More from the Desert in Arizona...

This is a very interesting part of the country...Where Cochise, Many Indians, Matt Dillon, the Clayton Gang, Doc Holiday and other notorious people spent their lives back in the 1800's...

There were the Marshals, the Calvary, the Bounty Hunters, the Miners and the "Ladies of the Evening"...There were Doctors, Lawyers, Pharmacists, Saloon Owners and Cattlemen...I'm sure that there were many other various and sundry of people...like Moms and Dads and Kids, School Teachers and Preachers...There were houses, mines for copper, silver and other precious minerals and stones, there were Churches...Saloons, Brothels, General Stores, Restaurants, One Room School Houses, Stables and many other necessary places and things that were used in that day and time...

In the past few days we have been seeing the results of that era..,,from Fort Huachuca to Tombstone, and Boot Hill...
There were the Indian Wars and the Mexican Wars...That brought the Calvary...The Gun Slingers, and everyone that felt like making a new life in the new country "Out West"...When you see the starkness of the landscape and the topography around here you wonder why anyone ever came here at all...Why they fought for the land...All that there is, is...dirt...cactus...wind...and more of the same...and starting in just a few days it will begin to get really hot...and stay that way 'till next winter...when it will get bitterly cold...lots of wind...you know when the wind blows out here it blows that dirt all over...The starkness of this part of the country really amazes me...In this picture you can see about 20 miles from Arizona 80 over to Ft. Huachuca on Arizona 90...with the snow capped mountains in the background... There is virtually nothing between but dirt, rattle snakes and horny toads...oh yes, there are some Javalinas...they are a member of the Hippopotamus family but they look like hairy wild hogs...

This is a picture of a post card I purchased of the Javalina...and a baby...ugly little beasts, huh???

As we've been driving around this part of the country...we've seen many "homesteads" that are right out in the middle of nowhere...there are no electric lines or phone lines in sight...and this is not an area where there might be underground utilities...Only windmills and solar panels can be seen...and that's only on some of them...I know that the property must be fairly cheep...but really...I just don't get it...

Anyway folks...There is much more to tell but I must stop all this fun and frivolity and fix dinner for "Hubby Mike"...we are both hungry...

'Till next time...

More of the dinner at our house last night...

This is a picture of Mike taking a picture of Shirley taking a picture of Mike...nutty, nutty, nutty... I had to swipe this photo from Cathy's blog it is so good it has us all...except her and Chris in it...asmyou can see we were freezing...coats and hoods and all... See we did make it...this is the "livingroom" where all the boys sat and ate healthily...Dave, top right, next to him, is Chris, then Gene...then on the other side is Mike in the foreground then Richard next to him...There is definately no walking room...but eating was fine...

And here's the girls...on the left is Shirley then to her left is Cathy and across from her is Dianne...I'm taking the picture...but you can see my plate right next to Dianne's...

We had a great dinner and a great time with our new/found fulltimeing friends...

Here you see Shirley and I in the "kitchen"...We're gettin' outta Richard's way as he fixes his plate...You know that you don't wanta get between a man and his food...

You know...it is interesting out here...we hang on to those that we have met and are meeting...I think that is because we are in such an un-known lifestyle...none of us have done it before...we are all in the beginning stages of something that we don't know much about...but together we are learning as we travel and see new parts of our country, meeting new people...and learning so much about ourselves and our mates...so much more that we could have ever learned in any other lifestyle...it is sort-of un-nerving sometimes...things go wrong, you can't find some things, and when you have a little "tiff" with Mr. or Mrs. Wright...there is really not many places to get away from each other...outside works but that is just about it...we've been looking for warm weather ever since November 1st...we had a couple of nice days before we left Lake Minden in Northern CA, and a couple of nice days in Desert Hot Springs...but that's it...so if you need to get outside...you're outta luck there too...it's is really cold and usually windy out there...It also brings you closer together...much closer than when we were affected by all the distractions of work, family, and all the stuff of our previous lifestyle...not that any of that was or is bad...but I know that for us...it has been wonderful...yes we still have our moments...and we miss family and friends at home...but for us, for the most part it is a wonderful way to spend our retirement...

