Traveling with Trailers

"Very often a change of self is needed more than a change of scene."

It’s about time the sun is back to shining.  Over the last few days clouds and rain have covered the Arizona deserts.  We didn’t like it one bit.  Most of us travel south to get away from those exact things.  Some also run from the snow.  We don’t like that either.  We lived in the south for 20 years.  We certainly don’t want to spend our winter in the rain, the snow or even the ice.

Our first year was spent in a 5th wheel going back and forth between Arizona and Texas.  We mainly stayed at Thousand Trail parks  and also at COE (Corp of Engineer) parks. What we were doing and where we were going was new and exciting.  At that time we had a big contractor’s generator and definitely were not equipped for boondocking.  Heck!  We didn’t even know what that meant.

The next year we ventured to Alabama and Florida.  I think this year was the most fun for me because of all the new places we had stopped.  We have never started out trying to go to all 50 states like others do.  We’d already visited each and everyone of them.  We just wanted to go and enjoy and that we really did.  There were so many new experiences.

 

Eventually we had a brainstorm. We decided we wanted a couple ATVs.  It would be so much fun to ride them in the desert and on the trails.  That’s what we did and it was so much fun to ride them.  We rode them constantly in Arizona and Utah but they definitely limited our travel.  However, what we also discovered is that our summer place in Washington State was not ATV friendly.  Other than a couple rides the toys stayed pretty much on the trailer all summer long. Not fun.  So, what did we do?

We had another brainstorm.  We sold them, hauled the trailer south with us and bought a 2-seater RZR.  We were off to the BLM and more short-lived fun, fun, fun.  However, there is a huge downside on all this fun.  One of those downsides is we’re always hauling a trailer.  We can’t always get into every park we might like to stay at because there is no room for the trailer. 

We’re fueling up two vehicles instead of one.  Besides that we’ve only used the RZR a little less than 2 weeks because we are not in a park where we can ride it nor have we been most of the time.  Now we do know that we will probably have a good 4 weeks of using the RZR when we head back to Quartzsite.  We also know that once spring and summer come, there will be no riding at all.  There are lots of things to think about.

Here’s one more thing we’ve discussed …… leaving our motorhome in Arizona and not driving it back to Washington.  After all, we do have a place to stay there.  Do we really need to drive it back when we rarely use it there?  Do we really need to be in Washington from April to October?  Well, we'd certainly get a tongue lashing from Sabrina if we didn't.  Our daughter-in-law might be small but she sure is mighty!  Even we're afraid to cross her!  (That's a joke). 

Obviously, we have a dilemma.  We may just enjoy this toy this year and graduate into another toy that doesn’t require a trailer next year.  Kayaks anyone?  Only time will tell.  Thank goodness we don’t have to make a decision today.  Today?  We're packing for our Christmas adventure.

‘Tis life on the road.

Gold Mines on the BLM

"Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold - but so does a hard-boiled egg."

 

After our little outing from the day before where we discovered the rock cabin perched on one of the hills above La Posa Tyson Wash, we figured Wednesday would be a good day to visit the gold mines.  We had high hopes of finding lots of treasure ….. NOT!





What we had high hopes of was just having a wonderful ride in the desert on a near perfect day.  Now that is what we had.  Finding the mines was just an extra treat.



We also discovered that covering some of the back trails in ATVs, UTVs, Jeeps and even pickups is something other folks do too.  What fun!

The three gold mines we visited are several miles behind the BLM boundary.  It’s a beautiful ride through the desert.  The many trails wrap around the mountains with lots of cactus in the background.  It’s exactly what one expects Arizona to look like.

Gold Mines …. I wonder when the gold really stopped flowing.  There didn't appear to be any left for us.  Besides ..... no way was I going down in those mines ... no way whatsoever!

 

Our last evening in the BLM until January was spent sharing a campfire with our neighbors, Toni and Doug.

The next day we were heading east.  The “Jag” was loaded on the trailer and ready to go  We’ll be back though! 

My little GoPro Camera was mounted on the front bar. The result …. more pictures.

Gold miners guarding their mine ? No worry from us!

Arriving at mines on the right.

We wanted to say "See Ya" to Barbara but she wasn't out and about so .... Barbara, See ya!

