Fine Rigs, Good Friends and Shining Times

This area may become known to us as Rendezvous park. ;)

It's had Judy and Cisco, my sister and brother-in-law, a couple of Jerry's and a Dan ;) There's been a cavalcade of folks visiting us here.

Yesterday afternoon my good friends Kerry from British Columbia with his Lady Terry and Darryl along with Lady Marion rolled into camp for an afternoon and evening of Shining Times.

They brought with 'em steaks, stuffed potatoes, corn on the cob, salad and a bottle of wine... All we had to provide was the desert!  Awesome! ;)

Kerry and Darryl and I have put our scooters in the wind together for a couple of thousand miles... and somewhere in the future, at least Darryl and I maintain the fuzzy ambition of another ride through the Yukon. ;) Kerry wants to be the housing operator on that long ride, hauling his RV for us to put up in at night! ;)

We had several hours of a great visit. Heidi's favorite part of the conversation was Marion mentioning that; "I don't get you guys... You guys DROP it, You FALL DOWN, You LOWSIDE... What's that about? Say what it is; YOU CRASH!" :) She's still giggling 'bout that one.

Well after dark we reluctantly bid them all good bye as they left our fire; Kerry and Terry to roll their truck back to Yuma, and Darryl and Marion on his wing riding to the Casino in Parker.

A fine end to a good day. We'd started out with a quick run into Quartzsite for what was supposed to be a hobby/craft fair/show... uh... that was nowhere to be found. Plenty of folks in the big tent selling knife sets, steam cleaners and assorted candy... No hobbies or crafts to be seen... There were how-some-ever, quite a few fine hot rods and juuuust a few lil' custom RV's.

How'd you like to pull into camp with one of these as your RV Toad or even your Tow vehicle? How fun would that be?

Then there was this lil' outfit. A "Tracker T"... a suzuki sidekick/chevy tracker is a rig I'd really like to find a way to add to our camp. A high MPG runabout would be a fine improvement for backroading and foul weather. The Raider is pretty iffy on gravel roads! ;)

Yup, that's a Tracker! ;) the guy took a Suzuki Tracker/Sidekick and remodeled it as a Model T.  Kinda fun don't you think?

Outside the Big Tent was the collection that grabbed our attention... a collection of customized Vintage Ford and Chevrolet trucks...

... all pulling equally Vintage and Custom Tear Drop Campers...

There were some sweet lil' rigs there and Oh Lordy... talk about stirring up an old scheming busters imagination! haha... That's a surprise ain't it?

This morning as I struggle to maintain enough patience to get posted in spite of the intermittent and weak signal Mark wrote about the other day an unexpected drizzle is falling on the roof. I'm hopeful it will move off so I can stay dry as I load up camp.

We'll likely be moving tomorrow or the next day to get on down to Tucson and prepare for the Gem and Mineral show.

Yeah, I stew on occasion over things that need stewin' over... Freedom ain't free... You have to WORK to protect it...

But still... the greatest majority of the time... Life is Good. Life is Damn Good.

We Rattle On
Brian

This Life of RV Boondocking Freedom Remains a Shining Joy.

Part of this post is simply RVing tips and part of it is something else all together. I just can't put the right name to that something else.

How do you spell Good Fortune? and does everyone recognize how genuinely double rectified fortunate I am?

We thought... I thought... that I had a bent rim, at least one bad and likely to have to be replaced axle and very possibly two. Very possible a repair bill in excess of a couple of Grand. Not to mention that the tires were getting ugly from the axle situation.

Considering the age of our rig along with the miles we've drug it, not to mention the sorts of "Roads"... or what passed for roads, a lot of those miles got made on, my cynical nature just automatically had me seeing another steep mountain to climb over.

Well, the bent rim turned out to be that the Tire was so badly damaged internally that it wobbled and heaved just like a bent rim would do. Not a thing wrong with the rim at all! and then, to top it off, Discount Tire there in Glendale, Arizona...  made a 100% road hazard warranty on that tire! ... I'd completely forgot that I'd bought the road hazard deal... So I bought a second to replace the BADLY over aged spare... uh... 12 years IS a badly over aged Spare tire! Ain't it? :)

The spare was the Original spare from when the trailer was built! Never touched the ground! :) When I changed to all load range D's I just kept it as the spare and never thought much about it any more.