Today we went out to breakfast with Gene and Shirley and then to Wally World...we also went to a pecan sales place and bought some really nice pecans...After that we went to Gene and Shirley's and proceeded to plan out our trip East...Tomorrow I will get all the reservations made...I hope...

Well guys...that brings you up to date...so I'll be posting more later...

March 29, '07

Well, how did you like the date on my last post???

The 38th of what???

But now we have dinner at the coach...Our guests were...Gene & Shirley,Dave and Dianne, Chris and Cathy and Richard...there should have been 10 of us but it turned out to be 9, as Shirley of Richard & Shirley was "under-the-weather"...So in this first picture you see Richard on the left, then the back of Chris with Cathy his "better-half" on his right then there is "Scubadave" in the blue jacket on the right...You will notice that they are all bundeled up...well...it was cold, cold, cold, cold...and very windy... Here you saee Gene and I "conflabing "over the "Pork Tenderloin...Boy did it turn out good...We had Pork Tendeloin, Enhanced Potatoes, Cole Slaw, Rolls and Pretzel/Strawberry Dessert...of course that was after a few pitchers of Margaritas!!!

Wednesday, March 38Th.

Well...this is Gene and Shirley in front of their new Alfa, See Ya!!!

Is it pretty or what???
They are "Happy Little Campers"!!!

We went to Happy Hour at the Saguaro SKP Park here in Benson...You know...there is a great life out here...and we are finally doin' it...and we are surprised each and every day...we met lots of new people there who were very nice... This is Shirley listening to some area Info.

This little guy showed up whe we got back to Gene and Shirley's patio beside their coach...he fussed and fussed at us before he finally got up there to eat...

Hope you can see the snow still on the moumntain in front of us...we are on our Way to Sierra Vista, to pick up our mail and to go the the museums on FT. Hauchuca...the Army Base close ro here...It is a huge facility...we went to the Intelligence Museum as well as the History Museum...

The Entrance to Ft.Hauchuca

This is a water tower at Ft. Huachuca that says

"A Great place to enlist or re-enlist"

Here you see some of the vehicles that are sitting waiting to be used...there were lots of these and other kinds of vehicles stored in this area...

Cool Picture, hugh???

Iam gonna go ahead and publish this because I want to clean house...the gang (Gene & Shirley, Chris & Cathy, Dave & Dianne, Richard & Shirley) are coming over for a pot-luck tonight...so I got lots to do...

But I will finnish it later with more pictures of tonight as well...

Sunday March 25th, '07

We went to lunch and to Wally World with Gene ("Reb") and Shirley...we had a great dinner of Fried Chicken and all the trimmings..

We thought it was a "fitting" place for lunch..."wha-da-u" think??? When we came back to Gene and Shirley's we decided that we would drive around the "Saguora", "SKP" Park where they are staying...waht a beautiful place...they have these sites that you can purchase and build a little "Casita" on it...so I took some pictures of the ones that we liked the best...I can see us doing something like this down-the-road, when we get to where we don't want to travel so much...but not in the desert...but these were cute...The sunsets are wonderful around here...especially as the sun shines it's colors on the Mountains behind the park, so lots of them have roof-top Patio areas for sunset watching...

You can tell that everyone that has built these little places have really put love and personality into it...

This one was one of our favorites too...But it is a lot more interesting from the back...although the round stained glass window is georgeous from this side as well as the back...

Cute or what???

This one was on a corner...lots of space and such a cute little place. We were really taken with the prospect of doing this at some time in the future...

Then we went home for a nap...when I got up to make the salad and go back over to Gene and Shirley's for BBQ Burgers...I checked my e-mail...Lo-and-behold...I had an e-mail from Cathy Hayden (a fellow '06er) with the info. that she and her husband were at the sam park as Gene and Shirley. Cathy follows our blog and the SKP Forum...where I had posted where we were...... as it turned out...they are parked only about 6 spots away...so when we got over there, Shirley and I went to roust them out and invite them for dinner...they came and we had a blast getting to know them...

