I Wonder if Those NASCAR Boys Know?

... Just how much work... So many Other people do... Keepin' them goin' real fast, and Turning Left? :o)

Hope some of  'em appreciate it!

To be Honest 'bout it, I'm purty low on the Totem Pole of laborers here... but I gotta tell you... after three days of the better part of 12 hours each, I'm a wore down Pup! :o) ... and something like 12 hours of the "Big Race Day" to do...

So tonight I'm likely to be more tiredur then ever... Yeah, that's 'nuther one of them RedNeck words... it means; "My Kiester's dragging like an old three legged dogs!"

Friday I worked a gate down by turn 4, which put me in a spot that I could on occasion, take a quick break and actually go see some of the Racing...

*Making Turn 3 at Phoenix International Raceway*

I know I've told you how bad that Raider I ride is? ... yeah... well... uh... Even it ain't keepin' up with these boys... 165 miles an hour or so runnin' down the straights... 3 inches from a concrete wall...

... these boys are more Nuts than I am... and THAT, is sayin' somethin' boys N' girls! :o)

*NASCAR Boys making Turn 4 at Phoenix International Raceway*

Having never actually been to a Race before... after all these years of cheapin' out and watchin' on TV... standing by the fence, over on the straight as they run by... to quote today's Kids... OMG!

You see 'em comin'... so it ain't any surprise... but they get to you... and SCREAM past.... So fast you can't focus on the car...

... Your breath catches a second, like you just had somebody run up and goose you unexpected? and you can feel your heart skip a stroke or two... it's a Weird sensation... makes me giggle! :o)

I tried to capture a few of the Individual cars goin' by... and as quick as my lil' Nikon is... you have to time your shot good... or you get a picture of ... pavement! :o)

*Anybody know who #68 is? :)*

Like this guy... I managed to time it just right... I suppose somebody knows who he is... Guess I'm a Bad NASCAR FAN... NO BEER! :) 'cause I haven't got a clue.

But... the Sun sets on NASCAR too... and I gotta go get ready to finish up my week...

*Sunset Over Phoenix International Raceway*

Yesterday and today, I'm back from my two day 'Supervisor' job to runnin' a Tram... Yup... still... a Jack-of-all-trades.

So have fun watchin' the race on television today... and if you see the Trams Hauling fans up and down the south side of the setup here... One of those is bein' driven by Me! and... Heidi is gonna be my Hostess on the tram today! :)


Runnin' the Wheels off a truck... Driving at NASCAR! ...
Ok... driving a TRAM, at NASCAR :)
Brian

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A Very Good Day... NASCAR Day one of actual Racing... and the Postponed Post

The first day of actual Racing Started out in the cool of the morning... which turned into a fairly warm day... that wore my Ol' butt out. I'm a tired pup tonight! That Gate Supervisor Stuff is a job... fun time... but work just the same! :)

Wasn't like we were diggin' ditches... but standing out in the sun, on your feet on the pavement for 10 hours... is a piece of work for a grumpy Ol' Army cripp. :o) good thing we had plenty of NASCAR Fans to tease and pass the time with.

Don't know why it's such a tiring thing... Not really a hard thing to do, "Supervising" and backin' up a bunch of folks that know what they're doin'! 'Course... it does leave a lot of time for Teasin' and havin' a good time... Could be that's what wore me out!

Managed to get up into the stands a time or two and get a few pictures... and then we were released from the gate at the 1/2 way mark of todays race... so I was able to get some pics of not just the morning practice and during qualifying... but in the afternoon race...

Now, this race was sort of the 'minor league' level of drivers... which means... race three laps... run five laps on caution... race three laps... run four laps on caution... race a half lap... go back on caution... :o) ... yeah... these guys seemed to have a great difficulty keepin' their paint off some other cars fenders. :)

Had the camera up and focused on a corner at just the right moment...

*Getting sideways at PIR*

The guy goin' sideways actually managed to get a handle on it... but the poor boy lookin' at his door ended up thumpin' the wall a bit on the infield, just around the corner... bummer for him... and this is a view we got several times... first lap on the green just after the restart...

*First Corner after the restart*

We'd got a pretty good perch... way up on the roof... pretty good view from up there...

*Watching the Race from up on the Roof*

Kinda fun bein' able to have a good view of the scambling pit action too... since it seems pretty often that those boys are the one's that end up winning the races for their drivers...

*NASCAR Pit Action*

...and was especially glad... we only saw the last 30 laps or so of the race... 'cause this ol' tired dog wanted to go home and go to bed! :O)

Though of 'course I had to get this post done up for ya'll first! ... but then? I'm for Bed!

***and now... Wednessdays postponed post***
Finally Pushed Replacing the RV Bedroom Duct Tape Window up the Priority Ladder... Making The RV Window replacement, finally, number one priority.... 'cause that Duct tape was startin' to bug me... well, that and just finally Having the new window on hand helped...

So... first thing this morning, ran down to Wally World and collected the screws I needed, that weren't in the dang hardware bins I added at Christmas time... figures don't it?...

