Busy, Busy March

Tucson has a casino (free parking)! We find our spot in the large parking lot of the Del Sol Casino. If we can stay away from the slot machines maybe this free parking won't cost to much. The weather is great, nights are cool, days warm. Everything on the coach is doing well. We have learned to dry camp longer, meaning we only need to go to a campground every ten days or so to fill fresh water, dump holding tanks and catch up on housekeeping.

The Tucson area had Titan missiles. 18 of the 52 missile silos in the United States circled Tucson. These relics of the cold war have long sense been dismantled, all but one. There's still a Titan missile in the silo at "Titan Missile Silo Museum" just south of Tucson in Green Valley. Narrated tours of the nine level underground complex are impressive. To comply with disarmament treaties (SALT) this missile has the nuclear warhead removed and the blast door blocked, but an accurate launch sequence reenactment was chilling. We're reminded, not so long ago, of history during our generation.

Our friends in Tucson, Jerry & Jeri Dettmann meet us a few days later at the Pima Air and Space Museum. The history of aviation come alive in these five hangars, a WW2 barracks, the 390th B-17 memorial and the Space Gallery. Along with 300 plus aircraft outside. The open tram tour on the ground is narrated, this saves us miles of walking, but we still tour the buildings walking through different displays of planes hanging from the ceiling and set up on the floor. Civil, commercial, Presidential, and military aircraft are presented restored to authentic detail. Some examples are a replica of the Wright Flyer, a real B-29 SuperFortress, President John F. Kennedy's Air Force One, and a SR-71 Blackbird. This high altitude reconnaissance plane once flew from Los Angles to Washington D.C. in 64 minutes 20 seconds and was denied to even exist until the military was ready to present it to the public. An added part of the Pima Air and
Space Museum is the Davis Monthan Air Force Base boneyard bus tour, it's sold out today, we'll be first in line tomorrow.

The boneyard is just adjacent to the museum, our bus passes through security and we spend over an hour viewing the rows of planes, engines, and parts stored on the base. AMARC is the US Air Force Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center. This is the central depot for all US military planes pulled out of service and put into storage. AMARC puts these planes into long term storage, often covering them with a white plastic coating called Spraylat to protect the aircraft from the elements. In many cases, the stored aircraft are refurbished and sent back into service, sometimes after being sold to foreign nations. In other cases, useful parts are pulled off the aircraft and the remains sold for scrap. As a used parts depot, scrap yard, ready access, or mothballed, over four thousand planes wait in the desert, warm and dry with little deterioration. After a few more days of sightseeing, Jerry, Mary Ann, Linda and I are getting itchy feet. It's time to move on in southern Arizona, check in a campground and catch up on housekeeping. We spend a few days in the Escapees' Co-op park in Casa Grande, Arizona on our way to Yuma. A nice park with friendly RVer's, we top off our tanks and get ready to go west for a few more weeks of dry camping.

Yuma is recognized by the Guinness World Book of Records as the sunniest place on earth with 339 bright days a year and an average of 4 inches rainfall annually. We were dry camping at Cocopah Casino the day they got 4 inches. After warm sunny days sitting in the parking lot talking with other campers (over 100 rigs) it poured. The first rain we've had in 6 weeks and and all the road dirt washed off. Off the car, the lawn chairs, and the RV, on to the parking lot. A perfect mud impression of where everything was before the rain. We didn't realize what accumulated after being on the road a few months. The most visited attraction in Yuma is the "Yuma Territorial Prison" state park. This penitentiary housed the areas most dangerous and notorious criminals. 3069 inmates including 29 women were housed during the 33 years of operation. Film and television (3:10 to Yuma) have given this prison an infamous reputation, but written evidence shows it was a very humane for it's time (1876). Early history can be found at the U.S.Army Quartermaster's Depot, now a visitors center. The Army used the Depot to store and distribute supplies for all the military post (forts) in Arizona, and some in Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and west Texas. The supplies were brought from California by ocean vessels traveling around the Baja Peninsula to Port Isabel near the mouth of the Colorado river. There , cargoes were transferred to river steamers and brought upstream to Yuma. Gateway park on the Colorado River, Yuma West Wetland Park, the Ocean to Ocean Bridge, Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area and Historic Downtown are best seen on the unique narrated Segway Yuma Tours. This two hour history lesson while riding Segways was great. After a few riding tips and supervised practice we were gliding through the streets and sidewalks on Segways like ducklings following our guide, listening to history of the area and buildings. We had a ball.

