We Have Changed Locations

We are now parked out in the Roadrunner BLM near Quartzsite, Arizona. The plan was to arrive on Thursday park out a Dome Rock BLM overnight, we had a morning appointment at RV Lifestyles to have a new Convection/Microwave Oven installed, then make our way out here. The wind had other ideas, basically laughed at our plans, and we did not leave our spot near Ogilby Road in California until first light on Friday. Tom called RV Lifestyles on Thursday about our situation and they said not to worry about being late. Living in an RV is always an adventure and we learned right from the beginning if you cannot go with the flow this is not the lifestyle to be living. Of course, raising two kids we already had plenty of training/experience about going with the flow...LOL

Saturday, January 13, 2024

Today started under beautiful blue skies and we spent part of the morning getting things organized inside our home after arriving the day before. 

The plan for today was a late lunch at Quail Mountain Restaurant in Quartzsite with our friends, Melissa and Lyle. We had not seen them since this past spring so we were looking forward to some hugs and a nice catch up. Both of which happened. A picture would have been nice, I say that a lot, and I did think of it a about half way home. Hopefully next time I will think of it when we are together. Never the less it was a lovely couple of hours and we are looking forward to our next get together.

Arriving home we saw our neighbors outside enjoying a Happy Hour but there was already a chill in the air as the sun was close to taking today's heat with it behind the Dome Rock Mountains. Kim was heading inside but the Ken and Keith were still sitting out so Tom did join them for a short time. I decided Kim had the right idea and stayed inside.

We parked perfectly and I can take pictures of the sunsets and sunrises without leaving the warmth of our home, if I so choose. Sometimes it is the little things in life that make me happy and this is one of them...lol

The sunsetting on our day from our bedroom window.

This guy is out our front window. He is beautiful and
I guarantee you will see more pictures of him.

Ken, Keith, and Tom solving some world problem,
I am sure.

A little after the sun disappeared behind the Dome Rock
Mountains we had a lovely afterglow.

Friday, January 12, 2024

As I mentioned before we were on our way this morning with the first of the morning light. With one final hug with Deb, we had said our see you laters and I had gotten hugs from Riley the night before, we were on our way. First stop was to dump at the Chevron Station near Pilot Knob then back to Ogilby Road to make our way north to Blythe were we merged onto to I-10 heading east towards Quartzsite. It is about a 90 mile drive and we already knew we would probably be about 90 minutes late for our appointment so we made the decision not to hook the Jeep up to the motorhome to save some time. We very seldom make the decision not to hook up but I do not mind driving and sometimes, like today, it just makes more sense for me to do so. 

The sun is slowly making its way up over the 
Cargo Muchacho Mountains
as we make our way to Ogilby Road.

We will miss the green Ocotillos that are out here.

There it is just barely making it over the mountains.

Then I stopped on Ogilby Road to see it coming up again
this time over the Ogilby Hills.

As we figured we arrived at RV Lifestyles about 90 minutes late and after talking with them we went and to get some breakfast at Times 3 Family Restaurant. A few hours later we were on our way out to Roadrunner to join Kim, Ken, and Keith. They had found us a great spot  and we got parked just in time to join everyone for Happy Hour. We will be missing Deb and Riley though we will see them again in a few weeks.  This area is one of our favorite places to park and even though it will be busy and hectic being in this area the last couple of weeks in January we do enjoy it.  We are looking forward to our time here and getting together with friends and some campfires. 

I really like looking out the front window and seeing this Saguaro.  

Our first sunset back at Roadrunner.

Some beautiful color in the sky to end our day.

I do love being parked by the Saguaros.

It was a good travel day and it is really nice to again have a Convection and Microwave Oven. We are living our Retirement Dream and enjoying all the moments!

Thursday, January, 11, 2024

Today, as I mentioned above is the day we were suppose to leave this place near Ogilby Road. We were up and moving early not just because it was a moving day but Tom had a dental appointment in Yuma before we would be heading out. He is finally getting a bridge in the bottom front replaced after a lot of years and today was the day they were taking out what was left of the old one and putting in a temporary one. He will get his permanent new one when we head back this way in a few weeks. While I was in the waiting area I could see the wind picking up; we knew there was going to be some wind today but not quite the strength it ended up being. During the time I was sitting there I heard from both Melissa and Kim about the wind in the Quartzsite Area. This is when I found out they were under a Wind Advisory and this is when I knew we were not going to be traveling today. By the time we got back home we could barely hold the door to get inside the motorhome.

There was definitely dust over the mountains this morning

as you can see in these pictures.

The strange thing is where I am standing taking these

by the motor home there is barely a breeze.

The sun was well up through the dust when I stepped out.

Again out on Ogilby Road we could barely see the 

Imperial Dunes through the dust. Yet there was no sign of
wind or movement in the sand near where we were.

Pilot Knob Peak is behind a wall of dust, also.

This is coming back and there is now a definite wind

as we make our way home on Ogilby Road.

It is hard to see in the pictures but there is dust above the desert.

The wind was with us until about 4 o'clock. I spent a lovely few hours inside the Igloo with Deb and Riley. There was even a delicious Bloody Mary, thanks Deb, to be enjoyed during Happy Hour. Going with the flow and enjoying the day it brings are some of the best days and today was one of those days.

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

This morning the four of us, Deb, Riley, Tom and I, went for a ride into the Cargo Muchacho Mountains in search of the way through. There is one we just did not find it, though, we still had a really nice ride. We will try again another day. This blog is already long enough so I will be posting those pictures in another blog.

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Today was moving day for part of our neighborhood. Kim, Ken, Keith, along with Oreo are heading back north to park near Quartzsite. We left before them for Tom's dental appointment, his first one to find out what he needed done besides the new bridge and when they could do it. I did hear from Kim later in the day to let me know they had found a spot and where. As I mentioned above we were heading up that way to join them at Roadrunner.

