CAMPED AMID THE SAGUARO CACTUS

 

LOTS OF WAGGING TAILS THIS MORNING AS WE SAY GOODBYE  (photo taken by Jeanie)

The sandman worked overtime last night weaving his nocturnal magic on two fronts.  First he put me gently to sleep & then he removed my lingering last day sadness.  I woke up this morning looking forward to the day instead of looking back on my previous melancholy 24 hours.

   

SUNDAY’S MORNING MOON

I was up at 4 & Kelly was up at 5:30.  Big game of toys with all the dogs & then it was out the door into the frigid 34F morning to feed the critters.  No more thoughts of 'lasts' this morning, it was just get on with the job & get things done.  Took the satellite dish down & put in the slides just as Jeanie & Ray rolled through the front gate in their jeep.  They had left their rig up in the Wilcox area & were planning on taking Gleason & Pearce back up that way to do some hiking in the Dragoon mountains.  Nice to see them & we all had us big chin wag.  Ingrid & Tom rolled in to drop off Corky so it was like a last minute circus before we left.  Jeanie & Ray asked us to come back next winter & we told them to pencil us in:))  And, they brought me 2 jars of 'natural peanut butter.'  My favorite kind......Yaaaaaa:))  Thanks guys.

  

A FEW OF THIS MORNING’S MEMORIES

In a flurry of wagging tails, laughter, hand shakes, hugs, & see ya later's, we had the big wheels rolling out the gate by 9:25 a.m.  A last look back, a wave, & we were gone on down the road.  It was the beginning of a new journey. 

JEANIE & RAY………..SEE YA LATER GUYS & THANKS FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER:))

Beautiful blue morning in the Sulphur Springs Valley as we headed north through Elfrida, Sunsites, & Sunizona on our way to I-10.  Mountain ranges on all horizons as we swung the rigs nose west on I-10 heading for Tucson.  Fired up Garmin Gertie, our on board GPS system, & programmed her to take us through Tucson north to Casa Grande.  Motoring through Tucson the past 2 years has been a nightmare for us because of  major construction going on & we were twice funneled off the interstate into the backwater of secondary roads.  But, not today.  The I-10 construction has been completed & we sailed right through Tucson with no problem at all in the light Sunday traffic.  A bit of construction in the north end but nothing to worry about. 

 

BORDER PATROL CHECKPOINT AHEAD, COCHISE COUNTY ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLY & DOWNTOWN TUCSON

Spotted a 'Cracker Barrel' sign & immediately went into 'lunch mode' wheeling off I-10 & tracking down the Barrel.  It was a snap decision & we failed to consider the time of day & what day it actually was.  Sunday at noon means herds of people flocking out of all the local churches & heading, where else.......Cracker Barrel!!  Waited half an hour before even getting in the door & seated.  I was very impressed with myself as I sat quietly on a bench outside without uttering a single bluster.  Food was great but slow because of the crowd.  Finally rolled back up onto I-10 at 1:20 p.m.  That little lunch break had taken about an hour & a half.  Yep, I was real proud of myself alright, not one bluster.

PATIENTLY WAITING IN THE CRACKER BARREL LINE UP

Shortly before reaching Tucson earlier in the morning we were still discussing where we were going & with the turn off for Why, Arizona less than a mile ahead we finally decided to go straight north through Tucson & head for a boondocking campground we had stopped at a year ago while heading east.  It was west of Casa Grande on I-8.  We knew if we went this way we could let the dogs out to run around without all the stress of having them on leashes in an RV Park.  HICKIWAN TRAILS in Why Arizona will always be one of our favorite little places & we were thinking of going there but by the sounds of it they are pretty full so we decided to maybe roll through there on our return in late March sometime if we go that way.

JIM KORTSEN PINAL PARK……& WE’RE CLOSE TO THE INTERSTATE!!

