Saturday we went to the Flea market over at Sky Valley, a nice looking campsite with a lot of park models, both older and newer. Nice facilities, though there wasn't much for sale, and it was at people's sites so you had to drive around a bit. It has an east side and a west side, also hair salon and restaurant, besides their pool and clubhouse complex.
After that we went and had lunch at Agua Caliente Casino in town, not that remarkable, and we played the slots and lost a small amount.
Got the truck washed in Desert Hot Springs by some students of an alternate school, and then came back here. Di went to the pool and Lary had a siesta then joined me at the pool.
Sunday we drove 2 hours over to visit Craig, Di's stepbrother and his wife Cindy in Escondido at their lovely home. They had a nice lunch for us, but they were very busy, after 5 months of hard work they plan to put their home on the market on Tuesday. It is a super place, 3 floors, very expensive and has 2 acres with lots of vegetation, very labour intensive for them. It has a 1 acre avocado grove at the back of the property. It has a huge bank of solar panels, too, as well as a pool and gorgeous grounds.
They have a condo at Incline Village in Lake Tahoe, Nevada that they will move to when the house sells.
We had a nice visit and a catchup, unfortunately in my opinion there is a small development going in right beside them, it is now 8 acres and will be perhaps 4 luxury homes, but at the moment it is dead avocado trees being removed one at a time for the proposed development. A bit of an eyesore for a prospective buyer for Craig's home, with a possible long lasting construction project beside them.
Time will tell what happens in this market -it only takes one buyer, but what a market to try and sell property in. It will be in a high price bracket, too.
Came back home around 8 PM and Lary has developed a cold, so he feels quite poorly.
Monday we welcomed back Dave and Wendy S. and we moved over to be much closer to the upper clubhouse and pool complex, Sue and Jen Di's sisters are coming on Saturday for a 6 day visit and will be staying in a rental park model trailer, on the other side of the upper pool from us.
The park here is really emptying out, there is a large group of Class A buses visiting, but the "locals" are really starting to go in droves. At the end of March all the organized activities stop, and also the food services stop, so we're much more on our own from now on.
On Sunday night when we came back from San Diego there were huge winds happening here, with blowing dust, so we pulled in our slide overnight, the canopy above the slide really makes a racket, and pulls the trailer around in high winds.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Lots of fun in Las Vegas NV
Sunday, March 22nd, we drove from Desert Hot Springs CA to Las Vegas NV in about 4 hours in the truck, and had lunch along the way at the Mad Greek, in Baker, a wee town in Nevada I believe. Ate Gyros, pita wrapped around yummy meat.
Arrived in LV at 3:30 PM, our room cost us $39 each nite at the Riviera, and we had a king bed room on the 6th floor. No mini fridge though, guess we weren't paying enough. Cost $3.50 extra daily to use the safe in the room which we did, but they wanted $9.95 per day to use the WiFi internet, so we didn't do that.
Went to Circus Circus across the strip from our hotel, and had roast beef dinner, and watched a free circus act, then back to the Riviera as we had tickets to see Ice, a gorgeous skating troupe from Russia. They put on a wonderful show, the stage was an ice rink, and there was a runway that came right out into the audience, so they skated by us quite often. Fabulous show- kind of circus things, but stretched the boundaries of what you can do on skates -hugely. Can you picture skating on stilts? They also did incredible balancing acts, and were so graceful and pretty.
Fantastic, and we told them so when we met them doing promos the next day on the strip.
Only 50 degrees, though sunny, what a change from Desert Hot Springs.
Monday it reached 62 and was windy.
Had breakfast at the hotel, and spent the day on the strip going in and out of casinos. Bought tickets for "Barbra and Frank, the show that never was" - that's Streisand and Sinatra, for Tuesday.
Also bought tickets for Phantom of the Opera for that very night, at the Venetian, it was a super show, we're very happy we went to it. Show wasn't sold out, also wasn't cheap either. We were so delighted to see it, wonderful music and effects, the stage presentations there are unbelievable. Specially built for the productions.
Di gambled and occasionally won, Lary didn't win but he tried. We only play penny machines, and normally spend less than $40 a day, so we're not high rollers at all.
