Hopefully this post will bring you up to date with our arrival in Quartzsite, AZ at the middle of January 2016. I have been neglectful of taking pictures at some of our stops along the way as well as our present time here in Quartzsite. I hope to add some photos of the Quartzsite area when I start up to date posts.
After our time in Laughlin, NV. We headed south stopping for a few days in Lake Havasu, AZ. We did not do much sight seeing in the area. This stop gave us some time to unwind and do nothing. We did take a drive to Kingman, AZ. and visited the Powerhouse Visitor Center and Route 66 Museum. This stop was in conjunction with dinner at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant. Anytime we are near a Cracker Barrel Carolyn has to stop not just for the food but for there country store.
The electric car collection at the Power House has many interesting cars powered only by electricity including an early Detroit Electric car with plush interior, Willie Nelson’s Golf Cart with built in bar, a lithium-ion battery powered racer that set a speed record of 320 MPH in 2011, an electric Hot Rod and an electric wheel chair constructed from parts of a WWII B-17,
The next day we did a little shopping in Lake Havasu. With little puffs of white smoke from our truck we went from store to store getting the few items we needed as we got ready for our next move to Quartzsite, AZ.
What a difference Quartzsite, AZ is in early December. By the middle of January the area we stayed at on Plomosa Rd. will be filled with Motorhomes and 5th Wheels of all types. No many of the vendors were set up in town but we were there to so our traveling companions could have solar panels put on there motorhome. We stayed out on Plomosa Rd. for just over a week and with the solar panels and batteries we have we did not have to run a generator any time during our stay. The only limiting factor we have for our staying here is water and holding tanks.
The Saguaro Cactus and sunsets in this area always provide some great photo opportunities.
Before we left Quartzsite we took a short drive to see the Bouse Fisherman. This is an Intaglio (Geoglyph) just east of were we where on Plomosa Rd. The Spear tip is made with quartz rocks from the area. If you look close at the photos you can see the fish under the water below the fisherman.
While in Quartzsite we visited our favorite restaurant in the area, Crazy Jerry’s. The owners have two restaurants in Quartzsite, The Main Street Restaurant, that is open for Breakfast and Lunch, and is also attached to the local Laundromat, and Crazy Jerry’s that is open for dinner. When we are home in Washington Carolyn plans her week around our local restaurant’s (The Little Gallea) Friday spaghetti special. In Quartzsite Carolyn can still have her spaghetti special but it is on Wednesday at Crazy Jerry’s. Our arrival in Quartzsite was well timed as Carolyn had run out of the six spaghetti specials she brought along from the Little Gallea. (Since our return to Quartzsite in January Crazy Jerry’s had to close do to staffing problems. We will miss them as it is one of our most favorite restaurants in the area. But The Main Street Restaurant is still open. For the rest of this season they will still serve breakfast and lunch but they hope to be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner next year as well as there great Pizzas and Chicken Wings.)
From Quartzsite we headed to Williams, AZ where we were staying for Christmas. We had reservations on the Polar Express train ride on Christmas Eve. On the way to Williams we stopped in Kingman again for a couple of days, Carolyn could not pass up another chance to go to Cracker Barrel. While in Kingman we did get Ginger her first haircut. Now she looks like a Schnauzer.
On the way to Williams We stopped for lunch at the Roadkill Café in Seligman, AZ. We like stopping here for the good food and easy parking for the RV’s. After a healthy serving of Ground Round Hound (Chile Size) I was ready for the next leg of our trip to Williams.
We arrived at Williams, AZ on the 19th of December to a greeting of wind and cold with some snow on the ground. With a light trail of white smoke from the truck we exited the highway and headed to the Grand Canyon Railway RV park. We had headed south to get away from the cold and snow but here we were in more of the weather we were trying to get away from. Williams is a great place to spend Christmas. The whole town takes on a Christmas spirit with decorations, lights, and snow. The Grand Canyon Railway is decorated in lights that takes them a month to put up. In the evening you see people out in pajamas, slippers and stocking hats, many are getting ready to ride the Polar Express but some are just into the Christmas Spirit in the town. In the evening the Grand Canyon Railway runs two trains, one at 5:30PM and one at 7:30PM, to the North Pole. These Polar Express trains have early 1900’s passenger cars. On the trip, a 90 minute round trip, you are served hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies, the Polar Express story is read and many Christmas Carols are sung. If you take this train you need to dress in your warm pajamas and stocking hat to really take in the whole experience. We road the Polar Express on the 7:30PM run on Christmas Eve, the last train of the season. You can not help but laugh and sing during the whole ride. And when on the way back you can not help but hear Santa’s silver sleigh bell ring for you.
While in town you can even take a ride on the Santa’s Sleigh zip line. Complete with Rudolph to led your way down.
On the 21st of December we drove from Williams to Phoenix to pick up our friends Vance and Kelly who were flying in from Virginia to spend Christmas with us. We left Williams with the truck billowing white smoke (from the cold I thought). When we reached Flagstaff the smoking became just a few puffs and finally stopped as we descended the mountain. We stopped in Camp Verde for a rest stop. As we started to leave Camp Verde the temp on the truck went up and I returned to the gas station. After adding 2 gallons of anti-freeze we were on our way to Phoenix with no more truck problems, not even a hint of smoke. After picking up our friends I checked the coolant level in the truck and added one more gallon of anti-freeze. We returned to Williams with a light snow falling between Flagstaff and Williams. After we got back to the RV park I added one more gallon of anti-freeze.
The next day we took a drive through Red Rock Canyon to Sedona, AZ. There was a light snow on the ground as we left Williams in a trail of white smoke. As we approached Flagstaff the smoke slowed down to a few puffs. Once we started down Red Rock Canyon the white smoke from the truck blocked out the view of the canyon to the cars behind us. We laid a smoke screen through Red Rock Canyon that a large army could advance through without being seen. After a great meal in Sedona we returned to Williams by highway 17. The truck gave us no problems on the return, but I did add another gallon of anti-freeze when we go back to Williams.
The next day we gave the truck a rest and took the Grand Canyon Railway to the Canyon. The day was clear to partly cloudy but cold. Before boarding the train we watch the cowboy shoot out. It is both comical and entertaining. Later, on the way back from the Grand Canyon, when these Cowboys robbed the train, Carolyn and Kelly stopped them in their tracks (more on this in the next post).
When we boarded the train we meet our hostess Becky. Little did Becky know she was receiving a rather lively group. When Carolyn and Kelly get together anything can happen, kind of like Lucy and Ethel (as in I Love Lucy, for those of you to young to understand the reference).
The train ride to the Canyon goes through some very scenic areas allowing for some great photo opportunities along the way.
At the Grand Canyon the train arrives at the Grand Canyon Depot that was built in 1910. Just a short walk with the hill behind the depot is the El Tovar Hotel and Hopi House. The El Tovar is a great place for lunch upon arrival at the canyon. The Hopi House has a large selection of Native American art for sale as well as souvenir items. Both are well worth a visit as you arrive and depart the Canyon.
As in the old serial movies we will leave you until the next post, which should bring you up to date on our travels. Check in later to see our visit to the Grand Canyon, find out what Carolyn and Kelly have in store for the train robbers, will the truck survive and where do we go next. I hope to have “Bring You Up To Date Part 3” posted in the next couple of days.