Chased by wild boars

Jenna returns to the trailer panting, having run home for several blocks with Denby.

She heard rustling in the bushes. Dog started barking. Then the sound of scuffling. And snorts!

Javelinas!

Bruce goes back out with her to see them too. Nothing.

Maybe next time.

Great RV show

We went to an RV show today in Phoenix. We really this model, tho the car is a little small for us.

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PS We are instituting a subscription fee for this blog. But you can use your receipts as admission to our new motorhome.

All clear. We still here

Reports of our departure are premature. Waters subsided with no threat to our location.

Not so in other places, but we weren't there.

Elvis was not found on the bank after all. He's still on the moon.

Bruce

Rain rain. Will we go away?

Excitement fills the Brod trailer!

The Weather Service warns of flooding for the Agua Fria River one block from their trailer park!! Seven feet above flood stage says the Weather Service!!!

Will the Brods flee their comfortable campsite for the perils of town, which sits higher than their current location?!!!!

Stay tuned for the next exciting blog entry!!!!!

Elvis found on river bank!!!!!!

Bruce

I Hate Computers

I admit that I belong to the majority of Americans regardless of age who hate computers. Reasons abound. Case in point.

We listen to several public radio stations over the Internet, yet another bonus of our satellite systems. Today we’re working in the trailer, sitting out the rare rain day here in AZ. For some reason I can only connect to a few stations.

After a few attempts, I connect to http://www.coastradio.org/ in Astoria, OR. We listen for a while, then lose the connection. I poke Media Player for a while, then somehow bring up their playlist.

We listen for another hour or so. Gee, I can name a lot of those songs, even owned the CDs. After a while, Jenna says, “Maybe the DJ bought the CDs we sold (in Eugene OR).” :>

The music continues, familiar still. At last, I look at the web site, wondering who is playing that music. Oh yeah, they have two stations on that web site.

So I look at the player again, for the name of the site of the music stream. Huh, I see the album cover on the screen?!

I look at the play list again and realize, for the first time, that I’m playing a random selection of the 200 CDs I recorded on the hard drive (and sold in Eugene).

Which is why I hate computers.

Bruce

PS Never mind pointing out that I worked with computer systems for 15 years. I know the enemy well.

Current conditions at Bradshaw Mtn RV Park

Local weather

Local produce

Local birthday pie

Bradshaw Mtn RV Park in Black Canyon, AZ

And so we arrive at our chosen RV park north of Phoenix, preparing for next month’s knee slice-and-dice.

Oh, the joys of unlimited electricity, free of frequent trips to the truck bed to start or stop one or both generators.

Microwave popcorn – Lord how long it’s been.

And water…so much water going in and out of our home without a second thought.

Is this a grand country or what? God save George W. Bush! May he reign forever!!

Bruce

Q = ZZzz

We finally arrive at the big mineral and gem show at Quartzsite. Well, actually we never saw any rocks at all. Rather we toured some of the Big Tent, crammed with hawkers of RV and miscellaneous geegaws, gimcracks and knickknacks. Boring.

We returned to our campsite and fell asleep to the rumble of RV generators. Woke up to the same sound. Departed with no interest in returning to Quartzsite, tho we may very well go back down to Imperial Dam on our way to Mexico next winter.

With our two day weather delay, the Escapee graduating class of 2007 bash went on without us. We camped with them, but missed the connections already made. No matter. We had made friends at Imperial Dam.

Bruce

More wind, no go

Big north wind convinced us to stay put another two days rather than driving into the blow. Rock and roll all last night in this itty bitty house of ours. We retracted the two slideouts facing the wind, to no avail. Fortunately we had no rain or freezing temperatures too.

Still better than winter weather in the rest of the country. Denby hid in the corner, showing no appreciation for his shaking den.

Bruce

Algodones no, Algodones si

We checked into prices for new eyeglasses in Algodones, which we figure our gringo vision coverage will not pay for. Versus buying specs in Phoenix for reimbursement. No difference. Since we don’t use popular prescribed medications like Amoxicilin, Claritin, and Viagra (shush!), we decided not to go.

