moore news

Between ‘Rangs’

2012-02-09T10:13:00.001-07:00

(Jan) Many in the Escapees Boomer Group gather at Quartzsite the last two weeks in January for Boomerville and again near Lake Havasu in February. In between these two events, Chuck and I went down to Yuma. We had not stayed at the Paradise Casino before but found our four day stay there to be very nice and fairly quiet. It also put us quite close to a delicious Rib Lunch at the casino w/John & Cathy, Ken & Bea, Jerry & Sue and Ron & Diana (pictured below) on Tuesday and Prime Rib with Joanne on Wednesday night. Yum! Algodones, Mexico was also close for us to make a prescription run as was the Main Street Theatre were I went with the Boomers to see ‘One for the Money.’ After reading all of Janet Evanovich’s 18 Stephanie Plum books, I was really excited to see this movie. I liked it for the most part and the movie people got most of the plot line right. Several main characters were excellent but several like Grandma, Mom and Vinny were way off. The jury is out on Ranger. I guess there is never enough time in a movie to get ‘everything’ in there and all of the characters rounded out.

Our next four days were spent at 53rd Street in the Foothills. This always puts us close to Joanne’s for a fun day of cards, cooking and laundry. I joined Sharon, Linda and Jeanne for two mornings of Zumba at local RV Parks and Chuck and I spent two great afternoons playing Tripoly at Jim & Diane’s and Pegs & Jokers Express at Ron & Sharon’s. At left are Chuck, Ron, Jeanne, Sharon, Jan and Jack.

On Monday morning we drove back down to Algondones for Chuck to have his recent dental work photographed and do a little shopping; some Amaretto Tequila and those fun paper flowers pictured above. Then we were off to MM99/Road Runner south of Quartzsite for a ‘quiet’ day. I finished reading ‘The Help’ and we also went on several long walks. The ‘quiet’ part was a pit deceiving. A neighbor started beating on a drum around 9 P.M. but luckily decided to call it a night around 10:30.

2012 Boomerville Wrap-up

2012-02-02T11:30:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) Most people who think of Quartzsite think of dust, crowded RV’s in the desert and traffic jams in town. Boomerville is a little known secret that is just the opposite of the “conventional wisdom”. A sample of activities that take place here are potlucks, group discussions on self defense, solar power, Boondocking, any beading or craft activities, travel discussions, or anything that you may find interesting. All you have to do is put it on the white board and list the time, and people will come and share ideas and experiences. Do you want to talk with someone who has been on a two week African Photo Safari? There are at least four people that have done that. Do you want to know more about a summer in Alaska ? We know at least ten couples who make the trip on any given year. When we make the trip in 2013, these connections will have given us a huge advantage with the knowledge of places and timing of events, and personal experiences that tour books will not provide. Boomerville is a “Best Kept Secret”. In the above photo, we’re the eleventh rig in from the left on the top row. The picture was taken by our friend Tom who does a fly-over each morning in his powered parachute.

Jan and I started the Chili Cook Off in Boomerville three years ago. I do not remember how it started, but it seems to have developed into an annual event. This year we had 30 entries which is a record. Those who did not bring a pot of chili brought a side dish to complement the entries. Jan and I choose six judges to evaluate the entries and declare a winner. Boomers seem to be known for food events and this one is no exception for quantity and quality.

Judges; Terry, Jan, Odel, Beth, Bruce and Larry

Chuck, Laurie, Jan and Vicky with the Judges scores

The Winners; 3rd-Bill D 2nd-Gretchen, 1st-Bill R

Chuck & Jan w/friends on our morning 2-4 mile walk; uphill going out and downhill coming home

Bob mixing pancakes with Gretchen grilling & serving. They feed the group for CARE donations

Pegs & Jokers w/Betty and Duane. We ALL played a Joker!!

CARE is part of the Escapees RV Club organization which provides for Continuing Aid For Retired Escapees. That means that they have the ability to park their rig at the Escapees Headquarters in Livingston, Texas and volunteers will help them with doctors appointments and basic needs while they are in transition from a full time RV lifestyle to an actual “retirement” lifestyle. At most large Escapee events, such as Boomerville, we hold a Care Auction which raises money for CARE . People donate items which have value that they may no longer need and others buy them on the auction. Jan and I help with the auction, Three of us were auctioneers and Jan and other “Vanna Whites” displayed the items. It was fun and we raised over $3,000 for the event.

The weather was sunny except this afternoon rain shower…….We have moved on the Yuma and are now on 53^rd Street after a couple of days stay at the Paradise Casino. We will visit my mother and Yuma friends, get our mail and then be off the Lake Havasu area for several weeks. The weather has been excellent and we are enjoying our RV life to the fullest.

Boomerville 2012

2012-01-23T14:50:00.001-07:00

(Jan)Wow! Remember in the last Blog, I mentioned all of the things that go on at Boomerville? Well, It’s ALL been happening and more! This year when we got here, my friend Betty announced that she was serious about getting exercise and eating less so I’ve joined ‘Betty’s Boomerville Bootcamp.’ We’re walking 3 to 4 miles each morning and doing Zumba for an hour or walking 2 more miles in the afternoon every other day! Chuck has been walking, too, but the Zumba has been pretty much a ‘girl’ thing.

Some of the 9:00 morning walkers. We have miles measured off from the Boomer Headquarters Tent and many walk each morning.

Some of the ‘Zumba Girls;’ Betty, Jackie, Judie, Sharon, Jan, Pam, Judy, Linda and Connie. Judie sets up her computer and speakers for us.

Relaxing after the Chili Cook-Off – Dick, Duane, Chuck, Dave, Beth, Jan, Ann, Betty and Judie sitting around the fire circle.

The ‘Pace Theatre’ (power point) shows fellow traveler’s adventure – The Panama Canal, Amtrak Travel, the Rose Bowl Parade, ‘off the beaten track’ in Israel, the Maritimes, Photos from our Powered Parachute Boomer, etc.

The people here are enthusiastic, giving and organized! Also, sharing and caring! Chuck and I have both shared other’s tales of adventures, quests, sorrows and health issues. It’s an amazing community of heart felt support and friendly inspiration!

And the Sunrises and Sunsets have been incredible!

We’re blessed to be at Boomerville 2012.

5 days in the Foothills

2012-01-13T12:18:00.001-07:00

For the past five days we have been ‘lot guests’ at Jim & Diane’s. We had a wonderful time and thank them so much for having us stay. Our days were filled with a variety of activities.

Jan joined Sharon & Patsy for Zumba Gold classes Monday & Wednesday and loved it!!
Chuck went for a long walk with Ron through the neighborhood & hiking with Jim to see a Petroglyph site.
Spent time visiting, doing projects and playing cards with Joanne and had some marvelous lemon meringue pie.
Went to a fun gathering at Ron & Sharon’s new property in the Foothills. Ron grilled hotdogs and we all brought side dishes, snacks, desserts and drinks. The group is pictured above.
Jan joined the Boomer group for Movie day at the Main Street Theatre and dinner after at Da Boys. The action packed ‘Mission Impossible; Ghost Protocol’ was playing. Good movie and as was the pizza!
Having coffee and lunch on Jim & Diane’s sunny patio. Visiting and playing Pegs & Jokers.
Jan walking through the neighborhood & chatting with Diane.

Kathy, Bea, Patsy, Donna, Joy, Chris, Margie, Jan, Diane and Sharon.

Ladies Luncheon at Julianna’s Garden Café – a beautiful place with colorful mosaic tables, delicious food and large colorful parrots on their perches next door.

Anke, Ann, Nancy, Joey, Leslie, Jane, Carol, Pam and Brenda. Our Boomer friend Jenny is taking the photo.

We closed out our 5 day Foothills run with Green Chili Pork Burritos, Margaritas and Pegs and Jokers with the Meads, Millers and FisherBakers. We played 2 table with the losers moving and then we all switched partners. Chuck and Ron won the most games. What a fun week we’ve had. Whew! Time for a break……..except…….

We are on our way to Quartzsite to join the Boomers for our annual gathering in Scadden Wash east and south of Q. We’ll join 100+ rigs for a couple of weeks of walking, hiking, 4-wheel drives, geo-caching, having seminars on solar energy, batteries & inverters, healthy eating, travel to the Maritimes, Mexico and Alaska, fire extinguishers & safety, health care & insurance issues, dutch oven cooking and building earth ovens, group discussions on workamping for Disney, Amazon and the National & State Parks, Pace’s movie nights on Rose Bowl & Balloon Fiesta experiences etc, Happy Hours, Potlucks, Chuck’s Chili cook-offs, Wine taste testing, the Geraldine contest, Gretchen & Bob’s Pancakes, CARE auction, and of course, playing Pegs & Jokers, crafting and visiting!! Oh, and may-be a trip into Quartzsite to see what's new in the 'big Tent', or seeing the Rock Show or shopping at Tyson Wells or Rice Ranch or the Main Event. It’s going to be a fun and busy couple of weeks!

Fun with Friends

2012-01-08T09:20:00.001-07:00

One of the games that Boomers like to play when they get together is called Pegs and Jokers. Last Tuesday we were invited to a P&J tournament. Jim & Diane hosted 6 couples and after 5 games, Frank was crowned Champ. Jenny & Dan, Gretchen & Frank, Jim & Diane, Chuck & Jan, Ron & Sharon and Carol & Jerry, above, are ready to play!

Wednesday was moving day for us. We left Mittry Lake to join a group of friends boondocking out on Sidewinder road. It’s been great to visit/walk/hike with them and enjoy some fabulous sunsets! Friday morning five of us walked over toward the Ogilby hills from our spot on Sidewinder. Mick and Ann are veteran hikers; Linda is a steady walker and we were all ready to venture over to the hills and try the main uphill watercourse. It was a beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the 70’s. Our path took us east up the watercourse, over the saddle and down the other side, through the main valley and then around the north side of the Hills. We all had a great time on our 3 mile hike/walk.

Yesterday was shopping day at Sam’s, along with a stop at Paradise to have their Rib Special with friends Kaaren & Bill and Karen & Mickey. Delicious! They serve a generous helping of meaty ribs with a side of fries for $5.99.

Today we were going to try another hike to the peak but the winds came up last night so ‘no hike’ this morning. We will be moving this afternoon back into the Foothills to stay with friends this week before we venture up to Boomerville at Quartzsite for our annual Boomer gathering.

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T17:28:00.001-07:00

(Jan) It’s hard to believe that 2011 is History and that we’re starting into 2012! These years have certainly been flying by. The Moores spent the last week of the year at Lake Mittry north of Yuma, Arizona with the Escapee’s Boomer group that we RV with. Lake Mittry is BLM land between the Colorado river and the Gila Main Canal. We are boondocking here with 16 other rigs. Some friends we’ve known for years; others that we have just met. Our previous December schedule of projects on the rig, household chores, time with Joanne and walking and biking have been replaced with lots of time with friends.

As Christmas flowed into New Years week, several Boomer friends headed out to new adventures and other Boomer friends arrived to join the group. Other Yuman-being friends, Gary & Nancy and Dan & Jenny arrived for an afternoon of Pegs and Jokers and the daily Happy Hour. The following day (our 43rd wedding Anniversary) Laurie and Odel came out to hike with us. We headed northeast into the hills to do a little Geocaching. After a fabulous hike we settled down to a fun Happy Hour with them and friends Ben & Darlene.

We’ve gotten to play cards quite a bit since we’ve been here, an evening with Ben & Darlene and Pegs & Jokers with Meads & Knapps. There’s also been several women’s circles, featuring earring making, beading, knitting and sewing.

Chuck and I have both done several hikes. The old Laguna Dam and it’s mile long spillway is just to the west of us beyond the ‘Betty’s Kitchen’ area. The pictures below are from one of the days we hiked 4+ miles over to the Colorado River, across the Laguna Dam and into California.

The mighty Colorado River is down to a very small river at this point after canal water has been siphoned off north of the dam.

Ben & Darlene and Jan and Chuck at left, Ron, Chuck & Ben above.

On New Years Eve the Boomer Group gets together to get acquainted in a unique way. The Z Circle allows everyone to visit in 4 different host rigs with different traveling couples. Pictured below are the 4 groups we hosted at our motorhome in the 4 different 45 minute time slots.

Jan & Chuck with Sam & Carolyn, Don and Jerry & Carrol.	Chuck & Jan with Pam & Dennis, Darlene & Ben and Ron & Linda.
Chuck & Jan with Ed & Carol and Gretchen & Frank above. Jan & Chuck with Ron & Sharon, Tom & Margie and Ken & Sue at right.

New Year Day featured a delicious potluck with 37 Boomers; those that are parked here and several friends from Yuma.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T10:38:00.001-07:00

Skype is wonderful technology! It allowed us to ‘be with’ our families on Christmas Eve at Joanne’s house in the Foothills and on Christmas Day here at Lake Mittry. We got to visit with and see the kids and grandkids open their Christmas gifts.

Stephen, Michael, Anne, Brent and Maddie with Katie in back and Libby’s arm reaching into the picture. We’re missing Donna, too.

Eric, Ryan, Jessica and Cheri on Christmas Eve as Ryan opens a gift card.

Josh with Julianna, Alison and Isaac in their ‘bear’ hats watching Lexi open her gift. We’re missing Sarah in this photo.

We had a lovely evening after Church services at Joanne’s. The family’s traditional Oyster Stew was replaced with Nachos this year! And after a lively game of Hand and Foot Express we enjoyed Christmas Brownies with ice cream.

The Boomer Christmas Day at Lake Mittry started off with Pop Overs at Ron & Sharon’s followed by Pegs and Jokers with the Meads, Knapps and Moores. It’s been a lively several day competition with the girls ahead ….. at this point. Our Christmas potluck dinner was delicious! Here to enjoy the feast were: in front; Frank & Gretchen, Margie, Glenda and Wendy. In back; Ron, Chuck & Jan, Kay, our neighbor Ed, Tom, Sharon, Dick, Russ, Tom, Ina & Pat, Terry, Jane, Darlene and Don. Vince is missing in the photo. Don & Glenda’s solar step-ladder Christmas tree, at right, looks much more like a ladder during the day but is a lovely lighted Christmas Tree by night! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year everyone!

