Monday 30th

Great day today. Sunny and 80. We drove out to the Peanut Patch today. Thought we could tour a peanut farm, but discovered it to be store that sold peanuts, peanut products and candy.

Saturday 28th

The wind blew like a hurricane all night long. Today was a beautiful, sunny day and we golfed at Las Barracus. We had a great day despite the strong winds. On the way back to the park we stopped at Burgers and Beer for dinner. Back at the park we had our last pepper match before the Caddo's leave in the morning.

Friday 27th

Cloudy and in the 70's. Played a municipal course, Desert Hills right in Yuma. It was quite hilly and a long course, 5625 from the forward tees. The wind was incredibly strong so it made the course more difficult. We were able to walk the course which was a nice change. Back to our place where Rick made Shrimp Scampi for dinner.

Tuesday 24th

We played Mesa Del Sol again today. It was a cooler day with a wicked wind.

Sunday 22nd

We left at 8:00 for a day trip to Quartzite about 85 miles away. We travelled up highway 95 past Dome Castle Mountain, stopping to watch 6 wild mules. We drove through the US Army's Yuma Proving Ground, one of the largest military installations in the world used for testing military equipment and encompasses 1,307.8 square miles (3,387.2 km²) in the northwestern Sonoran Desert. Every January Quartzite is host to the largest gathering of RVers in the world. As many as 750,000 to 1,000,000 people, mostly in RV’s, converge on this sleepy little desert town for the rock, gem and mineral shows, plus numerous flea markets and the Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & Rv Show. It was unbelievable how thousands and thousands of Rvs are parked out in the desert dry camping. From Quartzite we travelled on Interstate 10 into California and down 78 which turned out to be a very boring drive through the desert.

Saturday 21st

Grocery shopping day. Went to a farmers market at the mall that was a disappointment. You would think with all of the vegetables they grow around here there would be a good market. Went to the pool after lunch but it became very windy after I was there for an hour so went back to the trailer. Spent the rest of the afternoon playing pepper at the Caddo's.

Friday 20th

We had a 12:15 tee time at Mesa Del Sol. It was a course we booked on Golf Now for $25.00. It was a nice course with lots of sand and water. Beautiful day in the low 70's and sunny. We came back and had burgers and potato salad.

Sunny and 75 today. We left early and went back to Los Algodones, Mexico so Nancy could buy some bowls. Had another good lunch El Paraiso and those strawberry margaritas, mmm. The line up coming back was longer than last week.

Tuesday 17th

Today we hiked up Telegraph Hill, a very steep climb up 1200 feet. It took us 1 hour and 20 minutes to reach the top, where we spent time admiring the view of Dome Valley and the mountains. When we got back to the park Nancy and I whooped the guys at Pepper. Bob and Nancy stayed for yummy dinner of steak that picked up on our way through Texas.

Monday 16th

Sunny day in 70's and no wind. We played Las Barracus north of Yuma near Fortuna Foothills, a very nice desert course with some interesting holes between the rugged hills.

Sunday 15th

We spent the morning at The Gathering of the Gun Fighters at the Historical Yuma Territorial Prison on the Colorado River. Bob and Rick thought they would be going to watch gun fighting competitions but it turned out to be old west reenactment groups that put on cowboy skits for a panel of judges. They are judged on there story line, acting, delivery and authenticity. While there we had an interesting tour of the prison museum. From there we went down to the historic district and had lunch at Lutes Casino an old general store, not a Casino. Gambling was illegal so they paid off the local authorities and had a trap door that went down to the basement where the gambling took place.

Saturday 14th

Sunny and cool today. We went to a large flea market outside of Yuma with Bob and Nancy. On the way back to the park we went to Burgers and Beer for lunch and had the best hamburgers, then home to get ready for then Western Dinner and Dance. We all donned our western attire and for $40.00 a couple enjoyed a dinner of BBQ chicken, brisket, corn, baked beans and salad, more food than any of us could eat. Dancing followed with music provided by White Horses an excellent band that could play almost anything, primarily country. We had a great time dancing the night away.

