Sunday, May 4, 2003
Ferne Clyffe SP, Goreville, IL - May 1-4
If getting there were really half the fun, we would have had a miserable time here. We got caught in a fierce thunderstorm as we were driving up here, and our practically brand-new wiper blade on the driver's side disintegrated before our eyes. All of a sudden Doug's visibility was zero (as opposed to the 30% in the storm!), while trucks were roaring by us like it was a bright sunny day. 
Fortunately there was an exit less than 2 miles ahead, and with Doug leaning over peering through the passenger-side windshield, we managed to pull off and park under an overpass. After the storm abated some we limped to the closest town, which luckily had an auto-parts store. Then, once we got here, we had to dump our holding tanks and fill our fresh water in the pouring rain, made longer by the dismal fresh-water pressure -- I've seen more water pressure in a squirt gun.
We had agreed to meet our good friends Fred & Linda Lanoue here. We plan to park "near" them (some 20 miles away) in Wisconsin this summer, but we couldn't wait. The weather cleared after we set up, and was ideal for 2 days as the 4 of us hiked & birded from around 10 to well after 5 (new species for us: Veery, Palm Warbler, Chimney Swift & Swainson's Thrush -- all fairly common in their range). It was exhausting but wonderful to bird with friends again. Good food & conversation were also shared, and we can hardly wait to see them again in June.
The terrain around here is not at all what one would associate with Illinois -- fascinating rock outcroppings and cypress/tupelo swamps (sort of like Louisiana without the alligators). There are a number of state & federal parks in the area; we would really like to spend at least a week in this area. The areas we visited this time were Crab Lake NWR, Giant City SP (named for large rock formations that look like a city for giants), and Cache River State Natural Area (with many miles of hiking, biking and canoeing/kayaking trails).
Wednesday, April 30, 2003
Daisy Holt's Driveway, Princeton, KY - Apr 24-30
Daisy is a dear friend from CO who moved back to her childhood home after retiring. She is slowly renovating it -- when we last visited her, she was living in a trailer next to the house. She has since added a wing with kitchen, living room, and bedroom, as well as a bathroom to the original house and is living in these new quarters. The original house was a log cabin with an outhouse. Daisy plans to reconstruct the house and incorporate it into her living quarters.Click here for More AQS Pictures
Our visit coincided with the American Quilter's Society (AQS) Quilt Show & Contest in Paducah. If you like quilts, this is THE event to attend -- this year 420 quilts were judged from 854 total entries from around the world (the Best in Show was from Saudi Arabia -- that country's only entry). There are also vendors of everything imaginable that is connected in any way to quilting, and you are tempted at every one. 
We succumbed to temptation and each bought fabric for "planned" projects. We spent two days at various events in Paducah connected with the Quilt Show, including visiting the Natl Quilt Museum and an Antique Quilt Show.We also visited Smithland, where we saw the historic Smithland mansion, which is no longer open to visitors. We rode a ferry across the Ohio River to Cave in Rock State Park in IL.
The cave was used by outlaws (sort of river highwaymen) in the early days but is now just an interesting place to visit. We also drove to Elizabethtown, home of the historic Rose Hotel (oldest continuously operating hotel in IL up to 1967 when it closed -- it has since been renovated and reopened), with a lovely setting overlooking the Ohio River.
We went to a planetarium show at the Land Between the Lakes (LBL) to see images from the Hubble Space Telescope. LBL is a Natl Rec Area, located between Kentucky Lake & Barkley Lake in Western KY & TN and administered by the Forest Service. It has many areas of interest and many places to camp. We have been here before and will surely return again. We enjoyed our time with Daisy very much and hope to return in the near future.
Wednesday, April 23, 2003
LBL Big River CG, Dover, TN - Apr 22-23
In retrospect, the prospect of spending the night next to a generator didn't seem so bad. This was a Passport America (1/2 price) park, and as such was almost reasonable -- full price would have been a ripoff. It was situated between a busy highway and a lumber road & mill. It was quite attractive, and the first impression was good.
We did get in some good birdwatching at the Cross Creeks NWR nearby. Afterwards we visited the "Surrender Hotel" in Dover, where, on Feb 15, 1862, Confederate General Buckner, after being urged to surrender by Generals Pillow and Floyd (2 politician-generals who then fled into the night), attempted to negotiate with US Grant. Grant ensured his own fame with his "unconditional surrender" response.