... got my "stuff" arranged on the bed of the truck for the RV Surgery... and went to tearing out the Old Broken RV Window frame...

Like most things, the reality wasn't a shadow of the Monster that you cook up as you fret over it... I was dreading it... thinking of all the things that Could go wrong... like the new window falling back out before I could run back inside to get the first screws of the retaining ring set in place!

Yeah, well, that didn't happen... whew! 

The hardest part was carrying the new window up the ladder to set it in place.

*Our New RV Window set in Place*

That dang thing was quite a bit heavier than the original... maybe 'cause it's twice the glass? :) yeah, the cheapest replacement from Jayco is an insulated glass version with double panes... works for me.

I laid the new frame on our folding table and put the glazing putty in place around the frame... so that when I tightened down the screws of the retaining ring... that gunk would squeeze into every crack and crevice and seal that sucker up tight...

*Plenty of Putty to Seal an RV Window Tight!*

 Almost went to cleaning off the excess... and then thought better of it... That would have been a real bad idea...

I'll wait either until evening, or first thing in the morning before the sun gets on it, when that putty is cold and hard...

By the time I got done securing the window the sun was strong on that wall... and trying to get that putty off, would have been a gooey mess. :) and me bein' the prissy lil' biker cowboy that I am... I don't like gooey messes! :)

Since I was having such great success with repairs I thought I might as well take a good look at the failed tightners on the Awning support arms...

They twisted off the first time I went to open the Awning up in Quartzsite... My guess is they got enough salt air on 'em out on the coast that the bolts corroded enough that when I cranked the plastic handles... they just twisted right off the frozen bolts...

*original Awning Bolts minus their plastic Knobs*

My temporary solution was to take a couple of 1/4" bolts from my hardware bins and double nut 'em... so that the remaining threaded length was the same as the original...

When I removed the original bolt the internal locking nut fell to the bottom so I could run my Temporarys in and out a few times with a good application of some silicone lubricant... to loosen those internal locking nuts up a bit... and polish the crusty threads...

and then... using a pencil and some duct tape stuck up inside to hold the retainer nuts in line, up inside where I can't see... and I sure can't get my lil' fingers... I screwed the improvised bit in place...

*Temporary Awning Arm Locking Bolt*

Aw quit it! I have good ideas all the time!... and some of 'em actually even work!... and this one works just fine! :)

Though it's not as quick or tooless like the original... When I get some more time and ambition... now that I've got the idea :) I'll replace one of the "Double Nuts" with a wing nut... and lock it all in place on the bolt with some High strength thread lock... and I shouldn't have any more issues with plastic Knobs!

Whoa! Redneck Hits the Big Time at NASCAR!

Well... I already had the blog wrote up for today... but it's gon' have to be postponed until tomorrow, 'cause there's big happenin's at the Nascar Race at PIR...

I'd just got done this evening with my Tram Drivers training when I was notified I'd been fahrd frum that job!

Yes sir! Seems when thay dun seen how fass I picked up drivin' a truck an' traylur at 10 miles an hour... thay dun reelahzd how smahrt I wuz so thay dun fahrd my butt frum drivin' an' pro-mowtid me at the same tahm! :) Guess sum buddy dun reelahzd thet they had wun uv them fellers whut cud be traned lak wun uv them thar chimpanzee monkeys.

An' then... When I started tawkin' to one feller he got all excited! Said I could even tawk Redneck! He said; "Damn! You tawk Redneck too? Hell Man, you're multi-lingual! You can translate for us!" and I had the job locked up!

So they mayd me be part of manujmint! :)

I jus got ta figger owt whut Multi-lingual is... and iffn "Translatin'" is legul... shur don' wanna go ta jale ur nuthin'!

Yup! So tonight I had to go shoppin'! Uh Huh... I found out I needed to git me a new robe... only I couldn't find whut I needed anywhar... Seems those management types have to have somethin' they call a Pro-feshunal War Robe! I asked all over and I couldn't find a Pro-feshunal War Robe anywhere!Wuz weird too... thoze fowks at tha stowr? Thay looked at me Lak I wuz crazy when I asked whar the War Robes wuz at!

Dang! an' I wanted to make a gud impreshun my first day as a PIR Gate Supervisor! :o)

So... at least Thursday an' Friday I'll not be Drivin' Trams at the NASCAR Race... I'll be Supervising the Gate... or one of 'em... Yes sir... Havin' that 73 IQ is finally startin' to pay off... Momma'd be so proud!

:-) guess you'll have to come back tomorrow... to find out 'bout what I was gonna ramble on about today!

Yes Sir... Workamping can be an experience!
Brian

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and... The Big boys are Starting to Arrive from Daytona...

Day three of our NASCAR workamping adventure...

Was a pretty tough day yesterday... the only day of the week Heidi wasn't on the schedule... and I haven't actually started yet :o) so we ran into Phoenix to run some errands... such as pick up the replacement window that finally came...

