Tom and I got the trailer ready for our nine day trip. It was on inspection that Tom noticed that our trailer license and registration had expired in October! I quickly got online and renewed everything.
We departed Williams at about noon. As we pulled onto Interstate 40, it was apparent that our trailer tires were overinflated for the preset range on the tire monitor. The tire monitor was screaming at us. We stopped in a town north of Chino Valley and Prescott to let pressure out of the tires.
It was less than a four hour drive to Quartzsite. We arrived at Holiday Palms RV Park before 4 p.m.
It is a nice park with a club house, a pool, and pickleball courts. Connie and Ramon arrived about an hour later. They drove in from their home in Oxnard, California. We rendezvoused for adult beverages at about 5:30 p.m.
The next morning, I took the dogs for a walk and captured some pretty clouds.
Tom and I have a very nice site near the office, pool, and club house.
The dogs like it too.
At about 10:30 a.m., Connie, Ramon, and I went to the 38th Annual Quartzsite RV Show. This was opening day for a ten day event. Masks were required as well as social distancing. Tom did not want to be exposed to that many people. We'll go again on Monday when it is less populated.
I had not been to this annual event since 2012. We were there for about 1 1/2 hours. We went back to the RV Park. After lunch, Connie, Ramon, I went to the Quartzsite Gem and Mineral Show.
There were some beautiful exhibits.
As we were leaving the Gem and Mineral Show, Connie and I both noticed two unique mineral pieces. One was black marble with prehistoric fish fossils embedded in it --- imported from Morocco --- and the other was a petrified shell. We each bought one!
Later in the afternoon, I walked to the Quartzsite Town Hall. I have not been to this part of town. On the way, I said hello to a horse and a mule. I also discovered a nice bicycle path. I'll tell Connie.
At 5:00 p.m., the four of us enjoyed cocktail hour at Connie and Ramon's site.
For dinner, we adjourned to our respective RVs. Then at 7:00 p.m., we reconvened for some Mexican Train in the club house.
The dogs are comfortable in our trailer. They usually share the couch.
On Sunday, Connie and I decided to ride bikes. We stayed on wide sidewalks and the bicycle path I found yesterday.
On our ride, I noticed an attractive sign for the town.
On our way home, we stopped at Quartzsite's oldest swap meet.
While browsing the booths, Connie and I both thought that Tom and Ramon might want to see this place. We decided to bring them back the next day.
That evening, we had adult beverages at our RV site.
On Monday, the four of us went back to the RV Show. Tom sat down at an orthotics booth and tried an insole product. He didn't purchase them.
Tuesday morning, we packed up the trailer and headed 92 miles to Wickenburg. Ramon and Connie left the park ten minutes earlier than us. We both arrived at about 1:00 p.m. Our new RV Park is right in town.
We had a nice back-in site. Tom did a great job backing the trailer into the site.
Tom and I suggested that we have lunch at Anita's Cocina. Nothing finer that margaritas, chips, salsa, and good Mexican cuisine.
We are in Wickenburg. My sister Carrie and her husband Brent are in Bend, Oregon. They are building a second home there.
Wednesday morning, the four of us decided to visit the Desert Caballeros Western Museum. Tom and I have never been there. Because of our location, we were able to walk to the museum --- along the Hassayampa River Walk and over a pedestrian bridge.
A new feature in the Wickenburg skyline is a Ferris wheel. The Ferris wheel was scheduled to go to Alaska in May 2020 --- after having been serviced. But, the Alaska fair was cancelled due to Covid-19. So, Wickenburg is enjoying this winter novelty.
We arrived at the museum at about 11:00 a.m.
The museum was fantastic! We were there for several hours.
Afterwards, Connie and I went to the museum gift shop.
Joe Biden was sworn in today. Donald Trump left a special letter for him in the Oval Office.
In the evening, we had a brief cocktail hour together.
Thursday morning, Ramon, Connie, and I went to the Hassayampa River Preserve. Tom's left thigh was bothering him, so he passed on the trip. Tom and I had been there a year ago. There were very few people on the grounds of the preserve.
We spent less than two hours on the property, but enjoyed the beauty.
On our way back to our RV Park, we stopped at the historic home of Henry Wickenburg. The home was not open, so we made it a photo opportunity.