Had lunch in the Creperie at Paris- the casino, it's such a fabulous complex, every time we're there we enjoy it so much. Shops are to die for, and the atmosphere is incredible, the Eiffel Tower is right there, 1/2 size of the real one, the base of it is inside Paris on the casino floor.
Tuesday it was 70 F.
And we spent the day searching out different bead shops in the truck, and stocking up a wee bit. Didn't hit the big ones though. Enjoyed the day away from the strip. Ate at a Greek restaurant, and talked quite a bit with a lady bead shop owner from Mexico, she was very interesting. Her hubbie had been Hawaiian.
Went to Ethel M chocolate factory, but we arrived at 3:30 PM or so, and production had stopped for the day. Chocolates were very expensive, we had the free samples, and then walked around the wonderful desert gardens specially planted at the back of the chocolate factory. Most things are for very dry climates, some native, some not.
We ate ice creams there, and then we got a call from the Rogoway Gallery down in Tubac, AZ saying that the artist had accepted our offer on a beautiful desert painting, which we both adored, so that made us very very happy indeed.
They will ship it to us at the beginning of May, their cost. The subject is Pinnacle Peak in AZ, and it's an oil painting. John Horejs I believe is the painter, his work is in many corporate offices around the world, so we feel very lucky to have had our offer accepted.
We went to the "Barbra (Streisand) and Frank (Sinatra) show, the concert that never was" at our hotel that evening, it was very amusing. It has been on for about 5 years, the two who do it are super and it's very funny, too. The Barbra Streisand lady kibbutzes about and makes it amusing. The pianist is terrific, so talented, he also sang and played beautifully. Bought the photo they took of us, $35, so stupid. Last Sept the photos were $20 at places, now the frames are ritzier, and they charge way too much.
Played the slots Lary won $35.
Wed March 25th sunny and 75 F.
Walked miles and miles today, had lunch at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, delicious lunch and well run restaurant. They always seem busy at that chain, and good value for money.
We looked at both Wynn and Encore, they are newer casinos and very high end, theme of both seems to be "red" and a big oriental presence in both. Sleek bronze colored glass exteriors, and wonderful inside. Wynn has a waterwall, so neat, and being new everything was shiny and fancy. Butterflies set into the floor, carpets, etc. Incredibly lavish interiors too. Worth a trip to look at them. We kind of drifted up and down the strip, walked our feet off. Nice that it's not so hot this time.
In the evening we took the Deuce double decker bus $3 per trip to Fremont Street, downtown Las Vegas, and waited for their neat sound and light show outside on the ceiling of their "strip". First one was American Pie by Don MacLean, next was Queen, next was Kiss. They are on the hour at night. We ate inside Binions Casino, very old and we were downstairs in a very old part, but good food and service. Lary turned $5 into $25 in the slots. Somebody on the bus said that the downtown casinos were more generous than the ones on the strip.
Thursday 26 March, sunny and 70 F. Very windy day. Pool outside was closed.
Took the Deuce bus south along the strip, and walked back, eating lunch once more at Paris, more crepes. Yum yum. Ate dinner in our hotel, at the buffet, not impressed, Lary enjoyed the roast beef, but the rest was lame and overpriced.
Lary impressed himself and Di by turning $5 into $108 at the slots in our hotel, a big win considering they were penny machines with penny bets. I think Di broke even, some of the slots start to give you free spins and free plays, that's what Lary did to win his large amount. He was a happy camper indeed.
Friday 27 March, 70 degrees in Vegas.
Got up and had breakfast in the hotel, then checked out and had a bellhop take our bags down, we didn't have wheels on our bags, and they were quite heavy, though Di had consumed all the Jose Cuervo Margarita drink we had taken with us, to lighten the load, of course!!!!!.
Stopped in a bead shop north of Las Vegas and Di got some beads, very nice elderly gents owned it, they were both in their mid to late 70s and had opened the shop 5 years ago, they were both bored with retirement, having both worked their whole lives at Sears. They are expanding into the store next door to them, too.
Lovely shop, very well organized, and I found some nice things.
