Just to the south of the spring break setting of Lake Havasu, I find a place much more to my liking. Oh sure, there is still plenty of noise nearby, with a Motocross race track and a shooting range in the area. But if one is willing to wander a bit, it is possible to enjoy the gorgeous lake views without getting caught in the mayhem of the masses. Just two miles Continue reading
I have been curious about Lake Havasu City ever since my long time friend Joel moved here sixteen years ago from New York (well, Connecticut, actually, but he will always be the consummate New Yorker to me.) I met Joel in a smoky Manhattan “dive bar” back in the early 90’s at a SCUBA diving club meeting. Continue reading
I have never been a “morning person,” though I find while here at Mittry Lake, the wee small hours of the morning just before dawn have become my favorite time of day. The heat has long subsided into cool, heavy dew that hovers over the lake. I can almost feel the weight of the cooler air as it seeps through my windows in my corner bed, pressing me ever further beneath the covers. The coolness of the night is one of the things I have learned to cherish about the desert. Continue reading
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