OUT OF THE VALLEY

FOR THE LAST THREE WINTERS I’VE BEEN SCOOTERING AROUND THE MOHAVE VALLEY. THE SPEED LIMITS RANGE FROM 35 – 55 MPH AND I KNOW MY WAY AROUND. ONE OF THE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR GETTING A NEW BIGGER SCOOTER WAS THE ABILITY TO TOUR AND GET OUT OF THE VALLEY.

I DID THE 600 MILES OF BREAK-IN TIME IN MY MOHAVE VALLEY AND TOOK THE NEW BURGMAN IN FOR THE FIRST OIL CHANGE AND SERVICE. THAT WAS A WEEK OR SO BACK AND I MADE A 9AM APPOINTMENT SO I COULD RIDE THE SCOOTER OVER TO THE LOCAL SUSKI DEALER, SINCE I DON’T HAVE A TRAILER FOR IT YET. WOULDN’T YOU KNOW IT, IT WAS 42 DEGREES AT 8 AM THAT MORNING, AND SWEET JESUS, THAT WAS THE COLDEST SCOOTER ON RECORD!!

SO TODAY WAS THE DAY TO LEAVE THE VALLEY AND MAKE A TRIP TO KINGMAN, AZ. THE 107 MILE CIRCLE INCLUDED HIGHWAY, A FEW MILES ON INTERSTATE 40, AND THE MOUNTAIN ROAD THRU OATMAN, COMPLETE WITH HAIRPIN TURNS.

MY NEW FOUND FREEDOM WAS EXCITING AND FELT GREAT !! I’M NOT REAL SURE ABOUT 75 – 80 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, BUT I’LL GET THE HANG OF IT. IT SURE WAS A FUN DAY !!!

FLOOR PROJECT

USUALLY I HAVE MY FALL “TO DO” LIST DONE BY CHRISTMAS, BUT NOW THAT I’M NOT SLAPP’IN JACKS FIVE DAYS A WEEK I’M BEHIND. GO FIGURE !

THE LAST THING ON THE LIST WAS TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE PORCH FLOOR. LAST SUMMER’S MONSOON RAINS SOME HOW WASHED THE SAND BASE OUT FROM UNDER THE PORCH FLOOR. OF COURSE, ACCORDING TO MURPHY’S LAW THE AREA THAT COLLASPED WAS UNDER THE CUPBOARDS.

 

ALL THE CUPBOARDS SIT ON A BASE OF EIGHT FOOT TWO BY FOURS, SO NOT JUST THE CORNER, BUT THE WHOLE WALL OF CUPBOARDS HAS BE DISASSEMBLED.

 

NOW I GOT SHIT PILED UP EVERYWHERE:

 

BEFORE:

 

AFTER:

OUT TO THE DESERT TO DIG UP TWO FIVE GALLON BUCKETS OF FINE SAND, DIG OUT THE PAVERS, REPLACE THE SAND, AND RE-LAY THE PAVERS. EASY RIGHT? YUP!

BUT NOW THE CUPBOARDS ALL NEED TO BE SCRUBBED, REVARNISHED, AND RESET ON THE TWO BY FOURS. BESIDES THAT THE BACKSPLASH ON THE COUNTER TOP NEEDS TO BE REGLUED.

AT 75 DEGREES, IT’S GOING TO BE A WEEK LONG PROJECT WITH THAT NEW WHITE SCOOTER JUST  CALLING MY NAME……

FREMONT STREET

AND FINALLY, THE PICTURES FROM FREMONT STEET, MY FAVORITE PLACE ON THE PLANT, AND I JUST LUV THE STREET PEOPLE……

 

DOES THIS PICTURE OF THE BEATLES BAND SEEM A LITTLE BLURRY TO YOU? WELL DUE TO THE MILLER LITES IT’S EXACTLY AS SAW I THEM…….

BUT THEY SOUNDED FABULOUS.

YUP, EVEN BERNIE SANDERS WAS THERE.

MARK & JAYNE

MARK AND JAYNE ARE OLD FRIENDS FROM THE YELLOW RIVER CAMPING DAYS. THEY LIVE AROUND DES MOINES, IOWA. THEY MADE THEIR FIRST TRIP TO VISIT NEVADA, AND I CAUGHT UP WITH THEM TO BE THEIR TOUR GUIDE.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT IN 16 YEARS I’VE NEVER STOPPED AND VISITED THIS ICONIC “WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS” SIGN.

