Wow, Didn’t the year fly by!

Blog 2011

Dec. 2010 
After spending October, November and December at home with family and friends we left Ft. Myers to spend a couple of days with Linda’s sister near Lake Placid, it was windy and cold.  Caught up on family news, it is always good to see loved ones that we haven’t seen in a year. Then headed back across the state towards Ruskin to visit with Jerry & Mary Ann, who we met in Quartzite, AZ. last January and traveled with for a while last winter.  Our friend Betsy came up from Sarasota to visit for a day and catch up.  We’re off again to Live Oak visit Linda’s brother’s family before we  head west for the winter and summer months.

Jan. 2011          Don and Jill have decided to join us on our way to Quartzsite.  Caught up with them in Fredericksburg, Texas, and spent the afternoon touring the LBJ Ranch or as it was once called the Texas White House.  Stopped in Benson, Az. at a SKP park and took a side trip to Bisbee, near the Mexico border walking around old town, talking with the locals, having lunch, and just being tourists.  Went through Tucson and had a great steak supper with Jerry & Jeri, out in the middle of the Arizona desert, at Fred’s Arena and Steakhouse.  From there a short lay over in Casa Grande SKP park to do housekeeping and laundry.

                         
On to Quartzsite, I cannot describe the awesome sight when we top the hill just before Quartzite and see a sea of white, knowing that you are looking down on the roofs of thousands of RVers that seems to go on for miles and miles, oh yes, they go on for miles! We have come for the desert and the annual RV lifestyle show. Stayed there for 9 or 10 days boondocking in the desert, taking off road trips into mountains.  Soon it’s off to the “Slabs” in California, which hasn’t changed since last year, still makes me remember the 60’s and Love & Peace.

                   

Feb. & Mar. 2011
Borrego Springs, California is on the west side of Salton Sea. We dry camp for 7 or 8 days just relaxing and doing more 4 X 4 off road trips. Then were headed back east thru Yuma, Az. to Ajo, Az. where the Escapee’s (SKP) boondocking  group is having a 10 day Rendezvous.  Donny & Jill spend 2 days in camp and then head towards Tucson so he can fly back to Jacksonville.  We go back to Yuma for a couple of weeks and stay at one of our favorite campgrounds, Cocopah Casino parking lot, where we see Dale & Gerri from Idaho. Soon it’s north to Casa Grand to do housekeeping and meet Donny and Jill again. Then north of Phoenix to Wickenburg, Az., dry camping on BLM land. After a week and some off road trips in the Jeep, we leave Wickenburg heading east towards Safford with a short side trip in the Jeep to Apache Jct. & Tortilla Flats. We arrive in Safford March 16 for another rendezvous.  After a couple of days Donny & Jill headed to Texas for their grand kids birthday, we’ll catch up with them later in the summer. Went to the small town of Wilcox, Az. and  wandered thru the Rex Allen museum and did a little wine tasting. We left Safford going west to meet with Dale and Gerrie in Laughlin, NV. and go to the annual Laughlin Rodeo.

                     

Apr. & May 2011
Heading to Death Valley by way of Las Vegas, arriving on Apr. 6.  Death Valley is not only below sea level, it is surrounded by mountains.  We went for a ride and it ended up snowing on us as we tried to drive to the top of one mountain range. Toured Scotty’s Castle, Bottle House in Mosaic Canyon and drove the 26 mile one way gravel road through Titus Canyon. We spent a week in Death Valley. Then on to the California’s Serria Nevada mountains, stopping in Lone Pine to tour the old movie lot where westerns were made in the 30’s & 40’s. With such great stars as Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Gene Autry, John Wayne and hundreds of movies were filmed here, even parts of Star Wars. We camped on the old movie lot for 3 days. Picked up US395 on the east side of the mountains thru Bishop, stopping every several days sightseeing, on to Carson City, Lake Tahoe, and finished out the month in Reno, where Donny caught up with us while Jill was in Fla.  And it snowed in May in Reno.

