Good Ole Yellow River

(Editor’s note: Today’s Blog was written by Yellow River camping friends Mark & Jayne.  They wrote this Blog back in the Spring, but due to some computer glitches, and the fact we were Off Line all summer, the Blog finally appears today.  Thanks Mark & Jayne, I hope my home sick tears for Yellow River haven’t damaged my computer.)

Good Ole Yellow River
By Mark & Jayne

Hey Rex & Mary,

Hope you are doing well with the heat and mice.  No flooding in Des Moines this year so we have had time to go camping.  Just want to give you a little update on what is going on in your old stomping grounds. 

First a little news on us. 
Jayne was a victim of the lousy economy and was asked to take an early retirement from the newspaper business in August 2008.  She was thinking about retiring so it didn’t take her long to find the door after they gave her a pretty good severance package.

Mark was fortunate enough to break his fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot right after Thanksgiving last fall.  All he did was stand up while going to take a leak after some beers (might have eaten to much the day before because he had only had three beers).  For the non Drs. it is called a Jones fracture and is a tough bone to heal due to the lack of blood supply to that part of the foot.  He walked on it all weekend then went to the Doc here in Indianola on the next Monday, and was sent up to a foot guy in West Des Moines who looked at the x-rays and said he does surgery on Tuesday’s.  So we went back up there on Tuesday and when we came back home that night he was on crutches, had a big boot and some extra hardware in his foot which will stay there for  a lifetime. 

 It was a good thing that Jayne had retired as she was a trooper trough the ordeal, shoveling snow, warming up the truck in the morning, walking the dogs, getting Mark off to work with his crutches in the morning and otherwise taking care of Mark’s sorry ass.  Mark finally got off the crutches at the end of January and out of the boot soon after that.

Enough about us, here is what is happing at Yellow River.

We went up there in May for Mothers day weekend.  Grace & Charlie (the camp host & hostess who are in their 80’s) weren’t up there yet as Charlie was having problems with his legs.  

We did meet up with Grace & Charlie when we went up for a week at the end of June and had a nice dinner of baby back ribs brought up from the Indianola Fairway.  Here they are starting out. 





 

Jayne also made some cheesy potatoes that we cooked in the Dutch Oven.





Here is everything cooking.


 



 


 


 


 

Here is the result, all of us fat dumb and happy.



 


 

 
If you Guys are heading back this fall we have plans for Charlie’s  83^rd birthday on September 12^th.  We are going to bring up around a 24 lb. turkey to cook over the fire (Rex has helped with the beer support for that in past years) and we have a huge potluck there at Yellow River.  We will be up there until September 26^th/27^th.

Travel well our friends and stay cool and mouse free this summer.

The girls (our rat terriers) look forward to meeting Susie-Q or having her over for lunch as the main course.

Mark & Jayne

RUG CLEANING

SUNDAY HAD US BACK TO SPIRIT MOUNTAIN CASINO FOR FOOTBALL.  DID YOU SEE THE LAST PLAY OF THE MINN. VIKINGS GAME?  NOW THAT’S PURE FAVRE !!!!


OF COURSE WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL WHEN THE PACKERS MEET THE VIKINGS IN MPLS.  MARY HAS ALREADY DECIDED TO BET THE VIKINGS ON THE MONEY LINE, SHE JUST HASN’T DECIDED HOW MUCH?

THINGS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW HERE WITH THE HAPPY CAMPERS.  WE ARE JUST WINDING DOWN ON THE DAILY TEMPS IN TRIPLE DIGITS, AND THE FORECAST SAYS IT’S GOING TO BREAK ON WEDNESDAY OF THIS WEEK.


AS USUAL WE HAVE A RATHER LONG LIST OF FALL MAINTENANCE THINGS TO GET STARTED ON.  WE’VE BEEN PUTTING THAT OFF DUE TO THE HOT WEATHER, AND NEXT WE WILL BE PUTTING THAT STUFF OFF UNTIL AFTER OUR OCTOBER VACATION.


ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THAT LIST IS THE ANNUAL CLEANING OF THE LIVING ROOM RUG.  USUALLY THIS RUG IS IN PRETTY SAD SHAPE AFTER A SUMMER IN LAKE TAHOE WITH ALL THE PINE SAP TRACKED IN, SO IT WAS A MUCH EASIER JOB THIS FALL.


