750 March 14-16, 2022 Time With Lee And Claudia
On March 14th we left Blythe behind. We traveled all day on Route 10 East. We passed through Phoenix and dropped down to Apache Junction. We had hoped to stay overnight in this area but there were NO campsites to be found. We finally found Arizonian Travel Trailer Resort Campground in Gold Canyon. It was a very nice luxury type resort mostly for people who were wanting to stay for the winter. They were able though to accommodate us for one night. This place had all kinds of amenities…bocce ball, pickleball, a hot tub and pool, a wood shop, a ceramics room, a library, an aeromodellers runway, a dirt course for gas-powered remote-control cars and loads of other stuff and clubs and activities…if you wanted to stay in ONE place ALL winter! We passed a pleasant evening. On Tuesday morning I had a new place to walk. The complex was so large that I only had to walk 2 laps to get my 3.5 miles done. Tim had access to a fitness room as well.
We traveled again on Tuesday. We took the scenic route from Gold Canyon to Marana.
On our way, we stopped at a wayside for breakfast. Tim was chatting with some other RV travelers and I was walking. I encountered an 80-year-old woman who had her cat on a leash. She was doing her housework; cleaning her furniture cushions in one of the ramadas. She was traveling in a Class A motorhome by herself and I think she was a little lonely. I learned a lot about her life. She and her fourth husband, finally, her true soulmate, sold their house in 1994 to RV fulltime. He grew ill and passed away in 2009. Her kids asked her who was going to take care of her and she said she was going to take care of herself. This woman has been traveling on her own for all of the intervening years. She is quite remarkable. She is smart and sharp and knows a lot. She stands just 4 foot 9 inches tall. Her attitude is amazingly positive. She earns just $1,500 per month and that money must pay all of her expenses. That being said, she does not stay in campgrounds but rather finds places in the bush to stay. She had been at this particular wayside for four nights. She travels to Alaska in the summer and to Baja in the winter.
Tim was climbing into our coach and I told her that I should go if I wanted a ride to Tucson. She said “Let me tell you one more story.” When she and her husband had been traveling in Alabama, they stopped to get fuel. He was pumping gas and while she was sitting in the passenger seat, she smelled smoked turkey legs. She saw a stand across the parking lot. She decided that she really wanted smoked turkey legs for lunch. When the man was finished pumping, he got into the camper and assumed she was in the bathroom. He called out “I am going to go ahead and drive.” She was left standing in the parking lot, waving the turkey legs in both hands after him.
I wished her travel blessings. Whenever I think that I cannot do something…I am going to try to remember her strength and courage!
We settled in a campground in Marana just north of Tucson. We wanted to visit Lee and Claudia, our good friends that we met in Alaska. We again had trouble finding a place to camp. The campground owners have all been surprised by how busy it is. They are more astonished that people are booking to come into Phoenix and Tucson in May, a time when it starts to get fairly warm and it usually isn’t busy at all!
We were invited to dinner at the Harbers home. When we get to their place, it always feels like we are arriving “home.” They are such generous and gracious people. We had grilled elk (harvested by Lee) and fresh asparagus. We haven’t had dessert in such a long time but Claudia had homemade brownies accompanied by Lee’s homemade chocolate gelato and vanilla ice cream…so so good!
On Wednesday morning I wasn’t sure where I would end up walking. The campground is very small. I wove my way through Marana streets and found a nice municipal area with sidewalks and street lamps and benches. Following the walkway, I came upon a county park. There was a paved walking path on its perimeter and I did a couple of circuits before heading back.
Tim took a bike ride through the same area and by the local school.
Lee and Claudia met us this morning and we all drove to Saguaro National Park. We have been here before…but I just love it. This is a cactus forest. The saguaros grow so densely here, the environment perfect for their survival. The green desert is so different from the desert of Southern California. This place looks alive.
The wildlife is very rich and diverse but the animals are mostly nocturnal and we saw raptors and lizards but not much else. The saguaros are magnificent. They take such a long time to grow. It is usually about 70 years before the cacti get their first arms. They reach full height at about 150 years, growing 40-50 feet tall. I was always worried because when Tim and I have been out, we have not noticed small saguaros. I wondered if there was a future for the species. Lee showed me today though how the tiny cacti grow under trees, usually after seeds are dropped by birds. The larger trees serve as a nursery and protection for the smaller seedlings.
We walked at the Visitor Center. We would have liked to have gone inside but there was a crazy long line to get in. People had to take numbers and wait to be called.
We also stopped and hiked on the King Canyon Trail.
We went to lunch at Coyote Pause. We had great food and the very best company.
Soon it was time to say our goodbyes. We aren’t sure when we will see Lee and Claudia again. We are so grateful for their friendship.
