The Apache Trail

What a trip!! We finally did the Apache Trail. For those of you who have done this, you know what I mean. For those of you who haven't, you are missing something too beautiful for words.
We started off early, with all kinds of cloud cover. All these beautiful days, and we pick this one to do this. We were lucky. By the time we got to Apache Junction we were pretty hopeful that the sun would come out. Fortunately, it did. We did this trip starting with Old Highway 60, turning off at Globe. We turned onto Rt. 188, and soon came the Tonto National Monument. I had told Tom I wanted to visit some of the cliff dwellings here in the west, but I hadn't realized they some were so close. When we saw them from the pull-off, I was so happy.
The entrance to the cliff dwellings was just up the road. We decided to see what it was all about. Tonto has 2 sites. The small, and the large. The large was about a 3 hour trek up the mountain and back. The small site was about one mile up and back down. We paid our 3 bucks each and started off. The climb wasn't too bad. The walk way was paved, and there were benches along the way. For someone who doesn't hike, or walk a lot, it is still fairly easy to do. You just have to stop and rest along the way. The views we had from the top, was worth the climb. It was amazing to think people lived there-way up on a cliff in a cave-like setting. You can see hand prints on the walls where they put the finish on the walls. Fascinating!!!
Roosevelt Lake is the lake you see in the pictures Tom took from the dwellings. It is a huge man-made lake created by the Roosevelt Dam. So beautiful. And so massive. You will also see Apache Lake and Canyon Lake. Canyon Lake is the one with the arch bridge.
While traveling the Trail (Rt 88), you have to be pretty sure you don't get vertigo. At times the road has no guard rails, and it has a sharp drop-off down. How far is anybodies guess. The paved road becomes graded dirt, and very winding with sharp hairpin turns and at times one lane. There are a couple of one lane bridges, also. But the views are the most fantastic and in some cases magnificent. At one place you drive down into a canyon. It was my favorite part. On all sides when you look up, all you can see are walls of rock. We would have stopped to take more pictures, but it was getting late, and we were getting kind of tired. The drive is very bumpy, and terribly dusty. So we just kept on driving till we reached the end. Then it took us another hour to get back home.
The Apache Trail is the route stage coaches took. It also served as a way for goods to get to towns in the mountains, and for trappers and such to get their goods to the cities. The Lost Dutchman Mine is in the Superstition Mountains somewhere, just waiting to be found.
So, if you are looking for a nice day trip in the mountains of Arizona, try the Apache Trail. It comes highly recommended.

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Margarator Day

Yesterday Ed and Hazel came for a visit. Hazel and I were talking, and the margarator came up. I showed it to her on the computer. I told her I was going to get it for my birthday. Hazel thought we should celebrate my birthday while they were here, so we just had to go get it. I found it at J C Penny. The computer said it was available in all stores. We all climbed in the car, and off we went. Sure enough, they had plenty in stock. I took it up to the register, and they said $119.00. Well, the computer said $79.00. I was not paying the higher price! The cashier asked if I was on J C Penny.com. I told her J C Penny Stores. That's 2 different sites. She said she would have to get a manager. The manager told the cashier to go on-line and check it out. Well, she turned to me and said, "You were right." Like I made the whole thing up. She told me next time to print it out so there wouldn't be a problem. How would anyone know if the prices were different? Oh well, all worked out fine, and we got it for the lower price.
Ed suggested we go to Cosco and get stuff to put in it. We were all in agreement. So in we went, and got more than fixins for margaritas. In the basket went some shrimp, a rotisserie chicken, some veggies, and other goodies. When we got home, we got the Margarator set up and running. Tom even tried one. He isn't much for fruit drinks. Ed, hazel, and I really enjoyed it. Then we had a nice little picnic supper. What a good time. It was after dark when we said our good-byes. It will be a long time before we see them again. Probably not till next fall. Travel plans have us going in different directions till October. We'll meet them in Livingston, Texas at the Escapees Park, and volunteer again at the CARE center. We sure will miss them.
Tomorrow we are going to ride the Apache Trail. It should be exceptionally beautiful. We have seen some pictures from others who have traveled it. It should take most of the day. We'll share it all with you.

