Category: RV Camping

Quartzfest at Roadrunner – Winter Journey – January 2018

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Friday January 19: Warm, sunny, and windy. Talked to my daughter Becka in Georgia. It is in the teens there and icy, so school has been canceled most of the week. Cold in Florida, also. As I talk to her, I walk about collecting rocks to make a fire ring.

Today is Clifford’s birthday and I give him an IOU for pizza at Dion’s when we make it to Santa Fe.

Rollie is at the bluegrass festival in Blythe. It is quite windy there, also, but he is enjoying the music.

Saturday January 20: Very windy in the night and we are up at 5:00 a.m. because one of the antenna lines has come loose and is slapping against the side of the camper. We fix it and then go back to bed. By time we get up, the little patio tarp that Clifford put up yesterday has blown down.

It is still windy with the slightest bit of rain – 42 drops, as Rollie would say – as I walk to the Event Center to sign us in for Quartzfest.

42 drops of rain as I walk to the Event Center

Later in the day, in spite of the wind, I do a walkabout for more rocks and take a few photos.

Sunset colors

Sunday January 21: Today’s temperature: 36/60, which is cooler than we’ve seen for awhile and so windy that I don’t even go for a morning walkabout. Plenty of inside things to do: Morse code, journal, cell pics text to kids, edit “Kings and Keepers” for Ang. Clifford and I talk about options for a mobile lab so Clifford can do more with his research while we are on the road. He has been working on the Carnicom Legacy Project, but today he is focused on his ham radio.

In the afternoon, we walk down to the Event Center for Quartzfest Opening Ceremony, a rather chilly walk.

Pretty day in spite of the chilly breeze

Dinner inside this evening, as there will be no eating at a campfire on these windy chilly days.

Monday January 22: Mostly sunny today, but a very chilly breeze. I go for a desert walk at sunrise for my quiet time, glad to get back to the warmth of the camper.

Vibrant sunrise colors

Mid-morning, I walk to the Event Center for the photography class, somewhat similar presentation as last year. Then back to the camper. Clifford is back and forth, also, going to radio/antenna focused presentations.

Text from Rollie. He is on his way to Roadrunner and will be here soon. I walk out to the host station to wait for him, as the huge number of RV’s here for Quartzfest has totally changed the landscape and he might not know where to find us. The hosts are not on duty due to the government shut-down. I sit and knit until Rollie arrives, then guide him through the maze of RV’s.

Maze of Quartzfest RV’s where it was just open desert before

While Rollie gets set up, Clifford and I make a run to Quartzsite for supplies and to pick up mail. Back at camp, Rollie and Ninja come over to have dinner with us.

Tuesday January 23: Blue sky and merely breezy today. A desert walk at sunrise starts my day.

Waiting for the sunrise
And the sun makes his appearance – the daily miracle that we take for granted

After breakfast, Clifford, Rollie, and I go to the RV show to look at RV’s. There is a very limited number of trailers of a size and weight that will work for us. This show is definitely catering to the BIG RV crowd. We do like one called “Retro” with its well-designed space and lighter weight.

      

But this is a just-for-fun looking trip for us. Rollie is looking at motorhomes, definitely in the soon-to-purchase mode. We also walk through the Big Tent, which is designed to entice folks into buying something – anything – from jewelry to RV solar systems.

Back at camp, we have a quick lunch and then Rollie and I go to the pre-hootenany gathering. It is too cool in the shade for me and too hot in the sun for the guitar, but still kind of fun. Clifford is attending some presentation, also.

We have an early dinner before heading to Quartzsite for a bluegrass concert by Hardshell Harmony at Quartzsite Improvement Association venue. It is a good concert, but late by time we get home. Off to bed at midnight, feeling a bit run-down. I think the chilly dry wind is disturbing to my vata, was well as staying up too late.

Last Days at La Posa South – Winter Journey – January 2018

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Saturday January 13: Mild temperatures continue here at La Posa South in southwest Arizona.

Mornings in the Arizona desert

I continue the usual daily activities of journal writing, editing, and music with Rollie. We make a couple of videos of medleys of bluegrass songs we are playing. Clifford spends his days working on the Carnicom Institute Legacy Project, his ham radio, and playing the dulcimer. Today’s unique activity is going to a concert at QIA: the New Christy Minstrels with a couple of the original band members still active in this group, Randy Sparks, for one. It was a very fun concert.

