HAPPY HALLOWEEN

 

We moved over to Distant Drums RV Park in Camp Verde, AZ this morning. We have 24 rigs here for our Rally. Starting at 4:00 is happy hour followed by dinner for the Chapter 45 Trailer Trash Rally. I’ll finish this up after we get home tonight.

We had a fabulous time. Some of us actually even dressed in the spirit of things. We were all given an alias for the evening because what happens at the Trailer Trash Party stays there. And there are some things that I just can’t write about because we all might get arrested.

Jim was Otis and I was Trixie Bell. Otis won a fish finder and I’ll post a picture of it later. I won a toothbrush. A very large toothbrush.

Had a great BBQ dinner with Moon Pies for dessert.

Earlene was crowned Queen and Buford was crowned King.

 

 

 

 

A fun time was had by all.

PLANS? WHAT PLANS?

We were supposed to leave this morning to go up to Camp Verde. Ha Ha Ha.

Jim got the truck hitched up and started to raise the jacks. The left front landing jack snapped off and there went our plans.

So instead of heading out we are frantically trying to find someone to help us get this fixed. We called one place here in Apache Junction and they said it would cost about $500, would take a week to get the jack in, and we’d probably have to leave our home with them.

 

On to the next place. Talk about hitting the jackpot. Apache Junction RV Service and Supplies. I can’t say enough good things about these guys. Jim called and gave them the parts number on the jack but they weren’t sure what kind we had. So here comes Tom to check it out for us. He figured out which jack we needed and of course, it’s one they didn’t have in stock. He went back to the shop and started making phone calls. Found us the jack in a warehouse in Phoenix.

They didn’t have anyone available to go get it so Jim took off. After talking about the situation, we decided to go ahead and replace both jacks. When he got back with the jacks, he called Tom and back he comes. The new jack alignment tabs are just a tad too far apart so he calls the shop and has another guy run over his angle grinder. Grinds them down to the right length and gets them both installed.

The price for all this - $415. Less than the other place wanted for one jack and we didn’t have to leave home. We definitely know who we’ll go to again if we need any work done.

So now, we’ll head up to Camp Verde in the morning.

DINNER WITH FRIENDS

You’ve probably figured out by now that we love to eat, we love to eat out, and we love to eat out with friends.

And that’s what we did last night. Don and Faye are parked in Mesa doing fun stuff like doctor appointments, visiting with dentists, and getting a fresh water tank repaired.

I got hold of them and asked them if they wanted a break from all the fun their having and they actually said yes. Can you believe they would want a change from everything?

We met up with them at Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant in Mesa last night for dinner. Jeri is the one who told us about this restaurant Jim discovered the chicken fundidas which he loves. Jeri likes the bean dip they serve with their chips and salsa. I’m not a fan of the bean dip but both Don and Faye loved it.

I, of course, got to talking so much that I forgot to take their picture. So here’s a picture I took of them last spring at our Chapter 45 picnic.

 

 

Had a great visit and they will be joining us at the Chapter 45 Rally in Camp Verde, AZ on Halloween. Yes!!! We will be on the move tomorrow. We’re going to Camp Verde early so we can do some exploring around that area. I’m happy.

THIRD TIMES THE CHARM

Hey HoboJoe – yes Jim is a very, very lucky man to have found me. Just ask me I’ll tell you how lucky he is. LOL But to be completely honest – I’m the lucky one. For those of you are new to my blog, I was old (almost 38) when I found Jim (or did he find me?) and got married for my first and only time.  Marrying Jim was definitely the best and smartest thing I’ve ever done in my life.

I have an aunt who lives in Mesa. Her name is Norma but we have always called her Aunt Happy. Her husband and my Dad are brothers, but she’s the only one that’s left. She just turned 98 in August and we wanted to pop in and surprise her because she doesn’t expect us until closer to Thanksgiving.

Well, let me tell you, popping in to surprise a 98 year old woman is not the thing to do. No, not because of her heart, but because she is NEVER home. We stopped Friday afternoon and she was out gallivanting with a friend who took her shopping. Saturday when we stopped by she had gone to a Memorial Service and then had gone to play cards with her friends. Finally on Sunday, we actually found her home. But the only reason she was home was because the front desk had told her someone was looking for her and she was hoping it was up. So she put her Sunday plans on hold so she’d be home.