AS LONG AS WE WERE HEADED SOUTH IN THE MOHAVE VALLEY FOR THE FOOTBALL GAMES, AND NEEDLES, CA FOR OUR MONTH’S WORTH OF CALIFORNIA LOTTO TICKETS WE THREW IN THE RUG FOR IT’S ANNUAL BATH.
WE SPREAD THE RUG OUT ON THE FLOOR AT THE CAR WASH AND SPRAY AWAY.









THE CAR WASH WORKS GREAT FOR ALL KINDS OF CLEANING. RUGS, GRILLS, CARS, AND JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN HAUL OVER.  WE SPREAD THE RUG OUT ON THE CEMENT PATIO IN THE AFTERNOON SUN AND THE NEXT MORNING, DUE TO THE LOW HUMIDITY ON THE DESERT, THE RUG IS COMPLEXLY DRY AND READY TO PUT BACK INTO THE CAMPER.

Happy Birthday Ali !!!

HOY !!!  HOY !!!  HOY !!!
AND HAPPY 7TH BIRTHDAY ALI MAE !!!

ALBUQUERQUE

HOY !!!  HOY !!! HOY !!!

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY AIM !!!

YUP, TODAY MY BI-CENTENNIAL BABY TURNS 33 YEARS OLD.  IT WAS A HOT SEPTEMBER DAY WHEN WE BROUGHT HER HOME.  WE HAD HER BUNDLED UP TO THE POINT OF MEDIUM-RARE.


AIM CALLED ME YESTERDAY WITH THE NEWS THAT MAJOR DANIEL'S NEXT ASSIGNMENT WITH THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE WILL BE IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  THAT'S ONLY 540 MILES FROM MOHAVE VALLEY, AND I SHOULD BE ABLE TO VISIT MY GRANDSONS A LITTLE MORE OFTEN THAN EVERY OTHER YEAR!!!


THE FAMILY WILL BE MOVING AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, THE FIRST OF JUNE NEXT SUMMER.  IT WILL BE QUITE A CHANGE FOR THOSE THREE LITTLE BOYS FROM THE SEA SHORE AND DISNEY CHARACTERS TO THE MILE HIGH CITY, ALBUQUERQUE, AND COWBOYS AND INDIANS.


AIM, THANKS FOR THE CALL, THE GOOD NEWS, AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!

Mike Smith: Smith’s World

MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

MY FOOTBALL HEART HAS BEEN GREEN AND GOLD SINCE THE DAYS OF BLACK AND WHITE TV, WHEN THE HOME TEAM WAS BLACK AND THE VISITING TEAM WAS WHITE. I CAN’T GO BACK TO DON HUDSON AND CURLY LAMBEAU, BUT I CAN SURELY SAY, “HAIL MARY PASS” WITH BART STAR AND COACH LOMBARDI.

FIRST OF ALL, IT’S TUFF TO DEAL BLACKJACK UNTIL 4 AM ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND THEN GET UP FOR A 10 AM KICK-OFF FOR SUNDAY’S EARLY GAMES.

WE ENJOYED THIS WEEK’S GAMES AT THE SPIRIT MOUNTAIN CASINO SPORTSBAR ON THE ARIZONA SIDE OF THE RIVER.  WHY? BECAUSE OF THE INDIANS SMOKING POLICY WHICH ALLOWS SMOKING INSIDE.  SO HERE I AM SURROUNDED BY FLAT SCREEN TV’S ON EVERY WALL.

WITH RODGERS AND THE PACKERS ON THE RIGHT, AND FAVRE AND THE VIKINGS ON THE LEFT……..

BETWEEN BREAKFAST MARGARITAS @.99 CENTS, MARY TAPS ME ON THE SHOULDER AND SAYS,”DO YOU REALIZE YOU’RE WATCHING FAVRE AND THE VIKINGS MORE THAN YOU’RE WATCHING THE PACK?”

YA, IT’S TRUE, I SURE LOVE WATCHING BRETT FAVRE PLAY FOOTBALL, BUT I’M MISSING THE OLE GUNSLINGER STYLE.  WITH PETERSON ON THE TEAM, BRETT DOESN’T HAVE TO WORK SO HARD. HE CAN JUST HAND IT OFF TO PETERSON FOR 7.1 YARDS ON  EVERY CARRY.  GONE ARE THE DAYS OF THE CRAZY INTERCEPTIONS AND MOANS OF THE CROWD.

