AHHHH! That Fresh Mountain Air!

After a month of boondocking in the Quartzsite desert, we were both ready to leave. (More about that later.)
After a brief stop in Wickenburg to visit our PressurePro distributor and pick up more inventory, we began heading north to Prescott where we planned to overnight. As we gained elevation, the landscape began to change and we were soon driving through pine forests-- a welcome change of scenery. At Kirkland Junction, a sign warned that rigs over 50 ft. are not allowed to continue on Hwy. 89 due tight hairpin curves. So we took the detour through Skull Valley to the west.

In our campground directory we found Point of Rocks RV Campground, called and made a reservation. Appropriately named, the campground is surrounded by huge granite boulders. An older, rustic campground, it has been owned and run by the same family for 33 years and the “mom and pop” owners were still active in its operations. The staff was friendly and helpful and we had a nice space on the top level ($22 a night with the Good Sam discount) among huge boulders and Ponderosa pine with a spectacular view the city. The weather was mildly cool (sweatshirts) with a brisk breeze off the mountains.

Our plan was to spend one night here before going to Camp Verde where we had reservations for the next two weeks. But, after perusing the Chamber’s Visitor Guide, we decided we needed more time here to see more of what was described as a “beautiful and idyllic community.” Money Magazine recognized mile-high Prescott as one of the top five places to retire; and one of the top 10 most popular retirement towns by topretirements.com. (Tempting???)

We explored Whiskey Row, Prescott’s most famous street. In its heyday, the street was lined with saloons and brothels that welcomed many well-know cowboys and outlaws. In 1900, the entire block, along with three-quarters of the town, was destroyed by fire. Whiskey Row is now lined with shops, art galleries and restaurants. We did a little shopping but mostly looking. We browsed through The Palace bar and restaurant, a famous historic landmark displaying a lot of historical facts and photographs. In the early days, when The Palace caught fire, the bar customers all picked up the long wooden bar, carried it across the street, set it down on the courthouse lawn, and continue to drink the night away. That original bar is still in use at The Palace today.

Steve, our RV neighbor, from Michigan and his wife had been here for about a month. He likes to hike and told us of several hiking trails leading from the campground. The morning before we left, he invited us for a short hike. We walked along a rugged trail alongside granite boulders, and over huge rock outcrops, climbing to the top of a hill with a great view of Watson Lake. (Click on the photos to enlarge them.)

We ended up staying here three nights, still not really long enough to see it all. We were impressed with the small-town charm and hospitality. Just as the Visitor Guide said, the people were friendly everywhere we went (even at the Super Wal-Mart). We hope to visit Prescott again and next time, stay longer.

Our New Venture

First some background: In March 2005, after six weeks at our WHR resort in Kino Bay, Mexico, we left to return to the states. Our friends Jim and Karen were driving behind us with their 5th wheel. Karen had told us she wanted to stop at one of the vendors selling copper items on the side of the highway. We had just passed through Hermosillo and as we entered Mexico Hwy. 15, I saw a vendor just ahead and radioed Karen to ask if she wanted to stop here. She did. As we returned to our rigs, Larry noticed that our rear passenger outside dual tire was sitting at an angle. When he and Jim walked back to investigate, they found only one lug nut still tight, two were “handy” and the rest were gone. The tire was flat, but still on the rim. The flat was caused by the metal-wrapped valve stem extender rubbing against the hub cap causing it to wear through and release all the air. To our astonishment, we had no indication, riding inside our motor home, that there was any problem with the wheel.

Larry’s major concern while driving our motor home has always been the possibility losing tire pressure, leading to overheating a tire and ultimately causing a blowout and damage to our motor home. Well, there we were in Mexico, foreigners not fluid in the language, etc. I walked to a nearby café and with a few Spanish words and a lot of sign language, found there was a Pemex fuel station about 10 kilometers up the highway.

Using our rear jacks to raise the motor home, Jim and Larry removed the wheel and we headed up to the Pemex with the tire in our toad. Fortunately, the tire wasn’t damaged and it held the air. Jim and Larry reinstalled the wheel, taking one lug nut from each of the other three duals. We resumed our journey to the U.S. border, and arrived safely, stopping periodically to check the wheel. When we arrived in Tucson, we went directly to an RV dealer to purchase new lug nuts.

To this day, we thank the Lord that Karen wanted to stop and look at copper pots, avoiding what could have resulted in a major catastrophe, and that Jim (who did most of the work) was there to help Larry.