Yuma is the winter vegetable capitol of the nation. In this area vegetable production accounts for 85% of the total revenue of the county. Our guide tells us 900 plus tractor trailer loads move through Yuma County every day till the end of March, trucking produce to the east. Lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, peanuts, melons, dates and more. In March, a one of a kind annual celebration "Midnight at the Oasis" brings the community together with music, concerts, a car show and dance. The "Show and Shine" pre 1972 car show and rod run featured 1200 American cars, trucks, and foreign classics. Good fortune brings us to the area with so much community activities. Throughout our stay the Marine Corp Air Station (MACS) has had unusual activity practicing for the winter air show. The Casino is about a mile from the end of the runway and they are just over our heads. Still two weeks away, we'll have moved on by then and miss the show.

In a few days we backtrack to Casa Grande and the Escapees' campground for our housekeeping, then back on the road, driving east through the Salt River Canyon area of Arizona around the old west town of Globe. We are close to the San Carlos Indian Reservation and the Apache Mountains. This is Geronimo country, the Tonto National Forrest, Gila County, mining towns and history right out of a dime novel. Globes Old Dominion Mine produced more than 130 million dollars in gold, silver, and copper before closing in 1931. The Old West Highway, stage coach lines, train robberies, Billy the Kid, Pearl Hart and Black Jack made this area rich in history and folklore. During this time archaeologists charted the ruins of the Salado people.

Besh-Be Gowah is an archaeological park, museum, and gardens of the 700 year old ruins of the Salado. This advanced culture built 200 plus rooms for over 1400 people. Some multi-level stone walls of the pueblo have been reconstructed, others excavated and some untouched. The ground level rooms were used for storage, upper levels were later added for living quarters. Jewelry made of shells has been traced to the Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf of California showing the Salado traded extensively. The museum houses the worlds single largest collection of Salado pottery and artifacts. Continuing east through Arizona we catch up with the Escapees' boondocker group camped near Safford, Az.

Our camp is set against majestic Mount Graham, well off the highway, east of Safford. A beautiful area with cool nights, warm days and level ground. We left the boondockers in January just north of Quartzite, Az. with 80-90 rigs. Most have started to go their own way as the weather breaks. Now only 15-20 RVs are left enjoying the great Arizona weather.

Sightseeing and day trips are planed. One day Linda and I are "tail gunners" (followers) in our car for a motorcycle run over to Glenwood, New Mexico. We follow Jerry and Mary Ann as they and five other bikes tour to Whitewater Canyon in the Gila National Forrest. We drive 80 miles to a gorge to hike up a catwalk over the Whitewater River. It was worth it. Originally built in 1890 as part of a gold mining operation, it was used by miners to reach the mines and to bring slurry down to the mills. We hike the catwalk that is hanging on the sides of the canyon over looking boulders rapids and waterfalls. A great drive with spring flowers everywhere. A great dinner in camp is the popular "potato bake". The campfire coals are spread out and foil wrapped potatoes are set in the embers for 45 minutes. Everyone brings condiments to go with their potato and some to share, You end up with a loaded potato. Butter, sour cream, bacon, cheese, onions, diced ham, chili and more. No one leaves hungry. More of southern Arizona and New Mexico to come, Skip and Linda.

From the "slabs" to Tucson

Remote locations and busy days have kept us from the Internet. West on I-10 into southern California, and south to the east side of the Salton Sea is the small town of Niland. Two and a half miles east of Niland is "The Slabs"

What's left of a WWII instillation abandon years ago is the concrete floors (slabs). Slab City is the last free place. No electric, no water, no government. One square mile inhabited by squatters to form a community with a few religious organizations, social clubs, musicians, transients, and some normal people. A continuous stream of seasonal snowbirds find their way in and out, some just to look, some to stay a few days, some stay the winter, no reservations needed. From tar paper shacks to the nicest RVs, this one square mile is home. We find our spot just past the "LOWs" (loners on wheels) a singles group and settle in for a few days. We're here to find SolarMike, he operates The Sun Works at the slabs.

