Hola from Maple Bay...

Another journey concluded... we are home.  Yup, caught the 0820 Coho ferry out of Port Angeles on Friday morning.  Are we glad to be home?  You bet!  The trip was great... good to see old and new friends (as always).. good to see some of Mother Nature's exquisite beauty (absolutely amazing)... and/but... nice to be home (finally).

For those of you wondering how we got from there to here.. and our impressions of our stops.. here goes. After the Sierra Trails RV Park in Mojave we heading off to Coalinga (the Harris Ranch).  We had heard of this spot from friends and wanted to see it.  Great restaurants, free parking for RVs in their truck stop area as well as their general parking lots.  We met good people as always, had a lovely prime rib dinner, and took off early the next morning on our next leg. Monday the 18th saw us in Corning at the Rolling Hills Casino.  This is a nice RV spot if you're going to the Casino and want to be among RVers.  What we noticed, after we'd booked in and paid, was that we could have stayed (for free) in the very large, paved, truck stop portion of the parking lot(s).  By the end of the day it was filled with RVs and, although they didn't have the view including a bush or two and some grass... they did fine.  We'll try that next (vs $35 USD).

Our next leg... took us to Canyonville and the Seven Feathers RV park.. which is affiliated with the Seven Feathers Casino. This has been one of our favorite stops for years.. but, sadly, we must admit.. it was the most expensive hot tub we've ever had.  True, the sites are flat and clean and beautifully groomed.. but the price has been going up each year and $57 was just too much to actually enjoy it.  Next time we'll stop over in their truck stop which is actually right next door to a cafe/truck stop store/showers and washrooms... for 0$. As you may be figuring out...this year we have learned that we can be self-sufficient and 'dry camp' far more than we ever did when were 'on route' to Mexico.  There's $$$ to be saved if you're set up for it.

After Canyonville we headed on north to Vancouver, WA (just across the river from Portland). There we stayed at the 99 RV Park (a place we'd stayed at before).  It was much warmer this time, compared to our last visit.. and the folks were friendly.  It was/is suitable for an overnight stop... but be forewarned, the office closes at 4 PM and will only give out the code for the washrooms during office hours :-(

And then.. we found a gem.  Just 45 minutes before Port Angeles, nestled into the little town of Sequim is the Gilgal Oasis RV.  Now don't all of you go rushing there.  It's small and you should phone ahead to make sure there's room; but it's delightful.  Friendly management, well groomed sites, and a lovely lounge... all made it a lovely little place to stop in for the night.. and we did.  Then up bright and early and we were on our way to Port Angeles and our ferry ride home to Canada.  We were treated well by the officials, enjoyed the ferry ride across to Victoria, and were home by mid-afternoon (after stopping off in town for some business and some grocery shopping).

All in all, despite the snow, wind and freezing temperatures...(where they shouldn't have been)... I'd say we had a very nice vacation, thank you very much.  And/but it's so nice to be home.  The daffodils are up and the rest of the gardens are starting to show signs of life.  We have hit the ground running and will be up and ready for spring and early summer.

For now.. know we are well and safely home.  We hope each of you are equally comfortable wherever you are.  Bye for now, adios, ttfn.....  CJ

It’s Saturday, this must be Mojave...

Since I last wrote, we've made a couple decisions (maybe more, but at least two). While the temperatures do appear to be rising, slowly... the winds are also rising and, in some places, at an alarming rate. As well, most campsites are fully booked -this being peak season and all. Considering these factors, and our desire to be home close to the middle of March, we decided to save Joshua Tree Park for our next trip (they were full anyway)and to take ourselves back to our Desert Hot Springs digs (the Catalina Spa and RV Resort. They were good to us as usual and the office building has been sorted out. They are now firmly ensconced in their brand new office building. As well, the reno's to the upper washrooms and showers are complete and the pool is in better shape as well. Shortly after we arrived and settled in we discovered our two friends from home were still there. The four of us had rousing games of Bocci (and settled for a tie) and a nice visit even though time was short. We also made two runs to the Blaire Stn RV store for bits and pieces and got the truck washed and cleaned up.

After one and a bit days, filled with activities, we were on the road again this morning... having planned a route that skirted the biggest winds and avoided the highest mountains. We are now in Mojave at the Sierra Trails RV Park. It's a small place, just off the highway, with flat sites, full hookups and clean washrooms. Everything you need for $20. And, the sites are long enough we can back in and not unhook -which is our preference when only stopping for one night.

