READY FOR BUSINESS

The calm before the storm.

It was about mid afternoon yesterday, when we completed all of the necessary set up, before we open for business this morning. The Tucson Rodeo begins this weekend with performances on Saturday and Sunday. Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday are known as slack days. With hundreds of contestants in the timed events, these slack days are kind of like an elimination tournament, to see who comes back for the final performances next weekend. The rodeo finishes up with performances on Thursday through Sunday of next week. So, for the next 9 days, we'll be selling the official hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other assorted Tucson Rodeo merchandise.

We met Chandra, Marc, and Laila at Sweet Tomato for dinner, and after the meal, Grandpa and Laila were goofing around with her little bunny. She was convinced that with my sunglasses, her bunny named Tulip, suddenly was transformed into the "cool bunny", and we had fun playing this make believe game.

After filing ourselves with mega salads, and soups (I had a bowl of chili with cornbread), we said adios, with several plans to get together during our coming work week. One of the plans is for Laila to stay overnight with us on one of the slack days, when Chandra flies to CA in order to take care of some business with her parents estate. Now, if the rain will just stay away for the next week, Patty and I will be happy campers!

DRY CAMPING

We used to do a lot of dry camping, or boondocking in our motor home, particularly when we traveled all over the country with the drag race circuit. During those 2 years (2002/2003), it was rare that we had any kind of hook ups at a race track, and we typically would be at any given track for about a week.

Flash forward to the present, and except for an occasional overnight at a WalMart, about the only time we dry camp (no utility hookups) these days, is during January at Quartzsite, and for the Tucson Rodeo. We're parked here at the rodeo grounds for 2 weeks, which is pushing the limit regarding the maximum amount of time we can be self sustaining. If we boondocked for much longer than 2 weeks, we would have to replenish our fresh water, and dump the holding tanks.

Yes, we still shower every day, but like most experienced RV'ers, we've learned a few tricks over the years. We have a low flow, oxygenics shower head that increases pressure, and still provides a good spray. With an adjustable water shut off valve, we use very little water during showers. When we're waiting for the hot water to start flowing, we catch the cold water in a small bucket, and use that water to flush the toilet. Washing dishes can use a lot of water, so we minimize that by using paper products. Patty usually cooks a couple of casseroles at home, and freezes them, so that we don't have any large cooking projects, requiring a lot of clean up.

We don't have to run the generator very much, because our solar panels recharge the batteries during the day, and about the only time we turn on the generator is when we want to use the microwave, or the toaster. There are a few other tricks to extending the amount of time we're away from the water and electrical umbilical cords, but if given a choice, I've gotten to the point where full hookups are my preference.

Yesterday, we made a big dent in getting our trailer set up, and we took a lunch break at our Granddaughters school. It was the first time we had been there since she started Kindergarten this year, and we were both impressed. The school is K through 6th, and is a private Christian School where the average class size is 15 kids. Chandra volunteers at the school on Thursdays, so we had a chance to visit a little during the lunch hour. We briefly visited Laila's classroom, before heading back to the rodeo grounds. We both feel very fortunate and thankful that Chandra is such a good mom, and is able to be involved in Laila's life at so many levels. Raising a child is a full time job, and if all of the children in this country had parents like Marc, and Chandra, I truly believe that half of our societal problems would disappear.

After lunch, we were back at the trailer for a few hours, then we met Marc, Chandra, and Laila at Chic-fil-A for dinner. On Thursday evenings, this restaurant donates 20% of their proceeds to Laila's school, and while we were there, quite a large group of folks turned out in support of the school. We sat with one of Laila's buddies, Ema T and her mom, and enjoyed being involved with an effort that benefits Laila's school.

Back at the motor home, we watched a little TV and called it a day. Today, we'll finish setting up the trailer, and be ready for the rodeo opening tomorrow.

THE TRAILER ARRIVES

It was around 2pm that Jim Maxie pulled into the rodeo grounds with the merchandise trailer that we will call home during the next 11 work days. For the next couple of hours, we mostly did some cleaning, and organizing. A quick re-familiarization with the scanners, credit card machine, and a few other things, brought us up to speed with most everything that we need to do while selling the official rodeo merchandise.

Part of the next 2 days will be spent in the trailer, doing a physical inventory of the merchandise, and getting everything else ready for the opening of the rodeo on Saturday. This is the same semi-trailer that we have used for the past several years, and most recently, it was used at the last 3 Indy Racing League races as the merchandise trailer for Danica Patrick.