... all that duct tape that currently forms our bedroom "window"... is a lil' too Redneck... even for me! :o)

Herself goes to the the "job" about 10 this morning... while I have to run up the road a lil' ways to Walmart or Home Depot... to get some replacement screws... and run back here, to get that new window installed... before I start 'bout 5 tonight with a "drivers meeting" and some quick training I guess...

Yep... that's right... I Told You! I'm a driver at NASCAR! ... a Tram driver :o) No "Bumping" allowed!

When we got back from town... a few of the folks that will be tram drivers were just finishing up moving the trams down from the storage yard... to the "Tram Yard" which sits right behind where we're parked for the week...

*Tram Yard at PIR*

Long walk to "work" huh? Took that standing by the bumper of the Eagle...

Interesting mix here... raggedy slide in pickup campers sitting on carhauler trailers, pulled by beater chevy flatbeds... to $500,000 Motorhomes (and more$$$) with big Toybox Trailers painted to match... Folks that still have some of their teeth to Gals that are dressed to the "nines" and looking like they just left the Beauty Salon...

One thing though... ever'body pretty much seems tee total cheerful... so far...

'course now... the beer is just gettin' cooled down... :o) so the time for "mischief" hasn't even started yet :o)

A couple of the Race Rigs just rolled by as I'm writing this... anybody know who NASCAR #65 is? :o)

*NASCAR # 65 come's rolling in to PIR*

 It might end up bein' 'bout all I really get to see... my schedule has me workin' pretty much when most of the racing is goin' on... and bein' down at the bottom of the "Credentials" totem pole... I don't get a "pass" that gets me in to much :( ... guess I have to behave to earn a higher position at future races :o)

I better quit yakkin'... go get my screws... and get my window installed... 'cause NASCAR is comin' in a roaring rushin' hurry! :o)

Tram Drivers, RV Maintenance, NASCAR Semis and Races Oh MY!
Brian

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Even the Pros Don't Always Get it Right

Our first full day at PIR is in the books... Heidi worked for the track... and I sat at my desk, working for myself! adding more to my next story...  :)  I'm not on any schedule here until Wed. evening... yeah... it's a hard life...

We found out... that the number of staged rigs, of fans waiting to get in for Race Week, was down a long ways from previous years... nobody seems to know if it's an "economy" thing... or from this being the first year with the race in February rather than April... or... if having the races one week after the other has people somewhere on the road... racing between races...

There's some thought I've heard around, that NASCAR, setting the race dates of Daytona, Phoenix, and then Vegas, on successive weekends was not a good thing for the tracks involved... considering the amount of equipment and people that needs to be shifted between tracks...

I also heard someone else say that fans who used to go to both races, here and Vegas, can't get that much time off at one time... or... can't afford 'em both, that close together... They need to have some time to build up their NASCAR pot, between races...

So, it looks kinda like maybe NASCAR made a big; "OOPS! Didn't think of that!" that wasn't really seen until it was too late to change it... I'll be curious to see if they leave the races on this schedule... for next year... There's a bunch of communication and other equipment that's shipped from track to track... that simply can't get here from Daytona... before the races... are over... DOH!

Makes me feel a lot better to know... folks with a lot more on the ball then I've got... screw up too! :o)

*Sun Setting on Day One of Race Week at  PIR*

A Day of NASCAR
Brian

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The Faithful Gather at the Redneck Shrine of PIR :o)

We got hitched up and hauled out yesterday... reluctantly... to get to Phoenix International Raceway for our week of paid labor.

I was dragging my feet enough... that we got here, 'bout two hours later... maybe more, than I'd planned on... What can I say... a camp, sitting out in Far Country... is where my Soul feels like it's at home... I was reluctant to leave...

Well... Far Country, or... my butt sittin' on the seat of a Bad Motorcycle generally gives me that same feeling of; "Here...THIS... is where I belong here"... especially... If I'm riding out of a camp... that's sitting in Far Country! :o)

So... after being warned not to hit any of the "trees" when I parked... uh.... Huh ??? :o)... we got set and headed on over to my sisters for a nice supper... and then promptly got lost coming back... 'cause they closed the 101 highway... but the GPS didn't know that... so any attempt to use it... had it just trying to get us back to the 101... which of course... was closed every time we crossed it... result? We spent something like an hour... ziggin' and zaggin' 'round western Phoenix (Glendale) workin' our way back to Avondale and PIR.

*A Cloudy sunrise over The PIR NASCAR Shrine at PIR*

This morning is pretty much opening day of the coming Festivities... Folks have been Staging their rigs just north of the spot the authorities have see-lekted for the 'worker bees' to set their rigs... for the past several days I guess...

*The NASCAR Faithful....*

This morning... is the day they open the gate and let 'em in to the camping area... I could see folks standing around over there since not long after daybreak... anxious to get to their NASCAR Mecca :)

*Waiting patiently for entrance to a Redneck Mecca!*

It's pretty amazing really... looking at the length of the rows... left to right... and knowing that there's, a whole bunch of rows... of beer drinkin', hoorawin', good Ol' boys... :o) ... uh oh... it's gonna be an interesting week...


