Time to Roll, Goodbye Sis! New Park, Friends Reunion

Picacho Peak RV Resort, AZ

On Tuesday, Nov. 30^th it was time to move on, already. The week has zipped by and we have had a great time here in the desert with friends and family. Parking beside my sister and her husband was a first and we enjoyed each other’s company without being on each other’s doorstep all the time. ♥ We were up shortly after 7 and slowly began the routine for a travel day.

Last morning at the Q

All packed up ready to go
(Boy, I look tall!)

We only have a minimum distance to go today, 200 miles to Picacho Peak RV Resort near Phoenix but still wanted to be on the road asap. Our site is reserved for us and ready anytime for our arrival. We said goodbye to Gayle and John after we were hooked up. Rv’ers understand the need to leave each other alone while unhooking/setting up and hooking/tearing down. It makes for a stress-free time. 😊 We learned that early on in our journeys.

A wonderful driving day
(see the ghost?)

We pulled up to the dump station on our way out at 8:45 and within 15 minutes, we were dumped and leaving La Posa South. Gibbs settled down in the back seat once we hit the highway, familiar with this travel thing. 

Off in the distance, some beautiful jagged mountains

It was 55F/13C and the sky was clear, even the low-lying clouds from 7:30 had disappeared. It was smooth sailing until we got close to Phoenix. We had addresses for PetSmart and Camping World first, since they were on the way.

Gibbs gets right back into the day trippin'

What a rigmarole. If Gibbs didn’t need food, we might have skipped it but we found it and it was easy to get into. Next was worse, simply because C.W. seldom has room in their lots for big rigs. Now, doesn’t that make the least sense you’ve heard of? 

Gibbs goes shopping
Whee! I like these over here, Dad!

We pulled in and just stopped while we ran in the store. They didn’t have the blue boy that we want but I did find a grill pan and brush. We had to back up as there was no exit. LOL Thank goodness there were no customers parked in front of the store.

Camping World always has the huge flag
too bad they don't have the huge parking lot to go with it

Getting back on I-10E took a few decisions because of signs inappropriately placed or missing but once again, we persevered. Woops! There’s the 202 loop over there………oh well, we zipped through Phoenix pretty easily, despite the traffic.  There are so many Saguaros on both sides of the road along here, a very pretty drive. So, we find Picacho Peak RV Resort off I-10E at Exit 219. Nice and easy, just like Ken told us. 😊

Looks like the Picacho Peak (Mountain) to me

Confirmed!

We can tell before we even get in the park that it is a beautiful place to stay and we will enjoy the luxuries. Ken had emailed earlier asking us when we thought we’d arrive so they could meet us but because they had shopping and we were more than an hour away, we suggested they carry on and do what they needed. It is better for us anyway, as I mentioned above, setting up and THEN saying our hellos. No distractions and no mistakes that way.

We walked the paved streets to Ken and Nancy's

We knew our site # but stopped to register at the Office as required before following directions and pulling into our spot. #28. It is a pull thru and boy does that make life easy. You can imagine how thrilled I was to be at the site with the giant Saguaro as our ‘tree’! ♥ I’d seen it from the highway and though how lovely that would be………………and it worked out. 😊

The Saguaros are beautiful
but there is still something about seeing them in the 'wild'
that appeals to me
They are protected here by the park owners and that is great to hear

We set up and I replaced the things that had bounced all over the place (being stationary on the Ridge has spoiled me), we had a bite to eat. It was 2:30 and late for lunch and early for supper but we were starved. My head was beginning to ache, I had only eaten a snack bar on the drive. I should have made lunch, I guess, but I truly miscalculated how far it was and how long we’d be driving. My bad. ☹ Oh well, I had a wrap and Bill had cheese and crackers with a diet pop.