Oh yes, I wanted to mention our lunch stop. We tried on the way down (or was that last year?) but the line up was out the door so we moved on. This morning, about 11:30 we accidentally drove by it, recognized it and circled back. This time the lineup hadn't started yet, but it started right behind us... we had perfect timing! Cafe 247, "Home of the dirty boys BBQ Club. Voted #1 Best BBQ in the High Desert" is located on the corner of Hwy 247 and Old Woman Springs Rd in Lucerne Valley at the 4-way Stop in the middle of no where. You can dine in or take out. They BBQ your meat of choice while you wait and it's delicious. They're open every day except Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas; and they have a parking lot large enough for even the biggest rigs....if you're early enough. So, next time you're hungry and somewhere near "the middle of nowhere" check it out.

Now, where was I? Oh yeah. Tonight we're here sending Happy Birthday vibes to my baby sister who turns 65 today. Tomorrow we head to the Harris Ranch in Coalinga where we will celebrate St. Patrick's Day in their restaurant and throw the anchor out in their parking lot for the night. Then we'll be off the next morning, heading to Corning.

Our plan includes stops at Canyonville, Vancouver, WA, and Sequim after that... and we're booked on the morning Coho out of Port Angeles on the 22nd. Not sure how much wifi we'll have between now and then... so.. as always no news is good news... and we wish you all the best.... and a very Happy St. Patrick's Day ☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️CJ


Sent from my iPad

Safe and sound in Ehrenberg, AZ...

Where the heck is Ehrenberg ? You might ask. Well, it's about two miles past Blythe, which is four hours south of Las Vegas. We slipped away from our wonderful site at Valley of Fire early this morning (wellll, actually more like 0900ish). We decided to not stay for the extra day we'd been contemplating because when we finally received a weather report - there was some robust breezes coming in tomorrow and the next day in the very areas we were planning on moving to. So, we graciously handed over our wonderful estate to a young family and moved on...and on...and on. It felt like a very long drive (even though it wasn't really) because of the rain (and some fine hail) we kept running into. Between the 'desert mist', partially flooded 'dips' in the road... and the hundreds of big ol' dirty tanker trucks on the road.... our focus was pretty much on the road conditions and our fellow travellers. And, we made it all in one piece.

We are now tucked in to site #7 at the Arizona Oasis RV Resort in Ehrenberg, AZ. After confirming it was ok to use a bit of extra water, (Lucy was literally dripping mud on all sides) we wiped most of the mud off and found our little Casita. We'll be here for two nights and, assuming the winds abate, will then carry on our way - either to Joshua Tree Park or to the Palm Springs area.

As of now, we are slowly winding our way home with the route being determined by road and weather conditions as well as suitable places to stop for the night. We are also happy to be back in the land of connectivity (although, being disconnected for a few days is good too).

That's our news for now. Hope all is well with each of you... CJ

Sent from my iPad

Valley of Fire... the best yet

Well, apparently our vacation isn't over yet! We not only arrived at this, reputed to be fantastic, State Park early enough (as in 0815, having spent the night at the Hitchin' Post RV in Vegas) but the ranger standing beside the sign that said "CAMPSITE FULL" said it was OK if we wanted to take a drive through. "You bet!" we said... and carried on to the campsite we knew had RV sites; not the kind of RV sites civilized folks might seek out (with full hook ups) but RV sites that could hold a trailer and a truck and that either had power and water (the dump site was outside the campgrounds) OR were, what we fondly refer to as, "dry camping".

And so, to add to what started out as a beautiful, clear blue sky day, and a 'less than an hours drive' from Las Vegas, we took the opportunity to do a slow drive through the Atlatl Campground. Now I'd be the first to admit we've had some luck in our journeys but this morning comes near the top of the evaluation scoresheet. There aren't a lot of sites to choose from (did I mention they are first come, first served?) at this campsite. All have covered picnic tables. Some are just large enough for a trailer and tow vehicle. Some are just big enough for a camper van. One loop was for dry camping and the other loop had power and water (only). Also, three buildings housing toilets and/or showers are scattered within the campgrounds. We began to drive slowly around the first loop and, about half way around, stopped at the first site that was showing signs of packing up. Kathy approached and tactfully asked if they knew of any campers that were leaving... The woman she spoke to admitted that, actually, they were just about to leave. Then she took Kathy on a tour of the campsite. It seems... we struck gold. This particular site sits on a parcel of land that is at least half an acre in size. It's like sitting on a point of land if this were an island. Not only is there room to park the trailer and truck, but it also has a very large, flat and gravelled tent site. It also has beautiful rock formations with wind worn 'bubbles' big enough to sit your chair in and get out of the wind. Then there's the view, a 360 view, and the space... We must have moved our chairs three times and enjoyed a different view each time.