                      

                      

June 2011
Still on US395N, it’s on to Eagle Lake, Ca. for a week, then over to Orland, Ca. staying at Black Butte Rec. area a Corp of Engineers park waiting for Jill to fly in from Fla.  Next Lassen Natl. Forrest for a week cruising gravel roads with Donny and Jill in the the Jeeps, found some snow on the trails and our friends who grew up in snow said they would show us how to drive through snow.  Ah, they got stuck and the Floridians’ had to pull them out.

                      

July 2011
Over to US 101, Fortuna, Ca. along the Pacific Coast, spent the 4th of July week, sightseeing the Redwood National Forest in northern California. Awesome, overwhelming huge trees you have to see them up close to appreciate just how big.  With every turn thru the “grove” they just got bigger and taller and older.  After the holiday weekend  it’s over to Oregon and Crater Lake, arriving at a “snow park” to stay a few days. Saw a lot of snow that hasn't melted at the visitor center (7000’ alt.) and only one side of the lake road was open for travel.  Leaving Crater Lake and back to the Pacific Coast into Oregon, it’s north on the coast highway. Gold Beach, Rogue River area, we find a gravel bed along the river to spend a week, took a jet boat ride up the river for 52 miles one way.  Saw deer & black bear, and had a great boat ride, lots of action.  At the mouth of the Rogue River and the Pacific, the Sea Lions prey on game fish, Marine Patrols launch cherry bombs into the water to drive them back out to sea.  Sea fog in the morning along the coast “burns off” off for some spectacular sights as we drive the coast stopping at small coastal towns and enjoy walking and window shopping, eating lunch, deserts of Marion berry, huckleberry, blueberry pies and lots of ice cream.  The Harbor Seals are now molting on the beaches.

                    

                    

August 2011

On to Coos Bay,Or. for a few days then north to Winchester Bay and 500’ Sand Dunes right on the beach!  Just couldn’t pass up renting ATV’s, and running on the Oregon dunes in this recreation area. A beautiful beach and harbor. After a few more stops in the next 2 weeks we pass through Tillamook, take the factory tour and sample cheese and ice cream. We stay a few nights free at the Tillamook Air Museum, a WW2 blimp base and the largest wood frame structure. Almost all the planes are still flown. It’s now time to leave the coast we’ve enjoyed the last 9 weeks. What a great area of the Country, As we turn east along the Columbia River Gorge I know this part of our summer is drawing to a close, we’ll miss the Pacific and the Oregon Coast.

                    

                    

Sept. 2011                                                                                                                                                     

East along the Columbia River toward Mount Hood. The weather is good and we finish August in a vacant sno-park northeast of Mt. Hood Natl. Forest. We spend a day touring the Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood and later camp in a free Corp of Engineers Park near the John Day Dam on the Columbia. Donny and Jill will soon be making their way to see her family in Minnesota and Wisconsin. We travel east to Walulla, Wa. on the Walla Walla River near where it flows into the Columbia. Our last camp is set-up in a free Fish and Game Park. This week we’ll each go our own way till next year. Linda and I move on to Pendleton, Or. for the Labor Day weekend, and take the underground tour. Then over to Coeur d’ Alene, Id. to visit with Dale and Gerrie for a week. The next few weeks we’ll go east on old US2 and visit Waterton Glacier Natl. Park, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

                     

The park is beautiful, but one of the biggest surprises of our 3 week drive east through the Bakken Oil Fields. Williston, North Dakota is a BOOMTOWN!  With permits now being issued to drill, the area is controlled chaos, no shortages of jobs. We head south into Michigan and visit with Jerry and Mary Ann Nugent in Grand Rapids, spending 8 days in their back yard.