Sunday January 14: My morning desert walk is a time of stillness, appreciating the beauty of the desert.

 

Morning desert walk

The usual daily activities follow. We all play music and in the evening have dinner, which always includes Rollie and Ninja, at the campfire.

Monday January 15: Today’s temperature: 44/70, not bad for mid-January.

The rising of the sun

Today is a town day – errands, shopping, and laundromat. In the evening, as I’m doing music with Rollie, new neighbors come over to listen for a bit. They are also bluegrass musicians and we might try to get together.

Dinner at the campfire, which we all enjoy.

Tuesday January 16: I’ve decided to start learning Morse Code, since I hear it so much as Clifford is doing his ham radio stuff. It sure does take a lot of listening concentration.

Later, while walking in the wash, I call my good friends, Ken and Shelley Anne, as today is Ken’s birthday. He and I have been friends since we met in orchestra as 7th graders.

After dinner at the campfire, I start reading another Tony Hillerman novel, which I especially like since the setting is the Southwest.

Wednesday January 17: Clifford, Rollie, and I go to Quartzsite this morning to go to the RV show that is advertised. However, when we get there, we find out it doesn’t start until the 20th.

On the way back to camp, we see a little sign alongside the road announcing live music this evening at an RV parked not far from the entrance to La Posa South. We head down there in the early evening and are the first to show up at a campfire where a young woman, Audrey Callahan, and her guitar-playing husband are going to do live music. She is friendly and chats with us until more people arrive. Her singing is quite the treat indeed and we thoroughly enjoy her selection of songs, some of which she has written herself. At the end, she mentions doing travel videos, so I stay and chat with her, being interested in travel videos and blogs, and we exchange FB contact info. I do hope we can stay in touch.

Back at camp, dinner is late, and Clifford, Rollie, and I chat until almost midnight.

Thursday January 18: Today is moving day. We pack up and are ready to leave by mid-morning. Rollie is going Midland, the long-term BLM place north of Blythe so he can attend the bluegrass festival at Blythe. Clifford and I are going back to Roadrunner to get ready for Quartzfest, the ham radio week-long gathering. Our previous spot has been taken by other campers, so we find another place along the same small wash, but closer to the Quartzfest event center. A table and chairs hold a place for Rollie for when he joins us.

We get set up: antennas and radios for Clifford, organizing stuff and defrosting the fridge for me.

Clifford sets up his ham radio antenna

There is a mesquite tree and a big old saguaro right behind the camper, which I am most grateful for.

Old saguaro right behind the camper

La Posa was a great place and I wish we could have stayed longer, but this will do for now, as we need to be here for Quartzfest.

We have a simple dinner tonight and I read until after midnight. Clifford is up even later with his ham radio stuff. Quartzfest is quite an exciting time for him.

Arizona Desert Days – Winter Journey – January 2018

Carol Carnicom1 Comment

Monday January 9: Today’s temps: 53/74, about the same temperatures as yesterday, but cloudy this morning with a forecast for rain. I have tea with Rollie while Clifford goes to the hardware store in Quartzsite. The clouds move off, so looks like the rain passed us by and I am able to charge my laptop. In the afternoon, the wind comes up, bringing storm clouds with it. The heavy rain is quite exciting and as the storm passes, there is an outstanding rainbow over the desert.

Windsocks blowing in the wind
Beautiful double rainbow after the storm has passed
More of the span of the rainbow, too close to get in the whole arc

I play music with Rollie at his place and he comes over to our place for dinner. Kind of crowded, but it is too wet for music or meals outside. However, no complaints from us. Rain in the desert is a real treat, especially when topped off by a rainbow.

Tuesday January 10: Cooler today and damp. The morning desert walk is especially beautiful, as the landscape is moist and clean today after yesterday’s rain.

Walking in the wash – everything clean and fresh after yesterday’s rainstorm

A favorite big tree – most likely a tree variety of mesquite

Clifford is on the phone with Straight Talk for quite awhile and hopefully has the hotspot issue worked out. I work on emails today, being able to get on the net to take care of some of it, but use my cell as much as I can.

Rollie comes over for chicken and rice dinner at our place. He went to Lake Havasu for errands today and it wasn’t much fun for him, but dinner together is a nice way to end the day.

