Trip #99 (30): Volcanic Tour of the Northwest - 7 States

Trip #99 (30): Volcanic Tour of the Northwest - 7 States

June 25 – July 23 , 2018
4900 Miles


Monday, June ...

Trip #98 (29): Santa Fe NM for Heat Wave Week

Santa Fe NM for Heat Wave Week
June 2 – 10, 2018
House Hunting.

Saturday, June 2
After witnessing a rollover accident and a huge semi pileup on I-40, both east of Gallup, we were ready to stop for the night. We chose the smaller casino Eagle xx in Laguna, where oddly enough was an arts and crafts show, battle of the bands concert and the final act of Quiet Riot. Also interestingly, there was a nice grocery store nextdoor to the (basically) parking lot campground, where for $11 you get full hookups. Sounds like a win win. Just don't go in the smoky casino, couldn't breathe.

The search week
Met with the ever patient Ginger on Monday to set up a plan, would be out with her about every other day or more to see what we could see, and drive by others on reconnaissance runs to determine what would stay and what would go. Did lots of shopping up and down Cerillios throughout the trip, revisiting old faves such as Jackalope and more. Didn't get as much New Mexican food this trip as Bill is sticking strickly to his Atkins, tho we did sneak in a Maria's, and he snuck in a margarita. Even went to Ginger and Larry's for dinner on Saturday, that was fun, had a lot of laughs. The weather was very hot during the day, up to about 93, so we didn't do much walking on our own. Only walked as far as Cowgirl for an early dinner -- didn't even walk to the plaza to my horror!

One house we revisited has a special name I won't repeat here, but below is the photo of us leaving it on Sunday morning after a second look.

Leaving Lamy, by G. Clarke

RIP Little Max a week before, May 29, 2018.

Trip #97 (28): Williams AZ with Parents for Grand Canyon Train

May 20 – 22, 2018
Two nights at the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park

Weather cool once we got up there.
Set up camp, took Bob & Vic to Railway Hotel.
Did a spin and walk through Bearizona.
Vic and I walked & shopped all over town
First night went to dinner at Brewery nearby. eh.
Picked a small Mexican place at random for the second night, eh. Had a good time shopping at night at all the junk shops.
Those PIGS had HUGE pies at the cafe on the corner.
Train ride was pretty uneventful but they keep you entertained with funny coach hosts, traveling musicians and a food car. Had a very short time at the canyon, which was made shorter by a terrible waitress at Bright Angel Lodge who forgot to put in our order! So time looking over the overcast rim was a bit rushed.

Trip #96 (27): Forest Lakes AZ with Silver Dreamer

May 3 – 6, 2018
Arizona: Cinco de Mayo @ Forest Lakes 

Thursday, May 3

Rain delayed our departure by a day, so we were able to caravan with Silver Dreamer, meeting at our usual rest stop on I-17. Partly sunny yet cool, arrived to Aspen Campground about 2pm. Spent about an hour checking out area for best tandem spot, finally only changing one, and keeping one. Got set up and took the short walk to the lake and store. Came back and everyone but Deb took a nap. In the tall pines, very quiet and peaceful here on a Thursday (that will change). New fire restrictions start at midnight so last chance for a campfire. A cow elk came strolling thru during the campfire. The Tinder Fire to the NW is still burning; saw some smoke, but hoping Wednesday’s rain slowed it down. Good, cuz I can’t get warm. Sat around a great fire for a few hours before dinner. Met for dinner at their camp, called it an early night, no kibbie.
37 degrees cold tonight

An unexpected happy hour campfire visitor. This would be our last cool night.

And temperatures would rise. Not to mention charcoal fires would no longer be allowed.

The lovely and talented Cosmo, camp security patrol officer.

Friday, May 4
Place is getting busier. Beautiful, cool and sunny so chose to walk around the lake today, being told by shop employee it’s "about 5 miles." We wouldn’t disagree. Very nice walk, ospreys flying overhead, fishermen, families gathering on shore of the small lake. Steep and rocky in spots but as always Cosmo lead the way. Rested before dinner, Jeff grilling chicken tonight, and bringing the game. Lots more kids here on Friday night and it's getting noisier. But we are plenty noisy inside, boys won first game, we took the second. Much cussing.
Low 70s, 47 at night.. breezy still.

