Beautiful Orange Grove

The Orange Grove RV Park is actually in an orchard--a retired orange grove. They just removed every other tree to fit the RV's in and pruned the trees. You are invited to pick your own oranges when they are ripe (they were all gone by the time we got there). It is beautiful, especially after all the dust of the desert in Arizona. All the facilities are new and very clean. It cost a bit more because it didn't take any of our discount groups except Good Sam. But the location was very convenient for our trip home. It is near Bakersfield.

Gary learned more about RV purchasing from a former salesman who was in our park. He has learned more each time he washes the windshield. Windshield washing attracts conversation, I guess.

We plan to be home tonight. It will be great to take a shower in a nice big comfortable shower with water pressure. That is the biggest drawback for the RV--no matter what kind of showerhead you install, there is very little water pressure. The levelers are still working (I'm almost afraid to type that or say it out loud for fear of jinxing them). Our next two big trips are in the planning stages--meeting friends along the way, of course.

This trip has been interesting and fun. It is so nice to be able to take your house with you so almost anything you need is somewhere close. We are working on getting more organized--that will really make life easier.

An interesting bit of news reached Gary this past week. International Paper has bought the corrugated division of Weyerhaeuser. His decision to retire was sure at the right time. There is going to be a lot of chaos and he doesn't have to deal with any of it! Hooray!

Emerald Cove--so nice

This was our site at Emerald Cove in Earp, CA. What a beautiful place, especially after driving past so many not so good looking spots. It is right on the Colorado River. Had a little fenced in dog area that Tule and Elsie loved. Friendly people, very clean. If we do the same route next year, I'd like to stay at Emerald Cove for two or three days. And,yes, there is fishing--next year Gary will come prepared.

The only problems were the roads to get there and to leave were terrible, full of curves and little hills and potholes. And the only gas we could get at Needles was $4.09 a gallon! We didn't fill up, so when we got to Barstow Gary put in more gas at only $3.25 a gallon. Phew!

They serve a breakfast of sorts, cheap. Today was a huge cinnamon roll for $1 (not too good), the alternate days are biscuits and gravy for $1.50.

We're on our way home. Next stop Bakersfield.

Pooped

Do you think Gary is tired? This is after a couple of drinks and driving 339 miles almost non-stop (except for two dog potty stops).

Wildflowers

As we drove along I/10 today we saw lots and lots of these yellow wildflowers. Don't know what they are, but had to have a photo. After 25 photos of the road and the support for the windshield, I finally got this one. There is a little glare from the windshield but you can tell how vivid the flowers are next to the freeway. There was quite a wind, so many dust devils along the way. We left I-1o at Quartsite--what an interesting place. Then we meandered past Parker, AZ to Earp, CA. Drove past many old, worn-out looking RV parks, worrying as we went. But lo and behold! Emerald Cove is beautiful! Right on the Colorado River, which is clean and blue, has a zillion RV sites, all clean and neat. If we go this way again, I'd like to stay a few days. This is the kind of RV park I like best.

A Patriotic State

Arizona is definitely a patriotic state. In the days after 9/11 we saw a lot of flags everywhere, but people in the Sacramento area have pretty much quit flying them.
In the Tucson area, there were flags wherever we looked--on overpasses, at homes, stores, gas stations. As we drove on I-10 there was nothing but desert. Then out of nowhere a flag appears on the horizon. It was at a truckstop and there was nothing else around--no stores, no houses, nothing. It was a beautiful sight.

Pooper Scooper Extraordinaire!

Gary had to bring this back from the dog park to
show me the luxury pooper scooper bags they had
at the Tucson dog park.
The bag has a little wire opening and you just
scoop up the poop and pop the wires shut! I had
to show you because I figure you dog lovers
would never believe it otherwise.
Yesterday we were invited to tour the RV of
a couple from Oregon who travel with their cat.
They are even more carried away than we are.
Their clothes closet is 1/3 taken up by the
litter box and a shelf above the bed is left open
with a pillow in it for the cat to sleep in because
she likes it up high. BTW, it was a VERY nice RV.

Brrrrrr

Woke up to a really, really cold morning. Snow in the mts. around Tucson was beautiful, but the snow along with lots of advice from other RVers made us decide to skip Sedona and start straight home. We are heading to Earp, CA today to an RV park. Next year we'll try to see Sedona.
We enjoyed this Fleetwood rally so much we are pretty sure we will come again next year. Mike and Julie are already making plans for our visit next year. So I guess we will do Arizona one more time. 2009 will be easier because we will have a clue to where we are going. And next year I will bring more cold weather gear--not prepared this time. Only had one turtleneck and one sweater--no sweatshirts. Gary had the same packing problem.

