OH HOW I LOVE MY STEAMY LONG HOT SHOWERS IN A SPACE LARGER THAN A SHRUNKEN BROOM CLOSET……..

I am really, really, really, really, going to try & write a shorter post tonight with a whole lot less pictures!!  Many photos taken this past week didn’t make it into my posts simply because there was not enough room for them so I’ll include some of those over the next little while such as the one’s below.

 

MORE PETROGLYPHS TO THE UPPER RIGHT OF THE GRINDING CAVE

We picked a good day to head back to Congress.  Had us a cloud cover overhead again so it wouldn’t have been a good photo morning anyway.  Just as well though because I am needing a photo break.  With Tuesdays photo load of 253 pics it took me a long time yesterday to get through & edit them all.  And with a slow internet connection at our Kofa location it took so long to publish my post I fell asleep & had to restart the post when I woke up this morning.  After 5 days of jostling Jeep rides, rock scrambles, hiking, & hours of photo editing, we really needed to head home for some R&R.  Loved every minute of our time away though:))

We rolled out of our Kofa campsite about 8:30 a.m.  We knew GEORGE & SUSIE were camped somewhere close to JEAN & SKIP south of Quartzsite in an area we used to boondock a few years back but it’s a big place & we decided not to drive through there looking for them.  Besides 8:30 in the morning is not the time to unexpectedly go knocking on someone’s door scaring the Holy Ba-Jeebers out of them.  It is still possible for Seniors like ourselves to be in various states of grumpy fog at that hour.  Could be dangerous so  with a nod & a wave we motored on by heading north on 95. 

THANK YOU KOFA & CASTLE DOME MOUNTAINS FOR ANOTHER GREAT HEAD FULL OF UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES

After our usual McDonalds pit stop in Quartzsite for a grease job & coffee we were eastbound on I-10 for home.  Fifteen minutes out of Q we turned northeast on highway 60 for a relaxing hour & a half drive to Congress.  I love heading home just as much as I love leaving home on our boondocking adventures.  Best part of getting home is always that long shower in a space larger than a shrunken broom closet complete with an endless supply of steamy hot water:))  But you can bet that for sure next month at this time I’ll be chomping at the bit to be on the road again heading somewhere for more boondocking, writing, & photo adventures.  Wouldn’t have it any other way……:)) 

A CLOUD SHADOW DRIFTS LAZILY ACROSS THE DESERT FLOOR

Thanks to good friend & Kofa Refuge host Ann for pointing out the endangerment of the Bat species due to the White Nose Syndrome.  We were unaware of that & had no idea entering a mine shaft could be detrimental to Bats.  Wonder if the Kofa personnel have thought of putting wire fencing across those entrances two thirds up keeping people out but allowing Bats to still enter & exit through the top third.  Maybe a ‘No Trespassing’ sign with an educational explanation of why.  And thanks to Ann again for leaving this explanation in our Shout Box regarding the Bighorn Sheep butting & pawing at that Barrel Cactus.  Ann says…."Regarding the desert Bighorn Sheep and the Barrel Cactus. The Bighorn can go up to a month without drinking water. On a regular basis they will use their horns to knock over the barrel cactus; they eat the cactus for its high water content”.

Also regarding another question about the mine site my uneducated guess about hazardous material in the those mine tailings is ‘probably yes because Cyanide was commonly used in many mine operations in the processing of mine contents.  I think it’s safe to say those tailings probably have been through some kind of chemical process.

CLOUD SHADOWS PLAYING IN THE KOFA MOUNTAIN RANGE

Another good friend & reader down around that there Sierra Vista place pointed out I had mis-identified the King Of Arizona Mine.  I poured over some internet maps this afternoon plus my Benchmark Atlas & the Kofa brochure map we were using.  Both the Kofa map & my Benchmark Atlas point to the King Of Arizona mine where I identified it.  The internet map indicated this same location was the ROB ROY MINE.  Being familiar with the road layout between the North Star Mine & the other mine (both within site of each other) in question tells me the King Of Arizona Mine & the Rob Roy mine are both one & the same mine.  Maybe Kofa Refuge hosts Ann & Bill could clear up the confusion for us………..     

 

LEFT IS THE KOFA BROCHURE MAP WE WERE USING & RIGHT IS MY BENCHMARK ATLAS…BOTH SHOWING NORTH STAR MINE & KING OF ARIZONA MINE ABOUT A MILE & A HALF APART…THIS MAP PLACES THE ROB ROY MINE SITE IN THE SAME LOCATION…….??