Back to Desert Hot Springs at about 1700. There had been a windstorm by the look of it, our bedspread and kitchen floor were covered with sandy grit. And the electricity had been off for a brief time as the stereo clock was flashing, but thankfully the fridge was still working. We had turned off the water coming into the trailer, and turned off the propane too, but left the electricity on for the fridge. All well other than the grit which Di vacuumed. Lary seems to be getting a cold, or it could be allergies due to the windy weather.
Good to be back, we feel we have DONE Las Vegas for now, time to give it a break. It was a super trip though, and the room prices were great. Bellman said that about 1/2 of the hotel staff had been laid off, how awful for them. When we returned to the trailer we had another offer for rooms at Circus Circus for $28.95 per night mid week, so there are some deals to be had on the internet, and with your players cards.
But when you went into the malls inside all those big beautiful casinos there were people buying lots of things, loaded down with bags. And we heard lots and lots of different nationalities speaking everywhere. Interesting place and economy.
Fun to be in Adult Fantasyland for a few days.
Arrived in LV at 3:30 PM, our room cost us $39 each nite at the Riviera, and we had a king bed room on the 6th floor. No mini fridge though, guess we weren't paying enough. Cost $3.50 extra daily to use the safe in the room which we did, but they wanted $9.95 per day to use the WiFi internet, so we didn't do that.
Went to Circus Circus across the strip from our hotel, and had roast beef dinner, and watched a free circus act, then back to the Riviera as we had tickets to see Ice, a gorgeous skating troupe from Russia. They put on a wonderful show, the stage was an ice rink, and there was a runway that came right out into the audience, so they skated by us quite often. Fabulous show- kind of circus things, but stretched the boundaries of what you can do on skates -hugely. Can you picture skating on stilts? They also did incredible balancing acts, and were so graceful and pretty.
Fantastic, and we told them so when we met them doing promos the next day on the strip.
Only 50 degrees, though sunny, what a change from Desert Hot Springs.
Monday it reached 62 and was windy.
Had breakfast at the hotel, and spent the day on the strip going in and out of casinos. Bought tickets for "Barbra and Frank, the show that never was" - that's Streisand and Sinatra, for Tuesday.
Also bought tickets for Phantom of the Opera for that very night, at the Venetian, it was a super show, we're very happy we went to it. Show wasn't sold out, also wasn't cheap either. We were so delighted to see it, wonderful music and effects, the stage presentations there are unbelievable. Specially built for the productions.
Di gambled and occasionally won, Lary didn't win but he tried. We only play penny machines, and normally spend less than $40 a day, so we're not high rollers at all.
Had lunch in the Creperie at Paris- the casino, it's such a fabulous complex, every time we're there we enjoy it so much. Shops are to die for, and the atmosphere is incredible, the Eiffel Tower is right there, 1/2 size of the real one, the base of it is inside Paris on the casino floor.
Tuesday it was 70 F.
And we spent the day searching out different bead shops in the truck, and stocking up a wee bit. Didn't hit the big ones though. Enjoyed the day away from the strip. Ate at a Greek restaurant, and talked quite a bit with a lady bead shop owner from Mexico, she was very interesting. Her hubbie had been Hawaiian.
Went to Ethel M chocolate factory, but we arrived at 3:30 PM or so, and production had stopped for the day. Chocolates were very expensive, we had the free samples, and then walked around the wonderful desert gardens specially planted at the back of the chocolate factory. Most things are for very dry climates, some native, some not.
We ate ice creams there, and then we got a call from the Rogoway Gallery down in Tubac, AZ saying that the artist had accepted our offer on a beautiful desert painting, which we both adored, so that made us very very happy indeed.
They will ship it to us at the beginning of May, their cost. The subject is Pinnacle Peak in AZ, and it's an oil painting. John Horejs I believe is the painter, his work is in many corporate offices around the world, so we feel very lucky to have had our offer accepted.
We went to the "Barbra (Streisand) and Frank (Sinatra) show, the concert that never was" at our hotel that evening, it was very amusing. It has been on for about 5 years, the two who do it are super and it's very funny, too. The Barbra Streisand lady kibbutzes about and makes it amusing. The pianist is terrific, so talented, he also sang and played beautifully. Bought the photo they took of us, $35, so stupid. Last Sept the photos were $20 at places, now the frames are ritzier, and they charge way too much.
