Catching Up....

Things are a bit hectic here but I know everyone is wondering what's up so here's the short version.

• Drove from White Sulfur Springs, MT to Colorado Springs, CO with only one teensy little defugalty. Hadn't towed in a while (almost 2 months) and forgot to turn off the key at night. Ended up in northern CO with a dead battery in the car. Got that taken care of at the Longmont Camping World where I stopped to get tire covers.
  
• Spent a quiet night in the campground, got gas, argued with the bottle of Sta-bil that didn't want to transfer to the gas tank, moved the RV to the storage lot.
  
• Unloaded the rest of the stuff out of the RV into daughter's car, stored my bicycle in the RV, then got the winterization done.
• Went to visit some old friends who stored my rifel & handgun and took possession of the spare set of keys (in case I need something shipped to me) and had a great lunch at a local Chinese restaurant (best Chinese food in years).
• Went to the airport to pick up the rental car (daughter took possession of my old car), found out their lot was off-site, finally got the car, headed to the hotel for a rest before dinner.
  
• Nice dinner with some other friends, almost closed the restaurant while we chatted (daughter & grandson there as well), headed back to the hotel to find about 30 kids in the lobby registering.
• Woke up realizing that 1) I had forgotten some food in the pantry and 2) the generator never got serviced. Called the RV folks to get the generator done and headed back to the storage lot. Had hoped to meet some friends in Colorado Springs but by the time this was all done it was too close to time to turn in the rental car (2pm deadline).
• Plane took off for Chicago on time, not full so I got to move to an empty seat with no one beside me. Flight attendant gave me the wrong gate, fortunately I checked the monitor. Walked - LONG walk - to the next concourse.
• Half hour late out of Chicago to Baltimore (BWI) and full...cramped flying but finished reading my book. Arrived close to on time, met Stu in the baggage claim.
  
• Since then it has been a whirlwind of sorting my stuff into his stuff, finding spots for everything, mailing another box of stuff back to my daughter, tossing a few things topped with meeting a TON of family & friends. Been eating out WAY too much. Tonight? Out to meet more friends for dinner....LOL!
• Tomorrow we load everything up and head to Gettysburg. We'll be meeting up with other retired firefighter friends for a weekend of fun as well as a lunch with some of my motorcycle friends on Sunday. Monday we move to a different park in Gettysburg and relax a bit before heading to Highland NY to meet with my late husband's youngest daughter & her family (Micki, Eric & the kids - Matthew, Abbi, Zoe & Luke). After that we'll wander somewhere in eastern PA till the 24th when we get the RV serviced in Pottstown, PA.
  
• Back to Stevensville where we have another motorcycle friend lunch in Prince Frederick on the 27th, will attend the Renaissance Faire on the 28th (something I've never done but always wanted to), do the Red Hats ride in honor of Fallen Firefighters on 10/4 and somewhere in the middle of all that have a homemade pizza night for the family (Stu makes it from scratch....).

I will blog when I can but for a while things will stay pretty hectic...as you can see! Having an absolute blast....LIFE IS GOOD!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Lots of miscellany....

First, thank you to everyone who had commented, 'shouted out' and sent emails with good wishes for Stu and I. It is really appreciated and I made sure Stu read them as well.

Few miscellaneous ramblings & musings for today.....

Thought I'd pass along a great blog named "Tyler's RV Tips" - written by Mark Polk's son when he was six. It's fun reading and oh so true...out of the mouths of babes.

On Sunday some blog reading friends, Mike & Janna, rode over from their home about 70 miles away to meet me. They arrived on a gorgeous Honda Shadow (hope I'm remembering that right) and after introductions we sat and chatted for over an hour. It's always great to meet new friends, especially ones with so much in common. They hope one day to be able to travel with a toy hauler but settle for simpler travel now. Turns out we have mutual friends, Ellie & Jim and Doug & JoAnn, definitely a small world. They were all in the same park in Tucson last winter...Mike & Janna left before I arrived and visited though.

Speaking of small worlds, turns out the husband in the rig parked beside me was one of the folks that worked on my solar installation last February in Quartzite. In these photos, he's the one in the plaid jacket working on my battery installation. He thought I looked familiar as did my rig. When he came in to pay for an additional night, the campground owner mentioned that his was the rig parked next to mine. When he went back he looked up and noticed the solar and it all clicked. We both got a good laugh out of that one!

We've had several wildfires in the area recently, one to the north of us was put out fairly quickly. A new one started two days ago close to Townsend, MT, about 50 or so miles from here. We could see the huge plumes of smoke over the ridge and have been keeping up to date with the news since the wind comes from that direction. We had a severe thunderstorm alert yesterday but all we got was wind...not a good thing. The temperature has dropped from 90 to the 70's and we are due a rain tonight or tomorrow. Hoping it comes and helps the firefighters put out the wildfire.

Keeping busy in between work days by finishing up the boxes of stuff to be shipped to Maryland as well as what I will be giving to my daughter in Denver. I can't leave anything liquid inside so there are a lot of open items (cleaning, laundry, etc.) and well as the contents of the pantry, refrigerator, freezer that will get passed to her. Since she's setting up a new household post divorce, it will come in handy. She will also be the recipient of my car so I don't have to worry about putting it on consignment. One less thing to worry about.

Last major item is 4 totes full of paperwork - receipts, instruction books, etc that I have to go through. I'm way behind in entering things into Quicken so once I've sorted & tossed what I don't need, then will spend a couple of days getting Quicken caught up to date...just in time for a tax appointment. LOL! It never ends....

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Reading between the lines....

Since I have been staying too busy to quickly catch up my back travel blogs (will still do, promise!), I thought it was time to update everyone....at least those that haven't been reading between the lines.

You may remember my mentioning meeting Stu at the Escapade and doing some traveling together. Shortly after my workamping started, Stu headed east for the birth of his second grandbaby (born 8/7/08 & a beautiful baby girl). Being separated for a while was good for both of us, but it brought out the obvious. We wanted to continue our relationship to see where it goes.

So, once I am done workamping, I will put my RV in storage in Colorado Springs (reason being that 1) I have friends there who can retrieve & ship me anything I've forgotten and 2) it's an area we can see us visiting next summer), sell my car to my middle daughter and hop a flight to Baltimore.

Yup, we are officially a couple! We're both widowed so this is the start of a great new adventure for both of us. We've notified all our kids & other family as well as good friends. Everyone is anxious to meet the new person in our lives. This means we will be spending the fall in the east because that is where most of our family is located.