What does this have to do with our new venture? Well, Larry remembered hearing about a system that monitors the air pressure in a vehicle’s tires while driving. He began doing some research, which led to the PressurePro Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). We decided the safety and peace of mind this system provides more than outweighed the cost. Soon, Larry began extolling its benefits to just about every RVer he encountered. At least five people that we know of ordered a system from the dealer we purchased ours through. So, it was a no-brainer (with a great deal of encouragement from me) to become a dealer and take the product on the road.

The Commercial: The PressurePro system continually monitors the pressure in your vehicle’s tires, allowing you to know your tires’ pressures at all times, while driving down the highway or parked. PressurePro can provide early notice of potential tire problems with an audible and visual alert. The system consists of two basic components: (1) a tire pressure monitor, (2) wireless sensors on each tire. It easily installs in minutes. PressurePro is the original TPMS having been on the market more than 19 years, and it is the only TPMS made in the USA.

A Desert Oasis

While we were in Quartzsite, we received an email from Tom and Cheryl, friends from BC, Canada. We were delighted to find they were staying at Desert Palms RV Resort in Casa Grande for the month of February, so when we arrived here, we invited them for dinner. We haven’t seen them since last winter in Mazatlan. After hugs, we enjoyed a happy hour with “Border Butternilk” (Larry's special blend of margaritas) and Cheryl’s shrimp. For dinner I made Chicken Fettucine Alfredo, salad, and chocolate pudding.

I had picked up a brochure on St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery about 40 miles from Casa Grande near Florence.. Tom and Cheryl seemed interested, too, so we made plans to tour the monastery a few days later.

The monastery brochure mentioned that visitors must be appropriately and modestly dressed. Long pants and long-sleeved shirts for men and long skirts and long-sleeved blouses for women, and a head scarf. No high heels, no sandals without socks.

We arrived about 10:30 (see entrance gate at left) and as directed, went first to the gatehouse where a group was assembling for the first tour of the day. Tom and Larry had proper attire. Neither Cheryl nor I had a skirt or scarf, but the monastery had a limited supply for visitors’ use. After donning our new apparel, we were ready for the tour. Tom and Larry said we looked like a couple Muslims. I think we look kinda cute..

A monk led our group to the main church and described the various appointments and meanings of the some of the symbols; showed us where monks, pilgrims, etc sat during service and described the monks’ daily routine: The monks’ day begins at midnight with personal prayer time and spiritual reading, followed by the cycle of morning prayers and the Divine Liturgy. After a light breakfast and a rest period, the monks begin their work day, attending to prayer and their tasks which include construction, grounds keeping, vine dressing, gardening, woodworking, publishing, food preparation, and offering hospitality.

Then we toured the rest of the grounds and chapels with a self-guided map.. It is hard to describe the beauty of this “oasis in the desert.” It began in 1995 when six Athonite monks were transferred to the Sororan Desert to establish the monastery dedicated to St. Anthony, the father of monasticism.. Upon their arrival they began the construction of the main church, living quarters for the monks (called cells), a dining hall and guest facilities. A vegetable garden, a small vineyard, citrus orchards and an olive grove dot the landscape, which includes gardens, pathways, tall palm trees, flowers and gazebos with Spanish style fountains.

We were all impressed with the architecture and construction of the monastery buildings and with what the monks have accomplished in the short time since they arrived.

Afterwards, we went to Tom and Cheryls for lunch and spent the afternoon in the sun on their deck.

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

Our long-awaited grandson has finally made his appearance. Knuton Riley Sorenson, weighing in at 9 lbs. 9 ½ oz. was born February 16 at Doctors’ Hospital in Dallas, Texas. His mom (Kathy) and Dad (Glen) and big sister Madelyn (19 mos.) are all doing fine. And here he is……..

KOFA National Wildlife Refuge

KOFA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
The Kofa NWR encompasses 664,000 acres of pristine desert environment and is home to the unique desert Bighorn Sheep and the California fan palm, the only native palm in Arizona. Other notable wildlife species found in the area include white-wing dove, desert tortoise, fox, mountain lion, rattlesnakes, iguana and lizards.