So... Tuesday night we pulled over and parked in the Parking lot of SpecTrac in Gilbert Arizona. Kind of a noisy night... but we had to be up at 5:30, 'cause those boys start working at 6:30... only... they got there at 6 in the a.m. !!! :)

We handed over the rig for their technician and went down the street and had a great Breakfast at the Black Bear Diner while we waited with another couple that were getting a brand spankin' New Humongous Diesel Pusher's suspension repaired! Brand new and it was delivered with the suspension jacked up... and the DEALER sent it here to SpecTrac to be fixed!

After breakfast we took a run over to Bass Pro to kill some more time and drool in the Papa's Toy box store! ;)

Well... by Noon they were done fixing on ours! A two axle trailer axle alignment and the tired old Jayco Eagle wasn't sitting cowhocked and bowlegged any more. Both axles had been knocked out of alignment, but the temper of the tubes was fine and they pulled 'em back into good alignment. Nothing else could be seen to be hurt so we got out of there for 'bout half what I'd been thinking the minimum would be! HooYa!

Except that they said the remaining tires were all bad/separating and should be replaced. I knew they were scrubbed, but the separating was new... But again... there was Another Discount Tire Store just down the road there in Mesa.

Only one of the remaining three (two on the ground and a spare) was a Discount Tire. It hadn't been road hazard damaged... so I was hoping that maybe they'd pro rate it. Their guy at the second shop... 100% warrantied THAT tire as well! Without me saying anything except; "I'll appreciate whatever you can do for me."

Needless to say I bought another "second" tire for the other replacement. Bottom line, I got a 4 for 2 tire deal in the past two days! Suh-Wheet!

But Wait! it gets better! As I walked out to the rig with the receipt it hit me, today's tire deal was exactly the same as Yesterday's... but it was $29 bucks cheaper! So I turned back inside to make sure that we hadn't forgot the road hazard on the new tires or something...

Ha Ha! Those tires went on SALE... TODAY!

But wait! it STILL gets better. All the old tires were load range D's... all the new tires are load range E's! Not only a heavier weight rating... but the old tires inflated to 65 pounds, these new ones get 80, so the harder tires should roll a little easier, suckin' up less diesel... and running cooler... they did seem to handle better than the old ones on our run out to Quartzsite through the afternoon.

BUT WAIT! It gets Better yet! :)  Uh Huh... we got back into more of the Land I need.

 
We pulled into our favorite spot along Plomosa Road in Quartzsite minutes before sunset. The desert is quiet and empty.  The silence is like laying down on the bank and drinking from a high mountain stream on a hot day. A rig a 1/4 mile to the east and another as far off to the west. The desert is quiet like a sweet blanket on my soul!

After all the commotion and turmoil of the past week... the serenity of this desert is a welcome respite.

Not a spectacular sunset this evening... but how could a fella ask for that too! Not spectacular ... but... combined with the sweet scent of Freedom in the spirit expanding space a man can savor on the desert... it had a smile creasing my face.

Freaking Awesome.

I believe this is likely the third winter I've made a version of this photograph. Something about that mountain, sitting off there maybe thirty miles away across the desert... it just quiets the noise in my head.

*A soft sunset in a favored Arizona Desert RV camp*

The axles are good to go. Four spanking new HD tires... A pair of Companies, Discount Tire and Spectrac did an awesome job of Customer service and competent work... If you need tires... I STRONGLY recommend Discount Tire. They have ALWAYS taken care of me... all over the country. Which is nice. Doesn't matter where you are... they take care of you, no matter where the tires were bought. Well, as long as you bought 'em from them! ;)

If you have RV axle/suspension "Issues" and are anywhere within range of SpecTrac in Gilbert, Arizona... They are THE people to take your rig to for repair. As far as I'm concerned, they did me a superb job!
... and... there just aren't very many shops where you can even get what they do done at all!

and now... Oh Lordy... another sweet Far Country camp.

Boondocking the Good Life doesn't begin to describe the life I'm living...

