We drove through Jacksonville which is about 15 miles west of Southern Oregon RV Park in Central Point, Oregon. The downtown looks really old and I wondered if the buildings were original. We think we might come back here another day. We then drove Hwy 238 about half hour north to Grants Pass. The drive went through a few small towns. Saw a few small grape fields, and some cattle. The trees aren’t thick here but you get that “away from it all” feeling in some places. We headed over to Rogue Creamery farm stand and dairy. We knew we were almost 3 hours before the last tour so we wanted to see if it was worth hanging around for. The store was very small. The lady behind the counter said people can’t walk around and look at the cows because the farmers are working. Understand that. We quickly came to the conclusion that it wasn’t worth waiting for the tour. I grew up next to a large dairy farm and Kevin was around them growing up, too. We ate our picnic lunch and headed back on the old highway that we came on. Kevin said “I got a different view going the other way” on the same road, different direction. HAHA
As we got near Jacksonville, Autio (footnote 1) told us some very interesting things about Jacksonville: *the town was started around the gold rush 1851 *the town built up pretty big and was the largest in the area *when the railroad was being built, the town refuse to give the railroad a free easement *the railroad said fine and built the tracks away from here and over where Medford is now *the town started dying out *since it was slowly dying no one rebuilt or replaced the downtown *now the entire downtown is a national landmark because it is all original! Isn’t that something?! We had no idea! We will come over here after work this week.
Dinner On The Board, Central Point, OR 04/23
When we got home (footnote 2), it was too windy for a fire so we will try another night. I used my new Charcuterie board with Rogue Creamery cheese. Yum!
Packets Cooking On The Coals. Central Point, OR 04/23
The next day was better weather. Around 4:00pm Kevin started the fire. Got some hot coals ready and then we cooked packets. The recipe is Packet Taco Burger & Potato. Kevin cooked it all perfectly. We know it is done when I smell it!
Good Idea For Plates! Central Point, OR 04/23
I wondered about putting the large packets on plates when done. It would be big and hang over and I didn’t it want to burn my nice picnic tablecloth. So what did I come up with? Cookie sheets! I have the 1/2 size cookie sheet that fit in my oven. They worked perfectly for the packets as plates. The packets were so very tasty! And, it was fun to eat outside.
Country Quilt, Jacksonville, OR 04/23
We wanted to get back to Jacksonville and explore it. A few days later we drove to Jacksonville to Country Quilt. I wanted to pick up a few things and I found this store on Google. Debbie, the owner, has a great store with over 800 quilts! Some made back in the 1800s! She showed several of them to us. Two had red turkey. Beautiful work. The fabrics are very nice quality. She said she had only been in this building for about 9 weeks because she had a fire. Oh no! Mostly smoke damage and she had a “fire sale”. The fabric bolts have been replaced. She seemed to be doing well with good attitude about it. She and Kevin visited while I looked around. I bought some fabric, paid with cash, and got $5.00 back. Then I saw a huge quilt depicting the area of this town. It is going to be raffled off in Sept – $5.00 a ticket. “Hey Kevin,” I said ever so sweetly, “may I have that $5.00 bill back?” HAHA Yep, got one ticket. As we left, Kevin asked his usually question: where is your favorite place to eat. She immediately said Back Porch BBQ & Grill. We laughed because I had told Kevin the other day that the next time we eat out, I wanted BBQ.
We walked around the downtown. We wanted to see what Autio had told us about this town. Fun to see the architecture: first floors had curves above the windows, second floors had straight lines. After walking around we drove the short distance to the bbq place.
Jacksonville, OR 04/34
The few spots to park were full so we crossed the street to a church. We were shocked to see these signs posted all over: “This is private property and remains open as a service to our community. Please use with respect. Do no leave trash, debris, or drug paraphernalia behind otherwise public accesss (sic) will be eliminated. Thank you! Relevant Church.” I thought that was really kind of the church.
If In Jacksonville, You Must Stop Here! Jacksonville, OR 04/23
Back Porch BBQ & Grill looks like maybe it used to be a house. Different rooms for seating and decorated with old cowboy themes. By the front door is hung cowboy boots from floor to ceiling. Kevin had ribs, Cole slaw and fries. I had brisket, potato salad and chili. We both rate it: Every Day! Outstanding. The sauce, which was on a plate with the homemade bread, was sweet and then later had a tiny bite to it of spice. After dinner we went home to sit outside to read and enjoy the rest of the evening.
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Autio is an iPhone app that tells all sorts of history and stories about places all over the country. It is narrated and with my iPhone on accessibility, it shows captions of the words being said. So thankful!
“Home” is where we park it. Home is our 2022 Alliance Avenue 5th wheel.
Bubbles? Read About It At The End Of This Blog. 02/23
After we left Lake Havasu, AZ we got set up at Davis Dam Camp Park. I saw online the history of this place. This campground is the exact site where the town was for the people building Davis Dam starting in 1946. So cool – even the same roads in the same spots. There were more than 100 houses back then. Most of the houses were actually picked up and moved to areas south of here once another city started up and Davis Dam Camp was changed to surplus property. There are a few houses remaining and are still lived in.
View From Inside Our “Home On Wheels” Colorado River, AZ 01/23View From Inside Our 5th Wheel, Colorado River, AZ 01/23
We have a good campsite. Looking out our living room windows, which face west, north and south, we see a dry marsh, a day area across the river, and the Colorado River. The sunsets were beautiful over the mountains.
Quilt I Am Making (With Reflections From The Sun!HA) Bullhead City, AZ 01/23
The next day I was able to do some sewing. I used the fabric with the black background, one with colored stars and one with colored dots. Also added the fabric that went with it with a blue background and colored swirls. I did a 3-Yard quilt pattern. It was fast and easy.
Colorado River, Bullhead City, AZ 01/23
At one point, Kevin needed to pick up a delivery at Dollar General. Low and behold, who is there? The lady that worked at the Dollar General where we dropped off Fed Ex all the time in Needles, CA last Spring! It was like ole home week! We had a quick catch up; she is working in this new store now. It is so fun to run into people we have met along our travels.
Looking Towards Davis Dam, Colorado River, Bullhead City, AZ 01/23
Part of the great fun of this travel-life is meeting people. Whenever Kevin goes outside here at Davis Dam Camp, he talks with the guy across the road. Everyday the guy “slowly” drinks his 6 pack of beer during the day and then later says, “Well, guess I’ll go in and watch a little TV. Before bed.” HAHA Slow, southern drawl.
No Words, Just Beauty. Bullhead City, AZ 02/23
On Saturday we were off to Quartzsite, AZ and the RV Big Tent Show! The sun was just coming up over the mountains and made a pretty sight. Loaded with diesel, soda, and donuts, we headed south on 95. Now, let me remind myself here…whoever made the road names in Arizona obliviously didn’t talk with the one making the road names in California! Both have Hwy 95, both run right next to Colorado river and state line! It can get confusing! Anyway, we took AZ-95, then CA-95, then over to Parker and on AZ-95. HAHA The 2.5 hour drive seemed to go by quickly. Parts of the way down were new to us. We scored a parking spot two rows from the front entrance! Since the show had just opened for the day, there were few people around but it quickly got busy. We were very glad to be there at the start of the day so we could ask questions at different vendor booths. We spoke with people at booths for batteries, cleaning outside of RVs, Thousand Trails, Escapees, metal detectors, and on and on. Next we went outside to the booths. We decided to get some ice cream for lunch. 🙂 While in line for Tasty’s ice cream, a guy next to us walked over and asked if we are on YouTube. Nope. He said we look really familiar to him. (I have one of those faces that people feel they know me or have seen me before.) He was very nice and looked a bit puzzled. There was a nice seating area under a canopy for those eating ice cream. It took a while to eat- they were huge!
