Monday, February 12, 2018

Travel day ending in rain at Saddle Mountain...



Our Location: Saddle Mountain BLM, Tonopah, AZ

Thanks for the break last night Riley. Another new hat for you to wear on occasion. 

Our last sunrise on Bouse Road BLM, was quiet dark and menacing...

Yesterday our last day on Bouse Road was a busy one. I talked to my middle daughter Bradey in the morning, catching up and all that good stuff. She was saying they were expecting more snow (it's been snowing for 2 days) and the possibility of freezing rain or sleet. So not a nice day by any means, but at least it was milder than it's been for a while. 

A few hints of the sun began shining through....

A trip to Parker netted us a full fuel drinking bowl for the Big Dog, full cupboards for the Igloo and 2 full salt free water jugs. Plus a few little pieces I need to do a small project over the next few days. It also has us now knowing we want rocker recliners instead of theatre seating in the Igloo. We've been debating but a few things about the theatre seating just didn't work for us, so now we know. 

However we didn't see much of it today.....

We spent the rest of the day packing a few things and just enjoying the much cooler temperatures. 

Not too promising...

A call from my dad as I was outside taking sunset pictures brought the news that his lady friend Marion is in the hospital with two fractures, one to the shoulder bone (collar) and one to the pelvis. She somehow stumbled and fell inside the house on Saturday and that was the end result. So get well wishes goes out to Marion.

A few bright spots....

Now on to the news for today....  

Construction on Hwy 72 had us stopped at this location for about 15 minutes.....

I figured out the 'time' issue and why I missed the sunrise the other morning. I didn't read the clock wrong, or at least the clock I was using. I was using my iPad which hadn't automatically corrected from PST to MST but my cell phone which I checked upon waking was in MST. Mystery solved.

Mural at the Bouse Rest Area...

I didn't miss the sunrise this morning, or actually I was outside in time for it but the heavy cloud cover prevented pretty much all of the sunrise except for a few stray strands of light here and there. A little back drop behind a cloud would hint but not much really showed up. 

Looks pretty dark over that way and we are eventually heading in the direction....

The clouds were dark and menacing looking and I thought definite rain clouds and in the direction we were heading as well. Oh well, we'll see what comes of it. Back inside we had our hot drink and Riley was excited to check for comments on her post last night. Thank you every one for the wonderful comments and encouragement, the compliments and the enthusiasm with which you welcomed Riley into her first foray in to Bloggerland. She was very pleased with herself and her effort and thinks perhaps she may do that again the future. 

Amazing how low the clouds come....

We finished packing up the Igloo and hooking up, hitting the road at 9:04 am, taking a right onto Hwy 72 toward the east. It was a bit more of the rocking and rolling but we managed to get through without HRH Miss Kitty getting ill. I believe that was due to a few stops we made along the way. The first two stops were for construction. The first stop seemed quite long but I'm sure it wasn't more than 15 minutes, the second was only about 5 minutes, so all things being as they are, it wasn't too bad. The next stop was at the little town of Bouse where we found a spot to leave our trash, and to check out their small rest area. It's a monument to their veterans with a tank and a few other pieces of equipment around, some murals and numerous plaques. A very nice spot. 

Wonder where the top of that mountain is?

From there we argued with Pheobe (RV GPS) as she wanted to take us to I-10 but we wanted to stay on Hwy 72. We took a left and kept going arriving at the little town of Salome. We toured the town, found the pavement gave way to dirt and that some subdivisions have no other exits. Nice town though. Back on the straight and narrow we once again continued on our way, this time on Salome Road. A very nice road which we have seen many times before but didn't know where it went it. We passed over top of I-10 with Phoebe once again trying to take us onto the Interstate but by now I knew where we were and we simply turned her off. 

And here come the clouds again....

Within a few minutes of crossing over the Interstate we were slowing down for the familiar driveway at Saddle Mountain. Wow, lots of folks here now compared to last time. Not a problem, our original spot was empty but we didn't stop there, the spot we hoped for  at the back is full so we took another spot between the two places. I'm not sure if being so close to the mountain will be an issue or not but for now we're settled. 

Thicker'n pea soup......

 I called my dad to say we've arrived but he wasn't home and so I left a message. We then proceeded to have some lunch. Riley made herself some taco's and I had a large salad, followed by two small wraps with a few fixings. After that we both headed off to rest for a bit and enjoy just doing nothing. 

There are mountains behind there....I think....

I can tell you that the drive was under cloud cover, very dark at times, very menacing at other times. As we travelled on Salome Road the pavement was kicking up water from a recent down pour but we didn't have any where we were driving. We did hit a few spits here and there but nothing that one occasional swipe of the wipers wouldn't clear up. We drove into a headwind pretty much most of the time, although once we got onto Salome Road it was more a direct hit on the front passenger side corner as the road was angling a bit. 

Glad I"m not flying....