In and Around Yuma

2011-12-23T20:10:00.001-07:00

(Jan) Amazing as it may seem, Chuck and I spent a whole 28 days in one place, on 53rd Street in the Yuma Foothills, before moving out to Lake Mittry this morning. With great places to bike and walk and Chuck’s mom and friends to visit, the time flew by. Also, since we were plugged in to electricity, we watched and recorded quite a few television programs and movies.

On Friday, December 17th we hosted our 3rd Annual Christmas Happy Hour. This year’s weather was wet and windy up until about 3:30 but when friends started arriving at 4:00 it was really quite nice. The weather plus a round of flu passing through town kept some away but we sure had a nice time with friends who came. Pictured above are-front; Vince, Mary, Gretchen, Nancy and Margie. In Back; Ken & Bea, Frank, Jan, Wendy, Chuck, Tom, Don, Russ & Jane, Ron & Sharon, Chris, Glenda, Jerry, Frazer and Don. After the Happy Hour, our group had a great time watching the neighborhood’s ‘Parade of Lights’ together.

At left – Pegs & Jokers with Ron & Sharon, Chuck & I and Jim & Diane. Above – Joanne and Jan playing Hand & Foot.

Chuck completed a couple more projects around the motor home, too. The footrest on my chair was no longer raising so he took it apart, ordered the parts from Villa Furniture and reassembled the chair. One of our Day/Night shades in the Bedroom had a frayed cord so that got re-strung, also. Our dining room chairs have been needing new padding so we took them over to Quality Upholstery Shop on Hwy 95 and they did an excellent job of replacing the seat cushions and replacing the original upholstery. They did them both in one day and we would highly recommend them.

On our way over to pick up our chairs, we came upon this miss-hap. Apparently the driver of this truck and trailer stopped too fast and his load of lettuce shifted. It looked like two full rows of stacked lettuce fell and workers were busy cleaning it up and readjusting the stacks.

Yuma is called the ‘Winter Lettuce Capital’ for a very good reason. Many of the acres of irrigated farm ground north of Yuma are planted to many different varieties of lettuce. To the right are fields of green and red leaf lettuce with a field of red leaf lettuce being harvested in the background.

One of our favorite stops along Highway 95 is this Vegetable Stand. There’s nothing like fruit and vegetables freshly harvested!

Merry Christmas 2011 from the Moores

2011-12-15T19:41:00.001-07:00

Our Christmas Greetings arrive to you this year from Arizona where we rang in the year back in January! Our travels took us to 13 states this year. In the spring we journeyed through New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri on our way to visit family and friends in Iowa. A summer trip brought us through Illinois to be more family, into Indiana to seeing fellow traveling friends and into Ohio to see old Army friends. This fall we headed over to South Dakota and Wyoming and then down through Colorado, New Mexico and back to Arizona. It was wonderful to spend time with our family and friends this year. Our sons Brent, Eric and Josh and their beautiful families are thriving and active and our moms, Joanne and Dolores, are both doing well. All are pictured below.

In Back; Eric & Cheri Josh & Sarah w/Julianna. Middle; Ryan, Alison, Isaac Jan & Chuck. In Front; Jessica and Lexi in July in Illinois.	In Back; Stephen, Brent, Donna and Katie. In Front; Anne w/ Madeleine, Libby and Michael in May in Iowa.	Jan & Chuck riding the George S. Mickelson Bike Trail in the Black Hills while attending a Boomerang (Boomer group gathering) in August in South Dakota
Chuck & Jan a mountain view south of Payson, Arizona	Chuck with his mom, Joanne in Yuma Foothills, Arizona	Jan with her mom, Dolores in Carroll, Iowa

This year allowed us to have some grand hiking adventures from the Ogilby Hills in California to the Rocky Mountains near Buena Vista, Colorado (picture at the top of the page), to the Mogollon Rim and Devils Chasm in Arizona (below). We enjoyed lots of biking and walking and also, some fun gatherings with Boomer friends. Another high light was getting to attend the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, NM and crewing with Pirates Treasure and Clown ‘n’ Around.

Above; A group of Boomer friends who came over to help us celebrate Christmas last year.

Below; Chuck & Jan and friends Bruce & Dee on a very challenging but rewarding hike to the Sierra Ancha Cliff Dwellings in Devil’s Chasm near Roosevelt, AZ

Above and Below; pictures from the Balloon Fiesta.

As this year slides into history, we’d like to wish everyone many of Christ’s blessing during this holy season and through out the coming New Year. Merry Christmas and have a great 2012!! Chuck & Jan

‘Townies’ again

2011-12-12T20:55:00.001-07:00

(Jan) For the past five winters Chuck and I have stayed in the Foothills for a week or two at a time in between spending time boondocking in different locations. Since the end of November we’ve staying on 53rd Street and are ‘townies’ again. It’s amazing how many people we’ve met during those five seasons and how many of our friends either own property here now or stay in the area for part of the winter.

One of those couples, Jim & Diane, hosted a Boomer Happy Hour to welcome friends to their new place Thanksgiving week-end. It was a fun gathering and with 70 degree weather, perfect for visiting outside.

We’ve been doing the usual things these days; biking, walking, spending time with Joanne, playing a game or two of Pegs & Jokers with friends and doing a couple of ‘fix-it’ jobs in the MH. We hope all is well in your world!

Two weeks, Three locations

2011-11-26T23:24:00.001-07:00

We stayed in the Foothills until the 16th and had lot of fun riding our bikes around the area and going to garage sales and visiting Joanne along the way. Other activities were

Having a wonderful dinner at Jim and Diane and fun playing Pegs & Jokers.
Shopping at the Yuma Outdoor Marketplace
Designing and sewing a dash cover for the MotorHome
Hemming our café curtains for the front window of the MH
Fixing a shelf in the bedroom cupboard
Shopping at the Yuma Indoor Marketplace

For four nights we stayed at the Q Casino which positioned us 2 miles from Los Algodones, Mexico where Chuck continued his dental work at the Desert Dental Clinic. We also

Went for walks around the casino grounds
Removed the stitches from Jan’s finger & it continues to heal
Had dinner at KOFA RV Park at Pam & Steve’s with Bruce & Dee and played Pegs & Jokers
Joined Karen & Micky and Kaaren & Bill for the buffet at the Q Casino

Sunday morning we drove to Mittry Lake to join our Boomer Gang and celebrate Thanksgiving. Lots of fun was had with the group

Going for walks to Betty’s Kitchen
Enjoying lively Happy Hours
Having girls day chatting and puzzling
Going to another dentist appointment for Chuck & Bruce
Coffee around the campfire for the guys
Playing P&J with Bruce & Dee and Pam & Steve
and also with Duane & Betty and Bruce & Dee
Hiking and geocaching

My brother Ron and Scarlet came to visit on Wednesday. We enjoyed lunch at a neat little German Restaurant downtown and then drove out to the Foothills to show them a bit of our winter home. After a stop at a fresh vegetable stand in the agricultural valley north of Yuma, we headed out to Lake Mittry. Visiting, a short hike and joining the Boomer group for Happy Hour made for a very pleasant afternoon. We grilled our dinner, visited some more and then it was time to take them back to their hotel. What a wonderful, precious time with family. Can’t believe we didn’t get a picture!

Thursday morning dawned cloudy, windy and warm. Twenty-nine Boomers gathered for a delicious meal of turkey cooked three different ways; on a rotary spit above a wood fire, in a trash can surrounded and topped by charcoal and a turkey oven baked. Nineteen Boomers boondocked at Mittry and ten more drove out from Yuma and joined us for cranberry margaritas and the wonderful turkey meal with all of the trimmings including five kinds of pie. An entertaining day was spent preparing food, drinking margaritas, eating and then visiting.

Chefs Mark Thornton and Judie St Croix starting the coals for the trash can turkey	Chuck and Jim in their Hawaiian shirts	Our RVs along the canal Lake Mittry
	Cranberry Margaritas	Turkey on the rotating spit slowly roasting over the wood fire.

What a week in Yuma, AZ

2011-11-12T14:23:00.001-07:00

(Jan) We arrived in the Yuma Foothills last Friday. Since then it’s been a steady stream of spending time with Joanne, walking and riding bikes, seeing friends, playing Pegs & Jokers with Ron & Sharon, doing ‘fix-it’ jobs on the rig, visiting with Fran & Bill when they joined us here on the lot for a couple of days and going to Los Algodones for Dental work.

Our trips to Algodones have been to Desert Dental Care for a check–up and cleaning for Jan and several crowns and bridges for Chuck. Dr. Rosario and Dr. Crystal came highly recommended to us and we are very happy with their knowledge, skill and care.

Projects around the house include the work Chuck has done matching the wood and cutting and gluing pieces to finish off the cabinets around the oven. It involved pulling out the oven and disconnecting everything and then replacing & connecting them when he had the woodwork done. It’s a nice job and we love having that completed.

A group of Boomers got together Wednesday to go to a movie matinee and dinner afterwards. This week’s pick was ‘Tower Heist’ and it was a fun movie to go to with a group. At right, clockwise from the bottom, is our group at Five Guys Burgers; Jenny & Dan, Bill & Fran, Sharon & Ron, Gary & Nancy, Jan & Chuck, Pam & Steve and Jim & Diane.

Remember the work being done around the stove? When we got in from the movie that evening, Jan headed for the light switch in the dark, tripped over the stove that was waiting to be replaced in the cabinets and fell, cutting her little finger on a sharp metal edge. Two and a half hours and five stitches later things were back on schedule. Luckily we could go to the Prime Care Center on 32nd & 4th Avenue and avoid the emergency room. We’re also grateful that the fairly deep cut did not damage the tendon.

Devil’s Chasm Hike

2011-11-03T18:11:00.001-07:00

(Chuck w/photos & notes by Jan) Sierra Ancha Cliff Dwellings is a series of native American ruins that were built between 1280 and 1350 in an area which is East of present day Lake Roosevelt, AZ. The ruin we hiked to is known as Devil’s Chasm.

In April, 2010, Sheeley’s, Poutney’s and Jan and I were sitting around a fire in Rye and Dean was telling us about ruins in the area. Soon a plan was hatched and Ron, Dean and I set out to find a well hidden ruin on Cherry Creek. Long story, short reveals that this is no casual “hike in the mountains”. This is a difficult and possibly dangerous journey that not all who start are expected to complete. Back in April, 2010 Ron and I left the creek too soon and exhausted ourselves on the side of the mountain. We returned to the waterfall not defeated, but far more experienced.

On this attempt with Bruce & Dee and Jan & I, we researched the site and found GPS coordinates and photos from other people who had made the hike. This was very helpful and provided a good chance for success.

Above, Bruce & Dee starting out fresh in the woods where we parked our truck. Dee & Jan hiking, center, and ‘the big rock’ that blocks the canyon about half way up at right.

The ‘Big Rock’ was about 20 feet high. To get to the top, we crawled/climbed…..

with the help of a large nylon rope, up the right hand side of the wall……

through a small tunnel that opening to the top. From there we continued up the canyon to a high waterfall area.

There are five or six places that require very careful maneuvering along narrow rock ledges which are twenty foot above the rock creek bed. It breaks rules that Jan and I have used on hikes. We have always said that we would not do anything that would jeopardize our RV lifestyle. We broke that rule when we conquered the bad area with very careful and deliberate foot and hand placements up the face of the 20+ foot waterfall. We reminded ourselves that even though we were tired, safety was most important.

The dry waterfall area, at right. The guys hiked across a narrow ledge above the falls because water was flowing down in the spring of 2010.

This time we were able to climb up and later down the face of the waterfall, finding small cracks and ledges for our feet and hands.

The “trail” is marked with rock carrions as it follows the canyon. A quarter mile past the point that Ron and I (April 2010) had left the creek and followed a false trail up the canyon wall, we came to the right place where we started a very steep ascent up the side of the canyon. This final climb is in excess of 45 degrees in thick brush and loose rock and dirt. After several hundred yards we were finally greeted with the first view of the ruin. Until this point there was some concern that not all three of us were going to proceed. It was a welcome sight in the sunlight. We made the final push after a brief rest and lunch while clinging along this steep path.

It was at this point that Bruce and Jan nearly staged a revolt! Chuck’s encouragements of ‘it’s just around the corner’ were falling short.

Our hearts were racing and we needed to decide if this was the end of our abilities. It was clearly evident that we needed rest and food.

We found a small shaded spot right on the dirt trail where the three of us could sit to have our lunch without sliding back down the hill.

Bruce, Jan and I spent about 20 minutes exploring the ruin and taking photos.

Entering the ruins.	Chuck by the front door	Looking up to the second floor and the overhanging protecting cliff
A matate or grinding stone left on the floor in one of the rooms by the ancient peoples	A hand print in the adobe ‘mud’ between the bricks and a door ledge.	Looking out a window

Chuck & Jan at a window on the far side of the ruins that drops off down into the canyon below

A dividing wall

Jan & Bruce standing on the ledge right below the ruins ready to tackle our hike/slide down

We rejoined Dee below the Big Rock, and all safely returned to the pickup.

This is trail is only four miles round trip, but it is easily the most difficult one that we have been on. From the start of the trail where we parked the pickup to the ruin there is a 2100 foot elevation gain. Jan and I carried a two liter Camelback and four 20 oz. water containers for a total of 140 ounces and we used all of it.

This journey requires a 28 mile, hour and one half drive on gravel through the mountains. Bruce, Dee, Jan and I set out on the trail at 10:00 and we all returned to the parking area (very tired) six hours later. Devil’s Chasm Ruins was a very satisfying accomplishment for us.

Pictures are by Bruce and Dee Richmond and Chuck & Jan Moore. Click on any imagine to enlarge it.

Mogollon Rim Country

2011-10-28T11:42:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) We spent nearly two weeks in Forest Lakes, AZ. It was a great restful stop in our travels. We explored a little and hiked a lot, which is a good combination for us. Our travel companions Bruce and Dee seem to be very comfortable with spending time together on the road and yet maintaining separate identities; a great way to travel as couples.

Beautiful Rim Country above and Chuck fixing a flat tire on Jan’s bike at right.		Bruce & Dee and Chuck & Jan on a hike around Black Canyon Lake.
Dee & Bruce and Jan at All Bikes in Rye, Arizona above. And at right-Chuck and Bruce fixing pancakes and ham one morning and Chuck grilling in the snow for dinner!

