After spending time with our friends and the large group out on Plomosa Road, North of Quartzsite we move with a small group of our friends to the Dome Rock. Dome Rock is located West of Quartzsite.  After the RV Show in Quartzsite people start to leave the area. With a lot less rigs at the Dome Rock area we had quite a bit of space to ourselves.  While at this area we had the MetLife Blimp fly over on its way from the Super Bowl. We spent just over a week here while to kill time before we went to Lake Havasu for the fireworks show and an interesting stay in the Topock / Golden Shores Arizona area after which we returned to Dome Rock for a few days then went on to Yuma, AZ.

I would not say we were remote camping but here are a couple of view from are location at Dome Rock.

Another beautiful day at Quartzsite. We had a great view of the MetLife blimp flying over us.

There are a few abandoned mines on the hills around Dome Rock. We decided to give the new truck another 4 wheel drive workout and drove up to a couple of them. After an easy 4 wheel drive up the mountain we had a magnificent view from where we were to Quartzsite. In the first photo below you can see our group in the center of the photo. Our group can also be seen in the second photo in the lower left corner. Yes, that is Quartzsite in the background.

After leaving Quartzsite we headed to Lake Havasu for the fireworks show. Do to our last minute planning we were unable to stay in Lake Havasu but we did find an RV Park in Topock, Arizona. The Park is actually at Golden Shores, AZ but is on the Topock side of the highway. While there we took another trip to Oatman, AZ. We arrived just at the gunfight show was getting ready to start so we took this opportunity to duck into the Olive Oatman for a bite eat while most visitors were watching the show. This is a great little place to eat with some interesting decor. The food was very good, not just your typical greasy tourist stop place. From there we walked up to the Oatman Hotel for Ice Cream. This is another must have while visiting Oatman.

One of the shops has a sign for a motorcycle museum in it so we had to check it out. When you enter the shop there is a small spiral staircase in the back that takes you to the second floor and the museum. They have some neat older motorcycles. For the small area they have it was an impressive display.

On our way to the Fireworks show we stopped for lunch. When trying to decide were to eat Dave and I named every fast food place around but when we mentioned Der Wienerschnitzel  both of use light up. It also helped that we were near one. When we arrived we saw that they have several special on sale, needless to say Dave and I had to try them all.

At the RV park they mentioned that several place had all you can eat fish that night so we decided to head out for a filling meal. We decided on the Topock 66 Restaurant and Bar. It is advertised as Party Headquarters on the Colorado. It is a very interesting place that includes a marina, restaurant, bar, and shops. I guess that in the summer this is the place to party. Another reason for our visit here was that we heard they fill the beer glass from the bottom, this we had to see. Service started slow but we did get to order our drinks so Dave and I got a couple of beers. They do have an above average selection of beer. The beer came in a small plastic cup. Dave had to experiment to see how they filled it from the bottom and sealed the cup. As he pushed up on the center of the bottom of the cup beer ran out and on to the table. It seems they have a large metal washer attached to the bottom of the cup and over the hole they have a magnetic disc. This was very entertaining but at $6.00 for domestic draft and $8.00 for microbrew draft it was a little pricey.  After we got our meals, all of us have all you can eat fish and chips, they also brought us a large platter of more fish. The fish was a little watery and lacked flavor. We decided that the next time we will go to one of the small local places in Golden Shores, they have all you can eat fish and chips as well as clam chowder. Here is a photo of the stools you can set at and look out over the marina and the Colorado River.

Though we stayed at a small and kind of out of the way RV park, we were treated to more great Arizona sunsets.

I will not go into our outing to the fireworks show do to a lack of pictures (I did not get a chance to take any) but just say it was an outstanding display and kept you entertained from start to finish. It is getting more crowded. As in the past it is $5.00 to park but now it costs another $5.00 per person to enter the stands. Last year we stayed for a week at the rodeo grounds next to the fireworks show. This cost $100 to dry camp but we had an outstanding view of the show as we were in the upper camping area. This show is worth going to at least one time and there are several other events going on in Lake Havasu at the same time. It is held Presidents Day Weekend each year.

I know I am really behind on our travels, as we have been home for a month now, but I will be adding the next leg of our trip in a couple of days. From Golden Shores we went back to Quartzsite for a couple of days then on to Yuma for three weeks. This was a change from our original plans but we had a good time seeing sights in Southern Arizona that we have missed before.

