Fun With Bob and Judy!

February 22, 2012
Desert Hot Springs, CA


We moved down to Desert Hot Springs to be closer to Mark's cousins, Bob and Judy Islee

Went to one of the local golf courses.  It is gorgeous here.

Notice the snow on the surrounding hills.  It is about 83 degrees here today so it is very weird to see snow on the hills.

This is one of Bob and Judy's regular courses.  Lucky guys.

My drives were looking pretty good today.  Chipping went to pot.

Every Thursday evening during the winter season Palm Springs has a street fair in the beautiful downtown area.  Bought some soap, bread and CD's from a local guitarist.  Tons of fun.  Those were Gyros that we were eating.

This is Mark, Angie and Sonny Bono.  He was their mayor or something for a while.  Town hero I suppose since they have a bronze statue of him.

Bob and Judy with Sonny!

Seven Down, Forty Three to Go!

February 19, 2012
Indio, CA

Golfing Today!  We went to the Indio Community Golf Course.  An 18 hole, par 3 that was perfect!  Very well kept and the most grass we have seen in a month!  Perfect weather, nice people, and I got the California sticker!

I am finally getting a decent amount of color on my map.  Now just have to zig over to Nevada before we head too far north.  Golfing done for the day, heading back to the casino.

For the next couple of days we explored the surrounding towns.  Went to the local Costco, took walk around surrounding businesses.  Had lunch at Five Guys Burgers.  Had to try it after I saw Barack Obama stop at one with the secret service guys.

The burger was huge with two patties.  I believe that this was the first burger I could not finish.  Huge bag of fries and we got the small fry.  It was good.  Zips is better.  You can take the girl out of Southeastern Washington, you can't take Southeastern Washington out of the girl.

Another place we visited was the Shields Date Farm.  The oldest date farm in the US.  Very interesting and worth going to so that you can watch their film.  The rest of it was mostly food products made from dates, including date milkshakes.  Every third person we saw was drinking a date milkshake  We didn't want to stand in line so no date milkshake for us.  I had already bought a bag of dates while in Yuma from a local farmers market.  Great dates.

Red Ribbon Drive

Indio, CA
February 18


Well we are now staying in Indio, Ca.  There are a string of small cities around Palm Springs that are all part of the Coachella Valley.  Indio is on the southern end.  We will explore Indio as we move up the valley towards Desert Hot Springs, our ultimate destination.  Bob and Judy Islee, Mark's cousins, live there and we will visit them for a while.  We are staying at the Fantasy Springs Casino/Resort.  These are great places to stay, casino parking lots.  It is a huge lot with about 30 rigs in it.  Our clubhouse is set up to dry camp so we are fine.  We can tour and do tourist things during the day and then at night Angie gets to walk across the parking lot to the casino!  Perfect.

 Our first day we did a 120 mile "Red Ribbon" scenic loop around the Joshua tree National Park.  Our first stop was the General Patton Memorial Museum.  Mark loved it and we both learned a lot.

We were at the museum at the same time as the History Channel filming crew.  They are starting a series called "Ten Things You Didn't Know".  The first in the series will be about General Patton.  We studied at the museum so we'll see if we already know the 10 things they will tell us.

These are shell casings that were carved by soldiers while they were in the trenches waiting for orders or more shooting.  This is called "trench art".  Most were carved during WWI.   This is one of Mark's favorite parts of the museum.  They are amazing.

I am really surprised how prominent Javelinas are in the south and southwest and we had never heard of one until we got here.

This is a window shot as we were doing our "Red Ribbon" drive around the Joshua Tree National Park.  We didn't go into the interior because we were getting a little tired of desert but were told that we really missed something special by not going in.  We haven't left yet so maybe before we leave this area we will go in.

We are entering the Visitors Center at 29 Palms, which is on our "Red Ribbon" drive.  I had heard of 29 Palms before but didn't know where it was.  This is the home of the largest Marine base in the US.  Lots of testosterone floating around in the air.  You could smell it.

It wasn't until we arrived at the second visitors center that we found out what a Joshua Tree was.  This is it.

Towards the end of our "Red Ribbon" drive we went past Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs.  Between the two we come upon this HUGE wind farm.  There are about 4,000. wind machines here.  It was stunning.  We will visit this farm later in our stay.