Saturday, Mayo de Cinco 5
Warmer every day, so today we rode bikes to the rim for the overlook. Had a nice paved trail, did about 4.75 miles. They hung out while we took the kayak to the VERY busy little Woods Canyon Lake. Warm and breezy, feels like a sunburn day, need to stop at one loop around. So very busy. Came back and began dinner prep for fajita night. Much prepping with chopping for fajitas and guacamole and pico and shrimp. Fleeger's provided the grill, delicious steak, tequila and tortillas - a great group effort! The cow elk came thru again and helped herself to the noisy neighbor's food left out on their table. It was great excitement for the 12 kids and several dads as they followed her up the street taking photos. Best part of the day was when the camp fairies camp by while we were away and set up the table covering, solar lights and grill! One long game of kibbie at dusk and the boys took the series as 2 - 1, but you know, they cheat. And who's counting anyway... 

Sunday, May 6
Warmest day yet and time to head back. Stopped for a hot dog in Strawberry or Pine, can't remember, on the way back. Busy week ahead with parents coming in to Phoenix on Friday. The week is heating up too. Come on Santa Fe, please bring me the perfect house!

Trip #95 (26): AZ&NM: Gila Wilderness, Santa Fe, Rock Art Ranch

April 2 – 15, 2018

Wickenburg • Safford • Campbell's RV, Gila Wilderness • Glenwood Catwalk • Apache Creek (Reserve, NM) Boondocking • Pie Town! • Santa Fe Ranchero RV  • Homol'ovi SP (Winslow). 2 weeks.

Monday, April 2
Wickenburg, drove out to see Vulture Mine, but just a driveway, as it was late in the afternoon. Found some shopping in the old downtown areas, but a pretty quiet place.

Tuesday, April 3
Safford for one night, on the lake, good birding area.

Wednesday, April 4
Skipped Silver City and Robert's Lake for deeper into the mountains for the Gila Hot Springs at the Campbell RV park among the sheep 4 miles from Gila Cliff Dwellings. Toured ruins, last time I saw these was 1975. Nice cool weather, beautiful wilderness. At the site of the hot springs is a working ranch with horses, and tons of goats, and nutty 'kids', jumping off things. But sadly, they are meat goats, awwww, Same for the sheep.

Today's cliff dweller.

Inside looking out

Thursday, April 5
Back toward the visitor center for a hike to some hot springs, but they were very shallow so back to camp where, across the street, were three developed hot spring pools. Bill soaked. I got a Mimbres colter mug at the visitor center. Finally.

Friday, April 6
New territory driving north from Silver City along west side wilderness to Reserve (former location of Scientology youth 'school' back in the 90s) and beyond. Stopped in Glenwood to walk the "Catwalk" built in an old mining area in a canyon, using the old pipeline path. 

Lucked out to find Apache Creek forest service campground, free and boondocking. Nice spot, super windy but managed to get a bike ride in -- had to know what was further on down the road. Well, so glad I wondered, turns out there was a trail leading to petroglyphs on the other side of the rock-capped ridge. very cool discovery. Had we not rode around on bikes, we never would have known -- no signal to research. Actually sat out with a campfire.

Apache Creek. We soon found out that the caprock in the background was full of petryglyphs.

 Saturday, April 7
Drove rather than biked over to interpretive trail not knowing what was up there yet… so excited to see on the trailhead sign that it is a quarter mile of rock art. And guess who didn't have a phone or a camera. Oh well, got to enjoy with no distractions. Long drive, 4 hours to Santa Fe, but first a stop at Pie Town, finally after two other tries -- we never check the dates and times first. Got to meet Kathy, the owner, who was great and has found her calling. Fabulous pie too, chocolate chess for me and chocolate cream for Bill -- with one to go for later. Arrived late in the day at Rancheros RV outside Santa Fe on the east side and stayed in, enough time in the truck for one day.