We owe a large THANK YOU to Dean and Judy for the use of their cabin property. We boondocked there and it was a good place to stay. They arrived to spend four days with us and we had a great time. When we first arrived at Forest Lakes , we were greeted with a wonderful view from our front window of the green forest and one beautiful broad leafed tree that had turned bright yellow. As the days passed the color turned to more of a gold; the temps were getting cooler. On day twelve the wind seemed brisk and as I looked at the tree all the leaves were blowing in the wind. It was a sign that we should have been paying more attention to the weather. That evening we were greeted with a snowfall that totaled about four inches. Fortunately the ground was warm and most of it was melted by the next morning. ‘Momma didn’t raise no dummies,’ it was time to leave. That is why our house has wheels. We went down the hill about 4,000 feet in elevation to a favorite spot south of Payson, AZ and we are once again wearing shorts and short sleeved shirts. 74 degrees at 11 am is just right. We will stay here for a few days and plan our hike to Devil’s Chasm, which is in the mountains East of Lake Roosevelt.

Forest Lakes

2011-10-19T10:06:00.001-07:00

(Jan) Dean & Judy invited us to their cabin and Bruce & Dee and Chuck & I joined them for a wonderful long week-end. It was so good to catch up on each others travels and spend some great hours hiking together. The first day all six of us headed out to a large sink hole and then on towards the rim. Above are Chuck & I, Dee & Bruce and Judy & Dean.

Judy, Bruce & Dee and Jan above along the Mogollon Rim. (pronounced Muggy on)

Judy, Jan & Dee in the cabin.

On the second morning four of us traveled west on the rim to do a little more hiking and explore several of the lakes in the area. The weather was perfect and the scenery breathtaking for our hike along the rim on the paved trail. Afternoons and evening were spent visiting, grilling and playing cards. What a special time with good friends!

Judy & Dean had to return home to Prescott on Monday but the four of us are staying on here in or RVs in this peaceful forest for several more days. Yesterday we hiked around the Woods Canyon Lake and did some geocahing along the way. On way we spotted several Bald Eagles, Elk and some Bear scat. On the first day we were here I saw a Mexican Gray Wolf when Judy, Dee and I were out walking.

We’ll do a little more hiking, geocaching, biking and waiting for our mail to arrive at the Post Office and then continue on our way southwest.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument

2011-10-17T14:13:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) When we left the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, we moved to the Sandia Casino in ABQ for one night of rest and an opportunity to relax with friends as we each assembled our travel plans. Mark and Judie were to spend the rest of the week in ABQ for dog training and Bruce and Dee traveled to Chinle, AZ to Canyon de Chelly National Monument with Jan and I. We spent two nights in the campground and enjoyed the drives on the North and South rims of the canyon to view the ruins. Field glasses were necessary and at each pull off it was exciting to spot ancient Indian ruins across the canyon. It is a very pretty place with colorful rock formations.

A prominent feature on the South Rim Drive is the 800 foot spire named Spider Rock

Ruins seen from the North Rim Drive, above. Bruce & Dee and Jan & Chuck at a canyon overlook at left.

Jan and Dee on the South Canyon Rim headed down the White House Trail. Jan & Chuck at right going through the lower tunnel on the WH Trail.

Bruce and Chuck hiking across the canyon floor towards the White House Ruins.

The highlight of our stay was the White House Trail hike. It is about a three hour hike which takes you 600 feet down the wall of the canyon to the floor. Then the trail leads you down the stream bed and across to the opposite wall to view White House Ruins, one of the many ruins in the area. This hike is the only authorized free hike in the Monument. All other activities are provided, for a fee, by Navajo and Navajo sponsored guides.

The final days at ALB & our CARE Auction

2011-10-13T13:47:00.001-07:00

(Jan) Sunday morning was the Farewell Balloon flight. We woke up to see the Dawn Patrol and then this beautiful wave of balloons ascending, and some of them descending, by our rig. It was a joy to sit in our lawn chairs and watch this beautiful sight. And even though Chuck nor I got a balloon ride, over half of our Boomer group crewed with a pilot that gave them rides. The pictures at right was taken by our friend Dee from a balloon looking back at the mass ascension one morning. We did get to crew a couple of times with two different balloons and had our field passes for the entire event. On other mornings that we were on the field by 6 A.M., unfortunately, we were not needed by our pilot or the weather was too rainy or windy. It’s certainly an event we had a great time at though and look forward to doing again.

We had a grand time in between the morning events and the evening glows riding bikes, visiting the Balloon Museum with Art & Connie, shopping for shirts & hats with Bruce & Dee, playing Pegs & Jokers with Ron & Sharon, Koz & Jackie and Bruce & Dee, Happy Hours with the group, visiting at each other’s rigs through the day, dinner at Koz & Jackie’s one evening and the CARE Auction.

The Escapees have a retirement RV Village at Livingston, TX that we raise funds for each time we have a large gathering. This event’s amazing total of $2,876.00 was twice what we had targeted for! Our rainy start for the auction on Tuesday was continued on a sunshiny Sunday. Vicky Webb was our Chair for the event, Terry Webb and Chuck did an excellent job auctioneering as Beth Miller and I were their ‘Vanna Whites’, Ann Meileke & Joy Melton handled the money, Many, Many great items were donated including 2 wonderful copper balloons crafted and donated by Judie St. Croix, Ann knittted an beautiful afghan for the raffle, Chuck and Mick Meileke did water deliveries for CARE donations, Terry & Vicky donated wine, also for CARE donations and we had wonderful bidding and support from our Boomer Group!

That evening we headed over to Rudy’s for some Bar-b-que with our “Clown-n-Around’ crew mates Mark Thornton, Judie St. Croix and Don Hankins. The brisket, pulled pork, ribs and stuffed baked potatoes were fabulous; almost as good as the bar-b-que that our son Eric makes in his smoker back in Chicago!

It was time to move to a new location Monday after spending the morning offering & collecting Boomer Hugs and fond farewells until many of us meet again at Mittry Lake for Thanksgiving or Quartzsite for our annual gathering. About 5 of us moved to Sandia Casino where Judie & Mark hosted a Happy Hour that afternoon. We are now at Canyon de Chelly National Monument on the Navaho Reservation at a lovely campground shaded by tall Cottonwood trees.

Special Shapes Rodeo Days

2011-10-07T07:50:00.001-07:00

(Jan) Thursday and Friday at the Balloon Fiesta are Special Shapes Rodeo Mornings and ‘Glowdeo’ evenings with fireworks. For the rest of our time here we are crewing for Clown-n-Around with regular crew members Judie St. Croix and Mark Thornton and Don Hankins. Our pilot is Andrew Avon and the balloon is owned by Todd and Scott Monahan all from Upstate NY. Unfortunately the weather has turned windy and rainy! Yesterday morning we were up at 5 and on the field by 6. We did get to inflate the balloon but could not fly as the winds were too strong. After inflating the balloon we were able to put our weigh on the basket and display the balloon for about an hour before deflating and packing up. Last night was too windy so no set up. This morning it was rainy but we were at the field by 6. They can launch in light rain but the wind came but so the event was officially cancelled by 7. Sure hope the weather clears for tonight’s ‘Glowdeo!’ We’re really enjoyed this crew and pilot.

A Wild Weather Day in Albuquerque

2011-10-05T19:30:00.001-07:00

(Jan) The clouds were threatening when we got up yesterday morning at 5:30 as we and our crewing partners Diane and Andy Hitzel headed over to the launch field. At the pilots briefing it was announced that there was about a 2 hour flying window of opportunity. We reported to Jane, our pilot and for the third time were told that she had plenty of crew. Jane did send us over to a friend of hers, however, who was short on crew and we were greeted with ‘We’re so glad that you’re here.’ We crewed for Terrible Tom Schroeder’s balloon Pirate’s Treasure. TT and first mate & wife Jeanne welcomed us aboard with regular crew Gene, Bill & Monica. We had a ball being regular crew and getting to do everything it takes to inflate and fly the balloon. As well as unpacking and laying things out, I got to man the fan and Chuck held the throat of the balloon as it filled with air. After the balloon lifted off. We packed up the things left on the field and hopped in the chase vehicle. From down below in traffic we watched our balloon head south and eventually picked Tom and his passengers up in parking lot to the south. After they landed & deflated the balloon, we packed everything up and then had time to visit with them for awhile before heading back to the launch field. Above are Andy Hitzel, Tom and Jeanne Schroeder, Monica & Bill, Chuck & I and Gene. Diane Hitzel was our photographer.

When we arrived back home the sky and our landing field were still filled with balloons and we had a great time watching and talking to the crews and pilots.

It began raining at mid day and plans for our CARE Auction and Potluck were in doubt. There was a break in the weather by midafternoon and the decision was made to go with the auction around 3:00 or as soon as we could get everything set up. Terry & Vicky Webb were the chairs along with their faithful crew – Beth Miller, Carole Schneider, Ann Meileke, Joy Melton and Chuck & I. Terry & Chuck auctioned through some sunshine and drizzle but just as the sprinkles grew heavier and we were deciding to try another day, the heavens opened up and the wind gusted! The awning that we were working under flew up and had to be brought in. We quickly covered the remaining items and our cashiers Joy and Ann with tarps. We loaded the auction items into Reinheimer’s rig as fast as we could & then everyone ran for cover. It all happened in minutes and we were thoroughly drenched by the time we were done! We will continue the auction Sunday at 1:00.

After everyone got home, out of our sopping clothes and showered, it was time to eat. And what a better way to do it than share our potluck entrees with several neighbors? We called the Millers, Schneiders, St. Croix/Thorntons and Webbs and we had a wonderful time with a great Boomer group; great food, shared stories and lots of laughter. Below in front are: Carole, Judie, Vicky & Terry; in back are: Dick, Chuck & Jan, Mark and Beth& Dick.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

2011-10-03T15:16:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a spectacular annual event. It is the premier ballooning experience in the world. This year marks the 40th year that it has been held in Albuquerque , NM . The weather this year has been excellent and at this point all events have been held. Sunday’s example of the "Albuquerque Box” was a good display of why the event is so successful. Albuquerque has a thermal and wind feature which allows the balloons to take off and drift downwind for a period of time and at the pilots discretion to rise to a higher altitude and ride a reverse wind back toward the take off area and beyond.

Special Shapes Balloons

We have found once again that there is a big benefit to being in the company of the Escapee Boomers. It is a group of experienced RV’ers who know how to get the most out of life. Our group of 40 rigs are only a fraction of the thousands of rigs here at the fiesta, however we have prime spots and at reasonably modest rates that Boomers are accustomed to. The Boomer hosts for this Boomerang are Luke and Judy Reinheimer, and they have once again provided us with a great experience. In front of our motorhome is a “landing field” that has been a center of activity for the last two days. Fifteen to twenty balloons landed here today and at any time this morning there has been at least a hundred balloons in the sky.

Most Boomers are “crewing” with a balloon, which means that they prepare the balloon for flight, inflate it, chase it, recover the balloon and pack it away. It can be a lot of work and a lot of fun. The mornings are cool and the afternoons are hot and everybody seems to walk around with a smile on their face and a camera in their hand.

Chuck and Jan joining Boomer friends Diane and Elise in stabilizing a balloon on the ground upon landing until their crew comes to retrieve them.

One of MANY photographers getting that ‘perfect’ shot.

A balloon drifting through the drainage canal behind our rigs.

Balloon teams from all over the world participate in this event and news coverage originates from more than 50 countries. It has become the most photographed event in the world.

Here is a link to a web-cam which is at the balloon field. Check at about 6:30 to 7:00 am on each day.

http://www.balloonfiesta.com/event-info/balloon-fiesta-cam

San Felipe

2011-09-28T18:43:00.001-07:00

(Jan) For the five days between Eagle Nest State Park and the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta we have called the San Felipe Hollywood Casino CG home. We are boondocking here east of the casino and in front of the Hollywood Hills Speedway. The weather has been marvelous; highs in the 80’s and night time temps in the 60’s. It’s given us time to go to Camping World to purchase a water softener, new step treads and a TV antenna booster. Time also to wash the MH and truck.

On Sunday we made a trip up to Santa Fe. We attended mass at the Cathedral Basillica of St Francis and later met our friends Bruce and Dee who were on their way south. Together we went to see the Loretto Chapel Staircase and then roamed around old town Santa Fe. There are many wonderful art galleries there as well as interesting shops and a plaza with native peoples displaying amazing crafts and jewelry. One of our favorite shops was a store entirely dedicated to selling oils and vinegars. We sampled several. What a delightful place.

Building of the Loretto Chapel was started in 1873 and finished in 1878. The staircase to the choir loft was built in 6 months by an unknown carpenter with only wood, wooden pegs and glue; it has two 360 degree turns and no visible means of support. The hand rails were added later at the request by the Sisters of Loretto. http://www.lorettochapel.com/staircase.html

Our friends Frank and Diane Gruelle are traveling through this area and we were able to go and visit them yesterday. We traveled down to old town Albuquerque and had dinner at the Frontier Restaurant which is right across the street from the University of New Mexico campus. It’s an interesting place with great burgers, New Mexican food and breakfast all day. Our burritos, enchiladas with homemade tortillas and sweet rolls (which the restaurant is famous for) were delicious! What a great evening we had with good friends.

Tomorrow it’s on to the Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque to join our Boomer group and attend the 2011 Balloon Fiesta. Our group will have our rigs parked on the parameter of the balloon landing field.

Maxwell Land Grant & the Colfax County War

2011-09-24T09:16:00.001-07:00

(Jan) This morning Chuck found the following site http://www.legendsofamerica.com/nm-maxwell.html on the web. For those of you interested in history, it’s a fascinating read about an area we’re definitely going to re-visit.

