OUT OF AFRICA

Yesterday was Grandma and Grandpa day with Laila. Marc and Chandra went of to Sedona, and we took Laila to a wild animal park called Out of Africa. Part of the experience included rides around the property in converted school buses, and the opportunity to feed a 15 foot tall giraffe. As we boarded the bus, we were handed carrots, and even though I couldn't get "the shot", Laila fed the giraffe, and got licked by it's tongue. She thought that was pretty cool, as evidenced by the top picture. We later watched the tiger splash, where several of the park employees lure the two tigers into the pool with props, like inflatable toys, and other items that seemed to trigger the tigers' chase instincts. It was fun to watch, but after some of the show became repetitive, our 4 1/2 year old wanted to move on to bigger and better things. We did stay till the end, and then moved on to watch the big cats being fed. We have seen this a couple of times at Keepers of the Wild animal park near Kingman. When you watch a large tiger latch onto a chunk of meat, it definitely reinforces the fact that these are wild animals, and very powerful. The nice feature at this park, and at Keepers, is that all of the enclosures are very large, giving the animals room to exist in near their natural environment. We capped the daylight hours off with some play time at one of the playgrounds in the Thousand Trails Preserve, where we have the motor home parked. It was a good grandparents day, and gave the parents some free time.

RED ROCK COUNTRY

After I fixed a late, mega breakfast, Marc and I took off again on the bikes, and headed toward the red rocks surrounding Sedona. We only had to go about 8 miles before we got off the pavement, then it was mostly well traveled forest service roads under the shadows of the very unique red rock cliffs, that are the signature of the Sedona area. This was an all new area for me, as I didn't do any riding around Sedona last year. Except for a couple of roads that were on the forest service map, that we couldn't find, we kind of made a couple of loops west of highway 89A.
We found one road that looked kind of interesting, but after less than a mile, we ran into a locked gate. It was obvious that there was a well traveled path around the gate, and the signage indicated that it was only closed to autos. So, after a little debate, we kept going, until the road started up a mountain, and it looked a little too challenging for me and my bike. As I waited, Marc kept going and climbed the mountain. When he returned, he said the view was incredible. While at the top, a small plane passed by, and he was actually looking down on the aircraft.
Most of the time, Marc stays ahead of me, leaving him free to ride as hard as he wants to, and I eventually catch up. At one point, I was leading, and decided to push the envelope a little bit. There's something about the male ego, that never wants to entirely admit, that you can't still do something as well as you used to. This moment of macho, I'll show the kid that the old man can still go fast, almost turned into a disaster. I misjudged a right hand corner, and entered it way too fast. As I was sliding the rear wheel, trying to keep from going off the road, and keep the bike from low siding, I almost ate a bunch or rocks, as the bike traveled off the road a little, but at least I stayed upright. Marc said it looked like a bull rider trying to keep from getting bucked off. With that little incident in the past, I waved Marc around me, and was content to stay where I belonged for the rest of the ride. It was another great day on the bikes, especially spending time with my son, who enjoys one of the same things that I do.

A LITTLE MUD, A LOT OF FUN

After finding some rubber gasket material at Home Depot, Marc made a gas cap gasket, and we took off on a ride of about 50 miles. I forgot the camera, but we did get up high enough to have to deal with some snow. Fortunately, there were already tire tracks thru the patches we ran into, and except for the mud created by the melting snow, the ride was mostly on dry dirt. Most of the afternoon, I was content to motor along at my own pace, while Marc would zoom ahead at his much faster pace, then wait for me a few miles ahead. Even though I consider my skill level at competent, when you factor in my age and the heavy bike I have, keeping up with Marc was not an option. His riding abilities are so much better than mine, even when I was a lot younger. It was fun to watch him for the short periods that he was relatively close in front of me. It was a great day and a great ride, in almost perfect weather. When we were coming down off the mountain, on the highway, we briefly ran into Patty, Chandra and Laila, as they were looking for a parking place in Jerome. We finished the day with Laila blowing some bubbles, and she and Grandma doing an art project.

A CHANCE TO RIDE

Marc, Chandra, and Laila arrived yesterday afternoon, and got settled into their cabin, a few spaces away from where we have the motor home parked. Marc and I made plans for a ride today, and I'm not sure what the girls are doing. One thing we need to find is a gas tank gasket for Marc's bike. He discovered gas leaking from the cap, and that's not a good thing when you're riding, especially when gravity sends the liquid down and back toward where you're sitting. I think we will re-trace one of the routes I took last year when we were here, mostly forest service roads, and an old narrow gauge railroad grade. My ride a year ago was a bit on the challenging side, since it had rained the night before, and much of the old railroad grade was a muddy mess. It hasn't rained here in a week or so, but the snow is visible on the mountains, probably around the 6-7,000 foot elevation. One of the roads will take us to over 7,000 feet above Jerome, and I'm hoping the snow isn't too deep. The last time Marc and I rode in the snow, I ended up in a ditch, with a broken ignition switch. We had to hot wire the bike, so I could ride it out of the mountains. The wisdom of age will probably prevent me from getting too far into a hazardous condition, like trying to plow thru deep patches of snow at 40 mph. However, the first order of business today, is I'm feeling inclined to prepare a mega breakfast, and I know a certain 4 year old, who loves pancakes!

