‘YAHOOHIE LOUIE’ LOOKS LIKE WE’RE GONNA BE HEADING FOR THE GREAT AMERICAN SOUTH-WEST AGAIN:)))))))))))))))))))))

STRONG WINDS HAVE ONCE AGAIN WHIPPED UP LAKE HURON WATERS

Kelly rolled out of the driveway at 6 a.m. heading for her medical consultation appointment in London at 7:45.  Said she would phone as soon as the consultation was over and let me know what date the ultra sound endoscopy biopsy would be set for.  I waited anxiously by the phone for her call and about 8:30 the phone rang.  It was Kelly and I could tell right off by her voice that she had good news.  Her procedure is slated for the end of March and that meant we had enough time to head south once again.  On the phone we quickly came up with a departure date of Saturday December 23rd. 

MORNING BOARDWALKERS BUNDLED UP AGAINS THE COLD WINDS COMING IN OFF THE LAKE

Pheebs and I headed out for a Jeep ride and it probably was half an hour later that it finally sank in that we were actually going to be heading for the South-west again this winter.  My mind in an effort to protect itself from disappointment had been working steadily at the probability that we would not be going anywhere this winter so I guess I had been kind of unknowingly adjusting myself to that possibility.  Wow, what a rush it was when this morning’s reality set in.

IN GODERICH HARBOR THIS MORNING WITH IT’S ODD SHAPED BOW WE SAW THE BULK CARRIER VOLGABORG

THE ON-DECK CREW WERE BUSY WITH THE SHIP’S LOADING

I’M ASSUMING THOSE ARE GREEN HATCH COVERS

SEEMS ODD TO SEE A BOW LIKE THIS WITH A STEEL WINDOWED STRUCTURE ON TOP

A FEW PHOTOS FROM THE HARBOR’S NORTH SIDE WHERE YOU CAN SEE GRAIN OR CORN BEING LOADED THROUGH A LONG TUBE SHUTE JUST AHEAD OF THE BRIDGE

YEP, THAT IS ONE STRANGE LOOKING BOW ALRIGHT AND IT’S THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER SEEN THIS SHIP

THAT’S THE LOADER TUBE TO THE RIGHT

I’M WONDERING IF THAT IS THE CAPTAIN  UP THERE OBSERVING TODAYS LOADING PROCESS FROM VOLGABORG’S STARBOARD ‘FLYING BRIDGE’

Earlier in the morning I had had it in my head to maybe take a cruise up through Amish/Mennonite country but with travel plans in my head my only thoughts were to head back home after our coffee and muffin and begin packing up the Motorhome.   Main reason for that is the fact this is predicted to be the last nice day of the year and with temperatures going into the freezer by morning I figured I might as well get some things organized and into the rig while temps were above freezing (45F) and there was no snow on the ground.  Plus, it was a partially sunny day:))

WELL I GUESS I DON’T HAVE TO TELL YOU WHAT I’M UP TO HERE NOW DO I:))

WALKING HALF A BOX OF SOCKS OUT TO THE RIG AND I’VE ALREADY GOT ALL MY TRAVEL CLOTHES MOVED BACK IN

I’LL SOON BE SPENDING A FAIR FEW HOURS IN THIS FAMILIAR SPOT AGAIN

LOOKING FORWARD TO ONCE AGAIN GETTING OUR JEEP’S HEAVY DUTY SIDE-WALL TIRES INTO THE DESERT SAND, ROCKS, AND GRAVELY GULLEY WASHES OF THE GREAT AMERICAN SOUTHWEST

THE JEEP IS ALL SET TO GO BUT THE MOTORHOME NEEDS AN OIL CHANGE BEFORE WE HEAD OUT IN A FEW WEEKS

Four years ago today we were over at Jackie and John’s (Sarge) place in Congress Arizona where I was digging up some baby Agave plants and 6 years ago Kelly and I set out to explore around Locomotive Rock near Darby Well Road west of Ajo Arizona.

