Fun with our 500 new best friends

When Jim got up this morning to turn the generator on, the camper felt warm we had the furnace on all night but there was not enough power to keep the fridge  going, because the clock was off too, the Fridge was 46 I think. I have to get the outside freezer cleaned out today and emptied. And turned off. Once we got everything up and running I made breakfast,  Paleo pumpkin pancakes eggs and one piece of bacon each. We watch some of the morning news and time went so fast we went down to the activity area this morning at 10, it was welcome newbies. As we were all talking you could see the dog people all walking back with their dogs. They did a short talk on boondocking and gave some  tips, most of which I think we do already. Then there was a talk on how to do a Blog which was very interesting it was done by Alyssa and Heath. I did that by myself Jim was back at the RV and doing whatever, so I walked back to him and then we walk down they were doing a bloody Mary potluck if you want to call it that.

They have the tomato juice and everybody brought vodka and garnishes. I walked back and got Jim a cup he had a little tiny vodka bottle, here's a funny picture with another guy that had huge vodka bottle.

He had two, and we walked around and talked to some lovely people and they suggested that tonight was party at your own rig to invite someone over for dinner or whatever. I was  talking to this lady that does Nails it's kind of like a decal, Marsha and Jeff, and we invited them to dinner, well I did. They had a bounce houses too,  one for kids and one for adults. A lot of Dobermans here, Jim had fun petting all of them. I saw a guy go by that was washing rigs so I told Jim to go find him, which eventually did. He was washing a van so we asked and he said he would come up and do ours. We had a month of road dirt on which it looks so bad. Then we cleaned out the freezer in the front hole,  took everything out  put it in the inside freezer  and  unplugged it .  Tomorrow we have to wipe it out prop the door open .  Then we tried to go for a walk but would  get a couple sites away and then talk to other people, and then tried to walk again and talk to more people. By then the camper was almost finished there's five people on it they did a really great job. It was $100 to wash 43 ft. and they also start with the roof and wiped it all down. They use treated water so there's no spots. Then we finally went for a long walk until Jim's back started hurting, then we came back and started getting ready for our dinner with our new friends. They had a table and chairs I was afraid the ground will be wet from washing the rig, so instead of dragging it down here I said why don't they just keep it there and we'll bring our food to them, so that's what we did. They walked over to us and helped us carry our bench and the food I made, to outside their fifth wheel, really nice dinner. I heated the  sliced up  smoked pork loin we did yesterday I have some slider buns, I made mashed potatoes with spinach bacon onion and cheese, I got some applesauce out of the freezer, that I defrosted, I made some green beans and a paleo chocolate chip cookie for each of us, she has some Brussel sprouts that she roasted and strawberries and pineapple. After dinner we cleaned up and walk down to where they had a huge fire pit and talked around the fire.

We kept mingling and talking to different people, got invited to this party where they had a whole bunch of food and drinks for all the new people. That was fun and very nice of them. Then  me went back to the fire. We walked back so Jim could get more beer and then I stayed here  then he went back to the party. I took a super quick shower, was watching a little TV. Then I had to go out and turn the generator off. Worked on the blog about to go to bed and Jim is still out partying.

Escapees annual bash 2019

Jim was really up early this morning, travel day. I got up shortly after jumped in the shower. Strip the bed and threw the sheets in the washer.  I made a smoothie, then we had sausage eggs and toast. Jim dumped all tanks and filled the tank up with fresh water, and that took a long time. We got ready and pulled out about 9:10 a.m. We only had about an hour and a half drive , less than hundred miles. To Lake Havasu where the rally is. We got here about 10:30, depends on what clock you're going by. There's a whole lot of volunteers to take you back in park. Pretty remote, is actually a rodeo grounds. As we were driving in you can see all these campers boondocking off to the side which will get some pictures of tomorrow. Jim would be afraid to drive in there though. They had the parking set up like a well-oiled machine. We parked and we got situated, Jim was afraid that we would be packed in like sardines, and we kind of are, no place to put the truck. Which we feels like it is part of our rig because we have so much stuff in it. Jim hurt his back the other day so he was a little cranky.  Had a quick bite to eat I heated up some soup. Then we came down to register kind of looked around where everything was nice bathrooms and showers pretty close to us if we need them. We went back to the RV Jim got the smoker going, and got the satellite set up , I put some things out that I haven't done since we left. Which today is one month since we left. He ran the generator for a little while. Can you put a big pork loin on the smoker. I went for a little walk around pretty much walked past all the campers was looking at everybody. There is a general section, there's a solar, families and Partiers. I walked about an hour. On my way back oh, yay. Took the pork off the smoker he grilled a couple Burgers we had in the freezer. We came down to the activity area where they have a welcome party at 6 live music at 7 it's 80s theme night.