Interesting Tw0-Tone Rock Mountain! Bullhead City, AZ 01/23
A ride was our thing to do the next day. While driving yesterday, over Route 66 east of Oatman, I saw on my Garmin RV 1090 the name of a road, Silver Creek. That road goes down the mountain and into town. We should drive it. 🙂 The road started as paved but then quickly turned to dirt. There were lots of signs saying not to shoot guns within a mile of the road…those signs were riddled with bullet holes! HAHA (Not funny but kind of funny!) We saw a lot of dirt roads perfect for ATVs and there were quite a few ATVs out and about.
Gorgeous Green At Around 3000 Ft Elevation. Outside Of Bullhead City, AZ 01/23
The higher elevation we got, the more green wild grass we saw growing all around. That is cool; it is February!
Perhaps A Tribute? Saw Along Dirt Road, Outside Of Bullhead City, AZ 01/23
It one point, we saw a guy with a Jeep; he was outside by the tire. Kevin said he thought the man was airing-down the tires but we stopped to check to see if he needed anything. He was very appreciative and said so, and yes, he was just airing-down the tires. When we joined the blacktop – Route 66 – we went down through Oatman and saw a few burros in the street. It was a great drive.
Colorado River, Bullhead City, AZ 02/23
One evening we walked to the south end of this campground and down to the beach. We saw ducks in the Colorado River. They would float down stream, bobbing their heads and bodies into the water getting food. Then, at the same place, all of them (there were almost 100), would turn in a nice, wide, sweeping curve and head up stream. They would paddle to stay in one place for a minute then a group would fly north to where they started. It was fascinating to watch! Almost like a human carnival ride: gather up, okay, go.
Yikes: Took a walk along Colorado River one evening. We saw where the Colorado River has an overflow to the side. In between the river and this overflow is what looks like an island. The overflow part was dry. Kevin headed us over there and was going to get on the top of the “island” to see the other side of the river. We looked and water came slowly moving towards us on the dry part.
As you can see, the area quickly filled in with river water. I said, “Hum, must have rained somewhere up north.” Kevin said, “Or, eh, they turned the faucet at the dam.” HAHAHAHAHA We have never seen a large river rising slowly before! Very interesting.
Bullhead City, AZ 02/23
I leaned down to take a picture of the sun behind a tree with a reflection in this little way. Looking at the picture, I got photobombed! By bubbles! It is the funniest thing. Doesn’t even look real. 🙂
We were very excited to get on the road. We were headed to Lake Havasu, AZ for a gathering of 300 RVs and that isn’t even counting the people! “Escapees” is an RV club started by Joe & Kay Peterson in 1978. They were traveling full-time and wanted to meet up with other people doing the same thing. Years later, Xscapers, a sub group for full-time travelers who are working remote, was started. This tends to be a younger group since they aren’t retired. Xscapers big yearly get-together is called Bash and that is where we were heading.
The event is sold out (we booked in July when it opened for reservations). I thought there would be a huge line of RVs when we got to Sara (Special Activities Recreational Area) Park but no, we got right in. There were volunteers everywhere and so happy and friendly. The sections you could pick when registering where: family, solar, general, party. We picked general so we can run our generator, if needed. Got set up and walked to Center Camp to get our packet. Fun bag full of cups, shirts, and other little things. Soon it started raining and we got a notification from Bash that the opening and welcome that was suppose to be at the rodeo arena was moved into the big tent. During the welcome, Kevin sat on the front row and turned to face me so he could interpret for me since I am deaf. So sweet. Xscapers was started by the grandson of the founders. His parents even ran Escapees. What a legacy of that family! This event is incredibly organized and I am extremely impressed.
Now THAT Is Talent! Lake Havasu, AZ 01/23
In the tent there was a band named Crown City Bombers, playing hulabilly. They were really fun to watch and Kevin said very talented. (I am deaf so I can’t hear how they sound.) They put on a great show and even the guy playing the upright bass, held it up over his head behind his back and played. Never seen that before!
Train Smoker, Lake Havasu, AZ 01/23
The first morning was catered breakfast burritos. They knew how to do it! Making them right there but they were fast. The line was short and always moving. Later we saw the smoker they used for the potatoes that looks like a train engine. Very cute. There was music at the gazebo and people just hanging out. We visited with people. One lady came up to me and started to use American Sign Language. Her hands were shaking and she said she was so nervous and almost didn’t come over. I am glad she did. Wow! She did great and Kevin stepped in when needed. She didn’t stay long as she was helping her daughter with marketplace. The marketplace is where people can sell things. There was another person who also signed to me. Love it! She took it in high school and her teacher had told her she should be an interpreter because she is so expressive. We agreed! Later, I sent two pictures that Kevin took to my family. My brother soon responded back that he knows one of the ladies! Small world!! I couldn’t wait to find her and tell her.
View from Mountains from Rodeo Arena, Lake Havasu, AZ 01/23
Tuesday, for happy hour, the Border Hookups sang. We have seen them on Youtube. Food trucks tonight! There were two, we picked Le Chaparro. Kevin had a navaho taco and it was really good. I had 2 street tacos and they were fine. Standing in line we visited with a lady who learned Japanese and then went there for four months. She said it was an incredible journey. I bet. Then Joann came up to me. Her granddaughter used to be babysat by my friend Sue! When I had texted Sue the pictures of two ladies signing with me, she reply that she knew someone here! Sue texted the friend, who looked me up and yes, I was here. What small worlds!
Center Camp Has A Lovely Sunset View, Lake Havasu, AZ 01/23
Next was a silent auction for charity. We bid on a pair of pickle ball rackets but didn’t win. While looking at the stuff, we spotted the lady who had signed with me. We stopped her and told her who my brother is. She was blown away of the connection. She told us later that she had a nice chat with him on Facebook and got all caught up. The evening entertainment was 90’s Rockshow. They are a band out of LA. It was funny, Kevin and I didn’t know any of the songs. I remembered that in the 90s we were listening to country music. No country music here at Bash.
Wednesday we went to Center Camp where the tables are set for people to work. For lunch, we had free hot dogs and chips. While Kevin worked, I read on my iPad. “Mrs Harris Goes To Paris.” What a darling book! I know it was a movie this past season; now I will need to watch it. For dinner, it was another food truck night. We picked DJ’s Truckin’ Good Food. We had cheeseburgers and fries. Next was Xscapers Olympics. We didn’t want to join but probably will next year. Teams of 4. There were all sorts of games spread out all over the rodeo grounds. They had 2 hours to complete them. We watched one – a bounce house where people would have to hold on to ropes – it looked like human foosball! HAHA
Charla, in Red, Serving Mac & Cheese, Lake Havasu, AZ 01/23
Thursday was Mac & Cheese Madness. I like to cook, and have a yummy recipe for Mac & Cheese so I thought I would make some. I didn’t matter to me if it won or not, just fun to cook. There were tables set around in a U shape, and, to my horror, the cookers were seat at the table behind their dish! I thought this was a “blind” competition. It became apparent that each person would hand out the samples. I was so overwhelm – how am I going to serve and try to communicate with everyone! I sat down and the tears filled my eyes. Kevin asked if I wanted to leave, and I said no thanks. I needed to do this. He sat a chair by me. I got the tears out of my eyes. I bucked up and soon the competition started. Soon the doors were open and a ton of people came in. Kevin was so good to talk with everyone while I dished up the food. ♥️ We didn’t win but it turned out to be fun.
