Happy Hallowe'en!

Quartzsite, Az

On Saturday, Oct. 31st what was that we heard when we woke up at 6:10? Huh, nothing!! It is so quiet here. It was pretty quiet in Yuma Lakes RV Resort but there were chickens on a farm just over the fence and you know what that means. A crowing rooster, just like home.  🤭🐓

Good morning!

Bill and Gibbs went out for their morning walk and I just wasn't tired enough to go back to sleep. I did see out my window that the sky was brewing up for a nice looking sunrise. I asked Bill to take a picture but he didn't think it was photo-worthy. 🤷‍♀️ When I got up at 6:30, it had improved so I got my shots.

On the favourite list.

I slipped on my earth shoes and off I went for a walk. I need to get my bearings in here, so I know where I can walk to get my steps in and to be sure I find my way back. 🤣 I know that may sound funny to those of you who have never been out in the desert BUT.......it's very real when everything looks the same. I was lost once at La Posa South years ago and won't soon forget my heart rate!

Listening to my Bluetooth speaker
from Youtube on my phone with my coffee.
First time and I like the sound.

I played it safe and walked straight out the main path (they aren't exactly roads) until I got to about 1/2 a mile and turned around. Bill was getting ready to go to the flying field, a little further this year --------well about 11 miles. He wanted to see who was there and re-unite with his friends.

After lunch, we drove into town.
I've always liked this sign.
There will be a 'last' picture with it
in March.

You know, doing the Presidential duties, meeting and greeting.  I know he's been looking forward to that. Gibbs and I stayed home and enjoyed our new 'home'. I straightened the cupboards over the desk, brought my homemade books out and then brought my quilling supplies out from under the bed. 😍

Tyson Wells hasn't blossomed yet.
On the right, in about a month,
that will be tent city with vendors.

I have a new request from Robin, since she and Andrew have bought their house back in Saskatchewan. This time it will not be a rental but a new bnb, there is need out there. She needs a picture of a train but I'll wait for her picture of some in the area before I start. That'll be fun!

Two hours after I put my feeders out,
this guy showed up......at each one.

I tuned my radio to YouTube and turned on my bluetooth speaker, sitting here. Except for the ads, it was great but I'm too cheap to pay for an upgrade that avoids them. Bill returned by 10:30, filled me in on who was there and sat with his book until noon. I believe there was a short snooze in there too.

Gibbs and I cut through the
fairly deep wash to the west.

We had egg salad sandwiches for lunch and just before 1 pm, drove into town. I had a pack of frozen rhubarb for Sue at Park Place RV Park, a book to drop in their library plus, we wanted to see them again! It was a wonderful warm welcome, making us sad to not be staying......kind of. The quiet out here is tough to beat.

A special labyrinth left from
past rv'ers.

Susan and John also shared hugs, we chatted for a while, I put 2 pieces in Susan's Hallowe'en puzzle and we said 'see ya soon' to their invites to stop by any time. 💕 That's so nice, they are special people. I will be going to Pokeno and Poker Pool very soon! 

A view across the desert.
The clouds are heavy in spots
and that is Palm Canyon off in the distance.

We drove around the park on our way out and saw Bill's pilot friend, Joe. We caught up there before heading home to Gibbs. There is rain in those clouds, somewhere, and although it is 80F/26.6C, the breeze is welcome. We don't mind rain, we love the smell, as long as it doesn't persist and get heavy.

I started working on some Christmas cards and I must tell you. It is really nice sitting here with my 'stuff' at a place where I don't have to move everything to eat. There is room on this large desk, even on my half, to have what I need laid out and still be able to make room for my laptop. 

Some action up there

For supper, we had baked chicken thighs and kale salad and it was all very good. While it was baking, Gibbs and I went out for a brief 'nature' walk for him. We were done eating and clean up by 6. Because the sky was clouded over early, no sunset was to be had. 

The decision.
I wonder if he could smell the rain
before it arrives?

Funny thing is, the rain was supposed to arrive first at 3.....then 4:45......then 5.......but still nothing. 🤷‍♀️ Oh well, we have moved chairs and his bed under shelter for when it happens. We had no trick or treaters tonight, which is a good thing since we didn't buy any goodies. We knew we'd end up eating them ourselves!

No costume for me but
I did colour this cardboard mask
to wear for Sue and Susan.
Best I could do!

We had another warm day and the evening will be mid 60's/18.3C so it could be a sticky sleep. I hope you had a good day, like we did! It was great to see our Park Place friends again. 

Supper was good!
Gibbs even got some of my chicken.

We'll be watching some tv tonight but may need to run the genny tomorrow if it is a rainy day.

Good night!

Thank you for your visit. (Update: the rain started at 6:30 and oh! I love the wet desert smell.)

Wheels On the Move

 Quartzsite, Arizona (sorry, lots of pictures)

On Friday, Oct. 30th I was up and out the door at 6:50. It was a humid, cloudy, 72F/23C. I don't walk fast and today would not have been a good morning to push it. I went across the back side of the park again to the road along the field, I met a couple of other morning walkers along the way.

Good morning!
My walk was uneventful so
I took some selfies.

I told myself to be serious this time.
It's hard, I'm usually the jokester.

