Friday, January 27, 2012

Quartzsite, Arizona

Tuesday, - Wednesday

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land partly sunny and 39 degrees’ to partly sunny and 64 degrees’. We had an afternoon breeze, if something blocked it you did not need a jacket.

We out early and did laundry, boy was it busy in town at the laundry by eight-thirty and there was two machines open, quad load size and Bonnie got us going on them and I went and got breakfast for us at McDonald’s.

I went over to "Boomerville" where Escapee Boomers have a Rally area every year. I wanted to renew our membership, but it was easier to do online. We tried to have a late lunch early dinner in town and the first place we went was packed out, Mountain Quail café so we went to the "new" place Three Family restaurant as they are new and not known. Good food and service.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land partly sunny and 39 degrees’ to partly sunny and 67 degrees’.

Our last full day here this year. Basically getting Buster ready to roll putting things away and cleaning up the area. Our Elk Bof rally collected a large number of pull tabs for Ronald McDonald House. Finding room in Buster to transport them to Phoenix was a challenge. Being able to transfer water into Busters fresh water tank is making the boondocking easier to do. I got this procedure figured out just prior to the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque last September. I went into the big tent early at the opening and made the one purchase I wanted and got out. For dinner our chili chapter group went to thre Grubstake for a three o’clock dinner and had pour service, food was good but took forever. After I built a fire at our fire ring and the group trickled out with their chairs.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Quartzsite, Arizona

Sunday - Monday
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land mostly cloudy and 40 degrees’ with lower wind to cloudy and 67 degrees’. Last night the wind was pulsing giving Buster a rocking motion from time to time in the evening.

In the late morning some of our chapter #23 members car pooled to the desert bar north of Parker, AZ and off road about five miles into the desert on gravel roads. The bar is only open on weekends and there is no connection to the electric grid, all their electric is solar power. Live music cold drinks everything is run from solar.

On the return to buster we had happy hour out side with the football games played on Buster’s outside television New England Patriots and The NY Giants were the winners.

You can notice from this post that we have stayed away from Quartzsite for a couple of days as the traffic in town is crazy the first weekend of the big tent opening. We will be in there tomorrow, looking for LED lights.

Monday, January 23, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land mostly cloudy and 42 degrees’ to mostly cloudy and 67 degrees’ with some rain, most of the rain was after dark.

Not today, pancake breakfast at La Masa RV or "breakfast at the Silver Buckle" the name on the building at La Masa RV sales that is giving free breakfasts and lunch, they were backed out the door on line, we went elsewhere for breakfast today.

Wow they (Rv snowbirds) have arrived the traffic today was at its peak and difficult getting around town. We did get the LED lights replacing the fluorescent bulbs in two fixtures with one stick of LED’s in each fixture and have more light and greatly reduced energy consumed from our batteries. Thank you George B he recommended a sticks and bricks place that is selling the LED lights. Today with the cloud cover solar charging was at a minimum generator time.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Quartzsite, Arizona

Thursday - Friday - Saturday

Thursday, January 19, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land partly sunny and 39 degrees’ to partly sunny and 69 degrees’. Third nice day in a row with the wind down. Every morning I have an urn of coffee at seven thirty and we have a small fire in the fire ring during the morning mens social coffee.

This afternoon was our Elk C-BoF pot-luck dinner and auction for Escapees CARE Facility with the auction raising $433.00 donation for CARE.

Friday, January 20, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land partly sunny and 41 degrees’ to partly sunny and 72 degrees’. Typical morning coffee and social. This afternoon at three we had dinner at the Grubstake their special is fried fish and chips (other things on the menu) thirty five of us gathered there and we ran a 50-50 raising $55.00 for Escapees Care Facility. Today closed this rally and some of us Elks are also members of the Chili Chapter #23 from New Mexico. We are staying on and other chapter members are joining us for another rally until the twenty fifth.

Saturday, January 21, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land mostly cloudy with a wind that has flags almost straight and flapping and 58 degrees’ to partly sunny and 65 degrees’ and flags straight out and hardly flapping because the wind is so strong. We were able to have happy hour huddled up between rigs as the wind was blowing from the south southwest. Just as happy hour was ending the wind shifted around coming from the west. These evenings and nights the sunsets are great and with that it was time to go inside Buster.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Quartzsite, Arizona

Tuesday, - Wednesday

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land mostly sunny and 37 degrees’ to sunny and 68 degrees’. The breeze laid down making a very nice day.

I had the generator on early to make a urn of morning coffee before a bunch of us went into town for the free breakfast at La Masa RV sales. I went to Ehrenberg to check mail and was skunked, no mail had arrived. Stopped in town to browse a flea market make a reservation for Friday’s fish luncheon and water and propane gas for Buster. From The Ranch in Lakewood, NM Chuck and Netty stopped by and Barbara and Roger arrived for the rally today.

