Connecting with Friends in Las Vegas, Nevada

Friday, Dec. 2 meant up and at ‘em by 7 am. Without paying any attention to much going on around us, we grabbed a quick bite for breakfast, showered and headed out the door by 8:30. We were excited to make the 93-mile drive to Las Vegas to visit our friends, formerly from Antioch, Illinois.

Our August 2015 meeting

Ken and Nancy's new rig and digs

Ken and Nancy are our very dear friends whom we met for the first time at Silver Creek RV Resort in Michigan in 2010. Ever since, we have met up with them at the same time in August at the same park on the same 2 sites. We have a real close bond with these two yet when we started out, they had 2 boxers, a travel trailer and were retired. Not a lot of similarities………….at first.

As Bill and I upgraded in rv’s and trucks and talked more and more about our dream to go full-time, they listened and supported. They had a beautiful home in a community in Antioch that Ken was involved with and they had family close by. We never in a million years thought our dream would become their dream after 4 years.

Last year, in June we met in Howe, Indiana to go through the tour of how our Mobile Suite was made and also one of how a Grand Design Solitude was made……’just because they were looking at one’. In August, 2015 they arrived with a new 36’ in tow behind a beautiful new black Chevy 3500. They had made a huge decision.

In August 2016, their house sold and you can read their story here as Ken is now stepping onto the blogger line as well. We knew they were coming to the southwest for the winter and would be at the Oasis RV Resort in Las Vegas for the duration so we have kept in close contact so we could get together before Christmas.

It was a windy day here at Bullhead City but sunny at 53F so a good day to travel further west. Mind you, our elevation is 552’ and before long we realized the temperature drop to 46 was due to the rise to 2200’. What we also realized soon after crossing into Nevada was that our gps displayed a time change and it was only 7:30 am. Shoot! We told them to expect us around 10.

I texted Ken quickly and said “oh-oh, looks like we will arrive around 9 am instead, is this a problem?” No hesitation, as their excitement to see us mirrored ours to see them.

It was a fantastic visit, as always, and they are in an absolutely gorgeous park. True, they will experience some colder temperatures than us over the winter and possibly some white stuff, but they are cozy and have everything they need. It will be nothing like their bitter winters back home.

Clemson tolerated Molly as we sat inside and while we walked through the park and everyone was happy. Their Solitude is beautiful and nicely set up, Ken even put their tree up on Thursday! Nancy prepared a wonderful lunch of chicken salad, tomatoes and all the side fixings so we pigged out to our heart’s content. “No supper required” is getting to be our mantra lately!

It is hard to say goodbye but after Bill and I helped Ken with his blog page, 

we were packing up and heading out by 3:30 PT. 

Great friends walking our dogs

This drive home was another mind- blowing treat. It soon became dark and by the time we approached home I was wishing I had a way to capture the mountains at night. Looking over, through and down the ridges to the lights of Laughlin took my breath away.

I managed to get the moon and Venus with the sunset

When we arrived home, it was 6:15 MT and the wind had only increased throughout the day. Unfortunately, it had tipped our satellite dish over which in turn pulled the propane tank and Weber Q over with it. Wow, luckily there was no damage and Bill set things up right to re-stabilize on Saturday.

We had a small nibble of the wonderful Italian bread we picked up in Walmart and I had some ice cream to get some ‘good’ fat into my system. That would tie me over until morning. Since we didn’t have a tv stream we put in one of our favorite dvd’s of the Bee Gees and enjoyed the great music of the 60’s 70’s 80’s and 90’s. It was recorded in 2001 so before we lost Maurice in 2003 and Robin in 2012. We love these guys.

We had a terrific day today and have made promises to get together again with Ken and Nancy before we all head home in the spring. This is such a great lifestyle!

Hoping your day was a nice sunny one as well. Please feel free to comment and thank you for reading along.