Wednesday January 11: Today’s temps: 44/66 and sunny.

Walking in the dessert, I take photos at sunrise, enjoying the warmth of the sun after it clears the horizon and I linger for a longer time of stillness before the activities of the day.

The saguaro seems to be enjoying the sun as much as I am

Today is more of the good sameness as previous days: walking in the desert, editing, music with Rollie, and dinner at the campfire.

Thursday January 12: Similar weather and daily activities with the addition of writing an essay to send to my daughter Merri recounting the births of my kids. She has a project in mind that needs input from all of us as to our recollection of events, seeing how different people have different perspectives on the same event. This will be quite an interesting project as it develops.

Saguaro with his Palo Verde pal
Desert companions

As Clifford, Rollie, and I sit around the campfire after dinner, we have an extended conversation about music and the development of instruments, and as we talk I work on the afghan I started yesterday for my granddaughter Jasmine’s baby-on-the-way.

Arizona Earth and Sky – Winter Journey – January 2018

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Friday January 5: Today’s temps: 45/76 and mostly sunny. Doesn’t get much better than this.

Today wasn’t a particularly productive day, but I got a few things ready for the post office for the next time we go to town. Clifford has a couple of business calls to take care of, but mostly he focuses on his ham radio. Rollie and I do music in the afternoon and then we all have dinner at the campfire.

Music at the campfire.

I stay up until midnight to finish reading the Tony Hillerman novel that I started a few days ago.

Saturday January 6: Slightly warmer than yesterday, but cloudy.

 

I go for a morning walk in the early morning, leaving the camper when there is just enough light to see to walk safely. It is a wonderful mysterious time of day.

Clifford and I decide to go to Parker for errands and supplies, as Quartzsite is somewhat lacking in what we need. We are back at camp in time for a quick dinner and then we all head off to the QIA venue, which Clifford jokingly calls the Geriatric Improvement Association since most of the audience are seniors. Tonight is the McDougal Peter, Paul, & Mary concert. This group plays Peter, Paul, & Mary songs in the Peter, Paul, & Mary style. They are very good and the concert was most enjoyable. Later, back at camp, we discover that Clifford’s new binoculars are missing and suspect they were on the hood of the car when we left.

Sunday January 7: Slightly cooler today and jet trails mar the sky.

First thing this morning, I walk out to the main road looking for the missing binoculars, but they must have fallen off further down the road and are no where to be found. Rollie and I make a morning campfire and sit outside to enjoy our hot beverages. Clifford has a ham net in the morning, so does not join us.

In the afternoon Clifford goes to the gun show in Quartzsite. I thought I’d get a lot done while he is gone, but the hotspot is not working and it is too cloudy to charge my laptop. Ah well, play music with Rollie instead. We have nachos for dinner at the campfire after Clifford gets home.

Clean up and then read until bedtime, starting a different Tony Hillerman novel.

Monday January 8: Temps: 54/72 and cloudy.

I go for a walk in the desert before sunrise and catch some of the delicate pretty color of this morning’s offering.

Pretty sunrise color

After breakfast, Clifford and I go for a hike across the desert to the mountain that we see in the background to the east.

Heading across the basin to Shale Mountain (as I call it)
The mountain in the distance is where we are headed

This mountain, actually a hill, is made of shale and covered with beautiful pieces of quartz. Being away from the path of most folks, the rocks are not picked over and I could have taken a truckload, but have to settle for a few that will fit in my fanny pack.

Quartz, some with embedded crystals… photos do not do them justice for their beauty

I love the desert here… the stark rugged mountains, along with the vegetation and the beautiful rocks.

View from our picnic spot on the side of Shale Mountain
Looking like a couple of wild desert rats

About a 5-mile hike… good for the legs and the soul.

Back at camp I do some editing and send a query letter to Ang for her approval. Then Rollie and I play music at the campfire ring. We have dinner there and sit around the fire chatting until quite late.

New Year in the Desert – January 2018

Carol Carnicom3 Comments

Monday January 1 – Temps: 37/70, kind of scummy looking. Breezy in the afternoon.

I sit in the wash to read – the warmth of the weak sunshine feels good. As soon as my laptop is charged, I do some edits for Ang and suggest another agent for her book, “Dragons of Va’Ha’Den.”

