Joshua Tree National Park

The short route thru Joshua Tree National Park in California is 47 miles. We were disappointed for the first half of those miles as traveled from the south entrance. All we saw was the same terrain of scattered pebbles on low mountains that we saw from endless miles along Interstate 10. The only vegetation was creosote bushes.

The only item of interest to Terry, in the first half of the miles we traveled, was the solar power that a worker said was the only power source in the park. Solar power ran the visitors centers, entrance stations and residences for the employees of the park. He said that the park had 194 solar panels.

When we arrived at the Ocotillo Patch we saw that the stick like bushes had red blooms!
Next we were seeing cholla, yucca and prickly pear cacti in bloom. In the distance, we viewed large rounded boulders. At last we saw the Joshua trees. An exhibit sign in the park said “the blossoms of the Joshua tree are pollinated only by the yucca moth.” The lack of plants, especially the yucca, was the reason that we had not seen Joshua trees.

The roads are good paved roads with good exhibit areas and nine campgrounds. The only problem was that the campgrounds had very small sites. Although you may get a large RV in some sites, they were not wide enough to put a slide out.

An Rver spoke to me as I was taking pictures. He told me that the park had a blanket of snow two days earlier on March 27, 2005 at three to four thousand feet in altitude. As I left, I asked him, “ What planet are we on?” He said, “I do not know.”

The scenery to me looked like some giant children had played in the mud and made objects that were familiar to them such as balls, stacked pancakes, and eggs. Some of these rounded objects had broken during the years the playground was abandoned.

The next day Terry happened to watch Star Trek Voyager on television. It was a happy surprise to see that many scenes looked like they were shot from the Joshua Tree National Park location.

Spring Tea 2007

While Terry was snowmobiling, I was helping Jo Ann with last minute preparations for the Spring Tea at the clubhouse. Approximately 70 women came to the tea dressed appropriately for the table they had selected. Opal’s table was a Traveler’s table with a map and Burma Shave signs on the tablecloth. Atlas sheets were used as placemats. The centerpiece was of flowers and a trunk. Sue’s table was a hobo table with soup cans and red handkerchiefs and packages on sticks. Aggie’s table was a Love table with flowers at each chair and balloons and hearts. Mary’s table was red with beautiful decorations. Marla’s table was for Pet Lovers with each person wearing a visor with a face and ears on it. Each participant wore a tail too. I sat at Judy’s table, which was elegant with navy blue and silver. We even had waitresses dressed in black and white to serve us. Flowers and teapots were everywhere. Everyone brought fancy finger foods. It was a fun, feminine time.

Snow Trip 07

While most of us RV snowbirds are living in the south in March to avoid the snow, some adventurous people go to play in the snow. Terry flew from Phoenix, AZ. His son, Raymond, flew from Anchorage, AK. Terry’s son, Robert is from NC but flew from AL. Their friend, Ken, flew from AL. Their friend, Mike, flew from TX. They rendezvoused at the Bozeman, Montana airport and drove to West Yellowstone to snowmobile. Their interests varied in that Terry was especially interested in nature such as the nature made snow sculptures and wild animals such as coyote, moose and deer they saw. (They expected to see bison but none were seen on this trip.) Others in the group were more interested in flying through the air and driving fast. Of course, they would only fall in the soft snow. The only mishap was a bitten tongue and some stiff muscles. I saw about a thousand pictures of the fun they had.

Lake Havasu London Bridge

You all know the song “London Bridge is Falling Down.” When the London Bridge, in England, needed replacing; an enterprising man (McCulloch) bought it and reconstructed it here in AZ! He designed the town of Lake Havasu around the bridge and brought people to the desert to see it and to live here. Our 06 Atlas says that Lake Havasu now has a population of over 49,000 people.

Terry is going snowmobiling again this year. Both of Terry’s sons, Raymond and Robert will fly to Bozeman, MT. to go to the Yellowstone Nat'l Park area. They plan to leave March 2. We will go to my parent's home in Mesa so Terry can get to the airport by 9 am. I will not get any blogs put on until Terry returns.As you know, I sleep with my web master.