“I Win!” Lake Havasu, AZ 01/23
Friday we went to the seminar – Maximizing your Escapees benefits. It was good to learn more about the different events and programs. Escapade is the annual national rally and is the largest and most diverse gathering of the Escapees community. HOPS is Head Out Program. It includes excursions with fellow RVers that target unique locations, special events and theme-related activities. Escapees Hangouts provides more casual opportunities to make new friends and share fun, active and adventurous experiences together in a campground setting. Next session, Hollie (the director) told about upcoming events for 2023. Then she said the big announcement is the date for the next Bash: Jan 13-21, 2024, and will be held at the same place. She said Lake Havasu City is great to work with and their facilitates at the rodeo grounds work perfect. Then Hollie said for everyone to look under their benches. We causally felt under ours. Nothing. After a while she said, “This area needs to look again” and pointed around us. I stood up and Kevin lifted the bench. There it was, an envelope. She said he won a ticket to the next BASH! WAHOOOO Last year’s price was $300.00. What a great prize to win. We were already planning on attending it. The session RV Gadgets Show & Tell was great. I recognized Mark Nemeth from the Escapees magazine as tech advisor. Kevin picked up on a few things that would be nice to have. The show and tell invited people to bring their favorite gadgets. I talked to a lady afterwards who showed museum putty. I have heard a lot of talk about this. She said it really does hold. I might need to try some.
The Quilt I Made Being Used For Trivia! Lake Havasu, AZ 01/23The Team With My Quilt 🙂 Lake Havasu, AZ 01/23
Right after that was Trivia Night. What a great way to meet new people! The 5 rounds were each different and loads of fun! One was name the song and singer. (Yeah, I couldn’t help with that! HAHA) Another was look at a paper and identify each symbol. For example, Good Sam, National Parks, etc. Another round was a paper with titles of movies about something to do with travel or on the road. You had to name the actor. Oh, we messed that one up big time. HAHA The last round was a paper listing a campground. We had to name the National Park where that campground was in. Well, it was a cool day and earlier in the day, Kevin had brought me the National Park quilt that I had made. (About 5 ladies oohed and aahed over it during the day session. So sweet.) So, I held up the map part of the quilt so my team could see. I thought that seeing the map might help their memories of where the campgrounds were. It helped a little, we thought. Then, all of a sudden, a guy from another team walked over and asked if he could hold my quilt! HAHA I said, “Yes, and if you win, you owe me $20.00!” Everyone was laughing. Then the guy took the quilt over to his team and held up the quilt. Wouldn’t you know….that team won! I hollered, you owe me $20.00. HAHA He came over and pulled out a $20.00. I said no thanks, just teasing. While we were all laughing. He kept insisting to pay, laughing right along. I suggested he give to the charity Bash was supporting. He liked that. Isn’t that the funniest?!
The Status Crowes, Lake Havasu, AZ 01/23
There were two food trucks. We had another delicious burger from JD’s Truckin’ Good Food. The concert that night was a couple named The Status Crowes. They travel full-time and are a favorite of Xscapers. People call them the “Xscapers House Band.” He plays a guitar and sings and she sings and does some hand beats. They played for 3 hours.
Boom Bandits, Lake Havasu, AZ 01/23
Saturday at noon we went to see the session we hadn’t heard of before. It was: Gutted Season 2 Premiere w/ Cast Meet & Greet. This is a TV show where each team has 5 days to build out an RV, van, and school bus. The show wasn’t captioned so I just watch the video. It was the first time the cast had seen it. Then the cast went on stage and answered questions. At 5:00 was catered BBQ by BBQ Bandits. I looked them up to see if they have a restaurant in Lake Havasu and sadly, no. The meal was fantastic! BBQ pork, beef, or chicken sandwiches, potato salad, Cole slaw, Mac & cheese, I can’t remember what else. They used Sweet Baby Rays, our favorite sauce. A couple we met during trivia joined us and we had a great visit. From 7:00-9:00 PM was an act from Las Vegas named Lyte Bryte. They are a music group and wear neon flashing lights on their costume. Very fun! Everyone was invited to wear neon and boy did people go all out. Fun to see. The group performed on the gazebo. We had fun and danced along with the beat. At one point, the guy leader in the band said his pants were falling down and he needed a safety pin. After the girl sang the next song, he came back and said he was given 12 safety pins and a box of pins. The girl was surprised people had brought so many. He said, “Well, their homes are right there” and pointed to all our RVs. HAHA At 9:00 pm – midnight, the entertainment was Boom Bandits. He is a DJ who “provides an obscene amount of fun with their professional entertainment and one-of-a-kind contraptions.” It was a dance party. We stayed for just a few minutes and then went home. Kevin could hear the beat, music, and even the DJ talking clear over in General 2 parking where we were. Sometimes, when you are ready for bed, it is nice to be deaf. 🙂
This was our first time at a gathering like this. There were singles, couples, friends, and families. From tiny vans to honking-big motorhomes. There were people with all sorts of remote jobs. A very diverse gathering but all with the common core of love-of-travel. And with that? Not a stranger in sight.
When Christmas Is At The Beach…These Are The Stocking You Need To Make! 🙂 12/22
We discovered our freezer needed to be thawed. I have never done that before. Well, I guess, if you count doing my mom’s freezer growing up, yeah, I have an idea. I put all the frozen food in our cooler. Then I let it sit for about an hour. I could then peal off big chunks of ice from the back wall. I used a hair dryer to soften the rest of it and was completely easy and fast. Organized the food like I had it before when I put it back. Nice, easy, fast.
A Small Section Of Ivanpah Solar Complex, Ivanpah, CA 12/22
The drive through Las Vegas, NV and down to Barstow, CA was easy. Not the bad traffic we have had in the past. So thankful! As we passed the big solar panels at Ivanpah Solar Complex, just over the California line, the travel app Autio told us there are 174000 heliostats and 173,000 garage-door sized sets of mirrors over 3500 acres.
Helicopter With Rope Down To Two Workers, Ivanpah, CA 12/22
We saw a helicopter hovering above. Soon we saw it move with it’s long cord over a power line to people who we were working on it. That was a sight to see!
We pulled into Shady Lane RV Campground in Barstow, CA around 1:00 PM. I had reviewed the place, of course, and read it was a good place to stop, with full hookups. As we drove in a guy was there to meet us. Very nice. Had us follow him to our site on his golf cart. The place has a lot of older motorhomes that live there permanently. Some are cleaned up outside and others have junk around. The perimeter of the small campground has a lot of old junk around – cars, barrels, equipment, etc. I saw several large, nice, newer 5th wheels around. Kevin’s eyes were big, though. The site was so level we didn’t even unhook the truck! It was okay for a quick overnight stop.
