JOURNEYING ALONG THE OLD STAGE COACH ROAD

COMING ACROSS SOME OLD BONES ON OUR MORNING WALK

We walked out a little further into the desert this morning to show Aunt Jean a watering hole used by the range cattle.  Always interested to see all the bones scattered about & speculate how the owners of those old bones met their demise.

 

NO IDEA WHAT SECTION OF A COW THIS BONE SECTION BELONGS TO OR HOW IT GOT UP INTO A TREE

Friends John & Jackie, in the process of moving from Elfrida Arizona to Congress, were up for the week-end & emailed us to drop by.  So, we did.  Wanted Aunt Jean to see the nice house they have at the south end of Congress facing the Weaver Mountains.

ARIZONA JOHN GIVES FLORIDA JEAN A HUG

   

JEAN, KELLY, JOHN, JACKIE, & FURRY LITTLE  ??

From John & Jackies we headed ourselves in a northeast direction making Jeep tracks for STANTON.  Wanted to show Jean the remnants of an old ghost town & how it has evolved into a popular gold prospecting center for many RVing folks.  Road was a bit washboardy getting there but smoothed out closer to Stanton itself.  Did us a drive through looking at the few old buildings.  Some folks outside their rigs washing gravel & panning for gold brought in from the hillsides on their ATV’s & 4 wheelers earlier in the day.

STANTON ARIZONA

A beautiful Arizona morning for a drive along the old Stage Coach Road winding it’s way up the side of the Weaver Mountains.  Noticed how much greener things were than just a few weeks ago when we last drove that road with Kelly’s brother, Peter, & wife Leslie.

Antelope Creek had a small trickle of water running across the road as we angled ourselves down a gulley into it & stopped.  With the front & back Jeep tires traversing the creek, I shut the engine off.  We rolled the windows down & listened to the water trickling over the rocks beneath the Jeep.  The babbling brook & sounds of busy bees buzzing nearby gave me a feeling of early Spring.

EASED OURSELVES DOWN INTO THE CREEK AND…..

SHUT OFF THE ENGINE TO LISTEN TO THE CREEK GIGGLING IT’S WAY ALONG UNDERNEATH US

Continuing along the dusty narrow road we eventually made our way around a few tight curves, over a few ruts & bumps & past a half dozen steep drop-offs.  About 25 minutes after leaving Stanton we rolled into Yarnell through the back door.

   

Reaching highway 89 we hung a left & began our descent down the Yarnell hill into the Sonoran desert below.  Quick stop at a viewpoint had Jean & out of the Jeep scanning the far reaching vista before us.  A slight haze hung in the distant mountains on the horizon.  Back in the Jeep, we pointed the nose downhill & let the winding highway sweep us all the way to the bottom spilling us out onto the valley floor just a mile or two north of Congress.  Less than 10 minutes later we rolled into our driveway.  Mission accomplished. 

    

Comment & question in our Shout Box Sunday said…’Just want to let you know that your Aunt Jean is such an inspiration! To be so fit and active @ 85 is awesome! I wonder if she has any fitness and health philosophy to share’?  My answer to that question in the Shout Box was, ‘Golf’.  Jean elaborated a bit more this morning by saying, ‘keep moving’.  And, for Aunt Jean this has been one of the keys.  Aside from golfing as often as she can, Jean walks about half an hour each & every morning at sunrise.  She has a route she follows through the neighborhood streets where she lives.  Did I say, ‘every morning,’  She has been doing this for years & back in the late nineties I was fortunate enough to walk this route with her.  I had flown down to Florida to see her for a week.  Our morning desert walks here in Congress are about half an hour as well.  I think this morning we were out & about for about 3/4 of an hour.  Jean lives on her own & does all her own cooking & cleaning.  She’s a computer person, drives her own car anywhere she wants to go & also helps with the yard maintenance around her ground floor condo.  A very self sufficient independent lady indeed.  