Back at the Suite we switched into full packup.mode and by 8:15, we were pulling out. Familiar road, US95, north and south, we've traveled it often, both ways. Along the route, we had some construction at the 'big guns' near the Yuma Proving Grounds. We knew, last spring, that this was going to happen.

A nice day to move.
Bill is hooking up.

Today, there is evidence of a roundabout going in there and one along further at another cross road. No guns today but we did see the Aerostat Radar blimp sitting on the ground. It would have been fun to stand next to it, it's huge! 

Lots of sights on our drive today.
About 20 workers in the field.
A field full of cotton bales.
Irrigation in full force.

And across the desert terrain,
in front of Castle Dome Rock,
this cool radar blimp.
Grounded.

We arrived in the Quartzsite area around 9:45 and pulled into La Posa South LTVA.(long term visitor area)

Lots of teddy bear Chollas and
Saguaros in the landscape.

There is one inspection station on
US95 before we get to Quartzsite.
No big deal, always nice guards.

Here, we purchased a pass for $180 allowing us to park in any LTVA for up to 6 months. We've never done this before, always just purchasing 2 week passes for $40. 

One goes on the truck
and one goes on the rv.
It gains us entry to a lot of LTVA's
and services.
What's that? $1 per day? 😀

We don't plan on parking in the area but with a sticker we can come from anywhere else and get free water, tank dump and access to trash dumpsters.

No judgement - some may be
homeless, others just looking for cheap living.
You see all kinds of setups, most
with some kind of solar panels.

One can assume the 3 in the top photo
are camping together. Maybe short term?
Maybe not.
The bottom one is interesting. A place to park
the vehicle, sheltered from the heat and
maybe a tent on the other side.
Notice the solar panel?
It's impressive how they make do.

We drove back south to La Paz Rd to the Roadrunner BLM (bureau of land management) area. This area has NO water, dump or garbage access but it gets less congested, is further from town and you are only 'really' allowed to park here free for 14 days and then you have to leave for another area. 🤷‍♀️

Gibbs had to bark at this creature,
to protect Daddy and I.

When we checked with the host, Bruce, he assured us that with the LTVA pass we just purchased, we did not have to move at all, which was great news. We didn't want to have to pull up stakes mid December! We were relieved and drove back to find the spot Ken and Kim usually park in.

Woops! Looks like someone beat us to it.
🤔

That was a bit of a crap shoot as it looks like their fav spot was taken. We did our best to find a good spot for 2, 3, 4 rv's and we think they'll be fine with where we've chosen. 🫣🤷‍♀️ Turns out, this is where they parked last year, Kim and Ken were going back and forth with us, comparing pictures.

No worries.
We moved across the wash and found
a nice big area.
Bill got the panels tilted and we were settled.

It didn't take us long to start getting things in place. It felt heavenly, knowing we didn't have to move again until the end of March. It was lunch time, so I made us each a coffee and we stopped to eat. 

Gibbs is off leash, for now, and only during the daytime when we are out with him. If neighbours move in close with another dog or cat, we'll probably have to reign him in and put him on his rope. He doesn't mind. He's a good little camper, just sometimes a noisy one!🐶🤣

Inside the Suite, I removed the 
goodies we purchased from the wintery.

Bill went up on the roof and tilted panels, we are on a west/east angle, to try and get the benefit of late morning and afternoon sun. I like the position, we have a lovely Saguaro sporting a peace sign right on our east side. Friendly kind of fellow. 💕 And my favourite cactus of all.

What? Water?
with all that wine?
🤷‍♀️I don't like to drink alone.

Our closest neighbours are about 100' away from our back right corner and they are the only ones visible. Bill took his plane, the one resting on our new 'desk', outside to Black Beauty and we moved everything else that was stored under it for the trip down. Now we can see and use it properly!

It's wonderful!

I went outside when Bill stopped around 2:30. He needed a snooze and Gibbs agreed. I took my book out to the patio and finished it. The sun was breaking through the clouds by then and the winds, which were a bit gusty earlier (announcing rain around the corner), have calmed down.

Gibbs sleeps on our 'new to us' mat.

I made a tea, put the awnings out and sat at the 'desk' with my laptop. *sigh* we are so happy with this arrangement. It has been a great day, not as hot here as in Yuma. Usually it is about 5° cooler. With this slight drop in temperature plus the actual forecast slipping, it should be perfect weather ahead!

I like our spot.
The friendly Saguaro and
the Indian ......still sleeping!!??

For supper, we've agreed on simple tonight. Grilled cheese sandwiches and see if we can catch Sheriff Country at a decent time. We sat together at our laptops with the sun beaming in from the west. I'm excited to get a nice sunset (🫰) over the Dome Rock mountains tonight. 

I had some leftover rice and spaghetti in the fridge so decided to have them along with our sandwich. The rice was okay for Bill but the spaghetti sauce was not good. I never noticed so much the other night, thinking it was the meatballs (which went in the garbage). Enough with the crap food!

My grilled cheese on Sola
0% carb bread was delicious!

We washed dishes by hand and sat and finished blogs. You can check Bill's out here, he's always faster than I am! 

This was a great day and we look forward to what is ahead. We'll be alone here for a while until our friends join us. The above video gives you a sneak peek of our area. Peaceful, private, all good things.

I knew it would be good!
Good night!

Thank you for coming by!