Today we explored Palm Canyon, a narrow canyon in the Kofa NWR about 18 miles south of Quartzsite, to find the “grove” of palm trees that have become a major visitor attraction to the area. We turned in at the Palm Canyon sign and followed a washboard dirt road about seven miles to the Palm Canyon trailhead where we parked our car and proceeded up the half mile (each way) foot trail into the canyon. The trail was well-marked but quite rocky with a few steep sections but overall it wasn’t too challenging. At the trail’s end, there was a sign pointing upward and to our left, where we saw the palm trees clustered high in a narrow crevice. (Click on the second photo to enlarge it; you will see the palm trees in the center of the photo.)

In 1986, 42 trees were counted in the main grove. It is believed that they are descendants of palms growing in this region during the last periods of North American glaciation. The palm trees are able to survive in the narrow side canyons where direct sunshine is limited, but some moisture is available.

The vegetation in the area was very green and lush, one would not expect in a desert environment. On our trek we passed several species of desert plants including the Palo Verde tree, mountain barberry and the cholla, ocotillo and saguaro cactus. We saw none of the above mentioned wildlife which was disappointing, but on our way down the trail, a rabbit that scampered across our path and we saw a very tiny lizard sitting on a rock.

THE GATHERING PLACE

In the summertime, it’s just another sleepy town in the southwestern Arizona desert (Pop. about 2,500) In the winter months, it’s a different story when Quartzsite turns into one of the biggest gathering places in the country, especially January and February when the annual dealer shows are held there. The biggest is the RV, Sports and Vacation Show held this year Jan 17-25 in “the big tent,” a huge three-ring circus size tent packed with vendors, followed by the Rock, Gem and Mineral Show, then the Classic Car Show. There are also numerous ongoing swap meets featuring rocks, gems, and minerals, beads, antiques, craft items and jewelry to name only a few.

Quartzsite is also a place where snowbirds from Canada and the US states come in their RVs to spend the winter on thousands of acres of BLM land in the warm desert climate. Winter daytime temps are normally in the 70s. One can boondock (dry camp) here for two weeks for a fee of $40 or stay the entire season (September-April) for $180. A nearby water and dump station is available. There are also free 14-day camping areas but they are farther away from town. We like it close to town because we can walk about ¼ mile to where the “action” is.

We arrived here January 8 with a full tank of fresh water and empty holding tanks, paid our two-week fee and claimed our dusty plot of ground in the desert, facing a dry wash lined with Palo Verde trees. We were surprised to see so few RVs here compared to past years. But, a few days before the “big tent show” opened, RVs began swarming into the area.

Every time we stay here, we learn more about this area and thanks to Gary and Diane, our next-door neighbors from British Columbia, we have learned a lot more on this visit. Gary volunteers at the QIA building. What’s that? We asked. The QIA is a sort of community center but not run by the city. It’s an independent non-profit that hosts numerous activities. Gary gave us a schedule: exercise classes, line dancing, programs and entertainment; they serve lunches and dinners on scheduled days and host dances Friday or Saturday nights. That’s how we learned that the New Christy Minstrels (thenewchristyminstrels.com) were scheduled for a performance and we were able to get tickets. What an enjoyable evening that was!! The QIA also hosts Pow-Wow, a large gem, mineral and jewelry show with over 700 vendors.

THE TV PROJECT

For about three months before we left home, Larry had been talking about replacing the old 19” TV in our motor home with a flat screen LCD TV. It sounded like a daunting project to me. But, encouraged by the receipt of our $600 economic stimulus check from the government, we began our TV shopping and research. First we looked at 26” TVs, but a friend, who owns an identical motor home, had installed a 32” and he suggested that we upgrade the size. So we dug a few more dollars out of the sock and after much comparison shopping, we purchased a Sony Bravia flat screen TV, and the project began.

The original TV was centered between two cabinets above the motor home dashboard. We decided to install the new TV in a slightly recessed area occupied by a cabinet on the passenger side. I cringed as Larry began ripping the guts out of the cabinet. But during the process we acquired a real appreciation for how sturdy this coach was built. After removing the door from that cabinet, he installed it over the “hole” that was left after removing the original TV.---It fit perfectly. The plan is to make a storage cabinet in that space, later. After installing lumber supports for the bracket that would hold the new TV, and tearing them out, and redoing it three times, Larry finally got the new TV installed “perfectly.” He did a great job, and we love it. Here are the before and after photos. You can click on the photos to enlarge them.

The project was finished just in time to attend a Christmas RV rally December 10-14 in Murchison, Texas hosted by our Lone Star FMCA Chapter.