It is February and Clifford and I are camped on Black Rock Road in northwest Arizona. Even though we are in Arizona, winter feels like winter. We were pleased with the mild temperatures on the trip to Snow Canyon last week, but on my birthday, it is 18 degrees when we get up. Although the morning is quite chilly, there is a gorgeous blue sky all day long. What a great birthday gift that is!
Clifford is treating me to a buffet lunch at a casino in Mesquite, Nevada, about 25 miles away. After a great lunch, we go to the pawn shop that we had gone to when we were in Mesquite at the balloon festival a couple weeks ago. That day I had seen an old violin in a new case and talked myself out of buying it. In the meantime, however, it occurred to me that the case alone was worth the asking price. Fortunately it is still there, so today I buy it with Clifford paying half as a birthday gift.
On the way back to Black Rock Road, we stop at Cedar Pockets, the rest area/campground where we met our nomad friend David several years ago, but which closed due to covid in 2020. It is open again, but this time of year almost no one is there. Clifford naps in the car while I hike the trail that goes from the campground down to the rest area. Hiking by myself gives me time to connect with the beauty of the day.
What a fun birthday week with our outings, the beautiful scenery and blue sky, and a new old fiddle to try out. Not to mention some very pretty sunrises and sunsets.
One day, just as we arrive back at the campsite after a trip to St. George for groceries and supplies, David invites us over for dinner and a movie – “RV,” staring Robin Williams. It was especially funny because almost everything that went wrong is something we three can relate to in our own lifestyle of traveling and camping in our RVs.
On Valentine’s Day it is snowing and although I generally avoid walking in the wind, I bundle up to go out to take photos. Being a Montana mountain girl, I have missed seeing snow. Of course the snow doesn’t last long, but I enjoy it while I can.
Pine Mountain is so pretty the next morning, I have a good time walking about taking photos, despite the chill of the breeze.
A week later another snow storm passes through, followed by another a few days later. There is not a lot of snow and it is gone from the basin by afternoon, but the mountains retain their new white coats and I like feeling the freshness of new snow surrounding me.
Overall, February weather proves to be cold and windy with a mix of clouds and wind, chemtrails and wind, a bit of rain or snow and wind, a little sunshine now and then, but always wind. The wind makes the days feel too cold for walking or playing instruments outside. One day the wind was blowing hard enough to keep us rocking and rolling for hours with gusts up to 50+ miles an hour.
Both Clifford and I have lots of indoor projects. I’m currently tending toward “Ask and Listen” and moving forward in my day based on that with more focus on what feels good, avoiding the wind as much as possible, but popping out for photos most days.
What will March bring? We will soon see.
Fun photo review of this part of your journey in 2023.