AWWWWWW NUTS!! WE BUSTED OUR TOILET THIS MORNING!!!!

And no, Al did not sit on it and crush it!!

 

HERE’S KELLY IN OUR NEW DIGS:))

Little did I know at 4 a.m. this morning when I was outside with Pheebs enjoying the beauty of a silent desert bathed in moonlight that just a few hours later I would be packing up the rig and getting ready to move.

SUE’S LITTLE SPIKE DROPS IN FOR A VISIT THIS MORNING

Hadn’t planned on leaving for the Ranch until Tuesday but when both foot pedals broke on our toilet first thing this morning I knew we were in deep ga ga.  Normally the bigger foot pedal opens the slider valve in the toilet and it’s ‘bombs away’.  The smaller foot pedal flushes water into the bowl.  Both are operated by wires.  Both wires wore out and broke leaving the contents….in the toilet.  No way of dropping things into the tank below.  The plastic toilet is nearly 9 years old and once a toilet is that old and something breaks, it’s time to replace it.  Decision was made to head for Tucson and a large repair facility where we figured we could get a new toilet installed…..fast.

SUE’S DIGS

We walked down to see if RV SUE AND HER CANINE CREW had a better night and she did, sort of.  Sue’s batteries totally drained the first night in the desert and she didn’t get a lot of sleep.  Batteries charged up yesterday but drained again Saturday night.  Sue did get a good night’s sleep though.  This battery drain is a complexing problem for her and we have all been trying to help.  Rick has been a big help to Sue checking out things but the battery drainage problem is still elusive.

 

SUE CHECKS THE AMP HOURS ON HER HAND HELD METER

So, how is Sue taking all this??  Well, I have to tell you, she is a true trooper.  Despite the technical set backs on her first boondocking adventure she is totally loving the whole desert experience.  Spike and Bridget are just loving their whole new found freedom as well and it was fun to see all the doggy guys going back and forth between rigs visiting each other.

RICK DROPS BY FOR A POW WOW ON SUE’S SOLAR DILEMMA

I’m sure as soon as Sue gets herself some power she will be up and blogging again.  We sure wished we could have stayed there with her until the problem was solved but unfortunately we had our own pressing crappy problem.

   

Gotta tell you something right up front here about Sue though.  We really took a liking to her and I could tell from the short time we spent with Sue that she is a genuine down to earth person.  My favorite kind.  I don’t take to folks like I used to years ago but what a great pleasure it is for me when I do run into someone I feel comfortable enough with to relax and be myself.  Sue’s one of those.  And Rick, just up the hill was another one.  I could see us becoming good friends.

Finally had the rig all packed up and it was time for us to go.  Said our good-byes to Rick and his dog Lady along with RV Sue and her Canine Crew, Spike and Bridget.  Sure hope we meet up with these folks again some day.  As we left, both Sue and Rick had their heads under Sue’s engine hood trying hard to find out the source of her solar problems.  Good luck guys.

BURNING EMBER IN A FIRE PIT??  NOPE, PIECE OF AMBER GLASS FROM A BROKEN BEER BOTTLE

We headed down Darby Wells road to the highway, hung a right down to Why and a left for Tucson Arizona along a favorite section of highway for me.  Always like seeing the observatories atop Kitt Peak going by.

 

OUR SITE FOR THE NITE AT LAZY DAZE

Had originally planned on heading for an RV repair facility in Sierra Vista but as we approached Tucson we remembered a place we had been too once before for a water connection leak problem.  It was the last week of 2006 when we headed up from Patagonia Lake in our truck and 5th wheel at that time to a place called Beaudry’s RV.  Beaudry went belly up awhile back and it is now owned by Lazy Daze.  And, that’s where we are.  And, coincidentally we think we are in exactly the same spot we were 5 years ago.  And here’s the second coincidence. 

LAZY DAZE FRONT LOBBY AND REGISTRATION

While Kelly was inside registering us for the night a white truck pulling a Cameo 5th wheel pulled in behind us.  The fellow saw ‘Bayfield’ on the back of our rig so asked Kelly inside if she was from Bayfield Ontario.  Turns out the 5th wheel couple bought their rig at Stormrunner RV in Bayfield.  Stormrunner owners Dianne and Harry are right this minute in Arkansas making their way west.  We plan to meet up with them somewhere out here in the wild wooly West this winter.