Well, we were tickled pink; and when they left (about 30 minutes later) we moved in. By 0905 hrs. we were all set up and enjoying the brilliantly coloured beauty of what must be... the best site in the Valley of Fire State Park. On the advice of a fellow camper we'll just pay up each morning until we decide how long we can stay. And one more good thing... it's only $20 per night as this is one of the 'dry camping' sites. We're lucky it's not freezing at night AND this will be a chance to to try out our new Mr. Heater portable propane heater. We picked it up in Sun City West and Kathy figured out how to run a line from the heater, out through a little hatch to the compartment where the power cord is stored, and then out through the exterior door of that compartment (which is designed for a cord to run through with no space for varmints to climb in), to a small propane tank outside the trailer. Note: we added the recommended propane filter at the heater end of the hose as a safety feature. We are now fully independent and able to dry camp in comfort.

There's only one downside which really isn't all that bad (rather restful actually). The closest place where there is any 'connectivity' is down the road a few miles and it's just a place where you can pull off the road, stand on a rock, and hope to connect.

So.. this posting will introduce where we are, but it won't get sent out until later tomorrow.
We are doing well and happy to be here. Yesterday we hiked the short 'Mouse Tank' trail, complete with beautiful soaring red rock, petroglyphs, Mountain Sheep posing for photos, and the brilliant greens and blue-greens the desert can produce when she's had a little rain. The vision of green grasses and shrubs with the red rocks and crystal blue sky in the background takes your breath away. Photos won't do it justice but we'll try.

This place has caught hold of our hearts. We'll be staying a few more days. Today (Sunday) we're going to hike two trails, also down the road.

Hope all is well with each of you. TTFN for now. CJ

Time to move on...

Well, haven't we had, what turned out to be, a wonderful stay at Lost Dutchman State Park - just outside Apache Junction. The wind did finally stop, and the temperatures warmed up. We've had great, sunny days for the past week. Thanks to our friend Donna, many miles of hiking trails were covered (mostly by she and Kathy), and many mountain and valley vistas were photographed, enjoyed and memorized. The photo was taken by Donna on the Boulder Canyon Trail in the Canyon Lake area not far from Lost Dutchman.

We may have done a little shopping too and, again thanks to Donna, spent a day at the 2019 Renaissance & Artisans Festival enjoying shops of every kind, medieval jugglers, Pirates, ladies, knights, comedians, actors and more. We also saw Jousting and other demonstrations of skill... a long but enjoyable day.

This park, Lost Dutchman, is very beautiful. The number of birds that visited our campsite was amazing. Some, like a Gila Woodpecker who loved to hang off the Hummingbird feeder, the hummingbird who fiercely guarded the feeder and only let certain other hummers into his territory, the little bunny who visited each day (ok, not a bird), the dozens of Gambles quail who meandered through, the two Northern Cardinals (one brilliantly red and the other just as brilliant, but orange) who were shy but visited anyway, the Cactus Wrens who lived in the Saguaro cactus standing proudly all around us and called back and forth to each other, and all the other little tweeters who came to pick over our meagre offerings of seed... well it was like living in an ongoing movie. Our Happy Hours were mostly spent sitting, watching, and photographing... in between chatting and sipping of course.

But, it's now time to move on and we leave this morning to make our way to Sun City West for a visit with aunt and uncle. We're looking forward to seeing them and will visit for a couple days before starting on our long, winding route home. Weather and road conditions will dictate what route we take but we are thinking that north on 93 will be a good start. Will write again as we move along and, even though it's still freezing there, we are looking forward to being home and seeing friends and family.

So, stay well everyone and prepare for spring... it will come! Talk again soon. CJ
>