Twenty nine rigs have come in for the Escapees Elk BoF Rally that starts today, other Elks and Escapees came by this afternoon to visit. We had happy hour at three as the sunsets early (cools off) with the mountains blocking the last direct sunlight. Traffic in town has been moderate, slower buildup to the big tent opening this Saturday.



Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land partly sunny and 37 degrees’ to partly sunny and 69 degrees’. We went to Scadden Wash along the south side of interstate ten east of Quartzsite for the Escapees Happy Hour this is the club get together a very big gathering of Escapees. I was passing out flyers for discounted week stay at The Ranch in Lakewood, NM. Then back to Plomosa road for our own group social hour and evening fire at the fire ring.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Quartzsite, Arizona

Sunday - Monday

Sunday, January 15, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land partly cloudy and 42 degrees’ to partly cloudy and 64 degrees’ with a breeze blowing this afternoon.

NFL football playoffs, Giants upset Packers, on to San Francisco next Sunday.

Six rigs came in today for the Escapees Elk BoF Rally that starts Tuesday, many others came by this afternoon to visit. And we has a four PM happy hour at the fire ring.

Monday, January 16, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land partly sunny and 56 degrees’ to partly sunny and 67 degrees’. Better sun but there was a stiff breeze all day.

From our Escapees Elk BoF six couples went into Quartzsite for pancake breakfast at La Masa RV or "breakfast at the Silver Buckle" the name on the building at La Masa RV sales that is giving free breakfasts and lunch. Frank and Rosemary former leaseholders at The Ranch stopped by in the afternoon.

Six more rigs came in today for the Escapees Elk BoF Rally that starts Tuesday, others came by this afternoon to visit.

A small happy hour at three today in front of Soren and Barbara’s rig.
Six couples and a single went for dinner at the Parker Elks Lodge a nice outing.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Quartzsite, Arizona

Friday and Saturday
Friday, January 13, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land partly sunny and 39 degrees’ to partly sunny and 66 degrees’. For a while this afternoon there was full sun and the solar was charging the batteries at 20.5 amps per hour.

We both went to breakfast for biscuits and gravy today then to Parker to pickup mail, and you can never for get uncle Wally.

We had pizza for lunch and dinner (left overs or take home) today. Tomorrow is an up and out early for Buster as he is getting another solar panel.

Saturday, January 14, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land partly sunny and 33 degrees’ to partly sunny and 65 degrees’. There was a cloud bank that moved thru but that did clear today.

We took Buster into Quartzsite for another solar panel when to dump black and gray water tanks while Buster was there in town. Then fill the fresh water tank. While they were working on Buster we went for pancake breakfast at La Masa RV or "breakfast at the Silver Buckle" the name on th building at La Masa RV sales that is giving free breakfasts and lunch.

Breakfast
NFL football playoffs start today

Five rigs came in today for the Escapee Elk BoF Rally that starts Tuesday. There was a short window of good sun and the batteries were charging at 31.2 amps per hour. Four solar panels two are tilted up for maximum possible charging rate and two flat to the roof. The ones that are flat on the roof would require me to go on top of Buster to tilt them up and I do not go on top. I raise the left side from the side and Buster is positioned mostly east for the best sun and the wind at his back or left side. The morning sun on the windshield is also warming the inside.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Quartzsite, Arizona

Tuesday - Thursday
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land partly sunny and 39 degrees’ to partly sunny and 67 degrees’.

Up and out early (for us) laundry for Bonnie since we left Apache Junction Busters washing machine "Lougie" has been on vacation as no full hookups where we are parking. So we pack the cloths to the Palm Laundromat here in Quartzsite today. This place got busy right after we had our machines running. While the machines were running I went for the free pancake breakfast at La Masa RV sales. When Pam was visiting yesterday and telling her about the picture issue I was having with the new computer. Today she e-mailed me instructions and links to fix the issue, thank you Pam. We also made a trip to Parker, AZ for a Walmart run.

One rig came in today for the Escapee Elk BoF Rally that starts Tuesday here on Plomosa Road.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land partly sunny and 41 degrees’ to partly sunny and 68 degrees’. One rig rigs came in today for the Elk BoF Rally that starts Tuesday.

We both went to breakfast then to Tyson Wells flea market for the rest of the morning. Walking around there we meet Audrey and Herschel then we all went to the Grubstake for lunch. This evening it is bingo at the senior center, the lady next to Bonnie won the $700 jackpot.

Thursday, January 12, 2012
Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM land partly sunny and 42 degrees’ to partly sunny and 61 degrees’.

Bonnie was sleeping in today I went to pancake breakfast alone. This afternoon we walked around Rice Ranch flea market.

Happy hour over at Audrey and Herschel’s rig with a Escapee couple stopped by checking on next weeks Rally seeing if we are here.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Quartzsite, Arizona

Friday, to Monday
Friday, January 6, 2012
Yuma, Arizona - Paradise Quechan Indian Casino 52 degrees’ and sunny to 77 degrees’ and sunny. A late appointment with the dentist so we went to Arizona Marketplace, flee market. They are much smaller at this time this year, less vendors and smaller crowd visiting.