October 2011

The color of leaves turning from Lake Superior east into the Upper Peninsula was gorgeous and we watch as they start turning in Grand Rapids. The annual Artprise celebration is in full swing and the city is buzzing. A busy week cleaning up our muddy coach and Jeep, then helping Jerry install a new flatscreen TV in his coach. We take old US27 south from Michigan into Indiana farm country and join Interstate 75 in Kentucky, not often were on super highways. We’re in Franklin, NC. in 4 days at my sisters, really fast compared to our usual slow pace. We’ll spend a week or more here then slowly return to Florida, stopping in Georgia and with family and friends in Florida.

The year seems like it went by fast until we take time to look at hundreds of pictures, and think of all the places we stayed, and friends we made…..More next year…Skip and Linda           

Catching up the last year, July ‘10 to June ‘11

What a year it’s been, I’ll try and catch up and add pictures. We left Montana for Idaho the middle of July and  were constantly surprised with good weather and beautiful scenery. Around Stanley and in the Sawtooth Mountains, we dry camped for the next 4 weeks on forestry and BLM land. We made our way through Idaho along the Salmon River to see John and Rae Proctor in Meridian. Id, and spent a week with them seeing the Nampa Stampede and playing golf.                                                                                               

                         

By the first of August Don and Jill caught up with us and we headed to Coeur ‘de Alene to visit with Dale and Gerrie Schoenhard. We rested for a week, did chores and took time for a “factory tour” at Buck Knife Works. It was great  to visit with Dale and Gerrie, and stay at their “shop” just outside Coeur ‘de Alene (free).

We left Idaho, traveling with Don and Jill, for Washington making our way to Omak in time for the rodeo and world famous Omak Suicide Race, then Skagit, Wa. and dirt track racing, and Anacortes for the Seabear Salmon packing factory tour. South along Puget Sound to Seattle and the Microsoft visitors center and a tedious I-5 trip (50 miles in 2 hours) over to the Olympic peninsula. A couple of days in an SKP park for housekeeping and laundry, then up to Port Angeles and a day trip to Victoria Island, lunch, and sightseeing. A beautiful day, taking the ferry over and using public trams and busses to explore the island.

                        

We were very impressed with the Pelindaba Lavender Works outside Friday Harbor. The flower and end products, oil to ice cream are all grown and produced onsite. Creams, soap, chap sticks, and many, many more fragrant items seem to reduce stress and provide therapy.

                        

West again out onto the Olympic peninsula. Along the Juan de Fuca Strait, all the way to the very tip of Washington State which happens to be an Indian Reservation. The Makah people have protected their tribal culture by continuing   their native way of life, a strong sense community with schools on the reservation and their history maintained in a modern museum.

South now to a portion of the Olympic National Park on the Pacific coast 35 miles below Forks, Wa. A beautiful spot on the ocean called South Beach, used as an overflow campground when the developed parks have filled. Primitive camping (no hookups) and plenty of sunshine. $2.50 a night with the Senior Pass.  We stayed 8 days and had a ball.

                        

Walks on the beach, cool nights, mostly sunny days and WHALES!!! Grey whales migrating from Alaska to the Baja in Mexico. It’s just good luck that we happened on this spot that week when their annual migration brings them close to shore to “clean” their bellies and fins and flukes along the surf. They played in the breakers so close we could have swam with them had the water not been sooo cooldd!

At this time last year we had to say good bye to our friends, make a  brief stop in Oregon, and work our way east to close on the sale of our house on October 1st. We drove 3400 miles, cut our summer short for a closing that never happened!  But, it was good to be home with family and friends.

Next…2011 already 6 months into the year and flying by.       Grey

 

                

   love

 

c

SUNBURN and SORE BUTTS

     Red Lodge, Montana                                                                                                     July 4, 2010

     The drive from Idaho through Yellowstone National Park last week was beautiful. From the northeast exit of the park, the Beartooth Scenic Byway, to Red Lodge, Mt. is spectacular (11,000ft.). Most of the top is above the tree line with 2-3 feet of snow on the shaded mountain sides. We’ll spend about a week here to relax through the Independence weekend. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday the whole town turns out with a parade and a rodeo for the July 4th celebration. We’re camped at 7000 ft. in a small valley in the Custer National Forrest surrounded by mountains. When we came in on Wednesday afternoon only two other rigs were set up along the west fork of the Rock River, today there are over twenty. Every one is friendly and most are locals from south central Montana who come to enjoy this beautiful area.

