The Q

Here we are at beautiful Quartzite, AZ...NOT! This is definitely not an area in which I'd like to spend lots of time. It's dusty, dry, with reddish-brown mountains in the background, devoid of vegetation. I like the cold nights but it is now getting up to around 80-85 during the day. I understand that during January and February, the place is really hopping, with RV'ers from all over the country coming here to "boon dock". That means, to us, camping without hookups. It's free on BLM lands. This park has lots of old geezers running around on ATVs. I'll say one thing...it's quiet here, and you can't hear I-10. The only noise I've heard is when one of the ATV riders stays out late and drives their gasoline-powered vehicles back to their RV.
There's not even a car wash in Quartzite. Our car was covered with dust and dirt from being pulled behind the motor home. We drove 23 miles to Parker, AZ, to get the car washed and go to Walmart. On the way back, we stopped at a little bookstore. I noticed that there was a thin, salt-and-peppered bearded man standing out front with a long-sleeved shirt on, with ?legs showing? Lots of leg. I thought he had tights on, but noticed veins sticking out on his legs. Later, he took the shirt off to expose a thin, gnarly body with his genitals covered by a g-string and a little fabric cup. What the heck? Gary said he noticed a sign which said "A nudist lives here". I picked up an old Route 66 magazine which had a sticker saying there was an article about Quartzite in it. I flipped it open to see -- ta-da -- a picture of the old fart with his genitals blurred out. Whew. Guess it takes all kinds. I haven't taken many pictures here, and I refuse to take a picture of the nudie. Get this...while I was in the bookstore, I overheard him tell someone that a book was written in 1944, older than him! We're just barely younger than that. See...age is all a matter of how you feel and what you let yourself become, up to a point.
Ah well, speaking of, I'm still hanging in there with the weight watchers. I'm still fitting just fine in my old clothes, however. It's so slow losing weight, and it feels like I've been dieting forever. But I am determined to look and feel better.
We'll be here until April 1, when we take off for LA! Maybe I'll take some more pictures. Thanks for reading my blog!

Sun City, AZ

We've been visiting with Larry and June, my classmates from high school, who now live in Sun City, AZ. We have had a great time catching up on lots of happenings and seeing the sights around Phoenix. The first picture is their back yard. The trees are tangelos, tangerine, navel orange, juice orange, cumquat, and lemon. It was such a treat to eat out on the patio, then turn around and pick a juicy orange off the tree and eat it for dessert. June warned me that I'd be spoiled and unable to eat any more oranges from the grocery store! Their neighbor had ruby red grapefruit trees but he'd already given all the fruit away. I wish I could bottle the delicate aroma of the orange blossoms. The smell permeates the entire area. The houses in Sun City are well very neat and well kept, landscaped with lots of palm trees and various cacti in the yards.
Yesterday, we went up north of Phoenix into the foothills and Larry and Gary took their metal detectors. The group he belongs to have staked a claim in a certain area and people who are members can look for gold. Alas, they didn't find anything, but I got lots of beautiful flower and scenery pictures. The desert has been pretty and green due to lots of rainfall this year. You can see the saguaro cacti in the bottom picture.
I haven't been through Phoenix for many years, and I was amazed at how sprawling and absolutely huge the area is. We said goodbye to Larry and June and took off west this morning, ending up in Quartzite, AZ, a dry, dusty little burg with lots of rv'ers who were here for the winter. There isn't even a car wash in the area! We have to drive to Blythe, CA, about 18 miles down the road from here, to get the car washed. It gets filthy behind the motor home. For the life of me, I can't see why anyone would stay here. However, I can say that the RV park might not be fancy, but it's quiet! I'm in need of some good sleep.
We'll be here for 6 days, then we're headed to Los Angeles, namely Seal Beach. We're both apprehensive about the southern California freeways. I'm really excited for Gary because he's never been on the west coast before.
I'm going to try to put more pictures on this, but I may have to make another entry. I got some beautiful pictures of blooming cacti.
Well, thanks for reading the blog! More later!

John Wayne RV Ranch

We are currently at the John Wayne RV Ranch, Stanfield, AZ, for a couple of days. It's a very pretty, warm day. Sometimes looks can be deceiving, however. There is a slight east breeze blowing...which wafts the odor of huge feed lots about a mile from here to the entire campground area. Hence we have the air conditioner on, are burning candles, incense and the Scentsy plug-in that Caitlin gave me for Christmas! Hope the wind starts blowing from the west soon.