The next day, we went anyway with fellow touristas Gene and Joyce. Marveled at the 100+ dentists in this little four block town. Bought lunch. Departed.

Tomorrow we return to Quartzsite, 60 miles north, to camp with fellow Escapees fulltimers who also hit the road in 2007.

Bruce

Nothin’ much, just sun

Snoozin, sun bathing, reading, typing. Nothing much to report. Would that we could send the sun and low humidity to our readers in points north, as they surely need it this winter.

We did enjoy some live music this afternoon, courtesy of local campground musicians. Mostly CW, all fun.


Tomorrow we strike a blow against the Medical Industrial Complex by visiting Algodones, MX for eyeglasses and maybe some OTC drugs. Too bad we just had our teeth cleaned last month. :>

Bruce

PS We spent a full evening researching Bruce’s surgeon, Arrowhead Hospital, and the surgical procedure. As well as consulting with his infectious/oop!/efficacious/oop!/expertitious/huh? sister-in-law Pat about avoiding infections. We feel ready to proceed with the slicing.

RV park for the Handicapped

Bruce has surgery scheduled for February 15. So we cruised today for an RV park in the Phoenix area to live for 2+ months, expecting a 6-8 week recovery period. We looked at one park in Phoenix – RVs too close and too near the highway!! Like tenement housing without the benefits of fixed plumbing.

We then departed the metro area for parts north. First place we saw was a gem! Bradshaw Mountain RV Resort in Black Canyon Arizona. Homey little park in a small town 35 miles from Phoenix. Large sites, beautiful desert hills setting, attractive landscaping. Fruit trees laden with huge oranges, lemons, and grapefruit, which our highly energetic owner/guide picked for us during the tour. We looked around a bit more, traveled to another town, then made a reservation at Bradshaws. All blog readers are invited to visit in late February…bring your own chairs and fruit picking gloves.

Bruce

Kneed a trip to Phoenix

Today we met with an orthopedic surgeon in Phoenix about Bruce’s knee. Too much pain from osteoarthritis, growing by the week. Them doctors have been talking about knee replacement for a coupla years now. This one said the same. OK already.

Tomorrow we look for an RV park in the area. As soon as we find a place to live, we'll make an appointment for surgery a few weeks later. Move up here, cut cut cut, rehab for 6 weeks or so, and move on.

This will impede our Mexico travel plans this year. Say “Oy veh” instead of “Olé.” Oh well. Mañana.

Bruce

Top dog

Here’s a picture of Denby, just because he doesn’t get enough attention around here.

No news is dog news.

Old Time Religion

Last Friday night we (Jenna and I, along with Joyce and Jean Shea) went to the Bard Community Center to hear some live music. Some folks here told us that local musicians play there, so we went out for some local culture.

We walk in and, hmmm, we see Hymn Books on the tables and a banner of the Lord’s Prayer on the opposite wall.

And so it was, an old fashioned fellowship gathering. Singing songs in praise of Jesus. Some of the songs in the hymnal were written over 100 years ago, according to the citations.

Nice folks enjoying the musical part of their religious practice. We sang along for about an hour. Then left at the break for the service.

It kinda reminded us of the folk music in rural Ozark Arkansas, where we lived some 25 years ago. Just part of the unexpected on this new path we’ve chosen.

Bruce

Imperial Dam Long Term Visitors Area

From Quartzsite, we moved to Imperial Dam Long Term Visitors Area (LTVA), desert campgrounds of the federal Bureau of Land Management. Remote primitive campgrounds with central services at a very modest fee. Thousands of people stay at these LTVAs during the winter season, some returning year after year and forming their own intermittent communities.

Kinda windy but very beautiful. Hillsides close by, wide areas between RVs.

Earth in the raw
No lawn mowers
...No lawn
No street lights
...No streets
No airplanes
...No traffic
No stores

Nice.

Bruce

PS Thanks to Gene Shea for this beautiful pic