We have a chili dinner at our place (too windy this evening to have a campfire). Later I finish the book I have been reading, “A Wild Thing,” and it has such a depressing ending that I feel annoyed for having spent so much time reading this past week. A rather uneventful first day of the New Year.

Tuesday January 2 – Temps: 46/73

I walk to the east beyond the wash.

Crossing the wash

Before me is uninhabited desert all the way across the basin. The desert lends itself to serenity. No wonder wise and holy men and women throughout history have spend time in the desert. It is not a punishment; the essence of a desert of this nature makes it possible to achieve a deeper meditative state just by being here.

Cholla in the desert

We decide to go exploring, taking the main La Posa road deeper into the desert, beyond the boundary of the BLM camping area and into the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge.

Exploring

We thought we might be able to make a loop to Crystal Hill, but the road is blocked. We hang out for a bit, admiring the scenery – too bad I didn’t bring a picnic lunch for us – and gather a few of the extraordinary rocks that are abundant here.

Hanging out in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge with Clifford, Ninja, and Rollie
We consider driving over that “hill,” but decide against it – maybe more exploring than we really want to do
Looking south – Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

Back at camp, I do some editing before starting dinner. Dinner is at the campfire tonight, which make the meal a fun adventure. Later, before bedtime, I begin reading a Tony Hillerman novel, only to discover that I’ve already read it. Ah well…. It was still a very good day.

Wednesday January 3 – Temps: 40/69 and cloudy all day.

I walk in the desert for photos at sunrise, then make a pot of yerba matte tea and start a campfire.

Sunrise colors

Rollie joins me, coffee in hand, and we chat as we sip our hot drinks. I do enjoy a morning campfire!

Enjoying a morning campfire. Notice the additions to the fire ring .

In the afternoon, we make the 30-mile trip to Blythe, California, to a small music store, as Rollie needs strings for his mandolin. Very nice lady owner there.  Long-story-short, Rollie and I end up playing some bluegrass music on store-instruments: Rollie on a guitar and me on a cello. What a hoot!

Back at camp, we have a late dinner of left-over chili and then I start a different Tony Hillerman novel, reading until well after midnight.

Thursday January 4 – Temps: 43/73 and mostly sunny.

I walk in the desert and take photos, glad to have some sunshine and blue sky overhead instead of jet trails and murk. I sure do love our spot and the unencumbered desert here.

The sun has risen over the wash

Very cool old trees grow in and along the wash
The moon sets over trees in the wash

In mail that was forwarded to us at Quartzsite, I have a letter from Social Security indicating a problem with my allotment. The nearest SS office is in Blythe, and due to a deadline to take care of this, we make another trip to Blythe. I read as I wait for my turn to be seen and when I finally see the woman, she is not the least helpful. I have to dig for every bit of information to know how to proceed.

Back at camp, we have a quick soup dinner, as we are going to a music presentation at the Quartzsite Improvement Association (QIA) venue. This proves to be a community event with some very accomplished performers and some just so-so, but everyone’s contribution is appreciated by the mostly senior citizen audience. Maybe Rollie and I could play there sometime; it is something for us to consider.

LaPosa South – Winter Journey – December 2017

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Friday December 29: Today’s temp: 38/71 and clear. Today is moving day and we have decided to go to La Posa South, a long-term BLM place just to the north of Roadrunner on 95, for several reasons. One: it is close; two: water and dumpsters are available at La Posa; and 3: it is close enough to Quartzsite to attend events that are coming up soon. I have seen La Posa South from the highway and it looks crowded – like a sea of RV’s without much vegetation for privacy. So, I have my reservations about moving there, but it is only for a couple of weeks.

We pack up and head to La Posa South, parking at the entrance to pay our fee, then driving in to find a spot. The further in we go, the fewer RV’s there are and the more vegetation. We find a side road and then a hint of a road that takes us out to a very wide wash.

A hint of a road takes us to a wide wash

The trees here are tall and lush, the shrubs thick, so there is privacy from other campers in the area. Beyond the wash is uninhabited natural desert all the way to the mountain on the far side of the basin. Looks like we have found a good spot.

Once we get our rigs set up, we decide where to make a fire ring, picking a gravel bar just a ways out in the wash and protected by trees and shrubs.

Getting our rigs set up

The gravel bar will need some leveling, but we will leave that until tomorrow. I make smooth pathways from the camper to the gravel bar for safer walking,

Paths from the gravel bar to the the campers

Clifford gets his ham radio set up right away, and Rollie does what he does to get comfortable.

