Jan 29 2015 Climb to the Peak

lots have been happening and it's a great time, but wanted to post this before the high wears off. we climbed Picacho peak today. about wore us totally out but we made it. hope you enjoy the pictures.

 the peak from our RV site

 the happy hikers before the climb ( our experienced hiker Joe, peak virgins Lloyd, Russ, Linda, Penny and another experienced hiker Jim)  

 this is where we are headed

 our RV park from less than 1/4 of the way

 enlarged over 3 times so it can be seen

 part way

 looking back towards I10 from the 1/4 mark. The "saddle"  you have climbed up to this point than you have to climb down almost as far to make another up point.

 Jim just out on a rock to get a better view. NOT ME!!!

 this is actually desert but with a wet fall it is pretty green

 one of many breaks

 one lonely plant growing out of a rock

 its not much of a path. the cactus are huge!! 

 this was enlarged 10 times to show Joe starting one of the many cable climbs

 the RV park from the peak

 at the top!!!!!

 the tired but still happy Climbers

 jim calling to the wild(actually eating trail mix)

some of the plowed fields in the desert

Jan 21

welcome to Picacho Peak RV Resort and your hosts Russ and Linda,
 sounds like we have something to do with sometthing but we don't. we are having a blast and seem to be busy all the time. We played trivia my team beat Lindas but we came in second. We didn't know Casper the friendly ghost's horses name. I didn't remember him having one, but I did remember Gumby had Poakie. We have played bingo, I won one card. last nite I played bingo and did quite well and if there hadn't been a mix up in recording winners of each match we would have been in a playoff for winners of the evening. 
 on Monday afternoon I notice water leaking from our " loo" when it was flushed so got out the manual and determined that it needed a new vacuum breaker. it is amazing the things that are hidden in the most obvious places in these RV's. I found this under a little plastic cover right on top behind the commode, right where it should be. I made a couple of calls to RV parts places but they were all closed for the holiday( by the way these holiday day offs are wonderful, I get to do nothing)  I asked around my neighboring sites and they said to go to Norris's in Casa Grande so after coffee on Tuesday we went. found the place and they had just what the manual called for. we got that and had a 20# propane bottle filled for a friend. only $13 fir 4.5 gallons of propane was cheep.   change of subject for a moment, they play pickleball daily here in the park and the guy that is the most involved came by our site and asked what I thought of making some paddles for the group with him. it needs 3/8 good quality plywood, and he said he hadn't been able to find any. I figured that he just wasn't searching in the right places so I said that Iwhen we were out I would look around. back to our tip to Casa Grande, we found and old lumber yard (the guys at the RV parts place told me about it) but they are just about out of the wood material business and are doing cabnets and carpet so that was a bust. they did tell me of a place in Tucson but had never been to it.  by the way Dave and Virl, our best friend want a deck built and so I have been looking around for a good lumber yard to work with on structural design halp for this desert conditions. all they have here is Lowes and Home Depot and they don't even have 3/8 plywood! I needed for the paddles. we we continued around Casa Grande stopping at lowes, Home Depot, Joanns fabric for duct tape that Linda wanted, went to lunch at Chile's( we had a gift card, thank you to who ever gave us that one, it was a good meal) then we stopped at Walmart. I have been looking for a propane turkey fryer so we can host a "Friday" while we are here. that's what Linda and I call the times we invite friends over to the house and tell them to bring what ever they want to fry, and that we will cook anything but marshmellows. it's alot of fun and we do it at home so thought it would be fun here too. well, haven't found a fryer yet, but i DON'T GIVE UP EASILY AND WITH DIESEL FUEL AT $253 A GALLON WE WILL FIND ONE. we made it home and after all kind of modifications i got the vacuum breaker installed and everything is in working order.  I wonder what today will bring. it doesn't matter, the weather is in the high 70s during the day and upper 40s at nite the sun shines and kife is great.  this writting has been all over the place but that is how my days go. after coffee at the clubhouse anything goes.   hugs from the handyman