I DON’T WHY, BUT I SEEM TO GET HOMESICK EVERY FALL.  WATCHING THE PACKERS PLAY IN “SUNNY & 80” WEATHER, AND THE BEARS PLAYING IN THE FALL RAIN, AND US, ON THE LOWER DESERT, SITTING AT 103 DEGREES JUST DOESN’T SEEM RIGHT.

I WONDER IF THE TROUT ARE BITING THIS MORNING AT YELLOW RIVER?  “HEY MARY, DID YOU CHECK OUR POWERBALL TICKETS?”

Happy Birthday Jean !!!

HOY !!!  HOY !!!  HOY !!!
AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COLORADO JEANNIE !!!

(BOTH OF OUR SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS ARE BI-CENTENIAL BABBIES. )

DODGED THE BULLET

WE'VE BEEN BUSY SETTLING BACK INTO OUR WINTER QUARTERS HERE AT BLACKSTONE RV PARK.  IT'S TAKEN THE WHOLE WEEK BECAUSE OF THE HEAT.  YOU DO A FEW THINGS OUTSIDE AND THEN YOU HAVE TO COME IN TO COOL DOWN UNDER THE A/C VENT.

WE DID HAVE ONE EVENING "OFF" THAT IT COOLED DOWN AND WE FIRED UP THE DUTCH OVEN WITH DOG DISH MEATLOAF AND BAKED POTATOES.  WE TURNED THE A/C OFF, AND HAD THE WINDOWS OPEN FOR A CHANGE. NICE!!

OF COURSE NOW THAT WE ARE BACK TO THE RV PARK WE HAVE TO PAY FOR ELECTRIC, AND THE FIRST WEEK'S USAGE WAS 227 CLICKS FOR $31.78.  I'M GLAD WE WEREN'T HERE IN JULY PAYING THAT BILL.  OF COURSE ANOTHER YEAR MEANS ANOTHER RENT INCREASE AS WELL, AND THE PRICE IS $270/ MONTH.

BEES

WE ASKED AROUND ABOUT OUR BEE PROBLEM AND MOST OPINIONS AGREE THAT THE BEES WERE NESTED NEARBY UNDER GROUND.  WHEN THE LAST MONSOON STORM WENT THROUGH IT MUST HAVE INCLUDED A HUGH AMOUNT OF RAIN WHICH FLOODED THE UNDERGROUND BEE HIVE OUT, CAUSING THEM TO COME VISIT US TILL THE HIVE DRIED OUT.  WE WENT BACK TO THE BLACK MOUNTAINS CAMPSITE FIVE DAYS LATER AND THERE WERE NO BEES HANGING AROUND.

MONSOON

THAT LAST MONSOON STORM HIT THE FRIDAY NIGHT OF LABOR DAY WEEK-END.  BEFORE WE GOT THE CHANCE TO SET UP CAMP ON THE CONSTRUCTION SITE, WE HAD DECIDED TO MOVE THE CAMPER TO A DIFFERENT RV PARK WHERE ELECTRIC WAS INCLUDED FOR $375/ MONTH. THAT RV PARK WAS HIT BY A MICRO-BURST.  THAT'S A NEW TERM TO ME, BUT WE DODGED THE BULLET BY NOT BEING THERE.  THE MICRO-BURST KNOCKED OUT THE POWER IN THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE VALLEY.  THE CENTER OF THE MICRO-BURST WAS OVER THE RV PARK WE HAD SELECTED.  THE STORM OVER TURNED 27 RV'S IN THE PARK, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO FREE EIGHT PEOPLE TRAPPED INSIDE OF THESE UNITS. 

PEOPLE HERE SAY IT WAS A CALM MONSOON SEASON, BUT MARY AND I HAVE LEARNED TO RESPECT THIS SEASON MUCH LIKE THE SPRING TORNADO SEASON OF HOME.

Views From The Mountain

In years past I have written a blog at summer’s end called “Reflections On The Lake”.  This year, because we weren’t lucky enough to go to Lake Tahoe, my end of the summer blog has a new name.

