The Ray Adventures: March 16-March 24th Yuma, Borrego Springs & Simi Valley

We had a nice quiet week in Yuma, we enjoyed staying on a lot by ourselves with freedom for Luci to run around without a leash. One little problem, the rocks seemed to hurt her feet so she stayed on our outside mat or on the threshold of the garage. Our 3 night stay in Borrego Springs with my sister and her husband was way too short. Our trip to Simi Valley was a "day from hell".

Wednesday, March 16th, We invited Aunt Ruth over for BBQ'd chicken, I put the whole chicken on the BBQ to "smoke" for about a half hour before turning the temperature up to roast. After about a half hour I checked on the bird. The BBQ died. Gary's trouble shooting found the motor for the auger was dead. I put the bird in the convection oven, so we were able to eat.(a little late) I made a nice salad, fresh asparagus and strawberries to round out our dinner. The chicken came out surprisingly good, I'll have to use that method again. Ruth's son is coming down in May to drive her and her dogs back to Olympia for the summer.

Thursday, March 17th, Happy St. Patrick's Day! Every morning we walk about 3 miles through the neighborhood for exercise. It 's fun to see all the homes with RV pads, and a lot of them are like Larry (our landlord) and rent out the lot beside them. Most of the lots run about $385. a month, some with electricity included others electricity is additional. Several lots are for sale, depending on the size from $65,000 to $100,000. I love Rockport but I also love the desert. Tempting. We made a run out to a fruit stand, bought veggies and fruit plus some yummy sounding salsa. We got back in time for the Safelite windshield repairman, we were pretty sure the windshield would have to be replaced but he was able to repair it, but couldn't guarantee it would last. Larry and Terri, our neighbors (landlords) came over for an evening beverage. It is heartbreaking, she was recently diagnosed with ALS, (she's my age) except for her speech she seems absolutely healthy.

Friday, March 18th, A quiet day, temp's in the 90's so we pretty much stayed inside. We had dinner at Brewer's Sports Bar with Jay and Sandy, we met them through our camping club in Salem, they've been full-time RVing for 25 years part of the time he was working highway construction but when he retired they stayed on the road. The summer of 2014 they were our neighbors at Sun Dial Mobile Home Park in Salem, I think we will be neighbors at Sun Dial this summer but things are a little screwy with the reservations so we will see. To be continued.

Saturday, March 19th, Ruth invited us to lunch today, she said it was Dene's (Gary's Dad) favorite place to eat. She directed us to the Historic Downtown Yuma area, we had never been down there before. Lute's Casino and Pool Hall, no longer a casino just a fun place to eat. The 12 foot high walls are plastered with pictures, posters, murals of every description. Hanging from the ceiling are a big fish with a man's head in his mouth, a sky diver, a Western Union Sign to name a few, everywhere you look you see a unique piece of memorabilia. The men's room has a glass window, one way, overlooking the restaurant, they say that way no one could sneak up and shoot you in the back. (A big problem nowadays). Ruth knew the piano player from church, I'm sure he dresses differently and plays different music in church. He is very good and seems like quite a character. The food was good and plentiful, we took half of it home. After lunch we readied the coach for our travel on Sunday. We were sitting outside watching another of Arizona's glorious sunsets when Larry and Terri invited us out to dinner then to the Moose Lodge to listen to music. The musician is from Oregon as most of the Snowbirds are. When we got back "home" they invited us in for a "nightcap" their home is beautiful, some people have a knack for decorating. Our nightcap was Fireball Whiskey and Rum Chata mixed together. Yum, yum yum!. However it knocks you on your butt! But I did sleep like a log. Such a fun couple.