NO I’M NOT DIGGING OUT THE BIG ONE, JUST THE LITTLE ONES AROUND THE BASE

ONE SAGUARO AND A BUNCH OF ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NEAR LOCOMOTIVE ROCK

Our decision to resume our winter travel plans to the southwest is not exactly a slam dunk decision.  We have both become quite cozily comfortable with where we are.  I think part of it is the fact we have not experienced this nice cozy warm Christmasy feeling since the winter of 05/06.  I have slipped into my old long lost Christmas spirit and have been enjoying numerous childhood memories of many a Christmas past.  I have to admit it’s very nice here at night with all our Christmas lights twinkling away, house warm as toast, and a flickering fire going while sitting at my keyboard plunking away at my blog surrounded by all my favorite music.  I think we have it pretty nice but figure we had better cash in on our RV travels while we still can and still have the option to head south for the winter.  We both understand the reality of nearing the end of our traveling years and not the beginning of our traveling years.  So once again while we still can we will head out and see once more what adventures we can drum up along the way……….

PHEEBS SOAKS UP SOME WARM SUN THIS AFTERNOON IN OUR CARPORT

GROANER’S CORNER:(( To All Employees
From Management Subject Office conduct during the Christmas season…………….. Effective immediately, employees should keep in mind the following guidelines in compliance with FROLIC (the Federal Revelry Office and Leisure Industry Council).

Running aluminum foil through the paper shredder to make tinsel is discouraged.

Playing Jingle Bells on the push-button phone is forbidden (it runs up an incredible long distance bill)

Work requests are not to be filed under "Bah humbug."

Company cars are not to be used to go over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house.

All fruitcake is to be eaten BEFORE July 25.

Egg nog will NOT be dispensed in vending machines.

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- Two snowmen in a field, one turned to the other and said "I don't know about you but I can smell carrots."!

- Did you know that Santa's not allowed to go down chimneys this year? It was declared unsafe by the Elf and Safety Commission.

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Knock knock!
Who's there?
Holly
Holly who?
Holly-days are nearly here again!

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NICE WEATHER DAY IN BAYFIELD AND A LOOK BACK TO SOME OF OUR ADVENTURES IN SOUTH-EASTERN ARIZONA A FEW YEARS AGO

ON THE STREETS OF TOMBSTONE ARIZONA
One of the big advantages full time RV’ers have over Snow Birders is the simple fact they live in and use their rig’s systems on a regular basis therefore always being familiar about the working of things. 

THERE ARE 2 OLD IRON BRIDGES IN THE HULLETT MARSH AND THIS IS THE ONE AT THE END OF SANCTUARY LINE….THE OTHER BRIDGE IS AT THE END OF CONSERVATION ROAD

A BIG ‘SHADOW COWBOY’ WAVE FROM THE SANCTUARY LINE BRIDGE THIS MORNING
It started out innocently enough today when I thought I would simply sanitize our fresh water tank.  Key joke word there being ‘simply’'.’ Not being full timers it’s not something we are accustomed to doing on any kind of a regular basis.  I think the last time we did it was a year ago about this time and therein awaited the problem.  My brain wouldn’t even give me the slightest clue where to start and I had to ask Kelly where the instructions were on how to do it.  Seems to me I had to do the very same thing last year as well.  I wasn’t off to a good start and it went down hill from there.  A job that would take a seasoned Full-timer about 15 minutes cost this aging Snow Bird a good hour and a half this afternoon:((

I BETTER GET GOING HERE, TRAINS A COMING
I won’t bog you down with my frustrations today because I am still pretty upset with myself but I can tell you that what transpired was not the fault of the Motorhome.  All me and with my poor memory having more holes in it than a Swiss cheese and my ever increasing impatience with anything even remotely mechanical I caused myself a lot of stress.  I don’t know when it was my problematic impatience began but I don’t remember it being this bad years ago but here’s the bottom line, ’we’ did finally manage to successfully complete the fresh water tank project and everything is fine and honky-dory now.  Everything that is except me and me will not be Okay until me has a good night’s sleep and starts Tuesday morning off on the right foot again.  Well that’s what me hopes anyway……..
I AM STILL CATCHING FRONT YARD POND FROGS AND TRANSPORTING THEM TO THE BIGGER PARK’S POND……17 TRANSPORTATIONS SO FAR INCLUDING THE FROGS IN THESE PHOTOS TODAY