Wow what can I say about spending the summer at 2700 feet near Oatman?  The view as seen at the top of the blog was incredible and one I enjoyed each and every day.  This year the monsoon season was not as wet as usual so we didn’t get to see any water coursing down that “Waterfall Mountain”.  The locals had mentioned that sometimes the rain would create that waterfall briefly so I was sorry we didn’t get to see that phenomenon.  Maybe next year.

We had some real challenges this summer.  Ones I certainly wasn’t anticipating.  Like the little ground squirrel bastards that kept eating through the sewer hoses and the garden hoses.  They are the worst and although I think the juicy fruit gum solution worked, but the shear number of them made it not matter.

Then, of course, there were the mice. I have an extreme problem with rodent things.  Snakes, spiders, and bugs do not, well, bug me but rodent things really get me going.  Although I never actually saw one, I knew they were there and because of them we now have a cat.  Sure is a good thing Susie is so entertaining and easy going because I am not much of a pet person either.  But Susie has definitely captured my heart.

So with all of these challenges who would have guessed it would be bees that drove us out!!  While I am not afraid of bees it was the shear quantity of them that was the problem.   I bet we had 50 inside and a couple of hundred outside.  Just too many to deal with and being in Arizona the dreaded thought of Africanized bees looms in the back of your mind.  So back to the RV park we go.

All in all it was an interesting summer, we had a lot of challenges but we handled them.  Well except for the bees!!  Rex has said this was a good test for eventual boondocking.  We will see!!

Two Guys With A Banner (‘09)

As promised, I am back to the blog. Sorry for the absence. Uncle Neil and I just got back from our trip around Lake Michigan. We travelled to Milwaukee and painted the town. At 0530 we boarded the new high speed ferry across Lake Michigan. We wanted to avoid Chicago. Chicago with a motorcycle is between root canal and colonoscopy on the fun scale. We were greeted onto the boat with ratchet straps and the order to "strap 'em down!". I was thinking "don't they have enough illegal immigrants in Milwaukee?.... (does Obama know about this?) I guess in the maritime world the customers follow orders like the crew does..........

....still, Neil seemed to enjoy the ratchet thing.................

....the reward for stupidly staying out late and being on a crazy ferry with ratchet straps at 0530 was this beautiful sunrise...........

....in the other direction, the moon was equally beautiful over the Milwaukee skyline............

....as we left the harbor, the colors hit their peak..................

....we promptly retired to the cabin, which looks like a large airliner's, and went to sleep..........

....the magic behind the high speed ferry is two humongous engines which throw some impressive rooster tails!................

....the boat is also smaller than the old steamship. the Badger, which ferries out of Manitowoc and takes 6 hours to make the trip this one makes in 2 hours........

....we found the little town of Elkton, Michigan, pop. 878, for the parade. We find these parades by going to google with our date. It is a lot like using a dart and a wall map...............

....since we travel by motorcycle, the banner poles have to be broken down into "haulable" parts. Here we are assembling those parts................

....Neil enjoyed this, too, but not as much as the ratchet thing....................

....Finally. WE are ready for the parade. We have no one with us to take the picture, so we had to ask the Shriner Motorcycle group in front of us to take it. The were reluctant to even talk to us, but, after a short meeting, thought it would be OK to humor us with a picture if we stopped bothering them. Deal...............

....Then it was back to home across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This is the famous Mackinaw bridge to the UP.

Like all great trips.........it had to end.

Glad to be back. And glad to be back with all of you.............

Uncle Hans

BACK ON LINE

ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF BEING DRIVEN OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS BY THE BEES IS THAT WE ARE BACK ON LINE. THREE MONTHS OFF LINE WITH NO INTERNET WAS TUFF ON US BOTH. IT'S SO NICE TO CATCH UP ON ALL MY FAVORITE RV BLOGS, WHICH ARE LISTED IN THE LEFT HAND COLUMN.

ONE OF MY FAVORITES ON THE LIST IS MISSING, LOONEYS FOREVER. BUBBA WAS ATTRACTING TOO MANY POSTVILLE AREA RESIDENTS READING HER DIVERSITY BLOGS, AND IT WAS BEGINNING TO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT. I'LL MISS BUBBA'S STYLE, HUMOR, AND WIT, PLUS I AGREED WITH HER DIVERSITY POINT OF VIEW. I HAVE REPLACED BUBBA'S BLOG WITH THE BAD NICK BLOG ON THE LIST, WHICH IS ALSO AT TIMES POLITICALLY INCORRECT AND WELL WRITTEN. GIVE IT A LOOK- SEE IF YOU'RE MISSING BUBBA.

