Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico  January 13^th until January 21^st 2018

Saturday , January 13^th we get up before 7 am. I want to do my laundry early. Then perhaps Dick can put the clothes in the dryers while I skype with auntie Ank and everything will be clean in the morning. After an hour chit chatting, we have so much to talk about, we have breakfast, fold our clean clothes and after that we go to the office on the campground to book a rental car in Baltimore. We already tried to do this at Mike and Susan’s place but that did not work out.

In the Apple Store

Now it does and after checking our mail and chatting with the manager, we walk back to our spot to enjoy the warm sun and chocolate milk. At 2 pm we walk to the bus stop on Boulder Hwy and take the bus to the strip (with a senior card).

We get off at the Fashion Center because I want to look around at Calvin Klein and Macy’s. Unfortunately the warm down jackets are sold out but I manage to buy two new sports tops. We also look for sportswear for Dick but we do not find a nice one. Of course we also stop at the Apple store to see my future laptop (Mike advised me which one to buy).

Lights in Las Vegas

After scanning all the shop-windows for bargains, we walk to the Strip. It’s completely dark now and all the lights are on. It never bores to walk around and look at other people and we enjoy the warm evening, it’s 62 degrees and no wind. Again we cannot resist the Outback steak restaurant when we arrive there at 7 pm. As always the steak taste good and satisfied we take the bus back to the campground at 9pm.

Sundaymorning we leave Las Vegas. We drive only till Washington, near St George, UT. We may stay at the parking lot of Walmart, although there are threatening signs that overnight staying is not allowed. Of course, we search some caches and shop around at Walmart. I never get bored of looking around in shops, especially when there is a clearance. I find good looking sport pants for Dick and he says its acceptable (he never says: oh great) and at 7pm we walk to the Royal Thai. Unfortunately, this very good Thai restaurant is closed on Sundays. We could have saved this trip. But there is a Sonic nearby and we find out the burgers here are excellent, so we still enjoy good food.

Monday, January 15^th the weather is disappointing. We’ve been spoiled with every day a blue sky and sun and this grey look doesn’t really appeal to us. Soon we drive over the plains, north of the Grand Canyon, heading East, through Grand Staircase Escalante to Page.

Glenn Canyon Recreational Area

Before we arrive there, we first look or Riley and Karen are at home, so we take the road through Glenn Canyon National Recreation area. Unfortunately, they are not at home, nor on their work because all government buildings are closed on Martin Luther King Day. But we enjoy the wonderful view over the Lake and the rocks around. After some shopping we arrive at Walmart where we will stay. I have to translate our website and Dick will do our administration. While I work on my laptop a car is parked next to our RV. It’s Riley and Karen. They saw our RV standing at the parking lot when they passed by to do some shopping. How fun, now we can still meet. After several hours of chatting and socializing we really have to say goodbye to each other. This trip we will not meet each other but in the coming years when they find some property in Washington state (now they are full timers) we hope to see them again.

After Riley and Karen left another visitor arrives, Lissa from Minnesota. With her husband Marty they travel a few weeks. Lissa loves to see our RV. We talk about the different models and also look at their RV, it has a lot of living room and a large garage. We exchange information and Lissa will sent us addresses of second hand motorhomes sellers. It is now 9 pm and we eat only some meatballs. We are not hungry anymore.

Nice coloured rocks during the trip

After a clear night with a lot of stars we wake up at 8 am on Tuesday. Driving over a high plateau, we leave Page but are still in Indian country. The landscape, first rocky becomes flat, this part of the country is little inspiring. Although we drive on a high plateau of 5575 feet, we only see one coyote and every now and then a passing car.

Hand made in Hubbell Trading Post

Luckily, just before we arrive in New Mexico we drive along a National Historic Site, the Hubbell Trading Post. It is one of the few remaining real working Trading Posts. A lot of Indian cars stop here. We see a movie and hear the history about this trading post and then go inside. It’s fun to look around, feel the creacking floor and I immediately fell in love with some rugs. But the price doesn’t suit me, $545 for a rug with the dimensions of a bathroom rug is really too much, even if it is handmade. After making many pictures of this special Trading Post we drive the last part through Navajo country to Gallup, NM, where we park at Walmart. We are in the middle of Indian country, if you are white you are a minority. For the first time we are bothered by people, begging for money.