Played the slots Lary won $35.
Wed March 25th sunny and 75 F.
Walked miles and miles today, had lunch at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, delicious lunch and well run restaurant. They always seem busy at that chain, and good value for money.
We looked at both Wynn and Encore, they are newer casinos and very high end, theme of both seems to be "red" and a big oriental presence in both. Sleek bronze colored glass exteriors, and wonderful inside. Wynn has a waterwall, so neat, and being new everything was shiny and fancy. Butterflies set into the floor, carpets, etc. Incredibly lavish interiors too. Worth a trip to look at them. We kind of drifted up and down the strip, walked our feet off. Nice that it's not so hot this time.
In the evening we took the Deuce double decker bus $3 per trip to Fremont Street, downtown Las Vegas, and waited for their neat sound and light show outside on the ceiling of their "strip". First one was American Pie by Don MacLean, next was Queen, next was Kiss. They are on the hour at night. We ate inside Binions Casino, very old and we were downstairs in a very old part, but good food and service. Lary turned $5 into $25 in the slots. Somebody on the bus said that the downtown casinos were more generous than the ones on the strip.
Thursday 26 March, sunny and 70 F. Very windy day. Pool outside was closed.
Took the Deuce bus south along the strip, and walked back, eating lunch once more at Paris, more crepes. Yum yum. Ate dinner in our hotel, at the buffet, not impressed, Lary enjoyed the roast beef, but the rest was lame and overpriced.
Lary impressed himself and Di by turning $5 into $108 at the slots in our hotel, a big win considering they were penny machines with penny bets. I think Di broke even, some of the slots start to give you free spins and free plays, that's what Lary did to win his large amount. He was a happy camper indeed.
Friday 27 March, 70 degrees in Vegas.
Got up and had breakfast in the hotel, then checked out and had a bellhop take our bags down, we didn't have wheels on our bags, and they were quite heavy, though Di had consumed all the Jose Cuervo Margarita drink we had taken with us, to lighten the load, of course!!!!!.
Stopped in a bead shop north of Las Vegas and Di got some beads, very nice elderly gents owned it, they were both in their mid to late 70s and had opened the shop 5 years ago, they were both bored with retirement, having both worked their whole lives at Sears. They are expanding into the store next door to them, too.
Lovely shop, very well organized, and I found some nice things.
Back to Desert Hot Springs at about 1700. There had been a windstorm by the look of it, our bedspread and kitchen floor were covered with sandy grit. And the electricity had been off for a brief time as the stereo clock was flashing, but thankfully the fridge was still working. We had turned off the water coming into the trailer, and turned off the propane too, but left the electricity on for the fridge. All well other than the grit which Di vacuumed. Lary seems to be getting a cold, or it could be allergies due to the windy weather.
Good to be back, we feel we have DONE Las Vegas for now, time to give it a break. It was a super trip though, and the room prices were great. Bellman said that about 1/2 of the hotel staff had been laid off, how awful for them. When we returned to the trailer we had another offer for rooms at Circus Circus for $28.95 per night mid week, so there are some deals to be had on the internet, and with your players cards.
But when you went into the malls inside all those big beautiful casinos there were people buying lots of things, loaded down with bags. And we heard lots and lots of different nationalities speaking everywhere. Interesting place and economy.
Fun to be in Adult Fantasyland for a few days.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Renaissance Festival in Palm Springs
Today we went up to the clubhouse for breakfast, and took a wee look at the small market up there, Wendy was selling her jewelry. Then we went over to Caliente RV Resort on Dillon Road, another nice development on a golf course, and they had a big market day set up there, lots of things to see.
Lary bought a key holder made of wood, Di bought earrings, (what's new?) and some very nice cards.
Then we went down to Palm Springs, to the Renaissance Festival in the heart of Palm Springs,it is such a neat weekend, with tons of people dressed up in costumes and having a blast. Bands, maidens, royalty, knights, lords, ladies, wenches. Children frolicking in the warm sunshine. Such a mellow time indeed. Children riding on donkeys, food concessions, so much fun. A man with some big parrots, ladies with mice and rats. Yuck. Bosoms galore, such sights to be seen. And men in kilts, forgot to mention that, lots of them. Some cotton kilts, some woolen ones.
