January 31, 2013

January 31, 2013

This morning we went caching with Todd.  There was a special challenge series.  It consisted of ten caches.  The idea behind the challenge was from your records of your events...most cashes in the day, most cashes in a year, 25 large caches, 10 events attended, etc. etc. etc.  It was an interesting idea for a bunch of caches.

After returning home we decided it was a good day for a Walmart run.  They were super crowded.  While I waited in line to check out, Bill went next door to get Panda Express for lunch.

At 1:00, we left with Todd and Bonnie.  Our first stop was at the Marine Base to get our passes for the Barry Goldwater Bombing Range.  There are many, many caches on the range which can only be accessed with a special pass.  Don’t worry, Brent.  I’ll try really hard not to start WW3.

We stopped at Sam’s Club for gasoline before heading for Algodones, Mexico for our dental appointments.  When we crossed the Colorado River into California Bill honked the wimpy Honda Horn while the rest of us yelled “yahoo.”  Todd yelled loudest of all!

We parked on the US side and walked across the border.  It was quite a walk up to the dentist office.  I was glad Bonnie was with us to lead the way.  We were early for our appointments, and had to wait even passed our scheduled time.  It gave new meaning to “a Mexican minute.”

My appointment took way longer than Bill’s.  We planned to eat at a restaurant before crossing back across the border, but the one we knew of was closed, so we drove back into Yuma for dinner.

January 30, 2013

January 30, 2013

After breakfast we went to collect one more cache before hooking the CRV on and heading for Yuma.  It’s good to be on the road again, if only for a short time.

Dwight and Sheila called this morning to see if they should make “reservations” at In-N-Out for tonight.  It is a comfort to have such nice, caring, thoughtful friends (aka partners in crime).

We got to Yuma at 2:30.  After getting fuel at Flying J, Bill freed the Honda from its tether.  While he went for propane and to fill the water tank, I went on to Jim and Pat’s house where we park the coach when we are in this area.  

We sat on the porch and visited.  Todd came across the street to join in the gab fest.  Before long, Dwight and Sheila drove up.  It was just like a family gathering.  We’ve known these people for years.  

At 4:30, Dwight proclaimed it was time to eat so off we went.  He is ruled by his stomach, just like the rest of us.  We met Bonnie, plus friends Bill and Nancy, at In-N-Out.  It was good food with great friends.  That’s the way we like it.

Tomorrow we plan to hit the geo trail in the morning and then go to Algodones, Mexico.  That’s always a fun place to visit.

Today’s mileage from Quartzite was 80 miles.  Not a bad day’s effort, eh?

January 29, 2013

January 29, 2013

This day started out cold with clear skies.  And kept us busy all day long.

At 9:00, I went to a seminar on some of the ins and outs of geocaching, like travel bugs and other such things.  It was very interesting and I got some very good ideas.  I also learned a geocaching definition that I want to pass on to all of you who read about it in this journal.  “Geocaching is what happens when geeks go outdoors.”  That’s the gospel truth!

We went out on the desert to hunt for a cache.  After parking at the bottom of a hill, we trudged up a rocky road to the top.  When we were nearly to the top, we heard a car.  Our friends, Mike and Wendy, parked beside the Honda and were coming up to join us in the hunt.  Their yellow lab, Gordie, was with them.  He is a geo-dog and got to the top before they did and started sniffing around for the cache.

After logging our find, Bill and I went to town for lunch.  On the way home we found two more caches.

Bill was really tired from dragging me up the hill so he took a very long nap.  At 4:30, we went to Happy Hour.  Bill and I both won prizes in a drawing.  His was a funky flashlight and mine was a rubber bee.  You know how fond of bees I am!  I gave it to Wendy. 

At 7:00, Bill and Mike went to find a “night cache.”  Wendy didn’t go because she has night blindness and I stayed home because walking in the rocky desert at night didn’t seem like a good idea for me.  