WE DID TWO DAYS IN LAS VEGAS AND TWO DAYS IN LAUGHLIN. OF COURSE ON YOUR FIRST TRIP, THE HOOVER DAM IS ON YOUR LIST, ESPECIALLY SINCE MARK WORKS AS AN ENGINEER FOR THE CITY OF DES MOINES.

AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE BATHTUB RING AROUND LAKE MEAD, THE SOUTHWEST IS STILL IN A DROUGHT. THE LAKE IS DOWN ABOUT 100 FEET.

MARK & JAYNE TOOK THE TOUR DOWN INTO THE BOTTOM OF DAM AND THE POWER HOUSE.

FROM THE DAM WE HEADED DOWN RIVER TO LAUGHLIN AND THE HIGHLITE WAS THE ARIZONA GREEN BAY GAME ON SATURDAY NIGHT. WE WATCHED THE GAME IN A PACKED BAR CALLED SASSY SALLYS IN THE PIONEER CLUB WHERE THE PATRONS WERE HALF ARIZONA FANS AND HALF GREEN BAY FANS, AND THE CROWD WENT WILD NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED.

MARK AND JAYNE MET UP WITH JIM AND MISSY WHO ARE ALSO OLD YELLOW RIVER FRIENDS OF THEIRS. THEY TOOK THEM ON ROAD TOUR OF OLD ROUTE 66 THROUGH THE BLACK MOUNTAINS, AND OF COURSE OATMAN.

MARK & JAYNE ENJOYED FREMONT STREET THE MOST AND AS JAYNE SAID, “ THIS AIN’T YELLOW RIVER!” OF COURSE WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS STILL STAYS IN VEGAS !!!

BUT I KNOW THE ONLY REASON YOU’VE READ THIS FAR IS TO SEE PICTURES FROM FREMONT STREET.

ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT I’LL GO LOOK FOR THE FREMONT STREET PICTURES AND PUT THEM UP TOMORROW.

EL NINO

SEE THE PRETTY NEW SCOOTER OUT IN THE SUNSHINE? MY BROTHERS HAVE THEIR MOTORCYCLES PARKED WAY BACK IN THE GARAGE, SO I COULDN’T RESIST POSTING THIS PICTURE.

IN REALITY, I’VE HAD THE NEW SCOOT FOR FIVE WEEKS AND ONLY HAVE 400 MILES ON IT. EL NINO HAS RAISED HELL WITH OUR WEATHER AS ONE STORM AFTER ANOTHER ROLLS IN OFF THE PACIFIC OCEAN THROUGH CALIFORNIA AND ON INTO ARIZONA. FLAGSTAFF HAD OVER 30 INCHES OF SNOW THE FIRST PART OF THE WEEK. HERE ON THE DESERT IT’S BEEN WET AND COLD.

I’VE HAD TO COVER MY SUMMER PLANTS SEVERAL NIGHTS, AND THE WIND HAS BLOWN SO HARD THE SCOOTER HAS A COUPLE OF SPOTS WHERE THE PAINT HAS WORN OFF DUE TO THE FLAPPING COVER. I BETTER GET A MOVE ON AND BUY A CARGO TRAILER TO PARK IT IN.

IT WAS NICE ENOUGH YESTERDAY AFTERNOON TO RIDE DOWN TO NEEDLES, CA. TO BUY A COUPLE OF POWERBALL TICKETS, AND THEN HEAD THE OTHER WAY IN THE VALLEY TO GET A HAIRCUT.

NEXT WEEK WE HAVE FRIENDS, MARK & JAYNE, COMING IN FROM DES MOINES ON THEIR FIRST TRIP TO NEVADA, SO I’LL GET MY TOUR GUIDE HAT OUT AND SHOULD HAVE PICTURES FROM FREMONT STREET TO SHARE WITH YOU.

AT LEAST THE DAYS ARE GETTING LONGER……

 

HAM

YUM………

HAM ON THE GRILL.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE !!!

TO START OFF THE NEW YEAR BRIGHT, HERE ARE A COUPLE OF MARY’S SUMMER PLANTS FROM THE CABIN, THAT WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP ALIVE OVER WINTER HERE ON THE DESERT.

THE FIRST ONE IS A FUSHIA, AND IT EVEN HAS A FLOWER BUD. DUE TO THE COLD AND SHORT DAYS WE DON’T EXSPECT IT WILL OPEN.

 

 

AND THE GERANIUM FROM THE BACK DECK HAS FIVE NEW FLOWER STEMS.

 

WE HOPE YOUR NEW YEAR IS STARTING OUT AS BRIGHT AS THESE SUMMER FLOWERS.