Let’s see of I can get close to were we are now in our travels with this posting.  I won’t go into the details of our truck purchase but I will let you know we had to spend two nights in Scottsdale, AZ while the dealership got our new truck. The dealership did cover our hotel room including the extra cost for Ginger and they also paid for our meals. On Monday, while waiting for our new truck to arrive at the dealership, they brought our old truck around to the front of the dealership so we could start unloading it. The truck came around the building billowing its white smoke, almost eliminating any view of the other vehicles on the lot. Once they part our old truck Carolyn asked me what was leaking under the truck. A quick look under the truck showed anti-freeze streaming out the exhaust pipe and a hole in the bottom of the muffler with anti-freeze coming out like a small Niagara Falls. Well it was their truck now and I was looking forward to driving our new four wheel drive beast home. Carolyn picked the color and demanded it had running boards so she could get in. So with the new truck we took to the road looking forward to more adventures.

But this adventure with the new truck was not over. The dealership removed our 5th wheel hitch from the back of the old truck and we still needed to have it installed in the new one. It was to late on Monday, after getting the truck, to have it done so we returned to Williams hoping to have the hitch installed in Flagstaff. The next day after several calls to local hitch shops we could not find any one around Williams or Flagstaff to do it so we once again headed to Phoenix to have it done.  What a pleasure it was to drive a truck down HWY 17 from Flagstaff to Phoenix without a cloud of white smoke following. After our quick trip to Phoenix we returned to Williams and got ready to leave the next day for Wickenburg, AZ.

With the new truck our 5th wheel sets up higher. With the old truck we could just squeeze under a 13’ 4” overhead. With the new truck we are not sure of the height. Highway 60 through Wickenburg goes under the railroad tracks with an underpass that is just under 14’ high. At the last minute we spotted the sign showing the height. Not wanting to chance the clearance I hit the brakes and made a quick right turn to bypass this possible scrape to our roof top. After a stop on the west side of Wickenburg we returned, going around the railroad underpass, to the west side of town were we stayed. We spent the next few days looking around the town and walking around the country side around where we stayed.

Wickenburg had several small shops and stores to explore as well as a great museum. The upper floor of the museum has a bronze sculpture exhibition as well as a photos and paintings depicting the central and southern Arizona landscape and cultures. Down stairs is a wonderful display of local history.

The Wickenburg Visitors Center is in the old train depot and has plenty of information on the area. Around the town are real life looking statues depicting people you might have seen on the streets back in early Wickenburg. One interesting stop is the Jail Tree.  Between 1863 and 1890 Wickenburg did not have a jail so prisoners were chained to the tree.

While walking around town you may run intro a prospector and his burro coming in for supplies, a local lady out shopping for the day or even a new arrival to the down at the Wickenburg Train Depot.

After a warm and clear day to look around Wickenburg we had a two day rain storm. The day it started clearing I took a walk around our camping area. The desert yields some of its greatest scenes after a storm. The clouds passing through present a magnificent backdrop to the lush greens of the local cactus and succulents. In the first photo below you can see our 5th wheel near the right edge.

After a short stay in Wickenburg we headed out to our next stop on the Colorado River. It was only a short trip to Parker, AZ and Buckskin State Campground on the Colorado River. Buckskin is on a bend in the Colorado River about 11 miles north of Parker, AZ. Here we met up with several friends we had not seen since last year. This park has plenty of shady areas. A couple of displays along the edge of the river at the park give the history of mining in the area as well as information on the areas plants, animals, and fish.

Near the entrance to the Park by the day use area is Buckskin Mountain Interpretive Garden. This is a Cactus Garden and Desert Tortoise Habitat. While we were there the tortoise where still hibernating and did not come out.

There were a few roadrunners that would periodically come through the campground.  About the time you get your camera they are on the run and are reluctant to pose or a photo.

Also around the entrance are several examples of mining equipment used in the area. A couple of wagons sit in front of the park office along with a burro powered winch.

You can also see two examples of ore crushers.

While at Buckskin we took a drive over the Parker Dam and around the California side of the Colorado. At the Parker Dam is an interesting display giving some statistics and information about the dam including the fact that the Parker Dam is the deepest dam in the world. 235 feet of it total 320 foot height is buried below the river bed.

As we were diving down the road Carolyn saw some of her friend from Oatman, AZ.  Several wild burros were along the road and in the brush throughout the area. As we pasted an RV park we saw several of the burros helping keep the greens well trimmed.