January 28, 2013

January 28, 2013

We woke up to blue skies.  It was nice to be back to normal Arizona weather.  I know the little plants were glad for the rain, though.  We were out on the desert today and noticed lots of little green plants.

Our first activity for today was to go to LaMesa RV to eat free pancakes.  They were really good.  We’ll miss that treat when we leave Quartzsite.  When the urge for pancakes hits in Yuma we’ll just have to find a McDonalds.

We finished breakfast just before it was time for the vendors to open for the day.  By the time we parked, one of the bead shops was open.  I bought several different kinds of beads for the crosses I make.  

From there, we drove up toward the mountains looking for a cache.  In the process, we came upon a man prospecting for gold.  He had some very sophisticated looking machinery.  We asked if he had any luck.  He said some, but he hadn’t gotten to bedrock yet.

He’s the second miner we’ve met recently.  The other one spends his summers in Canada and has looked for gold for several years.  It was interesting to talk to both of them.

We climbed up and down several very rocky hills, but didn’t find the cache.  From there we drove around to the other side of the mountain.  We didn’t find that cache either.  A cold wind had started to blow so we went home.  It was a discouraging day for us as far as caching was concerned.

I spent several hours sorting the beads I bought.  When we get to Yuma I’ll be ready to work on some projects.  

January 27, 2013

January 27, 2013

The RV Forum rally ended last night.  It was a good gathering of people with lots in common.  And it was very laid-back.  The only organized activities were the daily Happy Hour and the pot luck dinner last night.  We both enjoyed the week we spent with these friends.

After breakfast we got the motorhome in “go mode” and moved to another BLM camping area west of Quartzsite.  This is the location of the Escapee RV Club’s geocaching rally.  It is more structured than the one we just left.  We’ll see how it works out.

We parked the coach and got things ready to stay in one spot for a few days.  Less than 500 feet from our parking place was a cache, so we walked out onto the desert to find it.  The RVers next to us are very new to caching so they went with us to see what it is all about.

That was the only cache we found today, but maybe tomorrow will be more fruitful.  I have loaded 12 more caches in our GPSs for this area.  Hopefully, we will add to our totals tomorrow.

At 4:30 we went to a Happy Hour gathering.  The activities for tomorrow were explained.  I think, however, our main activity will focus on bead shopping in the flea market area.

January 26, 2013

January 26, 2013

Happy Birthday, Lori.

Rain was still falling this morning.  At that time, Bill reported Quartzsite had nearly an inch of rain.  That is almost 1/4 of their yearly total, I think.

I stayed inside until this afternoon when we had a Pot Luck dinner.  There was lots and lots of food.  It stopped raining at about 2:30 and didn’t start again until we had finished eating.  And then it was very light rain.

They built a bonfire so people could get warm while they stood around and talked.  I had a slight headache, so I skipped the gab session and went home.

We don’t know the total amount of rain recorded.  There were still some puddles remaining by the time it got dark.  It is the first time we have ever seen puddles in Quartzsite.

January 25, 2013

January 25, 2013

This morning we went to La Mesa RV for breakfast.  I was looking forward to pancakes.  I forgot they served biscuits and gravy on Fridays.  Normally that would be OK, but their pancakes are much better.

Afterwards,  I shopped for beads in the tent area.  The vendor I liked so much last year wasn’t in the same place.  I went to a couple of other booths, but didn’t buy much.  I will go back some other day and search some more.

When we left there we went caching for a well hidden one that was put out just a few days ago.  It was easy to find.  There were lots and lots of quail in the area.  They were fun to watch as they scurried around.  

We went to scope out the area where our next rally will be parking.  It is a geocaching group.  We plan to move there on Sunday.

I took a nap when we got home.  About half an hour before Happy Hour rain started to fall.  I chose to stay home, but GP took an umbrella.

The rain continued all evening.  It will be interesting to see how long it takes to soak into the ground.