Currently we are in the Jim Kortsen West Pinal Park alongside I-8 about 20 minutes west of Casa Grande.  Strictly boondocking here & a bit of traffic noise from I-8 but we have mountains on 3 sides & lots of stately Saguaro Cactus.  Great Verizon signal & lots of TV channels with just the antennae up.  Sites are large & we have no visible neighbors.  Now, how nice is that......and it's all free.  I will never understand why most people insist on jamming themselves into overpriced crowded RV Parks!!

     

JIM KORTSEN  PINAL PARK…..WEST OF CASA GRANDE ON I-8

Gassed up ($150-2.84 a gal) at a nearby gas bar on I-8 & that is the first gas fill up since Deming New Mexico in late October of last year.  In the morning we'll head west to Gila Bend where we'll pick up some propane & water before heading either north to Buckeye on our way west to Quartzite or southwest to Yuma & then up to Quartzite.  We'll probably head into the desert about 6 miles south of Quartzite because we are familiar with that area & there is a much better chance of fewer people.  I would rather have skipped Quartzite but Kelly convinced me we needed a new flag pole & afterall, that is the best place to get one.  Whether I'll go into town remains to be seen.  I think me & the furry guys might just hang out in the quiet desert while Kelly goes into town to do battle with the people hordes.   She's got a lot more patience for that sort of madness than I do.  Besides, 'shopping' is an 8 letter word that nearly gags me every time I think of it!!

So, that's if for tonight in the shadow of Antelope Peak here alongside I-8 in the greening Sonoran desert.  Tomorrow we head west for the big Q.........& a quiet time in the desert for Al:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  What is the highest 'noise' frequency a human can make......Mariah Carey!!

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now....AL

THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU, MR. BORDER GUARD GUY…….SIR:))

LOADING UP THE GANG AT 6:17 A.M. THIS MORNING

I am generally up well before Kelly but I heard some shuffling around about 4:15 so knew it was time to get up & get moving.  It had been raining hard when I went to bed about 6 hours before but the start to our day was dry with surprisingly mild temperatures & that just added an extra touch of niceness to loading up the last few things in the rig before heading out.

 

CROSSING THE BLUEWATER BRIDGE……. DESPITE THESE EASY TO READ SIGNS I STILL MANAGED TO GET MYSELF INTO THE WRONG LANE FURTHER AHEAD AT THE BORDER!!

We started the big wheels rolling at exactly 6:20 a.m.  It's always a weird kind of feeling leaving your home behind knowing you won't be back again for a whole 5 or 6 months.  Doesn't quite seem real in a way driving off into the darkness leaving all your comfy, cozy security behind you but it only takes a few miles to get that feeling all shook out & then the journey ahead becomes priority one.

OUR FIRST STOP WAS A CRACKER BARREL IN LANSING, MICHIGAN

It's an easy drive from our place to the border at Sarnia/Port Huron & by the time we rolled up to the gate it was light with the clock showing 7:50 a.m.  Renee, we passed over your old farm at Indian Road about 7:45:))  I was so intent on getting everything right as we approached the customs gate that I promptly pulled into the wrong line up of course.  Well, that got me rattled so I brushed a yellow utility pole in the narrow lane with my right mirror.  We now have a nice flash of yellow paint on the mirror but It's ok because I really like it.  A few more of those & we'll have one of those big colorful fancy schmancy paint jobs on our coach.   Besides, it matches our desert boondocking pinstriping that sets us apart from the pavement huggers !!