We did get in some good birdwatching at the Cross Creeks NWR nearby. Afterwards we visited the "Surrender Hotel" in Dover, where, on Feb 15, 1862, Confederate General Buckner, after being urged to surrender by Generals Pillow and Floyd (2 politician-generals who then fled into the night), attempted to negotiate with US Grant. Grant ensured his own fame with his "unconditional surrender" response.Monday, April 21, 2003
Meriwether Lewis CG on The Trace - Apr 20-21
This is probably our favorite campground (of the 3) on the Trace, even though there are only a few good solar sites. The best solar site was actually available, but we passed it up in favor of a very secluded spot on the other loop. It's impossible to describe how pleasant an evening under a canopy of trees and stars is, far removed from any artificial lights. Naturally, the next day two RVs travelling together camped on either side of us (with the whole campground practically empty), which wouldn't have been so bad, but they both had generators. One was pretty quiet, but the other was not, and they ran it most of the evening. It didn't look like they were going to leave the next morning, so we decided it was time to move on.In the Interesting People Dept, we met a couple who were bicycling up The Trace (we had seen them earlier camping at Tishomingo). After striking up a conversation with them, we discovered that they were actually biking from New Orleans to California by way of Washington state, trying to retrace the Lewis & Clark route. This was something they did every year -- bike on an extended trip for 6 months before returning to their home, which was a pickup with a camper shell. They had actually biked fulltime for 2 1/2 years before getting their present "home base". So much for our feeling proud of living with so few possessions!!
Saturday, April 19, 2003
Tishomingo State Park, Tishomingo, MS - Apr 17-19
This is a lovely state park in the NE corner of MS, right off the Natchez Trace. The campsites are located by Haynes Lake, which makes it especially appealing to us. There are several hiking trails and birds galore. We met 2 couples, one from Ontario, the other from Colorado, and we spent a very pleasant evening with each one, discussing various aspects of our respective travels. One of the benefits of this lifestyle is the interesting people you meet and the things you learn from them. Next weekend is Dulcimer Day in the Park, and we were disappointed to hear we would miss it by a week; however, some of the performers are already here, and we got a sneak preview, sitting around a campfire listening to a half-dozen dulcimers harmonizing under the stars. Truly magical.
We hope spring is as beautiful in it's own way for each of you as it has been for us in this part of the country. The cats are enjoying the warmth as they nap in the sun, and we have actually been forced to turn on the air conditioning several times. We look forward to hearing from you as we head north towards Wisconsin.
We hope spring is as beautiful in it's own way for each of you as it has been for us in this part of the country. The cats are enjoying the warmth as they nap in the sun, and we have actually been forced to turn on the air conditioning several times. We look forward to hearing from you as we head north towards Wisconsin.
Wednesday, April 16, 2003
Lake Tiak-O-Khata, Louisville, MS - Apr 3-16
This is our preferred place to stay while visiting Willie's parents, but it will probably be our last stay here. They have revised their rates so that we no longer get a discounted rate ($11/night) for staying 2 weeks or longer but now have to pay the full rate of $16, so we will be seeking out cheaper places to park. We have been offered several large driveways & will probably opt for that next time. There is also a nice Passport America park in Philadelphia, about 18 miles from Willie's parents in Noxapater. Flowers were also lovely here, with the wisteria and azaleas being at their peak.We had our usual good time, playing bridge with friends & cousins, visiting relatives, & playing dominoes with the church fellowship group. Noxubee NWR is a short drive away and, while we didn't see the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker that Noxubee is noted for, we did see a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers frolicking, digging in the dirt, and searching the low tree trunks for tasty morsels. While these birds are fairly common around here, it is still really special to see them. Willie also got some needed doctor & dentist visits taken care of. We spent some really wonderful time with Willie's parents and were able to help them with a few spring cleaning type chores. Leaving was very hard & very sad.
Wednesday, April 2, 2003
Rocky Springs CG on the Natchez Trace, MS - Apr 1-2
For history buffs, the Natchez Trace Parkway commemorates the original Natchez Trace, the trail that early traders (mostly from Kentucky, called "Kaintucks") used to walk or ride back to Nashville, TN from Natchez after delivering their goods the other way by boat. For mystery buffs, Rocky Springs is the setting of Nevada Barr's "Deep South". There are no hookups here, and camping is free, so it is very popular with Canadian RVers on their way back home. When we arrived at 12:30 pm, the campground was almost full; we got the last spot by backing into the front end of a long pull-through. Of the roughly 2 dozen rigs in the CG, all but 3 were from Canada. Most of the conversations we overheard were in French.Although the original Trace was only in use for about 20 years (paddle boats rendered it obsolete), foot traffic was so heavy that portions of the Trace were worn to almost 20 feet below the surrounding terrain. Near Rocky Springs is a marvelous 1/2-mile stretch of the original trace that you can hike on when visiting the historic townsite, church & cemetery. We always try to do birding along this trail & it is ridiculous, with the trail being another 12 feet below the already too-tall trees, where the birds sing tantalizingly from the treetops. We came back with sore necks and few birds!
