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!

Red Fish, White Fish, Yellowtail, Grouper

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Today the boys went fishing!

The boys were invited to go fishing this morning with Randy.  He chartered a 25 foot panga with a 200 horse Yamaha outboard.  Cost was $300 for entire boat and they were out about 9 hours.  It could fly over the water.  They went out about an hour and a half to the "fishing hole" and started reeling them in.  They were all bottom fish.  Notice the fish on the far left of the ice chest.  They look like they have fingers sticking out of their mouths!  They were down at about 300 feet so when the guys reeled them up, their eyes would bug out and their air bladder would stick out of their mouths.  This happened with the sea bass only.

This is Randy with a Redfish.

They put three hooks on the line so sometimes you would get two or three fish at a time.  They had an electric reel on one pole and gave it to the "old" guy, which was Mark.  So, instead of reeling up 300 feet of line, all he had to do was push a button.  He said it felt like cheating.  Mark said a boat close by with Mexicans in it were pulling up their line with their hands.  No reel.

Stan.

The owner of the charter cleaning the fish.  They brought back 63 fish.

Stan, owner (can't remember his name) and Randy.

Mark in the middle.  He was the only one to catch a Grouper that day.  They trolled for Yellowfish but no luck.  Everyone had a great time.  We had a great fish fry that night.
Pat and I went out to breakfast and had pedicures while the guys were fishing.   The pedicure was the best I have ever had.  My feet feel like silk.  It was only 150 peso.  That's about 11 dollars.  I had a haircut too.  It was the fastest haircut I have ever had, it looks great and it was 150 pesos!  A far cry from the $50 I usually spend on a haircut.  All the money I saved was spent about an hour later when I found some silver earrings for $39.   It was a good day.

Gorgeous Sunsets in Paradise

Monday, January 30, 2012San Carlos, Mexico

Today is a boarding day.  Pat and I did a little shopping in the morning and then off to the boarding beach.  Mark had some good runs after getting a rocky launch.  The kite had an initial "failure to launch" I caught it again and it had moved several feet from the initial launch site.  When trying to relaunch, I was out of position and when that kite filled with air it knocked me over like I wasn't even there!  Found myself in the sand, flat on my back.  Now my buttocks and tailbone are a little sore but luckily I landed on my softest part!  Lessons learned in kiteboarding for both of us.

Beautiful day in paradise.

Tuesday....
Fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast! Notice Stan's beautiful garden in the background.

When we were done with the oranges we squeezed grapefruits from the neighbors tree.  That night we had Grapefruit juice and vodka (Greyhounds) to take with us to the party!  This outdoor kitchen/eating area is where we had all our meals for 3 weeks.....except for a few breakfasts which Mark and I ate indoors a few mornings because of a slight chill.

These are sunset shots from the deck of Randy and Jills house.  They are down from Idaho.  They had a get together of friends before returning to the snowy northwest.

Wow.

This is Jill and Randy on the left.

Notice the reflection of the sunset in their window.

View to the north.

Digging for Crystals

Saturday and Sunday January 27 & 28, 2012
San Carlos, Mexico

A little shopping today and then a coconut shrimp feast this evening with neighbors Pam and David.

 Pat is displaying the coconut shrimp we made up today after we bought some fresh shrimp from the shrimp ladies.  Notice the nice patio set that Stan made out of wine barrells.  He has made about 8 tables and 48 chairs of all sizes and shapes.  He'll be selling them to the neighbors after he has finished assembling and picking out his favorites to use in his home.

 I will be able to make great coconut shrimp for the family now that I have had lessons.

Stan cooking.  One of his favorite things to do, I might add.  His motto is you kill it, I'll grill it.

Today we rode the atv's up a canyon to where you find crystal geodes.  We found several.

 Stan chipping away with his axe.

 Mark chipping away with two rocks.  Mark says it is cheating to use an axe.  He wanted to do it "caveman" style.  He didn't convince any of the rest of us.....

Here we are hiking up another canyon to an oasis.  Notice the watering hole at Mark's right.  This is where cattle and wild animals come to get water.

We stopped at a deserted palapa on our way home.  It was nice shade.  This place was out in the middle of nowhere.  My mother had a term for places like this.  "God Forsaken".  I agree with her on this one.

Mark and Stan are closing the barbed wire gate after we rode through.  It took a little effort but it was another job well done.  You can see the desert in the background.  Hot, dry, dry, dry.  Cactus and shrub brush everywhere.  It was high 70's when we were there.  Can't image it in the summer at 120 deg.  I would die in about 30 minutes!