THE OATMAN WEDDING

The Oatman, AZ gold mining town, on Route 66, is alive with tourists, merchants in the Emporium and merchantiles and restaurants. You will find genuine antiques to trash and artful displays to tacky ones.

Watch where you step. There are wild burros that come to town and leave their droppings on the street. We were told that the wild donkeys come from the canyons at 9:30 am and leave at 5:30 pm. Sure enough, they were right on time as we met them entering town with us at 9:30 am. How they know the time, I don’t know, but the wild animals seem to know when the tourists have carrots to feed them.

Oatman’s claim to fame is the honeymoon room in the Oatman Hotel where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard came for their honeymoon on March 18,1939. Then Clark Gable went to star in the “Gone With the Wind” movie.

We saw a most unusual wedding on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2007. The bride wore a white silk blouse, black jacket, a long red and black plaid skirt with black lace on the bottom and old time black boots. She carried a red rose. The groom wore blacksmith clothes that were blue denim with a leather hat complete with feather and a leather apron and gloves.
He was talking to the father of the bride who wore blue denim clothes, a leather hat and red suspenders. The father of the bride said “You will only be doing this once.” Since the groom’s neck scarf of a red handkerchief was unfastened, and he needed help, I stepped up to tie it for him.

The story about the wedding was that the groom’s first wife had died and now he got into trouble with the law by fighting. The sheriff decided that Charles had to get married to settle him down. Judith seemed willing so the sheriff used his shotgun to make sure that Charles complied. When they came to the part where the longhaired parson asked if there was anyone who objected; a man, who was covered in dust, appeared. He said he was married to Judith but she had him buried alive. The sheriff asked if the bride and groom wanted the “matter taken care of.” The bride and groom said “yes.” The sheriff shot the objector.

The bride and groom made promises to each other including “cleaning the house, cooking, and cleaning his clothes whether they need it or not.” The ring was one that the bride’s great grandmother Nettie wore when she got married one hundred years ago on Feb. 24, 1907. Some of the dialogue was obviously a farce but this was a real wedding!

Fireworks

(Note to any Red Hat Ladies from the Gila Bend luncheon at Little Italy- Delores Hull has an excellent picture from the Gila Sun which she will email to you. She has given me permission to put her email address on this blog. It is Delores Hull E-mail Address: deehull66@yahoo.com)


Terry and I spent three days watching dealers in fireworks put on displays for other dealers in Sara Park in Lake Havasu.

On Friday night we sat on the bleachers but Saturday night the park was closed because parking was full at 5 pm. We parked about a mile away and saw them against the mountains. It wasn’t possible to see the ground demonstrations but we got a different perspective when we heard the echo of the fireworks as sound bounced from mountain to mountain. No picture can do it justice. It was spectacular!

Gila Bend Red Hats

A funny thing happened when we went to the RV2WAYSAT Rally. Terry registered us online. In the space that asked for volunteers, he volunteered me for the Red Hat Luncheon. The next day he told me. I said, “ Sure, I’ll help.”

We arrived at Augies Quail Trail Campground in Gila Bend. The registration committee had no record of our registration and didn’t have nametags for us but had two papers that said that I was the chairman of the committee. It wasn’t difficult to be the leader since the hostess of the rally had already planned for us to be at the Little Italy restaurant. We joined three local women at the event.

A woman from the Gila Sun came and took our picture for the newspaper. Send 1$ to the Gila Sun, P.O. Box Z, Gila Bend, AZ 85337 for their picture and story. If you want to contact the newspaper for a copy of the picture, their email is Gilasun@earthlink.net.

Terry also volunteered me to participate in the chili cook-off but this time he asked me first. I decided that it would be just as easy to fix chili as to bring something else to the potluck dinner. I used ground moose for the meat base. Guess what? Out of thirteen contestants, my chili placed second place.