It's like watchin' a bunch of those gals waitin' outside of the big department store... on that black Friday shopping deal... pushin' against the doors to get in...

You see it all... Dad's with their Sons... Grandads with their Grandsons... Big Ol', high dollar Motorhomes... and the "Redneck Boulevard" tagged raggedy A$$ Ol' bumper pulls... with ever' dang driver grinnin' like he just won the lottery!

"We Goin' to NASCAR! HooYa!" :o)

I shook my head wonderin' what their "Big Deal" is... right up until I thought of My RoadStar Raider... Splittin' the Wind through a set of Fine Twisties... or my RV Boondocking Camp, set out on the Arizona Desert... and then I shook my head at my self... for wonderin'. :o)

Makes me smile... to see people... even in times painted as hard times for many... finding the things that make 'em grin... and racin' after 'em...

I read something yesterday; "Life is when you get knocked down... getting back up... is LIVING!" :)

Off to the Races at Phoenix International Raceway
Brian

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Bouse Camp... The Leaving

You hope to find camps like this... but the only problem is... The leaving... Funny how ya get attached to a place... a place that ain't even yours!

Wonder if "The Place" knew we were pullin' out today and wanted to put on one last show at sunset... This one was pretty fine no matter which direction you looked, but the softest and prettiest views were back over the mountains laying to the east...

*Sunset storm Clouds Over Bouse*

It was calm and quiet... the clouds were all sorts of shades from pink to grey, I just did a poor job of capturing the color... The air was fresh and clear from the rains... A cool breeze out of the south... a Cowboy just knew fresh grass and fresh calves were on the way...

*Clouds Bringing Fresh Grass to the Arizona Desert*

I kept wondering if this Desert just wanted to just tease and torment us for making this our last night in Bouse Camp... It was sure a pretty evening... almost brings a guy to spoutin' purty mush about the clouds caressing his soul... and the breezes touching his heart... and... damn... there goes my rep for sure!

*Last Sunset in Bouse Camp*

We have to leave in a little while to head for PIR... Staying here, in this area has not only been good for the spirit... it's been good for the budget... couldn' ask for a cheaper cost of living! :o) though... PIR will continue the minimal cost of living... while flowing some precious dinero into the coffers to boot...

Not sure where we'll go after the Races... actually talkin' of comin' right back here!

*Most Cowboys, Love the Rain*

 Farther out we want to spend a lil' time near the kids in Denver... 'fore we start moving North in earnest... Headed for Alaska II... so... comin' back out here, maybe slowly working north across the Desert, through a lot of March might be nice... if we decide that Zion in early April is the way we should go... our other option being... working our way up through New Mexico...

Neither option sounds too bad to me... though, Zion in April... kinda has a sweet ring to it... don't it?

Boondocked in the Desert Rain
Brian

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No chance of Dust Today...

 It's been getting pretty dusty 'round 'bout this low Arizona Desert... What with all the ATV's, Baja Buggies, regular 4X4's and hikers workin' with their feet... been a soft layer of floury dust on all the roads and tracks... that rises in a hazy cloud with the passing of each vehicle.

... or your feet if you trip much :)

That's gone now... The weather they've been predicting for the last week came rollin' in last night... Rained much of the night... with a pretty fine light and audio show to go along with the sound of the rain on the roof...

Though yesterday the weather man was claiming this area should only get like 1/10 of an inch...

just enough to get the dust damp... I'd say it dropped a lot more than that!

The lil' drainage dipping past the fiver is runnin'... lil' pools all over...

this is Weather an Ol' Desert Kid kinda likes... knowing it grows grass and fills the stock tanks...

... except for the fact we need to haul out Sunday...

Guess we'll find out, tomorrow morning... especially if this keeps goin'... how soft our Desert "road" gets in the rain...

Fred was wonderin' the other day, 'bout the timing of spring flowers 'round Arizona... I'm not sure 'bout that... but... I am sure, if this weather keeps up for any amount of time... the Flowers in March should be awful nice...

You know... for the people who admire such things...

'course... you won't find crusty Ol' Biker Cowboys doin' silly things like admiring birds and Arizona Desert Flowers!

No Sir! Just think what damage that could do to a guys reputation! :o) so... I'll put the pictures of 'em on here for you folks... but that's what it's for... you guys... got it? OK?

I'm a Biker Cowboy ridin' a bad Motorcycle with the Devil on the Seat! Not some bird watchin', flower pickin', poetry talkin', girly man! :o) a guy has to be careful 'bout what folks think ya know... ;o)

So... now that we got that straight... I'm gonna go listen to the rain on the roof while Enya plays on my Ipod... as I tap out some more prose on my laptop ;o)

Living Soft on the Desert
Brian

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Upstate New York Boondocking/Free Camp

I know from talking to folks that finding some free or low cost camps back East can be a real problem... stands to reason considering the lack of public lands and the heavy population...

