939 April 1-2, 2023 White Pelican Surprise

We did our morning exercise and then prepared to move the RV to Campground C.  We quickly got settled and then packed for our roof top tent camping trip.  We traveled on gravels and dirt roads.

Up a steep hill!

The spot we wanted on the lake’s edge was vacant.  We got set up and walked around.

There was so much to see.  The western grebes were active and fun to watch. They pitter patter on the top of the water to gain momentum and then go down for a deep dive to spear fish with their beaks.

There were great white herons and blue herons and lots of other ducks as well.

A pair of white pelicans.

There was a crappie fishing tournament this weekend and there was an occasional boat on our end of the lake.

We heard braying and saw a group of three burros on the bank across the water.

All at once, there was a huge squadron of migrating white pelicans soaring above us.  We estimate that there were about 150 birds.  We watched them circle and then land in the lake.

White pelicans fly south to Baja and other areas in Mexico and Southern California.  They can easily fly 100 miles a day. They seek thermals and fly in vees and long lines to conserve energy. Their pouches and webbed feet are extremely susceptible to frostbite and so they need to be in warmer climes.  They breed, raise their young, and then fly north in the Spring.

The birds huddled together in a large group. 

Just before sunset, a second smaller squadron came in and then a third.  It was so exciting to watch.  The birds were close enough that we could hear the air moving across their wings.  They have a 9-foot wingspan and they made quite the dramatic entrance!

The flock slowly formed a long parade and they made their way to a more sheltered area.  They left sentries at the opening to the cove where they rested.

The evening brought bats and bullfrogs making all kinds of noise. 

We watched the sunset.

Tim in his happy place.

At around midnight, the burros and the coyotes sang together.

This morning, the sun was warm and bright and the coolness of the night quickly abated.  We took our time packing because the pelicans were still huddled in the lake and we wanted to see them go.

An early fisherman.

At about 9am, the bird took flight.  On their way to the plains for the summer. 

We saw this powered paraglider.  We just never know what we will see!

We hope to always be awed and delighted by the experiences we are so lucky to have!

938 March 31, 2023 Beauty, Burros, Birds, and Blossoms

Overnight the burros sang to us…or probably to each other! 

This is an awesome place to take a walk.  I went down to the high boat ramp.  There were lots of boats going out.  This is supposedly a great lake for fishing. 

The other lower ramps are closed due to flooding.

I hiked the Wild Burro Trail.  The trail mascots were on the hill watching me as I moved across the ridge and into the wash.  As I moved forward, I realized that the trail was very close to the herd of burros.  I turned around and walked back the way I had come. 

I hiked to the top of the hill where I had 2 bars of phone service.  I stopped to call Mom.

I walked the campground loops and then it was time to go in for breakfast.

Tim and I passed one another and I encouraged him to hike the trail.  Enjoy his video from the summit.

We took the Jeep out to Wickenburg Road and down to the water. 

The scenery was incredible.

The wildflowers are even more lush and abundant today after yesterday’s rain and in today’s warm sunshine.

The road disappears into the water!

We saw 2 pairs of white pelicans. The bump on this bill is called a nuptial tubercle. It will fall off after the bird beeds and raises its young.

And ducks and songbirds.

We saw more burros.

We walked a lava flow.

Volcano cone in the distance.

This was an amazing ride.  We found several pretty campsites.  We decided we wanted to do another overnight roof top tent adventure.  We went to the park office when we got back and extended our stay for another two nights.  It means we will have to change sites in the morning but then we can travel back into the outback and find a place to sleep.

Gambel quail at our site.  They have such an odd call.

We took walks after dinner and then drove over to the Bill Williams Overlook.  The sun was already behind a mountain but we stayed and watched the sky color.

937 March 30, 2023 Alamo Lake State Park

More laps in the campground.   I don’t know why it’s so much harder to walk when I’m walking in circles!

We were packed and ready to roll early this morning.  Tim thought we might be able to stop in a small town on the way and pass a couple of hours but each town; Vicksburg, Hope, Harcuvar, Salome, and Wenden; was just a blink! 

We turned onto Alamo Road and the scenery started to be really spectacular.  This was such an amazing ride.

Though we arrived before 2pm, we were allowed to check-in. 

Tim heard braying and climbed the ridge across from our site to look.  A chocolate-colored burro was walking in the wash below.

We grabbed some lunch and then took the Jeep for a ride.  We went to the Bill Williams Overlook at Alamo Dam.

Bill Williams was a guy who did a lot of beaver trapping.  He didn’t like people too much and preferred remote places and solitude.  This river was part of his territory and is aptly named for him.

The dam is an earth filled dam.  It is used to control flooding.  With all the recent rain and wind, Alamo Lake is very high and muddy.  The flooding lake waters can rise as much as 3 feet per hour and 20 feet in 24 hours.  The water is released into the Bill Williams River and it flows out to the Colorado River just above Parker. 

We explored the park and saw this herd of burros.  The burros here are descendants of the burros used by miners and railroad workers in the early 1900’s.  The burros are protected by Federal law.  The herd here becomes quite large.  There is water and ample food supply here.  When the numbers become too high to sustain a healthy herd and environment for other wildlife, the burros are moved placed in a Federal Adopt-A-Burro program.