Oasis Bookstore

The Oasis Bookstore has moved in Quartzsite. It is further east on Main Street near Sweet Darlene’s Café. It no longer has canvas sides but is in a metal building. Paul Winer is a most unusual storeowner. He knows where each of the several thousand books is located. The most unusual thing about him is his dress or lack of dress. Someone asked him if he was the owner. Paul replied,” Yes. Do you think that anyone would hire me dressed the way I do?” (I asked Terry to edit the picture because it made me look too fat.) Celia, from the previous blog, was the only child of Paul and Joanne Winer.

Celia’s Rainbow Gardens

Celia Winer was an eight-year-old girl who lived in Quartzsite. She became ill and died soon after her illness. The people in town created a memorial garden for her, which became a memorial for many others too. The garden has many species of cacti and other foliage native to the area. Many persons have placed statues and rock formations to create this unique garden.

War Memorial

A four fifths scale model of the Vietnam War Memorial was in Quartzsite while we were there. I think the pictures speak for themselves.

Clowns at Boomer Rally in Quartzsite.

We parked with the Escapees group called the Boomers while we were in Quartzsite, AZ. We went to seminars, ate potluck meals, sat around the campfire, and visited with friends. Terry went shopping at the “flea markets” and at the big tent. I went to the Camping World tent and sold my book, RV Chuckles and Chuckholes – the Confessions of Happy Campers.


Verna Baker led a group of clowns in a production to introduce the Jeraldine Fashion Show. All of the clowns had performed for clown master, Gerry Courtney, in Escapades in the past. The clowns performed to honor Gerry who died on January 23, 2007. Pictures of us were made into a card that was sent to our friend, Myna Courtney. Yes, I was a clown too. I am in the black cape.

Christmas Celebrations

The picture is of a mutual admiration from Terry, who is the oldest of the Millers, to little Laura Miller, who is the youngest. (She was two years old on December 11.) The other picture is of Victoria Miller and Laura. (Both are the daughters of Robert.)

We flew to Houston the weekend of the 15th of December for Christmas with the Millers. Raymond and Teresita flew from Alaska. Robert flew from Alabama where he was working. Terry was in North Carolina working on Robert's house. He flew in from there with Victoria who will be nine in January. Nathalia and two year old Laura flew from Columbia, South America. We visited with Joy Miller who works nearby for NASA and with our hosts Shirlee, Christine and Sharon. Several of Robert and Raymond’s friends visited with the family during the three days. I also visited with my son, Steve and Marsha, Jamie and Jake.

Not only do we have an international family, but also Laura speaks in long sentences with as many Spanish words as English. Her diction is extremely clear. Of course, Terry and I, like most grandparents, think that our grandchildren are very smart! We had a very nice Christmas.

Terry returned with Victoria to North Carolina. Raymond and Teresita returned home to Alaska and prepared for a three-week trip to the Philippines. Robert accompanied his wife and baby to South America where her grandfather is very ill. I picked up Terry from the airport in Phoenix and then we went to nearby Mesa to my parents to stay overnight. On Sunday, we went to the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with refreshments afterward at the campground. (I sang with the choir.) On Monday, we had Christmas dinner at the clubhouse. On Tuesday, we had a potluck dinner with some of our friends.

Hope you visited with family and friends and ate good food for Christmas and will have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

You can see in this picture that some Rvers try to take all their toys with them.
Since we are on the Colorado River, Rvers bring their jet skis. They also bring their off- road-cycles for the sand dunes and hills around here.

We met with friends and Rvers at the Emerald Cove Campground for Thanksgiving dinner. It was very organized. We sat at tables of twelve. The campground provided the platters of turkey plus dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, and rolls. We all brought side dishes. I brought my cranberry salad and sweet potatoes. Since there are 800 sites and the campground is 98% full, it is hard to tell how many people were served in the two shifts. We ate at one pm. and then went to the minister’s house for desert. It was good!!

We are so thankful for our family and friends. We are so blessed with our good health.

Our plans are for a grilled salmon dinner at the minister’s RV on Friday. A craft sale at the clubhouse on Saturday will give me a table to sell my book. We will leave after church on Sunday to go to my parents in Mesa. On Monday, Terry will fly from Phoenix to North Carolina to help Robert on his house. I will stay in the campground while he is gone.

