SOMETIMES I JUST HAVE TO SHAKE MY HEAD AT MYSELF

WE WANDERED OURSELVES AROUND ON THE FLAT DESERT FLOOR FOR AWHILE THIS MORNING

Sunny warm Arizona days are once again upon us & with that Pheebs & I headed out for a short Jeep ride across the flat desert floor south of the Weaver Mountains just off the Stanton Road.  Wandered ourselves around in amongst the Creosote shrubs & Mesquites.  Saw some cows, a watering hole, & a couple Cowboy corrals with some old dried up water drilling equipment.

Had it in mind to zip up the big hill to Yarnell & snag some Cinnamon donuts for Kelly at the Cornerstone bakery but when we got the there the bakery was closed.  Awwww nuts there went my brownie points for the day.  Headed on back home donutless:((

WEAVER MOUNTAINS DEAD AHEAD

With our pending house sale I haven’t been inspired to do much around the property this last little while.  Ever since making our final decision a few weeks ago my mind has shifted gears & focused on other things.  As sad as it will be to leave next month we are both anxious to turn the page & get on with the next phase of our lives.

In the first 5 years of our Snow Bird travels here in the Southwest when it came to about this time of year or later in March I never wanted to go home.  I remember driving along many times back then thinking to myself how can we stay here in the west longer or even all the time.  In the past 5 years & especially the last 3 or so about this time around the end of February my mind begins looking homeward.  Even now I’m almost anxious to load up the rig & get the big wheels rolling on down the road.  Weather wise it’s way to early of course but the feeling is in me just the same.  I am so much looking forward to doing something different next winter.  Our house came along at just the right time 4 years ago & our decision to sell the house has come along just at the right time for us now as well.

I sure have been shaking my head at myself this past while.  For a fellow like me who has no interest in politics whatsoever & never has I have found myself as of late glued to the television.  Been watching the debates, some of the town halls, & there I am with my face in the television every time the votes come pouring in.  Who’s winning, who’s losing & why.  Here I am counting down the days to ‘Super Tuesday’.  ‘WHAT’!!!!  This is so much unlike me that I have to give myself a pinch every time to see if it’s really me watching & listening to all this political stuff.  Not long ago I would have called this ‘time wasted’ & yet here I am taking it all in.  I suppose it’s a good example of how even I have been drawn in by this latest political spectacle going on here in this country.  Our American winter home if you will. The nightly noise, the blathering bluster, the seething suspense, the verbal violence, nasty name calling, backyard bullying, enormous exaggerations, bombastic ballooning, fraudulent falsehoods, hot air hemorrhaging, elongated egos, schoolyard silliness, & big headed stuffiness.  I heard it said once there’s nothing like politics to bring out the worst in some people & by golly I’m inclined to agree with that.  And that’s not restricted to just the politicians either!!  Happens in Canada as well only not to the wild degree of drama & theatrics which it plays out here south of the border.  This latest live reality TV show has just about everything a whole lotta people just seem to go ga-ga goo-goo over & I’m afraid I am coming down with a bit of that goo & ga myself.  It’s no wonder I’ve been walking around shaking my head lately.  If I’m not careful I think I may have to seek out some therapy to break me free from all the TV’s talking heads & maybe even start me a 12 step program & call it PA.  ‘Politics Anonymous’.  

HOW NICE TO BE OUT IN THE QUIET PEACEFULNESS OF THE SONORAN DESERT THIS MORNING

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Two politicians had locked themselves out of their car, and unfortunately some important papers they needed for a meeting were inside. "Let's use a coat hanger to pull up the lock," suggested the first.  "Oh, no," argued the second. "Someone might see us and think we were trying to break in."  "Ok lets use my pocketknife to cut away the rubber around the window and stick our fingers through to pull up the lock."  "No, no! People would think we're too stupid to know how to use a coat hanger to open cars."  "Well, we'd better do something fast. The top's down and it's starting to rain."

HOUSE SALE UPDATE & MORE LITTLE BOX CANYON PHOTOS

A FEW PHOTOS OF THE HASSAYAMPA RIVER’S LITTLE BOX CANYON TONIGHT FROM WEDNESDAYS DRIVE TO THE NARROWS

We have a prospective buyer for our house who has agreed with our full asking price.  He dropped around Wednesday night to talk things over again & this morning we drove to his house south of Wickenburg to discuss things further.  No final decisions on our part yet.  We also dropped into Wickenburg’s Pioneer Title Company with a few more questions.  We still have a couple other offers on the table & possibly another one coming in shortly.  Decisions, decisions.  I remember a year ago at this time we were going round & round on what kind of a vehicle to buy to replace our Jeep Wrangler.  Two years ago right now we were going round & round whether to buy a Class A Motorhome down in Surprise Arizona.  Three years ago at this time we were…….ok, don’t wanna think about that one……….:((