We took a 4WD trail out of Campground C.  We passed a bunch of OHV’s .  We got to this particularly steep slope and Tim went to check.  It was doable.  It gave him an opportunity to engage the locking hubs, a feature of the new Rubicon. 

The wildflowers are plentiful and stunning!

We had short bursts of rain in late afternoon.

This evening while I was grilling, I could hear burros in the wash.  There was a herd of 7 gathered.

I went after dinner to find the dumpster and heard thunder.  As I returned to the RV, I saw these storm clouds.

All at once a rainbow covered the entire sky.  I had trouble taking a picture of the whole thing because I was on a ridge and couldn’t back up at all.

The rainbow brightened though no longer full.  Then there was a double rainbow for a few minutes.

I dragged Tim outside in the chilly, raw rain to look at the pretty rainbow before it disappeared.

936 March 28-29, 2023 Itty Bitty Bouse

Laps around the campground to begin the day.  We packed food and bedding.  Then, we went into town for firewood and gas.

We traveled on Swansea Road to Midway.

We took Powerline Road and then when the landscape got interesting, we took one of the many little roads up into the hills.  The BLM road map to this area looks like a bunch of spaghetti.  There is no way to know until you get there what condition the road is in or how passable it might be.  We had fun exploring and then backtracking when roads became too narrow or harrowing!

We found a nice flat spot nestled among hills.  

We both took turns walking through the desert.  There was evidence of burros but we didn’t hear or see any.

Tim brought me posies.

Shale.

Tuff.

Petrified wood.

A little lizard.

We had perfect camping weather with temperatures in the mid-seventies and NO WIND!

Last night there was a rare occurrence in the night sky, a planetary parade.  We waited for sunset and then watched as the sky turned dark blue. 

The moon was half full and cast lots of light.  Venus popped out first, the brightest of the planets.  We could see Mars which appeared red.  Uranus should have been close to Venus but we couldn’t see it without a telescope.  Mercury and Jupiter were close to the horizon so our view was blocked by the rise of a hill and feathery clouds.  It was fun to look!

This morning, we wangled our way back out of the desert. 

We stopped at the Bouse Museum.  The indoor exhibits were closed but we wandered the grounds.

This mining cabin was moved from the Swansea Mine for this exhibit.

We also went to look at the Bouse Community Historic Display at the Bouse Rest Stop.  Bouse was the hub of this entire region in the 1800 and 1900’s.  You wouldn’t guess that now!

Tim saw a drag line bucket.  His father was an equipment operator in a quarry in North Carolina. He was proficient at using a drag line. It is not easy to do and he was proud of his mastery.

Bouse is a tiny town.  We have enjoyed our stay in a very nice RV park and we have found plenty to do.  Tomorrow we are moving on to Alamo Lake State Park.  We aren’t sure if we will have service there or not.  We are looking forward to seeing something new!

935 March 27, 2023 Our Big Backyard

I did laps in the campground for my morning walk. 

We chose to postpone our overnight trip until tomorrow.  The weather will be better, warmer and less windy!

We went into the town of Bouse to check things out.  We were able to find a place for fresh drinking water.  There is a gas station and a really nice market.  There is a Family Dollar store.  There is a hotel with a saloon.  I think there is also a town museum. 

This afternoon, we took a Jeep ride.  There is a trail that starts right here at the RV park.

We meandered for miles into the desert on BLM land. 

There were gates to be opened and then closed again as we went.

There were several places where Tim got out to evaluate whether or not we should proceed but it was all fine…until it wasn’t.  There was a steep downhill section that had washed out.  It was humped and dippy to a pretty significant degree.  I walked along the wash looking for a different way in but didn’t find anything.  When I got back, Tim had the shovel out and he was digging.  He used a claw hammer to smooth down a bigger rock and we tossed dozens of rocks into to bottom to level it out.  Our labors were successful and we passed easily. 

There were other 4WD vehicles out and enjoying the beautiful day.

We finally made it back to pavement and Tim decided to drive into Quartzsite.  We parked the car and wandered among a few of the swap meet type tents.  This is the most eclectic collection of jumbled stuff we have ever seen!  In the end, we found nothing that we needed!

934 March 26, 2023 La Mesa Verde RV Park

We did our laps around the campground this morning. 

It was moving day.  We traveled only 40 miles to the town of Bouse.  We are just puttering along, exploring as we go.  We arrived at La Mesa Verde RV Park around noon.  We were pleasantly surprised.  This is a clean and quiet park in the middle of nowhere.  We have full hookups.  After a week in the state park, we needed to do laundry. 

Tim watched NASCAR.

We took an after dinner walk in our new neighborhood.

We plan to take the Jeep on trails tomorrow and we will spend the night out in the desert.

933 March 25, 2023 Stock Car Racing

We spent a quiet day, walking in the campground, catching up the blog, and doing a few chores.  I went into Parker to gather a few supplies.  We are moving tomorrow and we need to take everything we need.

