The Trip Home

Day 63-65, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, March 18, 19, 20, The Trip Home

We headed north for home, Jim deciding to go along the ridge of mountains through Nevada into California, rather than go down to the valley, then back up again over the pass.  Sunday night we found Whiskey Flats RV Park near Hawthorne, Nevada, with a view of Mount Grant.  We found out there is a road to the top of this 11,000 foot peak, would like to try it some time when there is no snow!  We got the next- to-the-last spot in the park – snowbirds are heading north!

Whiskey Flats RV Park, Mt. Grant in the background.

We headed to Susanville, where Linda has long wanted to go, because that is one end of the Biz Johnson Rail Trail.  We stayed at Susanville RV Park, another nice park, with lots of quail.  We rode our bikes from the campground, on a paved trail along the Susanville River, and after a little stumbling around, found the Susanville Train Depot and the head of the Biz Johnson Trail.  We were able to ride for a mile or so, the trail a little muddy from melting snow, until we came to a very snowy spot in the trail.  It was cold and windy, so we headed back.  Got to see the trail!  Normally there would be lots more snow here in March – will have to come here another time of the year.  This 24 mile trail is reported to be beautiful in the fall.

Heading north in Nevada and California

A river named after my daughter, Susan!

Biz Johnson Trail.  There was snow up around the corner! 

Old railroad station is a museum now, was closed when we were there.

Tuesday morning we got up, got organized, and headed north, going through the beginning of a snowstorm as we headed up Highway 194 in California, through wild country along the ridge of the mountains, then 34 in Oregon.  We stopped at the Hungry Bear Diner in Klamath Falls for lunch, arriving in Gladstone about 7 pm.  Eggs and toast were all we needed for dinner at Linda’s house, while she unloaded her stuff out of the motorhome.  Jim hooked up my car battery, turned on the water and circuit breakers for the hot water heater.  Jim headed north to Camas on Wednesday morning.  I went up on Friday, and we spent Saturday cleaning cupboards, woodwork, and doing the laundry that had not been done in Gladstone.  Ready for our next trip!

Heading north from Susanville.  Very few cars!

Yes, there was a sign that said Carry Traction Tires.  We did not.

The view from Jim's deck Saturday morning!  Guess we came back
too soon!

Bounder tucked away in its shed!

Laughlin's Riverfront RV Resort, Laughlin, NV

Day 60 - 62, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, March 15 - 17, Laughlin’s Riverfront RV Resort, Laughlin, NV

We traveled from Parker Strip through the Mojave Desert to Bullhead City, then over the Colorado River to the Casino RV Park – hundreds of sites here on a terraced hill, many very high-end RV’s, and some small, old RV’s that are clearly full-time homes for their inhabitants.  All you have to do is call to get a free shuttle to the casino!  Hee hee!  (Kind of like the time we stayed for free at the casino south of Tucson and each ended up donating $20 to the casino!) We had a nice dinner, chicken and stuffing and gravy and fresh broccoli.  We took Sarah for a walk around the park – nice grassy areas for her here, not all sand and gravel.

Friday, we rode our bikes out of the park, crossed a street, and rode up to Davis Dam, going on the paved Riverside Trail, along the Colorado.  We rode across the dam, and I rode up a hill to Highway 95, then we rode back over the dam and rode up Davis Dam Road to Highway 163, then found our way back to the park, coming in on side roads and a back entrance.  Guess what!  Riding back down from the dam, the headwind caused us to have to pedal.  We had a headwind most of the way up Davis Dam Road, too!  Turning a gentle rise into a steeper one!

Jim on Davis Dam.  

Mojave Lake, an impoundment of the Colorado River.

In the afternoon we went for a drive, stopped for lunch at In and Out, checked out Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area (great campground on the river, 24 spots and no reservations), Jim got a haircut, picked up a few things at Safeway, and checked out Davis Camp County Park – it had no spots when I tried to get in!  After taco salad for Dinner, we walked down to the casino and went to the two Classic Car showrooms at the Riverfront Casino.  Several Model T’s, Thunderbirds, Mustangs, Chevy Bel-Air 1955 – 1957,  some unique and unusual cars.   Many people who own these cars are displaying them here.