Friday 13th

We joined the couples day at the park. Because we were first time players we got the earliest tee times and there we were teeing off at 7:30 as the sun was rising. It was the coldest, windy morning. We played with a nice couple from Washington State. There was over 100 couples teeing off from dawn until 12:30. We joined the golfers for pizza and prizes at 5:30. Since we don't have an established handicap at the park we were entered at a zero handicap. The organizer included us in the prizes and gave us our $5.00 entry fee back plus another $5.00. We sat with the couple we played with and the couple Bob and Nancy played. It was a good opportunity to meet some nice couples.

Day 9

Sunday, 8 January, 2012

We left at 7:15 am for our drive to Yuma. It is a beautiful desert and mountainous drive with lots of tall cactus dotting the landscape. Arrived at Cocopah RV and Golf Resort in Yuma at 1:00. Our site is beside the green on the 3rd hole. Very windy today. Reminds us of Texas.

Day 10

Monday, 9 January, 2012

We had a 1:10 tee off today. The course is very tight winding through the park. Nancy made a lovely rib dinner for my birthday. Early night, home by 8:30.

Day 11
Tuesday, 10 January, 2012

It was laundry day and cleaning. Sun is shining again today and in the low 70's. Rick washed the trailer and the truck.

Day 12

Wednesday, 11 January, 2012

Today we went to Los Algodones, Baja California, a Mexican town only 7 miles from Yuma. Much to our surprise the highway that we took to the Mexican border crossing was in California. We didn't realize we were quite that close to California. As the crow flies we are probably 2 or 3 miles from the Mexican Border. Enjoyed our day wondering through the markets which sell a variety of Mexican goods, Stopping for lunch at El Paraiso, The Garden Place where we sat in the sun listening to live entertainment and dining on a tasty Mexican food. They made great strawberry Margaritas.The border crossing back was extremely busy and we waited in a line for about an hour passing the time talking to a nice couple who came to Los Algodones from then state of Washington for dental work. He broke a tooth off and it was going to cost $14,000. at his dentist, in Mexico he had the work done in three appointments for $1,400 and claimed he had excellent service. Americans flock to Los Algodones every day to take advantage of their inexpensive dentists, physicians, opticians,and pharmacies.

Day 13
Thursday, 12 January, 2012

We thought we would go in to Historic Yuma to check it out. There wasn't much there, it was like most American main streets, many of the stores were closed. While driving there we had a good look at the country side. Agriculture is the main industry around Yuma and it is known as the winter vegetable capital of North America due to the mild winters, good soil and more than 360 days of sunshine a year. Yuma has an extremely efficient irrigation system drawing water from the Colorado River because it only receives less than 3 inches of rain a year. The lettuce, cabbage, celery and what looks like kale is being harvested right now by bus loads of Mexicans cutting and bagging by hand in the fields. They are the fastest workers I have seen. As soon as the fields are harvested, they are plowed and replanted with the next crop.

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Arizona, Winter 2012

Day 8

Bisbee

Saturday, 7 January, 2012

Caddo's left for Yuma at 8:00 this morning. We drove 26 miles to Bisbee where we toured a copper mine. The Queen Mine was closed in 1975 after 100 years of mining. We got outfitted with a slicker, helmet and miner’s headlamp. boarded the mine train and travelled 1500 feet onto the mine. The tour was conducted by a miner who worked in the mine for almost 31 years. After the tour we drove into Bisbee, a lovely town town built in the hills of the Mule Mountains for lunch and to wonder through the many shops. From there we drove to Sierra Vista, a city flanked, on the west side by the Huachuca Mountains with Miller Peak rising to 9,466 ft and Carr Peak at 9,236 ft, both with snow at their peaks. Last day in Tombstone.

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Arizona, Winter 2012

Day 7

Tombstone

Friday, 6 January, 2012

This morning we visited the The Bird Cage Theatre, a combination theater, saloon, gambling parlor and brothel that operated from 1881 to 1889 during the height of the silver boom. The interior has not changed since 1989. From there we walked over to the Tombstone Courthouse, built in 1882 and the oldest standing courthouse in Arizona. It is now a museum operated by the Arizona State Park Board. We stopped for lunch at Cafe Margarita before meeting Bob and Nancy for some shopping. After dinner we wondered up town to enjoy some live entertainment stopping at the Four Deuces Saloon, Big Nose Kate's and then to the Crystal Palace where a wonderful Mexican group was playing. Temp is in the high 60's during the day but cools to mid 40's at night.

