Well another couple of weeks have flown by! Life here in our winter home continues with lots of Happy Hours, blue sky and sunshine...and plenty of wind. Some days it's a light breeze, other days fairly brisk...but mostly from the north/northwest which is good because our rig blocks it allowing us to sit outside.
Monday (Feb. 7) was laundry day, so we were on our way into town at 7:30 and were back about an hour later. (I got a shot of Dianne in her happy place...LOL! Steve :))
Steve took advantage of some calm wind to fly his glider out front of our rig...can you see it in this picture?
After a relaxing day outside reading and crocheting (no, Steve does not crochet) on Tuesday (Feb. 8), we all gathered over at Earl and Allison's for happy hour. Harry and Vicki leave tomorrow after their short 10-day visit...glad we were able to get in one last visit with them! Left to right around the circle...Steve, Vicki, Harry, Colan, Jim, Cec, Earl, Allison and Marilyn...
Wednesday (Feb. 9) Steve led a group ride. I chose to sit this one out. They are going over Diablo Pass, a beautiful ride but I've already done it a couple of times this season and the trails are really getting rough.
Instead, I spent most of the day with Earl and Allison...walking the paved path in town in the morning and then checking out what vendors were left in the afternoon. The highlight was getting an ice cream cone! Well deserved on this beautiful 26C/79F day.
The riding group left at 10:00...I'll hand this over to Steve now to tell you about his day....
Here is the short Relive video...Cabins, Diablo Pass, Dome Basin Mine Ride
Lisa and Cindy...
3 min 47 sec video riding over a rough slick rock area that's a workout...
1 min 21 sec video riding down and up through a steep but scenic valley...
27 sec video down a steep hill...
Here comes my flock...
Last stop on today's tour was at "Scott Well" corral and water tanks, at least that what the sign said :))
Corral...
Thursday (Feb. 10) morning Allison and I went into town for a walk on the paved walkway...although we have also been walking here, the paved pathway is much easier on the old knees.
For lunch today, Earl suggested we go back to the Black Rock Cafe in Brenda...driving in the truck this time! We enjoyed another lunch out on their patio and then stopped at the "tent" market for fresh veggies. No pictures of the actual market...but they had an interesting yard...
Friday (Feb. 11) was another hot day...we've been experiencing temps over the past week in the high 20'sC/low 80's F!
At 4:00 we all gathered out back for some Core Crash...notice we have positioned the chairs with our backs to the sun. It was a warm one!
Left to right....me, Earl, Allison, Cec, Colan, Marilyn (walking back to her chair) and Jim (taking his turn). Steve just missed getting a photo of Jim doing his happy dance after hitting his peg...
Saturday (Feb. 12) and another warm day. Steve got out in the morning to do some maintenance on the trailer fender.
Sunday (Feb. 13)...and yes, another hot day! The desert is extremely dry...this is one of the driest winters we have experienced here.
Earl and Steve went out flying...Earl with his drone and Steve with his big RC plane.
And then Steve tackled another maintenance project...on the hot water tank this time.
Over to Steve...
The last two times I removed the anode to drain the tank we ended up with a wet carpet. You can see a hole below the fitting where I'm sure the water is getting in. Last winter when we had some work done on the tank the mobile tech applied silicone around the fitting without properly cleaning around it so it came off easily. There was also a rusted out ring around it. I cleaned it up as best I could with an emery cloth and wire brush then applied JB Weld High Temperature Putty that Colan gave me to try. It's used on things like exhaust systems and can be drilled when dry...
It may not be pretty but hopefully it works...
Again, Steve took advantage of calm wind to fly his glider...
Earl and Allison's rig...
After dinner, Earl and Allison battled the wind coming over for Rummikub. Seems to me Earl and I were the big winners...I think Steve won one game, but poor Allison was skunked (which doesn't happen very often!)
Eardman Cabin...
Next door is the Kellogg Mine...