Goodbye Benson AZ

On The Road Again.... we woke up did our morning routine of smoothies and eggs, Jim's always up before me on travel day. Jim took the truck and filled it up with diesel. We started packing up and left just after 10 a.m. on our second Pitstop we put one slide out a little,  for some reason I totally forgot to make lunch. I made a quick sandwich for each of us protein bar and we took off again. When we drove around Phoenix the traffic got a little scary , and I got this  crazy picture of this airplane going over us  as we drove right by an airport.

We arrived at our KOA campground around 3. It's very nice here. We wanted to wash the camper, they said we could do a quick spot wash. Jim was to tired so we didn't. After we set up, I ran the vacuum cleaner, We had dinner, at the same time we called to change our satellite location. Which only took 45 minutes. During our hold time they played lovely guitar music. So I said thank you for the dinner music. She laughed, I made dinner, I heated up some  soup from yesterday. Which is pretty much all veggies, then I cooked the rest of the shrimp we had in the freezer still trying to empty it out, and a little bit of leftover spaghetti a small portion of pumpkin custard with topping. Then we dug out our swimsuits and went into the pool which was 90°. And then the hot tub. Felt So Good. They had two beautiful orange trees right outside the pool area.

Two local couples joined us, one worked here we had a nice chat with them. Jim  rinsed off. We came back and watched the little TV, we  have a lot of pre-rally stuff to do tomorrow before we head out. Jim got a call from his friend back home and they talked for an hour. We went to bed pretty early 9:30 ish their time.

Last full day in Benson Arizona

Did our normal wake up routine this a.m., Jim was up first per usual. I made us smoothies, then I made oatmeal with peaches for us both. Then I made him bacon and two eggs. As I started to get ready for the day Jim went outside to rearrange the bed of the truck, fill up the generator with gas and he filled up the two gas cans since we got an extra one now. He was talking to our neighbor for a while. Then we got ready to go do some errands. Jim dropped me off at Walmart so I could grocery shop alone. Jim went to the hardware store for a transfer pump, washer hose, and deep socket so it's easier when he torque's the tires before we leave. Then he met me over at Walmart, we picked up his pills at the pharmacy. We finished our shopping and then went to look for Benson Arizona t-shirts. We looked at a thrift store to no avail. then we went into the the cutest little gift shop called The Cowboy Way, they had t-shirts and we bought two license plates one Arizona and one said Benson.

Then we headed back with our groceries, put everything away we really wanted to wash the camper but it was a little drizzly. Plus Jim  hurt his back a little bit earlier in the day. So he grilled some chicken outside. I started cooking, I made a chicken and vegetable soup in the instant pot, and then I made spaghetti with turkey burger for dinner with leftovers for later, also in the instant pot. I chopped up three beautiful peppers I bought red yellow and orange. Took some more things out of the freezer out front shrimp and pork roast we want to smoke. We drug the smoker this many miles we want to use it. I almost have the freezer out front cleaned out so we can turn it off that way it won't use electric when we Boondock in the desert for 8 days.. I also made a pumpkin custard which we had for dessert, with leftovers for extra meals. Washed  a lot dishes, cleaned up, tried to repack the fridge for travel day tomorrow. We had a beautiful sunset it kept getting redder and redder. Jim finally went to bed so I could stay up and watch my shows. Don't tell him I said that. I stayed up way too late I wanted to watch Jimmy Fallon because Bryan Cranston was on but with the time change I missed it. Went to bed way too late but oh well.

Lazydays in Tucson Arizona

I woke up around 7 and felt like it was 5 in the morning but in Pennsylvania 9 I guess. Made a smoothie Jim had eggs and toast. Monday I made a nail appointment for 11 today. We were watching The Today Show.  I told Jim should we go now, so we went to my appointment, Jim dropped me off. And I went in and he took my polish off, we talked about the gel polish, he seamed confused on what to do. The towel looked dirty that they had down and I just said thanks but no thanks and then I left. Called Jim and he came back for me, we went into Walmart to drop off his prescription. We went and had pizza at a place that was recommended. We ordered a thin crust. We were  really hungry by then and somehow our order got delayed we waited forever. When we finally got it it was really good.  We decided to go to Lazydays and Camping World in Tucson today. We went to Camping World first  we  wanted to get a water bladder so we can transport water at the rally. And we wanted to replace our electric water hose that leaked,  we had an extended warranty on it so we switched that out. Then we went to Lazydays Tucson.

