706 January 10-11, 2022 Desert Adventure

The beginning of Monday was windy with gusts to 15mph.  It was warm though…57 degrees when I went for my walk.  The pelicans were gone from the pond…flown somewhere warm for the winter…maybe Mexico!

We packed everything for our camping trip to the desert and left after lunchtime.

Welcome back to Picacho!  The wild burro must be the ambassador!

Usually, our goal is to find a place with a gorgeous view but today, our mission was to find a site tucked away out of the wind.  We explored all kinds of nooks and crannies and found a wash with high sides where we could take shelter.  There was a definite difference in the strength of the wind when we were there in the bottom.

I was setting up camp and Tim was gathering rocks for the fire ring.  We are always careful when we collect firewood and move rocks…you never know what critters are hiding!  Tim called to me to come and look.  We saw our first desert scorpion.  It had been beneath a stone.  It was a light tan/nude color and translucent.  It blended in so well with the rocks that I couldn’t focus on it to get a picture before Tim felt compelled to smash it.  No scorpions on the campsite…it’s a rule!

We enjoyed the afternoon, basking in the sun, listening to music, the time passed quickly.  Since we were so low, the sun slipped behind the mountains and it was nearly dark at 4:00. 

We had citrus salmon on salads with cara cara oranges for dessert. 

We crawled up into the tent after watching clouds drift across the half moon and stars.

The tent was beaten and battered most of the night by fierce wind.  I was so thankful for our safe and snug RTT.  This is a purchase that we have NEVER regretted.  The opportunities it allows us and the quality of the tent make it a worthwhile investment!  I was also thankful that we were NOT perched on a ridgeline! 

It was still windy this morning as we had our morning coffee and we were happy to have a fire. 

As we often do, we took the scenic route home following trails across the desert toward the Chocolate Mountains and finally to pavement.  It will be a while before we travel back this way…we certainly enjoyed our time here!

A leanto/shade shelter.

Last look at Picacho Peak.

We are traveling tomorrow in the Anza Borrego desert. We plan to camp there for three nights and may not have service to post the blog. Once we are in Borrego Springs on saturday, we will get caught up!

705 January 8-9, 2022 Live Music

On Saturday, West Wetlands was hosting a 5K/10K race.  I joined the other walkers and joggers and runners and was cheered on by the volunteers manning the course.  It was fun!  As part of the festivities, this hot air balloon landed in the field.

In the afternoon, we had two date related options for entertainment.  The Yuma Medjoul Date Festival was happening downtown.  We went several years ago and it was a good time…lots of vendors and food trucks and live music and everything date…shakes and cases of dates and breads and all kinds of other yummy stuff.  We were hesitant though to join the inevitable throng of people.  We elected instead, to go back to Naked Dates for live music.  Another afternoon spent in the desert sunshine.  We bought our dinner, spinach salad with dates and blue cheese and almonds and bacon with a date vinaigrette and chicken pesto flatbread…lots of savory flavors. 

When we left, we took the long way home.  We passed farm fields planted with every kind of lettuce and broccoli and cauliflower.  We took a canal road all the way from Wellton back to the highway in Yuma. 

Sunday morning there were white pelicans resting in the pond.

The remainder of the day was spent doing chores and watching football.  We are preparing for our trip to Borrego Springs and also getting ready for another desert adventure.  We plan to sleep out on Monday night…so look for our story on Tuesday!

704 January 7, 2022 Back In The Groove

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 3

We have spent the past couple of days getting back in our routine.  We have filled the fridge and the pantry with lots of healthy fruits and vegetables and chicken and fish; after one too many Christmas treats in Atlanta!  We are almost acclimated to the time change.  It seems like it is easier when we drive as the time difference is more gradual.  We are walking and biking and taking dinner to the park.  We are getting used to “just us” again…it is really quiet without the noise and joys of those small boys!

New memorial along the bike path…

As always, we are grateful for the opportunity to open the windows, to be in the warmth and sunshine…all in January.  We know that most of you are at least chilly…we are sending warm vibes from Arizona!

