A jeep ride to see some blooms......

 

Our Location: 

Road Runner BLM, Quartzsite, Arizona

 

A nice start to the morning, not too chilly but I don't recall the sun shining. It may have but I don't remember it. I do know it was cloudy for the day, not a dreary cloud cover just over cast. Riley and I headed off for a walk this morning after we packed away all of the outside stuff in preparation for our move tomorrow. 

 

Some very nice views.

An abundance of Teddy Bear Cholla.

We headed into town for a garbage run, some diesel and a quick stop at Kuehn Street for a quick peek. Back home I gave the Dogsled a rapid vacuum to remove the first layer of Yuma hair and a bit of dust. I'll give it a better going over as the winter passes and into the spring. Yuma's hair gets everywhere and is tough to get out of the carpet. 

 

 

Riley opted to stay home but we Deb's, with Tom as chauffeur, headed off in search of some desert blooms. We hung a right at Plomosa BLM and headed off toward Bouse. Some great views and while I didn't take a lot of pics, the sights were well worth the drive. I would even consider staying in the area in the future. Cell service went the rounds with Verizon losing out, T-Mobile and AT & T seemed to pick up the most bars. 

 

 

Lots of rigs out here.

 

We found some beautiful purple and white bunches of blooms on the roadside.

We found some blooms as we headed toward Parker. Not masses and masses but enough to see how pretty the area will be in a bloom. It would be wonderful see such a thing. 

 

 

Back home, I had a very late lunch, Riley and I cleaned up and I'm uploading and editing photos for the blog. A bit later I'll call my dad for a quick chat. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit. 

 

Between my shaking and the wind blowing we managed to cut off the very edges of the bloom.

 

Until next time...

 

Take care, stay safe, 

 

Deb

 

  

We moved today.....

Our Location: near Tonopah, Arizona

An okay night’s sleep last night. Too much on my mind to sleep well I guess. Stress is one of those things that keeps me awake long after I don’t want to be awake. Hopefully it passes quickly and things will settle down again.
 

We saw this colourful fella on our way out to Plomosa Road.

 

Leaving Quartzsite in our rear view mirror this morning.

 

 We were up looking at each other saying, “ Well do we just pack up or do we have a drink and catch up with our blogging friends?” Turns out we just packed up and decided we’d head out and find a spot before catching up with folks. The Dogsled followed by the Igloo was heading across  the desert floor shortly after 9 AM and we were on Plomosa Road by 9:15 AM, not a long drive to the road and a much smoother one than I sent our friends on yesterday.

The rest area on I-10 East  about 30 miles from Quartzsite.

 

Do you see the sleeping giant?

 

A quick stop along the way on I-10 EAST but nothing too exciting, just to dump some garbage and a quick leg stretch. It seemed as if we'd just gotten back on the road and before we knew it we’d arrived at our turn off. It wasn’t even 11 AM yet. We did well.  

Last year there  was bales of cotton everywhere, this year it's hay.

 

This area is busier now than it was the other times we were here and so it took a while to find a place we both liked but we managed. I think we’ll enjoy this spot a great deal. It’s close enough for me to hike in the hills without a long walk to get there and the road is straight enough for Riley to find her way around the area. The best of both worlds. 

 

We saw this cute little house on one of many roads we checked out.

 

 After getting set up I called my dad to let him know w’e d arrived but only managed to get his machine. No worries, I just left a message. After that we had some lunch and enjoyed the warmth for a while. We both took a turn with the magnet to collect some tire punchers hopefully before any end up in the rubber of the Igloo or Dogsled.

Love the view out the window.

 

I've walked around that top in the past.

 

Two young fellas on a small quad were tearing past pretty close to the Igloo so when I went outside to ask them to stay on the road, I didn’t get a chance, they knew and headed off immediately. I was shocked to hear to older of the two, maybe 8 or 9 cussing up a storm and dropping the F bomb every other word while they were stuck a few yards from the Igloo. However they worked hard and quickly to get ‘unstuck’  before hurrying off and we didn’t see them any more.

I think we can spend a few weeks in this setting. Tomorrow we'll set up the outside.

