Saturday, 12 November 2016

Hot Air Balloons & the desert

Somehow we are travelling slower this year, still in the US November 12. We spent 4 nights dry camping in the desert near Quartzite, Arizona – spent a small fortune on a lot of amazing beads & supplies at Gemworld and wandered the desert rockhounding  and checking out abandoned mines. We managed to fit in some time to do our crafts – Robin carving and me making jewelry. As usual we set up our hummingbird feeder when we arrived and first thing in the morning they found it!





We moved on to Yuma, first spending 3 very hot nights dry camping at the Quechan Casino. Had a good visit with Serge & Suzanne, our French-Canadian friends, also on their way to Baja. Of course we made a day trip into Algodones, Mexico, to get our Immigration cards & tacos & beer. We ran into a couple at the Golden Corral buffet that we met 3 years ago on the Baja when he took us out fishing (one of my highlights). They are also Canadian, from the NWT – small world. We checked out the huge outdoor Arizona Marketplace, bought LED replacement lightbulbs for the RV at a fraction of the cost back home (and managed to swap them out without any problems!)
We decided to check out the Sans End RV park after being given a discount coupon while at the casino – after arriving and starting up  our A/C we decided to book in for a week! Temperatures are averaging 30-34C every day! Nice place, lots of palm trees but we are missing the beach. Quite a few activities going on here, already we have gone to an ice cream social, bingo (just me), gold prospectors club, taco potluck with a musical jam session and free coffee & donuts this morning. They have an interesting deal here, if you do some sort of work around the park, 20 hrs per week, you get free rent! For here that’s over $400, pretty good.  Friendly folks here, but don’t talk politics – we were here thru the election night and people have some pretty strong opinions - and of course Robin likes to stir it up! Our neighbors here, believe it or not, are from Two Hills, John & Nicole. She is Trevor Hnatiuk’s mother-in-law so they know a lot of people that we know. Again, very small world.


Algodones sand dunes

map of our travels on the RV

We have been happy to just hang out and relax here, as well as a few local jaunts. Only went out looking for rocks once – dumortierite, a blue aluminum ore, quite pretty. I made 3 trips shopping in one day to buy computer cooling fans until we got the right one – our fridge has been temperamental and not cooling well when it’s hot out. The work camper who is an electrician had a look at it, said all we needed was to install a cooling fan in the outdoor fridge compartment, which he did & voila, it’s working fine! Much easier to spend $45 than $6000 for a new fridge! This RV has a washer & a dryer, we thought they were just taking up space, but not so – they are wonderful! I have used them several times this week and it sure beats plugging quarters into machines & hanging out in laundromats.

weeding the lettuce fields

Sans End RV park


This weekend is the Colorado River Crossing hot air balloon festival – we were there before sun-up to watch. Marvelous sight to behold – these balloons are massive and you could wander among them as they set them up. Robin, ever the helpful one, assisted a couple with getting theirs set up. They spread out the balloon on the ground, fill it using a huge fan and then flip the basket upright and use the flame to finish filling. Before you know it they take off! Good for a lot of photos! Tonight is the balloon glow at dusk followed by fireworks. They offer tethered rides later, I may work up enough courage to go.


stuff to buy!


filling

Robin helping

Robin again


We leave here in the morning, one more night in the US on the way to the border then into Mexico Monday. Looking forward to the beach and good authentic tacos. Life is good!


3 comments:

  1. Olav and May, Hello both. Good to both see and watch that you are well and have lots to do. We realy liked Robin's handwork, but later you have to take a few photos close to your handworks Karen. It was to far. Take care before going to Mexioco, maybe you have to stay, when Trump is going to build his fence. Be careful and take care. We follow. Love from two crows in Cyprus

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  2. Sounds like you are having a very relaxing adventure this time out. Yeah, why rush! The balloons were enough to stick around for the week.

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  3. Once again enjoyed the pics and comments of your travels. And yes we would like to see your bead work closer. Still no snow here, but I am sure it won't be long before we are shoveling. Enjoy CHEERS

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