On down the road we pasted the remains of the town of Cross Roads, CA. The original residents of the area came here to work in the copper mines. This location grew in the 1930’s 2,000 to 3,000 people. This population growth was do to the construction of Parker Dam and the Metropolitan Water District Aqueduct. This town was a roughneck town with many lean-tos, shacks and tents. The biggest businesses of the town were the saloons and dance halls. The remaining building was the Cross Road Mercantile Store. It remained in operation, supplying the area with everything from groceries and gasoline to rental cabins until 1973.

After a week at Buckskin and the Parker, AZ area we were finally ready to head back south, a whole 40 some miles to Quartzsite, Az. What a difference it was from our time there in December. Now the area was loaded with RVs of all styles and shapes from old converted school busses to new super busses and everything in between.  Shortly after arriving at Quartzsite a small group of us took a day trip 40 miles to Salome, AZ and to the Harquahala Mine and Graveyard. Salome is a small community on Hwy 60 northeast of Quartzsite. The hills around Salome are filled with some great sites to see. This trip we decided to go to the Harquahala Mine, located approximately 11 miles south of Salome.

The Harquahala was discovered in 1888 and operated until 1908 after which it was worked intermittently on a large scale until 1918. Later the Bonanza and Golden Eagle Mining Co worked it on a small scale mainly reworking the dumps and tailings until 1964. In its early years it produced very rich gold ore until around 1907. Later mining was done using cyanide leaching.

The Harquahala cemetery is located just north of the mine. Research completed at the cemetery by the Arizona Pioneer & Cemetery Research Project found over 50 graves in this cemetery. The graves include 40 adult males (believed to be miners), 5 male children between 2 to 5 years of age and two female children 4 and 10 years of age.

We stopped in Salome for breakfast at the Cactus Bar and Restaurant. As we walked in we felt like an invading force in there small dining area. The waitress took it all in stride and made us feel like we were regular customers there every morning. As the food came out of the kitchen and approached the table eyes began to bulge at the size and amount of each serving with some of our meals being served on two plates.

After fortifying ourselves with a hearty breakfast we were ready for our trip to the mine. There are the remains of several structures to see and explore as well as a few openings that can be checked out. The area of the mining operation extends from the flats below the mountain to half way up the slope.

From the remains of this adobe structure you can see the pink rhyolite tailing piles below the mine.

The remains of two other structures are near the adobe building but higher up on the hill. One has fireplace and chimney still standing.

The other building near the mine is a concrete and steel structure at the top of the small hill across from the mine.

After exploring the lower portion of the mine location we loaded up and headed up the mountain to the top of the mine. This gave me a opportunity to check out the four wheel capabilities of my new truck. As we reached the top of the ridge Carolyn could not see the ground over the hood of the truck, all she could do was hold on and pray there was more road in front of use and not a cliff. At the top is a large flat that provided plenty of parking area and made it easy to turn around. Though this was a gold mine this area had seems of copper minerals such as chrysocolla, malachite, and turquoise.  Though most of the mineralization is just surface staining some nice small pieces of chysocolla and turquoise were found in the rock rubble.

In years past some people took the time to identify the locations of the graves at the cemetery.  They placed wooden crossed on the graves and outlined them with rocks.

After our visit to the mine we returned to Quartzsite by way of Interstate 10. From the mines location you can drive 4 miles south on the dirt road and come to the Harquahala Road turnoff. This is an easier way to get to the mine from Quartzsite but you miss the opportunity of a wonderful breakfast in Salome.

The Quartzsite area has some breath taking sunsets. Almost every night there is opportunities to view and photography these wonderful events. Below are some examples of the sunsets from where we were located north of Quartzsite on Plomosa Road.

As the sunset brings an end to the day, this posting brings us somewhat up to date with our travels. We still have some more to post of our time in the Quartzsite area and our trip to Yuma and back to Lake Havasu for the fireworks show, but those will be their own separate posts I will do in the next few days.

I tried to cover quite a bit in this posting and hope I did not do it to quickly or briefly. It seems that the more I try to catch up the further behind I get. At this rate I should be caught up by the time we return home in the spring.

I was hoping that this post would complete our adventures up to the present, but in looking at what we had done until now, I see I will need to do one more post after this one to bring you up to date.  I do not want to overload you with to much at one time. This post will take you through our trip to the Grand Canyon and our ride on the Polar Express. Unfortunately, we mostly took videos on the Polar Express. I hope to share a couple of segments of the videos with you.

