Yuma

 We spent 11 days in Yuma this time, we would have stayed longer but the wheels needed to roll on down the roads. The first two days we parked at the casino, dry camping but we were on blacktop. After the first two days we were able to get a site at the SKP Park KOFA Co-op.

 We did the usual trips to Los Algadones Mexico, it is always interesting going there. We stock up on alchol and smokes when we cross the border. AZ has went crazy on taxes, cigerettes are $50+ a carton in AZ and $14 in Mexico. Yuma has went overboard on taxes too, sales tax in Yuma is over 10%, which has me thinking they really don't want me in AZ.

 We didn't get to spend as much time with friends as we would  have liked to but we kept busy doing this and that. Games at the clubhouse, soaking in the hut tub, and we attended part of the annual meeting at the SKP Park. Since we are #29 on the waiting list for a lot we were allowed to attend, but we couldn't speak. I saw/heard enough to put a lot of doubt in my mind as to weather I really want a lot anywhere. It will be a couple of years before our number comes up so we will wait and see.

 One day we went wheeling with Howard and Marilee on the Barry M Goldwater Range. To get on the range you are required to get a permit from the Marine Corp Base, and then you have to call them and let them know when you are going on the range, you also have to sign a release saying the US is not responsible if they drop a bomb on you while your out there.

Howard and Marilee

The mountains in the distance is where we are headed to. They are reffered to in many western books that Howard reads so he wanted to visit them and see them with his own eyes. The reading should be a bit more interesting knowing he has been there.

We were following Devils Hwy, or Camino del Diablo Oeste as it is on the map. It is about 100 miles of NOTHING but mtns and desert between Yuma and Ajo AZ. Some parts they don't allow a single vehicle, there must be at least two vehicles together to pass through parts of it. Mainly because it is so rough and rugged, and so far from ANYTHING. (we didn't go there)

We came to an intersection in the roads and found this interesting sign.

It was a large open area so we stopped to rest a bit, and walk around. I sat down on the concrete slab the tower is ancored in while we talked.

After several minuets this guy shows up. He politely asks me to not sit on the slab. I'm thinking why not, its not like I'm hurting it. Well he tells us it has presure switches built into it and around it that allerts them as to when someone is within 10 feet of the tower.

We had a nice chat with the agent, and learned quite a bit about some parts of their job.

We left Yuma Thursday and drove to WHY, AZ. Yes it is WHY! Why is 10 miles south of Ajo, and 20 mile north of the Organ Pipe Cactus NM CG. Leland and Cathy saved us a spot on the B L M Land just south of Why. It was good seeing them, I just wish our paths could have crossed at a wider point.

We will hang out here a couple days enjoying the beauty of the cacti in the area.....

Pio Pico

 We left the Palms Spring area and drove south to Jamul CA where Pio Pico RV Resort is. We checked in and had to drive through the park to exit so we could enter on the other side of the road. The problem was the other side of the road has two dump stations but no sewer at the sites. Which is really no big deal, but you combine that inconvenience with the fact there is no cell service and the only TV you get off the bat wing is Mexican stations, and it makes for unhappy campers.

 We had decided we would stay for a few days to see the area, but we wouldn't be staying for the two weeks we had reserved. Friday we drove to Jamul, and 5 minuets later we were on our way to see the Pacific Ocean. Not much to see in Jamul.

 We found La Jolla Beach and walked around a bit. The weather had taken a turn for the worse, cloudy and cool on the beach so we drove on up to watch the para-sailing. From there we could see the famous Torrey Pines Golf Course. I really don't think there was a tournament going on while we were there, but it was interesting to see it.

 I tried to get Marcia to take one of the sailing rides, but when she saw the $150 price tag she opted out and I was really glad she did. so we watched awhile before driving back to Pio Pico. Once we got back we saw the park was having a fish fry in their restaurant. Well the fish fry was a mistake, the food was terrible. How do you mess up fried fish? Don't cook it enough, and add sweet relish to the cole slaw to ruin that and we were left with cold fries.

 Saturday we drove around the mtns and took in the views. We had a nice time and the views were spectacular. Later we made another mistake, the park was having a steak diner for Valentines Day and we had already paid for it the night before, so we went. ( if we hadn't have already paid we would have left early Saturday) So we watched the Cats play on direct TV and then enjoyed the hot tub.

 Sunday we packed up and left. We wound up in Yuma where we will spend a couple days before heading to Ajo sometime this week..............

January has already past.

WOW, it is hard to imagine that we are already in the second month of 2012, it seams like only yesterday we were all worried about Y2K.

 After the reunion in Q with our class mates and some from other classes we headed to CA.

We did the open air market held every weekend at the College of the Desert. Someone told me it was a little more upscale than the average flea market and I have to agree.

Lots of art work purses and clothes, new clothes not the rags you often find in flea markets. There was a good verity of new stuff, and I wound up with another pole for cleaning the rv.

A couple days later we had to do the Palm Springs Ariela Tramway. It was pretty cool, the floor revolved so you got a 360 degree view going up and back down. The ride took us to a State Park on top of the mountain and it was COLD up there. We even saw sn*w up there.

                                                        You can see a long way from the tram.

                                                 Down there is where we parked the jeep..

OH That dirty four letter word, SN*W

                         This is one of the two tram cars you ride in, one goes up as one comes down.

The only thing that could have made the trip better would have been clean windows on the tram cars.

We found out that Bobbie and Sal, (my udder brudder from anodder mudder, and my sista from another mister,) were spending a few days in Joshua Tree N P, and Marcia had not got her book stamped with that N P yet so we took a drive.

It was a nice day for a drive and we had the windows out of the jeep so we could see better.

We did see some awesome sights.

Marcia spotted a Kit Fox crossing the road so I backed up hoping to get a picture, but the camera wasn't fast enough. We did get a few more glimpses of it but the fox was too foxy for a picture.

This is one of the advantages of being full timers, just check out Bobbie and Sal's yard for a few days. They have a beautiful yard to play in, and Sal won't even have to cut the grass.

One of the rocks has the look of a skull so they named this skull rock.

And lastly I will leave you with a picture of a Joshua Tree.