 

Another call to Dad just to say hi and I was glad I did because he inadvertently erased the other message. He was pretty sure that it was us and that we had arrived safely but he was going to call to confirm in a bit. I guess I just saved him a phone call. Very cold at his house, lots of snow, supposed to warm up to just below the freezing mark with rain or freezing rain and then plummet back down again next week. For our Ontario readers, I doubt that Wiarton Willie will be able to stick his head out tomorrow, I’ll bet the door is frozen shut. I’m guessing a couple more months of winter for Ontario.  

 

Some signs we noticed today. Can you see the pretty yellow along the roadside?

 

 

We are parked near this Saguaro. Love the face!!

 

No sunset to speak of tonight, but we are enjoying our first evening here and are snuggled in snug like a bug in a rug. We plan on being here for a few weeks and are looking forward to getting some things accomplished while in this area. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit.
 

I just love this view.

 

Until next time…. take care, be safe, 

Goodnight from the Igloo.

 

 Deb

A nice visit........

Our Location:  BLM Plomosa Road, Quartzsite, AZ


I think sleeping is becoming a habit with me and I’m very glad to say so. I’m enjoying the nights of uninterrupted sleep and feeling much more like myself in the mornings than I have of late. A good start to the day for sure.

 

The mountains off to the west bathed in the morning sunlight.

 

We were up and at ‘em this morning before 8 AM, enjoying a leisurely morning before our expected company arrived. We puttered around doing a bit of tidying up and the usual morning stuff. I started to read blogs and answer comments when my computer cord decided it was tired and wanted to permanently retire. So I couldn’t charge my laptop and had to stop doing my regular morning reading. I knew I had another cord but I couldn’t remember where it was and so I hunted and hunted in the spots I was certain I would find it. Can you guess? I didn’t find it. However Riley offered up a suggestion and wouldn’t you know it, there it was. So I’ve dodged the bullet with that good find and can finish what I started this morning and not have to worry about getting a cord quickly as this one will work until I can pick one up at my leisure. Otherwise I wouldn't have been blogging until I picked up a new cord.
 

The crags and creases in the mountains are deepened by the sun's shading. Always a changing view.

 

Knowing our visitors would be arriving mid morning we were outside enjoying the sun when we spotted a plume of dust coming our way, and sure enough before long a once nice black jeep, now a lovely desert dust colour, turned in to our spot and out popped Tom and Deb (Celebrating the Dance). We plopped ourselves down in the sun/shade and just started chatting. Before we knew it the time had flown by and it was middle afternoon before we said our goodbyes and watched them drive off. Our paths have crossed slightly a couple of times in the past and we've had a couple of ten minute 'hi, how are you?' type of interludes but today we actually managed to sit down and visit. Riley and I truly enjoyed our time with this wonderful couple, we laughed, we shared, and from our view we just had a really great visit. Riley and I are looking forward to crossing paths with them many times again in the years ahead. Thanks for the wonderful visit folks!!!! 

The handsome fella in the middle is Tom, with the pretty young Riley on the left and the beautiful Deb D on the right.

 

After that it was time to cook some lunch and pack up the outside yard in preparation for tomorrow’s move. The sun was warm today and we enjoyed moving into the shade once all of that was finished. Our thermometer was well into the middle 80’s  which would be about 28-29C for part of the afternoon. As a typical desert day as soon as the sun is down the air cools off and a bit of a breeze is kicking up, just enough to ruffle the leaves on the mesquite bush.  

The distant mountains once again in the sun while the mountains in the foreground are in the shade.

 

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit.

 

That was it for the sunset tonight. Too many dark clouds to hide the palette tonight.

 

Until next time… take care, be safe,

 

Deb

California and back today.....

Our Location:  BLM Plomosa Road, Quartzsite, AZ


Wonderful night’s sleep, temps are warmer and the vents are open all night. Nice weather for sleeping and I’m enjoying every night. 

 

 

Two wheels in the center of this trailer with no wheels on an side to side axle. Interesting. We also noted today but didn't get a photo, a tri axle trailer with only two tires on each side, the third hub was empty. He was rolling on down the interstate faster than I was going.