Nice To Have Your Bathroom & Kitchen For Whenever You Want To Stop! California 12/22
After a good night sleep, we woke up at 7:00 AM and headed out. Stopped outside of Barstow for diesel. With Kevin’s Open Roads EFS card, it was $4.60 a gallon. It saved us $1.10 per gallon! Yay. The EFS card was designed for over the road trucks. Open Roads has opened it up to RVers. It only works for diesel. There is an app that shows what our price would be at the pump. Kevin likes to pull in and act like a super trucker when we fuel. Our drive took us along the northern freeway of Los Angeles valley, 210. Kevin and I always marvel over how nice California drivers are. You put your signal on and they back off and let you in. So nice. We have seen this every time we have been here. At one point, we stopped at a strip mall parking lot to use our bathroom and get snacks. It is so nice to have those with you. 🙂
One Section Of Our View, Santa Barbara, CA 12/22
It was cloudy as we got closer to the Pacific Ocean coast and had some soft rain. Used the wipers but the rain didn’t cause a problem for driving. We had our usual conversation about how the roads “need” to be higher so we can see the ocean over the trees. 🙂 We were finally able to see the Pacific Ocean and it is as beautiful as always. From Santa Barbara, we headed straight up in the steep mountains but our truck and HOWE (our 5th wheel name for “Home On WhEels”) didn’t bog down at all. At several passing lanes, drivers weren’t in a hurry to get around us and some just stayed behind us. Such polite people. Down the road we saw some houses, farms, and ranger station. Passed a firehouse. Then turned off to the 1 mile driveway that everyone talks about as being crazy narrow. Yes, it is narrow with hairpin turns! Sure wouldn’t want to meet anyone with the a trailer going the opposite way! But the road is good, paved, and we took it safe. Thankfully no one coming down. I had read the great advice of not going up it until checkin time because otherwise you might meet people coming down at checkout time. Good advice. This campground is right in the tall mountains, has paved roads, and each site road is terraced. What a view we have! As we parked, a guy came walking his dog. He stopped and talked. After he saw Kevin using American Sign Language with me, he said he has some tinnitus due to “guns and loud rock and roll music,” He said, “May I ask you a personal question?” Yes, we knew he was asking about how I became deaf. He was so polite and I am always happy to share. We got set up and sat outside enjoying the beauty – clouds on the tops of the mountains, rolling with the storm, sun peaking out. Later, we walked down and around the campground. We saw their playground, store, 2 huge swimming pools, hot tub with temp 102°, and the main lodge. We went back, got our swimming suits on and enjoyed some time in the hot tub. We were surprised as it was only us there in the entire pool area.
NEW TO US AT A CAMPGROUND: The other day, Kevin and I noticed an ambulance coming into the campground. Soon it came over by us and turned down our campsite road and stopped 2 sites from us. Then, a fire truck came. Then, a coroner’s truck, white van and two police cars. Sad. We found out the next day from talking with a neighbor that a lady made coffee and took it in to wake up her husband. He had died in his sleep. Sad. The same afternoon that he died, we headed down the mountain to go to the beach. At the campground gate, in comes the fire truck. Down on the 1 mile driveway, the same ambulance as that morning. What happened now? We found out a guy 2 sites farther down from the one who died, had a stroke! Sad. Kevin and I are always mindful to live our best life we can because you never know when it will be over.
Decorations In Our Living Room And Kitchen. 12/22
This was a fun space to decorate. I made and quilted the stockings.
Stockings Hung By The Fireplace 12/22
Kevin worked out the math to get the loops looking so perfectly even. 🙂
Of Course We Need A Tree In Our Bedroom 12/22
We like the light this tree makes at night.
“Joshua” The Snowman Is Out Even In The Summer. 🙂
If you remember way back when, I posted about this darling snowman that my dear cousin, Jennette, made for me. I like snowman a lot and this one is so cute. She suggested the name, since I like Joshua Trees so much (they each have their own personality!). Joshua is always out, hanging around, even in the summer. HAHA
Oh YEAH! 12/22
If you know me at all, besides snowmen, I am a big fan of Hallmark Christmas/Holiday movies. I record all the new ones and then start watching them right after Thanksgiving. 🙂 Kevin got me this mug and it is perfect…hot chocolate with a boat load of whipped cream on top.
Up early and ready for shopping. 🙂 We haven’t been inside Missouri Star Quilt Co but have driven past it over the years. This is Hamilton, Missouri, where Kevin grew up. (Read last week’s post about his memories and visiting.) I read online that you start in the Main store. We walked in and were greeted by a friendly worker. Kevin explained I am deaf and was my interpreter. She did very well in explaining things: there are about 12 stores with different types and themes of fabric, sign in on an iPad to get a printed paper with name and email so points can be added from each store, the main store has a sample of each store with the name so you can go directly there if you are short on time, take a pic of what you like and the outside of the store so can find were something is, stuff like that.
My Shopping Pass, Hamilton, MO 10/22
After telling her we are traveling Full-Time, she entered for me “everywhere” when it asked where we are from. 🙂 Then Kevin left to go back to work in HOWE (the name for our 5th wheel Alliance Avenue, Home On WhEels) and I wandered around. I went into each store. I found about 6 quilt patterns that I liked, plus another 3 Yard Quilt book and bought them. Ahead of time, I had paper and pen ready so workers could write down their communication with me since I am deaf. Around noon I got hungry and texted Kevin. It was such a sunny and warm day so I started walking home to the campground. My fitness app on my Apple Watch said it was 1/2 mile. I made sandwiches, ate, and then off for more shopping. 🙂 Kevin dropped me off on his way to drop off FedEx at the dollar store. Since my new patterns use 5 inch squares or jelly rolls(the name for a roll of fabric that is 2.5 inches wide), that is all I looked at the second time to purchase. I went through every store again and bought some nice ones. It was a lot of fun.
Kevin Happy With My Purchases & Wanted Me To Get More! He’s A Keeper! Hamilton, MO 10/22
Yesterday, when we got to this campground, the host said he had talked to me for the reservations. No, I am deaf and Kevin always makes the calls. He said no, he had talked to me through interpreters on the phone. No, not me. Oh, he said, other deaf people are coming. I was pretty excited! When I got home today, the deaf couple pulled up. The campground hosts must have told them I am deaf, which is great, and the couple came over to meet us. They were in the site right next to us. Do you know how RARE it is to find someone who is traveling and deaf and a quilter????? Our hands were flying in American Sign Language (ASL) and I was beyond thrilled to communicate so freely with someone in the campground. They left the next day but don’t you know, we have been texting the second they left and text most every day. What a blessing!!! OH, and the gentleman had a question on something with the RV and Kevin was able to communicate in ASL with him and helped him out. It was fun watching those two sign with each other. Meeting them was a really highlight for us!
Gorgeous Sunset. Our Niece & Her Family’s Land. Missouri 10/22
We have concluded something. There isn’t a level spot in all of Missouri. HAHA The drive to the house of our niece and her family was very nice – sunny with a slight breeze. Our niece and her husband were so great in helping Kevin find a spot to park our 36 ft, 5th wheel on their property.
Our Niece Can COOK! Missouri 10/22
The dinner she made was outstanding! She cooked local steaks on her charcoal grill! She also cooked Vidalia onions, deviled eggs, and green beans. Delicious and we were so full!
Bring A Picnic & Enjoy The Beauty. Trenton, MO 10/22
Our niece, her husband, Kevin and I went to the Amish community of Jamesport, MO. My mother-in-law and I would come here often when we lived in the area more than 25 years ago. I like their baked goods and the bulk items. I have been looking forward to this for weeks, as I have been hungry for some good baked goods. 🙂 .
Kevin Holding Fresh Made Deliciousness! Jamesport, MO 10/22
In Jamesport, we stopped at the bakery that I remember, Annies. We saw the open sign, walked in and saw the yummy food on the counter but there wasn’t anyone there to take our money. We waited a little bit and then left. On to Countryside Bakery, which was right behind H&M where my favorite Amish store is. Oh the treats inside! We got fried apple pies, cinnamon bread, dinner rolls and the biggest gingersnap cookies with vanilla frosting inside. I am in heaven! On over to the store and I found butterscotch chips! Score! There were a lot of bags of them; I bought 4. We also got bulk: trail mix, pineapple/papyri bites, a sweet trail mix, taffy, and more. We were like kids in the candy store. By this time it was around 10:30 so we decided to eat lunch at Jamesport. I am so glad we did. We ate at Country Dutch. The fresh buffet of fried, juicy chicken, real mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, salad stuff, and other things was a great find.