Wasn’t until I was editing some photos a couple days ago that I saw I had once again done something really, really, dumb.  I am going to go as far to say I just may be the only one who has ever done this for an entire day.  Or maybe this is just common for us wannabe Cowboy guys.  Sure shoots holes in my dusty trail weary Cowpoke status though.  It was the day we went to Yuma & it was the day we met SASSY.  Kelly had taken some photos of Sassy & I.  I thought something looked odd about my hat in the pictures.  I enlarged one of the photos Kelly took when I had my back to the camera & DAM!!  Would you believe I had my hat on BACKWARD!!   Yep it’s true & I had it on all day that way.  No wonder those Senior Walmartians were trying to run me out of the Yuma Walmart store with their carts Monday.   And then I meet a well known fellow RV Blogger for the first time & have my hat on backwards.  Sometimes I just don’t know about myself.   Had a similar thing happen the first time I met DESERT DIVA a couple months ago in Borrego Springs.  Had a shower that morning & put on a clean shirt.  And as is so typically me I then went outside & moved some big soot covered fire pit rocks around.  Front of my shirt was dirty & I didn’t notice it.  Can only imagine what Desert Diva thought when she met me.  Slob!!

 

I NOTICED IN THE LEFT PHOTO WITH SASSY MY HAT TOP LOOKED TOO HIGH…YEP, RIGHT PHOTO SHOWS MY HAT ON BACKWARDS ALRIGHT

So now that we have been out on our third boondocking venture with our Winnie Wagon how are we adjusting to the smaller living space of a 26’ Class C from a 33’ Class A.  Well I would really like to tell you that we think it’s the Cat’s Meow & we’ve never adjusted to any one thing better & never been happier.  However…..I can’t tell you that.  We have us a great little rig here but we’re kinda feeling like a couple of aged Dinosaurs in a Volkswagen Beetle.  Never thought for a minute I would have any trouble getting in or out of that bunk over the cab but then again I never thought for a minute I was 69 years old either.  My recent tumble out of that bunk awhile back reminded me that despite what I think, I do not have the agility of a teen-ager anymore.  The on-going Arthritis problem in my legs is slowly gaining ground on me.  No problems with our coach whatsoever.  The problem is us & our desire for more livable & more comfortable space.  Yes I know we do not spend as much time in our rig as we used to so why are we still finding the desire for more space?  It’s an age old RVing topic with many pros & cons, thoughts & opinions of course & it just depends on what order one has their own priorities prioritized.   Does this mean we are in for another change somewhere down the road?  Not necessarily.  These are only thoughts, not plans.  And we all know how we RV’ers think about things a lot…………  

GROANER’S CORNER:((    A policeman stops Mavis just outside the city of Tucson Arizona, and asks to see her driver’s license.   He says rather peremptorily, 'Lady, it says here that you should be wearing glasses.'

Mavis promptly answers sweetly, 'Well, I have contacts.'

The policeman replies gruffly, 'I don't care who you know, my dear. You're still getting a ticket.'

THINK I MIGHT HAVE MY GOLD MINE MIX UP MENDED

KOFA BUTTE

Definitely colder here in Congress than it was south of Quartzsite the past week.  A heavy cloud cover prevented old Sol’s warming rays from putting happy weather smiles on our faces today.  Think we got up to 51F.  We pretty much had to run our heaters in the house for most of the day & I wasn’t inspired to putter away at any outside projects. 

A DISTANT DRY WATERFALL WHICH WILL BE A TORRENT OF WATER IN THE MONSOONS

Les dropped over while we were away & put our new wood garden shed doors on.  How nice to be rid of those old bent & twisted noisy aluminum doors that rattled in the wind & clattered every time they were opened or closed.  I just need to throw a coat of outdoor protective paint on them & they will be all set.

Pheebs is sure glad to be home again stretched full out on her couch or on my lap in the recliner.  She can now jump up on my bed again for scruffles & she loves trying to turf me out of bed in the morning.  It’s very crowded in the Winnie with the 3 of us all scrunched up on the short sofa.  Difficult for me to write & edit photos with no space to set cameras or use my mouse.  Tried reversing the front seat for awhile but that proved uncomfortable after a short awhile as well.  So it’s nice to be home & s t r e t c h out.