Monday, March 31, 2003
Country Livin' RV Park, Libuse, LA - Mar 28-31
No, it's not a typo! This park has the same name as the last, although they are not associated in any way. This is a small park behind a gas station and is located only 4 miles from our good friends & cousins Joe & Marilyn Black, in Pineville. We had planned in advance to spend most of our time watching the NCAA basketball tournament (mainly the women's games), and that is what we did. We took time out to eat wonderful food and especially enjoyed Marilyn's chocolate cream pie!! Joe liked it too, because she doesn't make it for just the two of them. Joe & Marilyn epitomize "Southern Hospitality." They are special people tous and we really enjoyed our time together.
Thursday, March 27, 2003
Country Livin' RV Park, Ajax, LA - Mar 25-27
This is a small Passport America park near I49 about 40 miles southeast of Shreveport. It was inexpensive (due to our PA membership -- a "half-price" camping club) and a very pleasant place to stay. We visited the nearby historic town of Natchitoches (pronounced NAK-i-tesh for some unknown reason) and the surrounding Cane River National Heritage Area. The town (est 1714) is the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase and has many interesting old buildings. The site along Cane River Lake (a portion of former river that is now a very long lake) was gorgeous with lovely homes and flowers of every type blooming. We drove through the surrounding historic area, which has many antebellum plantations. 
We stopped at Oakland Plantation, owned & managed by the US Park Service & currently in the process of being restored, but still interesting to see. The tour was one of the oddest that we have ever experienced, due to the young tour guide who did not hold back with her unusual opinions & plans for her life. Another day we drove west to the banks of Toledo Bend Reservoir, formed by the damming of the Sabine River, which is the border between LA & TX.
We went to several parks along the banks and were able to see our first Yellow-throated Warbler. What a gorgeous bird!!
Monday, March 24, 2003
Rusk/Palestine SP, Rusk, TX - Mar 23-24
This is a 100-acre park around the Rusk terminal of the Texas State Railroad Historic site, which has 50-mile rides on steam-powered trains between Palestine & Rusk. While the park is usually full on weekends when train rides are offered, it was almost empty during our stay. We enjoyed the relative solitude, and didn't even bother unhooking the truck. The dogwoods & redbuds were at their peak, and there was asmall lake in the park.Saturday, March 22, 2003
Lake Whitney RV Community, Whitney, TX - Mar 18-22
This is home for Don & Janet Lewis, a couple we met and became good friends with during our 2 winters at Port Aransas, TX. They issued a standing invitation for us to come by and visit, and we decided to take them up on it. It's a nifty concept: a home base for RVers where the houses are built to accommodate an RV, with covered parking for RV, tow or towed vehicles and even another vehicle or two. Unlike the Co-Ops that we have been considering, these houses are designed to be lived in by the property owner and come in a variety of sizes. We got 2 free nights for listening to a sales pitch, which brought our camping costs down to a reasonable level.
It was great fun seeing Janet & Don. We played a lot of bridge, & Doug learned Hand & Foot (similar to Canasta), Don took us for a boat ride on Lake Whitney, and a good time was had by all. A big "thank you" to Janet, who helped Doug with his quilt, giving him impetus for the last push to complete it.While there we visited a nearby attraction, Homestead Heritage, which is a "traditional crafts village" along the lines of the Shaker & Amish communities. This one is run by Anabaptists, which have similar traditions to Mennonites. They have restored buildings, handmade crafts & furniture items and a delicious bakery, deli & ice cream shop.
Monday, March 17, 2003
Riverside Park, Brownwood, TX - Mar 16-17
At various times in our travels we have heard of City Parks that are available for inexpensive or free camping. As part of our on-going effort to reduce camping costs, we found this one along our route. The park has a few inexpensive water & electric sites; no-hookup camping is available for free. Naturally we opted for boondocking. A fairly young couple oversees the park in some sort of capacity (very low-key management), and assured us that we could set up anywhere we wanted. Once set up, we discovered our TV was broken. In a sad commentary on modern America, we decided that it would probably be cheaper to replace the TV than to fix it. After finding one that met our basic needs, we then tried to donate the old set to one of the local charities. In an even sadder commentary on modern America, we were unable to find any charities (we tracked down and talked with three) that were willing to take a nonfunctioning TV. We spent lots more time & mileage trying to find someone to take the old TV than buying the new. We finally left it beside a Dumpster in the park.
The park itself is very attractive (we enjoyed birding in the park & spotted our first Golden-crowned Kinglet on the nature trail) & is currently being expanded. There are a number of branches hanging low over some of the roads; we were lucky enough not to encounter any on our way in & were able to scout a safe way out. Unfortunately, it poured rain the night before we left, turning the dirt roads into thick, slick mud. We needed 4WD just to get to the main road with our trailer!
The park itself is very attractive (we enjoyed birding in the park & spotted our first Golden-crowned Kinglet on the nature trail) & is currently being expanded. There are a number of branches hanging low over some of the roads; we were lucky enough not to encounter any on our way in & were able to scout a safe way out. Unfortunately, it poured rain the night before we left, turning the dirt roads into thick, slick mud. We needed 4WD just to get to the main road with our trailer!Saturday, March 15, 2003
Wildcat Marina, Robert Lee, TX - Mar 13-15
Well we certainly don't have electricity here. We're by E.V. Spence Reservoir, which provides water for Abilene, TX, and is currently at 6% capacity. I suspect that if the average Abilener's gas tank was down to 6%, they'd be getting pretty worried, but still Abilene has no water restrictions.
