“Q”, a desert lake, & another problem

 

We land at Hidden Beaches in Blythe, CA to deal with the house issues.  (See former post.)  It is on the Colorado River and sounds like a beautiful park.  But not so with the full hookups.  We are stuck in a slum, looking at a storage shed and our neighbor’s refrigerator.  To be fair, the water sites are immaculate…we did not inquire on their cost. This is a PA park which is $16 with the discount.

Colorado River

We arrive at Dome Rock on Monday, 5 days before the huge fiberglass rally that happens the first weekend in February.  Parking in the back close to John and BJ, we think we have a good spot.   The next day Jerry and Wanda appear and then Glenda and Jeff .  It is bloggers row!

I take few photos…can’t seem to get excited about taking pictures of trailers that look identical.  The time is spent visiting and eating. 

John, BJ and Turk.

The weather is turning hot!  It gets up to 89 inside our trailer and more Casitas keep arriving.  We are beginning to feel like a sandwich.

On Saturday morning, no longer having fun, we head east to Scottsdale for another short visit with family.

Trying something new, we make reservations at Westworld of Scottsdale.  It is just for one night and much easier to park than the daughter’s back yard.

Our site is in a parking lot facing the polo field.

This large tent is the home of the famous Barrett-Jackson collector car auction.  West World is huge!  We walk 3 miles trying to see everything.

I know there are some cooler temperatures somewhere.  We head up into the Tonto National Forest to a campground on Lake Roosevelt. 

Beauty is found everywhere.

And it is cooler!  A lovely breeze caresses us as we walk in the morning sun. 

I am walking frequently, on a mission to lose some weight after seeing some disturbing photos of myself.  Manage to complete 6 miles (according to the phone) the first full day.

Life is good…much like life right before we had the home crisis 7 days ago.  And, again, another issue…much like the first one!  This time a clog in the plumbing has resulted in an overflow and a very bad smell! 

Thanks to a good friend who met the septic company and then met the plumbers, the crisis is resolved.  Not sure at this writing if we must head back home early to take care of the aftermath.  Don’t want to leave…each day here in the winter feels like a golden gift!

Will know something in a few days.

The Rest of the Story...Q and Yuma

YUMA...Yearly Unorganized Migration of the Aged!  

This was printed on one of our pamphlets from the Kofa Ko-Op.

Don't know why I could not add more photos to the last post!  I'm not accustom to using the Blogger format....normally use Windows Live Writer but also been having problems with Live Writer.

Sylvester in his new harness.

Our spot just off Dome Rock Road.

David and Duke.

These are the same sunset..about 30 seconds apart! Dome Rock

David just informed me the refrigerator's off!  I must have washed too vigorously around the vent...fingers crossed I can get it going again!!

Boondocking at "Q", Clean in Yuma

It's Tuesday afternoon and we are in Yuma, AZ, hanging out at an Escapees park, Kofa Ko-op.  Not really hanging out....should have said "working our buns off".  Since our arrival on Sunday afternoon we have washed 3 loads of clothes, bathed the Casita and the truck, bought groceries, found a lab and got David's INR level checked.  Also cleaned our bodies and walked several miles doing loops of the park.

This is a first for us...the Escapees thing!  (Just joined but more about that later.)  Got a chance to see inside  our neighbors' park model.  This is probably boring stuff for those who live in the west or Florida, but we were fascinated with the tiny houses that dot many of the RV parks here in the southwest.

Our lovely neighbors have had their winter home for 20 years.  It has two bedrooms and felt much larger than 800 sq ft.  They explained that a lot in the park would cost $6,000 to $10,000 and one of these tiny houses would be another $10,000 or so.  Considering that winter residents stay here at least 6 months of the year, it did not sound too extravagant.

But there is a waiting list for spots and one might need to wait two years.  Providing this information as we are thinking of our dear New England friends who are currently dealing with the Blizzard of 2015.

Need to back up.....

We arrive in Quartzsite, AZ Tuesday, after spending one night on the road at a PA park in Tonopah, Saddle Mountain.  Its palm trees are lovely.

This is our third trip to "Q"so easily found our fiberglass buddies on Dome Rock Road.

Set up camp just across a service road close to Glenda and Jeff of CasitaEscapes.

Glenda and David staring at the mtns.

This is called boondocking.....camping without any hookups or other amenities, totally dependent on your rv to provide for all your needs.  We love it!  But it does get tiresome after awhile... when the holding tanks get full!

And it's mixed pleasure and pain....camping with so many dear people.  Love them and want to spend lots of time visiting but just getting so worn out from the massive amount of visiting.  Still trying to find ways to tweak the social and the alone time...do not want to give up either!

We spend 5 days boondocking here.  Brief highlights of the week include:

An RVillage social gathering at the Quartzsite Yacht Club where  Cherie and Chris of Techomadia and Jim and Chris of Geeks on Tour were in attendance.  Also met many who were SKPs... leading to us joining.

Spending a morning at the big tent...always an exciting event.

Hiking around the Dome Rock area, hiking down in Kofa Wildlife area.

Attending the first annual blogger fest and meeting so many others...specially Kim....another snowbird from the South!

Random desert photos.....

Blogger is beginning to get hateful with me.  I just want to put in a few more photos before I quit! 

But it will not let me!!!!

So Sylvester's new harness photo will have to wait.

We plan to head out tomorrow for Anza Borrego State Park in CA!