There are a lot of security camera’s on this parking lot. Not for nothing. At 4.30 pm the sun disappears behind the mountains and it’s getting cold, really cold. Fortunately our heating works well so we don’t suffer from the cold.  (06)Wednesday early in the morning I chat again with my auntie Ank before we continue. Outside it is icy cold, the RV is covered with ice is hanging around like a stalactite, it remains cold although the sun is shining and the sky is blue, like the previous days. We are on our way to Albuquerque and Interstate 40 is the only option to go so we drive this more boring route to the East. After a stop at an outpost where we see fireworks, open and exposed next to the T-shirts, in the shop, (in Holland firework has to be stored inside a bunker at night) we continue our trip through Indian country (of course I have to say, native country).

View on the Rio Grande River

Around 2 pm we arrive in Bernalillo, a town just north of Albuquerque where we find a public campground. It is a nice place next to the Rio Grande and we decide to stay here overnight. Every place has Wi-Fi so Dick can also publish on our website. The temperature is still very low, around 34 degrees, so we don’t sit outside and even a walk around is only comfortable with a thick layer of clothing. But Iris and Robert in Houston, Texas, tell us that all the roads around Houston are impassable because of ice rain. It is even colder there than in Alaska. With our blue sky and shining sun we cannot really complain about the weather.

Ice on the RV

When we get up on Thursday morning it is only 28 degrees and large icicles are hanging at the RV. Fortunately, the sun shines again so after dumping and refilling water we take a shortcut through the Jemez Mountains.

This road is narrow and winds its way up to over more than 8855 feet, but the sun is shining, the road surface dry and the sky blue. It doesn’t look that bad weather is on the way. After driving through a magnificent crater (a new National Preserve) and again climbing a ridge, we even cross a pass of 9115 feet, we arrive in Los Alamos, also called: Atomic City.

Replica’s Little Boy and Fat Man

In June 1942 started in this remote area of New Mexico the Manhattan Project led by Dr.Oppenheimer. It was given the responsibility to design and built an atomic bomb. After a lot of research, they managed to construct the first atomic bomb. On July 16^th 1945 this bomb was tested on a place further South in New Mexico (the White Sands Missile Range) and after that, early August, 2 atomic bombs exploded above Hiroshima and Nagasaki and ended World War II. In the Bradbury Science Museum the entire history is told and thanks to some good movies that time revives.

We stay several hours hanging out in this town, with its “secret” past and at 4 pm we drive to Bandelier National Monument. To get there we need to cross the property of the “National Labatories, whereas in the forties still many” secret “and also very advanced research is done. That means that our RV is inspected and we have to show our drivers licence but after that we may continue our way to Juniper campground in Bandelier National Monument. There are only 6 people in the campground.

Ready to toast on Loes and Rieta

Although it’s only 40 degrees there is no wind so we can stay at our campfire for a few hours and enjoy the falling night and the heat of the fire. And of course we drink a glass of wine because our friend Rieta and Loes (Dick’s sister) celebrates their birthdays in Holland. Around 9 am the next morning we drive to the Visitor Center and get directions leading us to Frijoles Canyon and the cliff dwellings there.

It’s still quiet in the park and that’s great because now we have all the time to stroll along the Cliff dwellings of the Anasazi People. On different places you can climb the rocks over wooden ladders and see the homes and holy places of the former Indians. Slowly we walk along the steep uprising rocks, climb the wooden ladders and, finally, we go to an elevated balcony house.

Cliff Dwellings Bandelier National Monument

To get there you need to climb 4 steep and high ladders. In many other area’s it’s not allowed to enter these places, not even with a guide and here you can climb around on your own. I love Bandelier National Monument! It’s not surprising that people lived here because there is a small river in this canyon and the sun is shining on the south wall so even in winter the temperature is pleasant.

At some point where we have to climb up and down the ladders, it’s so warm that we take off our down Jackets. Around two pm we drive back to our campground. We decide to stay another night and the rest of the day we enjoy the campground. It’s not bad, the Sun is shining and because of the lack of wind it’s good to sit outside. Once again we have to write and Dick has to take care of our pictures. Of course, at 4.30 pm we lit our woodfire, the sun is almost down  and without this fire it’s not agreeable to sit outside. The flames flares high because our wood is dry and we enjoy the falling night. At 7 pm we go inside. We don’t want to cook after all the toasts with brie we got so we only take a sandwich and some yoghurt. We have a good sleep on this really quiet campground.

Main Street Santa Fe

Saturdaymorning  January 20^th the sun rises above the horizon at 7.30 am and immediately it heats up. Unlike yesterday, last night it wasn’t below 32 degrees. At sunrise it’s 36 degrees, but when we leave at 9 am it’s already 50 degrees. The entrance to Bandelier is closed. Why?? Slowly we drive to Santa Fe, a nice town where unfortunately we find no parking place close to the city centre. We drive along an idyllic square full of Indians offering their goods under the arcades and we see small shops with splendid works of art. Too bad that we do not have a parking spot so we cannot walk around. We drive to Santa Rosa where we want to dive in the Blue Hole. We’ve been here before but it was never possible to obtain a dive permit, but now we can. Dick empty our garage, of course our diving gear is at the bottom. When all our diving gear is outside we can’t find our diving suits. Again, we turn everything upside down and look in all corners, holes and cabinets of our RV.