                    

     Over the last six weeks we have traveled slower, and have stayed longer, and seen more grandeur than we new was here. The amazing beauty of this country is everywhere. The northern Arizona forests and the north rim of the Grand Canyon still had snow on the ground, but the days were warm. We spent the last week of May at the  western edge of Lake Powell at Lone Rock Beach and in Monument Valley along the Arizona Utah border. Goosenecks State Park (free) and Moab, got hot and we moved north to Capitol Reef National Park and camped in the Dixie National Forest for six days (bear sighting).

                      

     Moving west along US 50 from Utah into central Nevada the Great Basin of the country opens up for miles with small towns a hundred miles apart. Tagged the loneliest road in America, the immense beauty goes on from pass after pass into valley after valley. We slowly make our way north through Utah from Ely to Elko and Jackpot enjoying good weather and great scenery. Southern Idaho is just across the the next range and the landscape changes again. Moving north to Twin Falls we stop to watch “base jumpers” parachute from the bridge over the Snake River. We follow the Snake River past the Lava Beds and American Falls Reservoir up to Idaho Falls. On the first day of summer its 46 degrees in Idaho Falls when we wake up in Wal-mart parking lot.

                 

     Our next stop is Island Park, Idaho and camping along Henry’s Fork. This community of 215 residents boast the longest main street in America (22 miles). US 20 is also one of the few paved streets in Island Park. We meet boondocking friends we dry camped with back in January at Quartzite, and again at Ajo, Arizona in February. We catch up on travels and meet new people, as they come and go. Most of this group fishes, kayaks, and ride ATVs. They are here for the world class fly fishing and unlimited ATV trails, we’re there to sightsee and hike a little. We stayed 10 days in Island Park, before we left they offered us the use of a couple of kayaks. Five of us put in at Big Springs and paddled down stream to Macs Inn, basically a float trip drifting along with the current. The day before we drove through Yellowstone Linda and I rented two ATVs and joined another couple on some forest trails. The old Harriman railroad grade that ran from his ranch into Yellowstone Park is over 50 miles long. The tracks are long gone but Forest Service maintains the grade for four wheelers. Our first ATV ride was six hours long.               

We’re going to miss the the desert southwest we enjoyed all winter.

     On the road again, from Tucson through Phoenix, north to Cottonwood, Arizona. Mid day travel through Phoenix was smooth. 4 hours later, 218 miles north, and over 2500' higher, we gain altitude and cool off. We check into a campground for 2 nights. We had camped on BLM land outside Tucson with our friends Don and Jill for almost 10 days, now time for housekeeping. It’s still snowing at the north rim of the Grand Canyon. We’ll enjoy the Verde Valley and Red Rock country while we wait for the weather to clear.

     Sunny days in the low 70’s are great. We start to explore at the local visitors center, this area is loaded with 1800’s history.  Our first day trip from Cottonwood is to Prescott on 89a through Jerome, the road is narrow with tight turns and steep grades. We take the car, no vehicles over 40' allowed. 158 turns in 41 miles on a 2 lane blacktop road over 7000' mountains. The views are incredible. We spend a few hours climbing the streets of Jerome, fantastic views of the Verde valley from this old mining town. Jerome was named for a New York investor who never visited his namesake. The mine produced over a billion dollars in copper, silver, and gold in it’s 70 year history. A notorious wild west town, once characterized as the “wickedest town in the west”, is now a tourist, art, and liberal political center in conservative Yavapai County, Arizona.