We will be traveling in Stu's 41' KZ Escalade toy hauler, pulled by a small Freightliner (no, I don't know any more details about the truck than that...LOL!) He rides a Harley-Davidson converted trike and I'm perfectly content on the back. We discussed my getting another bike but for many reasons I've decided that it's just not what I need or want right now.

Here are some photos of us, the trike and my new home...I promise some inside photos at a later date. It's really nice, lots of amenities.



So the next few weeks will continue to be busy as I get through the final sorting of stuff to stay and stuff to ship to Baltimore. I'm getting down to the wire, I will leave the campground the afternoon on September 2nd, make it as far as Reed Point, MT (where I have already stayed twice), then halfway to Colorado Springs on the 3rd, finishing the trip on the 4th.

In closing, here is a shot of the full moon over the campground that I took this week. It was the first time I had played with the shuttering settings and left it open too long so it almost looks like daylight....until you notice the lights that are lit around the campground. It was beautiful!!



Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Where, oh where, has my little frog gone...

Phew! What a month this has been....I will never get completely caught up but will try to give you a flavor of all that's gone on. I have over 800 photos taken (most by me but many by my temporary traveling partner, Stu). I still have to go through them, choose the best for uploading, resize & optimize them, upload to SmugMug, then decide which of those I will post in the blog...

So, first I will post a synopsis of the last month. Then as time allows this week I will work on the photos and upload backdated blogs with more detail. Hang in there....I'll get back on schedule soon! LOL!!

As to the workamping, I have survived my first week and am on my own now (although there is always someone to call if I need to). I work in the office four half days a week, two mornings (10-2:30) and two afternoons (2:30-7). When on the morning shift I have bathroom duty but so far it hasn't been all that bad. This is a small campground, 41 sites, and while the first few days were really busy it's slowed down. When there are kids and smaller campers, the bathrooms get used more often. We have procedures to help determine which showers & stalls have been used. If they're clean, we leave them alone.

The computer stuff is easy but was confusing initially. There is a new workamper couple that started the day before I did and between us and the gal that is staying, we have worked up some procedure pages to help us newbies. The owners are wonderful and worry that I'll be bored. They have no problem if I read, play on the computer, sew or whatever when things are slow. What more could you ask for? My schedule stays the same every week...off on Sun, Wed & Thur. Great for planning although my sightseeing will be limited while I catch up on real life stuff. LOL!

Okay, here is a synopsis of what has gone on for the last month:

1. As you already know, I attended the Escapee Escapade in Gillette, WY. I did the Devils Tower HOP, joined the Gillette Elks, attended social hours for the SOLOS, ELKS, DOVES & Full-time Class of 2007. I made friends with a new SOLO, Stu, who was widowed in March. He rides a Harley-Davidson trike so we had that in common as well.
   
2. We took a day trip of riding with a local rider we met on July 4th at the SOLOS Hot Dog Picnic. He was accompanied by a local lady rider and the four of us on three bikes rode from Gillette up to Sheridan, through the Big Horn Mountains, down to Worland and Ten Sleep before hitting Buffalo and going back to Gillette. All day ride - over 400 miles with temps from 50 to over 90. Some great photos of amazing scenery...we even saw MOOSE!
   
3. From Gillette we headed to Reed Point, MT before I took my RV into Pierce RV in Billings, MT for service. From there Stu planned on doing Yellowstone for a couple of days. Rather than my sitting at Pierce waiting for my rig, we decided to leave it there and travel together.
4. Moved Stu's rig to just south of Cameron, WY where we were about 35 miles north of West Yellowstone. Spend two amazing days riding through Yellowstone. It has always been my favorite National Park and it lived up it once again. Such a wide variety of scenery - we rode several loops that I had missed in 2005. We saw eagles, buffalo, elk, coyote, brown bear (assume it was a grizzly according to what I've read) and black bear. Never did see a deer or antelope inside the park but they were outside it on the ride to & from.
5. From Cameron we headed to Anaconda, MT for a couple of days while we attended the 70th National Folk Festival in Butte. A friend that worked for Stu back in Maryland and his wife live in Helena and they brought their camper to the same park. Another friend who had worked for Stu was in one of the featured groups, The Seldom Scene. (They are all retired paramedics/fire fighters). What an unbelievably great time we had...can't wait to blog about it. Plan to attend next year if at all possible.
6. From Anaconda we headed back to Reed Point, MT for the night before picking up my RV at Pierce in Billings. Then we headed north to White Sulphur Springs for my workamp assignment. The park is a Coast to Coast membership park (as well as RPI, AOR, CampClub USA and Passport America) and since Stu was a C2C member, it made sense for him to spend a couple of days before heading east.
7. After we arrived at Conestoga Campground, we had two days before my first shift so we did a little more sightseeing as well as seeing the local area.
   
8. The first trip was to Great Falls where we visited the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center as well as Great Springs State Park and Fish Hatchery. We ate our picnic lunch at the state park....nice shaded picnic area. Nice ride both ways and we got to visit the Harley dealer as well (we had previously visited the one in Billings).
   
9. The second trip was to Bozeman where we visited the Museum of the Rockies. What a treat that was....so much to see, we couldn't do it all. Amazing ride, open range with cattle all over the road and a ton of deer including some well antlered bucks.
10. Stu arranged to stay on a bit more and we took my next two days off to ride over to Helena to visit his friends again. They have a gorgeous house on 20 acres about 15 miles out of town. Great views, wildlife everywhere....had a great time and a nice ride both ways.
11. On Friday Stu left and headed east where his youngest daughter is expecting granddaughter #2. She is due in 2-4 weeks and he hopes to be there.
    
12. I'm busy in my off time reorganizing my storage bins again...moving more weight to the front and starting to clean out more stuff. Yup, was still overweight when I got weighed in Gillette. Once the outside is done I'll tackle the inside once again. I'm hoping to scan a ton of paperwork, back it up on CD/DVD and stop carrying so much of it around.
    

So that's it in a nut shell.....here's a sunset photo I took last week here at the campground.



Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Thursday is history, Friday is the 13th...

What a busy two days this has been. Yesterday was the day I drove into Flagstaff to pick up my new bicycle. But since I was going "into the big city", I figured I'd get a little shopping done along the way. First stop was Walgreen's where I picked up a few items on sale, next stop was Target. Both were close to the bike shop and had been previously scoped out for location.

