We Moved Twice and Two Days In Between

We are presently at Quail Ridge RV Park in Huachuca City, AZ. 

We could see snow on the Huachuca Mountains as we
got closer to our destination Saturday.

Saturday, March 25, 2023 (How we got where we are. Tucson to Quail Ridge RV)

While I was doing dishes this morning this dove
was fascinated with trying to attach to the Stinger "B".
Since it could not it decided to walk around on the 
Little Black Limo. (Picture is through the screen.)

This was our view sitting at our table.
Bottom left closeup of nest.

We pulled out of our site around10:30 this morning and began our ride East then South to Quail Ridge RV Park.

I have taken pictures of these Saguaros several times and

always for the same reason. When we are heading East on

AZ-86 towards I-10 and this will be the last time 

we will see these guys for this adventure.

Goodbye for now Majestic Saguaros we will miss seeing you.
 Hope to see you again in the near future. 

Tucson in the distance.

Tucson does have some nice fences on their overpasses.

We have done the ride on I-10 at least once a year between Tucson and Whetstone some years twice going East and West. I have taken hundreds of pictures and today I decided to just enjoy the ride and the views. Today's ride was a short one only 74 miles. 

Going by the Whetstone Mountains on AZ-90

Another view of the Huachuca Mountains as we got 
 close to our destination.

It was about 12:30pm when we arrived at our destination, Quail Ridge RV Park. No one was in the office but our paperwork was outside the door. Like we have several times in the past we unhooked the Jeep just past the office and then drove to our assigned site. This is a very nice RV park and we actually started staying here in 2015 when we still had our 5th Wheel. Since then we have stopped here at least once a year. This is not a fancy park but the staff is always friendly, the grounds are always clean, and the price is excellent. It is a quiet place and our type of park. It has always been an enjoyable stop.

Thursday and Friday, March 23 & 24, 2023 (The Two Days In between)

We spent three nights at Justin's Diamond RV Park in Tucson; it was right around 2:30 on Wednesday when we arrived. After getting checked in and the Jeep unhooked we drove over to our site which Tom backed into amazingly well. Unfortunately, I had directed him in to our patio area, I have no idea what I was thinking,  a simple pull forward and another back up and he was in place. I set up a few things inside and headed over to the Walmart to pick up a curbside order I had placed a couple days earlier. Then a quick stop at Fry's and home to get it all put away. 

I had given Nancy, Kissack Adventures, a call to let her know we had finally made it to Tucson. More about that below. She very nicely decided she would take the time to make the drive over to see us on Thursday. We had not connected all winter so we were really looking forward to this visit and were grateful, that even with her plan for leaving the next day, she took the time to come our way. A fun visit that flew by way to fast. All to soon we were getting hugs, saying safe travels, see you down the road, and she was off.

You will notice this section of the blog is devoid of pictures. The reason would be I did not take one picture on either Thursday or Friday. I did think of it after Nancy left but then that was a little to late. I have included the picture of the beautiful quilt she gave us but I must admit it is "borrowed"  from her blog.

So pretty, Thank You Nancy!

Nancy, also, willingly took some material I had brought with us this trip. This was material I had found when going through my Mom's material and it included a quilt top my mom had sewn. I am looking forward to seeing what she does with it.

Friday was another day we were really looking forward to.  Our friends Melissa and Lyle from Canada where back in the states after their winter adventures overseas. The last time we saw them was almost three years ago in March of 2020 so we were truly looking forward to this visit. I had just said to Tom I thought they would be here by now when we heard car doors open and there they were.  After hugs all around the talking started and continued throughout the afternoon. We did some catching up and talked about to many things to remember. Without missing a beat we fell right back into the easy conversation that has always happened when we are together. It was a fun afternoon with special friends that ended all to soon. Hugs and see you again soon and they were off. 

Now you would think after not remembering to take a picture with Nancy the day before I would be better at remembering to do so today. I need to write on my hand when we are getting together with friends, Take A Picture! Because the answer would be no, again, I did not remember until they were gone. Pictures or no pictures the memories of these two days visiting with friends will not be forgotten they have been placed in our memory book.