*Beauty is the same for any man, rich or poor*

But Wait! The day just wouldn't Stop being better!

*The rich man is the one who can see the beauty all around him*

Howiet said it in his comment yesterday and it bears repeating... often to yourself; "But then it seems like the Boss always makes sure the needs are met even if the wants aren't"

Maybe I'm not achieving all my "wants" but... my needs are met so Fine... maybe much of those pitiful wants aren't so important!

and then... and THEN... and THEN! a very special lady... She knows who she is :) sent us an offer of help Tuesday night that, like I told her, humbled me to tears. That we have earned such friendship, that a person would feel moved to make such an offer, is the greatest treasure we can possess.

We've run into difficulties and a few hard knocks along this road. Sometimes I let my frustrations pile up too high... But it might could just be that was all needed to make the contrast so bright and clear... to show just how glorious this life is... and how blessed we are with the friendships that makes each day Shining Times.

I've not got all I want... I damn sure Have what I need
Brian

Just When You Think You've Got It Nailed...

You find out that though you'd rather be the hammer... you are in deed the nail!

I woke up Saturday Morning, put the coffee pot to doin' it's thing on that nice quiet solar power we've got stocked up in the batteries... sat down at the table and started whittlin' on the book...

In a lil' bit... sittin' there sippin joe and stringin' words I looked up and didn't really care for what I was seein' along the creek...

If you've been 'round this rig for any length of time ya'll know that modified, solidified, and de-heatified water... fallin' out of the sky, quit bein' anything I found attractive some lil' while ago!

So... when, in just a lil' bit that stuff started acting like a genuine spring storm... I started gettin' a bit antsy...

*Unexpected Weather Modifications*

Camped up at 10,000 feet stimulated memories of last year. I think it was about ten days later, and nigh on to 2000 feet lower that we woke up on Memorial Day with near to a foot of snow on the roof!

Not having any commo to know what the storm was or what we might could expect...

And, What with having to be a couple of hundred miles east in a few days... I opted to use that greater part of valor that I'm also pretty shy of... Discretion! ... we packed up early and DiDi'd for the lowlands! :)

We figured to roll east, part way to the front range and set a lower camp for the few days we had left before we had to descend into the populated urban dungeon.

Turns out... other things were workin'. The good gal that helps keep us on the road by takin' good care of our lil' store back in Fort Collins, called while we were rolling after lunch and notified us that she had a Family Emergency and needed to Fly out ASAP... If we'd just stayed put to weather the storm... she'd not have been able to let us know and she'd have been in a bit of a tight.

It really was a no brainer. Without her, we'd not be able to do what we do. So... she takes care of us... and we'll darn sure do what we can for her!

Any hoo... We made to head east the rest of the way to Fort Collins... a few days early. I knew I wasn't gonna run the whole way in one day... I just don't run that far at one time any more... Unless maybe I'm on two wheels! :)

Passed a few NF roads... but with the weather wet and those roads not well known to me, and not feeling like karma was smiling I juuuuust didn't feel like testing my mettle and ability to back a rig a mile or three in the mud if the road proved a poor choice... so... we kept lookin' for a night camp.

Long about 4:30 in the p.m. we'd just crossed Wilkerson Pass, we were in pretty country at 'bout 9,500 feet... and along came a Forest Service Visitor Center.

Of course, it wasn't open yet... but the gate was! :) and guess where I found a spot to hang my hat for the night? Sat there till near dark, waitin' for the sheriff or maybe a Forest Ranger to come tell us it wasn't safe for a rig to spend the night in an empty parking lot ;) and it would be better for everyone concerned and soh-sigh-uh-tee in general if we took off pushin' 20,000 lbs down the road Sleepy Driving... but neither Deputy or Ranger showed ;)

Darn! Danged Ol' Bureaurats! I had a whole speech practiced out 'bout How I'd a PAID at one of the self service pay stations... to spend the night in a Forest Service Campground... IF... they didn't have 'em all LOCKED UP! ;)  and I never got to use it! :(

So... I put on my cowboy jammies... and went to bed!