We went in they were very nice we went to the service entrance. We wanted to make an appointment for a few little minor things that needed taken care of in the rig. It was about six different things. We made an appointment,  they were booked up through good part of February. We made it for the end of February so we'll be back in a month. And the lady had her nails done so I asked her where she had them done she told me where she goes. So I took my unpainted Nails over there. They were okay hard to understand she wanted me to do the dip nails but I have gel. She kept trying to talk me into it  but I just said do the gel Jim was waiting for me, I took my nail polish along, but I said I'll just do it myself so we can get out of there. First day we drove after dark, little bit of rain on the way home, was about 40 miles away total, we got home, I heated up turkey burgers we pre-grilled yesterday before the tuna steaks. Jim showered while I got dinner ready. We  watched some TV. I took a shower, finally put polish on my nails, Jim washd the dishes then we called it a night.

A day in Tombstone AZ

As George Strait said we're not here for a long time we're here for a good time. Jim was up first made the coffee and I got up and made us a smoothie, we watch some Today Show. The weatherman said  we would have the weather Envy of the country today. We got ready for our day trip to Tombstone. Upon arrival first we rode the stagecoach.

I told the stage coach driver I really wanted his job, looks like so much fun, he wanted to give it to me immediately, because he was having some health issues and was having pain.  I wish I could have done that. Then after that we went for lunch someone here at the campground told us to go to a  restaurant  called Big Nose Kate Saloon. You can read a clip that was on the menu about her. The food was really good, and there was a guy singing Country songs and he sang The George Strait song that I mentioned in the beginning.

We walked around a whole bunch of gift shops and stores a lot of Western Wear, hard to resist. We went to a gunfight that was comedy based. Then we went back to the truck got a soda and a protein bar and put on our western boots and hat, now we fit in. Then we also went to a reenactment at the O.K. Correl with Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.

Then the guy that played a bad guy in The Comedy drove the trolley for the tour and we did that too. It was a lot of fun and beautiful day.

Jim just said I took 159 pictures today, WOW. Then we stopped at Boothill graveyard, it has the graves of the famous gunfighters, the ones that were killed at the O.K. Corral.

this is the pitcher I was looking for.

I was here 45 years ago with my family and cousins. I have the same picture  from then, I wanted to show a then and now,  but I can't find it ,  how can you lose something in 43 ft .  I think it's at my MIL storage shed . Then we drove back to the camper, it's only 23 miles away, enjoying the drive as the sun was starting to set. We got back and I had  some tuna steaks so we grilled those outside and had our leftover zucchini and vegetables. I made a couple paleo chocolate chip cookies we watched a little TV took the trash out, took showers and went to bed.

Beautiful Sunny Warm Day in Benson Arizona

January 7, 2019 coincidentally we woke up at the same time. Watched The Today Show and local news from Tucson. I made smoothies for us for breakfast, and Jim had some bacon egg and cheese sandwich. Then we went to the office to see about having our mail delivered here. Then we got in the truck and took a drive and looked around Benson. We drove by the school that I used to go to. Jim had to get some stuff in the hardware store. Then we drove up around the mountain areas and looked at all the neat Terrain. Then we looked on the phone for a good place to have lunch. And I found Benson City Grill, was on a golf course. Lunch with a beautiful view,

and the food was wonderful too. Jim had a prime rib grilled sandwich, I think that's what they called it, with fries and I had a southwest salad. Then we took a drive, went to the Benson tourist information center. They were very informative. We drove around a little more took a walk around a campground near us. We went into a local grocery store, Safeway Jim brought three bottles of booze for The escapees Bash, and a  couple more grocery items. Then we came home, it was 86 in the camper from the sun shining on it. Opened the door and put the roof vent fans on, it cooled it down quick. Jim put the two burner cast iron stove outside on a picnic table that they just brought us because we didn't have one, and I put my Hubcap Grill on it and Grill more zucchini and chicken. We had that for dinner. Jim called and talked to his mother for a while, then his brother called and he talked to him for a while. Then there was a beautiful sunset he tried to get a picture of it, then we came in had dinner watch some of the new shows that are on tonight took showers did a couple loads of laundry, and went to bed, still don't know what time it is LOL good night.