A GET TOGETHER IN THE DESERT

PARKING LOT SECURITY WAS PROVIDED TODAY

First off let me say thanks to all the folks who showed up today for our little 'spur of the moment' get together.  Peter & Patty from Quartzsite were the first to arrive followed by the Bouse gang, Jim, Ellie, Janna, Mike & their little sweetie pie doggy Emmi.  Donna (Froggi Donna) & Stu rolled in from Yuma on their Harley's about half an hour later followed closely by Motty, Patti, & their energetic boxer dog, Moe.  They drove in from their temporary RV Park in Blyth, California.

                             

PATTY & PETER WERE FIRST TO ARRIVE FOLLOWED BY ELLIE, JANNA, MIKE, & JIM IN FRONT OF THE MOTORHOME DOOR

Because this gathering was a last minute idea Kelly & I hadn't been to town to pick up any supplies so a big  thank you goes out to Peter & Patti for a yummy plate load of delicious brownies.  Motty & Patty brought in a load of Bagels, dip, & Danish pastries.  Thanks guys:))  And Peter, thanks for the two packets of popping corn. 

                              

STU & DONNA RUMBLE IN ....... PATTY & MOTTY MEETING JANNA & MIKE

Always nice to meet fellow bloggers & put a face to the posts.  We've probably been following Donna's post the longest.  Kelly first met Donna at a gas station in Ajo, Arizona 3 years ago.   I think it's about a year now that we first came across Janna's blog when we were at the ranch in McNeal.  I  think Janna & Mike emailed us inquiring about a boondocking spot near Sierra Vista.  Motty & Patti first emailed us a couple months ago & we met them at the Bisbee Breakfast Club in Bisbee last month.  Jim has been on my Facebook for awhile but I had never connected who he was until a few days ago despite first meeting him a week ago today.  Ellie does the blog in their family & today was the first time we met her.  Peter & Patty don't have a blog but they are blog readers.

   

Let me say that these are all fine people just as are most if not all RV folks we have met.  RV'ers are a different breed of people unto themselves & as a group overall, I don't think you can find a finer bunch of folks.  One of the key factors is age & maturity.  No game playing, no one upmanship, no schemes or scams.  As a rule these are all successful folks in one field or another who are at the age & stage where they are comfortable in their own skin & do not have to impress or razzle dazzle anyone anymore.  Nice to have friends like that I'd say.

 

MAKING NEW FRIENDS:))

I'm usually not very comfortable in a crowd of people but felt not too bad about it today.  Experienced my usual guilt feelings after everyone had left that I hadn't got to talk to more people individually.  I'm actually a bit more comfortable in one on one encounters.  Kelly felt the same way about not getting to talk longer with everyone so we'll just  have to wait until individual paths are crossed again someday. 

    

Jim & Ellie are new to boondocking & have been enjoying themselves immensely up near Bouse with friends Janna & Mike.  When we first met Jim a week ago it became evident that he was really enjoying the boondocking lifestyle & after meeting Ellie today I think the bug has bitten them both.   For sure they will find it difficult going back to RV Parks now that they have experienced the much quieter &  finer side of RVing.  Good work Janna & Mike for helping your friends, 'see the light .'       :))

      

THE BOUSE GANG HEADS OUT.......... MAY OUR PATHS CROSS AGAIN                   

While listening to some of the conversation going around today I became aware of an overall consensus among all people present & it was something that surprised me.  Some of the these folks have been very involved in various clubs organizing rallies, events, newsletters,  etc.  Some have been involved in RV Park activities & social events but what I was hearing today was a move away from the 'organized' structure of things.  As most of you readers know, Kelly & I are not fond of all that socializing stuff that goes on in a lot of clubs, parks, groups, etc.  & after listening to some of the wild & whacky stories today about  what these people have seen & experienced I am sooooooo very glad we are the way we are.  Call us anti-social if you will but today it was nice to meet others of similar opinions.  And it was nice to hear their reasons of, why!!  It just reaffirmed our belief that for us, we are definitely on the right track with our way of life despite what is considered to be, & pressured to be........'the norm!!' 

  

DONNA & STU RIDE FOR YUMA........SEE YA LATER GUYS:))

Always sad to see people depart because in this life it is an unknown factor if or when you will ever see any of these folks again.  It's just the nature of the RV lifestyle & I think it is that which creates the silent bond among RV travelers.  It's unspoken friendships resulting from  brief encounters of a friendly kind................10-4:))

MOTTY, PATTY, & MOE, HEAD OFF INTO THE DESERT......... TAKE CARE FOLKS

 

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A wise old man celebrating his 100th birthday got a visit from a local television reporter at the nursing home to interview him.
"Are you able to get out and walk much?" the reporter asked. "Well, I certainly can walk better today than I could a hundred years ago!!"

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.