Needless to say, I spent too much money at Target but I did pick up some badly needed items as well as a few good things on sale. (Promise you won't tell, I picked up 6 new paperbacks - 4 of them were James Patterson's, love his style and a nice change from my normal romance stuff). As I was leaving Target I noticed a Great Clips in the strip mall across the street. Since I wanted to get the bike picked up, I figured I could come back after that.

So next stop was Single Track Bike Shop (no website, sorry - 575 W Riordan Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, 928-773-1862) to pick up my bike. I wanted to see if they had a luggage rack that would work and they did. I added that and a kickstand (bikes don't seem to come with them anymore..what's up with that???).

The fun came when it was time to adjust the seat. Wait a minute....this is SOOOOO different from slinging my leg over my motorcycle seat. I felt so high up...seat crammed up my....well, you know. LOL! They almost raised it till I put the pedal at full down position and they saw my leg was straight. The tough thing was trying to sit on it while not moving....had to use one hand on the counter for balance. I figure it's been close to 40 years since I road a bicycle...I see another learning curve ahead. GULP! Maybe I will dig out my motorcycle armored clothes to wear those first couple of times....

Then I got to bat my baby blues and pull my "grandmother to 15" routine and get them to assemble the bike rack I had NOT bought from them (they didn't have it in stock or I would have). Of course talking motorcycles for 30 or so minutes with them (all under the age of 30 I would guess) probably helped more.... So they assembled and mounted the rack & accessories, showed me how to put the bike on it and off I went.

Next stop was Great Clips since it was around 4pm and I figured on a Thursday they might not be too busy to fit me in. I was right...got right in and the gal that cut my hair, Kelly, knew EXACTLY what I wanted, even without the photo I normally bring in (it was in the RV, of course). If I get back to this area next year, she'll be on my list!

Fast forward to Friday....no idea it was the 13th. Hard to keep track of things like dates...LOL! Today was photographer day....remember my mentioning the interview for S-Life, the new magazine for Suzuki owners. I have had headshots professionally done but never outside shots like this. Spent close to two hours...what an experience. He took shots with the bicycle and I, me in a chair with laptop all posed in front of the car with a little of the motorhome showing behind. Then we moved the car to down in front of the caboose motel rooms here the Canyon Motel & RV Park and he took another whole set there with me posing as the cheesy tourist. Too fun!!!

So it's now 2pm and I'm whipped....think I'll sit and read a bit before venturing into town to see the motorcycle rally. The event officially started today and I want to check out the vendors....looking for a little leather tool bag to hang on the front of my handlebars. Much cheaper than the ones from bike shops (and they tend to be too big or too small). The park has had at least 4 more rigs check in today with a variety of motorcycles & methods of hauling them.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Ramblings & Rumblings

Rumblings: "Salmonella food poisoning first linked to uncooked tomatoes has spread to 16 states, federal health officials said Saturday..." [read the full story]

The good news for me is that I've been buying "on the vine" tomatoes and those, according to the news article, aren't on the suspect list. Phew!

It does make me more aware that salmonella doesn't just come from uncooked/improperly prepared meats (especially chicken). Just something to think about....be careful out there!

Ramblings: Still babying my ankle...as long as I stay off it, the swelling isn't bad so I know it's getting better. Still icing it in the evenings. Hoping that when my bike comes in next week, I'll be fit to ride.

My front door lets in a LOT of sun and I had been using two small magnets to hold a pillowcase (using the two screws at the top of the door frame) and keep out some of heat & glare. A while back I found a dark colored window valance on clearance for $1.50. I thought it might be better than the pillowcase because it would be longer. I had to staple the open vent in the middle but it worked out well.

While visiting with my friend Sally at the motorcycle do here in Williams a couple of weeks ago, I noticed she did the same thing with a pillowcase but she had hers shirred on a rod. Last week I was looking at my curtain and realized that I could get a spring tension rod and do the same thing. This meant I would be constantly pulled one of the magnets down every time I went in and out of the door.

I found what I was looking at here at the local True Value and it's perfect! It also means I can leave the valance in place, just sliding it to the side when not in use. I love it....eventually I will find something just a little wider with enough length but for now, this works and was done for under $5 total.


If you look closely you can see where there is only a TEENY bit of plastic on the bottom of the left runner and you can see where the right runner plastic has broken.

My other triumph was more challenging....last fall on one of my early trips the big drawer underneath my refrigerator fell off the slide brackets. I pulled it out and managed to fix it. Six months and 6k miles later, it really gave up the ghost. The first time I just had to remount something that fell off. This time the plastic connectors broke...on both sides. I first tried duct tape....guess what. It's NOT the be all - end all. LOL!

Next was a trip to True Value to see if they sold new ones. They had several but they were all for center-under drawer slides, nothing I could use. I tried reversing the slides from side to side, that combined with the duct tape lasted....one night (not even moving). As I kept thinking about it, I wondered if I could brace something underneath to hold the runners in place. Next time I was at True Value I picked up some small L-braces to put underneath the runner.

Today I dug out my drill and for only the second time in my life, used it. LOL! It worked...thank goodness for hardware packaging that tells you what size drill bit to use. That and cordless screwdrivers.... Now to see if it will last till I find someone to replace the slides with ones that have metal mounts...plastic just doesn't cut it with RVs.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Tourists, Cooking & Mail Call

The campground is all but empty, maybe 5-6 rigs after morning check-out and only one new check-in. Until now.....

Two class C rental RVs, multiple occupants all wearing tank tops, shorts & sandals (it's only 70 degrees with VERY gusty winds). One pulls in and parks normally. After much discussion, the other pulls in....facing the wrong direction. This means their doors open to each other. As soon as I see two of the guys go grab a picnic table from another site and immediately sit down with a beer, I know. I didn't even need to wait to hear the foreign words to know.....the tourists are here. LOL!

We'll see how it goes tonight...my mail is here and if it gets too rowdy and they don't leave in the morning, I may just move to the boondocking spot I picked out. It was very windy today with gusts up to 30 mph and on Wednesday even higher winds are in the forecast. Here I'm on a hill and I get buffeted around. In the boondocking area there are a lot of trees to buffer the wind. Time will tell...

One of the things that arrived in my mail was something I had ordered on eBay and had been waiting impatiently for. Here is a photo after installing it....suits the car perfectly, don't you think? LOL!



