Camping near Ajo, AZ.

Location, Ajo, AZ

We are actually dry camping on BLM property on West Old Darby Wells Road south of town.

This is a popular dry camping spot and I know about it from other RV’ers on the internet.

We drove from Tucson yesterday to Why, AZ (don’t you love the names?) then north to Darby Wells Road. We are not too far off the highway but don’t really hear the traffic so it is far enough. I am not real comfortable driving this big rig off highway. In fact yesterday we drove a couple miles back from the highway looking for a suitable spot for the rig but not near anyone else. People here like there solitude. I had to turn it around by pulling into side road and making a Y turn. It worked OK but I don’t like to do that.

Sunset last night.

We drove into Ajo today and looked around. The old downtown looked familiar but north of town sure has changed. The grocery store in old town has moved north on the highway and is now a big new IGA store. There are 2 new gas stations, two Dollar stores, newly paved streets, newly painted buildings in old town and a very large solar array south of town. We would not have seen the solar array had we not pulled off the road to check out a monument to citizens moved from the old cemetery to the one in town. It appears from the inscription that the cemetery was moved to make way for the solar array.

I judge small towns in America as good if they can support a Dairy Queen. Ajo fills the bill. We checked it out, Budd.

We also drove about 3 miles back on Darby Wells Road to see how many people are camped here. Quite a few it turns out. The most known from the Hitch Itch website is RV Sue. We saw here Casita but didn’t want to disturb her.

We did drive to an overlook into the large copper pit where the volunteer docent sitting in her car yelled out to us that they were closed. I asked her if it was closed to looking but got no answer, so we looked, took a photo, and left.

The pit.

Checking out another venue at the Gem show.

Location, Tucson, AZ

After spending way too much time in the RV, we decided to get out this afternoon and visit another of the Gem and Mineral show venues. After some mis-direction on my part we finally found an area near I-10 with several motels being used as show places. Parking was $3.00 but everything was within a short walk.

The first venue was the African Village with 3 aisles of booths full of the most unlikely things to be found at a gem show. There were lots of booths with beads of all sizes which anyone would be hard pressed to use in the modern world. I have heard that the beads used in the African trade were made in Italy. I doubt if anyone selling them today would admit that.

Tables piled high with beads.

 

Clyda looking at a pile of beads. 

We also checked out the show at the Howard Johnson Motel. This show is spread all over the place including all the bottom floor rooms with outside sliding doors. The good stuff is kept inside while the lesser quality is on tables outside.
 

Clyda managed to find a few items to purchase. I kept my hands in my pockets.

Seeing the sights.

Location, Tucson, AZ

We have moved to Justin’s Diamond J RV Park west of Tucson.

I heard about this park from people on the internet for some time but we have never been able to work out a stay here. Because we wanted to go to the Gem and Mineral Show which is now going on in Tucson, this seemed the perfect time.

We arrived on Thursday morning after an hours drive. In the afternoon we visited the gem show at the Days Inn. The show actually takes place all over town, where ever they can put up a tent or rent out rooms. The quality of gems and minerals is a step above Quartzsite.

On Friday we drove south to Tubac and attended the Art and craft show. We have been there before but not to the art show. It consumes the whole town. Parking was $6 which I assume goes to the city, and we were fortunate to park right in town. We managed to take in the whole show.

 Tents line every street in Tubac.

Flowers anyone?

 

The weather changed here last night as it did for most of the west. We have had some rain and wind. Supposed to be 32 degrees tonight. Bummer.

Another beautiful day.

Location, Picacho Peak, AZ

Beautiful weather with lows over night in the 50’s and daytime temps in the 70’s.

We had a low key morning and then drove over to Rooster Cogburn’s Ostrich Farm down the road from the RV Park. We didn’t pay the $5 fee to see the ostrich’s as I think it is more of a come on than for what you see.

We next drove to Picacho Peak State Park and paid the $7 daily fee to checkout the camp grounds (each site has electric). There was a long line of RV’s entering and we had to wait to get into the park. It seemed to take forever for the volunteers to work the computer and move the line.