JUST THE NICEST GROVE OF TAMARISK TREES AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE SMALL CANYON

LOOKS LIKE THE RUINS OF AN OLD STONE BUILDING OR SOMETHING

AMAZING HOW THIS OLD GNARLED TREE ROOT HAS FORCED IT’S WAY THROUGH & AROUND THIS SOLID ROCK CLIFF WALL

Doing some research on my blog this afternoon I came across this post that some might find interesting regarding one of Arizona’s greatest scenic drives.  March 18th 2010 I wrote about Driving The Apache Trail.

SOMEONE HAS ANCHORED A CLIMBERS ROPE ENABLING HIKERS TO CLIMP UP THAT DRY WATERFALL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALWAYS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE FORCE OF WATER CARVES OUT HOLES & CAVES IN THE ROCK FACE

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A little boy wanted 100 dollars badly and prayed for two weeks but nothing happened. Then he decided to write a letter to the Lord requesting the money. When the postal authorities received the letter addressed to the Lord, they decided to send it to the President
The President was so impressed, touched, and amused that he instructed his secretary to send the little boy a 10 dollar bill. The President thought this would appear to be a lot of money to a little boy.  The little boy was delighted with the money and sat down to write a thank-you note to the Lord, which read:  Dear Lord, Thank you very much for sending me the money. However, I noticed that for some reason you had to send it through Washington, and as usual, those jerks deducted 90% of it……….Love, Tommy

RETURN TO LITTLE BOX CANYON & THE NARROWS WHERE A RAZOR DRIVER SAID TO ME, “HEY I KNOW YOU”

AN ENCHANTING TAMARISK GROVE AT LITTLE BOX CANYON

After Tuesday’s long day of sitting around the house doing about the square root of nothing I knew Pheebs & were overdue for a Jeep ride somewhere.  Besides it was warmer with clear sunny skies this morning & I felt re-energized.     After a quick stop for a bite & coffee to go at Wickenburg’s Jack In The Box we soon had Libby’s tires off the busy highway pavement onto a good old dust infested bumpy road heading out into the desert hills northeast of Wickenburg.  Scenic Loop Road is an old favorite for us.  Later turning right on Rincon Road we topped a ridge & stopped.  Had been on my mind to walk up onto a hill top there for awhile & this morning that’s exactly what we did.  Nice views looking down over the Hassayampa River valley leading into Wickenburg.

LEFT THE JEEP PARKED BELOW & HIKED UP THIS HILL FOR A LOOK AROUND

FROM ATOP THIS HILL WE COULD SEE IN THE DIRECTION OF OUR MORNING TRAVELS WHICH WILL TAKE US TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THOSE PEAKS ON THE RIGHT

WE WILL HEAD ON DOWN THERE INTO THE HASSAYAMPA VALLEY THEN FOLLOW THE RIVER WASH OFF TO THE LEFT

WICKENBURG IS VISIBLE ABOVE THAT PLUME OF SMOKE

SCENIC LOOP ROAD HEADS NORTHEAST TOWARDS STANTON AZ.

STANTON SEEN FROM ABOUT 6 MILES AWAY…..CAN EVEN MAKE OUT THE OLD STAGE COACH ROAD ABOVE STANTON HEADING UP TO YARNELL

Had a destination in mind so after our hilltop walk we followed Rincon Road until we came to the large Hassayampa River wash & turned left into the sandy river bed.  We were headed for Box Canyon & the Narrows.  Kelly & I had just been through this area a couple weeks ago but I wanted to come in a different way & see the Canyon & Narrows again from a different direction.

TRAVELING ALONG ON THE HASSAYAMPA RIVER BED

PARKED HERE & WALKED OVER THRHOUGH THAT STAND OF TAMARISK TREES TO THE LITTLE BOX CANYON

What a beautiful spot under those Tamarisk trees & I was reminded of Hobbits living there.  There’s a sheer rocky cliff wall rising up from the river bed & it’s just a short walk into the small dead end box canyon.