 

Each night Pheebs & I head out to the little rig it’s a bit chilly in there. Pheebs right away jumps up on my bed & warms my spot up for me until I later climb into bed.  She then moves down to the foot of the bed in the corner, whereupon she sleeps on my shirt:))  

 

NOW, HOW NICE IS THAT FOR A FURRY LITTLE BED WARMER

I had never heard of a Maine Coon Cat before.  That is, until I read Chinle’s post at the SPOTTED DOG RANCH.  She’s got herself quite a family of critters over there…..including Rowdy:))

NO, THIS IS NOT ROWDY >>>

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We finished off our day with a campfire after supper.  Reminded us all the campfires we used to have at the old farm house where Kelly & I lived about 15 years ago.  We couldn’t help but think of the friends & family who attended those campfire star parties who are no longer with us.  With a half moon high overhead we watched the first evening stars beginning to appear out of a darkening sky.  Yep, we sure are going to miss Aunt Jean after she leaves this Saturday morning:((

 

GROANER’S CORNER:((  An avid golfer was late coming home from his weekly game. As he dragged himself wearily through the door, his worried wife met him. "Honey," she said, "How was your game? Why are you so late?"
"Well," he replied, "this had to be the worst, hardest game of my life. Jack died out there on the golf course. Just had a heart attack and then died."
"Oh, no!" she cried. "How awful for you! He was your best friend! No wonder you are late....."
"Yes, the ordeal really wore me out.," he said, "the whole rest of the game it was hit the ball, drag Jack, hit the ball, drag Jack......"

-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.

DID US A LITTLE SUNSEEKERING TODAY

JUST ANOTHER MIGHTY FINE MORNING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

With our night time & early morning temps a little more civilized this week, Aunt Jean & I were outside this morning about 6 a.m. doing a little stargazing.  I was able to point out the large Scorpion in the southern sky, a large flying Swan in the northeast, an Eagle in the east, & a large question mark in the west.  I like when I am able to point things out in the night sky, things that have always been there, but things few may have ever noticed.

PRETTY HARD TO KEEP AUNT JEAN OFF THE DESERT TRAILS

 

TRY AS WE MAY, WE COULD NOT GET JEAN TO GO DOWN THAT SLIDE

Our morning walk took us through a playground area a block from us called, Tenderfoot Park.  Pheebs got to meet a few of her Pals along the way.  Pebbles, Nash, the 2.8 Gang, & a couple others whom we don’t know on a first name basis yet.  No sign of Tippy, Molly, or Gizmo.

  

PHEEBS MEETS A COUPLE PALS ALONG THE WAY…… PACO & NASH

We were running a bit low on groceries so figured Sunday morning would be a fine time to slip into Wickenburg’s Safeway store.  Wanted to take Jean for a ride in the new Sunseeker anyway so it was a good excuse to go for a cruise in the rig.  Besides, taking the Sunseeker meant Pheebs could come & we wouldn’t all be jammed up like sardines in a Jeep Wrangler buried under a ton of groceries coming back.

JEAN CLIMBS ABOARD THE SUNSEEKER & PHEEBS WAS JUST SECONDS BEHIND HER

The Sunseeker drives like a dream & would be no problem whatsoever for either Kelly or Jean to drive.  To me, it handles like a sports car with lots of spunk. 

 

ENJOYING A SMOOTH RIDE IN THE NEW RIG

Alco was our first stop for a few household items & from there, across Vulture Peak Mine Road to Safeway.  Kelly & Jean kinda poked around with the shopping cart while I made half a dozen lightning fast raids in the peanut butter, yogurt, & cereal aisles just to mention a few.  No standing around with a product in my hand checking the price, seeing if it’s a sale item, how many grams of this or liters of that, is their an expiry date, what’s all in it or where is it made.  As long as I know it’s gonna fit in my tummy, I’ve got it & I’m gone.  I like buzzing up & down the aisles, grabbing my stuff & getting the heck out of the store.

