeks trying to figure out where comments went, only to find that the coding wasn't there in the first place. So, another template change, and that's why there is a new, improved (?) look to our blog!
And I'll get us caught up in a few days...I know, you've heard that before...
And I'll get us caught up in a few days...I know, you've heard that before...
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
A Surf City Chrismukkah
Bolsa Chica Beach complete with pelicans
On December 15, we headed for Huntington Beach, where we would be for 11 days during the holidays. In 2007, we were on the East Coast, and checked into The Great Outdoors on Christmas Eve. Not this year! We decided that we would spend the holidays with family this year. My sister recommended Bolsa Chica State Beach, and, a few months back, we checked with ReserveAmerica to see if any sites were available. Amazingly, there were openings, but we could only get an 11 day stint, and our rig was backed up to PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). The sites there are narrow, and are really built for RV's up to 40', so we were tight! We actually backed up over the curb until the tag wheels hit so that we would fit and still be able to park the car in front of the coach. Our first neighbors were from Germany, and they told us to park our Jeep on their site. "You Americans have too many rules!" they joked.
A side note: back in the 50's and 60's, Bolsa Chica was known as "Tin Can Beach". From PCH to the water, the beach was covered in cans. I'm not sure when it got cleaned up, but it's beautiful now. There is still stuff (flotsam or jetsam?) on the beach, but now it's whatever the tide brings in, not out of control litter.
Emma testing out the sand
Emma got to experience her first time on sand at the beach. What a hoot! After about 10 seconds of walking gingerly, she took off running and didn't stop until she was tired. Running on the beach became a favorite pastime while we were there.
Go Emma!
As always, Donna's sister Cheryl and her husband John hosted a Hanukkah party for the family. Every year it gets larger, as more relatives, extended family, and friends show up. They had about 60 people this year. For us, it was great, as Todd and Victoria flew in from Colorado, and Josh, Jenna, Bea, and Olivia drove down from San Jose. T, V, J, J, B & O even took in Disneyland. My Dad even came to the party!
HB locals Gary and Jill came over to visit and see the coach. Gary was my boss when I was at Edison. It was great catching up on each other's families and finding out what was going on at Edison. We had a great Mexican dinner in Huntington Beach.
Jim, Yvonne (aka Marie) and Dad
My sister Yvonne (aka Marie) and her husband Jim had reservations at Bolsa Chica, and came into the park a few days after we got there. Jim is very recently retired (firefighter), and is settling into the retired life. We all told him it would take a few months to sink in. They hosted a Christmas Eve dinner attended by us, my Dad, and Jim's side of the family. Another great meal with great company! Jim and I also managed a bike ride down to the Huntington Beach pier. The weather during our stay can be described as rainy, windy (OK, very windy), and sunny, sometimes all on the same day!
Sunset at Bolsa Chica
Our reservation was through December 26, but the park hosts told us to get on the waiting list the day before, and maybe we could extend. When I signed up, I was second on the list. True to one of Murphy's Laws, on the 26th there was only one opening. We were forced to leave, and, after goodbyes to Yvonne and Jim, headed for El Centro, CA, for the night. It was time to head east to warmer climates!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Leaving Las Vegas
We took the short 48 mile jog from Pahrump down to Las Vegas...the city where we got married so many years ago! Wow, it's really changed. As we drove down the Strip, the mega-hotels are adding on even higher towers. Amazing. It's getting to be a bit much, we think. And with economy, those casinos had better do real good!
We had a reservation at the Oasis RV Park on the south side of the strip. Back in 2000 or 2001, we stayed there in our little 24' travel trailer, and thought it was a great park. Like everything else, things have changed. It's a little older now, and unless you want to spend $50 a night (we don't), they put out in the back of the park, two rigs to a driveway. Yuck. Well we were there on one of our campground memberships, so it was about $11 a night. No ambiance, but the price was right.
Since we were to be there a week, we sent for our mail, which all goes to our Texas address. It comes to the local post office as "General Delivery". When we went to pick it up, there was a surprise for us - the post office we specified doesn't accept general delivery. Doh! Another lesson learned...call the post office before shipping. Our mail bounced around for about 4 days before it showed up at the only PO in Las Vegas that accepts general delivery.
We did a little casino hopping, and checked out The Palms, which is over near the Rio. Donna tells me that it's the "in" place, and the stars hang out there. Believe it or not, we didn't see anyone of any notoriety. It is a very nice place though.