Tom and I were down the road a ways before I remembered I had not taken any pictures of the RV Park not even our site. It is a nice RV Park and we would definitely stay here again if we decide to stop in Tucson. The hope is to do so, maybe next year, but for a longer visit.

Wednesday, March 22, 2023 (Our First Move From Why To Tucson)

The plan if you read our last post was to leave Why for Tucson on Tuesday but the wind had a different plan and we did not leave until Wednesday. When we got up Wednesday morning it was raining and the wind was still with us. The weather predictors said it would end around 10 o'clock so trusting that we started to finish getting ready to leave. The wind did stop but it was still raining at 10 though around 10:30 it was just misting and we decided it was time to go. Tom pulled over to dump our tanks, we hooked up the Jeep, and turned onto AZ-86 heading East at a few minutes after 11 o'clock. 

Pulling out of our site at Coyote Howls East.
Most of the mountains around us where lost in the mist.
One tiny purple flower as I stepped into the Jeep.
Bottom picture: I could see the dry spots where we had been.

Still misting as we hooked up the Jeep but the mountains 
in the distance had reappeared.

We are on AZ-86 heading East and below are some of our views along the way.

Even on this day with no sun shining we could see the
yellow and green on the mountains.

Our Border Patrol on the Job.
Thank you for the job you do!

I do not take pictures of a lot of water towers 
this one stood out and looked so pretty 
against the dark of the clouds and mountains.

The road ahead and as you can see does not look smooth.

We went by a lot of these guys

and these guys.

For about half of our 112 miles today this is
pretty much what the road looked like.

Did I mention not smooth?

Clouds were hanging over what I believe are the 
Quinlan Mountains.

These mountains were looking more to the north and east.

AZ-86 did get better around Sells, AZ but as we got
closer to Tucson you can see what it looked like.

The sun trying to make its way out into our day.

Our destination and the sky did start to clear of clouds.

The comments and pictures about AZ-86 are for us to remember what it was like when we took it this time. Would we take this route again with our motorhome towing the Jeep? Going back up to I-8 it would have been 190 miles versus the 112 miles it was to Justin's Diamond RV Park. Would it be worth the the extra miles? Everyone has to make that decision. We know what our answer is.

I will admit these four days were hectic ones but I, and Tom agrees, would not change one moment we spent during this time. It was so nice to connect and spend time with friends as that is the best part of this lifestyle the friendships we have made along the way.

It is a good life and we are still lucky to be enjoying our Retirement Dream! 

We are glad you stopped by!

If you have time to leave a comment we would enjoy hearing from you.

A Quiet Day at Coyote Howls....(Catch Up Post)

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Our day started slowly and never really picked up speed. We had our coffee and then just relaxed. Tom mentioned he had a couple of things he wanted to take care of and I decided another do nothing day was in order. I did take a few pictures and they are below.

Mountains to the South of us.

These mountains are to the North of us and
we can see them out our front window.

Every time I looked out the front window today
the shadows were changing on the mountains.

Zooming in on the mountains to the North I was able to 
pick up the green and yellow crawling up the mountainside.

Looking East when we sit out on our patio.

These little purple flowers out our door
are smaller then a dime.

More of the views

to the South of us.

The sun going down on our day.

We had been sitting out enjoying the sunshine for a couple of hours later today but as the sun headed down it took its warmth with it and it was time to come in.

I had said at the beginning of the post Tom planned on taking care of a few chores around our home today and one of them he ended up doing was taking off the sheet of window tinting that was on our entrance door's window. It had begun to crack badly and needed to be gone. I went through more of our pictures today and that was about it. I have enjoyed these last couple of days basically just relaxing with my feet up either inside our home or sitting outside on our patio. Mostly do nothing days are important to enjoy every once and a while just because. 