VERDE VALLEY

We left Lake Havasu City yesterday morning, and after fueling at I40 & SR95, we drove east on I40, about 185 miles to Flagstaff. Then, it was south on I17 for about 45 minutes to our turn off on Hwy 260, and a few miles west to the Thousand Trails Preserve, near Cottonwood, AZ. There was still lots of snow on the ground, as we passed thru Flagstaff, and it reminded us of our trip there, just a few months ago when we picked up the newest addition to the family, our "wild child" cat, Gracie. Where we are parked, the elevation is about 3,500 feet, and this morning, I see quite a bit of frost outside. The night temperature was in the high 30's, a little colder than we're used to, but when we're plugged in, we have lots of different heaters, so the inside of the motor home stays at whatever temperature we choose. This afternoon, Marc, Chandra, and Laila will be arriving, and staying in one of the cabins, just a few feet away from where we are parked. We will have 4 full days to spend with the kids, and on at least of couple of those, Marc and I will be doing some riding on our dual sport motorcycles. We promised Laila, that we would take her on the Verde Canyon Railroad on one of those days, and I'm sure we'll find something to do on the 4th day.

PASSING THROUGH

We made the short drive home from Yuma on Friday, and have been busy getting ready to go again. Tomorrow, we are driving to our favorite Thousand Trails RV park, in the Verde Valley near Sedona, AZ. The day after tomorrow, Marc, Chandra, and Laila will be meeting us at the park, where we have reserved a cabin for them. Marc is bringing his dual sport motorcycle, and I'm putting my KLR650 on the back of the motor home. Hopefully, he and I will get a few good off road rides in while we are there. When we were there last spring, I did some off highway exploring on the Kawasaki. With the beautiful red rocks of Sedona, an old narrow gauge railroad grade, and National Forest surrounding the Verde Valley, it's a great area to hit the dirt roads on the bikes.
After a several months of constantly being on the go, this is the last venture away from our home that is on the calender. As much as we both like to be on the go, we're both looking forward to being in our home for the next couple of months, before taking off for the summer.

THE RALLY'S OVER

This is where we've been parked at the Yuma Fairgrounds for the last 5 days, just in front of our friends, Jim and Megan. The Gypsy Gathering Rally ended last night with lots of door prizes, in fact, there were so many gifts, that every person, or at least couple, received something. Patty won a gift basket a couple of nights ago. This morning, we say good bye to Jim & Megan, who are headed north toward their home in central Washington. We have a relatively short drive north to our winter home in Lake Havasu City, AZ. We hope to catch up with our friends sometime this summer, where they will be working their second season at Crater Lake, OR. At this moment, our plans are to spend most of the summer months in OR and WA. But today, the sun is shinning, the temps are supposed to be in the mid 70's, and it should be an easy drive home.

QUICK TRIP TO MEXICO

Even though the primary reason for this trip south to Yuma, was to attend the Gypsy Journal RV Rally, the secondary reason was to see my Dentist in Algodones, Mexico. Yesterday morning, we drove the 10 miles or so to the border, and walked past the already long line, waiting to get back through U.S. Customs, into the U.S. There is never a line, or any wait going into Mexico, if fact, we've never even been stopped or questioned. While I was at the Dentist, Patty had her glasses adjusted, and picked up some meds for a friend. I had a few minor things taken care of, including a new X-Ray for re-submission of the dental insurance claim, that was initially denied. When I asked how much I owed, the answer was nothing. I'm liking my Dentist in Mexico, more and more, despite the problem of getting claims accepted by my dental insurance. After lunch in Yuma, we spent the afternoon at the rally, talking to vendors, and I listened to one seminar on extended warranties. Jim & Megan, also growing tired of Satellite dome problems, purchased the same Wineguard Traveler satellite antenna that we purchased last year. It will be installed on their motor home this afternoon. That's one of the advantages of attending some of these RV rallies. It's easy to be relieved of a little, or in some cases, a lot of your money. But, it's also convenient to have new stuff installed on, or in your RV. The rally we attended in Albany, OR., last June, was rather expensive. This rally has been a little easier on the checkbook.

THE GYPSY JOURNAL

The Gypsy Journal is published by Nick and Terry Russell, full time RV'ers for about the last 11 years. I don't remember where we ran across this publication for the first time, but after reading it, we both knew we wanted a subscription, and have been getting the Gypsy Journal for many years. Nick has an earthy, tell it like it is writing style, and his newspaper focuses on their travels, particularly, the off the beaten path places, they happen to stumble across. Nick and Terry started putting together small RV Rallies, one in the east and one in the west, and we attended their 2nd western rally a couple of years ago in Casa Grande. They moved the western rally here to Yuma due to problems with the Pinal County Fairgrounds. Yesterday, we spent most of our time at seminars. One of the vendors is a retired fire fighter, and after listening to his seminar, I bought a fire suppression system for my refrigerator. Patty and I always worry about our pets when we are gone, and I think we'll feel a little more comfortable knowing that the #1 cause of RV fires, which originate in propane refrigerators, is not as big a concern as it was. This morning, I have an appointment with my Mexican Dentist, for a follow up to all of the work I had done in January. Part of this visit will be to obtain more documentation for the 2nd submission of a claim to my dental insurance. Naturally, the first claim I submitted was denied, due to a lack of the above. Insurance companies are really a love - hate relationship. We really can't live without them, yet when it's time for them to provide the service that we have been paying for, the hoops that have to be jumped through, seem to get taller and taller. I'm sure this will have a happy ending, because I just don't give up!