Mike Goul has answers about solar equipment and tips on instillation. I get what we need to install later, and we stay a few days enjoying the slabs, checking out the area. Murals on the old water tanks have 60s anti-war, political and religious influence, but the art is deep, the weather is great, the people unique. Soon we're on the road after stopping to check out Leonard Knight and Salvation mountain. A personal tour from Leonard shows us how clay mud and straw held together with paint has formed his "Shrine" on the side of this mountain. His personal message to repent is an ongoing calling since 1985. He lives in an old bus and only asks for donations, mostly paint.

We catch up with our Escapee friends in Yuma, Arizona. Dry camping at the "Q" casino is not as free as it sounds, it's time for a campground and housekeeping. Lee has sent the mail, we get some rest and catch up on laundry. Plans are made to walk across the border for a day trip to Algodonas, Mexico before we leave Yuma.

Jerry and Mary Ann Nugent show us the way. Parking in the border lot and walking less than 1/4 mile we cross to Mexico. It's a circus. A tourist trap. Young and old, beggars and businessmen they come out of the woodwork with anything and everything needed. Some surprises are eyeglasses, dental work, medicine and beauty shops. Pharmacy prices are cheap, no Rx needed. I had the lenses replaced in my work glasses with the latest prescription, 588 pesos ($49). These dual segment bifocals were ready the same day and and the work is great. We have a good lunch at a colorful restaurant and spend a long time in the customs line crossing back. Its been a long day and we're ready to rest back at the campground. Yuma's history is begging us to explore more but it's time to move on to Ajo and rendezvous in the desert.

Roy and Kathy Gilbert, Jerry and Mary Ann and Linda and I convoy from Yuma to Ajo, Arizona. A three hour drive on a beautiful day with lunch at a rest stop, and we arrive at the rendezvous area in time to set up and go to happy hour. We're in the middle of the Sonora desert on BLM land. Most of the Escapee "boondocker" group have been here a few days already. I'm anxious to start installing the solar panels and spend the week on and off installing the system.

Work is interrupted by side trips to the town of Ajo and Puerto Penasco, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, pot luck suppers, and happy hour. We're close to El Camino del Diablo (the Devils Highway), passing Border Patrol on constant lookout for drug smugglers and illegal immigrants. The Sonora Desert is beautiful, mid 70s day, high 40s night. The sun is warm and the sky is clear. Even though it's "arid" this is called the green desert. Average rain fall is eight inches a year. On the only rainy day here, we went to Mexico where it didn't rain. We drove by car to the sea of Cortez, for Mexican "culture" and fabulous seafood.

Our group gathered for lunch in Pureto Penasco (Rocky Point) at a waterfront restaurant. The seafood is great and the shrimp are in season. Service is good, prices are low and a serenade with our meal. We spend the day exploring Rocky Point, the market area, waterfront RV parks, the beach, and drive "home" through Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. A national monument to cactus, the desert, and an eco system that's so unique. Ten days of dry camping in the confusing, shared boundaries of the Barry Goldwater Air Force Range, the Town of Ajo, BLM camping area, Cabeza Prieta Wildlife refuge, the Sonoran Pronghorn Antelope project, and Mexico will be a highlight of this trip.

On our way out of the area we spend two night at the Organ Pipe Cactus campground. The campground has evening programs with talks from National Park Service Rangers. With 208 spacious campsites in a natural setting it's spectacular. At the amphitheater this evenings program was standing room only with a program on mountain lions and other desert wildlife. The Ranger played the violin to accompany the opening and narrated a great computer presentation. Late winter, early spring in this high desert is the time for flowers and a carpet of green. The winter storms off the Pacific and from California have been more than expected. We see the area coloring already with yellow and red cactus flowers.

We're on our way to Tucson through the Tohono O'Odhan Indian Reservation. We'll catch up with Jerry and Jeri Dettmann who led us to Quartzite. It's time to explore Tucson and see all the things we missed last month.

Rendezvous

In Quartzite we are amazed at the continuous parade of campers, travel trailers, RVs and coaches. They are everywhere, on the roads and highways, in the parks, and temporary campgrounds, vacant lots, and BLM permit areas. The small town atmosphere of Quartzite remains despite overcrowding on two lane blacktop roads. It's Fiesta on wheels and most everyone is smiling and happy. The RV show in the big tent opened on Sunday the 17th and will run till the next Sunday. Some of the vendors stay through the next week for the Car show and longer for the Rock and Gem show after that.