On our walk, Gibbs met (NCIS fans, are you ready?)
Zeva! No kidding!😂

I’d dusted as I was setting things up inside but could feel the grit of dirt and desert sand on the floors. We wanted to let our friends know that we were set up and ready for a pop-in visit so sent a text and then grabbed my dust mop. I was dusting the floors when they pulled up, returning from Casa Grande. Good timing! It takes us no time at all to remember the good times we’ve spent with these two and although we aren’t camped side by each, we’ll make more good memories.

Acquaintance time!
Molly, Gizmo - meet L.J. Gibbs

💓

Gibbs had a heyday greeting the two of them, all in the wrong ways, but other than saying “off, off, off” continuously, we ignored him as best we could and he soon slowed down. They have one Malti-poo and one Shitzu so that should be a crazy, fun time when we get them all together in their park model. There are two dog runs here, so this will hopefully be the time to let our little guy spend some energy and to meet other dogs too. They didn’t stay long, didn’t even sit, but when they left it was with a “catch you later”.

aren't they adorable?
Molly is 8 (I think) and Gizmo is 2 1/2

Bill climbed the back ladder and installed his weather station to keep an eye on the weather outside as well as the wind speeds. We have a great spot, close to the Interstate, yes, but our bed is at the end that isn’t near it. 😊 It won’t keep me from any sleep. I finished dust mopping, Gibbs went out for a piddle and promptly passed out on the floor. Bill, almost as promptly, sat in his chair and dropped off. I like our little piece of heaven here.  

Riding on the back seat for our tour

Our tour guides in the front

Around 4, we walked and found K & N’s home and introduced Gibbs to Molly and Gizmo. That was cute. They were much better inside with leashes off and all got along famously. They have a lovely little home, perfect for someone after living in a fiver for 4 years.  Then we toured the park on their golf cart, all 7 of us. Gibbs loved riding in between Bill and I on the back seat. That was fun and they dropped us off around 6 to make supper.

It was as filling as it looks!

Burgers tonight on the Weber and a night of watching shows recorded on our PVR or reading. To be determined. This was a great day, a long one but a great one. ♥

Site #28
See 'our' Saguaro? 😁

Good night!

Thank you for checking in to see where we ended up!

Early Departure, Easy Border Crossing, Half and Half Driving Day, Park Arrival

I guess I was a bit excited about getting on the road because I was in bed Saturday night at 9:30 and then wide awake at 4:30 on Sunday, Oct. 28^th. I couldn’t go back to sleep so rolled over a few times like a barrel and finally crept out of bed around 5:45. I did well and didn’t wake Bill or Clemson up while I got dressed and ‘sneakily’ left the bedroom.

We had Ron come by before we pulled out to say one more goodbye
He is just that kind of guy - thanks Ron for the send off!

I turned the fireplace up a bit and sat in my recliner to finish my book. And finish my book I did. A Darkness More than Night is after The Poet (which I’ve read) and the references back to it were easy to pick up on. I enjoyed this Harry Bosch story a lot. I initialed the front page, which is what we do, and tucked it in the cupboard for Bill to read. We had eaten some cereal, Bill’s cold and mine hot oatmeal, and had our first brew and were all packed up and ready to pull out before 9.

Waiting in Arkona for Rob to fuel up

Rob stopped in Arkona to fill up his white Beauty and Bill took the lead from there today. We’ll take turns. It was a nice drive to Port Huron with the clouds moving out and giving way to some peaks of blue sky. 

Just a peek at what could be - fingers crossed

Not much but brightening it up enough to give us hope. We were surprised that on a Sunday the lineups over the Bluewater Bridge in Sarnia were as long as they were. With 5 booths open at 9:45, we had a wait of about 20 minutes.

 

Crossing the Bluewater Bridge is always a lovely view

Approaching and entering the border crossing 'corral'

The bigger surprise was that we were about 30 seconds with the crossing guard. He asked ‘where were we going?’ ‘just the two of you?’ and ‘is anyone in the trailer?’ I snickered to myself at the last question and thought of all the illegals in there (not really!) but he pleasantly handed Bill back our passports with ‘have a good day’. Rob and Pat had just as easy a time with 2 or 3 similar questions.