     On to Prescott the home of amazing natural beauty and old west tradition. The court house square, whiskey row, and the Prescott Rodeo are cherished areas of old town. We have a late lunch at the Palace Saloon, where the movie “Junior Bonner” (Steve McQueen) was filmed, great food and still feels like that era. 

                 

     The Verde valley is home to Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments. The spectacular pine-clad cliffs of the Mongolian rim of central Arizona form a huge geological transition between desert, grassland, and forest zones. The Sinaguan people we first learned about last fall in Walnut Canyon,Arizona had villages here too. Montezuma Castle is the best preserved and most dramatic cliff dwelling in the US. The 110 room pueblo at Tuzigoot, on a ridge overlooking the Verde River, is still being studied while we visit. Archeologist continue finding clues to these native people who flourished centuries before  Columbus claimed the New World.

     When we’re ready to move to a new area the US Forestry offers dispersed camping toward Sedona off 89a. We find a spot in the Red Rock Country with scenic drives, lookouts, vistas, rock art and ruins. For the next week the area around Sedona is amazing. The weather is good other than a few windy days. The geology of the red rocks along forest trails is fantastic.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                            

     Cliff dwellings, petroglyphs, museums, hikes, restaurants, markets and dramatic natural beauty has left us in awe. Red Rock Country Wilderness is literally Sedona’s back yard.. A large portion of the visiting population also has come for some kind of spiritual experience. Sedona is believed by some to be a vortex meditation site, places of power in the red rocks that enhance prayer and reflection for people of all faiths. We learn the trail we’re camped near is just above the site of the tragic sweat lodge deaths during a cleansing ceremony last year.

     After almost 2 weeks in the area we’re getting itchy feet. Time to move on to Flagstaff and then the Grand Canyon. It’s warming to the north and we stop for a few days just outside Flagstaff in a Forestry Campground. Sunset Crater and Wupatki Ruins are the highlights of this area. After a visit to the Northern Arizona Museum were headed to the North Rim…. On the road again, Skip and Linda                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Welcome Race Fans

In about a month the winter weather should be starting to clear to the north. For now we'll leave this lovely spot around Safford, Arizona and move on to New Mexico. The White Sands of New Mexico and Roswell have our curiosity. Our friends from 2008 Albuquerque balloon fiesta have a RV lot in eastern New Mexico, we make plans to see them also. Our first night from Safford is spent in Las Cruces, our host, Wal Mart. Jerry and Mary Ann are traveling with us, we made good time today, tomorrow we'll be stopping to sight see.

For us a good start in the morning is by 9am, the day is clear and cool and travel is easy, scenery through San Agustin Pass is great. We top the pass at 5720ft and the whole White Sands valley is spread out before us. A Highway Patrol officer pulls past and just ahead stops and blocks the road. All traffic both directions are roadblocked. We are stopped at the west edge of the White Sands Missile Range for MISSILE TESTING! They assured us the delay wouldn't be to long, we were unloading with cameras, binoculars, snacks and didn't care anyhow. We couldn't believe our timing, the tractor trailer driver ahead of us said it happens all the time. This would upset his schedule.

We asked the officer if there was anything to see and he showed us an arc with his arm in the downrange area of the landscape. 30 minutes later a group was gathering toward the front of the roadblock with every ones eyes looking downrange, waiting. Our hearts (and feet) leaped with the blast and roar of surface to air missiles right BEHIND us. In shocking rapid succession about eight missiles were fired directly opposite of where we were looking. I had just put down the camera, once I picked it up again they stopped. I think I saw a little grin on the officers face as he started letting traffic through when the all clear came. It was interesting and fun, with a great view of the valley for miles.