In addition to the big tent, the adjacent Tyson Wells market area hosts rows of vendors and booths. More line the streets in and around Quartzite. All for just a few months in the winter, by the end of March most will pack up and move on. The weather is good this week until Thursday evening. Storms have moved on through California and cross into Arizona. High winds and torrential rain batter the vendors and campers alike. 70 mph gusts damage those vendors who weren't prepared. Even some who tried to tie down their exposed booths were blown down. The main tent, (at least 160x500) had some water leaks and flooded the center isle. As the wind increased on Thursday afternoon the management asked that the main tent be evacuated. It rained hard that night. The Locals on Friday morning remarked how strong the storm was and most of the annual rainfall was met already in January. Linda and I make plans to move to the BLM area north of town.

The Bureau of Land Management overseas millions of acres of public lands with unlimited recreational opportunities. These wilderness areas, scenic rivers and high deserts have been set aside to conserve and protect their resources for public use and enjoyment. And the areas in southern Arizona are especially enjoyed in the winter. Every year in January, February, and March a gathering of snowbirds, vacationers, and retirees fill Quartzite and spill out to the surrounding desert,

here for the warm weather, shows, camping and camaraderie.

In about a week our friends from Tucson and their friends from California have to leave. We'll see the Dettmann's in about a month when we go back to Tucson. Linda and I move out to the Plomosa road BLM area and camp with the Escapees Boondocker group. Our first experience on BLM land, and its great. Thousands of acres of high desert and mountains. Dry air, clean prairies and mesas, warm days and cool nights. We reacquaint ourselves with others we met in the past who were also Escapees members. Each evening there is happy hour at the campfire ring and an occasional pot luck dinner. At 7am (dawn) they burn cowboy coffee. A loose description of boiling water and coffee grounds in a one gallon pot over an open fire.

We're learning to conserve and "dry" camp longer. These hard core boondockers go for weeks self contained with no hookups. Some haul water in tanks or bladders to replenish fresh water supplies, and most have "pony" bottles of propane for heat and cooking when the main tank runs low. Solar panels or wind power supplement generators for electric. There are no hookups on most BLM lands. A honeydew truck from town makes daily rounds to pump out sewage when necessary. There are 60 to 80 "rigs" in our boondocker group and thousands of rigs in the surrounding BLM lands. Our interest in solar power is growing, and I'm trying to learn more about it. Lots of solar vendors in this area and a few names are starting to be repeated.

Solar Bill, Handy Bob, and Solar Mike are recommended more and more. Checking blogs and websites will bring us to southern California, but that's another story. More later....Skip and Linda.

West to Quartzite

Leaving early this year put us in the middle of some unseasonal arctic fronts. Record low temperatures in central Texas to New Mexico has the furnace on all day. In Goliad,Tx, in the 20s every night, and highs around 50 has us looking for warmer days weather. Still going west to southern Arizona, especially with south Florida cooler than here.

On Saturday we say goodbye to Don and Jill, go north to San Antonio and pick up I-10. We'll look forward to meeting them later in the spring when they come west. Trying to drive away from the cold we average two hundred and fifty miles a day for the next four days. That's allot for us poking along at 55-60 mph. Linda and I take turns driving till we're ready for a break, then change places.

The road is great, yes I'm talking about I-10. Very little traffic, in general smooth highway with little construction. The cold, cloudy days turn to clearer skies and warmer temperatures. Stops in Fort Stockton, 26 degrees, El Paso 33, and we cross a continental divide near Lordsburg, New Mexico with a high of 59.

The landscape has changed dramatically. West Texas hill country gave way to high desert scrub trees and thin soil. Prickly Pear Cactus and Yucca plants with five foot bloom spikes decorate the New Mexico/Arizona roadways. As we continue west foothills and low mountain ranges appear on the horizon. Tuesday we pull into Tucson, Az, it's 71 degrees! We meet with Jerry Dettmann and his wife Jeri at their home and will leave after a few days rest, for Quatzite with them.

Jerry and Jeri live out of town at the edge of Tucson Mountain Park. This exclusive development is set among Saguaro cactus and Palo Verde trees (Arizona state tree). A vacant lot next to their house provides an ideal place to stay the next four days. The natural landscape in the mountains in beautiful. Southwest architecture, custom homes, and a professional developer have created a neighborhood without power lines, telephone poles or other unsightly infra-structure. This also supports Kitt Peak Observatory about an hour away. The normal glow of the community is kept to a minimum without streetlights. In the evening we hear coyotes in the hills and the stars are glorious. In the morning, the view of the mountains with coffee is great. The temperature in the 40s at night, warming to the low 70s in the day.

