THE SONORAN DESERT IS BECKONING (photo version)

THE GREENING SONORAN DESERT……ALL OF TONIGHT’S PHOTOS ARE FROM OUR DAYS AT HICKIWAN TRAILS RV PARK IN WHY, ARIZONA

Had us a cloudy day so in these parts at this time of year that equates to….no heat in the air!!  Thermometer barely struggled to 50F by noon & we both stayed inside all day reading.  Of course 50F back home in Bayfield Ontario at this time of year would have us out in short sleeve shirts, shorts & Panama hats!!

We had us a wee peak at the temps over in Ajo, Yuma & Borrego Springs this morning & we see the nights are all well above freezing.  Now, that is encouraging considering I am getting very discouraged with these continuously cold below freezing nights.  I am feeling a very great need for some leisurely walking & hiking in the greening Sonoran Desert a days drive west of us.  Saguaro, Prickly Pear, & California Barrel cactus interspersed with Organ Pipes, Banana Yuccas, Agave, Engelmann’s Hedgehog, Teddy Bear Cholas, tall green stemmed Ocotillos, Beavertail Cactus & many, many more desert plants are beckoning, along with Paloverde, Arizona Sycamore & Quaking Aspen trees.  Oh dear, can you tell I am waaaay overdo for moving on to greener pastures.

ROSE QUARTZ CAN BE FOUND SCATTERED ABOUT THE DESERT FLOOR…..IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK:))

CHAIN FRUIT CHOLLA

I should clear up a point in Tuesday night’s blog when I referred to cell phones as being stupid.  It’s not the cell phone that is stupid, it’s the…..well you know.  Cell phones used properly are a great thing & I do understand their importance.  I have even been known to use a cell phone myself from time to time:))  I especially like to carry a cell phone in my pocket while on the Motorcycle in case I fall off & have to call someone saying, “I’ve fallen & I can’t get up.”

SOME RIGS AT HICKIWAN TRAILS RV PARK CAN BE SEEN ON TOP RIGHT HORIZON

  

Had an email from a reader this morning saying there are small pocket devices out now for jamming cell phones but they may be illegal.  Interesting concept:))

THAT’S US ON THE LEFT:))

Sure am enjoying my latest book, ‘Pioneering From The Aravapa To The Chiricahuas.’  This book of first hand accounts in this area date back to memories of the late 1800’s & early 1900’s.  This is James Covington Hancock’s thoughts on Tombstone Arizona back in those days based on his having done business there….. "Tombstone was not a rawhide cow town with long haired cowboys & rustlers stalking the streets with a 6-shooter in each hand, shooting at everything that did not suit their fancy.  It was a big rich mining camp filled with mining men from Nevada, California, Colorado, & other places off the Pacific Coast.  People were as rational in dress and manners then as now.” (1937)

As I read all these historical accounts it is amazing how people survived the hardships of frontier life as well as they did.  The West was not like Hollywood movies have portrayed it & yet in some ways, it was.  The violence & over all skull duggery were far greater than I had imagined, yet the comradeship, friendships, loyalty & trustworthiness of people working to survive together & helping one another was of a higher standard than nowadays.  Sure has been a great eye opener for me to see how factually the history of the old west was played out, those oh so many years ago. 

 

Reading MIKE & PAT'S TRAVELS blog this morning about the new tonneau cover installation on their pickup truck I was reminded of something really super dumb I did back in January of 2007 at the Hickiwan Trails RV Park in Why, Arizona.  It had to do with the same type of cover we had on our GMC 4x4 Laredo at the time.  Worst part is….. I made the same mistake twice in one week!!!!!!  You can read my post about that at REALLY DUMB....TWICE!!.  The story begins just after the third photo.

 

THIS IS EXACTLY WERE THE TRUCK WAS PARKED BOTH TIMES I LEFT MY WALLET & HAT ON THE TRUCK BED COVER

Now, while it’s a slow day & I am on the subject of doing dumb things, you might be interested about the time I filled up my gasoline powered Motorcycle a couple summer’s ago with….diesel fuel!!!!  IS THAT A DIESEL MOTORCYCLE SIR??  Aren’t you glad your not me………..!!