Pie Town at last!

Bill with owner Kathy Knapp

Sunday, April 8
Starting to drive around and get the lay of the land in Eldorado, check out neighborhoods. While checking out the shopping in Eldorado I chatted up a woman at random who suggested a realtor for us, and so glad she did, that worked out well. But besides that, she moved here from Steamboat Springs, against her wishes (hmm), her retired Army husband is a photographer hobbyist, she weaves, wants to learn how to spin AND they have a 2011 Airstream! Do I have some sort of mystic powers??? Yes, once I get OUT of the vortex! Made it over to the outlet mall, etc. So after that we HAD to have dinner at Maria's. Heavenly.

Monday, April 9
Made contact with the Realtor, Ginger with Barker Realty, who works out of the most interesting Railyard office, an old railroad warehouse. She will take us around tomorrow. yahoo! Had an early big lunch-dinner at Cowgirls for the Mother of all Cheeseburgers, and walked over to the Plaza for some jewelry eyeballing. 

2.5 lbs and $22,000. Should he get it?

Tuesday, April 10
Met Ginger at Eldorado and visited several homes there, none too exciting. Had no idea what a huge place this area is. Schools and everything. Got some shopping in on Cerrillos. Dinner, yes, again at Maria's. This time we ate in the bar again, but out in a table and man was it loud. Just some rude loud talking ladies, sheesh, just turn it down a tad.

Wednesday, April 11
Met Ginger at 9:30 at her office to see several more homes in a wide range of neighborhoods, some duds some interesting, namely 96 Seton Village Road (WAY up on a south-facing mountain with 180 degree view and cool construction), and 7 Capital Peak in Rancho Viejo. Covered the NE and SW areas this time. Had lunch at an Asian restaurant in De Vargas, then back out for some broker open houses. Ginger invited us to dinner so at 6pm we drove to their house off the Santa Fe Trail way up a mountain on Happy Trails Road, which they got to name about 30 years ago. Beautiful custom home her husband Larry designed on an OLD Mac! Delightful evening sharing way too much info.

Thursday, April 12
On our own today, checking more deeply into 7 Capital Peak, problem is, it has an HOA and allows no trailers or outbuildings. Too bad, beautiful place, well built. and yes, too much anyway. Had dinner in Eldorado at La Plancha, pretty darn good, Salvadoran-Mexican. Sadly we must leave tomorrow. It is SO windy out so we stayed an extra day so as not to drive in 50 mph winds.

Friday, the 13th
Left Santa Fe heading into the strong winds, destination either McHood boondocking outside Winslow or Homol'ovi, where there is water and electric. As it turned out the McHood was packed and miserably windy so we made the wise choice of moving to Homo. Stayed inside it was SO windy. This should be the last day of it.

Saturday, April 14

Winslow. Rock Art Ranch today. Called Brantly, the 81 year old owner who answers all the calls, and reserved a few days before and were supposed to be there at 10 am but of course we were 35 minutes late. No big deal, just missed the inside barn tour, where all the POT ARTIFACTS were. Got to see them at least. About 7 cars of people were on the tour, which then consisted of driving way out on the ranch land to a pueblo ruin, kiva, hogan and sweat lodge, then to a VERY UNIQUE flat stone map of the area showing permanent water, then to the canyon of more than 3,000 petroglyphs, all just about 25 miles outside and southeast of Winslow. $35 a person, but you can then return for free as many times as you wish. Apparently many archaeologists have studied this area thru the university and say that the remnants go back to 500 BC, wow, that's way before "anasazi". The Hopi seem to lay claim to the area and still use it for ceremonies, etc. Carbon dating has been done on the petroglyphs as well, claiming it goes way way back. So there must be so many layers upon layers of civilization. Pretty amazing place. PS, the granddaughter who lead the end of the tour, says the black on some of the rocks in the area is from the meteor blast 20 minutes up the road at Meteor Crater. Makes sense. Meanwhile, this is a working ranch, cows are strolling over it all, and the dogs walk over the pueblo ruins as Brantly explains, pretty neat. 