TURNS OUT THE COUPLE IN THE FIFTH WHEEL BEHIND US BOUGHT THEIR TRAILER FROM STORMRUNNER RV IN BAYFIELD ONTARIO CANADA

There is a large multi-bay repair facility here at Lazy Daze so we plan to be at their door as soon as they open in the morning.  Being without a toilet we are hoping they will understand our need for speed.  Maybe our bulging eyeballs will work in our favor.

I remember how uncomfortable I felt last time we were here in this very upscale manicured RV Park.  Nothing has changed and I will be a fish out of water for as long as we are here which I am sure hoping will not be any longer than tomorrow.  Every thing is really nice here but it’s just not my kind of place!!

KIND OF LIKED THIS ONE

How nice to have unlimited water, a flat surface to comfortably walk on and brighter electricity.  Unbeknownst to us there was a big Western Days show here this week-end at Lazy Daze.  Many RV models are all set up for display.  Luckily we just missed all the hoop-la and all the people are gone.  Nobody in the space on our passenger side and the next 10 spaces on the driver’s side are all empty.  Could they have known the Bayfield Bunch was rolling in.

Some display coaches were still open with all their lights on so after it got dark we went to the row behind us and clambered around in some of the rigs.  Pretty spoofy with prices ranging from $244.000 to $710.000.  Surprisingly, it was the cheaper gasoline powered $243.000 Trip model we liked best.  Figured they would only offer us $1.49 for our coach so we scurried back to the rig

 

THAT’S THE SECURITY GUARD WALKING ACROSS THE FLOOR…SHE HAD JUST TOLD US QUIT PLAYING IN THE COACHES:))

Not sure where the blog will be coming to you from tomorrow night but I’ve got my fingers crossed it will be far and away from the big bright city lights….10-4:))

And TIOGA GEORGE gets a Mexican police escort complete with flashing lights from a Wal-Mart parking lot to a Sam’s Club parking lot.  D’ya suppose that police officer might have been working for Sam’s Club:)) 

ENJOYING SOME WARMER TUCSON AIR BEFORE THE RAINS ARE UPON US OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS

GROANER’S CORNER:((

City Boy: Say, Dad, how many types of milk are there?
Father: Well, there's evaporated milk, buttermilk, malted milk, and --but why do you ask?
City Boy: Oh, I'm drawing a picture of a cow, and I want to know how many "spigots" to put on her.

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-Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
-Until one has loved an Animal, their soul remains un-awakened.
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of
right now...AL.

CHATTING UP OUR NEW NEIGHBOR AT DARBY WELLS SOUTH:))

SATURDAY NIGHT’S FULL MOON AS SEEN FROM DARBY WELLS ROAD, AJO ARIZONA (NIKON D40 AT 300mm f-5.6 AT 1/125TH OF A SECOND HAND HELD)

So nice to see the desert and surrounding mountains bathed in a soft moonlight last night and again early this morning.  Despite the nippy night air I did manage to set up my cameras and get a few images of the eclipse.  A thin cloud bank rolled in just after the eclipse began so my photos are definitely nothing to write home about but I will include a few shots that do faintly resemble the moon. 

 

I was quite a site out there at 6 o’clock this morning in my scruffy brown hush puppy shoes, red plaid pajama bottoms and matching blue plaid pajama top….and not the same plaid.  Long dark moss green housecoat complete with a little gold polo player monogram.  Dark blue base ball hat on backwards with a big nose and scruffy enough face underneath to stop a clock.  Is it any wonder Kelly keeps me hidden away out here in the desert.

The Darby Wells South gang were all up about the same time this morning.  Saw Rick & Lady over on his hilltop site crawling about.  I think Rick was doing more crawling around than Lady.  These colder mornings seem to make some of us older fellers squeak and creak around like an old seized up lawn mower.

 

 A FAINT AND DISAPPEARING ECLIPSE OVER RICK’S SCAMP

Pheebs slipped down the hill and set off Sue’s Spike alarm.  Or was it Bridget.  No matter, I heard one of them barking which alerted me to the fact Pheebs had sneaked down and stirred up the neighborhood.  I think the Canine Gang was up anyway because at about the same time I saw Sue moving around outside.  A wave of the arm told me she had survived her first boon docking night and all was well……or was it!!