I WILL HAVE MORE PHOTOS OF THE TAMARISK GROVE & LITTLE BOX CANYON TOMORROW NIGHT

PHEEBS SURE SEEMED TO LIKE PUDDLING AROUND IN THIS CRYSTAL CLEAR SHALLOW RIVER WATER

Back to the Jeep I noticed a couple ATV Razors coming along up behind me so we pulled out & headed off upriver in the direction of the Narrows ahead of them.  Traveling slower they soon dropped far behind.  Pheebs & I probably went another half mile or so to where there is a large water level gauge thing on the river bank.  Pulled over & stopped for some photos.  Noticed the 2 ATV’s slowly approaching, took a few more photos then waited for them to pass close by.  The first Razor slowed down as I gave them a wave.  Then it slowed down some more & rolled to a stop beside me.  Driver shut off the engine & said, “Hey I know you”.

THIS IS THE HASSAYAMPA RIVER WATER GUAGE WHICH I’M GUESSING CAN MAYBE SEND AN ELECTRONIC WATER LEVEL READING TO WICKENBURG TO WARN OF HIGH WATER LEVELS DURING MONSOON SEASON

THESE ARE ‘THE NARROWS’ & DRIVEABLE BUT DRIVE WITH CAUTION & FOLLOW THE VEHICLE TRACKS AHEAD OF YOU

Well whenever I hear those ‘hey I know you’ words my heart always skips a beat & it sends an immediate shiver up my spine.  My mind goes into a million mile an hour overdrive mode with these thoughts…..first, I don’t recognize the driver & second is a big ‘Oh-Oh’ with the question foremost in my mind being, “if this is a Blog reader then what have I written that he is now about to jump out of that Razor & lay a big flogging on me”!!   The Razor driver hollers back to the other couple in the second Razor, “this is the guy who writes the blog”.  Oh no I thought, I’m doomed & they’re gonna get me for sure.  Whewwww, big sigh of relief when the driver with a big smile turns back & says he faithfully reads my blog every day & has been doing so for a long time.  Says I’m the very reason they were all there in the Narrows this morning & as they appeared to be having a good time I took that as a good sign.  And that is how I met the Halls from Utah this morning.  Hope I got their name right & if by some slim chance I did I’ll be right proud of myself. Nice folks for sure & we had ourselves a wee bit of a river bed chat right there alongside the lazily flowing waters of the Hassayampa River.  They spend part of their winter down around the Yuma area.  Nice to meet you folks this morning & thanks for all your kind words.  It’s people like you who give people like me the inspiration to do what I do:)) 

HEY IT’S THE HALLS FROM UTAH:))

AND THE HALLS FRIENDS WHOSE NAMES I FORGOT TO GET

THE RAZOR FOLKS HEAD ON DOWN THROUGH THE NARROWS

Meeting the Halls & the other couple this morning & being recognized there in the middle of nowhere gave me a good feeling inside.  There are times when writing my blog I get a discouraged with myself worrying that my daily musings are too repetitive, too boring, & too uninteresting, etc.  I have a tendency to be critical of myself & lose my focus from time to time.  And then something like this morning happens & jolts me back again causing me to say to myself….”that’s why you are where you are at this stage of life Al so just keep writing your blog & taking your photos”.  Don’t question it, just keep doing it………….

LOOKING UPRIVER TOWARDS THE NARROWS & BELOW LOOKING DOWN RIVER TOWARDS LITTLE BOX CANYON

There is a brochure at the Visitor’s Center in Wickenburg giving directions how to get to the Box Canyon & Narrows but after taking that 7 mile route with a very rocky 300 yards down to the riverbed I’m going to tell you of a ‘much easier & shorter way of getting there.  From highway 93 in Wickenburg’s northeast end take Rincon Road heading east.  Road is paved for about a mile then turns to hard packed sandy gravel through the Hassayampa wash.  Pavement begins again on the other side so just follow that pavement for a few more miles until it once more ends.  You are now at the wash again so turn right & follow the vehicle tracks.  Be sure you have a 4 wheel drive vehicle & follow the tracks ahead of you.  I’m guessing it’s maybe 2 miles to the small Box Canyon which is easy to miss.  Watch on your left for a ‘big’ growth of green Tamarisk trees.  Park here & walk into the trees & you will see the short dead end Box Canyon ahead of you.  Also ahead of you can be seen water flowing along the river bed.  The ‘Narrows’ are only about half a mile or so further ahead.  If you pay attention & follow the vehicle tracks you should be Okay driving through the shallow flowing water along the river bed.  Most of your driving will be right in the middle of the river bed.  You be the judge where you want to turn around.

Pheebs & I turned around in the Narrows & headed back downstream plowing our way through a few soft & dry sandy spots along the way.  We were soon back to Rincon Road & 20 minutes later we rolled into our front yard in Congress.  Noticed both our gates were open & Kelly said a couple ladies had come earlier to look at the house. 