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Walmart customers soon will be able to sample a new discount item ... Walmart wine.  The world's largest retail chain is teaming up with E&J GalloWinery of Modesto, California, to produce the spirits at an affordable price, in the $2 - $5 range. While wine connoisseurs may not be too inclined to throw a bottle of Wal-Mart brand wine into their shopping carts, there is a market for cheap wine, said Kathy Micken, professor of marketing at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I. She said: "The right name is important."   So, here we go: The top 12 suggested names for Wal-Mart Wine:

12. Chateau Traileur Parc
11. White Trashfindel
10. Big Red Gulp
9. Grape Expectations
8. Chateau Ghetto
7. NASCARbernet
6. Chef Boyardeaux
5. Peanut Noir
4. Chateau des Moines
3. World Championship Riesling

2. Nasti  Spumante.

And the number 1 name for Wal-Mart Wine. . .

1. I Can't Believe It's Not Vinegar!
--------------------------------------------------------EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
stargeezerguy@gmail.com
Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

THE SONORAN DESERT IS BECKONING

Don’t know why but the blog would not publish tonight.  Menu came up showing the pages moving from left to right across the menu from the computer icon to the world icon OK but it just sat here for over half an hour spinning it’s wheels & the blog never did publish.  I have gone back & taken all the photos out so I will see now if this will solve the problem.  Never did get any ‘error’ messages, it just wouldn’t publish.  OK, so here goes………..

Had us a cloudy day so in these parts at this time of year that equates to….no heat in the air!!  Thermometer barely struggled to 50F by noon & we both stayed inside all day reading.  Of course 50F back home in Bayfield Ontario at this time of year would have us out in short sleeve shirts, shorts & Panama hats!!

We had us a wee peak at the temps over in Ajo, Yuma & Borrego Springs this morning & we see the nights are all well above freezing.  Now, that is encouraging considering I am getting very discouraged with these continuously cold below freezing nights.  I am feeling a very great need for some leisurely walking & hiking in the greening Sonoran Desert a days drive west of us.  Saguaro, Prickly Pear, & California Barrel cactus interspersed with Organ Pipes, Banana Yuccas, Agave, Engelmann’s Hedgehog, Teddy Bear Cholas, tall green stemmed Ocotillos, Beavertail Cactus & many, many more desert plants are beckoning, along with Paloverde, Arizona Sycamore & Quaking Aspen trees.  Oh dear, can you tell I am waaaay overdo for moving on to greener pastures.

I should clear up a point in Tuesday night’s blog when I referred to cell phones as being stupid.  It’s not the cell phone that is stupid, it’s the…..well you know.  Cell phones used properly are a great thing & I do understand their importance.  I have even been known to use a cell phone myself from time to time:))  I especially like to carry a cell phone in my pocket while on the Motorcycle in case I fall off & have to call someone saying, “I’ve fallen & I can’t get up.”

Had an email from a reader this morning saying there are small pocket devices out now for jamming cell phones but they may be illegal.  Interesting concept:))

Sure am enjoying my latest book, ‘Pioneering From The Aravapa To The Chiricahuas.’  This book of first hand accounts in this area date back to memories of the late 1800’s & early 1900’s.  This is James Covington Hancock’s thoughts on Tombstone Arizona back in those days based on his having done business there….. "Tombstone was not a rawhide cow town with long haired cowboys & rustlers stalking the streets with a 6-shooter in each hand, shooting at everything that did not suit their fancy.  It was a big rich mining camp filled with mining men from Nevada, California, Colorado, & other places off the Pacific Coast.  People were as rational in dress and manners then as now.” (1937)

As I read all these historical accounts it is amazing how people survived the hardships of frontier life as well as they did.  The West was not like Hollywood movies have portrayed it & yet in some ways, it was.  The violence & over all skull duggery were far greater than I had imagined, yet the comradeship, friendships, loyalty & trustworthiness of people working to survive together & helping one another was of a higher standard than nowadays.  Sure has been a great eye opener for me to see how factually the history of the old west was played out, those oh so many years ago.

Reading MIKE & PAT'S TRAVELS blog this morning about the new tonneau cover installation on their pickup truck I was reminded of something really super dumb I did back in January of 2007 at the Hickiwan Trails RV Park in Why, Arizona.  It had to do with the same type of cover we had on our GMC 4x4 Laredo at the time.  Worst part is….. I made the same mistake twice in one week!!!!!!  You can read my post about that at REALLY DUMB....TWICE!!.  The story begins just after the third photo.

Now, while it’s a slow day & I am on the subject of doing dumb things, you might be interested about the time I filled up my gasoline powered Motorcycle a couple summer’s ago with….diesel fuel!!!!  IS THAT A DIESEL MOTORCYCLE SIR??  Aren’t you glad your not me………..!!