This lady just cracks me up. She is so sharp. She told us how she met Uncle Don on a blind date and married him before he went off to war. She talked about dating men from the CCC camps. Then we went on to discuss the stock market. She knows all of the stocks she owns and follows them in the paper. Still loves to play the horses (the wooden ones they use at the Senior Living Complex) and dime bingo. Like I said, she is on the go most of the time.

She had made one concession to getting older. She has hired a girl to come in and stay with her at night. She fell last year and it scares her to think that she might fall again. But other than that she is going strong.

What a delight she is.

FISHING CABIN

Jim made some more headway at making our fiver into his fishing cabin on wheels.

Jan and Bill presented us with this fish pillow when we spent last Sunday with them. It goes perfectly with out new couch. Thanks guys.

He got the new border on and I sure do like it better than the flowered stuff. I am not a flower/frilly type person.

Here’s a picture of the before and after.

This picture of the stove area really looks good.

He wanted a picture of the border and his boat.

Jim also got one of the outlets changed out so the new fish outlet covers will work.

And what were the girls doing during all this excitement? Such a tough job they have. They are definitely desert dogs.

 

NEW MEXICO

Just received the following alert and thought I’d pass it on to any of you who may be headed towards New Mexico next week. Every one stay safe out there.

Sat, Oct 22, 2011, 7:57 PM MDT

Local Radar Map

Updated Oct 22, 2011, 9:40pm MDT

... MIDWEEK TASTE OF WINTER POSSIBLE FOR NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO...

A WINTER STORM TAKING SHAPE IN THE GULF OF ALASKA THIS WEEKEND WILL MOVE INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST EARLY MONDAY AND THEN DIVE RAPIDLY TO THE FOUR CORNERS BY WEDNESDAY. WITH A STEADY SLIDE SOUTH AND EAST ACROSS NEW MEXICO OVERNIGHT WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY MORNING... WEDNESDAY DAYTIME RAIN SHOWERS MAY CHANGE TO ACCUMULATING OVERNIGHT SNOW OVER NORTHERN AND NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO. SUMMITS AND HIGHER SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN MAY ALSO PICK UP SOME SNOWFALL AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH.

COLDER AIR BLASTING INTO NEW MEXICO WILL DROP TEMPERATURES RAPIDLY WITH WIDESPREAD FREEZES ON TAP FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THURSDAY HIGH TEMPERATURE FORECASTS ARE IN DOUBLE DIGITS BELOW LATE OCTOBER NORMALS.

ALTHOUGH MUCH UNCERTAINTY REMAINS ON THE TRACK AND INTENSITY OF THIS WINTER STORM OVER ITS LONG TRIP FROM THE GULF OF ALASKA TO NEW MEXICO... THOSE PLANNING MIDWEEK TRAVEL OR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO... AND OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN SUMMITS AND HIGHER SLOPES... SHOULD STAY IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH THEIR PREFERRED WEATHER INFORMATION SOURCE FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS ON THIS MIDWEEK WINTRY WEATHER.

FRUSTRATED!!!

I really want to like all this new stuff but I spend so much of my time frustrated by it that I’d love to just throw it all out the window.

On Tuesday we went to the Verizon store to make me the primary account holder on our phones. Sounds easy enough. Just transfer our account from Jim’s name to mine. Wrong. It took the guys at Verizon over two (TWO) hours to get the job done. Normally, I would just say forget it but with my name as primary on the account we qualify for a discount. Being a retired Federal employee is the qualifier for us. But I have to be primary. We finally got that finished and then I had to come home and set up a whole new account on line.

That’s when I had my next issue – our wifi has not been working well at all since we got back to Apache Junction. We just got it when we were in Gillette in September and on our way south I used mainly campgrounds wifi. When I tried to get the new Verizon account set up, I kept getting knocked off and then got the message “Server Not Found”. I really do hate those words.

Back to Verizon Friday with the wifi. Guess there’s an update that they need to do. It’s going to take over an hour so we left the device with them and headed out to try and fix my next problem.

I bought a Nook e-reader. I was so excited to get home and start downloading books. Guess what. Can’t get anything to download. I tried for two days to get it work. Jeri tried to help me with it and we didn’t get anywhere. So after dropping off the wifi we headed back to Barnes and Noble. Seems the guy who sold it to me forgot to tell me a couple of very important steps, i.e. Refresh, and that I could actually shop directly from the Nook. Sounds so simple but when you’re as technically challenged as I am, not simple. Just frustrating.