We also visited Ace Hardware and Bashas' Supermarket.
Later in the afternoon, I walked the dogs to town. The Hassayampa River is usually a dry river bed. It only has some water during the summer monsoon season. So, I had to take a picture of this humorous sign.
That evening, we had cocktails at Connie and Ramon's site.
Chloe is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. This dog type was bred to be lap dogs for European Nobility. Look how she perfectly draped herself on Ramon's lap.
Before adjourning for dinner, we enjoyed a lovely sunset.
Friday was a low-key day. We had thought about going to Robson's Ranch and Mining Camp, but the weather forecast had the possibility of rain. So, I walked the dogs and I separately walked about four miles up Highway 60 and back again. I stopped at 7 Restaurant and asked about their weekend music and bands.
Tonight's music was ReBoot The Band. So at 6:00 p.m., the four of us hopped in Ramon's truck and went to 7 Restaurant for dinner and music. For dinner, I had a rare prime rib, Connie had a patty melt, and the boys had hamburgers. The food and music were good!
The next morning, I walked the dogs around the RV Park loop. I happened upon Ramon cooking eggs, bacon, and hash browns on his Blackstone grill.
Tom and I went back ten minutes later to see the Blackstone grill set-up. This grill seems to be very popular now in the RV world.
Connie and Ramon took a trip to the ghost town of Vulture City. I took the dogs on a long walk through Wickenburg. Tom and I visited Vulture City last January. At 5:00 p.m., Tom and I went over to Connie and Ramon's site for our last happy hour together. I brought hors d'oeuvres over on a new plate I bought yesterday at a cute boutique on Tegner Street.
Sunday was departure day. Rain was expected, but we dodged that bullet. Tom and I are heading back to Williams and Connie and Ramon are off to Tucson. I took the dogs for a last walk in the park.
It rained most of the night. As we began our 125 mile drive to Williams, we noticed an unusual amount of white stuff off the highway. This is unusual for this high desert area.
As we got closer to Prescott, with elevation at 5,000 feet, the snow on the trees became more robust.
Fortunately, the roads were clear. We got to Williams around noon. There was already 8 inches of snow on the ground. Tom tried backing up the trailer --- to put it in the RV barn.
Unfortunately, there is a berm between the street and the sidewalk. The truck's wheels got caught on this icy berm. No luck. We then called Jon. He came over with his jeep and a winch. Tom tied the winch to the trailer bumper and Jon tried to pull the trailer toward his jeep.
No luck. We decided to just pull the truck into the driveway with the trailer attached. We will have to just wait out the four-day storm. Tom will winterize the trailer tomorrow..
More snow is expected tomorrow Monday. The forecast is 20 inches of snow. The storm is not expected to clear up until Thursday. Tom used the snowblower on the driveway Sunday.
At noontime Monday, Tom helped me get the snowblower ready for duty. It was my turn to clear snow.
I cancelled several Flagstaff appointments for this week --- moving them to next week when the weather is expected to be better. As expected, it snowed all day.
The truck and trailer are starting to get covered in snow.
By the end of the day, the truck and trailer were even more snow-covered.
Tom got out the snowblower once again.
Tom then made some snow ice cream with milk, sugar, and vanilla extract.
Thursday was a sunny, cold day.
I played pickleball in the morning. Then, I had a manicure at 66 Nails. Later in the afternoon, my happy place was a 90 minute massage with Natanya Nagy.
That evening, Jamie looked regal in front of the fireplace.
The snow piled on our RV driveway is still three feet deep. Tom tried to tackle some of the snow with the snowblower, but it is too deep.
Tom did clear the driveway on my side of the garage.
With all this snow, Tom and I decided that we needed to call someone for help with our snow problem. Tom saw a post on the Williams Facebook page and called Josh Richards. Josh was up for the task and said that he would come to our house the next day, Sunday morning.
Josh arrived Sunday morning with his snow cat dozer and began to tackle the snow.
It was amazing how he maneuvered the machine in the snow.
Josh cleared the RV driveway from the street to the trailer. Tom backed the trailer our of the driveway. Josh was able to then clear the snow from the fence to the RV barn.
It was wonderful having the snow removed. It took Josh less than an hour!
Thank-you, Josh. The truck and the trailer were free at last!