Black and white walking among the black on white.

This is a Kokopelli.

The canyon with more than 3,000 petroglyphs.

Dogs get away with everything in an excavated ruin.

Sunday, April 15
One last drive up to see the ruins of Homol'ovi there in camp, still there are potsherds all over, good to see. Only a two hour drive to Sedona from Winslow, so took time to wash off the truck in Windslow, that ranch ride did a number of it. Dust on everything.

RIP: Art Bell

Trip #94 (25): Arizona Lake Tour

March is our first trip of 2018? Wondering where we've been? Flew to Florida for Christmas, then drove Baja Mexico down to Loreto at the end of January, returning mid February. Finally back into the Nest Egg.

March  5 – 10, 2018

Lake Pleasant • Roosevelt Lake • McDowell

Monday March 5 
Lake Pleasant AZ spot #68 on the hill, west of cave creek’s In n Out... and bed bath and beyond.
Somewhat windy so no kayak but wandered around, visited visitor center, short hike to shore. Calmed down so should have kayaked later, but didn’t.

Tuesday March 6
Windier today so hiked instead. Reservoir was choppy, will keep low 80s temps down for 3.3 mile desert walk. Saw the wild burros, a group of 6 or 7. And they made donkey sounds! Drove around the park and took out kayak for a short paddle. Bill fell in getting out HAHAHAA Good thing it was only a foot deep. I did a beach cleanup, too much trash.

Wednesday March 7
Roosevelt Lake, but first, more groceries, In n Out, fuel...
About a 90 min drive on the beeline hwy, from lake to lake, going thru Jakes Corners, new territory. Parked in the beachside random camping area, someone leaving gave us their prepaid pass for first night, $8 a night, easy kayak launch. Busy place, and sure to get busier on the weekend. Finally kayaked. Nice neighbor with friendly dog.

Thursday March 8
Slept in late. Drove to visitor center to pay for second night. Hung out, kayaked -- Bill sited a BALD EAGLE overhead -- biked on soft sand a bit, kayak a bit more in some good wind. No hookups so fires at night.

Friday March 9
Last stop McDowell in Fountain Hills. Campground full but got 2 nights; mountain bike event here, stopped to see some 5pm action. Tried to bike but slope in campground too much for me, no energy today. Any further meant more uphill - no can do. About 82 degrees and sunny which doesn’t help. Tomorrow to be cloudy, maybe then. Bill’s allergies hit about 4am.
Great cloudy and coolish, well not hot, day and got in some good riding on the easy trail!

Trump steel tariffs; no RIPs

Trip #93 (24): Southern Arizona with Silver Dreamer

December  2 – 10, 2017

Southern Arizona To Bisbee & Tucson with
The Fleegers, Cosmo and Silver Dreamer

Camp Bisbee

Following Silver Dreamer through Benson, AZ

(remembering highlights ... to be expanded later... if I remember...)
One night at Picacho Peak
Bike ride to Ostrich Farm

Bill with his ducks. He likes to speak duck.

Debra and the miniature Sicilian donkeys, I believe they were.

Jeff, the Birdman of Picacho.

Getting some empty bowl attitude from the ostriches.

Just help yourself. This goat has special roaming privileges.

Got in a short hike at Picacho before heading south.

Two nights in Bisbee
Camped above Old Copper Pit
Lots of games of Kill or Be Killed. OK so maybe the guys started winning.

Two nights at Parker Canyon Lake west of Camp Huachuca
Wasted time registering as guests with guns at the fort to save driving 50 miles.
Less than 10 miles from mexican border, picking up their cell signal. Hiked 5.5 miles around lake, with little Cosmo leading the march, and he never tired.
Guys win grand championship, they cheat hahahhahahaaaaa

Cosmo, the Great Hiking Puppy. 6 miles? no problem. Then let's play.

Nest Egg on the road again.

Three nights at Tucson's Catalina State Park
Shopping, dining, 4th Avenue Art Show, fighting at dump station, little bit of hiking and biking

In Tucson, Cosmo knew right where his travel companions were.