Humphrey Blog: Trip 2008

Showing posts with label Trip 2008 - 2009. Show all posts

Wickenburg, AZ

Bob, Darleen, Marge & I drove over to Wickenburg, Thursday morning while we were staying at Salome. A most interesting day was spent in Wickenburg. The city is supported by tourists and many dude ranches in the area. We learned that the city is named after Henry Wickenburg, a german immigrant gold miner who was attracted to the area around 1863. We went to the information center which is housed in the old railway station. This building is the home of the Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber of Commerce headquarters housed in the old railway station. This is also the information center.

Henry Wickenburg, for whom the city is named.

Founder of the Vulture Mine

Old 761 Sante Fe Steam Engine.

The Jail Tree. As the town didn't have any formal jail, your sentence was served chained to this 200+ old mesquite tree

Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, built the Vernetta Hotel(now Hassayampa Building) which was located across from the rail station in 1905

Marge & Darleen sitting on a sculpture that is located in front of the Desert Caballeros Museum.

Bronze sculpture of a miner and his companion.

As stated earlier Wickenburg is a western town that is 55 miles west of Phoenix on Hwy 60 and the flavour is well represented here. We saw many pickups pulling horse trailers throughout the streets here. There are many individual shops that sell unique memorabilia, artwork and one of a kind crafts. There were many beautiful items there that we would have liked, but we don't have any more room in the motorhome to showcase these treasures. After lunch at The Mecca Restaurant & Cantina, of which had been recommended to us, and we weren't disappointed. We slowly walked back to where the car was parked near the old railway station. Along the way we browsed in many of the shops and stopped at many of the bronze statues that had voice recordings when a button was pushed. These recordings at the statues, such as the hotel owner & the miner provided some local insight to what life was like back a hundred years ago. For further information on Wickenburg visit the town website and click on the "bronze statue" link on the home page: http://www.ci.wickenburg.az.us/. Also the Chamber of Commerce is an excellent resource for information & upcoming attractions. http://www.wickenburgchamber.com/atractions.asp

Salome, AZ

Desert Vista RV Park

The dining room!

Soup Friday! Here we are enjoying lunch.
L/R - Marge, Darleen, Bob, Edna, Dick, Vern & Donna. The empty spot is mine.

We left Mesa and drove out Hwy 10 to exit 81. Leaving Hwy 10 we are now on Salome Rd. We travelled about 33 miles at a very leisurely pace and arrived in the community of Salome. At the intersection of Salome Rd & Hwy 60 we turned left and drove approximately a mile arriving at Desert Vista RV Park. The staff were very friendly and all of the parks guests also. Very nice park. We were here on our Coast to Coast membership which made the week we stayed, reasonable. On the Tuesday we went in Vern & Donna's vehicle and 30 miles east of Salome we were now in Aquila. Here each Tuesday they have a flea market on the side of the road and there were also many fresh vegetable & fruit vendors selling there products. We had lunch at the local mexican vendor, then returned to the park in Salome with our purchases. The park we stayed at is a great location if you have an ATV, or some sort of vehicle that travels well over open terrain. For people who like to quad etc. you can travel in any direction for short trips or trips that will take you some of the local mines, or just a fun day trip. Make sure you take water and a lunch, plus extra fuel. A shower is required when you return from your adventure. On Thursday we drove to Wickenburg along with Bob & Darleen(separate story & pictures). On the Friday of each week, the lunch special is eat as much soup and cornbread you would like for $3.50. The volunteer cooks made 6 kinds of soup & they were split pea & ham, Boston clam chowder, chicken noodle, turkey barley, cream of asparagus and California medley(vegetable). You could make as many trips as you would like to the counter, provided you cleaned & washed your bowl out between trips. I ended my trips to the counter after 5 times, only not trying the cream of asparagus. They were all excellent and no one left hungry! On Sunday morning we pulled up stakes and headed to Yuma.

Mesa, AZ and area

We had gone to Mesa, AZ for a couple of reasons. We stayed at Palm Gardens RV Resort (http://www.palmgardensonline.com/ ). We picked this park because of the area we were going to be in for travel and centralization. We had gone there for a wedding. The bride was from our hometown of Kamloops and we have known the parents of the bride for more than 30 years. In fact Maureen, the brides mom lived across the street in Vancouver and was friends of Marge's when she lived there as a child. The other reason was a friend of ours was in the hospital there and we also wanted to see him. So we spent 3 days in Mesa, and Palm Gardens Park is in the Passport America umbrella of parks. This was a gorgeous park with many amenities, but unfortunately we were not able to take advantage of. Would we stay there again, you betcha we would and the cost was really reasonable.

Ocotillo Golf & Country Club, where the wedding took place

Burt & Marge & the brides parents, Maureen & Bob Hickey.