In one of the tourist books that are everywhere, we found an ad for 1/2 price show tickets. We went to one of their locations, and found that there were discounts of up to 50% for selected shows. Donna really wanted to see Mama Mia, which was playing at the Mandalay Bay. The performance was sold out in the section we wanted (this was Friday). We thought we'd try back on Monday to see what was available then. While looking through the Sunday paper, Donna found a 2-4-1 coupon for Mama Mia, directly through the hotel. We zipped over to the box office, and got 2 tickets, center, row 13...not bad! I have to admit, the show was very good, in spite of all those ABBA songs that I tried to forget over the past few decades!
There was a big rodeo in town while we were there, and, again at the Mandalay Bay, there was a "Cowboy Marketplace". We thought it would be fun to wander around and check out boots, belts, hats, jewelry, and clothes...and tack...and horse trailers...and mega-trucks. We learned something - some of those big horse trailers are partitioned. There is the horse area, and the people area. The people areas have an interior that rivals many motor homes!! We had no idea.
Directly across I-15 from our resort is the Silverton Casino & Hotel. They were advertising 2-4-1 prices in all of their restaurants, so we thought we'd check out the place. Attached to the casino is a Bass Pro Shop. A very interesting combination! Upon entering the main door to the casino, you are confronted with a giant salt water aquarium. Lots of sharks and exotic fish swimming around. We quickly joined the Players Club, and headed off to the buffet for 1/2 price dining! After dinner, we toured Bass Pro, and then headed back to the casino for about an hour.
The weather was cold the entire week, with daytime temps in the 50's, and very breezy.
Now that we've been to Vegas again, we probably won't be back for quite a while. Maybe it's our lifestyle, but Tinseltown just seems to be getting, well, too gaudy. And the tourists seem to all be trying to impress each other.
We're spending 5 days back in Desert Hot Springs, California, before heading over to Huntington Beach for the holidays. After that, it will be 2009, and the adventure will continue!
We had a reservation at the Oasis RV Park on the south side of the strip. Back in 2000 or 2001, we stayed there in our little 24' travel trailer, and thought it was a great park. Like everything else, things have changed. It's a little older now, and unless you want to spend $50 a night (we don't), they put out in the back of the park, two rigs to a driveway. Yuck. Well we were there on one of our campground memberships, so it was about $11 a night. No ambiance, but the price was right.
Since we were to be there a week, we sent for our mail, which all goes to our Texas address. It comes to the local post office as "General Delivery". When we went to pick it up, there was a surprise for us - the post office we specified doesn't accept general delivery. Doh! Another lesson learned...call the post office before shipping. Our mail bounced around for about 4 days before it showed up at the only PO in Las Vegas that accepts general delivery.
We did a little casino hopping, and checked out The Palms, which is over near the Rio. Donna tells me that it's the "in" place, and the stars hang out there. Believe it or not, we didn't see anyone of any notoriety. It is a very nice place though.
In one of the tourist books that are everywhere, we found an ad for 1/2 price show tickets. We went to one of their locations, and found that there were discounts of up to 50% for selected shows. Donna really wanted to see Mama Mia, which was playing at the Mandalay Bay. The performance was sold out in the section we wanted (this was Friday). We thought we'd try back on Monday to see what was available then. While looking through the Sunday paper, Donna found a 2-4-1 coupon for Mama Mia, directly through the hotel. We zipped over to the box office, and got 2 tickets, center, row 13...not bad! I have to admit, the show was very good, in spite of all those ABBA songs that I tried to forget over the past few decades!
There was a big rodeo in town while we were there, and, again at the Mandalay Bay, there was a "Cowboy Marketplace". We thought it would be fun to wander around and check out boots, belts, hats, jewelry, and clothes...and tack...and horse trailers...and mega-trucks. We learned something - some of those big horse trailers are partitioned. There is the horse area, and the people area. The people areas have an interior that rivals many motor homes!! We had no idea.
Directly across I-15 from our resort is the Silverton Casino & Hotel. They were advertising 2-4-1 prices in all of their restaurants, so we thought we'd check out the place. Attached to the casino is a Bass Pro Shop. A very interesting combination! Upon entering the main door to the casino, you are confronted with a giant salt water aquarium. Lots of sharks and exotic fish swimming around. We quickly joined the Players Club, and headed off to the buffet for 1/2 price dining! After dinner, we toured Bass Pro, and then headed back to the casino for about an hour.
The weather was cold the entire week, with daytime temps in the 50's, and very breezy.
Now that we've been to Vegas again, we probably won't be back for quite a while. Maybe it's our lifestyle, but Tinseltown just seems to be getting, well, too gaudy. And the tourists seem to all be trying to impress each other.
We're spending 5 days back in Desert Hot Springs, California, before heading over to Huntington Beach for the holidays. After that, it will be 2009, and the adventure will continue!
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