Friday evening we are welcomed to a neighborhood gathering of the Tucson Hellions, hosted by Patty and Sam. A diverse group of professional retiree's, artist's, desert rats and rock hounds. Linda is treated to homemade Margaritas (several).....and a great time was had by all. Sunday was time to leave for Quartzite, Arizona a crossroads community near southern California. Most of the year only three to four thousand people live there. But, in January over a hundred thousand RVs rendezvous. An annual RV, rock, gem, and craft show, that goes on for days. We follow Jerry and Jeri from Tucson to Quartzite where we'll meet some of their friends from California.

Goodbye for now....Skip and Linda

Happy New Year to all and have a great new year. We are on the road again! Left home base Fort Myers on New Year's eve, mid-afternoon and went right back to the house with a low tire. One of the tire valves stuck when checking air pressure earlier in the day and slowly let a rear tire go soft. Clearing the valve and inflating the tire got us back on the road an hour later. What a beginning.

"Almost" finished preparations for the road . Maintenance and upgrades are mostly complete, just a few small details left(gulp). Have a clean bill of health from our doctors and Linda is finished with cataract surgery in both eyes. The holidays were great with family and friends, but we want to see southern Arizona in January and February.

First stop, "Mossy Cove Fish Camp" near Lake Placid. Linda's sister Loretta and husband Kyle came to the Lake two weeks early this year. They missed the blizzard that went through two days after they left Virginia. We only stay two nights, we're anxious to continue to Arizona. Next afternoon were in Silver Springs Shores to see John and Kris and drop off two TVs that came out of the coach. We've updated to flat screen LCD's, John can use one and will donate the other locally. It's cooling down with an Arctic front coming through and we're heading North to I-10.

A stop for the night on I-10 near Live Oak at Wal-Mart and the temperature dropped to 28! We continue on I-10 and another cold night near Biloxi, Ms. 30 degrees. Further west at Lake Charles, La. under the bridge on Monday it was 29! Finally, the warmest day in a week since leaving Florida was in Houston for lunch at 56 degrees. Last night we caught up with Don and Jill in Goliad, Texas. Thank God they came south from Austin. It was the warmest night in a week, it only went down to 45.

Goliad is one of the oldest Spanish colonial municipalities in Texas even before there was a Texas. Goliad was established in 1749, is the birthplace of Texas ranching, and a "hanging tree" still stands on the north lawn of the county courthouse. Don, Jill, Linda, and I spent an afternoon in historic part of Goliad and at the State Park where the Mission Espirito Santo, built in 1722, is open to the public. History comes alive on the mission grounds and in the church museum, about a developing Republic, soon a state, and a way of life.

On the road again....Skip and Linda

September-October

A swim in the Colorado was cold. Air temp 105, water temp 53. We were numb. the water was great. One of the cleanest rivers in the country and a nice beach at Davis campground, once a work camp during the dam construction, now a county park. we're about 2 miles north of Laughlin, Nv. just south of Davis Dam. The days are hot, with low humidity, you don,t feel the heat unless your in the sun or working. We join our neighbors for a visit under their umbrella each morning and its beautiful, looking over the river. We stay in Laughlin almost a week just relaxing, and waiting for a power window regulator for the Jeep. when repairs are complete, its time to say goodbye to our neighbors and move on toward Albuquerque. A stop in Lake Havasu City, high 80's at night, 110 days, no shade. After one day and a view of London Bridge we drive away from the heat and in three hours were in Flagstaff, Arizona. 56 degrees at night, mid 70's days

A quite night at Sams Club and an hour drive east brings us to Walnut Canyon, in the Coconino National Forest. This prehistoric pueblo is part or the National Park System, and has sacred ties to the Hopi of northern Arizona and various pueblo people of New Mexico. Sinagua, Spanish for the people "without water", these remains are an archaeological treasure from 1150 AD. Their potery and weaving traditions are still practiced today. The dwellings were sheltered by overhanging cliffs, and the pit houses were home to the canyons only inhabitants over 800 years ago. A beautiful morning, 60 degrees, Linda and I walk into the 600 foot deep canyon along the limestone walls that form the remains of their cliff dwellings. The sinagua lifestyle included hunting in the pine forest, dry farming corn and gathering use full plants. Why these people left remains unclear, by 1250ad they moved on and is generally believed they were assimilated into Hopi culture. Sinagua homes remained undisturbed until the 19th century. In the 1880's the railroad brought souvenir hunters to the ancient dwellings. Theft and destruction drew support to preserve the canyon. In 1915 Walnut Canyon was declared a national monument. After a great morning we'll leave the forest area of Arizona and drive into the Painted Desert.

