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

Quartzsite, AZ Jan & Feb 2013

Jan 1 thru Feb 28, 2013

On New Years day we took this picture:

On Feb 2nd (Groundhogs Day) we took this picture:

Amazing what a little rain can do.  We had three days of rain in January, it really greened up the desert.  I was impressed we had flowers blooming in January in the desert!!

Just a bit of January's happenings (no pictures of the event though).  We took Abby to a veterinary clinic in Phoenix to have a 6 lb tumor removed from her right hind leg.  She is doing much better now and is  climbing steps and running with ease.

Since Feb 2nd was Groundhogs day we had to celebrate....with what else.....


Groundhog Day Campfire!!!!!


We had a few runs in the desert during this past month:



Bug is ready to go and running good!




Our little car is a bit smaller than Deb & Jerry's  full grown Toyota!
Jerry is "Airing down" to make the trip less bumpy for them.



Here we go!!!!
Wheeeeeeeee!



The road ahead!

 


At the end of the road was Moe's Cabin.
We were there last year, but it was more fun getting
there this year!!



On another run, we had to visit a place we went to last year:



This year Jim brought along a beverage to
commemorate the occasion!

 Usually the rocks take on shapes......I think these mountains look like they have ruffles.

Down another road less traveled!!!!

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

Until later!

Barb, Jim & Abby

December 2012

January 1, 2013

December is a rather busy month for us.  Jim's birthday was the 3rd.........so we had a campfire and invited all of the neighbors.


Dec 3rd campfire.



Then on the 13th was our wedding anniversary.  No campfire that night, but we took a trip to Lake Havasu City.  This is where they keep the London Bridge....
The reason for the trip was to get the dog her food.  Lake Havasu was the closest PetSmart.  What we do for our pets!!!





On the 20th we had the campfire for the End of the World Celebration......



End of the World Celebration campfire!!!

On the 22nd was Cassie's (our daughter) birthday.  Now get this, she is 36 for the year of 2013, I am 63.  Get it 36 and 63.  Pretty cool uh?  This mathematical phenomena happened when she was 14 and I was 41 and will happen again when she is 58 and I will be 85 (if I live that long).  This is a product of waking up in the middle of the night and couldn't go back to sleep!!




On the 23rd was my birthday, no campfire, but we did go out to dinner with a group of friends to the Quartzsite Yacht Club.  Check out their web site at www.quartzsiteyachtclub.com.  On their home page is a song about "Hi Jolly".  It is such a hoot.  You can also read the reason why the place is called the Quartzsite Yacht Club.

Jim, Pat, Nick, Christina, Me, Sue and Pete.
(Your eyes are not fuzzy, camera was.)

Then Pete participated in the Karaoke part of the program....

Pete didn't do to bad, just the rest of the participants couldn't carry a
tune in a bucket.

On the 27th we were invited to  "Christmas Dinner" at Jan & Glen's campsite, and again a campfire....



Christmas campfire!


Then on December 31st.....you guessed it, a campfire!!!!!



New Years Eve campfire!!

 As you can see there is a pattern to this desert lifestyle.  It is just a great way to get the neighbors together and chat.  Campfires usually start about 5:30 and go until 7:30, then everyone goes back into their campers and retires for the evening.  Seriously, everyone is usually in bed by 9 PM, some even sooner than that.

We also did some of this....




Wheeeeee



Wheee Wheee

Wheeeeeee!!!!

















Now that 2012 is over and we are faced with a new year, we wish all of our family and friends a happy and healthy new year.

Life is a journey...enjoy it.

The best to all of you,

Barb, Jim and Abby