THE EXCITEMENT OF STARTING OUT

BOONDOCKED IN THE AJO HIGHLANDS, ARIZONA

It is always nice to come across new RV folks just starting out because it brings back great feelings of excitement & anticipation of our own early RV days.  Check out Janie & John's FLAMINGO ON A STICK .

BOONDOCKED NEAR WHY, ARIZONA

Looking back I would say those early days of shopping for an RV both online & on RV lots were some of the most exciting new days we have had as RV'ers.  Comparing notes with other RV folks & faithfully reading everything we could find in the RV NET FORUM.  Travel trailers, Class C's, truck campers, 5th wheels, Class B's & Motorhomes.  So much to choose from & so many questions to be asked & answered.  So many decisions to make.  Throw in a healthy serving of tension, stress, plus anxiety, and you have a really great mix of genuine apprehensive excitement.   It's a unique kind of excitement & I remember that stomach turning stuff well.  We didn't always make the right decisions & I'm sure we probably have a few more wrong decisions ahead of us but we have managed to get ourselves on the road every winter for the last 5 out of 6 years & with a bit of luck we'll be back on the road this coming September or October again.

BOONDOCKED IN SLAB CITY, CALIFORNIA

Cloudy cool day so most of my time was spent inside getting my little used SMUG MUG photo account organized.  A long, long, way to go but I did get a good start on it today.  Have had this account for about 3 years so it's about time I used it's great photo galleries.  Sure is nice sorting photos on a nice big new 20" monitor.  Great colors & great detail.

BOONDOCKED AT THE CLARK DRY LAKE BED ALONGSIDE ROCK HOUSE ROAD IN BORREGO SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA (no, we didn't build that earth oven)

MOTTY & PATTI got themselves a bigger & better truck plus a newer & smaller dog & I'm assuming RICK & RICK & PAULETTE arrived safely home today in Cowichan Bay on British Columbia's Vancouver Island.  Just two more examples of excited RV folks.  Different degrees of excitement maybe but excitement just the same. 

BOONDOCKED NEAR TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA

I had run the generator in the motorhome a couple of days ago & after a few minutes it quit.  A quick look at the gas guage in the motorhome showed the needle on a quarter tank so knew that's why the genny quit.  Off to Goderich yesterday for $75 worth of gas.  Yep, that was good enough to get the generator up & running again.

BOONDOCKED IN QUARTZSITE, ARIZONA

GROANER'S CORNER:(( 

GAMES FOR WHEN WE ARE OLDER

1. Sag, you're It. 
2 . 20 questions shouted into your good ear.
3. Kick the bucket
4. Musical recliners.
5. Simon says something incoherent.
6. Pin the Toupee on the bald guy.

And another sign of getting old is when you don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

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

SUNSHINE, WARM BREEZES, & A QUIET DESERT DAY

COULD THIS BE A DESERT SUNFLOWER??

Y'know, this Quartzite place isn't so bad after all now that the desert is cleansing itself of all the multi tired RV rigs.  Two more of our distant neighbors left this morning & I would say compared to a couple weeks ago when there would have been close to a thousand rigs out here, the desert has cleared itself of 95% of it's noisy & sometimes messy inhabitants.  Sun is shining, the mesquite trees & creosote bushes are showing their greenery & more Saguaro cactus are visible with each big rig departure. Clear views across the desert floor to surrounding mountains is quickly becoming uncluttered of big boxy looking road vehicles.  This place is now not so bad, not bad at all.  Why oh why we ever came here at the peak of festivities in previous years is beyond me.  Just took us awhile to get smartened up I guess.  This Sunday is the last day for a bunch of vendors in the Tyson Wells area in Quartzite as they pack up their wares & fan out across the country heading for other special events, galas, & festivities.  Bye guys & have a good year.