The Blue Hole in Santa Rosa

After a long search we still cannot find our suits. Or we lost them along the way (it should not be possible) or they are still at home, that’s weird too because why forget suits while you take all your diving equipment with you? It makes no sense. But the suits are not there so we bring our tanks back to the rental and have one last look at the Blue Hole before we leave and drive to Santa Rosa State park. Once we will succeed in making a dive here. Although the sun is still shining there is a chilly breeze so we stay inside our RV on the campground. Sundaymorning January 21^st, we try to skype early morning. Unfortunately our MiFi doesn’t work but after Dick installs a new prepaid card, our old one was finished, we have MiFi again and at 8 am I can chat with auntie Ank. After breakfast we dump and fill up water. It’s not really fun because it is freezing cold. The chill factor of the strong wind makes the temperature feel like it’s far below zero and the real temperature is 34 degrees. Our fingers are numb just because of the dumping.

Over a quiet road we head west. To the “Cache Across America, New Mexico” somewhere South of Albuquerque. It storms so hard that our RV feels like a ship in a raging sea with huge waves. Although we still have a steel blue sky with plenty of sun, in the distance we see gray clouds and when we are near Mountainair, NM, snow is hunted through the streets. Fortunately this snowdrift don’t last very long and when we go further south, after hours of driving in the great nothing, we finally arrive at the Cache Across America.

Pronghorns near hiding place cache

Here is really nothing except a huge herd of Pronghorns and the sun shines again. Fortunately, the cache is there. Slowly we continue our way to the South and we stop near Carrizozo on BLM land, next to a lava field, where we spend the night.

All services are closed, BLM land is closed! Near the pay station and the restrooms are notes that you don’t have to pay when there is a shut down so we keep our money in our pocket. Now we understand why Bandelier was also closed. Unfortunately it is still freezing cold outside so we have to stay inside the RV instead of sitting near a campfire with view over the lavafields.

Arizona and Nevada 2018,  January 3^rd until 13^th

Ladies in Christmas Dress

Time flies when we stay in Holland. We just have the opportunity to visit my sister Hannah and her husband Henk before they leave for Italy to go skiing. That’s why we have an early Christmas with each other. Auntie Ank, Hannah and me have the same taste this time because everybody loves the Christmas outfit I bought at Walmart for the three of us and it also fits well. The real Christmas days are great too. We have a dinner on December 25^th at Auntie Anks place, where we enjoy Susans recipes (Mile High Strawberry Pie and Chocolate Spiders). The next day we have a Christmas brunch with our diving club and a dinner party with our friends Thecla and Thomas and Sandra and Rene.

Working in the Firework Shop

Before we know it is December 28^th and we work in the firework shop. It’s three days of hard work but always great to do and I can get rid of my energy. To our surprise Utah sent us a thick envelope with patches and a (fake) gold coin, we earned them by searching geocaches. We like the patches and I instantly want to visit the remaining counties to collect the other patches. Unfortunately we will not be able to do that this trip because it’s in the Northern part of the State of Utah. And now it’s too cold there. So we already have a destination for a next trip to the United States, next to visit all our friends. And then it’s January 3^rd 2018. We say goodbye to everyone and travel back again with only 1 bag.

Hotel in Phoenix at midnight

This time, travelling is exhausting, we have two stopovers in Iceland and in Seattle, WA. As a result we arrive 24 hours later at 12 PM in our hotel in Phoenix. A nice hotel with rooms around a garden and swimming pool and not far from the airport. We don’t look around. We only want to go to bed. Because of the long journey we sleep till 8 am the next morning. Great because we immediately lose our jet lag.

Bakings waffles for breakfast

After a good breakfast in the hotel, Dick makes fresh waffles, they taste good with whipped cream, we take the hotel shuttle to the airport from which a Taxi Van drive to Tucson. Although we arrive way too early on Phoenix airport, we are lucky, there are seats in an earlier taxi, so two hours before planned, we’re heading towards Tucson, AZ.