At the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert lies a valley ringed with mountains. Rising from the heart of this basin are the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Brilliant, white and covering almost 300 square miles, this is the highest concentration of gypsum dune field in the world. The area is so brilliant we've put on our sun glasses just to enjoy it. The geological wonders that formed this valley are still at work. It's own Eco system has produced adaptations in plant and wildlife on the dunes. The entrance station to the White Sands National Monument and visitors center offers insight about the environment, but the wonder of the park is just outside on the loop driving tour. The White sands National Monument and the City of Alamogordo offer field seminars to explore the history and archaeology of the white ands. A snack in the R/Vs at the parking lot and were on the road again. Cloudcroft is ahead and has earned it name.

We'll leave the Alamogordo area and turn east on to US82. At this point we slowly climb 5000 feet in 16 miles to almost 9000 feet total. One of New Mexico's scenic highways to the town of Cloudcroft. Two hours ago we were in shirtsleeves at the White Sands National Monument and now we put on our coats and walk in SNOW to a restaurant for a late lunch. A typical small town, one paved main street, one traffic light. School is just letting out and almost no traffic. We still have a ways to go before we reach the Escapees Co-Op park where Roy and Cathy are. The drive down from the Sacramento Mountains is beautiful, snow in the forest and woods blends into ranches and farms as we approach Artesia, New Mexico. "The Ranch" RV park is just below Artesia and we don't arrive until 6 pm. this is the latest we've driven in a long time but is was a great day. It's good to see old friends again.

After a couple of days rest and we catch up on housekeeping. Then there's time to check out the local attractions. We go back to Artesia to see the fabulous sculptures we caught a glimpse of coming in. There's a car show in town this weekend, its time for a day trip and lunch in town. The sculptures are sensational. Monumental bronze castings with detail and authenticity unequaled anywhere. The bronzes represent Artesia's cattle and petroleum industry and the development of the area.

The quality of the antiques, street rods, and custom cars are great. More than you would expect for a small town show. Entries from Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, fill the field. One of the organisers is local resident and businessman Mike Deans. We meet Mike when I inquire about the price of a Phoenix Nascar race weekend package he has for sale. Linda and I take advantage of the tickets and will go back to Phoenix, Arizona in 10 days. Trips to Roswell and Carlsbad Caverns are planed soon.

The city of Roswell, New Mexico is a great day trip from The Ranch. The locals have embraced the notoriety of a perceived cover up by the government. Main street is littered with souvenir shops, museums and alien encounters. The real economy is petroleum, farming and ranching with a little tourism overflowing on to down town and main street. We enjoyed the UFO museum and research center, and even more the Roswell Museum and Art Center, with fabulous exhibits.

"The Roswell Incident" occurred back in the late 1940's, now in 2010 interest is strong as ever. It was ignored and almost forgotten until the middle 70's when UFO interest and Star Trek popularity was sweeping the country. In the beginning, reports of crash debris were found on a ranch near Roswell. Statements from the Air Force claimed weather balloon pieces were found not a flying disc. For 30 years it was forgotten until an interview, by physicist and ufologist in 1978, of a retired Major involved in the recovery of the debris. His belief that the military had "covered up" the recovery of an alien flying saucer sparked intense media interest. Additional reports and witnesses accounts emerged including the stories of the Roswell Army Air Field seeking information on youth sized caskets and handling of bodies exposed to the elements. These witness accounts have sense produced books and gained international attention.

When our group started making plans to go to Carlsbad Caverns I didn't have my heart set on it. Linda and I took our boys there 35 years ago, I thought I remembered. Only an hour south of our camp, and a pretty day, I went along, to breakfast, and then over to the caverns, and was overwhelmed. The beauty of the caves is like nothing I remembered. With improvements in paths, railings, theater lighting, and opening of new areas of the caverns was wonderful. Every turn to a new chamber or room was beautiful. Jerry, Mary Ann, Linda and I had a fabulous time and stayed underground almost three hours. 35 years ago it seemed damp, dark and trickling noises everywhere, now with better ventilation and changes in moisture seeping into to caverns, it was very enjoyable. We strolled along till well after lunch, then went to the surface for a snack in the restaurant. Soon it's time to leave our friends in New Mexico. We say goodbye to Jerry and Mary Ann, they're returning to Grand Rapids. Roy and Cathy travel in Europe this summer and it's time for Linda and I to head to Phoenix.