ONE FROG IS REAL AND ONE ISN’T

A TAD OUT OF FOCUS BUT I’VE INCLUDED THIS FELLA ANYWAY


HE’S KEEPING A REAR VIEW EYE ON ME
Desert USA is an on-line South-western magazine we have been receiving now for a number of years and I often like the articles because we have been to a lot of places featured in it.  The latest edition was no exception when I read the title, Ghost Towns In Southern Arizona.  We have been to nine of the 13 ghost towns mentioned.  We’ve been to Superstition Mountain, Fort Bowie, Pearce, Courtland, Gleeson, Tombstone, Fairbank, Millville and the ever so hard for us to find, Charleston.  Through the Apache Pass to Historic Fort Bowie.  I wrote daily posts about all those places along with many photos and have included a few links such as Tombstone and  The Ghost Town of Gleeson Arizona.  We have walked the streets of Tombstone half a dozen times, found Johnny Ringo’s grave at the western foot of the Chiricahua Mountains as well as Wyatt Earp’s brother’s grave in Wilcox.  Johnny Ringo's Grave and Warren Earp's Grave in Wilcox Arizona.  I took some rare photos through a broken door of the crumbling Gleeson Saloon, we have walked among the old graves of Fairfield, hiked the long way in and out of Fort Bowie along trails Cochise once walked.  Cochise's Council Rocks  Had to take our shoes and socks off to wade across the San Pedro River to find Charleston after walking through the remaining ruins of Millville.  Today We Found The Ruins of Charleston Arizona. We have walked in the footsteps of Geronimo and his Apache warriors.   We’ve been to and through Pearce Arizona half a dozen times even twice spending time partaking in their ‘Pearce Heritage Days’ celebrations.  The old general store there is only open 1 day a year and we were lucky enough to be there on one of those days.  As we walked through the store I’m sure we had old ghosts walking along beside us.   Here’s a look inside that store….Old Pearce Heritage Days.  Made our way through what is left of Courtland with it’s few crumbling brick walls and old jail cell still intact.  Courtland Arizona  That South-eastern area of Arizona is such a fascinating place and we were so fortunate to spend many months Ranch Sitting there over a period of 4 years.  My links to Old Fort Rucker and Our Search for Cochise's Council Rocks.  Oh the memories and oh the thousands of photos I took.  Even now I still get excited thinking back to that marvelous era and that whole historically fascinating area.  The links above are only but a few of my many blog posts and photos of our memorable adventures in the great American Southwest and hopefully this winter we will be back once again on the dusty desert trails of many more great memories:))
THE HISTORIC RUINS OF FORT BOWIE

 
KELLY SITS LOOKING DOWN ON THE RUINS OF OLD FORT BOWIE

SOUTH-EASTERN ARIZONA IS ONE OF OUR ALL TIME FAVORITE PLACES

TOMBSTONE ARIZONA



THE OLD CEMETERY IN FAIRBANK ARIZONA

GHOST TOWN RUINS OF COURTLAND ARIZONA

JOHNNY RINGO’S GRAVE

THIS OLD SALOON IN GLEESON ARIZONA IS WHERE JOHNNY RINGO WAS LAST SEEN DRINKING AT THE BAR

GLEESON ARIZONA CEMETERY

THE COCHISE STRONGHOLD IN ARIZONA’S DRAGOON MOUNTAINS



A RUGGED AREA OF THE DRAGOON MOUNTAINS

THIS INDIAN FELLOW  WE MET AT COUNCIL ROCKS TOLD ME HE WAS A DESCENDENT OF GERONIMO


IS IT ANY WONDER WHY WE KEEP RETURNING TO THE GREAT AMERICAN SOUTH WEST YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR
GROANER’S CORNER:((  A guy walking along the beach finds a bottle and picks it up.  A genie pops out and says, "Thanks for letting me out. For your kindness I will grant you one wish."  The guys says, "I've always wanted to go to Hawaii, but I can't because I'm afraid to fly and ships make me deathly sick. My wish is for you to build a road from here to Hawaii."  The genie says, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do that. Just think of all the work involved. Think of the huge pilings we'd need to hold up that highway and how deep they would have to be to reach the bottom of the ocean. And think of all the cement that would be needed. Plus, since it's such a long span, there would have to be gas stations and rest stops along the way. No, that's just too much to ask. Impossible."  The guy says, "Well, there is one thing I've always wanted to know. I'd like to be able to understand women...what makes them laugh and cry...you know, what makes them tick."  The genie thinks a second, then asks, "You want two lanes or four with that highway?'
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Kids can sometimes ask the toughest questions.
Son: Father, Can I ask you a question?
Father: Ok ask. Son: When a doctor doctors a doctor, does the doctor doing the doctoring doctor as the doctor being doctored wants to be doctored or does the doctor doing the doctoring doctor as he wants to doctor. --------------------- - How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire? - Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut saves you thirty cents? - Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die - The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. - There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead. - I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.