WAITING PATIENTLY IN LINE AT CRACKER BARREL

Did you hear that big sigh of relief blow through your neighborhood this morning about 8:05 Ontario time:))  I had my coat ready, the dog leashes out, & was fully prepared to be pulled over for our usual grinding agriculture check.  Young fellow at the gate asked the usual questions, was very polite & had a pleasant personality.  Not the gruffness we are used to.  He asked if he could step into the coach & we said of course.  Said he had 2 big dogs at home so he liked ours.  He apologized for leaving the coach door open behind him & asked if he could walk further back in the coach.  Made some nice comments about our dogs & then headed back to his booth, handed our passports back & said, "have a nice trip folks."  Kelly & I were in a totally exuberant state of shock.  This was the best border crossing we ever had & this nice young fellow with the dark rimmed glasses (be sure to get him if you cross) was soooooooo totally polite & respectful.  What a great professional attitude he had compared to a lot of the border guards we have run into.  Thank-you from The Bayfield Bunch young man whoever you were:))

FIRST DOGGY PIT STOP OF THE DAY

Very light traffic all through Michigan & that's why I prefer to drive Saturday's & Sundays.  Friends of ours usually start their trip on a week day & I've never understood why.  Been raining on & off all day & we drove through a half a dozen short heavy rain cells.  Our 'first eats' stop this morning around 11 was our 'last eats' stop on the way home last March.  Lansing Michigan's Cracker Barrel of course:))  It's very rare we ever eat out at home so we save those times up for when we are on the road traveling.  Ya gotta love those $5.99 prices & we both waddled out of there filled right up.

YESEREEEEE, YUMMY IN THE TUMMY:))

It felt soooooo good to be back on the road to-day & finally going somewhere again.  And it's sooooooo nice to have a Class A to do it in.  Warm & toasty plus the whole gang's to-gether.  Great for the doggy guys.  Kelly can grab us a coffee or sandwich while rolling or be sitting comfortably at the computer desk.  Never have to leave the coach to use the washroom either.  Plugged our Verizon air card into the laptop in Lansing Michigan & we were on-line within about 20 seconds.  Now, how nice is that:))

 

KELLY FIELDS HER FIRST DEERPARK LODGE CALL OF THE TRIP

I should clear something up here about last night's blog before I get myself deeper into trouble & it regards our sleeping arrangements.  Kelly felt I may have put her in a bad light.  One of her most important things is getting a good night's sleep & it goes a long way to making her the sweet charming pleasant little person she really is.  Kelly has to have the room totally dark & quiet with not so much as a squeak anywhere.  I, on the other hand am up & down in the night like a jack in the box & rarely ever get a good night's sleep & I'm sure that goes a long way to making me the cranky cursmudgeon I really am.  I'm just not good company for a sound sleeper & besides, I've never understood why 2 full grown people would ever cram themselves onto a bed for a whole night's sleep with hardly enough room for a spider to crawl between them.  At home we have our own rooms & Kelly has hers all fixed up just the way she likes it & I have mine all junked up just the way I like it too.  Sure makes a whole lot of perfectly good sense to both of us to have our own space.  In the motorhome it is the same & if any of the doggy guys have to go out in the night or early in the morning I sleep up front near the door & can get up & do that without disturbing or waking up big chief little boss in her quiet bedroom at the back of the coach.  Now, I thought that was mighty darn considerate of me.........didn't you:))

  DIDN’T TAKE THE KIDS LONG TO GET THEIR TOYS OUT ONCE WE GOT STOPPED FOR THE DAY  (click any photo to enlarge it)

This blog to-day is coming to you from a Wal-Mart parking lot in Angola, Indiana & we are in the very same spot we were last March for our last night on the road before reaching home.  Last year we stayed in Pokagon State Park just a few miles from here on the way south but when we pulled in there to-day all the pull through sites were taken so we remembered this Wal-Mart & came a few miles further.  Great spot for the dogs with lots of grass beside us.  Windy, cold, & raining at the moment.  Glad we're heading south & not north.  And, talking about heading somewhere, I figure it's just about time for me & the furry guys to draw straws & see who takes the first shift at sleeping on the single bed to-night. 

And, that just about wraps up the Bayfield Bunch's first day on the road for 2009/10:))     (blog may look a little choppy for a few days until I get it configured for the laptop)

 

ANGOLA, MICHIGAN…..OUR FIRST OVERNIGHTER

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft.
Unsurprisingly, it sank, proving once again, that you can't have your kayak and heat it, too.