Saturday we decided not to battle the wind on our bikes or in our kayaks, hung around the wonderful RV, listened to music, did some tidying up, and I worked on the blog!  In the afternoon we drove up toward Mohave Lake and went on some back roads into the desert.  Compare the population density here with the casinos about 10 miles away!

It is not the trackless desert, but it is uninhabited!

On our drive into the desert, we walked up a steep, rocky, road to an old
mine site.  3Z remained below, vainly looking for kayaking water.

In the desert you take pictures of rocks, because not much else is there.

A creosote bush adds exciting color.

Some people are not good about electronic recycling.

We thought this rock formation looked like a hand.

Emerald Cove RV Resort, Earp, CA

Days 57 – 59, Monday – Wednesday, March 12 – 14, Emerald Cove RV Resort, Earp, California

On Monday we headed to Wickenberg, stopping for lunch and walked around Old Town a bit, so Jan and Dwayne got to see the Jail Tree.  We got a spot at Emerald Cove not far from the Dog Beach, so Sarah got to chase stick, her favorite pastime, first time on this trip since Black Butte Lake!  Lots of Grackles and wild donkeys in this park.

Jan and her new boyfriend.  She will bake bolt cutters in a cake for him.

Dwayne warning the guy to leave Jan alone.

Linda getting down close and personal.  This guy has not bathed!

Will burros!  Apparently these people had been putting out raw veggies
for the burros, which is expressly forbidden.  One morning we counted 11
of them in the campground!

Sarah in a frenzy over stick fetching at Dog Beach.

 Tuesday morning Jan and I did laundry at the park.  Dwayne and Jim took 3Z up Bowman Wash and explored the area.  Jim sent the copter up to get videos of Angel Monument, a private memorial someone has created up in the wilderness.  They drove up Horse Head canyon, all rough trails and barely passable even with 4-wheel drive.  It felt too hot to kayak in the afternoon.

Be nice to have a geologist with us!  Guessing this is sedimentary.

This looks like lava!

Reminding us of Arches or Natural Bridges in Utah.

Layers of eroded rocks?

This is a memorial out in the desert, to a kid who died in an ATV accident.

This rock formation is up Horse Head Canyon!

Wednesday, we took the kayaks up to Quail Hollow Recreation Area and kayaked back down the Colorado to the RV park, an easy downriver float, right?  Wrong!  We battled a headwind all the way down this scenic river, sometimes barely moving forward!  Dwayne got out to walk for a way, dragging his kayak, but dropped the paddle and had to go back to fetch it!  We all straggled in eventually, getting back in time to go to the Tiki Bar at the park and get patty melts for lunch.  Then for dinner we went to Roadrunner Floating Dock Bar, although the wind was blowing too much to sit on the rocking and rolling dock!  We more than took care of any calories we burned kayaking against the wind.

Jan and I waited while the guys took a vehicle back to the campground.

A big Colorado River, sparkling clean water.

Sarah always assists in meal preparation.

Thursday morning, we got cinnamon rolls at the Clubhouse, hooked up, and departed.  Jan and Dwayne are heading home, stopping first at Orange Grove RV Park outside Bakersfield.  We are heading to Laughlin, Nevada.

McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Fountain Hills, AZ

Days 50 – 56, Monday to Sunday, March 5 – March 11, McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Rio Verde, AZ

When we left Catalina on Monday, we stopped at Casa Grande to see the ruins there, and we listened to a great ranger talk that told us about the history of the people who built this huge edifice of caliche and the town and extensive canal system that surrounded it. The building predicted astronomical events such as solstices and equinoxes, as well as the lunar standstill that occurs every 18.6 years.

Knowledgeable and enthusiastic ranger talk.

Jan by the building.  There is a pair of Great Horned Owls nesting here.

I was still coughing a lot all week, and trying to rest.  We like the campsites here out in the desert, and Jan and Duane could see the fountain at Fountain Hills from their spot!  Jim did a lot of mountain biking on the trails here, one day biking a (slightly unplanned) 30 miles!  One day he met his friends Dave and Jim to mountain bike from the Brown Ranch Trailhead in the McDowell Sonoran Reserve.  I went on a bike ride with Jan on the roads in the park on Thursday. On Friday I was feeling better, walked the 3-mile North Trail nature loop, reinforcing my knowledge of the names of the plants and trees here.  I saw a Harris Hawk on top of a saguaro.  On Sunday I walked a 4-mile loop from the RV, down the Granite Trail to the Pemberton Trail, up to the old Pemberton ranch, then back down to the Visitor Center and up the road to our RV.

