Gathering, Playing, Exploring

 April 12 - 17, 2023

Anthem, Arizona; Laughlin, Nevada; Cameron, Arizona

An uneventful driving day to just north of Phoenix is a nice start to our travels. We're back at Pioneer RV Park for a single night. A quick meal in town and then just a relaxing evening in our favorite home. Thursday's drive continuing north is beautiful with all the wildflowers still putting on an amazing show. I don't take many pics. We're listening to an Audible book which always makes the drive go by quicker.

The pass between Kingman and Laughlin is beautiful. Minus the bug smishes. 

We're greeted by a large brush fire upon arrival in Laughlin. Turns out it's on the opposite of the river and is much smaller than it was an hour ago. They have it controlled not long after.

Our eighth time at the Riverside Casino RV Park, this year we're also one of eight rigs in our party. There's nothing formal planned for the reunion this year so everyone staying at the hotel also comes up each evening to make this the locale for the gathering.

This space is empty for our stay so we maintain a nice view of the strip and the river valley.

We all end up between our rig and Donnie and Anna's next door. Nice big sites!

Fluffy party girl

Bill at the golf tournament with his doppleganger Kenny.

Bill and a bevy.

Jodee and Stacy, friends for 50+ years.

My pal Maggie and I planned a couple day trips to give us some fun girl time over the weekend. The weather is lovely with no wind on Friday and Saturday. With all the "others" playing at the casinos we see very few people during our exploring. 

Laughlin is the only place I've seen multiple labyrinths - each a different pattern and so well done.

The precision detail is wonderful.

Maggie's choice for today's walking meditation.

I choose the square.

Nearby Christmas Tree Pass is a lovely dirt drive through the mountain, and on Saturday through wonderful wildflowers. We take our time solving all the world's problems and getting caught up. 

We stop to decorate a small tree at the top of the pass.

Not as well constructed as the one in Borrego Springs, but we find a mud oven at one of the boondocking sites.

My beautiful buddy Maggie.

Our first flowers - their vivid color pops along the road.

So much to see when we slow down. Love seeing healthy barrel cactus on the hills.

Large yucca blooms.

Happy ghost complete with a dimple!

So many buds!

The one place we did see a crowd was the trailhead at Grapevine Canyon to see the pictographs so we passed on by. It's on our list for next year - we'll get an earlier start :-) 

We continue to count our blessings that we've remained connected to so many classmates and teachers from our high school. This was the 14th reunion Bill and I have been to as a couple - hard to believe!! Even without anything formal planned, we managed to see everyone. Our RV group fed them all each evening.

Monday morning I make an early grocery pickup, and we're packed up and on the road before 9:00. It's our longest driving day on this year's route, but the weather is nice and we continue to enjoy our Audible book. I can't believe how bad I-40 has gotten in Arizona! I thought the rig was going to break in half more than once :-( 

Through the pines near Flagstaff.

Cameron Trading Post RV Park is a simple stop with 30 amp FHU, first-come-first-serve dirt sites. It's our fourth attempt to see Desert View at the Grand Canyon. The trading post also has tasty Navajo Tacos which we enjoy upon arrival! 

Looking forward to a day at the canyon.

Screen shot from a great video of Ezra with a convincing Jack Sparrow at their local Ren Faire.

Elliott meeting little flowers.

Penelope ready for Daddy's birthday.

Oliver in his Easter duds.

Catching Our Breath and Catching Up

 March 24 - April 11, 2023

Tombstone, Arizona

Being back at the Tombstone property is such a relief after our fiasco-filled trip to SoCal that I thought I'd never want to leave :-)) Of course after a couple days we have a mobile tech scheduled for the electrical on the rig and we're making plans for a modified spring/summer route. Just needed the time and space to take some deep breaths. No longer dealing with any crises in the pouring rain helps a lot.

Deep breaths aside, I'm still not ready to venture out for six months and thousands of miles away. Bill's doctors have given him the green light for travel with a few "pay attention" directives. My final procedure had negative results like all the others so I'm good to go. 

We'll head north into Utah then west through Oregon and back to the south. Four months instead of six and places we've been before - and really like a lot. We're looking forward to it. After we're back for a bit we'll likely plan some Fall travels. 

Although it seems like the entirety of our time the last couple weeks has been medical appointments I have done a few fun things in between.

Jeff got two tickets from the Sierra Vista Library to take us to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. After more cold and windy days, we picked a perfect day for our visit. He and his brother and my mother went there in the early '90's, and we both have a couple fun memories from that time. Mostly about the screaming Mountain Lion playing with a rubber ball all around her habitat. We watched for a long time. 

I forgot that it was probably Spring Break nearby so I'm surprised at the number of families on this Monday morning. Although the parking lot is pretty full, we only share space with several people a couple times throughout the grounds. 

It's a bright, sunny day with a light breeze. Great weather for us, but the animals are mostly staying hidden. We see a few critters, and enjoy the beautiful wildflowers throughout. The long views are especially pretty from up on the hill.

These cute bronze Javelinas greet us at the entrance - and make me laugh when I see the "bank" slots in their backs!

Big views.

A healthy Mexican Wolf watches us watch her.

I kept picking out favorites in the gem and mineral exhibit and every one was Wulfenite :-)

I've never seen Malachite in this form.

Love Desert Tortoises!

Wall-size evolution.

The wildflowers are glorious.

Several pieces by an African artist provide fun hardscapes throughout.

A couple unique bearded cactus.

While we've been fortunate to see several Crested Saguaros, I'm glad the museum has one here for others to see.

This huge Chuckwalla is outside the habitats on top of a very large outcropping. He looks iron-plated in the sun.

The Rock Life exhibit shows reptiles and bugs behind plexiglass panels embedded in the sides of an arroyo.

The all-natural sleep space of the Lynx.

We both love these Boojum Trees - very fun!

Interesting Totem Pole cactus dance among the barrels and flowers.

We immediately recognize the habit of the Mountain Lion from our long ago visit. They're no where to be seen.

But the ball is!! 

We make a 90 minute drive to the west side of Tucson for a ten minute Dr appointment that I've waited three months for. They schedule a procedure for the following week (based just on questions that could have been answered on the phone). Bill has an appointment on the same day so Jeff brings me back. 

I get one last craft group gathering, and am hoping we continue next season - it's always fun. Tessa gets a bath and blood tests. Bill plays more Cribbage. Jeff and I go see Dungeons and Dragons at the theatre - SO good, I haven't laughed like that in a long time! We get a final tasty meal and visit with pals Rebecca and Michael. The motorhome windshield chip gets fixed.  We load up.

And then it's time to get back on the road. How the heck did April arrive already?! We're off to my 50th high school reunion - again, how the heck???

I'll end with pics of a few of the grands.......

Little M is too cool :-)

Ezra and Elliott hangin' with Easter buddies.

Reese rockin' Spring.

Beautiful Henry.