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We are back in the desert and I am happy! Not sure what it is about this region; it may be the dryness or it may be the sparse population but whatever it is, I feel so much better out here in southern Arizona! A peaceful, easy feeling!
The to-do list to leave Chattanooga is endless. We find ourselves balancing packing with more work on the rental duplex along with the normal family Christmas rituals.
Sylvester is ready to go! He sits among the items to be packed letting us know we must not forget him!
We leave early Christmas Day. It is unusually hot….79 degrees all the way to Meridian, MS. We stay at a Passport America park, Benchmark RV, for $16 (PA rate).
It’s even hotter the next day to Breaux Bridge, LA with temps in the mid 80’s. It humid, sticky and just miserable! We park at the Walmart to look at camping options and decide on another PA park, Poche’s FishNCamp RV Park, $20.00. We are pleasantly surprised at our site.
This guy is doing some serious fishing just a few feet from our back bumper.
Next stop, another PA park, is Gulf Coast RV Resort in Beaumont, Texas. The PA price is $22.50. We have never ever stayed at a “rv resort”. We are thinking it is called a “resort” because of the free breakfast the next morning! Otherwise it is just a big old parking lot. It begins to rain!
Texas is a big ole state with 880 miles across I-10. Our next night is free parking at the Bourne Visitor Center next to the Walmart.
There’s beautiful old live oaks at the center.
We are behind the blue car!
It is cooling off. We wear our jackets and walk to a lovely Mexican restaurant for dinner. Yum!
Fort Stockton RV Park is the next stop. No discounts but a wonderful little cafe right next to the office.
New Year’s Eve is approaching and I want to be around other RVer’s to bring in 2017. We aim for the Escapee’s park in Deming, Dream Catcher’s RV.
It’s cold, raining and the wind is blowing but there is a party scheduled and everyone is so friendly and welcoming! I walk the park in between rainstorms.
Escapee’s members price, $20 per night. We stay two nights.
(Recording all the places and prices for friends heading west.)
We learn that the next Escapee’s park, a SKP in Benson, AZ, has a one time deal of 7 nights for $50! Normally we are not interested in staying in a rv park for a whole week but the great financial deal plus the forecasted 28 degrees and the thought of exploring a brand new area. It is a good decision!
We have been here one week today. I am sitting here at the table, writing while watching the sun appear over the Dragoon Mountains to the east. I glance up from the keyboard and I am blinded as it crests the mountains.
This week is lovely! This park, the SKP Saguaro Co-op, and its leaseholders are an incredibly warm and friendly bunch of folks. We attend three social hours, one movie (Sully), one party with food, drinks and dancing and an ice cream social. (I think my husband is ready to move in.)
The lots here are huge and many have casitas on them. (They call the little 288 square foot buildings “casitas” which confused us at first.)
The Gambel’s quail are everywhere!
Front yard railroad station.
We take a day trip to Tombstone and walk the old town.
Another daytrip is to the Cochise Stronghold where we take a short nature hike.
The open desert is just behind the park. I hike up past a water tower and photo the Dragoons.
It’s time to get on the road…..in our future is Lost Dutchman SP today, a visit to Scottsdale, the big show in Quartzsite and a flight to San Francisco and that’s just this month!
A personal note:
These past two months have been difficult, emotionally. There was conflict between my blood family and me and conflict with my friends, my world.
My hope for the future is to not be a part of the divisiveness but to focus on what we share…our humanness, kindness, love of nature and each other.
Wishing good things for all in 2017!