The Beaudry RV park was very deluxe, but barren.
You can see our Tucson site in this photo.
Totally flat area with all gravel and pavement.
There were a few bushes here and there.
I guess the park is too new for any trees.
Although we really didn't see many trees at all in the Tucson area.

Had fun thinking about all the funny names we've traveled to--Punkin Center, Jake's Corner (that is the exit!), Earp. And more. We've been using Google maps more than anything--are very glad we got the aircard so we can be online as we move on down the road. Maggie the Magellan gps we got goes strange, circuitous routes, so don't always rely on her. We should have gone with our instincts and gotten a Garmin, I know. We fell for the testimonial the guy who was shopping in Costco gave us. I don't think he had used his anywhere other than local. We live and learn.

Today the weather is beautiful--rainy with everything washed clean from yesterdays rain. We have been told the wildflowers are especially plentiful this year because of all the rain they've had all winter. It is a very pretty time of year to be heading down the freeways!

Rain, beautiful rain!

The weather changed completely today. We got up to 43 degree weather with strong winds this morning. While I did laundry Gary found a good dog park and ran the dogs til they were pooped. He got back just before the rain started. It has been raining off and on all day. It sounds so beautiful on the roof of the RV. It not only has been raining, it has been really, really cold. The snow on the mountains around Tucson has been showing up lower and lower all day. Hard to believe we are in the warm sunny part of Arizona!

We made some great friends here this weekend. We've had lots of fun comparing notes on our RV's. I suspect we will see each other again. This rally has been fun--no sightseeing of the surrounding area--we were going to do that today, but got rained and winded out. But lots of talking and learning and that was the main idea for this rally.

Tonight we have switched from A/C to heat--even broke out the little space heater. The high today was 49 degrees! Tomorrow promises more of the same as we head toward home.

Fixed again?

Today the Fleetwood tech rep brought his team to our rig and installed another control module for the levelers. (another "upgrade") Took a half hour longer than they expected. Hopefully this time they will continue to work.

We had planned to do some sightseeing, but ended up comparing notes with another couple who have the same RV as we do. Talked all afternoon. Turns out they like to fish, especially for salmon. We introduced them to pickled fish the way Britta makes it--they loved it! I'll email them the recipe. Found another couple who fly a Swedish flag--they also make lefse, but don't like lutefisk. We've enjoyed everyone we've met. Lots of dog lovers--several of whom also learned the hard way not to take their dogs to the muddy dog park here.

Tonight was a good dinner and Monte Carlo night. We got $50,000 in fake chips and both of us lost ours in an hour playing Blackjack. Not too lucky. Good thing we don't gamble for real!

Sherril and Larry

My high school friend, Sherril and her husband Larry now live in Tucson year round, except when they travel. This is a picture of the four of us at their home this afternoon. It was great to see them. Larry took Gary on a tour of the Air Force Museum where a huge number of planes can be seen, including a few versions of Air Force One. Gary loved it. Sherril and I went shopping (got some shoes), then back to their house for a visit. Sherril is very good at helping me shop. She can almost always convince me I really need whatever it is I see. In high school we did so much together (both in band, same classes, both had horses, to name a few) that our classmates called us "The Inseparables". haha!

Second most interesting rig

We are now in Tucson, AZ at Beaudry RV Park for the Fleetwood Rally. We met with the Fleetwood tech rep and they will replace our control module and a few other things for the levelers, check the wiring, etc. on Saturday morning. Here's hoping this will do the job.

Didn't take a photo, but Elsie really did a number this time. Took the dogs to the fenced-in dog park as soon as we got here yesterday. She immediately found the mud and ended up a totally different color in just a few minutes. Had to give her a bath back at our rig. What a mess!

Our photo is the second most strange rig we've seen this trip. It has a big "garage" style storage area on the truck and tows a HUGE RV. This photo only shows the first half of the fifth wheel.

The Organ Stop

The top photo is Mike and Julie Sorkki and Gary and me. Mike is Gary's cousin. We had lots of fun with them--not only sightseeing stuff, but two rousing evenings of Mexican Train. They are living in Mesa for the winter to see if it helps Mike's asthma--so far so good. The rest of the year they live in Astoria.