BACK IN YUMA

We made the 150 mile drive from Lake Havasu to Yuma yesterday, arriving at the fairgrounds, and the Western Gypsy Journal Rally, around 1pm. There's over 200 RV's here, and they are parked in every nook and cranny of the property. After getting parked and registered, we attended the opening ceremony, and read through the list of the many seminars available during the next 3 days. Jim, Megan, Patty and I had dinner at one of our favorites, Cracker Barrel, then it was back to the fairgrounds for door prizes and a concert by one of the former Sons of the Pioneers, David Bradley. The last rally we attended was the FMCA rally in Albany, OR, and one of the entertainers was so bad, we left after the first song. Last night, we were truly entertained by Mr. Bradley. Not only did he have a great voice, he played the guitar very well, and at the end, he received a standing ovation, which was richly deserved. Today, there are a few seminars we are interested in attending, and the weather is almost perfect, supposed to be in the mid 70's, so it should be a great day!

AN RV RALLY IN YUMA

We had planned on leaving yesterday for Yuma, and the Western Gypsy Gathering RV Rally being held at the fairgrounds. Unfortunately, the weather turned ugly, and it rained most of the day, with flash flood warnings. Along with Jim and Megan, we decided to sit tight, and wait for this system to move to the east, and drive down this morning. It's about a 3 hour drive, and the rally doesn't officially start until 3pm, so, we should have plenty of time to get there.

A BBQ WITH FRIENDS

Yesterday afternoon, March 6th, 2010 was the 2nd annual Alaska Reunion BBQ at our house. Everyone in the picture worked for the Corrington Family, starting in either 2003, 4 or 5. From the bottom row, left to right, Vivian Borgsmiller, Louise Hawkins, Patty, Jeanette Fulton, Barbara Brosco, Bev Thompson, Megan and Jim Stebbins. Top row, left to right, Bob Borgsmiller, Joan and Don Jones, Bob Fulton, Judy and Ron Ellstrom, David Hawkins, and Charlie Thompson. The common experience we all share, having worked and lived in Skagway, Alaska, was the basis for many conversations. I think we all agreed, that living in Skagway, and working for the Corringtons was a very positive chapter in all of our lives, and in fact, Charlie and Bev Thompson continue to work during the summer in Skagway. They left their winter home in Yuma, and this was their first stop on the long drive north. Charlie and Bev were able to bring us all up to date on the many changes that have occurred in Skagway, during the past few years.
We had lots of food, and after a delicious desert that Judy and Ron brought from Kingman, I put together a slide show from our computerized photo files of Alaska, and displayed about 300 pictures on the big screen TV. Except for a few gusts of wind, the weather held, and it was a nice afternoon with friends.

ALASKAN REUNION

Today is the date for our 2nd annual Alaskan Reunion BBQ, and we expect just under 20 people to arrive this afternoon. Last year, we had a smaller group, and vowed at that time to do it again. So, here we are, and wouldn't you know it, the weather has changed from beautiful sunny skies with temps in the mid 70's, to mostly cloudy, and a little cooler weather. At least it's not supposed to rain today. In the midst of getting everything ready for this get together, we have also been getting the motor home ready to go again. We leave tomorrow with Jim & Megan in their motor home, for a Gypsy Gathering Rally in Yuma. This event is put together by Nick and Terry Russell, who publish the Gypsy Journal, a publication that we have subscribed to for many years. We'll be in Yuma along with a couple hundred other RV'ers, then it's home for a couple of days before we head for the Thousand Trails RV Park near Sedona, and a rendezvous with Marc, Chandra, and Laila. It's going to be a busy couple of weeks!

HOME BRIEFLY

After having Spectrac re-adjust the front end of our motor home, the drive home from the Phoenix area was a real pleasure. This was the 4th time I attempted to have the front end aligned, and I think it finally got fixed. From day one, a little over 3 years, the steering has pulled to the right, and the wear on the outside of the front tires has been extensive. It appears that when we had Monaco align the front end before they went bankrupt, they actually made it worse, and according to Spectrac, it was dangerously close to a severe front end wobble, had we hit a bump just right. Now, maybe I won't have to buy 2 more tires, before we leave Lake Havasu in a few months. Yesterday, we spent most of the day cleaning the motor home, after parked for 2 weeks at the Tucson Rodeo grounds. As much as we like to work that event, the parking conditions are a little less than ideal. With the changing weather we went through, it seems like if it wasn't dry and dusty, it was raining and muddy. We were both glad to get the inside and outside clean, and get it parked under the shade cover. Today, Jim and Megan will be arriving, and will park their motor home next to the house, where they will stay for a few days. This Saturday is our Alaskan Reunion BBQ, and if everyone shows up, we'll have about 20 of our friends here at the house. We all have the Skagway experience in common, and it will be fun to share some recollections of those days we all lived in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.

ALIGNMENT AT SPECTRAC

Well, the rain didn't stop completely for the final Rodeo performance on Sunday. In fact, it rained off and on most of the day. This of course affected the size of the crowd, and even though our final day was OK, it would have been much better if the weather had been nice. When we pulled out of the Tucson Rodeo grounds yesterday morning, there was still a lot of wet ground, aka mud, and our motor home needs a good cleaning when we get home. We drove the 100 miles or so, to Phoenix, where we checked in at Spectrac for our scheduled appointment to have the front end aligned once again, (this is the 4th time). Perhaps this company which specializes in truck and RV suspension, can figure out why our motor home wears the outside edge of the front tires prematurely. Hopefully, we'll have the answer later in the day. Then, it's home for a few days where we'll be hosting a group of friends who have all worked where we did for 4 years, in Skagway, AK.