  

Sunsets Continued……

 

Saguaro Lake Marina

…….

By Wednesday David is feeling a bit better.  We decide to explore other campgrounds in the A. J. area starting with Usery Mountain Park, a Maricopa County campground.  The park is  beautiful with mountains and hiking trails but it did not have the Superstition Mountain…..not interested in relocating.  From Usery we head to Tonto National Forest where many campgrounds are closed due to budget cuts.

Saguaro Lake Marina is our turn around point.  We sip ice tea on a patio overlooking blue lake, blue sky.

No alternative camps located, we return to our bit of real estate under the majestic rocks.

Valentine’s Day is approaching….we decide to do something that we never do while camping….go to a movie! 

The Flixster app locates our show in Mesa and we enjoy an afternoon with Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts.  Say whatever you will…August Osage County will make you appreciate your family! 

After splurging on fish tacos we head back to Lost Dutchman.

Saturday is a family visit day.  It’s only 37 miles from Apache Junction to David’s daughter’s home.  Lovely visit with a great meal at a Mile High restaurant.

It’s a holiday weekend, it’s hot and there are people everywhere!!!  Every hour or so I contemplate leaving for a remote campsite almost 100 miles away.  But the conveniences of Apache Junction with supermarkets, restaurants, electric outlets at Burger King and Fry's  and the mysterious mountain win out and we stay put!

The pain is still there, David reports, but it is tolerable.  We decide to hike the Treasure Loop Trail, a 2 1/2 mile trek with 500’ gain.  This is his first excursion up into the mountain.  The views are similar to the Siphon Draw hike.

Starting two hours earlier than the last hike, we are able to stay in the shade of the mountain for most of the climb. 

The rocks below are called the “Praying Hands”.  There is a trail but we opted out this year.

After six days in one spot, we move to another site…..(it was time to dump our tanks!)

While setting up, David comes inside and says he thinks “Bar Harbor” is next door!  Remember when we met the couple from Maine while scaling Dome Rock a few weeks ago?  They had a powered parachute that flew over the Casita gathering at Quartzsite.  This shot was taken on Glenda’s phone during one of the flights.

It was Mike and Jackie!……and we had a great time visiting….David got a promise of a flight someday in the future!

Then another strange fiberglass coincidence occurred!  Within a few hours two 19’ Escapes pull in, one on each side of our trailer.  The couple to our left are from Washington state and I go over for a chat.  They live close to the Chilliwack Escape factory…I tell them about seeing all the trailers leave the Osoyoos rally last June as we entered BC, heading for Alaska.  Suddenly Sue excitedly asks if we went to the Osoyoos visitor center?  Pausing, I think and nod affirmatively.  She says that they met us there!  I barely remember speaking to an Escape couple….but there is something to be said for our strong Tennessee mountain dialect.  They remembered us from our accent!

Sue and Dave

Our time in the desert is about over….just a few more days.  We are thinking a lot about next year…and spending more time here.

Finishing with a few more sunsets…………..

 

Fun in Q with Fiberglass Friends

 

In 2012, during our first winter in Arizona, we are camping in the Tonto National Forest at Tortilla and meet some lovely Escape owners from Texas.  One of them, Duke, makes an impression when he insists we not miss the big RV show in Quartzsite.  We change our plans and go….and manage to find and camp with his crew on Dome Rock Road!

Fast forward two years and we have a repeat occurrence! 

Last Saturday finds us creeping down Dome Rock Road looking for the shiny red truck with the Texas flag.  And it’s there just past the traditional spot for Casitas.  Our friends are with their friends and our Casita joins 5 other fiberglass trailers.

This is Dome Rock!  We are so glad to be here!!!  Missed this place so much last year!  ( It might look a tad disappointing to some…..but not to us!)

This is the “gang”!  Veteran fiberglass trailer owners and professional rally attenders!

Sunday morning we pack up our trash, stop at Love’s to dispose of it and hurry to find a parking spot near the Big Tent.  Methodically we pace the tent, trying not to miss anything.  The crowds increase as the morning progresses and we quit early afternoon.   How can I explain the joy of finding a 25 cent strainer for the bathroom sink or the two dollar broom/dustpan combo?  No big purchases…just stuff we need.  But still fun to buy!

Monday we are introduced to the free pancake breakfast and find the 6 dollar showers at the laundry.  It’s nice to camp with these experienced Q boon dockers!  We ride our bikes on the dirt road and try to pick out a special spot for our return trip in two weeks.  We ride, then walk up the old road on Dome Rock.

(We are camped center, far right in the above scene.)

This is all RV’s, trailers and the miscellaneous that come for the big show.

 

Our party increases when Casita owners, fresh from the rally in Lajitas, Texas, join us on Monday.  And someone is having a birthday!  Great excuse for a party!

The grocery is a bit lacking in Q….I decide to go to California for supplies!  It’s only 22 miles to Blythe and a huge Albertson’s.  Finding a real supermarket is one of our camping pleasures.  We usually just do without until we find our normal supplies.

That night we eat and laugh, eat and laugh!

The moon is full….the desert is bright at night.

Saying “goodbye” is hard on Wednesday….solace comes from knowing that there’s always another year and a return trip to Q in two weeks…to camp with a 100 or so fiberglass trailers!

We are off to Phoenix and family time!

(Posted from the Mustang Library in Scottsdale, AZ.)