I take photos at sunset, happy to be here in this beautiful spot.

Looking east at sundown
Another view from our campsite at sundown

 

Saturday December 30: Today: 40/74 – great temperature, especially for December.

Today is settling-in day: reorganizing, sweeping and mopping, hanging out lanterns and wind socks, and so on. While Rollie goes to a jam session, I watch Ninja and begin leveling the gravel bar. Rocks are are abundant in the wash, so I start getting a fire ring in place. When Rollie returns, he brings firewood and levels the gravel bar even more so we can set up a picnic table and chairs. The fire ring is a work of art in progress as we both gather rocks and add to it.

From the wash, viewing the gravel bar center of operations

Good day for playing music outside and the gravel bar becomes our music center. First Rollie and I do some bluegrass music, then Clifford gets out his dulcimer.

Getting set up to play music: Clifford and Rollie
View from camper: Clifford plays his dulcimer. Fire ring hidden by shrubs

When the afternoon begins to cool, we build a great campfire and have nachos for dinner sitting around a cheery blaze.

Cheery blaze; fire ring a work of art in progress

 

Sunday December 31: Today: 41/69 and overcast; jet trails mar the sky, so no photos with sky today, but beautiful rocks remain a delight.

Beautiful rocks – many quartz – are in abundance

Rollie and I run errands in Quartzsite in the morning while Clifford stays at camp and works with his ham radios. In the late afternoon we go to a bluegrass jam session with several musicians gathered around a campfire. Rollie is able to join in on all the songs, but I am limited to following the most basic chord progressions. But it was fun.

I read “A Wild Thing” when I go to bed, but am asleep before midnight; Clifford is still up, just listening to his radios – so the New Year, 2018, arrives without any fanfare on our part.

Roadrunner Days – Winter Journey – December 2017

Carol Carnicom2 Comments

Tuesday December 26: The sky is mucked up with jet trails today, so no photos, even though I do go for a long walk. Rolly has gone to Lake Havasu for errands; Bill and Sally leave for their home in Dillon, Montana. It was fun having them here this past week. Later, after Rollie returns, he and I play music at the campfire. Then dinner at our place. We look into moving to Mule Mountain, a long-term BLM place in California, after our 14 days is up here, but more cons than pros, so will pick someplace closer to Quartzsite. Read “Eight Girls Taking Pictures” before I go to bed.

Wednesday December 27: Today is errand day, not a particularly fun day, but we return to camp with clean clothes, propane, water, food, and no trash. Besides reorganizing my clothes area to make room for the clean items, I write an agent letter for Ang and read “Eight Girls Taking Pictures,” appreciating how much harder it was (is) for a woman to make her way in a male-dominated field, since it almost always falls upon a woman to maintain the domestic front, often pushing her personal and career desires to a back burner.

Thursday December 28: Today’s temp: 35/72. It is mostly clear when I get up, so I go for a long walk catching images of the rising sun, appreciating what the first light brings to a scene.

Early morning light on the mountain to the west of the camping area
The rising of the sun
The warmth of morning light on a decaying desert tree
Looking beyond

Rollie goes to a jam session with friends at Lake Havasu, so no music here today and I catch up on other things, editing, sending off the agent letter, and finishing “Eight Girls Taking Pictures.

Saguaros in the Arizona Sonoran Desert
Saguaro and Palo Verde are desert friends, often growing close to one another

Another walkabout before sunset, enjoying the light at this time of day.

Mountains to the west near sunset

Solstice to Christmas at Roadrunner – December 2017

Carol Carnicom2 Comments

Thursday December 21 – Today’s temperature: 42/56, windy and chilly. Today is the Winter Solstice, which I celebrate by walking around collecting rocks, many beautiful white quartz streaked with colors. Some of these will be added to our campfire ring and a chosen few will go home with me.

Roadrunner at La Paz Valley: Carol and Clifford to the left, Bill and Sally in the middle, Rollie to the right

I do some editing today, clean out a storage space- simplifying and organizing being essential in tiny homes, and look into essential oils good for maintaining healthy skin. Later we all go to Bill and Sally’s 5th wheel for tasty burritos for dinner. Fun to share meals with family.