We're scheduled to meet Chandra today, at Laila's school for lunch, and then we'll continue working in the trailer this afternoon. By mid day tomorrow, we should be just about ready for the cowboys and rodeo fans.

BACK IN TUCSON

Chandra & Marc fed us King Crab last night! What a treat!

The motor home is parked at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds, and I'm not driving another mile for at least two weeks. A little over 1,500 miles in the last 3 days is enough driving for awhile. I might even let Patty drive the jeep if we go anywhere. Well, maybe I better think about that for at least a second and a half. Me driving the jeep a short distance, might be better than having a severe panic attack, or even worse, some other kind of back seat driver affliction.

The drive from Lake Havasu was it's usual 6 hours, with a fuel stop at the ZIP Truck stop on I10 at exit 45. We had a few sprinkles along the way, but not enough to even get the road surface wet. Our merchandise trailer arrives this afternoon, and we'll start getting it ready for the rodeo, which begins this Saturday.

When we arrived at Marc & Chandra's house last night, we got big hugs, especially from Laila, who was hiding next to the front door. The surprise news was that we were having Alaskan King Crab for dinner, and boy was it good! In the blessing before the meal, Marc asked that Uncle Mike stay safe while in Afghanistan, and that the same good fate be extended to all of our military serving their country. We made some tentative plans for the next few days, in between, or after our rodeo stuff. Shortly after dinner, Laila was off to bed (school night), and we left a little later.

THE TILLMAN/RHONEMUS FAMILY

This family picture was taken right after Aunt Martha's graveside service.
Martha's maiden name was Tillman when she married Harry Rhonemus. Their four children are Karen, Diane, John, and Paul. Between them, their are 7 grandchildren, and 2 great grand children.

I feel like a "Road Warrior"! I left Lake Havasu City at 8:30am on Sunday Morning, arriving in Stockton, CA late afternoon. I hit the road south for AZ a little after 2pm the next day, pulling into the driveway last night, a few minutes after 10pm. 1,136 miles within an approx. 37 hour window.

It was important for me to attend the funeral of my Aunt Martha, and I would have traveled farther, and longer if that would have been necessary. The death of a loved one typically brings families together, and I was able to see many of my cousins who I haven't seen in years, and some I've never met. The service was a blend of traditional church spirituality, and a celebration, with several people speaking about different ways that my Aunt touched their lives.

One of the things I learned about my very strong willed Aunt, was that over the years, she and her husband Harry had a debate about staying in a community where their family had become a minority. They moved into a new house on the southwest side of Stockton in the mid 50's, and as the years progressed, the area became more and more populated with different ethnic groups. The congregation of their Trinity Presbyterian Church had become predominately Filipino, and over the years, many of the Caucasian families moved out of the area. Despite the fact that the Rhonemus Family had become a minority, my Aunt Martha refused any attempts to be persuaded to move. Several members of the church spoke of Martha's involvement in their lives, and her active participation in the church. Pastor Sarah Reyes fulfilled a promise that she made to Martha, by returning to the church that she attended as a young adult, and speaking passionately about how Martha touched her life. It was a fitting tribute to a person who saw no blur between ethnicity, but rather, truly believed in the fundamental principle that all men are created equal. Her Daughter Diane summed it up beautifully, when she publicly thanked her mother for raising her in a diverse community, and teaching her that understanding is more powerful than intolerance.

After the graveside service, and the family picture, the drive south began in heavy rain. Around Bakersfield, the rain let up, and I made it over the Tehachipi's before dark. The mountains were capped with a new dusting of snow, and it was a bit chilly (35), when I stopped for gas at the Tehachipi Summit.

Back home again, and another family chapter closed, it's time to move on, literally. This morning, the diesel fumes will once again be flowing from the motor home's exhaust, as we head for Tucson. Tomorrow, we start setting up for the Tucson Rodeo which opens a 9 day run this weekend. Our merchandise trailer will be arriving tomorrow afternoon from Indianapolis, and it takes a day or so to get everything ready to go. Reporting next from Tucson, AZ.

Happy Birthday my love!

BIRTHDAY GIRLS

Jeanette's & Patty's birthday are just one day apart.

Yesterday afternoon, Bob & Diana Rush picked us up at the house, and we drove over to Bob & Jeanette Fulton's for some cake & ice cream. Eat dessert first, right? Bob & Jeanette's daughter Iris was there, along with Ron & Judy Ellstrom from Kingman. We had a nice visit with our friends, and of course, we solved all of the country's problems. Sometimes it's nice to chat with folks who still believe in the fundamental principles that founded this great country.