With the low water and out-of-the-way location, it's a wonder anyone ever finds this place. It was actually listed in our Escapees book. It's strange to see such a seedy place with brand new "We support Escapees" decals! The town of Robert Lee was promoted as a townsite by two Confederate veterans in 1889 and was (of course) named after the Civil War general. Things picked up when the reservoir was full and fishing was good. Now most of the fish have died off due to some sort of algae in the water. We are not drinking it.
This is an ideal boondocking location: lots of solar, with water and a dump station nearby. There is one other family camped here, about 1/4 mile away, and we've seen maybe 4 or 5 other cars per day -- the ideal place, in other words, to get away from it all. Our phone reception is good, however, so we have been able to keep up with our emails. We hope to hear from you soon, since West Texas is, quite literally, "miles & miles of miles & miles."
With the low water and out-of-the-way location, it's a wonder anyone ever finds this place. It was actually listed in our Escapees book. It's strange to see such a seedy place with brand new "We support Escapees" decals! The town of Robert Lee was promoted as a townsite by two Confederate veterans in 1889 and was (of course) named after the Civil War general. Things picked up when the reservoir was full and fishing was good. Now most of the fish have died off due to some sort of algae in the water. We are not drinking it.This is an ideal boondocking location: lots of solar, with water and a dump station nearby. There is one other family camped here, about 1/4 mile away, and we've seen maybe 4 or 5 other cars per day -- the ideal place, in other words, to get away from it all. Our phone reception is good, however, so we have been able to keep up with our emails. We hope to hear from you soon, since West Texas is, quite literally, "miles & miles of miles & miles."
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Monahans Sandhills State Park, TX - Mar 11-12
This is a 3840-acre park set in the middle of a 200-mile wide sand dune field in Western Texas and SE New Mexico. We had no trouble getting in at 2pm, but the campground was close to full every night (spring break).
There is normally not much to do here other than walk or surf the dunes (especially if the TV is broken, which we found out ours is when we got here), but this week they were experimenting with camel rides. Since Doug has pictures of his parents riding camels in front of the Great Pyramids, we decided this was a good opportunity for us to be pictured on a camel (albeit in a little less historic setting). 
Each ride only lasted about 5 minutes, but that was long enough to get the feel of the rolling gait atop one of these beasts, as well as the lurching when either standing up or kneeling down. After a day at White Sands and 2 days here, the trailer needs a good vacuuming, once we're at a place with electricity.
Monday, March 10, 2003
The Ranch SKP Co-op, Lakewood, NM - Mar 7-10
This is another Escapees Co-op, similar to the one in Benson, only smaller and less managed. We took an instant liking to the laid-back lifestyle here, and though the setting is not nearly as scenic as Benson, it is well-situated between Doug's Dad in Tucson and Willie's parents in Mississippi. When our travels bring us back West, we will almost certainly stay here longer, to see if we want to get a lot at The Ranch rather than Benson.
The Ranch is near Carlsbad, NM, most famous for the Caverns (27 miles away) but with attractions of its own. The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State Park is a botanical gardens emphasizing the Chihuahuan Desert. We actually only went to the Visitor Center, which, in the Recurring Themes Dept, has one of the Painted Ponies from a 2001 public art project. This concept was first tried in Chicago, where local artists were provided cows to paint. Although we never saw the Chicago cows, we saw similar projects with bears in Knoxville, TN, and geese in Longmont, CO. Boulder, CO is rumored to be starting one with prairie dogs. Unfortunately for us, we chose Sunday to go on the Trail of the Painted Ponies, not realizing that most were on display in private businesses, and that most private businesses in Carlsbad are closed on Sundays. We were able to see a few -- hopefully they will still be on display on our return visit.
We also drove by The Flume, a section of a concrete aqueduct (Civilization improvement requiring Construction) fed by and crossing the Pecos River, hence the name "The River that Crosses Itself."
On our last day here, we went on a picnic with about 20 other Escapees to Sitting Bull Falls, which is fed by a natural spring at the top of the falls. It was wonderful being able to spend more time with and getting to know some of the Co-op members better. It really felt like we fit in there.
One drawback to SE New Mexico is the NPR station. NPR provides a certain continuity for fulltimers, especially for news. When it comes to music, most NPR stations play classical or jazz. The format here is best described as "Beautiful Music" which can be a little disorienting -- one does not expect 101 Strings or Ray Coniff on NPR.
