Left Albquerque late and drove 3 hours to Gallup, NM. Stayed at the Elk's Lodge. We had a beautiful view out the back window high on a hill. Monday, we returned to Arizona for the first time in 5 1/2 months. We were on I 10 and took 2 side trips with the trailer in tow.
We drove thru the Painted Desert/Petrified Forest doing 2 hikes.
We went into Holbrook for lunch and as we were driving down historic Route 66 we passed the Wigwam motel. I immediately burst into tears because I had stayed there when I was 10 years old. Always remembered that place and wondered where it was and if it still existed. I even remembered that the beds were vibrator beds with a coin meter.
We then went on to Meteor Crater for a guided tour.
We drove thru Flagstaff just before sunset and arrived at a Cliff Castle Casino for overnight parking and dinner at Johnny Rockets just at dusk. They are neat 50's diner look, jukebox with tunes for 5 cents and the wait staff do a dance routine.
Tuesday, we arrived in Phoenix to pick up my motorhome. We parked at the Moose Lodge then believe it or not we went looking at RV's. We discussed the fact that we really do not need two rv's. By combining into one we could save money. After looking for 3 days and dickering with 2 dealers that wanted our rigs but also full amount for the new one we decided to try to sell our rigs ourselves. We met with Ron and Candy for lunch and late afternoon Friday we left Phoenix and went to the Escapee park at Congress. We are traveling with my car and Bob's truck and 5th wheel and left my motorhome in the outside storage area. When we got to the park we took my car into Wickenburg for a fish fry and dancing at the Elk's lodge.
Saturday we arrived at Golden Shores below Bullhead City on what is known as the west coast of Arizona. The Colorado River forms the border with California. It is mostly sandy so, therefore, called a coast. We went up to Bullhead City for the afternoon circle of the WINS and then out to the Moose Lodge with them for a salmon dinner and dancing. Sunday they moved to Golden Shores where we are hosting the next leg of the WINS WARM circuit. They started at Lake Mead and kayak various areas of the river until reaching Yuma just before Thanksgiving.
Monday we did an 11 miles stretch of the river. There were 26 kayaks. We were almost as pretty as the balloons with all the various colors. Lunch on a nice beach and some took a dip in the cold water. Back at the campground we have an afternoon circle which we lead as hosts. Then we all went out to Hooch's for 50 cent Tacos. After dark we have a campfire. There was the WIN candle last night. It is a log that has cuts made lengthwise in it and a wick of duct tape down the center. Each 1/8 piece is numbered and bets are made as to which piece will fall first.
Tuesday we woke to a brief shower then sprinkles. We waited until 11 am then caravanned to Oatman on old RT 66. It was an old mining town and after it was vacated the burros were turned loose. The decendants of those burros have free run of the street and are fed carrots. Some even follow the carrot feeders into the stores and have to be shooed out.
Wednesday, Bob and about 17 others did a 14 mile kayak trip.
I opted out and was glad I did when I saw him come home exhausted. Thursday was 4 wheeling day. We did a 51 mile trip on roads that were terrible. Bob even got the truck stuck. His back shock absorber got stuck on a huge rock. All the guys came to help and they had to shovel the front wheels out, jack up the back end and he drove forward off the jack. Then another lady got her SUV stuck on a rock. Again the men came to the rescue and got her off the rock. In addition, we did a 2 mile hike to find a hot springs. We only found an old bed spring.Friday was our last day to host. We opted not to go kayaking and stayed home and reorganized our truck and trailer. Saturday finds us going to the community party and then moving on to Bullhead City to join another singles group on a caravan to Death Valley. More in the next blog.
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