MOUNTAINS IN BACKGROUND ARE LOCATED BEHIND KOFA’S PALM CANYON

Rene over at live. work. dream. has good things to say about an informative book out now entitled, ‘So You Want To Be A Workamper’.  Rene & Jim have been Workamping & Volunteering around the country for about 7 years now & found this book accurately depicts what they have themselves been experiencing.

COUNTLESS MILES OF DESERT ROADS TO EXPLORE OUT HERE IN THE GREAT SOUTH-WEST

I am in agreement with Nick’s latest post in BAD NICK'S BLOG.  Looks like the majority of comments are in agreement with him as well.  Always encouraging to know there are other folks out here living in the real world & seeing things for the reality they unfortunately are. 

Curious to know if any RV readers have a Class A Motorhome with what is known as a 3 zone floor plan.  This is generally a mid door entry coach with separate bedroom & bathroom in back, separate kitchen in the center & separate living room up front behind the driver’s area.  Gulf Stream has this plan in some of their Sun Voyagers.  Just curious…………..

With Ann’s note in the Shout Box I think my confusion has been cleared regarding my mixed up mine dilemma.  There is a third mine in the Kofa Mountains we did not know about.  And this one comes with a cemetery so you know we would have been over there had we known about it’s existence.  It is called the King of Kofa Mine & after receiving an email from a reader today with the GPS co-ordinates to the cemetery I was amazed at just how close to that cemetery we really were when we reached marker 21 & turned around.  Also learned the buildings we saw near the 2 mines are what is left of the Kofa mining town.  Ann said a mine caretaker lives there now.  Also some additional info from a friend near Sierra Vista helped as well.

LITTLE DID WE KNOW JUST HOW CLOSE WE WERE TO THE KOFA CEMETERY WHEN I TOOK THIS PHOTO OF KELLY AT MARKER 21…WE WERE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE 

LEFT YELLOW MARKER SHOWS WHERE WE WERE AT MARKER 21 & RIGHT YELLOW MARKER SHOWS WHERE THE KOFA CEMETERY IS LOCATED…WE WERE SO UNKNOWINGLY CLOSE

LOOKING BACK FROM MARKER 21 TOWARD THE TOWNSITE OF KOFA THE CEMETERY WOULD HAVE BEEN OFF TO THE RIGHT SOMEWHERE NOT FAR

 

THIS IS WHERE THE MINING TOWN OF KOFA WOULD HAVE BEEN LOCATED

I have always thought anytime one mixes the desert with water it can make for some nice photos.  Could be a water hole somewhere, a river, a lake, or even a puddle in a rock crevice.  Just think what dusty & weary desert travelers must have thought when coming across any source of water after long days on the trail.  There are a few fellow RV Bloggers out here who travel with canoes & kayaks out here in the desert regions.  Bob over at BOB'S EYES is one.  JUST WANDERIN is another one.  SUE has a Kayaking hobby as well.  And remember to keep an eye on John over at JUST FINDING OUR WAY.  He is one of those clever innovator fellows who is right now working away at building a kayak.  He just recently finished helping a friend build a Dory & if you backtrack John’s post you can follow that project.  For all you ‘do it yourselfers’ out here it would be a good idea to keep track of John’s posts to see what innovations he always seems to be up to.  Whether his RV or whatever……

YELLOW FLOWERS ARE BRITTLE BUSH

Noticed two recent additions to our Blog Follower Friend Connect list on our sidebar this morning.  We welcome AUDREY THE REDBONE.  Audrey the Coonhound is currently undergoing chemotherapy so we doggy people here at the Bayfield Bunch are wishing her the best outcome.  And why was Audrey the Coonhound named Audrey?  BECAUSE:)).  Also joining us on our travels & stay at home times is HighwayManNL.  Thanks for stopping by & taking an interest in the Bayfield Bunch:))

 

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Murphy's wife borrowed his car and parked in the supermarket car park. Just as she came out laden with shopping, she saw a young lad break into the car, hot wire it and drive off.  Naturally she reported the matter to the police.' What did he look like?, the sergeant asked.  'I don't know she replied, but I got the license plate number'.

---

"My wife and I have structured conversations...
First, she gives me her opinion,
Then she gives me my opinion."

IN SEARCH OF CEREUS ‘TANK’ & TEN EWE CANYON

Had us a bit of wind this morning so it was a short brisk walk in much cooler air.  No cloud cover so knew today’s warming sun would soon be upon us. 