Home after we did a bit of shopping, tomorrow we leave for Las Vegas for 5 nights in the truck, leaving the trailer here in the park.
We had ribs at the clubhouse, a very popular dinner there, and it was packed. It was very windy in the evening with dust swirling around, and a weird kind of low cloud too, hanging over the Coachella Valley. Now at 9:30 PM it's a still as can be.
Temps in Las Vegas look as if they are going to be quite a bit cooler than here. We will likely do a lot of walking, that is what gets you around fastest there.
We bought patterns to make medieval costumes, not sure when we'll do that, but fun to dream a bit, and maybe even challenge ourselves, too.
That was our Saturday, not sure if we will be posting from Las Vegas or not. TTFN.
Lary bought a key holder made of wood, Di bought earrings, (what's new?) and some very nice cards.
Then we went down to Palm Springs, to the Renaissance Festival in the heart of Palm Springs,it is such a neat weekend, with tons of people dressed up in costumes and having a blast. Bands, maidens, royalty, knights, lords, ladies, wenches. Children frolicking in the warm sunshine. Such a mellow time indeed. Children riding on donkeys, food concessions, so much fun. A man with some big parrots, ladies with mice and rats. Yuck. Bosoms galore, such sights to be seen. And men in kilts, forgot to mention that, lots of them. Some cotton kilts, some woolen ones.
Home after we did a bit of shopping, tomorrow we leave for Las Vegas for 5 nights in the truck, leaving the trailer here in the park.
We had ribs at the clubhouse, a very popular dinner there, and it was packed. It was very windy in the evening with dust swirling around, and a weird kind of low cloud too, hanging over the Coachella Valley. Now at 9:30 PM it's a still as can be.
Temps in Las Vegas look as if they are going to be quite a bit cooler than here. We will likely do a lot of walking, that is what gets you around fastest there.
We bought patterns to make medieval costumes, not sure when we'll do that, but fun to dream a bit, and maybe even challenge ourselves, too.
That was our Saturday, not sure if we will be posting from Las Vegas or not. TTFN.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Whew it's hot here, over 90 degrees today
Today we waited for the WiFi guy to help us here in the park, yesterday he sold us a WiFi antenna (adaptor) which worked yesterday, but we poked something wrong later, and then it didn't work. So we asked for more help.
Turned out we had to disable the internal WiFi switch on our computer, so he did that, and it boosts the signal we receive hugely. Otherwise the signal is so weak we can't bring in anything here, and our email doesn't get sent or received.
It is the second day of high heat, and today it was kind of cloudy/foggy and felt humid and close, but that cleared up this afternoon.
We went and got diesel at Flying J on Varner Road, $1.98 per gallon today, not that bad for sure. Also got groceries at Walmart and came home, then hit the pool to cool off. Truck temp read 92 degrees late this afternoon, and we put on the A/C.
Together with Dave and Wendy we left the campsite around 6:30 PM, and went in to the Palm Springs night market, which is on between 6 and 10 PM. We ate at Mary's Burgers, and then walked the whole length of the fair, about 4 blocks, right down Palm Springs main street. It was quite busy, and very warm. Quite magic as the shops and restaurants were very busy, spring break is here, and Palm Springs is hosting a lot of students, especially at the Holiday Inn. Crafts, green grocer, nuts and fruits, crafts, art stuff, crepes, other foods like sausages, hamburgers, and some vegetarian stuff too. Lemonade, fudge, kettle corn. All the basic food groups.
Back to the park a bit after 10 P.M. and watched Jay Leno interview President Obama. The president seems such a nice guy to me.
Turned out we had to disable the internal WiFi switch on our computer, so he did that, and it boosts the signal we receive hugely. Otherwise the signal is so weak we can't bring in anything here, and our email doesn't get sent or received.
It is the second day of high heat, and today it was kind of cloudy/foggy and felt humid and close, but that cleared up this afternoon.