FIRE IN THE SKY

Yesterday morning, we were treated to one of Arizona's spectacular sunrises. It's almost as if the horizon was ready to burst into flames at any moment. At our winter home in Lake Havasu City, AZ., we frequently see similar, magnificent skies in the evening, as the sun sets to the west of the lake. Our weather changed for the worst last night, as we were awakened by rain and thunder. One of the things that we can count on when this happens, is our fearless beagle Sami, will be out of her dog bed on the couch, and onto our bed in the bedroom. So, last night, Gracie, our cat, had to share part of our bed with the scardy cat, dog. The forecast is for diminishing thunder showers, so hopefully, by the time the rodeo is ready to start it's final performance, at around noon, the worst of the weather will be gone. This is the last day of our almost 2 weeks at the Rodeo Grounds, here in Tucson. When it comes to "dry camping", this is the longest stretch that we park in one spot without hookups. Over the many years we have been doing this, we have learned a few techniques that not only save water, but also limit the amount of power we need to use in the evenings. With 3 large solar panels on the roof, we could easily go without running the generator, but the convenience of the microwave, and longer TV hours, sometimes requires the use of the generator. Starting tomorrow, our routine will revert back to the retirement mode, and we'll be heading west toward Lake Havasu City.

LAILA AT THE RODEO

One of the main reasons that we enjoy working the Tucson Rodeo each year, is it gives us the opportunity to see Marc, Chandra, and our Grandaughter, Laila. This picture was taken on Thursday, when Marc brought Laila to the rodeo, and a visit with Grandma and Grandpa. Unfortunately, the wind was a little colder than expected, so Grandpa bought Laila one of our kids sweatshirts, to warm her up a little. She always warms our hearts when ever we are together, and even though we didn't have a lot of time to visit, it was fun seeing her enjoy the action at the rodeo. We're down to the last 2 days of the Tucson Rodeo, and we hope the weather holds. The forecast calls for some rain tonight and into tomorrow. The only good thing about rain at this event, is it keeps the dust down. Since this is an outdoor arena, that seats about 11,000 people, unfortunately, when it rains, people just don't show up. Our sales numbers continue to be up from last year, so we'll keep our fingers crossed, that the weatherman is at least a little bit wrong.

TUCSON RODEO PARADE

Yesterday morning was all about the Tucson Rodeo Parade which started at 9am, and continued for just about 2 hours. Billed as the largest, non-motorized parade in the U.S., it ends at the Rodeo Grounds, and that's when the crowd transitions from the parade to the rodeo. Even though we open our trailer each morning at about 8:30, we aren't very busy until the public starts to arrive around 11am. The rodeo starts at 12:30, and is usually over by about 4-4:30. By the time the crowd filters out of the rodeo grounds, we typically close the trailer around 5:30 each day. So, the work hours are pretty good, and so far, our sales are up about 20% over last year. That's encouraging, that perhaps we have turned the corner on this economic recession. We have 3 more days of rodeo, then we have an appointment in Phoenix, to have a company that specializes in big rig alignment and suspension, try and diagnose why we keep wearing out front tires on the motor home. Then, it's back to Lake Havasu, and preparation for our Alaskan Reunion BBQ, which at last count, has almost 20 people coming to our house for a "get-together" on Saturday, March 6th. It will be nice to see some folks we haven't seen for a year, and in some cases much longer.

HORSE TECHNOLOGY

We all know that driving a motor vehicle, and talking or texting on a cell phone, are not compatible. I can recount many times when somebody did something rather stupid, while paying more attention to their cell phone conversation than to their driving. In fact, many states have now passed laws that make it illegal to do any combination of the above. Does that mean you should not be doing anything else while talking on your cell phone? I think not, but I kind of get a kick out of watching all of these cowboys riding their horses, and talking on their cell phones. It's a bit ironic that the horse represents the older method of transportation, and the cell phone is representative of the technology explosion that has been going on for several decades. Today starts the first of 4 days of rodeo, and this mornings huge, non motorized parade. The parade route has been shortened due to a lack of available police personnel. Just like most municipalities across the U.S., the cutbacks due to the recession are affecting even the most basic of government services. I could get on my soapbox, but I'll save that for another time.

RIDIN HORSES

Some of the kids we're watching on horseback, are too small to get on, or off the horse by themselves. The youngster in the black hat wasn't being led by Dad, he was riding the horse by himself, and looked to be about 4 years old. There are hundreds of competitors at this rodeo, and for many, it's a family affair. The last couple of days, the parking lot has been filled with horse trailers that are multi purpose. The back half is for the horse(s), and the front half is the living quarters. Some of these "Ranch RV's", are seriously expensive, and are typically pulled by at least a 1 ton dually pickup, but in a lot of cases, the motive power is much larger. While working the National Finals Rodeo at the Las Vegas Convention Center, some of these rigs have been on display. I've had the opportunity to check them out, and the RV part of the trailer is as nice as anything on the market. This is how most of the professional rodeo cowboys travel around the country, and many of them travel with their wife, and in some cases, their kids. These 2 photos represent a lot more youngsters, who we watch every day, here at the Tucson Rodeo.

YOUNG COWBOYS

From where our merchandise trailer is located, we watch not only the contestants going to and from the arena, but, we also have a view of the main pedestrian pathway around the rodeo grounds. Obviously, the central theme of a rodeo is horses, livestock, cowboys and cowgirls. It's nice to see that the younger generation still thinks that cowboys are cool, and these pictures are representative of the many kids wearing western attire here at the Tucson Rodeo. When I was a kid, and we got our first television, the cowboy shows were always my favorites. I know I'm dating myself, but I remember meeting the Cisco Kid at the Fresno Fair, and couldn't wait for his TV show to come on. Roy Rogers and the Lone Ranger were also at the top of my list. When my friends and I got together, our play time consisted mostly of playing Cowboys and Indians. Watching some of these kids, particularly the youngsters throwing the rope at the cow horns on the bail of hay, brings back a few memories of my childhood. Yesterday, the weather turned colder, and Patty and I were bundled up, trying to stay warm. When the rains started in the early afternoon, the small crowd left, and we closed up for the day. Starting Monday, there are 3 days of what the rodeo calls "Slack Competition", and it's nothing more than 3 days of qualifying, to narrow the contestant field. These 3 days, there isn't much of a crowd, and we typically close early anyway. Thursday is the day of the big parade, and the rodeo performances start back up, and continue through the grand finale on Sunday.

