Thursday, January 17, 2013

THE TRAIL TO VULTURE PEAK & DOWNTOWN WICKENBURG

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ALONG THE TRAIL TO VULTURE PEAK

After 5 straight nights of freeze warnings it was sure nice waking up to 44 degree temperatures this morning instead of the freezing 24 degrees of past nights.  Only had to have one part time heater on in the rig last night instead of 3.  Just a whole lot nicer feeling to be outside doing things & feeling the warmth of the sun.  We ended up pushing the heck out of 70 degrees today & for me that is a perfect weather day.  Even the bees were airborne in the warm Arizona sun:))

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Pheebs & I have totally been enjoying our time camped out in the Motorhome this week.  We’re having a blast just hangin out:))

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ARE YOUR WRITING ABOUT ME IN THE BLOG AGAIN DAD?

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BE SURE TO PHOTOGRAPH MY BETTER SIDE PLEASE

Legs have been doing good this week compared to last week.  Of course I haven’t been doing any shoveling, raking, or wheel barrowing this week either so that meant no unusual twisting, bending, lifting, or carrying things.

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THIS SAGUARO CACTUS NAMED METHUSELAH DATES BACK TO THE 1600’S >>>

Knew we wouldn’t be on any rough roads today so we decided to take Peter & Leslie’s rental car.  Peter drove, I rode shotgun & of course our official rear seat drivers took up their usual positions.  First stop was the Escapee’s Club at North Ranch.  (went by your place MIKE but your truck was gone)  Wanted to show Leslie & Peter the nice Cactus garden folks there have painstakingly put together & maintained.  Everything is labeled so there is no guessing as to what plant is what.  This Garden is also home to Methuselah, which is maybe Arizona’s oldest living Saguaro Cactus.  It has been dated back to the year 1600.  Another Saguaro in there is dated back to about 1870.  Comparing the size of that one to our two front yard Saguaros I would estimate ours to be maybe be about 150 years old.

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WE HAD OUR OWN CHAUFFEUR TODAY

Next stop was Vulture Peak just west of Wickenburg a few miles.  Nice rocky trail out there leads through some mighty fine Teddy Bear Cholla gardens.  It’s an up & down trail with scenic vistas all around.  Didn’t do the whole trail but spent about 40 minutes on it.  Just enough to give Peter & Leslie another fine example of the southwest we love so much. 

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THIS TEDDY BEAR CHOLLA IS NASTY STUFF & PETER HAS ONE ON HIM 

From Vulture Peak it was on into downtown Wickenburg.  I think they have one traffic light down there so it’s small enough to just park the car & walk every where you want.  People were getting a little hungry so it was into Anita’s Cocina we went.  Kelly & I had been in there last March.  Peter, Leslie, & Kelly all had some kind of Mexican meat ball soup.  I’m not a big fan of Mexican food so I had a couple peanut butter Tacos:))

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I’D LIKE A DOZEN OF THOSE GREEN MEXIPERUVIAN FROGS

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Had us a walk around Wickenburg to see all the sites.  Old train, cowboy statues, boardwalks, etc.  I was holding up pretty good till we hit a western clothing store.  Had to get myself outside & sit on a shady log for a bit.  That shopping stuff is a little hard on this guy.

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WE STOPPED TO ASK ONE OF THE LOCALS FOR DIRECTIONS

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BEFORE WE LEFT, PETER WAS GETTING PRETTY CHUMMY WITH THIS GUY & KELLY STOPS TO PET A GILA MONSTER:))

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OUTSIDE WICKENBURG’S COWBOY MUSEUM

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A FELLER HAS TO WATCH HIS STEP ON THE STREETS OF WICKENBURG:)) 

Turned out that was our last stop for the day & it was already mid afternoon.  Soon as we got home it was every man for himself & I made fast tracks for the Motorhome to get a start on tonight’s blog.  Didn’t get too far.  Next thing I remember, Pheebs was waking me up.

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Had supper reservations for 5:30 at NICHOLS WEST in Congress.  Peter & Leslie took us out so when somebody else is buying I like to keep the cost down.  Ya right AL.  I had a Club Sandwich while the other guys had some kinda fancy stuff.  Whatever it was, they all liked it.  Brought most of my Club home for  Pheebs & I to split for Friday mornings breakfast.  Tasted fine but was just way too much for me to eat.

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GROANER’S CORNER:((   Young people have theirs,now Seniors have their own texting codes:
* ATD- At the Doctor's
* BFF - Best Friends Funeral
* BTW- Bring the Wheelchair
* BYOT - Bring Your Own Teeth
* CBM- Covered by Medicare
* CUATSC- See You at the Senior Center
* DWI- Driving While Incontinent
* FWIW - Forgot Where I Was
* GGPBL- Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low
* GHA - Got Heartburn Again
* HGBM - Had Good Bowel Movement
* LMDO- Laughing My Dentures Out
* LOL- Living on Lipitor
* OMSG - Oh My! Sorry, Gas
* TOT- Texting on Toilet
* WAITT - Who Am I Talking To?

* WAMP – Where are my pills?

Hope these help. GGLKI (Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking in!)

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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.

10 comments:


  1. this post sure brings back memories, such a nice area you chose to spend your winters. I bet your company are loving it.

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  2. Guess I'll have to check who the artist is on that cowboy sculpture at the museum and see if it's a Bradford Williams.

    Love Anita's. Peanutbutter taco is a new one on me.

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  3. Pheebes has no bad side! yet another great day showing the company around?
    Peanut butter taco?

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  4. Better be careful, Pheebs will be snapped up by some modeling magazine. What a beautiful girl she is.

    Loved the groaner...LMDO...

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  5. You ate in our two favorite places in that area!!

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  6. Always fun showing other people the sights, especially when they buy supper.

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  7. Wonderful trip. Nice warm weather. Great photos of a "ham". Informative and interesting narrative. Bird photos! You're having fun again, Al. Good to see it!!

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  8. Your pics of Wickenburg makes me think about last years stay at Vulture Peak. Maybe we do a day ride from Q-site when we get up there.

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  9. Sorry I missed you all,,,we were at the Pistol Range,,,we both shot 100 rounds each just for practice.... Yhen I had guns to clean!!
    Looks like your enjoying the local sights,,I enjoy seeing them with you...I would have gave you all some oranges if I had been home....

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  10. Fun to be the tour guide in a place that beautiful.
    Really enjoyed last nights Groaner.
    We are in the Everglades again.

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