Tonight's sunset.

A beautiful end to another good day in the desert.

Sunday, January 14, 2024

The sun rising above the Kofa Mountains!

A New Day Begins 

What we do with the hours between now and when the day ends

lay ahead of us with all its possibilities. 

We are glad you stopped by!

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

It Has Been Windy in the Desert

Monday, January 8, 2024

The wind was with us for the second day in a row. At the same time the sky was a beautiful blue.

It was a busy morning for Tom after coffee he went out the door to take care of dumping our black tank. We made a decision a few years ago to purchase a blue boy and that means we do not have to move every time we dump which makes it somewhat easier. After that fun he was off to the rest area just west of us on I-8 to fill our water bladder. Our fresh water tank was reading empty. I honestly had one bit of paperwork to take care of and other then making dinner it was pretty much a do nothing day for me. I did not even take one picture. We did spend some time video chatting with our youngest grandson which was mostly listening to him talk about and show us his little cars and then a few minutes chatting with his sister. Some of the special moments in life. 

In the end it was a quiet but a good day.

Sunday, January 7, 2024

When I first woke up this morning I could hear a soft rain on the roof and there was some wind. As the morning progressed we had a few more drops of rain and the wind stayed with us steadily picking up. After lunch we made the decision to pull our livingroom slide in. We had decided earlier to go to 4 o'clock Mass at St. Thomas Yuma Indian Mission Catholic Church and just after lunch we also decided to take a short ride before heading to Mass. 

The pictures below are of the Cargo Muchacho Mountains. This is the view out our living room windows. As I was drinking my coffee this morning I could see the shadows moving across the mountains and it is a beautiful show to watch. On a day with blue skies, big fluffy clouds, and a breeze the only way I can think to describe what I would sit out and watch is the shadows dancing in and out of the crevices as the breeze moves the clouds across the sky. Today was not that type of day it was a cold windy day and definitely not a day I would describe as a sit outside and watch the clouds day. So I decided to see if I could take some pictures of the show through our window and I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

Between the clouds, the wind, and the sunlight it is a beautiful constantly changing show to watch. 

The sky is now a beautiful clear blue
no more clouds to create the shadows. 

On the ride we took we saw several Ocotillos filled with tiny green leaves up and down their branches. It was just a short ride along the power line behind us and closer to the mountains.

The Ocotillos are filled with tiny green leaves

and some have red blossoms at the tips of their branches.

We followed the power line to the American Girl Mine Road then followed it to Ogilby Road. Even though it was windy we could not see any real amount of dust in the air. That all changed as we turned on to Ogilby Road. As can be seen in the pictures below. This area is sand and connected to the Imperial Sand Dunes just a little further down  the road. So when the wind is blowing the sand is moving. 

On the bridge going over the I-8 it looks like a blizzard.

Going East toward Yuma the air looks somewhat brown.
The camera did not pick that color up. 
Pile Knob Peak.

Small Chapel up the hill at the "Center of the World"

From the Parking Area up the hill at the Church.
I just was getting out of the Jeep when I saw this train
coming by just below us.

The back altar and one of the stain glass windows there are
several and they are all alike. 

Today was Epiphany Sunday. The day the church celebrates
the arrival of the Wiseman. There representation was added to
the creche along with a camel.

Epiphany, the manifestation of God, is a lovely opportunity to rejoice that Christ has appeared for all men regardless of race or status.

Going Back a Few Days In Time

Saturday, January 6, 2024

Today Tom and Ken were off with Tom's metal detector to check out a few areas close to the mountains. What will they find only time will tell. So far shell casings and tin cans are what is being found.

While Tom was gone I finished what I had started the day before, putting away the Christmas decorations I had put out, specifically the ones outside. After doing that I fixed myself a third cup of coffee, took my kindle outside, put my feet up, and did something I have not done in a while. I started reading a book. A nice way to spend a couple of hours out in the sunshine relaxing.

My views as I sat outside.

We did spend a couple of hours enjoying Happy Hour with Kim, Ken, Keith, and Deb. After every one headed home I did step back outside to take some pictures of the sky as the sun set on our day.

Clouds do enhance

the sunsets

and tonight there were clouds.

Standing in our doorway looking out over the Igloo.

Then the sky turned a lovely pink before the darkness
started to surround us.

Friday, January 5, 2024

Today Riley treated us to a selection of Beef Jerky and some Turkey Jerky for us to try during Happy Hour. Deb mixed up some Bloody Mary's for those of us who were interested and I was along with Kim and Ken. We all agreed the combination made for a nice treat. Tom and Keith passed on the Bloody Mary's but enjoyed the Jerky just the same. Thank you to Deb and Riley for tonight's treat.

Tonight's Sunset

Thursday, January 4, 2024

I really wanted to get some new glasses and today I decided was a good day to do just that. Deb and Riley came along in the Jeep with us. Kim, Ken, and Keith went earlier and we did run into them at the El Paraiso Restaurant when we stopped for lunch and Margaritas. As I tried to decide on a pair Deb, Riley, and Tom very patiently made the trip up and down between the two places I was looking at two times and then a third time to pick them up. I did come home with new glasses, basically the first ones I tried on, and so far I am very happy with them. 

El Paraiso Restaurant in Los Algodones

Top picture: Crossing over the  All American Canal
as we head towards I-8 after leaving Mexico.
Bottom picture: View off towards the border wall
as we head towards Mexico.

We have spent many wonderful days parked out here in the Sonoran Desert just off of Ogilby Road surrounded by friends and these days described above are part of those memories.

We are glad you stopped by!

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