We phone Mike and Susan and when we arrive in Tucson, they already wait for us. It feels like coming home. When we arrive at “Mike and Susans RV Park” Penny, the beagle, comes out and we cannot get rid of her (a missing part of her pack is back and the (empty) RV in the garden is inhabited again. We have so much to tell to each other. Because it’s still early in the afternoon we drive to Macy. We are on a mission. Thecla like to have special salad hands. Unfortunately, they are not for sale and also the beautiful black sweater I want to buy (a previously purchased one I gave to Auntie Ank, it fits her incredibly well) is not for sale at Macy. When Target (salad hands) nor an outdoor shop (my North Face sweater) can deliver, Mike has an solution, we have to order everything online. I did not think about that possibility.

Salad hands arrived

Genie (Susan’s sister) and her husband David are asked to order because they can order with faster delivery and moments later the confirmation is there, the salad hands will be delivered on Sunday.

I waited too long to order the black Northface sweater so we never will get it on time at Mike and Susans place but a phone call to Roadrunners RV-park, in Las Vegas, give the answer. Zappos can sent my package there. That means our route to the East will pass Las Vegas, Nevada. We don’t mind because both of us love this city and Roadrunners RV park. The days with Mike and Susan fly by.

Gaslight Theatre

Friday night we visit a theater show at the Gaslight theatre. “The Lone Stranger” is played, a melodrama. It is awesome!. In the theatre, chairs are placed around tables, so we can order a meal during the show, and of course, there are baskets with popcorn on the tables.

Susan arranged great places, next to the life music (it doesn’t give inconvenience) and at the first few rows so we have a magnificent view on the stage. We enjoy the melodrama and the show takes us back to the Wild West era in Texas. Of course, the “Ranger” overpowers the bad guys and put them in jail. When we think that the performance is over, another program of country and western music follows (we also enjoy) and at 11 pm we drive back home. We had a great night together with Susan and Mike. Performances in such small theaters are really worth to visit and enjoying a meal during the performance is quite particular.

View from Mount Lemon

Although it is not really warm outside, at night, the temperature drops till 39 degrees, on Saturday morning the sky is blue and the sun shines so we drive with beautiful weather to Mount Lemon.

This high mountain is located in the backyard of Mike and Susan and within a few miles we arrive from desert vegetation to alpine conditions. Unfortunately, it didn’t snow for some time so the slopes are still impassable with skies. Too bad, because I would love to ski up here. But we enjoy the view of the desert plain far below us and outside on a bench we enjoy a delicious hot chocolate milk and Dutch caramel cookie.  Sunday January 7^th flies too. We sit outside because the temperature is around 78 degrees and we talk and talk and talk. We don’t stop sharing stories and our friendship deepens. Dick is successful in booking a hotel room in Baltimore. We need that when we deliver our RV end of April in the harbor of Baltimore before flying back home and, as time pass by, rooms will be more expensive.

Little Anthony’s Diner

In the afternoon we drive again to the Gaslight Theatre, there is also a real American Diner, Little Anthony’s, and we have lunch. The burgers are excellent, but there is so much meat and so many fries that we are completely satisfied. It also means that there is no cooking at night, we don’t eat anymore. The previous day, Saturday, my cooking didn’t mean anything either. Mike prepared the pork filets on the grill and you can’t say that unscrewing a jar of potato salad is cooking. But the result: Grilled Filet and Potato Salad, tasted good and that counts. And then it’s Monday January 8^th, Mike and Susan’s 41 anniversary. It’s great we can congratulate them in person. After a delicious breakfast and with a bag of cookies, Susan baked them in the morning (she really is a cooking wonder) we leave Mike and Susan’s House to start the last part of our great journey through America.

Until now this journey gave us a lot of pleasure and the company of good friends. Slowly we drive North, of course not on the Interstate but via small roads, to Florence, AZ. The prison shop no longer exists but Mike found out that the prisoners sell their stuff in Mc Farland State park. We find a metal set of Quails and a lovely metal bird table so we are satisfied and even more when we get a nice spot in Lost Dutchman State Park.

Superstitious Mountain

The temperature is not so cold so we sit outside and enjoy the Superstitious Mountains in the background. As the sun disappears behind the mountains around 5 pm, the temperature drops directly to 40 degrees and we have to go to inside. Tuesday January 9^th there are more clouds. The forecast told us a cold front from California will pass.

We drive through the town of Phoenix, look around at the outdoor shop of Cabela’s and after driving all kinds of small roads, leading us through the desert, we arrive in Parker, Arizona where we stay at Walmart. Not a bad place to be because while it rains hard outside we walk around in Walmart. Unfortunately, this Walmart has no hairdresser so my exuberant hair has to stay. During the night the parking fills up with RV’s, more than 35 cars stay on the parking lot.