Sitting out on Bob & Jeanette's patio, with their new sun & wind screens was a pleasant way to spend a few afternoon hours. The weather has already started what looks like a warming trend, with temperatures into the upper 70's. Not sure if it will last, but we're back into that period of time where we don't have to run the house heater, and it's too early for the A/C.

Homemade birthday cake, strawberries, and ice cream - yummy!

Earlier in the day, Patty picked up Diana, and they spent several hours at Winterfest in the downtown area of the city. This is one of many annual events where the city closes Main St. (McCulloch Blvd.) to vehicular traffic for whatever the activity happens to be. Winterfest is kind of like a giant arts & crafts festival, with hundreds of vendors setting up their booths in the middle of the street. In addition to the vendors, there's live music, food, and other attractions. This is a huge event, that attracts many thousands of people, and one that Patty looks forward to every year. Not big on my list, and with her buddy Diana in town for the winter, I gained a reprieve from attending. Thanks Diana!

Today, I'm making the long drive to Stockton, CA, to attend the funeral of my Aunt Martha. It will be the very quickest of trips, with the return leg tomorrow right after the service. Day after tomorrow, we have to be in Tucson to work the big rodeo for 9 days. No blog posts for the next day or two, but will pick up again when we leave for, or get to Tucson.

THE END OF TRACK

There's nothing more certain than a speeding train approaching the end of it's rails. It's inevitable what the outcome will be. There's no discussion, no debate, or any other rationalization. The end result is cut and dried. No one will argue that a railroad track laying crew will magically appear, and with superhuman effort, quickly lay enough track to keep the fast approaching train from derailing. It's not going to happen, the train is going to wreck, and it's going to be ugly!

I often think of this hypothetical train wreck as an analogy of this country's short sighted monetary policy decisions. Who in the world, if at the controls of a speeding train, would say something like "trust me, I know what I'm doing", and then, open the throttle even wider as the train quickly approached the end of track. The similarity between the speeding train, and the government's history of spending more than it takes in, is simplistic in nature, however the comparison is about as close as it gets regarding the eventual outcome of both scenarios.

The question of viability for the Social Security program has been debated for years. The almost universal opinion is that we're fast approaching the point where the fund will not be self sustaining, and payouts will exceed income. The only issue where opinions differ, is when that point in time will come. Folks on both sides of the aisle have been kicking this can down the road for years. The sad part of the story, is the fact that our speeding train drivers have been raiding the Social Security fund for years, and in place of the money removed for other expenditures, the fund is now full of government I.O.U.'s. If any private pension manager tried the same tactics, he/she would quickly be put behind bars. Can anyone say "Ponzi or Madoff".

Within the Social Security context, I curiously watch the debate currently taking place in Washington regarding the highly touted payroll tax cuts. The Obama administration, public opinion, most political pundits, and a majority of the news opinion seems to agree, this is a good thing, and that it should be extended well into the future. What no one is talking much about, is the fact that on every paycheck, the government will continue to get approx. 4% less in funding for Social Security. The short sighted viewpoint is that it's more money in every one's pocket, and there's very little discussion about the decrease in revenue for the Social Security fund. This deficit spending mentality is what got us into this mess in the first place, and is exactly why Europe is making the news broadcasts almost every day.

The good news is that there are an increasing number of politicians who despite being demonized as too negative toward unfunded mandates, are starting to get the public's attention. The future, particularly the future of our kids, and grand kids are at stake. If the politicians continue to sell out the future of this country with a fiscal policy that puts everyone in jeopardy, then history will eventually be the final arbiter. I suspect it will be written that the engineer politicians should have pulled back on the throttle before America's train reached the end of the track.

BUSY DAYS AHEAD

Since receiving news of my Aunt Martha's passing, the funeral is set for this coming Monday in Stockton, CA. I'll be making a quick trip to CA on Sunday, then driving back to AZ. right after the service. When I return home, we'll be leaving in the motor home on Tuesday morning for Tucson, where we'll begin setting up for the Tucson Rodeo. If not for our commitment to MainGate, the company that produces the official Rodeo merchandise, we would be taking the motor home to CA, and spending more time with Martha's family. Despite the short window of time, I'm looking forward to visiting with some of my relatives, who I haven't seen in many years.

Thanks to all who have emailed, commented, and phoned with condolences.

