MERRY CHRISTMAS

It's been two months since our last update and want to say Merry Christmas to all.....

We had planned on leaving our club rally in Camp Verde, AZ and driving up to the Grand Canyon for a few days.  The extended weather report called for temps in the 50's ad a chance of rain for the next week, so we instead drove to our winter place in Apache Junction, AZ. 

Our planned check in date was October 21st, so since we were a few days early we checked in to nearby Lost Dutchman State Park for a few days.

View from our campsite dining table of the Superstition Mountain

 

On October 21st we hooked up to head over to our winter quarters. While exiting the park, coming in were friends Bob & Kim who were also at the rally in Camp Verde.  Unknown to all of us, they were staying at the State Park during the time we were there.  We pulled over and talked about the odds, planned a lunch meet for next week, and after a half hour went our separate ways. 

We planned an impromptu lunch meet with some of our Heartland Owners Cub friends.  Had a great gathering and will see everyone again at the next rally.

Although we planned in advance to spend the winter here in Apache Junction, AZ, we are a bit disappointed in our choice.  Our policy has been to try new places and not return to the same locations twice, but in this case, we now wish we had returned to Tucson where we spent last winter.  Live and learn...

While here though, we'll make the best of it.  June made three ceramic Christmas Trees in the park ceramics room.  One for each of our Grandchildren.  They turned out nice and we shipped them to Indiana so they could display them for Christmas.  We got calls and they said they really liked the trees.  June used each of their favorite colors for the tree bulbs, and for the Grandson, some baseball decals placed on the tree.

Blake's Tree
 

I've played a little Shuffleboard and have taken to hiking several times on a couple different trails.  I've discovered I really like the exercise and the views.

Shuffleboard is big here in Arizona

Views from the Hieroglyph Trail in nearby Gold Canyon, AZ

 

Petroglyphs viewed from the trail



 

Each month the RV park has a Bon Fire on the desert during full moon.  Attendees cook hot dogs and enjoy the evening under the full moon with the Superstition Mountain in the background.  That fire is really hot so we can't get very close.

Residents have learned to add extensions on the hot dog sticks as that fire is really hot.
Knuckles would get cooked without the extensions.
 

A real highlight of our time here was when our youngest son, Kane, flew out from Indiana to visit for a week.  We were soooo glad to see him and had a great time!

Kane with the Petroglyphs on the Hieroglyph Trail

At Lake Roosevelt

One day, Kane treated us to a ride in the desert in this ATV rental car....Great time!



View from Tonto National Monument

 

We had a really good time.

It was a bit chilly during Kane's visit (50's), but sunny days made it really great.



 

It's Christmas eve, nothing planned. Kane flew home last Saturday.  June and I have lunch reservations Christmas day at Miners Camp Restaurant.   Again, Merry Christmas All!

October 16

We left Central City, CO and travelled South to Pagosa Springs, CO where we stayed two nights in a Lakeside RV Camp right on a river.  The drive to get there was on Colorado Hwy Route 285, which was an awesome drive. Some really fantastic scenery along this route. Colorado is a beautiful state. 

View from our camp site in Pagosa Springs, Colorado

After Pagosa Springs, we continued Southwest to Canyon De Chelly National Monument (Pronounced 'Shea') in Northeast Arizona.  Canyon De Chelly is on Navajo Land and although not as grand as some we've seen elsewhere, still a beautiful area.  We stayed in the Monument campground which had no hookups, but temps were mild and comfortable so we didn't need the A/C.  This campground had thousands of those little, hard, cockleburrs all over the ground. They stuck to our shoes and got carried inside. Walking around in the morning I started finding them in my bare feet and they felt like walking on nails.  I probably picked up a hundred of these things out of the carpet.  I still found several on occasion for several days after we left.

There are several trails into the Canyon, but all but one must have an Indian guide with you in order to visit.  We took the one free trail called the Whitehouse trail. A gorgeous winding trail from the Canyon rim to the bottom where there were some ancient pueblo dwelling structures near the bottom. At the bottom, there were several Navajo Indian tables set up in the shade selling their art work and jewelry.

The hike out was just as gorgeous, but uphill. It took us almost 2 hrs to hike up the 1 1/2 miles trail.

The trail into the Canyon went thru three of these tunnels

Hiking sticks really help a lot with balance and pressure on the knees!

The trail is steeper than it looks

At the bottom this foot bridge crosses a wash

Ancient Pueblo dwellings the Navajo call "The White House"

One of the petroglyphs at the White House

One of several rest stops on the trail

From Canyon De Chelly we continued on Southwest to Show Low, AZ where we stayed two nights at Fool Hollow State Park. This was a great park at about 7400 ft. altitude amongst tall Ponderosa Pine Trees.  The sites were long and wide with lots of room around the sites. One of the finest parks we've visited.  It was time for an oil change in the truck, so one day I stopped into the Ford dealer for the oil change.  They also checked my brakes and said my front brakes were getting thin, but I decided to wait until Camp Verde to have that done.



