It was a beautiful morning as we got ready for a day out on the quads. Just before 10:00 everyone started congregating at our place...there would be 2 side-by-sides (Jim/Cec and Roger/Cindi) and 4 quads (Gerry, Bert, Steve and I).
With Steve in the lead and me bringing up the rear as "tail-gunner", we headed west out of LaPosa South, across hwy 95 and through LaPosa Tyson Wash. Our first stop was at French Creek and an old mine dig..
Then across Tyson Wash and up the hill...
The hill across the wash is where the mine is located...
Once everyone made it up we walked part way back down...
...to view the Indian grinding mortars...
Later on was the big hill climb as we head towards Deere Run...my front tire is off the ground!
We pulled over to let a huge group of around 12 pass, consisting of trail bikes, SxS's , and a jeep...
Remnants of an old pickup...
Arriving at Deere Run "Resort"...
Lunchtime...
Roger and Cindi playing Ladder Ball...
Steve set up his small tripod and we got a group picture. Left to right...Steve, Jim, Roger, Cindi, Gerry, Bert, me and Cec...
As we continued on the trail, we came to a spot with a steep gully that we had to get through. The first two had no problem...
Unfortunately, we had a mishap where a quad went over backwards...something we don't like to see, or have happen on any ride. The accident was captured on Steve's GoPro and is scary to watch. He took these snapshots from it. We chose not to show the riders face in these shots...but do want to say that he is fine but a little sore. He was having a hard time getting up the rocky incline, so Steve told him to stand up and lean forward over the handle bars. Unfortunately part way up he stopped, and fell back down in his seat changing the center of gravity and over he went...
He is very lucky that he didn't split his head open as he hit the rocks.
Our intentions for showing these photos is not to embarrass anyone but to point out the importance in wearing a helmet. It seems to be a rarity here, as many riders obviously feel nothing will ever happen to them. This put a scare into everyone else that still had to make the crossing but everyone made it without incident. I had Steve ride mine across though.
For years an abandoned Class C motorhome sat here, a little more stripped of parts each year, but this was ridiculous!
At Dome Rock we crossed under I-10 as we continued our ride heading north to Diablo Pass...
The top of Diablo Pass...
We find quite a few memorials on our rides...
Looking back down the valley we just came up...
Rest break is over...
Our destination is on the other side of those mountains...
The trail continues around that hill and to the right...
Dome Basin Mine on the left...
Mine shaft on the right...
I'm still way down the valley bringing up the rear on the far right...
Time to head home...
We caught up to another couple out on their own...not a good idea if you have a breakdown or something worse...
They eventually let us pass...
This part of the trail for the next few miles is some of our most favourite...
We met these folks at Diablo Pass earlier...
Time for another rest stop...
The trail continues up and over the hill ahead...
The trail now continues down a steep ravine and back up on the right...
Down we go...
And up...
...and up...
...and almost to the top...
Looking back to make sure everyone has made it safely...
We're all at the top, time for the home stretch...
Last stop before...
...some of us make a pit stop at Beer Belly's Adult Daycare to wash the dust down. With Cec and Jim, Cindi and Roger
Monday was another beautiful day...but a look at the forecast says it's not going to last much longer. Apparently rain and wind and cool temperatures are coming in tomorrow.
The morning just zipped by...which happens regularly in this lifestyle. By the time we had our 2 hour morning coffee start, did our resistance exercises, had a "big" (i.e bacon and eggs vs cereal) breakfast, and showered...well, it's going on at least 11:00! And time to get out for a morning walk.
Steve spent the afternoon "unpacking" the poop mobile, pumping up the tires, rinsing out the fresh water barrel...and then topping up the water in the trailer. He also dusted off the truck and trailer in preparation for the rain tomorrow...he's hoping the rain comes before the wind!
While he was busy with that, I was inside working on a variety of things...from blog updates to banking.
We were ready when Dale and Ruth came by to pick us up....we're meeting Steve and Debbie at Silly Al's for dinner. They are camping with Debbie's brother and sister-in-law, Steve and Diane, in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge south of here. Steve and Diane are only in the area for a few days and Debbie and Steve wanted to give them a quick tour of the Quartzsite area (we actually saw them briefly this afternoon as they drove through La Posa South) followed by dinner at Silly Al's.
Left to right, around the table...Debbie, Steve, Steve, Diane, Dianne, Steve (sound like I am stuttering LOL), Ruth and Dale...