The Organ Stop is an amazing pizza place in Mesa. Mike and Julie took us there and we had yummy pizza and were treated to two sets by this organist on the biggest pipe organ I've ever seen. It rises from the basement and turns so each side of the restaurant can see the keyboard, then stops for the main part of the show, then descends as he finishes the last song. The place was packed. Of course, he played a lot of oldies and singalong songs of my folks' generation (I Want a Girl, Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad, etc). From our vantage point on the second floor, we could see how many Canadians come to Mesa in the winter when he played "O Canada" (they were all standing--at least 2/3 of the audience on the ground floor. Then he played "God Bless America" and we all stood and sang along. Very loud but lots of fun. I recommend it to anyone who travels to Mesa, AZ!

Giant Litter Box

The fenced in pet area at Mesa Regal is actually just a gravel-covered giant litter box. Too small for running around, but lots of sniffing space. Our dogs knew the route and rushed there every morning to join a lot of other dogs for their morning ablutions.

Finally!

Hooray!

I finally got Blogger to upload my photo!  This is our site at Mesa Regal, grapefruit tree in front.  Julie tried one and said it was really good, so we will pick some before we leave.  

Taught Julie how to knit today--she is a fast learner--in less than two hours she became proficient in knit stitch, knitted cast on and practiced casting off!  I think I have her hooked.  Mike and Gary had a good time trading fishing stories.  This morning I went to the Mesa Regal knitting group and learned a wonderful new cast on.  It is very stretchy and pretty.  There were lots of beginners--nobody doing anything as complicated as most of the group at the "Grind".  I made sure to show them the Fiberminder, Kimberly.  Told them the name of your website.  Lots of admirers, hope some of them order one.

Made bread for Gary today.  Should last the rest of the trip. He made the most yummy smelling sausages for dinner tonight--had all our neighbors drooling--me, too.  And the dogs, of course.

Now that the photos will upload, I will take some more!

Mesa Regal

Mesa Regal is a very nice RV park with a lot of 'park models' going in which are permanent. Each site has a grapefruit tree.  You can tell which sites have people on Lipitor since their trees are still full.  Ours has maybe a third of the fruit left.  Gary has attached our Norwegian and Swedish flags to the awning and the geraniums from Mom's place in the desert are decorating the edge of the motorhome.  I was hoping to be able to p0st a photo, but no luck today.  Maybe tomorrow.

The latest on our rig is that a tech rep will go over it and talk with us in Tucson.  They want to do yet another "upgrade" (also known as a recall) on the levelers and are "positive" this will do the trick.  Sounds like our consumer services rep is dumping us on the poor Tucson tech rep. We will see what happens.  Since this is a Fleetwood rally we should be able to find out if other people have had as many problems as we have.  They have agreed to continue our warranty.  

Had fun today--learned about a dog park that has a "lake" (we'd call it a pond).  So we took the dogs there and they had a ball swimming and running.  Mike and Julie joined us and got a real kick out of them.  There was a place to give them a bath, so they are nice and clean and worn out.  Should sleep good tonight!

Yesterday Julie led us to the most amazing produce store we've ever seen.  Beautiful fruits and veggies and very low prices.  For instance a huge bunch of asparagus for 99 cents.  Too bad the frig was already so full --but we did cram some more in.  Couldn't pass up such good food!

Tomorrow we are going to Sorkki's to see their Country Store, followed by lunch.  Julie wants to learn to knit, so that is going to take place while we are there.  There is a talent show at Mesa Regal that we thought would be fun to see tomorrow night.  A knitters group meets here tomorrow morning, so I will join them before we leave for Sorkki's.  Gary will go sit in the hot tub again, his favorite place to be.  

This is sure a relaxing lifestyle, when everything is working, that is.  We seem to be awfully busy doing nothing.  

Elsie's view

Elsie has discovered her favorite place to watch the outside world.  

She is as comfortable as can be with an excellent view.  Better than home!  

Today is laundry day.  Will explore this place until we find the laundry facilities.  

Of course, the weather is a little too sunny for me. Yesterday was excellent--overcast all morning.  No rain, but overcast is the next best thing.  

Right now I am baking blueberry muffins for breakfast.  Smells yummy!

Here in Mesa

We're having a fantastic time in Mesa.  Spent yesterday morning shopping with Mike and Julie at a huge Denio's type place--lots of great stuff to buy.  They came over for a fish dinner and we played Mexican Train all evening.  Gary found the swimming pool and hot tub, so he felt great by dinnertime.  