We took our walk today and noticed some land behind the RV park. After receiving permission from the campground manager, we began to explore the area. That is where the saguaro cacti in the above pictures are located. These things are huge, as you can see by the picture of Gary beside the gnarly one. You can also see holes in the cacti where birds have made their nests. We also found some pretty rocks (small) that we collected. While we were walking toward the furthest cactus, I noticed a single bluebonnet...guess it's the only one I'll get to see this year. Unfortunately, I didn't speak up until later, and on the way back we couldn't find it to take a picture. Reminds me that opportunities can be lost at a moment's notice.

As we walked along the trail, I began to notice articles of clothing discarded along a little ditch. Later I noticed an empty milk jug, and a strap that looked like it came off some kind of tote bag. We realized that illegals probably use the area as a thoroughfare, discarding clothing, other objects, and their water containers as they became empty. Kind of scary. It was mid-day when we were there and we didn't see a soul.

We'll be leaving on Tuesday to go see our friends Larry and June for a couple of days. I went to school with both of them. We're looking forward to relaxing on the patio and doing some pickin'. Larry plays guitar, mandolin, and harmonica. I need to stop this and go practice my banjo!

More later....

Garden Canyon, Ft. Huachuca, AZ

We went to Garden Canyon, located in the Coronado National Forest on Ft. Huachuca today, driving toward Miller Peak, 9,466 ft., in the Huachuca Mountains you see in one of these pictures. We drove as far as we dared without having a 4-wheel drive vehicle, then stopped and started hiking. We tried a trail but it was too rocky and steep. Told ya I hate climbing on rocks! So we came back and walked up the road a ways. A stream with rushing water and many waterfalls followed the road. We took many pictures. I can't resist a waterfall! As we walked, we were climbing in elevation, and finally we came to a place where the water was flowing over the road, and I didn't particularly want to get my hiking boots soaked, so we turned around and came back.

Gary had noticed a place on the bluff above the stream that he thought was a cave, so he jumped across the stream and climbed up the rocks to look inside. He said that it looked like it had once been used as a shelter but some rocks had collapsed inside it. He could see smoke smudges from campfires inside. There are Native American pictographs somewhere in the area, but we couldn't find them. We assume it was once used as a shelter by Native Americans. I was having a fit because I didn't want him to fall, but he's such a mountain goat and can climb anything.

What a beautiful area. Fortunately, we didn't see any bears.

I was glad to get home and relax. We bought an Oster Toaster Oven today and I wanted to try it out on a pizza. Yes, it's reduced calorie...Boboli whole wheat thin crust, turkey pepperoni, skim milk mozzarella, and Contadina Pizza Sauce. I can have 1/6th of the pie. Yum! I haven't had pizza in a long time.

We're leaving tomorrow. I have to say that I have traveled I-10 many times but never realized how beautiful this area is.

More later!

Tombstone & Bisbee, AZ

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We went to Tombstone and Bisbee, AZ, yesterday. Boys and girls, can you say "Tourist Trap"? Of course, you all know that Tombstone was where the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral occurred. We learned that the real gunfight was out in the middle of a street, not IN a corral. Some book changed the location. Anyway, didn't interest me too much but what really struck me was the amount of violence in the area back in the 1800's. So many people were shot or stabbed, and it wasn't like in the movies, where the good guy only sustained a "flesh wound". Even if it was, I imagine the wounded eventually died of infection. We visited Boot Hill and saw many graves of infants and children, too. Mortality rates must've been a nightmare, with all sorts of diseases (no vaccines or antibiotics at that time). Some of the townspeople died of leprosy! I'm so glad we have vaccines and antibiotics today.

We old timers remember the show about Wyatt Earp (brave, courageous and true). Like many other famous old-west legends, we found that he was just that...a legend with feet of clay, romanticized and redefined by Hollywood. I won't go into detail here, because I can't remember the pertinent facts!

We toured the court house, which had been restored. Fires were common back then, and the town was almost destroyed several times by fire. We saw lots of antiques in the court house. It is a state park and cost $5 per person to get in. We didn't go to any of the other areas because they charged a hefty fee to get in, and by that time, I was thoroughly disgusted with the touristy-thing.

One interesting thing I learned was how the town of Tombstone got its name. A man named Schiefflin came to the area in 1877 from Camp Huachuca, accompanied by some soldiers from said post. When he told the soldiers he intended to stake a mine claim in that area, the soldiers told him all he'd find there was his tombstone. After discovering a silver lode, he named the town Tombstone. He became wealthy but sold his interest in the mine and moved on west. Ironically, after he sold out, the mine blossomed and was worth millions.