 

We had a bit of a lazy start but eventually got rolling along. A few texts with some friends had us with today open and we took advantage of that to head off to Blythe, CA for some groceries and a bit of a tour around Tom Wells Road near Ehrenburg, AZ. I’ve read about it a few times and so we thought we’d just check it out and see what’s out there. On the south side of the interstate it’s not too bad at all. We chatted with a few folks in the area, no camp host, it seems no one comes around to check on them either. It appears that some folks stay the entire winter. I have no idea where the nearest dump station/water would be but I think Blythe which is just down the road would be a likely spot. The roads on the south were pretty good, all dirt/gravel with some rolling hills but not bad for rough or washboard, holes or cracks. One particular spot has a pretty deep wash with what I call a V bottom. I was worried about that particular spot in the road but we witnessed some longer rigs than ours back there and eventually found a couple of these rigs with folks outside so we stopped to ask them. The trick it seems is to keep to the left of the wash or the east side both coming and going, the grade is different on that side and upon closer inspection on the way out I believe they were right. I think it would be doable but I’d have to give it some more thought first. It looked like there were a number of possibilities there. The north side was less inviting as it appears to be more permanent people with some junky places tossed in the mix. Also the road was terrible. Old Highway 80 but it’s broken pavement, big gouges and holes, long cracks and washboarded terribly. I would avoid this side of the interstate for certain.

Heading toward Blythe, California

Sorry reflection from the window.

 

On into Blythe we shopped first at Smart & Final. Having never shopped in this particular chain of stores, we enjoyed our visit and picked up a few things while there. The store was clean and friendly and for the first time ever I witnessed people DUSTING in a grocery store. In every aisle there was someone dusting the shelves and wiping clean the little ledge where the price sticker sits. It was impressive to say the least. The prices were okay but a few things seemed a bit more expensive than I would like to pay. 

 

 

Can you see the tinge of green?

 

Something on fire over there. That would be the Colorado River you can see in this photo.

 

Our next and final stop was Albertson’s grocery store. We’ve never been in this chain either and so we enjoyed our visit there as well. It too was clean and I thought well laid out. I found a few prices to be well over what I wanted to pay but I found most were okay although a little on the high end. We picked up a few items here too. Before long we were on our way home.
 

 

We crossed into California and then back into Arizona. We time travelled to the future and back to the past again.

 

The drive through the hills on I-10 is always very calming and serene. The hills are tinged with a green hue and it’s a much different view from last year when we travelled through. What a difference a little colour makes.
 

Both trucks in the top picture are from British Columbia. The bottom picture is the agricultural inspection station which didn't matter we were coming back with groceries  taking any in to the state of California.

 

Back home I sent ‘how to find us’ instructions to our friends after checking them carefully on our way home. After that we settled in to wile away the afternoon with lunch, reading and gazing out the window. The big door open most of the afternoon with a nice breeze coming and not too hot in the sunny side of the Igloo either. A quick call to my dad around 2:30 pm (4:30 pm his time) found him just out of the shower after trying to get warm. Dad and brother Rick cleared snow all afternoon and weren’t finished but Dad was cold and came inside calling it a day. My dad has a large semi trailer box that he uses for storage tucked down in the bush and the snow was about 3 feet deep on the top. They used a snow blower to clear it off. That gives you an idea of how much snow they have had in the last few days. Also news from dad, my nephew Jason made it safely back to Chelmsford, Ontario from Kelowna, BC where he spent a  month’s holidays just having fun. His wife Leah travelled out with him but flew back home a couple of weeks ago, while his brother in law Craig flew out the same day Leah flew back to Ontario. However Craig flew out on Saturday and Jason began the long solo drive homeward after dropping Craig at the airport. Jason arrived late in the day Monday. His first day back to work was today. Welcome home Jason!!! I’m glad you made it safely.

 

I would enjoy hiking through here sometime.

 

So that’s it, our day here in the Quartzsite area. Not too exciting to read about but exciting enough for us.  Thanks for stopping by, I hope you had an excellent day where ever you may be!

 

Sunset tonight was pretty with liquid gold in the sky before it turned coal red as it faded.

 

Until next time… take care, be safe,

 

Goodnight from Quartzsite, Arizona

 

 

 

 

Deb

 

 

 

 

 

A walk in the desert today....

Our Location:  BLM Plomosa Road, Quartzsite, AZ


Another good night’s sleep. Yeah me!!! The temps weren’t as cool this morning as they’ve been the past few days and so maybe that is a sign that warmer temperatures are going to be the norm in the mornings now.
 

Today's post is photos from my walk this morning, so if you've seen enough Saguaro's, cacti and desert scenes feel free to skip tonight's post.

 

I spent some time walking toward these mountains that are on the far side of AZ 95 North. I loved the light on them as the sun rose higher and mixed in with a few light clouds. The shadows and bright spots were interesting to me.

