MORNING WALK AT HICKIWAN TRAILS
Just didn't seem right waking up this morning without the internet waiting for us & a few television channels to bring us up to speed on the world's news. The Park's Wifi signal isn't strong enough to reach us & our one fuzzy television channel just reminds us of a snow storm in Alaska.
Nice to be out in the desert for a morning walk again. We have had a lot of nice walks & memories here at Hickiwan Trails the last couple winters & I noticed that one of the Inukshuks I had built atop a rocky ridge last winter, is still standing. Kind of gave me a warm fuzzy. I took my cameras along but didn't take many pictures this time because I would only be repeating many of the photos I've taken here previous times. You can see a lot of those photos on the Hickiwan Trails RV Park website. http://hickiwantrailsrvpark.com/ or looking back a year to one of our days here http://thebayfieldbunch.com/2008/02/look-at-hickiwan-trails-rv-park.html
Our favorite boondocking site last year was just west of Ajo, Arizona just off Darby Wells Road. It's only about 10 miles up the road from Hickiwan Trails & we were really looking forward to going there again this year after we leave here. A major concern of ours is cell phone & internet service because Kelly needs both for here work related Deerpark Lodge reservations, etc. We were really hoping by some outside miracle that we might be able to get on-line with our new Verizon card over there, but had already heard that Verizon didn't cover that area yet. We took the car & the laptop & headed over to Darby Wells to find out for ourselves, but alas, no coverage. Oh well, we thought, we'll boondock here anyway & just drive into Ajo for our internet connection. But, as we headed up the old dusty road with it's bumps & grinds we sadly came to the conclusion that the road this year is just too bad to bring a motorhome in on. Just too many bumpity wash-outs. No problem for the car but it would just shake the heck out of the motorhome. We drove to the beautifully peaceful & serene campsite we parked at last year & just stood there listening to the golden silence of the surrounding mountains & saguaros. As I stood by the old campfire stones staring out over the desert valley before me with the mighty Ajo mountain range on the far horizon I was filled with an overwhelming sadness. We had been looking forward so much to returning to this spot ever since the day we left it back in February, nearly 10 months earlier. Just as we had been looking forward to returning to Hickiwan Trails. And I knew as I stood there that it was unlikely we will ever pass this way again.
I said good-bye to the old campsite near Darby Wells road and we drove the short distance into the town of Ajo. Another familiar place for us. Stopped at the library & Kelly went in to use a computer & check our emails. I took a walk around the beautiful town's square with it's distinctive Spanish flare. It was the middle of the week & no one was around. Few cars & fewer people. Ajo was a booming mining town years ago but since the closing up the large open pit mine the town has fallen on hard times. It's almost a living ghost town now. I had taken some photos here last year & took a few more to-day. It's quietness only added to my sadness.
We were back at Hickiwan Trails by 2. Met another couple we had first met here last year & have been in email contact with ever since. Pat & John are from New Mexico. Had a little chin wag & of course learned about some more great RVing areas. While talking to them, Hickiwan Ray, the Parks manager walked over with something hanging on a stick. It was a rattlesnake. But, it was a baby rattlesnake & it was obvious that it was very dead. That is the first real rattlesnake I've ever seen. It was apparently near one of the RV's to-day. And here I thought they were all underground!! Ray figured it got separated from it's Mother somehow. I'm not a big snake person but couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor little thing. As I said before, it was just a sad kind of day for me.
Kelly & I had set up a website for HickiwanTrails last year so Ray had a few technical questions about the site & I was able to help him out with understanding a few things on the computer. Always nice to be able to help out.
After supper when it got dark, Kelly & I walked around the park to look at people's Christmas lights. Met another couple we had known from last year & it was nice talking with them for a bit. They are from British Columbia. He was the fellow who was instrumental in helping us get our Star Choice up & running last year.
I took Max out for a short walk later as the large moon overhead bathed the desert landscape around us in a soft hue. It was a fitting time to say good-bye to Hickiwan Trails. It was a fine time to feel sad...............
