Sunday, December 19 to Saturday, December 25, 2021 (La Posa South LTVA, Quartzsite, AZ)

Sunday (Dec. 19) we headed out on another ride...leaving at 11:00, after it had warmed up a bit. It was another sunny, beautiful day...but chilly. Our ride today is taking us over Diablo Pass, to Dome Basin Mine and then back through a rocky, technical area and more mountains. 

Check out our short "Relive App" video....Diablo Pass Ride for our GPS route and pictures when we stopped. After the video you can scroll down for longer views of the photos. Instead of posting Steve's GoPro pictures, I've created an album. So if you are interested in taking a look at all the pictures, check out our album...Diablo Pass & Dome Basin Ride.

We arrived home at 4:00....another great day out on the trails!

Monday (Dec. 20) morning our friends, Bob and Sue, arrived from Prince George, BC. Steve went out to greet them. They were all outside of Earl and Allison's trailer talking and they didn't even notice! I guess they were having showers and had the blinds closed...too funny!

Bob and Sue keep their fifth-wheel stored at a friends place here in Quartzsite and travel back and forth to northern BC with their small trailer. They asked Steve if he would tow their fifth-wheel over to their spot here in La Posa South. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture as they drove by but here they are after hooking up at the friends place where it is stored. The first time Buster has towed anything but our Montana!

Late that afternoon, we were out back playing "Core Crash". We usually start around 3:00 and then continue into happy hour...Marilyn and Fred joined us in playing, while their spouses, Colin and Terry, decided to just watch. Left to right...Fred, Terry, me, Allison, Earl, Marilyn (taking her turn) and Colin...

Fred's turn...

Another fun afternoon!

Tuesday (Dec. 21) it was another cool day...but for a change it was also cloudy! So other than getting a few chores done, we spent the day inside.

After dinner we went over to Earl and Allison's and played Rummikub.  Five games played...Steve won 3 and Allison 2. Earl and I got skunked!

Wednesday (Dec. 22) was shopping day in Parker. We headed off with Earl and Allison at 8:30...got all the fixin's needed for Christmas Dinner (and more) and were back home just before 12:30. After putting it all away, we chilled inside for awhile and then decided to get together out back for more Core Crush! Lots of fun!

Thursday (Dec. 23) morning we had a beautiful sunrise...

The mountains were also very pretty with the sun on them...

Although windy, it was a very warm 25C/77F! It was a chore day today...Steve pumped and dumped the holding tanks while I did some housework. We also went into town to pick up a parcel and get water and propane.

After dinner we went with Earl and Allison into town to check out the Christmas Light display at the Schroeder property. Although her husband, John, the Christmas enthusiast decorator, passed away last August, Celia Schroeder with the help of neighbours still put up a very impressive display. Unfortunately this is probably the last year for this display as the property is for sale.

Allison and I...

The last time we were here the owners were sitting in these chairs dressed up as Mr. and Mrs. Claus but now empty after John's passing...

We waited outside until the previous group left...

Amazing!

Above and below looking back towards the entrance...

We also walked up to the end of the street to see more lights...

We saw the Christmas lights when we were last here 2 years ago...still as impressive now as it was then!

Friday (Dec. 24) morning after a very blustery night that kept me awake, I got up at 5:30 a.m...ugh! It was pretty much an inside day with rain and wind all morning...and wind in the afternoon.

Earl and Allison came over for Christmas Eve Rum and Eggnog(s)...a good Christmas Eve! We are keeping our "bubble" very small this year...especially now with the Omicron variant.

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!🎄🎅

We were having our usual lazy start to the day when we heard the familiar beeping of a video call coming in just before 7:30 a.m. It was Rob calling...and it was only 6:30 a.m. in Victoria! We had a great call with Rob, Angie and the grandkids! Conner and Bryce, showed us their Christmas gifts...they were totally hyped up! I guess Conner had been awake since 3:00!

This kinda says it all, doesn't it? Thanks for the picture, Angie!

A little while later we had another video call...this time with Chris, Angela and Isaac. We watched as Isaac opened up his gifts...and helped Mom and Dad open theirs!

I prepared the turkey and put it in the oven at 1:00...a nice 13.5 pounder that I figured would fit in our oven when we bought it on Wednesday. No problem getting it in...just had to "squish" the aluminum roasting pan a bit LOL!

