WENT LOOKING FOR THE AMERICAN AIR FORCE…BUT WE DIDN’T FIND EM:((

HAD OURSELVES A LITTLE SWING THROUGH THE DESERT TODAY

Our Verizon signal here on Darby Wells road is a bit on the slow side at times.  I hit the publish button on Wednesday night’s post on the early side but it probably took 5 or 6 hours to publish with it ‘timing out’ 3 times.  Of course I had a lot of photos in it again too & that is what really slows an already slow connection.  By the way, our Canadian cell phone plan does not work here.

   

NOT HAPPY WITH YOUR MOBILE HOME RV PARK?  MAYBE YOU WOULD LIKE THIS ONE IN AJO BETTER……THINK PINK:))

Seems there was a question as to whether our road here is called Darby Well or Darby Wells.  The sign at the east end of the road today said Darby Wells….with a S.

AND THIS IS……DARBY WELLS ROAD:))

Things are going well for the GYPSY LIFE JOURNAL folks who took over our Ranch sitting duties near McNeal in Cochise County, Arizona.  You can even hear the ranch donkeys Sarah & Pancho being interviewed.

PHEEBS LOOKING OVER AT RICK’S RIG TO SEE IF LADY IS UP YET THIS MORNING >>>

Long time reader Jenny J from ELEVEN FOOT RV sent along a note wondering if we could find some alphabet shaped letters in the Saguaros.  We did find a few today and we did find one especially for Jenny J herself.  It is the last photo in today’s post:))

  

Y.O.W.

ATTENTION COMCAST USERS:  Kelly was able to help a friend of ours access our site again by using this link to fix the Comcast problem.  It’s a little bit techy but it works.  A second person has just emailed saying this Comcast fix works.

MISSING WINTER TEXANS……Check out this link and keep an eye out for this missing couple.  Phone number to call is at bottom of link page.

Now that we are in warmer temperatures it has been a real treat to be ‘comfortably’ outside under the starry night sky again.  The stars in Wednesday night’s sky were literally blazing.  With no moon or light pollution overhead it was just amazing once again to see so many stars.  And, about a dozen or more of those stars were blinking & darting about the sky.  Brilliant yellow lights also hung in the night air to the northeast quickly winking on or winking out.  Sometimes the lights were side by side.  Truly a mystery….if you hadn’t been to this area before.

First time I saw these lights in the sky was at nearby HICKIWAN TRAILS RV PARK back in January of 06.  The busily active BARRY M GOLDWATER AIR FORCE RANGE is located to the North, East & West of Ajo Arizona with planes in the air basically 24/7.  The blinking lights darting among the stars are F-16 & F-18 high altitude fighter jets twisting & turning in mock combat thousands of feet in the air.  I’m assuming A-10 Thunderbolt Warthogs closer to the ground are the source of bright yellow lights (flares) illuminating the ground for air to surface attack purposes.  A short ‘whooom’ sound can be heard & I am assuming it is the sound of the rapid fire A-10’s Gatling gun firing at targets on the ground.  Yes indeed, it is truly an active and interesting night sky out here in this part of the country.

We are so fortunate to be having such consecutively great weather here near Ajo.  Bright warm sunny days with comfortably clear starry nights.  Aw yes, just soooooo glad to be here.  Glad we are not back home right now.  Photo below is from a web cam this morning near our hometown of Bayfield, Ontario.

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BACK HOME IN GRAND BEND ONTARIO EARLIER TODAY

Headed for Olsen’s IGA in Ajo this morning to fax 7 pages of my medical stuff to Canada.  Didn’t go well.  Found out when we got back to the rig that the fax had indeed ‘not arrived’ at the Medical Center in Goderich.  Tomorrow morning we will try re-sending the 7 page fax. 

 

Gassed up the Jeep & headed north out of Ajo about 15 miles in the direction of Gila Bend on the off chance we might see the American Air Force at work.  Highway 85 cuts right through the Barry M Goldwater Air Force Range & people have reported being buzzed by low flying fighter jets.  I was hoping we would be lucky enough to get a good buzz today, but alas, not a plane in sight.  We even tried off roading a bit to make ourselves look like a slow moving enemy tank in the desert but that didn’t work either.

CRUISING HIGHWAY 85 LOOKING FOR THE AMERICAN AIR FORCE

On the way back into Ajo we noticed a sign for the Ajo Golf Club & Municipal Airport so we had us a drive in to have a look.  Golf Course & Airport are side by side.  Nice to see real green grass with some real duffers actually out on the course swinging away like manic clock pendulums.  Did I mention my 85 year old Aunt Jean is still an active and avid golfer in Sarasota Florida.  It is a big part of what has kept her in good health all these years.

THE AJO COUNTRY CLUB

      

AJO MUNICIPAL AIRPORT

We were back at the rig before 2 & I was dozed out in my Poang chair by 2:15.  That seems to be happening just a little too often lately.  Need to find myself some re-newed energy & motivation.