Oatman, An Unbelievable Place

Tuesday, Nov. 29 and Wednesday, Nov. 30, the days continue to be a treat here in the southwest. Every day is different and yet nothing changes, try and figure that one out!! We must be retired!

The weather is pretty good here at Bullhead City, not hot but not cold either. The overnight temperatures pretty much range around 45 – 50 F (8 – 10C) and daytime rises to around 60 – 63 F (15 – 17C). We do get windy days, sometimes as windy as 35 – 40 mph but usually around 12 mph is the norm. Other days, there is no wind at all and those are my favourite. When the desert sun is prominent in the blue sky I can take my book and my chair and nestle in behind the Suite whether it is windy or not.

Tuesday, we decided, upon many recommendations, to take the drive to Oatman,

25 miles southeast. Bill's post details the history of the town quite nicely so I won’t go into it but did want to mention that Olive Oatman, who the town was named after, not only was taken by Apaches and traded to the Mohave but she was famous because she was graced with a tattoo on her chin.

Olive Oatman at 14

Olive in later years

This was, according to legend, not a punishment but instead a symbol recognizing her to be of the Mohave tribe. There have been a couple of books written about Olive, some details vary but I’m sure an interesting read. I will definitely try and get my hands on her biography at least, The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman.

Not only was the town interesting but the drive to it made me smile. Along the highway there were many little bushes decorated for Christmas, some even with wrapped gifts underneath! A great way to advertise and just unbelievable that this could even be done.

Feliz Navidad

The first thing you notice when arriving in Oatman, aside from the authentic pioneer town, are the wild burros that roam the streets at their leisure. We have been looking for burros as we’ve travelled this way and no matter the signs all over that read “Watch for burros” and the claims of “400 burros live in this park”, we’ve yet to see any number. Well, our wish to see them was certainly satisfied here.

These younger burros are so soft

It was a cool day in Oatman, 55F with a wind and obviously, I wasn’t dressed for it. I should know better by now because we were climbing in elevation from 552’ to 3000 in the mountains. 

Luckily there were other restrooms, this fella never left his spot

Derrick, this one is for you!

We perused the shops, petted the burros, chit chatted with some of the vendors and I found a straw western hat and jacket to my liking. We couldn’t get over the low price of their clothing so found a couple of t-shirts as well to update Bill’s wardrobe. It was a terrific day!

Bill also recounts the drive between Oatman and Cool Springs where we turned around to head back the way we’d come. With such a large truck and so many switchback and hairpin curves around the steep inclines, I found my heart in my throat a few times. I said to Bill “we don’t have to come back this way, do we?” as I knew that our return trip would put me on the outside edge of the narrow highway. He was quite enjoying this drive and of course we would return the same way.

One of the many sharp curves with no railing in sight

I surprised myself, when on the return trip I rolled my window down and often had my head out taking pictures down the slopes. I loved it! A motorcycle would make this an even better ride!

This would be fun!

On the drive back through Bullhead City, we stopped to pick up very few groceries to tide us over until the weekend.  We headed back to our home and our pooch in time to make up a batch of Christmas cookies and to host Happy Hour at 3:30.

Our turn around at Cool Springs

Unfortunately, not all vehicles make it around the curves

Our new friends, Oscar, Judy, Roland and Lori were heading out in the morning, Wednesday, on their way to Holtville, Ca. I was up at 7 and over to the clubhouse for another round of 2- mile walking exercise with the gals making it back just in time to say goodbye. We would miss them but have plans to meet them there in a couple of weeks. Lori rode her Victory between the two fifth wheels and Shatzi rode shotgun with Roland.

Oscar and Judy pull out

Roland and Lori with their Inferno toy hauler and one bike in
the garage

Lori rides while Roland's bike gets a lift

Still sorting out troubles with our satellite changing channels in mid-program, we watched some tv and I was in bed by 9:30. They were another couple of good/great days and I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Hoping your day was on the plus side as well, thank you for reading along with me. 

All comments are welcome.