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
Nice to be out in the desert for a morning walk again. We have had a lot of nice walks & memories here at Hickiwan Trails the last couple winters & I noticed that one of the Inukshuks I had built atop a rocky ridge last winter, is still standing. Kind of gave me a warm fuzzy. I took my cameras along but didn't take many pictures this time because I would only be repeating many of the photos I've taken here previous times. You can see a lot of those photos on the Hickiwan Trails RV Park website. http://hickiwantrailsrvpark.com/ or looking back a year to one of our days here http://thebayfieldbunch.com/2008/02/look-at-hickiwan-trails-rv-park.html
Our favorite boondocking site last year was just west of Ajo, Arizona just off Darby Wells Road. It's only about 10 miles up the road from Hickiwan Trails & we were really looking forward to going there again this year after we leave here. A major concern of ours is cell phone & internet service because Kelly needs both for here work related Deerpark Lodge reservations, etc. We were really hoping by some outside miracle that we might be able to get on-line with our new Verizon card over there, but had already heard that Verizon didn't cover that area yet. We took the car & the laptop & headed over to Darby Wells to find out for ourselves, but alas, no coverage. Oh well, we thought, we'll boondock here anyway & just drive into Ajo for our internet connection. But, as we headed up the old dusty road with it's bumps & grinds we sadly came to the conclusion that the road this year is just too bad to bring a motorhome in on. Just too many bumpity wash-outs. No problem for the car but it would just shake the heck out of the motorhome. We drove to the beautifully peaceful & serene campsite we parked at last year & just stood there listening to the golden silence of the surrounding mountains & saguaros. As I stood by the old campfire stones staring out over the desert valley before me with the mighty Ajo mountain range on the far horizon I was filled with an overwhelming sadness. We had been looking forward so much to returning to this spot ever since the day we left it back in February, nearly 10 months earlier. Just as we had been looking forward to returning to Hickiwan Trails. And I knew as I stood there that it was unlikely we will ever pass this way again.
I said good-bye to the old campsite near Darby Wells road and we drove the short distance into the town of Ajo. Another familiar place for us. Stopped at the library & Kelly went in to use a computer & check our emails. I took a walk around the beautiful town's square with it's distinctive Spanish flare. It was the middle of the week & no one was around. Few cars & fewer people. Ajo was a booming mining town years ago but since the closing up the large open pit mine the town has fallen on hard times. It's almost a living ghost town now. I had taken some photos here last year & took a few more to-day. It's quietness only added to my sadness.
We were back at Hickiwan Trails by 2. Met another couple we had first met here last year & have been in email contact with ever since. Pat & John are from New Mexico. Had a little chin wag & of course learned about some more great RVing areas. While talking to them, Hickiwan Ray, the Parks manager walked over with something hanging on a stick. It was a rattlesnake. But, it was a baby rattlesnake & it was obvious that it was very dead. That is the first real rattlesnake I've ever seen. It was apparently near one of the RV's to-day. And here I thought they were all underground!! Ray figured it got separated from it's Mother somehow. I'm not a big snake person but couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor little thing. As I said before, it was just a sad kind of day for me.
Kelly & I had set up a website for HickiwanTrails last year so Ray had a few technical questions about the site & I was able to help him out with understanding a few things on the computer. Always nice to be able to help out.
After supper when it got dark, Kelly & I walked around the park to look at people's Christmas lights. Met another couple we had known from last year & it was nice talking with them for a bit. They are from British Columbia. He was the fellow who was instrumental in helping us get our Star Choice up & running last year.
I took Max out for a short walk later as the large moon overhead bathed the desert landscape around us in a soft hue. It was a fitting time to say good-bye to Hickiwan Trails. It was a fine time to feel sad...............
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
UPDATE.....Thursday morning. Feeling better & we're off to-day for an area northwest of Gila Bend that we heard about. It's out in the middle of nowhere & sounds like our kind of place. Should be cell phone & internet coverage up there & hopefully some television channels either from Yuma or Phoenix:)) Toodles
Yes at times it is sad to bring one adventure to and end.However the next ones just begining... those of us stuck here in the frozen north are waiting to enjoy what Kelly and You so unselfishly share.
ReplyDeletethe hermit