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. 

November 29-30, 2021

Castle Dome Mountains

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 8 & 9

Monday morning, we got our exercising done.  I went to buy firewood and ice.  Then we packed the Jeep and before noon, we were on our way to Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. 

We took the Castle Dome Road and then proceeded to the trail that took us to Big Eye Mine.  We drove 15 miles into the desert.

At the end of the road, we saw a group of people in OHV’s.  They had hiked to the mine.  We chose not to hike but turned back to find a camping spot. We found another perfect place.

Many of you probably just see more rocks and cacti, but we see beauty!  We choose to spend out time outside, in nature, being active and appreciating the stillness, the remoteness and the darkness.  I cannot explain how it makes me feel to spend time out here…but it makes my heart feel full and it restores me.  We are so lucky to be doing this.  It is even more remarkable to me that we both love it and enjoy it together as much as we do!  Tim said today that he cannot think of any hotel room that he would rather stay in and I quite agree!

More omelets for dinner and more stargazing…contented sigh!!!

Tuesday morning, we had our coffee next to the campfire as we watched another glorious sunrise.

Afterward, I decided to take a walk down the rough gravel road. 

Tim followed and picked me up down the road!

We wandered along the bumpy and rutted road back to civilization and the highway.

We were tired and lazy for much of the rest of the day.  Tim got a bike ride in and I did take a walk before dinner.

Another excellent adventure!

We talked to David today. He and his family put up their Christmas tree today. We are getting excited because in two weeks we will fly to Atlanta to be there for the holidays!

November 28, 2021

Lowriders

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 7

Today was a great day for a really good walk.  I had been having some heel pain and that has slowed me down a little but today I was able to do 4.5 miles relatively comfortably. I am grateful for my new running shoes.  Good shoes really do make a difference as we get older!

Today was chore and football day.

Later in the afternoon, we went for a bike ride.  There was a Lowrider Show in the park across the street.  The cars were really tricked out with unique paint schemes.  They were outfitted with hydraulics that allow the driver to raise and lower the cars at will.  There was music and there were food trucks as well. We have never been to a car show quite like this one! The gaudier and more WOW…the better!

November 27, 2021

The Teccas

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 6

I took my morning walk along the river.

While Tim biked, I ran errands and did a little holiday shopping.  It is hard to think of Christmas when it is always warm and sunny…but Thanksgiving has passed and so it is time to prepare!

This afternoon, we went back to Naked Dates.  On Saturdays from 3pm-5pm they have live music.  Today’s group was the Teccas, a duo from Montana though, half of the duo was ill, so, we had the pleasure of listening to Scott Tecca.  He played the acoustic guitar skillfully and had a rich singing voice. 

We had smoked pulled pork sandwiches with slaw and pickles and they were very tasty!  Later, Tim had his date shake.

I love to watch older people dancing together.  The gentleman guiding his partner across the floor, the two perfectly in sync after years of moving together.  It makes my heart happy!

Scott told the story of his original song, “ Whiskey in Heaven.”  He wrote this song to help himself heal after the tragic suicide of one of his good friends.  Years later, it still makes him choke up as he performs.  We could feel it too.  It was raw and honest and real.  If you are curious…you can find his song on YouTube.

Scott, as I mentioned, is from Montana.  He made it clear that he would not be spending another winter there.  Today in Wellton, Arizona it was 80 degrees with 9% humidity and a light breeze with bright sunshine in a cloudless sky.  It was a perfect day…in every way! I think we might go back to Naked Dates…maybe next Saturday!

The sun was setting as we headed home. Incidentally, the tractor trailer in the picture was loaded with crates of broccoli, picked here in these farm fields, one of several trucks traveling the road to Yuma this evening!

November 26, 2021

Hanging Out In Yuma

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 5

I waited until a little later to start my morning walk.  It was chilly and windy.  By late morning, it was much warmer and I set out.  We were joking about a wind chill factor…probably not funny to most of you!  Today’s high was 77 degrees. 

Tim did another long ride to Somerton. 

I drove to get him and then we went on to San Luis for lunch at La Bodega.  We had really good salads.

After lunch, we wandered some back roads and farm roads and found ourselves on the canal road along the border wall. 

We have written before about the interruptions in the “Wall”.  South of Somerton, the “Wall” is a steel barrier about 2 feet high. 

The new “Wall” begins for several miles and then there is another gap south of Yuma.  It is here that we saw Border Patrol gathering people who were crossing illegally, actively walking through the opening. 

We drove through farmland to get back to the campground.  The cabbage and lettuce were being harvested.  In other fields, workers were weeding the endless rows with hoes…long days of backbreaking work.

I pedaled through the park this evening and then later, we drove to downtown Yuma and walked.

We found a small store on an alley that had date shakes and Tim could not resist!

November 25, 2021

Happy Thanksgiving!

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 3

I started my day with a walk, albeit reluctantly.  The wind was howling outside…but I made the effort!  The trees were bending with the 25 mph gusts.

The dust was flying.  I had grits in my teeth and in my eyes!

I walked about 2.5 miles and then gave in!