We then drove to Bisbee, AZ, known for copper mines. Nestled by mountains, the town is built up on the sides of the surrounding slopes and is a beautiful area. We went through the mining museum (yawn) and I did see some incredibly beautiful minerals and stones which had been taken from the ground. They also have found turquoise in the mines. Bisbee is another tourist trap. There is a HUGE hole in the ground where much of the mining occurs today, and we saw a couple of those gigantic trucks which carry the ore. It was starting to sprinkle by the time we left, and I was SO glad to get back home, where we had leftovers waiting and I didn't have to cook.

There was a restaurant at Tombstone which served buffalo burgers, and you could smell them cooking, but I resisted! Ha, success! Although buffalo meat is lower in fat than beef, I didn't want to eat there because of the methods of cooking and all the extras they put on the burgers.

I'm now down another pound from last Tuesday's weigh in. Perfect.

Tomorrow we leave and head northwest. I am putting some pictures from our trip yesterday, and also from Ft. Huachuca. The houses you see are the original houses built back in the 1880's, restored, and the general and high-ranking officers live here. The snow-capped mountains are west and south of Ft. Huachuca. The victrola was in the court house. We never had one but one of our good friends had a victrola like this. The gallows was (?were?) outside the court house, and was used to hang several men who had murdered some people. Don't know if the structure was a reproduction or the real thing! We saw their graves at Boot Hill. Two of the miscreants were named Halderman! How's that for a coincidence.

More later!

City of Rocks pictures

We arrived in Ft. Huachuca, AZ, today about noon. Gary got our satellite dish for internet set up, so I am finally able to download the pictures of City of Rocks, a New Mexico State Park located about 40 miles northwest of Deming, NM. These rocks are located in some rolling foothills and rise up from the desert floor, having been formed by wind and water over the ages. A volcano erupted eons ago and caused these formations...don't ask me how!

I'll bet the old west outlaws used these rocks as hiding places. However, they are easy to climb around, as I can attest, since I dislike climbing on rocks VERY MUCH. We had a sunny day but the wind was strong and cold, temperature was about 54 degrees. We kept exploring the rocks and when we came to the end, we found a trail which circled the entire area. We walked that trail to get back to our car, since people and children were starting to arrive in the park by droves and I like to enjoy the beauties of nature without seeing people. Guess I'm a nature snob? There were picnic tables and BBQ grills all over the place, and a very neat campground.

We took lots of pictures, and unfortunately, I am limited to the number I can put on my blog, which is five.

By the way, we did not go to Columbus, NM, to Pancho Villa State Park as we had planned. We found that our friends, Jim and Gwen, had left earlier this month, and we were not too keen on seeing Pancho Villa's digs. So we decided to go to City of Rocks, and I am really glad we went there.

Fort Huachuca is in southern Arizona near the Mexican border. It is nestled against snow- capped mountains, and I vow to you that I will take some pictures and put them on the next blog. We will be here for 4 days. As soon as we drove up, we were spotted by a roadrunner. He came very close and examined our RV and us, and did not seem to be at all afraid. I have a feeling people have been feeding him. Too bad I was too busy to get some pictures, but I'm sure he will be around tomorrow. The campground is very quiet and is a long way from highway noise. I am SO looking forward to not hearing the interstate and rail lines tonight.

Wow, diet's going great. I have lost 12 lbs. after 5 weeks. I am getting used to eating this way and am very encouraged by my progress. I really like the Weight Watchers because it is flexible. I get lots of food that I consider "treats". We have fallen in love with almond milk. I don't like the taste of milk at all, but I absolutely love this stuff. Unfortunately, it is sweetened with evaporated cane juice, although an 8 oz. glass only has 60 calories, vs. 90 calories for skim milk. It has calcium, vitamins D and E added. The vanilla flavor is very sweet and tastes like chocolate milk (well, okay, WHITE chocolate milk). I REALLY love it! I accidentally picked it up the first time I bought it, and were we ever surprised.

Well, I will close my ramblings for now. We're looking forward to exploring and getting some pix of this area.