REMEMBERING AUNT MARTHA

This photo was taken in the spring of 2009. My Cousin Diane, Aunt Martha, and Patty.

The loss of a family member is always difficult, no matter what the circumstances. My Aunt Martha, (I called her Dee Dee), who lived in Stockton, CA for most of her life, passed yesterday at the age of 86. She and her husband Harry, who died a few years ago, raised four children, my Cousins Karen, Diane, John, and Paul. When Patty and I last visited in October of 2011, we became more aware of her advancing years, and even though the news of her death wasn't a big surprise, it still came with a lot of sadness.

My Aunt Martha was the last link to my mother and father, who I never knew. When my parents were killed in an automobile accident in 1946, I was 6 weeks old. I recently learned from my Aunt Martha, that she and my Grandmother Alice were babysitting me when the accident happened. I simply cannot imagine the devastating impact that horrific news must have had on my Aunt, and my Grandmother.

Whenever we visited my Aunt, she always had stories, and new details about her younger life with her sister, who was my mother. I so looked forward to hearing anything that my Aunt had to say about my parents, and probably should have recorded some of those conversations. During the last few years, she provided me with many pictures, and memorabilia of my mom and dad that I did not have. I'm so grateful that she and my Cousin Diane found, and passed those irreplaceable items on to me.

The inevitability of life ending at some point, is part of the cycle that repeats itself with every generation. Because of the circumstances surrounding my very early years, I always shared a special relationship with my Aunt Martha, and I'm so glad that I was able to spend some time with her during her last years. Rest in peace Dee Dee, you were a very special person.

THE AFGHANISTAN CONNECTION

In closing yesterday's blog, I mentioned that my oldest son Michael had just started a 3 month deployment in Afghanistan. This is a voluntary assignment that Mike accepted as part of his job with the National Security Agency (NSA). When I talked with him right before he left the states, he explained without a lot of specifics, that his mission had to do with advance planning for the eventual U.S. exit from that country. Naturally, any significant news coming out of Afghanistan is now more than just a blip on my radar screen.

Since Mike retired from the U.S.Army as a Military Intelligence Officer a few years ago, he first contracted with a company, and did a similar job that he had performed while on active duty in the Army. About a year ago, he decided to apply for a permanent federal government position under the umbrella of the NSA, and his position now carries a lot more responsibility. Because his job has always been at the highest security level, I've never known a lot of details about what he does, but I do know that his expertise often requires a presence in front of top military commanders for briefings and counsel.

While talking yesterday with my youngest son Marc, he told me that he had been online with his brother, and he learned that Mike's accommodations consisted of a converted storage container, and that the temperature was hovering just above 0 degrees. Perhaps that's a little better than a tent in real cold weather, but not much.

Patty and I cheerish the time we had with my two sons and their families on our recent Caribbean Cruise. I have a lot of pride in my kids accomplishments, and will be counting the days until Mike returns to the good ole U.S. of A.

SUPER SUNDAY

Today is the day that over 150 million folks around the world will be tuned in to a football game, that for the 46th time, is called the Super Bowl. The amount of revenue generated by this one football game is almost beyond comprehension. Advertisers line up to pay 3 1/2 million dollars to the TV network for a 30 second commercial! Over the years, the new commercials have added almost as much interest as the game. Thank goodness for DVR, so now, we can replay some of the good commercials. Our friends Bob & Diana Rush are coming over this afternoon for a mini Super Bowl Party, and I'm sure there will be plenty of snacks and food.

I'm not as much of a football fan as I used to be, but no matter who the 2 teams happen to be, the hype of the Super Bowl usually generates my interest. The fact that the game is being played in Indianapolis, at Lucas Oil Stadium has further peaked my interest in today's contest between the New York Giants, and the New England Patriots. Forest & Charlotte Lucas have a huge presence in NHRA Championship Drag Racing, and their son Morgan Lucas drives a Top Fuel Dragster. Our friends, Bob & Shirl Kase work for the Lucas Family, and over the years, I've had a few conversations with Forest Lucas. With the game, the Madonna half time show, and all of the other activities taking place in a stadium that I have a small connection with, I'm a little more interested than I normally would be. One more added connection to the stadium is the fact that the Company who manages part of the concessions at Lucas Stadium is MainGate, the outfit that we used to contract with when we pulled the Harley-Davidson merchandise trailer with our motor home, and the same company that we sell merchandise for at the Tucson Rodeo.