KELLY TRIES OUT THE BED WHILE RETURNING FROM WICKENBURG…GROCERIES PILED ON KITCHEN COUNTER

We were back in Congress shortly after 12 & had the little Sunseeker plugged back into electricity & water.  About 5,000 bags of groceries to carry in & that was just about it for everybody’s day here.  Jean caught a few warm rays between snoozes, I wrote a couple paragraphs for tonight’s post, & Kelly worked on some Deer Park Lodge stuff.  And Pheebs??  Lazy afternoon doggy snoozes intermittent with some playtime, snuggles, & about a dozen & a half whirly-gig doggy smooches…….:))

DESPITE OUR WARMER WEATHER, NOT ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SNOWMEN HAVE MELTED

I’m generally always complaining about Starbucks strong tasting coffee, referring to it as Charbucks.  Well, for good reason, & my complaint still stands.  But, little did I know I have been drinking Starbucks coffee every morning now for the past 3 weeks.  Kelly picked up a few bags of Starbuck’s on sale last month.  She was wise not to tell me what I was drinking or that probably would have got me to grumbling again.  So, what do I think now that I know what I have been drinking for the past 3 weeks……well, have to admit it……. the coffee tastes just fine:))

 

A COUPLE MORE NEWBORN BABY SHEEP AT THE NEIGHBOR’S THIS WEEK

Aunt Jean reads my blog every morning & particularly enjoys the comments at the end of each post.  She has asked me to extend her gratitude & sincere thanks to everyone for their kind comments regarding her stay with us here in Congress Arizona:))

 

DOIN A LITTLE SNOOZIN IN THE GOOD OLD ARIZONA SUNSHINE THIS AFTERNOON

Having both our RV’s sitting outside right now I can’t help but think once again of the whole renovation topic.  Of course there is more than one school of thought on renovations whether they be in a stick & bricks or an RV. If you have an uncomfortable chair in your house, you have two options. Either keep it & endure the uncomfortability over the years or replace it with a comfortable chair. That is basically what we did with our Damon Motorhome 6 years ago. Mid to lower end RV’s are notorious for their cheaper uncomfortable dinettes, couches, pull out beds, & tub chairs. It’s known as 20 minute furniture. After 20 minutes sitting on it you are going to want to get up & walk around a bit.

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We replaced our rigs cheap-o furniture with comfortable Ikea furniture. No regrets & we had 6 great years of welcome comfort. The dinette, couch & tub chair we took out of the Damon, we sold to ‘The Gambler’ in Quartzite at the time. We got more for that uncomfortable furniture than what we paid to replace it with our better Ikea stuff. Of course we are having a harder time selling the rig without furniture now, but would we have rather spent our last 6 years having to sit on & endure crappy cheap-o furniture…….not a chance!!

EARLY MORNING SHADOWS

It seems when many people are looking at RV’s their priority is ‘looks’. When they enter an RV it is the ‘the matching colors’ & overall decor that seems to take precedence over actual comfort. It’s called the ‘WOW’ factor & I know from experience about this Wow factor:(( Never having owned a higher end RV, I have to just assume the furniture in those rigs are of higher quality & far more comfortable. But, it’s only an assumption on my part.  Newbie RVer’s are not likely to buy a rig without the fancy looking décor co-ordinated furniture, but many experienced RVer’s know better & some may well prefer an RV with it’s cheap furniture removed so they can set it up the way they want it, with the type of furnishings they know to be of quality & comfort.  Yep, we were Newbies once too……..

GROANER’S CORNER:((  My next-door neighbor and I frequently borrow things from each other. Not long ago, when I requested his ladder, he told me he had lent it to his son.  Recalling a saying my grandmother used to repeat, I recited, "You should never lend anything to your kids, because you will never get it back."  With that, he responded, "Well, it's not even my ladder. It's my dad's."

-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.

IT WAS A VULTURE PEAK/WICKENBURG KIND OF DAY……

We have been very fortunate with the nice weather these past few days but it sounds like we are headed back into the weather dumpster again about mid week.  Figured we had better get all our outside ventures under our belts before we are once again driven inside by cold cloudy skies:((

TEDDY BEAR CHOLLAS

 

After another nice morning desert walk we were off in the Jeep again with our first destination being Vulture Peak just west of Wickenburg.  Because of the nasty Teddy Bear Chollas there we didn’t take the Pheebs this time.  We knew the trail was too rough for Jean but it was those prickly Chollas we wanted her to see.  First few hundred yards of the the Vulture Peak trail lead through a Cholla garden before descending steeply into a wash so we concentrated our walk to this flat path area.

Fair number of people on the trail.  It was Saturday so a lot of city folks are up into the Wickenburg area for the weekend.  Despite the hikers, it was blissfully quiet in the desert with panoramic views in all directions.  Distant hazy blue mountains blended into the serenity known as the Sonoran desert.  Just another one of those mighty fine Arizona mornings……………..