A HORSE LANE

Most everyone has experienced a drive through, whether it be your fast food joint, or your bank, or perhaps something more exotic, like a drive through pharmacy. The world we live in is all about getting it quick, making it easy, and with drive through convenience, never having to get out of your car. At the Tucson Rodeo, our merchandise trailer is positioned between the arena, and an area where the cowboys warm up themselves and their horses. Every year, we have numerous customers who ride their horses up to our counter, and purchase something. Yesterday, this dad purchased a rope set for his young son, and he did it without having to get off his horse. I guess your might call it a "Ride Through". This is one of the many unique reasons why we like to work this event. Yesterday, word had spread that we might not be returning next year, and it was heart warming to hear from numerous people that they hoped it wasn't true. We certainly hope that MainGate finds a way continue doing this rodeo, despite their loss of the contract for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Vegas. Much of the merchandise we have for sale, is discounted from the NFR, and without it, I don't know if it will make financial sense for them to continue doing this event. If not, we will always have the great memories of providing customer service to cowboys and cowgirls on horseback.

A RAINY RODEO

Who says it doesn't rain in the desert? This picture was taken yesterday, from inside our trailer, after quite a bit of rain had already fallen. Even though the trailer has big doors, that provide some protection, we were constantly wiping the counter with towels, to keep the water out of the display cases. After about 2-3 hours of rainfall, the system passed, and the rodeo started right on time, at 2 pm. Judging from the photo I took, one can imagine what the rodeo arena looked like, especially with all of the horses mixing the water and dirt into a soupy mess called MUD! Glad I wasn't one of the contestants who had to try and wrestle a steer in those conditions. Despite the weather, our sales exceeded last years opening day, by about 20%. For a couple of hours, our rain ponchos, and umbrellas were the number one selling items. This is our 5th year at this event, and we've gotten to know quite a few people who are involved with the rodeo. It's kind of nice to be a small part of the family, and be recognized as more than just another vendor.
One down, and eight more days to go. Hopefully, the weather will be a little more cooperative, and sunscreen will become our best seller.

TUCSON RODEO

Today is the start of the 9 day Tucson Rodeo, the 85th edition of the "Fiesta de los Vaqueras", and the first big outdoor rodeo of the year. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Ass'n (PRCA) sponsors hundreds of rodeos around the country, leading up to the grand finale National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas, just before the XMAS holidays. The new season is underway, and the Tucson Rodeo attracts most of the Rodeo stars, as it has a long history, and a large payout for those cowboys who do well in the competition. We started working the NFR in 2002, and have been working the Tucson Rodeo since 2006, but unfortunately, the company we contract with will not be involved with the Vegas Rodeo next year, and it's doubtful that they will want to do the merchandise for Tucson next year. So, our Rodeo merchandise careers may just about be over. It's been fun, and if we're back here next year, it will be just another excuse to visit Marc, Chandra, and Laila. Marc brought Laila over to the motor home, so she could play with her buddy Sami, and see Gracie for the second time. We also recorded this acrobatic trick that is new since we were last in Tucson a couple of months ago. We are parked on the rodeo grounds, which is convenient to our work trailer, and we will be here through Sunday the 28th.

2 WEEKS IN TUCSON

We arrived at the Tucson Rodeo grounds yesterday afternoon, and did a little bit of work, getting our mobile store ready for business, when the rodeo begins this Saturday. We left the house on Tuesday, and spent the night at Firebird Raceway, near Phoenix, where we met up with several of our "race friends". It gave us an opportunity to visit with Jim & Megan, Len & Ellie, Harold & Betty, Bob & Shirl, Kurt & Phylis, and Ken & Diana. Last night, we drove over to Marc & Chandra's, and were treated to steak sandwiches for dinner. Our Grandaughter, Laila had to show us some of her new toys, and Grandma gave her the magic pen set that she had purchased in Quartzsite. We were last in Tucson for the XMAS Holidays, and I'm always amazed at her intellectual growth during our absence. It's sometimes hard to believe that she's in pre-school now, and will be starting Kindergarten in less than a year. Where does the time go?

A SURPRISE PARTY

A week or so ago, Jeanette approached me and said that she wanted to have a little birthday party for Patty, whose birthday was yesterday. So, I made up an excuse to take Patty over to Bob and Jeanette's about noon, where this banner was prominently displayed on their garage door. Judy and Ron drove over from Kingman, and thanks Judy for a great job on the banner.
Jeanette baked a turkey and we had a nice afternoon meal on Bob and Jeanette's new patio. Thanks Jeanette for the party, you did a great job of keeping it a surprise! I got Patty a new Cannon digital camera, that she has 9 months to learn how to use before her trip to Greece in November. Today is our last day at home for a couple of weeks, as we leave tomorrow for Tucson. We haven't seen Marc, Chandra, and Laila since XMAS, so even though we'll be working the Tucson Rodeo most of the time, it will be good to see the kids.

