Goodness knows, I love Manhattan more than most. But I will be the first to admit, March is not her “best look.” I spent eight winters in Manhattan, with each month of March a little more difficult than the last. By March, the snow is Continue reading
Weather-wise, our third day on the trip is the best yet! There is not a cloud in the sky, and we have a nice 8 to 10 mph tail wind. The remaining eight miles down the Black Canyon River Trail should be a joy ride! And with the sun finally out, I will get to see some of that emerald green water BJ and Kathy have been telling me is “So beautiful, you won’t believe!” Continue reading
I had a few concerns about my first overnight rafting trip. As a left-brained analytical, will I be able to “do it right?” Can I get my gear and myself down the river to arrive at the same time without embarrassing myself by turning over and sending the dry bags bobbing downriver without me? Or worse, the kayak? Did I remember to bring not only my Snowpeak mini-stove, but do I have the right blend of fuel canister to go with it? But not the least of my concerns is “How will I go three whole days without the internet???” Continue reading
It’s a balmy mid-January evening in Mesa, Arizona when John Schroder, his wife BJ, and I first discuss the prospect of a kayaking trip down the Colorado River through the Black Canyon. It has been in the mid 80’s for several days now, and the night is so pleasant that we choose an outside table at one of their favorite restaurants, Red White & Brew. John talks about timing for the trip, and suggests that the first week of March should be just about perfect. Continue reading
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