Old buildings at a mine site. It's still an active claim...
An old bedframe mounted in concrete outside. Must have been used for something other than a bed???
As we continued on down the trail we stopped at the old dynamite storage...
To get to Deere Run Resort we have to do some pretty rough climbing up and over the mountain...
Many of the trails around Q (Quartzsite) are getting much rougher. When we first came to Q ten years ago there was less 4 wheeler traffic and it was mostly ATV's. Now there is much more traffic and side x sides are the majority and they have really chewed up the trails. (No offense intended to my side x side friends, we're just jealous we don't have one:)) Dianne will no longer ride many of the trails and I think Deere Run is getting a little to dangerous for my liking too. This is my second ride on this trail this year and the pucker factor is beginning to happen too often, or maybe it's that I'm not getting any younger...LOL! As I've said before, on the ATV's we only have our helmets for protection in case of a roll over or flipping backwards. The side x sides have seat belts and a roll cage with a wider wheelbase and lower centre of gravity and it's a totally different ride.
Time to head home for "Happy Hour"...
Our "official" group picture (as honorary Canadians we had Marilyn and Colan wear 'Canada' sweatshirts and hold a flag:))...left to right: Sue and Bob, Cec and Jim, Marilyn and Colan, me and Steve, Earl and Allison...
A sit-down dinner...
An excellent dinner that we all indulged in!
Monday (Feb. 14) morning Allison and I were out for a morning walk when I got a text from Steve that he and Earl are driving to another area to fly their plane/drone. Steve took both his planes. Another fellow from Alberta joined them
At noon we met Red, Pam, Mike and Dawn for lunch at the new pizza place in town...Outback Pizza. They only have an outside patio or take out . Although not the variety that Silly Al's Pizza has, it was very good and I think they will give them a "run for their money". Great pick Pam!
We gathered for a picture after lunch...Red, Pam, Dawn, Mike, Steve, Allison, Earl and me...(not the best selfie picture, but I got the important people in it!) So good seeing y'all!
Before going in for the night, we took the sunshade down and put the awning up...a wind advisory has been issued for tomorrow.
Tuesday (Feb. 15) morning Steve and I got out for a walk before it got too windy. An interesting rig has pulled in down the road. You wouldn't believe the variety of RV's you see here...
On our way home, we ran into Allison just starting her walk, so I joined her. By the time we got home, it was very windy with blowing dust.
Needless to say, we pretty well hunkered down inside for the day. Colan and Marilyn's rig...
It was time for another ride Wednesday (Feb. 16) morning. Steve started out leading the group to the "Footprint". Here is a link to the short Relive video... Foot Print- Deere Run- Beer Belly's
I went with Allison in their SxS...
Cec, Jim (and Bosco)...
Colan and Marilyn...
The destinations today would be a first-time for Colan and Marilyn.
Gold Eye Mine and the Eardman cabin always makes for a great stop...
The Footprint is in the rocky area on the other side of the wash...
After checking out the footprint, the group decided to go to Deere Run Resort, a challenging ride, so Allison and I "tootled" home on our own.
I'll pass this over to Steve now....
Getting ready to leave with Jim and Cec now in the lead...
This photo doesn't do this hill justice. After witnessing Jim stop near the top before repositioning and carrying on we all thought Colan would take over the driving from Marilyn...but nope! She made it up and Jim said she had both front wheels off the ground when she crested the hill...LOL!!
We continued on up the long, rough, steep trail...
Marilyn rocked the trails so I now call her Marilyn Andretti...LOL!!!
Lunch at Deere Run Resort. There was a large group here when we arrived but left shortly after, so we could be seated. Many others either stopped in or passed by, a busy day on the trails...
Cec/Jim, Marilyn and Colan...
The items on the table or hanging in the tree or on the grounds are forever changing so somebody is looking after the area and keeping it clean...