PROJECT COMPLETED (REALLY)

After about a week of digging new irrigation trenches, building 2 new planters next to the shed, and just generally wearing out my body, I was going to wait till next year to build the 3rd planter adjacent to the fence. I should have known that just wasn't going to happen. With all of that extra block just sitting in the yard, it began to drive me crazy after only a day or so. The thought of having to look at an incomplete project for the next year, became an obsession to "get er done". So, off I went to Home Depot and Lowes, to pick up everything else I needed, and yesterday afternoon, this latest backyard/patio improvement project is complete. I must admit, it looks pretty good, and, as with any finished project, there comes a good feeling of seeing the fruits of ones labor. Now, the focus for the next couple of days will be to get the motor home and everything else ready for our trip to Tucson, and our annual 9 days of work at the Tucson Rodeo.

IT'S A WATER CAT

It doesn't take much to amuse Patty and I. Watching our cat Gracie discover water, and then try to catch it, is pretty entertaining. We first noticed that when we shower, she would try and catch the drops from the outside of the shower as they rolled down the glass. Whenever the shower goes on, she's right there, waiting for the water on the glass shower doors. A few days ago, she started jumping up near the sink, when she heard water coming out of the faucet. She now tries to catch the water either by swatting at it with her paw, or actually sticking her head under the faucet, and trying to bite the water stream. Now, I realize that some folks might wonder why we would even allow our cat to be on the counter near the sink in the first place. The reality, is that a young cat pretty much goes, and does exactly what it wants. Second, unless she is being destructive, (which she sometimes is), we really don't care where she goes. This fascination with water can be pretty fun to watch sometimes. I wonder if this means she will love to be bathed? Somehow, I kind of doubt it.

PROJECT COMPLETED

The pictures show 2 new planters, and about 70 square feet of patio pavers. With all of the trench digging for the new irrigation, this project took me about a week. By far, the hardest and most time consuming part was digging, and leveling this rock infested ground. If anyone is interested, the other half of the rock of Gibraltar, is now dug up, and in my back yard! I still have some block left, and I'll probably start a third planter next to the fence. When I run out, and I will, that will be it for this year. At least most of the digging is done.

BACKYARD BUILDING

Despite the rain, lightning, and general bad weather for a couple of days, I've been forging ahead with the backyard improvement projects around the shed. I feel like it would have been wise to have stock in Lowes and Home Depot, since I know we've boosted their bottom line considerably during the past week. Speaking of Lowes and Home Depot, they both have an unadvertised policy of giving a 10% discount to vets, well, sort of. At Lowes, with proof of service (DD214), there isn't any question, they automatically give the discount. At Home Depot, (at least the Lake Havasu store), it depends on who you talk to. While checking out at Home Depot yesterday, the cashier insisted that I had to have a picture ID, or no discount. With a military picture ID, one would have to be either active, or retired. The supervisor said my DD214 was acceptable, and I was on my way. Not sure exactly if Home Depot's policy is only active or retired military, or all vets, like Lowes. It may just be this local Home Depot, but it seems like I often have issues at that store. Since the new Lowes opened last year, I try to take most of my business in that direction. I'm trying to complete this project in the next few days, since we'll be leaving to work the Tucson Rodeo in about a week.

THE HOME PROJECTS

We've been home now for about 5 days, since camping in the desert near Quartzsite and Yuma, and I've been busy with a couple of projects in the backyard. When we purchased this new home in 2002, there was no landscaping, no perimeter wall, no concrete in the backyard, and no plants or trees. I finished the front yard several years ago, and have been seriously working on the backyard for about 4-5 years. It's about 90% done, and the most recent project was to paint the shed I had built last winter. Two coats of paint and the trim took about 2 days. From my days in the Army, where it seemed that painting was a second job, I've always said that I hate to paint. Actually, I kind of enjoyed this small project, especially seeing the fruits of my labor when the job was completed. Next, I started digging extension trenches for my irrigation system, which will allow some additional areas for plants and trees. I had almost forgotten how hard it is to dig in this ground, which is full of rocks, both big and small. After 2 days of digging, and the removal of one rock that I called the other half of Gibraltar, I finished the trenches yesterday afternoon. Today, I'll get the plastic irrigation pipe laid in the ditches, and start covering everything up. The next part of this project is to build a planter on the house side of the shed, and eventually, another planter next to the fence. If the old muscles hold out, I'm hoping to get all of this done, before we take off for Tucson, and our annual gig at the Tucson Rodeo.

HOME FOR 2 WEEKS

We said good bye to our friends yesterday, and traveled the short distance from Quartzsite, to Lake Havasu, arriving back home about mid afternoon. By the time we unloaded the motor home, took the motorcycle off the back, and got our house on wheels parked under the shade cover, it was late afternoon. Now that it's out of the way for a little over 2 weeks, I have a few more projects in the backyard that I need to finish before we leave to work the Tucson Rodeo in mid February. As much as I enjoy parking in the desert, which we did for a little over 2 weeks, it feels good to get back home, and start catching up on a few things that have been on the back burner for awhile.

LEAVING QUARTZSITE

Today, starts our third week of being parked in the desert, near Quartzsite, and Yuma, AZ. Tomorrow, we head back to Lake Havasu, where several projects are waiting to be completed. We have enjoyed these last 2 weeks, visiting with our friends, getting new eye glasses, having my teeth fixed, (Not so enjoyable), riding my dual sport bike in the desert, (went for a ride yesterday), and just being lazy around the campfire. This is a time of year when the temperatures are generally in the 60's, and except for an occasional storm, the sky is pure blue. Last night with a full moon, there was almost enough light to sit outside and read a book. Camping in the desert has always been a highlight for me, going back to the days when Mike and Marc were just little guys, and we used to camp in the high desert, north of Bishop, CA, on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. My definition of camping has evolved just a little, from the days of sleeping bags in the back of a pickup, to a rolling house on wheels, with all of the modern conveniences. We'll be home for a couple of weeks, then we're off to Tucson, where we will be working the Tucson Rodeo, perhaps for the last time. We'll have to see how that plays out, but with the loss of the National Finals Rodeo in Vegas, the company we contract with, may elect not to continue with the Tucson event. We haven't seen Marc, Chandra and our grandaughter Laila since XMAS, so we're already looking forward to the trip to Tucson.

