twenty sixteen was not too bad…..

 

Dome Rock boon docking…January 2016

2016 was not too shabby!  A review of last year’s Google photos shows a couple of oldsters having lots of fun!

It is the first year we are able to have two western get aways……two winter months in the desert and a couple of summer months in the Colorado mountains!

We leave Chattanooga later than usual, 1/8/16, due to family medical issues. Six nights later we are at Gilbert Ray campground just outside of Tucson. Then it’s on to Phoenix after a brief stay at Lost Dutchman SP near Apache Junction.

After a visit with David’s family and a trip to Dr. Su, a heart doctor recommended by another blogger, we head to Quartzsite just in time to celebrate the wedding of dear friends.

Then it’s time to race back to Phoenix to get David’s heart arrhythmia fixed. Success!!

Procedure is 1/26/2016.  (Today David’s heart is still beating normally.)

After the procedure we spend a week at his daughter’s home, another week at Santa Fe RV Park in Apache Junction before heading to the fiberglass rally at Dome Rock, Quartzsite.

That’s Dome Rock on the right.

A fraction of the 183 fiberglass trailers attending!

Buckskin Mountain State Park at Parker, AZ  is our next destination….camping next to the Colorado River.

We drove up to see London Bridge at Lake Havasu City.

Buckskin MTN State Park

We think about heading north up into Nevada but it was getting a little warm. Decide to go east and check out Congress, AZ and Escapees North Ranch RV Park. We camp there without hookups for five bucks a night, a privilege of membership.

Our time in the desert is running out….it is getting warmer.  Can’t leave without spending a week at Lost Dutchman SP at Apache Junction, AZ.

Superstition Mountains at Lost Dutchman

Our trip back home is plagued with rain and floods.  West Texas is a totally different experience in the rain. And the flooding is lapping at I-10 as we drive back through Louisiana. 

But we arrive safely at the Green Eggs and Ham fiberglass rally near Montgomery, AL.

 

And more rain.

We are back to Chattanooga on 3/20/2016 after a 72 night trip. Total on camping fees is $730.00….the $30 and $35 a night for 7 nights at Buckskin runs up the average.  We spend 31 nights camping for $0.00 by using BLM land, family, friends and Walmart. Average nightly paid fee for 41 nights is $17.80.

In April we attend the Townsend rally, its first year without a designated rally leader.

Middle Prong Trail near Tremont, GSMNP

In May David complains of chest pain, the ambulance arrives and takes him to the ER. His diagnosis is a “baby” heart attack!  Three days of tests and he is back home.  Six weeks later his diagnosis changes to stress myopathy and several months later the doctors say his heart is back to normal! We are so thankful…..  And now he has some excellent physicians caring for him…..a result of the hospital stay.

In July we get the medical OK for us to go to Colorado, a brand new camping experience for us.  It is a hot and miserable trip across I-40 in 100 degree temperatures! We stay in the cab of the truck with the A/C blasting. I constantly fret over David and Sylvester, the cat, getting too hot.

But the reward is beautiful scenery and cool temperatures!

 

We attend a Rocky Mountain rally in July and the Kansas rally in September, arriving back home mid September.

Boon docking in the Pagosa Springs, CO area.

The Land Between the Lakes rally in October, just northwest of Nashville, Tennessee, is one event we always enjoy.

 

At the LBL rally, our last trip of 2016….

We get home mid October, the tenants in our duplex move out November 1, and it has been all about updating the rental property for the past 6 weeks.

It is a pretty fall but there’s lots of smoke from the numerous wildfires.

It’s finally started raining, actually sleeting for awhile yesterday. 

The repairs on the bath next door just finished this morning and more painting and cleaning are necessary. Hope to be done in a few days ……cause it’s time to pack for Arizona!

Desert sun, here we come!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Sending much love and hopes for peace in 2017!

Last Week in Colorado and an Earthquake in KS!

 

We arrive at Big Meadow campground early Friday morning and secure a site looking over the lake.  It’s still cool, a mist hangs over the mountains.  We are totally enchanted with this new campground.

 

The run off from the lake makes a lovely waterfall.

Part of the “Big Meadow”.

It begins to rain as soon as we start hiking.

It’s real cold that night. I wake up thinking a window must be open.  The next day a camp host informs us that it got down to 32 degrees.

Hmm.  Maybe it’s time to run the furnace? We have never left it on all night. But we have also never spent the night at 9,225 feet!

That next night we sleep warm after adjusting the thermostat to 53 degrees F.

 

Sylvester also enjoys this spot as there are numerous chipmunks darting through camp.