London Bridge in Lake Havasu

Next morning the black clouds are gone, so when we arrive in Lake Havasu we can walk around in the sun near “London Bridge”. This London Bridge looks very European, and that’s right because it’s a bridge from London. In 1831, this bridge was built, but could not stand the increasing traffic in the 20th century in London, the bridge sagged further and further so the city of London decided to sell London Bridge. The founder of Lake Havasu, Robert McCulloch, was the happy buyer.  After numbering each stone, London Bridge was dismantled, shipped to America and rebuilt at Lake Havasu as the world’s largest puzzle. Now, at this place, you feel like you are in England. Finally we leave this pleasant place and drive further north. The road leads through California and we have to pass an inspection station. Fortunately, only fresh fruit (we don’t have) is a problem. Our lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes are allowed to bring in. The distance we drive in California is not long and soon we are back in Arizona where at Catherina’s landing, in Lake Mead National Recreation Area near the Colorado River, we find a beautiful campground.

Quails on the campground

We enjoy Susans chocolate oatmeal cookies, a Roadrunner and large group of Quails. What a great place to stay. But we want to continue, to Las Vegas, so we leave Thursday morning. It is not a long drive to Las Vegas and because we pass another time zone (back in Pacific time) we also win an hour. At 11 am we find a place on Road runners RV park at Boulder Highway. Although this campground has many snowbirds, it is still possible to select a spot. After paying the campground I take my bike and ride to Walmart, in front of Sam’s Town. Here is a hairdresser because in October my hair was cut here (according to Dick cut to waste). Unfortunately, there is a line but I can make an appointment at 4pm, so late afternoon I return with short hair (too short)

But for me it feels great not to have long curly hair. In the evening we walk to Sam’s Town (we always do when we are in Vegas) to enjoy a dinner buffet. Of course we eat too much but that’s inevitable when there is so much food.  Friday January 11^th, we wake up early, because of the time difference with Arizona. After breakfast we drive the RV to Barnes & Noble, a bookstore in Henderson. I need a new planner. Unfortunately, my 18-month planner isn’t available any longer so I end up buying a year planner. Although it’s better to have a planner who covers the turn of the year. As we are on the road we also stop at Walmart so that we can buy water and soda’s.

RV-inspection, real bad quality

At 2 pm we are back at the campground and sitting in the warm sunrays we enjoy a hot chocolate milk (with whipped cream) and a muffin. After that we walk to the RV dealer at the other side of Boulder Highway. We think about buying an RV here so we can come back more regularly. We see some nice, but also expensive, motorhomes. Unfortunately the construction is disappointing. Under the couch is rough and loose underlayment. And that at a price of around $ 100.000,-. We definitely will not buy an RV like that. Now we only will look for a four-wheel drive truck with an RV on top. I know we are spoiled with the quality and materials used at European RV’s. When we are back at the campground I finally sit down to write for our website.

It’s good in the sun although there is a chilly breeze.

California and Arizona, December 7^th until December 19^th 2017

When I am done with our administration I go outside to climb some rocks in Jumbo Campground in Joshua National park to watch the sunset. Dick still thinks a sunset isn’t really special (the sun sets everyday) so he stay inside, but I always like this magic moment. When I return to our RV, a high fire is burning at our neighbors who left their place. Everywhere on the ground are donuts and a huge pile of ice cubes, a feast for the jackrabbits. It’s difficult to extinguish the fire so I take a chair to sit next to it.

Cholla Cactus Garden

For some time that’s OK because the high flames sufficiently warm me but after about half an hour the outside temperature is really too cold. Dick has not even bothered to get outside because he thinks it’s madness to sit outside with a temperature of 40 degrees. After throwing huge amounts of sand over the still burning fire I leave. This fire can’t hurt anymore. The next day the wind is less and thus the outside temperature feels a lot more pleasant. We drive through Joshua NP to the South, stop at the Cholla gardens, where beautiful cactus grow, we listen to music from the sixties, played by some hippies on the car park and dump our grey -and black water at Cottonwood campground. At 10 am we leave Joshua NP and drive through a gorgeous box canyon with wild rocks. This is awesome.

Citrus fruit – Mecca

There cannot be a greater contrast when we arrive in Mecca, CA, surrounded by fields of citrus trees, grape vines, and peppers.

It’s incredible how water can change an area. Mecca is located near Salton Lake, a huge lake, and as the name suggests, a salt lake. We drive along and suddenly we see a State Park with a campground. We cannot resist the temptation to have a look and take the junction. There is a beautiful spot right at the lake and the rest of the afternoon we sit outside in shorts. It is warm, around 78 degrees.