I'm not sure how many nights in a row that is now that our camp rent has been Zero... but... we've not paid a penny since we left Zion... and that don't hurt the budget at all... especially considerin' it had run at something like zero for a long time prior to Zion!

*Sunrise with I think Pikes Peak in the Distance*

It doesn't hurt to have nice soft sunrises, peekin' through the storm clouds, to start your day off with either... when you wake up after a good nights sleep in your... found just at the right time Night Camp.

We're in Fort Collins for a bit... to take care of veh. registrations, store business, family stuff... miscellaneous other stuff and nonsense... and then... I'm pretty sure I'll be ready to head back into some Colorado High Country... somewhere... and cleanse the Urban Dust out of my lungs!

Back in Over Populated Civilization for a Bit
Brian

Day Trippin' on a Yamaha from our Boondock Camp

When I looked at that smartphone I pay too much for... the weather man was threatening some wet weather in the coming week. Sunday looked to be the last he was mostly promising sunny skies, so we rolled the Raider up Hwy 550 from our camp outside of Mancos (6 miles or so).

Our goal was Ouray and our Good Friends Mark and Bobbie, who as always proved their superiority to yours truly as hosts... ;) I even got a portrait taken that could fool folks into seein' me as ok to take out in public!

The road bikers, the sort where you grunt and sweat and pump the pedals to move, were heavy all the way to Silverton.  Even raced one down the hill into town... I won! ;)

But whose the nutcase huh? The guy on the 113 cubic inch, two wheeled, asphalt pounder? orrrrrr the guy in his tight lil' shorts, and a plastic skull cap... pushin' his bicycle on its paper thin tires, about the width of a pencil eraser, and brakes that aren't nuthin' but a couple of rubber blocks squeezin' his rims... down that mountain at 40+ miles an hour?!!! :)

I can say... it's a lot easier to pass that horde of health nuts... if you're on two wheels yourself! Especially if you've got a Yamaha V-Twin mill shovin' your cute lil' senior butt up the mountain.

I did get quivers of feelin' a lil' puny though... up at the roadside on top of Coal Bank Pass...

Here's all those pedal pumpers in their tight lil' shorts and short sleeves standing around in the sunshine when I pulled up needful of some quality time in the outhouse...

I climb off the bike and start unzipping, un buttoning, un fastening, un doing... I think Eight Layers of fleece, insulated vest and long johns... to get down to ME... so I can ... uh ... take care of... uh ... biological necessities!

Makes a guy feel kinda wimpy! :)

Till you stop and realize... one guy there was braggin' that he'd made 7.1 miles per hour on his climb!

Well, let me tell ya gurls! The weather changes at 65 mph! :)

Which kinda reminds me... A fashion note... girls and good lookin' matronly gals can do fine in those spandex shorts... they actually decorate the scenery ;).... but... it's just my opinion now; Chicken legged, bony kneed, pot bellied pusgutts, of the male persuasion... with most their hair missin' and a long way from their masculine prime... should seriously consider... uh ... a lil' more in the way of biological Camouflage!

Guys! Listen up! Sweatin' up the mountain in that Spandex is NOT a benefit to your Image! ;) Just sayin'.

I dont' think the train is running yet... leastways not all the way to Silverton... takes 'em some time to get the snow cleared out... and I don't want to even think 'bout riding that narrow gauge rattler over that section that hangs on the face of a sheer cliff!... with SNOW still covering the tracks!

You look out the window and can't see ANYTHING under that Steamer... just lots and lots of DOWN!

Way... Way... DOWN! :)

We'll be hanging here for a while yet I believe. Just saw a comment by a gal that lives in the area (if you make the "area" a 100 mile radius from her porch) we're sorta planning on hanging 'round this summer...

While it might be raining in Denver... it's a couple inches of snow on her car...

So... we'll let Ol' Sol get caught up with his labors for a bit 'fore we move much farther north.

Got home from Day trippin' on the Yamaha to one of those nice soft sunsets...

A good day... though... that's kind of an Oxymoron... ANY day on two wheels is a Great Day! :)

Makin' do the best I can
Brian

What to Talk About... Goin' in six different Directions these days...