Saturday, January 7, 2012
Yuma, Arizona - Paradise Quechan Indian Casino 48 degrees’ and sunny to 74 degrees’ and sunny.

NFL Wildcard weekend today was good for the home teams.

Sunday, January 8, 2012
Yuma, Arizona - Paradise Quechan Indian Casino 56 degrees’ and sunny to 73 degrees’ and sunny.

NFL Wildcard weekend between games we took a ride in Silver Sally to Cocopah Casino & Resort it is on the south side of Yuma. Smoke free Sunday, yea, no Buffett, boo, this year it’s a small menu and a cafeteria style restaurant. There was plenty of open space in the RV parking area, maybe it is still early. The Denver game was a big surprise.

Monday, January 9, 2012
Yuma, Arizona - Paradise Quechan Indian Casino 48 degrees’.

Head him up move him out, today is travel to Q, Quartzsite, Arizona twenty miles from California. Buster was taken for propane and diesel ($3.809) Buster’s generator runs on diesel and travel from phoenix and using only the top quarter of the tank. Ninety two mile trip up US 95 from Yuma to Quartzsite a nice easy drive with elevation change from two hundred to nine hundred feet.

Quartzsite, Arizona - Plomosa Road BLM RV camp area. A Ranch Hand Pam came over to visit with us as she is camped on dome rock road in Quartzsite. We are also visiting with a couple Audrey and Herschal who were visitors to The Ranch last month.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Yuma, AZ

Monday, January 2, 2012
Yuma, Arizona - Paradise Quechan Indian Casino 48 degrees’ and sunny to 80 degrees’ and sunny.

Apache Junction sunset
College football bowl games. With the holiday we took it easy and rested from our trip west yesterday. Buster is boon docking (no electric hookups no water connection and no waste water connection) at the Quechan Indian Paradise casino slightly west of Yuma, AZ. We will probably be here until Monday next.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Jean Bob and Trudy
Yuma, Arizona - Paradise Quechan Indian Casino 56 degrees’ and sunny to 77 degrees’ and sunny. There was a cloud bank that pasted thru late morning then it was a nice day. We drove Silver Sally around to see what has changed ofer the summer, not much.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Yuma, Arizona - Paradise Quechan Indian Casino 51 degrees’ and sunny to 80 degrees’ and sunny.

Bonnie dentist today for the first evaluation visit and will return tomorrow at nine for work to be done.

Thursday, January 5, 2012
Yuma, Arizona - Paradise Quechan Indian Casino 55 degrees’ and sunny to 80 degrees’ and sunny.

Dentist today and lunch in Los Algodones, Mexico Paraiso restaurant. Last year our group had lunch here, finding it again turned out to be easy. Returning to the United States normally a line for boarder crossing was very short not going down the side street to slowly move to the turnstile gate, instead we walked directly to the turnstile gate.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Yuma, AZ

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Apache Junction, Arizona 46 degrees’ and sunny.

We took our time getting packed up filling the water tank, dumping the holding tanks and moving Buster. Traveling thru Phoenix was going to be the best today and stopped to top off Busters diesel fuel ($3.679 a gallon). It was a nice traveling day two hundred and nineteen miles warm sun and easy traffic.

Yuma, Arizona - Paradise Quechan Indian Casino 77 degrees’ and sunny. They are making some additions to the parking area, adding lights near each end of every other row. There had been rain and some ruts from rigs driving thru puddled water and where there was digging for the electric wires to the light poles.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Apache Junction, Arizona

Thursday, Friday and Saturday, December 31, 2011
We had a slow signal this morning in Apache Junction, Arizona but we are now in Yuma.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Apache Junction, Arizona 45 degrees’ and sunny to 73 degrees’ and sunny.
Avery George, Jackie and Carole
Our grandson Avery arrived today on their way back to California. Carole, Jackie and Avery arrived about lunchtime from Deming, NM. I am not feeling the best as I have a sinus infection. They also have their dogs with them and were able to let them stretch their paws behind Buster there is an open field for the dogs to run, although they are seniors and do not run like they used to, a lot more lay and watch. After we went to an indoor amusement and game activity in Mesa for Avery and we could visit and a nice pizza for dinner.
Avery

Friday, December 30, 2011
Apache Junction, Arizona 36 degrees’ and sunny to 73 degrees’ and sunny. They (Carole, Jackie and Avery) got a Motel in Mesa and we went to Buster. Bonnie and I went to the motel in Mesa and watched Avery swim in the pool latter we all went to a western frontier town for Avery and had dinner there.

Saturday, December 31, 2011
                                                        Happy New Year
Apache Junction, Arizona 45 degrees’ and sunny to 78 degrees’ and sunny. They (Carole, Jackie and Avery) continued their trip home in the morning.

Doing better today, sinuses are slowing down and there is recovery underway all day.