IYQ

DAVE: I spend most of my time in that area at Organ Pipe Cactus Nat'l Monument 35 miles south of Ajo. I go up to Ajo and stay a few nights when I want TV, Most of the RV Parks there have cable. If you have satellite that wouldn't be an issue. I stay at the Shadow Ridge RV park in the center of town but the sites would be to small for your rig. And I'll warn you Ajo water is the worst in the country. It's terrible tasting. The copper mine there has polluted the ground water. The water at Organ pipe is very good. There is a BLM 2 miles south of Why that most people go to after Q. The name alludes me right now but there is a picknic table site on the east side of the road that is well marked with signs on the Hiway. Directly across the hiway on the west side is the BLM. No signs on the hiway but you can see all the rigs back there as you approach. Why has a service station with Propane out back and Grandma's restaurant to the side but back in a little. Best food in the area but that isn't saying very much. There is RV parking behind the station where you can pay to dump. ( Organ Pipe has a very clean dump station) If you deside to stay in an RV park in Ajo. The parks on the North end of town across from Olsen's (IGA grocery, hardware and builders supply) have larger spaces. The names, Belly Acres and Ajo Hieghts and another that has slipped my mind. And that is about all I can tell you.

I got back to my morning walk this morning, about 1/2 a mile. Then I took care of a few maintenance chores until the mail came in. My mail was there, all three months worth. That took the rest of the afternoon until happy hour which was Ice Cream and Cake to celebrate all the February birthdays. After I gained a few pounds on that I tried to buy every RV accessory that Amazon had. Mostly stuff for the Navion but a new sewer hose for the trailer. This SW sunshine made it brittle and the last time I used it it sprung a few leaks. I also ordered a Trik-L-Start battery maintainer to keep the starting battery on the Navion charged while I'm parked for long periods. I had noticed that it only takes about a week for it to get down to 12.3 while parked with nothing in the cab turned on. The Trik-L-Start keeps it charged with the coach battery and solar system but limits the current flow to below 5 amps and won't allow the coach battery to be drawn down too low. And of course the solar system keeps the coach battery recharged. I have my tiny solar panel on it now but that has no controller and you have to put it away every time you drive the Navion. So now I'm not only tired but also broke.

I got all the parishibles move out of the Navion today and washed up a few cooking utensils I bought yesterday and hooked up my tiny solar panel to the starting battery so it won't go dead while sitting here. But now my personal battery is dead so I'll rest the rest of the day. I need to start up my Honda generator and run all the gas out of it but hate to sit over at the shop long enough to get it done. I have a person who wants to buy it but he won't get here until sometime in March. If I still had a muscle or two, I'd pick it up and pour the gas out of the tank then finish running it dry. But that's a dream from the past. I'm lucky to pick me up let alone me and the generator. Lee

I'm beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I hope it isn't a freight train. Tomorrow I'll start carrying the food from the Navion back to this rig. Today I got the freezer temperature down to 3° with the frig at 37°. I got most of the junk in the trailer back where it belongs. And now every thing seems to be working again except the water pump. No hurry for that as long as I'm on city water. This evening 12 of us went to Compo's for dinner. We had a good time and yes I can tell stories as good as any of them. We gave the restaurant 2 days notice that we were coming so every thing went as smooth as a baby's butt. The food was very good. Lee

I'm at the Low Hi RV Ranch 4 miles south of town at the corner of Country Club annd O'Kelley. It is the headquarters for Loners on Wheels a singles RVClub. But the public is more than welcome, we give Passport and Escapees discounts. Most of the RV parks in town are on business I-10 too close to the freeway and the railroad. Our park is very quiet at night fairly large spaces, a few Trees and pleanty cactus gardens to dress it up. Right now I'm in spaces 19 and 20 (I have 2 rigs) but my be in 13 and 14 by the time you get here. Just ask at the office what space Lee is in. Everyone knows me. Most of our sites are pull through but we also have electric & water only back in sites and dry camping if that's your style. We have a Laundry, showers, dump station, Morning coffee hour and 4pm happy hour. A lounge with TV and pool table and a few other things that slip my memory right now. I may be a little partial but I think our park is the best in town.