RV ELECTRICAL POWER

Perhaps, the list is never ending, but, one of the things on my list for the motor home, has been a power management device. Most, if not all RV manufacturers, do not install a device that guards against low or hi voltage. With the multiple circuit boards and electronic devices in our motor home, they are the most susceptible to low RV park voltage, or conversely, spikes or surges in AC current. Camping World sells the most popular device, with the Surge Guard brand name, and it protects against low, or high incoming voltage by shutting down the power if it is too high, or too low. What it doesn't do is to boost the voltage in the event that it's too low, as we have found at a few RV parks. As the saying goes, we've been "rolling the dice" for many years, as I have never purchased any type of voltage protection device, and fortunately, we have never had a problem. There have been multiple times however, that I have either known people, or heard of folks who have had serious problems with unregulated AC voltage, that has caused damage to their RV electrical components. Yesterday, I solved this particular problem by purchasing a Power Master voltage controller and the installation kit. After a lot of research, I had narrowed the decision down to this company, and the Hughes brand. When we went into town yesterday, we made a tour of the big tent that has transitioned from the RV show, to the Arts and Crafts show. Many of the vendors who were there last week, are still there, and one of those vendors is Power Master. My friend Jim Stebbins and I talked to one of the owners of Power Master, Todd Coffelt, who previously worked for Hughes, his current main competitor. Todd answered a lot of my questions, and demo'd his 50 amp Power Master. I'm always a bit skeptical, when someone is trying to sell a product, but after about 30 minutes of questions, I was convinced that this is the best product of it's kind. It not only protects against voltage spikes and surges, it also boosts low voltage 12%, which takes away the worry of circuit board damage in appliances like our refrigerator, air conditioners, microwave, etc. In the end, Jim and I both bought a Power Master voltage controller, and even with my reluctance to mess with electrical stuff, the installation is pretty straight forward, and I'll install it when we get home in a few days. And guess what? The Power Master is actually made in the U.S.A.!

CAMPFIRE IN QUARTZSITE

We've been parked in the desert near Quartzsite, since last Friday, the 22nd. Yesterday, our friends arrived, after they finished working the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction in Scottsdale. Sitting around the campfire last night, (left to right), Jim, Len, Harold, Ellie, Betty, and Patty. Megan is the only person missing from this photo, where the marsh mellows were being roasted, and in Patty's case - mostly burned. It was a pleasant weather evening, with no wind, and nice conversation with good friends. We now have 4 motor homes circled around the campfire pit, and we'll be here until about Saturday, when we'll head for home. The other 3 couples will be here for about another week, before they travel west to Pomona, for the first NHRA drag race of the new season. Today, the big tent opens back up for the Arts and Crafts show, and that's high on Patty's priority list of things to do. Oh, almost forgot. I stopped by the window awning vendor day before yesterday morning, to find out why I didn't get a phone call from them, regarding the new awning I wanted to purchase. It turns out that in this high tech world, my information was lost, in the process of being emailed to the mobile tech, (yes, they have computers in their trucks), who was supposed to call and schedule an appointment. After a bunch of apologies, the awning got ordered, was here in less than 24 hours, and was installed yesterday afternoon.
Life is good in the desert, where the temps have been in the mid 60's, and lots of sunshine.

GETTING CLOSER

A best buddies scenario, where our new cat (Gracie), and our 12 year old Beagle (Sami) snuggle in the same bed to keep warmer, is probably never going to happen. However, a lot of progress has been made, since we brought Gracie home, a little over a month ago. There's still the occasional attempt by Sami to be the alpha animal, but a few hisses and spits from Gracie, combined with a left hook, and Sami backs down pretty quickly. We are now very comfortable leaving the two home alone, even though this house on wheels is very small, and requires all of us to be in close proximity to one another. Yesterday, we enjoyed the warm sunshine, and did some reading on our desert patio. I even took a short power nap in the sun, which almost never happens. We did venture into town, and wandered through another swap meet area near the post office. I found an old iron wagon wheel for $25, which will look good somewhere in our backyard. I also arranged for an awning vendor to come by the motor home and check a window for an additional awning that I want to install. "He'll call sometime after 5pm for directions", were the parting words from the salesperson, as we headed back to the motor home. Well, it's now the next day, and no phone call. If that person was too busy to take a couple of minutes to call and explain that he couldn't make it yesterday, I might be too busy today, and they may have just lost a sale. One of my 10 commandments as a former business owner, was to always follow through with my promise, no matter what that involved. I know, it's a small thing, but in these economic times, businesses need that competitive edge, and customer service should be their top priority. We'll see how this plays out today?