Deming, NM

Because we have a limited amount of internet connectivity here, I can't put any pictures on the blog, but I will let you know what's been going on. The area around here is very flat but about 4300 feet above sea level. To our south are some mountains with a small amount of snow at the peaks. There are very few trees here, and the ones you see have been planted and cultivated. Talk about sand in the desert! It is very sandy here. The vegetation is sparse.
To our south are located several dairy farms. Did I say HUGE! I'll bet that's a big job, milking all those cows. Makes the 28 cows we used to milk seem puny. Ours were practically pets, and seemed to recognize their names, but this operation has to be impersonal.
We have to come up a 3 mile dirt road to get to the RV park. The back of our RV was so dusty you couldn't tell what color it was! (Diesel pushers blow exhaust straight down so it kicks up lots of dust).
On Saturday, we went to the Rock Hound show at the fairgrounds. It was huge with many vendors and exhibits. There was every kind of raw rock plus cut and polished stones, set in every imaginable setting. I bought a couple of pairs of earrings and matching stones for a necklace. We are planning on going to the Rock Hound State Park, but after seeing the exhibits, I realized that I don't have the knowledge or the equipment to even make anything. We'll probably go anyway, just to see what it's all about.
Our skies are cloudy today and there's snow falling north of here. We're supposed to get some rain but I seriously doubt it. It has been terribly windy the last two days. We went out to do our walking yesterday, and there was a spring in my step as the wind was to our backs. However, different story when we turned around to come back. As Gary said, it was like walking into a hurricaine! I felt like I had walked uphill the entire way back.
Weight Watchers Online is going great and I'm getting used to it. I've now lost 12 pounds since I started on Feb. 9th. We have discovered the MOST DELICIOUS DRINK. It's almond milk! I don't like milk but this stuff's great. Gary likes it because it doesn't have any cholesterol. It's about a dollar more per half gallon than skim milk. Skim milk has 90 calories per cup, I think, but almond milk has 60 calories per cup. We like to eat it on cereal or drink it. You can get the vanilla almond milk, but it's very sweet and almost tastes like chocolate milk. It's not for young children, though, since there are certain fats they must have for brain and eye development.
That's about all from here. We may go down to Columbus, NM, to Pancho Villa State Park. We met some other volunteers at Seminole Canyon who are there. Hopefully I can sneak some pictures on this site one of these days!

Day Three: Takin' off today!

We had the most wonderful day yesterday. We drove over to Comfort, TX, where my cousin and her husband were camped. They are the most wonderful folks! Another cousin, whom I'd never met (or didn't remember meeting), drove over from San Antonio. Her name is Karen. She's the brunette. Jeannette and Karen are both from Wynnewood, OK, and we used to visit with Jeannette and her parents when I was a kid. We had a good time looking at old photos I had scanned on my computer and talking about the "olden days". I will miss seeing them. When we talk about the olden days, it makes me feel closer to my mother and grandparents. These cousins are on my mom's side of the family. Their grandmothers and my grandmother were sisters. Also, Jeannette's grandfather and my grandfather were cousins! So we're doubly kin, I guess. Confusing? Yep. But my grandfather & grandmother were NOT cousins or related!

Today we are heading west, and will stay overnight at the town of Balmorrhea, TX. No wifi at that spot. I don't know how I will survive without the internet.

I have lost another pound since Tuesday! I'm so excited because I've really been trying to be good and eat right. It's not easy when people offer you candy or goodies! I know I am a sweets/carbohydrate addict, so I just have to refuse. Maybe later I'll break down and have a bite, but not now. Don't want to get back on that roller coaster.

Well, time to close and start putting things away for the trip. We'll see you down the road!

Day One: Kerrville, TX

We left Georgetown, TX, this morning, heading for "By the River" RV park in Kerrville, TX. It's located on the banks of the Guadalupe River. There's a low water bridge between the campground and a large island, with water flowing around the island. We saw several small waterfalls around the upper part of the islands, and the river finally smoothed out, as you can see in the above pictures. There were huge trees along the edge of the river, and you can see Gary standing in the hollow of one of them.

We had a good trip down here. Didn't see a single bluebonnet yet, though. I was interested to see the peach trees around Fredericksburg were beginning to bud out. Wineries had sprung up all over the area east of Fredericksburg. We didn't stop to check them out, but some of them looked like they were copying the decor of Italian wineries.

Tomorrow we'll head to Comfort, which is about 10 miles east of here, to visit my cousin and her husband from OK. They are camped here in Texas for a couple of months until it warms up in Oklahoma, then they'll return home. I am excited because another cousin whom I have never met happens to be in San Antonio and she's coming out to meet me, too. So it will be a mini-family reunion.

I hope our internet connection stays viable. I freaked out earlier because we couldn't get the Wifi to work for about an hour and a half, and suddenly it started working. I will add more later...