Our Location: Saddle Mountain BLM, Tonopah, AZ
I didn't forget about you folks, I've just been busy and then yesterday came down with the 'not feeling so greats'. This morning however I am feeling better, a scratchy throat and cough but according to Dr.Riley, I will live, it's a long way from my heart. So I guess I'll make it.
I believe that may be the reason they call this area Saddle Mountain. Do you think?
As I am certain all or most of you know that we have been helping our friend Doug (Miss Adventure Travels) move his living space from Miss Adventure to the White Lion. It was pretty much a one day job but a few odds and sods were also needed the last day or two. I think I can say that he is now firmly settled into the White Lion and we wish him well in his winter home.
Some interesting views if you climb a little.
Riley and I took a drive westward to the Harquahala (Hark-wa-hal-a) Mountains and took a mosey on down Eagle Eye Road to see about a better spot than our current location. The spots are pretty but the cell service is missing, so we won't be going there, or at least I don't think so. We'll have to check it out again on another day to ensure that our findings were indeed correct. Cell service on the road but the bars dipped and rose with each half second passing. Step off the road, the bars went away completely. Hmmmmm.....maybe a restart of the phones next time.
We also checked out the Vicksburg, AZ area. Some interesting spots there as well but very close to the cattle stockyards and so I think we will be bypassing that area as well. While at Vickburg I was going to fill up with diesel and of course the pump wanted me to swipe my card twice, apparently the first one didn't go. Then I had to go inside instead to make it work. Well wouldn't you know it, after pumping fuel I had a fraud message from TD about my card. I spent the next 20 minutes explaining to them it was indeed me using the card, and yes I know it was swiped three times quickly, blah, blah, blah. I was happy that they caught it so quickly but the wait times were silly. Started on the road home and I get a phone call from the same Fraud Squad office about the same thing. So I explained that I had just straightened it out with someone else not more than 10 minutes before only to have the guy on the other end of the phone make it sound like I was wasting his time. Since he called me, I'm not sure how that could be. Summary, it's all fixed and I hope not to have to deal with them again this winter.
We no longer have a wonderful view of this mountain as we haven't been parking more to the west which gives us a frontal view of the mountain. However, I'll take it, it is still very pretty.
It looks like this may be our last time at Saddle Mountain and the surrounding area, due to flies. Of course everyone is complaining but truly Riley and I haven't noticed them too badly this year. Not like last. There are a few around but I did a quick spray with RAID on the door and window screen and it seems to have accomplished the trick, so far at least. We shall see how it goes.
We no longer have a wonderful view of this mountain as we haven't been parking more to the west which gives us a frontal view of the mountain. However, I'll take it, it is still very pretty.
It looks like this may be our last time at Saddle Mountain and the surrounding area, due to flies. Of course everyone is complaining but truly Riley and I haven't noticed them too badly this year. Not like last. There are a few around but I did a quick spray with RAID on the door and window screen and it seems to have accomplished the trick, so far at least. We shall see how it goes.
The photos were all taken yesterday after a short visit from Doug. I will say I didn't get any photos of Doug's moving day as I was busy working. Doug posted a couple on his blog as I don't think he was as busy as I was, since he had time to take photos. Just kidding Doug. I know you worked really hard but you must admit, it's nice to be finished now.
The days have been sunny but a bit on the coolish side although we have no complaints. The cool weather keeps the flies in check and so we're happy. I don't think we will be getting much hiking accomplished here due to a number of things. Riley managed a nice walk yesterday but didn't take the big camera so I can't even show you her sights. Oh well, it is what it is.
Our back yard.
A quick chat with my dad last night, the weather up north is cold but then again, they are up north, I guess it's to be expected. He's doing well, my sister was there visiting and so we didn't chat long.
Lots of colour in the desert if you look. I did what you do Deb, and looked down, and see what I found!
A belated birthday wish to our friend Roger, who celebrated on Feb 7. I met Roger when I first started travelling solo in the southeast a number of years ago. Roger makes his home in Georgia, in the Albany area. Happy Birthday my friend.
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit.
Until next time.... take care, be safe,
Deb
Continue to enjoy your desert stays. The flies can be annoying but I use Off when i need to. They're not going to ruin my sitting out time! haha
ReplyDeleteThanks Patsy. I think we've been fortunate here, they haven't been nearly as bad as last year, although Doug seems to think they are horrible. So maybe it has something to do with the raid I sprayed on the screens. I'm not sure.