Our friends Len & Ellie Meacham, who have their motor home parked at Emerald Cove near Parker, came by for dinner last night. We were parked with them in the desert near Quartzsite, and it won't be long before they will start their journey around the country, working at many of the NASCAR races. Hopefully, we'll get to see them again before they head east.

As Hank Jr. used to sing on Monday night - "Are you ready for some football"? I'm ready, and I hope that my oldest son Michael, who just started a 3 month deployment in Afghanistan, is also able to catch the game.

BOATS & TRAINS

Part of the Lake Havasu City Marina

During the month of March for the past several years, we have rented a boat slip at the marina. Yesterday, I reserved a parking space for our boat, and it will go in the water on March 1. Call me lazy, but when the boat is at the house, these are the steps that I have to take when we use it for a few hours. 1. Take off the cover. 2. Hook up to the truck. 3. Stop at the gas station. 4. Launch at the marina. 5. Pull it out of the water & wipe it down. 6. Back it into the yard. 7. Put the cover back on. So, guess what? I guess I'm lazy because I've only gone through that process once since we returned home from working at the Grand Canyon last summer. When it's in the water, we drive down, jump in and go. The added incentive to pay the $180 monthly rental fee is that most of spring break takes place the later part of March. I can almost guarantee there will be some interesting photos on the blog during that time period!

Bob Tucker and Patty watching, and listening to one of Bob's excellent slide shows.

We invited one of our Golden Spike RV Chapter members, Bob Tucker, over for dinner last night, as he and his motor home are parked here in Havasu for the month of February. We last saw Bob at the January Indio RV Rally where we made tentative plans to get together when he came to town.

One of Bob's hobby's is photography, which he takes to another level when he incorporates music with a computer slide show presentation. The music and other sound effects are blended to synchronize with the displayed images, and the end product is exceptionally well done. We watched several presentations, one of which was his photos of the Indio Rally last month. Of particular interest to me, was a slide show of the Tehachapi Loop between Bakersfield & Mojave. This railroad engineering marvel has fascinated me for years, and Bob had some great pictures of the loop, and of the new depot/museum in the town of Tehachapi.

We had a nice visit with Bob, and hopefully, we'll get a chance to get together again before we leave for Tucson next week. Our annual work gig at the Tucson Rodeo begins in a little over a week, and we'll be arriving there a little early, so we have some free time to visit with Marc, Chandra and our Granddaughter Laila.

BUY AMERICAN

Since returning from our week in Quartzsite, and a short, two day motorcycle trip, things around the home front are pretty routine. As I've said before, writing about trips to the grocery store, or other day to day stuff is not worthy of the effort, certainly not on the readers end.

When we do make a trip to the store, particularly to shop for other than grocery items, we are making more of an effort to buy products that are made in the U.S.A. In the last week, I've been hearing radio advertisements from two local business's that promote their use of U.S. made materials. One of those companies, Craig Plumbing, encourages the public to buy American made products. Their ad says if we all increased our made in the U.S.A. purchases by only 10%, it would go a long way toward bringing back some of the manufacturing jobs that are now in foreign countries. Even on a local level, it's encouraging to hear this subject being promoted in a more public way. In Stitches, another local company, that specializes in boat covers, and bimini tops, is publicly touting their use of American made products. Last year, I had them build a custom mooring cover for our boat, and all of those materials came from within our borders.

Rather than look for the cheapest price for an item, (wholesale & retail), if we all placed more of an emphasis on quality, particularly those products made here in our own country, it would be a huge boost toward putting a lot of people back to work. Just imagine if large companies like WalMart would place a higher priority on their purchasing of U.S. made products, and less priority on the cheapest price. Unfortunately, many products are only available through foreign made manufacturers, and the issue of choice is completely taken off the table.

As long as the business environment here in the U.S. is such that companies can't compete against cheap foreign manufacturing, the flow of "made in china" products will continue unabated. There's no simple answer, but I personally think that our Federal Government has a legitimate responsibility to make it easier for American companies to compete. On a level playing field, American workers & products will win the ball game every time. Given choices, if we would all buy "made in the U.S.A." products, it would make a huge difference!

DESERT BACK ROADS

Since the feds started bailing out everybody, I wonder if this little watering hole scored some of our taxpayer bucks.