‘Tis life on the road

A Treasure at the BLM

"Dream as if you'll live forever.  Live as if you'll die today."

There are many kinds of treasures.  Sometimes we think of treasures like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow or trunks of pirate’s gold in a sunken ship.  Other times it might be the friendship of a very special person or the spouse of a child.  Treasures come in all forms.  This treasure was something we didn’t expect to see right on the BLM.  In other words, we found something other than dirt and sand or rocks and cactus.  We found an old rock cabin.  It’s not hidden.  It’s out in the open and I’m sure many others have seen it.   It was in an area that we had not visited before.  Anything out of the ordinary and unexpected we think of as a new found treasure.

The LTVA was established as a place for campers to spend the winter.  The year?  1983 !

Our ride into the desert on Tuesday started out heading east on one of the many sandy riverbeds.  However, it wasn’t long before we got a tad bored with that and turned around.  Bored?  Well, it was a been there, done that thing.  We decided we were going to go someplace we hadn’t been.  We were going to do a little exploring.  There are four different and separate LTVA camping areas south of Quartzsite right off Highway 95 and within about 4 miles of town.  We were going to check all four out.

We started on a trail from La Posa South.  The trail definitely was not due north.  It went a little east, a lot west and even more north.  Eventually we ended up at La Posa North which is a camping area  just south of Rice Ranch at Quartzsite.  Even though there were quite a few campers set up for the winter, there were many more great places to settle in.  Some were already rocked off thanks to the occupants from last year. 

Next stop was La Posa West.  It was just across highway 95.  In January this place is packed with RVs since it backs the location of the Big Tent.  Campers here don’t have to fight long lines of traffic trying to get into the main attraction.  It’s just a short walk to all the entertainment and shopping .

Cabins in the BLM?

We were surprised to see that La Posa West and La Posa Tyson Wash were connected.  We did not know that the Old Yuma Road ran from one to the other.  It does!  The roads and trails within these two parks wind through many great camping areas.  No wonder these parks are full. 

 

The trails also head up into the local hills and that’s where we went.  We discovered the little cabin that at one time belong to someone.  It was half there.   There were several rooms separated by rock walls, a well used fireplace and even cut-outs for windows.  At one time many years ago someone actually spent some time here.    It was a fun find and to us a little treasure.  However, we weren’t the only ones out on the trails exploring the area and the cabin.

We worked our way around the trails and back across the road to La Posa South.  What a nice ride.  I want to do it again but Wednesday is reserved for another part of the desert.  We’re going to visit the gold mines.  We’re thinking that we’re really going to find gold!!

Terry’s been working on a little stagecoach light.  It’s been glued, had putty put in the right places and sanded.

Bet you’ve never seen one of these.  Well, maybe I should say I hope you’ve never seen one of these.  This used to be the adapter that was plugged into our Honda 2000 generator.  We’ve used this plug for a couple years … never a problem.  Never a problem that is until a few days ago.  One prong melted away along with the plug when it came partially loose.  Another repair.  We’re getting used to these repairs and doing repairs isn't a fun thing to get used to.  

‘Tis life on the road.

Arriving at “Q” :~( More Problems

 

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

 

“Q” is definitely a very well known place in the world of RVers.  After all, thousands and thousands converge on this small town in January.  At that time RV parks are overflowing at the seams and deserts fill up with every type of camper and RV.  “Q” is definitely the place to be then.  However, it is not a place to be during the summer when temperatures can soar about 110.  As fall arrives so do desert dwellers start arriving in small streams.

Actually “Q” is quite empty right now.  The parks have a splattering of folks and rigs but not too many.  There are lots of prime spots still available in the BLM but folks have started going in and homesteading for the winter.  Every type and kind of RV and camping gear and be found in this area over the next five or six months.  It’s a mecca of the RV world.  Folks congregate, have campfires, join music jams and just enjoy life.  Obviously most folks are retired.  They’ve worked most their life.  They have a few short years to enjoy a nomad lifestyle while they can and that's what they want to do.  They all know the time will come that this will no longer be possible for them.  Age tends to creep up.

 Barbara & Denise – in the wide open spaces.