The Ranch is near Carlsbad, NM, most famous for the Caverns (27 miles away) but with attractions of its own. The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State Park is a botanical gardens emphasizing the Chihuahuan Desert. We actually only went to the Visitor Center, which, in the Recurring Themes Dept, has one of the Painted Ponies from a 2001 public art project. This concept was first tried in Chicago, where local artists were provided cows to paint. Although we never saw the Chicago cows, we saw similar projects with bears in Knoxville, TN, and geese in Longmont, CO. Boulder, CO is rumored to be starting one with prairie dogs. Unfortunately for us, we chose Sunday to go on the Trail of the Painted Ponies, not realizing that most were on display in private businesses, and that most private businesses in Carlsbad are closed on Sundays. We were able to see a few -- hopefully they will still be on display on our return visit.We also drove by The Flume, a section of a concrete aqueduct (Civilization improvement requiring Construction) fed by and crossing the Pecos River, hence the name "The River that Crosses Itself."
On our last day here, we went on a picnic with about 20 other Escapees to Sitting Bull Falls, which is fed by a natural spring at the top of the falls. It was wonderful being able to spend more time with and getting to know some of the Co-op members better. It really felt like we fit in there.One drawback to SE New Mexico is the NPR station. NPR provides a certain continuity for fulltimers, especially for news. When it comes to music, most NPR stations play classical or jazz. The format here is best described as "Beautiful Music" which can be a little disorienting -- one does not expect 101 Strings or Ray Coniff on NPR.
Thursday, March 6, 2003
Oliver Lee State Park, NM - Mar 3-6
Located just south of Alamogordo (fat cottonwood), Oliver Lee SP is a very pleasant place to stay for a few nights and check out the local points of interest. Dry camping or water & electric are available; we opted for W&E. The volunteer in the Visitor Center was quite chatty, with numerous recommendations for places to visit as well as restaurants and cheap (relatively) gas. He was also a "period instrument" buff who built his own harpsichord.
The park itself is at the mouth of Dog Canyon, fed by year-round springs that have attracted people for over 6000 years: Prehistoric Indians, Apaches, and European settlers have all called this area home. The park looks out across the arid Tularosa Basin to White Sands Natl Mon & Missile Range, one of the world's great natural wonders -- 275 square miles of glistening white gypsum sand. The gypsum was deposited at the bottom of a shallow sea that covered the area 250 million years ago, and eventually solidified. 
Now, since the Tularosa Basin has no outlet to the sea, water pools in low spots, dissolving the gypsum and forming sand as the water evaporates. The dunes are ever-changing and slowly growing, relentlessly driven by strong SW winds, covering everything in their path. Our first stops in the park, Playa Trail and Big Dune Nature Trail, are on the edge of the dunes, where plants are still abundant, adapting to the advancing sands. Further in, we hiked the Alkali Flats Trail at Heart of the Sands, where plant & animal life are scarce indeed and you are surrounded by nothing but white sand. The only thing breaking the silence was the occasional roar of the ominous-looking Stealth planes from nearby Holloman AFB.
White Sands Missile Range completely surrounds the park, and makes its presence known in the form of Highway and Park closures. On two separate days, US70 was closed five times for an hour each (fortunately NOT when we needed to travel on it), while who-knows-what was going on -- but we could hear low rumbles while inside our trailer at the State Park, 25 miles away.There are two main trails at Oliver Lee: a short Interpretive Trail & Boardwalk, which gave us the opportunity to do some birdwatching, and the Dog Canyon/Eyebrow Trail, a 5.5-mile trail that climbs 3100 feet into Lincoln Natl Forest. We hiked the first mile, with only a 700 foot gain, which was plenty for us.
One of our host's recommendations in Alamogordo was Maria's, a Mexican restaurant that serves chili-relleno burritos -- a chili relleno and beans wrapped in a flour tortilla. It was delicious! And inexpensive.
Sunday, March 2, 2003
Dreamcatcher RV Park, Deming, NM - Mar 1-2
This is an Escapee (SKP) run RV park located right along the interstate in Deming. It is good for a quick stop when you are passing through. The price for boondocking is too good to pass up (2.50 for 2 nights), but it is sure cold!! We are heading east towards Alamogordo next.
We are looking forward to more spring-like conditions, which we hope will be happening SOON! After our relatively warm January, it has gotten steadily cooler. Certainly not COLD like our friends in Denver and the Northeast have, but it is quite chilly for our thin blood!
We are looking forward to more spring-like conditions, which we hope will be happening SOON! After our relatively warm January, it has gotten steadily cooler. Certainly not COLD like our friends in Denver and the Northeast have, but it is quite chilly for our thin blood!
Friday, February 28, 2003
SKP Saguaro Co-op, Benson, AZ - Jan 29-Feb 28
We arrived to find the co-op quite full, with space available only in boondocking (no hookups). After a wait of two days, we were able to move to a nice full hookup site right across the street from the clubhouse for the rest of our stay. Boondocking was fine for a few days, but it was much colder here than the other places we had been recently, so we really needed the electric heater & blanket.
