Thursday - Almost to Texas

The day started in Benson, AZ, where we spent the night after a good cache day. No sign of the RV Park Manager this morning nor his warnings about knocking over the water spigot. We made it out safely and without any mishap.

Just a few hours later, we were crossing into New Mexico and speeding on towards Las Cruces. We arrived at the Hacienda RV Resort just before 2pm. What a difference from the Pardners RV Park. Wide streets, a clearly marked entrance and an office staff that greeted us warmly. They even wanted to meet Dexter and we brought him in for a look. His day was made with a dog biscuit and we marveled in the differences between the 2 parks. Of course, Benson was 20 bucks and this place was 70. I guess money does buy happiness!

They parked us next to a high dollar Prevost nestled among 3 or 4 other Prevosts. Being 45 feet long got us a super site and added another 10 bucks to the bill. This is being posted via their complimentary Wi-Fi but then I guess we really paid for it.

So, the highlight of the afternoon and evening was the drive out to see Steve & Raymond and their new place at the foot of the Organ Mountain range. The Organ Mountains are part of the southern tip of the Rocky Mountain range that ends in El Paso just 20 miles down the road.

The mountains look close enough to touch from their backyard but they were still a mile away and about a mile higher. Raymond said their place was about 4300 feet above sea level and the top of the tallest peaks stretch nearly to 10,000 feet.

We spent several hours talking about our mutual experiences in Quartzsite and learning all about their terrific house. It is very energy efficient and built in a southwestern adobe style with a courtyard and 15 inch thick earth walls.

We sat in their living room watching the sunset and talking about how they found the place, how long the drive was to Dallas, and all manner of other topics that occurred to us at the time. It was too cold this time of year to spot any rattlesnakes or scorpions in the desert just feet out their back door.

We left there about 8pm and had dinner at an Appleby's near the RV Resort. We're doing laundry tonight and will head back into Texas in the morning.

There is a Border Patrol checkpoint about 15 miles down the Interstate where everyone is stopped for a brief search & questioning but we have passed through them before and it is a simple process. Even Dexter, who is half Chihuahua, rates only a passing glance

The only photos I have to post are a couple taken out the front windshield of the RV as we descended IH-10 into Las Cruces. They show the Organ Mountain range in the distance. Steve & Raymond live on the far side of Las Cruces at the foot of these mountains.

Wednesday - The Return Trip

We started early as planned after topping off the RV diesel tank ($125.38 - thank you) and heading East. The Garmin evidently didn't know we could bypass Phoenix via AZ 85 and IH-8 but we drove that way anyway. It was a good decision and part way down the road, the Garmin caught on and led us the rest of the way into Benson.

We stopped at the Pardner RV Park which turned out to be pretty small and nearly full of slightly decrepit trailers (the monthly rate was $195 - go figure). The Manager was helpful and the daily rate was $20 instead of the $24 listed on the web site. The Manager didn't seem to know what a web site (or the Internet for that matter) was so we didn't press the point.

We decided to try some caches in the roughly 90 minutes of daylight left and found TWELVE ! Benson is a hot and cache friendly place.

We ate at Reb's Cafe (where the food was edible but nothing to write about). Dexter got his obligatory evening walk and we're posting caches and writing this Blog before bedtime. It will be an easy drive from Benson to Las Cruces tomorrow. I think I have Steve & Raymond's number and their directions to the RV Park. We'll send an email and/or call when we hit town. We hope Las Cruces is as cache rich as Benson.

Our only photo is of the Benson,AZ, Welcome sign and a couple semi-decent cache picture.

Day 12 - Our last full day in Quartzsite, AZ

As is typical of our vacation time, the weather was near perfect on this last day and the forecast for the next few days is even better. It was near 70 today with no wind and bright sun. The next few days (through the weekend) promises mid 70's and similarly sunny days.

We spent the afternoon combing the Flea Market tents and seeing what was set up. The Main Event is not due for another couple weeks and it was clear that more & more vendors and visits are hitting the town. Attached are a few pictures of the various sights in a couple flea market spots.

For lunch, we can recommend the Best Mexican Food (yes, that's the name) as true to the Tex-Mex we are used to in Texas. Complimentary chips & salsa and a friendly wait staff with attentive service. They even had a special which Tommy ordered. Our total was only $19 and we were stuffed. The Ice Tea was clear and fresh. The food was hot on hot plates and the refills were also complimentary.

We have washed clothes and ourselves. The tanks are empty and full as required and tire pressures are good. We hit the road after topping with #2 diesel at the Shell truck stop around daybreak.