So it was pretty interesting to me when I got the following message the other day in my email. Let's be honest here, they aren't making this offer without hoping for a payoff. But, it is a pretty nice way of trying to benefit their business ain't it? They offer you a Free Overnight Camp ... in an area of high cost nights... on the hope that at least some of the guests will take advantage of the services they have available...

... sounds like enlightened self interest and a fair trade to me!

*********
Belleayre Mountain Ski Center www.belleayre.com just off Route 28 in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York offers free overnight parking for RVs.  With miles of hiking trails through the Catskill Forest Preserve, bike trails, an interactive nature center, even a lake with a sand beach, Belleayre is an ideal place to stay.  Plan your trip right and you can enjoy top notch entertainment.  The Belleayre Music Conservatory www.belleayremusic.org offers up and coming artists and headliners from a wide variety of genres – jazz, pop, opera, and more – all in a gorgeous mountainside setting throughout the summer and fall.  No electric, water, or dumping but no fees, gorgeous views, and great music make Belleayre worth the visit.  10 minutes to Supermarket.  Half hour to town of Woodstock.

The latitude and longitude of Highmount, New York is: 42° 8' 39" N / 74° 29' 24" W
*********


Don't know a thing 'bout these folks... but it sure seems like a decent deal...

I just figured I'd pass it on here... so if you're an Easterner wandering around your own neck of the woods... or a Westerner headin' back East this summer... you might want to mark this place down on your maps for future reference.

Just the Messenger :)
-Brian

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More Critters and Mysteries From the Desert

Sittin' at my desk in the Desert the other mornin' had a visitor... No idea what he's called... or for that matter... whether it even is a he... but for those folks that think there's no life out in this stark and dry Arizona Desert... it's just one more piece of evidence...

*another Arizona Desert Flyboy*

This Desert Lowland is filled with Wildlife of every sort...

From Desert Bighorns, down to the lizards and rattlers crawlin' around in the Dust...

... and Jack Rabbits that rival my Ninja Rabbit for size!

To Coyotes wanderin' past camp last week... there's living breathing critters all over this Desert...

Even had a Hummingbird zippin' around my head while I was cleaning on that big Red Yamaha the other day... only... ya don't really want to put feeders out here for 'em... the Bees will harass you so bad for that water that it'll become a real nuisance.

Later in the day we took a medium sized walk over east and a touch south of where we've been walkin'... and found one of the reasons we'll likely just keep to our feet... and leave the ATV's to those Monkey Hunters...

*Places where ATV's fear to tread*

Yup... simple fact is... there's always gonna be some pretty interesting places they just can't take you...

Places where only your feet... or a horses feet can carry you...

... Well, OK... and... the Wyoming WIND! :)

Just too narrow, too steep, too fine... aw well... sorry Mr. polaris, and Ms. kawasaki, and Sister Yamaha, and Sue Suzuki! :)

Just up from here we came across a short lived mystery... Some critter had chewed and shredded an already poor lookin' Palo Verde tree... and then wandered off up the wash... leaving only his tracks...

*Mystery Tracks in the Wash*

Those were so small, even in the sand that I first thought of it bein' a burro... though we'd seen zero sign of those anywhere about...

Curious, we followed the signs along... until the tracks of the critter... cut one of the two tracks the ATV's use... and he left clear prints there...

Now... unless the BLM has really gone to takin' some shiny care of Burros...

and Started shoeing them... This weren't no Burro!

It also... weren't no BIG critter! That lil' sucker had a shod foot... littler than mine!

It also turned out that a second, even smaller set joined in walkin' alongside... Puniest lil' horses I've never seen! :)

By the shape of the foot... I'm thinkin' maybe could be some mules... don't know... but every time they stopped... there'd be peanut hulls and shredded Palo Verde...

While the rider was snackin' on nuts... the mule/horse was snackin' on trees...

So... let's see... Birds of all sorts from lil' Hummers to Soaring Eagles, lizards and snakes... 'Yotes, Desert Bighorns... Deer (Heidi spotted one on a walk a few days back) ... and in some places... Ol' Time Miners Donkeys that were just turned loose to go wild...

Yup... it's a hard place to earn a living... and talk 'bout bein' frugal... I guess these critters don't have much option there... it's pretty much imposed on 'em... but they seem to be doin' just fine...

I think I'll keep to my word wranglin'...

From the Arizona Desert
-Brian

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Monkey Hunters, Beer and Bloggers...

Dang if we're not careful, the phone company is gonna have to put in a bigger cell site in Quartzsite to service all the bloggers collecting on the Desert.

Stopped by to see Mike and Jana on the way in to Bouse yesterday afternoon... to see if I could restock my suds supply... two beers of an evening, and a sixpack don't last too long! We thought maybe they'd like to come up and share some of 'em in a lil' bit... well...

... They returned with; "Why don't you come over by Rod and Deb's... and you can meet ever'body in the neighborhood?"

So... we continued the long journey down to Bouse... must be the whole of two miles :) got a cold six pack of Corona and some fuzzy navel for herself... after having to pull off the track and wait for what must have been fifteen ATV's to go dusting by...