This evening, we went back to Lake Havasu City.  We went to the Speedway for stock car racing.  It was a great facility.  The announcer was entertaining and the various heats moved quickly without lengthy waits. 

The grand finale was fireworks, a pleasant way to end the day.

Tomorrow we are moving to the small town of Bouse. We aren’t sure what we will find there! Not sure if we will have service but we will post when we do!

932 March 23-25, 2023 Shea Road and Rodeo

Our day started differently than usual.  I drove the 27 miles to Lake Havasu City to do some errands.  I picked up a picnic for an overnight adventure, went to the Anything Offroad store to get Tim’s steps, and then went to the hardware store.

By the time I got back, Tim had cleaned tanks and moved the RV to the overflow area.  The state parks along this corridor of the Colorado River are very busy.  They each have dry camping areas that are first come first serve.  We had decided we wanted to stay in the area and this was a great solution for us. 

We installed the steps on the hinges of the passenger doors.  Theses steps allow Tim to more easily access the tent when we are setting up and putting the tent away.  The first set went on fairly easily.  The second set was harder.  The neighbor, who is from Alberta Canada, came to offer tools and help.  He saw that Tim had stripped the bolt and he declared it “hooped.” Canadians for the most part are much too polite to be crass.  The neighbor walked away on to his own adventure for the day.  Tim was determined not to be “hooped.”  He didn’t give up.  It involved drilling a bolt out but Tim got it done.

We packed the coolers and loaded the Jeep and headed for Shea Road. This is another lovely area.

We were as usual searching for the perfect camping spot.  We found a beauty.

We each took walks.  I found a sign indicating that this was an archeological site.  We had seen the fire scars in the caves and we had wondered if this had been home to Native Americans a long time ago…question answered!

We saw a couple of packrat nests.  This nest had tin cans and plastic bottles in it.  Packrats like to gather treasures, especially shiny things to decorate their nests.  Packrats also like to chew on engine wires and parts.  For this reason, we opened the hood of the Jeep to deter nighttime gnawing activity.

As we were watching the sun go down, Tim spotted movement in the valley about ¼ mile away.  We used the binoculars and the camera zoom and saw that there were burros out there.

Another evening of a simple dinner, peace, the smallest bright smile of moon, and dazzling stars.

Friday morning, we wanted to take Shea Road all the way to another portion of the Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge.  When we woke up, we could hear heavy machinery out on the road.  15 miles from town and we could suddenly hear backup beepers!  The men were working to repair the parts of the road that had been affected by heavy flooding.

We passed the workmen and got to a totally impassable section of road.

We got back home in the late morning.  I had enough cell service to talk to a good friend and my mom.  We spent the rest of the day resting. 

This evening, we went to Lake Havasu City to see the Havasu Stampede Rodeo.  This was an upscale. Professional rodeo.  The patriotism and the pageantry, the horse and the athletes were all remarkable.  We stayed until after 9pm and it got chilly.

Sheep waiting to get out of the ring after being ridden by children 5-7 years old…mutton busting!

Great adventures!

931 March 22, 2023 Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge

Last night the sun finally broke through making us hopeful for the day ahead.

It was chilly but sunny this morning as I walked loops in the campground. 

We went for a ride to the Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge.  This was such a pretty place.

Long before we got to the end of the road we could hear and see the rushing water.  There was a water authority officer sitting in his truck.  He told us that Alamo Lake had been released yesterday and that the water here would continue to flow for several days.  The road was closed.  It was disappointing that our exploring came to such an abrupt end.  The system of dams and levees is certainly being challenged with this huge influx of moisture.  Snowmelt will also be an issue in the coming weeks.

Hawk.

Buckhorn cholla.

The ride out was just a nice.

This afternoon I rode my bike, again loops in the campground.  The main road is too busy for walking or biking.

This evening we took a walk as the sun was going down.

930 March 21, 2023 Coddiwomple

The atmospheric river that is sitting off the west coast has brought havoc.  Most of the state of California had been in a state of significant drought.  The recent rains have improved that situation.  This bounty of precipitation also brings floods, mudslides, rock slides, power outages, and downed trees.  We have been spared all that because we have moved.  We are only 3 ½ hours from Borrego Springs; creeping along and again in a holding pattern and deciding how long to stay.  If we didn’t have plane reservations for April, we might have already gone east!

The rain started here early this morning and was steady until lunchtime.  Tim walked in the rain, carrying an umbrella.  I was not that loyal and I waited until the rain stopped before I went out.

This afternoon, we took a Jeep ride.  We went across the Parker Dam.

We explored the backcountry road on the California side.

The skies were dramatic and threatening and the mountain scenery was stunning.

As we headed back to the main road, I spotted a group of four burros.  We stopped to take pictures. 

A mom headed toward us, her foal following closely, trying to nurse.

The burros did not appear to be afraid and continued to approach.  It was time for us to leave.

We decided to travel along the California side of the river back toward Parker. 

We crossed back into Arizona.  The rain began again as we arrived home.  We were glad to get outside and grab the best of the day.

We found this quote online today. Coddiwomple is an Irish word and it describes what we do quite accurately!