Raymond advised that trying to make it to Las Cruces in one day will be an effort. Dexter likes the breaks and we were going to stop in Tucson, AZ, then go on to Las Cruces the next day. In researching the places to stay, we saw that Tucson is very Anti-RV and has ordinances prohibiting them anywhere except at the Beaudry RV Park. We even read one report there a guy was hassled by the police in the middle of the day while stopped in a shopping mall to buy supplies and lunch. We decided not to patronize any town that dislikes us and our money so we're moving on to the the next town along I-10 at Benson, AZ. Arizona, in general, does not seem very RV friendly having closed almost half their rest areas and prohibiting RV's in almost every town unless you stay at one of the grossly overpriced RV Parks (I say grossly over-priced when they charge $38.95 to $49.90 for an overnight rest and parking spot). We figure $15 to $17 is fair for an overnight stop and $20 to $26 for a daily rate with 50 amp service and free Wi-Fi.

Anyway, it was fun in Quartzsite and we're marginally depressed to be heading home but happy that we had a good time and we'll see Steve & Raymond on Friday.

Happy New Year (a day early)

Day 11 - Monday Morning (Last Week)

The weather service was correct. Considerable cloudiness covered Quartzsite this Monday morning. It was overcast and cool when Dexter & I went for his walk. He wasted no time leaving a desert deposit and we went back to fix a Skillet Breakfast of eggs, bacon, peppers, onions, and potatoes. We decided today would be our travel day back into town and are picking up the campsite right now. I'll post some pictures later after we settle in at 88 Shades RV Park again.

The plan is still to depart Wednesday morning for points east and Las Cruces in one day.

Late Day Update -
We went to Parker, AZ, to grab some caches and see the new Wal*Mart. One of the caches was actually in Wyatt, CA, where Wyatt Earp spent some of his final days. Parker was okay but nothing worth the hour drive to get there and back. I think the generally overcast and gloomy day spooled our sunny outlook. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and warmer. It will be our last day here in Quartzsite. The drive to Las Cruces is almost 8 hours and I am not sure if we can make it in one day or not. Dexter likes to stop along the way and it would be a solid 8 hours of driving to get there.

More Tomorrow

Day 10 - Sunday (after Christmas)

Hello again. We are really having a good time and I'll attempt not to complain but we have noticed a fairly typical pattern here in Quartzsite. It may be because they only have traffic for a few weeks each year and they need to milk the tourists or it may be that we are used to Texas hospitality which is lacking here in the desert. (or at least in Quartzsite).

The complaint is that they are very, very expensive for some items. Food and Restaurants come to mind 1st. Taco Mio at 130 East Main Street is today's lunch issue. We value good service and good value for our dollar. When we walked in, we thought it was a walk-up, order, and then sit down because no signs indicating otherwise were present and no hostess greeted us. While standing at the front counter looking at the menu board, a lady asked us if we wanted take-out or eat-in,. We said eat-in and she told us to be seated anywhere and she would wait on us. Success at sitting down.

The prices were typical for what we've found here for lunch - an average of $8.75 to $10.25 per person. Not bad but higher than what we typically encounter. The odd thing was she asked us if we wanted chips and salsa. That should have been the 1st clue. Chips & Salsa are almost always part of the Mexican dining experience. Chips & Salsa in Quartzsite were $1.99 and the refill was another $1.99. My iced tea was $1.85 and Tommy's coke was .99 - however, each refill was another increment of the same cost. When we got ready to pay and leave, Tommy had half of his food left and asked for a to-go box. The foam container was another $3.00 added to the the bill. Our lunch of $8.75 and $9.25 came out to $25.50 with the extras. It was tasty though.

We spent part of the day going through the exhibits in Tyson Wells across I-10 from Quartzsite where things seem to be starting to happen. I got a new watch battery and we bought some small trinkets. We looked at a lot of tools/hardware and kitchen goods as well as the usual flags, pennants, spinners, caps, and t-shirts. Rocks were everywhere and priced as if they were scarce. There are many nice things here but don't expect "rock bottom" prices. A set of nice Geode book-ends will set you back a thousand dollars.

Did we mention necklaces and beads? They are everywhere. If you want little drilled rocks on a fishing line, this is the place!

Only 5% of the shops, stalls, and tents are set up. The big event starts in the 2nd week of January so we only have the "first comers" to tour at this early date.

Traffic will be a nightmare when another 150,000 people arrive. The main street often has jams now and getting into the Pilot Truck stop or Love's or Shell is a wait for 15 minutes for a spot near a pump. I can't imagine when gridlock occurs how tempers stay under control. We were cut off at the Pilot by a lady who pushed in between Tommy in the Explorer and a truck being filled because he had about 3 feet of open space. She nosed in and never looked up.

