Sunday, October 28th 2012

Did I mention it's hot here? At home on the prairies it gets hot, but it seems to cool down in the evenings, and sometimes it even rains, or there's sprinklers to run through. Not so much here, it has been 35C for toooo long, and not a drop of rain, or a sprinkler in sight-oh yeah-you're encouraged to conserve water cause it doesn't rain here, I forgot we're in the desert!

A couple of weeks ago I had a touch of heat stroke and didn't even get dressed or out of bed for a whole day! How bad is that! It took me a few days to get my mojo back and it was still hot, but Larry said get dressed and let's go out. We went to the AF Aviation Museum, Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing for the afternoon. Inside the main museum hanger there are fully restored airplanes that were used during the early part of WWII and it was air-conditioned, so I was able to sit on the benches and read a lot of the history when I got a little dizzy(er than my normal self!). Larry went to the hanger outside where they repair the old planes and was able to go onto the runway inside the fully restored B17G, N9323Z known as "Sentimental Journey" that was donated to the museum in 1978 and has since been fully restored.

We decided on the 23rd to pack an overnight bag and go on a rode trip. All packed and the car full of gas we headed for Sedona which was on my list of places to see. When we turned onto the highway that leads into Sedona Larry said "what is it we're going to see here"? Before I could answer "I've heard it's a bunch of pretty red rocks" we drove around a corner and said at the same time, "WOW"! To have been told by others it was a town in a valley of red rocks is an understatement. I'm not sure if our pictures show you the incredible beauty here, I'll just say if you haven't been and are in the area, it's very worthwhile to visit.

After sight seeing and lunch we headed down, or, should I say up the highway to Jerome. Jerome's modern history began in 1876 when 3 prospectors staked claims on the rich copper deposits. The claims have been bought and sold by different people and companies many times over the years until 1912 when it became know as the Little Daisy Mine, but loss of profits brought the operation and Jerome's mining days to an end in 1953. It's a wonderful narrow, switch-back scenic drive there, another 'must see' to add to your list!

Our next stop was Prescott and Hastings Book Store, where we purchased 13 new books to add to our collection of reading material for a the small price of $53, a start your car moment for Larry! Then down the rode for our last stop, supper in Wickenburg. I say down the rode now, because in Jerome we  were at 7,000 feet above sea level and down in Wickenburg we're at 1250 feet above sea level. After beers and supper we decided not to get a hotel, but to head home to Mesa, 1 and a 1/2 hours away, arriving at 10:00. What a GREAT day!!

Relaxing

Sunday, October 21st, 2012

We have come to the conclusion that October 2nd is too early to arrive in Arizona, at least for us anyway! The air-conditioning was turned on by 9:30 every morning for the first two weeks and sometimes ran through the night with the temperature at 39C. Theses temps. do nothing for my high blood pressure-I am truly suffering in this heat!! It has cooled down to 36C now and in the evenings, around 9:30 we even open all windows and doors, as it cools down to 19C. This week autumn is to be arriving with the highs of 29C, we'll believe it when that air-conditioner finally gets a rest! There are a lot of fruit trees here in the park and we feel it is our duty to "unburden" them. Across the street there is a lemon tree that I have been picking and making the most awesome lemonade with. Next door, an orange tree that Larry picks every so often, and while on our evening walks we found a  grapefruit tree that needs to be relieved of it's burden as well. These fruits sure taste better than the store bought ones!

At the camp ground in Williams AZ our satellite dish blew over and broke while we were exploring the Grand Canyon, so that was the first thing on Larry's to do list. Thank goodness I packed my "special" glue and was able to glue the white thingy (better known as the LNB) onto the arm. Unfortunately the dish itself was beyond repair, but after a few phone calls he found an installer that had a dish that Larry figured he could gerri-rig. So, off to Home Depot to buy an electric drill, apparently I rushed his packing and he forgot his in the garage, and a bigger pole to mount the dish on. A few hours later we have TV, just in time to watch the Saskatoon news for the first time since we left home, he's a happy boy now, and I must say pretty handy, too.

The next day we were off to Camping World, but not until Larry put on the space-saver tire (remember it's 41C right now!) so we could drive to Goodyear and have them take out the 2 screws we gathered from the parking lot at Home Depot. When we finally got to Camping World I got a cart to fill, I like shopping there, we don't have them back home and the prices are good. We purchased wheel covers, a vent cover, candles, and some RV books for Larry to read. Larry went up onto the roof the next day and installed the vent cover because it was only 32C that day!

On October 12th we joined everyone around the pool for the Oktoberfest celebration. There was sausages, brats, pretzels, sauerkraut, red cabbage, noodles with goulash, and strudel for desert. The German beer, water, and "normal" beer flowed as we ate and listed to the band, there was dancing, too. It was all free, too, except the beer steins Larry and I purchased, which we filled repeatedly, trying all the different German beers!

My friend Heather and her husband Lloyd stopped in for a visit on their way to their winter home in Weslaco Texas. We had a wonderful visit and went to the Olive Garden with them for lunch, then said good-bye, as they wanted to be in Rosswell New Mexico that night, and home in Texas by the weekend. We've been to the famous Mesa Market a few times, but as for site seeing, we're waiting for the cooler weather to come.

Getting to Mesa Arizona

When we traveled South in 2010-2011 in the semi with the 5th wheel trailer it was our first "snowbird" experience and so new for us that I kind of went crazy with taking pictures. I would pick up the camera as soon as I got in the truck and only set it down when I went to bed, or so it felt like! Larry would then spend hours going through them to see what he missed while driving and then hours again to find just the right ones to post. On this second trip, it seems so far I haven't taken the camera out of its case very often, mainly I think, because we're in our new to us motor home and he can see out the windows so much better. PS and by the way, motor home is the only way to travel (and I don't need any I told you so's, thank you very much from you know who you are!), just thought I'd say that to all our friends who aren't sure what kind of RV to buy to start the adventure in (and you too know who you are)!

Now that I think I've explained the picture thing, or lack thereof, here are a few that we've taken so far. Yes, this time Larry is also taking pictures, and, I think he's doing a much better than me!

Bridge over Glen Canyon Dam

And Lake Powell

Larry at Grand Canyon South Rim

Walking Bridge over Colorado River linking North & South Rims

We were lucky to see  Condors

Pictures of the Grand Canyon don't do it justice. It is something that has to be seen in person.

Our 2nd winter away from home

After fixing the leaking roof, patching the kitchen ceiling, fighting with SGI, replacing the water heater, getting the propane leak in the motor home fixed, Steven moving home and the dog's vet visit (all of which took place 2 weeks before departure date!) we finally got out of Saskatoon only 4 days behind schedule. We just had to RUN before something else went wrong and we still had a few dollars in the bank!

After leaving home on Monday September 24th  we arrived at the Lazy H campground (the Haubrich farm) for a 2 night stay. Linda had supper ready and after eating quickly I joined them for bowling in town while Larry set up camp. On Tuesday Murray and Penny came for supper and cards and we finally gave everyone our pictures from the trip to Cuba we all went on. Wednesday we packed up and headed for the border arriving in Havre for our first night of our winter in the USofA...WOOT!WOOT!

We arrived in Williams Arizona on Saturday September 29th. We spent a day at the Grand Canyon, another day exploring Williams and packed up for the last leg of our trip. We arrived at our new home, until mid December, Apache Wells in Mesa Arizona on Tuesday October 2nd.  In December we'll move the motor home somewhere and drive our car home for Christmas (one of kids requests, Collin says it's not Christmas without us) coming back in January to continue our travels!