Leaving New Mexico, we drop down into west Texas over the Guadalupe Mountains, and head west to El Paso to pick up I-10. We start mid morning and have an easy drive over Guadalupe pass at 5,288 feet. This afternoon is beautiful and it's time for lunch at a roadside rest stop. We notice the wind is picking up a little. By mid afternoon high wind condition warnings have been posted, and it's uncomfortable driving with a crosswind. When we reach El Paso and are on I-10, even the tractor trailers have slowed down to our speed (45-50) and we are trying to stay out of each others lanes. Then it gets worse, the dust picks up. We're in a full blown (no pun intended) DUST STORM on I-10. Visibility drops to a quarter mile and we need a place to stop for the night and get out of the dust. I'm wondering if this little detour to the races in Phoenix was such a good idea? Were low on fuel and finally spot a Flying J truck stop, even at this low speed we barely have time to make the off ramp. Linda goes inside to pay while I fuel up. I'm sheltered by the RV while it takes a forever to pump 90 plus gallons of diesel. Dust is still blowing under the coach and everything I touch has static electricity flying. The wind is gusting to 60mph plus. We dash back inside the coach looking for a place to ride out the dust and wind, just across the street is a gravel vacant lot on a bluff overlooking I-10. There is no dust in this lot and the bluff shapes the gusts over the roof, we settle in for a long night. Sleep finally comes and when we wake in the morning were surrounded by other coaches, 5th wheels, and travel trailers also seeking a port in the storm. Leaving New Mexico a few days early will give us time on the way to Phoenix to stop in Casa Grande and clean house, dust is everywhere. It takes hours to vacuum the cracks and crevasses and clean up the mess. Next were off to Phoenix for the Nascar race.

We've found our RV spot at the Phoenix International Raceway, which is really 25 miles west of Phoenix. An easy drive from the Casa Grande RV park where we've stayed before. Next to us are Mike and Judy Deans from Artesia, New Mexico. Long time fans of Nascar, they come with all their favorite race gear, life size cutouts, pennants, and flags. We're all set up to enjoy the next four days. Thursday, practice, qualifying and a night race of the Nascar West drivers. This was a good show, 35 cars, a lot of action and only about half finished. Friday is Nationwide practice, Sprint Cup practice, qualifying for both, and the Nationwide race on Friday night. A busy day, lots of action on and off track, around the haulers and souvenir trailers.

We spend most of our time in the infield checking out the nonstop action in the garage area. Cars are moving on and off track during practice, drivers are moving between garages with autograph seekers in tow. On Friday, Linda has her 1984 Rick Mears Indy winner jacket autographed by his nephew Casey Mears. Friday and Saturday races are great. The ceremony, flyovers, network TV, the Speed channel, and race day excitement make the experience worthwhile. We take our time Sunday pulling up stakes and working our way back to Tucson.

For the next few weeks things slow down a little bit (finally). Don and Jill Jacques from Jacksonville, Fl. make their way to Tucson for a RV owners rally. We've traveled with them the last two summers, on and off. It's great to see them again. Some things still left to do in the area are the Sonora Desert Museum and Kitt Peak Observatory. On a beautiful Sunday morning the four of us take a trip to the summit of Kitt Peak. One of those fabulous days, the sun is warm, almost no wind, even our tour guide is impressed with the day at 7000 feet. The view is great, we can see for miles. We are spellbound in a 1 1/2 hour talk with a basic introduction about observatory's for public use and a tour to one of the 25 history making telescopes at this site. This has been a premier location for astronomers from all over the world. As May approaches the weather is warming. It's hot in Tucson (low 80s) and cool to the north. Don and Jill need warranty repairs and have doctors visits, Linda and I will go on ahead to explore Prescott and Sedona, more soon....Skip and Linda