One final note...I COOKED TONIGHT. Yup, honest....really....no, I'm serious! When I went to Safeway I bought some skinless chicken breasts. I parboiled three of them last night. One I sliced for sandwiches and the other two I cut up into chucks for salad, pasta, rice dishes. I also had picked up some jars of chunky marinara sauce. I already had whole wheat noodles and several packages of rice.

Tonight I cooked some of the noodles, tossed in some sauce and chicken. Delicious and a nice change from my pre-cooked meals. I am trying to move away from a lot of processed foods...this was a start. When I move boondocking I'm going to use my solar cooker since I won't be plugged into power (save on microwave use).

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Just hopping on through....

This has been a lazy week for me, a much needed lazy week. I've done a little sightseeing, a little visiting with the locals, a lot of reading and even more not much of anything. LOL! Thus no blogging till today....when it is pouring off and on.

Okay, I arrived on Monday and checked into the great little campground, Rancho Verde RV Park, here in Camp Verde. I would come back here anytime...the owners are wonderful, they work very hard to keep the grounds in tip-top condition. Always checking to see if anything is needed...I've seen them hand delivering mail rather than having folks come to the office. Nice!

Tuesday I pulled out and headed over to HEFR (Hansen Enterprises Fleet Repair - and yes, they DO pronounce it 'heifer' and have cow stuff scattered around the office). I met with the owner, John, we got the information from the motorhome and headed back inside. In a very short time John introduced me to Dave, the service tech who would be caring for my rig. He sat patiently listening to my tale of woe, asking questions and then went to bring in my rig.

While he was inspecting & evaluating, I talked with John about getting some new mirrors for the RV. Mine are manual, which is okay, except they keep vibrating to new and not so usable positions. That means stopping, adjusting and continuing. I'll never forgot coming into Tucson for the first time...my passenger side mirror was completely unusable. As I got off the exit I watched the light and kept saying, "Turn red, turn red, turn red.....". It did...I threw it into park, jumped out, ran around the front of the RV, adjusted the mirror, ran back, smiled and shrugged at the folks in the car beside me, jumped back in, shifted back into gear...all before the light changed. Phew! NOT something I like to do very often...

So, back to the mirrors. Several folks had recommended Velvac mirrors but I had never quite figured out what I needed when on their website. I told John what style I was looking for (built-in convex mirror on the bottom) and he set to work finding out what to get and where they might be available. Long story short....can't replace just the mirrors anymore. They've 'upgraded' their design and I would have to replace the arms as well. So my $500 mirrors would now be almost $1000. Guess I'll keep on jumping out and adjusting as needed.

The weather Wednesday was the best of the week. Monday & Tuesday saw temps in the low 100's. Yesterday and today it has rained off and on....just when you think the sun is out for good, it suddenly starts to rain again. I thought it would be a good day to do my laundry....seems like everyone else thought so, too. So I'll wait...LOL!

Today the park handyman came by to work on my storage bay...I heard him outside but I wasn't dressed yet (loving these sleep in till 8 mornings). After dressing I went outside and saw that it was open...and the lock didn't look new. Hmmmm.... Later I was on the phone and he knocked at the door and asked for my keys. He had managed to pop it and keep the lock! WHOO-HOO!!! I'll never jam the table in there again....LOL! Live and learn....

Okay....heading back to veg and read for a bit....enjoy the holiday weekend but remember the reason we have one. My heart goes out to those who have given their lives so we can remain free.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

PS. The frog photo was taken at my house in TN...couldn't resist it!

This 'n that and other stuff....

First, for those who read my blog at My Prime Years, my apologies for not getting your comments posted more quickly. Guess there was a Gmail disconnect because I didn't get notices and only by accident found about 10 backlogged comments. I actually publish my blog in two spots, My Prime Years and Froggilady. I do this as a backup...the blogs at Froggilady are actually stored at Blogger.com while the ones at My Prime Years are done with WordPress are on my own server. So there are always two sets of comments to deal with...I will try to remember to manually check the WordPress comments.

I did get moved to Camp Verde today...nice little campground. I had opted for the cheaper water & electric site since I knew I would dump before I left but when I went there it turns out that the trees would completely block my satellite....so I moved up to the main area and a full hookup spot. I still have trees to help shade but they are in the other direction.

It's hot...over 100 forecast for today and tomorrow. I ran the generator on the way down, both to keep the RV cool as well as give the generator it's monthly run. The trip was a little over 90 minutes and I made no stops. Getting moved out this morning wasn't too bad except for the heat. I dumped, unhooked, checked tires & airbags, put air in my left air bag, ran the engine for 10 minutes to check the tranny fluid, added the quart I had bought, checked again and it registered, set up the newest replacement Brake Buddy and headed out.

I checked under the RV when I stopped....a little dribbling but not major spot. Guess the shorter trip helped. Tomorrow I have an appointment at HEFR in Camp Verde and we'll see what they say. Whatever it is will be labor intensive, I already know that. LOL!

Have to say how much I love the ease of hooking/unhooking the car. The only hassle has been replacing the Brake Buddy twice. Both units had one of the silver clips break off the 12-volt adapter. Seems they had a problem with a batch of units....I managed to get two of them. Have to say that my contact at the parent company, Hopkins Mfg, has gone above and beyond to help. No hassle service and QUICK. Now if this one will just continue to behave.....

You knew it was coming, didn't you...today's defugalty. LOL! I have one very large storage back at the back of the motorhome. It goes in under the bed but that end is shallow, the outside end is deep. I use it to store all my chairs, tables, solar lights, Power Surge connector/adapters, laundry items and much, much more. This morning I was stashing everything in there, the last item was a little plastic folding table. You know the kind, they fold in half and are handy beside your chairs.

Well, I arrive and go to open the bin to get my Power Surge connector. It won't unlock...I keep trying. No go. I try another compartment, no problem. Hmmmm, what is up with this? The campground owner comes over and he tries it. Still no go. He offers to have the local handyman stop over. An hour or so later, he comes by. Same thing...he surmises that the table dropped down over the lock and is jamming it. Sigh...hoping that moving it tomorrow might dislodge it but I doubt it. Wednesday or Thursday the handyman will come back and drill it out, replacing it with another. Just what I need....another key to keep track of! Jeesh....

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

The love affair with life....

I found this on a wonderful blog I follow, Sean & Louise's 'Our Odyssey' and just had to post it here as well. Enjoy!

The great affair, the love affair with life,
is to live as variously as possible,
to groom one's curiosity like a high-spirited thoroughbred,
climb aboard, and gallop over the thick, sun-struck hills every day.