I'm back in deming and one tired dude. I went to happy happy hour and got about 25 hugs from the gang here. I really haven't done much about setting up yet I'll take care of that tomorrow.

When I unplugged my smart phone this morning after charging it during the night. The male part of the plug that is supposed to stay in the phone came out with the USB cable. I carefully pushed it back in the phone using the Plug on the USB cable. Rocking the plug back and forth slightly and it released the male plug where it is supposed to be. A while later I decided to attach the cable again to see If I'd be able to recharge the phone tonight. When I did it just pushed the male plug back further inside the phone. I popped the case on the phone to see if there would be a way to fix it but found there is another steel case inside that also covers that plug. I put it back together and the phone is still working but when the battery runs down I won't have a way to charge it again. So rather than leave here Wednesday I've decided to head back to Deming tomorrow. I'll turn the phone off so that if I have an emergency on the way home I'll still have enough battery to make a call. I'll still have internet access through my tablet and jet pack but no phone. If it isn't one thing It's another. Guurrrrrr Roger: I'm not going to give up Football because of how the game turned out. Cam is a very good QB and with a little more experience will be a force to contend with. A lot of teems already found that out with his win/loss record this year. I'm quiting watching because it's turning me into a couch potato from Thursday until Monday night and usually feeling depressed because the games were lopsided or the one I thought would win does something stupid. I was better off when I didn't watch TV at all. It's all too depressing and I just don't think what they call funny now-a-day is funny at all. And just think how long my two new TV's will last if I never turn them on.

I don't know why but this posted twice.

I give up watching football again. Congrats go to the Bronco's Defense. I wasted the whole day on football. The Panther Defense was pretty darn good also but turn overs on offense killed them. I guess I'll turn off the TV for another 8 years. I sure hope Manning retires now on a high note before he gets busted up and disgraced for going beyond his time. He is too old to keep playing. His play today was fine in that he didn't make any big mistakes and let the Defense win the game but he was not effective on offense and another full season would make him a looser if not an invalid. Too many great quarter backs have tried to play too long and had to be let go or worse been busted up so bad they can't enjoy the rest of their life.

I moved back up to Ajo today so I can watch the Panthers completely shred the Broncos tomorrow. Who is that Payton guy??? The cowgirl that is in the site next to me came over while I was setting up. She had just bought a new rig up in Quartzsite. I remember seeing her at the LOWs spaghetti dinner in Q but I didn't know her. She was asking questions about my rig so I offered to show her the inside. We sat on the couch and talked for the next two hours. Cowgirl Margie, who was here, called me about 4 days ago and said she was moving up to Picasso Peak state park. So she is gone. I think I'll stay here until wednesday then head for Deming to catch up on my mail which I havent sent for since I left there in December. Plus I have a zillion things I want to order for this rig plus the only sure thing, It's that time of year again, taxes.

Linda and Ed, my feeling about your latest fate have been well stated by the other class members. However, In life some of our most devastating events end up being the best thing that ever happened. I'd like to relate an event that happened to me on my first break in service after coming home from Japan after WWII. I had found a job and was doing well. So I bought a new pickup truck. A couple months later the economy crashed and I lost my job with no others to be had. I found a young man to take over my truck because I couldn't make the payments. We went to the bank that carried the loan and they handled the transfer. That evening the guy raced one of his buddies to Winslow and burnt up the engine in the new truck. His father was a board member in the bank. The bank destroyed the paperwork on the truck to make it look like the transfer never happened. I was stuck with a truck with a burned out engine without a job and the bank was calling me every day about the payments. I declared bankruptcy and swore to myself I'd never buy another thing on credit. As time went by and times got better I had saved up a pretty good emergency fund but wouldn't put the money in a bank because I no longer trusted any bank. I started investing because I was afraid of keeping that much money in my house. Between my learning how to save and the stock market I now am very financially secure. Looking back if it hadn't been for the bad experience with the truck and bank I never would have saved anything or started investing. So you see dark clouds can have a silver lining. I'll be leaving Organ Pipe in the morning and going back up to Ajo where I can get TV to watch the Super Bowl. I had planned on coming back down here after the game for another week but the weather in Deming looks like it is warming up so I may stay a couple more days in Ajo then head forn Deming.