A little bird landed on a Saguaro near the rig this afternoon & tweeted some news saying a few fellow RV Bloggers are rolling out of Quartzsite shortly & heading for Darby Wells.  Stay tuned to see who rolls into the neighborhood:))

Friday morning we will be meeting fellow RV Bloggers BOONIE & ED in Ajo at 9 for a doggy hike with Pheebs, Patches, Pancho & Coffee Girl.  Hiking with a bunch of dogs always rings my chimes))

  

THIS SAGUARO HAS YOUR INITIALS JENNY……JJ:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A judge was trying to convince a woman filing for divorce to change her mind, “you’re 92 he said, you’re husband’s 94 you’ve been married for 73 years, why give up now?” “Our marriage has been on the rocks for quite a while” the woman explained “but we decided to wait until the children died.”
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-Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now  will someday be the memories of
right  now...AL.

SAY, HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY WHY WE LOVE THE SOUTHWEST:))

  

On our walk this morning both Kelly & I agreed this area is probably one of the most scenically interesting places we have boondocked. Not just a flat piece of ground, it is hilly with gullies & gulches crisscrossing ridges and washes. Lots of rocks to clamber up and & easy walking sandy dry creek bottoms to follow as they meander & cut their way through soft rock cuts. Jeep roads wind their way around Saguaros & Ocotillos and trail out to adjoining mountains & valleys. Add to all this the close proximity of green plant life & it almost gives it a forest like feel in some spots under tall Mesquite & Palo Verde trees. Lush green grass can be seen growing in low spots under the shading of trees.  Even some small pools of water can be found.

HEADING OUT ON OUR MORNING WALK

 

DEFINITELY NOT A BORING LANDSCAPE

On our return walk we stopped to talk with neighbor Rick while Lady & Pheebs had a regular dust storm going on with their playful antics. Rick wondered what my topic for a blog would be today so I told him it would probably revolve around this great scenic area we are in. Rick said to be sure & tell people this area is located somewhere north of Phoenix:))

 

LADY & PHEEBS WERE SO TIRED THEY HAD TO FINISH THEIR PLAY TIME LYING DOWN

Another one of the many reasons we love the Southwest so much during the winter is it’s lack of bugs. No mosquitoes, gnats or pesky flies. Temps don’t get sweltering hot trapping us in air conditioning & we have no sweaty uncomfortable humidity. Few active poisonous snakes and no lurking Alligators anywhere. Plenty forest greenery, lakes and streams depending on what area of Arizona you are in. Panoramic 360 views that go on forever allowing one to easily see 50 miles in any one direction from mountain range to mountain range. Sunrises and sunsets will leave you breathless.

No, it’s not a dry desolate desert everywhere here in Arizona as some would have you believe. That’s a myth. If you have a hankering for wide open spaces and a desire to get away from the crowded city urban areas and their affiliated traffic chaos I suggest you get yourself on out here to rural Arizona and kick back for a real nice dose of great weather, great scenery, and acres upon acres of peaceful living:))

  

  

I see some folks using Comcast as their ISP provider are still having problems accessing our site.  We have no idea why this is happening with Comcast but we know they have denied it has anything to do with them……but it does!!

 

We have been aware since leaving home last November the batteries for our solar system have not been holding a charge as well as previous years.  While boondocking lately we have had to run our generator occasionally to boost the batteries.  We may have to head for Slab City sooner than later to have Solar Mike check out our system.  He’s the fellow who installed it back in 07.  Something may be draining our batteries or our batteries have just reached the end of their lifespan.  Likely the latter.  Regardless, it is a problem that has to be dealt with soon if we are going to continue with the peaceful freedom of our restful boondocking lifestyle.  

  

SOMETIMES THE LITTLE MOTORMOUSE NEEDS A LIFT OVER THE BUMPY SPOTS

We are surprised at the lack of RV’s out here at Darby Well this year.  I was certain the usual flood of boondocking Snow Birds would have flooded into the area right after Christmas.  But, nobody here.  Great for us of course but I wonder if it is a direct sign of our economic times. 

With escalating gas prices poised for yet another upward spike I have to seriously wonder how the RVing world is being affected.  One thing for certain though & that is the fact fuel prices will continue their non stop rise.  That is just a reality.  At some point those high fuel prices have, and will affect each and every RV’er in one way or another.  Could it force us to put our Florida idea back on track?  ‘Anything’ is better than having to spend another miserable winter in the North!! 

ALMOST JUNGLE LIKE IN PLACES

 

CAN YOU FIND KELLY IN THE LEFT PHOTO… PHEEBS IS LOOKING FOR HER

Joe & Nancy from the RVING BEACH BUMS are back on the road for another round of adventures. Might want to get aboard early because it sounds like they have a long road trip planned which includes the far reaches of Alaska.

 

Ended up having ourselves another quiet relaxing day.  Kelly had a bunch of Deer Park Lodge stuff to catch up on plus we had a cover letter to compose for my medical info being faxed to Canada.  Finished the day off with a campfire and supper outside.  Nice:))   

OUR FRONT YARD:))    

GROANER’S CORNER:((  An Illinois man left the snow-filled streets of Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel he decided to send his wife a quick email. Unfortunately, when typing her address, he missed one letter, and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher’s wife whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her email, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor in a dead faint.At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen: Dearest Wife,
Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow. P.S. Sure is hot down here.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now  will someday be the memories of
right  now...AL.