The last post ended with our arrival at the Grand Canyon. It was overcast and cold. The clouds gave a dramatic effect to the Canyon. It is something to see how the cloud movement and shadows play on the Canyon views. In the short time we had at the Canyon we walked from the El Tovar Hotel to the beginning of Bright Angel trail. We stopped in at the El Tovar for lunch, Carolyn has to have their French Onion Soup when ever we go to the Canyon. From the El Tovar we walked along the rim to Bright Angel Lodge and on to Lookout Studio and Kolb Studio.  Lookout Studio was designed by Mary Colter and constructed by the Santa Fe Railway in 1914. It is designed to blend into the landscape and look like a continuation of the Canyon wall. The Kolb Studio was the home and photographic studio of pioneers Emery and Ellsworth Kolb. The brothers started it in 1904. After several successful years of selling still photos of the Grand Canyon area they decided to take on a new challenge. The brothers took a 101 day run down the Colorado River. They document this harrowing trip with the new technology of motion pictures.

Before going into the El Tovar we had to take our first view of the Grand Canyon. The view from the Canyons rim at the El Tovar is as spectacular as any of the other views awaiting us along the rim.

After enjoying our first breathing taking view of the Canyon we were ready for lunch. The El Tovar was opened in 1905 as a Harvey House Hotel. The hotel was designed by Charles Whittlesey, the Chief Architect for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.  Today, the El Tovar still has its rustic charm. The china and silverware used in its dining room are the same southwestern patterns used by Fred Harvey and the Santa Fe Railroad. This is one of three Harvey House Restaurants we have eaten at. The other two are the La Fonda in Santa Fe, NM and the La Posada in Winslow, AZ. In all these restaurants we have had great meals with wonderful service at very reasonable prices.

Just walking through the lobby of the El Tovar takes one back to the days of steam engine trains and horse drawn coaches coming to the Canyon. In the center of the lobby is a large Christmas Tree. When you first see it, it looks like the top was cut off. But when you walk up to it you find it extends up past the second floor balcony.

Before going in to eat Carolyn and Kelly had to have their picture taken in front of the Christmas Tree.

Once in the dinning room Carolyn could not wait for her order of French Onion Soup. We enjoyed a superb lunch of French Onion Soup and Indian Tacos.

View of the El Tovar from near Bright Angel Lodge.

After lunch we walked along the Canyon rim to Bright Angel Lodge. Bright Angel Lodge is actually a complex of cabins around a central lodge building along the edge of the Canyon. It was designed by Mary Jane Colter who also designed two large fireplaces inside the lodge. The larger of the fireplaces was built out of stone from the various geological strata in the Canyon. The hearth is made from the flat river bottom rocks and each layer up from the hearth is made from rock of the representative strata making the fireplace a representation of the Canyon itself.

If you click on the photo below to enlarge it, you can see Bright Angel Lodge on the left side on the rim and Lookout Studio to the right of Bright Angel Lodge at the rims edge.

The Geological fireplace is in the Bright Angel Lodge history room.  The information in this room covers the development of the Harvey Houses, and the Harvey Girls.  There is also a display for the Indian Detours, and the Girls who were guides on it in the 1920’s. It primarily  covers Fred Harvey and the development of tourism at the Grand Canyon.  As you see in the photo below Carolyn made me dress for the cold.  She told me I could not go out unless I had a hat and ear covers. By the way she picked out the hat, and she calls it the Elmer Fudd hat.

From the Bright Angel Lodge we walked over to the Lookout Studio, where we waited for Carolyn to catch up.  I must say, Carolyn did dress for the cold weather she even had ear muffs on under her hood.

From Lookout Studio we headed down to  the Kolb Studio. The Kolb Studio is at the beginning of Bright Angel Trail that descends the Canyon from 6860 ft. down to Indian Garden Campground at 3800 ft. and 3.9 miles from the trailhead. From Indian Garden Campground the trail continues on to Phantom Ranch at the Colorado River which is at an elevation of 2546 ft. and 9.9 miles from the trailhead.  Needless to say we did not venture down the trail.

Just outside the studio was a warning sign of the icy conditions for those hardy enough to head down the trail.

At the Bright Angel trailhead we had some more great views of the canyon.

