We were up early Monday morning to finish packing up. As we were getting the trailer hitched to the truck, Earl and Allison pulled out...it was just before 9:00. A few minutes later we slowly made our way to the sani-dump...with only one ahead of us, it didn't take long before we were leaving La Posa South LTVA ...
Earl and Allison were heading straight to Wickenburg, but we had a stop to make first...we are getting new tires installed on the trailer. Although our old Goodyear G114 17.5" tires "looked" fine, we were overdue as they are 9 years old...better not chance any blow-outs on our way home. We arrived at Love's Tire Center in Quartzsite just before 9:30 and they took us in about 20 minutes later.
Off with the old, new tires on the left...
Steve asked if he would be allowed to lube the suspension while the wheels were off for easier access and was given the go ahead...
On with the new...
What amazed Steve was that they don't normally do tires smaller than semi truck tires and it's all done manually with no machines! From past experience we found that some tire shops can't handle 17.5" tires so that's why we came here as they did our tires and wheels a few years ago. Steve wanted the wheels balanced but unfortunately they didn't have weights for smaller wheels. Wish we had been told that when we had the tires shipped to them. Previously they talked Steve into using balancing beads which were a failure as they eventually allowed air to escape the Schrader valve every time Steve wanted to add air to three of the four tires and it cost us a chunk to have them removed at Kal Tire back home.
With the new tires installed, we quickly ate our lunch in the parking lot and then hit I-10 east taking the exit to highway 60. We arrived at Constellation Park Campground around 3:00. A nice long site had become available just before we arrived, so Earl met us in his SxS and led us to it. They had secured a site just down the road but would end up moving to a site up the hill for...a nicer one! We were in site 16...$8/night with no services other than garbage cans.
We enjoyed happy hour outside...with a uniquely beautiful sunset...
Tuesday (Mar. 8) morning Steve and I went for a walk around the campground. We walked up to the entrance...
...down Constellation Road to the bottom access road and back into the campground. The property adjacent to the campground has a number of animals in pens...a miniature horse...
Alpaca's or Llamas?
and a donkey...
The bottom of the campground is where there are a number of horse stalls. A mule...
and a horse of course...
These guys were our favourites...
After lunch we headed into town with Earl and Allison for a little sightseeing. Lots of murals around town...
There are rubber rattlesnakes all over town and Allison is mortified by snakes...LOL!
We had no time to visit the museum today but plan to later...
There are statues all over town depicting the times...
This one had an audio explanation as to what it was like for women when they arrived in town. She was a teacher but was eventually replaced after marrying and having a baby...
A miner and his mule...
The jail tree, used before a jail was built...
We found a courtyard with refreshments...
At the Mecca Bar and Grill...
Wednesday (Mar. 9) morning we packed lunch and headed out on the quads for a little geocaching and exploring. And we're off!...Allison and Earl...
Steve....
We found the first of many geocaches...
From this spot there were beautiful views of the canyon below...
Another geocache...note the caves on the hillside behind Steve....
We rode into a really cool canyon...
Parked our machines and went for a walk...
Earl taking a picture of me taking a picture...LOL!
Time to continue on...
We had to park our quads at the Sofie's Flat Trailhead and walk up the hill to find this geocache...
The area around Wickenburg is far greener than Quartzsite with lots of foliage and no dust...
A great staging/camping area with pit toilets...
I stayed down below and let the others go way up there to find the geocache...
They rode up until the trail ended then had to walk up the rest of the way to find the geocache...
Here comes Steve...
A great place to stop, enjoy the views and have lunch...
Allison finds the next cache...
There's a geocache up there somewhere...
Earl trying not to loose his fingernails opening this one...
Saguaro back scratcher...LOL!
Dead-end trail with a great view...
More geocaches...Steve found this one called Coffee Pot...
Nothing at the given coordinates...
Steve found this empty Compaq computer case earlier but it wasn't located anywhere near the given coordinates, however it was the geocache. Earl put a new cache in the box and placed it near the coordinates...
We got home around 3:30...a great day! The trails and scenery around Wickenburg are wonderful!
Thursday (Mar. 10) morning Steve and I headed into town to get propane, gas and top off the diesel ($4.99/gal).
The art gallery with paintings and statues of the times in the wild west...
As you walk into this store this hologram figure appears from below the counter and invites you to sit down while he talks about the town and it's people...
A very detailed model of a six passenger coach...
The museum was very well done and is definitely worth checking out if you're ever in the area.
I think I'll end this blog with a view out our side window at our site...
Stay tuned for Part 2 of our week in Wickenburg!
Great times. Wickenburg is on our bucket list. Thanks for the tour.
ReplyDeleteWell worth a visit, it's a very cool town!
DeleteI bet it was nice to hit the road with the comfort of having new tires. Wickenburg looked like a cool little town. We love seeing museums like that especially the ones that have period stores and houses! What do you think your grandparents would have thought if they walked into someplace with a hologram? They would have probably run out screaming!
ReplyDeleteI was definitely pushing it going 9 years on those tires. There are a lot of riding areas around Wickenburg that we never got too so will have to return. The grandparents probably would have thought they were having a paranormal experience…LOL!
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