Where there is no risk, the emotional terrain is flat and unyielding,
and, despite all its dimensions, valleys, pinnacles, and detours,
life will seem to have none of its magnificent geography, only a length.

It began in mystery, and it will end in mystery,
but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between.

~ Diane Ackerman - 'A Natural History of the Senses'

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Meandering Thoughts.....

Why is it so hard to get a good haircut when traveling? They never want to cut my hair short enough.....I have to keep pushing them. LOL! I guess the good thing is that folks continue to tell me they love my haircut. So far I've used one mall salon, one Wal-Mart salon and two local shops.

Ocular migraines are a pain....well, mine usually aren't painful but when they happen I can't read or be on the computer for the 20-30 minutes they last. It's like having a kaleidoscope inside your eye. Nothing serious, just have had them two days in a row....maybe sinus related since I'm in the middle of pine trees.

Hats....hats and sunglasses. I love them....I don't wear them often enough, the hats that is. Going to try to wear them more...or else they have to do. RVers try to get rid of things they haven't worn or used in a year. EEEK!

When a campground rule says no feeding the wildlife, does that include the birds? I love being able to put out a birdfeeder or two (including hummingbird feeders) and a pie plate with water for them. Guess I need to ask next time I see this rule.....

This weekend is my lady motorcycle gathering here in Williams. We have about 20 women riders, 10 spouses and one baby coming from CA, NM, CO, UT & AZ. It will be fun, even if I am without a bike. But I suspect this may be my last motorcycle gathering...being bikeless makes it much harder to stay connected. I'll still visit the forums and I'll never forget the friends I've made...some for life.

Where to next? First stop will be Camp Verde where I hope to get my transmission fixed. Today I was working on my expenses and budgeting.....not a pretty site with all the repairs & maintenance costs this year....then factor in setting up the RV & car for towing. Sigh...but it's better to know where I stand so I can tighten the belt as needed. I have several annual memberships that may go by the wayside next year. I will be shopping for cheaper auto insurance for sure. I can drop to a lower level of DirecTV shows. But I won't, I absolutely WON'T give up my Internet. LOL!

Oh, I was supposed to be talking about where....after Camp Verde I will head north. I plan to spend a couple of weeks just north of Denver. I'll visit family and get some other personal things done. I need to settle on a base for getting a checkup and prescriptions renewed. Since I no longer have medical insurance it needs to be where I can find a good walk-in type clinic with reasonable costs. I found one in Branson, MO but that is the wrong part of the country right now. LOL!

How do I manage to get so far behind in email correspondence....if you have emailed me in the last couple of weeks and haven't heard back....hang in there! I will get back to you....but it may be another week. Sorry....honest!

I really miss boondocking but it looks like it may be July before I get to try it again. Too many commitments and things to do right now, as well as temperatures that mean running the A/C. I am NOT a hot weather gal....daytime temperatures in the 60-80 degree range are perfect for me. Once it gets over 82 in the RV, you can count on the air conditioner being turned on. That means running the generator if I'm boondocking, the solar won't run the A/C (or the refrigerator).

I think I could travel around Arizona for a year and still not see everything...and Utah even more so. Than factor in New Mexico and Colorado. Is it any wonder I want to stay out west? Of course there is still WY, MT, ID, OR, WA.......see what I mean? Beauty abounds....

I got on the scales this morning....I am at my max weight. Time to #1) cut back on intake and #2) start WALKING. I bought some very inexpensive walking sticks at Wal-Mart. I also have small hand weights and exercise bands. I really have to get serious...I refuse to buy any larger clothes. Time to start watching craigslist and Freecyle for a good used bicycle....

This all ties into my Diet Coke addiction as well...there are more and more studies showing that we are worse off using sugar supplements. It can increase your weight [ 2008 study - 2005 study ] and even worse, totally mess up your metabolism [ American Heart Assn - Framingham Heart Study ] . I see myself in that picture. I am trying to drink more green tea (hot and cold).

I think I got a mosquito bite on the top of my head the day I was at the Grand Canyon. It still itches.....

So, have I bored you enough yet.....then WAKE UP so I can sign off. LOL!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Where was I?

Where the heck was I when the USPS announced a postage increase? Obviously my head has been in the sand here in the deserts of AZ. I had NO idea! If it weren't for someone mentioning it at breakfast, I would never have known. Wow!! Guess I need to visit the local Post Office and pick up some "filler" stamps.

The rally is over and what a wonderful time I've had. Too much food, too much laughter, too much fun......NAH! Never too much fun......

We had an interesting start to our train ride to the Grand Canyon. We were supposed to be picked up in shuttle buses for the short ride from the park to the train depot. First announcement was that we were delayed by 30 minutes. The 30 minutes came and went and we noticed lots of cell phone work on the part of the campground owners and our rally hosts. Next thing we hear the train whistle and said folks shouting, "Stop the train! We've got to stop the train....."and with phones at full alert....they somehow did exactly that.

Long story short...the owner and driver of the shuttle bus company had emergency quintuple by-pass surgery and with the short staff, they just couldn't make it. The campground owners managed to make history....getting the Grand Canyon Railway train to STOP at the road crossing beside the campground. First time EVER..... They hurried us aboard and got us settled as quickly as possible so they could get moving.

Photos and the rest of the story tomorrow....

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Was it something I ate?

Had barely gotten to sleep last night when I woke with a HORRIBLE case of heartburn...got up, took a pill and went back to bed. Couldn't sleep on either side, had to put my head up, felt terrible. Finally fell asleep around 4am, back awake at 6, back to sleep till a little after 8. Not near enough sleep... Got up, hit the bathroom....okay, so now things appeared to have gone south.

Spent the day feeling lousy, ate some plain yogurt, 1/2 bagel and a little soup. Visited with several folks who stopped by. Took a 2 hour nap. Got the last two Pressure-Pro sensors put on the car. Read some emails & forums....replied to a few. Got a ton more advise about the transmission. Ran a low grade fever. Rested some more.

What a day....apologies to those waiting for email replies...it may be a few more days. In the morning I head to Williams, AZ for the Escapees Grand Canyon HOP. I am caravaning with another couple so if I have mechanical problems, I won't be alone. Oh, and as soon as I'm settled I'll be doing the drawing for the contest winner. Thanks to all who entered!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

An Easy Dozen....

