Back On the Road

In just a few hours we will leave Quartzsite and roll north towards Sedona. We've had a fabulous winter with friends here in Q, but now it's time to be thinking of home. Our builder wants to get started on the inside of our house by April 1st and we would like to be home by April 15th. Everything is totally dependant on the weather; how fast we move, route we take, place we stay.

Yesterday was our last "Happy Hour" for this year. It has been wonderful. Thanks Tony and Phil for all your help. Safe travels Barb and John. Hopefully we will meet again as we travel this beautiful country.

Time for breakfast and then we hit the road. Tonight we will be in Sedona.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hot and Getting Hotter

I think we have unconsciously slipped into the routine of getting our jobs done in the morning and staying cool in the afternoon. Summer has returned to the desert. As you can see by the photos above, yesterday's job was securing our auxiliary water tank to the truck for travel tomorrow.

Our canopy helps to keep the trailer cool but it's too hot to sit under it and enjoy a book.

We've taking to sitting on the north side of the trailer, where we find shade and usually a gentle breeze.

While we are trying to find minimum exposure, Tony adjusts his solar panel to follow the sun for maximum exposure. That's about all the work ones wants to do in the hot afternoon sun.

Tony comes by to make sure "Happy Hour" is still on. By 4:30 there is shade and pleasant temperatures under his canopy for the daily gathering.

Tomorrow we are on the move, heading north towards Sedona.

Q Library

Phil came home with a bag of books this morning, prompting Mary to decide we needed to visit the library. Seems they were having a book sale and seeing what Phil got we decided we should check it out.

Our home in the desert is looking a little greener these days. Spring is here (feels like the middle of our summers) and all the bushes have new lush green growth.

We actually got two armloads of books, some paperback most hard cover.

Quartzsite has been improving the ease and safety of their streets lately. Here we see street lights that are solar and a lovely landscaped walk beside the road complete with covered benches, shrubs and cactus.

Looking back at the library/municipal office;  Quartzsite has become our winter home.

Holding Pattern

We are ready to head home, but the weather just isn't suitable for trailer living back in Bancroft. We are like sailors on an old wooden ship, standing by the port side scanning the horizon for a sign that would let us sail north, a sign that says all the storms have passed. So far the signs are favourable but not conclusive, enticing but not definitive. Page, Arizona is showing temperatures in the low 60s which we can accept, but this is tornado season and who still must travel east through that trough.

Our intentions are to stay put for a few more days, then move north and enjoy northern Arizona and Utah for a few weeks. We know the scenery will be spectacular, we just want to observe it without a covering of white, cold, fluffy snow. Nothing wrong with snow, just not delighted to see it falling softly as we shiver inside our trailer.

Waiting for the temperatures to rise, the clouds to clear and the blue skies to welcome us home. Until that day arrives we will just sit and enjoy the desert for a few more days.

Safe travels everyone.

Feeling Better

Woke up feeling much better this morning, after having slept most of the last two days. We will stay here until Sunday and then check the weather for destinations north of us. If the temperatures are warm enough we will slowly move towards Page, Arizona. We have a plan but the events unfold one day at a time.

Safe travels.

Flu Bug

No fun in the desert right now. I'm sick, fighting the fly bug. Chat later.

Repairs in the Desert

Yesterday started off sunny and warm with just a little breeze blowing. It was a fine morning for Tony to repair his trailer and make sure his batteries were being charged when he drives down the highway.

The suspected problem was the plug connection between trailer and truck so that was the first point of attack.

Here Mike and Phil check over the wiring diagrams to confirm all wires are connected properly.

Tony gets into the repair and uses a volt meter to check the current at each connection. Sure enough, one wire wasn't doing its job, so with a few turns and clamps tightened the problem was fixed.

As you can see,later in the day,  the wind picked up and it was impossible to sit outside. Happy Hour was moved to town where we decided to go for Tacos.

This is a very popular restaurant especially on Tuesday when tacos are $1.00  Connie, Mary and Barb are all smiles after our meal.

Yes, we ordered lots and enjoyed every bite. Thanks John or was it Mike who suggested the "Taco Happy Hour".

Our solar panels are working fine and staying on the trailer even in these high winds. All systems seem to be working and we have plenty of power for all our electrical needs. (toaster, lights, coffee maker, computers, TV, DVD player)

Thanks again for stopping by.