OF COURSE THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED E-MAILS TO DEAL WITH TOO. BUT BEING THE "COUCH MOUSE" I AM, I'M SURE I'LL GET CAUGHT UP. CHATTING ON YAHOO MESSENGER WITH AMY WAS AT THE TOP OF MY LIST, AND I EVEN GOT TO SEE ALL THREE OF MY GRANDSONS ON THE WEB-CAM. THE YOUNGEST, JOEY, HAS CHANGED THE MOST AND HE WAS VERY ENTERTAINING AS HE WATCHED HIMSELF ON MOMMY'S COMPUTER.

IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK ON LINE, BUT I'M NOT GOING BACK TO DAILY BLOGGING. I DIDN'T MISS THE PRESSURE OF DAILY DEADLINES AT ALL, BUT STILL LOVE SHARING OUR STORIES AND ADVENTURES WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS AND OTHER COUCH MOUSES OUT THERE.

BLOGGING THE LAST THREE MONTHS WAS DONE WITH THE AID OF WINDOWS LIVE WRITER SOFTWARE WHICH ALLOWED US TO WRITE OUR BLOGS OFF LINE COMPLETE WITH PICTURES AND THEN UPLOAD THEM QUICK ON A WI-FI SIGNAL FROM BASKIN AND ROBINS, THE LIBRARY, OR THE LAUNDROMAT.

BLOG READERSHIP AVERAGED 75 -80 READERS A DAY DURING THE SUMMER AND I WAS SURPRISED THAT SO MANY OF YOU CONTINUED TO CHECK ON US DURING OUR ABSENCE. THANK-YOU !!

BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS ON THE BLOG FRONT......

UNCLE HANS RETURNS THIS WEEK AS WELL, WITH HIS ANNUAL EPISODE OF "TWO GUYS AND A BANNER"

STAY TUNED ........

FAVRE

LONG TIME BLOG READERS HAVE NOTICED THAT I’VE AVOIDED THE SUBJECT OF BRETT FAVRE. I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED TO THINK ABOUT FOOTBALL WITHOUT FAVRE PLAYING.

I THOUGHT BRETT WOULD STAY RETIRED, AND IT WAS THE PASSING OF AN ERA.

FIRST THING I NEED TO DO NOW IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADJUST THE COLOR ON MY SONY TV SO THAT UGLY PURPLE JERSEY COLOR FADES AWAY.

SERIOUSLY, I’M THRILLED THAT FAVRE WILL BE PLAYING FOOTBALL THIS FALL, AND WE GET TO SEE HIM PLAY IN LAMBEAU FIELD ONCE AGAIN !

I AM REMINDED OF THE GREAT NUMBER 44 FROM MILWAUKEE, HANK ARRON. ARRON PLAYED A FEW EXTRA YEARS WITH THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS AND LATER THE BRAVES. HANK SOLD A LOT OF BASEBALL TICKETS AND KEPT THE HEART IN BASEBALL.

INTERESTING THAT IN THE FIRST 48 HOURS, AFTER SIGNING FAVRE, THAT THE VIKINGS SOLD 2,400 SEASON TICKETS AND 10,000 INDIVIDUAL GAME TICKETS.

WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE A TERRIFIC CONTEST IN THE NORTH DIVISION BETWEEN CUTLER AND THE BEARS VS RODGERS AND THE PACK, JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT MORE INTERESTING WITH BRETT AND THE VIKINGS.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

BEES

WE WERE GRILLING OUT, PORK CHOPS AND FRIED JASMINE RICE WERE ON THE MENU. WE HAD A HALF DOZEN BEES BUZZING THE DOOR TO THE CAMPER AS WE WERE GOING IN AND OUT TO THE GRILL. AS USUAL WITH OUR GRILLING, DARKNESS DESCENDED AND THE BEES WERE NO LONGER A PROBLEM.