LAZY DAYS AT OUR HOUSE

Turns out Sue had herself a bit of a rough night with 2 equipment problems and one doggy problem.  But, I’ll steer you over to Sue’s blog and ‘maybe’ she will tell you how she made out.  RV SUE AND HER CANINE CREW 

LOCOMOTIVE ROCK…I GUESS THE ENGINE IS SUPPOSED TO AT THE LEFT TOWING THE SMALLER CARS ALONG AT THE RIGHT…I SEE THE PROFILE OF A LARGE FACE ON THE LEFT LOOKING UP TO THE SKY…ALMOST SPHINX LIKE

Sun was a coming up fast so it was important for Sue to get her single solar panel up.  Easier said than done because it was Sue’s first solo run in setting it up herself.  I was there for moral support and to do the cussing if she ran into problems.  Took a little doing but at last the panel was up and in place sucking up all those big megawatts of solar power.  I’m sure Sue will soon have that all down pat and wing that panel up and down in no time. 

NO, PHEEBS DID NOT KNOCK THIS SAGUARO OVER!!

Rick was coming down later to trouble shoot a power and suspected propane problem for her.  In the meantime we leaned on her van’s engine hood like a couple of dusty old desert rats and had us a talk about RVing and Blogging things.  A couple of subjects I know a little bit about.

KELLY AND MOTOR TAKE THE LOW GROUND WHILE PHEEBS AND I STAY ON THE HILLTOP

Kelly and I rolled into AJO this afternoon and headed ourselves up to the big open pit CORNELIA MINE and Ajo Mine Museum.  At the Pit Mine Lookout we talked to knowledgeable old miner (Walt) who had worked in the big mine before it closed.  Nice fellow and he was a wealth of information about the operation of the mine.

THE OPEN PIT CORNELIA COPPER MINE IS LARGER THAN BISBEE’S LAVENDER MINE

 

ON ALL THOSE ROUND LEVELS WERE TRAIN TRACKS AND EVERYTHING WAS BROUGHT OUT OF THE PIT ON TRAIN CARS PULLED BY STEAM ENGINES IN THE EARLY DAYS AND DIESEL ENGINES LATER…TOOK A TRAIN PULLING 10 CARS 6 HOURS TO CLIMB THE 3% GRADE UP OUT OF THE MINE FROM THE BOTTOM

    

WALT, AN OLD CORNELIA MINE WORKER WAS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE WHOLE MINE AND IT’S HISTORY

Just up the road was the Ajo Historical Society Museum housed in the old St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Mission built in 1942.  Lots of local Ajo memorabilia there and a lot of HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS in Ajo itself.

ORIGINALLY AN OLD CATHOLIC MISSION

 

ONE OF THE ‘DUMPING’ RAIL CARS USED TO HAUL ORE OUT OF THE  BIG OPEN PIT MINE

From the Mine Museum we headed off to Olsen’s Food Mart for a few groceries….and some fried chicken.  Neither one of us could remember the last time we had some good old fried chicken so as soon as the groceries were gathered we stopped at Olsen’s Patio Café and got us a couple big pieces of chicken and potato salad.  They have 4 little tables there and we were soon seated wolfing down our early supper.  And, we even split a ‘cookies and cream’ ice cream cone to boot.  Now, how’s that for some serious RVing:))

THIS IS CURRENTLY OUR SIDE YARD

A commenter question about the toilet facilities in the smaller trailers.  I guess a Casita or Scamp owner would be more knowledgeable about that than I am but I think Rick has one of those chemical toilets like I have seen in truck campers.  He dumps that at one of Ajo’s park facilities.  Don’t know about water capacity in those smaller units but I’m guessing those folks may carry water jugs as well.

MORNING WALK IN A DRY RIVER BED

When we are boondocking we have water jugs we can fill in town and bring back and dump into the rig’s fresh water tank.  We have enough jugs to transport about 40 gallons of water at a time in the Jeep if need be and we can generally go for about 14 days before we have to dump our black tank at a nearby facility.  If we didn’t eat so darn much we wouldn’t have to dump so darn much I guess.

Couple new Blog Followers today.  Thanks for dropping by JOHNNA and MYCOMITAN.  Much appreciated by all of us here at the Bayfield Bunch. 

GROANER’S CORNER:((  An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He got fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed him to hear 100%.
He went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, "your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again."
To which the gentleman said, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times already!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
-Until one has loved an Animal, their soul remains un-awakened.
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of
right now...AL.