South of I-40 on the edge of the Painted Desert is a meteor crater site, this giant bowl shaped cavity is the result of the collision of a 150 foot meteorite with the desert floor. In a blinding flash, at 26,000 mph, the impact through out over 175 million tons of limestone and sandstone. The meteor disintegrated on impact and fragments of iron-nickel and rock were thrown as far as several miles away. A continuous blanket of debris surrounds the crater site. Flat-lying beds of rock in the crater walls were overturned in fractions of a second and uplifted permanently as much as 150 feet to form the crater rim.The visitor center and rim walks tell the story of discovery and development of the site, and questions in the geologic community it raised. An attraction not to be missed, over 4000 feet across, 2 1/2 miles around, and 700 feet deep. An interesting afternoon at the museum, theater, and restaurant. Our evening was spent in Winslow Az. at the supercenter resort, just off I-40, on our way east.

Even before we're at the Painted Desert visitors center, the colors of the wilderness are coming alive. An orientation film tells us of the exhibits, geology, and paleontology. After lunch in the parking lot we start on the 28 mile park road, each overlook shows unlimited views of varied colors. Different vistas of color from iron, manganese, carbon, and other minerals glow throughout the badlands and wilderness. Petroglyphs etched in stone tell their own stories of life in a pueblo that may have once housed nearly 1200 people. Erosion of some bluffs has left hundreds of once encased petrified logs strewn across the valley below. The trees of the petrified forest lived over 225 million years ago, they are a history of climate and geology told in stone. Along the swollen stream banks of a prehistoric forest, tall cone bearing trees washed out into a nearby floodplain. Covered with volcanic ash, silt, and mud they didn't decay as we know, but slowly over milliems silca laden water replaced the original wood and resins and crystallized into quartz. Millions of years later they are now uncovered with the uplifting of the region and the movement of the continents.This dry grassland of the national park was once that floodplane! Wind and rain and erosion has exposed these huge trees that once laid in a pool of water and mud, sealed off from oxygen. Petrified Forrest National Park is experience to remember. We'll drive east to Gallup, New Mexico, so much more to see in Arizona, maybe next year.

Signs of the past are seen all over Gallup. Native American heritage, Hispanic culture, railroad yards, pawn shops, and vibrant colored high desert mesas, form the essence of the area. We spent one night in Wal-mart parking lot, but it was to noisy. There was about 25 R/Vs in the lot, from a Prevost with a Smart Car that looked like a roller skate behind it, to pick-up's with bedrolls and people sleeping in cars. Moved over to Home Depot the next night, and was much quieter. There was some panhandling in the parking lots and locals selling their goods on street corners and in local restaurants. We scoured the pawn shops to replace a broken watchband, the shops are loaded with beautiful "old pawn" silver and turquoise. Found a used band with Navajo inlay that was fair priced.

On our way to Albuquerque we visit the Acoma Pueblo and Sky City, an ancient native American settlement on top of a 367 foot sandstone mesa. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in North America. Amazing, they carried drinking water, food, firewood up to the top. No plumbing, no electric even today. Now though they have a road to the top for light vehicles.

Balloon Fiesta is a spectacular event that attracts 500-700 balloonist and 250,000 people to Albuquerque every October. Were excited this year to be joined by my sister Linda and her husband Ed from Hollywood, Fla. They'll fly out Friday night and will be with us the first 5 days of fiesta, 3 days in the RV with us before they retreat to a motel for the last 2 nights. We spend a few days in a campground for housekeeping chores before 10 days of "dry" camping during fiesta. We had a great time even though some mornings were canceled for weather. On Sunday we took a side trip to Santa Fe for dinner with a childhood neighbor from Hollywood. Bev and husband Fred Friedman took us to Gabriel's, a wonderful restaurant enjoyed by all, with food of the southwest and old mexico. All 6 of us had a great time while Linda, Bev and I tried to catch up 45+ years. Balloon fiesta is going by fast, we're sorry to say goodbye to Linda and Ed on Wednesday, I hope to see them in North Carolina in the way back to Florida. We spent the last part of Fiesta helping Jim and Nancy Lynch from Ocala, with their balloon. It was our pleasure to have met them last year when we were assigned to "crew" for them. Jim is a true professional pilot with 20+ years experience in balloons and always safety first.