Look at the size of that pizza!
We had a great time....hard not to with great company and great food! Steve and Diane are continuing east on Thursday and Steve and Debbie will be moving over here to La Posa South...looks like they will be the first of the group we are expecting to arrive here over the next couple of weeks...and they get the spot next door to us!
Our drive home was hilarious! Driving off the main road once in La Posa, in the dark, can be quite a challenge! It all looks so different and finding the right roads is really hard. Poor Dale...taking directions from Steve...and me in the back seat. We managed to get completely turned around, making a left too soon and starting to drive into someone else's spot...having to back up. We finally found familiar RV's in our neighbourhood...and home! Thanks for the ride, Dale and Ruth!
It was a beautiful start to the day Tuesday...sunny, warm and no wind...yet! We got out for a nice long walk and had no sooner returned home when the wind started up..."just like that"!
Amazing how one moment it is calm and the next it's howling...with a great gust whipping up the dirt.
Larry, the fellow here in Q that fixes day/night shades, called at about 1:30 to say he was here, so Steve had to go out on his quad to meet him and escort him to our place. I was surprised that he would come out in this weather since he does all of the work out of the back of his pickup truck. But he managed to park close to our truck, using it as a windbreak. After chatting for a bit, he got to work on repairing two of our small window blinds. As he was finishing the second blind, the rain hit...and my goodness, did it pour! Larry ended up staying dry by climbing into the truck to finish his work. We've used Larry's service for the last 3 or 4 years and have never had a failure. He has a lifetime guarantee and can be contacted at 928-273-3719.
Look at those bushes leaning in the wind, and here comes the rain!
Well...that should keep the dust down for a couple of days!
Wednesday we were back to blue sky. I got out for a morning walk and the air smelled of fresh desert...and was much clearer, the dusty haze gone.
Steve went up on the roof of the trailer and took this short 360 degree video of the area around us...
Our task for today was to put up a clothesline. As in previous years, Steve anchors it to the ladder on the back of the trailer...making the line a big triangle. There...ready for business! Guess I'm going to have to make a trip to the laundromat in town early next week...
The rest of our afternoon was spent doing odd jobs...I went through a couple of cupboards for items that I didn't use anymore so I could take them down to the entrance gatehouse where they have a "free" box. Steve got his hammer and nails out and fixed the bottom of the dining chairs. The seat lifts for storage inside but, like so many other things in the trailer, they use staples...which are coming out. So Steve reinforced all with small nails.
At 4:00, Jim and Cec joined us for happy hour. They arrived yesterday during the wind storm...at least it was before the rain! Jim and Cec are from "home"...Vancouver Island and belong to the ATV club we used to be part of...Cowichan Valley ATV Club.
We had a great visit...and made arrangements to head out for a quad ride Friday.
Thursday was another gorgeous sunny day. We had a few errands to run today and then thought we'd take a look at some of the vendors.
We started off with a stop at the ATM at the local bank, filled our water containers at the kiosk, then Steve got his hair cut...followed by filling up the gas containers at ARCO. After those chores were done, we parked the truck in the large lot at the end of the vendors on Kuehn Street. We crossed the street to the vendors on the south side and Steve checked out KB Tools while I went through a couple of other vendors.
After that we thought we'd see if the fifth-wheels that have been brought in for the RV Show were open for viewing. We wanted to get an early look before the crowds. The "big tent" is up...and the area around it is all marked off for the outside vendors...
The fifth-wheels were open, so we had a fun time going through them...mainly Montanas and Grand Design Solitudes. It's interesting checking out all of the new floor plans...some good, some not so much.
On the way across the street to the vendors on the other side, we had to pass Beer Belly's...so we stopped for a cold bevie (surprise, surprise)...
After our "rest stop", we continued across to the vendors and ended up buying a new, larger outdoor mat. When we went to drop it off at the truck, we decided to call it a day...we have lots of time to check out the other vendors. Instead, we headed over to Main Street and picked up a flag pole and flag...something Steve has wanted for the trailer for some time!
Back home, Steve set up our new mat. Looks good!
Next on the agenda was to dump the holding tanks...
And finally, with the work done for the day...time to relax in the late afternoon sunshine...(notice we extended our "patio" with our old outdoor mat)...
Tomorrow we are planning a day out on the quads. Looking forward to it!