Breathtaking Beauty. Trenton, MO 10/22
We had a wonderful time with our sweet relatives. They were gracious hosts. We loved our visit with them: great chats, delicious meals, softball games, seeing the land, everything was really special to us.
I almost cried! When I shop for fabric for quilts 99% of the time I don’t have a quilt in mind. I just pick the fabric because I like it. 🙂 When I had the blocks all made and sewn together for this quilt top, I didn’t know what I would do with the quilt, give it away or keep it. As soon as I finished the quilt top, literally the minute I finished, my sewing group said they were going to make quilts for Ukraine. Hellocottons.com in Lehi, UT, has a great story about knowing people in that country. People in Ukraine and those fleeing desperately need quilts. They need warmth and to be able to wrap something around them that feels like a big hug. I got teary eyed when I realized most of the fabrics I had used are the colors of the Ukraine flag!
Sunflowers, The National Flower Of Ukraine.
When I took it to the longarmer (a person who operates a large machine that puts the designs on quilts) we were looking for a design. We saw the sunflower design and she said she thought the sunflower had something to do with Ukraine. Kevin looked it up on his phone and it is Ukraine’s flower! So yes, that had to be the design.
Beautiful Ponderosa Pines at 8,000 Ft Elevation.
Friday 05/06/22 As soon as Kevin was done with work, we drove the car to “National Forest Road #171”. The funny thing about this is, on Campendium, the website about camping places and dump stations, as this place listed as the highest rated in the Flagstaff area. I thought we should check it out for Boondocking. Anyway, we drove west on Route 66, then I-40 and got off at the exit close to the road. We got on dirt road #171. There is a huge bump right there where they are adding a culvert right next to the road so the round about it is a mess. After that, the road is really nice! Dirt and some gravel but 100% better than a lot of I-40. We saw probably about 10-15 trailers/tents along the way. We found a place we think we can get HOWE (our 2022 Alliance Avenue, 36 ft, we named for Home On WhEels) into, just off the Forest Service road 171 C.
Kevin Checking Starlink App On HIs iPhone.
But, the app says Dishy (Starlink) wanted more clearance. Kevin said we had better reception there than at the campground in Flagstaff. We found Lava Caves and got out and read the signs. The sun was going down so we will come back another time. We are pretty excited to come back here and camp. We decided I will take the car up ahead and text Kevin if the place is available for us or if someone is there. There is 1 to 2 bars LTE on the phones. We tested them and they work good even for FaceTiming. We decided to eat out and looked for a diner. I found The Crown Railroad Diner but the address took us to the end of the train depot that is a visitor’s center. We kept driving. Found another diner but it was closing in 15 minutes. Went back a few blocks to a restaurant we passed that had some of the lights out in the sign. As we walked in, we saw that this is the place we had first looked for! It is part of an old hotel. There is a working model train going around the room. Kevin had the best Patty Melt – lots of cheese, onions, rye bread and it was toasted. He was thrilled! Rated “eat everyday”. I had chicken fried steak that was fine. I rate it as “once a month”. What a fun discovery. As we ate, the model train went above our heads at the same time we looked across the road and saw a long 5-engine train pass by.
Near Winslow, AZ.
Saturday 05/07/22 Flagstaff, AZ Today was drive and explore day. Kevin wanted to go to Winslow, AZ. It is famous for some song by the Eagles. Sounds fun, let’s go. Of course we wanted to stay off the freeways. We went on Hwy 15 to Leupp, AZ, which is on Navajo Nation reservation. There wasn’t a lot there and we didn’t stop. Took Hwy 99 south to just west of Winslow. We were in awe of the change in landscape! On Hwy 15, there is a lot of cedar trees and some big hills. After awhile, it is what you typically think of AZ desert, dry, more dirt than growth, with a few red rocks. We saw a few homes scattered along the way.
“Standing On The Corner In Winslow, AZ.” This Is From An Old Song.
We stopped in Winslow and I took Kevin’s picture at the corner where a statue is. He was pretty excited about it. 🙂 There were a lot of people there and you had to wait in line to stand next to the statue. I looked up and saw a museum. We walked over there. It is free, small, and had great information. Our favorite thing we learned was that there was a Harvey House in town, because the train runs past. One of the ladies there later rustled cattle! She even used Henna to paint a bull to look a different color. She put her own brand on it. The owner went past that bull for a year without knowing it was his and she had stolen it. HAHA I bought a book that has about 8 stories of AZ women because her story is it in it. From there we drove south on Hwy 87. Awhile later we were back in the mountains and Ponderosa Pines. We turned north on Hwy 3. We passed a few campgrounds that look like we should check out. We now have to be carefully…we can’t have shade or trees because Dishy with Starlink needs a wide open space above us! Weird thinking! HAHAHA
Mormon Lake, AZ Not A Drop Of Lake Here.
We came upon Mormon Lake and I had seen online the campground there. We were in complete shock…there wasn’t a drop of lake left. Not kidding! It used to be huge, according to the map in the car. Crazy drought! The campground was full of people with ATVs and was very cramped sites. We won’t be camping there. What a gorgeous drive! We left home around 10:00 and got home around 4:30.
Sunday 05/08/22 The wind here in Flagstaff has been horrible! Steady speeds in 30s mph with gusts in 50s mph. It is awful and we are surprised! We both said we want to go back to Needles, CA! We hope the wind doesn’t last. We haven’t even been able to sit outside or eat outside. The dirt is everywhere, even inside HOWE.
Did We Go 4-Wheeling In The Car? Nope, Just National Forest Road. 🙂
Today we drove back to the National Forest to check if there was a different way to get to road 171. We went up Hwy 180, which is an excellent road, and turned off on National Forest road 245. We found nice spot a little ways down. Dishy would work “ok”there. We kept driving and found a really great spot. Dishy would be very happy there! This will be our first spot to try to get. We drove all around 171 and saw the beauty. Right as we got back on 180, the tire light came on. The tires looked fine. Went to the car wash and washed the car. It looked like we had been 4-wheeling! After we got home, the tire started going flat. Kevin said it was time for new tires anyway and ordered some through Discount Tires.
Monday 05/09/22 Today we just were in the mood for snacking. It was funny. For supper I asked Kevin if he wanted homemade Cobb Salad or mini tacos from the freezer. Mini tacos with leftover homemade salsa was a great meal. 🙂 We went to OReiley and then AutoZone for parts to go with the battery box. Kevin found what he needed and installed it. (I, obviously, have no idea what that meant but it was something to do with the extra batteries our friend gave us to use for our solar…I think. HA)
Wednesday 05/11/22 All day today I read the entire 300 page book by Sue Thomas called, “Silent Night.” Sue is deaf and worked for a little while helping the FBI by reading lips. There was a TV series years ago based on her. What a great book. Kevin had secretly ordered it for me and it was fun to get a package in the mail today.
Readers: some of you asked me for the recipe from last week’s post. Here it is. I am also going to include the best Ranch Dressing recipe that I have found. We had it on top of the Cobb Salad this week.