 

Two nights is all we want of the cold weather.  It’s gorgeous when the sun is out, but too cool for comfort every afternoon as the rain approaches.  And it is time to think about the rally in Kansas.  We head east on 160, stopping at a Passport America campground, Woods and River, where we pay $16 for a full hookup. The site is in Del Norte and it’s on the Rio Grande.

Rio Grande at Del Norte

John Martin Reservoir State Park in eastern Colorado is our destination on Monday, just a 200 mile drive.

 

 

We have time to grill turkey sausages and Brussel sprouts…a new combo for us.

After a long drive on small back roads we see civilization again at I-70. A blogger friend’s former home town has a city rv park, Ellis City Lake Park.  Thanks, Emily!

 

 

We sleep soundly after walking to town for pizza.

We are almost to Junction City, Kansas.  We are excited as many of our fiberglass friends are registered to attend the Kansas rally.  We pull into Farnum Creek two days before the Labor Day holiday weekend.  There are 7 big trailers in the camp but no cars.  We are the only ones here!

We know to enjoy the quiet while we can.  This is a favorite camping/fishing spot with the locals.

This area is known for its sunsets.

 

 

Now, the earthquake. 

It is just after 7 am on 9/3/2016. I am barely awake when the Escape’s roof starts receiving hits.  After 4 or 5 loud impacts I wonder if a squirrel is irate and throwing sticks at us. Before I can get out of bed to chase away the furry demon, the trailer starts to shake.  It was over in 10 to 15 seconds and, since our experience of earthquakes is limited, it takes a bit to realize that we have just been through an earthquake!  A 5.6 down in Oklahoma.

But no harm is done.

The holiday weekend ends tomorrow.  All the boats, fifth wheels, tents, dogs, locals and kids will disappear and several dozen little white trailers will replace them.

Living the Dream?

Vallecito Lake

Some of our family and friends have commented that we are “living the dream” and, for the most part, I agree.  But it is being dishonest to not mention some of the un dreamlike parts of the “dream”….like the past three days of rain and cold.  At the moment the sun is shining but the wind is howling and it’s barely 60 degrees.  I am warm, writing while sitting in the truck.  The husband is napping in the Escape…a little distance helps me concentrate.  But rain, cold and overcast skies are not fun.  Ready for some warmth!

Speaking of the husband…a fact I rarely mention is his aging.  I know, we are all aging, but, at almost 79, some days are more challenging than others.  Like two nights ago when he took the trash to the dumpster and became disorientated as to the correct direction back to the trailer.  Luckily he had his phone on and there was coverage.  It was dark and very scary for me when I realized that he was lost.  I see a pair of walky talkies in the future for us.

David’s blood thinner also causes issues when he bumps or scrapes up against objects.  I was not a happy camper earlier in the trip when the sheets were needing daily washing and I was constantly changing bandages.

Hope no one thinks I am complaining.  Gratitude for what we have is practiced every day.  Love that I have a mate who shares my love of the outdoors.  But some days just go smoother than others.

So, backing up a week……

The Chimney Rock ruins is just down the road from our camp.

There’s a $12 fee for the tour and we opted to just take one of the two tours.

The view from the monument is magnificent!

 

Not sure if this was a kiva….but the tour had many structures like this one.

The next day we head east back to the Durango area.  We plan to ride the train and then, just decided not to do it. The less expensive travel option started sounding uncomfortable.

Instead we pick up meds called into the local Wal Mart.  Durango is a metropolis compared with Pagosa Springs…..what a traffic mess!

We choose to stay at Vallecito, a forest service campground with some electric sites.  It is $14.50 a night with electric and the Senior Pass.

The Vallecito Creek runs through the campground.  The electric sites are off from the water but we can hear the creek sing.

 

The creek runs into Vallecito Lake…the largest lake in Colorado at 8,000 feet or higher.

 

 

Vallecito means little valley in Spanish.  Our campground is at the very end of the valley….and under a thunderstorm.

We stay 5 nights.  Love the river, the hiking trail, the canyon walls and the blue spruces!  It feels like we are camping in a Christmas tree stand.

And the campground is almost deserted after the weekenders leave.

 

This catches the blog up to yesterday where we stay at West Fork campground after deciding against crossing Wolf Creek Pass in a thunderstorm.

Today the pass was no big deal with the Tundra pulling the Escape with empty tanks.  Not sure why I was so nervous about it.  It was just 10,000 feet! 

We arrive safely at Big Meadow campground.  Lots of photos but they are all still on the phone.

Hope to get them published before we arrive at the Kansas rally next week.