DeleteTake care, be safe,
Deb
Don't turn down the Vicksburg area yet. You probably didn't hit one of the best spots I like in the winter. Of course it is not perfect but I am still in search of the perfect spot. I am assuming you got fuel on the Vicksburg Road at the I10 next to the Vicksburg Dairy. If you go north on the Vicksburg Road to the traffic circle in Vicksburg Juntion and the HWY60 intersection, then continue on Vicksburg Road to Vicksburg at the HWY72 intersection. Here turn left on 72 and then an immediate right on the Vicksburg Pit Road. Cross the tracks and then take the next right. It is an unnamed mine road. Along this road there are branches off that are rock based that go up in elevation away from everything. You can stay here and have no one in site. There is excellent cell coverage and no smells from the cattle places on the lower Vicksburg Road. The only con is the distance to any shopping from here. Parker is about 48 miles up 72. The Q is about 25 miles. Another spot I have stayed at in the past was on the Wickenburg Road which goes North of Tonopah off Indian School Road just east of the High School. Around mile marker 23 and to the east of the road. Cell phone coverage here. Only CON is it appears to be part of the Hassayampa Wash and could flood, so you need to keep up with the weather. Hope this helps. It really is too bad about Saddle Mountain.
ReplyDeleteThanks Peter. That is the exact area we checked out near Vicksburg. We could see the cattle pens from where we were checking the sites. One pretty deep wash also had me thinking I didn't want to go too far from the main gravel pit road. The cell service was good there but not on Eagle Eye Road. I didn't know about the Wickenburg Road area. Thanks for the information. I'll check that out at some point. I appreciate your help.
DeleteIt is a very sad thing when one business can do this to an entire area.
Take care, be safe,
Deb
It is hard for me to keep up with the young'uns anymore. Probable why I'm so run down. We did a two or three day job in one and glad we did. It is over. This is my last motorhome and never moving again. :)) I've finally killed most of the flies that got in during the time the doors were open. Much more comfortable. Hope you're feeling better.
ReplyDeleteThanks Doug. I'm glad we managed to get it mostly accomplished in one day as well. Otherwise I think it would have taken a week to get finished and poor Yuma would have been a nervous wreck by the end. I think he was worried enough with just the one day of hustle. I should have brought down some Raid for you to use but I just wasn't thinking. Hope you're feeling better as well.
DeleteTake care, be safe,
Deb
Too bad about those flies. It's not something we ever ran into and I wonder what it is around that area that attracts them. Yes those were some busy days you had. Hope you can find a good internet spot and grab yourselves some R&R.
ReplyDeleteWe first encountered them last year when we were here. They were swarming for about 3 days and then they just disappeared. Everyone around is blaming the chicken/egg plant near by that increased in size just before the fly problem. The flies aren't nearly as troublesome for us this year although we've had a dozen or so inside. Everyone I have spoken to complains about the flies.
DeleteIn a few days we are moving on to another location and we'll leave Saddle Mountain behind us. It's a shame because we really do like this area and always enjoy our visits here. I haven't managed to climb any thing for any photos this year, which makes me sad but I guess it just wasn't meant to be this year.
Take care, be safe,
Deb
I do the same thing for flies and mosquitos. Spray the screen and the door liberally. No problem after that. I am probably the only one who would enjoy the site near the stockyards. You have to have been born on a cattle ranch to appreciate it! LOL
ReplyDeleteI grew up in the country next to pasture land so it isn't the little smells but the overwhelming smells that bother me. You know the 500 pasture lands all in one place kind of overwhelming. Haha
DeleteTake care, be safe,
Deb
Hope you are feeling better today! Flies sound really annoying..glad the spray seems to work at least inside. Hoping you find a new place that you love! Pictures are beautiful, looking so green around there now!
ReplyDeleteThanks Shirley. I think I've passed the halfway mark now. It's very green here, just as it was last year. The flies aren't bothering us too much, but they seem to be bothering everyone else a lot more. I'm happy for us, sorry for them.
DeleteTake care, be safe,
Deb
Sorry to hear you were not feeling well and hope you are feeling a lot better by the time you read this. Glad the spray is working for you. It is just a shame about the fly population as that is a beautiful area. Hopefully you and Riley will come up with a new place you like even more.
ReplyDeleteI like the little flowers you found looking down...:) I was just thinking that is the one thing I have missed seeing this year, not in the right sort of place at the right time, thanks for sharing. Stay safe.
Thanks Deb. I had this same thing last year, but after I reached our summer spot. It lasted for about 4 or 5 days and then just went away.
DeleteI recall what you said about the Saddle Mountain RV Park and I noticed that is only about half as full as it has been on our drives in previous years. So I'm certain the flies are having a greater influence on their business.
There is a tremendous amount of colour here in the desert and I'm sorry I won't be making my trek back to the box canyon this year, it's usually where I find the most colour.
Take care, be safe,
Deb