Joe, I feel your pain too but come Sunday I hope the Panthers give the Broncos and you lots more pain. I hope you have a good supply of that Baaaaaaadddd whisky. I went to Why this morning and filled the LP tank and had breakfast. On the way back when I stopped at the Border Patrol station the guy must have been bored and cold. He shot the bull with me for about 5 minutes. I took a .5 mi walk when I got back and pretty much loafed the rest of the day. Did some paper sorting but that is about it. Colder than expected this morning because of a N wind but warmed up nice this afternoon.

I started the day off with my walk this morning. I added a little distance and went .71 mi. However, my hip and back were complaining before I finished. After soaking up a little sunshine and resting the hips, I cleaned up the breakfast mess then messed everything back up fixing lunch. This afternoon was devoted to decontaminating myself and getting a clean set of clothing on. The LP gauge now shows empty. I hope I have enough to make it through the night. NOAH says 35 degrees tonight so in the morning I'll have breakfast in Why, get the LP tank filled then return to goof off another day.

pretty nice today, just a tad cooler than normal but very light wind. chilly again tonight NOAH says 30 degrees but as long as the LP holds out I don't care. I got in Two nice walks today. One .53 miles and one .61 miles but the speed was down to 1.8 mph. I spent most of the day sitting out in back of my rig watching the world go by. I should sleep well tonight. Lee, GO PANTHERS

Today was cloudy and chilly but the 30+ MPH winds didn't materialize. Just a breeze but not enough to keep me inside. Last night's winds were worse. I cooked pasta for dinner tonight but with the coach all buttoned up because of the chill it sure fogged up the windows but they are clearing fast. I got in a nice long walk this morning but didn't take my GPS so I don't know how far or fast. I'd guess about 3/4ths a mile. I rested once to keep my hips/back from getting too sore. Y'all talking about the 70 MPH winds years ago. Was that the year that the Big Tent in Q blew down? I think I remember being at the slabs during that but we only got gusts to 50 MPH. the wind here last night was enough to make me put the stabilizers down. I don't usually do that unless I'm getting sea sick inside. Tomorrow is slated to be cold again but sunny. Then I think this storm is history.

No Steve not here in the Park However a cowgirl from Oregon was held up in Why,AZ for over an hour because they had US 85 blockaded for that sting operation. She is one of the LOWs that was parked next to me. Our Fantastic weather is turning nasty for a couple of days. Tonight just before Sun set the wind started blowing pretty strong and the temperature plummeted. NOAH says it will get to 33 tonight and only 56 tomorrow. Then on Tuesday They say 29 at night and only 52 for Tuesday's High. Wednesday is 36 and 55. Then it gets pretty good again for the rest of my stay. I did a lot of cleaning today like polishing the stains off the sinks. I cooked up some more Hamburger which means I had the whole kitchen to de-grease so when I was about as tired as I ever want to be, I ran out of water and had to go to the Dump station to refill the tank. While doing the floors I noticed a dark place in front of the sink. Tomorrow I'll have to get down on my knees with the 409 and micro cloth and scrub it away. I hope I can get back up. I'll keep the phone handy so I can call Steve to come down here and pick me up. Lee. go Panthers

I give up making plans. They are sure to be broken before you get anywhere. This morning I PLANNED to have breakfast in Lukeville at the border. It's only 5 miles down there. When I got there I found the restaurant was closing permanently. There was a lady in the kitchen getting it ready to lock the doors. So, I PLANNED to go back north 27 miles to Grandma's at Why. When I got there Grandma's was closed. She use to close on Sunday but changed it to Saturday. Oh well another 10 miles north gets me to Ajo so off to Ajo and finally got breakfast at Marsha's then went to Olson's grocery to stock up on food. While I was there loading up my cart, Cowgirl Margie snuck up behind me. We stood there talking about an hour. When I finally got back to Oragan Pipe it was after 1 PM. I wonder where the days go. Lee. Go Panthers