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Dreaming and Family

Last Thursday we went to a RV show at the stadium. They had new and used -all kinds. Gas, diesel, rear gas, anything you would want. We started at the used diesel pushers. Saw them all but the tag axles. They would be way too big. Then we went on to the new motor homes. We went into most of them, too. The one we liked the most was a 40' Monaco Camelot. It had 2 recliners, which is very rare. A wide screen TV was also something we liked. The 2 things we liked best was the amount of storage in the kitchen, and the huge areas for closet space. It was a beautiful unit. Only 14,000 miles, and the same year as our Emily. Like the title of this entry..dreaming. Maybe in a couple of years. It's always fun to look. Looking gives us good ideas on what to look for when we do serious shopping.
Saturday we went to Jim and Dee's for a family got-together. Most of the Arizona family were there. It was so good to see them all. We all took something to share, but Dee made most of the food. Jim cooked hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, along with some sausage. Salads and lots of finger foods. Yummy. Dee makes a really good strawberry pie. We each had a piece of that. I must say, we really miss those Plant City strawberries from Florida. There's nothing like them. Right about now we would be having shortcake if we were there. Be that as it may, we had a great time, and we are glad we are here.
Speaking of Florida, we have seen some Mets games on the TV. It's good to have the boys of summer back in the field. We do love our Mets! WE haven't gone to any games here yet, maybe one day this week.
Luke Air Force Base is very close to us. Every day, except Sunday, we have fighter jets fly right over our site. Usually as a pair, but sometimes 4. We haven't counted, but I would say maybe 20 times a day. During the night they don't fly too often. They are really something to see. We are used to them now.
Today we went to do the laundry. It took quite a while. Then we took a quick trip to Wal-Mart. We just needed milk and a couple of other things. After that we came home to watch the ball game. We love that TIVO. I fixed a supper of left-overs. I made ham and mashed potatoes and gravy yesterday, so we'll finish it up and have sandwiches tomorrow. We are having a few cooler days, so having the oven on isn't too bad.
We don't know what tomorrow will bring, but that's half the fun. We'll take it as it comes.

Organ Stop Pizza with Ed and Hazel.

Off we went to Apache Junction. It took us about an hour to get there. Ed and Hazel are staying in a really nice park. It isn't like ours. They have a much smaller park, and it is all motor homes and fifth wheels and travel trailers. Ours is mostly park models. Folks here stay for about 6 months, and go back north for 6 months. Over there most are travelers. Hazel and I took a walk, and she showed me around the complex. While we were gone, Ed and Tom took a walk, too. We decided that when we come back to this area, we will be staying there. The view of the Superstition Mountains was wonderful.
Around 4:00 we went off to Organ Stop Pizza. What a great place. When you go in, you order and then go find your seat. Hazel got us a terrific seat at the railing of the balcony. When your order is ready, the number comes up on the board and you go get your food. We both had spaghetti. Ed and Hazel had pizza. All of a sudden out of the floor comes this huge Wurlitzer Organ. What awesome music. There are xylophones on the ceiling, drums on the walls, and a set of pipes that were the trumpets on the wall next to us. Not to mention the light show that goes on with the music. You could see the baffles working. Some of the pipes were also visible. The organist took request, and did Stray Cats Shuffle. Out came the cats. Really cute puppets. They moved to the music. Then came a rousing rendition of the Star Wars theme. WOW. It was really amazing. I kept thinking of my good friend Gloria. She would have loved it. She is an organist and choir director. Tom says she would have wanted to be the one playing. Probably so. We finished eating and went down stairs to leave, and what did we see? Breyers' Ice Cream Cones. I had butter pecan, and Tom had Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. A good ending to the meal.
It was hard to say bye to Ed and Hazel. They have become such good friends. We may not see them again till the fall. They come from the Chicago area, nowhere near Pa. They will be staying put for a while, and we will be traveling. By the time they move, we will be home. We'll meet in Livingston at the CARE Center in the fall...The Good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise.
It has been such a beautiful day. Nice and warm. Shorts weather. We have been looking for weather like this since we left Minnesota. Should be nice through the weekend. Tomorrow we are going to an RV show. It's at the Cardinals' Stadium where they played the Super Bowl. Then on Saturday we go to Jim and Dee's for a family get-together. It sure will be nice to see the family. We haven't seen some of them for a few years. We just keep movin' on. We sure like this life.
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Sight Seeing Around Surprise

Tom and I took a trip out to the desert the other day. We traveled up to Lake Pleasant. Thinking we would fine the desert in bloom, we were armed with cameras and binoculars. Of course we took our water with us. You always have to have water in the desert. If you don't by a pass for $6.00, you don't get near the lake. All we wanted was pictures. We never got close. We did see some yellow patches on some of the hillsides. That was all. We did manage to get into the campground just to check it out for the future. Most of the campers there have boats of one kind or another. The sites are various sizes, and are priced accordingly. We thought the fees were pretty reasonable for being that close to the lake.
Yesterday we went to a very large swap meet. I call it a flea market. It was like we were back in Mexico. Prices were sort of high we thought. Nothing much there we wanted. I did buy a pack of dish scrubbers for a buck. That was that. Outside on the parking lot there was a big tent set up. They had some camels outside the tent, I we saw a small zebra. None of the animals looked like they were taken care of to well. And that was our Sunday.
Today we went to Glendale. The city has done a great thing. Most of the old houses have been turned into little shops. Most have the touristy stuff like wreaths and potpourri, etc. The longer we walked, the more we realized that antique stores outnumbered anything else. There was everything you could want. Lot's of stuff I had never seen, or stuff from our childhood. Be that as it may, no purchases today. But it was fun to browse.
Tomorrow we are going over to Apache Junction to visit with Ed and Hazel. It will be good to see them again. We have plans to go to a pizza place that has a pipe organ and light show. We'll take pictures for you all to see. Some of our friends have gone there, and say it's pretty neat. I hope we're not disappointed.
http://picasaweb.google.com/tnank101/LakePleasantGlendaleArea