BACK IN QUARTZSITE

With most of the dental work finished, we're back in Quartzsite, at a different location than last week. About 5 miles south of town, off Hwy 95 @ mile marker 99, a large BLM area exists for RV's. This area is a little farther out of town, and has no support systems, like access to water, dump station, or garbage Dumpsters. There is however, no fee involved to park here, and right now, there are hundreds, if not thousands of rigs within a mile or so radius. We're here for about a week, with some of our friends starting to arrive tomorrow. Yesterday morning, it was all about filling out insurance forms, making copies of dental receipts, and getting it all mailed to my dental insurance company. The other paperwork that we mailed yesterday was the initial forms and deposit for a trip that Patty is taking with her son David. They're going to Greece in November, and the 10 day trip includes a 4 day cruise in the Greek Isles. She's excited about the trip, but probably more thankful that she will be able to spend some time with David. Last year it was China with her brother. This year it's Greece with her son. We found out about this trip from Lori East, who is going with her sister, and son Trevor. I'm sure they will have a great time, but that kind of travel, that includes very long airplane rides, just isn't for me. About 2-4 hours in the air is all I'm willing to endure. The picture was taken yesterday, showing my new flagpole that I just could not live without. I have a collapsible 20' pole at home, that was originally purchased for the motor home, but, it was just too big and heavy, so I only used it a couple of times while traveling. It ended up as a semi-permanent structure in front of the house. This new pole is fiberglass, collapses to about 4 feet, and with permanent mounts on the rear ladder, will be much easier to set up and take down. There's just something about seeing our beautiful flag waving in the wind, that brings out my patriotic spirit. This is a great country, I just hope that our path stays true to the traditional values that were set forth by our founding fathers.

MEXICAN DENTISTRY RECAP

Last year was my first experience with a Mexican Dentist in Algodones, just across the border near Yuma, AZ. I don't believe that there's such a thing as a good experience with a dentist. There's just something about getting needles in your mouth, the sound of the drill, and the occasional sharp pain, that negates a visit to the dentist as a good experience. Having said that, the care and quality of work from my Mexican Dentist, Carmen Ovando, was as good as any I have ever received from the multitude of dentists I have visited in the U.S. Based on that experience last year, I returned a few weeks ago, and started a series of visits with Carmen and 2 other dentists, an Endodontist and a Periodontist.
Because of a broken front tooth, I had to have the Periodontists do minor gum surgery around the broken tooth, and the Endodontist placed a fiberglass pin in the tooth so it could be crowned.
Carmen prepped 3 front teeth for crowns, and filled 4 cavities. Total bill from all 3 dentists was $1,360. My estimate of that cost in the U.S. is about $4-5,000. When I discovered last year, that my dental insurance will pay the same percentages to Mexican Dentists that it does to U.S. Dentists, it was quite a pleasant surprise, particularly when you start looking at out of pocket expense. Of the $1,360 that I just paid, I should be reimbursed about $1,100 from my insurance company. Since I have a maximum $2,000 yearly cap on dental benefits, my out of pocket expense in the U.S. would have been $2-3,000. Quite a difference! I'm not suggesting that everyone has good experiences with Mexican Dentists. After 5 visits to Carmen, and 2 visits to specialist dentists, I can say that I will continue to take care of my less than perfect teeth in Algodones, Mexico. When I consider the cost factor, it seems to be a win - win for me.
Now that the gap is filled in, and the Bubba smile is gone, I think my IQ has now gone back up!

RAIN IN YUMA

When the jet stream recently dipped to the south, it has caused several storms to hit the west coast, and some of that moisture has made it's way into southern Arizona. Yesterday, we did some shopping at Sams Club, then ventured over to the super Wal-Mart for some groceries. When I first pulled into the parking lot, I noticed that it was almost empty, and initially thought that the heavy rain was keeping shoppers away from this very busy Wally World. When we actually got into the parking lot, we discovered it was more of a shallow lake than a place to park your car. Since it doesn't rain a whole lot in Yuma, (average rainfall is about 3 inches), it appears that the emphasis on designing adequate water drainage wasn't a top priority. There were 3 water tanker trucks in the middle of Lake Wal-Mart, attempting to pump the water out of the parking lot, and into their tanks. I suspect this is their contingency plan when it rains really hard, like it has for the past couple of days. This morning, I have my last dental appointment, and since the rain has stopped, we'll be heading back north to Quartzsite for some more flea market action, and a few days of quiet camping in the desert.

YUMA PRISON

With 3 days between dental appointments, Patty and I played tourist yesterday, and stopped at the Yuma Prison State Historical Park. I first visited this old prison site, about 29 years ago, when I started riding my Harley to Yuma for the "Prison Run". That gathering of motorcyclists is still going strong, and takes place in mid April. The spring ride to Yuma was something we all looked forward to, because the weather was always nice and warm, and often, quite a contrast to the cold and foggy central CA weather. One year, about 8 of us left Modesto in the rain, and by the time we stopped in Kettleman City, a couple of hours later, we were wet, cold, and not looking forward to any more miles in the rain. So, we rented the largest U-Haul available, and Art Mitchell drove all the way to Palm Springs, where we got rid of the truck, and rode the bikes from there, to Yuma. The truly amazing thing, was that the bikes were not tied down, and due mostly to Art's skillful driving, not a scratch was to be found on any of the bikes. That was indeed a trip for the memory bank, in more ways than one! The old prison hasn't changed in the last 3 decades, but is due to be one of about 20 Arizona State Parks to close, because the state is broke. I won't get started on government ineptitude, but it's pretty sad when the congressional leaders find hundreds of millions to make corrupt, backroom deals, and states like Arizona, don't have enough money to keep State Parks and Rest Areas open.
On a more positive note, we visited with Charlie and Bev Thompson yesterday at their winter home here in Yuma. We first met Charlie and Bev during our first summer in Skagway, Alaska. We all worked for the same company, and stayed in the company RV park, where it was like an extended family. We hadn't seen Charlie and Bev for a few years, and we had heard that they dedicated themselves to a more healthy lifestyle. They both looked great, and told us how they had lost a combined 140 pounds through better eating and exercise. It was nice to see Charlie and Bev, and catch up on the latest happenings in Skagway. It's raining this morning, and the forecast is for more of the same throughout the day. Who says it doesn't rain in the desert?