Most of the activities we did were at the clubhouse -- playing bridge, line dancing, other games, morning social hours, working on jigsaw puzzles, crafts and several dance parties. Plus we got to see a couple of one-act plays by the Saguaro Players, people from the park who are brave (or foolish) enough to get up and help put on a play. The plays were locally written (we suspect), and quite enjoyable -- one was a retelling of a "Brer Rabbit" tale, the other set in a crowded Post Office where "Man in a Hurry" tried to talk his way to the front of the line.
We went up to Tucson to visit Doug's dad several times during the month. At the beginning of the month, the weather cooperated enough for a couple of trips to the golf course; however, it cooled off and became rainy later in the month, so golf games were out. We enjoyed all of our visits and will miss them as we travel farther away.
We went on several birding walks with the Friends of the San Pedro River, held at the San Pedro Riparian Natl Conservation Area. With the cool temperatures, there were not many interesting birds to be found. We went to Patagonia for a day trip and visited "Mrs Paton's back yard" (a famous local birding spot). Mrs Paton & her husband, now deceased, set up their yard to attract many birds, especially hummingbirds. Anyone is welcome to sit for a while in the chairs they provide under a canopy and view whatever is around at that moment. We were lucky enough to see two new birds -- Lazuli Bunting and Violet-crowned Hummingbird. Unfortunately, the best hummingbird viewing is supposed to happen in about a month.
We were able to meet friends Diane & David West, who were staying in Casa Grande, in Tucson twice during the early part of Feb. Since they will be heading west and we east, it was our only chance to get together for a while. We continued our "tradition" of consuming lots of food while we chatted!!
The appeal of the park is not so much what we do but the wonderful people we meet here. Each time we come we make more friends and look forward to when we will spend more time here. We are now number 104 on the "hot list" (list to get a lease lot), which means it will be still a couple of years before we get in.
Most of the activities we did were at the clubhouse -- playing bridge, line dancing, other games, morning social hours, working on jigsaw puzzles, crafts and several dance parties. Plus we got to see a couple of one-act plays by the Saguaro Players, people from the park who are brave (or foolish) enough to get up and help put on a play. The plays were locally written (we suspect), and quite enjoyable -- one was a retelling of a "Brer Rabbit" tale, the other set in a crowded Post Office where "Man in a Hurry" tried to talk his way to the front of the line.
We went up to Tucson to visit Doug's dad several times during the month. At the beginning of the month, the weather cooperated enough for a couple of trips to the golf course; however, it cooled off and became rainy later in the month, so golf games were out. We enjoyed all of our visits and will miss them as we travel farther away.
We went on several birding walks with the Friends of the San Pedro River, held at the San Pedro Riparian Natl Conservation Area. With the cool temperatures, there were not many interesting birds to be found. We went to Patagonia for a day trip and visited "Mrs Paton's back yard" (a famous local birding spot). Mrs Paton & her husband, now deceased, set up their yard to attract many birds, especially hummingbirds. Anyone is welcome to sit for a while in the chairs they provide under a canopy and view whatever is around at that moment. We were lucky enough to see two new birds -- Lazuli Bunting and Violet-crowned Hummingbird. Unfortunately, the best hummingbird viewing is supposed to happen in about a month.
We were able to meet friends Diane & David West, who were staying in Casa Grande, in Tucson twice during the early part of Feb. Since they will be heading west and we east, it was our only chance to get together for a while. We continued our "tradition" of consuming lots of food while we chatted!!
The appeal of the park is not so much what we do but the wonderful people we meet here. Each time we come we make more friends and look forward to when we will spend more time here. We are now number 104 on the "hot list" (list to get a lease lot), which means it will be still a couple of years before we get in.
Wednesday, January 29, 2003
Caballo Loco Ranch, SW of Tucson - Jan 22-29
This place was listed in the Escapee discount cg directory; we would have never found it otherwise. It is about 40 miles SW of Tucson, with the last 8 miles being a fairly rough dirt road -- and an even rougher 1/2 mile to our campsite. Once in, however, it is a pretty nice place. I don't think we have ever met friendlier people. There are full hookup sites here as well as lots of lovely boondocking. The full hookup sites only have 30 amp electricity from a diesel generator from 7:30am - 10:30pm. People stay here without hookups for many months, some for the entire year. Most people have ATVs for running around the park, getting water and dumping wastewater. Again, you can buy into the organization & lease a boondock site for about $500-600/year -- pretty reasonable. The park is located in the foothills of the Sierrita, the sites are quite hilly, with a nice view of Kitt Peak from many of them. There are fun activities, though no organized bridge playing -- a disappointment to us.
