A DAY OF SEPARATE VISITS & CONTEMPLATING SOME TRAVEL PLANS

PORTAL, ARIZONA.....(Tonight's photos are all from Autumn 09 in & around Portal, Arizona & Rusty's RV Ranch in nearby New Mexico)

  

WAITING FOR THE MORNING MAIL AT PORTAL'S POST OFFICE

Kelly was up early this morning & on the road for her daughter's house in Cambridge.  This would be the last day to visit with her other daughter & family from Vancouver.  They will be returning to the west coast on Monday.  Another daughter will be returning to Spain later in the week so Kelly may make one more trip to Cambridge at the end of the week.  And that trip will bring to an end all the many miles of traveling she has had to do in the past few weeks.

ROADRUNNER NEAR PORTAL, AZ.

THIS GROOVY LITTLE LIZARD CAUGHT MY EYE NEAR CAVE CREEK

It was three & a half weeks ago that I came down with the virus & nearly a month since I had seen my Uncle Harry at the Ritz Villa nursing home in Mitchell Ontario.  After Kelly left this morning I headed to Mitchell & spent a couple of hours with Harry.  He's doing well & we sure covered a lot of ground talking about old times & memories.  I actually enjoyed those 2 hours talking with him more than when we used to play pool at his previous residence.  We both had a tendency to not talk much when we were playing pool.

CAVE CREEK ROAD NEAR PORTAL, AZ. This is a birder's paradise & people flock here from all across the country.

Spent some time this afternoon pouring over one of our well worn Rand McNally Atlas's trying to get a feel for this winter's destinations.  Of course all the old haunts leap off the pages beckoning us back & I'm sure we'll revisit some of them but I'm trying to focus my attention on places we haven't been before.   LAURIE & ODEL talked of a favorite place of theirs when we met them in Bisbee Az last winter & that has stuck with me ever since.   A place & area called Lone Pine just west of Death Valley in California.  Kelly & I briefly visited a part of Death Valley back in about 1994 on a 4 day Las Vegas junket & I always hoped we might one day return to that whole area & spend some time there.

RUSTY'S RV PARK

Also wondering if early November is too late in the season to roll through Arizona's Monument Valley.  I do think it's probably too late for Colorado's Durango area.  We don't want ice & snow & below freezing temps at night.  Also waiting to hear from the ranch folks to see what their travel plans are this winter too.

CAVE CREEK

And a big welcome to our 166th blog supporter jimmy.  The more & more I look at this photo the more familiar the face becomes to me.  Could it be, could it be.....nawwww, it couldn't be..................But maybe:))

                         

A FEW PICS AROUND RUSTY'S RV RANCH INCLUDING RUSTY HER VERY SELF

Last year we headed straight for the ranch from here with a 4 day stopover at RUSTY'S RV RANCH near Portal, Arizona.  As you all know, we are not RV Park people at all but we certainly would recommend Rusty's.  And I would also highly recommend the great scenic area around PORTAL which is just a few miles down the road from Rusty's.  Like I said, it's always so tempting to go right back to the places we have enjoyed so much in the past but I have always noticed that it is the first impressions of an area that to me are the best.  Second & third times to the same place & the newness begins to wear off & that sharp edge of excitement becomes dulled a bit.  For me, there is nothing better than going to new places, seeing & doing new things, & experiencing the wonderment of a place I have never been before.  Just love it, love it, love it:)))))))

MOONRISE OVER RUSTY'S....NOV 2/09

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Dear God:  Let me give you a list of just some of the things I must remember to be a good Dog:

1. I will not eat the cats' food before they eat it or after they throw it up.  

2. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs, etc., just because I like the way they smell. 

3. The Litter Box is not a  cookie jar. 

4. The sofa is not a 'face towel'. 

5. The  garbage collector is not stealing our stuff.

6. I will not play  tug-of-war with Dad's underwear when he's on the toilet.

7.  Sticking my nose into someone's crotch is an unacceptable way of saying  'hello'. 

8. I don't need to suddenly stand straight up when I'm under the coffee table. 

9. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before entering the house - not after.

10. I will not come in from outside & immediately drag my butt on the floor.

11. I will not sit in the middle of the living room & lick my crotch.

12. The cat is not a 'squeaky toy' so when I play with him and he makes that noise, it's usually not a good thing.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

It is not the concept of God I have a problem with.....it is his fan club that cause me grievous concern:((

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

WE'LL HAVE THE BIG WHEELS ROLLING OCTOBER 23RD:))

AUTUMN CROCUS'S IN YOUR FRONT YARD

OK, so now I'm getting excited again:))  The official word just came down from headquarters about 1:58 this afternoon.  Our trip to the Southwest is not only on for sure, but now has an official start date as well.  Looks like we will get the big wheels rolling on Saturday October 23rd.  That is within one day of our departure date last winter.   Looks like that gives us about 7 weeks to get organized & git er done before pulling out!!