CARRYING FIREWOOD IN HER LEFT HAND, CELL PHONE IN THE RIGHT…..THIS GAL IS TRULY A MULTI-TASKER

Nice desert walk this morning & we dragged some firewood back for a campfire.  Kelly had a few more things to see in Quartzite plus pick up a vent cover for our refrigerator vent.  The original cover had deteriorated from the elements & was basically in shards up there.  I had one of my favorite kinds of mornings listening to a favorite CD of mine 'Sons of the Pioneers.  Caught up a bunch of wayward emails & sat outside in the quiet desert soaking up some warming rays of sunshine.  Just me & the furry guys doing a whole bunch of nothing:))

 

Our Delorme GPS tells me we are at an altitude of 1,162 feet here south of Quartzite & that's quite a drop from the high desert at the ranch we just came from where the altitude was over 4000 feet.  Definitely warmer here in these parts for sure.  I can see where this GPS thingy is going to be a real challenge for me.  Did some more reading today but am having trouble understanding the overall concept.  And what is this Geocaching all about & how does all that stuff work!!  Has it got something to do with paying cash for a General Motors 1989 Geo??  That might not be a good thing!!  Geo Schmeo, I'm still having trouble turning the darn GPS thing on!!

                           

HEY, WATCH OUT FOR THAT MOUNTAIN PEAK!!

Is it just me or are the days already getting longer:))  Kelly was back with the generic vent cover about 2 & the cover was obviously longer than the previous one which put into question whether it was going to fit between the solar panels.  So, up the rigs ladder I went with the vent balanced on my head.  Amazingly enough the vent fit into place perfectly.  Thought that kinda odd but then was really surprised when the screw holes of the new cover even lined up with the holes in the vent.  Now, what is the chance of that!!!!  I even managed to remember the correct type of screw driver for the job instead of having to climb back down again.  The fact I even remembered the screw driver in the first place was somewhat of an accomplishment in itself.  Wow, was I on a roll or what!!  Another amazing thing happened when I was actually able to screw the vent cover down securely without breaking something or dropping one of the screws off the roof.  Yep, some days just seem to somehow be better than others alright & I considered that little job today to be a major accomplishment in this ever mechanically challenged world of mine.  Yay Al, you go guy:))

NEW REFRIGERATOR VENT COVER TODAY

Two nights ago about 6:10 p.m. Arizona time someone sent an email to our Aboss emai account.  At that precise time Verizon dropped our connection & that email never made it in.  It was lost ,so if anyone sent an email Monday night about that time can you resend it.

And welcome to our latest followers, Sam & Donna.  Appreciate you taking the time join in on the adventures of, The Bayfield Bunch:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  An older gentleman was on the operating table awaiting surgery and he insisted that his son, a renowned surgeon, perform the operation. As he was about to get the anesthesia he asked to speak to his son.
"Yes, Dad, what is it?" "Don't be nervous, son, do your best and just remember, if it doesn't go well & something happens to me, your mother is going to come and live with you and your wife for the rest of your lives!!"

FACEBOOK READERS GO HERE TO SEE OUR ACTUAL WEBSITE COMPLETE WITH PHOTOS & MORE INFO.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

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

MIXING IT UP WITH THE VENDORS IN QUARTZITE

THIS VENDOR (orange shirt) HAD ALL HIS GRANDKIDS PICTURES IN THE ADS ON THE BOOTH

We sure are liking these warmer night time temperatures over here closer to the California State line.  Sure cuts down on the propane heating bill.  With the recent rains there is a fair amount of desert greenery around especially along the edges & down in the washes. (creek beds)  Nice to see some new scenery on our morning walk this morning too.

   

WALKING ALONG A DRY WASH AS THE DESERT BEGINS TO GREEN

Had a better night's sleep & didn't feel quite so cranky this morning so figured I might be able to put up with myself OK if I went with Kelly into Quartzite this morning.   Main objective was a new wind sock pole & told Kelly on the way in we had 12.7 minutes to get in, get the pole, & get out.  She didn't think that was funny so took me to McDonalds to humor me.  It worked:))  Some groceries after that & then into the shopping melee we went.  Crowds weren't nearly as bad as other years though & it wasn't like 'bumper cars' jostling around banging into people all the time.  We missed all that manic mayhem by about a week!!  Only had one little bluster when I couldn't immediately find a convenient parking spot like I thought I should.