They were the first organizers of the "Class of '06", but were unable to be at "Q" so we hadn't met them yet...but now we have and it was a really good evening...looking forward to more later in the week...

This is the group:

Now this little guy was a great surprise...Never say a real "Road Runner " before...The cartoon, "Wiley Coyote and the Road Runner" was my Dad's favorite cartoon ever...it was kind-of Nostalgic to see a real one...they are really cool...

Here you see one of the landscapes of the desert...now I know it is beautiful in God's eyes...it serves a purpose for those that love it and the habitat that thrives in this sort of climate...but as for me...I choose the "BPNW"....

This was kind-of an ominous looking cloud...don-cha think????

We started to get yhe picture...we were running into some inclimate weather...and boy did we!!!!!!!!!!! It poured...notice...where we were the sun was shinning...over on the mountain it was only black clouds...

Were here...in Benson, Arizona and this is the view in the back of "TAD". We got here about 6:45PM on Friday...we left "Desert Pools" at 9:30AM...Mike had "Dead Butt" when we got here. That was a two day drive all wrapped up into one...but we were anxious to bet to where Gene and Shirley were so that we could start traveling together, so Mike drove for over 9 hours instead of our 4 we promised to do in a day's trip...oh well, I want you to know that the sacrifice was worth it...

Gene and Shirley were waiting for us with an open bottle of wine and a great spahgetti dinner, to die for...in a NEW COACH...we couldn't even find them because we were looking for their Montana and their Big Truck...well...now they have a Brand Spankin' New, Alfa, SeeYa... gerogous coach...and much easier for them to handle than the 5th wheel and truck...Congrats...GENE & SHIRLEY...........pictures will come later...

This is one of the locals that I met yesterday morning...he is a very different looking quail from the ones that we saw in CA...Very interesting and very pretty...there are lots of them as well as other birds around here...the park managers have made it a bird sanctuary of sorts...I'll get pictures of the feeding area later on...

Just us girls havin' fun at dinner, it got cold outside so we had to come in for dinner..."TAD" is a little tight for 6 for dinner...but we managed...and had a great time doin' it!!! That's Shirley on the Left ansde Diane on the Right and yoiur's truly...

And here's the guys...on the left is "Scuba Dave" and on the Right is Gene...the boys were jawi' as much as us girls were...Oh yes, Mike was takin' the pictures...and by-the-way...he took the picture of the "Road Runner" too...you know...gotta' give credit where credit is due...

Today Mike gave "TAD" a very needed bath...as well as the Jetta...Now we are gonna go with Gene and Shirley, out to lunch and to Wally World and just to check out our new digs...so I'll have more to share later...at least I have you all caught up to now...have a great day all...

While we were at Desert Hot Springs, we went to "Joshua Tree National Park". This is a "Joshua" Tree..."Kind-a-cool" looking in a wiered sorta way...All of the trees that you see in this picture are "Joshua" Trees...they provide very little shade...they are sorta dry and dead looking, for-the-most-part...But there are millions of them in this area...Thus the title "Joshua Tree National Forest"... Really nothing like any forest that I've ever seen...

There are many interesting rock formations there, as well...theis is just one of many that we saw...I thinik you are at about 6,000 feet at the top of the mountain and there are many places that you can lool out over the sprawling valley where Palm Springs, the Salton Sea, Desert Hot Sprngs, Rancho Mirage, etc. are located...

Here is a picture of one of the vistas...it was kinda hazey but still...you get the picture...

While we were at Joshua Tree, we met some "'o6ers"...Duane and Linda...whe spent the better part of the day and evening with them touring the park and having dinner together...it was really lots of fun, getting to know them...this life really is a "surprise party" each and every day...meeting new people and seeing new things along the way, we are so blessed to be able to live this way...

This next picture is of us following Linda and Duane on the way out of the park...I know that we must have put at least 100 miles on our both cars that day...but it was really fun to see...

Now this is a photo of "Cap Rock"...Very cool...don-cha-think???