Shells at Salton Lake

To reach the lake we have to walk over a thick layer of shells, regularly we find skeletons of Tilapia fish. They flourish excellent in this lake. Of course we make a campfire when it’s getting dark and Dick prepare delicious steaks on the grill. This place is definitely worth to return to. The night is clear with incredible stars and a temperature of 51 degrees. The next morning is cloudy, but the temperature is still good. Slowly we drive to the South and of course we meet the first border patrols. We are only 60 mile from the border with Mexico. We take the narrow roads through the fields because we want to see the Imperial Sand dunes.

A huge area full of dunes, a Valhalla for the off-road motorcycles and OHV carts. I would love to have a buggy to race these sand dunes. Jealous I look at the many vehicles and engines racing around us. But we don’t have an OHV or motor and have to continue.

Motor crosser at the sand dunes

So, after taking many pictures at a high viewpoint over the sand dunes, we continue. Now through a stone desert. We are the only ones on this road driving around. At 11 am we arrive at Yuma. This town is located at the border. We arrived in Arizona, so again we cross a time boundary. This time we lose an hour, it is 12 am. After some shopping in Yuma, we decide to stay here at Walmart. Despite the signs that it is forbidden to stay here, the employees tell us that nobody is sending you away, so we’ll risk it. I don’t mind because I have to go to the hairdresser and love to look around in Walmart. Dick also wants to go shopping and together we walk inside Walmart. As there’s a long line for the hairdresser and I don’t want to wait so long, we go together. We buy some small things, we don’t need but love to have, and the rest of the afternoon (not long, because walking around at Walmart takes hours) we read, work on the website and of course talk a lot about anything and everything. Traveling around in an RV brings you close to each other and after travelled over 7 months I am no longer afraid that our marriage will not hold (something I was afraid of the first time, 6 years ago, when we decided to travel for a year).

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Sunday December 10^th we leave for “Organ Pipe National Monument”. The road through Mexico is 50 miles shorter but then we have to affect insurance, not really easy on Sunday morning.

We take the USA road through an inhospitable area and of course we regularly pass border controls. We are not really far from the Mexican border. Along the Interstate are huge RV Parks for the snowbirds (people from the northern part of this magnificent continent who spend the winter in this part to avoid the cold in their own region). I just do not understand why someone chooses a RV park almost bordering the Interstate. It allows you to suffer the traffic noise. At Gila Bend, AZ, we leave the Interstate and drive south to Organ Pipe National Monument. This is still one of our favorite parks, always quiet and with plenty of room.

Cactus Wren

Of course Dick has to drive some laps around the almost empty campground before I find the right place to park (all the places are really the same).  And then we enjoy the silence, the Cactus Wren and Quails, flying and walking around. Despite the many clouds and lack of Sun (but also lack of wind) it’s around 68 degrees and nice to sit outside. Of course, I also like to climb the hill nearby from where I have a magnificent view over the surrounding plain and the Mexican border.

Monday December 11^th we decide to stay another day because we like to hear the ranger chat and if possible take the excursion to the border patrol. Unfortunately, when we arrive at the Visitor Center, we hear that these ranger programs don’t start before January. It’s a pity but we still stay, the thermometer rises slowly and in the afternoon it is around 78 degrees, the sky is steel-blue and the Sun is shining. It’s nice here.

The Visitor Center has Wi-Fi and Dick can publish. After that we drive back to the campground. Our pay tag is gone so we walk to the camp host. He took it away because he thought, as nothing was left on our place, that we had left.  Of course we talk a while and the rest of the afternoon we enjoy the warm temperatures. I look at the brochures we took the past weeks and Dick covers our new road atlas. After 7 months of intensive use, the old one has to be replaced. At 4.15 pm the Sun disappears behind the mountains and directly the temperature drops down. After the heat of the day outside it’s not pleasant anymore.

CAA-Cache at Picacho Peak

We leave Organ Pipe National Monument at 10.30 am on Tuesday December 12, because we have to check our mail at the Visitor Center and we also talk to a German couple. They have problems with burning red lights on their dashboard.

Our goal today is the Cache Across America of Arizona, West of Tucson. Our Hakuna takes us through the Sonora desert over quiet roads. Regularly we are stopped by a border patrol, checking our passports, asking who we are and where we go. However we may always continue after a friendly chat. After driving through an endless desert landscape with sand and bushes we finally come back to civilization. Around us are fields with cotton and then we arrive at Picacho peak, a distinguish mountain peak in the middle of the desert. We drive our RV over an unpaved road until the road is too bumpy and walk to the cache. It’s there, between huge cactus, and we can write our name in the log. As we are close to Oro Valley, AZ, we try to stay at Walmart but this Walmart as well as another one tell us that it is forbidden to stay overnight.