Eagle Nest & Cimarron, New Mexico

2011-09-23T16:38:00.001-07:00

(Jan) Eagle Nest State Park, elevation 8200 feet, lies in a high mountain valley surrounded by mountains north east of Taos and west of Cimarron. The lake and park are beautiful with sunny 70 degree days and cool 40 degree nights. We took a side trip there on our way south to do a little hiking with fellow Boomers Art and Connie. On Thursday we drove north west of Eagle Nest and hiked along Clear Creek in Cimarron Canyon State Park. Our 3 mile hike took us up hill, over plank bridges and scrambling over rocks near the stream to a pretty waterfall where we stopped to have lunch and visit. In the evening we set up the Pegs and Jokers board and enjoyed several games. After three very close rounds the girls were ahead 2-1. It was a good stop with fun friends.

Today was travels day. Going east to Cimarron and then south took us on a route we had not traveled before. We stopped in Cimarron which is rich in history to read all of their story boards.


		‘New’ Cimarron has placed large blow-ups of their town’s famous residents along the road as well as boards that told their stories and their part in the area’s history. Cimarron was also a stopping place for military, trade wagons and and pioneers traveling the Santa Fe trail. We went into ‘Old’ Cimarron, just to the south, to see some of the historic buildings and where the Santa Fe trail came through the town. Click on any picture to enlarge so you can read the text.

Tonight we are boondocking at a Casino north of Albuquerque. We will probably stay here until it is time for us to go to the Balloon Fiesta next week.

Central Colorado

2011-09-20T20:19:00.001-07:00

(Jan) As often happens, we plan to stop at a certain spot for a day or two and end up staying longer. That’s what happened at both Clear Creek Reservoir, 6 nights, and Salida BLM along the Arkansas River, 3 nights. Bruce and Dee joined us for the last nights at Clear Creek and two nights at Salida. Becky and Lonnie also joined us for a night at each.

On Friday Bruce & Dee and Chuck & I drove up the Lost Canyon Road or FR398 above Granite. It was a scenic, winding gravel road through aspen and pine forests that followed a pretty mountain stream for part of the way and past an abandoned miners cabin at 11,500 feet elevation and an old gold mining operation. As we climbed up to near the top, onto the tundra at 12,500 feet elevation, we were in the middle of a mountain snow squall. Time to head back!

We were delighted to be in the forest in the fall as the aspens are beginning to change color. We’re told that fall is a bit late this year and we’re hoping to see their golden colors in the next week or so. Did you know that aspens actually grow from one root system and the largest stand of genetically identical aspens encompasses about 106 acres?

Aspens above and to the right…..

…….and tiny little alpine flowers that were growing next to the miners cabin.

Saturday was a cool, windy day but that didn’t stop Bruce & Dee, Lonnie & Becky and Chuck & I from getting out and playing Bocce Ball. There was definitely no smooth grass to play on and plenty of rocks and pebbles so it made for an interesting couple of games. Guys 2, Girls 0 but a fun time for all.

Our spot here along the Arkansas River on BLM land is just south of Salida. It’s been real handy for making a Wal-mart supply run and a trip to the laundromat. It’s also just a 45 mile trip down along the beautiful Arkansas river valley and up over the hills to our friend’s place in Westcliffe. We met Dave & Marie in 2008 at the Mosquito Rang and were very happy to see them again. Bruce & Dee and Chuck & I drove over to see them on Monday. We met in downtown Westcliffe and roamed the shops for awhile and then relaxed and visited over lunch. (sorry, no picture this time)

Tomorrow we’ll end our stay here along the Arkansas river and head south to Eagles Nest State Park in New Mexico. We decided to skip Great Sand Dunes NP this year and save that visit for another time.

The Colorado Trail

2011-09-14T20:21:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) The Colorado Trail is a 483 mile long trail that travels from Denver to Durango. Most of the trail is above 10,000 feet and the highest point is 13,344 feet elevation. It was completed in 1987 and requires the efforts of many volunteers.

We are fortunate to be living within a few hundred feet of the trail as it traverses this valley. In 2008 we traveled a small portion of the trail as it wound up into the forest on the South moraine in this valley. This year we decided to follow the trail up the North moraine. On this side of the valley there are very few trees and we were rewarded with a wonderful views of Clear Creek Reservoir and its upper valley. Our up and back trip was only 4.25 miles in length however it included a 916 foot elevation gain. It was a great outing and when we gained the summit of the north moraine we were greeted with a brisk breeze and a noticeable change in temperature.

Looking east down the valley towards Clear Creek Reservoir where we’re staying

Looking west up the valley toward the ghost towns of Vicksburg & Winfield

There was a thunderstorm moving up the Arkansas River Valley and it was threatening to include our little piece of Heaven. We knew it was time to return to the valley floor. Going down was much easier and it took far less time than the ascent. We arrived safe and dry at home but we were very tired. The rest of our late afternoon involved a nice hot shower and plenty of relaxing. Tomorrow we may drive up this valley or drive to the top of the mountain above Granite.

The rain is pouring down to the east of us on the way back. We were home about 45 minutes before it started to rain on the Motor Home.

a gnarled Juniper tree trunk

The Colorado Trail

From our MH you can see the trail running diagonally up the moraine. Click the picture to enlarge.

Rocky Mountain NP & a visit to John & Julie’s

2011-09-12T16:35:00.001-07:00

(Jan) Rocky Mountain National Park has been a favorite of ours for years. Our first trip here was as newlyweds. Since then we’ve visited several times as a family with the boys and six years ago Chuck & I returned. It’s still a magical place where you can cross the alpine tundra at the top of the mountains at 12,000+ feet or enjoy elk grazing in the mountain meadows. Our first two nights were spent in Loveland where we were joined one evening by Mick and Ann and then luckily we found a place for the next three nights at Moraine Park CG.

(Chuck) We took a chance last week when we reserved a National Park campsite that was listed as a 40 foot site. It turned out to be a good fit. The second day was cloudy and wet and we were planning to drive up Fall River Road and down Trail Ridge Road with Bruce and Dee who had stayed in Estes Park in their RoadTrek. We needed one more day for the sun to shine and I found a site near us which was available for the next night and booked it. Bruce and I measured it closely and found that we could overhang the back of the rig and we put our 43 foot rig into a 35 foot National Park spot.

Our tour of Fall River Road, Trail Ridge Road and Bear Lake was a success and we were treated with a great close up view of the Elk in their first week of the rut. That evening we were near a stream watching a large group of females who were under the watchful eye of a large bull. We stood near the road as they crossed the stream only twenty feet in front of us. The bull followed at the rear of the group and he crossed very close to us, Dee who was near the front stepped back and we all knew that it could have been dangerous, however he proceeded on to his females and we all looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief. It happened so fast and it was a breathtaking sight. Days and evenings in the campground were accompanied with the bugling of the male elk in the rut.

Chuck & Jan at Chasm Falls, Bruce & Dee treating us to Burgers & Fries at Penelope’s and Bruce, Dee & Chuck in downtown Estes Park.

(Jan) On Friday morning we headed south to John and Julie’s home where we were welcomed with open arms & Boomer hugs. John and Julie & granddaughter Taylor live west of Denver at 9500 ft elevation in a beautiful home they built by themselves; yes, framed, wired, plumbed, etc. Bruce and Dee were visiting, also, and we had a wonderful time; eating some amazing meals prepared by John & Julie, talking technology, listening to an Andre Bocelli concert in John’s home theatre, playing pinball and working on Sudoku puzzles together.

On Saturday, as J&J had other commitments, we and Bruce & Dee headed down the Virginia Canyon Road, also listed on the map as the ‘O My God Road’ to Idaho Springs. The mostly gravel road lived up to it’s name with it’s steep winding route past former gold and silver mines and spectacular views. We toured the town, looked at all of the ornate houses perched on the mountain side, browsed the Main Street shops and wandered through their delightful Visitors Center/ Museum that told of the area’s early mining history.

Sunday the six of us headed to Boulder and had a very delicious breakfast at a local roadhouse high up in the mountains. In Boulder we headed to Pearl Street, an area several blocks long with shops and restaurants open only to pedestrian traffic. We sure had a fun time browsing and shopping at kitchen stores, art stores, a chocolate shop with Cherry/Jalapeno chocolate and watching the street musicians and buskers. A drive through the University of Colorado, past the Coors Brewery and back up the scenic Mountain canyon road took us back to John & Julie’s house. John fired up the wood burning earth oven when we got back and their neighbors Bob and Marsha arrived with sour dough pizza dough for us to make individual wood fired pizzas. Julie had all of the toppings ready, Dee and I furnished salads and we had another culinary feast! The evening was spent visiting but all too soon it was time to say good night!

Chuck’s pizza – sauce, onions, pepperoni, mozzarella, peppers and fresh tomatoes

Desert pizza w/chocolate chips

(Chuck) We left John and Julie’s this morning and proceeded to a place that I have wanted to return for several years. In 2008 we attended a Colorado Boomerang that has forever been referred to as the Mosquito Rang. That year our group was assaulted by a billion mosquitoes at Clear Creek Reservoir which is North of Buena Vista, Colorado. It is a beautiful setting in the mountains and it just did not seem fair that we could not be outside our rigs in this valley. Ever since then I have wanted to return to this place to prove that it could be done. We arrived this afternoon and there was a minor concern about internet access, however I raised our Wilson antenna on our large fiberglass pole and we have very good data access now. Good internet access has become a necessity on our lives. We will be here several days as long as the weather holds. Cool nights and 70’s in the day make this another wonderful place for us to make our home. When we leave here we will stop in Salida, then Great Sand Dunes NP, and on down into New Mexico for the Balloon Fiesta.

Leaving the Quiet of the Big Horn Mountains

2011-09-04T20:15:00.001-07:00

(Jan) It was a fabulous week high up in a quiet, pretty meadow in the Big Horn Mountains. We liked boondocking again and especially enjoyed the cool temps, opening windows with no A/C running and being able to eat outside in the sunshine. We did catch up on lots of household & bookwork tasks, along with watching some of the movies we had recorded on our DVR; Avatar, You Again, Mama Mia, Absolute Power, The Tourist, Up and Double Jeopardy. It was a great time for reading, too; King of Torts by John Grisham, The Choice by Nicholas Sparks and I, Alex Cross by James Patterson.

The weather, which started out as hot on the day we arrived, took us through two rain days and was decidedly cool on the day we left. In fact the last two nights got down to 33 and 29 degrees. Quite a difference from the hot sultry weather of our summer in the Midwest.

One of our favorite parts of this lifestyle is meeting wonderful new people along the way. Thursday evening a couple form Wisconsin pulled into our area and we had a great time getting to know fellow Escapees Jeff and Kay. A campfire and visiting at their rig and ours was topped off by going to a breakfast buffet in Buffalo this morning before Chuck and I headed south. We’ll look forward to seeing these ‘new best friends’ again down the road.

Tonight we are in Loveland, Colorado. We had intended to stop in Casper, WY to see the National Trails Interpretive Museum but it is closed until Tuesday. We’ll save that for another time. Our plan is to spend time in Rocky Mountain National Park this week where we have reservations at Moraine Park CG for Tuesday and Wednesday. It’s been quite awhile since we’ve been to RMNP so we’re really looking forward to it.

A Clear sunny day followed by rain……….
dramatic clouds and a rainbow!

Bighorn Mountains

2011-08-29T16:39:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) The Black Hills Boomerang is over and Jan and I needed a place to go and hide. 11 days of reminiscing with great friends, numerous food events, daily happy hours, and prolonged periods of intense laughter can wear a person out. We knew of a secret place in the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming that we had discovered a couple of years ago. We are by ourselves in an area of this park and for a very big bonus we have pretty decent Verizon service. Our friend Judy Sheeley says “It would take a lot of this to kill ya.”

I have several projects to work on in the motor home and this will be a good time to start. Jan’s chair has an electrical problem, our door awning does not extend, rearranging the basement is necessary and I want to install some LED lights in our florescent fixtures. All of these projects are necessary, however I have a rule that one project a day satisfies my requirements. I am at a different stage of my life now and it is not necessary to have four different things going at the same time. This country is way too pretty to miss.

(Jan) When we stopped in Spearfish Canyon to get supplies before heading for the mountains, I notice that they had a fresh supply of Anaheim chile peppers. Chile Rellenos have always been a favorite of mine so with the purchase of Anaheim peppers and a recipe off of the internet, we’re ready to go. Chuck roasted the peppers outside over the grill and after letting them steam in a plastic bag, the skins came off quite easily. We’ve got the other coating ingredients ready to go and we’ll cook them and a burger outside on the grill tonight.

(Chuck) We are back to boondocking again. 91% on the batteries and three hours of sun left for the day will provide enough electricity for all of our needs. With our solar power, the loudest thing is our area is the sound of the wind blowing through the Lodgepole Pines.

BH Boomerang Wrap-up

2011-08-27T19:54:00.001-07:00

Our eleven days at beautiful Rush No More CG with the Boomers came to an end this morning as we headed west. We sure enjoyed this gathering; seeing old friends and meeting new ones. The last several days were filled with playing Mexican Train Dominos with Joey, Nancy and Gisela, walking, a final potluck, our daily happy hour, a final game of Pegs and Jokers and having lunch at the Lodge and touring the town of Deadwood with Bruce and Dee. We’ll miss these friends but will look forward to seeing all of them in the future.

The Boomer Banner & Boomer Rigs	4:00 Happy Hour
The Girls are the Pegs & Jokers winners! A box of Hot Tamales was the prize for Jan, Betty and Gisela for our 4-3 win.	Jan & Beth hiking to Roughlock Falls in our patriotic t-shirts
Chuck, Jan, Dee and Bruce back from our day at Deadwood	Beth took this lovely photo of Chuck and I as we coasted down part of the 17 miles down hill on the Mickelson Trail.

BH Boomerang Events

2011-08-25T08:32:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) The Black Hills area is a great place to have a gathering. It offers many places for people to explore. There is an ample supply of restaurants for those who need them. There are also the standard tourist attractions of Bear Country, The Cosmos Mystical Site, and Snakes Are Us. For others, there is ample time to find the shade and load test a lawn chair with friends. (Pictured at right are early arrivals Bill & Gisela, Duane, Jan & Chuck, Donna, Loretta & Rey and Don.)