However, the people at the tents are nice, parking is okay at the event tents. We are enjoying the area and the fun of being here. I just had to post some of the reality pieces so any of you that visit won't be caught off-guard.

Dexter is enjoying the desert and our evening walks. We have seen no snakes, scorpions or coyotes - yet. We have a nightly campfire and the RV systems are working great. It cools off at night but warms up in the sun early the next morning. It averages about 62 to 65 during the day and touches 40 at night.

Tuesday evening, we'll go back to town and stay at 88 Shades RV Park so we can do laundry, empty tanks, re-fill water, and take SHOWERS. The next morning, we'll head east through Phoenix to Las Cruces and a visit with Steve & Raymond.

More tomorrow.

Day 9 - Saturday

We didn't walk up the hill this morning but we did get started early to drive to Blythe, CA, and grab some "Golden State" caches. We made it without any extra costs and found some very green areas with canals to irrigate the fields. It literally turned green once we crossed the border at the Colorado River. California has an inspection port for all vehicles and a nice young lady asked us from where we were coming. Upon hearing Quartzsite, she looked in the back and waved us on.

We found 7 caches, had a great Pizza Inn lunch and drove back in time to bake some brownies and photograph a decent sunset. The sunset lit our campsite nicely. See attached photos.

Day 8 - Christmas Day 2009 (Friday)

Today was a beautiful day. We had ham & cheese omelets for breakfast and then headed out for some caches. Dexter went with us and the experience reminded us of why we don't take the dog. Tomorrow, he stays home and sleeps.

Tommy got to do some serious 4-wheeling with the Explorer on the back trails near our campsite and Old Yuma Road. We only grabbed 3 caches but that puts us at a new milestone of 2700. Attached is the 2700th cache photo - Dexter is looking away from the the camera.

After lunch/dinner around 3:30pm, I walked halfway up to the nearest hilltop peak. The 2nd photo is the summit I did not reach. The sun had moved past the peak and the shadows were too dark. We agreed that we'd all walk up there Sunday morning and get some decent photos.

The last photo is of our campsite after I walked back down to find Tommy and Dexter under a blanket as the sun was setting. It was a great day for us and we didn't spend any money on anything!

Tomorrow we head to Blythe, CA, to get some California caches and see what is in Quartzsite on a Saturday afternoon. We plan to hit the road Wednesday early and drive to Las Cruces to meet Steve & Raymond at their new mountain home.

Day 7 - Thursday

Just before Noon Thursday - We will have great pictures once the tow truck pulls the RV out of the spot where I buried it!

Two & a half hours later - It took just 30 minutes (or less) to extract the RV from the hole I dug in the very soft sandy dirt. The 4 pictures show how it was stuck, what the front holes looked like where it sunk and the dual steel cables used to pull it out.

The place we called "Toe Truck" had an office in Quartzsite but they sent the driver from Parker, AZ, which was 30 miles away. The good news - they were very professional and got us going in short order. The bad news - they are very, very, very expensive. It was $150 an hour plus their travel time so the bill (once he got there) was $450 to pull us back about 12 feet. Our 1 week in the desert cost $490 ($40 for the space plus $450 to get out). If you ever get stuck and want a good but expensive wrecker, call them.

The final picture is the flat, level, and hard space we finally parked in. The view is great.

We walked Dexter, found a cache in the nearby foothills (we walked to it) and fixed dinner outside. It is dark now and I have a decent Internet connection via Sprint PCS and my Blackberry so I am posting my folly of the day.

We hope tomorrow is a better and less costly day.

Merry Christmas to each of you! A Happy New Year is what we're hoping for!

Comment Responses (we tried posting a comment ourselves but it would not work so I am adding this to the Blog text):

Yes, the rain from the day before caused some soft spots. I caused the problem by stopping and turning the front wheels without moving. That action caused the resistance that made the rear drive wheel dig a hole.

It was a beautiful spot to camp. Check out some of the photos we posted on Christmas Day. We have not seen any snakes. It is warm in the sun but the ground is very cool. It goes down to freezing overnight and warms to 65 or so by late day. Unless you are in the direct sun, it is cool without a jacket. The upside is that the coach stays cool and we don't need any A/C. Just having the windows open cools it enough.

Day 6 - Wed (Geocaching & Desert Searching)

We decided to stay in town one more day and do some Geocaching. It was great and we should have done this yesterday. We saw many sights in the NorthEast Quadrant of the city. We even went off-road and grabbed 5 along the Sunset Trail. Attached is only one of the many cache pictures we took.