WE INVITED SOME RV FRIENDS OVER TOMORROW....AND THEN WE MOVED:))

Yes, yes, after last night's fiasco with losing my post in Outlook Express I am now on Live Writer full time.....10-4:))

                                

MOTORMOUSE WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE UNDER THE COVERS.    NO WONDER I DON'T SLEEP SO GOOD SOME NIGHTS.  YA JUST GOTTA LOVE YER PALS:))

Little did we know when we headed out on our walk at 8:30 this morning we would be moving the motorhome less than an hour later.  We set out walking in a southeasterly direction which took us across the site we had originally planned to camp on here.  Hmmmmmm.  Walked a little further to another site that had a better view of the Hidden Hills to our northeast.  Double hmmmmmm!!  Well, that did it & the discussions were on.  Should we stay where we were or move about 500 yards to this new site.  Back & forth, back & forth we went weighing all the pros & cons.  Took the best part of half  an hour & finally the decision was made.  Spent the rest of the morning moving:))

 

DECIDING ON THE MOVE.....AND THEN......THE MOVE:))

Sometimes you get a feel for a site & sometimes you don't.  One of the clues that a site is sitting well with us is if we begin setting things out like chairs, tables, mats, & especially ornaments & nick knacks.  Kelly busied herself right away hauling all that stuff out so I knew we were going to be happy with the site.  The furry guys loved it too, spending most of the morning exploring around the neighborhood.

THREE AMIGOS

It was somewhere in the middle of the moving process when an idea peaked around the corner of a brain lobe & sent a shudder through me.  When I saw what it was I quickly ducked out of the way but it came right back & waved at me again.  Hmmmm, could this be a flash of the old AL I was seeing.  When the idea persisted I stopped, turned around, & stared the very idea square in the eye.

We had received 2 Facebook messages from RV friends this morning saying they were headed into the Quartzsite area today.  Both Rene & Jim from LIVE-WORK-DREAM http://www.liveworkdream.com/  & Herb & Bea another couple we first met at Hickiwan Trails 3 years were coincidentally both in Slab City.  They do not know each other.   Somehow my mind connected that with Froggi Donna & Stu from 2 TAKING A FIFTH  http://2takinga5th.blogspot.com/ staying in Yuma at the moment.  The idea picked up a bit of speed when I thought of Motty & Patty from TRAVELING LIVING JOURNEY http://travelivingjourney.blogspot.com/ in an RV Park in Blyth California just over the State line on the Colorado River.  Peter & Patty were right in Quartzsite itself with Janna & Mike from TINTEEPEE http://tinteepeelogcabin.blogspot.com/ up in Bouse.  Jim & Elli  from JUSTRAVELIN http://justravelin.blogspot.com/ were also boondocked with Janna & Mike.   My geography brain kicked in drawing me up a mind map of all their locations in relation to where we were.  'Presto' the idea caught fire & launched.  All those locations were within an hour's drive of our location in the Castle Dome Mountains.            (the links feature is not working in my Live Writer)

Walked over to the motorhome & flew the idea by Kelly.  Needless to say there was a bit of shock but she quickly recovered & climbed on board with the idea.  Minutes later I was seated at the computer tapping out some Facebook messages & emails.  One of the first Facebook comments I received came from Florida with Doug from LIVING OUR DREAM http://www.mytripjournal.com/ourdream saying....."Al, you are talking about socializing with People. Are you OK?"   Doug.  Well, Doug had a real darn good point there so I felt I owed him an explanation & messaged back...."Fell off a 300 foot cliff landing right on my pointy little head this morning Doug & the first thought I had when coming too was.....'Hey, let's have some people over:))"  Well, it was the most logical reason I could think of at the time!!

Rest of the sunny 68F day was spent setting things up, napping, checking the puter for messages , doggy snuggles, & just some good old fashioned relaxing.  At the moment Kelly is watching the Olympic opening ceremonies & I'm sneaking an occasional peak.  Well actually it has become more than a sneak peak now that all the countries have been introduced.  What a hugely fantastic job they have done with that opening show & I have not typed a thing in this blog since it started.  The special effects, set designs, electronic lighting, performers & countless behind the scenes people, are far better than the whole movie Avatar ever was!!  All the people involved in this opening show ceremony deserve their own Olympic medal for their superb efforts.   Bravo Canada on a performance exceptionally well done:)))))))))))))))))

 

Ok, this is where it stands for tomorrow regarding the folks that are coming over.  We are about half way between Yuma & Quartzsite.  Across from a place called Stone Cabin a road runs into the desert called, King Valley Road.  We are about a mile down that road on the left.  So far there is only a fifth wheeler parked between us & the highway.  We will have our flags flying & our GPS co-ordinates are......N 33' 15.1470 by W 114'13.3088.  Elevation 1,594 feet.  Well, those are the numbers Kelly gave me anyway.  Haven't heard back from Bea & Herb but Rene & Jim are bogged down at the Slabs with solar problems.  As far as we know, the rest of the gang will be here sometime after lunch.

COULD THIS CRYSTAL REALLY BE FROM CRYSTAL HILL.....Hmmmm:))

And welcome to our 97th follower, Rob68.  I think he might have an interest in UFO's just as I do:))  Oh, & by the way, did I mention the all expense paid trip around the world for our soon to be 100th follower.  Ok, Ok, so it was just another crazy thought in my head after I came too following the 3000 foot cliff fall this morning, or was that a 300 foot fall, or was it not a fall at all.......just a momentary lapse of Cursmudgeonism:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  You may be getting old if everything hurts , and what doesn't hurt, doesn't work anyway.

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.