WEEK OF 18-22: TOOTLING

This past week we have just been tootling around Quartzsite and we even took a few ATV trails to see how far we could go in our car without putting it into 4-wheel drive.
We started on BLM road 419 and got between the two  mountains, then the dirt road split in so many directions and not knowing which direction to go, we decided it would be best to turn around.  We have been told that there was an old mining camp back there and that you could get to it by the way of 419.  We didn’t bring our trustee GPS system, so we didn’t want to get lost either.
On the way back we found this saying done in quartz stone:

while out tootling, we decided to check out the LTVA at Lapoosa North and decided that one was way too busy for us to ever consider staying.  Some areas even looked like they were almost on top of one another.
Then we checked out Scaddin Wash which is only a 14 day limit, although it was really spread out, and many areas to “hide”, you  can only stay the 14 days before they kick you out and according to BLM rules, you have to move at least 25 miles for 7 days before coming back and you cannot use their dump station or fill with water-not an option at this time for us. 
Anyways, getting back on track again, we are still on the hunt for that old mining camp.  And again we have not found it and taken the wrong road.  Brian was told that we could jump on the Interstate and take the next exit to get to it-the easy way.
We finally did and yes, we finally found the old mining camp.  However, for all those that seem to talk about it, it was disappointing to me.  Yes, it’s built mainly out of stone, but I never expected to find modern appliances.  Here are some pics of the mining camp:

well we finally had enough of tootling around and it was time to think about heading back home again.  Being this is our second year here at Quartzsite, AZ we always laughed at the watering tower in town where you can contact Quartzsite and pay for water, here are some pics:
notice that the “boy” has a longer “nose” than the “girl”?  Only time we ever saw anyone getting water from here was during the RV Show and then they would water down the grounds to help keep the dust down.
Also something new in Quartzsite this year was at every entrance to the town was new Quartzsite signs.  I guess all the money we winter visitors dish out here They finally put the money to some use.  Question is: Was it worth it or a big waste of money?  I guess that is why this town is in constant uproar over their own local government.  Here is a pic: 

Now that the car is all dirty and dusty, both inside and out, it’s time to stop tootling around and head back home.

WEEK OF: 02/12–02/18=AMAZING

It’s been an amazing week for us.  One of the best I think we could have asked for since arriving out here in Quartzsite.With it being valentines and all, we did really nothing spectacular. Went into Parker for groceries and we choose Pizza Hut for our lunch out.

I guess I’m the romantic person and Brian isn’t.  so I have given up hopes on anything surprising, but I still love the man that he is-so won’t ask for anymore than that. Although he did try to buy me a single rose, I politely decline for two reason.  One my allergies have been horrible this winter and I no longer own any vases to put it in.  So I gave him a kiss said thank you, but all I need was your love, and I know that I have it.

On Wednesday we had to get taxes done and I also received a call from Amazon.com in Fernley and had a phone interview this past week as well.  Since I had worked both in Colorado and in Kansas I had to fill out two non-residents forms for state taxes and not sure on how to go about it, we went to the Quartzsite Senior Center where two days a week they will help you do your taxes.  In the past we had to rely on places like H&R Block, but this years taxes were different.  Instead of having to file hundreds of paper work to the federal government for being self-employed, and then giving the government loads of money, not to mention H&R Block.  Nope, this year was nice, simple tax forms and for once in over 10 years, the government finally owed me money back!  Enough to start an emergency maintenance fund for our car and motorhome.

We got to the Senior center early morning and knew we might have to wait a bit in line. Sure enough there was already 3 cars sitting outside waiting. After us came along several others and two got gutsy enough to get out and stand in the cold-trying beat all of us that was there before hand. Oh well, we all got in and served in a timely manner.  The folks that at the center that helped us along were amazing and we really appreciated their kindness and  help.

Now the rush to get home before my phone interview with Amazon.  almost made it when the phone rang.  So I pulled over (I was on BLM Land and easy to pull over), took the phone call and 15 minutes later, I was officially hired for the Fernley Fulfillment Center! 

I’m really excited as well as Brian about going to Fernley this year.  We know that it can get a bit colder, specially at night, but it appears that have loads of sunshine and they do warm up a bit in the daytime. 
We will only be minutes from Reno, Taos and lots of areas for hiking and walking, along with our new adventure, this too will be exciting.   I don’t know my exact start date yet, that will come at a later date.  All I know it will be sometime in Oct and work thru Dec.