Since my web master will be gone for three weeks, I will not be updating the blog but will be working on Christmas cards and letters.

Wild Burros

On Tuesday, we went on a ride in our toad ( towed car) along the Colorado River and then east where we saw ten wild burros, a hundred or so quail and a road runner.
Last week, I received this comment on my Road Kill Ala Mode blog.

“Hi, I am signed up with the "google aleart" for Salome AZ. Whenever anything new about Salome comes up on the Internet Google sends me the link. Anyway thats how I came to read your most recient blog " Road Kill Ala Mode" That may have come from a farm truck that crashed out that way a few weeks ago- Sometimes they fall off the trucks too. Anyway the reason I am e-mailing - I was just curious if you happen to be one of the RV'ers at the Fiddlers Jam in Salome this weekend? (I live VERY near by.) If you are over there you might see me riding a horse close by. :) Every year when they come we enjoy hearing the music from our yard. No reason, Just curious, Joann/ Salome AZ. PS- good luck with your book!”

Joan, We missed the Fiddler’s Jam. Did you realize that I couldn’t answer you without you leaving your email? Your address is blocked. I would like to answer your email but I need your address. I would love to meet you. I will have book signings one on December 7, 2006 2 pm to 4 pm at the Quartzsite Library. They plan both a reading and book signing at the library in the Town Hall at 465 N.Plymouth Avenue in Quartzsite, AZ. Refreshments will be served. Another on December 14, 2006 2 pm to 4 pm at RAVEN BOOKS, 1317 Joshua Ave. in Parker, Arizona. They will have a book signing and refreshments at the bookstore. Come and bring a friend.
Hope to see you there!

Surfing the Net

This picture is taken of the beautiful sunset in the Emerald Cove campground.
The Internet is full of interesting information. I was curious about my web so I entered “RV Chuckles and Chuckholes” in the search box. I found that if you go to http://www.lulubelletours.com/ you will find a direct link to the entire article about the Lulu Belle under visitor feedback.
If you go to http://www.glotours.blogspot.com/, you will read
Did Someone Say RV Road Trip?
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Patty's Recommended Readings
“I have loved to read books from even my youngest days. Sometimes, I find that I read two or more books as a time - fiction to lull me to sleep, business books to stay on top of my profession and watch trends, and travel related books to take me places where I have yet to go and enjoy the journey of other adventerous people. Here are my recent favorites and recommended readings for you:” Several books were listed including:
“RV Chuckles and Chuckholes: The Confessions of Happy Campers, Darlene Miller, Roving Pen Publishing, 2005.”
Thanks Patty. I wonder where you learned about my book.

Road kill A La Mode

We are about 200 feet from the Colorado River that separates Arizona and California. Our satellite dish did not work for the Internet so I have written only one blog since we left Alaska. The above picture is one of the sunset pictures from where we boondocked on the California side of the river. (Boondocking is where you have no hook-ups. We did have six solar panels and a generator for power.)

Terry and I drove to Gila Bend for parts to fix the satellite dish. On the return to Parker, Arizona, we drove from Interstate 10 on the paved road to Salome, Arizona. This road has many dips to provide run off when the monsoon rains come in the summer. There were no fields or buildings for miles and miles. All we saw were rocks, desert cacti, and creosote bushes. Bouncing down the highway, I started singing “Dippity – do – da - dippity –“

Terry interrupted “What are those round things by the road?”

“Stop and I will find out?”

I saw about 50 round bodies along the road. Some where pretty smashed up but I picked up a dozen and put them in the plastic box in the rear of our Suzuki.

A clue to our find was two torn up cardboard boxes with the words “Del Monte “ on them.

When we arrived at our RV, I realized my mistake. We couldn’t eat a dozen road kill.
Jenny, the cook at the clubhouse, wasn’t sure that she wanted them until she saw them. Yes, the orange cantaloupe would be perfect for a fruit salad for Halloween.