... which I'm guessing must have been members of the Desert Monkey Hunters ATV Club... 'cause each and every quad had a stuffed monkey strapped to the front of the lil' 4X4... :o) sure looked like fun... dust covered face masks... dust covered stuffed monkeys...

... now there was a bunch that could use a cool brew! :o)

But... anyhoo... we got back and pulled up to the fandango... and found that Jim and Ellie were there too... I met them a couple years back over in Tucson when we were in town for the Gem and Mineral show... we were both staying at Doc Justin's RV Park, SW of Town... one of the few RV Parks we've ever used...

Funny how ya wander all over the country... and manage to percolate together... without any sort of a plan for it... like Reader Charlie finding me as we rolled down the interstate north of Denver way back last September... Us just starting off on this circle... He on a trip from back east... with only a very few possible miles and minutes... to cross paths... curious...

We'll be stayin' put now till Sunday morning... Got our information cleared up... and no need to leave Friday like we were thinkin' ... so we'll just stay put for that extra couple days.

Maybe I can get some more button punching done... seems to be working... 'cause somebody's been knockin' on Amazon's doors a lil'. They've already checked out more than twice the number of books that got bought all last month. Can't say how things are goin' over to Barnes & Noble... their reports don't sift down to me 'cept every six weeks or so...

But Whew! This book sellin' is hard work!... At least I don't gotta run around in my birthday suit like that Naked Bookseller dude over to Quartzsite... Yet ... if that gets to be a requirement... I'll be puttin' in my application... at McDonalds!

yep... it's an exciting life out here on the Desert...

Sippin', Tappin', and Wonderin' 'bout Monkey Hunters...
down on the Desert
-Brian

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Bikes, Bridges, Beer and M&M Blizzards in the Desert...

Took the Raider out yesterday so she could stretch her legs. She's been kinda quiet lately. Likely has something to do with the rough lil' road twixt the highway and the camp I chose... What can I say, that Yamaha is not a machine that was built for the dirt...

But... roll her easy on the two track, to get to that ribbon of highway... roll on the power...

...and... She just gobbles up that 60 miles or so of two lane 'tween here and Lake Havasu...

The Bill Williams River comes into the Colorado just below there... Not sure what they fish for in it... and I guess, as you roll across this Desert, a marshland is not what you expect to see when you come around a bend... but Arizona is nothin'... if it ain't a collection of contrasts...

 Thought Valentines day would be a good day to split the wind on a Big Red RoadStar Motorcycle and have lunch and a Landshark... sitting pretty near under London Bridge... OK... OK...

*Jersey's Grill in Lake Havasu*

I'm a cowboy biker... not Don Juan...

I guess there must be a couple dozen rigs boondocked east of the highway, just outside Lake Havasu as we came in from the south...

Something to keep in mind... if you're wandering through here and needful of a stop... There's a BLM office in Havasu as well... so you can get some current info and maps...

I'm bettin' that back in 1830whatever when it was first built... they had no bit of an idea that one day, folks would be looking at the Arizona Mountains... through the Arches of London Bridge.

*Arizona Mountains under London Bridge*

There's a couple of boat rentals there... paddle boats... jet skis... and I saw one that I took to be a lil' electric catamaran...

You can get out and around in this lil' backwater of the Colorado River... if you've a mind to...

*Lake Havasu Jet Ski Rentals*

Me? Water is for washin' motorcycles and dy-lutin' whiskey! :o)

But, if you're a tourista...

there seems to be a lil' bit of everything here for you in Lake Havasu... from... motorcycles...

... to souvenir shops... to clothes... and brew pubs, restaurants and Dairy Queen! ... nothin' like workin' a spoon through an M&M Blizzard on a hot day... unless it be a Cold LandShark! :o)

Don't know what it's like here in the summer time High Season... other than Kee-Rowded!... but just now it's kinda pleasant... and I think it's next weekend they have a Fireworks Spectacular... Supposed to be the bigges and best you could imagine. I guess some big fireworks association has their annual convention here, and put it on...

... 'course... next weekend... we'll be at the NASCAR Party at PIR... so, this time, we'll miss this particular Fandango... but... you might pencil it into your calendar for future reference...

*London Bridge, Lake Havasu, Arizona*

Climbed back on the scooter to roll back down to Bouse... You roll past a couple of State Parks along the river between Havasu and Parker... seemed mostly organized to cater to boaters and Water people... kinda makes sense, don't it? :o)

Rolling across the desert... watching our silhouette running along beside the pavement... racing the sun... trying to get Home... 'fore dark... not wanting to run that cruiser up the two track in the dark...

... and finding... in the dark might have been better...

'cause just as we turned off the highway, the sun got to that low angle where it sits right in your face... reflecting off your screen... blinding you... so you can't see the rocks and junk to go around on the two track... so what was a bumpy wiggle comin' out... is a BUMPY THUMPER goin' back in! as you whack every rock and obstacle... instead of weavin' around 'em :o)

Oh Well... Yamaha Raider... a 113 cubic inch, 750 Lb. Dirt Bike... Right? She just shook her headlight and said; "Cowboys!" ... sounded kinda disgusted too!... :o)


Just Another Day on the Trail...