BLOG PUBLISHING PROBLEM

Am experiencing problems getting the blog to publish tonight…….:((

WILY COYOTE KELLY OUTFOXES ME AGAIN

OUR LITTLE BIRD PALS ARE FINDING THEIR DRINKING WATER A LITTLE ON THE STIFF SIDE THESE MORNINGS

Figured we had to be in some kind of tropical heat wave early this morning when I saw the thermometer sitting at 23 instead of 19F.  I think we got up to around 60 something later.

What a difference a day makes.  Monday I couldn’t even muster up enough energy to give JB & BRENDA a big return ‘Howdy’ wave when they rocketed westward on I-10 about an hour north of us heading for Usery Mountain northeast of Phoenix. 

Hauled myself into bed about 9:30 last night & did manage to get a much better sleep despite my brain waking me up half a dozen times to see if I was still in the land of the living!!

NEVER ANY CROWDING OR FIGHTING…THEY ALL PATIENTLY AWAIT THEIR TURN

Max & Checkers were doing a lot of sniffing & gruffing around a garden shed not far from our rig this morning so I got a flashlight & had a look under the shed.  There was a critter under there alright but I couldn’t quite make out what it was.  Seemed to be shuffling around a bit & had a very light colored & very furry tail.  Thought I saw some black & white so hope it wasn’t a Skunk.  Not even sure if they have Skunks in these parts.  Later in the day I took my camera over to see if I could get a picture but it had already vamoosed. 

After soaking up a bit of warm morning sunshine we hustled ourselves down to Douglas Arizona & made the McDonald’s breakfast menu with just 2 minutes to spare.  In fact, they were just changing the menu boards when we were at the counter.  Kelly had used the ‘McDonald’s’ incentive in getting me to come along with her to J.C. Pennys.  Seems to work every time & I never get smart to it.  She also knew she might be in Pennys for awhile so wily Coyote Kelly even slipped the book I am currently reading into the Jeep before we left so I would have something to keep me busy in the parking lot while waiting.  It worked:))

WE BOTH LOVE THE BIG BOLD EVER PRESENT COLORS IN SOUTHWEST DESIGN…..THIS WAS INSIDE McDONALDS.

Not to be outdone in the shopping department while waiting I spied a ‘Dollar General’ store next to J.C. Pennys.  Figured if Dollar General had that 70% discount like J.C. Pennys I might find a real bargoooon for thirty cents:))  I didn’t!!  But, I did get a new coffee cup for a buck plus a litre of 10W-30 Motor Oil to pour on my morning cereal:))

NOPE, I’M NOT GOING IN THERE & YOU CAN’T MAKE ME NEITHER!!

My patience was holding up real good all morning so figured I would be alright helping push the grocery cart around in Wal-Mart.  I lasted about a minute & half & had to totally exit the whole grocery section.  What is it with people that they have to be on their stupid cell phones yammering & texting like a bunch of maddened Magpies while leaving their shopping carts blocking aisles, crashing into bins & plowing into other people’s shopping carts. Yap,yap,yap-peck,peck,peck!!!!  I think cell phones should be left at the door so people can concentrate on their shopping & be considerate of other shoppers around them.  I also wish someone would hurry up & invent a small electronic device that I could carry & every time I pressed the button it would transmit a signal to the nearest inconsiderate cell phone user’s phone & emit a very loud & aggressive growling fart sound right out of their cell phone!!!!

CAN YOU SEE THE 2 LARGE PAINTED BIRDS

While parked at a health food store behind the historic GADSDEN HOTEL in Douglas this morning I was reminded of our visit there a couple years ago.  Pancho Villa is reported to have rode his horse into the Hotel lobby years ago & right up the grand stair case.  This Hotel with it’s beautiful old lobby is reported to be haunted but I didn’t detect any ghosts in any my following photos.  Maybe you will have better luck:))

 

DOUGLAS ARIZONA'S HISTORIC GADSDEN HOTEL VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

A week ago or so I posted a photo that I had taken in Palm Canyon, Borrego Springs.  The photo showed what appeared to be a barren rock surface.  Upon later examination I saw some Big Horn Sheep in the photo & thought I counted 6.  After posting it in the blog some people saw more Sheep & some saw less.  A good friend of mine in Kitchener Ontario has taken that photo & enhanced it to the Max.  He found & numbered 11 Sheep in total.  Below is the enhanced photo.  Hard to find number 11 but it can be found at 5 o’clock or bottom right of photo.  Don’t know what kind of an enhancemagator machine you got there Bob but it should clear up once & for all just how many Sheep are actually in the that photo.  Thanks Buddy:))