I get nothing from these links (only if you click the Google ads or use my Amazon link before ordering from anything from there...hint, hint....LOL!), but thought they might be of interest to my readers. I LOVE bargains! (and I wonder why my rig is overweight...) Hey, why shouldn't I help you spend your money. ;-)

1. 44x28' Roll-top Aluminum Table - $39.97
   
   
2. 2 pk Anti-Shock Hiking Poles - $29.97
   
   
3. Columbia band clothes - various items/prices including the UV protection
   
   
4. Coleman Collapsible Storage/Organizer - $22.99 great for the back of your toad
   
   
5. Tool Logic Credit Card Multi-Tool - $9.97
   
   
6. National Geographic Field Guide to Birds of North America - Fourth Edition - $12.95
   
   
7. Self-Priming Siphon Hose Set - $23.90 (I got the two different sizes, one for water & one for gas use)
   
   
8. 3 cup & 4 cup Flat-Out Containers - - remember, lifetime guarantee with Tupperware
   
   
9. Space Saving Folding Funnel - $.99 (I ordered three of these)
   
   
10. Flexible Cutting Sheets - $1.35/ea (you KNOW how expensive these are in stores)
    
    
11. Tea for One sets - nice selection of under $20 Tea for One sets as well as regular tea pots, mugs with lids, tea bags/loose and more. (Mine is on order....working on more tea, less coffee & diet soda)
    
    
12. Solar Pathway Markers - $34.99 great for the edges of your door mat
    

One quick side note....I had purchased that small Reynolds vacuum sealer that has been on the market for a while now - had seen several folks post that they had one and liked it. I used it for the first time this week when I broke up the chicken & burgers into small packs. Worked like a charm! Definitely a good purchase. You should be able to find one at Wal-Mart or any large similar super store or grocery store. I will keep you posted on the freezer burn issue...that's the REAL test. LOL!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Just when you think everything is set....

Just when you think everything is set....something jumps up that messes it up again. LOL! Everything seemed to be falling into place...then reality just HAS to stick his BIG NOSE into things.



I got the title for my car and did all the necessary paperwork to get it titled and tagged in SD. Printed my stamp (I have a Dymo labeler that allows me to print stamps on the go...I love it) and got it in the mail. Chock one thing off my to do list...

First phone call of the morning was with the mobile repair service I had talked to the day before. I have a bunch of little things that need doing, hopefully none will become major, but regardless they can take care of them. So we set up for them to arrive Wednesday morning. Chock a list off my to do list...

Then I talked with a local RV parts & repair place seeing if they could order the bracket disconnects that I need for my Roadmaster base plate. Sure, no problem...they'll check with Roadmaster on the delivery timeframe and get back to me. Chock one more thing off my to do list...

This means I can place my order with PPL Motorhomes for my tow bar (on sale for $120 less than Camping World and shipping is only $20) and the new Brake Buddy Vantage with a free storage case (on sale AND free shipping). I'm assured they are both in stock and will ship quickly and be here by next week. Chock the last BIG thing off my to do list...

So I head out to get estimates on packing & shipping the custom motorcycle seat from my BMW (yup, got a buyer!!), grab an ice cream and coffee at McD's while I read a bit (strange but intriguing book by James Herbert...ONCE), then figure I owe myself at least ONE mall trip before leaving the area so I head across the street to the Tucson Mall. I browse a couple of stores, grab a new purse and checkbook cover at Penney's and then on the way out I see a real bargain. They have a very nice looking folding recliner, regularly $150 on clearance for $60. Oh my...I really wanted a folding recliner (will store in the back of the car) but have been loathe to spend $100+ and the cheaper ones at Wal-Mart, Kmart, etc. just didn't appeal to me. So I snapped it up and headed home feeling like the day had been VERY productive.

You knew it was coming, didn't you....the GOTCHA. While I was taking the chair out of the box my cell phone rang. Since it was an area code 520 number, I knew it was local and figured I should grab it. Remember the place that was going to order my parts for my baseplate? Well, seems like when Roadmaster went to process the order they called him back to find out which of one TWO types of 1011-1 base plates I had installed. So I described it to him...figures, I have the one that is discontinued and they no longer make any parts for it. Sigh... That means I need to do exactly what Camping World had suggested...buy a brand new base plate and have it installed. So tomorrow I call them to order the new base plate and schedule an appointment to get it installed.

Will I make it out of there on the 19th? Anyone want to place a bet? LOL!

Oh, thank you to EVERYONE who commented or emailed with grill cleaning suggestions. You guys ROCK! Now to get out grocery shopping for some nice chicken, fish and turkey!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

There's always a first time....I did it!

First time? Did what? Got you curious? LOL! Well, some of you may remember my blog about grills some time back....being back in a campground where everyone loves to torture me with the smells of cooking got me thinking about a grill again. Now that I have the back of the car for extra storage. So I ordered the Coleman Campers Grill from Wal-Mart and had it shipped directly here.

Some assembly required....oh, boy. Well it was easy except that I couldn't get it to light...rather than get frustrated (actually I was), I let it sit another couple of days. Decided that maybe the propane bottle was empty....I've had that happen, had one go dry (or bought it that way). So today I picked up another bottle, determined to try it out. The hamburger I had thawed out to cook previously was ready and waiting.

I swapped out the bottle, tried it again. Nothing. Took the new bottle off...heard it POP and smelled a little whiff of propane. Okay...now it's just that things are new. Screwed it back on....tried again....it lit....it went out....it lit....it went out....it lit and I twisted my arm unnaturally backwards pushing in on the regulator knob as I twisted it to high. Talk about awkward...first you have to do two things with the left hand to get the stupid butane torch to light (they seriously need a line of NON-childproof lighters for us seniors), then you get to do two things with the right while you anxiously watch for the burner to light and alternately pray that it doesn't explode in your face (did I mention that I don't like flames or gas? LOL!).

But I did it....well, at least got the grill lit. Now to the second first, I cooked my hamburger. Yup, that was a first for me....I've never grilled (propane OR charcoal). That was always the male domain. Burger was done perfectly and a sense of accomplishment accompanied my full stomach.

Of course then I realized I was going to have to clean the grate....there HAS to be an easier way than trying to clean it in the little kitchen sink. Jeesh! Not going to work well when boondocking...I know my late husband just left it after cooking and then burned it off when he heated the grill the second time. That might have been okay in a stix & brix world, but carrying a dirty grill around in the back of my car doesn't hold much thrill for me.

Oh well...here are some photos of my car, my new little metal frog for beside my step, my dinner grilling and some of the wildlife that I've managed to snag in photos. Enjoy!





Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Just a little ramblin'.....

While I took it a little easy today, I did accomplish some stuff but nothing major like yesterday. I plowed through paperwork looking for something specific....I found it but also found some things that need to get taken care of.

One was changing my emergency road service coverage. I have had RV Roadhelp since 2000 and have nothing but good to say about it. Over the years I've had a motorhome towed over 300 miles, a tire changed on my car and two tows for my motorcycle. Great service all times. So why change? Well, the industry has changed and there is now a service Coach Net that offers much more for the same money. Many times when you are broken down it's something minor that a mechanic can quickly fix. Getting back on the road without having to be towed someplace is good. There is a lot more but I don't want to sound like an infomercial. Anyway, the change is made with perfect timing since the old service was due to renew on April 11th.

I canceled several credit cards today or at least started the process to do so. Over the years it's always been easy to apply for a store credit card to get a discount on the first purchase. Figured it was time to cull those out. Since I was doing that, I took a look at what's out there for cash back reward credit cards and decided to move to one of those and cancel my other MC & Visa cards. With gas prices climbing higher and higher it makes sense to get something back for the money I spend. ;-)

I also continued my calls to motorcycle and trailer dealers. Nothing really popped up except a really nice gentleman from Big Tex Trailers here in Tucson offered to stop out to take a look at it from a personal basis. We talked price and he is going to get back to me tomorrow. Not holding out a lot of hope though...wish it were up north. Northern riders are much more apt to use & buy a trailer for their motorcycle. Sigh....

The weather was really nice today, cooler than the last two weeks and little wind. Well, until about 2-3:00 that is....the clouds rolled in and the wind REALLY blew for a bit. It cooled down enough that I started closing windows....of course not before a fine layer of grit was deposited on everything. Of course once the weather tantrum was over it got hot again...LOL!

You know I love blogs....otherwise I wouldn't be following over 170 of them. All kinds - computer, photography, crafts, motorcycles, RVing, living green and more. As I've said before, this wouldn't be possible without Google reader to track & show me only the ones with new updates. I'm always adding new ones that I find by reading my current list....and yes, sometimes one will be removed.

Recently I found a couple of great new blogs, Colored outside the lines and Fulltiming Roadrunners. Both these ladies do some unbelievable beading... Sandy, Colored outside the lines, loves hummingbirds and does some beautiful native-looking necklaces. Judy, Fulltiming Roadrunners, makes beaded Bonzai type trees as well as jewelry. I saw this gorgeous bracelet in her blog and had to email her about it. Long story short, she's made one for me in the colors I asked for...it's perfect.



Well, it would have been perfect if I had asked for a magnet style clasp BEFORE she started. But nice lady that she is, she said she'd put that one into her stock and build one with the clasp I needed (arthritis). She also tossed together a little frog pendant that I plan to use on my key chain. He's so cute....she can make earrings for me, too, if I want them. Since I have NO talent when it comes to crafty stuff, I really appreciate it when I find someone that does. My friends Ellie & Karon do, just to name a couple, even if they don't advertise it much.



Anyway, if anyone is interested in the daisy bracelet, 7" for smaller wrists, drop me a not and I'll put you in touch with Judy. (And remind me that I don't need one of those gorgeous trees...I really don't, I'm getting rid of stuff....LOL!)

Lastly, I made a couple of minor changes to my blog....most to do with the comment section. Previously a pop-up window was opened for the comments but I found that was awkward if you wanted to read the posted comments so I changed it to open a new tab/window. I also added a little note above the comment form and I changed the description for the comment link.

I also expanded the Google ads at the bottom of each post. Like many folks, I try to supplement my income in any way I can...stretching that dollar. Hard in a fifty dollar world....LOL! So if you see something of interest in one of the Google boxes, check it out. If you don't, then don't...it's as easy as that!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Two steps forward, one step back...

That's how I feel lately...but at least that still means forward movement! For some reason my listing in Craigslist keep getting flagged and deleted....I just added it back again tonight. Jeesh! Not sure what's up with that....hoping to get some leads tomorrow when I call some of the motorcycle dealers, if not then I will start looking for some place that will take it on consignment.

Tomorrow I will complete the paperwork on my new-to-me car and I am really excited about that. Yesterday I tackled my motorcycle gear and got the keeper stuff down to one large duffel bag (from three). Some of the other stuff will be sold and some just given to friends that can use it. The remaining bag will go into the back of the car along with two crates/totes full of files. That alone will get some weight out of the RV (impacting both the back axle and the left side).

I donated a tote and large shopping bag full of "stuff" to the community room here at Tra-Tel RV Park. The rest of the office supplies that I am keeping are being moved inside, my camping gear will move inside and to the front while my large but lightweight extra bedspread will move to the rear behind the bed. I keep making adjustments to the front to rear and side to side placement of the heavy stuff while trying to reduce what I'm keeping.

I have yet to tackle inside...I REALLY have to cut down on clothes and that is hard for me. It's spent money and things that will have to be replaced at some point. Being on a fixed income, I'd rather keep what I can but the weight issue nags at me.

I will lose some weight when I move from towing the trailer to pulling a car flat (4 wheels down). I didn't realize that there is no tongue weight when you tow flat. I don't know how much that will gain me but it all helps!

I have a ton of things to get done in the next two weeks (actually less than that)...I want to get the car detailed to help protect it on the road. I'm getting two front tires for it, I could run a bit on the current ones but they're at that point where they will wear quickly. I want to get up to Moab and do some riding around the area so I figure I will get them while outfits like Discount Tires are close by.

I also will need to get two more tire sensors for my Pressure Pro tire pressure system and get out the book to reprogram the monitor. We all know how bad I am with manuals....LOL! I might just email Mike & Pat McFall and find out where they are and see if we might cross paths soon.

When my mail finally arrived, I found another recall notice for my motorhome...something about a wiring harness that needs to be replaced. I also need an oil change so will try to get both of those done before leaving Tucson.

Sorry if this is a bit disjointed...guess my mind is a bit disjointed right now....LOL! After SLAVING yesterday, starting my sorting procedure, I stayed up till almost 1 am and worked on email replies. Woke up at 7 am and got up before I fell back to sleep. I needed to do a few things before my RVing friends JoAnn & Ellie came to pick me up for lunch.