Brian

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Patience and My Good Ol' Reliable "Cowboy Eyes"

One more try to find Desert Bighorns, and Cowboy stubborn pays off.

Heidi had the idea of makin' our circle 'round the mountain in reverse... to hunt Turquoise... maybe seein' that gravel from a different angle would find some missed nuggets?

... that and bein' kinda lazy these days had us leave the rig sorta late... after 10:30 anyway... and we dawdled... I mean... it was one of those -Draw a chalk line around him to see if he's movin'- sorta deals. :o)

Well, it worked... we stepped from Turquoise nugget to Turquoise nugget...

*Another Turquoise Nugget*

... and I noticed something on this hike... Folks get those ATV's, and 4X4's of all sorts and varieties... even dirt bikes... with the idea that they're gonna see more country?

... and I suppose a few do... but... what I'm Seeing, is that too many often seem to fall into the same trap they do on the highway with their rigs... runnin' a bunch of miles, just rollin' with Tunnel Vision...

They rack up a bunch of miles... but don't actually SEE anything.

See that lil' nugget in my hand? and, those ATV tracks behind it? Well... those ATV Tracks... ran right over the Turquoise I'm holding... I picked it up after they'd run right over it...

... and a bit later... they missed even more...

... 'cause a bit later... we had another lil' success...

As we walked along I'd glass the mountain with a pair of compact Nikon Binoculars I carry on our hikes... Looking for... yup, Desert Bighorns...

Now... as big as this desert is, finding 'em is actually a pretty lucky thing. You have to be in the right place at the right time, 'cause there's only 'bout 4,000 of 'em left.

We'd come along until we were' up on what is the SE corner of this mountain... Hadn't seen a sliver of a Bighorn Hair... scouring those rocks with those Nikon Binoculars... I'd pretty much given up, and the Binocs were just slung 'round my neck...

... As we walked along, my Ol' eyes, that need good cheaters to read a newspaper stuck in front of my nose, glanced up, oh I don't know... a half mile away, up on the ridge... and those wore out Ol' Cowboy eyes said; "Yo! Cowboy! There they are!"

Yeah... some parts still work pretty fair... That Bighorn, just a speck really, standing up on that ridge so far off, just jumped out at me. I guess years of lookin' for Horses and Cows, hiding in far country trained 'em to SEE...

When I first saw her, she (I think they're ewes?) was standing face on... just a sliver against the sky... but then she turned for a nice profile...

*Desert Big Horn near to Bouse, Arizona*

I was carrying my little Nikon S8000, so I whipped that puppy out... zoomed out as far as it could go... and... and... and... I couldn't see anything! :o) Didn't have my stinkin' Cheaters with me! ...So... I pointed the thing where I knew the Sheep to be... and popped the button!

Considerin' how far off they were... that lil' Nikon Camera does a pretty sweet job of capturing critters, don't you think?

*Second Big Horn near Bouse*

We watched for fifteen minutes or more... while the first moved down the mountain a mite and bedded down and then the second one topped out...

So... we're standing there watchin' these beautiful Mountain Critters and we hear a rumble comin'... well... there ain't no clouds... so it's a pretty easy guess what it is...

A short string of ATV's came idlin' past... and another in the opposite direction...

Every one of 'em eyes on the dust in front of 'em... Oh they'd wave as they rolled by... covered in dust... but not one of 'em... not one... looked up on the mountain behind us to SEE...

Here they've got these ATV machines that allow 'em to get back into beautiful country they might not be able to walk to any more... but then they make the mistake of just rollin' right on through it...

... And missing the Desert Big Horns, looking down on 'em from the Mountain above... and the Turquoise under their tires! :o)

Now... folks... I'm NOT bashin' ATVers... fact is we keep talkin' 'bout how nice it would be to have one... or two!... to give us a head start... to get us back into country that we could walk and SEE. Country that maybe we couldn't/wouldn't get to... if we had to walk the miles to get to where we would need to walk miles to SEE it.

So... what I'm sayin' is... if you've got an ATV... think of doin' things a lil' different... Rather than takin' off to make a big dusty, circle... and ridin' all day... use it to take you, straight line... to a Place... to a destination... then... get off and walk, or hell, just sit! and actually SEE the Mountains and Desert around you... I'm just sayin'...

A few clouds were drifting around last evening, at just the right time to add a little more to the sunset over "Big Horn Mountain"... pretty cool day...

Bighorns and Sunsets on the Desert
Brian

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Do You Still Have Weekends When You're RV Full Timing?

So yesterday was Saturday, right? End of the week... or Somewhere near to it... but does "Weekend" even mean anything... When you've changed ever'thing up and gone Full Time RV Boondocking?

I mean... it's pretty much a situation where, pushed way deep down, in the back of your mind is this tiny lil' dread that it Will End. That all good things must come to and end... and there's a tiny lil' part of you that sits waiting for the other shoe to drop... a tiny lil' part I keep well battered and beat down... Shut Your Pie Hole Murphy! :o)

... So, at least from where I sit... a fella doesn't really want to bring up Endings too much! :o)

How-some-ever... some endings aren't too awful hard to take...

Yesterday Morning Heidi and the dogs went for a long hike... something better than 6 miles on the GPS program on her Droid Smart Phone... While I tried to be a good button puncher and get some work done. Figures it would be when I didn't go along...

Along the way they saw a pair of Desert Bighorns on the back side of the mountain to our south... 'course the thing she forgot to drop in her pack, was a camera.

So, in the late afternoon, we strolled up to see if maybe they were still in the neighborhood... If they're still there, they kept themselves well hidden...

We went where she'd seen 'em in the morning... hoping, with little confidence, they'd still be there, and maybe just getting up for supper...

... but nope... No Bighorns... I suppose, dry as this country is, they have to keep moving pretty steady to not overgraze their territory.

I don't know where they water around here, though I guess they only need to get to water every three days or so... maybe longer...

We'll try again... the Sheep are of the sort that moves around pretty much all the time... sleep a while... graze a while... then take another nap... Hmmm... kinda like a lot of RVers I've seen! :o)

Turned back toward camp, without finding the Bighorns, as we were losing daylight... and I really didn't want to try to find my way across the Desert in the dark... Trailblazer that I am! :o)

Nice quiet evening for a stroll...

... Then, getting back to camp just before dark, and sitting in camp under the awning... sippin' an ice cold LandShark... the ending of a day in the Desert isn't something to complain about...

The ending of our time here near Quartzsite is coming near though. We're not really wanting to leave... but... even RV Boondocking, there are commitments you sometimes have to make...

... and our Commitment has been pushed up a couple of days too.

Got a call from the NASCAR people... some hours have been added to my schedule, Heidi has to work Monday morning the 21st... and I have a few hours of training on Saturday the 19th... so we have to leave this boondock camp on this coming Friday... to move to PIR in preparation for our week of employment...

So... though we'd like to stay here near Bouse for a while longer... the quiet and calm here on the Desert is food for a mans soul... the food for a mans diesel tank takes greenbacks... and our upcoming week at PIR is gonna produce enough of those to supply our diesel tank with enough food for something like 20% of this summers ALASKA II Journey! So... we go! :o)

I'm curious... if you've kept a camp for nigh on to a month, and we came to this Desert Country around Quartzsite and Bouse back on the 19th of January, is that long enough to qualify as another Leaving?

We're looking forward to what's coming up, both PIR and Alaska II... but we're kind of melancholy 'bout leaving this camp... It's been quiet and good... rewarded by the pace that has us finding the beauty in soft Desert Sunsets, the gravel under our feet... like the Turquoise in yesterdays post, and knowing, at least for now... the chains to the treadmill are cut... (You'll hear me squealin' like a pig, should they try to clamp 'em back on!)

Coming Close to Another Leaving...
Brian

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Double Post Saturday!

Ain't you lucky? :) yeah... if you look down below... there's another, windy post... below this one! :)

Took another stroll out around the mountain yesterday morning... this time runnin' the GPS... and... Uh... that fiver or six miles I thought it was... turned out to be a touch over 4... guess it just feels farther... when you've got enough miles on... You! :)

Heidi wanted to look a lil' bit for some more Turquoise that she could maybe work into jewelry somehow... as a pendant... or... whatever...

So... one foot in front of the other... we headed off... and actually did pretty fair... finding some nice lil' bits of stone...

*Hunting Turquoise in the Desert*

'Course... this is likely some cranky Ol' Desert Rats "Claim"... so we're in danger of bein' shot for Poaching! :) Aw well... a lil' excitement is good for a fella once in a while... right?

There is quite a bit of "color" around here though... Walking through this grey and brown landscape, the bits just jump out at you... if you look...

Though... some of the "Bits" are a lil' too big for me to bother haulin' back with me... and tell the truth... I'm more 'bout pictures of the countryside than collecting the bits of it...

It's a stark country... scary and bleak to a lot... Guess I lived in it long enough, the desert always feels pretty much like home to me...

But even puss gut Ol' Desert Rat, Busters gotta sit down and take a break once in a while...... and then... with our pockets full of her haul of Turquoise Nugget Treasures...

*Turquoise Nuggets*

... we came back to the trailer... and in pursuit of that Different Drummer of mine... I spent the afternoon... bangin' away on the keyboard... doin' some ee-lek-tronic house keeping... and trying to make sure I can put some more PBJ in the pantry for next month! :o)

... as you can see... I'm tap tap tappin' a goodly amount today too! :o) No rest for the wicked... right? But I can't complain... I feel like I've finally got that lil' Murphy bugger on the run...

...and if I don't do anything... really stupid... and a tree don't fall on me... I'll live till I die! :) Shining Times! 

Living High... in the Low Desert
Brian

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