We stopped at one point so I could take some photos of the mountains. It was a visually stunning sight with heavy gunmetal grey clouds layering on top of the mountains. In places it seemed to slide down the sides like a slow moving ooze, obscuring the peaks in dense cover but allowing one to view the lower reaches of the outlines that hinted at mountains or maybe the trick of an eye. It was as if a wall of fog was hovering but was trying to blow away in the wind. Wisps of mist or vapour almost seeming to float past the outline making one wonder if perhaps it was truly there.  The landscape was also faded in colour and views. More of a dull melancholy feel to the air, as if the brilliant blue of the sky and wildly fierce yellow of the sun will never return, and leave this once sun drenched land in shadows and mists. 
 
I wonder if some of that is dust....

We would see bright sun lit patches ahead or off to the side but before long the dark low hanging clouds would cover that up and once again we would be left in a dull dreary shroud. Even as I write this post it is still dreary outside with what appears to be dust clouds far off in the distance, although I'm sure if I were off in that distance it would look the same in this direction. The wind has picked up more since we've set up home camp here but so far it's not too bad. I think the wind is trying very valiantly to blow away the clouds but even the small patches of blue that it manages to spring into view are shortly covered again with in minutes. 

Love this green, I wonder if it's cotton....it sure is green....

A message left for my oldest daughter whom I couldn't reach on the phone. Haven't talked to her for a few weeks and would like to just catch up for a few minutes. Oh well, tomorrow I'll try again. 

Can you see why it's called Saddle Mountain?

We have had some stronger wind gusts and even some splashes of rain since setting up here at Saddle Mountain. My favourite mountain has shown splashes of colour off and on all through the afternoon but is once again dark and cold looking. The clouds seem to be clearing a bit and perhaps we'll manage a sunset tonight but I'm not really counting on it. 

I took this picture standing in the doorway....

The temperature has dropped 5 degrees since we arrived but only reached 64F/ 17C today at it's highest. With the sun once again starting to show it's wonderful bright self it promises to be an interesting evening with all this cloud cover. 


This one was also taken standing in the door way...

Thought I'd end this post with a few pictures of our immediate location. 

That's our fire pit....

 Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed your visit. I hope your day has been as enjoyable as ours with lots of fun things to amuse and excite you, or at least to keep you busy and out of trouble. 

We are much closer to the back this time....

Feel free to drop a comment, I enjoy reading them and will reply. Once again thanks to my guest writer Riley for the wonderful job she did while filling in on my day off.


Just stepped around the nose of the Igloo....

 Until next time..... take care, be safe, 


Last time we opened our door to see this view....

Now we see it out the living/dining room windows.....



Deb


Too windy to go any further for more pictures tonight....lots of dust blowing around too...


 


14 comments:

  1. Nice that you had a good travel day and through Salome were we have camped a few times years ago. Enjoy your spot there at Saddle mountain and the cooler weather.

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    1. Thanks George.

      Salome was bigger than we expected. Cute little spot.

      I think cooler seems to be everywhere now. but we will enjoy it here.

      Take care, be safe,
      Deb

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  2. Hope the wind didn't blow you around too much on the highway.
    You've found a very nice spot to park. Nice scenery.
    Travel safe.

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    1. Actually the wind was more head on or just the front corner and it wasn't too bad. It picked up a bit after we parked but seems to have died down completely now.

      We like Saddle Mountain, the views are amazing.

      Take care, be safe,
      Deb

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  3. Wow! That setting sun photo looks biblical! Great job catching it.

    I'm over on the side of the mountain near Joshua Tree and it is cool but no rain came our way.

    That drive on 72 is much nicer than taking the interstate. Salome is something.

    Hoping you get some nice hiking weather very soon. Riley needs the sun so she can wear her floppy hat.😎

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    1. The sunset picture was actually taken from that angle because the wind was whipping up the dust and I wasn't going to walk any further. It was the best shot I was willing to walk for.

      Joshua Tree is wonderful and a beautiful spot. We found it to be very windy there at times, it was either very windy or no wind at all. The rain was pretty much all around us but we didn't get any to speak of and even after we set up we had enough to make the windows wet but then it stopped. We didn't see any puddles or accumulations but vehicles were kicking up mist and you could see the road looked damp but we didn't get much driving either.

      Salome is a cute little place, some day we'll stop there and have a look around. The drive was nice, a few of those dips were startling but with our few stops HRH managed fine.

      Riley will eventually get that new hat into a picture. I'm looking forward to the hikes around here. Some interesting things to see.

      Take care, be safe,
      Deb

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  4. I am playing catch up with my reading...I always feel like I am a day behind and a penny short as the saying goes.

    First Riley, I really enjoyed reading your post. It is a wonderful country and there is so much to see and somehow never enough time or enough words to describe it.

    Tombstone is always one of Tom's favorite stops and Big Nose Kate's for lunch is a must, in his opinion, and I would be lying if I said I did not enjoy it, also.

    Reading about you and your mom's time at Joshua Tree really got Tom and I talking about stopping there again so we can spend more time exploring. The first time we only had time to drive through.