Monday, March 13, 2023 (Moving Day....Catch Up Post)

We were up before the sun this morning. There are things that need to be secured for traveling and I wanted to get the bedroom done before the sunrise. So while Tom made our coffee I did just that.  I stepped out just before the sun popped over the mountains. and when I saw Deb walking towards our Patio I noticed the moon. She sat down and we chatted for awhile. It was one of those good sitting out mornings and the company made it even better. Deb made the first move knowing we needed to finish up packing and Tom started putting the rest of our outside stuff away. When all that was left to pick up was the rug and the chair I was sitting in I knew I could not put it off any longer I needed to go in and finish getting the inside ready to travel.

Soon it was time to hook the Jeep up to the Stinger "B", check the lights, and the roll. Turning towards the Igloo I could see Deb and Riley walking our way. After hugs all around and several see you laters along with some safe travel wishes it was time to get in the Stinger "B" and head out to I-8 were Tom pointed her nose East. 

The plan was to pull out at 10 o'clock our wheels were rolling about 10:05. Since, there is no time clock to punch in retirement we left right on time.

The moon and sunrise this morning

As we pulled out onto the road I had Tom stop so I could take
a picture. The two little tiny people on the left are Deb and Riley.
I could see them waving, Tom hit the horn and we were off.

The middle picture is of a Prickly Pear with some pink buds.
Upper left is what I think looks like someone doing the "crane".
Upper right the road towards Ogilby Road.

Ogilby Road needs some major help.

The Imperial Sand Dunes in the distance.

Just a few miles down the Interstate and we are back in Arizona
and going by Yuma. I always enjoy, upper left, seeing those
Arizona "Palm Trees".

Telegraph Pass in the Gila Mountains
Middle left picture we are about to go under I-8 West
and we will be switching sides.

Coming out the other side of Telegraph Pass and heading

down the views are beautiful.

Just ahead we will switch back to the right side.

There is a lot of traffic on I-8.

Waving at our friends, Elva and Jerry, who have a place in Welton.

Pictures of some of the views along our way.

We could see yellow, orange, purple, and white wildflowers
along the edge of the highway. 

We stopped at the Pilot Travel Center in Gila Bend for Diesel, to dump our tanks and take on fresh water. Then we merged back on I-8 heading West back on exit for AZ-85 which would take us South to Ajo and Why. 

The floor of the desert was filled with yellow flowers and we
could see the green and yellow crawling up the mountainsides.

The Saguaros are beautiful to see standing tall and proud
and I could see green on the Ocotillos.

We have spent time in the Ajo/Why area several times over the years and have always enjoyed our visit. In 2018 we spent time looking for murals through out the town. I had found a self guided tour online. I took some quick pictures as we were driving through today and I have included a link with the picture title if you are interested in seeing more pictures and some information about the Ghost Figures of Ajo and the Memory Project.

Top Left: Ghost Figures of Ajo     Top Right: Mural
Middle Left: Immaculate Conception Church  Middle Right: Memory Project

Our first stop, Darby Wells Road where we unhooked the Jeep.
The hope was to find a place to park but it was not meant to be
this time. All the sites we would park in were filled.

Since I could not find a spot on Darby Wells after talking with Tom we decided to head to Why and our second choice which is the Coyote Howls RV Park. This is a rustic park with water taps and dump stations available at various spots within the park. There are no hookups in this park and there are no numbered sites in the short term area. What you find are a lot of "roads/sites" crisscrossing the parking areas. After you find a spot you like, you shut your engine down, and you are home.

Tonight's sunset lit up the clouds.

It is always bittersweet leaving friends who have become a special part of our lives and we have enjoyed spending time with. It has been a wonderful winter spending time with Deb and Riley along with Doug and Yuma. We had hoped to see Doug again but the White Lion had other plans so that was not meant to be for this adventure. There is still the hope we will see Deb and Riley one more time before we all head in basically the same direction but on a different time frame. So for now we are reading Deb's Blog, On a long and lonesome highway.... and know they are enjoying their time where they are. We are also keeping track of what is going on with Doug and Yuma in his blog, Miss Adventure Travels. Time will tell what happens next and where we all land but one thing for sure we have a lot of wonderful memories of this Our 9th Adventure living our Retirement Dream. Life is good.

We are glad you stopped by!

If you have time to leave a comment we would enjoy hearing from you.