Mesa Regal had a dog parade yesterday!  The theme was 101 Dalmations and it was a hoot to see how people dressed up their dogs.  Unfortunately, our dogs couldn't be in it because we had already agreed to go shopping with Sorkki's before we knew there was a parade.  But we saw many of the dogs just before they left to line up for the parade.  Very cute.

Levelers are still working (knock on wood).  I'm still trying to get photos to upload.  Blogger is not happy right now.  I looked in their advice chat and it isn't me, it is Blogger.  Phew!

This is the most unusual RV we have seen so far.  It is a flatbed truck with an Airstream trailer mounted on it to function as a motorhome.  The owner has even made an opening so one can move from the truck to the trailer.  Very interesting.

Our levelers were re-callibrated today and are now working. When we asked if we could re-callibrate them we were told "no".  When we asked how to avoid needing this procedure, we were told there was no way to avoid it since they had no idea why it happened.  So we have levelers tonight for the first time since we left home. Will be testing them daily to see how long this lasts.  

We had a great visit with my cousin Denny and his wife Sandy, from North Dakota. They are staying near Roosevelt Lake.  The dogs were so patient as they spent most of the day in the back of the  CR-V while the RV was being repaired.  We are now at the Mesa Regal where they have two fenced in dog parks.  Tule and Elsie are ecstatic every time we head that way.  

Gary's cousin Mike and his wife Julie came over after dinner for a good visit.  It is so much fun to spend time with such great relatives!  They bought a place in a nearby RV park.  

 More tomorrow, hopefully more photos will upload by then.

Next stop -- Mesa

We're on our way to Mesa, AZ.  Very windy going down I-10.  We stopped at a Post Office and a woman in the parking lot was knocked over by a little dust devil that hit very hard.  Paramedics had to come help her.  

Dogs were so funny this morning. As I walked them we saw 4 bunnies and they just looked at them and walked on.  But as we walked by the BBQ at the RV park, Tule spotted a bag of charcoals and was determined to attack them.  Evidently thought it was a cat.  I swear that dog is nearsighted!  She darn near dragged me off my feet.  I used every smidgen of strength and got them back to our RV, laughing all the way.  

I've been trying to upload some interesting photos, but blogspot.com is not happy today.  Sorry.

Mom arrived at the Palm Springs airport on Sunday so we took the dogs to the dogpark right next to the airport before her flight came in.  Dogs loved running and running, then were delighted to see "Grandma".  Mom is doing great, it was sooo good to be able to spend some time visiting with her.  

Gary was able to golf on Sunday and Tuesday.  We had a fun visit with much of the family--lots of great stories I hadn't heard before.  I'd never heard about Gary falling over backward as he  tried to shoot a pheasant that flew overhead.  He was stuck in "gumbo" mud and ended up flat on his back.  What a picture!

The RV is getting yet another "upgrade" on the levelers.  Our appointment is at 7:30 a.m. Thursday in Mesa, AZ.  We will leave Cathedral City tomorrow and head to Arizona.  While the RV repairs are going on, we plan to load the dogs and their equipment into the CR-V and head to Punkin Corners, AZ to see my North Dakota cousins who are snowbirds in Arizona this year.

Time will tell whether this will keep the levelers working.    

Blowin' in the Wind

In the desert wind takes on a whole new meaning.  Driving down the freeway just before we got to Thousand Palms, Gary turned off the cruise control, took his foot off the gas and the tailwind kept us going 70 mph (yeah, he was speeding).  He finally had to use the brake to slow down from the wind pushing us.  On the way home from spending the evening with my sister and brother-in-law, the wind was so bad that it basically sand-blasted our poor CR-V.  But when we got past Dinah Shore Drive, we found much less wind and a lot more protection.  At our RV park the only way you could tell there was wind was to look at the tops of the palm trees.  

Before we hit the windy area, we drove in misty rain down I-210.  Love that rain!

Lots of good sniffing material here.  Bunnies everywhere (cottontails)--very cute.  This morning Tule was convinced one of them was a statue until it ran away.  She wanted to take off while Elsie decided to "point"--first time we've seen her do that.  These dogs are such good travellers--we feel very blessed.  Wish they would be this good at home!

Without the levelers working we rocked and rolled a bit in the wind, but otherwise the RV hasn't had any more issues (I hope I didn't jinx anything by typing those words!).   Now the big decision for the day is whether Gary will go golfing in 35 mph winds with gusts up to 45 mph.  Carol and I will go shopping wind or not.  

Moving on down the road