In the first photo below you can see a trail going out to a point in the bottom center of the photo. The other photo is of Indian Garden Campground in the small valley you see in the first photo running from the bottom center of the photo to the lower rim edge.

After a cold but exciting day we headed back to the train to enjoy a relaxing ride back to Williams. As we traveled down the tracks we watch as the pine forest turned into a range land of pinion and scrub cedar. This area is home to many animals including herds of elk that are sometimes seen from the train. We continued on talking about the days events and just taking in the scenery around us.

But Wait!! What Is That Outside The Train!! A group of riders on horseback are racing along side the train. They look like the same outlaws that had the shoot out just before we  boarded the train. They must have escaped jail. As the bandits boarded the train Carolyn and Kelly prepared for the harrowing experience to come, not for them, but for the outlaws.

As the train robbers entered our car we were taken by surprise. Shock and bewilderment was on every passengers face.

Carolyn took on the first bandit telling him if he wanted her money he would have to work for it. The bandit stepped right in, took off his hat and proceeded to take the money. With is hands full of shootin’ irons the only alternative he had was to extract the money with his teeth. When the next robber approached he was prepared for this advisory. He swept in and extracted the bills right from Carolyn’s vault. As the first two bandits crawled away down the car after this traumatic episode the next expecting robber entered the car.

Before this younger holdup man was able to make sure the others had left no valuables behind a voice was heard from the seat across from Carolyn. Kelly had jumped up and yelled at the departing robbers “Hey! you forgot me”. The older of the two, probably the leader of the group, returned and said “Sorry missy, I was so shocked by the first encounter that I didn’t notice you”. He then proceeded to extract what money Kelly had hidden.

After seeing the terrifying events that preceded him the younger bandit, probably the leaders son, stepped up and exclaimed “Sorry for the way my pa and his brother treated you, I do hope you enjoy the rest of your trip.” To this Kelly responded by grabbing the startled young man and saying “Sonny, maybe you can finish what your daddy started.” With that he stepped back with Kelly’s remaining hidden money in his teeth.

As with most crimes the sheriff arrived to late to catch the outlaws, but when questioning Carolyn and Kelly told him they had taken care of the perpetrators for him, stating “Sherriff you should have no problems rounding up them outlaws. We took the lead out of their bullets for you and now they are shootin’ blanks.”

With the robbery behind us and the excitement of the day winding down we were finally able to slump down in our seats and enjoy the magnificent Grand Canyon sunsets as the day came to a close.

But the best Grand Canyon Sunset was the one Becky, our hostess and mixologist, prepared for us to smooth our tired bodies and minds.

Christmas Eve we all prepared for our trip to the North Pole on the Polar Express. With our comfy pajamas and visions of Santa Clause bring us presents we prepared to take the adventure to Santa’s house.  The Grand Canyon runs this train ride twice an evening from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve. We had tickets for the last train of the season, Christmas Eve at 7:30PM. This is a 90 minute ride from Williams to the North Pole.  How can you get to the North Pole and back that quick you ask. They do it by way of a Time Warp Tunnel. As you leave Williams you pass through a tunnel of strobing blue, red and green lights and come out on the other side just a short ride from the North Pole. As we approached the North Pole we could see the lights on the horizon. As we pulled into Santa’s home town we saw his workshop, the Reindeer’s stable, Santa’s house and there in the center was Santa himself with his Elves loading his sleigh. As we left the North Pole we noticed Santa’s sleigh was still their but Santa was missing. As we continued back toward the Time Warp Tunnel and Williams we heard a commotion coming from the back of the train. In burst the jolly old man. With a Ho! Ho! Ho! and a shout of “Merry Christmas” we all knew it was Santa. He passed through our car giving each individual a silver sleigh bell from his sleigh. This is a special bell that, as in the Polar Express story, can only be heard ringing if you Believe in Christmas. All of our bells rang with the clear chiming sound of true believers of Christmas.

Before boarding the train we had the opportunity to meet Mrs. Clause. Carolyn and Kelly had a cordial time with her but Linda was as excited meeting Santa’s wife as she was in meeting the big guy himself.

Outside in a balmy 20 degrees we anxiously await our turn to board the Polar Express were hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies awaited us.

