‘YAHOUIE LOUIE’ WE ARE FINALLY BACK IN OUR ELEMENT

HOWDY PARDNER AND WELCOME TO ‘WHY’ ARIZONA

Quick correction here before I get things started for the day……it is the Casino Del Sol we overnighted at in Tucson and not the Desert Diamond Casino.  I don’t know how I get things so screwed sometimes but I do.  Thanks Doug for gently jogging my mind about that.  Speaking of the Casino Del Sol we noticed a bunch of construction going on just to the left of the entrance when we pulled in Friday afternoon.  Kelly got talking to a lady later who told her the Casino is putting in a ‘high end RV Park’ for their ‘high-rollers’ clientele.  They are also putting in a separate water and dump station section for all the other RV’ers in the parking areas as well. 

WORK PROGRESSING ON A NEW ‘HIGH-END’ RV PARK

PHEEBS KEEPS A CLOSE EYE ON OUR NEIGHBOR’S MORNING ACTIVITIES

Although imbedded in Tucson Arizona a few miles west of the Tucson Airport at the Casino Del Sol the first thing I heard in the pre-dawn hours this morning was a……..’Rooster’.   Now how’s that for a touch of nice. With our Motorhome facing east I pulled back the windshield curtains to let the big ‘feeling good’ Arizona sunrise flood into the coach spreading it’s warming rays of cheeriness all around.

VIEW OUTSIDE LIVING ROOM WINDOW AT SUNRISE

SUNRISE BEAMS THROUGH OUR BIG WINDSHIELD

SOMEBODY’S GOT HER SUNRISE PAJAMAS ON

Under bright sunny skies and warming temperatures we pulled out of the Casino Del Sol and headed west soon turning onto highway 86 at the Ryan Airport complex.  We first traveled this 120 mile route from Tucson to Why Arizona back in December of 2006 in our truck and fifth wheel and from that time this drive has always remained as one of my favorites.  We have traveled it a number of times both ways over the years. 

LEAVING CASINO DEL SOL

LOOKS LIKE EVEN MORE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AT THE CASINO

HAD BEEN HOPING CONSTRUCTION ON VALLENCIA ROAD WEST WAS DONE, BUT IT WASN’T

RYAN AIRPORT

Soon as we turned onto highway 86 my eyes immediately searched miles ahead to a mountain top looking for a white dot and by golly there it was right where I knew it to be.  I’m talking about the Kitt Peak Observatory of course and I was actually up there years ago wandering around looking at all the telescopes, 

IF YOU LOOK REAL HARD STRAIGHT UP FROM THE ROAD AND SLIGHTL RIGHT YOU TOO CAN SEE THE KITT PEAK OBSERVATORY

MAIN ENTRANCE TO KITT PEAK AND YES YOU CAN SEE A COUPLE OF THE OBSERVATORIES UP THERE

THE FURTHER WEST ONE GOES THE MORE SAGUAROS ONE SEES

A LONG STRAIGHT STRETCH OF ROAD IN THE RIG’S SIDEVIEW MIRROR

KELLY SNAGS A FEW PHOTOS ALONG THE WAY

This very lightly traveled paved road between Tucson and Why Arizona twists and winds itself along the Sonoran Desert floor through Arizona’s Tohono O'odham Indian lands where thousands of tall majestic Saguaro Cacti make their home.   The closer you get to the Why end of the journey the more Saguaros you will see.  What a nice way to spend a sunny Saturday morning and I always so much look forward to this superbly scenic stretch of desert scenery.

INDIAN CEMETERIES ALONG THE WAY

I CAN SEE THE MIGHTY AJO MOUNTAIN RANGE BEGINNING TO RISE UP OUT OF THE DESERT FLOOR

It was ll:20 when we rolled into Why Arizona.  Picked up some fuel and propane then headed straight-away out into the desert.  These are old stomping grounds for us so we know our way around these here parts and weren’t long in finding us a spot.  Before you know it we had our lawn chairs out and were all set up just like our old boondocking days of yore.  We readily celebrated our good fortune with apple pie and ice cream.  No plans for the future so I think we’ll just sit us a spell here and simply enjoy where we are lucky enough to be.

WE ARE JUST MINUTES EAST OF WHY ARIZONA

THE ORIGINAL BAYFIELD BUNCH SPENT MANY HAPPY HOURS WANDERING THE DESERT FLOOR OUT THERE

THIS IS BASICALLY THE SAME VIEW WE HAD BACK IN 2006 WHEN WE STUMBLED UPON THE HICKIWAN TRAILS RV PARK

STOPPED AT THE ‘WHY NOT’ STORE FOR PROPANE

 

IF IT’S MADE OF METAL, HAS BULLET HOLES IN IT, THEN IT’S PROBABLY FROM ARIZONA

Okay, so here are how things work at our house.  Thursday night the rig’s bathroom light all of a sudden didn’t work.  I right away think it’s a major electrical problem.  Kelly thinks it’s bulb or tube.  Kelly says she’ll take the plastic cover off the light.  I ask her if she needs a hammer.  My mind figures we’ll have to wait until we get to an RV place to get a new tube for the light which probably won’t work anyway because remember, it has to be a major electrical problem right.  This morning I heard scratching around sounds like a Raccoon probably got through the roof’s vent fan.  I walk over to the washroom knowing it’s going to be hard to see inside anyway because the light’s burnt out, remember.  I open the door but there’s nothing there.  Well how do I know if I can’t see in the dark.  It’s not dark……the light’s on.  Wait a minute, what!!  Yep, Kelly just simply went to another little used identical fixture in the coach and removed one of the small neon tubes and placed it in the bathroom fixture.  ‘Walla’ we had a light in the bathroom again.  And that is how things work around our house.

AND WE FOUND ONE

We sat ourselves outside in the sunshine for a short while this afternoon before the cloud cover moved in.  Despite the clouds it sure was nice to look up and see wide open skies again.  And how great to be able look a full 360 degrees around in any direction and see mountains 10 and 15 miles away.  Yes, I’m still enjoying my ‘little kid in a candy store’ experience alright.

FINALLY CATCHING SOME ARIZONA SUNSHINE

DESERT FLOWERS

I SURE RECOGNIZE THAT POINTY PEAK NORTHWEST OF US AS BEING IN AJO’S DARBY WELL AREA

It was about 5 o’clock when we heard the first pitter-patters of rain on our roof but it was Okay because we’re out in the desert tucked away as snug as a trio of bugs in a Motorhome rug….10-4:))

A LATE AFTERNOON WALK

SKIES BEGAN CLOUDING UP

OUR NEAREST NEIGHBOR

SUN SPLASH ON A DISTAN MOUNTAINSIDE

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Did I read that sign right?

TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW

In a Laundromat:

AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT

In a London department store:

BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS

In an office:

WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN

Outside a second hand shop:

WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?

Notice in health food shop window:

CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS

Seen during a conference:
FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR

Notice in a farmer's field:

THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.

On a repair shop door:

WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK)

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers  Now that's taking things a bit far!

War Dims Hope for Peace.  I can see where it might have that effect!

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges.  You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?

Man Struck By Lightning Faces Battery Charge  He probably IS the battery charge!

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group  Weren't they fat enough?!

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft

That's what he gets for eating those beans!

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks.  Do they taste like chicken?

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half.  Chainsaw Massacre all over again!

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors.  Boy, are they tall!

In an office:
AFTER TEA BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead  Did I read that right?

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