About 150 miles further and we're here now for two weeks at Distant Drums RV Resort in Camp Verde, AZ.  The first five days was our Heartland RV Club rally. We had 23 rigs show up and we had a great five days with new and old acquaintances. Lots of food, fun, and conversation around campfires each night.  This was our fifth Rally this year and the last until we do the Heartland friends campout in January at Quartzsite, AZ then the Tucson Rodeo Rally next February.

Us, with our rally badges

Singing around the campfire

One day we went bowling. This is June showing off her form.

My team mate Rick lining up for a strike

Team Support

 A free shuttle takes us from the campground 1/2 mile to the Casino where they have a fantastic buffet. We did lunch there once and breakfast at least five times. Everything imaginable was on the buffet, traditional eggs any way you wanted, sausage, bacon, biscuits, gravy, SOS, fruit, salad bar, omlets, chicken fried steak, potatoes, and more; so we would fill up then skip lunch on those days. 

After the rally, everyone left to other places while we stayed another 9 days.  I found a garage to do my truck front brakes and happened to get a good deal as they were offering free brake linings to honor breast cancer month. They said that saved me about $50...

 

 

Not far is Red Rock State Park near Sedona, AZ. There is no Campground here, but several nice hiking loops.  We enjoyed a two hour hike and the beautiful formations from the bluff.

We'll leave Camp Verde on October 18th and head up tot he Grand Canyon for five nights, then we'll work our way to Apache Junction, AZ where we'll stay for the winter.



HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

September 27

I can't believe it's been over two weeks since the last update, but here goes.....

We spent 12 nights in Heber City, UT at Mountain Valley RV Resort; the last five we participated in the Utah Chapter Rally of the Heartland Owners Club.  We had 10 Heartland Rigs at this Rally and had a great time.  Our friends Trace & Terri are the Utah Chapter leaders and were the host for this Rally as well as the Rally we attended last May in Moab, Utah.

One of our evening campfire gatherings

Our home for 12 nights in Heber City, UT


 

Our Rally Hosts Trace & Terri on the Heber Valley Train

One night the park hosted a Polynesian Luau, a fine buffet and afterwards we were entertained by the Fire Dancers. Every Friday night the park shows a movie on an outdoor screen. Several attended on both the Friday nights we were here, but we stayed inside as the cool air blew in as soon as the sun went down.



Our Rally group took a ride on the Heber Valley Railroad, a pleasant three hour ride around the Deer Creek Reservoir. Beautiful mountain views.

View from the window on the Heber Valley Train

On another night we drove 12 miles to Daniels Summit Lodge and had a great Prime Rib in a private party room.

We also had a pot luck dinner one night where I was asked to entertain.  They seemed to enjoy the music and June sang with me on a song.

How's it sound?

After 12 nights in Heber City, Utah we drove 275 miles to Rifle Gap State Park in Rifle, Colorado where we stayed two nights.  We were camp hosts here two summers ago and always enjoy this very nice State Park.  This was also a chance to catch up on Laundry, so we drove to Glenwood Springs to a laundromat and lunch out.

Mountain color changes

A helicopter was assisting in road maintenance in Glenwood Canyon

One lane through the canyon, but it moved well

Driving thru the Eisenhower Tunnel at over 11,000 ft. elevation

Central City, Colorado was our next stop for five nights and another Heartland Rally. 

Our home for five nights in Central City, Colorado

View from our front yard looking out over the town

Downtown Central City. An old gold & silver mining town converted to Casino's

The drive heading East from Rifle to the Central City exit off I-70, is probably the prettiest 100 miles of interstate highway in the country.  I-70 from Rifle takes you through Glenwood Canyon along the Colorado River, then climbs up to Vail, Colorado and the Eisenhower Tunnel at over 11,000 feet. 

Central City was our third Colorado Rally in as many years. Monica and Don always do a great job, as all the Chapter Leaders do at these gatherings.  We had about 18 rigs attending and Central City is gorgeous.  At an elevation of 8900 ft, we're about 40 miles West of Denver.  The Aspen trees are in their fall colors and the mountains are beautiful.

One of the Rally activities was a Rig Poker Run.  We visited seven rigs to pick up the card at each place.  Liquid refreshment and snacks were served at each stop.  All I got was one pair. June had two pair. The winner had four of a kind, but everyone won a prize and we had lot's of fun.

Our Rally activities included the customary Pot Luck which is always fun, and the evening campfires. Don & Monica also host coffee and banana nut bread each morning at their site.  We had a great time.

The toppings for ice cream night.....

We'll leave Central City Monday morning, 9/28, and head to Pagosa Springs, CO for a couple nights, then on South to Gallup, NM for two nights.  We'll stop in Show Low, AZ for two more nights before checking in to another Heartland Rally at Camp Verde, AZ where we'll be staying for two weeks.