We have spent a lot of time in Yuma and we are looking forward to moving on soon!

703 December 13, 2021 – January 6, 2022

Winter Break In Atlanta

The past three weeks have passed too quickly.  We had so much fun in Atlanta!  The boys are 3 and 5 and are just a joy to be with.  We spent the holidays playing!

David and Dre were able to have one night out.  That was the night we let the boys jump in mud puddles!

In fact, we did lots of messy activities…like playdoh.

Painting.

Slime.

The boys both love to mix and roll and cut and decorate gingerbread men.  This time they were really able to participate more and stuck with it until the end.

We took them for hikes to the “stream woods.”

We also went to Stone Mountain and hiked the island…of course with a picnic.

We enjoyed some playground time as well.

And PLAY, PLAY, PLAY!!!

And cuddles.

And lots of silliness!

On Christmas Eve, we rang the bells, calling for Santa while sprinkling oatmeal in the yard for the reindeer.

Kyle bought the boys bongo and conga drums and we had a family music night…our conductor…Oliver of course!

We love being a part of their sweet family and are grateful for the time we got to spend together, creating beautiful memories and traditions.

On January 4^th we flew back to Phoenix and on the 5^th, we drove the Jeep back to Yuma.  We will stay here for the next week and then we will move on to southern California to Borrego Springs. 

We realized during the break that we have surpassed the 700 mark for our blog entries…we still feel so grateful to be able to do this!

December 10-12, 2021

Preparing For Atlanta

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 19-21

The past three days have been about preparing for our trip to Atlanta.  Tomorrow, we are storing the RV here in Yuma.  Then we will take the Jeep and drive to Phoenix.  We have a flight to Atlanta and will spend the holidays with David and his family.  We plan to come back to Yuma on January 5, 2022. 

We aren’t sure where we will spend the remainder of the winter.  We might be in Yuma for a while in January…it depends on the weather!

We did go back to Naked Dates on Saturday…the music and the food never disappoint.  It is the middle of December and we were in the desert, in the warm sunshine, drinking wine, and listening to great music.  Another day well wasted!

We hope that all of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  The blog will resume with our return to Arizona. 

December 9, 2021

Cycling On The Canal

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 18

We woke up to fog!  There was a dense fog advisory and the humidity was 80%.  This is a rare occurrence here!  It was 54 degrees and I needed a warm sweatshirt for my walk.

Later this morning, we took our bikes and cycled the canal trail.  There was no wind and it was a great ride.  We went seven miles to the end and then headed back. 

At 11.5 miles, I suddenly had a lot of trouble keeping up with Tim.  Then, I heard the thwack, thwack, thwack sound of a flat tire.  I was able to nurse it along for about another mile.  Tim went to get the Jeep while I walked to the nearest intersection for my rescue!

We went to the bike store and had to leave the tire.  They were too busy to help us…hopefully we will get it back tomorrow.  We made a quick run to the grocery store for a few things to get us to Monday.

As I write the blog tonight, it is raining…what an odd weather day! We watched the evening news and the weather guy said there is a frost and freezing temperature warning for the days ahead…we really do NOT like winter!

December 8, 2021

Simplifying

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 17

Today, another long walk along the Colorado River.  Today, I chatted with my good friend Vicki while I walked.  It makes the time pass so quickly and makes the walk that much more enjoyable.  It is important to work on maintaining our relationships even from very far away.

This afternoon we worked on gathering paperwork for the sale of our house.  While we waited for revisions, we took a bike ride through the park.  We stopped for a break along the water.

This evening we went to UPS with our settlement package, signed and notarized everything, and sent it off…done with our part.  Our greatest wish is that Kyle and Allison will make all of their dreams come true in the same house where we were blessed to raise our family.

We went to Prison Hill and had yummy salads and great conversation…a beautiful date night.  After our meal, we walked around town. 

We stopped for the first time at City Hall.  Displayed there is a plane that set the world record in 1949 for 48 days aloft. 