We went and got diesel at Flying J on Varner Road, $1.98 per gallon today, not that bad for sure. Also got groceries at Walmart and came home, then hit the pool to cool off. Truck temp read 92 degrees late this afternoon, and we put on the A/C.
Together with Dave and Wendy we left the campsite around 6:30 PM, and went in to the Palm Springs night market, which is on between 6 and 10 PM. We ate at Mary's Burgers, and then walked the whole length of the fair, about 4 blocks, right down Palm Springs main street. It was quite busy, and very warm. Quite magic as the shops and restaurants were very busy, spring break is here, and Palm Springs is hosting a lot of students, especially at the Holiday Inn. Crafts, green grocer, nuts and fruits, crafts, art stuff, crepes, other foods like sausages, hamburgers, and some vegetarian stuff too. Lemonade, fudge, kettle corn. All the basic food groups.
Back to the park a bit after 10 P.M. and watched Jay Leno interview President Obama. The president seems such a nice guy to me.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Wedneday in hot Desert Hot Springs
Whew it has turned very hot here, high 80s or low 90s. Lovely weather, we are heading for the pool ASAP.
Arrived here on Saturday, had cinnamon buns first at Pilot Knob before we left there for DHS. Lots of buggies in the dunes areas alongside the highway that parallels the US/MX border. Windy over the weekend, we are right over on the edge of the park, 2 sites away from Dave and Wendy, and the man between us is 84 years old and away on a cruise to Hawaii.
We both love Dave and Wendy's new Cardinal 33 ft trailer, wow and more wow. They headed off to Jazz in the Gardens at El Paseo, and we had roast chicken dinner here in the clubhouse. Yum yum.
Sunday we went in to an art show in Palm Springs, and met Dave and Wendy there. Lary bought me a pretty glass shamrock for St Patrick's day. Home and had burgers at the clubhouse with Dave and Wendy. I had bought a dichroic pendant at the art show.
Gave Dave and Wendy some ProSecco Italian sparkling wine, and Wendy served us strawberries and ice cream for dessert. Yum. Looked at some of their cruise photos.
Monday Di and Wendy went to a card making course, and made 4 cards each with Judy Cox as teacher, fabulous session with ideas burbling out of Judy, a very generous teacher. Dave and Lary went to the manager's meeting here in the park to get the latest info about the park. Went to the pool, it was very warm.
St Patrick's Day Lary and I went over to Banning on the highway to see a few Cardinal trailers they have. Saw 2 - 2009s and one 2008 that Lary thinks is our floor plan. They said they would make us a very good deal, it's the RV Discount centre or something like that.
Then Lary and I went up to Yucca Valley, on the way there we saw a travel trailer on the highway, tipped over on its side at the edge of the highway, very frightening to see. Not sure what had gone wrong with that day for those people, but it tied up traffic, and is very sobering to see, too, for us RVers.
Yucca Valley was very hot, higher than PS/DHS. We went up to see an art show of paintings and photos of cactus flowering, combined with a reduce/reuse/recycle exhibit. Very fascinating how some folks can make art out of found objects etc.
The girl in the museum, the Hi Desert Nature Museum up there told us about a cowboy western village ghost town in their area, Pioneertown, so we went there and strolled up and down dusty main street. It was built in 1946 by Gene Autry and Roy Rogers for a movie set, and many movies, around 200, were filmed there over the years. Now just a dusty stage set kind of, though some folks live there on "mane street". There is also a wooden motel there, 20 unit, you can stay there as well as board your horse out back. It's wooden, and looks picturesque.
Came home and ate in, there are strict policing policies in force on St Paddy's Day as it is a drive and drink problem down here, which leads to accidents.
Our internet has been acting up horribly, we have had almost no connectivity, so Lary went to a seminar today about that. The technician guy here, Bryan sold Lary a new Wi Fi antenna, the one we bought wasn't working at all. Pity about the first one, but this new one works wonderfully, bumping up the speed magically. Ah me, when technology works well it's terrific, when it doesn't work, we could both throw out the computer, not fair as it's not the computer's fault.
That's about it for now, it's off to the pool we go. Tra laa.