Friday December 22 – Today’s temperature: 28/58 and clear. Today we make a trip to Quartzsite for gas and propane, stopping at the market and Dollar General to get little gifts for everyone. Bill barbecues  great burgers at his place, then Rollie and I do music there, as the 5th wheel is considerably roomier than either Rollie’s camper or ours. My fingers are still sore, but the blister is going away, and I can play more bluegrass songs with Rollie on either mandolin or fiddle.

Bill has made a “Christmas tree” out of tire irons or something and a lighted rope, and I add a few inexpensive ornaments from Dollar General. It looks a bit odd in the daytime, but is beautiful at night!

The beautiful La Paz Christmas Tree made by Bill

Saturday December 23 – Today’s temperature: 30/61, pretty sunrise color, but overcast all day.

 

Colors at sunrise – La Paz Valley, Arizona

Today is our anniversary; too chilly for an outing, but it is good just to spend the day together.

Reorganize another storage area so as to find the ornaments and get them hung up along our back window. These are some of my old-time favorites; glad they are still with me. My daughter Merri calls and we have an interesting conversation about how the health of one generation can strengthen or weaken later generations, and not always in the way one might think. Then I go on a walkabout with Bill, Sally, and Rollie with the metal detector, finding a couple old coins, but mostly junk. After that, Rollie and I do music at our place, as it is too windy to play outside. Crowded, but better than not playing at all.

Day’s end at La Paz Valley

I begin reading “Eight Girls Taking Pictures,” staying up later than intended.

Sunday December 24 – Today’s temperature: 31/67 and mostly sunny. We knew it would be warmer today, so have planned an outing to Crystal Hill. The turnoff to Crystal Hill is just four or five miles south on 95, and the rather rough road crosses BLM land before entering the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. At the collection area, which is designated by a map at the Crystal Hill boundary, we discover a mostly vacant campground with some really nice sites along a wide wash at the base of Crystal Hill.

Clifford and Rollie cross the wash at Crystal Hill
Smoke trees grow in the wash at Crystal Hill

Clifford and I hike to the top of the hill – good to stretch our hiking muscles at bit.

King of the Mountain: Clifford on Crystal Hill
Surviving on Crystal Hill

Although crystals can be found here, it is beautiful quartz pieces that are found in abundance and we each keep a small collection, a limit of 10 per person, per the collection rules.

Back at camp, we have tasty egg and cheese sandwiches for lunch, sitting outside. Today, with good solar and a bit of luck with the hotspot, I am able to get on the internet and do some agent research for Ang for “By Wing, By, Wild, By Wisdom,” the first book of the Dragons of Va’ha’den series. Looking for agents is new to me and there is a lot to learn, but we hope to find an agent to pick up her series.

Later, we have a delicious chicken dinner, again thanks to Bill’s great cooking (and my contributions of quinoa and rice) around a campfire. Then we open the gifts placed around the little Christmas tree. Bill and Sally are very generous and our little gifts add to the enjoyment of all. As soon as it gets too chilly to sit outside, we all go to the 5th wheel where Rollie and I play music, a nice long session until my fingers get too sore.

I finish out the day with sending Christmas greetings to all of my kids, grateful for the cell phone which allows me to text or message all of them. What a great day!

Monday December 25: Today’s temperature: 36/64. Colorful sunrise this Christmas morning, but my cell died after one pic; luckily I got a few shots with the camera before the sunrise faded.

Christmas sunrise

Tea and journal while it is still quiet, meditating on the meaning of the Christmas celebration. Then the day proceeds with the usual activities, but somehow everything seems special.

Bill fixes a great ham dinner for all of us and we eat around the campfire. After dinner Rollie and I do music together until my fingers are too sore. Back at our place, I read “Eight Girls…” while Clifford works with his radios; he is getting back into Morse code and other modes of communication.

So happy to have spent these days with family, sharing meals, outings, and special celebrations. Times of sharing are never to be taken for granted!

Palm Canyon – Kofa National Wildlife Refuge – Arizona – December 2017

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Wednesday December 20 – Today’s temperature: 39/72. Clear and breezy

Plans are made to go early to Palm Canyon in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, about 15 miles from where we are camped. We (Clifford, Rollie, Bill, Sally, and I) head out in a couple of vehicles, driving about seven miles south on 95 to the turnoff, a dirt road that takes us several scenic miles across the Kofa Refuge to the parking area at Palm Canyon.