The three days past all to quickly and we were off to Salome , AZ

Coolidge, AZ

Indian Skies RV Resort Entrance Sign

Club House, Office

View down one of the lanes with both United States & Canadian Flags Flying

Our motorhome in one of the pull throughs

Arnie & Maureen Boudreau at their winter home in Indian Skies Park

We left Wellton, AZ mid morning as we weren't in any hurry. We had programmed the GPS for Indian Skies RV Park in Coolidge, AZ and we were on our way. We got to the park around one o'clock, and after checking in we set up and went to check out the park & the amenities. We knew that the Boudreau's had been in this park for several winters and we had been informed at the office they were still there. By the time we located them, they knew we were in the park. Must have been a runner to their location & informed them we were there. We shook hands & hugged. We hadn't seen them in sometime although we both came from the same area of BC. Also, she had her brother & sister-in-law there. We chatted for a while then left. We went into Coolidge looking for somewhere to eat. We settled on Tag's Cafe. Food was good & the price reasonable along with a friendly waitress. Back at the rig and after watching some TV we were tired, so to bed. The next day we once again contacted Buzz & Mo and while there her company left to head to Vegas. We chatted some more and they had commitments so off we went. We walked past the clubhouse and heard music playing. Gotta check this out we say. Inside there was a gtoup of 11 people playing instruments and entertaining the residents that had come to hear the music. We stayed for an hour and even danced a couple of numbers. Fun, fun, fun. That evening we went to the clubhouse as euchre was the game that evening. Marge & I hadn't played it in a long time. We had a lot of enjoyment playing, although we didn't win any jackpots, we had fun! Thursday we have to leave as our time was up at Indian Skies. We had booked in there with Passport America. Good program and parks that are part of the program receive 1/2 of there regular daily rate. Off we go towards Mesa for a few days!

Afternoon at the Petersens

On a beautiful, warm Saturday afternoon we were at Mel & Iris Petersens to enjoy some music and comradere with friends. There was several tables set up around their campsite and snacks were placed on them. Many people arrived with there chairs and umbrellas for shade from the bright sun. They had invited the Shuswap Snowbird RV Club musicians to play. And play they did for 3 hours. Waltzes, Polkas, Schottische, Country & Western, was played and one could dance if you felt like it. You could dance on the gravel or move out to the roadway and dance there. We could have spent many more hours listening as it was so good. But all good things must come to a close. After the musicians had pack up there instruments, and most of the people went to there units, Mel & Iris fed the rest of us with chili-con-carne, salads, bread, pickles. Wonderful is about the best way to describe the day and the food.

Shuswap Snowbird RV Club musicians

You could sit and listen to the music, or dance

Many friends of the Petersens came to listen

Click on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pa4GlyIxuE

This will take you to the Shuswap Snowbird RV Club musicians playing

Canadian Party at Pioneer Park

Canada Day at Pioneer Park. (Feb 24th)

There are quite a few Canadians here in the park. I saw one statistic that indicated the park was 47% Canadian content. There was a good turnout for the festivities. They came from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and North West Territories. Earlier I noticed we also had a couple from New Brunswick, and they had left a few days ago.

Happy hour was from 3:30pm to 5:00pm. A good time to meet some of our neighbours.

The hall was nearly full!

Mel & Iris Petersen from Salmon Arm, BC

Food, food & more food and all delicious. So many choices and so small a plate!!

The actors for a skit

This lady and this gentleman were the oldest of there sex. She was 76 & he was 78.

It is nice to see our seniors are still active & still travel.

The largest group was from British Columbia. Next was Alberta. The host then had us all return to our province of birth. What a turnaround. This made Alberta the province with the most people there, by birth. A tie would have been between Saskatchewan & British Columbia. Next came Ontario, then Manitoba. There was one person there who repreresented the province of Quebec. Interesting the demographics of where we all came from and where we originated from.

Road Trip to Emerald Cove for Valentine's Weekend

We have been at Pioneer RV Park here in Wellton, Az for a month and a half now. We had been in contact with our friends at Emerald Cove and learned that they were going to be there for Valentine's weekend. It was also Presidents Day the following Monday(16th). What better time to go and have a good time at the "River". So we make reservations for the RV park at Emerald Cove, leave our car here in Wellton and off we go in the motorhome.

The group we hang with were all formally from an area in the park known as "Bass Point". The park has moved us all out of that area and have put rental trailers there.

Larry, Jeff & Joe open up the bootle of "Jagermeister" we donated to the boys. Marge presented each of the ladies with homemade croquet dishcloths.

Sitting around the firepit & chatting.

Time to put on the feedbag! Good food as always

We do know how to have a good time!!

On the weekends, over at the poolbar, the ever popular karaoke takes place. After a good meal we go over and listen, while many sing. There are many who sing and we enjoy the singing and the comradere. Monday afternoon all the "River" friends have headed back to there respective homes and return to work Tuesday morning. We leave the park Tuesday, and return to our location in Pioneer RV Park in Wellton.

Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, MX

We cruise into Mazatlan Port, arriving and docked by 8am. Below is the view we have as we enter Mazatlan Port.

Entering port

Breakwater!

View of our ship at dock

Cathy holding an Iguana

One of the many fountains throughout the city.

As we were standing outside the market place, a police escorted several cars loaded with circus animals. This car had giraffs.

This car had several cats!

More cats!

And coke is delivered to Cathy.

Cabo San Lucas

Day 5

We are anchored in Cabo harbour. There isn't a dock large enough for us to tie up to. We are tendered to the dock. Since we were there last in 1996 the whole area has changed. At the dock where we are tendered to, there is a building with many shops in side. We shopped in there but it is all the same stuff that we had seen at previous ports of call. We go back to our ship and stay there. We depart Cabo at 4pm bound for Long Beach, CA. Upon arrival in California, (day 7) we are docked by 8am, depart the ship around 10:30 am, clear customs and get a cab to take us to the AVIS car rental place. Pick up our car and head for home -- Wellton, AZ. We get back in Wellton around 4 that afternoon. We have had a good time. Unfortuneately, Bob has come down with the crud a couple of days before we get back to Long Beach, Cathy & Marge both seem to have minor cold symptoms & I was ill for about an hour before supper Saturday night and felt better after. It was the wine...thats it.