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now....AL.

THE BAYFIELD BUNCH RIDES INTO COCHISE COUNTY

DOING AN OVERNIGHTER BEHIND THE VISITOR CENTER IN SIERRA VISTA AZ.

We waffled back & forth for awhile this morning & then about 8 a.m. the decision finally came down. We would head for Sierra Vista in southeastern Arizona. Didn't take us long to pack things up because we hadn't put the solar panels up or the awning & mat out. Said good-bye to Bren & Bob & away we went.What an exceptionally beautiful morning it was with warm temps, a few cloud skiffs, light breeze, & plenty of sunshine. Always a twinge of excitement in the air for me when setting out for unknown new vistas & adventures. I like to be on the move & mornings is a great time to be moving.

It was Sunday and the traffic was lite as we approached Tucson from the north on I-10. In early December while heading west we had really got tangled up in the construction chaos along the I-10 corridor so I didn't want that to happen to us again so figured Sunday morning was the best time to run the gauntlet. I figured right as the traffic was very light & we had no problems at all. Except.......we suddenly got snagged by another Cracker Barrel:)) And how do we justify two Cracker Barrels in less than a week?? Well, here's how we do it. We never get desert & we don't buy coffee. That brings the bill in around $16. We rarely eat all the food so always take a bowser bag back to the rig & that usually ends up being our supper later on as well which in effect, kinda cuts the bill in half. Also, in this case we may not see another Cracker Barrel to well on into March sometime.....therefore an exception was made & we did two CB's in a week. Now, how's that for some pretty smart Senior logic........:))

Climbed off I-10 at Benson following highway 90 south to Sierra Vista. The directions we had were to follow the blue signs leading to the visitor center. Some sites were behind the center & other sites were somewhere in the area. Found the visitor center but being it was Sunday we found it closed. Pulled around back looking for the RV sites. Didn't find the sites but found a sign saying the RV section had been closed since April of 2005. Guess our direction information was a tad old. The area was very spacious so we just decided to park here for the night anyway. We'll check into the visitor center when it opens in the morning at 8.

VISITOR CENTER ON LEFT

Looking forward to spending over a month in this general area because there is a lot to see & do. This is what it says in one of the brochures......"Prepare to enjoy more history per square mile than you can find in most places in the United States. You will find that our history is that which you've read about, play acted as a child and thrilled to in the cool darkness of your hometown theaters. It encompasses the famous like Wyatt Earp, Cochise and Geronimo." The area is also a huge birding region & is hailed as the Hummingbird capital of the United States. There are ghost towns here, many canyons to explore, trails to hike. Cochise's stronghold where the Indian Chief is supposedly buried somewhere. Geronimo's Skeleton canyon where he was finally captured. Yes, we are going to be busy. And the old west history goes on & on & on.

Two years ago we had passed through this area while traveling from Columbus New Mexico to points further west. We did an overnight stop in Tombstone but that was about it & the next day we were rolling again. Here are some photos I took over a 2 day period as we approached & finally stopped for the night in Tombstone. We were driving a truck & fifth wheel at the time. http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/THURSDAYDEC28 http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/FRIDAYDEC29

Looking forward to our new adventures:))

No photos for the web album to-night.......but soon!!

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

A GOOD TRAVEL DAY & A GREAT CAMPSITE

SUNSET WEST OF CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA

I had put the solar panels down, & pretty well stowed all the gear away late Wednesday afternoon so there wasn't much to do this morning except hook the car onto the back of the motorhome & hit the road. Didn't want to stay another day because I couldn't stand listening to my own complaining about the crowds in Quartzite any longer.