We spent a day at Kitt Peak Natl Observatory, which has the world's largest collection of optical telescopes. It has 22 optical and 2 radio telescopes representing dozens of research institutions. Three of the telescopes have galleries for public viewing, with free tours each day. They also have the world's largest solar telescope, with daily viewing. We saw our first Mexican Jay up here, an added bonus. We went on a birdwatching trip near the town of Arivaca, led by the Friends of Buenos Aires Natl Wildlife Refuge at the Arivaca Cienaga.
There were many trails through the cienega (place of many waters), which had lots of flowing springs & standing water. After the trip, we ate lunch at La Gitana (the gypsy), home of the oldest bar in the oldest continuously inhabited townsite in AZ. Arivaca is a charming place, with many visitors from Tucson on the weekends. It was also home to another friendly branch of the Pima County Library, where we needed to stop due to receiving an email containing a photo that was too large to be retrieved using our cell phone.
PLEASE remember that we can't download photos over the cell phone! Not only does it prevent us from receiving your email, it "clogs up the works" so we can't download any more emails until we find a landline connection, often at a cost.
We visited the visitor's center of the Buenos Aires Natl Wildlife Center & drove the scenic nature loop. Unfortunately, we didn't see any of the Desert Pronghorn but did see a herd of Mule Deer. A man we met here invited us to use one of their ATVs and took us out for a ride in the nearby desert. There are miles of roads throughout the whole area, so they never run out of places to ride. Doug quickly learned to drive the ATV. All Willie had to do was hold on and watch the scenery. We were out for about 4 hours and saw lots of gorgeous scenery, some old ranch sites, and an old stone wall, probably built by Native Americans or early Spaniards.
It was here that we stumbled on a family of illegal aliens -- probably waiting for someone to pick them up & take them somewhere safer. Willie actually saw the man with two children but did not remember enough Spanish to communicate. It was frightening to leave them there not knowing what their fate would be. I guess it's a common thing around here, but it's pretty sobering to be out "joy riding" and come across people at such a crossroads in their lives. It makes one wish for a more open system of work permits so that people did not have to risk so much to improve the quality of their lives & that of their children.
We head for the SKP Saguaro Co-op in Benson on Weds and plan to be there until the end of Feb. The cats are well content & enjoying the warm AZ sunshine. They didn't miss the computer at all -- except as a warm place for a nap!
We spent a day at Kitt Peak Natl Observatory, which has the world's largest collection of optical telescopes. It has 22 optical and 2 radio telescopes representing dozens of research institutions. Three of the telescopes have galleries for public viewing, with free tours each day. They also have the world's largest solar telescope, with daily viewing. We saw our first Mexican Jay up here, an added bonus. We went on a birdwatching trip near the town of Arivaca, led by the Friends of Buenos Aires Natl Wildlife Refuge at the Arivaca Cienaga.
There were many trails through the cienega (place of many waters), which had lots of flowing springs & standing water. After the trip, we ate lunch at La Gitana (the gypsy), home of the oldest bar in the oldest continuously inhabited townsite in AZ. Arivaca is a charming place, with many visitors from Tucson on the weekends. It was also home to another friendly branch of the Pima County Library, where we needed to stop due to receiving an email containing a photo that was too large to be retrieved using our cell phone.
PLEASE remember that we can't download photos over the cell phone! Not only does it prevent us from receiving your email, it "clogs up the works" so we can't download any more emails until we find a landline connection, often at a cost.We visited the visitor's center of the Buenos Aires Natl Wildlife Center & drove the scenic nature loop. Unfortunately, we didn't see any of the Desert Pronghorn but did see a herd of Mule Deer. A man we met here invited us to use one of their ATVs and took us out for a ride in the nearby desert. There are miles of roads throughout the whole area, so they never run out of places to ride. Doug quickly learned to drive the ATV. All Willie had to do was hold on and watch the scenery. We were out for about 4 hours and saw lots of gorgeous scenery, some old ranch sites, and an old stone wall, probably built by Native Americans or early Spaniards.
It was here that we stumbled on a family of illegal aliens -- probably waiting for someone to pick them up & take them somewhere safer. Willie actually saw the man with two children but did not remember enough Spanish to communicate. It was frightening to leave them there not knowing what their fate would be. I guess it's a common thing around here, but it's pretty sobering to be out "joy riding" and come across people at such a crossroads in their lives. It makes one wish for a more open system of work permits so that people did not have to risk so much to improve the quality of their lives & that of their children.We head for the SKP Saguaro Co-op in Benson on Weds and plan to be there until the end of Feb. The cats are well content & enjoying the warm AZ sunshine. They didn't miss the computer at all -- except as a warm place for a nap!
Tuesday, January 21, 2003
Roberts Ranch RV Resort, Why, AZ - Jan 15-21
We moved east a mile to this campground. It was about $4 cheaper for the week and had boondock sites where no one was using generators. As an added incentive, we also had met a couple of bridge players who lived here. It's hard to say which place we preferred in Why, both had certain advantages. It's a pretty interesting area, all in all, and we plan to be back.