We had lunch at the Grubstake Chuck Wagon and it was very filling. Tommy got the #15 (3 Sliders) and could only eat one of them! In general, it is expensive to eat in Quartzsite. Most lunches have been $10 for each of us and that's without the drinks.

After lunch, we grabbed Dexter and went back to the Tyson Wash area of the La Posa LTVA and tried to find the TOW group or the Stonewall BOF group from their directions. We found the roads, found the washes, and found the turn in but didn't find any people other than 2 different man/woman couples who were trying to be out alone by themselves. Some of the roads were not suitable for the motorhome as the washes were too steep, the entrances too narrow or the rocks too big to avoid scrapping bottom. We found a space near road 561 past the 2nd wash that we'll drive to tomorrow morning. This is our last night in town and we're doing laundry and loading up water to be ready for six or so days of boondocking.

It was clear and sunny all day with a hint of a north wind but not too bad. I see Dallas is getting some cold weather but we're staying in the moderate range.

Here is Tommy with a cache in the middle of some tall cactus.

Day 5 - Tuesday

It was a busy day. We started by paying for a 2nd night at the 88 Shades RV Park. Laundry was completed overnight and we could have left this morning but decided to take our time getting to the desert. The 1st order of business was a tour of the town in the daylight. We discovered wide streets, plenty of parking spaces, and most places just now setting up for the crush of visitors expected in another 2 weeks.

We took a trip down Arizona 95 to the La Posa LTVA (Long Term Visitors Area) where you get to decide if you want to stay 2 weeks or 7 months. There is a fee for each and we paid for 2 weeks ($40).

We toured the Tyson's Wash area and saw several places where we could, and could not, get the Coach into comfortably. We decided to wait until Thursday and then move out of 88 Shades for the Tyson's Wash area. While we were scouting out the area, a storm quickly developed (lighting and all) right near where we were. Tommy turned us around and we headed back out to the entrance area. The storm caught us and it was ferocious with hail and very heavy rain. The desert became a mess in mere minutes.

We decided right then to not go so far back with the coach and that we would find a level spot about 1.5 miles in and set up there. Attached are some pictures of the place and the storm as it was brewing.

We ended the day by stopping in Town to see what few vendors were set up already. I bought 22 Hematite rocks to put on my desk for others to see. They are magnetic and quite fun to put in different shapes.

Oh yeah, lunch was at Silly Al's Pizza and it was great. Silly Al's is a cross between a honky-tonk and a seedy, city dive (bar) and the food / service was very good. We recommend.

Day 4 - Wrap Up

OK, all is well that ends well.

The drive from Glen Jones Ford in Casa Grande, AZ, to Quartzsite, AZ, is complete and all survived. We are $400 lighter but have a fixed tow vehicle, a renewed charging system and a fresh HD battery. Yes, I could have obtained one less expensively at Wal*Mart but time was of the essence.

It was growing dark quickly as we took exit 19 into the town. We decided to pull in to the 88 Shades RV Park on the main drag so we could (a) take showers, (b) wash 4 loads of laundry, (c) fill up fresh water and (d) empty the dump tanks. To celebrate our arrival, we found a Mexican restaurant on a side street and had dinner. It was a cash only but loads of food kinda place. It was packed when we arrived but thinned out over the course of the hour we were there. I hate to say it but even at our advanced old ages, we were at least 20 years younger than anyone else in that place and more than 20 years for some. This is not a young persons town.

So, we are fed, watered, washed, and about to bed down for the night. It is forecast to be windy and cooler tomorrow so we may stay at 88 Shades RV another day and explore the town before finding our place in the desert. We saw many RV'S from the road on the way into town but we know this is nothing compared to the 150,000 that will arrive in January.

Day 4 - Quite an Adventure

There are several interesting issues to discuss in this posting.

As we were preparing to pull out of the AZ Rest Area, the sun was coming up and we stopped to take a photo. Far from being the ugly rest stop we first thought, we were near some beautiful rocks and a small hill. See the 1st photo.

Aside from the dead battery, the trip went well and we decided to visit a Flying J for fuel at exit 208 near Eloy, AZ. The price was good (2.53/gal) and they gave us an RV discount of .01 off each gallon. $252 later and we were preparing to leave.

However, I decided to check the Ford to see if it would start. Alas, it was dead again. A quick jump and the engine was back to life. I noticed the Neutral Tow placard said to never tow with a dead battery so I tried to put it gear. Whoops, it said we were going 25mph while sitting still. Long story short - the neutral tow module was stuck in tow mode. Called Ford, found dealer 15 miles away in Casa Grande, we're having lunch in their parking lot while they fix the Ford and install a new battery (and check the charging system).