This is a grove of cactus...that looked like it had been in a forest fire, at one time, and had grown new life after the fire...it was a burnt brown on the bottom and a light green on the top , it also had evidence of the fact that it had bloomed this spring...Now there is "HOPE" for ya...We were talking about the look of the cactus and Linda said that it looked like the grove had suffered some kind of "STRESS"...maybe from the extremely cold winter that the desert had this year...but they "SURVIVED"...Like we allk do in this life...we must be strong...,but we do survive... and not just survive, but "BLOOM" right where we were planted...some more of my 2 cents...free to all of you...

It has come to my attention, that you cannot comment on my new blog without signing up for "gmail"...I am in the process of finding out how to remedy that problem...but thus far I have been unsuccesful...Bear with me, I'll get to the bottom of this yet...

This is looking out the back of where we are staying...Stark land...kind-of pretty, in it's own way...I really don't like it...it is too"dirty"...I'll take the "BPNW" much better...

Now here is a critter...I think he's a "stick bug"...what do you think??? He was sunning himself on a post right in front of our coach...kinda cool...better than a rattle snake which, I hear, are quite populas around here and out in mass right now and they say they are hungry!!! Gotta look where you walk...

Here is our spot at Desert Pools Resort in Desert Hot Springs, CA...my little Flamingos mark it nicely...doncha think???

We are really enjoying our trip, so far...

Ya know, life throws a ball at us each and every day...and we choose how we swing the bat...

Sometimes, we get a hit and get to first base, sometimes we get a hit and get to second base...and then some times we hit that ball that is thrown at us and we get to third base, or even get a home run...or maybe we just get a walk...but the truth of the matter is, is, that the balls keep coming at us and we have to swing...or not...depending on how the ball looks to us...

Sometimes we strike out...but the important thing is that we keep going up to bat...expecting to get a home run.............................

That was for free...just something I've been thinkin about...it would be so easy to just quit, sometimes...but if we keep playing the game expecting the best...it WILL happen!!!

Now these two little guys are our "super/egos"...they stand in our windsheld (a boy and girl Flamingo) they are dressed in hula skirts and shades and are just lookin for fun...they shake their booties all the way down the road...they have joined the "red bear" and the "over-the-hill" pony and the" talking cow"...between them they keep our perspective in tact...and that is:

What's "out there" is there for us to be having fun with...and that we do!!!
Well, we were on the road on the 16th of March...and when we got down to the HWY South...and this is what we ran into...yep...you guessed it...FOG...

Here you see us as we go down the road...we had no idea that we would run into fog...and the traffic was pretty testy too...lots of trucks and they're challenging when you're climbing the mountains...We did fine, but it's a little un-nearving for the passenger!!! "ME"

This was taken at Isabelle's house on the Thursday before we left...all you moms amd dads of our grand kids...keep this photo handy so our little guys won't forget us while we are gone!!

This was taken the day we left "Lake Minden"...This is a Sunrise...not a Sunset...God's creation is certainly beautiful...

These next two pictures were taken to show "Son" Tom...it was taken at the 49er Truck Stop in West Saceamento, CA. They were inb the process of detailing this rig...something about Toyota????

It was a really pretty truck and trailer though...we were there gettin' "TAD" serviced...and having lunch...you know...truck stop food "sucketh"...I feel sorry for truck drivers...

This is a picture of the Navagator 9 GPS system that Mike purcdhased on the E-Bay...It really does work really well...if we follow her directions...sometimes we think we know better...and danged if she ain't always right...her name is "Lisa"...she even tells us when Mike gets over the speed limit..."Lisa" tells us where all the RV accessable restuarants are and points of interest as well...she is a fun gal to travel with!


This was taken from the coach as we traveled down I-5 of the "Railroad Crossing" fire...this was on Friday the 16th...it surely burned for a long time...I hope it is out by now...

If you look closely you will see the "Blimp" that was in Sacto. for the March Madness Games at Arco Arena...it is just to the left of the pole that is to the left of the water tower...

This is what the fire looked like from Elk Grove...

This is the end of that day so I will publish this post and work on the next one.,..now that I can get the pictures on the page I gotta catch you guys up on all the places that we have been so far...we really are having a great time...