Sunday, March 20th, Before we left for Borrego Springs, Ca. we took a walk with Luci through the neighborhood. Even at 9:00 am the heat was building. We left about 10, fueled up and hit the road for our drive to Borrego Springs, a 150 mile drive through the desert. As we entered Anza-Borrego State Park we noticed the desert was aglow of orange blooms from Ocotillo plant. Borrego Springs, population 3,430, elevation 590 feet, a small desert town at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountain Range, northwest of San Diego and almost directly south of Palm Springs. Surrounded by the Anza-Borrrego State Park, 650,000 acres in the Colorado Desert, it is known for the colorful display of wildflowers in the spring. We were lucky enough to be here during the bloom season, especially the ocotillo, as we drove in we saw a sea of them in bloom making the desert green and orange. In the middle of the desert, scattered through out the outskirts of town you will find over 100 metal sculptures by Ricardo Breceda. Camels, sloths, lamas, wild horses, sabre tooth tigers, mammoth, giant birds, wild pigs, sheep, tortoises and dragons seem to appear almost natural in the desert landscape. One of our favorites is a flat fender Willy's Jeep climbing boulders. Local resident Dennis Avery (Avery label fortune) consigned Breceda, and in April of 2008 they started appearing on Avery's private acreage then to the outskirts of town. The neat thing, you can drive right up to the sculptures and touch them. We arrived about 1:30 at Palm Canyon RV resort, we spent three nights there with my sister Judy and her husband Bob from Ramona, just over the hill toward San Diego.

Monday, March 21st. We drove out to the State Park Visitor Center to see the nature trail of the flowers in bloom, we also learned the names of some of the plants we'd seen but never knew what they are. Judy had a sore leg so we didn't do much exploring in the park. After lunch at a Mexican restaurant we drove around the desert looking at the sculptures. Judy cooked Sloppy Joe's for dinner, she brought a Julian apple pie for desert. Yum!

Tuesday, March 22nd, Judy and I did a little shopping in town, just looked, didn't buy. The guys sat around camp talking all things military. Her leg was really hurting so we went back to the park and headed for the hot tub. She was feeling better after soaking so we played a game of Phase 10 in the afternoon. I made pot roast (thank you Costco) with new white potatoes, carrots and salad. For dessert we polished off the apple pie.

Wednesday, March 23rd. A day from HELL!!!! We left about 9:30 for our drive to Simi Valley. First I had to say good-bye to sis, then as Gary made the corner to leave the park he broke the side view mirror off on a limb. We managed to secure it with gorilla tape for our drive to Palm Springs. Gary got the name of a RV repair shop in Indio, as the day continued to "stink" we drove past the shop and had to circle the block. They couldn't help us. We sat in a parking lot calling around the Palm Springs area hunting for help. No luck. Gary had to drive 240 miles through LA traffic with no side view mirror. He tried to stay in the right lane but there were times he would have to move over, to get back in the right he would check his back camera then I would stand up and look out the window checking the side. How do you spell STRESS? We had to change freeways several times, he turned too soon before the "5" and had to navigate narrow surface streets to get back on track. ARGGGHHH! Finally we made it to the last freeway to Simi Valley, hooray! Of course he missed the turn into the Elks Lodge (campground), continued up the narrow mountain road. I thought we were really in "deep weeds" but miraculously there was a turn that took us directly back to the freeway. We finally pulled into the Elks about 5pm after almost 8 hours of stress! Fittingly the campground was full so we are boon docking in the overflow area. We went to the lodge for our much needed adult beverage. On the plus side it was a beautiful warm evening with a full moon.

Thursday, March 24th, We spent most of the morning trying to find a place to get our mirror fixed. It looks like the part will have to be ordered, will take up to 10 days to get a new mirror. Our plan is to order the part, continue onto Santa Barbara and Monterey by then we should have the part. Cross your fingers. We wanted to go back to Ronald Reagan's Presidential Library after Nancy's passing, it's been at least 8 years since we were here last. The Library, opened in 1991, is so well done, including the Air Force One Pavilion. AF1 flew into San Bernadino Airport, was disassembled, it took a nine person crew 9 weeks, then trucked 104 miles (6 hours) to Simi Valley. The road up to the mountaintop library is narrow and winding. They had to put extra axles on the trailer to get it through the curves. Then Air Force Pavilion was built around the plane and helicopter. After an enjoyable lunch on the patio we visited the Vatican exhibit then walked out to pay our respects at the graves of Pres. Regan and Nancy. We went back to the coach and enjoyed the lovely sunshine.
We leave in the morning for Santa Barbara.

That's it for this week, enjoy the pic's.

TTFN

Gary and Pam