As we headed back Jim found us a really cool trail none of us had been on before. All those white specs in the distance are RV's in one of the many camping areas, and it's not even busy here anymore!
Washing down the dust at Beer Belly's Adult Day Care again...
Colan/Marilyn Andretti :)) Cec/Jim and Steve
Earl and Steve on their way back...
Allison found this one in a dead Saguaro...
And so did Steve...
Steve followed his GPS co-ordinance up and over the hill. The geocache was supposed to be near a lone Saguaro but it was only baron, steep and slippery on the other side of the hill where his GPS zeroed in with no Saguaro in site...
He climbed back up and over the hill to where there were two Saguaros, "not a lone one" where Allison eventually found it...
Thursday (Feb. 17) morning Allison and I went to Blythe to pick up groceries. Steve edited pictures while we were gone...and the rest of the day was spent relaxing.
Friday (Feb. 18) afternoon we decided to go geocaching with Earl and Allison. It was another beautiful day and a great way to spend the afternoon.
Steve had to scramble through the shale and under the rock bluff eventually finding the geocache below where Earl is standing...
Earl checking out the scenery below...
We got home just before 4:00...having logged 12 geocaches! A good afternoon!
Saturday (Feb. 19) morning Steve and I headed into town early to get the laundry washed. The laundromat wasn't busy...the hordes of people have finally left! We were back home about an hour later and hanging the laundry on the line to dry. As usual, it was pretty well all done and put away by noon.
There is usually a Canadian Potluck luncheon that we attend put on at the QIA (Quartzsite Improvement Association) for all Canadians wintering in Quartzsite. However, due to Covid they have not had it the last couple of years. So we decided to have our own Canadian Potluck here. Everyone in our group is from Canada with the exception of Colan and Marilyn, so we made them "honorary Canadians" for the event.
We gathered at 4:00 and played a few games of Core Crash...Marilyn, Cec, Jim, me, Allison, Bob, Sue and Colan taking his turn...
In between games, I brought out a shrimp-ring and pretzels to snack on. Cec also made their homemade version of "40 Creek"...very good, and very potent! A shot at a time to sip on LOL!
This is Earl taking his turn...
Around 6:00 everyone went home to gather their contributions to the potluck. We had quite the selection! We started with Earl's seafood chowder and Allison's soda bread...then onto the main course...Colan's pulled pork (he was up at 4:00 a.m. putting a pork shoulder on the smoker), Cec's potato salad and macaroni salad and my layered salad. And of course, dessert!...Sue's strawberry shortcake, Marilyn baked brownies and lemon squares and Allison's chocolate chip cookies!
With our tummy's full, Steve got a fire going and we enjoyed a little time around it before we all decided it was time to call it a night. Such a fun afternoon and evening!
Sunday (Feb. 20) morning Allison and I headed out for an 8.5 km walk. When we got home, Earl's truck was gone so he and Steve had gone out flying. Earl is enjoying his new drone and Steve is also getting lots of RC plane flying done!
Earl took a picture of this map in the desert not far from our sites with his drone. From the dates below the map was made by some industrious individuals in 2000 and Canada was added in 2008. So it's been here for a number of years and we are always marveled by the accuracy of it.
Allison checking out the map...
By the sound of the weather forecast today is the last of the nicer days...wind and cooler temps are heading our way. They were right about the wind...by early afternoon it has gotten stronger and unfortunately it is coming from the south...directly at our door-side of the trailer. We took down the sunscreen and put the awning up, closed the door and hunkered down inside for the afternoon.
At 4:00 the gang decided to gather out back for happy hour and to play Core Crash. It was windy but warm and not as bad as it had been earlier. We played a few games....with Jim and Earl being the big winners! Just before 6:00 everyone went home to get their leftovers...enough food from our potluck dinner last night to have it again tonight! Bonus!
So basically tonight was a repeat of last night...including another campfire! Left to right...Steve, Earl, Allison, Colan, Marilyn, Cec and Jim...