Sure was a nice treat last night to have some good old home cooking instead of my usual peanut butter & honey sandwiches with & bowl of corn flakes for dessert.  The doggy guys are all pretty happy Mom is home too:))

TAKE OFF FOR A CANADA GOOSE

I was energized today by the cooler weather.  We're currently sitting at 57F with gusting winds & rain making it feel cooler.  Definitely sweater & light jacket weather but what a nice change of pace from that oppressive heat & humidity.  Give me this cooler weather any day!!

NIPPED A FEW GRAPES OFF OUR NEIGHBOR'S GRAPEVINE TODAY

Began my annual frog round-up this morning.  Our front yard frog pond is not deep enough for the frog's to winter over so every September I have to get out my bucket & net & begin snaggin me some frogs.  This cooler weather is a perfect time to do this because it makes me a little quicker & the frog's a little slower.  I take them across the road a short distance to a much larger & deeper pond & plop them in the water.  I generally end up taking in excess of 50 frogs out of our little pond.  Plus snails & tadpoles that get caught up in the net as well.  Today was a 9 frog day.

 

CATCHING THE LITTLE FELLERS

I DROP THEM OFF FROM THAT BANK TO THE LEFT WHERE THE WATER MEETS THE LIGHTER GREEN VEGETATION

I know we have some horse people out here in Blog Land & I'm thinking you will find Lisa & Bill Dozer's post on the Wild Horse & Burrow Center in Herriman Utah of particular interest.  Also, almost without exception I have noticed that most RVing folks are big time animal lovers so I think you will all find a lot of helpful info on Lisa & Bill's site regarding pets & animals.  Check out MONSTERMOBILE MEANDERINGS

Mary Ann has been picking up speed with some new Followers lately over at, IN THE WIND ADVENTURES so you might want to drop by & help Mary Ann keep that momentum going.  Mary Ann did a pretty good job at taking some wind out of my sails a couple months ago but we've managed to patch things up, help each other out, & mend a few friendly fences along the way since then.  Good folks over there:))

And a big welcome to our newest blog supporters, B.W. & CAROLS HAPPY TRAILS TALES & TAILS.  Like I said a few paragraphs ago, most RV folks are animal lovers & if you slip on over to B.W. & Carols place you will get to meet Joe Cocker & Sophie Girl:))  Thanks for taking an interest in the Bayfield Bunch folks...........

FORGOT TO INCLUDE THIS PIC IN FRIDAY'S BLOG......At the old farm with our 84 Virago Motorcycle.  We didn't have Checkers or the Motormouse at the time but we did have the Maxwell boy:))  About 1999.

Yep, pretty nice feeling to know for sure we're going somewhere this winter again:))))))))

GROANER'S CORNER  A mother took her five-year-old son with her
to the bank on a busy lunchtime.
They got behind a very fat woman wearing a
business suit complete with pager.
As they waited patiently, the little boy said loudly,
'Gee, she's fat!'
The mother bent down and whispered in
the little boys ear to be quiet.
A couple of minutes passed by and the little boy spread his hands as far as they would go and announced;
'I'll bet her butt is this wide!'
The fat woman turns around and glares at the little boy.
The mother gave him a good telling off,
and told him to be quiet.
After a brief lull, the large woman reached the front of the line.
Just then, her pager begin to emit a
beep, beep, beep.
The little boy yells out,
'Run for your life, she's backing up!!

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

It is not the concept of God I have a problem with.....it is his many radical fan clubs that cause me grievous concern:((

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

KELLY'S HOME:))

BAYFIELD'S SHORELINE ON LAKE HURON

"Hello, it's me & I'm at work."  Those were the first words I heard when I answered the ringing phone early this afternoon.  Due to a little mix-up in communications I wasn't sure if Kelly was coming home today or Saturday.  Hadn't heard anything this morning so assumed she was coming home Saturday.  I didn't know she was up & on the road early this morning fighting her way through rain, wind, & heavy traffic.  She was headed directly for work because she knew it was going to be a heavy day at Deer Park Lodge with the long Labor Day week-end upon us.  She was back in Ontario & back to work before I even knew she was home.

<<< THE WAY WE WERE:))

Despite getting out my RV pre-trip list yesterday & re-arranging some bins a couple weeks ago & a clean-up of the Motor Home's cab area last week......I have failed as yet to fully ignite my excitement & enthusiasm for this winter's trip to the southwest.  Normally each year by this time I would be scurrying around looking after this & that.  My mind would be in the process of focusing on the upcoming travels & I would have already been loading a few things into the rig.  We haven't discussed a departure date, a route or agenda of travel.  No idea where we're going or for how long.  A lot of things have to be taken care of but for some reason our conversations just have not centered on this winter's RV trip.  Being sick for the past 3 weeks hasn't helped & Kelly's mind has been on her Dad.  We'll see if we can get our RV heads on & begin pulling it all together soon.

Kelly made it home-home about 3:30 this afternoon & the Bayfield Bunch was once again complete.  Sure nice to have the Boss back........:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And, did you know..........

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue. 

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.

Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.

If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise.

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you and that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

It is not the concept of God I have a problem with.....it is his fan club that causes me grievous concern:((

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.