Arrived here on Saturday, had cinnamon buns first at Pilot Knob before we left there for DHS. Lots of buggies in the dunes areas alongside the highway that parallels the US/MX border. Windy over the weekend, we are right over on the edge of the park, 2 sites away from Dave and Wendy, and the man between us is 84 years old and away on a cruise to Hawaii.
We both love Dave and Wendy's new Cardinal 33 ft trailer, wow and more wow. They headed off to Jazz in the Gardens at El Paseo, and we had roast chicken dinner here in the clubhouse. Yum yum.
Sunday we went in to an art show in Palm Springs, and met Dave and Wendy there. Lary bought me a pretty glass shamrock for St Patrick's day. Home and had burgers at the clubhouse with Dave and Wendy. I had bought a dichroic pendant at the art show.
Gave Dave and Wendy some ProSecco Italian sparkling wine, and Wendy served us strawberries and ice cream for dessert. Yum. Looked at some of their cruise photos.
Monday Di and Wendy went to a card making course, and made 4 cards each with Judy Cox as teacher, fabulous session with ideas burbling out of Judy, a very generous teacher. Dave and Lary went to the manager's meeting here in the park to get the latest info about the park. Went to the pool, it was very warm.
St Patrick's Day Lary and I went over to Banning on the highway to see a few Cardinal trailers they have. Saw 2 - 2009s and one 2008 that Lary thinks is our floor plan. They said they would make us a very good deal, it's the RV Discount centre or something like that.
Then Lary and I went up to Yucca Valley, on the way there we saw a travel trailer on the highway, tipped over on its side at the edge of the highway, very frightening to see. Not sure what had gone wrong with that day for those people, but it tied up traffic, and is very sobering to see, too, for us RVers.
Yucca Valley was very hot, higher than PS/DHS. We went up to see an art show of paintings and photos of cactus flowering, combined with a reduce/reuse/recycle exhibit. Very fascinating how some folks can make art out of found objects etc.
The girl in the museum, the Hi Desert Nature Museum up there told us about a cowboy western village ghost town in their area, Pioneertown, so we went there and strolled up and down dusty main street. It was built in 1946 by Gene Autry and Roy Rogers for a movie set, and many movies, around 200, were filmed there over the years. Now just a dusty stage set kind of, though some folks live there on "mane street". There is also a wooden motel there, 20 unit, you can stay there as well as board your horse out back. It's wooden, and looks picturesque.
Came home and ate in, there are strict policing policies in force on St Paddy's Day as it is a drive and drink problem down here, which leads to accidents.
Our internet has been acting up horribly, we have had almost no connectivity, so Lary went to a seminar today about that. The technician guy here, Bryan sold Lary a new Wi Fi antenna, the one we bought wasn't working at all. Pity about the first one, but this new one works wonderfully, bumping up the speed magically. Ah me, when technology works well it's terrific, when it doesn't work, we could both throw out the computer, not fair as it's not the computer's fault.
That's about it for now, it's off to the pool we go. Tra laa.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Now In Pilot Knob, AZ/CA border
Left Tucson Boo Hoo on the 11th March and came over here to Yuma area, campsite on the border right between AZ/CA. Pilot Knob.
Yesterday we went to Mexico and both of us got glasses, and Di had her teeth cleaned, and we ate there, and queued for the re entry back to USA, no problem.
While in Mexico we heard from 2 sets of friends in the Yuma area that we could meet up with them. In the afternoon after Mexico we visited Linda and Keith Daniels in their pretty new home in Yuma foothills. We had a super dinner with them, and they toured us around their area, such a neat idea those lots where you can park 2 RVs, and live there throughout the winter, in the warm Yuma sunshine.
Linda and Keith bought their new home last year, and it's very very nice. Their big dog Misty is still with them, and spry and attentive too. They leave soon for the Grand Canyon, Keith hopes to hike down into it for a big birthday he's having.
Today we're a bit lazier, staying in the campsite this AM, catching up on emails, and this afternoon Monique and Gary Coy invited us over to see them at their park, Sun Vista, so they are having a party of some kind. Really looking forward to seeing them too.