They are staying out at Doc Justin's Diamond J RV Park and had invited me to a leftover pot luck lunch. I first met Ellie when I was parked in Luling, TX. She and Karon came out to meet me since they were both blog readers. I had never met her husband Jim and I wanted to see the new GORGEOUS Tiffin Phaeton diesel pusher they just moved into. I last saw JoAnn and her husband Doug at the Gypsy Journal Rally in Casa Grande last month. We both attended the RV Life on Wheels in Bowling Green, KY back in the spring of 2006 and we both ended up delaying our move into full-timing.

The ride out to the park was breathtaking...I couldn't take my eyes off things long enough to bother taking any pictures. When we arrived at the park, Ellie noticed that Sandra was back home. JoAnn went over to invite her for lunch. Sandra is another blogger that I have followed for some time but we had never been in the same place at the same time. We were joined by Ellie's sister and cousin we are down visiting from Colorado for a week.

Lunch was delicious and I ate WAY too much...no need for dinner tonight. LOL! Got back and vegged the rest of the afternoon and early evening. I thought back over our conversations...we're all RVers, some full-time, some part-time. We're all from different parts of the country. But we all agreed about one thing....we're having a blast and we're living life to the fullest!

Here are the links to Ellie's blog, JoAnn's blog and Sandra's blog. Such wonderful folks, all of them...I feel privileged to know them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do....oh, and sorry for no photos. I took a couple but they didn't turn out too well so won't embarrass anyone by posting them. LOL!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

The perils of solo traveling...

Yesterday was a relatively quiet day...the first day of the Bouse Rendezvous for the group. I had already met many of the folks here and several of us headed into Bouse for the Monday morning at the Community Center (great breakfast for $4). I ordered the Adkin's special (2 eggs, 2 sausage patties and cheese) while everyone else dug into their biscuits & gravy or the traditional eggs, sausage and pancake breakfast. After that we all headed back to our rigs and did whatever it is that we each do all day. At 4:00 we met at the campfire ring for social hour.

Early in the day I felt a little queasy so I took one of my prescription Prevacid tablets. I've been able to get away from the daily dosage that I had to take for years but depending on what I've eaten, I sometimes have to pop one to keep the acids down. Didn't think much more about it.

After the social hour I came back and fixed dinner, salvaging what was left of some tomatoes, cucumbers, baby carrots & lettuce....topped it all with some shredded chicken (canned chicken breasts). Tried my new spray salad dressing (10 sprays = 10 calories). Very good! Desert was a couple handfuls of Hanover's Sourdough Pretzel Nuggets.

Well, within an hour I was miserable...very bloated, queasy and just generally feeling bad...very bad. I took a couple sips of Coke (that often settles things down as well), then took a Mylanta Gelcap. Less than 30 minutes later, things came back up. Not good...especially since I was still very bloated and now gassy.

The evening went downhill as I worshiped the plastic toilet goddess (no porcelain in my rig) several times. I shut everything down and was in bed by 8:30. A couple more trips and suddenly the other end erupted...talk about flying out of bed. As everything inside me continued to drain out, I got quite lightheaded. I tried to put my head between my knees but that bent my abdomen over enough that I was afraid I would throw up again.

Once everything seemed to have stopped...they should make special corks....sorry...., I stood up and headed to the bed. I remember reaching out for it in the dark....I remember hearing, not feeling my head hitting something. The next thing I remember is coming to with my ear hurting. My head was resting against the wooden platform under the bed. Since my ear hurt, I figured I had hit it as I fell...assuming that it had just happened. As I said, I remember a sense of HEARING my head hit something, not a sense of feeling it happen.

Well, I slept till around 8 this morning and when I got up I still thought I had just hit my ear. I could see a little swelling but as I ruffled my hair I noticed quite a tender spot on the side. As the day progressed the headache did as well. I also discovered a sore spot on my knee and my shoulder, both on the same side. So now I suspect that I did faint, hitting my head hard in the process. I have no idea how long I was out but am pretty sure I was....might have been seconds, minutes or more.

Did make me think this morning about how vulnerable we are as solo travelers. There really is nothing I could have done differently, I know that. Okay, so I could have crawled....LOL! But it will make me think carefully about things when boondocking by myself. No good answers...now off to continue nursing my headache.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

She tiptoes into the room....

Shhh, quiet....maybe no one will hear me sneak in and I can get a couple of blogs posted before they notice! Yes, I'm way behind and that means some neat things have already escaped from my swiss cheese brain. Sorry....that's what happens when two forces collide - no Verizon aircard reception and having a good time!

The trip from Quartzsite to Ajo was uneventful. A stop at the Super Wal-Mart in Buckeye where we stocked up on food & other stuff and a stop at Holt's Shell in Gila Bend where got gas, fresh water and dumped our tanks. We pulled into the boondocking area outside Ajo about 3:30 pm. Once we figured where I should park for the best sun, I did a few little things to fix what had bounced once too many times coming in on the washboard roads and headed over to the 4:00 pm social hour. Poor Doug paid the penance of living in a trailer...much more set up work (did I mention how happy I am with my motorhome?).

The next couple of days followed a nice routine...running around town seeing the sites (and predictably forgetting my camera which I really missed when we saw a beautiful rainbow). A nice walk in the desert terrain produced the first non-sunrise/sunset photos. I even took one of the first wildlife I encountered in the desert here...you'll have to look close. We walked up a wide wash, easily envisioning it filled with rushing water in flash flood.



We got back in time for me to nab some good sunset shots showing the sun's red-gold reflection on everything around us. To the south it looked like it was raining and that made the golden glow even more precious.



It's been really cold at night, as low as 30-31 several nights. My heater has gotten a work out and it's working well. The days are sunny and sometimes brisk, especially after 4:00 when the sun starts down.

I heard from a friend who lives in Quartzsite that the winds there took down part of the big tent on top of the classic car show....she wrote me this on the 3rd:

"Both of the ends went down but the main section is still standing, and being yanked out of the ground. Everybody was evacuated before the ends went. All of the little tents on the north side are down though. The tent company that erected it are on their way to help get it tied down again so the cars from the Cruise In can be taken out. Hopefully none of the vehicles were damaged bad."



"The other that went... we were making the loop thru town, and right in front of us a vendor tent just picked up, went upside down and landed on top of a "really nice" pickup truck. Abut 50 people just came out of the woodwork to help those folks. IT was really great to see. I'm pretty sure that every vendor in a tent now has been shut down. The wind is outta the south, and it's just not pretty."

EEEEK! Sure am glad I moved a little further south.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna