A MORNINGS ROUGH & TUMBLE JEEP JUMBLE SCRAMBLES OUR INNARDS

DROVE BY AUNT JEAN’S CLIMBING ROCKS THIS MORNING:))

Noticed we were already up to 57F by 6 a.m. this morning.  Ten degrees warmer than Borrego Springs & 46 degrees warmer than back home in Bayfield.  We sure have been missing a lot of bad weather in Bayfield this winter again.  Checking the Grand Bend web cam this morning I see it is snowing heavily & the river is already frozen over.  Grand Bend is about a 20 minute drive south of our place in Bayfield.

THIS IS PRECISELY WHY WE HIGH TAIL IT SOUTH EVERY WINTER

It was with sadness we read about the tragic death of Butterbean Carpenter this morning due to a traffic accident back on December 11th.  He was an occasional commenter on our blog from time to time as well as many other blogs & his comments were generally very humorus.  Several years ago while traveling west he emailed Kelly & I inviting us to stop by his & Joyce’s Texas ranch if we were in the neighborhood.  We were too far north at the time so didn’t make it.  Butterbean last commented on our blog November 12 when he suggested we call our wooden garage sale Eagle, AL E. OOP.  He had quite a sense of humor.  You can see a photo of Butterbean & Joyce on GEORGE'S BLOG.  One just never knows from one day to the next what is in store for any one of us at any given time.

We again had the Jeeps wheels rolling this morning about 8:30.  Not too far today but we did take ourselves out for a rough & tumble jumble in the desert out behind our place about a block away.  Found us some new Jeep roads we hadn’t been on before.  Also found us some hefty new ruts, bumps, wash-outs, and an assortment of new bumpity rocks.  Just enough to give our innards a good scrambling again. 

 

LOOKS LIKE SOME NICE DESERT PIN STRIPING COMING UP & NO WE DIDN’T TRY THAT GULLY

 

Found another what they call ‘tanks’ out here in the West.  Nothing to do with the military & everything to do with water.  Generally a bermed up area which holds drinking water for cattle.  We were hoping to work our way around a large rocky ridge but made a wrong turn & got siphoned off back to the flat desert so we called it a day.  Next time we will find the right road around the boulder strewn ridge.  We were back home by 11.

DESERT WATERING HOLE COMMONLY REFERRED TO OUT HERE AS A ‘TANK’

 

HOOVES OF MANY CATTLE HAVE BEEN HERE & ONE OF OUR DESERT ROADS ENDED AT THIS FENCE LINE BESIDE THE WATER HOLE

 

FINDING OUR WAY THROUGH A SANDY WASH

Spent much of the rest of my day with paint brush in hand.  Finished our front door frame & the top front of our garden shed. 

  

JUST NEED TO GET A COUPLE WOODEN DOORS NOW TO REPLACE THOSE OLD RICKETY GREEN TIN ONES

Only took me about 7 weeks to remember to hoist our flags atop the rig.  And I put up our WSI today as well.  WSI??  Wind Speed Indicator.  We can look out in the morning & see how stiff a breeze we have blowing & that will determine what we wear for our walk.

 

Even managed a few minor fixes on our utility trailer this afternoon.  It was one of those rare days where a few mechanical things came together for me & actually worked for a change.  It certainly is not the norm.  And what a great feeling it is when I actually try to fix something & it turns out……fixed:))  ‘Huge’ I tell ya….’Huge’.  And by diggity I might just throw a little Cedar stain on those wooden side rails tomorrow……

I see Geri & Chuck over at HAPPY TRAILS were at MYAKKA STATE PARK in Florida.  They have applied to volunteer there.  Myakka brings back pleasant memories for me from the late 90’s.  I flew down to Florida to visit my Aunt Jean for a week.  One of those days we went out Myakka.  I remember we took a boat ride out on the lake there.  Alligators, Alligators, everywhere.  I seem to recall we may have also taken another ride on a tram or something around the Park.  We had an enjoyable few hours & I remember all the Saw Palmetto, big mossy trees, & lots of birds everywhere.  We had a great afternoon & when we go to visit Aunt Jean in Florida we just may stay out at Myakka.

SUNSET FROM OUR BACK YARD TONIGHT

So nice standing outside an hour ago under a full Moon listening to a chorus of Crickets across the road.  Could also hear a couple Coyotes off to my left howling at the Moon as well.

 

A SLIGHT MOON GLOW OVER THE WEAVER MOUNTAINS

 

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Signs You've Had Too Much Holiday Cheer

1. You strike a match and light your nose.
2. You take off your shoes and wade in the potato salad.
3. You hear a duck quacking and it's you.
4. You tell your best joke to the rubber plant.
5. You refill your glass from the fish bowl.
6. You hear someone say, "Call a priest!"
7. You start kissing the portraits on the wall.
8. You complain about the small bathroom after emerging from the closet.
9. You ask for another ice cube and put it in your pocket.
10. You tell everyone you have to go home... and the party's at your place.
11. You have to hold on to the floor to keep from sliding off.
12. You pick up a roll, and butter your watch.
13. You yawn at the biggest bore in the room... and realize you're in front of the hall mirror.
14. You take out your handkerchief and blow your ear.
15. You suggest everyone stand and sing the national budget.

-------------------------------------------------------------
- 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.

JEEPED OURSELVES OVER TO ARIZONA’S LAKE PLEASANT TODAY:))

We were up, out the door, & into the Jeep by 8:50 this morning.  Pointed Jeepers nose southward & headed on down through Wickenburg.  Picked up highway 74 heading East.  Lots of Saguaros along this road.  Our destination was LAKE PLEASANT REGIONAL LAKE.  We were on a scouting mission.

   
Lake Pleasant is only an hours drive southeast of Congress so figured we would have us a look around at some camping sites in case we head down that way shortly in the Winnie Wagon.  Located in the Valley Of The Sun I was surprised right off the bat how big this Lake & Park were.  23,662 acres with 10,000 acres of crystal clear water.  Paid the day fee of $6 at the south gate & headed off to have a look at the first of many camp & RV sites along with day use areas.

Impressed at how clean & neat the campsites were.  No trashy messes in this park.  Saw staff raking out some sites & cleaning fire pits.  Most all sites have a BBQ & Ramada.  I think they go for $17 a night.  We were especially interested in having a look at the many shoreline primitive sites.  They go for $10 a night.  Not many people in the Park this time of year so it will be perfect for the Bayfield Hermit Bunch if we decide to head on over there in the next week or two.

 
A DAY USE AREA
We could see the dam at one end & it was obvious from the water level we were here while the large reservoir of water was at it’s seasonal low.  Peek times for boating at Lake Pleasant are Spring, Summer, & Fall when levels are up to capacity.  Drove down one of two boat ramps at the Park.  Largest boat ramp I have ever seen at 10 lanes across.  Could have parked a Boeing 747 here.  Just the parking area alone at the south boat ramp can hold 333 vehicles with boat trailers plus 76 cars.  And then there’s the overflow parking areas.  My mind boggles at the congestion that must be here especially on long hot summer week-ends.  I think Lake Pleasant is only about 30 or 40 miles north of Phoenix so one can easily imagine where all the people flood in from.  In fact we passed a sign on # 17 highway that said, “Welcome To Phoenix.”  Now that’s just about as close as I want to get to any kind of that traffic nonsense!!

LAKE PLEASANTS SOUTH END 10 LANE BOAT RAMP
 
 
LOOKING UP THE WIDE BOAT RAMP
We spent a good 3 hours driving around Lake Pleasant Regional Park stopping here & there.  Managed to get ourselves on a couple short rough & tumble Jeep roads as well.  Stirred us up a little dust.  Popped us into the Visitor’s Center too. 

LAKE PLEASANT REGIONAL PARK VISITOR’S CENTER
 
SHOULD BE GOOD TV, INTERNET, & CELL PHONE COVERAGE WITH ALL THOSE COMMUNICATION DEVICES…AND WHAT THE HECK ARE ICE WORMS??
Saw a Pirate ship anchored at Scorpion Cove plus a Marina with a restaurant accessible by a short cable car & floating bridge.  Saw a lot of docked & dry-docked house boats as well.  The many inlets & coves make it perfect for summer houseboats lazily making their way along the meandering shorelines

THE ‘BLACK SCORPION’ PIRATE SHIP AT ANCHOR
 
THIS LITTLE MOVING CABLE CAR CARRIES PEOPLE UP & DOWN A STEEP ROCK FACE FROM A PARKING LOT ABOVE TO A MARINA & RESTAURANT BELOW

 
A 6 PASSENGER CABLE CAR HEADS DOWN TO A FLOATING BRIDGE LEADING TO THE RESTAURANT & MARINA

Also noticed a number of Scuba divers scattered about in various groups.  We were close enough to one group to know that it was a beginner’s class.  About half a dozen sailboats on the lake along with a few power boats, a couple jet skis & a dive boat.  For us this was a perfect time to be here.  We could leisurely drive ourselves around & take our time looking at things.  No traffic & no congestion.  But no way would I ever want to be anywhere near Lake Pleasant in the summer.  The huge parking areas near the 10 lane boat ramp is a clear indication of how busy that Park must be during it’s peak boating season.

 
LOOK CLOSELY & YOU CAN SEE THE SCUBA DIVER’S AIR BUBBLES JUST BEHIND THE WHITE TRUCK

 
Headed for home around 1 o’clock & were surprised by the heavy traffic heading south on highway 93 north of Wickenburg.  Rolled into our Ghost Town Road driveway shortly after 2 & that was it for our day.  So nice to have gone somewhere again where we had never been before & seen things we had never seen before.  Those are my kind of days…………………:)) 

BOB PERRY is the latest fella to join us on our ‘Friends’ list & we welcome Bob aboard.  Made it just in time Bob for a drive over to Arizona’s Lake Pleasant today:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A Russian couple was walking down the street in St. Petersburg the other night, when the man felt a drop hit his nose. "I think it's raining," he said to his wife.
"No, that felt more like snow to me," she replied. "No, I'm sure it was just rain, he said." Well, as these things go, they were about to have a major argument about whether it was raining or snowing. Just then they saw a minor communist party official walking toward them. "Let's not fight about it," the man said, "let's ask Comrade Rudolph whether it's officially raining or snowing."
As the official approached, the man said, "Tell us, Comrade Rudolph, is it officially raining or snowing?"
"It's raining, of course," he answered and walked on. But the woman insisted: "I know that felt like snow!" To which the man quietly replied: "Rudolph the Red knows rain, dear!"
-------------------------------------------------------------
- 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.

NOT MUCH GOING ON

LIKED HOW TODAY’S SETTING SUN REFLECTED ON OUR DINING ROOM WALL

Afraid I do not really have anything to write about tonight.  Just not a lot happening here.  Aside from a morning trip into Wickenburg for groceries & a few other stops that’s about as far as we traveled.  Sat outside in a lounge chair for awhile & just soaked up the warm afternoon Arizona sun.

LOADING UP ANOTHER TRAILER LOAD OF DIRT AT NORTH RANCH

  

OUR LITTLE MOUNTAIN OF DIRT IS EVEN BIG ENOUGH TO CAST IT’S OWN SHADOW NOW

PHEEBS LOVES STRETCHING OUT IN A FRESH PILE OF DIRT

THE SHADOW COWBOY CONTEMPLATES WHAT NEXT TO PLANT IN HIS LATEST CACTUS GARDEN

GROANER’S CORNER:((    Three men die in a car accident Christmas Eve. They all find themselves at the pearly gates waiting to enter Heaven. On entering they must present something relating or associated with Christmas.
The first man searches his pocket, and finds some Mistletoe, so he is allowed in.
The second man presents a cracker, so he is also allowed in.
The third man pulls out a pair of stockings.
Confused at this last gesture, St. Peter asks, "How do these represent Christmas?"
"They're Carol'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.