Saturday, December 31, 2022
The sun rose this morning up behind the Cargo Muchacho Mountains across the way but there was not going to be a pretty last sunrise for 2022. Instead we were surrounded by fog for the second morning in a row. Though I will say there is a soft quietness that comes with the fog.
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| Sunrise was to be at 7:40AM this morning. This is what we were looking at, at 7:50AM. |
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| I took a short walk this afternoon under a grey sky. |
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| The last Sunset of 2022 |
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| did not disappoint. It was beautiful. |
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| The afterglow was wonderful especially the rosy pink over the Cargo Muchacho Mountains. |
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| Our last campfire |
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| of 2022 |
Last Catch Up Post of 2022. My goal for 2023, not a resolution I do not do those, is to never title a post as a catch up post again. It may be a post covering more then one day but hopefully not several months. I am hoping if I put it in writing I will be able to stick to it.
Monday, December 19, 2022
We left the High Chaparral RV Park in Casa Grande this morning a little after 9:00AM and pointed the nose of the Stinger "B" west. Today's final destination, after about 202 miles, is to be parked in the desert just off of Ogilby Road near friends when Tom turns the Stinger "B" off for the day.
I made a conscious decision today to not take a lot of pictures and I did follow through. Not long after merging onto I-10 we are exiting and merging onto I-8. We have taken this route several times over these years filled with Adventures and I have taken and posted hundreds of pictures. Today I mostly enjoyed the views. Once we are on I-8 the Saguaros are everywhere as far as the eye can see and beyond I am sure. Soon we are driving through the Sonoran Desert National Monument and the views are wonderful for miles. At some point along the way we pass by Gila Bend. Today we stopped here to top off our propane tanks. Then we will be going by Welton and as we pass I message our friends, Elva and Jerry, that we are passing by and waving. Not long now and Telegraph Pass will be in front of us. As we come out the West side we will see Yuma in the distance. We make a quick stop for diesel in Yuma and continue on. Passing over the Colorado River I can see St. Thomas Mission up the hill on my right and we are in California. Passing by Felicity and the Center of the Earth our exit is just ahead. We leave I-8 for Ogilby Road pass over the railroad tracks and pull over just past American Girl Mine Road to unhook the Jeep. Then there comes a silver Jeep Wrangler it parks and out comes Yuma and Doug after hugs we finish unhooking. Now we are following the Silver Jeep and soon we can see the Igloo in the distance and I pullover to get hugs from Deb and Riley it has been way to long. We find our spot Tom turns off the Stinger "B" and we are home.
We are missing our kids and grandkids...family and friends back in Michigan and Wisconsin but it is good to be back in our home parked in the desert area we have fallen in love with.
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| I-8 |
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| Then in the distance we can see Telegraph Pass. |
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| Yuma is in the distance. |
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| When we stopped for diesel we saw this Semi. |
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| Ogilby Road. |
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| Our first official Desert Sunset! |
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| Our neighborhood in the last of today's sun light. |
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
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| Slept in this morning and missed the sunrise. |
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| The sun setting on our day. I am standing in the wash behind us taking to take this picture. |
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
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| Happy Hour at the Stinger "B" starting on the left, Tom, my chair, Deb, Riley, Yuma, Doug and Ivan (Roadtrip 2022), who stopped by and we met for the first time today. |
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| I never get tired of the Sunsets out here. There will probably be a lot of them posted in our blog over the next several months. |
Thursday, December 22, 2022
This morning we are headed east to visit with Elva and Jerry. Today will include a Jeep ride in the desert near Welton, Arizona. Deb and I joined Jerry in Elva's Jeep while Tom and Yuma went with Doug in his Jeep. I think we had a much smoother ride then Tom and Doug had. Thank you, Elva for having such a nice and comfortable jeep and letting Jerry use it.
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| The sun coming up over the Cargo Muchacho Mountains. |
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| We stopped for lunch at the Naked Date Farm. Very tasty and Tom enjoyed his Date Shake. |
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| Deb and Tom checking it out. |
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| Tom and Jerry doing the same. |
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| Tom took these pictures. An example of how strong the flow of water can be. |
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| Doug looking out over the wash just past the tanks. |
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| A group built a large barbecue out here. Lots of rocks and cement in this picture. |
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| Standing by the above barbecue looking out at the beauty that surrounds us if we take the time to look. There is so much beauty in this country of ours. |
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| A large gun on the one above. |
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| A nearby tree I just liked the look of. |
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| I never think to take a picture but Doug did so I borrowed this one from his blog. Thank you, Doug...😊 Starting with Tom going right, Jerry, Myself, Elva and Deb |
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| The sun coming up on our day. The weather has been in the 70's and the skies have been a beautiful blue. |
Not totally sure what either of us did today but I am sure we did enjoy the day.
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| I did take a short walk just before sunset and on my way back snapped a picture of the sun setting. |
Saturday, December 24, 2022 and Sunday, December 25, 2022
It is Christmas Eve and I did post a blog. We went to Mass at the St. Thomas Mission in Winterhaven and we met two of Elva's relatives. I do love going to Mass at this little church.
Christmas Day was spent with Deb, Riley, and Doug. We started with Mimosa's and snacks out on our patio and then dinner a little later in the afternoon. It was a lovely day, the warmest Christmas we ever remember spending out here, spent with good friends. A Day for our Memory Book.
Monday, December 26, 2022
This morning we headed over to Los Algondones as the light was just beginning to shine on our day. Deb and Riley came along and they did some exploring while we had our teeth cleaned. Then we stopped for breakfast and where able to sit outside. Deb and I ordered Bloody Mary's and they were very good. We both said we would be back. Plus, I need to pay attention to the name of the restaurant. We were in line and out of Mexico before noon.
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| The Courtyard at Dr. Eva Urena's Office. |
After heading back and dropping Deb and Riley off we headed back into Yuma to stop at an Auto store to hook the Jeep up to a computer to see why we have a flashing engine light. It looks like there may be a spark plug problem. Tom made an appointment at a dealership we have had work done in the past and he will be going in tomorrow for an appointment.
Tuesday, December 27, 2022
This morning we were up early. Tom wanted to be at the dealership soon after they opened and I took my coffee outside and sat and watched what turned out to be a beautiful sunrise.
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| By the time it was time for the sun to make an appearance the clouds had taken over the sky. It was still pretty though. |
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| The sun went down for the day in the clouds |
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| but I did spot a little afterglow. |
P.S. Tom did end up having all the spark plugs on the Jeep.
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
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| Sunrise |
In between I drove into Yuma to do a little shopping and pick up a prescription. I ended up leaving later then I planned and by the time I turned onto Ogilby Road the sun was starting to make its way down. I stopped at the end or the road we use to get home and took the picture below. I misses Happy Hour but Tom said they all enjoyed a nice conversation.
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| Sunset |
Today we went back to the dentist for some work to be done. Tom needs a rood canal and two crowns, so far. I only need a deep cleaning which the dentist will do in two sessions. The had mentioned this type of cleaning would be a good idea two years ago so I have decided this is the year.
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| The clouds over the Cargo Muchacho Mountains while we sit enjoying Happy Hour. |