ANOTHER WARMING SUNRISE OVER THE KOFA PEAKS

We had the Jeep’s wheels rolling by 9:10 & retraced our steps up Kofa Queen road around in behind Palm Canyon.  Some may remember that is where Skull Rock is located.  Bill, Ann, & RV SUE drove up in there a couple days ago for a hike in Ten Ewe Canyon & said how beautiful it was.  So that & another water hole called ‘Cereus Tank’ were our destinations today & off we went bouncing our way first across the desert valley floor up into the mountains.

 

Entering Kofa Queen Canyon we couldn’t help but notice that nobody had come along & paved the roads in the last couple of days since we had been there.  Some of the rocks & gulley's we went over again scrambled our peanut butter sandwiches.  A couple days ago we were up in this canyon in early afternoon.  Now in early morning it’s an entirely different canyon.  Oh the mountains haven’t changed but the light & shadows on them have & when it comes to tall craggy mountains that is all part of what makes them so beautiful so many times in just one single day.

 

Our first stop was Skull Rock where I took a few more photos but this time without campers chairs sitting in the small cave. 

INSIDE SKULL ROCKS SMALL CAVE

  

 

We heard the water hole (tank) we were looking was located somewhere behind Skull Rock.  We spent nearly an hour & a half in that area looking for the ‘Tank’ but to no avail.  Pheebs & I even clambered precariously high up on 2 rocky ridges trying to get an overall perspective of where this body of water could be.  Only thing Pheebs I found were 2 small water puddles high up in a dry waterfall area.  Disappointing but hey I guess we can’t find absolutely everything we set out to find.

SEARCHING & SEARCHING FOR THE CEREUS WATER ‘TANK’

 

PHEEBS & I CLIMBED HIGH ATOP THAT ROCKY ROUND RIDGE IN THE CENTRE OF THE PHOTO TO SEE IF THERE WAS WATER THE OTHER SIDE…NOPE

 

COME ON DAD IT’S TIME TO CLIMB DOWN…I’LL LEAD THE WAY, YOU’LL BE ALRIGHT

THE BIG ROCK IN FRONT OF KELLY IS THE BACKSIDE OF SKULL ROCK

Headed south following a twisting wash for a ways until we finally came upon Ten Ewe Canyon.  We were right on the back side of Palm Canyon itself.  As with so many sites in the Kofa Refuge this was simply yet another awe inspiring scene with canyon walls & peaks reaching far into the blue Arizona sky.  We followed a boulder strewn wash & it was evident how powerful the force of water was coming down the ravines of those high mountain slopes.  We picked our way along clambering over sand, gravel, rocks, & boulders.   Found a few trail markers for a little easier going but not a whole lot.

TEN EWE CANYON

  

 

HIKED UP THIS ROCKY BOULDER STREWN WASH

  

LOOKING IN THE DIRECTION OF WHAT WE THINK MIGHT BE INDIAN CANYON & ALSO LOOKING FOR MOUNTAIN SHEEP

I figure it was the result of Saturday’s 4 Palm Canyon hike & today’s earlier leg burning rock scrambles that caused my legs to tire.  We think there was a second canyon called Indian Canyon further up into Ten Ewe but I my legs were needing a rest so we decided to head back down the trail to the Jeep.  Besides, all the time we were hiking I knew there were peanut butter & jam sandwiches in the Jeep.  And I’m almost certain I could hear them calling to me from down the canyon.  Missed finding the Jeep by a couple hundred yards but with the peanut butter sandwiches hollering so loudly we were easily able to retrace a few steps & find the Jeep.  Yummy:))

TIME TO HEAD BACK DOWN TEN EWE CANYON

 

THE GOING GOT A LITTLE ROUGH IN A FEW SPOTS SO IT WAS GOOD TO GET BACK TO THE JEEP

From that point we decided to follow the increasingly rock strewn river bottom wash further into the mountains.  As I have said many times before, this kind of wondrous scenery just keeps pulling you in farther & farther.  Made it maybe another mile at speeds of about 5 mph before we figured we had gone far enough.  Map told us the road dead ended anyway & we knew the roads end was close by.  At that point we were about 8 miles up Kofa Queen Canyon inside the Kofa Mountains.  We had even brought our Delorme P40 GPS unit with us today & darned if Kelly wasn’t actually even keeping track of our location.  There just might be some technical hope for us yet in figuring that thing out.