Don’t think I had been home half an hour when a little white Honda pulled into our yard.  Thought it was probably some folks interested in having a look at our house & property for sale but it wasn’t.  Little did I know I was about to receive my second jolt of confidence for the day & that is how we met long time blog readers Joanne & Ron from Oregon.  They drove over from Florence Arizona today where they have been spending a few months this winter.  Again another fine couple who are teetering on the edge of taking the RV lifestyle plunge, maybe even buying a house in Arizona at some point.  Showed Joanne & Ron around the property & through the house with an RV tour of the Big EEE as well.  Ron & Joanne echoed some of the same nice things the Halls had said to me earlier this morning at the Hassayampa River Narrows.  All & all it was a good day for me & I even got to meet some mighty fine folks to boot:))

RON (I THINK HE SPELLS IT RAWN) & JOANNE 

Just before publishing my post tonight I saw this note on Jim & Sandies blog about Retired Rod.  Our thoughts are with Rod tonight & I remember he was the last person I talked to at Bloggerfest a month ago just before climbing into our rig to head out.  His last words to me were, “get those O2 sensors (on our rig) changed”

THE NARROWS

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Lets Face It English Is A Stupid Language::
There is no egg in the eggplant No ham in the hamburger And neither pine nor apple in the pineapple. English muffins were not invented in England French fries were not invented in France. We sometimes take English for granted but if we examine its paradoxes we find:- that Quicksand takes you down slowly Boxing rings are square And a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. If writers write, how come fingers don't fing. If the plural of tooth is teeth shouldn't the plural of phone booth be phone beeth If the teacher taught, why didn't the preacher praught. If a vegetarian eats vegetables why don't humanitarians eat human!? Why do people recite at a play yet play at a recital? Park on driveways and drive on parkways? How can the weather be as hot as hell on one day and as cold as hell on another? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language:- whereby a house can burn up as it burns down. You fill in a form by filling it out. A bell is only heard once it goes!  English was invented by people, not computers and it reflects the creativity of the human race (Which of course isn't a race at all)

IT WAS A CLASS C SHAMROCK RV IN CLINTON ONTARIO THAT KICKED OFF MY TRAVEL DREAMS NEARLY 30 YEARS AGO

ABOVE IS HOW GRAND BEND ONTARIO LOOKED ONE YEAR AGO TODAY & BELOW IS HOW IT LOOKED TODAY….A LOT LESS ICE & SNOW FOR SURE

On Monday’s drive I took a photo of an older abandoned Class C RV sitting near a desert wash.  I took the picture because it reminded me of a Class C I used to see years ago long before we began our RV travels.  I was driving a comfy passenger van for Airports Anywhere/Stratford Airporter in those days picking up & delivering passengers from the Goderich, Clinton, Bayfield, Seaforth, Mitchell, & Stratford areas to Toronto Ontario’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport.  Majority of my runs took place between Stratford & Toronto.  About once a week I would have people to pick up in the Clinton & Goderich areas & there was always a vehicle sitting in a driveway along highway 8 in Clinton’s east end I always looked for each time I passed that away.  Approaching Clinton heading west towards Goderich I always began watching for a little Class C Shamrock RV on the left side.  It was white with Irish green stripes & decals on it & I think it might have been at the 3rd or 4th house I went by.  Oh how I would wish I was the owner of that Shamrock.  I liked the looks of it, liked the green colors, & I think it may even have had a green Shamrock on the front overhang.  I’m guessing it might have been about 21 feet long & each & every time I saw this RV my mind would right away swing into the future thinking how nice it would be to own that little Class C & travel the highways & bi-ways of North America.  This was in the late eighties if I remember correctly & little could I have ever imagined at that time that years later all those dreams I had imagined way back then would one day come true.   From those early days till now we’ve actually had 3 Class C’s, two Class A’s, & a truck & 5th wheel all stemming from those dreamy days I had from seeing that little Class C Shamrock for a number of years parked in a Clinton Ontario driveway………….:))

IT WAS THE GREEN COLORS ON THIS CLASS C MONDAY THAT REMINDED ME OF THE CLASS C SHAMROCK I HAD SEEN MANY YEARS AGO IN CLINTON ONTARIO 

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A busload of politicians were driving down a country road when, all of a sudden, the bus ran off the road and crashed into a tree in an old farmer's field. The old farmer, after seeing what had happened, went over to investigate. He then proceeded to dig a hole to bury the politicians.  A few days later the local sheriff came out, saw the crashed bus, and asked the old farmer where all the politicians had gone.
The old farmer said he had buried them.
The sheriff asked the old farmer, "Were they all dead?"   The old farmer replied, "Well, some of them said they weren't, but you know how them politicians lie."