    I hope you can talk your mom into driving out west again and Tom and I make it, also. Then my second hope is we cross paths again and this time we get a chance to sit down and really chat. Though, the wonderful thing about reading blogs is when you do have the opportunity to meet fellow bloggers, in person, it is like you are sitting down with an old friend. Which is why I so enjoyed reading your post; it gave me some insight as to who you are and what you feel about some things. I am looking forward to the next time you are the "guest writer".

    Deb, great pictures in the last two posts especially the last picture in today's of the sunset. Saddle Mountain is a beautiful area and it looks like you have a wonderful spot to enjoy it.
    Thank you for having Riley guest write. It is a nice way to get to know a little bit about her and her feelings about the traveling. Sounds like some of the challenges of this lifestyle are making her a stronger person. Loved her remark about bribing you with lunch and a piece of pie at the Julian Pie place. Stay safe.

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    1. Thank you Deb. It is a very wonderful country and I think you are right, there isn't enough time to see all the things we would like to see. It is one of the reasons we have to come back.

      I liked Tombstone and the old look of the people and the town. It was interesting. Big Nose Kate's was pretty loud and crowded but I really liked the food. I think if we went at a quieter time I would like it better.

      We liked Joshua Tree, lots of things to see and do in the park and around the area. I think you would like the park and the view from Keys View is awesome. We did a couple of small hikes there and enjoyed it very much. I didn't find them too hard and next year I'll be ready to do more.

      It would be nice to sit and talk. Mom and I both were sorry we didn't have more time to do that with you and Tom. It's true about reading people's blogs, you do kind of get to know them and it makes meeting them easier for me.

      Riley.

      It's a beautiful spot here and we really enjoyed our time here earlier this year. So I think we'll enjoy it here again for a while. The heat was too much for both of us but Riley was pretty much stuck inside as she can't take the high temps. She didn't even want to sit outside in the shade to read, so it was time to get somewhere cooler.

      I think it was a good experience for her and I'll have her do it again in a few months. She needs some help to recall a few things but over all she remembered a number of things. She seems to be rising to the challenge of the some new encounters and doing well with some, and managing with others. It's all a very positive step for her and I'm curious to see how well she maintains when she's back in her comfort zone at our summer location.

      She likes the area of Borrego Springs for a few reasons but as I said, the heat was too much and I think she was happy but sad to leave at the same time. She mentioned a few times she wanted to go back to the area when it was cooler. I don't think she'll have to bribe me but it was cute.

      Take care, be safe,
      Deb

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  5. We've done a couple day trips to Saddle Mountain but have never camped there. We talked about it a month ago but never made it over to that area. I love the smell of the desert after a rain. Had the weather turned cooler when we were in California and Arizona we may have still been there. All the best to you guys.

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    1. It's a fantastic place to camp. I think you folks would really enjoy it here. When we stayed here in November there were very few folks here, it's busier this time but still lots of room. It's pretty quiet, you can see I-10 but can't hear it. Courthouse Road is a bit busier in the day time but if you park over half way back you hear it very little. Since you've been here you know that there are some great places to walk and hike. Your jeep obviously likes the trails/roads here.

      The rains smell took me by surprise the first I encountered it. However today I welcomed the smell with relish as it means so much to the life of the desert. It's a refreshing smell.

      I hope you and Kelly enjoy your trip to Florida and your visit with Aunt Jean. She's a fire cracker and I enjoy reading about your time with her.

      A spots to stop along the way if you're looking for overnight or a few days. Not fancy but nice park with some friendly folks would be Magic River Campground in Long Beach, MS. It's the home of Passport America. Park prices were $12.50 per night. Includes all hookups, plus they supply wood for the community campfire, along with coffee, tea, hot chocolate at the fire as well. Nice little clubhouse with a free long distance phone. Nice clean shower house/bathroom as well. Couple of little ponds you can fish if you like. Close to a lot of things. Only 4 miles from the Gulf. Only 3 from I-10 as well. Don't use the Tucker Road Address it's a locked gate, go in off of Bells Ferry road.

      Safe travels for you folks!

      Take care, be safe,
      Deb

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  6. Great pictures Deb once again! You have the gift..The mountain pics look like what it looked here in NV the other day, the dust paints a completely different picture. Love where you're parked now..beautiful! Sunset was absolutely beautiful! Enjoy!

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    1. Thanks Shirley. I love the mountains and the different views they offer. The dust, the clouds, the fogs, it's amazing what it can do to a landscape.

      We really like Saddle Mountain, and spent a little over our 14 day allotment here at Christmas but there were very few people here and no one was waiting for our spot. It's busier this time but I wonder if the kids may be out of school or if it's a long weekend as there seems to be a few more little people than I would expect for home school. However it's a beautiful spot and we will enjoy it very much.

      Take care, be safe,
      Deb

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  7. We waved at a few rigs going east down I-10 as we were nearing Quartzsite, but I guess none of them were you gals. Too bad we missed you as I really wanted to meet you. Oh well, we may cross paths next year. Safe travels and enjoy Saddle Mountain.

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  8. We didn't see any one that looked like you and so we saved our waves. It is too bad but there is always next time.

    Glad you arrived safe at Q.

    Take care, be safe,
    Deb

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