Some of you folks may remember my post from December 15th a month ago entitled, ‘THE OLD WEST IS STILL ALIVE IN THIS LITTLE BOYS MEMORY.’  Shortly after that post I received an email from long time blog reader Jenny J over at ELEVEN FOOT RV which stated, “Al, I just ordered you a copy of The Big Book Of Cowboys --now I need an address to send it to -- Merry Christmas!!”  After Monday’s photo class I stopped by the Elfrida Post Office & sure enough, a parcel had just come in for me.  Thank you so much Jenny.  You brought this little boy’s memories alive again as I sat here yesterday reading through the book’s pages & looking at the big as life colored Cowboy illustrations.   I was a kid all over again.  Thank you so much Jenny & I appreciate your kind thoughtfulness:))

I am starting to feel pretty spiffy in my new threads & I am a bit uncomfortable with that.  Figure I’m just going to have to take all my new duds outside & give em a good old kickin around in the
Arizona dirt just to keep myself grounded.  Had to do that 4 years ago in New Mexico when I bought my black Cowboy hat.  Just wasn’t comfortable walking around with my head hung under a brand new shiny Cowboy hat…………..10-4:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A doctor examined a woman, took the husband aside, and said, "I don't like the looks of your wife at all." "Me neither doc," said the husband. "But she's a great cook and really good with the kids."

--------------------------------------------------------------
EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
stargeezerguy@gmail.com
Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

NOT A VERY PRODUCTIVE DAY:((

NOPE, IT’S NOT AN OLD COOT…..IT’S AN AMERICAN COOT:))

Really getting tired of these freezing cold nights but then again so is everybody else.  We woke up to 19F again this morning with condensation on the inner walls & windows.  Just seems to be the weather pattern in the southwest right now.  Hard to believe that our Jeep’s thermometer registered 68F Sunday at Parker Canyon Lake.  By noon today the thermometer was into the low 60’s & I felt some warmth in the air.

  

COULD THIS BE A COOT??

I will give my cameras a rest today & simply include more photos from Sunday’s day trip.  By the time I tapped out a blog Sunday night & had all the day’s 200+ photos in order it was pushing midnight when I hit the ‘Publish’ button.  Today has been a zero energy day right from the time I got up.

Following pics are a random sample of the RV sites at Parker Canyon Lake’s campground for anyone interested.  Brand new washrooms & trash receptacles will soon be in operation.

      

     

Popped over to the Elfrida Photo Group at 1 this afternoon & was able to help a lady with some Picasa questions & show her on the library’s computer how the ‘Retouch’ tool & a few others work so my day wasn’t a total washout after all.

I’m not big on a lot of unrealistic quotes & sayings I’ve heard over the years but I particularly liked the quote Bob had in a day or two ago at, CHASING GRACE.  And, I thought the saying, “It’s not a vacation…..it’s a Wheel Life” was a clever saying on, WHEEL LIFE WITH THE BRIGHT'S.  I had never heard that before.  But then again as you all know….I live a sheltered life!!

On Sunday’s day trip we came across a building that looked like an old school.  We like exploring around old buildings so we stopped to have us a look see.  I do think it was a school at one time because of the old bell but it is now used as a Church.  We have seen several of these ‘Cowboy Church’s’ in our travels.  I think there is one in Tombstone too.

  

A CHILD’S HOMEMADE SWING HARKENS BACK TO EARLIER TIMES IN THE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE

Ruth from FIVE JUST ROLLING DOWN THE ROAD had a question yesterday about leaving our dogs in the Motor Home when we are away on day trips.   So far we have been very lucky & there have been no accidents in the rig.  Before leaving we always have them out for a pee parade & that seems to hold them over & so far they have always been good about that.  Our day trips usually start out leisurely enough but after we have been away 4, 5 or 6 hours we have a tendency to rush home to let the gang out.  We always see more going to somewhere rather than coming home from somewhere.  Checkers & the Motormouse never have to go out during the night but Max sometimes does.

Well, that’s about it for me tonight.  Sometimes blogs just fall smoothly into place & other times it’s a big struggle just to get a paragraph done.  My brain shut down half an hour ago & I’ve been running on residual effect ever since.  Maybe tomorrow will be better.  Say, I was just told me may be in for another J.P. Penny trip tomorrow.  Ohhhhh no, say it isn’t so!!

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A little boy went up to his father and asked, "Dad, where did all of my intelligence come from?"
The father replied, "Well son, you must have got it from your mother, because I still have mine."

--------------------------------------------------------------
EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
stargeezerguy@gmail.com
Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.