Scenic views as we drive into the Kofa Mountains
View of the Chocolate Mountains to the south from the Palm Canyon parking area
Closer view of the mountains to the south

Now the problem with leaving early is that it is cool in the morning and the mostly south-facing canyon is still deep in shadows.

Canyon in shadows

The wind is chilly, but we are all eager for the hike and head up the trail.

Eager for the trail: Sally, Rollie, Bill, and Clifford

The canyon is lush with desert plants, the trail a bit rugged, but not difficult.

Rugged terrain of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

At the end of the trail is a viewing spot and a sign. We look across the canyon to the deep ravines on the opposite side to see the palms growing there.

Ravine across the canyon where the palms grow
Close-up of the nook where the palms have taken foothold

These California Fan Palms are possibly the only native palms in Arizona in a natural location. They may be remnants of an earlier cooler climate or perhaps seeds were carried to the deep ravines by wildlife. Either way, these palms flourish in the coolness of the shadows where the ravine collects moisture from scant rainfall. It is possible to go beyond the trail and make one’s way across the canyon and up to the palms, but we are not doing that today.

Looking deeper into the canyon

After taking photos, we head back down the trail.

Because of the chilly wind, we decide to take our picnic back to camp. Bill has made a great ham and chopped egg sandwich mix for us, which we enjoy around a little campfire, protected from the breeze of the day.

Sunset from the campsite at La Paz Valley

Roadrunner at La Paz Valley – December 15-19, 2017

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Friday December 15 – Today’s temperature: 47/78. Quite a switch from much of the rest of the country.

Our campsite at first light

Clifford and I walk out to the host station to sign in, since we arrived here too late yesterday to do so. While we are there chatting with the host, my brother Rollie and his little dog Ninja arrive. He has been in Arizona since October and now that we are here, Rollie is going to join us for some time camping together.

After Rollie gets set up just a ways down from us, he takes out his instruments. I get out my guitar and we jump into some bluegrass music. Doesn’t take long for my fingers to object, as it has been quite some time since I’ve played the guitar. One might think playing cello would keep my fingertips tough enough for guitar, but not so.

Music with Rollie and Ninja

I round out the day with editing for Ang – her next series “Dragons of Va’ha’den” – before making chili dinner for Rollie, Clifford, and myself. It is fun talking to Rollie about some of his adventures thus far in his winter travels.

Saturday December 16 – Photos at sunrise, then tea and breakfast with Rollie.

Photos at sunrise

Today is reorganization day, which always happens right after a move. Then a campfire and more music.

 Clifford has been getting his ham radios set up, including a 35 foot vertical antenna attached to the end of the camper. I make a spaghetti dinner for us all tonight, then read until midnight.

Sunday December 17 – It is cooler and windy today, so activities are mostly inside, including music, which is quite a feat, as both Rollie’s camper and ours are on the small side when it comes to anything extra, like instruments and extra seating. I edit for a couple of hours in the afternoon; would like to do more, but with all the demands on our solar system, we can only charge my laptop for that long each day. Rollie donates some ribs for dinner and I fix a red sauce and honey topping for them. Tasty!

Evening walkabout and photos of the setting sun

Read before bed, but not so late as last night.

Monday December 18 – It is clear and breezy today. I have tea with Rollie while Clifford is still sleeping.

View to the west from our campsite

Our cousin Bill and his wife Sally arrive to join us for a few days of camping, coming down from Dillon, Montana, in their 5th wheel. They get set up in between Rollie and Clifford and me. Nice big fire ring at their spot, so that becomes our center of operation. Bill is a great cook and makes fancy burgers for us for dinner. Rollie and I do some music, in spite of my sore fingers – hard to resist playing music with someone.

Evening walkabout and photos at sunset

Tuesday December 19 – Today’s temperature: 33/70. I join Rollie at a small campfire at his place this morning for tea, writing in my journal while he plays mandolin. Edit Dragons as long as the laptop has power and then finish reading the book I started a couple of days ago. We have a campfire at Bill and Sally’s spot in the afternoon and more music.

Rollie, Ninja, and Sally at the fire ring, getting set for more music

Clifford is focused on his ham radio, but always joins us for music.

So much fun to have family on the journey. We have plans for an outing tomorrow and we are all looking forward to seeing Palm Canyon.