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Arizona, Winter 2012

Day 6

Thursday, 5 January, 2012

Our day started out with a visit to Boot Hill Graveyard where pioneers and outlaws rest. Then we took a drive to Gleeson about 16 miles on dirt road to a ghost town. Not much there, only a restored jail and the remains of a few buildings. On the way back we stopped at at John and Sandy's Rattlesnake Crafts 2 miles down a washboard dirt road in the middle of the desert.. They are rattlesnake hunters who make anything you can imagine out rattle snake skin and vertebra. No part of the snake goes to waste.

We spent the afternoon touring downtown Tombstone and watching the reenactment of the OK Coral shoot out, then to the Big Nose Kate Saloon for a beer and listening to some good live entertainment.

Tombstone is a beautifully preserved 1880's western town. Tombstone derived its name from its founder, Ed Schueffelin, who was told that all he would find here would be his tombstone, however he found a vein of silver and a mining camp followed, then a prosperous mining town.

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Arizona, Winter 2012

Day 5

Tombstone

Wednesday, 4 January, 2012

Left the lovely park in Midland at 6:15 on our way to Tombstone. 44 degrees. Much of the drive through Texas as flat desert and boring. As we got closer to El Paso the country side became quite mountainous. We were surprised to see how sprawling El Paso is ... a very large city on the Mexican border and the New Mexico state line. When we crossed into New Mexico there was at least a mile of huge fenced yards filled with Holstein cows. Thousands! A very smelly area. We were also surprised to see acres of pecan trees and cotton fields. arrived in Tombstone at 3:45, elevation is 4,541 feet. Stampede RV park is pretty basic but has the amenities we like. 70 degrees. Bob and Nancy prepared dinner for us and after a visit sharing travel stories we were home and in bed by 9:00 for much needed sleep.

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Arizona, Winter 2012

Day 4

Midland

Tuesday, 3 January, 2012

Left Texarkana at 7:45. Had to detour in Dallas due to a tractor trailer accident on I30. Temperature 69 degrees today. Arrived at Midland RV Park at 6:00 pm. Had a big oopsie ... It was a very tight park and the camp workers who insisted he lead us to our sight was giving Rick directions into the one and only available site. He was obviously in a hurry to end his work day and neglected to watch the left side of the trailer as it scraped along a garbage bin that was very poorly placed and sticking out onto the narrow entrance to the row of sites. Rick, in his fury moved the bin so we could continue to park the trailer. We thought the only damage was a scrape down the side and a small hole in the siding, but when I went into the trailer the kitchen window was shattered. Rick complained to the manager who will contact them, they are currently in India. I wonder if they will really care?? Hah hah.

Midland is a large and very busy town in the middle of miles of know where. There are several huge oil refineries. We had difficulty finding a site in any of the RV parks because the refinery workers live in the parks. Not a place to stop for a day or two to site see.

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Arizona, Winter 2012

Day 3

Texarkana

Monday, 2 January, 2012

37 degrees when we got up this morning. We were on the road by 8:10.

Arrived at Sunshine RV Park outside of Texarkana at 5:00.

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Arizona, Winter 2012

Day 2

Nashville

Sunday, 1 January, 2012

Got up at 6:30 and left at 8:15. Took the 401 to Windsor. 40 degrees and raining. Arrived at border at 11:00. Drove 1/3 of the way to Nashville off and on rain. Arrived in Nashville at 6:30. 47 degrees. The RV park that we stayed on last spring has a Christmas light show that is amazing. They reserve 3 rows of sights and a production company comes in and sets up the lights to music. They charge $25.00 per car to drive through the park. We had our trailer stored in the park next to it. Our plan was to stop at a hotel an hour from Nashville but when saw we would arrive around 6:00 we decided to stay in the trailer for the night. Glad we did, we are now unpacked and ready to head west.

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