The weather here out in the desert this week has been mainly sunny-as usual.  However on Wednesday night we did get a passing shower that settled the dust for at least a day.  One thing is for sure; like everywhere else we go, it appears the weatherman cannot predict wind speeds.  According to the weather channel on our cell phone, we should be only getting winds between 10-15mph.  Well, they need to come out here and check the speed, for it’s been way higher and now twice we have had to rush in putting up the awning.

Also this week I have been taking advantage of the solar power and been working on photos on the computer.  I had scanned all of our photo albums several years back and now I’m slowly working on those pictures.  Many are older black and white of Brian’s family and need to be tweaked with my photo-shop element that I enjoy using.  It takes out scratches and blemishes, along with other touch-ups.
Here are some examples of before and after:

Brian with a patch over his eye



Brian’s one sister and his dad

As I’m busy doing that, Brian enjoys laying out catching the sun rays.  He gets a little upset with me at times, for I remind him to put on some sun screen.  Of course, Leah also loves being out doors, she constantly scans the area for any moving lizards-and they all seem to just stay out of her reach.

Well I hope as Feb. comes nearer to the end, that the temps keep going to warmer and that this next week is just as amazing as this past one was.

SUMMERTIME PLANS-2012

Wow before long we will once again be hitting the road.  However this year will be way different than any other summers for us.  You see, ever since hitting the road back in 2000, we have worked every summer. 

Our first summer was at a private park in Ortonville, MN and there after working for varies Corp Of Engineers as gate attendants, ending last year working for Colorado State Park near Grand Junction.

Last summer we had not planned on working, but due to turn of events-a short term stay turned out being a summer time job.  This following summer we are determine to finally NOT work and spend time doing some traveling.

So where will our destinations lead us?  One of our Corp contracts was out of New Mexico between Albuquerque and Santa Fe and we so loved the land.  We took short quick trips on our two days off and always said we would love to go back and enjoy it more.  So that is our plan-to enjoy Northern New Mexico.

Plans are to leave the Quartzsite area around the 1st of April.  Depending all on weather, will determine our first destination stop in NM.  It maybe either Navaho Lake, or Blue Water State Park, or if either of those don’t work then we may hit Villanueva State Park.  But like I said-if weather is still too chilly in any of those parks, then we will have no choice but to hold back a few weeks and then we will go to Mohave Lake (Katharine's Landing on the AZ side) during that time.

Since we license out of New Mexico we can purchase a one year camping pass to any of New Mexico’s State Parks.  The normal fee is $180.00 (in resident), however with Brian being legally blind, we can get that pass for only $100.00.  Which means we can stay at any State Parks at no other cost to us.  Now if we decide that we should need electric, then we only have to pay $4.00 a day; but we choose no electric we pay nothing.  And the best part is we can stay up to 21 days at any one park, and most have hot showers!

So now comes the planning part.  We use all of our resources that we have to us.  One being the old fashion way-the Road Atlas Maps.  We have purchased another book which has proven to be a life saver to us already and that is: Mountain Directory West For Truckers & RV’ers.  Then we go to more modern day technology and we use the Internet and research New Mexico’s State Parks and which ones we want to visit. 

 

Now it’s time to put some kind of itinerary plan into affect.  So that we know an estimate mileage, we use Streets & Trips software and, we have purchased the DeLorme North American Topo software to help us know the terrain we will be in.

 

By the time we leave Quartzsite and end our tour in Fernley NV in Oct we will have nearly 2500-3000 miles on the motorhome.  Then we will use the car for all of our side trips and day adventures.

Now will all that said, in the next month, those that follow my blog, you will see a slight change to the blog.  It will be done more in a journal format of our day to day adventure.    Due to the areas that we will be going in, it maybe weeks before I can get anything publish, but when I do, there will be several published at once.  Most times we won’t have Internet or cell phone connections in the areas we are planning on going.

To give you an idea of some of the areas we plan on visiting are: Jemez Falls, Taos & the Red River Area; along with some of the National Forest in Northern New Mexico.  We have friends that work for Land & Leisure in Southern Colorado, bordering NM and we might pop in for a few days to say Hello.  The state parks that we will be staying at are: Navaho, Heron & El Verde, Coyote Creek, Cimarron just to name a few.

Brian and I are very excited about not working this summer and finally adventuring our great country and can’t wait to see what is up ahead.

MICROWAVE & OVEN-WHO NEEDS THEM?