My internal alarm clock started buzzing at it's usual time, which was around 5am yesterday. The slight problem with that was it was actually 4am, as I had picked up an hour when I crossed into CA, and my body was still on AZ time. That, combined with a harder than normal motel mattress, precluded dozing back off for a few more winks. So, now what do I do? Any more sleep was out of the question, so I found a newspaper, made some of that wonderful motel room coffee, and tried to kill some time. By the time I read the paper, including the classified section, and watched the TV news for awhile, I was up to speed on everything from foreign affairs, to who the locals were that got picked up for D.U.I. Finally, the sun peeks over the eastern mountains, and I'm ready to go.

The ride west on Hwy 74 out of Palm Desert is a series of curves and switchbacks that rapidly ascends into the mountains west of the Palm Springs area. By the time I had reached the 5,000 foot level, the temperature had dropped considerably from where I started at almost sea level. The ambient temperature gauge on the bike was reading about 35 degrees. With a lot of my cold riding gear on, the only thing I kind of wished I had brought was one of my full face helmets.

With the morning becoming a memory, the temperatures started rising, as I headed west, then south on several back roads that would eventually put me back into the desert near El Centro, CA. When I'm on one of these rides, I truly get lost in the moment, and it's all about the ride, the wind, what's around the next corner, or over the next hill. I don't stop a lot to take pictures, usually only getting off the bike about every 150 miles for gas.

It was about mid day, when I decided that rather than subject myself to another night on a tortuously hard motel mattress, I was about 3 hours from home, and that sounded like a better way to end a great 2 day ride. When I take off on these rides a few times a year, I never know exactly where I'm going, or how long I'll be gone. Usually, after 2-4 days, I've ridden enough miles so that I'm good for another few months. It's always good to get back home.

ESCAPE

Some of my motorcycle trips are planned, where I do a great deal of research regarding roads, places to stay, and stuff to see. And then, there are the spur of the moment rides, where one minute I'm washing the car, and 30 minutes later, I'm on the Harley, heading off toward an unknown destination. Such was the case this morning, when in an instant, I decided to escape from my normal at home activities, and catch some wind on the bike. Unlike a lot of my friends who ride motorcycles, I'm one who cherishes the open road by myself, where I have no responsibilities to anyone but yours truly. Some might call that selfish, but I really don't care, because it's an escape, and a true sense of freedom that has worked for me, for a very long time.

Fortunately, I have a life partner who recognizes and accepts my need to get away from everything, and for a lot of years, that escape has been on the Harley. There's a saying in the Harley world that goes something like - "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand".

Amboy, CA is on old Route 66 in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

So, this morning, without saying much more than "I'm going for a ride", Patty knew that I would be gone for a few hours, or perhaps as much as a couple of weeks. The one rule we have is that I call every evening, and tell her where I am. Many years ago, when we lived in CA, I remember calling at the end of a first days ride, and telling her that I was in Wyoming. That trip was one of 10, where I rode to the big motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D.

Today, I took off in a westerly direction, and veered off I40, west of Needles, and picked up a section of the old "Mother Road" that is still intact between Needles and Barstow. At Amboy, I put a few gallons of gas in the tank, and turned south off Route 66 toward 29 Palms. That's where I entered Joshua Tree National Park, riding south toward Palm Springs. This road through the park is one of the few roads in CA that I have never traveled. The road through the park is a great motorcycle road, with a speed limit under 45 MPH, and lots of curves.

Roy's in Amboy, CA has seen better times, but at least it's still open for gas, and a few conveniences.

When I left the National Park, I was near the north end of the Salton Sea, and I made a right turn toward Palm Springs. I ended up in Indio near the Riverside County Fairgrounds where we recently spent a week in the motor home at an RV rally.

Tomorrow, I'm going to head west over the mountains, and hopefully travel on a few more new roads that have eluded my quest for complete dominance of all major highways in CA. I'm getting close!

DESERT BAR PART II

Patty, Del, & Diana in front of the metal church at the Desert Bar

If you could close your eyes, and magically transport yourself to the Desert Bar, the scene would be similar to many rural watering holes around the country. However, you can't simply wave a magic wand, and instantly appear at the Desert Bar. You have to know where to turn off Hwy 95 onto a dirt road that winds its way out into the desert. Then, you have to slowly bounce along on a bumpy, dusty road for over 5 miles before you arrive at this very unique oasis in the middle of nowhere. The Desert Bar is a place like no other!

We stopped at Bob & Diana's house, where their friends, Randy & Del were visiting. This would be their first visit to the Desert Bar. We left Lake Havasu a little before noon for the hour drive to our destination near Parker, AZ.