Went back to Verizon, picked up the wifi and came home and downloaded books. Finally.

RELAXIN’

For all you young uns out there – just Google Gabby Hayes.

About the two boats – we got Jim the second boat down here because the weather was too lousy for him to go to Montana and get his Lund when we had the motorhome last year. Remember, one of the main reasons we got the fifth wheel is so Jim can tow the boat behind it.

We also tried the Port-a-bote but he couldn’t handle all the physical work it took to get that one in the water. When we sold that boat, we got him the used boat here in AZ.

So now we have two boats down here in AZ and none in MT. He wants to sell the one down here. He has never liked it and right at the moment we can’t afford to buy him another boat that he likes. That’s eventually my goal. Two boats that he likes, one in MT and one in AZ. That way we won’t be 72’ long when we’re on the road.

But you know about those goals and best laid plans. As long as he gets to do lots of fishing this year – that’s all that matters.

Yesterday I got a call from my friend Dianna (who lives in the Phoenix area) wanting to know if I’d ride with her to Flagstaff. She was taking some other friends up there to catch Amtrak and really didn’t want to make the drive by herself. Jim was fishing so I said I’d love to. She picked me up and off we went. Flagstaff is about 190 miles from my place which is about as far as we ever travel in one day. And we did the round trip thing. Been a long time since I’ve covered that many miles in a day.

But we had a wonderful time, visiting and getting caught up. I’ve known her since we were in grade school. We worked together at the IRS and she just retired at the end of last year. Lots of things to talk about from family to friends to ourselves. 

Jim is fishing again today. No he didn’t catch anything yesterday but had so much fun and was much more relaxed last night. I plan on doing laundry and reading.

Next week the temps are going to be in the 80’s. How much more perfect could it be.

Did I just see something move down there? Can I go chase it, please!!!!

APACHE JUNCTION

I’m still having some computer and blogger issues but it’s getting better.

This is our spot in Apache Junction. Plenty of room for Jim’s boat which is our main concern. His other boat is parked in our neighbor’s carport. They won’t be here until just before Thanksgiving which gives us some time to try and get it sold.
It’s been really warm here down here. We are expecting a “cool” down this week-end – only in the low 90’s. I will be really glad to see the temperatures in the 80’s. But I’d rather have the heat than the cold and snow.
Because of the weather, we aren’t doing too much. Jim’s been working on the other boat to get it ready to sell. He had to install the snaps for the skirt on the front of the fiver. Then he had to get his Tonto Pass so he can go fishing. I had thought maybe he’d get to go fishing today but not yet. Maybe tomorrow or Thursday.
Jan and Bill rescued us from our RV on Sunday. There was a Wild Western Festival in Glendale and they asked us to join them. We went in the morning when it was a little bit cooler. Great cowboy performers. Music, trick roping, trained horse, cowboy movie stars.
Doesn’t this guy look just like Gabby Hayes? For you young uns – that would be the guy on the right.
It’s definitely dragonfly mating season. They were everywhere and having a great time.






There were also Peacocks everywhere. But do you think I could find one with it’s tail open – no such luck. The above picture is of a little one with Mom off to the right. The following is a better picture of Mom with the little one hiding behind her.


We had a wonderful time until it just got too hot to stand out in the sun any longer. And lunch sounded really good. Grabbed lunch at Cactus Jack’s Cantina and made a quick stop in Cabelas. Thanks for the fun day you guys.




I took a short video of some of the entertainment.

APACHE JUNCTION, AZ

We have arrived in AJ but blogger is giving me fits. So it may take a day or two before I post again. And then I’ll have to get caught up on everybody’s posts.

Stay safe out there. It is going to be 100 degrees today.

BACK TO ZION

This morning we dove back into Zion National Park but this time from the east entrance. Such gorgeous rock formations. Enjoy a few more pictures.

Not a cloud in the sky.

 

This is the tunnel in Zion. If you have an RV you need to have an escort through the tunnel because you only fit down the middle of it. The tunnel was finished in 1930 and is 1.1 miles long.

Jim took this picture inside the tunnel. We were at the end of the line so he had time to get out and take the picture.