Earl and Allison came over just after 5:00 for a pre-dinner rum and eggnog. The turkey is done...so I tented it and let it sit for about a half hour...

And then Earl went home to get the mashed potatoes and carrots while Steve carved the bird...

Our Christmas feast is ready...turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes, carrots and layer salad, and of course, turkey jam (aka cranberry sauce)!

Oops! Forgot to turn on the other lights...

After our feast, we relaxed and let dinner digest a bit before we went back to the table and played a couple of games of Aggravation. Notice the almost empty container of shortbread cookies? They were delicious, Allison! Thank you, they are my all-time fav!

It was going on 9:30 when we called it a night...yikes, it's almost past our bedtime! LOL! Another Christmas in the bag...and wonderful spending it with good friends!

Wednesday, December 15 to Saturday, December 18, 2021 (La Posa South LTVA, Quartzsite, AZ)

We had a cold start Wednesday (Dec. 15) morning but at least the wind was gone and it was a beautiful sunny day. With such a chilly start, we decided to wait until it warmed up before heading out on our quad ride. So just after 11:00 we bundled up, including long-johns, and were off with Earl and Allison in the lead. We're going to Deere Run Resort and also doing a little geocaching along the way. 

Check out our 2 1/2 minute Relive Video for a quick overview of our route and a few pictures as we stopped along the way. It's a new app we've been trying out. It gives a Google Earth GPS track of any activity you are doing on the move and imbeds your photos at the coordinates that they were taken. Very cool!

Over to Steve and his GoPro pics...

Arriving at Goldeye Mine...

We stopped and took a few pictures (on Relive video). For some reason, I couldn't get this one on...Steve and Earl having a bromance moment LOL!

Heading up a dead end in the valley to look for a geocache...

Heading back to the main trail...

Old dynamite storage. We found the geocache here years ago...

The first of many technical spots of various degrees to challenge us today :)

Earl and Allison returning from a geocache find up the mountain. Good thing we didn't go up with them as there was barely enough room for them to turn around in an off camber area...

The steep trail ahead goes up and over the mountain...

Just when you think you are nearing the top...

...there is still quite the climb ahead. Pictures just don't show how steep some of these hills really are!

Look at the angle of Dianne's flag pole!

We made it!

Heading to another geocache on a dead end trail...

Returning to the main trail. I think Allison is pointing to a semicircle contrail from a jet that I saw as well...

Another geocache stop but the pictures didn't come up on Relive (Dianne is just learning how to use it and is also uncertain how no cell service affects it 😀)...

You can just make out Dianne's head and flag...

Arriving at Deere Run Resort...

Time to find a few more geocaches as we continue on back home...

Another great day of riding and geocaching! Dianne here...I don't know if I'm just getting old...but my goodness those trails sure seem a lot rougher!

The next few days were sunny but cool. We'll take the cool/cold, sunny days rather than the warmer, rainy days!

Thursday (Dec. 16) morning, Steve looked out the side window and saw a bobcat heading to the wash just left of the bush...

Steve sent a text to Earl to check his game camera that he has set up in the bushes next to a water dish. Later in the morning he sent us this short video...

How cool is that! Unfortunately, we haven't seen it since.

The next few days were spent on chores, picture editing...nothing terribly exciting.

Saturday (Dec. 18) afternoon Earl brought out a new game and we played it in the area behind our rig, beside the wash. It's a homemade game that a friends grandson developed that he called "Core Crash". He works at a veneer mill and these are from the cores that are left after a log has been shaved into thin layers for making plywood. The pins are set up in a cluster and then you take turns hitting them with a wooden baton. The idea is to spread them out...once your turn is over, you reset the knocked over ones where they landed. If you knock over more than one your score is the total of pins knocked over. If you knock over only one your score is the number on top of the pin. You play to 50 but if you go over 50 you get bumped back down to 25. If you miss three times in a row you are out of the game. Well...that's the gist of it but it does involve strategy and is a lot of fun. 

Earl's turn...

Me...

Allison taking her turn with Earl and I looking on. The pins are getting spread out!

Steve's turn...with Allison keeping score...

It's a blast...a great outdoor game with a group...the more players, the better!

That evening after dinner, we were sitting inside when we heard the roar of quads. Our first thought was a group coming back late from a ride but it continued, so we looked outside...it was a parade! A bunch of 4-wheelers all decorated with lights and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas...very cool! Unfortunately we just caught the tail end of it and had no time for pictures or video.