GUESS IT WAS SUNDAY

THIS PRETTY MUCH SUMS UP OUR DAY

NEAR MID-AIR COLLISION

SNEAKING UNDER THE FENCE

 

I like it when a blog title on our sidebar leaps off the screen & absolutely grabs me.  And it happened today.  Having been a daily Blogger for a bunch of years now I find anytime I see ‘blog or blogging’ mentioned as a topic I am immediately interested.  Blogging is a integral part of my life & I write about that sometimes but rarely do I ever talk to anyone about it.  It’s not something most people including good friends are interested in so I try not to bring it up.  Imagine my surprise & delight today while perusing titles in my sidebar when one of those titles leaped right out at me.  Again, it was fellow friend & RV Blogger Nina doing the writing & she totally nailed her post to the wall with, The Darker Side Of Blogging?  Many times over the years I have written my thoughts about this very same subject but Nina does it so much better than I with this post.  She’s right on the money with everything she says.  Well done Nina & thanks for grabbing my attention on a dull Sunday with a post that genuinely spiked my interest.  I like when that happens…….:))

 

If any of you Southern folks have not seen the prettier side of Winter I suggest you slip on up to Ontario’s Beaver Valley & have a look at the Furry Gnome’s winter wonderland backyard….Seasons In The Valley.

GROANER’S CORNER:((

Q: How many journalists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Three. One to report it as an inspired government program to bring light to the people, one to report it as a diabolical government plot to deprive the poor of darkness, and one to win a Pulitzer prize for reporting the Electric Company hired a light bulb assassin to break the bulb in the first place.

AS OF THIS DAY I HAVE BEEN ON THIS PLANET 25,977 DAYS & NO IT IS NOT MY BIRTHDAY

A CRESTED SAGUARO RE-VISITED TODAY

A touch cooler this morning which for me & made our desert walk nicer than the hotter walk a couple days ago.  Pheebs did give chase to a bunny but that is about all the wildlife we saw. Followed us a dry-wash for a bit just soaking up the still desert air.  Returning to the Jeep we made our way along a dusty road to the gate & headed out of the desert & back into Congress.

OUR DESERT WALK FOLLOWED THESE ATV TRACKS IN A SANDY WASH FOR AWHILE

CHRISTMAS CACTUS IN THE DESERT

Unlike our Bayfield area with with it’s many multiple country roads leading every which a-way it’s a bit of a challenge here around Congress deciding where to go.  Your either on a highway, a street, or a bouncing desert road.  No Tim Hortons muffin & coffee drive-thrus & no McDonalds.  We did head out highway 89 towards the Yarnell Hill but deaked left on what I knew would probably be a terrible wash-boardy road.  And I was right.  The road was as bad if not worse than the last time we drove on it a couple years ago all the way to a town called Hillside.  We only went half a mile this morning before turning around & heading back into Congress.

LIBBY CAN BARELY BE SEEN TO THE RIGHT BETWEEN 2 SAGUAROS

Turned right on highway 71 & just on the other side of the railroad tracks we headed back into the desert on what I knew was going to be a very challenging Jeep road for Libby.  We had come through this section of desert with the Wrangler a couple winters ago after finding a Crested Saguaro out there.  Figured on looking for that same Saguaro again if Libby could handle the rough & tumble trail.  Good thing Pheebs & I were by ourselves or Kelly would have made me turn around & go back.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE EASIER ROUGH & TUMBLE CHALLENGES FOR LIBBY THIS MORNING

THIS IS A 300mm TELEPHOTO SHOT FROM THE CRESTED SAGUARO SITE & OUR HOUSE IS UNSEEN JUST ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THAT HOUSE TOP RIGHT

THIS CRESTED SAGUARO ABOVE IS HARD TO FIND UNLESS YOU SEE IT FROM THE RIGHT ANGLE BELOW

Libby did just fine as we eeeked & squeaked our way carefully through the wash-outs & drop-offs.  Not once did she balk at the terrain & her 4-wheel drive never faltered.  This Liberator seems to be every bit as good as our Wrangler was at handling the desert roughness.