The recipes: ITALIAN CREAM SAUCE CHICKEN 4 chicken breast, boneless, skinless 1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix 1/3 cup water 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1 can cream of chicken Rice or noodles Lay chicken in bottom of slow cooker / crockpot. Mix together the Italian salad dressing mix and water. Pour this mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Beat cream of chicken soup, NO water added, with the cream cheese. Pour over the chicken. Cook 1 hour more. Serve over noodles or rice.
Ranch Salad Dressing 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup whole milk 2 tsp vinegar, white 2 tsp dried dill weed 1/2 tsp dried parsley 1/2 tsp dried chives 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper Mix everything together! 🙂 Chill in fridge until you are ready to eat. Store leftovers in fridge; will last about 5 days.
In a campground, boondocking (no hook-ups, out in the “boonies”), outside, in a 24 ft travel trailer or 36 ft 5th wheel, from next to lakes, mountains, and deserts…you can make a quilt anywhere. 🙂
Current Sewing Area In Our 2022 Alliance Avenue 32 RSL
In our new HOWE (our Home On WhEels) there is plenty of space for my sewing area. It is in the living room opposite of Kevin’s desk.
Living Room In 2022 Alliance Avenue 32 RLS.
There is plenty of room between Kevin’s chair and the sewing area.
Sewing Machine Storage Case.
We got this sewing machine case when I started quilting in February 2020. The case made it very nice to take my machine and supplies with me when I went to sew with my friends. Now it is the perfect protection for the machine when we are on the road. Trailers/5th wheels are very bouncy going down the road. My machine, in the case, rides with us in the truck. 🙂
Ottoman in 2022 Alliance Avenue 32 RSL.
Our new HOWE has this nice seating bench with storage. This is where I put my fabric, cutting mat and iron. Hum, it isn’t full yet…need to go to fabric store! 🙂
Utah Lake State Park, Provo, UT May 25-31, 2021
Sewing outside in just an incredible feeling. Doing what ya love in such a beautiful setting. Thankfully no bugs! 🙂
Camping Solstice Motorcoach Resort, Mesquite, NV Nov 20-25, 2020
Even sewing in our first HOWE (25 ft 2020 Shadow Cruiser) worked just fine. I set the SewEzi table next to the dining seat. There was plenty of kitchen counter space for measuring and cutting fabric.
Some campgrounds have a community room/clubhouse where you can set up for sewing and spread out. I have had a blast sewing with friends in a few.
Quilt for “Wrap Ukraine With Quilts”.
This is the latest quilt I finished. When I had the blocks all made and sewn together for this quilt top, I didn’t know what I would do with the quilt. As soon as I finished the quilt top, my sewing group from where we used to live said they were going to make quilts for Ukraine. Hellocottons.com has a great story about knowing people in Ukraine. I got teary eyed when I realized most of the fabric I had used are the colors of the Ukraine flag. When I took it to the longarmer, we started looking for a design. We saw the sunflower design and she said she thought the sunflower had something to do with Ukraine. Kevin looked it up on his phone and it is Ukraine’s flower! So yes, that had to be the design. (Longarm done by Terri Wetzel. On Facebook: Craftee2Quilts.)
Yard Flag.
I like to make yard flags. I make them for different seasons and holidays. This one is from a kit my sister-in-law gave me. (Kevin made the wood sign when we first started camping back in Sept 2020.)
Folding Corners Pattern.
This quilt block is one of my very favorites. I made this one into a yard flag for St Patrick’s Day while in Needles, CA.
Yard Flag For Autumn.
Well, I won’t bore you with more quilt pictures. 🙂 Hopefully it gave you a little insight in how I make quilts while out and about.
Brand new 2022 Alliance Avenue, 32 RLS, 3 Slides, 35 ft 3 in Long, Wide-Belly 101 in
Sunday 03/06/22 Kevin wants a desk! There isn’t space in HOWE (our name for our travel trailer – Home On WhEels) to have a desk so he works from the dining room table. Since we are now traveling Full-Time, a desk would be much better. Kevin has been researching travel trailers the whole year we have been learning about Full-Time. He found he likes Alliance the best. This day we went to NASCAR Race in Las Vegas. (I will tell you more about that in the next blog.) When we left the race Kevin had me look up Johnnie Walker RV in Las Vegas. He had found them online last night and they have Alliances for sale. I was sure they wouldn’t be open on a Sunday but they were. They closed at 5:00 and this was about 4:00. We stopped in, told them we knew they closed soon, and we just wanted to see the Alliances they had. Robert, the salesman, took us to see them. They had the floor plan we were interested in. Alliance Avenue 32RSL. We looked at it and ah man, soooo beautiful! Light and bright with tons of windows. Truly, our dream floor plan, too. Oh my gosh, from what we see, it is everything we want. The back has a huge couch but we will take that out and put in a large desk for Kevin to work. Robert took us to the office and ran some numbers. Pretty soon, we were filling out all the paperwork. Done! HAHA We left, got in the car, looked at each other and said, “What did we just do?” Laughing our heads off!!! But oh no, we don’t have a truck big enough to pull it because it is a 35 ft 3 inches long, 5th Wheel. Last night, he had also found online a Ram truck, 3500, diesel, long bed, with a 5th Wheel hitch in Kingman, AZ.
Our New Truck, Hitching Up New HOWE
Monday 03/07/22 We went to Martin Swanty Ram in Kingman. The truck that Kevin found online was sitting right there for us. 🙂 Chuck was a good salesman. He had on jeans, boots, a Car-Hart jacket, and a hat. Looked like he just came in from the farm. HAHA He gave us the keys and let us test drive it. It is the truck for us and we bought it. We didn’t have a Wells Fargo check with us so they said for us to take the truck home and bring a check tomorrow. Wow! As we left, I asked them their favorite place to eat. Chuck said LaCatina Mexican is his wife’s favorite and she would eat there every week. So we went there, just down the road from the dealership. The food was fine.
Tuesday 03/08/22 Called Robert and told him that we got the truck and have new insurance for the new truck and new HOWE. He said it would be ready for pick up on Monday. Then I thought about campgrounds. If you have been reading along (thanks!) you know that we booked a campground in Flagstaff for a base this summer. It is much cooler than other parts of Arizona and we want to explorer Northern Arizona. It seems that “most” (slight exaggeration!) people in Arizona camp in Flagstaff for the summer! I had a hard time finding a place even though we were booking it back in February. I remember when Kevin booked the one in Flagstaff, they had told him it was a small site, but wide. He called and there is no way a 35 ft 5th Wheel will fit in the site and they had all the other sites filled. I had a little panic as I knew all the other places around we had called were full. I found a few places and since I am deaf Kevin called them. All full. You can be on the waiting list, #12. No thanks. Thankfully the campground in Flagstaff called us a few days later and had a bigger site for us. Next was to talk to our current campground named Deseret View RV in Needles, CA. We were able to get a bigger site. So very thankful how things are working out. It is just amazing.
Later in the day, we back to Kingman. Stopped and picked up our mail. Kevin got a “Employee Appreciation” box from his work. It had healthy snacks, lavender essential oil, a Starbucks gift card and several other things. What a great company! At the dealership, we gave them a check. Back at HOWE, I made stroganoff for dinner. I had bought a garlic butter spread and I put it on some sliced tiny French bread from Smiths then heated in the oven. Very delicious.
Wednesday 03/09/22 Laundry day. Got me thinking…what is it like to have a washer and dryer in an RV? Our new Alliance Avenue has places for them and hook ups ready on both sides of the closet. I started researching and even asked the question on a Full Time Living Facebook page. I found out there are two kinds. One is a combo (hardly anyone likes this!). The other kind is a stackable but can be apart, too. Lots of great reviews on having them in the RV and Splendide is the brand to have.