Out of Town and Broke Down

Are you really out of town when your living in your motor home? Home is where we park it. But we are in Leadville 33 miles from Avon(west Vail) where the RV is parked. I can't just drive into my own garage and replace the broken fan assembly that punched a hole in the radiator. We are 33 miles of mountain driving, that takes an hour under the best conditions, away from our motor home. First we find a place to leave the jeep, then find transportation back to the RV.

No parts within 3 days, no rental cars, no car dealers, one garage, price was out of line and won't be ready for days. We find a shuttle service that brings in skiers and hunters, they'll take us back to the RV in Avon later that afternoon($90). We get home late and start weighing our options. Having it repaired where it is? Find parts, pick them up, come back and make the repairs myself? We decide to take the RV up these mountain roads, hook up and tow the Jeep out to a location with parts. We make our way up the two lane blacktop into Leadville, altitude 10,200 feet. It's another beautiful day in the Rockies, were in by noon, hook-up and come out to Rifle, Colorado that afternoon. A little too "small town" for parts. A nice visitor center ( on I-70 west)with a rest area is home tonight.

The next morning I find the RV is low on coolant! "When it rains it pours" but this time it's raining coolant. No RV leaks when we hooked up the Jeep in Leadville, but I had to add coolant to the coach in Rifle. Our next town on I-70 west is Grand Junction, Colorado, a beautiful community spread out on the valley floor.The NAPA store has everything we need. Thanks to Chester and Auston they'll let me do the repairs behind the warehouse. It was in the low 40's yesterday morning in Avon, it's 95 this afternoon on this high mesa valley in Grand Junction, and warm in the parking lot. Retrieving the Jeep and making repairs held us up, but we still traveled west and are ahead of schedule. Now I start checking out the motor home leak. It looks like we picked up a stone nick in the radiator on the RV. Stop leak will have to hold it for the time being, we have eight days to join our friends in Las Vegas and we're still five or six hundred miles away. Three easy days travel, first night at Wal-mart in Richfield, Utah, a pretty town on I-70, central Utah, top off the reservoir, no sign of leaks. The next night at a casino campground in Mesquete, Nevada, temp 101, coolant is full. We have turned south on I-15 and have short run into Las Vegas on the third day. Coolant in the coach was still full that afternoon, we'll check into a campground, temp 108. John and Kris will be in on Thursday, Betsy arrives on Saturday, the next two weeks will be busy.

John and Kris surprised us with tickets for the Terry Fator show at the Mirage. A great show, you can see why his talent won the "Americas Got Talent" reality program. Somehow the productions in Las Vegas are even more special. On Saturday night all five of us went to the Bellagio for Cirque du Soleil show "O". This surreal aquatic romance is preformed in, on and above the water by scores of acrobats, synchronised swimmers, and show people . The stage, pool, and areal props, with lighting and orchestra make this fabulous, still the best show in Vegas. John and Kris had to leave Monday night, but we were out again on Tuesday night to see Bette Midler with Betsy. The Grammy winning Divine Miss M. was in rare form. Always one to "tell it like it is" even if it meant poking fun at herself. She was at the coliseum in Cesars, one of the best "rooms" in town. A variety song and dance show with a high kicking, skimpy costume corus line. Good comedy and music. Another great production.

The last two weeks went by fast. The shows were great, the gambling was awful. It was good to see our friends again. We all had a good time but you can see the effects of the economy. Penny machines and low limit card games are the most popular. At the end of the day, only our money stayed in Vegas. The good news, no signs of any more leaks in the coach. A two hour side trip to Laughlin, Nevada was smooth, coolant was full. Laughlin is on the Colorado at the very bottom of Nevada. Arizona is 200 feet away, across the river. A few days rest here and a swim in the river will be great. From here we'll start thinking about the trip back to Florida. We'll make our way down to I- 40 and head east toward Albuquerque for the balloon fiesta in October. More then ......Skip and Linda