We didn’t do a lot today, I spent a little over 3 hours this morning wandering around the flats of the desert floor here on Plomosa Road. I simply let my feet take me where my eyes noted something of interest. I’m sure most of you are tired of cactus and green growth photos but I like them and someday I’ll look back and hopefully remember them. If I’m lucky I’ll remember their smell, their texture, their beauty or their quirks. If I’m not that lucky perhaps I’ll just be lucky enough to be able to remember my name and believe I once witnessed these things first hand. 

The big pic on the left top is a young Palo Verde tree. Beautiful, vibrant green. The top right pic is of a stone that caught my eye due to the colouring. Interesting I thought how the white was so evenly spaced in there.  The second pic on the right is just some beautiful yellow flowers that appeared on the rocky floor, seems they sprung up out of no where. The bottom row is just other colour that caught my eye. The pretty picky cactus which is called Buckhorn Cholla  has pink, purple and green with some yellow as well. The middle picture is a close up of what looked like a grey/white puff that was scattered around a small circle. The pic on the bottom right had a very soft look to it as I came closer. 

I believe these are all a form of Barrel Cactus. With perhaps one Fishhook Cactus (the third small picture in the top row) in the bunch. I'm always fascinated by the slim hold to the ground they appear to have in some cases. Some small root remains and so they thrive and grow. Some while actually laying on the ground before they take a twist upward and reach for the sky. The colours are surprising as they incorporate yellows, pinks, reds, greens, and even purples. Some have twists to them, some simply seem to grow straight up. 

These Saguaro Cactus are hundreds of years old and come in all shapes and sizes. The hardships they've suffered can be seen in their scars and battered limbs. Multiple arms, bumps and weird growths add to their unique beauty. I've never seen one that is solid to the bottom, always about a foot at the bottom is roughened and weathered, cracked and worn whether it's from winds, dust, sand, animals, water or just life it never seems to be complete to the bottom. Holes in the 'hide' or bark are always present in almost all of them. How they came to be or what caused them, I have no idea although I'm certain birds play a part in some of the damage. They are both beautiful and lonesome at the same time.

The tops of many Saguaro Cactus are missing or mutilated in some way. As you can see from some of the photos the mutilations are odd in their shape and numbers. They do make their owner interesting to see though.

Up close you can see the various kinds of holes in some of the Saguaro's I wandered around to see. In the middle bottom photo you can see the beginning of a hole through the bark or hide on the back side of this photo. The other photos show that some holes go all the way through while others are only a few inches deep, more dents than holes.

Can you see the three faces in these photos? The first is like a lopsided face with bags under the eyes and big open mouth. The middle photo reminds me of a Viking in a time long past. The third photo shows me a pirate with something elaborate over his eye and covering part of his head.

The group of photos is all things picky and pointy.  Top left and right, along with bottom right are Buckhorn Cholla. The second picture on the left, third on the right and bottom middle are of course Ocotillo. Bottom left I think is a Hedgehog Cactus and the second from the right on the top I think may be a Goathead Sticker but I'm not sure. 

Top left: ET call home. Bottom left is sage brush. Middle  photo is tightly bunched stalks of tough grass like stuff. It's always very dark in the middle and very hard to separate. The top right pic is the bottom of a wash, the stone has some interesting lines on it. The bottom right is a flower, all alone in the middle of the flat rocky top.

The grass is growing through the tree using the inner decay of the limb as a good place to set down roots. The bottom right is an up close picture of a mesquite branch. Just loves those little dark bands. The bottom left is our nearest neighbours dogs. The older black/grey lab is a male named Bart or Burt. The other is the oddest colour dog I've ever seen. It's called a Painted Dog but this one is crossed with something else and I don't recall what it was. Originally they came from Africa where they are called Wild Dogs, Hunting Dogs and Painted Dogs. Her name is Brandy. Both came out to greet me when I walked by, Bart or Burt though he should walk me home when I left after chatting with his owner. He's a real gentleman!!

What a view this fella must have had late this evening.

I enhanced the colour to match the sky, the camera just doesn't pick it up.

 

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed the photos.

The sky was literally deepening to a fiery red as we watched.

 
Until next time….take care, be safe,  

Again the colours are enhanced to match the actual colour in the sky. I believe this is the most amazing sunset I've ever witnessed.

 
Deb