It was here I first noticed that we were being tailed

We are always prepared as much as possible for any question, with nothing to hide, but it is the same feeling arriving in the States as it is leaving. Relief. Now we had nothing else to worry about. We can buy any food we want etc. and go anywhere we want and just obey their laws and relax. Easy peasy. We stopped at at Rest Area at Casco, MI for a nature break around 10:30 and soon hopped back on I-94W.

Rest area in Casco, Mi

It was 38F when we left home and now it was 40F. At least it is going in the right direction! Until we got to the Detroit vicinity, we had pretty good roads. Then it went to hell in a hand basket, let me tell you. It was horrible! I texted Pat and told her that we wouldn’t need to ‘shake’ our martinis when we arrived at camp. 

I talk about our little pest at 'home' and then I see this
All is forgiven - lol

Bill and Rob both travel at a respectable speed approx. 10 mph below the maximum considering the speed limit and the weight we were pulling which certainly helped but I was still nervous to open cupboards when we arrived.

When we reached the Ohio state line, it was honest to God like night and day. Yes, there were a few bad patches later on but I couldn’t believe how the roads were looked after in this state. We stopped at 12:50 at Portage Tic Rest Area for lunch and the rain at this point had began with gusto. We were in for a nasty driving day even though the temperature had risen to 45F. Thank goodness for that, at least!

The boys walk into Love's to pay for diesel - $3.46/US gal

We stopped at a Love’s on Deshler Road near North Baltimore for fuel before moving on. I-75S was pretty smooth going with the exception being at Lima and OH-81 where construction caused a slow down. 

The weather and a bit of construction were the only hangups today

We were down to one lane and this lasted perhaps 15 minutes of bumper to bumper traffic. The rain was battering down and the air was white with road spray through all of this and I am not ashamed to admit I mumbled a few “please stop the rain for us to set up at least” as we approached our destination.

Our turn off approaching and look at the windshield and pavement

Not a drop to block my view of the park sign

someone is completely relaxed today

He obviously doesn't know we are being followed
(or maybe he does and maybe he knows by whom)

At 2:30 we turned off onto Exit 111 to Wapakoneta, OH and left towards Arrowhead Lakes RV Resort.  Voila! The rain stopped, nor word of a lie and enabled us to set up without getting wet. This is a Coast to Coast park for us and for $10/night with full service, it is a very nice park. This is only our second time here and we are only stopping for the night. It would be a great place in the nicer weather.  

We chose 2 pull-through sites together and I just love it when things work out. Not only was it easy to pull in and get plugged in but no sooner did we do this when the sun came out and gave me a great opportunity to take a picture of our rv’s in the glow. The boys drove up to the clubhouse and checked us in on these sites and when they returned, we drove into Wapakoneta to the Wal-Mart for some ‘prohibited’ foods.

Arrowhead Lake, I presume

Before returning to camp, we both topped up with fuel so we are good for a few hours tomorrow without having to do so. We decided to stay in tonight and heat up our chili for supper, with toast. The clouds were back and the wind was pretty wild out there. 

A few pictures of the park on my short walk

It was quite mild at 6, somewhere around 53F/10c so after we ate and did the dishes, I slipped out for a walk around the park. I didn’t go far but stuck my head in the clubhouses and checked out the pool. As I said, nice park.

this was our chili and toast

When I returned from my walk, Rob had brought us a cabbage roll to share
Bill doesn't like them so I ate half and will share it with myself tomorrow night
Delicious!

This was a good first day on our real trip despite the weather. Tomorrow looks much brighter and warmer still. Join us to see where we head next! I hope you’ve had a good day too. Safe travels if you are on the road as well.

My contribution of a Hallowe'en picture

And look who is camped beside us!!
And our sites are definitely enhanced by the beautiful sunshine

Thank you for reading today. I enjoy hearing what you have to say.