                               

                                  OUR LITTLE HOME IN THE DESERT

Meandered around a bit until we reached the flags & poles vendor that we have been to for the past 3 years in a row.  The nice old fellow, Sam, & his staff were still there & he thought he might have remembered us.  Well, he might have remembered Kelly:))  I've never really been too memorable you know.  Picked ourselves out a new pole & told Sam we'd be back next year for another one after I step on & break my third pole in a row probably.  Said he'd put us in the book as reliable 'repeat customers!!'

IT’S SAM, OUR YEARLY WIND SOCK POLE MAN:))

About 40 minutes of browsing was about enough for me so Kelly left me sitting on a chair near the road like a good little boy.  Well, after about 10 minutes that plastic chair got kinda hard so I headed back to the car & tried to squeeze myself in the door after some inconsiderate & obviously skinny jerk parked so close to my door it was nearly impossible.  But, I sucked it up & did it.

             

SOME COLORFUL SIGHTS ALONG VENDORS ROW (click on pics to enlarge)

Kelly was back in half an hour & we drove over to the other side of vendors row on Tyson Wells & had a look at few more things.  Popped into a nice little eatery called Bad Boy & I would recommend this one.  This is where a lot of the vendors & working people come.  It's nice & clean with good food.  It's across the road from 'The Gambler' & just east a bit.

                                            

WAITING FOR SOME ‘EATS’ AT BAD BOY………….

We were back to the rig by 2 & found a note in our door from a fellow we had met a year ago when we were here.  He's been following our blog & when I said last night we were in the same spot as last year Peter & his wife Patty knew exactly where we were.  We'll give them a buzz later.

At precisely 2:37 this afternoon our onboard visual EB (eyeball) radar detected 2 bogeys fast approaching our RV space from 11 o'clock high.  I was up on the roof working on a vent cover & heard them coming.  Kelly was down below on the computer & immediately sounded the alarm.  Looked to be a big fifth wheel followed closely by a small Class C.  Within seconds she scrambled our first line of defense.   3 F-16 furry dog fighters roared out of the motorhome in full afterburner mode & turned to attack the approaching bogeys head on.  Squadron leader Max led the charge with his 2 wingmen (wingdogs) Checkers & Max on either side.  They all opened fire simultaneously at long range instantly scoring direct barking hits on both bogeys because I saw a drivers side window going up.  Both vehicles immediately banked to the right breaking off their approach as our F16 furry fighting dogs delivered a full broadside of barks to the vehicles as they skimmed by on our port side & kept on going.  Thought I saw the Class C trailing some smoke.  Our first line of defense had saved us again.   We welcomed the tired crews as they came trotting back to the motorhome & congratulated them all on another job well done.  They were soon back in their favorite spots & sound asleep.  Bravo guys, you saved our peace & serenity once again:))

Later in the afternoon a couple of ultra lites flew over & that reminded me of a post I wrote while we were boondocked here back on January 4th of 2008.  I called that post, AN AVIATOR WAVES FROM THE SKY.  It was also the time we took out & sold all our Motorhome furniture too.  But, that's another story.

                           

CAN YOU SEE THE GREMLINS FACE IN THIS PIECE OF KNARLED DESERT WOOD & AN AVIATOR FLYS OVER IN THE MORNING SKY

And a big welcome to Ken & Nanette, our latest followers.  Welcome aboard folks & thanks for traveling along with, The Bayfield Bunch:))

No idea how long we'll stay here but Kelly's headed back into the Q tomorrow morning for some more of that there browsing stuff.  Not me, I'm staying put right here in the quiet desert & plan to get caught up on a stack of emails that have piled up.  I always feel bad when I don't get right back to people with answers to questions or comments on things.  I have even slipped a bit on my blog reading & am still only half way through my National Geographic Astronomy book that I started a very long time ago.  By the time I get to the end I'll not have remembered the beginning!!