We checked out the camp ground loops and picnic sites and walked a short way up the three and a half mile trail leading to Picacho Peak. There was too much loose gravel for Clyda to walk comfortably on this trail even with a hiking stick.

 Trail to Picacho Peak.

So green! These are flowers and should be beautiful shortly.

I finally pulled out the awning to dry it out. It has been rolled up since last June when we camped at Lopez Lake. Considering all that, it wasn’t too bad and dried quickly in the low humidity and slight breeze.

There is a lot of highway and train noise here but for the most part we ignore it. Thank goodness, they don’t whistle for any crossings near here.

This is a really nice park but for the highway and trains being so close it would be a real winner. We have stayed here several times in the past, usually for only a few days as there is not much to see nearby. Several years ago they started adding park models in the back and selling them. I am surprised how many they actually have now.

They did something most parks could emulate. Only every other site has an RV in it. This is really nice as long as there are a limited number of visitors. Of course, when there are more RV’s, they fill in the empty slots.

Tomorrow we will move on to southwest Tucson for at least a week. We have lots of places to visit and things to see.

Moving south in February.

Location, Picacho Peak, AZ


We have moved on from Casa Grande, AZ to Picacho Peak Resort only 30 miles south on I-10.

We spent only 5 days in Bouse, AZ at Jack and Judy’s fine camp site. They had picked us up in Goodyear on Saturday afternoon at the Marriott hotel when we arrived by shuttle van. After a stop in Buckeye at Cracker Barrel for a late lunch and a quick stop at Wal-Mart for groceries, we drove back to Bouse.

Sunday was a day of rest which I did need. On Wednesday Connie fixed cinnamon rolls for us and a group of neighbors. They are so good! It was good to see everyone.

We packed the rig on Thursday morning and drove the 185 miles to the Elks club at Casa Grande. We seem to make it here at least once a year. Clyda has a cousin here so we make it part of our plan to stop when we pass through.

Friends Jim and Michelle had arrived on Wednesday to join us for the “Running of the Gourds”, the gourd festival at the Pinal fairgrounds.

Friday morning we drove to the fairgrounds along with hundreds of other people. The ladies spent a half hour in line to see all the gourds in the “Masters” building. I jumped the line and joined them as they entered the building where we spent the next hour shuffling along in a line to view all the beautiful creations people can dream up using gourds.

The grand prize winner!

Lots of beautiful beaded gourds.

Friday evening we had Chicken Fried Steak at the Elks Club. The food was good but the smoke in the club got to us. It is what has kept us out of the club in the past.

On Sunday we watched the Super Bowl game at Clyda’s cousin’s house. On Monday I spent all morning scanning old family photos and documents at Clyda’s cousin’s house.

This morning we drove a whole 30 miles south to Picacho Peak Resort where we have stayed in the past. It is a nice place but located next to I-10 and the railroad tracks with lots of trains each day. We only plan to be here 2 days before moving on to Tucson.

End to Las Vegas trip not as planned.

Location, at Home, CA

My trip to Las Vegas didn’t end as I had planned.

On Sunday Jan 13 we had planned to fuel our vehicles and buy groceries for our trek to Quartzsite. However, I woke up Sunday morning feeling light headed and dizzy. This continued throughout the day and I was only able to remain on my feet about 30 sec before I needed to sit or lay down.

In midafternoon I called Jeff to come and disconnect my water hose so it wouldn’t freeze overnight. He saw that I was not doing well and the result was the paramedics came and hauled me off to the nearest hospital which was North Vista in North Las Vegas.

I remained in the emergency room for 12 hours before a bed was available at 2:30 in the morning. A test showed I was bleeding internally. I had a CT scan that night, an Endoscopy the next morning, an electrocardiogram and a colonoscopy on Tuesday. All were normal. Later on Tuesday afternoon my blood count was low so I was given a unit of blood and later the count was again taken and showed normal. I was discharged just before 10 PM.

I actually spent a fairly restful night on Tuesday and the next morning I decided I would drive home with the RV. I filled the truck with fuel and got the rig ready to travel. When I was ready, I walked over to my friend Dick’s RV and he asked me to change my mind about driving. By then I realized I would not be able to drive so wheels had already been put in motion by Dick to have Jack drive up from Bouse, AZ and drive my RV down there on Thursday.