Upon arrival, the parking area was already getting full, and the crowd was much larger than the last time Patty and I were there. In the blog archive, on November 7th, I wrote about some of the history of the place. All of the tables were taken near the bandstand, so we went down to the lower level where we found a table.

At 1 pm, the 3 piece band started playing some classic rock tunes, and they were pretty good. From where we were, we couldn't see them, but the music had us tapping our toes, as we continued our conversation, along with some food and drinks. Patty and I shared a root beer float, a first for us in a very long time.

Diana & Patty soaking up the 70+ degree sunshine.

It was mid afternoon when we joined in the parade of vehicles leaving the Desert Bar on the return trip back to the pavement. On the way home, we stopped at the London Bridge, where Randy got some pictures of the worlds largest antique. Before leaving, we agreed to meet at Casa Serrano for dinner, a local Mexican Restaurant. We capped the day with a short visit to our house, and we vowed to once again visit the Desert Bar before the hot weather returns.

Note: There's a glitch somewhere, as this is the 3rd time I've written the narrative. When I clicked publish the first 2 times, the text disappeared, so hopefully, that won't happen on this third try.

1,000 TRAILS HOT IN HAVASU

No, not the ambient temperature hot, but rather my temperament became rather hot yesterday afternoon around 1:30 at the London Bridge Resort, where Patty and I were attending a Thousand Trail membership meeting.

This 1pm meeting was advertised as informational regarding the recent change in ownership of Thousand Trails, and the impact of that change on the members. When the first letter came in the mail, I had a suspicion that this so called information meeting was nothing but a disguise for an attempt to sell members an upgrade to their current contract. In fact, I promptly threw it in the trash can. A few weeks later, a postcard came in the mail reminding us that we had not responded to this important request for a get together regarding the changed ownership structure of 1,000 Trails. At that point I had enough curiosity to call the toll free number for more information. I was told that there were significant changes that affected all 1000 trails members, and a face to face was necessary in order to explain everything. When I asked the person to give me the information on the phone, I was told that wasn't possible, and we would both have to attend this meeting that was moving from area to area around the country. Still skeptical, I asked point blank if this was an attempt to sell members an upgrade to their existing membership. I was told that there would be information at the end of the meeting regarding upgrade options, but that was not the focus of the meeting.

Our Thousand Trails membership costs us a little over $600 a year, and our contract (there's over 100 different contracts) allows us 50 days of free RV spaces in all 60 or so 1,000 trails, NACO, & Leisure Time RV parks. If we camp over 50 days, then we pay $5 a night. We're limited to 14 days in any one park, but we don't have to stay out of the system for any length of time. We can go right to the next park. Our membership works well for us, and we have no interest in paying several thousand dollars to upgrade our contract.

When we sat down, there were 4 other couples present, and within 15 minutes, it was obvious where this was going. It was a slick presentation, with a couple of short videos, and the typical half truths, all geared toward relieving us of a bunch of money. The two fellows who were making the presentation were from another company, and contracted by 1,000 Trails to do these meetings. They were just doing their job, but as the presentation continued, my temperature was rising. About 20 minutes into the spiel, I leaned over to Patty and said "this whole thing is just a sales pitch for an upgrade".

For those that know me, I don't have short fuse, but I'm not shy about letting my feelings be known. Not wanting to make a scene in front of the other folks, I sat quietly, only challenging the presenter on a couple of occasions. When it was over, I walked over to one of the two guys, and took him outside of the room. In a nutshell, I told him that I had specifically asked on the phone if this meeting was focused on selling members an upgrade, and was told "no, it wasn't". If fact, the meeting was entirely about an upgrade, and there was no important information regarding the new ownership of 1,000 Trails. I told him I was angry that my time had been wasted, and that I was not a happy camper. Apologies were gushing, and I was assured that my sentiments would be made known to the corporate office. Yea, right!

I should have trusted my original instincts, and if I had, we would still be parked in the desert near Quartzsite with our friends. As they say, "live and learn".

A SHORT DRIVE HOME

By the time I packed everything up, and lowered the 3 solar panels, it was around 11am before we pulled out of Quartzsite. We said so long to our friends Jim/Megan Stebbins, Len/Ellie Meacham, and Dave/Betty Buxton. Jim & Megan, and Dave & Betty are hanging out in Quartzsite until they head for Pomona next week, and the first NHRA Drag Race of the season. Len/Ellie are transitioning from the IRL Racing circuit, to NASCAR, and will start the season with the race in Phoenix. We wished everyone a good year, and safe travels around the country.