SUNSET OVER THE DOME ROCK MOUNTAINS

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A blonde said, 'I was worried that my Mechanic might try to rip me off.   I was relieved when he told me all I needed was turn signal fluid.'

FACEBOOK READERS GO HERE TO SEE OUR ACTUAL WEBSITE COMPLETE WITH PHOTOS & MORE INFO.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

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

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

QUARTZITE!! IF IT WASN'T FOR THE HORDES OF PEOPLE, I MIGHT LIKE THIS PLACE

MONDAY MORNING SUNRISE

Last year we had a lot of big winds blowing through here in the night disrupting our sleep but this year the old north wind is behaving itself, but the coyotes aren't. As soon as darkness descends, the yipping & howling begins. Most of the RV's here are east of us with a few to the south & some to the north. West of us is wide open desert for miles, and that's where the coyotes are.....lots of them. Within about half an hour of sundown we could hear them very close behind our unit last night again. Maybe 50 yards of so. Maybe less. Shone the flashlight into the blackness hoping to see some shining eyes but they were too clever for that. We always hear them but we never see them. They hang around all night sometimes really yipping up a storm, & that sets Checkers off which in turns wakes me up. Max & the Motormouse aren't bothered by the Coyote sounds but Checkers does a lot of growling & barking. So, the last couple of nights have not been good for sleeping.

I had myself psyched up for the trip into Quartzite this morning. I wasn't going to let thousands of people, hundreds & hundreds of vendors, traffic jams, or jostling line-ups bother me. No sireeeee, I was up for the challenge.....but then we got there!! We were at Tyson Wells before the vendors were open but still had trouble finding a parking place. The vendors opening time was 9 p.m. but only about a third of them were sleepily getting up to speed so we just kind of slowly ambled around. I'm not good at slow ambling!! By 9:30 things were gearing up & people were rolling in. We found what we were looking for at the flag pole place but then began the long slow ordeal of browsing. I'm not good at browsing!! I can get out on a rough hiking trail & go for a long ways for hours without tiring or so much as stopping for a drink of water, but shift me into browse/shopping mode & I'm toast within half an hour. I have a theory as to why that happens. Walking slow for hours with numerous stops to look at stuff & long periods of standing in one place waiting for a spouse is hard on the legs. Weight & pressure is held longer on each leg joint causing early stress to all areas of the limbs & therefore, the mind. It seems to be a common affliction that affects only males who are in the company of a woman at the time. There has been no recorded history of a woman ever having this problem either by herself or in company of others. And strangely enough, men on their own looking for an item or out to buy something rarely suffer from this either. They know what they want, they know where to get it, & they know enough to clear the area as soon as they have what they came for. Believe me, I know of these things!! And that's my theory & I'm sticking to it!!

THIS WAS MY BREAKFAST STOP

After trudging along up & down aisles & aisles of vendors for what seemed like hours we finally made our way over towards the Big Top area. I was in there on opening day last year so knew enough to stay well clear of the place. If you have a strong need to be trampled, the Big Top is for you!! Had a look at some RV's & as much as we prefer motorhomes, the 5th wheels do have the nicest floor plans. We had a fifth wheel 2 years ago but find the motorhome much more convenient. Made our way around the outside of the Big Top to the vendor Kelly got the windshield sunscreens at yesterday. They also had pre-made sun visor material for motorhomes as well so we picked up two. Kelly couldn't remember where the sun screen vendor was at first so that cost Al's legs some more of that stress stuff. You remember the theory, right!!

Grabbed a quick bite & even managed to find a table & chair to sit down & eat it at. But only briefly. Chairs were at a premium & Seniors waiting for them were beginning to look downright dangerous. We had just passed a booth where they were handing out gun licenses for concealed weapons & by the looks on some of those older folks faces I'm sure they were concealing more than guns!!