We stopped for lunch at the Thunderbird Restaurant – home of the Ho-Made Pies. Food was okay and we didn’t have any pie. They only had four types of pies – an apple, berry, cream and chocolate. Then home to get ready to pull out tomorrow to head to Apache Junction.

 

 

I’m a couple days behind posting this. We will be in Apache Junction tonight.

CORAL PINK SAND

 

Next stop – Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. We loved the White Sands in New Mexico and I was really excited to see this sand. Really pretty. But -

Unlike White Sands you can’t really drive out among the dunes unless you have an ATV. (Jeri, are you paying attention here?) About 90% of the dune field of 1200 acres is open to OHV’s. The dunes are seven miles long and you’re welcome to walk out to them. Just not going to happen for us.

We took a few pictures and walked a little ways in the dunes which were created by three factors: sand, high wind, and a unique influence upon those high winds. Here at the dunes, a notch between the Moquith and Moccasin mountains causes this unique influence. Wind is funneled through this notice, increasing wind velocity to a point where it can carry grains of sand from the eroding Navajo sandstone. This phenomenon is known as the Venturi Effect. After the wind passes through the notch and into the open valley, wind velocity decreases, depositing the sand.

The color of the sand is due to the high concentration of iron oxide in the sandstone.

Notice how the tracks just disappear into the sand. Wonder what kind of bug made these tracks.

RV’ERS ADOPTING A PET

Hobbea made the following comment on my blog about Best Friends Animal Society:

Hi Jim and Sandy. Like your input from the shelter. It is making you sad and you would like to take home all of them.
But - if it comes to reality- it is not so easy to adopt a pet. I don't know if Peter talked about our experience to get another dog after our dear Boomer died. They did not accept people who live permanently in a motorhome. The rules ask for a permanent address, a fenced yard and that they can come to check out your household to see if the dog fits in. I went and asked several shelters. Same thing. They were terribly sorry - but the rules....We were really p.... off. Even the ones that had advertisement saying:" Help me - my time is running out!" (means on death row). We didn't get a dog their either. You see, I am still angry!
3 years later.

Well, that just put my back up to think that those of us who live in RV’s couldn’t provide a good home for a pet. So I immediately shot off an e-mail to Best Friends asking them if I could still adopt an animal if I lived full-time in an RV. The following is their reply:

Yes you would it would depend on the animals needs to find the right fit, but we have lots of homes that RV and have adopted.  Just fill out an application when you are ready.  Thanks!  Kristi

--

Kristi Littrell, Adoption Manager

Best Friends Animal Society

Phone: (435)644-2001 ext. 4223

Email: kristi@bestfriends.org

www.bestfriends.org

That response makes me feel a whole lot better. So don’t give up. There are so many special friends out there waiting for a forever home. Thanks Bea for bringing this up.

KANAB, UT

The word "Kanab" comes from a Native American word for a willow basket used to carry an infant on its mother's back. The first attempt by Anglo-Americans to establish a permanent settlement was made on 7 June 1858. The story of Kanab's first two decades is one of a series of unsuccessful efforts at colonization, each discouraged by attacks from hostile Native American tribes who were clearly opposed to white settlement of the area.

Jacob Hamlin played a key role in negotiations with the Native Americans that eventually opened up the area to white occupation. Nevertheless, through the 1860s raids and confrontations occurred regularly between the two groups.

Since the 1920s hundreds of movies have been filmed here and Kanab has also become known as “Little Hollywood” after the term was used as early as the 1950’s by people in the movie industry.    MGM liked Kanab so much they built a makeshift studio outside of town in the 1940s.  More Westerns were produced near Kanab than anywhere outside of California. Clint Eastwood John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, are among the stars who worked in this area.

“Gunsmoke” filmed about 20 episodes here between the ‘50s and ‘70s. The Clint Eastwood classic, The Outlaw Josie Wales, was one of the last films to shoot on the Paria Canyon movie set. The original set has been relocated to Frontier Movie Town in Kanab and Frontier Movie Town hosts free movie set tours.

The pictures in this post are ones I took at the Frontier Movie Town.

    
Know what this is? Jim’s Dad had one of these.

For dinner we went to Calvin T’s BBQ. Notice, not even a plate. The meat was very good and tender but for the price, I think we should have gotten service at the table (it’s cafeteria style) and a plate.