Sunflower RV Resort, Sunrise Arizona

Here we are at Sunflower Resort in Sunrise. There are many park models here, and some folks are here for the whole year. Most stay only for the winter. It is very clean and well taken care of. We have a number of things to chose from as far as activities go. There are many kinds of card games, bingo, lots of entertainment shows. The Mills Brothers is coming up, but is sold out. That is just an example. There are sewing groups craft groups, wood carving, quilting, stained glass, silver lapidary, a big library, a lap pool, and family pool, 2 hot tubs, and games. Such as tennis, golf, horse shoes, lawn bowling, bocce ball, shuffle board, and more. We also have to option of going to some dinners at specific times. There is also dancing. Square, line, ballroom, etc. As you can see, we should not be bored or looking for something to do.
Tom's cousins live in the area. Today we stopped in to see Jimmy and Delores. They live in Peoria. Skip and Mary live in northwestern Phoenix. We have friends from St. Cloud, Minn in the park, and Ed and Hazel are in Apache Junction, which is not too far. So, we have only a month, with lots to fit in.
Rain is in the forecast for the next couple of days. We probably won't get to see the eclipse tonight. It is already cloudy, and it's only 5:00. We'll see. We had planned to to do the Apache Trail. We have been told it is really beautiful, and we are anxious to see it. It will be a full day event. I'm sure pictures will come with the review.
We thought there would be a Culver's here. They won't be opened till sometime in April. No good hamburgers for us in Surprise. We'll be in Nevada by that time. Maybe next time through.
Tomorrow, if the weather holds, we may do some geocaching. It's something we really have fun doing. When we get home we plan to do our own cache. Probably somewhere in our campground. It will be fun to see how many come in to find it. Of course, it will only be accessible in May thru Oct. Then the gate is closed. That's a little ahead of myself. We have time. Lot's of time. Are we lucky or what?

The Gypsy Rally at Casa Grande

What a great time. This is was our first Gypsy Rally, but definately not our last. Nick and Terry Russel have done such good job getting this all together. We had some very informative seminars. We would have liked to fit in some more, but scheduling didn't permit it. They had open craft time. Everyone took their work and shared it with the others. That was different than the way it is usually done. They sometimes have a craft to make. This way you could learn different things. Lot's of beading took place. I don't bead, but it is beautiful work. I took my necklaces for CARE, but left my swedish weaving home.

We have been members of the Escapees Class of 2007 for quite some time. It is Escapees who started to go full-timing in 2007. We have been on the computed forums for a couple of years now, and since we missed Quartzsite with them, we were new here. They welcomed us with Escapees hugs, and we had such a great time with them all. We established a Gypsy Red Hat Mammas Club. Miss Terry was made an honorary member. Marcia has this Margarator. It's a machine that makes great margaritas. We sat out every evening for happy hour. Lots of laughs and good times. On Wednesday we headed over to the main building for a pizza party. I think 200 pizzas were delivered to the Rally. They came loaded in 2 pick-up trucks. YUMMY. One of the vendors had furnished the drinks. We had wine and non-alcoholic grape juice at every table. Then came the entertainment for the evening. It was a Dessert Rose Beauty Queen Contest. Most guys from our class took part. The winner was Sal. He was hilarious. He was crowned by last years winner. At the conclusion of the event, the guys took donations for CARE. They collected about $800. With all the other monies we have collected and sent, we have a total of $1125 so far that we have to donate to them. We are so proud of that. CARE needs all the help they can get.

Last night we had a nice little get-together for supper. The ladies all made appetizers and desserts. You can fill up nicely on finger food. It was a nice ending to a fun week. We all exchanged cards, and will be sure to keep in touch.

By the way, I purchased some nice little earrings that look just like Emily. Along with some others. We won a years free subscription to the Gypsy Journal. That's Nick's Newspaper. You can learn about good places to go and neat things to do. It was one of the best door prizes.

Right now we are in a very muddy parking lot. We decided to stay an extra day, because we don't have reservations till tomorrow. We did our laundry, and picked up a prescription and some milk at Wal-Mart. It is quite cool here today and very rainy. Hence the mud. Many of the class has stayed on, but have all stayed inside. Trying to stay warm and dry. Tomorrow we head out to Surprise, on the northwestern side of Phoenix. We will be there for a month, and visit with some of Tom's family. It will be nice to have full hook-ups for a while. We just hope the weather gets better. Like someone said to day, "It could be worse. We could be going to work." I'll take this any day.
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