Jan 17 Saturday

I'm back!!! this retired life is confusing me, I lose track of time, day and what we have been doing, but I will try and catch you up. I have posted some things on Facebook so some of this may be a rerun for some of you.  we left off on the nite of the potluck which was Wednesday. Thursday we got up and went to our daily coffee at the club house and saw more folks. Linda had gone for her morning walk and I puttered around getting more stuff scattered about. Our tv had worked at some point by using the antenna but didn't find any channels when I turned it back on. a real pain but it kept me busy for a while. Never did get it fixed. I floundered with the Dish setup and was still waiting for the new box to be delivered by UPS.  we decided to go and watch the group play :pickleball". we had heard about it but didn't know what it was all about. After watching for a while and asking lots of questions, I still don't have a clue other than it has a "kitchen" and is somewhere in the idea of tennis/badminton/pingpong/ and I think some roulette thrown in to confuse me even more. We will try it one of these days.  we seem to like to walk around the park and look at all the perminent place that are for sale here. no we aren't looking to buy, but I have mentioned that I have some land in Maine if someone wants to swap for a "park" model.  at some point Thursday we went to Casa Grande for some supplies. food and then gutters to put the sani hose in to keep it off the ground. we went to Sonic as we can't do the drive thru with the 5th wheel hooked on and they don't have them at home.  Linda found a shoe store and got hiking boots and sandles so she is set. we went to Fry's grocery store and got some food including a roasted chicken for supper. ater we got home and ate, I spent a couple of hours trying to get this dadblum "Chromecast" to connect with the internet AGAIN. I am beginning to think it's hopeless as this is an over 55 park and I need a teenager to figure this out. TV still not working.
Friday started as our normal routine, linda walking, me facebooking and then to coffee at the club house.  we did get some more lites and decorations up at the RV site and the awning rigged for lites. They have a game called "horseracing" here that one couple runs. It is a plywood board with 6 lanes and 10 spots for each lane. everyone "buys" a card with a horse number on it(or more than one card if your rich) 10 cents a card, then they roll two dice and whatever numbers come up they move that horse one spot forward. After the first horse passes the last spot, that horse or horses win and whomever has that number gets the pot.sometimes you have to split the pot.  one would never think a bunch of adults could make such a ruckus yelling for their plastic horse" to run you old nag "and jump(not very high) when your horse won. it's alot of fun and we all have a ball trying to figure why it's so much fun.  the sun has been out and nice. mid 30's at nite  and 65-70 degrees during the day and we are loving it. I finely got my banjo our of the case(where it has been for over a year) and started tuning it and a string broke so went online to find a place I could get strings. The "dish" box had been delivered and I hooked it up but nothing happened so again I called Dish and they walked me all thru the setup and it was susposed to come on within a 1/2 hour and I needed to get to the clubhouse so I hung up.  at 530 went to the club house for darts. Linda took the washing and did alot of washing and drying as I played darts. I haven't thrown since last year while we were here. I had drawn #9 so that teamed me up with my friend Frank. neither of us did very well, but I did get a couple of bullseyes and we did win 3 out of 8 games. not good enough to get into the play offs but we had fun.  Linda had finished and was back at the rig when I got home. She was watching a tv show on the computer.. I tried the Dish and nothing happened so I called Dish again and spent over an hour on the phone, but then everything worked and we could watch tv. It is hard to get used to watching the 11 oclock news at 9pm, as the time differance can fool you. 
Saturday we went to coffee and then took the banjo and drove the 35 miles to Tucson and went to "Guitar Store" as one of the musicions in the park had reccomended. They were great,  they removed the strings, cleaned everything, polished and restrung. tightened and restreached the new strings. the guy was very good but he had to replace two of the new strings to get it to tune correctly. after an hour he finished and it sounded great(I wasn't behind it) so it should sound good.  Linda had found a "Fresh Tomato" resturant close by so we went there for lunch. It's an awesome place. you go in and it's a huge salad bar with all the fixings. all their veggies are fresh daily from local farms. they have  over 8 fresh soups to pick from as well as baked potatoes, pizza, muffins/cornbread, pasta of numerious styles and soft serve ice cream with tons of toppings. we did really well as Linda got the SR discount. haha   we left there stuffed and went to a local fresh market and got some ribs and chicken that was on sale. home again linda put on her bathing suit and laid in the sun as I played with the banjo, until she had heard enough. how anyone is expected to get their fingers in thoses positions is beyond me, but I will keep trying.   
we are having a ball and enjoying everything. the people are fun and the weather si wonderful so we can't ask for more.