Thursday 03/10/22 Kevin called Robert at Johnnie Walker RV and asked for the couch to be taken out and how to get a washer and dryer. He gave Kevin a number to call for Service. Kevin said the service guy was really nice. He would have the couch out and they would order and install my washer and dryer. He moved out inspection time from 11:00 on Monday to 2:00.
I tried baking potatoes in my crockpot. They turned out great! It took about 5 hours on high but they were tender and fluffy. We had chili and fixing on top.
Johnnie Walker RV in Las Vegas, Backlot For You To Stay A Night Or More To Make Sure You Know How To Work Everything
Sunday 03/13/22 We felt we didn’t need to leave until around noon so hung out. We hooked up HOWE to our new-to-us truck and I will tell you, we couldn’t even feel it behind us when driving! It felt like we were cruising in our car. We drove to Johnnie Walker RV, parked in the driveway and walked in. He walked us to the gate, gave us the code, showed me our new HOWE -getting the washer and dryer installed right then- and went to the back of the lot. We are very impressed! They have several full hookups plus in the corner, a nice large bricked patio with clean plastic chairs, picnic table, umbrella, fire pit, grill with grilling utensils, horse shoe and pits, mini golf and nice palm trees. They really thought about the customer.
We sat on the patio for awhile reading and then decided to go to Walmart. Kevin needs a bunch of stuff (grease gun, etc) but they didn’t have it. I got some food. Then home to read. For dinner I made grilled cheese sandwiches. Oh, this large Walmart had Grandma Sycamore brand bread! I was so excited. HAHA
Our New 2020 HOWE Next To Our Old 2020 HOWE! 🙂
Monday 03/14/22 We were told by Robert that new HOWE wouldn’t be ready today. We are a little disappointed but we guessed that would be the case. No worries. Kevin worked and I read. Later that day, they parked HOWE right next to HOWE. Wow! It is huge! 35 ft 3 inches compared to 25 ft. Chris, one of the shop guys, said we can walk around and look inside but not to move anything in to it yet. So excited. So amazed at this new one.
Tuesday 03/15/22 Our walk-through was at 11:00 am. Chris showed us lots of things. We found a few things that need fixed, liked a light bulb out in the fridge, etc. At noon we signed the papers, gave them the check, and it is officially ours! Moving in time. Kevin loaded up old HOWE in totes and then would bring it to the door of new HOWE. It is fun to decided where to put everything. There is a lot of room and still empty spots.
Kevin Got His Desk!
Wednesday 03/16/22 Chris came over and did a few things. Kevin got his work desk all set up. We had them take out the back couch (77 inches long) before they gave it to us. Today Kevin finished putting together his work desk that we got from IKEA. It is great! Nice cabinet drawers on both sides. The desk top barely allows for the side table storage to be accessed. Wow! Today Kevin finished putting all the wires and L-brackets to secure it. We went to the store and got groceries to stock up the fridge. It is a blast setting everything up. We said to each other that we don’t even need a stick and brick house now. Kevin said we would pull HOWE into the garage and sill work from HOWE. I said we would sleep in HOWE since our bed is so comfy. Then we laughingly said we would just live in HOWE inside the garage. HAHA
I Can’t Reach This Cupboard…So Kevin Uses It For His Snack Stash!Enjoying The Fireplace. It Even Has a Heater.This Is The Way Kevin Watches Church! HAPerfect Spot For My Sewing Table!Looking Good!Pulling Into Desert View RV, Needles, CA
Please check out this website and see more pictures of the inside of our new 2022 Alliance Avenue 32 RSL. Ours looks just like the company pictures. Alliance RV
Monday 02/21/22 Happy President’s Day. Today Kevin is off work. I made pancakes for breakfast. As I got out the mix, I wondered if it was just flour because the batter didn’t bubble up as normal. I went ahead and made a pancake and gingerly tasted it. Yes, whew, it was pancake mix. HAHA (In the past, I had it in a container with a dry eraser pen written on it but it wipes off too easily). After breakfast, we got in the car and drove to Kingman, AZ. It is about an hour from Needles, CA. We wanted to gather our mail. For full-timers with no “home” address there are companies who will give you a real street address where the mail comes. We use iPostal1. They will take a picture of the outside of the mail and we see it on the iPostal1 app. We then have several options: hold for pickup, open it and scan it to us, shred it, or forward to where we are. Our postal box is in a Staples. It was easy to pick up.
St Patrick’s Day Yard Flag I Quilted.
Here is the finished Yard Flag:
Kevin Made the Wood Sign in His Wood Shop When We First Got Our Trailer, Sept. 2020.
Tuesday 02/22/22 I was happy to get sewing again. I made a 12 inch “Folded Square” out of material for St Patrick’s Day. It turned out really cute and I want to use the pattern again. After dinner, we watched together the recording of the History Channel – Abraham Lincoln. It is sooo good! We like how they interview experts plus act out the scenes.
Wednesday 02/23/22 We have been “full-time” for two weeks. It is going great and feels like the others times we have “lived” in HOWE. Today I decided to tackle laundry, especially since Kevin told me he has just one clean shirt left. HA The laundry room here at the campground is very nice and big. It has four large washers and four huge dryers. Plus a nice table in the middle to fold clothes. The washers are $2.00 a load and the dryers are $1.50. I said the best going away present for someone who is living in an RV is a box of rolled quarters! 🙂 The office has them for sale, which is nice. The washer was easy to use and get started, so was the dryer. The laundry day went very fast because the washers only take 28 minutes while mine at our former house takes 52 minutes. 🙂 I didn’t dry my pants but just hung them out around HOWE. Kevin kept thinking I was standing by the door.
Found Roxy’s Quilt When We First Checked Out This Area in Arizona.
Friday 02/25/22 My adventure out today was going to Roxy’s Quilt Shop. We had found the fabric store last October when we first came to the area to see about having a house in Fort Mohave. We have been in a few times and the ladies are always nice. It is a small shop but they have a huge room where you can rent a table to sew on. This time I went myself. I showed my little notebook that says “I am deaf” and looked around. I found some backing for my St Patrick’s Day yard flag. The lady who helped me remembered me and wrote down, “Where is your husband?” That is cute. Next stop was to Smith’s. I love sending out cards and I like them to be very nice cards. Over the years, I would get them at Papyrus but a few years ago they closed. Thankfully, I had a good stock. Now I needed more, as I have gone through that box already. I looked online and it seems you could order online but then it sent you to a local store. The stores are all in other businesses, like Smith’s and Safeway. I went in and look down the card isle. I didn’t see any and they only had 2 packages of cards. So disappointing. I happen to go around the other isle and there Papyrus was! Score! I was so excited. I bought 3 different boxes. One has a cactus on the card and envelope. So cute and very appropriate for this area. 🙂
We had to go to the storage unit to get a copy of our marriage license for Kevin’s new employer so I can get benefits. All morning we joked about us not being married. It was pretty funny. We have been married for 33 years!
Looking at Elk through the glass window at Hualapai Mountain Lodge.