HOUSES ALONG GHOST TOWN ROAD CAN BE SEEN IN THE BACKGROUND & I FIGURE IT’S ABOUT A MILE OR MILE & HALF AS THE CROW FLIES STRAIGHT ACROSS THERE TO OUR HOUSE

YEP, IT’S A SELFIE ALRIGHT:))

Had I not known exactly where the Crested Saguaro was I would probably not have seen it.  Luckily Kelly spotted it 2 winters ago by accident as we were making our way along the desert road from a different direction.  Pheebs & stopped here for a leg stretch & some photos.

CRESTED SAGUAROS ARE AMAZING IN THEIR COMPLEX PATTERNS

THANKS FOR REMINDING ME OF THIS CRESTED SAGUARO BEV WAY OUT THERE IN THAT IDAHO PLACE

Crested Saguaros are always amazing to see & I don’t think it’s really known why they mutate themselves the way they do.  They definitely are a rarity & it’s always nice to find one.

We continued following the rough road north winding our way through the Creosote bushes.  I knew we had already made our way through the roughest section & the further we went the slightly better the trail became.  Soon we were into familiar territory as we entered an area at the end of Ghost Town Road where RV’ers come to boondock.  Only saw 2 rigs tucked in amongst the Mesquite trees & shrubs.  This is the area where the original old mining town of Congress once stood.  Two Pioneer cemeteries can be found as well as shards of pottery, broken glass & pieces of metal here & there where once a bustling little town had once stood.  Minutes later Pheebs & were back in our driveway.

Spent my Saturday afternoon much like my Friday afternoon just sitting on the front porch reading.  Am thoroughly enjoying my latest read as the author struggles with his life following his return from Viet Nam. 

CONGRESS LIBRARY ABOVE & MEDICAL CENTER BESIDE IT BELOW

CONGRESS FIRE DEPARTMENT

And a correction to my Saturday post.  When talking of Winkler Manitoba I wrongly stated it was mainly Amish folks who worked in the Triple E (Leisure Travel Vans) plant.  That should have read Mennonite folks.  I do sometimes get the 2 mixed up.  In our Bayfield area we have many Mennonite people but also some of the old order Amish people as well.  Here is a link explaining the difference….. What Is The Difference Between Amish & Mennonites.  Thanks to Jake in our Shout Box for pointing this out to me & I do believe this is the same fellow & his wife Anne who bought us breakfast at McDonald’s in Winkler.   That was the same day we did the Leisure Van Plant Tour.

A COUPLE CHURCHES IN CONGRESS

Here’s 2 interesting links for we older folks.  Ever wonder how many days, weeks, or months you have been on this Planet?  Check out this site & it will tell you….YOUR AGE IN DAYS.  And how would you like to have access to a 39 year old 45 RPM record collection featuring the top 10 hits for each month of those 39 years.  Well here it is……THE TOP 10 ARCHIVE.  Thanks to Bayfield neighbors Don & Bruce for these:))

THE ORIGINAL CONGRESS TOWN & MINE SITE AT THE END OF GHOST TOWN ROAD (CIRCA 1914)

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A family of three tomatoes were walking downtown one day when the little baby tomato started lagging behind. The big father tomato walks back to the baby tomato, stomps on her, squashing her into a red paste, and says, "Ketchup!"

Did You Know: 

-The snack bar next door to an atom smasher was called "The Fission Chips."
- On April Fools Day, a mother put a fire cracker under the pancakes. She blew her stack.
- A couple of kids tried using pickles for a Ping-Pong game. They had the Volley Of The Dills.
- A friend got some vinegar in his ear, now he suffers from pickled hearing.
- Overweight is something that just sort of snacks up on you.
- Sign in restaurant window: "Eat now - Pay waiter."
- I thought you were trying to get into shape?
I am. The shape I've selected is a triangle.