Horses as well as hikers and mountain bikers on these trails!

Bikers hoping not to unbalance the rock.

Better not to stand below this!

Jim and Dave, those bare legs are scary in the desert!

Big Saguaro and Big Guy.

North Trail with the Four Peaks in the distance.

Desert vista

Packrat nest on the North Trail.

This deserves some thought!

The dry winter means the wildflowers are not blooming here as we have seen them in the past.  There are lots of Curve-Billed Thrashers and Cactus Wrens, but not many Phainopepla.   That has been true this entire trip.   We got a hummingbird feeder that is stuck on the dining table window, and I was clearly able to identify a Golden-Fronted Woodpecker, a Texas bird that is not common in this area! 

Wednesday, we drove to Saguaro Lake and kayaked.  Last year Jim got a great picture of an eagle here!  We kayaked up to the top of Willow Creek Canyon, a narrow gorge, and beached the kayaks and walked up the canyon a bit.  We saw a Canyon Wren close up, as it walked upside down on the wall of the canyon hunting insects.  As so often happens, we battled a bit of a headwind on the way back!

Saguaro Lake

We paddled up Willow Creek, beached our kayaks and walked up the canyon.

Tuesday night we went down to Fountain Hills to have dinner at the All-American Brewpub, with a view of the fountain.  Friday night Dave and Ellie and Jim and his friend Teresa joined us for dinner.  We barbecued steaks, I made stir-fried veggies and rice, Jan and Dwayne provided appetizers, and Ellie and Dave brought brownies and ice cream for dessert.  A lovely evening!  The weather has warmed up a bit, so we were comfortable sitting outside.

Catalina State Park, Tucson, AZ

Days 43 – 49, Monday to Sunday, February 26 – March 4, Catalina State Park, Oro Valley, AZ

We looped to the east a bit for a different drive, up to one of our favorite parks!  The campground is full, as always.  Requiring reservations a full year in advance!  It has been a drought year, so we were OK about the wind and rain that accompanied our arrival!  Jim is feeling better, but I am coughing and trying to rest.

We did some shopping for groceries, and went to Walmart to get a hummingbird feeder which sticks to the window, putting it on the window right by our table.  With the shaded windows, it is not easy to see inside.  We soon had hummingbirds, Gila woodpeckers, and a cute Verdin, gray with a yellow head, and I could see the bright maroon red shoulder patches on its shoulder!  Not as many birds here this year – there has been a drought.  It is cold this week – snow on the Catalina mountains above us!

Hummingbird feeder mounted on the window

Catalina mountains with snow on them.

Fighting this cold and not wanting it to turn into pneumonia, I took it easy this week.  I did a lot of reading, a 1,000 page book called Column of Fire, by Ken Follet, about the reigns of Queen Elizabeth the 1 and the defeat of the Spanish Armada.   Jan and I went for a 12-mile bike ride out the park and down the bike paths one day.  Jim rode his bike over to Interstate 10, to a model airplane field, about a 30-mile round trip.  Friday there was a ranger-led archaeology walk to the nearby Romero Ruins, and he did a great job talking about the people who lived here 1,000 years ago, leaving the area in about 1400.  Jim and Dwayne took the copters to fly at Naranja Park one afternoon. 

I saw a bobcat along the bike path.  Jan saw a skunk!

Plane at model airplane park Jim rode his bike to.

These are big model planes!

Ranger with the light of knowledge shining!

Part of the Romero ruins, where people lived 1,000 years ago.

Moonrise over the Catalina Mountains.

Statues at Naranja Park, the Catlinas in the background.

A Lark Sparrow!  A new species identified!

Saturday, we enjoyed a concert at the trailhead at Catalina, a singer – guitar player – poet who does a very pleasing show.  We saw her last year.  A pretty spot under the trees with the mountains rising above us!

Music and the mountains.

Sunday night we met Tinker and Greg at an Italian restaurant in north Tucson.  This is such a nice area, and I look forward to taking better advantage of the hiking trails and bike paths here next year!  We got our reservations for next year – it is already filling up.  Lost Dutchman is full already, so we missed the boat on that one for next year!