Saturday 02/26/22 I fixed breakfast burritos with eggs and a new-to-us brand of tortillas. We warmed them in the microwave and I will be definitely getting them again. Then, off to Kingman. Picked up our mail and sat in the car going through it. Our new bank debit cards came and we got those activated. After Kevin spent time throwing the discarded mail and envelopes in the back seat with quite the dramatic flair 🙂 he started looking up places for lunch. I asked if we could drive 20 minutes to Hualapai Mountain Resort. Their website says, “The Hualapai Mountain Resort started as a feeding hall for the Civilian Conservation Corps during the depression. Back then if (sic) was known at (sic) the Pine Lodge and later as the Hualapai Mountain Lodge.” It was incredible to drive just a few miles and be at 6100 ft in elevation and see pine trees and snow. The highest point is the peak at 8000-some ft. We walked in and was lucky to be seated by a huge plate glass window. Through it, we saw 3 elk. I asked Kevin if they were real because they were so close. Yes, they are real. They would slowly stand up, go to the water bucket, and then wander around during our whole meal. What a delightful find! Kevin had a burger and I had hot turkey sandwich. The garlic mashed potatoes are the best I have ate in Arizona, so far.
Have a Great Laugh Over the Text Below at Hualapai Mountain Lodge.
After texting pics to my siblings and parents and saying we “ate with the elk” My sister asked what we ate. Kevin said, “Elk burgers”. HAHAHA No, he didn’t but that was such a funny answer!
POW in Rocks Along Route 66 in Needles, CA
As the sun was setting, we went on a walk along the road leading to this campground. It is the historic Route 66 and along the way, there are rocks placed in patriotic words. For example, POW/MIA, USAF, etc. They each have a little American flag. This evening I found a covid mask near the POW that said, “never be forgotten”. Here is a link to more information about the monuments.
Storm Moving Across Valley to Mohave Valley, AZ.Storm Over Needles, CA.
We left at 9:00 am and went to find a dump station. Kevin thought a large Maverick with RV bays would have one. Nope. We went down the road and the Love’s had one but it was so disgusting, Kevin wouldn’t even get out. (Good!) Went on down a bit farther to another place and they had a dump. $10 but that was fine. On the road by 10:00. That morning I had looked at a map and saw a road, MT Hwy 1, that went south to Philipsburg and then around to Anaconda. It is what Kevin and I “Louie L’More land”. He was a popular western writer. We can see the open range, mountains/hills behind with trees, open grass for grazing the cows and usually a canyon where we know the bad guys would come from. HAHAHA This road definitely had that. Philipsburg wasn’t much to see from the road but we drove into town and it is a happening, old-time place. The drive from here to Anaconda was breathtaking! Tall pine trees, but not dense, a lake, and a place we thought would be fun to have as a north home base. The town of Anaconda is bigger than we thought it would be. Due to narrow hills on both sides, it is long and narrow. We will come back to explore. Our campground is Fairmont RV Park. They are strict on the 5 mph rule and repeated it over and over in emails and at the office. It is all gravel, but level, with side yards of dried grass. We think there might be a mountain behind but can’t see due to the think smoke from wildfires. I fixed roast and packaged rice for supper.
Wednesday 07/28/21 Breakfast is cinnamon rolls then off to Butte. Butte originated as a placer mining camp. Gold was discovered in 1864 on Silver Bow Creek near the south end of what is now Main Street.The gold was heavily alloyed with silver. I had researched and found a famous World Museum of Mining. The museum did a great job putting this place together, in our opinion. They have a mining town set up and quite a few of the buildings were the original buildings of what it represented. All the buildings are old and some were donated and turned into a certain business the town would have. I also noticed the sponsors mostly match the building. For example, the eye doctor building in the old town was sponsored by a current real eye doctor. I think that is very cool. They also have a lot of mining equipment and we climbed a tall Head Frame. We can see where the railroad cars would go into the small building and the rocks would drop in. We read on a sign that the mucker was invented by a man living in Park City, Utah.
Truck on the train rails at Western Mining Museum, Butte, Montana
We saw an old truck on a railroad track that has a wooden, open box looking thing on the back. It looks like you could raise the top. We decided it must be to reach wires and lines above the trains.
Cute name for a road! Western Mining Museum, Butte, Montana
One of the street names in this old town is “Enda The Road.” HAHA We asked the worker where she would recommend for lunch. She said Annie’s Cafe is her favorite and so we drove to Front St. Along the way we commented that Butte reminds us a lot of San Fransisco! Lots of steep hills and even saw garages with the house on top. We have had a problem in Montana! We have yet to have food that tastes 1/2 way decent. And we are still looking….. Annie’s Cafe was closed for vacation so we found on Google Hanging 5 Family Cafe. I had chicken fried steak and Kevin had a patty melt. Both tasted burned. Oh well. We drove around downtown Butte but didn’t get out. It looks like the buildings have been revitalized and yet has kept the old feel and architecture of old. Well done, Butte. Many of the houses have the same look and were well maintained. Not so much in the town of Walkersville that is an extension of Butte. We see lots of mining still going on. From here we head to Anaconda.
Hard to see through the smoke – Famous Anaconda Stack, Montana
The wildfire smoke was so thick that it looked like evening and cars had their lights on. We saw and looked up the “Stack”. During smelting, each of the furnaces would have it own stack. Later, they would connected through flues to a large central stack. In May 1918, the base of the “Big Stack” was completed, being 30 foot high octagonal base. The stack raises for the base elevation of 5,754 ft 585 feet to elevation of 6,339. Years later, the company moved smelting to another town and was going to tear it down. The people of Anaconda rallied and was able to save it. We wanted to see it and I found there is Anaconda Stack State Park. We put it in GPS and drove to it but the first road went right into the tailings. The second road came upon a “do not enter” company only and construction gate. So we turned around. We could see Stack in the distance. Kevin said an amazing thing: “I love you. I love being with you. No matter where we go and even if we are lost or can’t find something, we still have a great time, together.” OH my heart!! I feel the same way about him. We drove down the road and we see a parking lot with a large mining-bucket and decided to turn in. Would you believe, that is the State Park! HAHA So tiny. Anyway, we got out and walked around the small place. The neat thing is they have bricks and a small wall outlining the size and shape of the base and then the top of Stack. That gave a really good perspective. The big bucket we saw was taller than Kevin and was used to dump ore. After this came the fabric store.
Fabric Store in Anaconda, Montana
My “Traveler’s Quilt Book” listed The Upper Thread Embroidery and Fabric Room. The building was old and had a musty smell. I hope it isn’t in the fabric I bought. The ladies in the back were having their quilting time together, which they do every Wednesday. Kevin said they were chatting like long lost friends. So nice. I found 2 fabrics I like and then Kevin insisted I get one more. He is the best! As we were checking out, I saw a complete quilt kit for sale. I asked if the pattern for it is for sale. She looked and no, it isn’t. I ended up buying the entire kit and am pretty excited about it. It has farm things but the piecing is different and I like it.
Farm Quilt I Made For My Dad
(This is a picture of the quilt finished.)
Just a “Small” Ice Cream Cone! HAHA
Since I bought fabric, I told Kevin we should get some ice cream at the corner drug store. I kid you not, the ice cream on top of the waffle cone was almost as big as my head! I had huckleberry and Kevin had Carmel. So delicious and filling…that was our supper. 🙂 We went back to HOWE and changed into our swimming suits. Within walking distance is Fairmont Hot Springs. The springs/swimming isn’t open to the public but our campground had passes for it; we just had to pay $13. They have 4 pools, 2 inside, 2 outside and they are huge! The pool was 93 degrees with the hot pools 104. The hot pools were too hot for me that day but we sure enjoyed the pool. After an hour, a staff member told everyone to get out of the pool due to weather (lightning within 30 miles). I didn’t hear, because I am deaf, but was glad to look up and see Kevin motioning for me to get out. Back to HOWE for relaxation.
The next blog post will show Kevin thinking he is Lewis & Clark. 🙂
Travel Means Life 