We tend to look for things that do not require crowds and large admissions. One that we found was the George S. Mickelson Trail. This is a bicycle trail that runs 109 miles generally north south through the heart of the Black Hills. It follows an early rail road and is a very gentle slope which does not exceed 4 per cent grade. The trail was completed in 1998 and is constructed of packed gravel. It offers more than 100 converted railroad bridges and four tunnels. There are fifteen trailheads which provide parking areas, modern vault toilets, and picnic tables.

On Friday of last week, Jan and I rode a fifteen mile up and back section of the trail. It was a leisurely trip which allowed us to stop at many of the bridges and meadows and drink in the beauty of the area.

For a group ride we selected a section of the trail which offered a 17 mile downhill ride between the Dumont and Mystic Trailheads. It ended with a three quarter mile section of upgrade which served to remind us that bicycles still need pedals. This section of the trail took us through open meadows, along beautiful clear streams, and through many spruce and ponderosa pine forests. I think this trail will become a standard fare for us as we re-visit this area in the future. Pictured at right are Chuck & Jan, Diana, Dick & Beth, Becky & Lonnie, Steve and Jack & Sherrie.

(Jan) Saturday was a fabulous day for a couple of hikes in the Spearfish Canyon. Twenty-four Boomers pictured at left, ventured over to the Roughlock Falls and hiked the one miles trail along a pretty little stream. The falls were beautiful! After a picnic lunch in the shade at Latchstring Inn many of the group went on the shorter hike to another lovely area, Spearfish Falls. (For photos of the falls click on either hyperlink.)

Sunday was our day for a drive through Custer park with Bill and Gisela with a delicious Buffalo lunch at the Blue Bell Lodge. Bill Buffalo stew with his salmon dinner salad, Chuck had a pulled Buffalo Sandwich and Gisela and I had a Buffalo burger w/cheese and caramelized onions. All were very delicious! We saw lots of wildlife; buffalo, burrows, prairie dogs, pronghorn and deer. It was a wonderful day with wonderful friends.

Chuck and I have hosted a chili cook-off at Quartzsite for several years and since two of the more serious chili chefs are with us here at the Black Hills Rang, Chuck hosted a Chili Throwdown between Bill and Steve. Both guys were busy creating Wild Willie’s Texas Red and Steve’s Dime Chili on Tuesday as the rest of the group made side dishes and other pots of ‘non-competition’ chili. After the dishing up and tasting by all was done, Wild Willie’s Texas Red won the day.

Jan and Gisela dishing up the samples

Bill & Steve with Chuck as Wild Willie’s was declared the winner

And last but not least, Bill & Gisela, Betty & Duane and Chuck and I have been playing Pegs and Jokers. The score stands at 3 and 3 with the play-off game scheduled for today. It has been so much fun playing with these 2 couples again. Thanks for the laughs and the memories, guys.

Black Hills Boomerang

2011-08-17T08:01:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) We are at Rush No More campground near Sturgis, SD where Betty and Duane are hosting a Boomerang. This is a lifestyle that allows us to be with friends where ever we go whether we are in our “home” area or at the most distant state in our travels.

We arrived in the Hills Saturday and found a spot at a Passport America campground in Black Hawk which is just down the road a few miles from Sturgis. We were by the highway and it was the last Saturday of the Sturgis motorcycle event. The highway was crowded with motorcycles going both ways. It is a big event and attracts all kinds of people; there is something for everybody in this great country of ours. On Sunday afternoon we were joined by Bill and Gisela.

(Jan) It was great to see Bill & Gisela again! We shared several great meals together and we sure enjoyed visiting and playing Pegs and Jokers!

Custer Sate Park has been a favorite of ours for years. We took a drive through the park on the Wildlife Loop and were rewarded by a ‘buffalo experience.’ A herd of several hundred munched on grass in the pasture and milled around our vehicle as they crossed the road. It was a thrill being among these great beasts of the plains again. After a pleasant lunch at the Cattlemen’s club in the town of Custer and a drive through ‘Needles’, tunnels and pig-tail bridges it was time for a delightful stop to see friends Art & Connie who are workcamping here in the Black Hills.

(Chuck) We and Bill & Gisela moved to Rush No More yesterday. Betty and Duane arrived and we were off to a great start. We will be here with about seventeen other Boomer couples until 25 August. There will be the usual hiking, conversations, biking, exploring, and catching up with each others travels as we enjoy our stay here with friends. When we leave here we will take a leisurely trail through Wyoming, Colorado and be in Albuquerque, New Mexico for the next Boomerang at the Balloon Fiesta in the first week of October.

Westward Ho!

2011-08-12T19:35:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) We are in Mitchell , SD at the Cabela’s parking lot. Last night was in Yankton, SD at a beautiful Corp of Engineers park. We arranged to meet Gary and Nancy Asplund at Cottonwood Campground. It was a nice visit with old friends however a local “Riverboat Days” celebration has caused the area to be full of locals and we were only able to get a site for one night. Today we moved here to Cabela’s and we are not sure where we will be tomorrow. It will be on the way west towards the Black Hills , however there is another problem which makes if hard to find a place to stay in the Black Hills. Yes, it is the Sturgis Motorcycle event. All places to stay in the Sturgis area will be full also, so we may not be able to get into the area until Sunday.

(Jan) This morning at Cottonwood CG we road bikes over to the Gavins Point Dam. All fourteen gates were flowing and the resulting roar and tumult was amazing! This afternoon in Mitchell we walked through the Corn Palace and then stayed to watch the film. It’s an interesting place. And tonight we did a Walmart run and then rode our bikes around the area here and walked around the Cabela’s Building. So tonight our legs are pretty tired! As we’re boondocking tonight, we’re grateful for a nice cool breeze and temps in the lower 70’s; good sleeping weather. Tomorrow we’ll head further west.

Hot Days at Yellowsmoke

2011-08-06T12:31:00.001-07:00

(Jan) The summer heat and humidity continues here in the Midwest so we took a break at Yellowsmoke Park with Jim & Geri Muhlbauer and Ron & Edna Odendahl. We walked in the morning and did a lot of lawn chair testing in the last afternoons and evenings as the temperatures were in the 90’s; the humidity in the 80’s. Well, lawn chair testing and eating and grilling. Along with the brats & chops we had fresh potatoes, onions, sweet corn and zuchini right from the garden. On Tuesday we played Bocce Ball in the shade of the parks trees and that night Ron made barbequed ribs. He and Chuck had done that the summer before and the second edition was just as delicious! Muhlbauers headed home on Wednesday but we and Odendahls stayed another day.

Wednesday evening was girls night and time to celebrate Becki’s birthday. Following drinks and visiting to catch up on news, we had chicken burritos with all of the fixings and strawberry yogurt cake. At left are friends Edna, Karen, myself, Becki and Nancy. We had a very nice evening but we missed our friend Betty this time.

Chuck and Ron hiked the northern grass trails on Thursday morning and Nancy came up to walk with Edna and I on the paved 4 mile path around the lake and over past the edge of Denison. The buffet at Little China on Denison’s Main Street was the destination for the 5 of us plus a friend of Nancy’s after our walks.

These four days at Yellowsmoke were a fun break and a great time with friends. Chuck took the motorhome back to the farm in the afternoon while I drove over to Carroll to visit my mom. She’s in great spirits and her back is doing well and healing nicely.

RAGBRAI

2011-07-28T10:20:00.001-07:00

(Jan) This summer is the 39th edition of RAGBRAI – Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. Conceived by two Des Moines Register Reporters who enjoyed biking, this ride takes bicyclists from west to east across the state of Iowa in one week. The 370-400 miles, depending on each year’s route, is split into Sunday through Saturday rides of 55-70 miles each day. This years route took bikers through Carroll County with a lunch stop at Manning, our home town, and an Overnight stop in Carroll.

Chuck and I were on our way home from Illinois, Indiana and Ohio and wanted to stop for a day or two to see my mom so stopping at Swan Lake State Park near Carroll and seeing RAGBRAI roll through worked out perfectly.

Many support people with RV’s or Pop-up’s joined us at the Campground so they and their riders could enjoy electrical hook-ups and Air-conditioning. But most of the riders carry their own camping gear; setting up and tearing down tents and camp sites each day. (Above right) Also, many belong to Bike Clubs that provide tents and set up and tear down at each night’s stop. (above left)

Manning hosted a fun & busy lunch stop. The pictures below are courtesy of the Manning Chamber of Commerce.

Pouring into town on Main Street

Taking a break in the shade of the RecCenter

Relaxing under the trees at the city park

and below

being entertained by ‘Nuns on the Run’

Heading east on Hwy 141 on their way to Templeton

Reiman Gardens

2011-07-27T14:22:00.001-07:00

(Jan) There’s a beautiful garden oasis just south of the Iowa State Football field in Ames, Iowa called Reiman Gardens. Sunday we spent a lovely time there with Brent and Donna’s family after going to Hickory Park for lunch. Pictured above is a Dragonfly Sculpture, one of many featured around the grounds.

One of our favorite spots was the Butterfly Garden.

……….and on Anne’s hands!	We were there just in time to see a member of the Staff release several ‘just out of their chrysalis’ butterflies. One promptly landed on Madeleine’s dress …………
	Below Stephen, Libby, Michael and Katie are watching the release.

Despite the hot temperatures it was a great afternoon to stroll down the paths through the gardens enjoying the vivid colors around us. We ended our visit at their house eating dark sweet cherries and chocolate cookies. Yum!

Pictured above are Stephen, Madeleine, Michael, Chuck, Kate, Jan, Anne and Libby.	Day Lilies
Hibiscus	Below are Stephen, Madeleine, Michael, Katie, Anne, Donna, Libby and Brent.

Genealogy Again

2011-07-26T15:17:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) Indiana was the route of many of my ancestors as they helped to settle the West. Moore, Harvey, Richards, Farren, Vandeman, Dearinger, Holmes, Wright, McCalla, Baines, Warner, Shadden, Lines, West, Golden, Filer, Hackleman, Osborn and others which are yet to be re-discovered. Many of these families arrived in the Indiana Territory between 1803 and 1815. Some stayed and some parts of families moved on. Most left loved ones along the way. As genealogists, we find many ways to track them down and record them in our own way. County courthouses, probate records, history books, census records, land records, and cemeteries are all useful. I have been adding tombstone photos to my genealogy database and it seem to be a useful method of adding more to the record than the usual born, died and buried. I actually enjoy tramping around the old cemeteries. It is good to record the stones with a photo. We have found several instances where stones that were a little hard to read in the 1970’s are nearly impossible to read in 2010. This stone is my Great-Great Grandfather’s headstone which is located in the Vandeman Cemetery in Brown County, IN.

This abandoned Overleese Cemetery is near Milroy, Indiana

Click on this picture and read the inscription

We spent several days in Brown, Rush and Franklin Counties, Indiana. It was fun, productive and very tiring in the heat of this Indiana summer. Often it is nearly impossible to find a legible stone that was set before 1850, it really depends on the quality of the stone. Sandstone and marble monuments do not withstand the elements well. Many of the early stones were of native fieldstone and only fragments survive. We visited twelve cemeteries in Rush County. Many older cemeteries have been abandoned and we recognize this happens, however we treat them with dignity and respect.

This is the Moor Family plot at Pleasant Run Cemetery southeast of Rushville in Rush County, Indiana.

Ohio Army friends

2011-07-19T16:24:00.001-07:00

(Jan) Chuck and Bruce went through Pershing Missile AIT together at Ft Sill, Oklahoma before being assigned to an Army unit near Heilbronn, Germany. Rita and I arrived in Germany one week a part to join our Army husbands there. They became like family to us as we spent the next couple of years together.

Through the years we have visited a couple of times as our families grew; the last time being 25 years ago! They welcomed us with open arms as we spent a long week-end together reminiscing about Army times. Times such as going to Paris, 24 Hours of Lemans, Rudesheim, Germany Beer Fests, the Laundromat at Wharton Barracks, eating at Stetton & Tillie’s and duty at Grafenwoehr, Red Leg and Kleingartach for the guys. Rita was like a second mom to our son Brent who was born during our time there. We’re so very grateful that we shared the Germany experience with these two wonderful people!

Saturday night we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Riverbank Café in their hometown Hamilton, Ohio. And after a drive around the city to see the sites we returned to have cherry pie for dessert. Chuck and I were able to park our MH in their country drive so it was easy popping in and out of their house and our rig to visit. Sunday was spent visiting in lawn chairs in their beautiful backyard and later inside in the A/C as the temps were in the 90’s with lots of humidity. Monday was back to work for Rita and a travel day for Chuck and I. Thanks so much for a wonderful time Bruce and Rita! We will not wait 25 years for the next visit!

Visiting Good Friends in Indiana

2011-07-19T15:34:00.001-07:00

(Jan) After a wonderful visit with our family in Illinois we headed southeast to the Indianapolis area to spend several days with RV friends Jerry and Nancy. We had met the Hurley’s in January of 2008 and have been able to enjoy their company many times since. We stayed at the White River CG near Cicero at their recommendation and found it to be a beautiful place with cemented pads and 50 amp service.

Our time spent with these good friends flew by as we laughed, told stories and enjoyed talking about travels. We had some wonderful meals at Toucan Annie’s in Cicero, Tijuana Flats in Fishers and at the historic Shapiro’s in downtown Indy. We visited at their new Condo where they treated us to a fabulous lunch and they visited us at the CG for Burrito night and a game of Pegs & Jokers.

Genealogy has been a love of ours & the Hurley’s for years and with many of Chuck’s ancestors living in Indiana at one time, we had many notes to compare. As towns or places were brought up there was often laughter and a refrain of “I’ve got people there!” Together we visited the massive Crown Hill Cemetery in the center of Indianapolis as well as the Indiana State Library Genealogy Dept. We enjoyed our drive through the downtown area with it’s beautiful Soldiers & Sailors Monument, the State Capitol building and past the Colts Football stadium. At left is the grave stone of John & Mary Vandeman, Chuck’s 4th Great grandfather & grandmother at Crown Hill.

All to soon it was time to bid a fond farewell and head towards Cincinnati. Thank you for a fun visit Jerry and Nancy. We look forward to seeing you this winter!

