Prescott National Forest

April 29, 2013

Time for another dune buggy ride....this time we headed out to Prescott National Forest.  The scenery was great but the ride was a wee bit bumpy.  By the time we finally got to the Forest we only drove 5 or 6 miles into it and turned around and headed back.  We tried to take a short cut to the forest and ended up driving about 40 miles out of the way, then had to turn around and come back to the main road.  Sometimes short-cuts aren't so short!!!!

The road going into the forest was as big as a four lane highway, just way to wash-board for any kind of comfort.  Even Abby was ready for that ride to come to an end!

Not much of a forest where we were...but the scenery was great!!

We are really enjoying the versility of the dune buggy: on high way driving and off-road adventures.

Having a great time....wish you were here!!!

Barb, Jim & Abby

Isn't he cute!!!!!!

April 26, 2013

I almost stepped on this little guy....he looks like a prehistoric creature!


OK, Mr. DeMille, I am ready for my close up!!!!

I think I would rather run into this little guy than a diamond back rattlesnake.!!!

That's all for the oddities for this week. Remember to look where you are walking or you may just walk on interesting little creatures.

Life is a Journey...enjoy it!!!!

Barb

Route 93 & Burro Creek Campground

April 18 & 19, 2013

On April 16th we had to leave the BLM area south of Quartzsite...they closed the desert for the summer.  We moved to the 14-day BLM area north of Quartzsite for a few days.  The weather was just not to our liking to go further north yet.

We ventured north on the 18th.  Because we had traveled Route 95 before we decided to explore a new way of getting to Cousin Bob's.  We went up Route 93, and what a pleasant surprise.  We traveled through the Joshua Tree Scenic Byway:



A Joshua Tree.  The branches looks like bottle brushes.



We missed the trees in full bloom by two weeks!!!




The blooms go to seed.

 

Some of the trees along the road side.





The terrain turned into Sonoran Desert with Saquaro Cacti.



Then the terrian turned into large rock piles.
I  expected to see a big rock man rise up and start throwing rocks!!






















We drove over to the little town of Bagdad, AZ.  It is a Copper and Gold mining town out in the middle of absolutely nowhere.

Up the road a bit from Bagdad is the (was the ) area of Nothing, AZ.



Nothing,AZ.    Not much left of Nothing.

We spent a couple of nights in Burro Creek Campground (at MM 140.5 on AZ Route 93).  Cute campground and we met a lot of really nice people there.

It is part of the Federal BLM system, so the fee
was 1/2 price for seniors.  ($7.00/night)



Campground was along Burro Creek



Under the Burro Creek Bridge.



It looks like we were camped under the bridge.



A view of the campground from atop of the cliff
across the creek.


















Took the dune buggy out for a ride on 17 Mile Road.



Some of the off roads aren't to bad!!!!



Saw some little burros.



Lots of pretty flowers.....



and lots of rocks...it is Arizona after all!!!!



 Again, you see the darnedest things in the desert. 

Snoopy, Woodstock & Snoopy's brother Spike, welcoming you to
Wikieup, AZ.





 The rest of Rt 93 was pretty nondescript and the trip to Cousin Bob's were uneventful and made it there with no problems.  It did, however, take us 34 minutes to drive from the freeway off ramp to bob's property; a total of 6 miles.  Really lumpy road.

On to the next adventure!!!!

Until later.....have a great day and enjoy!

Barb & Jim & Abby

Fires and Dinners in the desert

March 2013

Any excuse!!!!  Then again there really doesn't have to be an excuse  for a fire or everyone getting together for dinner.  Just a form of entertainment!!!!



These fires are all beginning to
look alike!!!!



The group discussing the days events.



Some of the fellows launching a Chinese Lantern.





Any excuse to go out to dinner.  I can't remember
why we all did go out for dinner that night.



The group is getting smaller!
This one was for George leaving.

It is getting lonelier in the desert now.  Most of the people that were here are already home by now.  We are staying till they kick us out!!!   April 15th is the last day and the desert closes then.  The coyotes, snakes, scorpion and lizards get their desert back!  It was a nice place to visit for the winter...I don't think I would want to live here...during the summer.  It can get up to 120 degrees.

What I am going to miss is the sunsets:

or this one:

The Moon going down at 4AM

Hope you have a comfortable summer....let's not think of the winter.

Barb & Jim & Abby

Dune Buggy Adventures

March 2013

The Dune Buggy sure has been getting a workout since it has been rebuilt and the top has been added.  Here are some of the sights of the desert, so far.....

Cant forget the flowers of the desert this year.....

And we can't forget you see the darnedest things in the desert.....

On one of our rides in the desert, Jim spied a Delorean sitting behind someones garage.

We saw the Clydesdale's horse at the gas station.  They opened the doors to the stalls while the truck was being fueled.  That trailer was immaculate!!!!

There is a "Airport" in Quartzsite.  From the main road it looks like the airplanes were "real".  We got up close to the aircraft.  The one didn't have any wings and was sitting on three tractor tires, and the other one wasn't airworthy either.  They were there just for show!!!

The pack of cigarettes was to mark where Jim saw a Scorpion.  Look really hard and you will find the little bugger!!!!  Weather is getting warmer (90's) so the snakes and scorpions are coming out now.


Hope the weather is getting better where you are!!!!

Time to move on soon.

Barb & Jim & Abby

Dune Buggy Top

March 18, 2013

Ok, on August 8, 2012 we got a cute little red dune buggy. We traded the golf cart in for the dune buggy so no money was exchanged at the time.  If you have been following this blog at all you have been part of the repairs and upgrades done to the dune buggy.  Our last addition to the dune buggy has been a top.  The main reason for the top was to keep Abby out of the sun so she wouldn't bake in the hot desert sun.

That part was accomplished with the top:



And she loves her dune buggy rides!!!!!



Progression of the construction of the top.





Objective accomplished!!!!!

Now for more fun in the desert...and no one bakes in the hot sun!!!

Having a great time...wish you were here!

Barb & Jim & Abby

Phoenix Zoo

Feb 28, 2013

You would think that being out here in the desert you wouldn't get a case of Cabin Fever, but allas that is what happened on Feb 28th.

Several of us from the desert neighborhood took off to explore a bit of Phoenix.  We went to the Phoenix Zoo for the afternoon.

Sure enought there were animals at the Zoo.  What a concept!!!!!

Nice Zoo.

On to the next adventure!!!

Having a great time----wish you were here!!!

Barb & Jim