On the train we were greeted by our chefs who served us a perfect cup of hot chocolate and a chocolate chip cookie so filled with chocolate chips that there was not much cookie. Conductor George came through the care checking tickets that he deftly turned into confetti with his punch. Along the way we sang Christmas Carols and listened to the store of the Polar Express. At times some of the passengers, Carolyn and Kelly included, were dancing in the isles. Do to the excitement and revelry I did not take many photos of the journey.

After our unforgettable trip to the North Pole we returned home for a restful sleep and dreams of the wonders of the day. The next morning we awoke to a white wintery Christmas and some great friends to share it with. As children in the past Carolyn could not wait to rip open the colorful wrapping of her presents.

After a relaxful day spent remembering our Christmas Eve trip we enjoyed a bountiful Christmas Dinner at the Grand Canyon Depot Café.

The next day we had to say Good-bye to Vance and Kelly. We took them to the Phoenix airport. Little did we know this would be the last trip we would take in our beloved truck. We loaded up, added a gallon of anti-freeze and in a billowing cloud of white smoke started off on our fateful journey. The smoke from the truck did not stop until we arrived at Camp Verde, AZ. After breakfast we added 2 gallons of anti-freeze and continued on to the airport. From Camp Verde to the airport we only had a few puffs of smoke from the truck but when leaving the airport we puffed smoke for awhile up the highway so off to the truck dealer we went.

Well it looks like we will have to wait until part 4 to bring our journey up to date. We look forward to sharing more of our travels and adventures with you in the next post.

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.

Originally we had a blog of our travels starting in 2007 but due to factors beyond our control we had not updated it for some time. We hope to do better with this blog. These first few posts will be to bring our readers up to date on where we have recently been up to the beginning of this blog. This will take you from our leaving Washington State to our second arrival in Quartzsite, AZ. It has been a very interesting time with some unexpected setbacks.

On 15 November we left Washington and headed south to leave the cold and snow behind. Little did we expect that it would have more than our share of cold and snow for the fist month or so. We knew the first part of the trip would require us to keep a close eye on the weather so we could plan our traveling days when it was clear. The day we departed Washington it was clear but a little cold. We had just had a couple of days with some light snow just before our departure. The first leg of the trip took us to Pendleton, Or. We arrived in Pendleton during 15 to 20 MPH winds. We spent a couple of days to let the weather clear before continued on south. We took advantage of this time to visit some of our favorite eating places in Pendleton including the Sundowner for their fantastic thin cut french fries and sandwiches. Our traveling companions also utilized this time by visiting the Montana Peak Western Hat shop, a great place to visit even if you are not looking for a new hat.

We departed Pendleton during a break in the weather. Highway 395 to the south was clear and the weather was fair. We had an uneventful trip that day from Pendleton to Burns, Or. On the way we took a rest stop at Dale, Or., one of several small communities along 395 on the way through Oregon.

The next morning we awoke to a light dusting of snow. The weather report said it would be clear but to watch for ice on the high passes.

By the time we were ready to leave Burns, Or. the snow was pretty much melted and the weather was clearing.  As we were getting ready to leave a problem started developing that we did not know was going to have a major impact on our trip later on. With the temperature around 28 that morning the truck was hard to start and we had some smoke from the exhaust until we were a little way down the road. Once the truck and us warmed up we made good time to Alturas, Ca. and another early stop for the night. We stayed at a small RV park near the city park. Upon check in the owner advised us to watch out for the deer and that there was a buck in rut with his harem that came through the park. As we were setting up we saw the deer next to our site and watch them as they walk through the area.

The next morning we departed Alturas and headed to Susanville, CA. to visit with our friends John and Roxanne.  With some puffs of white smoke from the truck we headed down the road. We arrived at Milford, CA ( a few miles south of Susanville) late that afternoon.  During our stay in Milford we had an addition to our family, a three month old 3 pound Toy Schnauzer. We named her Ginger, short for Ginger Snap. It has been anything but dull with her around.

On Thanksgiving morning we left Milford and headed to Las Vegas and warmer weather, yes we did have some snow while we were in Milford. Thanksgiving night we stopped in Tonopah, NV. were it was breezy with a 10 MPH wind and the temperature was a cool 18 degrees. The next morning the sun was out and in was looking like a great day to travel so with another puff of smoke from the truck we started down the road. After stopping for lunch in Beatty, NV we continued on to Las Vegas arriving in the late afternoon just in time to change into tee shirts and head over to Sam’s Town for the Seafood Buffett. After a night of crab legs, shrimp, and other great sea foods we returned to our rig for a good nights sleep before heading out the next day to see the sights around Las Vegas.