Also this morning Jim Ramsbottom biked over to our site and had a bit of a visit, he's Bernice and Gordie Elderkin's nephew from Comox, so we caught up with his news. He had also had some dental work done down in Mexico.
The roadsides here are very pretty, looks as if desert verbena is blooming at the moment, and the fields are rolling a soft hazy purple, it's gorgeous. Also pretty roadside plants in yellows, and we noted that the ocotillo is also blooming here, they have had about 3 major rains here in the Yuma area, according to Linda D.
Tomorrow we leave here and go to Desert Hot Springs once again, for about another month or so.
Yesterday we went to Mexico and both of us got glasses, and Di had her teeth cleaned, and we ate there, and queued for the re entry back to USA, no problem.
While in Mexico we heard from 2 sets of friends in the Yuma area that we could meet up with them. In the afternoon after Mexico we visited Linda and Keith Daniels in their pretty new home in Yuma foothills. We had a super dinner with them, and they toured us around their area, such a neat idea those lots where you can park 2 RVs, and live there throughout the winter, in the warm Yuma sunshine.
Linda and Keith bought their new home last year, and it's very very nice. Their big dog Misty is still with them, and spry and attentive too. They leave soon for the Grand Canyon, Keith hopes to hike down into it for a big birthday he's having.
Today we're a bit lazier, staying in the campsite this AM, catching up on emails, and this afternoon Monique and Gary Coy invited us over to see them at their park, Sun Vista, so they are having a party of some kind. Really looking forward to seeing them too.
Also this morning Jim Ramsbottom biked over to our site and had a bit of a visit, he's Bernice and Gordie Elderkin's nephew from Comox, so we caught up with his news. He had also had some dental work done down in Mexico.
The roadsides here are very pretty, looks as if desert verbena is blooming at the moment, and the fields are rolling a soft hazy purple, it's gorgeous. Also pretty roadside plants in yellows, and we noted that the ocotillo is also blooming here, they have had about 3 major rains here in the Yuma area, according to Linda D.
Tomorrow we leave here and go to Desert Hot Springs once again, for about another month or so.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Up Mt. Lemmon northeast Tucson today
Today we went up Mt. Lemmon, it's to the northeast of Tucson, up the Catalina Parkway near the northern end of Houghton Road. There are gorgeous rocky formations, towering columns of rock that looked as if they were teetering and ready to fall any time. The mountain is 8000 feet, and the top had snow at the sides of the road.
The geological formations are very pretty, and the differing colors of the rock, pink and copper sometimes, other times horizontal stripes, are very pretty indeed. There are lots of different trees right up to the mountaintop, which surprised us both a lot. Luckily there are tons of viewpoints so you can stop the car and have a good look at the vistas. Part of the mountaintop has been burned, and lots of trees show the marks of old fires, too. Fire up there must be terrifying.
At the top we had a bowl of chile, and a delicious coffee and shared a huge cookie at the Cookie Cabin.
The weather was bright and sunny, with very little wind thankfully, as we were dressed more for Tucson's temps than the top of mountains.
The posted speed is quite low as the road is very twisty and turny, and that way you can easily look at the lovely scenery.
Tucson goes there to ski in the winter.
This afternoon we had Chris and Joe B over for Happy Hour to say good bye, and thank them for telling us about this park. It has been super here for a month.
The geological formations are very pretty, and the differing colors of the rock, pink and copper sometimes, other times horizontal stripes, are very pretty indeed. There are lots of different trees right up to the mountaintop, which surprised us both a lot. Luckily there are tons of viewpoints so you can stop the car and have a good look at the vistas. Part of the mountaintop has been burned, and lots of trees show the marks of old fires, too. Fire up there must be terrifying.
At the top we had a bowl of chile, and a delicious coffee and shared a huge cookie at the Cookie Cabin.
The weather was bright and sunny, with very little wind thankfully, as we were dressed more for Tucson's temps than the top of mountains.
The posted speed is quite low as the road is very twisty and turny, and that way you can easily look at the lovely scenery.
Tucson goes there to ski in the winter.
This afternoon we had Chris and Joe B over for Happy Hour to say good bye, and thank them for telling us about this park. It has been super here for a month.
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