I'm at one of those places where so much is goin' on inside my head and outside around it, that I'm kinda cornfuzzled and discombobulated. I sit down here and have no clear idea of what I should be punchin' the buttons to say... So I'll just go to tappin'... and see where we end up.

Went to the Wedding Saturday afternoon of one of the most precious friends a man could ever have... and it was good to see the smile back in her eyes.

*Terry and David Price*

It was Shining Times for sure and for certain.

Considering the smile that I saw, that David put in her eyes, it's a certainteed joyful future they've got ahead. Awesome!

It was good to see and visit with people I've not seen in quite a while, who all came out to celebrate Terry's day.

I can tell you, no one deserved that day more than that Lady. Shining Times... More than one tear shed, for sure and for certain.

The only "What the Hell" part were the texts we were getting through the evening... from our daughter... "Where are you?... Are you STILL partying?... I'm worried, you COULD BE IN A DITCH SOMEWHERE!"

Uh... it was 9 freaking Thirty!!!! :) ...

I'm a grumpy old geezer that's been in some nasty places, been takin' care of myself for some lil' while... and now I got a daughter tryin' to lay down THOSE rules?... I have to be "Home" by ten O'clock????!!!!! Huh? :) uh huh... right... luck with That!

Oh, is it SWEET to put THAT shoe on the other foot! :)

So... got up the yesterday morning to ride the Raider with Josh on the Custom Harley bob tail he's just finished. I got to be his gas station, carrying a couple "just in case" fuel bottles in my saddle bags. That '82 Sporty he's riding has an itty bitty fuel tank. :)

*Josh's '82 Harley Sportster Bob Tail and my Yamaha Raider*

Aw it was cool and nice winding through the twisties up in the mountains. Had breakfast in the lil' Sit-N-Bull Biker Bar just up into the hills. It's been a while since I sat at a the bar, eating pancakes and bacon at 9 in the morning while the guy just a few stools down was starting his Sunday off with a beer... :) ... uh... That IS just a mite early to Pop a Top for me... even on a hot day!  :)

We took a break or two here and there, to give Josh's behind a respite from that Ol' Hardtail Harley :) ... and take in the view...

... which ... gave me the opportunity to capture the perspective of road kill... just before gettin' introduced to Goodyear!

:) What can I say? I can't just let everybody else be the ones doin' the silly stuff! I just wish I coulda captured HER EYES... when she rolled past! :) A bald headed cowboy biker was NOT what she was expecting to see 'round the bend!

Of course... Knowing it was HOT back down on the flat lands below... it just made good sense to stop for a bit, cool out and rehydrate... and in Idaho Springs is a lil' place that was just perfect to take care of that chore.

*Cooling out in Idaho Springs*

... and ya know, there's just no sense in walking clear across a parking lot, like Josh and Johnny did... when you can park right in front of the door! :)

But we did have to come back down out of the cool mountains above Denver, to the Hot flatlands... and oooooffff... I'm ready to head back for Montana, and on to Butchardt Gardens even!

Which we'll be doing, some time Wednesday, I believe. Just a few chores to finish here along the front range and then it's back to pickin' 'em up... and puttin' 'em down. :)

Now... on to other things... I changed a setting, so that more posts show up on the blog home page... I've always had just two... I changed that to seven... any opinion or feed back on what ya'll like?

Another direction my heads goin'... and already has several times in the past, is Rigs. Readers here for a while probably understand that when it comes to Rigs/RV's I'm... uh ... "Restless"... Some might call it... fickle. Always lookin' at the "Greener" grass sitting on that Other set of Wheels. :)

Now, I don't think sayin' I'm fickle is fair. I've been draggin' this Eagle 'round for ten years! But... I have been and continue thinkin' 'bout Rigs that would work Better for us...

... and the direction I'm leaning just now, is likely to have the Artful Blogger slappin' his hands to his face in shock... and sputtering in surprise; "Oh No You Did-dunt!" :) I'm not gonna tell you what the crazy buster is up to, or might be... and it won't be happening in the short term... but... maybe this winter? :) gonna keep you in suspense!

I better go see if I can corral a few of my multiple personalities and get something else accomplished today...

Already Restless in Denver :)
Brian

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