Well, we finally arrived in sunny Arizona! We plan to camp out here for a little while, since the boys want to get in as much cheap golf as they can before school starts. They played twice already, golfing into the twilight hours where they could barely see each other - let alone find where they hit their balls! But they don't care one whit. Side note: they did see an actual wild Lynx cat while they were playing. A Lynx on the Links. Get it?!
We crossed yet another National Park off the list going to Saguaro, just outside Tucson. A different kind of beautiful to be sure, and trust me, those darn cactus do bite back!!! We've hiked and ran among them a bit, but I've learned not to get too close!
Ok - So, I'm standing on a boulder in the middle of the desert and my phone rings. I answer - it's India and the signal is great! I couldn't believe it. I moved and lost the call. As long as I stood on the rock, we could talk. I felt like Robin Williams in that RV movie. I just hope we don't have any of the other crazy mishaps he had. (The ugly sewer scene - been there done that - just ask Gary)
Wacky food update: Taro root burgers. The boys' new favorite. Seems ketchup will make anything taste good!!! No, seriously, they were really great. Really.
We also went to an Indian restaurant where you had to take your shoes off before you sat cross-legged on pillows to eat - which posed a bit a problem for those of us with less than limited flexibility! While we ate, some guy rang a bell and sang in some strange haunting language. We must have come during prayer time to Buddha or maybe he just had a very strange idea of good soothing dinner music. Needless to say, we prayed a bit more loudly, but hey, the food was good. :)
Camping tip of the day - Need to fight classic boredom in an RV on a rainy day? Try to see how many one armed push ups you can do. Yes, I am surrounded by way too many males and yes, they get bored way too easily!
Well, after driving in rain for 3 hours, (rain in the desert?!) we are finally settled on a lake outside of Phoenix. It's a bit chilly here for the natives, but we'll take the 50's over 15 below! We can not complain a bit - I know! We plan to ring in the New Year with a little pasta, a little garlic toast and a maybe a good movie - or two!
Here's to wishing and praying all have a blessed 2015!!
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Saturday, December 27, 2014
And the journey begins . . .
Finally we're off! I'll try to keep the posts short, but with our track record of road trips, there could be a lot to report!
The first two nights, we tried our hand at living the life of a trucker, parking next to a line of big semis in a truck stop. First night - ok except for the traffic and the trains. The second night, the propane tanks went empty, and with it hovering around 28 degrees, it got a bit chilly. So at 3am we had to jump in the pick up and head out. Ok, yeah, great start. I'm already worried.
Our navigator, Judah, has the National Monuments all scoped out on our route, and the first one was in the middle of Kansas. The sign for the turnoff was the size of a postage stamp and we turned onto a gravel road surrounded by sage brush and oil rigs. 7 miles later we drive over a ridge and oh my - these huge rock formations stood rising up from the prairie. They looked like they belonged in Utah not Kansas! I stood on the ground taking pictures while the boys scrambled to the top jumping around like mountain goats. It was a bit scary to watch, but they had fun.
We brushed through the tip of Oklahoma and Texas, driving through rain, snow, sleet, and a near white-out blizzard. WHAT?? That's why we left South Dakota!! Thankfully we only fish-tailed once. (!) Yeah, my nerves are shot and we've only been gone 3 days!
The bad weather was over as suddenly as it came on, so we kept going. We drove through an old lava bed and and finally found civilization (an RV park) in the middle of New Mexico. Yes.
Gary hooked up the water, turned it on and - whoosh!!! A geyser from the toilet! You have got to be kidding! (Thank God it was just plain water since we hadn't used it yet.)
And finally - SLEEP! Praise God!
Day 4. We hitched up and drove to the White Sand National Monument. It was surreal. It looked just like snow. There were acres and acres of sand dunes. It was so strange. People actually brought sleds and slid down the hills dressed in their ski pants and boots. It was hard to get my head around the fact that it was sand and not snow! Gary and I ran up and down the dunes while the boys jumped of the edges filming with the GoPro. It was great. The sun beat down and there was hardly a breeze. Spectacular.
Onward. We got 40 miles down the road and we hear a screech, and then steam starts pouring from the engine. See, I told you we have quite the track record. I'm ready to call AAA - but a few prayers to the Father, several minutes looking under the hood, and a few strips of duck tape - and we're on our way! I'm serious! We got to the next RV park, Gary repairs the broken whatever pipe and the toilet is working again. I am so grateful to be married to Mr. Fix-it!
I hope that is the last of the mishaps!
I have to say, we all are so very very blessed to be able to go on this trip. We are blessed to see and experience all of God's amazing creation and we are just in awe how wonderful it all is!
More to come - stay tuned!!
The first two nights, we tried our hand at living the life of a trucker, parking next to a line of big semis in a truck stop. First night - ok except for the traffic and the trains. The second night, the propane tanks went empty, and with it hovering around 28 degrees, it got a bit chilly. So at 3am we had to jump in the pick up and head out. Ok, yeah, great start. I'm already worried.
Our navigator, Judah, has the National Monuments all scoped out on our route, and the first one was in the middle of Kansas. The sign for the turnoff was the size of a postage stamp and we turned onto a gravel road surrounded by sage brush and oil rigs. 7 miles later we drive over a ridge and oh my - these huge rock formations stood rising up from the prairie. They looked like they belonged in Utah not Kansas! I stood on the ground taking pictures while the boys scrambled to the top jumping around like mountain goats. It was a bit scary to watch, but they had fun.
We brushed through the tip of Oklahoma and Texas, driving through rain, snow, sleet, and a near white-out blizzard. WHAT?? That's why we left South Dakota!! Thankfully we only fish-tailed once. (!) Yeah, my nerves are shot and we've only been gone 3 days!
The bad weather was over as suddenly as it came on, so we kept going. We drove through an old lava bed and and finally found civilization (an RV park) in the middle of New Mexico. Yes.
Gary hooked up the water, turned it on and - whoosh!!! A geyser from the toilet! You have got to be kidding! (Thank God it was just plain water since we hadn't used it yet.)
And finally - SLEEP! Praise God!
Day 4. We hitched up and drove to the White Sand National Monument. It was surreal. It looked just like snow. There were acres and acres of sand dunes. It was so strange. People actually brought sleds and slid down the hills dressed in their ski pants and boots. It was hard to get my head around the fact that it was sand and not snow! Gary and I ran up and down the dunes while the boys jumped of the edges filming with the GoPro. It was great. The sun beat down and there was hardly a breeze. Spectacular.
Onward. We got 40 miles down the road and we hear a screech, and then steam starts pouring from the engine. See, I told you we have quite the track record. I'm ready to call AAA - but a few prayers to the Father, several minutes looking under the hood, and a few strips of duck tape - and we're on our way! I'm serious! We got to the next RV park, Gary repairs the broken whatever pipe and the toilet is working again. I am so grateful to be married to Mr. Fix-it!
I hope that is the last of the mishaps!
I have to say, we all are so very very blessed to be able to go on this trip. We are blessed to see and experience all of God's amazing creation and we are just in awe how wonderful it all is!
More to come - stay tuned!!
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