We drove down to Puerto Penasco, Mexico, for a day. It's about 95 miles from Why. You have to get special Mexican insurance before you go, which costs about $20 for full coverage. It is amazing to drive about 2 hours through the desert & come upon such an attractive village by the sea. It is nicer than other towns we have been to in Mexico. There are really fancy homes, mainly owned by Americans, all along the beach. 
You can buy wonderful seafood of every variety, which we did. There are abundant restaurants of every type to choose from. There is also the Earthship CEDO, a project of the Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans, demonstrating how to construct low-cost, energy-efficient and simple-to-build structures using waste materials (eg. old tires and aluminum cans) plus sand and cement. CEDO is a non-profit organization dedicated to research, education & conservation in the coastal Sonoran Desert.
We went back to Organ Pipe for one last drive out to Senita Basin and Quitobaquito Spring & Pond. The white granite soil of Senita Basin is particularly hospitable for Elephant Trees, named for the grey, scaly trunks which resemble elephant's feet. At Quitobaquito, there was a flowing spring and a fairly large pond -- a real desert oasis. Early in our stay here, our new Dell Inspiron 8200 computer arrived, so we spent many hours in the clubhouse, using their electricity, to get things working on it. It's a slow process, but we are making headway.
We drove down to Puerto Penasco, Mexico, for a day. It's about 95 miles from Why. You have to get special Mexican insurance before you go, which costs about $20 for full coverage. It is amazing to drive about 2 hours through the desert & come upon such an attractive village by the sea. It is nicer than other towns we have been to in Mexico. There are really fancy homes, mainly owned by Americans, all along the beach. 
You can buy wonderful seafood of every variety, which we did. There are abundant restaurants of every type to choose from. There is also the Earthship CEDO, a project of the Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans, demonstrating how to construct low-cost, energy-efficient and simple-to-build structures using waste materials (eg. old tires and aluminum cans) plus sand and cement. CEDO is a non-profit organization dedicated to research, education & conservation in the coastal Sonoran Desert.
We went back to Organ Pipe for one last drive out to Senita Basin and Quitobaquito Spring & Pond. The white granite soil of Senita Basin is particularly hospitable for Elephant Trees, named for the grey, scaly trunks which resemble elephant's feet. At Quitobaquito, there was a flowing spring and a fairly large pond -- a real desert oasis. Early in our stay here, our new Dell Inspiron 8200 computer arrived, so we spent many hours in the clubhouse, using their electricity, to get things working on it. It's a slow process, but we are making headway.Tuesday, January 14, 2003
Coyote Howls Campground, Why, AZ - Jan 8-14
This is a primitive cg, run by the Why Utility Co, which we had read about when we still lived in Boulder. It is primitive spaces, no hookups at all, but there are numerous water spigots throughout the park. Many people spend the winter here for under $500, including the special Pima County tax for a new baseball stadium. Just what we want our money to go towards! I wish I could divert ours to the wonderful Pima County Libraries that we have been able to use during the absence of a computer. There are numerous organized activities, including a friendly weekly bridge game. The people who stay here long term have interesting set-ups for electric generation, using gas generators, solar panels and wind generators. Unfortunately, we were situated near one of the loudest gas generators in the park. Luckily they always turned it off right at 8 pm.
We drove down to Organ Pipe Cactus Natl Mon twice while staying here, once to look around at the visitor's center & nature trail and once to do a short hike & drive a scenic 21-mile loop through the Ajo mountains. It is a beautiful park and quite uncrowded, home to the Organ Pipe cactus and its hirsute cousin, the Senita cactus. Both species are extremely susceptible to frost, and while they are common in Mexico, in the US, they are only found in a tiny corner of AZ and CA. The cg was less than 1/3 full, but at $10/night was too pricey for boondocking.
We went to Ajo regularly, for grocery shopping, eating out, and using the computer at the very nice library, quite luckily only 10 miles from our cg. When you enter Ajo from the southeast, your first impression is quite negative, due to the fact that you drive by a pit mine for about 3 miles before the actual town. However, once you reach the downtown plaza, it is quite lovely. We visited Cabeza Prieta Natl Wildlife Refuge in Ajo.
We attended a jam session at the Why Community Center and got to see some of the local talent (quite impressive -- with only the title and key they would harmonize instantly) and characters. There are some real "desert rats" out here!! Pretty tough characters who spend the whole year in Why. One sang a song with the chorus "and I laugh at the sun when it's a hundred and ten!"Tuesday, January 7, 2003
Quail Run RV Resort, Arizona City, AZ - Jan 6-7
We had to stay an extra day to take the remains of our computer to a service place in AZ City, and they needed to keep it overnight. We reluctantly paid for another night at Quail Run (almost what a week at our following places cost!) while we waited for the bad news about our computer and enjoyed our last moments on the Internet using the park's computers. There are a few advantages to "ritzy" parks!