We pulled out of Parker not really knowing where we would be heading that day.  Would it be “Q” or would it be the Phoenix area?  It ended up being “Q”.  It was a short day … about 30 miles.   Daily rates definitely aren’t cheap but monthly rates at these parks can be a bargain.  Many can be found right around $200 a month …. well, that is except for January and February when all festivities start and the Big Tent goes up.  The rates take a steep hike for those couple of months. 

Friday morning we still weren’t sure what we were going to do.  We knew we wanted to visit Barbara and Katie (Me and My Dog) and Denise (Sassy’s on ‘Da Road).  They had arrived at “Q” and already picked their ideal location.  Driving down the road into the LTVA we felt like we had arrived.  Thus, we decided to move and spend a few days at the BLM.  After all, we had great people to visit and trails and trails to ride on.  We were thinking things were looking up.  Wrong!

Ever feel like Job?  Most of you I am sure know who Job was.  Job was hit with one problem after another.  We feel like Job.  Now we’re wondering when it’s going to stop.  No sooner had we arrived, got set up and then discovered our six house batteries may have a full charge on them but they are not supplying any power to the coach – None!  Zippo!  Zilch! 

Barbara, Denise, Terry

No power is different than little power.  With no power the water pump doesn’t work, the on board generator doesn’t start and even the refrigerator doesn’t run on LP.  Thank goodness we also brought along our little Honda 2000.  We ran it until about 10:00 last night keeping the refrigerator door shut and then started in at 7:00 this morning.  Items in the freezer remained frozen and in the refrigerator they were still quite cold.  We are hoping to have a repair person out this morning.  Barbara used him in the past.  Denise had planned on calling for an issue she had so the phone number was handy.

We hesitated about moving into the desert in the first place. The reason was because of lack of air conditioning during the middle of the very warm days.  However, we did discover that the wonderful breezes through the open windows have done more to cool down the inside of the motorhome than the air conditioner did.  We like it here but obviously would like it better if everything was working as it should.  It’ll certainly be interesting to see how today goes and if “Bob” gets us all fixed up.  Our fingers are crossed as well as our toes.

Remember the little Verizon phone I mentioned we added to our list of gadgets?  Well, it was definitely a deal.  The phone was picked up at Wal-Mart.  The price of the phone itself was $14.98 but it included $10 worth of air time bringing the cost of the actual phone down to $4.98.  When we set up the phone we were given an option of plans.  This phone was just to be used as a temporary phone when we were in areas without a signal for our AT&T phones.  We wouldn’t be using it every day and actually we were hoping the need for it would be less than more. Verizon has a option where you can pay only for the days you use it.  That was the plan that would work best for us and at $1.99 per day was the cheapest option.  We think it was definitely a deal.

------

So, this is Bob.  We think he knows what’s wrong.  We’re hoping this is the end of our problems.  That’s what we’re hoping.

And, now it seems all we know is that stupid tire we blew took a lot of things with it.  The ,transfer switch has now been replaced along with the main battery cut-off and we still have no 12 volt to the coach.  None, zero, zilch.

After nearly all day and replacing lots of wires and expensive gadgets, guess what they found ... a bad fuse.  We now have 12 volt to the coach.  Terry's talking to "Bob" while I update this blog.  The bill is next.  I don't want to see it.

'Tis an expensive life on the road.

Nuthin’ Works As Planned

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.

Remember these?  I posted these little maps just a short time ago.

Well …. this is what they look like now.

Sometimes decisions aren’t always ours to make.  Sometimes we make decisions based on others.  Such is the case. This last week Terry has been in Arizona with his family.  The jello is still shaking and the itinerary is definitely written in chalk.      However, this year is definitely not the year he feels we should be venturing across country.  Besides …. have you been watching the fuel prices?  Maybe it's a good decision not to travel too far anyway.

Friday night Justin arrived.  Uncle Sam allowed him to come home on leave for a week and we're thrilled to see him.  Of course, "Papa" isn't thrilled he isn't here to spend time with him.

 

 This first picture of Justin and Sabrina would have been a good one if I'd taken the time to make sure it was in focus before I took it on my iPhone.  I figured if I made it small, it wouldn't be so obvious.  It probably would have had to have been much, much smaller.    Here it is anyway.

Mom and Son

Waiting for the limo (Dad) at PDX.

That’s all, Folks!