Jan 14 2015 Wednesday

hi.
 well lets get caught up. we left Las Cruses,NM on Tuesday morning a drove about 4 hrs and made it to PPRV (Picacho Peak RV Resort). The weather was nice coming across, no high winds and the traffic was light. just West of Tucson we drove under a huge cloud and got some rain but could see Picacho Peak in the distance with the sun shining on it. it cleared up as we got here but started to sprinkle as we were setting up, nothing very much to bother us.  Our friends Dave and Virl  had planned diner for us, so we went up to their new home in the park and had a wonderful diner of Corned beef and Cabbage, and a good visit. came back and did a little more organizing in the RV. I worked at getting our satellite setup but the box wouldn't work so I moved on to the Chromecast device that the Lents had given Linda for her birthday. I couldn't get it to sync with the IPad and tried all I could think of. I am NOT a techie! while doing this, I did find the old network provider from last year here in AZ and signed up with them on line. what a pain.
well, to start on Wednesday. we got up and made coffee and started getting more stuff organized around the RV and then went to one of our favorite events here and that is 9AM coffee in the club house. after having more coffee and reconnecting with more friends and meeting some new folks we stopped and registered at the office. they asked how long we were staying and I guess we agreed that it would be about 3 months.  We had gone online while still at home and registered at the "local" post office for a PO box, thinking we might be able to ride our bikes to it once we got a little more used to riding (we haven't ridden since last year) but after driving the 8 miles to the post office we agreed that we will take the truck. we got there and the lady was very nice and got us set up with our keys. we went ourside and called Barrington PO and told them to start forwarding all our mail, so we should be all set for getting our mail.  When we got back I called our Dish satellite provider and told them my issues and answered their questions and the said it is a defective "box" and they would ship us one and we should get it in 2 to 3 days. hope it works, as it wasn't free.  got fed up and set the tv up to our on roof antenna and got 12 channels, half are in spanish(mexican) but it comes in clear but no network channels.  Linda got the RV all cleaned and we moved stuff around to it's onsite location , meaning that is is where we want it while staying here, but will need to be moved before we head home. I got the outside lights and decor setup and the park crew brought us a picnic table. sun was shining and Linda actually set outside sunning for a little bit. in the low 60's and breezey but nice compared to what is happening at home and most of the country.  made and took tortilla soup to the potluck dinner tonite. good turnout and all the soup was eaten( i did hear some folks saying it was great and wanted to know who made it. I didn't say a word as I don't want to try and explain how we just throw stuff in the crockpot and it is what it is.  after diner Linda and I , our friends Ed and Linda, a new couple we just met all went to Dave and Virls for an even of chatting and story telling. it was alot of fun as we are from all different places across the country and still have alot in common. now back and ready to call it quits.   I may turn the TV on for a bit just to see what in on at nite. Looking for a nice day tomorrow and more of our winter fun. the retired driver(at least until our return trip)

Sunday, January 11

And it's warm and we have sun.  Left Mineola, and a great few days with Joey and Brenda.  Yesterday afternoon, we rode over to Ben Wheeler, TX.  it's a small, relatively new town, with several restaurants and a few shops, wouldn't call them a store.  The shops were interesting, to say the least. Russ and Joey went to a hat shop, where cowboy hats, are made from scratch.  Making the 'felt' and all.  Russ has a Stetson which we purchased several years.  We don't bring it with us as it takes up so much room, so he didn't order a new one.  They started at $450.  We then went over to one of the restaurants for some very good food, and great music.
Too early to go home, so we went back to the pool hall/dance hall that we went to the first night in Mineola.  Played pool, and I really was getting the hang of it.  There was a country music band that started playing early.  I love watching the folks doing the Texas Two Step.  We really need to do some practicing during the summer months.  or practice in Picacho.
Today, we traveled another 6 hours west to Big Spring, TX.  We are in an RV park just off I-20.  Tomorrow we have another 6 hours to travel to Las Cruces, NM.  There's a Mexican restaurant that we particularly like, so we have dinner there.  It has made it easy this trip staying at rvparks we have stayed at in years past.  The next day, Tuesday, we should be in Picacho.  Hope so as we have dinner reservations at Virl and Dave Russell's.  These are the folks who visited us this summer.  Looking forward to that and some warm weather in Arizona. See ya later.