When we purchased our 2008 Winnebago Aspect back in 2009, it came with a convectional microwave oven.  I used it here and there; but I also feared it at the same time-never using a convection oven before.
Brian used the microwave often to warm up my coffee in the morning or warm up vegetable and leftovers.  I tried my best to be creative with the convection oven and every time I did all turned out dried or burnt.  I’m mainly used to gas and/or propane ovens.  I feel you can regulated them much easier.
We knew when we purchased our motorhome, that we would be spending better than most of the year boondocking.  therefore for us to use the microwave or the convection oven, we would have to power the generator.
At my last attempt to do a small turkey breast in the convection oven and it turning out dryer than the desert floor that we sit on now-I finally told Brian why keep something that is hardly going to be used and that if we got rid of that oven/microwave, we could utilized the space for more storage.
Coming upon a camper and a good friend that was in need of a new microwave for their motorhome-we sold them our nice little unit for them cheap. 
Now comes a time when we could use an oven-but now not owning one-we had a dilemma-but only for a short time.  We purchased a coleman folding oven.  Now the question comes along:  How well do they work?
Well, going on two years with it-it still does the job!  Only thing we wish is that they made one for two burners instead of the one burner.  It’s small and no, we can’t cook a turkey in it, but it does great for baking 1/2 of a cake mix, cutting pizza’s in half and baking, biscuits and for many other dishes that our 9x9 square pan fits nicely into.
Here is what our oven looks like on our stove
Brian putting in 1/2 of a pizza
Fits perfect-now to let it get up to temp.

may have to adjust the flame to not to burn the pizza
While we eat part of the pizza-we will cook the 2nd half…

mmmm good
There are several notches that you can move the grate on; we mainly use the middle one.  But for cakes we use the top one-so not to burn the bottom of the cake.

What’s really nice about this camp oven is the fact that it folds down when we are completely done!

You say: What about the microwave?  Phooey! Who needs one?  If I can’t drink my coffee while it’s still hot-then I drink it cold.  If we need something warmed up-put it in a pan and warm it the old fashion way!  Oh there has been a few occasions where Brian says he misses the use of a microwave-but he soon gets over it!
We have thought about a solar oven for our kind of lifestyle-but for now we are very happy with our camper oven and will continue to use it until it needs replaced with another one. 

STILL FREE?

n these times it’s hard to find anything FREE anymore. But come to Quartzsite AZ in the winter time and you may get a chance for a free meal! Yep, I said, Free!

La Mesa RV sets up each year, on their corner fenced in lot that they purchased several years back. The area holds a building that once appeared to be some sort of a western type bar and grille and plenty of outside room to hold lots of Motorhomes, 5th wheels, toy haulers and travel trailers. They even have an area where they can prep what you have just purchased. There is still yet another area that sells used items that may have come from other coaches and such. You just never know what you might find under their tent.

To help draw customers to their RV lot and sales, they advertise free pancakes on two sides of their fence. Come 8:00am until 10:00am the doors are open to us greedy hungry folks. It’s almost a given that you will have to stand in line to wait your turn to be served two fresh hot pancakes. You also get hot coffee, orange juice and/or apple juice.

Last year we went in just a few times for their pancakes and always found them tasty. This year we got a little bolder and went in a few more times and was even surprised by one Saturday morning with Biscuit and Gravy.

But it’s almost a secret that they don’t advertise, but seems all those that come down for the winter months have caught on; between 12:00pm-2:00pm they serve a free lunch as well.

we even tried their lunches. We have had hot dogs with mac & cheese, 1/2 BBQ with pork n’ beans, bean soup with corn bread, spaghetti with lettuce salad and on their last day of serving this year we had pull apart BBQ pork with pork n’ beans and a desert cake. They have also been known to make meatloaf or have just hamburgers. On a few occasions they even had live entertainment during the lunch time.

Upon your first visit, you do have to sign in, and yes, by giving your address and such, then you are given a name tag that you must wear upon entering the building. During lunch time, as you enter, you are given a ticket and then you put the ticket in a bucket once you get your meal. I think the reason they do this, is to keep it down those that will try to go for seconds. During peak they even posted a sign that tells you not to ask for seconds.

They generally start their breakfast sometime in Dec, but are always closed on Holidays and Sundays. They usually go until sometime in late Feb or early Mar, but sells were down greatly for them this year (or so as the rumor is told to us), and have done their last free meal for this season early.

I commend those loyal to La Mesa RV for their hard work in prepping and cooking such great pancakes, Biscuits & Gravy and all the wonderful lunches that we have enjoyed. It’s funny on each visit we did make, we always saw the very same folks. Wonder if they made it a daily thing or just pure coincidence that they were there the same days we were….

There last week, they also had an ice cream social. You had to get your tickets in advance. We had other plans and could not make it, but upon coming back into town and at quick glance, I guess I’m almost glad that we didn’t get tickets. I bet the line was at least a quarter of a mile long!

As times do get tougher- we wonder if La Mesa RV will continue with their ritual each year here or if they will make changes.