John and Connie drove Jack to Las Vegas and returned to Bouse all on Wednesday, an 8 hour round trip.

On Thursday we made an uneventful trip to Bouse while Clyda drove from home with the car to Bouse.

We decided to wait until Saturday to drive home with the car because of traffic on MLK weekend. It was almost as bad on Saturday. It is a seven and a half hour drive and Clyda did all the driving.

On Monday I had a follow up appointment with my doctor which included lab tests. All of the test came back normal or near normal. My doctor suggested I go back to Arizona and get on with life.

So, on Saturday we will fly to Phoenix and Jack and Judy will pick us up in Goodyear.

We plan to go to Casa Grande and attend the gourd festival on Feb 1-3. After that, we have no plans but will spend some more time in Arizona.

How do you put into words all the thanks to everyone who went out of their way to help me? All the guys who went to CES in Las Vegas and stayed an extra two days while I was in the hospital. They also made the arrangements for Jack to drive my RV to Bouse.

To Dick, Clint, and Jeff for changing their plans and hanging around. To John and Connie for the eight hour round trip to Las Vegas to bring Jack to drive my RV. To Jack and Judy for letting me once again recuperate at their Bouse abode. It’s becoming a habit.

To all of them, thank you.

Location, Las Vegas, NV

The Consumer Electronics Show here in Las Vegas is history for 2013. Today was the final day of what was reputed to be the largest show ever by floor space sold. Was it the largest attendance ever? I don’t know but there were about 150,000 people here.

The show is spread over three main sites. The Las Vegas Convention Center, the Venetian Expo Center, and the Las Vegas Hotel (LVH)

It is a mind boggling experience to attend this show as the vendor booths for the larger companies are something to see. No little 10x10 booths here but huge, spare no expense spaces with multimedia presentations, plus carpeting, and show girls in skimpy dress.

 Sony's very large display with images projected on a circular screen.

 

How about a 110 inch TV screen?

 

Talk about a low-rider. Look at that speaker in the bed.

 

Here is a gyroscope stabilized wheel. It goes 10 MPH.

Of course, not all displays are so ostentatious as many are “mom and pop” entrepreneurs trying to find that venture capital to bring their product to market. They come from all over the world as do many attendees. A large contingent comes from China and other Asian counties, each with their small sample of products to display.

There are auto companies both foreign and domestic, a huge audio section which includes car stereos on steroids. All the major electronic manufactures with such companies as Panasonic, Samsung, LG Electronics, Intel, Toshiba, and Sony who had by far the largest display.

Outside of the show is an army of busses, drivers, caterers, cleaning people, and on and on who make all of this possible. Getting around this part of Las Vegas is a nightmare during the show. Parking near the convention center is $40 a day. Because it is cheaper and far easier for us, we take a bus from Circus-Circus casino to and from the show.

Because we have been doing this for many years we have developed a routine which has served us well. We drive from the RV Park to Circus-Circus at 8:30 AM and catch a bus direct to the show. At 3:30 PM we again catch a bus back to Circus-Circus and take our car back to the RV Park.

From 9:00 AM when the doors open until 3:30 PM when we leave is about all we can stand as our feet, legs and hips have had it for the day. Two Aleve helps us get ready for the next day.


Did I see anything really spectacular at this years show? Not really. This year was all about connectivity in the computing world. Your car connected to your house, to your music, to the TV, to the “Cloud”.

In this respect Ford announced a marketing agreement with Whirlpool. Some wag in the crowd suggested that Ford was going to put a wash machine in every car. Not so! They will however address the connecting of home devices through your car so as to control things like dishwashers and wash machines to turn on in low electric usage part of the day.

It is all about “being green” and saving energy.

Of course there is the collecting of what we call “swag” as in the days of pirates. Another words, what is someone giving away that we can get for free. It becomes a game and each night during “cocktail hour” we display our “swag” and determine who had the best collection for that day. All in great fun of course but with an ulterior motive. By so displaying our “swag” we get to tell where we found it so the rest of the group can check it out the next day if they happened to miss it.