Saguaro – Catalina State Park

So we drive to the nearby Catalina State Park. There is a nice spot for the night. Unlike Organ Pipe it’s considerably colder here and sit outside is not agreeable. We walk in the park to view the many huge cacti here, as if we did not see sufficiently cacti in Organ Pipe National Monument.

Wednesday December 13^th after dumping our grey- and black water we drive to Camping World. In the brochure we have read that an air compressor with enough power for our RV tires is on sale. Unfortunately, the pump is sold out just like the weather station, but we find a (high) step, very suitable for fixing our insulating blanket. So we don’t leave without anything. Over Interstate 10 we drive east. The road takes us through Texas Canyon with magnificent rock formations and at 3 pm we arrive in Chiricahua National Monument.

Chiricuhua National Monument

At the Visitor Center we get our stamp and then, surprising, we find out that 6 years ago, we have been here on the exact same date, December 13^th. Neither of us remember we’ve ever been here and then the ranger tell us that there was a huge fire 6 years ago, so we probably did not go beyond the visitor center. There is a campground in the canyon and we’re happy to find a place. Not because it is so busy but because many of the spots seem to be very small and narrow and our car just not fit in. We already have some trouble to get into the campground because we have a deep gully to cross and the bottom of our RV scrapes the ground. But finally we take place # 13. We have to because 6 years ago we visited December 13^th, we married on the 13^th and we live on # 13. Our place keeps the sun fairly long so we drink our hot chocolate (of course with whipped cream) outside. But when the last sunrays disappear behind the mountain it’s so cold that inside it’s more pleasant. To be on the safe side we put our insulating blanket in the front window. It will be cold, we are at 5330 feet. A wise decision because the night is really cold and clear and the stars are brilliant.

View from Massai Point

After having breakfast on Thursday morning we see the sun appear over the mountains and drive the beautiful Bonita Canyon of Chiricahua National Monument. The rock formations are incredible here. Sometimes there are huge pillars but there are also rocks piled up and sometimes a boulder balance on the rock below. We slowly climb up through the canyon until we are on the rim from where we have a magnificent view on the desert plain. At the highest point, Massai point, 6860 feet, we hike a trail. It gives us not only a view of the desert below us but also let us enjoy the rock formations which made this park to get its status as National Monument. It’s great to be here, we enjoy!  Despite the 6 year old stamp in our park passport, we both know that we have never ever been here. Then, after taking one last picture of this beautiful place, we slowly leave this park and head to Kartchner Caverns State Park. In the middle of the desert, in Zunizona we find a laundromat at a thrift store, so we stop. Our laundry bag protrudes, we did not do laundry for 8 days. It’s really quiet here and we have all the machines for our self. When everything is clean and stowed away we continue.

Tombstone Sheriff Wyat and deputies

At 3 am we arrive in Tombstone. I want to stop to see if there is a used bookstore, so we park our RV in a huge parking lot near Main Street.

When we see the car of a Marshall, I walk up to it and ask if I may stay overnight in the parking lot. Once or twice the Marshall answers that this not ought to be. Do I have a pleading look or a sad look, I don’t know, but finally the Marshall says:  “it is for 1 night?  We never had this conversation” and so we‘ll stay for the night on the empty parking lot. It gives us the opportunity to walk through Tombstone on a snail’s pace. This town has a gunfight for tourists and we decide to buy a ticket. It’s not really spectacular but that is because I don’t know that this gunfight represents an event from the year 1880. When we also visit the Tombstone Historama, where this event is retold and showed (a combination of a diorama and movie from 1963) this dawn upon us.

And when we also get a newspaper from the year 1880 in which the whole story is explained, the gunfight come to life. At half past five it’s so cold that, with only our shorts and hoodies, it’s not pleasant to be outside. We walk back, on the wooden decking, through the now deserted streets to the parking lot, put on a down jacket and walk back to Main Street. There are only some inhabitants left. All the tourists left after the gunfight. We ask where the food tastes good and Crystal Palace is recommended, so we decide to have dinner there. Inside we enjoy the decorum around us. You feel like you’re really back in the late 1800. And indeed our burger is tasteful and also the draft beer is good.

After a last picture at the lighted Christmas tree in town, even in this western town everything is Christmas, we walk back to our RV and on take a journey to dreamland. After a quiet night on the parking lot, the Marshall left us undisturbed, we drive to Sierra Vista, where we check our mail before continuing to Kartchner Caverns State Park. There the campground prices doubled in regard to three years ago, now $30 a night.

Sunset at PIMA Fairgrounds

We don’t want to pay this price so we leave. Near the western part of Saguaro NP is a campground with significantly better prices. We have to go to a campground because we want to dump our grey- and black water before heading to Mike and Susan.