I was wondering why the engine was in back. I thought it had turned in to a Diesel Pusher. The weather is still fabulous down here and my walking progam is coming along pretty good. I'm up to a 2.3 MPH average for a 1/2 mile walk. Which may sound slow to you youngsters but aint bad for an old geezer. I'm going to need to make another trip to Ajo soon. I ran out of hamburger and my frozen veggies need something to give them a little taste and protein. Plus another opportunity for breakfast at Grandma's in Why. Two rigs with Low Members I know pulled in beside me last night and a very large group of WINs (Wandering INdividuals) are amassing all around me gettin ready for a tour down to Rocky Point Mexico. All kinds of Singles to yak with.

I had to dump this morning so as long as I had to leave my site, after dumping I went to Why and had Breakfast at Grandma's. Then refilled the LP tank and got diesel. Then returned to my site. about a 45 mile trip. when I got back I pulled into my site backward so I didn't have to use my ramps to level. All the sites here slope down hill just a little. motorized RVs all slope down hill a bit for stability on the road. By going in backwards they cancel each other out and all is level but the door is on the wrong side. Another fantastic day today but only got one walk in.

Lake Havasu city is only about 265 miles. There is another HWH Master Service center in Glendale but I have an aversion to driving in Phoenix or any other big city. It will only take about 5 hours and I might as well be sitting behind the wheel as on this couch. I could have them installed in Tucson at LaMesa RV but they are not an HWH Master Service Center. I had a bad experience when I had them put on my old class C at Camping World so I'm really wanting a place with lots of experience. I'll be doing a lot of traveling this spring. I have to go to South Dakota in May for a new Drivers license so they will be getting plenty of use if I do get them. LINDA & ED: Nothing I could say could make you feel any better. Your experience is bringing back painful thoughts about when that guy totaled my truck in Jackson Tennessee. Hang in there and I hope you get underway soon.

Another fabulous day today but will be getting a little chilly tonight (high 30s). I got in two walks today of about 1/2 mile each. Pretty slow going but it's better than I have been doing. I've been mulling over driving up to Lake Havasu City to see if it's advisable to put HWH levelers on this rig. I've had two RV shops look at it and they both said the frame isn't strong enough to support them and they might end up bending the frame. The place in Havasu is a special installation and repair facility acording to HWH. They have a special name for that type of facility but I can't think of it right now. I think I'll email HWH first and see what they say about this Sprinter Chasis.

I moved down to Organ Pipe Catus Nat'l Monument today. It sure is pretty here and the weather was perfect today. I ran out of water this morning and in no way was I going to put Ajo water in my fresh tank again. I'll stay here until Super Bowl weekend then run back up to Ajo to watch the game. Then come back here for about a week before returning to Deming. I've started taking short walks again trying to get my breathing back in shape. This is an ideal place to walk. I'm hoping to get back to 3/4th a mile at a reasonable spead again befor my legs completely atrophy. They sure got weak during that virus I had just before Q. have fun.

I was supposed to do laundry today but managed to procrastinate the day away so tomorrow will be laundry day. We had mid 70s today with a slight breeze. A fantastic day. Quite a contrast to what those folks in the east are getting with that snow storm. A very good reminder of why I live on wheels.

It was in the low 70s today and it looks like we will be in the low 80s this weekend. I can take a lot of this weather. I spent most of the morning yakking with a cowgirl I know that is here then this afternoon I decontaminated myself so I can do the laundry tomorrow. I'm about out of clean clothes. This morning about 6 AM the coyotes were really singing and not very far away either. I guess you might call that an Arizona alarm clock.

I made it to Ajo and all set up in space 30, at Shadow Ridge RV Park. When I stopped at the office they just said I see you made it back and assigned me a site. No charge because they gave me credit for the days I didn't use on my last stay. I like that. It's a little warmer here than Q. I've got all the windows, vents and Door open. Their current bushes are nice too. No generator when cooking and popcorn after quiet hours. That's living high on the hog except the hogs here are Javalina.