Six Down, 44 to Go!

Yuma, Arizona
Monday, February 13, 2012

Today we went golfing at the golf course here at the resort (I am using that word loosely).  It is a little 9-hole executive course.  Par 36.  On the first hole Mark hit the park-model trailers off to the left on a hill three times in a row before he finally gave up and moved on.  The next hole he sent it straight down the center.  Golf is a puzzling game.  Or maybe I should say that Mark is a puzzling man?????  Anyway, I got the Arizona sticker at Fortuna de Oro Golf Course!

This is a slow process of getting all these stickers.  I need to drive faster.  California is next!

We were heading for Cracker Barrel restaurant because I haven't eaten at one since being in Florida with Sue when she was pregnant with Emily.  That would be 18 years ago.  Anyway, Penny's Diner was across the street so we tried it instead.  Pretty good.  Nothing to write home about.  Ooops, I just did.

The next day we headed to the Yuma Proving Ground to check out the military toys.  This is the place where the military tests equipment before putting it in the field.  I sent Mark out first with the camera so he could take pictures as I am usually the one holding the camera.  He came back with one picture. (above).  So, I had to take over.

Mark is pointing out the bullet holes in the Old War Horse.

Did Mark choose this one because he made a connection between me and this tank?  We both have a few bullet holes in us.

Look out!  Incoming!

I would love to drive this thing!  I would like to take this to Mexico and do some ATVing with Stan and Pat.

Boys and their toys.

Hello Yuma!

February 10, 2012
Yuma, AZ

Well the first night in Yuma was the local casino.  Mark likes to take me to casinos whenever possible cuz he knows I enjoy them.  Well, I certainly did.  Unfortunately, I lost the second day in Yuma.  Hello couch, please bring me my oatmeal in bed, I have a hangover.  Hit a couple of good bonus rounds and started ordering Coronas.....end of story.

The third day was better.  Out we go to check out the local action.  We were lucky enough to be here on the Centennial celebration of Arizona becoming a state.  They had a celebration down town.  Small but nice.

Yuma is a large rural town.  A ton of agriculture here.  I believe they call themselves the "Winter Vegetable Capital of America".  They also grow a lot of dates around here.  They advertise date milkshakes.  Hmmm.  Haven't tried one but we did buy a bag of fresh dates.  Excellent.

They have water kiosks all over town.  Filtered water, no salt.  We started asking people what is wrong with the water.  You can see Mark in this picture, asking people why they are buying water.  These people didn't know.  Someone told them to buy water because water in Yuma wasn't good, so they did.  Another kid said his dad drank the water but he didn't cuz he didn't like the taste.  We have filters on the clubhouse so I drink tap water.

These places are set up like gas stations in some places.  Five or 10 cars at a time driving up to buy water.  50 cents for 5 gallons.

This is the view of the road to Fortuna de Oro where we are staying.  About 10 miles outside of Yuma.

Four Bars

Quartsite, Arizona
February 6, 2012

Here we are at Quartsite, Arizona.  A town that goes from a population of about 2,000 in the summer to 50,000 in the winter.  All sorts of retirees living here.  Home of the biggest gem and mineral show in the USA.  It was in January so we missed it, thank goodness.  There are still tons of people here and we are checking out the place.

You can "dry" camp for free here on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land.  So, naturally here we are.  This is the view from our first night's camping spot.  Very few people here.  This picture also shows Mark on his cell phone, realizing that this particular spot we picked has no cell service because of the hill just to the west of us.

Another view from our campsite.  These are the hills that are blocking the cell signal.

View to the north.  There you see a few campers.  Apparently this place was so packed you couldn't see the ground when the gem and mineral show was here last month.  Again, glad we missed it.  Just us driving in threw up a bunch of dust.  I couldn't imagine thousands of people here.

This is the view from our next camping spot.  That big hill that was stopping our cell signal is now to the east of us.  Notice the beautiful rainbow.  That came out because Mark is so happy to have four bars on his cell phone again!

A Turtle for Katie

February 4, 2012f
Tucson, Arizona


Well, everyone, we are back in Tucson, AZ.  Staying with Bob and Phyllis for a few days to see the sights in Tucson.  Our first stop is the Sonora Arizona Desert Museum.