 

COLORFUL TRAIL HIKERS

On our way east back to Wickenburg we pulled into the LOS CABALLEROS GOLF CLUB & toured ourselves around a bit.  Aunt Jean is an avid golfer who still likes to get out at least once a week on her favorite Sarasota golf course.  We figured she might be feeling a little homesick for some putting greens, tee-off times, long fairways, sand traps, Alligators, & water hazards.  She was on the edge of her seat as we slowly drove around looking at all the nice landscaping & super smooth green grass.  I think she was getting the ‘golf itch’ as we passed a few duffers making their way down a fairway on their golf cart.

 

I THINK JEAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN GETTING A LITTLE HOMESICK FOR THE ‘GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME’

 

APPEARS TO MAYBE BE A RIDING & ROPING VENTURE HERE IN THE GOLF COURSE COMPLEX

 

PRETTY FANCY SCHMANCY IN THERE & WE FELT LIKE THE CLAMPETT BUNCH INSTEAD OF THE BAYFIELD BUNCH

It was only a few miles into Wickenburg & we were soon downtown & had the Jeep parked.  Short walk in the warm Arizona sun soon had us seated at Anita’s Concina.  Shredded beef Tacos made their way to our table along with some Mexican dish for Kelly that had a name something like Armadillo.  I think it was Quesedilla.  Kelly said it tasted really darn good anyway…….whatever it was.

 

  

While sitting in Anita’s I had a feeling we might run into Mike & Pat from MIKE & PAT'S TRAVELS today.  I sometimes get those uncanny feelings….& then they happen.  I knew they had company from Florida & might be out & about.  After leaving Anita's we only walked about 3 blocks, came around a corner, & ran right into Pat & Mike with their Florida company.  Introduced our Florida company to their Florida company.  First time I had seen Pat or Mike since arriving here back in November.  We continued our walk & about 20 minutes later, in the lobby of the DESERT CABALLEROS WESTERN MUSEUM, we ran into Pat & Mike again with their Florida company.  Since introductions had already taken place we did not have to introduce our Florida company to their Florida company all over again.  Been meaning to get over to see Mike & Pat but I just gotta be the worst person in the whole world for dropping in & visiting folks.  Wasn’t always that way but I guess times have a way of changing. 

 

MIKE GIVES US A BIG WAVE & I CAUGHT THIS QUICK SHOT OF PAT BEFORE SHE SLIPPED ON DOWN THE STREET

I have two best friends back home in Canada. One lives in Stratford about an hours drive away. We meet in a coffee shop a couple times a year & I probably haven’t been to Jim’s house in well over 20 years. The other fellow lives just a stone’s throw across the road from me. We get out on some great coffee tours but I haven’t been to Richard’s house in about 4 years. Yep, I am probably the world’s worst guy for visiting people alright……..:((

DON’T ASK…..& I WON’T TELL

Aunt Jean was beginning to tire so we headed for the Jeep with a brief stop at a home made ice cream shop.  Small Chocolate, Maple Walnut, & Amaretto cones did it for all three of us.  We were back in Congress by 2 p.m.  No sooner got out of the Jeep when a car pulled in wondering if we had sold our Motorhome yet.  Some days, if it doesn’t rain….it pours.

JEAN CHECKS OUT ONE OF THE LOCAL FELLAS

 

OUTSIDE THE DESERT CABALLEROS WESTERN MUSEUM

Rest of the day was quiet & anyone driving by our house would have seen a lot of zzzzzzzzzzzzz’s coming out the windows.  Even little doggy zzzzzzz’s. 

ALL & ALL, ANOTHER GREAT DAY SPENT WITH AUNT JEAN:))

GROANER’S CORNER:)) Granny was visiting town for the first time. She checks in at the hotel, and the bellboy takes her bags. She follows the boy, and as the door closes, she looks around and shakes her fist at him.
"Young man, I may be old, and straight from the hills, but that don't mean I'm stupid! I paid good money, and this room won't do at all! It's too small, and without a proper window! Why there's not even a bed!"
The bellhop looks at her and says, "Ma'am, this isn't your room, it's the elevator."

-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.