A DESERT MOUNTAIN MEADOW PERHAPS

 

Just soaked up & enjoyed all the wonders around us as we shook, rattled, & rolled, our way back down Kofa Queen Canyon.  Again, Jeepers handled all the rough terrain we drove over in fine Jeep fashion.  And I’m sure we added a few more miles of desert pin stripping to Jeepers exterior as well today.

 

THESE FOLKS AT THE HEAD OF KOFA QUEEN CANYON HAVE BEEN HERE ABOUT 4 DAYS

Once out of the big Canyon & out onto the Valley’s desert floor the road improves a wee bit but it’s still no smooth drive by a long shot.  A few post’s ago I said we are seeing more SUV type vehicles out on the desert roads now.  We pulled off twice on the way home to let 2 oncoming SUV’s by & one was a BMW.  Guess if one is going to travel on bumping dusty desert roads one may as well travel in stylish comfort.  We were back at the rig about 2:30.  And we were all tired.  I myself felt especially whupped & took a couple Tylenol to knock down the aching in my legs.  But for sure this kind of hiking & rock scrambling is just the exact right kind of exercise my bothersome legs need.  Just walking on flat surfaces every day is not enough.  

WE PULLED OVER TO LET THIS BEAMER BY

Winds picked up during the day so we did a bit of rocking & rolling in the rig.  Not like those big Borrego Springs winds though.  Now those winds can be downright nasty!!  And speaking of Borrego Springs I thought of Ivan.  He’s still there.  Ivan’s last post was DECEMBER 26TH but for some reason on our Blogroll it didn’t currently update & says it was 4 weeks ago.   Ivan’s still hanging out in Borrego Springs & took him & Bailey for a quick side trip over to Oceanside California a short while back.  

 

Cheryl from DEEP CANYON in a comment question wondered if it was the Kofa Mountains they see to the south when traveling to Phoenix from California.  Yes indeed Cheryl those ragged peaks you see are definitely the Kofa Mountains.  When looking at the mountains from I-10 the big hump on the extreme western edge is where Palm Canyon is.  It’s only a short 20 minute drive from I-10 at Quartzsite to Palm Canyon road.  A 7 or 8 minute drive up to the Palm Canyon parking lot.  A half mile easy hike will take you in to see the Palms.  Might make for a nice stop between Phoenix & California sometime:)) 

LOOKING SOUTH TOWARDS THE CASTLE DOME MOUNTAINS DOWN BY YUMA

For folks unable to take the rougher back roads through the mountains or not being able to do some of the hiking trails I would suggest at this time of year driving in on Palm Canyon Road late in the afternoon just as the sun is going down.  Drive as far as the kiosks at the Park entrance.  Pull over, set out a couple lawn chairs & just sit back & watch the shadows building in the canyons & spilling their long dark tentacles slowly across fiery mountain slopes.  A mighty nice way to wind down yet another fine day.

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Resume bloopers……These are taken from real resumes and cover letters and were printed in Fortune Magazine:
1. I demand a salary commiserate with my extensive experience.
2. I have lurnt Word Perfect 6.0 computor and spreadsheet progroms.
3. Received a plague for Salesperson of the Year.
4. Reason for leaving last job: maturity leave.
5. Wholly responsible for two (2) failed financial institutions.
6. Its best for employers that I not work with people.
7. Lets meet, so you can ooh and aah over my experience.
8. You will want me to be Head Honcho in no time.
9. Am a perfectionist and rarely if if ever forget details.
10. I was working for my mom until she decided to move.
11. Failed bar exam with relatively high grades.
12. Marital status: single. Unmarried. Unengaged. Uninvolved. No Commitments.
13. I have an excellent track record, although I am not a horse.
14. I am loyal to my employer at all costs... Please feel free to respond to my resume on my office voice mail.
15. I have become completely paranoid, trusting completely no one and absolutely nothing.
16. My goal is to be a meteorologist. But since I possess no training in meterology, I suppose I should try stock brokerage.
17. I procrastinate, especially when the task is unpleasant.
18. As indicted, I have over five years of analyzing investments.
19. Personal interests: donating blood. Fourteen gallons so far.
20. Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain store.
21. Note: Please don't miscontrue my 14 jobs as job-hopping. I have never quit a job.
22. Marital status: often. Children: various.
23. Reason for leaving last job: They insisted that all employees get to work by 8:45 a.m. every morning. Could not work under those conditions.
24. The company made me a scapegoat, just like my three previous employers.
25. Finished eighth in my class of ten.
26. References: None. I've left a path of destruction behind me.

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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.