December 6-7, 2021

Picacho Excursion

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 15 and 16

Monday by noon we were packed and ready for one more overnight excursion in the desert.  We wanted to do some further exploring in the mountains surrounding Picacho Peak.

We traveled along the ridges in the foothills.  We saw just two other Jeeps out on the trails. 

At last, we found our campsite…complete with magnificent views.

As we were getting set up, Tim realized that our propane burner was not working.  He decided that he would build a stone stove so that we could prepare our dinner.

Suddenly, we heard the powerful thrum of a jet overhead.  Practicing low altitude maneuvers, we could see the numbers on the plane…so thrilling!

Before dinner, we could see billowing dust in the distance.  A pair of ATV’s was approaching.  They must have seen us and they chose to turn back, leaving us once again in peace.

Outdoor cooking…chorizo and eggs…nothing tastes better than food eaten outside!

For the rest of the evening, we were mesmerized by the changing light and lengthening shadows on the rocks around us. 

The sky was clouded and so the sunset was particularly stunning.

Because of the clouds, the moon and stars were eventually obscured and it was very dark.  We settled for bed early.  Soon thereafter, the winds began and it was after midnight before it was quiet.

In the morning, Tim got up to watch the sun come up while I dozed. 

Once we had gathered everything, we set out for more adventure.  We decided to take a different way home…it’s one of the “rules”…always try to go on a road you have never been on before!

We reached an impasse here…not worth the risk to try it…even though Tim hates to turn around…we did!

We spooked an owl that had been resting in a tree.  We could hear the great flapping of his wings as he took off, flying through the wash. 

There was a herd of burros on the crest of this hill.  They were shy though and took shelter as we approached.

We had heard from a neighbor about a trail into the Narrows.  We found the access road and enjoyed our ride through this slot canyon.

In this last video, at the end, we were not sure if we were going to fit through the “squeeze” or the “pinch” as it is called.  Tim stopped to look and then got us through!  It was really a fun ride.  In some places, the canyon walls were 40 feet high. 

Finally, we found our way to the power line trail which led us back to the highway.

This is Picacho Peak from a distance…we were camped all the way out there!

It will be a while before we get back…but we know that there is more to see and experience and we cannot wait!

December 2-5, 2021

Taking Care Of Business

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 11-14

We have spent the last several days being productive and taking care of business.  Christmas gifts are purchased, boxed and mailed. Christmas cards are ready for the post office. Passport applications are complete and sent. RV registration is renewed and we will receive it at David’s. We have been busy!

We still had time for some fun.  We exercised and walked each morning.  Tim cycled every day. 

Thursday, we went to Eduardo’s in downtown Yuma for dinner.  The evening was mild and we sat on the patio.  The food was outstanding.

We saw this power hang glider traveling above the Colorado River…gorgeous day for flying!

Friday evening, we went downtown for the Christmas tree lighting.  The crowd was huge and so we stayed at the periphery and walked around the perimeter and through town.

Saturday, we returned to Naked Dates.  The singer was a young guy, Jourdan Rolland, just starting out.  He played acoustic guitar and sang.  We enjoyed our lunch and it was pleasant sitting in the warm sunshine, listening to music.

We took walks together most evenings.  Tonight, we admired the Christmas lights. 

We got school pictures of Ollie and Austin and they are worthy of sharing…perhaps they will make you smile!

December 1, 2021

Garden Café

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 10

I got a great walk in this morning.  It was another beautiful day start!

At noon, we met Aunt Mavis at the Garden Café in downtown Yuma.  The restaurant, outside in a terraced yard, was under the trees.  It was lovely!  The food was delicious.  There were so many things we would have liked to try and so, we will have to go back another day!

Afterward, Tim and I browsed in the small shops in town.  We did some Christmas shopping and Tim found the ice cream shop open…he is trying all the date shakes in town, looking for the best of the best.  So far, the Imperial Date Farm is the winner!

After such a big lunch, we had a light dinner.  Tim went to the campground clubhouse to join the guys for three ball…a pool (billiard) game.