Friday Jan 9th

We are in Texas. We made it from Tennessee to just south of Little Rock Arkansas on Wednesday afternoon after making it thru Nashville ,Memphis and Little Rock. It has been very cold! In little rock it was 12degrees and the wind blowing. Our water started to freeze even though the water was running, we both took showers and then disconnected the hose. We actually turned on our tank heaters for the first time ever as I was afraid that the whole place would freeze up. We left Thursday at 830 and made it to Joey and Brenda's by 3pm the sun was out and about 35. We got set up and visited with Joey and Brenda and then went out to eat at a new steak place, it was very good. On the way back Brenda wanted to show us a typical Texas bar and pool hall, we were all a little apprehensive but went in. Me with my NH ball cap and Joey with a Red Socks ball cap. It was pretty cool and to have a drink in a restUrant or bar you have to "join" thrie private club, which means they swipe the bar code on you drivers license. Dry county or something like that. We played pool and we all were very poor players but we had fun. The owner talked to us and he is actually from Portagul but has been in the states for years and I thought he was a real Texas cowboy. They had Karoke going and so we stayed for a while, some awesome singers. No I didn't go up and sarinade them. Lol.
Brenda had to go to work today so we are just catching up and are going to do some errands today.

Jan 6 w

We made it to Lebanon,TN this afternoon. We left VA this morning about 8am and just drove right along. It has been very cold for this part of the country. Notes in the low 20s and only in the 30s during the day. We made a couple of fuel stops and we do like the diesel prices that was just under $3 today. Love saving money. Well compared to last year that was about $4 a gallon.  When we came by Carthage, TN, where our friend Killian Adams lives, we textes him to say hi. We knew that he would be in school so we drove on by. He called later and found out where we were and decided it was worth the trip to come and visit us. We were so happy to see him! Killian has grown up so much and seems to be doing quite well. He's old enough to drive 45minutes to come visit. We were in VA with friends when he was up in NH this last summer so it had been about 2year since we had seen him. Thanks for making the trip K.  We are planning on making it to Little Rock,AR tomorrow.  We found that we had passed into a different time zone so we are a little mixed up on timing and the GPS doesn't bother to let us know that type of thing. The weather report on tv says that we may get a few light flurries in the morning so we will play our departure time accordingly. If we get out by 9 or so we should get just south of LR by afternoon and have found an RV park that looks like it will be ok.
I did get the fresh water tank flushed and cleaned this afternoon. It was picking up some sediment and    I didn't want to get that crud throughout our water system. Now it's all set and we have water to use when I disconnect the hose from the park at nite so it doesn't freeze. Not much else happening from this composer so I will hand off to the lady of the RV.
It's Linda now.  Not much more to say.  We are staying in Lebanon, TN, in a park we have stayed at before.  We have done that a few times so far.  Has made it easier knowing where we are going.  This weekend we hope to make it to Mineola, TXT, to visit with Joey and Brenda Paradis...very good friends.
As Russ said, it has been cold so we are anxious for the warm weather.  So, we continue west.
More to come.....