KELLY'S ON THE CELL PHONE TAKING A RESERVATION FOR DEERPARK LODGE

Made our way back to the parking lot........& then came the traffic jam. We were bumper to bumper & it took us about 20 minutes to go a block & a half. Was glad to reach the highway & make the right hand turn out of town. Traffic was fine going south for us but traffic heading northbound into Q was bumper to bumper for about 2 miles out of town. Oh well, better them than me.

Soooooooo glad to be out of the Quartzite crush & back out to the desert & our rig. Time elapsed....3 whole hours. Spent the rest of the afternoon resting my legs, snoozing, reading & trying to restore my mind back to something resembling normal. A 20 Borax mule team couldn't drag me back into Quartzite again, but of course, Kelly, being a woman, is heading right back in there again in the morning. What was the name of that book a few years ago, Men are from Mars & Women are from......WHERE!!!!

FLAG POLE IS UP

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OH, THE WONDROUS HONEYWAGON:))

FRIDAY JANUARY 18/08
Outside thermometer said it was 35F this morning so I was back into my winter clothes again. Of course, I've never really been out of them much. Winter clothes in the early mornings & late afternoons with spring, summer, & fall clothes in between depending on the wind. Basically, the air is cool in the southwest but the sun is always warm. When we were walking the dogs this morning near one of the big motorhome club sites, a fellow was out putting up the American Flag while over the loudspeaker they were playing, Frosty The Snowman:))

Had an egg Mcmuffin urge early on so we headed into Quartzsite & dropped into McDonalds for breakfast. The town was a lot busier this morning with line ups at the single traffic light in the main intersection. Lots of rigs pouring into town because to-morrow (Saturday) is opening day for the big RV Leisure & Travel show under the big top. The show will run for 10 days. To-day was the big Sell-O-Rama day for the outdoor vendors. Picked up some groceries, oil for the generator, & a small bottle of propane for the barby & headed back out to our desert serenity. Kelly is able to tolerate that sea of humanity much better than me so she headed back into town to mix it up with the masses & check out Sell-O-Rama.

I love my quiet time here at the campsite, tipped back in a comfy chair, coffee, nice ambient music, reading & playing with the dogs in the warming rays of the Arizona sun. A good time for reflection & contemplation & I'm sure when I look back on our trip some day in the future, these quiet times here at Quartzsite will come peacefully to mind. A few years ago I came up with an original saying that goes something like this....."The only thing better than right now, will someday be the memories of right now." I have found this to be pleasantly true, over & over.

It has been nice reading the book, Marshal South & The Ghost Mountain Chronicles. An Experiment in Primitive Living, especially since we hiked up Ghost Mountain a couple weeks ago in California & walked through the old homestead. (January 3/08 Web Album http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy ) Reading that book here at our tranquil campsite has been a very enjoyable experience for me.

We have been at our present location since January 8th so our fresh water tank was getting low & our black water tank getting full. Time for a dump but I noticed a few days ago that rigs were lined up to get dumped at the stations in & near Quartzsite so we opted for the "honeywagon" to come out & do the service right at our site & have our water tank filled at the same time. Costs a few dollars more but in this case it was well worth it for us in not having to drive the rig into the much congested town & waiting in long line ups. It was 2 young fellows who came out with their truck & tank & in no time at all they had finished the deed. Another RV fellow rolled up on his ATV, talked to the boys & made appointments for his rig & other rigs in his group to be serviced as well. Great service!! And necessary too:))

To-morrow, the main event opens under the big top & I have steeled myself to be there in the morning with thousands of other people, shoulder to shoulder, shuffling, shopping, looking, more shuffling, more looking, line ups for this, line ups for that. Oh dear.......wish me luck:((

NO PHOTOS UPLOADED TO THE WEB ALBUM TO-DAY