I once read somewhere that no self-respecting RVer could call themselves a “full timer” without a trip across the border for dental work. That never really made sense for me in the past, because along with the golden handcuffs of my corporate job came really good dental insurance. Why drive to a border town to pay $35 for a cleaning, when Delta Dental would pick up the tab? Continue reading
I am a Farmer’s Daughter. I grew up on a cotton farm in central Texas where the soil is as black as Texas crude. The smell of musty, earthy, peaty fresh plowed dirt can send me back there faster than you can ask which row to hoe. Continue reading
Hiking here around Mittry Lake, just 15 miles north of flat Yuma, requires a bit of imagination, invention, and adventure. While there are literally hundreds of trails rimming the brown, pink, mauve, and grayish-green mountains that surround us, not one of them is an “official” trail. Often times, the only choices available are Jeep trails versus sheep trails. Continue reading
Throughout all my travels, I have always been a “places” person. When I choose a destination, I do so based on redeeming qualities like scenic beauty, architectural ambiance, or wonders of nature. Oh, sure, I talk about going for “the culture,” but I am really there for the eye candy. Continue reading
I get news that Jim and Gayle are passing down I-10 on their way from getting Jim’s Frequent Visitor Card stamped at the Mayo Clinic, so we decide to rendezvous at Saddle Mountain near Tonopah, AZ. I am excited to see them, as it was early December when we said our goodbyes, and I am in bad need of some laughs and philosophical discussions on the hiking trail. Continue reading
Having extended my stay in the overflow lot in McDowell for four straight days, I grow weary of the “day to day availability game,” so I decide to move over to Lost Dutchman State Park. I want a closer look at the Superstition Mountains I have been admiring from a distance all week. But being high season, Lost Dutchman is also full. Continue reading
After three weeks in Mexico and another 10 days in Texas, stepping back into the Winnie never felt so much like “Home Sweet Home.” Thankfully, everything was still just as I left it. The engine was a little slow to start, as was the propane, but after a few false starts, by the time my bags were unpacked and things put away, everything was firing on all cylinders. Continue reading
That is not meant as a slam, instead it is meant as a “Thank you” to the friends and followers who have sent personal notes to check in and see if I am doing okay, since as one friend put it, “You’ve gone dark.” Your notes of care and concern mean a lot to me.
I temporarily lost my blogging mojo. Continue reading
By now, news of my Dad has come from home, and I need to get to an airport and find a place to stow the Winnie to fly back to Texas. Phoenix seems to be the most logical option, so as not to have to winterize the Winnie (pay no attention to that recent snow covering on the saguaros!) So I head for McDowell Mountain Regional Park, a place I have been before, so I am familiar with the area. I will make this my base for a couple of days while I scout out suitable storage areas. Continue reading
Now that I am in Arizona with a two hour time difference, in order to keep to Central time zone hours, I have to start my workday at 6:00am, which sounds pretty dreadful, especially when I have early morning conference calls. But the plus side of that means I can stop at 3:00pm. This leaves me with four and a half hours of glorious daylight to burn, and I can’t think of a better place to burn it than Prescott! Continue reading