Jan 5 2015

We left Palmyra,PA this morning at 8AM in windy cold conditions. We had talked to our friends Ron and Rosie and had planned to meet them for lunch just off the highway in Staunton,VA, near where they live. We called the while travelling and they were both sick and couldn't
meet us so we drove straight thru to Max Meadows,VA.  We got into Ft. Chiswell RV Park at 3:45 and got setup. we stayed here last year and it's an easy in and easy out just off the highway. Linda hasn't had time to do her daily walk so she donned her winter woollies and went for a walk around the park.  I fooled around with the tv and went out and took a couple of pictures. We have decided that we should have a picture of the places we stay to put with the park info we keep in case we get back into the same area.  I am doing this on the IPad and it doesn't have a camera plug in point .  I guess I should have just taken the pics with the IPad.  Confounded contraptions!  It is expected to be around 20degrees tonite so we will have to disconnect the H2O before going to bed.  I did put some water in our fresh water holding tank so if we need it during the nite or at some point we will have a little water.  I haven't flushed the holding tank so it might be a little pink colored from the RV antifreeze(non toxic), and might taste a little for a minute or so.  This cold weather camping is a pain, but we work thru it. Tomorrow we hope to make it the almost 6 hours to Lebanon,TN (just east of Nashville)  We are just pushing thru, as it is pretty cold and not much to see at this time of year. Well, I guess there might be if we weren't wanting to get south and west, in hopes of warm weather. Hope you are all well and enjoying winter.  I will pass this to the navigator and let her clean up my spelling. Hugs
I may have missed a few spelling errors, but the material is correct.  It has been cold, and other than just walking around the park to get some of my steps in, I don't want to do much sightseeing.  We had a great few days in Palmyra.  Peyton and Gavin are busy and Griffin isn't quite sure who or what we are.  I'm sure he will catch on.  A grandmother can only hope.
Right now, weather permitting, we should be in AZ as of the 15th.  Need to get rid of the long johns on my walks.  Love to all.......linda

Jan 3

Saturday, January 3

Just came back from the Beans' household.  A very busy household.  Yesterday we went to Chocolate World with Jaime, Peyton, and Griffin.  Since Gavin didn't make it yesterday, we went back today.  It's a regular trip and they have in the past complained that they didn't want to go, I guess another year older has changed their minds.  As always, it was fun again.  The entrance and ramps to the ride itself has changed, and they are both so familiar with it, the four of us critique it.  You know, the cocoa beans are glued to the convyer belt, and that chocolate kiss in the same row , is always tipped over, and the number of candy bars made each day, never changes.  But since Gavin and Peyton are 11 and 8, we can still enjoy it.  Also, we like the candy bars (little ones) that we get at the end of the ride.  Yesterday they were chocolate bars.  Today they were Kit Kats.
Tomorrow Gavin has a couple of basketball games, so we will go to those, then come back to the camper and get ready to leave on Monday morning.  Headed next to Staunton, VA, to meet up with friends, Ron and Rosie for lunch.
Oh, it was snowing a little this morning, a little sleet this afternoon, and raining now.  It's now 38.
And I neglected to mention Griffin.  He's eight month old, with lots of hair, has lot to 'talk' about, and enjoys his big brother and sister.  He has four teeth, and looks like he is ready to walk, atleast he has the moves down pat when his hands are being held.  He was warming up to us today, and we'll get a hug tomorrow.  Or Grammies will just 'take' it.
We have heard that there has been snow on the top of Picacho Peak.  Hope it melts before we get there.
More later.....

2015

Good morning,
 Linda and I made it to Manheim,PA yesterday afternoon. We left Barrington at 5AM and had a good trip with light traffic and only took 8 1/2 hours.  We got set up and found that our hot water heater bypass tube was frozen so we got the heaters going and after a while things thawed out and everything working well. We wants to Linda's son,Tim's house and had diner with the family and then had our Christmas with them. The kids age good and the youngest grandson, Griffin, may warm up to us before we leave. We got back to the RV around 830, it had been a long day. The temps were below freezing so I disconnected the water and brought the supply hose inside. Bed by 9PM and a goodnites sleep. Reconnected the h2o this morning and got hot water so we could shower. Hot coffee and sunshine are a good thing. Going back to Tims to install some spacers ,that I brought with us, around his front door so he will be able to install a screen door. Never what we are going to be doing while here, but spending time with the family is nice.  Mom and Dad called, and it was nice to talk to them and let them know that we are safe.  If one of you readers go by our house,keep a eye out for a package that Fedex may leave. Not sure if they lost it or were able to recall it along the way. Nothing critical, but don't want it stuck in the door all winter. Not much else to post right now, but wanted to say hi.  The travelling woodworker and Linder.