Close to Tucson we pass the Pima fairgrounds where we also can stay overnight for less, so we choose a place and the rest of the afternoon I try to find the things I want to bring with us to the Netherlands. Dick also has a giant job because for several hours he is busy with paperwork in order to get 11 patches and a gold coin from the Utah Geo Tour. Fortunately, there is a fairly strong

Wi-Fi on these fairgrounds so he can do this. We are both ready at 8 pm and have some left-over food, our refrigerator must be empty before we leave. The campground, actually a huge plain with gravel, is almost empty so, when the sun disappears behind the mountains, we have an excellent view. We really are amidst the desert, the sky colors bright red. Luckily, the wind that was really cold and blew hard all day, diminished.

Camping World shop Tucson

Saturday morning, December 16^th we first dump our black – and grey water before we leave the fairgrounds. On our way to Mike and Susan we pass Camping World where, of course we stop to see or the tire pump already arrived. And Yes, after looking around (in a camping shop are always fun things to see) we leave with the pump and drive to Mike and Susan’s house. Once we arrive at their home, Susan comes out. It’s great to see them again. While Susan and I have a lot to talk about (always), Mike and Dick leave with measuring instruments and sometime later, they come in again, our RV is in Mike and Susan’s garden, next to their own RV.

Mike & Susan’s RV-park

The men succeeded to put both RV’s behind the fence. We have a great and safe place on “Mike and Susan’s RV Park”.

We talk and talk and talk, I spoil Penny, their Beagle and then it’s already 5 pm and Susan starts making food. It’s delicious Mexican food with very tender chicken. We really enjoy this food. Unfortunately the concert, Susan and Mike should go to, is cancelled so Mike put music on the huge TV screen and the rest of the evening we enjoy beautiful Christmas music in a wide variety. Mannheim Steamroller Orchestra, Trans-Siberian Orchestra and the Celtic Women. It is really nice to hear different versions of Christmas music. And it’s good that we enjoy this music together. When the third DVD is finished, it’s time to go to bed. Sunday morning, unlike other days, it’s bad weather. Regularly it rains hard and the clouds are down to the ground. During the day the clouds pull up and we see snow on the surrounding mountains, some inches of snow is fallen.

It is not warm, only 54 degrees. This is weather to stay at home near the fire place and so we do. We have breakfast with cereals, drink coffee and talk, talk and talk. Then I repack our bags because yesterday I’ve only thrown all our stuff in it. Again time flies. This morning Susan marinated huge pork chops and Mike put them on the grill. They not only smell good but it’s excellent when we eat them together with delicious peas and salad, it’s a great meal. Wooow, this taste good! In the evening, we watch a Christmas movie and a conference by John Pinette, a stout comedian with a conference (of course) about … food. Unfortunately John Pinette passed away too young. We laugh a lot and in the breakdown, during an interval, Dick successful check in. Unfortunately this time no two chairs in a row, we will have a neighbor.

After again a full night’s sleep Dick and I wake up, rested. Mike and Susan cannot really say that. Penny, their beagle, haunted around the whole night. Our presence so nearby and still unreachable (after all, we sleep in our RV in the garden), is sufficient reason for Penny not to sleep so Mike and Susan also did not get much sleep. Penny is overjoyed when she is allowed to come in Monday morning December 18^th, after we showered. She can’t get enough to sniff both of us.

Breakfast with cereals

After breakfast we put the last stuff in our backpack, Dick shows Mike a few important things in our RV, just in case they will use it, and we talk and talk (that’s what good friends do). Of course we make some pictures and then Mike and Susan take us with their jeep to the Arizona Shuttle that will drive us from Tucson to Phoenix. We say goodbye and hope we will see each other again on January 4^th next year. At 3 am we arrive at Sky Harbor airport in Phoenix. We have a small snack before we check in our bags and walk to the gate.

We only have to wait three hours before we can board. It’s not bad because I have to write for the website. At an outlet we work on our laptops and in the meantime we can charge our cell phones. And then it’s time to board the plane. Despite the fact that we regularly fly, we change airlines too often and therefore we have insufficient points to take advantage of the benefits of our frequent flyer card such as: first check-in. But because we sit at the end of the plane we may quickly board. Nobody shows up on the 3-rd  seat and when the flight attendants close the luggage boxes (so everyone is in), we know we have three seats for the two of us, quite a lot of space for the night. We sleep reasonable and tuesday morning we arrive in London, England. We don’t have to wait long at Heathrow. There is only time to have a Starbucks before we board again on the plane to Amsterdam. Eventually at 7.30 pm we get our luggage and within 15 minutes we can board the train home.