The next morning we took our traveling companions to the Valley of Fire just north of Las Vegas. I have always enjoyed this area. In the early morning and late afternoon the red sandstone of the area looks like the hills are on fire. There are some great rock formations, some with petroglyphs of earlier inhabitants of this area.

One of our stops was at an area called the Bee Hives. Many of the rocks in this area have been eroded by wind and rain forming bands around them giving the appearance of large bee hives.

Many of the large flat rock faces have petroglyphs on them. These have been carved into the desert varnish on the rocks by early inhabitants of the region. The meanings of these carvings have been debated for many years.

In the 1930’s three rock cabins, to be used by travelers, were built in the Valley by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). They are complete with fireplaces and great view of the Valley from the windows. On the rock faces behind these cabins are several more petroglyphs.

The sunsets on the hills in the Valley can provide some wonderful views.

After a few days in Las Vegas and with our rigs freshly washed we headed to Laughlin, NV.  When in this area we stay at the Avi Casino at the south end of Laughlin. Here we have over large spaces and are able to enjoy quite evenings.

From this location we visited one of Carolyn’s favorite places, Oatman, AZ. She loves seeing the wild burros walking through the town. You can buy a bag of small hay cubes to feed the burros but beware they get aggressive once they see you with a bag of their favorite food. Oatman was one of several mining towns in this area. It was also a stopping place on old Route 66 until 1953. The old Route 66 from Kingman to Oatman went through Sitgreaves Pass which is a steep and twisty section of road. To bypass this section of road Route 66 was changed to go from Kingman through Yucca, AZ and on to Needles, CA.

Below is a photo looking west along Oatman’s Main street (Route 66) in the 1940’s. The large building across the street from the Standard Station is the Oatman Hotel. This photo is from my Route 66 post card collection.

The Burros in the area are descendants of the burros used in the mines to pull the ore carts. When the mines closed the burros where turned loose. Wild burros can be seen in many areas along this part of the Colorado River and as far south as Yuma, AZ.

One of the original buildings in Oatman is the Oatman Hotel, one of two larger hotels that were in the town. While filming a movie in the area Clark Gable and Carol Lombard stayed in this hotel on their wedding night. While in Oatman you can visit this hotel and see the suite they stayed in. The hotel is located in the center of the town and is also the location for daily gun fights and other events even including weddings.

Below is a recent photo of the sign at the east end of town giving some history of the area. Below it is a 1920’s photo of this end of town from my Route 66 post card collection.

The burros come through the town in the early afternoon knowing that this is primetime for tourists and some easy food. The locals put stickers that say do not feed me on the you burros because their teeth are not developed enough to chew and they can chock on the food. We saw several burros nosing around motorcycles park along the street, they don’t bother the cars but I guess the motorcycles look like another beast of burden to them.

As you enter Oatman at the west end of town the intersection you come to was the main corner of the town. Located here was the Oatman Drug Store and the Arizona Hotel. Today just the drug store building remains. The site of the Arizona Hotel is now a vacant area with some portions of the original walls and the hotels safe door. Below is a recent photo of the location and a couple of pictures of the area in the 1920’s and 1930’s from my Route 66 post card collection.

So next time you are in the Laughlin, NV / Bullhead City, AZ area take a run over to this fun and historic town to say hi! to Carolyn’s friends.

We continued our day out by traveling east on old Route 66 through Sitgreaves Pass and past the site of Cool Springs. This was a  gas station, coffee shop and a few cabins along Route 66 between Kingman and Oatman. The original owner piped water from a nearby spring to this location to provide travelers a refreshing stop be for taking on Sitgreaves Pass which begins just west of this location.

Today this location still provides a refreshing stop to travels of the old road. It also provides some great information on the history of this location as well as Route 66 through the area.  The original building was blown up in 1991 during the filming of the movie Universal Soldier . Today the building has been restored to much of its original state as seen in my recent photo below and the photo from my Route 66 post card collection.

This brings to an end the first part of bring you up to date on our travels. In the next part I will cover our travels from Laughlin, NV to Quartzite, AZ where we spent a week before continuing on to Kingman and on to Williams, AZ as well as our adventures on the train to the Grand Canyon and Christmas Eve on the Polar Express to the North Pole. I hope you enjoyed this first installment of the update to our travels and I am looking forward to Improvements of this site as it progresses.