WORKED UP A MORNING SWEAT PLANTING A FEW CACTUS

Not once since owning our Triple E Commander Motorhome did my mind think to ask itself what that vertical split in our rig’s dash could mean.  Never once did it clue in there must be a logical reason for that line & why wasn’t the dash made in one piece like most all other other RV’s.  My mind may inquisitively ask itself many questions about numerous things during the course of any given day but when it comes to mechanical things my brains department door has a simple sign on it saying…..’Duh’.  So if your rig has a split in the dash like in the photo below then probably your driver’s side dash lifts up for easy access behind your dash panel.  Our rig was built in Winkler Manitoba mainly by Amish folks & we were told they often have great ideas & those ideas are many times incorporated into the coaches.  Triple E in Winkler no longer builds Class A Motorhomes & in 2008 went exclusively into LEISURE TRAVEL VANS.  A reader last week sent in this link to Triple E’s upcoming 50th anniversary. 50 YEARS ON THE ROAD.

NEVER ONCE DID MY MIND ASK ITSELF WHY THE DASH WAS SPLIT IN THE MIDDLE

 

THAT’S A GAMBLES QUAIL ON THE LEFT & WE HAVE THEM IN OUR BACK YARD EVERY DAY

Kelly headed off for Wickenburg’s Safeway store about 9 so Pheebs & I missed our desert walk but no matter because I busied myself planting 3 large cactus plants we had sitting here in pots since last winter & that took a lot of walking around the property.  By 10 I was sweating to the point I had to retreat into the coolness of the house.  Last week we had heaters going & this week it is fans.  Sounds like next week we will be back to heaters again. 

DIGGING IN 1 OF 3 CACTUS PLANTS THIS MORNING

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD BRAVES THURSDAYS COOLER WINDS TO READ HER BOOK OUTSIDE

And another informative post from the folks over at ‘On The Road Of Retirement.’ Be sure to check out 25 ESSENTIAL ITEMS ALL RV'S MUST HAVE. 

<<< CONTESSA,THIS IS THE ‘OATMEAL & ALOE SHAMPOO WE USED THURSDAY FOR PHEEBS BATH

Relaxing afternoon as I sat for awhile on our front porch with my Kindle.  Over the years I have read many, many, books on the First & Second World Wars but had never read anything by a Vietnam Veteran so today I started a book called ‘A Never Ending Battle’.  Am finding it informative as well as personable as the young man who experienced his time there is basically the same age I am & many of his fears & concerns at that age & era back in 1968 I can relate too.  Have often thought how fortunate I & many of my friends were that we were born on the north side of the Canada/U.S. border rather than the south side of the Canada/U.S. border.

THIS IS BASICALLY THE CENTER OF CONGRESS WITH A CLASSY LITTLE MOTEL, AN OLD WEST GROCERY STORE, COUPLE SMALL SHOPS, A GARAGE & A FOUR STAR EATERY ALL IN A LINE ALONG HIGHWAY 71…ONLY 2 COMMERCIAL SHOPS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD BEING THE POST OFFICE & LAUNDROMAT

CONGRESS LAUNDROMAT WHICH IS ACTUALLY FOR SALE

CONGRESS GARAGE & YOU CAN SEE THE REAR END OF OUR BIG EEE STICKING OUT

NICHOLS WEST IS A 4 STAR EATERY RIGHT NEXT TO THE CONGRESS GARAGE ON THE RIGHT

A year ago right now we were in Slab City California at Solar Mike’s with our troublesome inverter problem.  Kelly & I both became sick while there & had to return to Congress with a temporary inverter on board while our inverter was being fixed over in Temecula.  We returned to the Slabs about a week later & Mike re-installed our repaired inverter which has been working fine ever since.  From the Slabs we headed East & spent a few days in the Kofa Mountains south of Quartzsite.  We still haven’t decided where or when we’ll head out on our first side trip of the winter.  Could it be that we are just feeling to darned comfortable where we are at the moment to go anywhere else………..

TOOK THIS ‘SAGUARO CACTUS MOON’ PHOTO FROM MY BEDROOM WINDOW LATE THIS AFTERNOON

GROANER’S CORNER:(( New Words For 2016: 

Chairdrobe (n.): piling clothes on a chair in place of a closet or dresser.

Epiphanot (n.): an idea that seems like an amazing insight to the conceiver but is in fact pointless, mundane, stupid, or incorrect.

Internest (n.): the cocoon of blankets and pillows you gather around yourself while spending long periods of time on the Internet.

Textpectation (n.): the anticipation felt when waiting for a response to a text.

Unkeyboardinated (adj.): when you’re unable to type without repeatedly making mistakes.