The wind had calmed in the afternoon.  Tim took a long bike ride to Somerton with the wind mostly at his back.  The farm fields were fairly quiet today.   I drove there to get him.  Later I cycled around West Wetlands.

We spent a quiet day talking with and texting friends and family.  Holidays are hard…I especially missed my mom and my kids today. 

We enjoyed quinoa bowls for dinner.  I added roasted sweet potatoes, raw spinach, grilled chicken, cranberry sauce, pecans and we had pumpkin spice crackers with fig and honey goat cheese.  It had lots of the traditional flavors and was delicious and healthy!

At dusk, we took a nice walk together.

From our house on wheels to your house…we wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

November 23-24, 2021

Camping At Picacho Peak

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 1 and 2

Tuesday morning, I began my walk under densely clouded skies.

I even felt raindrops!  We have been in Yuma for a month and this spitting was the first rain we have had.

We came back to stay in Yuma because we had our credit card compromised while we were in Tucson.  We needed an address where we could receive our new cards.  We decided to return to a place that we knew.  We have since decided to stay here through December 13^th when we will prepare to fly to Atlanta for the holidays.  We feel like this will make things a little smoother.  When we return to Arizona after the New Year, we will travel around a little more.

Tuesday afternoon we packed for another overnight camping trip in the desert.  We went back to Picacho and explored the maze of 4WD trails outside the park. 

We saw burros, their white muzzles are a stark contrast against the rocky mountains, making them easy to spot!

We took a spur off the main road and drove up and over a small berm.  We found ourselves in a bowl surrounded by rock formations.  As we walked around, we realized the view from the ridge was spectacular and so that is where we set up camp.

Tim loves his Jeep shirt!

Tim’s campsite video!

The sunset was magnificent.  It was hard to take it all in because we were surrounded by changing color on all sides.

We went to bed early.  It was really cloudy and the moon had not yet risen so it was very dark.  At around midnight, the wind began to blow pretty steadily.  We were battered for a couple of hours before the winds calmed and we slept.

We were awake at 5 am.  The moon was surrounded by a perfect halo of light…a moon ring that forms when light is reflected off of ice crystals.  We had never seen this before…gorgeous! We slept again until 7 and then it was time for coffee and a fire.  As I was sipping my coffee, I noticed an animal high on the ridge.  A bighorn sheep stood stock-still; his distinct silhouette visible in the morning light.

A morning video as well!

We spent all morning wandering on trails. 

We saw more burros.  These mamas were braying at us.  They were not happy to have visitors.

We had a great day exploring and as always, we were searching for our next campsite…

Our credit card was delivered and so the rest of the day was spent updating accounts with new information.  All is good now!

November 20-22, 2021

Birthday Celebration In Tucson

South Forty RV Park Tucson, Arizona

We left Yuma on Saturday morning.  We saw this hot air balloon drifting above the Colorado River.

On our way out of town, we picked up our new friend Aunt Mavis. 

We were all bound for Tucson.  Our good friend Lee was having a birthday celebration and we were thrilled to be included.

Claudia met us at South Forty and ferried Mavis to the house to be with family.  Lee was surprised because he didn’t know she was going to be there.

On Saturday afternoon, Tim and I went to REI to shop for new shoes. Tim said that he could see my shoes coming before he sees me! They certainly are bright!

Saturday evening, we found a Mexican seafood restaurant called Mariscos Chihuahua where we had really tasty shrimp fajitas.

Sunday, we did our morning exercise and then I spent time grilling peppers and making a goat cheese spread for some appetizers.

Finally, it was time to leave for the party.  Lee was completely surprised when we showed up!  We very much enjoyed meeting his friends and family.  Sometimes, when you go to an event and don’t really know anyone…it can be rather awkward.  But…Lee and Claudia are blessed with a warm and wonderful circle and we were readily welcomed.  We enjoyed the afternoon and then in the evening we went back to Lee and Claudia’s home where we had supper.  I had a blast playing with the children. 

Monday morning, we went to get Mavis from the hotel and then we returned to Yuma.  We are so grateful for our new friendship and for the honor of being included in this weekend’s festivities. 

November 18-19, 2021

Back To Picacho!

Riverfront RV Park Yuma, Arizona Day 24 and 25

Best wishes for a wonderful birthday Andrea!  We love you!

We had no ill effects from our COVID boosters.  We did our morning exercise and then packed up for another tent camping experience.  We wanted to go back to Picacho.

18 miles on gravel washboard to the park.

The campsite that we really wanted was already taken.  We found a spot near the river and spent a pleasant afternoon.

Tim spotted this kingfisher.

Tim also spotted this coyote.

Another amazing sunset.

The moon was full and gorgeous.

We got up at 12:30 and we were able to see the partial lunar eclipse.

The coots were a hoot!  They chattered and bickered and splashed among the reeds ALL night long!  We heard owls and burros and coyotes and other water birds as well…Tim heard them…I actually slept!

This morning we wandered down 4WD trails and through washes, enjoying, as we always do, the desert scenery.

We saw burros and a deer.  We stopped to have our breakfast.  This is an area we want come back to explore and do some more tent camping.

After we got back to the RV…it was chore day!  We cleaned the RV and the Jeep and our gear and washed clothes and did all that normal chore day stuff!