EARLY IN THE MORNING SUZIE-Q, THE CAT, WOKE US UP AND SHOWED US THAT SOMETHING UNUSUAL WAS HAPPENING AROUND THE BEDROOM WINDOW. THERE WERE THREE BEES THAT HAD CRAWLED IN AROUND THE FOAM THAT HOUSES THE A/C VENT, TV CORD, AND POWER CORD FOR THE A/C.

I JUST DON’T GET ALONG WITH BEES AT ALL. THEIR STING CAUSES ME A LOT PAIN, SWELLING, AND ITCHING WHICH LASTS ABOUT A WEEK. I GOT UP AND WENT OUTSIDE TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED BEES FLYING AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAMPER TRYING TO GET IN.

MARY WAS NOW UP AND SUZIE-Q WAS ON FULL ALERT AND CHASING THE BEES AROUND THE INSIDE OF THE CAMPER. THEY WERE GAINING ACCESS AROUND THE WINDOWS AND DOORS AT A RATE OF ABOUT SIX EVERY HALF HOUR. MARY WAS BUSY ASSISTING THE CAT KILL THE INTRUDERS.

WE WERE DISCUSSING OUR NEW PROBLEM WITH LIVING THE SOLITARY LIFE IN THE DESERT MOUNTAINS. WHY DID THEY SUDDENLY SHOW NOW? THEY DON’T LOOK LIKE THE FALL YELLOW JACKETS OF THE MID-WEST, THEY LOOK LIKE BIG HONEY BEES. GEES, ARE THEY THE AFRICAN BEES FROM MEXICO? WHAT IS ATTRACTING THEM TO THE CAMPER? SHOULD WE MOVE OUT?

IT IS A DAY OFF FROM WORK, BUT I HAVE A DENTIST APPOINTMENT TO GET A COUPLE OF NEW TEETH GLUED IN AT 1PM.

AND THEN ………

MARY GOT STUNG !!!

SURRENDER – SURRENDER !!!

AS THEY SAY ON M.A.S.H. PREPARE TO “BUG-OUT”. WE GOT THINGS STOWED AWAY, INCLUDING THE SATELLITE DISH OFF THE MOUNTAIN WITHOUT ANY MORE STINGS. DID THE DENTIST THING AT 1PM AND PULLED THE CAMPER OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS AND BACK INTO CIVILIZATION AT 3:30 PM TO BLACKSTONE RV PARK AND OUR REGULAR SITE.

MARY IS WORKING ON HER END OF SUMMER BLOG, “REFLECTIONS FROM WATERFALL MOUNTAIN”, BUT OF ALL THE CHALLENGES, CHIPMUNKS, MICE, PUMPING SHIT UPHILL, WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT A COUPLE OF HUNDRED BEES WOULD DRIVE US FROM PARADISE.

THE BLACK MOUNTAINS

OVER THE TEN YEARS, I’VE GOTTEN A LOT OF PICTURES OF THE BLACK MOUNTAINS.  THE PHOTOS COME BECAUSE OF THE SMALL CONVIENIENT SIZE OF MY DIGITAL CAMERA, AND I’M FAIRLY GOOD AT STICKING IT INTO MY POCKET ON DAYS OFF. IN THE CAMPER, IT SITS ON A SHELF RIGHT BEHIND MY HEAD, AND IS EASY TO GRAB.

IT’S NOT LIKE YOU’RE WASTEING FILM, OR PAYING THE DRUG STORE TO DEVELOPE THE PICTURES.  YOU SNAP AWAY, UPLOAD THEM TO THE COMPUTER AND IF THEY SUCK, YOU JUST HIT DELETE.

I OFTEN USE A SETTING MARKED “ISO” ON THE CAMERA.  THIS SETTING TAKES PICTURES IN LOW LIGHT WITHOUT A FLASH.  THIS IS VERY HANDY FOR TAKING SHOTS INSIDE, LIKE CASINOS.  THEN I USE THE PICSA SOFTWARE TO LIGHTEN THE PICTURE LATER IN THE COMPUTER.  WHEN YOU USE THE “ISO” SETTING YOU MUST BE EXTRA CAREFUL TO HOLD THE CAMERA VERY STILL AND SQUEEZE THE SHUTTER WITHOUT MOVING THE CAMERA.