2011 Moore Reunion Photos

2011-07-12T20:12:00.001-07:00

2011 Moore Reunion

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Moore Family-July 2011

2011-07-11T06:51:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) We have just finished a great visit in the Chicago suburbs with family. Josh & Sarah and family and Jan & I gathered at Eric and Cheri’s place and had great food, wonderful family time and missed Brent and Donna and their family who were detained in Ames due to a family emergency. Donna’s mother had broken her leg which required considerable care from them. Eric is a great talent with his barbeque skills and we were treated with ribs “to die for” and a marinated pork loin which has no equal. We had a chance to celebrate Jan’s latest birthday **61**, and the upcoming entry to Mooreville by Lexi, who has joined Josh and Sarah’s family. We have played cards & games and as is common to the electronic age, we have all spent hours on computers, smart phones, Mac tablets and some device that I am not sure what the name is. (Eric has his smoker set with a device which reads the pit temperature and will power a fan which turns on and off to regulate the temperature within a ten degree range.) you have to love technology and the people who can make things happen with it. Pictured above are Jessica and Lexi in front, Ryan, Ali, Isaac, Jan & I in the middle and Eric & Cheri w/Sparkle their dog and Josh & Sarah w/Julianna.

(Jan) What could be better ‘girl time’ than a toenail painting party? Jessica and Lexi painted toes for Ali, Sarah and I and then painted each others. Cheri took the pics of us with our new bright pink toenails. Ali, Jessica, Lexi and I also, enjoyed making earrings. The girls did a great job! The kids went to a splash park on Friday and on Saturday the group went to at Waterpark. Later on Friday after Chicago deep dish pizza, salads and cheesecake in honor of Lexi’s HS graduation, we all watched the movie ‘Megamind’. Saturday we laughed ‘til we cried looking at old photos and sharing stories about family adventures. On the right, Ryan is holding up a school picture of his dad Eric, taken at the same age, as Sarah, Lexi, Josh and Jessica look on.

It was a warm, loving, happy time and will be cherished for many years to come.

A week in June

2011-06-28T19:16:00.001-07:00

(Jan) What’s going on with the Moore’s this week?
Bicycling with friend Nancy and lunch at the Corner Café with she and friend Betty
More cleaning up around the building sites and trips to Pollock’s salvage yard
Visiting with mom at the Swan House
A Birthday Party at Becki’s house for Nancy with my local girlfriends.
Spending the week-end with Brent and Donna and Grandkids
Having a successful garage sale with Brent and Donna over the week-end
Spending Monday morning at the hospital seeing doctors and getting mom’s back x-rayed. She had fallen and has a compression fracture
Visiting w/Jan’s former co-worker & husband, Bev and Dave
Having a family picnic at the Swan House w/mom tonight
Watching a visiting deer right in front of our Motorhome

Recycling Iron

2011-06-20T20:43:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) The last week we have been busy hauling iron to the local scrap yard. I had some older obsolete farm equipment that I finally decided needed a better home. The scrap prices are very high now ($240 per ton) and it is a good time to take advantage of it. Jan and I hauled two old discs, two elevators, a old corn sheller, a plow and many other mixed loads to Pollock Salvage Yard in Vail. It was a worthwhile effort and the building sites are a little cleaner now.

One of today’s projects was to install new cooling fans in the refrigerator. Several months ago they had been making a lot of noise, then quit altogether. I had been putting this off for a while. It turned out to be a simple job to disconnect wires, LP gas and the water line to the ice maker. I made a support on the floor and Jan and I slid the refrigerator inside and I installed the new fans. We put everything back in place and it is cooling now.

We are sitting here going through another rain storm. So far there has been no lightning and some wind. The bad part is we are getting some hail, which we hope will not get worse. Storms like this are a common part of living in the Great Plains, some are worse than others.

(Jan) I’ve enjoyed this week of ‘recycling iron’. It’s been kind of a kick getting the tractor out, hooking up equipment and working together as a team. Other activities have included having son Brent and grandkids Katie, Michael and Ann here for a visit. Sister Linda & B-I-L Richard were in Iowa a week ago so we spent time visiting mom at the Swan House and gathering at brother Glen & S-I-L Mary Ann’s house. This week-end we got to meet our new great nephew Ryker Jeffery and went down to see Brent and Donna and grandkids in Ames.

Peonies and roses. Chuck with son Brent and Jan with mom at the Swan House.

Taking a break at Swan Lake

2011-06-09T19:13:00.001-07:00

(Jan) We and local friends Ron and Edna, decided to take a bicycling break for a couple of days this week so we moved our rigs up to Swan Lake State Park near Carroll, Iowa. The Sauk Rail Trail which follows an abandoned railroad line, runs from Swan Lake, southeast of Carroll through the towns of Maple River, Breda, Carnavon and on to Black Hawk Lake at Lake View. It’s entire 33 mile length is asphalt or cement surfaced. Monday’s ride took us from Carroll to 1.5 miles NW of Maple River and then back. It’s a picturesque ride through rolling farm ground, much of it along the Middle Raccoon River. Tuesday’s ride started in Breda and headed south through the Hazelbrush Wildlife area. When we got to Monday’s stopping point we headed back north. The wind was particularly strong on Tuesday so we headed into the wind going south and enjoyed a nice tail wind heading north. Wednesday our ride found us at the Whiterock Conservancy near Coon Rapids on the Garst Farm Trail. The ‘soft trails’ which means packed gravel, was very hilly on the southern section but also very beautiful as it wounds through woodlands and ponds. The northern section started along the Middle Racoon River and wound through the town of Coon Rapids and south to our starting point at the Visitor’s Center. Each was a morning ride as wind and temps rose each afternoon. Tuesday’s high reached 100 degrees.

Edna hosted a birthday party for our friend Betty on Monday evening at Swan Lake. Along with several other friends, six of us started getting together back in 1974. Eighteen children and 37 grandchildren (and counting) later, we’re still enjoying getting together! Pictured at left are Karen, Betty and Edna in front; Jan, Becki and Nancy in back.

We thoroughly enjoyed the biking and visiting with friends here in the campgrounds and several others who stopped by to see us. Edna & I enjoyed lunch at A&W Wednesday with friends Nancy & Karen one day plus I got to visit my mom in Carroll several times. Even though the weather turned out very hot, it’s been a nice break for us.

May in West Central Iowa

2011-05-28T09:10:00.001-07:00

(Jan) The old fashioned iris are blooming profusely here in west central Iowa as Chuck and I spend time here at the farm. We’ve been sorting through boxes and boxes and boxes of photos. What fun it has been to walk down memory lane; our HS, college and Army years, business and farm pictures but most fun are the photos of our families & friends and our son’s baby pictures, birthdays, school years, weddings and their children-our grandchildren. Our plan is to scan many of them to a digital format.

We’ve gotten to see my mom several times and help attend to her needs. She will have out patient cataract surgery next Wednesday and then return to Swan House where she is very content. It’s good to see her again and be with her.

Going out to eat with cousin Jerome and wife Dolores, attending a friend’s daughter’s HS Graduation party and spending a day with friends Ron & Edna and Pam & Butch at Prairie Rose have been other high lights.

Chicagoland with the Moores

2011-05-17T20:46:00.001-07:00

(Jan)Luckily we have found a wonderful place to be when we visit our son Eric and family when we are in the Chicago area. For the last several years we have stayed at Paul Wolff CG just twenty minutes away from their house in Lake in the Hills. Last year PW CG expanded their CG by 50 sites and the new part is a very nice improvement. PW is in the Burnidge Forest Reserve so Chuck and I had a marvelous time biking the trails while Eric and Cheri were at work Friday and the kids were in school. Friday was a hot humid day before becoming wet and windy for the rest of the week-end.

We had such a wonderful visit with Eric, Cheri, Ryan and Jessica! It was awesome getting to hang out with them at their house; great conversations, lots of laughter and delicious food! Friday night Eric and Jessica came to visit and play Phase 10! We also got to go to Jessica’s school open house Thursday night and her soccer game on Saturday morning. Saturday evening we attended Ryan’s HS Musical ‘Promises, Promises.’ Ryan had a part as a Freshman, as well as being in the main choreographed group song. What fun it is to be a grandparent to these two talented kids. After another fun day visiting at their house on Sunday we were ready to hit the road on Monday.

Our middle son Eric, our oldest grandson Ryan and Grampa Chuck

Granddaughter Jessica, Gramma Jan and D-I-L Cheri

Monday found us headed south and east on I88 in Illinois and I80 in Iowa. We pulled into Saylorville COE CG at about 6; we are in Prairie Flower, Coneflower Loop. Today we rode bikes on the bike trails over past the Marina towards the Mile Long bridge. Chuck got out and did several other solo rides as I spent part of the day still recuperating from this awful cold/flu. Next year we are definitely getting Flu Shots!

Ames & Gilbert and Chuck’s ‘old guy pass’

2011-05-11T11:45:00.001-07:00

We found a great place to boondock in Gilbert, just 3 miles north of our son’s house in north Ames. And with Stephen and Katie in the Gilbert school district and the younger kids playing and Brent coaching Little League in Gilbert, we were within blocks of Stephen’s track meet and Michael & Brent’s baseball game. Saturdays events were rousing successes; a first place for Stephen’s track team and a 9-4 victory at the ball field.

Sunday was our granddaughter Anne’s First Communion at St Cecelia’s followed by a celebration at Brent and Donna’s. I was wonderful spending the day with our sons Brent’s & Eric’s families as well as Donna’s parents and her brother’s family. Couldn’t have had a nicer Mother’s Day!

Brent & Donna and Anne at left. Gramma & Grampa above with Katie, Anne, Madeleine, Libby, Michael and Stephen.

Gilbert has a nice walking/biking trail in and around the grounds of their elementary school as well as nice paved streets to ride on. We rode bikes to get around town to the sporting events as well as using the bike trail. We also took the bikes down to Ada Hayden in north Ames and rode the trails around the lake. We’re sure enjoying our bicycles.

Chuck headed to a ballgame with Brent and Michael in Jewel Monday night. Stephen had summer job orientation which I got to give him a ride to and then Katie and I took Anne and Libby to their spring concert. Mom and Maddie stayed at home to catch up on rest after the busy week-end and recuperate from colds. It was so much fun for Chuck and I! After a delicious Casey’s Taco Pizza for Tuesday lunch with Brent, Donna and Maddie, Chuck and I hit the road.

Our first order of business was to purchase a National Senior Pass for Chuck at the Neil Smith National Wildlife Refuge near Prairie City, Iowa. Yes, he is finally ‘of age’ to get his ‘old guy pass’. The Refuge and Learning Center teaches about the prairie and is home to a herd of Bison. We didn’t spend a lot of time there though. Chuck has shared his ‘horrible chest cold’ with me, so we will go back at another time to explore.

The Corp of Engineer’s Campground at Coralville Lake is our home for the next couple of days. We have a great place by the lake, internet & TV reception is good and w/Chuck’s ‘old guy' pass’ it’s $9 a night. We’re taking time to get well and then we’re on our way to Lake in the Hills, Illinois to visit Eric, Cheri, Ryan and Jess.

Back in Iowa

2011-05-05T06:29:00.001-07:00

(Jan) More than any other place we’ve been, the place with the largest population of birds is our farm in west central Iowa. The air is filled with bird song. The variety is amazing. Below are a pair of cardinals that particularly like sitting on our pick-up.

A male Northern Cardinal to the left and the female below.

There’s also an abundance of rabbits to watch and lots of deer tracks but we haven’t seen any yet. So far we’ve seen two cats that are making our machine shed their home. One is a sleek black & white, the other a long haired carmel colored. It’s been fun watching the menagerie in between picking up fallen branches & sticks and cleaning out the flower beds. Chuck’s horrible chest cold is finally improving. We’re hoping to go to Ames to be with our family this week-end.

Riesselman Family Visit

2011-05-02T18:29:00.001-07:00

(Jan) While Chuck stayed in KC, Linda and I picked up Ron and son, John at the KC airport and drove the 200+ miles up in to Iowa to visit family. We stayed at Glen & Mary Ann’s and had a marvelous time. From our base in Templeton we were able to spend time with mom at the Swan House. She was also feeling well enough this time to go out to eat at the Family Table on Thursday before her eye appointment and for a trip to our hometown of Halbur on Friday. While in Halbur we visited my dad’s grave, ate at the local tavern and visited the house we grew up in.

Eating at the Halbur Inn. Front; Linda, Mom and I, Back; Glen, John & Ron	At dad’s grave in St. Augustine’s Cemetery John, Ron, Linda and Mom
At the Riesselman family home. Jan, Mom, mom’s sister-in-law Betty Riesselman, Betty’s daughter Julie Hoffman and Betty’s grandson Matt Riesselman who will be making his home there. Matt is recently returned from Afghanistan.	The siblings at Glen’s Templeton Hardware Store. Glen, Jan, Ron and Linda

Staying at Glen & Mary Ann’s house is always a culinary adventure! Mary Ann, had Linda and I cooking with her and we had great fun preparing some delicious new recipes and feeding the guys. Some of our favorites were a sweet & sour sauce for the grilled pork and an apple green bean dish with a bacon/brown sugar dressing! Choosing a favorite between strawberry shortcake, lemon cheesecake and brownies with a cookie drop topping was too hard; we just enjoyed each one of them! Evenings of playing Sequence and the Whole Enchilada were topped of with watching the royal wedding of William & Kate. What a fun time. I loved spending this time with mom and my family!

Linda, Ron, John and I got back to Kansas in time for Linda’s grandkid’s Nick and Maggie’s confirmation celebration. It was fun for Chuck and I to be with Linda and Richard’s family at our niece Tracey’s house.

Cabela's, Kansas City

2011-04-29T08:12:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) Once again we are at the Cabels’s lot in Kansas City, KS. It is a good place to stay while we are in the area to visit Jan’s sister. This time Jan’s brother flew into KC and the three of them traveled to Iowa to visit their mother. It gives them time together for the trip and I am holding down the fort at Cabela’s. It is a fun store to hang out in and I have taken advantage of it.

Most of my time has been consumed with genealogy. When I bought my first digital camera I started messing around taking photos of gravestones. I thought it was a nice way to record the stones. We have noticed several older family stones that are made of softer sandstone that have deteriorated greatly in the last forty years. One stone in particular that we read years ago and recorded the inscription is now impossible to read. Photography will preserve the inscriptions for future generations. I belong to a group which records gravestones on the web. I am not yet very active in it but I hope to contribute in the future. Find A Grave is the name of the site and it is an excellent resource.