Lunch was turkey/ham sandwiches in the back lot of Glen Jones Ford. We saw the Ford drive off to a service bay so they must have fixed something. The good news is that they got it back in gear so we can drive it normally. The bad news is that the module won't go back into Neutral so we can't tow it right now. The technician went for lunch so we'll check back after 1pm MT to see if we're going on or spending the night in their back lot.

End of Day 3; Starting Day 4

We crossed all of NM and decided to stay at the AZ Welcome Center. It was dark when our lights lit the Closed Sign at our intended destination (the AZ Rest Area). Bummer. No exits with any services were around. We pressed on and hoped the next Rest Area would be open. It was. We are almost to Tucson. Slept the night and got up early to move out. Ford Explorer tow car has a dead battery. We must start the engine to put it in tow mode so I'm getting out the jumper cables. Not a particularly auspicious start to the day. No Photos for this post. I hope the day is better than it has been so far! Next stop is Exit 208 at a Flying J for another sip of diesel fuel. I estimate this one at close to $300.

Mountain Time & Points West

We're making good time (especially since we are in Mountain Time & gained an hour). We are less than 40 miles from El Paso and about to cross over into New Mexico. The weather has been great with moderate temperatures and sunny skies. We've having lunch at (yet another) rest area along IH-10.

Today's selection includes Ruffles and Chicken Salad on toasted wheat bread.

It is a good thing we have our own sanitary facilities. This rest area has the toilet area gates closed and people are going over into the pet area and joining the dogs!

1st Cache!

We entered a less flat area and came to the end of IH-20 where it merged into IH-10. In a picnic area where a strong cached signal was calling, we found our 1st Geocache of the trip. Photo of the Cache Log signer attached.

It is on to El Paso now and then into New Mexico. Lunch will be due by then.


Oh yes, I forgot to mention that the speed limiut is 80 MPH here along the straight, barren stretch of road. Another photo is attached to prove we are not kidding!

Day #3 - Sunday and Onward

It is early (like 5:30am) and I (Austin) am up getting things ready for the day. We hope to make better time today. In another 70 miles, we'll be on road we have not yet traveled so camaeras are at the ready. It was fairly cold last night dropping to 30 in the Rest Area. I am preheating the diesel engine and loading cache data into the GPS receiver. You know who is still sleeping and I'll pull out at first light. It is almost time to roust Dexter for his walk. He'll have some climate shock as it was near 70 when he crawled into bed last night!

The picture is the 1st light looking East back through the rest area. It is 7:30am Central Time but we are about to move into Mountain Time.

Windmills & Evening #2

West Texas has quite a few windmills around Sweetwater and points west. We stopped at a picnic area with some fairly close as you can see from the photos. We picked $200 worth of diesel in Midland at a Pilot Truck Stop. It was so busy trucks were backed out onto the street waiting to get in. We fueled up and pulled up to keep from blocking the fuel islands. We were pump #21 which was a short hike to the office. No photos as we were pressed to move out and we didn't want to upset the truckers any more than necessary.

We stopped for the night in a rest area about 70 miles before the end of IH-20. We could have gone on but we didn't want to pass through the area (mountains and all) at night and miss the scenery. After all, we are not on a schedule.

Lunch at mid-day

We stopped at another rest area (mm 296) seeking a pay phone but this one had neither a phone nor Wi-Fi. Pay dirt at the next one, though, so we stopped and had lunch. Chili and toasted turkey sandwiches were on the menu. Dexter got a good walk and we headed further west through Sweetwater and on to Midland - Odessa. The goal is to get as close to El Paso tonight as we can.

1st Day (evening actually)

We set out on our journey from the Dallas area to the desert near Quartzsite, AZ, on Friday evening after traffic thinned out. It was 7:45pm when the bus hit the freeway heading west.

Only one heavy traffic area was encountered on IH-820 where Haltom City and Ft Worth come together. We moved through the area in about 10 minutes and were soon on our way west. Just around 10pm, we pulled into an IH-20 rest area (mm 390) and stopped for the night.

Everything worked on the RV except for one pesky alarm on the Inverter that sounded when we were in a place where stopping was impossible. Once we got into the rest area, a quick check showed it had shut down but without any alarms. I turned it back on and it ran flawlessly through the night. 110VAC is important to us as the coach is all-electric and our Amana refrigerator is happier when the power in on.

Breakfast was a set of Owens breakfast Tacos and we started out again around 10am Saturday morning.

The cache in the rest area had been claimed earlier so we decided not to seek any caches until we were in a new area for us. That will be around Pecos, TX, or another 8 hours of driving.