We enjoyed our week in Quartzsite, and probably would have stayed a few more days if we didn't have a meeting scheduled today with our Thousand Trails camping membership organization. There's been some major changes with the ownership structure of Thousand Trails, and this meeting is supposed to address all of that. I have a suspicion that the focus is going to be more towards selling members an upgrade, and if that's the case, I may just walk out.

If our animals could talk, I'm sure they would have told us that they were glad to be back in the big house. I know it sure is a lot easier to just let Sami out into the backyard, rather than hooking up the leash, and taking her for multiple walks during the day. Gracie has a lot more space to run from room to room, and our water cat spends a lot of time near the sink, just waiting for one of us to turn on the faucet.

Sitting around the campfire day before yesterday.

While I was lowering the solar panels, I snapped this picture of the crew. The motor home on the left is Jim/Megan's, center Dave/Betty, and Len/Ellie's house is on the right.

It's always good to get together with friends in Quartzsite, but, no matter where we travel, it's also good to get home. We'll be here for a couple of weeks before we head to Tucson for our annual gig at the Tucson Rodeo. More tomorrow on the Thousand Trails meeting.

LEAVING QUARTZSITE

Today marks a week parked in the desert about 5 miles south of Quartzsite, AZ, and this morning, we're heading back to Lake Havasu. While here, we didn't browse through all of the flea markets, and we didn't look at any new motor homes, but we did most of the other things that were on our list of things to do.

Yesterday, we rode into town with Jim & Megan in their new car, and spent most of that time in the big tent. We solved a problem with the fitment of my new flag light, when Flag Pole Buddy gave both Jim & I a new plastic adapter that fits better than the original did. The crowd was still large, but not as bad as the first couple of days.

When we got back to the camp area, we all sat around and solved most of the world's problems, while the girls found some snacks to compliment the happy hour. As the sun began to set, I built a campfire, using the rest of the wood that we had brought from home. As the wood ran out, and the fire began to dwindle, we all retreated to our houses on wheels.

Pictures will not load today, so hopefully, this text will make it onto the blog, and when we get home, I'll be able to post a few photos.

MORE FRIENDS ARRIVE

Diana is one of my hero's, still riding her own Harley.

It was around 10am when we got the prearranged call from Bob & Diana, to let us know they were at the Shell station in Quartzsite, and how could they ever find us in this ocean of RV's? I gave Diana directions to drive south on Hwy 95 about 5 miles , then turn right on La Paz Valley Rd, where I would meet & guide them back to where we're parked. When Diana turned the corner a few minutes later, she drove right past my truck into a sea of RV's. Bob stopped on his bike, and I asked where in the heck was she going? He said that he had no idea, as she disappeared down the dirt road, heading into the area where hundreds of RV's were parked. Bob quickly chased her down, with them both returning to where I was parked. Diana said she was looking for the black jeep, not the white truck. Good thing I wasn't a giant rattlesnake Diana!

When we got back to our campsite, we piled in the truck, and headed into town. We walked through the big tent, and over to Tyson Wells, where we had a Walla, Walla burger for lunch. I think the grilled onions were thicker than the meat, and they sure smelled good, simmering on the outdoor grill.

When we got back to the motor home, it was mid afternoon, and Jim & Megan had arrived. Their 16 year old Kitty - "Millie" was recovering from major surgery, and thankfully, seemed to be doing well. It was good to reunite with our old Skagway buddies, and catch up with all of the latest. They had just purchased a new Honda Fit, which replaced their Ford Explorer of many years. After the hit to the bank account, the good news is that the Honda weighs about half of what the Explorer weighed, and the Honda doesn't have to stop at every gas station.

We were surprised with an unexpected visit from some other Alaska buddies, Dave & Louise, who drove their jeep from where their motor home is parked in the Phoenix area.

A little later, part of our old race family, Dave & Betty pulled up in their motor home. Along with Len & Ellie, they had just completed working the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction, and were glad to not have any more of those long work days for awhile. We only worked that event once, so we can relate to the stories of the long work hours, and lack of a good nights sleep.

This is our last day here in Quartzsite, as we have an appointment in Lake Havasu tomorrow. I'm not quite ready to leave, but we have been here a week, and we've seen most of the stuff that's here. For some reason, the Internet connection was a little faster this morning, as the pictures loaded much faster. Nope, I have no idea why that's the case.

A night shot of our flag, with the new solar light, and the moon in the background.