SOME OF THE BEST MOUNTAIN PICTURES COME DURING THE CLOUD COVER OF A STORM.  THE CLOUDS BREAK UP ALLOWING THE SUN TO SHINE THROUGH GIVING YOU A SHORT OPPORTUNITY AT A GREAT SHOT.

THIS PICTURES WAS TAKEN FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAMPER, DOWN THE SILVER CREEK VALLEY IN THE BLACK MOUNTAINS.

 

OUR TIME IS GROWING SHORT HERE AT OUR SECLUDED SUMMER CAMPING SPOT.  ALTHOUGH WE DON’T KNOW THE EXACT DATE THE HOME OWNERS WILL RETURN FROM ILLINOIS WE DO KNOW IT WILL BE IN SEPTEMBER. WE WILL HAVE TO MOVE OUT IMMEDIATELY SO THEY CAN USE THE RV SITE TO PARK THEIR MOTORHOME.  NEITHER ONE OF US ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO LEAVING.  IT WILL BE A SAD DAY.

LABOR DAY

LABOR DAY MARKS THE END OF SUMMER. THAT GLORIOUS SEASON OF CAMPING, BONFIRES, PICNICS, GOLF, AND GARAGE PARTIES.

HERE ON THE LOWER MOHAVE DESERT, IT’S JUST THE OPPOSITE.  LABOR DAY IS MORE LIKE THE IDES OF MARCH, JUST A FEW SHORT WEEKS AND THE WEATHER WILL RETURN TO “SUNNY & 80” . 

THE RETURN OF CAMPING AND THE ANNUAL MIGRATION OF THE SNOWBIRDS ARRIVING IN OUR VALLEY.

OCTOBER , NOVEMBER, MARCH, AND APRIL ARE THE BEST MONTHS HERE IN THE MOHAVE VALLEY, AND WE CAN’T WAIT!!!

ENJOY YOUR LABOR DAY WEEK-END !!!

 

ELECTRIC USAGE

YOU MAY REMEMBER SOME BLOG MATERIAL ON OUR ELECRTIC USAGE.  WE’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT A DAY WHEN WE MIGHT SET UP TO BOONDOCK ON THE DESERT INSTEAD OF USING AN RV PARK. 

ELECTRIC USAGE WAS ALSO A CONCERN SPENDING THE SUMMER ON THE LOWER MOHAVE DESERT AND SPENDING $0.14 A CLICK (KW HOUR) FOR POWER.  WE DETERMINED THAT WITHOUT USING ANY ELECTRIC FOR HEAT OR AIR CONDITIONING, WE USE 80 CLICKS, OR $11.20 WORTH OF ELECTRIC A WEEK. 

THE UNKNOWN WAS HOW MUCH WOULD ELECTRIC COST US IN THE SUMMER MONTHS RUNNING TWO AIR CONDITIONERS AND THE FRIDGE?

OF COURSE, YOU KNOW WE FELL INTO THIS GREAT CAMPING SPOT AT A NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION SITE WITH FREE RENT AND POWER.  I HAVE HOWEVER CONTINUED TO TRACK OUR POWER USAGE SO THAT I COULD ANSWER THE QUESTION, OF HOW MUCH POWER DOES IT TAKE TO RUN THE CAMPER WITH AIR CONDITIONING ON THE DESERT IN THE SUMMER.

REMEMBER THAT WE ARE AT 2500 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL IN THE BLACK MOUNTAINS COMPARED TO 600 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL ON THE MOHAVE VALLEY FLOOR, AND THE TEMPERATURE IS ALWAYS AT LEAST 10 DEGREES COOLER HERE. THE HIGH USAGE WAS THE THIRD WEEK IN JULY WHEN WE USED 318 CLICKS ($44.52). 

SO IF YOU’RE CAMPING ON THE LOWER MOHAVE DESERT IN THE SUMMER TIME (NOT RECCOMENDED) PLAN ON SPENDING $200 A MONTH ON ELECTRIC.

SUSIE-Q

THE “KITTEN” DAYS ARE GONE ALREADY

WOW, DO KITTENS GROW UP TO BE CATS IN A HURRY.  WHAT WAS ONCE A HANDFUL OF 8 WEEK OLD KITTEN TURNED INTO A YOUNG CAT RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES IN JUST TWO SHORT MONTHS.