I prefer cut up melon with a scoop of ice cream to make it road kill a la mode.

Mertia and Harvey Hamn

This picture was taken at the log cabin church in the country near Cecil Lake, British Columbia on September 30, 2006 of Terry and I and Terry’s first cousins Harvey and Mertia Hamn. This church, located about a mile from Harv and Merts home, is where they had a celebration of their 40th wedding anniversary in 2003.

We arrived at their home in the afternoon of September 29. They were both happy to see us. Mert had a delicious dinner ready in the log cabin home that they built themselves. We had conversations and looked at pictures about our travels and family and looked at photos of their four children and grandchildren. Mert also showed me samples of her writing and her oil paintings. She is an accomplished artist with both her pen and her paintbrush. Harv, a retired teacher, was in remission of his cancer and was able to walk and visit with us. It was good to have the RV parked in their yard so we could both visit and have our privacy. We enjoyed the food but even more we enjoyed our fellowship with them.

When we arrived at Lake Havasu in Arizona, our computer service quit working. We drove over 400 miles round trip to Gila Bend, AZ to acquire new parts for the satellite receiver. Terry spent more time tweaking the system and on the phone to supporters of Direcway to get our system operational. Finally, we received all our emails.

We were both saddened and surprised to hear that Harvey Hamn passed away on September 17. We were told that he had his whole family at his bedside. His funeral is on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2006. Harv had fought his cancer for several years. By listening to his prayers before our meals and the stories of his life, it was evident that he was a Christian and is in a better place. All his family and friends will miss him very much.

Time to Leave Alaska

The golden leaves are falling. We now have to clean frost from the windshield. Fresh snow has fallen on the mountaintops. Terry is watching the weather forecast every day.

Terry has washed the roof of the RV. He even surprised me and defrosted the refrigerator last week while I was running errands. I got a last minute haircut. I cleaned out drawers and rearranged stuff. We will leave Alaska on Tuesday.

Soon it will be time to pack up the satellite dishes, bring the slide-out in, turn the recliners to face the front windshield and drive east and then south.

If you do not hear from us for a while, it means we are in route to our southern destination of Arizona. We will not have access to our email during that time. I will not write in the blog. Sometimes we can get phone service while traveling but sometimes that is very poor. Don’t worry. We will contact you after we set up in Arizona.

Alaskan Women

Alaskan women are friendly, natural women who also are good workers but I was surprised to see them working on road crews. (By natural, I mean that Alaskan women wear little make-up. They do not appear fragile. They don’t put on airs.)

Okay, I have seen women work in construction crews by standing and holding the flag to stop you or driving the pilot car or pick-up but I have never seen them use post hole diggers to set signs in concrete that they have made. But it does happen. There were no males on this crew.

While this was happening, Terry and Raymond were drinking coffee and discussing the hunting trip that Raymond was on last weekend. He and his friend, David shot a moose. (Soon we will be able to taste what moose meat tastes like.) Now Terry is busy with the backhoe while Raymond is helping a client with a C-PAP breathing machine.

Home Improvements

Those of you who have seen our RV or read about it in RV Chuckles and Chuckholes – the Confessions of Happy Campers know that Terry was unhappy with the 20 inch TV in our motorhome. When we moved into the RV in 2004, Terry took out the J-couch and replaced it with the 27 inch TV set taken from our 5th wheel. It could only be viewed comfortably from the sofa across from the TV.
Terry started to research the possibility of getting an LCD TV. Either the technology or the price was not what he wanted. Raymond and Terry renewed their research last week and found a Samsung 32 inch LCD that is the answer to all Terry’s requirements. By removing the little 20-inch monaural TV and the larger 27 inch TV from the 5th wheel, we also lost about 100 pounds of weight. As you know, weight is always an issue in an RV. The Samsung LCD was mounted on a horizontal multiple position arm with 45 degrees of tilt.

Then came the miles of wires to connect it to a good sound system and DVD player. Soon the living room was a mess.

But the results are worth it. The TV can be seen from everywhere you want to view it in the RV and it looks and sounds wonderful.