We had an embarrassing incident happen last week. Our Yahoo account was hijacked and spam was sent to everyone in our Contact List. Jan said “Why do we have a “Failure to deliver” notification for all these people???? They were old addresses that were apparently not good. All I could say was “Oh this is not good.” We do not click unknown URL’s and we are very careful to keep antivirus software active. I have recently overlooked firewall management which may or may not have contributed to the problem. Our son Brent indicated that the intrusion originated in Guatemala and was probably the result of a “Blunt Force” attack. I have been lax about maintaining password protection. My passwords have all become very simple and therefore easy to compromise. When we discovered the bounced messages, we immediately sent out an e-mail indicating that we possibly had been hijacked and to disregard the sent message. This led to a very good discussion on the Boomer list which was productive for many of us who have neglected passwords. Several programs are available for password management and I tried several and settled with LastPass. I have found that it is exactly what I was looking for. Simple, free, and very easy to use. If you are working off of a word document and key stroking or cut and paste your passwords, you should look over LastPass, it will simplify your life.
Happy Trails, Chuck

Bartlesville, OK & Chanute, KS

2011-04-23T20:04:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) The Phillips Petroleum Company Museum was another on our list of Oklahoma museums to see. It was a very good stop. We have been very impressed with Oklahoma and its people and history. Phillips has always been a familiar name in our household. My father started in the fertilizer business with Phillips Petroleum as a fertilizer dealer in Iowa. After our Army duty we joined my parents in the business. We retailed Anhydrous Ammonia which is a nitrogen fertilizer. We also sold Phosphorus and Potassium in dry and liquid forms which were also used as fertilizer for corn and soybeans. Through the 60’s and 70’s Phillips was a pioneer in the business but was overtaken by other companies in later years. Admission is free to the museum and it is an educational visit.

(Jan) Heading into Kansas, we both noticed that this is solidly Midwest country with it’s lush grass and pastures. The trees and bushes are leafed out; it’s definitely spring here in America’s heartland! Our overnight stop for Friday and Saturday is in Chanute, KS at their lovely city park where the first two nights of stay (with E&W) are free! Friday was spent doing household chores, walking and biking. On Saturday we visited a hidden gem of a museum.

The Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum is located in Chanute which was Osa’s hometown. Married at ages 16 and 26 they traveled extensively and filmed movies in the South Pacific, Asia and Africa. Their movies where the first ever showing wild animals from Africa. The museum has a large collection of African masks from all over Africa as well as a delightful way of telling about the couple’s adventures as they traveled. Click on the link above to read more.

We’ve enjoyed walking here today and stopping by to watch several games of Kick Ball at the local ball fields. Local teams are competing and raising money for Relay for Life, a cancer benefit. This evening we were delighted to welcome a local couple, Dave & Alice Robinson in for a visit. We had a fun conversation about the RVing lifestyle and our visit here in Chanute.

Tomorrow is Easter and also, Chuck’s 62nd Birthday. Happy Birthday to my husband and best friend and Easter Blessing to all of our family and friends.

Oklahoma City Day 2

2011-04-20T18:47:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) The 45th Infantry Museum is located in Oklahoma City. It was a pleasant surprise to find free admission. The 45th was composed of National Guard troops from Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. In WWII they participated in four amphibious landings and served 511 days of combat in Sicily, Italy, France and Germany. Following WWII it was organized as an all Oklahoma division and was again called to serve overseas, this time in Korea. Here they served 429 days in battle in places called Old Baldy, Pork Chop Hill, Heartbreak Ridge and others. The museum houses many artifacts of the 45ths campaigns with military vehicles and airplanes on the grounds outside. It serves as a good military museum which highlights an important part of our history.

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum has been our list for many years. It was a good visit, the only bad thing was our legs were tiring out form all the touring that we have done the last several days. It was the most expensive $22.25 for both of us (I got the old guy rate) museum that we have visited. It was also one of the largest in terms of exhibits we have attended in recent years. If you have an interest in the Western culture of America, it is a must visit. Cowboys, Indians, Soldiers, Horses, Guns and a major dose of quality western art make it a great experience. I recommend it to all.

Tonight we’re at the Elks in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. We have the entire parking lot to ourselves.

Oklahoma City Day 1

2011-04-20T17:30:00.001-07:00

(Jan) Parking at the Midwest City Elks next to Tinker Air Force Base was an awesome experience. Each afternoon and evening the fighter jets, KC135 tanker planes and E-3 AWACS roared overhead. Being in the direct flight path of these amazing giants made for lively entertainment. Added to that, we were just down the street from the fire and ambulance station!

Monday we started our exploration of Oklahoma City at the State Capital building. Oklahoma is the only state that has an oil well on it’s grounds! The capitol is a lovely place and we were able to tour the Supreme Court, Senate and House Chambers as well as viewing the rotunda with the story of Oklahoma’s settlement told in it’s murals and art work.

Our next stop was the Oklahoma History Center. Housed in this huge building were exhibits on everything from Oklahoma’s days as Indian Territory and the American Indian tribes to the Oklahoma Land Run to Dust Bowl days in the 1930’s. Plus much, much more including military & space exhibits, famous cartoonist, athletes, singers, actor & movies, natural recourse, farming & ranching and a 1930’s House. Displayed on the grounds were wooden & steel oil well drilling towers and equipment used in the early days of the oil industry. We very much enjoyed this museum and would recommend visiting here.

Sixteen years before our visit to The Oklahoma National Memorial & Museum, the Alfred P Murrah Building stood on NW 5th Street between Harvey & Robinson Avenues. At 9:03 April 19th the building lay victim to a car bomb and 169 lives were senselessly lost. NW5th Street is now a reflecting pool and part of the touching memorial grounds. The large and small chairs with lighted bases symbolize the adults and children that lost their lives that day. The chairs are placed in nine rows representing the nine floors of the Murrah building. The statue entitled ‘Jesus Wept’ faces away from the bombing site, across the street on the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church grounds. Personal memorials continue to be left on part of the remaining fence that surrounded the building. It’s a touching, peaceful place. I’m glad we went.

Rattlesnakes & Casinos

2011-04-17T18:35:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) Saturday April 16 was the big day for the Apache Rattlesnake Festival. The festival has been held since 1983. We were not sure what to expect, but it has grown to be a large town celebration. Vendors line the main street for 3 blocks and the event is a family affair. There were Native Americans dressed in very colorful costumes and we watched them do several dances. The town also holds an all town garage sale and a rodeo on the weekend of the Festival.

A pair of locals enjoying their turkey legs at left
The brightly costumed Native American dancers above

In a building along Main Street there were many rattlesnakes on display in an enclosure. Two local snake hunters presented various snakes to the public. Western Diamondbacks were the principle breed. Many of them were larger than the one we had in camp at the Superstition Mountain Boomerang.


	The building, the snake handlers, Jan watching from a safe distance and rattlesnake skins for sale.

While visiting the Lawton, OK area we stayed at the Fort Sill Apache Casino. We had pulled into the parking lot and were unhooking and a man stopped his car beside us and seemed to want to talk about our motorhome. I mentioned to him that we were hoping to stay at the casino while we were in the area. It turned out that I was rapping with the Chairman of the Fort Sill Apache Tribe. He gave me permission to park in a vacant area by the employee parking. It was a great place to be and we found that every time we walked by security personal or an employee we were treated like rock stars.

Today we move on to Oklahoma City where we will stay at the Elks in Midwest City, OK.

Around Lawton and Duncan Oklahoma

2011-04-16T21:24:00.001-07:00

(Jan) This spring as we head towards the Midwest we are traveling through Fort Sill near Lawton, Oklahoma. Chuck was stationed here in 1971 for his AIT training with the Pershing Nuclear Missile System and we returned to Ft Sill after two years in Germany. Our middle son, Eric, was born at Reynolds Hospital here at Ft Sill. Thursday we visited the post, strolling among the many historic military artillery pieces displayed on the grounds including the Pershing Missile that Chuck had worked with in the 1970’s. Our next stop was the U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum. This excellent facility features artillery pieces and history from George Washington’s time through the present.

The following day we headed over to Duncan to visit the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center. Starting in 1867 longhorn cattle were driven along the Chisholm Trail from southern Texas to a newly built stockyard in Abilene, Kansas. As the railroads continued their progress south, the cattle drives became shorter. By 1887 the rails reached down into southern Texas and the days of driving longhorns along the Chisholm trail became history. The museum had an excellent interpretive theatre as well as an impressive collection of western art.

Duncan is also home to the Stephens County Historical Museum. The museum houses many displays of early Oklahoma history as well as photos and memorabilia from early Oil Well drilling days. We were fortunate to strike up a conversation with Pee Wee Cary, curator of the museum, about photographs that were displayed. It turns out that most of the photos were his work, taken during his days with the local newspaper and then during his year working for Halliburton. Mr. Cary treated us to several extra rooms at the museum as well as interesting facts about Duncan natives such as Ron Howard, Jeanne Kilpatrick, Erle Halliburton and T. Howard McCasland.

In the park outside of the museum the original Duncan train depot is displayed along with one of only three surviving Rock Island Steam train engines. Engine 905 rolled into Duncan on the regular rail line and then track had to be laid section by section to get it to it’s new home in the park.

Three Rivers Petroglyphs & Tularosa

2011-04-12T20:31:00.001-07:00

As we rolled through New Mexico three years ago we stayed at the Three Rivers Petroglyphs site. We wanted to see it again and staying there certainly has not lost it’s charm. The small area has two FHU RV sites plus places to boondock, which was our choice. It’s quiet, the scenery is beautiful, hiking among the 21,000+ petroglyphs is fun and at $2 per night, what more could you want?

We also went into Tularosa on Monday. We visited the Franciscan Mission St Francis De Paulo which was founded in 1865. It’s a beautiful Spanish style church with a Latin Cross floor plan. Simple and very beautiful.

The Interior of St Francis with it’s dark ceiling beams & the classis mission style exterior. They have many lovely yellow & red rose bushes on the grounds.

And on our way back to Three Rivers we stopped at a road side stand to buy some fresh honey and dried habanero & red chili peppers. We also stopped at fun art and t-shirt store at Three Rivers. This mule deer walked across the road in front of us on our way home with the beautiful countryside and Sierra Blanca Mountains in the background.

Today we drove from Three Rivers to Alanreed, Texas where we’re stopped for the night. A smooth trip with a short detour. Chuck had noticed a oil drip on the rig last night. We stopped off at John’s Truck Service in Tucumcari where luckily, were able to get the rig’s oil filter replaced and chose to do an oil change because they could get us in right away. Great people and a good job.

SW New Mexico

2011-04-09T19:24:00.001-07:00

(Jan) Silver City was our destination on Friday. But instead of a boarded up silver mining ghost town, we found a thriving community of 10,000. The downtown district has largely been taken over by artist’s stores with a sprinkling of antique and tourist shops plus a variety of interesting eateries. We strolled through the town and ended up at the ‘Big Ditch’ Park. Fifty-five feet below the surface of surrounding downtown street runs a seemingly harmless creek but in 1895 it became a raging torrent that washed out the main street and many businesses. Read the story by clicking on the link above.

We also stopped at City of Rocks State Park in the afternoon. Surrounded by a fairly flat plane, it seems the giant rock formations rise up out of the ground in front of you. The 40 foot tall rocks are what is left of an ancient volcano. Over millions of years erosion slowly formed the rock columns that encompass the Park today. We would like to return there to stay at the camp ground, hike through the rocks and visit the desert botanical garden.

(Chuck) On March 9, 1916, soldiers led by Mexican Gen. Francisco “Pancho” Villa attacked the small border town of Columbus, New Mexico, killing 18 Americans. Fortunately a garrison of soldiers were present at the time and they averted a massacre. This led President Wilson to enlist the aid of Gen. John J. “Black Jack” Pershing to launch 10,000 troops on an 11-month, 500-mile pursuit of Villa into Mexico. It was a largely unsuccessful venture which did not result in the capture of Villa. This was the first time that Americans had used mechanized vehicles in combat. This included cars, trucks and motorcycles which were purchased from auto dealers in El Paso and other locations. Our entire air force of eight airplanes entered the foray. Motorcycles were used in combat conditions. They fought many small skirmishes but there was never a large confrontation. When our forces withdrew in 1917 they were better prepared for the combat conditions in which they would face in Europe during World War I.

There is a very good free museum at the train station in town. It was a good educational visit. On the way back to Deming, where we are staying, we experienced another of those Southwest dust storms. It has been very windy all day and visibility has been greatly reduced on the roads. At one point we saw a tumbleweed the size of a Buick Roadmaster jump the fence and roll into the roadway. We hope the wind calms down tomorrow for our journey towards Alamogordo, New Mexico. Pictured at left are tumble weeds stacking up by the fence of our SKP RV Park and above looking from the park towards the Interstate and main Railroad Line.

This area around Benson, Tombstone, Silver City, Columbus and Deming has been an exciting trip through the history books of the Southwest. We have walked the paths of Billy the Kid, Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp, Morgan Earp, Buffalo Soldiers, Kit Carson, Butch Cassidy & the Wild Bunch, Cochise, Geronimo, Joseph Isaac "Ike" Clanton, Billy Clanton, Frank McLaury, Tom McLaury, Billy Clairborne, “Pancho” Villa, Gen. John J. “Black Jack” Pershing and many more. It has been a fun time.

Around Benson

2011-04-07T20:28:00.001-07:00

(Jan) We had just finished registering at the Saguaro SKP Park in Benson when we ran into Ken Marler. He and his wife Bea were in the park to visit Boomer friends Jack & Jeanne Albers. We joined both couples for Happy Hour that afternoon at the Albers’ new casita. Fun group! Getting to see other Boomers continued the next morning when Bryan & Susan Lavender stopped in, followed by Bruce & Nancy Butler who are on their way to Texas. We stopped into see lot owners Mick & Ann Meilike and their new 5th wheel. Very nice! Bryan & Susan were having some Washer/Dryer troubles so Chuck & Bryan pulled the machine out that afternoon to do some trouble shooting. A visit to Boomers Doug & JoAnn Dubrouillet followed before heading back over to Ann & Mick’s to join Bryan & Susan & them for Dinner. Wow! We feel incredibly blessed to have all of these wonderful Boomer friends!