I’M REALLY SORRY THAT NONE OF YOU GOT TO MEET SUSIE-Q DURING HER KITTEN DAYS AND ENJOY THE KITTEN EPISODES.

WE ARE GLAD THAT WE GOT HER AS A KITTEN INSTEAD OF ADOPTING A “USED” CAT FROM THE DOG POUND. 

THE TWO BEST THINGS WE DID WERE GETTING A SCRATCHING POST, AND SHAKING HER TREAT BOX EACH DAY TO GIVE HER A TREAT.

THE SCRATCHING POST SITS RIGHT OUT IN THE MAIN ROOM OF THE CAMPER AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY DRAPPING SHOE STRINGS AND ELASTIC CORDS OVER IT TO KEEP HER INTERESTED. IT’S IN A SPOT THAT MAKES IT EASY FOR HER TO CLIMB ON THE TABLE BOOTH, AND FROM THERE TO MARY’S DESK OR THE KITCHEN COUNTER.  THE ROPE BINDING ATTRACTS HER FOR SCATCHING THOSE FRONT CLAWS. 

THE SHAKING OF HER TREAT BOX AND A TREAT DAILY MAKES IT EASY TO LOCATE HER AND BRING HER OUT FROM HER MANY HIDING PLACES.  IT’S KINDA LIKE TAKING A BUCKET OF OATS TO THE HORSE PASTURE TO CAPTURE YOUR MOUNT FOR AN AFTERNOON RIDE.

SHAKING HER TREAT BOX IS ALSO WHAT BROUGHT HER BACK FROM THE PITCH BLACK DARKNESS WHEN SHE ESCAPED FROM HER HARNESS OUTSIDE ONE EVENING.

 

 

THE NAKED PIRATE

THE SUMMER CROWD IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN THE WINTER SNOWBIRDS. THE CROWDS ARE YOUNG PEOPLE, WITH KIDS, WHO COME TO THE COLORADO RIVER TO ENJOY LAKE MOHAVE AND CRUISING THE RIVER WITH THEIR BOATS AND JET SKIS.

IT’S MUCH LIKE WHEN WERE KIDS AND RETURNED TO DEVIL’S LAKE SUMMER AFTER SUMMER TO CAMP WITH THE SAME FAMILIES. 

AT WORK THE CASINO GAZING IS REMARKABLE, AS THE “CALIFORNIA GIRLS”, THE BEACH BOYS SANG ABOUT IN THE 60’S, MARCH THROUGH THE CASINO ON THEIR WAY TO THE BEACH AND SWIMMING POOLS AT THE AVI.

WE HAD BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT A NEW SPOT ON THE RIVER CALLED THE “NAKED PIRATE” WHERE THE BOAT CROWD GOES TO HANG OUT , EAT, AND DRINK.

 

THE FINE PRINT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SIGN SAYS, “A SUNNY PLACE FOR SHADY PEOPLE”.

IT DIFFICULT TO FIND BY CAR, AND THERE ISN’T A PARKING LOT.  IT’S COMPLETELY SET UP TO ARRIVE BY BOAT (OR SEA PLANE?).  THE LOCATION IS ON PIRATE COVE ON THE COLORADO RIVER ABOUT 25 MILES DOWN RIVER FROM THE LAUGHLIN CASINOS. 

IT IS SAID THAT A PIRATE BURIED HIS TREASURE CHEST OF GOLD, STOLEN FROM MEXICO IN THE LATE 1700’S, IN THIS COVE.

THIS IS WHAT THE BEACH BAR LOOKS LIKE ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON, COMPLETE WITH CARRIBEAN MUSIC.

 

THE SLIGHT FOG YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE ARE THE PATIO MISTERS USED TO KEEP THE CUSTOMERS COOL.

 

BEHIND THE BAR.

THE BACK SIDE, COMPLETE WITH OUTDOOR SHOWER TO REMOVE THAT SAND.

 

IT’S A BEAUTIFUL SPOT ON THE RIVER, AND WE ENJOYED A COCKTAIL ON THE PATIO ADMIRING THE CIGARETTE BOATS, KIDS ON THE BEACH DIGGING IN THE SAND, THE MUSIC, AND GOD BLESS THE “CALIFORNIA GIRLS” AND THEIR BIKINIS.