We rolled north into Q & I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of traffic. Snapped a few pics out the window. It was about 9:30 a.m. when we waved good-bye to Quartzite & headed eastward to Interstate 8. Traffic was light & we rolled right along with no problems. Mornings are my favorite driving times because I enjoy the way the morning sun always lights the landscape & this morning was extra special because there were a lot of varying cloud patterns & that added a moody character to the sky. Distant mountains on both sides of the road looked stately, especially the ones to the south cloaked in a dark shadowy haze. Great lumbering Goliaths with high jagged peaks reaching for the clouds. Just the kind fairy tales & old western legends are written about. A beautiful morning. The other thing that became immediately apparent was the ever greening of the desert & hillsides the further east we went. More & more Saguaros began appearing, Palo Verde trees, cholla, & I'm sure there may have been some early flowers here & there had we stopped & looked. We passed the RV campground near Tonopah where our water line froze up two years ago, passed a service station that we remembered from last year having huge craters in it's parking lot that would have put a B-52 bombing raid to shame.

We had been driving about 2 hours when we saw it. The large tall sign appeared out of the horizon & steadily drew closer. Can it be....could it be?? Yes, yes, it is!!!! "CRACKER BARREL:))))" For us this was a true oasis in a long driving desert. There was a Cracker Barrel restaurant ahead just east of Buckeye. No decisions to be made here, this was an automatic YES!! The large fairly new mall is located about 5 miles past our turn off for Gila Bend but that was ok, we were starving for some good old country kitchen cooking. Had been over a month since we were last in a Cracker Barrel in Yuma. Can you tell this is our favorite place:))

I had a sausage skillet & Kelly had the newer Santa Fe skillet but we both agreed the sausage one was far better. Check the web album later for a picture... http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

KELLY CHECKING THE MENU AT CRACKER BARREL

By 12:15 we were back on the road & made the big swing south for Gila Bend. We knew we could dump tanks there & take on fresh water plus propane or gas if we needed it....which we didn't. For anyone traveling, if your coming into Gila Bend from the north, watch for the Shell Station on your right. There is free water & dump right behind the station & we noticed they have just paved the huge parking lot. No problem for big rigs getting around in there. There is also an RV Park right next door as well. Only took us about 20 minutes to do our business in there & we were back on I-8 heading east again. THE BEDROOM PAINT JOB

Herb had told us about a great little free camping place between Gila Bend & Casa Grande so that is where we headed. Jim Kortsen West Pinal Park is located in the V of the fork of I-8 & highway 84. This is a great little gem of a camping area. Well maintained with some sites having a concrete pad with picnic table & covered roof. It's all dry camping & lots of room & greenery between the sites. Not many rigs here so we were able to find a great little spot where the dogs (or us) wouldn't bother anyone. Only slight downside is a bit of traffic noise from I-8 to the south & some traffic on 84 north of us. Nice Saguaro cactus in here too. Right now as I'm typing this I can look out through our big windshield & see the dull glow of Tucson on the low cloud cover to our southwest. Across the whole horizon running north to Phoenix I can see the un-ending twinkling of lights. I'm guessing much of that is Casa Grande about 20 miles to the east. OUR NEW DIGS WEST OF CASA GRANDE, AZ

A fellow RV'er out walking his dog noticed our Canadian flag decals on the rig so came over. He's from British Columbia, & wouldn't you know it........his brother lives in Port Elgin Ontario which is a about a 90 minute drive from our place in Bayfield.

Our weather has been fabulous. It was a warm night in Quartzite last night & even warmer when we got up this morning. I could feel humidity in the air as soon as I stepped out of the coach. When we stopped in Buckeye around noon there was a warm wind blowing & our outside thermometer was saying 80F. It seemed even hotter than that by the time we got to our campsite west of Casa Grande. The sky was dark over Tucson & I think they got some rain. Also, we were surprised at the many crystal clear television stations we can get here with our antennae. And, our Verizon card works grrrrrrreat!!

All & all, it was a good day & we're happy to have a nice quiet & private campsite for a few days. To-morrow morning we'll drive into Casa Grande for a few groceries & things. And what a relief it is for me not to have anything to complain about to-day. Ok, ok, a little traffic noise but what the heck.......................... OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/