Taking a tour of Kartchner Caverns has been on our list for some time. This living cavern was discovered in 1974 by Gary Tenen and Randy Tufts, then college students. Because they realized the enormity of their discovery, they kept quiet about it from all except the land owners, the Kartchners, until it was sold to the State of Arizona in 1988 so it could be properly preserved and maintained. Our tour on Tuesday morning took us down into the Big Room. It’s an amazing journey underground seeing stalagmites & stalactites, soda straws & draperies and the home to the largest known myotis velifer (bats) hibernaculum found west of the Mississippi. The bats were not home when we toured but will return here shortly when the cavern shuts down until October when the bats leave for their winter hibernation in the mountains to the south.

(Chuck) Wednesday we headed south to visit Fort Hauchuca. Fort Huachuca is a United States Army installation located in Cochise County, in southeast Arizona, about 15 miles north of the border with Mexico. It was built in 1877, and was one of a series of forts established to guard southern Arizona against the Chiricahua Apaches, led by Geronimo. It was here that the Army organized an elite force that pursued Geronimo and his warriors through Mexico 's Sierra Madre during the summer of 1886, and forcing their surrender in 1889.

The Ft. Huachuca Museum tells the story of the US Army in the American Southwest. The museum displays uniforms of various periods, early equipment and weapons and model rooms, which present the daily life of the soldiers and their families. In the museum is a reference to an interesting story of how the nearby town of Tombstone received its name. It seems Ed Shieffelin was a scout for the U. S. Army headquartered at Camp Huachuca. He frequently searched the wilderness looking for mineral deposits. Soldiers from the camp told him the only stone he would find was his tombstone. In the summer of 1877 Ed was working the hills east of the San Pedro River when he struck a vein of silver ore in the area called Goose Flats. Schieffelin filed his claim under the name "The Tombstone."

In 1913, the fort became the base for the "Buffalo Soldiers", the 10th Cavalry Regiment, which was composed of African Americans. It served this purpose for many years. “Buffalo Soldiers” provided a major force in the expansion of the southwest.

US Army Intelligence Museum is the second museum in the Fort. It is the repository of many artifacts of Army Intelligence and its development through history. Among other things are a large section of the Berlin Wall, a German Enigma machine which was a code device of WWII, several examples of cameras and other electronic devices of the cold war. One interesting feature for me was the introduction of one of the founders of Military Intelligence as Maj. Gen. Ralph Van Deman (1865-1952). I have known of him for many years from my work in family history and genealogy. He is my second cousin, four times removed. It is not a close relationship and I claim no credits, however it is fun to have that family connection.

(Jan) Back at Benson we enjoyed more time with the Lavenders. Not having seen each other for several years we had lots of catching up to do. Chuck went with Bryan to play Texas Hold ‘em at the clubhouse Tuesday night while Susan and I watched ‘The Biggest Loser’ and chatted during the commercials. Last night they came over for Burritos and then we watched a documentary film ‘The Parrots of Telegraph Hill’ at the clubhouse. The film was interesting and surprisingly good. This morning we visited and said our good byes to Bryan & Susan, Mick & Ann and JoAnn and we were on our way east.

Sonoran Desert Museum & San Xavier Mission

2011-04-04T21:08:00.001-07:00

(Chuck) The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum features a world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place. We spent four hours here and there and it was not enough time. The Museum grounds include almost two miles of paths on 21 acres. The outdoor animal exhibits were all presented in a natural setting. Nearly all animals that exist in the Sonora Desert are featured here. The areas around the animal exhibits were all landscaped in natural desert plants. It seemed that nearly every plant was identified by name.

Raptor Free Flight is an outdoor exhibit of free flight birds that have been trained to circle overhead and fly in the very near vicinity of the crowd to food and perching stations. During this 30 minute presentation an excellent live narrative is given to explain the life of each of the various birds in the demonstration. We watched Chihuahuan Ravens, Barn Owls, Great Horned Owls, Ferruginous Hawks, Gray Hawks, and Prairie Falcons. It was a unique experience to view the birds as they flew by and interacted with their handlers at a close distance.

Running Wild is presented at the indoor Warden Oasis Theater. The animals enter the stage on a raised runway and are within a few feet of the children in the front row. The show features various animals such as Ringtail, Pelican, Gambel’s Quail, Hooded Skunk and others. Each animal is presented by a live naturalist who describes the food, environment and how these animals interact with the desert. The pelican may seem out of place in the desert at first, however the Sonoran Desert Region extends all the way south to the Sea of Cortez in Mexico.

(Jan) On a hot dusty day in 1692 Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, a Jesuit Priest, entered the Tohono O’odham village of Wa:k in the upper reaches of what was then New Spain. Fr. Kino preached and ministered to the Indians there for many years before returning to Spain. In 1756 the original mission church was built 3 miles away from the present San Xavier by Jesuit priests but was destroyed by the Apaches. The Jesuit priests were ordered to leave the area in 1767 by Charles II of Spain and replaced with priests of the Fransiscan order. The present mission church was built under the direction of the Fransicans by Tohono O’odham Indians. The exterior is a Moorish Inspired design with a classic Latin Cross floor plan. The Baroque interior is extremely colorful abounding with paintings, carvings, sculptures, frescoes and statues. Many of the statues and sculpture was done in Queretero, New Spain. The area and mission became part of Mexico in 1821 and with the Gladsen Purchase of 1854 it became part of the United States.

The Mission is an active Roman Catholic Parish served by the Franciscan priests, serving the community of the Tohono O’odham nation that built the church. We were able to attend the 8:30 Mass with the parish on Sunday morning in this beautiful mission church.

In 1989 a restoration project was commissioned to work on San Xavier. Artists and restorers from Spain and Italy committed to working for three months each year for six years. Both interior and exterior work has been extensively done and in that time Tohono O’odham artists worked with them and now continue the restoration.

We had a wonderful time seeing the church, museum and gift shop and strolling through the grounds and admiring many of the cacti in bloom. The beautiful cactus blooms above were 6 inches across! We finished out our day eating some very delicious fry bread from a local vendor.

Lost Dutchman State Park Spring Boomerang Part II

2011-04-02T22:14:00.001-07:00

(Jan) Wednesday at the Rang several in the group hiked the Hackberry Trail while Chuck & I biked around the campground roads and then walked over to the desert ‘garden’ up by the front gate. One of the neat features was a measuring stick showing the growth of a Saguaro Cactus for the past 40 years. Several hilarious hours that afternoon were spent figuring out how to play the dice game Farkle! Jo had played the game some time ago and really liked it so she found the directions on-line. Diane found her travel Farkle game, too, and it became fun entertainment for several afternoons during the week.

(Chuck) This warm stretch of weather has brought out the rattlesnakes. One afternoon Ken and Jo Bloedel’s dog was very nervous and excited and Jo looked under their motorhome to find a four foot Western Diamondback. Jo snatched her dog up and brought it to safety. Jo may have been a little shaken since she was so close but for the rest of us it was a treat to see it. It moved off back into the desert after we had a chance to look it over. This is the first time we have been here late enough in the warm weather to have snakes out.

(Jan) Organ Stop Pizza is a delightful Pizza Place in Mesa. Wednesday evening our group traveled there to take in the show and eat some good pizza and even better ice cream! Organ Pipe Pizza is home to the world’s larges Wurlitzer Theatre Organ and Lew Williams was the organ player. Our favorite was the crowd standing & singing America the Beautiful & our National Anthem.

(Chuck) Jan and I took an excursion up Siphon Draw Trail on Thursday. We did not complete the 5.8 mile trail to the top as it is a very difficult finish to Flat Iron Peak. I would like to think that we were nearly half way up. It is a great view of the metro valley area.

(Jan) Thursday was a day for 4x4 Drives, hiking, golfing, biking, shopping trips & tours of the near-by ghost town. After Chuck & I hiked Siphon Draw, we headed over to the Goldfield Ghost Town with Jim & Diane. In 1892 gold was discovered and the bustling town of Goldfield was born. We enjoyed wandering the streets and popping into the many interesting shops. The cactus store was one of our favorites and the ice cream was very good, too! At high noon we watched an Old West Shoot Out in the street in front of the Saloon between the town’s sheriff and some “mighty mean riff raff’. Lawmen 4, outlaws 0, tourists all unharmed!

Goldfield, AZ

The day ended with a delicious potluck dinner shared by all and talking around the campfire. Friday morning was spent visiting before everyone headed out in different directions. It was a very fun time and we’ll look forward to doing it again next year.

Lost Dutchman State Park Spring Boomerang Part I

2011-04-02T20:53:00.001-07:00

(Jan) Fellow Boomers Steve and Pam Ritchie have been volunteering at Lost Dutchman State Park and arranged to host a Spring Boomerang there for us. Twelve Boomer couples gathered from Sunday through Thursday and had a marvelous time. Lost Dutchman is situated in the Superstition Mountains right outside of Apache Junction, AZ. Sunday evening Pam arranged for us to have a Z Circle so everyone could get acquainted. Chuck and I hosted and two of the groups that we enjoyed visiting with that evening are pictured below.

Spook & Brenda Mc Fillon, Chuck & Jan and Ken & Jo Bloedel

Elinor Aderton & Bob Mc Intosh, Chuck & Janand Katie & Gary Smith

(Chuck) Monday morning we hiked about 3.5 miles on easy to moderate trails near the local campground area of the Superstition Mountains. It was a good outing with narratives by Steve and Pam. Jacob’s Crosscut Trail, Prospector’s View and Treasure Loop Trails start out in the State Park and then go into Tonto National Forest and the Superstition Mountains Wilderness area. Pictured at left are: Jim Baker, Bob McIntosh, Ken Bloedel, Steve & Pam Ritchie, Jack De Arnolt, Elinor Aderton, Beth Miller, Sherrie De Arnolt, Jan & Chuck Moore and Jo Bloedel.

(Jan) The group gathered for Happy Hours each day and visited around the campfire in the evenings. Tuesday morning many in the group found several geocaches on the road up to Tortilla Flats. The road is very winding and picturesque. Tortilla Flats is the remnants of an old west town, home to a restaurant, bar, several shops and general store. Eighteen of us had lunch surrounded by restaurant walls covered in dollar bills! It’s a great place to mosey down the streets, check into the shops & stop and listen to the band playing in the outdoor bar area. Even time for a little dancing!

Jack & Sherrie and Jim & Diane dancing in the outdoor bar at Tortilla Flats

We rounded out the day with a lively game of Pegs and Jokers with Bloedel’s and Fisher Bakers and a stargazing program hosted by Pam around the Campfire.

Foothills Ornamentation

2011-04-01T17:36:00.001-07:00

Foothills Ornamentation

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Flowers

2011-03-27T11:58:00.001-07:00

Foothills Flowers & Trees

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Final week in the Foothills

2011-03-27T09:49:00.001-07:00

(Jan) It’s time to say good-bye to the Foothills and our favorite gal, Chuck’s mom Joanne. Chuck’s parents came to Yuma in the 80’s and bought property in the Foothills in the early 90’s. We’ve sure enjoyed spending time with Joanne during the winter months. This week we shared lasagna & pizza dinners, lots of short visits when we stopped by on our bicycles and also, a card game or two.

We’ve had a good time with friends this week, too. We’ve enjoyed Happy hours & visits with Larry and Mary Ann, our lot neighbors on 53rd Street, Sunday lunch at Parrish’s with Carl & Joey Christiansen and dinner and Pegs & Jokers with Jim & Diane Fisher Baker. We were honored to be Jim & Diane’s first dinner guest’s in their new house on Bonnie Street. On Wednesday, Jan joined a group of Boomers at the Main Street Theatre to see ‘Lincoln Lawyer’. Wednesdays are seniors day with $4.00 admission and free popcorn. A great deal and the movie was really a good one.

The weather has been perfect for our last week in the Foothills; lows in the 50’s, highs in the upper 70’s. Biking 12-20 miles has been great! Whether we’re stopping at garage sales or seeing the sights in the neighborhoods it’s been lots of fun and really good exercise for us. Chuck has stopped and taken lots of pictures so I’ll post an album of some of the sights around the area soon.

Today we are in the SKP Park in Casa Grande on our way to Lost Dutchman State Park east of Apache Junction. Steve & Pam Ritchie are hosting a Spring Boomerang there with lots of hiking, geocaching and, of course, eating!

Friends in the Foothills

2011-03-19T21:44:00.001-07:00

(Jan) It’s been a fun, full, busy week for Chuck and I. When we’re not on the seat of our bicycle pedaling around the Foothills we’re off to Joanne’s or spending time with friends. On Tuesday evening Diane and Jim Fisher-Baker and Dan & Jenny Sheppard were at our house. We celebrated Dan’s birthday with Mexican food and Lemon Meringue Pie! Three games of Pegs and Jokers followed with much laughter and lively strategy. The girls won the all important 3rd game!! Yes, I know, that means the guys were 2-1.

Sunday we had headed out to Sidewinder Road to visit our friends the Bennetts, Paynes, Whites and Frints. Jim & Sherry White were headed north in the morning but the rest of us decided to meet for brunch Thursday at the Q Casino one last time. Pictured at the Buffet are Bill & Karen Payne, Karen & Mickey Bennett, Ben & Darlene Frint and Chuck & I. We’re going to miss these good friends and the Q buffet….especially the chocolate fountain!

With everyone getting ready to leave the Yuma Foothills area, Chuck & I decided to host a Happy Hour. It has been a pretty hot week with temperatures up to 90 during most afternoons but today was just perfect for our outdoors gathering. Temps were in the 70’s with a nice breeze. The group included, in front; Chuck & I, Dianne Gruelle, Patsy Cook, Joey Christensen and Linda Troyer. In Back; Maryanne & Larry (our lot neighbors) Bea & Ken Marler, Frank Gruelle, Bruce & Nancy Butler, Rey & Loretta Armstrong, Jenny & Dan Sheppard, Darlene & Ben Frint, Don Troyer and Carl Christensen. With wonderful food brought and shared by all, we enjoyed a great afternoon of friendship.