‘Tis life on the road.

Oregon Dunes

Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.

Heading to the coast on Sunday sure felt good.  Even though we had some issues getting out of Portland with the bike marathon going on, it was great to be heading someplace … anyplace different.  We’ve been to the Oregon coast many times.  However, over the last couple years we’ve mainly stayed from Tillamook north.

Our trip this time was just an exploratory trip. It gave us something different to do, other places to check out and a little time to look at places we might like to go. Besides Lee was babysitting Duchess. It won’t be long and a babysitter won’t be available.

We had been wanting to visit the Oregon Dunes and that was the plan. However, we couldn’t go through Tillamook without stopping at the Tillamook Cheese Factory.  We have visited this place numerous times in the past and have never seen it this packed. After standing in line for one ice cream cone, we were out of there as fast as we could be.

Just south of Tillamook is the Air Museum. This is a great museum and if you haven’t made the stop to check it out, you’re really missing something. We did this last year with our friends, Jerry and Janice. 

Just a short hop farther down HWY 101 was our exit to Sand Lake. We had heard about this place and we wanted to go. It’s supposed to be one of many ATV hotspots on the Oregon Coast. Our mission was to check it out as well cell signal. Well, the cell signal flunked but everything else about it we really liked. Most importantly we liked the fact that the senior pass was good in the campground and you could ride straight from the park to the dunes.

  

The weather was gorgeous for the drive.  On the north end of our drive there were very few clouds.  The clouds and fog started rolling in the farther south we got.  However, it was spotty.  It was still a nice day regardless of the fog.

Leaving Sand Lake and heading south we followed the coastline for just a short distance until we came to Cape Kiwanda.  Cars could drive and park on the beach.  We loved it.  We couldn’t tell if the clouds were coming in or going out but there wasn’t much cover so we thought it was going.   This looked just about like the most perfect spot with great cell and even a full hookup RV park across from the beach.  The downside?  Price.   This marvelous little park is available at just about $1K a month during the summer.  Hmmmm.    Now if you could ride your ATVs from the RV park to the beach, that might even have been a bigger plus.

Off we went south …. through Lincoln City.  I like Lincoln City but I don’t like Lincoln City.  It’s a busy little beachie town with lots of traffic.  The town is also very long and seems to go on forever taking forever to get through it.  We were happy to finally get on the south side.of the city and to the little town of Depoe Bay.

Depoe Bay boasts as having the smallest Harbor in the world.  It probably does.  It’s a cute little town.  I’ve always liked it just as much as everyone else does.  The fog was sitting over the water, every parking spot was full and the sidewalks were crowded with vacationers.  It was down the road for us.

ATV trail to the beach and dunes.

Newport was the next good sized little coastal town we went through.  It’s big enough because it even has a Wal-mart.  It also has a huge RV park right next to the marina. 

We used to camp when our kids were younger at the Whaler’s Rest Thousand Trails park which is just South of Newport.  It was just an independent park and not part of any membership when we first started going. Then, Leisure Time bought it. Now it’s Thousand Trails. So, been there done that but we still wanted to drive through the park and see the changes.  It was packed with families and kids.  Family camping trips are just about the best thing parents can do with their kids.  We did it with ours ….. but that doesn’t mean I want to be in RV parks when other parents are doing it with theirs.

Florence is known as the northern gateway to the Oregon Dunes.     One place we stopped would teach you how to sandboard.  I had never heard of sandboard.  It’s the same thing as snowboard but on sand!!  It was interesting but we weren’t thinking it would be for us.

There were several campgrounds at the base of the dunes. It would be a fantastic place to spend a few nights.  ATV trails led from the campgrounds to dunes.  There were also several paths to the beach.  The path I chose looked like it was almost straight uphill.  Walking with  your shoes or sandals on up the path to the beach was next to impossible.  There was no choice.  You had to take off your shoes.  What a workout.  I tried to get some teenagers to pull me up.  They thought I was teasing.  We both know I wasn’t. 

The reward on the other side of that hill was the beach!

Next stop … Reedsport.  We were ready for a hotel and dinner but that's another story.  Tomorrow the biggie --- Winchester Bay. I'm already thinking this might have been the place for that home base!!

‘Tis life on the road.