 This is for Katie.  Introducing "Grandpa Turtle".  We found this empty shell in the children's area and Mark couldn't resist climbing in.  He had to shoo away a few kids first.  He also tried to get Grandma in but I wasn't having anything to do with that.  My concern wasn't getting in.....it was getting out!

This is a large treehouse overlooking the desert.

This little guy was in the hummingbird aviary.

Hey Katie!  I found a furry friend for you.  They grow the spiders huge down here.

After the desert museum we went to Saguaro National Park.  These petroglyphs were at the top of a small hill.  They are over 2000 years old.  Aliens giving us the "sign" I suppose.  Or alien graffiti?

Mark reading about the saguaros cactus.  We probably weren't as impressed as we would have been if we hadn't just spent 3 weeks in Mexico riding ATVs all through this same kind of cactus.

More alien graffiti.....I mean petroglyphs.

Sunset on the saguaros.

After every long day of sightseeing all good Americans stop at their local Walmart for the necessities.  I just had to take this shot of Mark wheeling his goodies to the car.  The mountains and sunset were spectacular, almost rivaling what we had been admiring in Mexico.

The Last Night in San Carlo

Wednesday, February 2, 2012
San Carlo, Mexico

Our last night in Mexico was great.  We had Dick and Linda over for dinner.  Corned Beef and Cabbage! Quite the traditional Mexican feast.  We started off dinner with tequila shots.  As you can see, I am still using my Red Solo Cup! (Proceed to party.....)  It was my constant companion in Mexico.

Dick getting limes for tequila shots.

We all life our glasses for that last toast to Mexico!

 Happy dinner.  Notice the shorts and a jacket, which were typical for after sundown.

Dueling laptops!  I am sitting there downloading Wylie & the Wild West (Gustafson) cd's.  Pat has a nice selection of his cd's which we listened to in the evening.  I was really enjoying his music so thought I would take some with me.  Wylie is the guy who recorded the "Yahoo" trademark song for Yahoo.  He comes from the Washtuchna, Washington area.  Thanks, Pat!

I Love My Life!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Last Day in San Carlos, Mexico

Today is our last day in Paradise!

This is a shot of the sun coming up.  I am up on the Margarita deck, which is what they call the decks that most people have on top of their homes.  From this deck you can see the water, watch the sun come up, watch the sun go down, see the desert and mountains, and watch your neighbors.  A typical morning at our house is Stan and Pat getting up before sunrise, getting coffee and putzing around the house before finally going up to the deck to watch the sunrise.

 Mark and Angie wake up around 7:20, which is after sunrise.  By the time we get out of the Casita the sun is was past sunrise.  Mark started getting up for a few sunrises as time went on but Angie was not willing to get up that early.  After years of having to get up at 4:30, there was not any reason I could see to get up before I really felt like it.  So during the middle of our stay I jumped out of bed one morning just in time to see the sun come up, which is about 7:19.  I grabbed my shoes, did not brush teeth or hair and ran for the deck.  Barely made it.  Back down the stairs......

So, in celebration of my last day, I rose early, got fully dressed, brushed my teeth, got my camera, got my tea and went up to the deck and took this picture.  Proof that I was up for at least one sunrise.

Mark is doing his last tour of the garden.  He helped Stan remodel the garden one day, moving the rocks around to different formations.  He also trimmed the heart bush one day to show his love of me!  This garden is a wonderful place with doves, humming birds and other small birds to watch every day.

Stan and Pat performing their daily survey of the gardens.

Follow the red brick road......

Looking towards their ramada (which is what they call the freestanding metal roofs where they park rv's and cars) you will see the giraffe, which is another bush that Stan is currently trimming and training.  The two upper left hand houses high on the hill is where we had happy hours a couple of nights.  Spectacular views.  Great people.

Our last lunch was down at La Palapa, a local restaurant on the beach.  Pat and I are showing off our new pedicures.  Can you guess which toes are mine?

Stan and David....

Pam and Mark.....

Group picture looking towards the restaurant....

Group picture looking out to sea.
David, Pam, Mark, Angie, Pat, Stan.

Thank you Stan and Pat for inviting us down and being such fantastick hosts!